Dark Descent

by Nicole R. Taylor

  “Indigo?” I frowned, then my mouth formed an ‘O’ shape. “Indigo as in purple…”

  “I think you came into contact with Arondight, and it altered your Light.”

  “Are you insane?”

  “Only slightly,” he replied with a smirk. “Even then, it’s debatable.”

  I rolled my eyes and turned towards the city, my shoulders slumping forward. “That’s just speculation. Even if I did come into contact with Arondight, I don’t see why that makes me any different from other Naturals. Apart from colouring my Light and giving my hair some killer highlights that don’t need touch ups, I don’t seem any different from the other Naturals.”

  “That remains to be seen.”

  I screwed up my nose. The longer I was in this place, the crazier it became. Everyone seemed to have their own motives—the Codex, Arondight, power, Light, influence, secret liaisons… Where did it start, and more importantly, where did it end? Evil geniuses always had an end game. What was Wilder’s?

  “If I knew where it was, what would you do?” I asked, watching him closely.

  He didn’t reply, which annoyed the hell out of me. He was weighing up his options before he gave me the answer I wanted to hear.

  “Would you give it to Greer?” I prodded, going for an easy button.

  He shrugged.

  “Then what would you do?”

  “I’d use it to end the demon incursion,” he snapped. “I’d end this war once and for all.”

  I let out a humph and crossed my arms over my chest. “Good.”

  “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  “Oh, so now you’re turning my questions back on me?”

  “Well?”

  “If Greer had Arondight, what do you think she’d do with it?”

  “You’re avoiding the question, Purples.”

  “If she had it, do you think she’d use it to end the war?” I ignored him because there wasn’t anything I wasn’t telling him. Not really. If I told him I thought he was handsome and that I was developing a stupid crush on him, then he’d use it to taunt me for eternity.

  “Why are you asking me?” He gave me his trademark blank ‘I know nothing’ expression.

  I snorted and glanced away. “Maybe because I’m trying to understand what kind of person she is.”

  “Scarlett… do you know where Arondight is?”

  I laughed and threw my hands into the air in exasperation. “No, I don’t. Bloody hell.” I felt the same anger that’d driven me to escape the Sanctum raise its ugly head again. “Why are you always so… so surly with me? Am I really that horrible?”

  Wilder lowered his head and sighed. “No, you’re not,” he replied after a moment. “I’m hard on you for a reason, Scarlett. This life isn’t easy for people like us.”

  I made a face that said ‘WTF’. “Naturals? Or…”

  “Both.” He flexed his fingers and curled them into tight fists.

  “Wilder…”

  “Spit it out, Purples.”

  “Will you explain it to me now? Why your eyes shine silver like those demons?”

  He sighed, letting his head fall back. Then he turned to face me, his eyes soft. It was kind of unsettling, how gentle he looked. Wilder had always been this strong, abrasive arsehole until now. And I simply didn’t know how to handle it.

  “I possess certain qualities that are inherent to demons, so people assume I was possessed as a child,” he said. “But I was born this way, and no, my parents weren’t demons. They were Naturals. I don’t know why I’m like this. No one does. All I know is that I can do things other Naturals can’t, all while being completely… Natural.” He lowered his head. “People tend to fear things they don’t understand. The closer to home they are, the worse it gets.”

  “What can you do?” I whispered.

  “I can see in the dark without the aid of Light,” he replied. “I can anticipate movement before it happens, and my stamina…”

  My thighs clenched at the word stamina and I swallowed hard. “That’s why you’re so good at knocking me on my ass,” I declared.

  “No, it’s because you’re raw as hell, Mary Sue.”

  I snorted. “Do you want to know? I mean, why you’re different.”

  He shrugged. “I stopped thinking about it a long time ago.”

  “Jackson was altered by his possession,” I argued. “Perhaps—”

  “It isn’t the same,” he interrupted. “My DNA isn’t altered.”

  “What I was going to say before I was so rudely interrupted was that maybe something Ramona has found out might be able to explain why you can do the things you do. It mightn’t be the same, but it might be similar. Don’t be so precious.”

  Wilder snorted and raked his hand through his hair. “Bloody hell.”

  I sighed heavily. What a day.

  “No one’s ever talked to me like that,” he stated.

  “Like what?”

  “Like I’m not contagious.”

  “Not even Greer?” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.

  Wilder narrowed his eyes and studied me for a moment, the intensity of his gaze made me tremble. The last thing I wanted to think about was romance—especially not with Wilder—but my gaze dropped to his mouth anyway. Traitor, I internally hissed at my lady parts.

  “Not even with her,” he finally said.

  “Were you—”

  “Briefly.”

  I turned away before he could see the colour of my cheeks turn.

  “A long time ago,” he added, “before she was the protector of the Codex.”

  “You don’t need to explain it to me,” I said sharply. “Just a yes would’ve been fine.”

  He grunted, and then rose to his feet, stepping away from the edge of the roof.

  “C’mon,” he said, “it’s late. I’ll see you back to your room.”

  “I don’t need an escort.”

  “Humor me, Purples.”

  I stood and dusted off my arse. “I’m in trouble, aren’t I?”

  Wilder nodded. “You’ll be reprimanded.”

  “Great.”

  He led me off the roof and back into the Sanctum, closing out the chill of winter behind us. I stewed over the night’s events all the way downstairs, mystified more about the way Wilder had opened up to me, more than the consequences of having my eyeball licked by a demon. Yeah, I was that weird.

  We turned into the hallway where my room was located. It was past midnight, and it was dark and empty. Sometimes the Sanctum gave me the creeps when it was like this—all dark corners where ghosts lingered.

  Wilder’s arm brushed against mine and I tensed, quickening my steps.

  “Scarlett.”

  I turned, gasping when I realised he was right behind me. When had he gotten so close?

  I attempted to speak, but the words were stuck in my throat as he inched towards me.

  “What?” I finally managed to whisper.

  Wilder’s gaze lowered to my lips, then his hands were on my face, his fingers twisting into my hair, pulling me close. Dazed, I melted against him, and let him kiss me. I was hardly aware of the world around us as I slid my palms over his waist.

  His lips were soft against mine, his stubble rasping my skin as he deepened the kiss. His touch ignited my senses and I felt my Light simmer, the sensation flaring as his tongue twined with mine. As soon as we fully touched, he pulled away like he’d been shocked, his grasp loosening. What just happened?

  A loud cough sent us ricocheting farther apart. Spinning towards the sound, I gasped as I saw Jackson leaning against the doorway of my room, his arms crossed over his chest, and a look of pure thunder on his face.

  “Jackson,” I exclaimed.

  “Well,” Wilder declared, rather snootily, “I can see you have another pre-arranged liaison. Let me give you two your privacy. I’m not into threesomes unless there’s two women, just so you know.”

  “Wilder…” I sig
hed.

  He glared at me, and then stalked off down the hall.

  “Great,” Jackson drawled, “just great.”

  “What’s going on?” I asked, facing him.

  “I’m going home,” he said glaring after Wilder. “I just came by to see you before I left, but I see you’ve already replaced me.”

  “What?” My mouth dropped open and my heart twisted. “No, Jackson. Never!”

  “You’re so blind,” he said, shaking his head. “I tried to tell you for months how I felt, but every time…” He snorted and rolled his eyes. “Now I see I never meant that much to you.”

  Realisation slapped me in the face and I stood there like a moron, stunned by the fact that he, and everyone else, was right. I was blind. Jackson and I had been friends for years, and he was the only family I had, without actually being biologically related. He meant the world to me, but romantically? I’d never seen him that way. You couldn’t make someone love you, it never ended well, even with good intentions.

  “Jackson.”

  “Goodbye, Scarlett,” he said backing away. “Have fun with,” he glanced around and waved his hand with a flourish, “with your new life. Oh, and don’t forget to use protection.”

  “Jackson, please,” I called after him. “Don’t go.”

  But Jackson wasn’t listening. I’d just broken his heart, after all.

  He left me standing in the hallway, adrift and alone in a strange world, a victim of my own stupidity.

  17

  My stomach churned as I stood outside the gym.

  I was going to be sick. Like, full-on, projectile across the room, out my nose sick. I hadn’t been this nervous about seeing someone ‘the day after’ since the crush I had on David Ivans in high school went viral… for all the wrong reasons. Walking down the corridor past his locker to get to my regular English class was a nightmare for months afterwards. Ironically, I’d been teased over my inability to fit in and their choicest morsel of ammunition was a fabricated story about my supposed devil worship. Man, if they only knew.

  Standing outside the gym, I felt like I was walking past David Ivan’s locker all over again.

  I could still feel Wilder’s kiss burn against my lips, but unfortunately, I could also see the image of his back and Jackson’s cold glare was seared into my retinas. I’d close my eyes, and like a horror movie, there it was painted on the back of my eyelids in full technicolor.

  Jackson was into me. Romantically. I thought about kissing him and the image didn’t mesh. I just didn’t see him that way. What was I supposed to do? Force myself to love him? No, it wouldn’t be real. Love like that was a privilege, not a right. You couldn’t demand romantic love from someone.

  I scowled, not sure if I was angry at Jackson for not telling me sooner, or myself. If I knew… I snorted. If I knew, I’d still have to let him down.

  The closed door stared back at me mockingly. Knowing I’d only be punished with extra squats if I was late, I pushed into the gym and strode across the expanse, ignoring the accusing glares the other Naturals were firing at me. Squats were the worst.

  I tensed as I edged into the private room where we trained. Wilder was shirtless in the centre of the mat, a staff in his hands. He was twisting and turning, his muscles flexing as he skillfully wove the staff around and around. I squirmed, slightly aroused, but mostly embarrassed.

  When his pattern finally allowed him to turn, he straightened up and slammed the end of the staff on the mat.

  “Wilder—” I began lamely.

  “You’ve been summoned,” he snapped. “Greer will see you in the conservatory.”

  “Conservatory?”

  “Fourth-floor,” he stated, turning his back on me.

  “Wilder, can we—”

  “I wouldn’t keep her waiting, Purples,” he interrupted. “Not after the stunt you pulled last night.”

  I closed my eyes and sighed. All I could think about was him kissing me and now it was ruined. In the cold, hard light of day, I was nothing more than a mistake to him. I hadn’t felt this heartbroken over a guy since David Ivan had laughed in my face and called me Satan’s bitch.

  I knew this was about me going after Jackson and not him. In that moment, in true Natural form, Wilder expected me to choose and I hesitated… again. In his eyes, it was over.

  Turning, I stalked from the room, determined not to let his reaction get to me. Right now, I was about to be roasted by the powers that be. Weighing the two—love and duty—I knew one predicament was more dire than the other.

  I just didn’t know which one.

  The conservatory turned out to be a large sunroom that opened up onto the roof of the Sanctum. It was made out of stone, but the ceiling was a bubble of impossibly clear glass. Beyond, I could see the grey London sky, brimming with ominous storm clouds. What a metaphor.

  Climbing the wrought iron stairs that spiralled around the inner circle of the structure, I sensed a pulse of power emanating above. I doubted it was Greer, unless she was going to cast a spell on me the moment I walked in, and that’d be rather unfortunate.

  When I reached the landing, I stopped in my tracks, not expecting to find a mostly empty room.

  Before me there was a glass case, much like the ones museums’ used to house their most precious artefacts. Bulletproof, two inches thick, seamless, and clear it was made to house something priceless. A pedestal stood within and resting on top was a book that… shimmered.

  Movement drew my attention, and my gaze met Greer’s. My heart leapt into my throat and my cheeks began to turn, what I assumed was a lovely shade of crimson. I’d been to the principal’s office more times than I cared to remember, and endured detention and suspension without a care in the world, but this was in another league. For what felt like the first time in my life, I didn’t want to be expelled because of my impatience or short temper.

  “Scarlett,” Greer said, gesturing for me to come closer.

  I swallowed the lump in my throat and shuffled across the maroon carpet, my boots springing on the plush pile. The Naturals sure knew their flooring.

  “Is that the Codex?” Unable to meet her gaze, I stared at the book, trying to focus on the strange shimmer.

  “Yes.”

  “It’s very… shiny.”

  “There are many copies of the Codex, but this,” Greer placed her palm on the glass, “this is the original. They say there are secrets within secrets amongst its pages, more than can ever be found. Scribes can copy its words, but not its Light.”

  I knew this was going somewhere profound and not in my favour. The suspense was killing me. I wasn’t sure if having Greer rage at me would’ve been any better, but I just wanted the axe to fall.

  “Greer… last night, I—”

  “If you truly want to be a Natural, then you have to abide by the Codex,” she stated, cutting me off. “We’re not the military, we won’t conscript you into service, but the rules apply to everyone.”

  She was testing my resolve. I could chuck in everything and walk away, or I could stand up and take responsibility for my actions. Leaving the Sanctum was a stupid idea, and I put Roxy and Martin in unnecessary danger. Lifting my hand, I poked at the scratches on my face. Where is Arondight?

  “What happened to the Infernal Romy trapped?”

  “The Infernal is secure,” she replied. “It will be studied and questioned.”

  If it was questioned, then it was only a matter of time before my purple Light was common knowledge. Then there was the little thing known as Arondight, a.k.a the Indigo Flame. What would happen to me? I didn’t know squat about either of those things, but it wouldn’t stop Greer and Co. from dragging me in for more tests. Wilder said he believed I’d come into contact with the blade as a child, and if the head honchos suspected that too, then I was afraid of what they’d do to pry the information out of me. The words ‘withered husk’ came to mind.

  The more I thought about it, the less sure I was that I could trust Greer wi
th those things, even though my understanding was absolute zero.

  “You endangered the lives of your fellow Naturals,” Greer said. “Any one of you could have been possessed. With the risk of mutation, it was reckless. To steal an arondight blade and leave the Sanctum…” She shook her head.

  There was nothing to like about this situation, but I was better off here than out there without the proper training. It was glaringly obvious how green I was after facing off with the Infernal. I was an inch away from an eyeball licking after a single swipe of that arondight blade.

  “What’s going to happen to me?” I whispered.

  Damn Wilder for putting doubt into me. Maybe he was the one playing me, not Greer. I felt a pang in my heart and wished Jackson was here, but I knew he wouldn’t come back. I was on my own again and it sucked.

  “Do you truly want to be a Natural, Scarlett?” Greer asked, watching me as I internally freaked out.

  “Yes,” I replied without hesitation, “I do.”

  “Then, let this be your punishment. You are bound to the Sanctum and confined to your training. No concessions will be available to you other than those Wilder deems necessary to your education.”

  “So I can’t leave?”

  “No. You cannot leave until your probation is over. Those are the conditions of remaining a Natural.”

  “And how long is that?” I scowled and glanced up at the sky beyond.

  “Until I say it’s over,” Greer declared, her tone clipped.

  A wave of nausea prickled over my skin, and I turned to face the Codex. “What will happen to Jackson?”

  “Jackson will be fine,” she replied. “Ramona halted the mutation and there’s nothing in her findings that suggest his mind is compromised.”

  “His mind?”

  “We believe the mutation was designed to turn him,” Greer explained. “Though, that is only speculation. We weren’t prepared to allow the sacrifice of an innocent to confirm.”

  “That’s kind of you.” I made a face, her forthright explanation not entirely comforting. She’d shown a great deal of interest in my best friend, though right now it was hard to distinguish if it was her duty to the Codex, or something more personal.