Born Dark

by H G Lynch

  Reid chuckled next to her and patted her on the head, which Ember responded to with a slap to his chest. “Well, Ricky boy, it seems Ember here has the ability to block us out of her head. And she can feel it when we try to pry. It’s a pain in the butt for me but…” Reid shrugged. Ricky looked amazed.

  “You can feel it? How? I mean, what’s it feel like?” he enquired, curiosity and wonder alight in his eyes. He ran a hand through his hair, itching his head.

  “Just like a prickling at my temples. But I can block out the intrusion by just well, imagining a stone wall around my mind basically. It’s weird but it works.” Ember grinned, thrilled at having stumped yet another vampire. She wondered what Brandon and Perry would think of this. Meanwhile, Sherz was looking lost.

  “Wait, why can you feel it and I can’t? Is there something wrong with me or something?” Sherry pitched her brows up in a worried expression.

  Ember shook her head quickly. “No, no. I’m the freak. We aren’t meant to be able to feel it. Right, Reid?” She turned to him for confirmation and he nodded, but his eyes were glued to her and a thoughtful expression was plastered to his face.

  “This is… well, weird. I’ve never heard of a human being able to feel telepathic things like that, let alone block them.” Kee was examining her now, like a scientist with an experiment. Great. I’m the vampire version of a scientific oddity, she thought grudgingly.

  “Maybe I’m not human,” Ember joked. “Now, can we stop fussing about my messed up mind and talk about something… oh, I don’t know, normal perhaps?” She rolled her eyes, and Ricky laughed, but Reid was still watching her thoughtfully. She wanted to ask him why he was staring at her like that but his gaze changed when he realised she knew he was still gazing at her. His eyes darkened and became just a little hazy. She opened her mouth to ask what he was thinking but when she felt his hand on her leg, she got an idea. His fingertips trailed up from her knee slowly, and a shiver of heat travelled down her spine. His blue eyes were fixed on hers and a sensual smile curved his soft mouth. His hand crept up further but when his fingers reached halfway up her thigh, she caught his wrist. Butterflies battered her stomach, and she had to take a deep breath to cool her trembling nerves. She chanced a glance at Ricky and Sherry, hoping they weren’t looking. Luckily they were absorbed in an enthralling conversation of their own.

  Ember leaned close to Reid and whispered, “If you can’t keep your hands in decent places, keep them to yourself.” She let him feel her lips on his cheek before she placed his hand back on his own leg. He gave her a devilish look, flames dancing in his eyes.

  “Would it make a difference if there weren’t other people here?” he murmured, a mischievous gleam coming to his blue eyes along with the flames. Ember stroked her fingers down his side and across his abs teasingly, and sweetly seductive smile on her lips.

  “Not a bit,” she answered silkily. And before she could react, his mouth was on hers, kissing her in a way that was warm and sweet, but with a wild edge that made Ember’s head spin. A deep cough from the other side of the jacuzzi, along with a giggle, brought Ember back to her senses and she pushed Reid away. She blushed and let her hair fall around her face like a dripping screen, trying to calm her heart rate. Ricky was looking uncomfortable but amused, while Sherry was giggling under her breath.

  “I do not want to know what you two get up to on your own, if that’s how you act in public.” Sherz laughed and Ember blushed deeper, feeling heat in her face.

  “Hmm, don’t I wish,” Reid said dryly with a sad sigh. Ricky arched a brow inquisitively and Reid opened his mouth to say something, but Ember elbowed him in the ribs - guys and their need to chat about their sex lives. It was so stupid.

  “Say one more word and I’ll…” Ember cut off mid-threat and switched to telepathically threatening him, I’ll make sure you never get close to what you’d like to do to me. Got it? Reid glared for a moment but Ember just raised her brows expectantly, twisting her legs away from him so they no longer touched.

  “Fine,” Reid pouted, but it was clear he was conjuring plans for later. Probably trying to find a loophole in her threat. It wouldn’t do him any good, because he could find a way of talking to Ricky about their escapades - or lack of - in any loophole, but she could still keep her body away from him no matter what. He couldn’t win.

  “OK. If you two are done with telepathic threats, maybe we could go check out the flumes?” Ricky grinned, and Ember wasn’t sure if he’d heard her mental warning or if he could just guess. She hoped it was the latter, though that still left her feeling a little uncomfortable.

  “Flumes it is,” she piped up, excited by the idea of trying out the water flumes in a new pool. She wondered if they’d be as good as the ones back home. Maybe they’d be faster!

  Reid

  Reid bit his lip as he watched Ember climbing the stairs to the top of the flumes. He was lagging behind with Ricky, who was rattling on about something, but Reid really wasn’t listening. He was busy watching the way Ember’s hips swayed as she walked up each step. So she wasn’t as curvy or busty as the usual sixteen-year-old girls, but he’d had enough of those girls anyway. She was sexy in a more delicate way, and the way she denied his touch just added to the wanting. He’d love to trace the curve of her hips, the dip of her tiny waist, her long legs, with his fingertips, but she wouldn’t let him. He was the vampire, but she had control over him. It was sweet torture.

  “Hello? Reid? You’re not listening are you?” Ricky shoved his arm, bringing him out of his entranced ogling for the time being. Blue-green eyes fixed on him with exasperation, and Ricky sighed.

  “What? No. I’ve got better things on my mind.” Reid grinned his usual devil-may-care smirk. The brunette boy just rolled his eyes.

  They reached the top of the stairs and found there was no queue. He, of course, knew these flumes well, having been swimming at this pool since he was four. ‘The Caterpillar’ was the bumpy one, ‘The Snake’ was the winding one with lots of loops and ‘The Shark’ was the super-fast, 60 degree angle one. And the look on Ember’s face said she couldn’t wait to try them all. Her eyes were glued to ‘The Snake’, but Sherry dragged her toward ‘The Caterpillar’.

  Reid hung back, leaning against the cool tiles of the wall to watch them. The tiles under his feet were slick and the air was chilly, but it didn’t bother him in the least. Gooseflesh was rising on Ember’s arms, though, and he smiled a little. She’s so fragile, He thought with a pang. It made him want to look after her, take care of her, but despite her human fragility, she was too fiery to let him. She’d take of herself, he knew. And she’d eat you alive if you ever hurt her, a little voice whispered in his head. It didn’t amuse him. He frowned briefly. Then I’ll make sure I never hurt her, he vowed silently.

  “You go first.” Sherry insisted, pushing Ember to the mouth of the flume excitedly. Ember laughed and sat down at the flume entrance, water flowing over her pale skin in clear ribbons.

  “You sure? It looks awful scary,” Ember teased Sherry, who ducked and pushed the girl fiercely. Ember shrieked but then laughed as she flew down the tunnel and disappeared. The remaining three of them all turned their attention to the TV screen on the wall near the stairs, where it showed the exits of all the flumes; live feeds wired from cameras at the bottom.

  After nearly a minute of watching, a girl flew out the end of one flume in to the deep pool at the bottom. She plunged under the water and came up a moment later, grinning and wiping water out of her eyes. She looked to be laughing and glanced at the camera, giving a thumbs-up and wading out of the pool. Sherry laughed and shot down the flume herself. Reid expected Ember to come rushing back up the steps to try the next flume, but she waited at the bottom for Sherry.

  “Why do they do that? They always wait for each other.” Reid was puzzled. He’d seen groups of girls occasionally wait for each other if they had things to discuss or somewhere to be, but he’d never seen two girls constantly stick by each
other like that.

  “They’re best friends. Probably closer than we are to Brandon and Perry most of the time. Friendship links them that way.” Ricky shrugged. “Plus, they’re girls. Who knows why they do anything?” Kee laughed, his eyes still on the TV screen. Sherry slid out the end of the flume and splashed into the water, coming up to the surface quickly and laughing as Ember ran in to throw water over her playfully. It was cute and a little childish the way they acted together, so natural like they were sisters, not friends. Both girls on the screen turned to the camera and made beckoning gestures. Reid and Ricky looked at each other and grinned. Ricky wandered to the mouth of ‘The Caterpillar’ and Reid went to ‘The Snake’. They’d go down different slides at the same time so they’d come out the bottom at the same time, surprising the girls. Once they were sitting at the mouths of the flumes, they nodded to each other and pushed off, flying into the flumes simultaneously.

  The warm water sloshed over Reid as he slipped around the familiar curves and twists of the flume, the tunnel being pitch black in some parts and shimmering with light in others. Until he flew out the end and was swallowed by the deep, warm waters of the pool. He pushed to the surface and slung his hair off his face, turning to Ricky, who was laughing next to him. The girls were giggling on the edge of the pool and Ember took a running jump into the water, sending a spray of it over him and Ricky. Reid felt a tug on his ankle and toppled over backwards, losing his footing on the slippery tiles underfoot. He felt hands on him again, pushing against his chest to keep him under the water’s surface. He grabbed the wrists and yanked Ember to him, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her back to the surface with him.

  “Trying to drown me? Or did you just want an excuse to put your hands on me?” he chuckled into her ear, brushing her wet hair off her face. To his surprise, she wrapped her arms around him in return and hugged him tightly. Then she tilted her head back and kissed his jaw, his neck, the hollow at the base of his throat. Sparks flew down his nerves, making him feel jittery inside. God, how did she do that to him?

  “Maybe both,” she whispered against his chest, her lips soft and warm on his skin. He tried to think of a witty comeback but his mind kept flicking to other lines of thought. He trailed one hand lightly, teasingly down her spine, and expected her to pull away or mutter a warning for him to ‘move his hand before he lost it’, but he felt her lips curl in a smile against his neck.

  “Did you hit your head on your way down the flume?” he murmured into her hair, trying to think of a reason not to pull her flush against him and kiss her again. It was so tempting, his every primal instinct snarling for him to do just that. Somehow, he restrained the urge.

  “Nope…” She lifted her head and her lips brushed his as she spoke. “I’m winning a bet.” She whispered against his mouth, her fingers running across the nape of his neck, sending delicious shivers down his back. When she leaned back, he tried to catch her lips with his, but she chuckled and slid her other hand down his spine, way down, making him pause. Heat spilled through his body, and he wondered, just for an instant, if she would really dare.

  Then her words registered in his head, just as she pushed him, hard. He stumbled and fell under the water again, too stunned to right himself for several seconds. While under the water, he could see Ember’s long, slender legs and dainty feet. Curious to see if she was ticklish, he began to reach for her, but pulled back. She’d likely kick him if he tried to tickle her.

  When he re-surfaced at last, Ember and Sherry were laughing, eyes on the big clock on the wall above them. “Ten…Eleven…” Ember was muttering. Shaking water out of his ears, he caught the end of them counting, and glanced at Ricky for some explanation. He just grinned and shrugged. Helpful, Reid thought sarcastically.

  “Well, ten seconds. OK, you win,” Sherry announced to Ember, who beamed at her friend. The green-eyed girl pulled a sulky expression, and then broke into a grin as well.

  “What the hell are you two talking about?” he asked, finally bringing himself out of the pool. Ember smirked at him, though he saw her gaze briefly follow the lines of his body, before returning to his face. It made him want to smile, knowing she was as attracted to him as he was to her.

  “We made a bet that I could keep you under water for ten seconds, without using physical force to hold you there. If she won, I had to agree to another double date, a proper one. If I won, which I did, she had to cut down on the mushy lovey-dovey-ness when I’m around. So, no more gag-worthy sop-fests while I’m in earshot!” Ember laughed and Sherry mock pouted.

  “Damn it. I was going to arrange for a candle-lit dinner or something.” The green-eyed girl looked honestly disappointed for a moment, and then giggled as Ember made a gagging noise.

  “Yeah, well. Just as well I won. You know I’d actually rather stab myself with a fork than do a candle-lit dinner,” Ember muttered, folding her arms over her chest. But Reid wondered just how much of Ember’s act had been for the bet, and how much had been just for her.

  Ember

  It was nice to be dry and clothed again as they all headed home. Ember was a little tired after the day’s events, and she knew it would take an extra shower when she got home to wash the chlorine smell from her hair. But it had been fun and seeing Reid in swim shorts was enjoyable to say the least. She ran her tongue over the roof of her mouth at the remembered sight.

  Right now, curled in the backseat of Ricky’s BMW, Ember relaxed. She could almost pretend like her life was normal. She could practically forget that her boyfriend was a vampire and her best friend’s boyfriend was also a vampire, and that there were shape-shifting witches after them all. Lazily, Ember gazed out the window to the velvet dark sky and glittering stars, observing the pale glowing orb that hung over the tops of the pine trees. Night-time was so beautiful. So peaceful. She wished she could stay awake long enough to watch the stars all night long.

  ***

  “Oh, great. You again,” Ember muttered, instantly irritated by Owen’s entrance into her sleep. But at least this time she was fully clothed. They were standing in the forest, and Owen looked the same as before: cold, menacing, dark.

  “I’m here to warn you. You shouldn’t go into the forest at night. You’ll regret it,” Owen said in a low voice. A warning? Sounded more like a threat. From a dream-person. Right.

  “Mh-hm. And I’m going to take your advice why?” Ember rolled her eyes. Owen sneered.

  “Because the witches will get you if you don’t,” he said it dramatically, like someone in a horror movie. Too bad her life was already a horror movie, so it didn’t scare her. Plus, this was a dream… or maybe a nightmare, but either way it didn’t make a difference to her what the hell this guy said. “I’m serious Ember. I don’t want you getting involved with those witches. They’ll get you into trouble… because of who you could be!” Owen looked perfectly serious, and almost concerned. And again, he sounded as insane as last time. Nutter, Ember thought in exasperation.

  “Fabulous. I’m grateful for your concern and all, but I’m not going to take advice from a crazy person. Can you go away now?” Ember smirked, making a sharp shooing motion with one hand. She expected him to scowl and walk away and the dream to end. That’s not what happened. Instead, he strode over and kissed her roughly, hugging her tightly to his chest. Ember felt fury fill her chest and she pushed against him, yanking his head back by the hair - or attempting to. No matter how hard she shoved or tugged, he didn’t budge. Stupid dream-person!

  He moved his mouth to her ear at last and whispered, “I really have missed you.” The words were surprisingly gentle, honest-sounding, but Ember didn’t care. She threw out her fist to collide with his face, but her hand went through him, like a bullet through smoke. And he dissolved into mist before floating away. That’s when the dream ended.

  ***

  Back in reality, Ember sat up in her bed. She assumed Reid must’ve carried her in and put her in her bed to avoid waking her; the sweetie that he co
uld be sometimes. Frustrated with her dreams, Ember growled at the ceiling and threw back her covers. If these dreams kept up, she’d never get a good night’s sleep again. She might even be afraid to go to sleep.

  Irritated, she got out of bed and wandered to the window, opening it silently and peering out. The fresh smell of the cool night air helped calm her down, and the sweeping darkness was soothing. Ember propped herself on the windowsill and leaned her head back against the frame, eyes closed. Why Owen had started appearing in her dreams, she had no idea, but it certainly was annoying, if harmless - damage to her sleep patterns aside. At least the scented night air will chase off the nightmare, she thought tiredly. She let her mind drift.

  “Oh, sweetie. I wish I didn’t have to go yet. I never got the chance to take you shopping!” Mrs Jennings was pouting in disappointment but it was clear in her green eyes that she was glad to be going home, even if it meant leaving her daughter here. It would only be two weeks before she was back, and Ember was planning on enjoying those two weeks of freedom, before two more weeks of hell came back to her - the October Holidays.

  “Yeah, How awful,” Ember muttered sarcastically as her mother squeezed the air out of her lungs with another bone-crushing hug. The woman smiled and pecked her on the head before turning and giving Sherry’s arm a squeeze.

  “I hope you can keep her out of trouble. And take care of yourself.”

  Sherry nodded with a polite smile. Ember saw her mother glance around behind them slyly, and knew what she was looking for or rather who. But the boys were still in bed at ten on a Sunday morning. Thank God.

  “Well, tell the boys I said it was nice meeting them. And I’ll be back in two weeks, remember.” Mrs Jennings glanced sharply at Ember as she said it, making it clear it was a warning. Ember tried not to scowl,