Dark Haven

by Leigh Allen

  “Something isn’t right,” John noted as we all stood outside on the patio, watching the driveway and listening for the sounds of any approaching visitors.

  Slipping inside the house, Will excused himself for a moment.

  Agreeing with John’s statement, Davis chimed in. “I agree. Something doesn’t feel right here. They should have been here by now. Lucas is never late to a meeting,” Davis said with a clenched jaw.

  Ally held onto Davis’s arm for support as she bit her bottom lip. A traumatizing look of fear painted her face. I too felt uneasy about the whole situation. As the sun settled and darkness took over, the eerie silence around us grew more frightening. We were all on high alert and none of us knew why.

  Running outside, Will was yelling. “It’s an ambush. An attack. They are coming to take over by force,” Will said as he sped in front of us at lightning speed.

  “I knew it,” Brad yelled in anger. “Lucas isn’t going to talk about taking what he wants. Of course, he is going to come at us,” Brad stated as he began to move around.

  “I checked the cameras outlining the property and I spotted two men entering the back of the property. Two more are approaching from the front. They are coming for us,” Will stated.

  Fear took over as I realized we weren’t preparing for an argument we were preparing for a battle of death.

  CHAPTER 15

  Everyone began screaming commands and I felt like I was in a dream. I couldn’t make out what everyone was saying. Each person became a blur as they moved around me and their voices were like faint echoes in the night.

  The men went and grabbed the ammunition and the girls and I stayed put on the patio awaiting orders.

  “We will kill them all before we give them Dark Haven,” Brad yelled as he ran off into the distance to gather the supplies.

  Turning to the group, I asked what I knew would sound like an absurd question. “How are we going to kill them? With stakes?” I asked.

  While they tried to hide their amusement, all three started laughing. It was Sarah who spoke first.

  “No, Amelia. Sure in movies that might be how to kill a werewolf but for us, we have a few other methods too. First, we can shoot them in the neck and allow all of the blood they have stored from their kills to drain, ultimately taking with it their life. Second, we can snap their necks and rip their heads off. This is a much more inhumane method, but if needed, we will use it. Lastly, we can burn them alive. Fire can destroy anything, including the undead.”

  Rushing back to us, the men raced to our sides as they carried their supplies. Brad handed each of us a gun, matches, and large knives.

  “I don’t know how to use any of this,” I cried out as I looked at the items in my hands.

  “Trust me, when the time comes, you will figure it out,” Brad said as he gently kissed my cheek and then turned back to the guys.

  My eyes shot open like saucers as I realized what we were about to do. This was war.

  “We need to go get dressed,” Ally declared.

  Following their lead, we all rushed back inside the house and to a closet, I had not yet entered before. The men went to another closet nearby and I assumed it was filled with the same type of clothing. Inside, rows of black pants, shirts, and jackets in all sizes were hung.

  “What is this?” I asked.

  “This is where we keep our clothes for battle. It has been a while since we have had to use them so they may be a little outdated,” Nelly said.

  Looking at the all-black attire, I mused. “Black is never outdated. It never goes out of style.”

  We all rushed inside and began placing the tight, dark clothing on our bodies. The pants had pockets built to hold our matches and guns. The tight jackets had inside pockets where our knives could be stored. Dressing quickly, we made our way back outside and waited for the men.

  “We all need to stay together,” John said once we were all back together again.” Lucas has to know now that we are aware of their presence and their ambush. If we separate, they can attack us at all areas and get the upper hand. We stick together. We fight together,” John stated firmly.

  We all agreed and decided to stand guard of Dark Haven.

  Standing in a line, we all were on guard. Our weapons were nestled against us. The silence was overwhelming and I could feel my legs trembling beneath me as I waited. Suddenly, a twig snapped somewhere off in the distance and the hairs on the back of my neck rose.

  “We have company,” Davis whispered.

  Running from the trees, a group of men came at us at lightning speed. Before I could even blink, Brad and John rushed toward them their guns raised high into the air. The men collided mid-air and the impact sounded like a roar of thunder shaking the sky. I felt the ground below me vibrate as they all fell to the ground.

  Fists were raised and Brad and John were entangled with the two other men. I couldn’t see what was going on, their movements at lightning speed were like a blur. To my right, I spotted a man running toward us and I felt my body stiffen as I prepared myself for impact.

  Before I could yell or scream, Nelly lifted her rifle and shot the man in the neck. Blood splattered out of him as his body collapsed onto the ground below. Another man came running behind him, not even bothering to help his dying friend. Davis ran at him, his knife held high in the air. The moonlight glinted off the sharp blade and almost blinded me as I watched with a strange fascination as Davis willingly went to fight the man.

  I heard Ally scream beside me as Davis lunged at the man, but the man slipped past him, turning to Davis’s back. The man threw the blade at Davis and he barely missed the blow. Ally flew to his aid, her gun raised with Nelly close behind her. Seeing this, Will looked at me before he too rushed to help out.

  “You need to fight, we need you,” he yelled.

  I turned just in time to see Ally shoot the man in the shoulder and as he dropped to the ground, Nelly leaned down and cut his head off. I had to close my eyes, the blood splatter and the sound of his neck cracking as his flesh was torn apart made my stomach drop. This was all too much. I wasn’t sure if I could do this.

  My head shot back around as Will blurred past me. More men were running out of the woods and it was clear we were outnumbered. Lucas hadn’t just come for a battle, he had brought an army with him too. He was out to kill and take over.

  As the men ran toward us, I spotted Lucas’s dark hair flowing in the wind as he cowardly walked behind the army he sent in after us. At his side was Loreli with an evil smirk tattooed on her face. It was then that I noticed just who Lucas had his eyes set on- Brad.

  Brad who had his back to the oncoming army was stabbing one of the men he had been fighting. He snapped the man’s neck and turned just in time to see five men lunge at him and take him roughly to the ground.

  A loud scream escaped my lips as I rushed to the scene. I wasn’t thinking. Only my heart wasn’t taking the lead. All I knew in that moment was that I needed to protect Brad. As I came upon the battle, John was on one of the men’s back, trying to snap his neck to get him off of Brad. The last of the army finally approached us and everyone around me was fighting. Guns were blazing, knives were slicing through flesh, bones were cracking, and the smell of burning flesh was stirring in the air as Ally lit two of the bodies on fire. Screams echoed in my mind and I knew that I would never forget the sounds ringing out in this night.

  I felt a sharp blow to my head and as my body fell to the ground, I noticed a woman standing over my body. I heard Brad scream out my name as I hit the ground.

  “Looks like the princess fell from her throne,” Loreli seared as she stood over me, a large knife tucked in her hands.

  “If you’re going to attack, just do it,” I warned as I kept my eyes focused on her.

  Lifting her arm, Loreli pulled back and readied herself to stab me in the neck. Just as she swiftly brought her arm down, I used my legs to kick her feet out from underneath her. Loreli fell beside me, her knife falling f
rom hands.

  One thing I had learned living in New York City was self-defense. Any beautiful girl who carried designer purses knew how to protect herself from attackers. That bitch just underestimated this princess.

  Loreli jumped back onto her feet in record speed as I too jumped up and lunged for the knife she had dropped. We both grappled with it, hair pulling and bodies twisting as we both sought out after the same weapon.

  Yelling out, I felt my voice echoing through the air. “Why are you doing this Loreli?” I screamed.

  Almost laughing, she sneered at me as we continued to battle. “Of course you wouldn’t understand,” she began breathless from our wild movements. “Lucas loves me, but my heart is still with Brad. I’ve never had a man turn me down before- that is until Brad. I can’t fully give myself to Lucas until Brad is dead and no longer a threat to Lucas or my heart,” she said as her eyes bore into me like a knife.

  “He doesn’t want you. Move on with Lucas,” I screamed as I flipped her over and straddled my legs across her body.

  I held her arms down as I looked at her, ensuring I had all of her attention in that moment. Looking up at me, Loreli used this moment to speak her truth one last time. “Blair, I will never move on until Brad and you are dead,” she spoke calmly.

  “But why me?” I asked.

  My sudden shock from her words gave her the upper-hand and she quickly flipped me back onto my back. Her knees dug into my stomach and I could feel the air in my lungs escape me.

  “Because, if we kill you, Brad will have no more reason to live. Lucas can have me and Dark Haven,” Loreli said one last time with a hint of a devilish smile.

  I suddenly realized this wasn’t just about taking Dark Haven. No, this war was about love and jealousy and broken hearts.

  As my mind reeled over Loreli’s words, I heard my name being called somewhere close.

  “Amelia, I’m here,” Nelly screamed as she fired a shot in my direction.

  The bullet barely missed my face as it blazed past me and into Lorelai’s neck. Falling back, she began to scream out in pain as blood began to pour out of her wounds. A man, who had been fighting with John, left his opponent and rushed to Lorelai’s side.

  He grabbed her as I reached into my pocket for my own knife. But, when I came back ready to aim, the man and Loreli were gone. I knew she wasn’t dead and that wasn’t the last time I would see her again. But for now, I had to think about the other men who were trying to kill us.

  I came to my feet with the help of Nelly. Several of the men from Lucas’s army were dead or severely wounded. Still, though, there were several still fighting.

  “I have to help Brad,” I yelled as I noticed the strained look on his face. He had been fighting off three men at once since the battle began. He was growing tired and weak from the loss of blood from the injuries he had sustained.

  Nelly, Ally, Davis, and I began running toward the battle scene before us. Even though the darkness of night, I could see the blur of motion as the men fought. Sarah was rushing around, starting fires as the wounded men lay, begging and pleading for Lucas to help. Their diabolical leader was standing off to the side, two bodyguards at his side, as we watched with a smile on his face, the deadly scene before him.

  “Amelia no,” Brad yelled at me as he spotted me coming to his aid.

  Noticing this, Lucas flew toward us, his smug smile disappearing. “Enough,” he screamed into the air. Everyone around us stopped and paused like a pause button had been pushed.

  “I have seen enough. We want Dark Haven and we are prepared to kill each and every one of you to get it. So, would you all like to stop this bloodshed and give us what we agreed upon years ago, or should this battle continue?” Lucas stood his ground, awaiting a response from someone.

  Standing, Brad limped over to Lucas. My heart ached to see him in pain and injured. I wanted to rush to his side to help him, but I knew I shouldn’t.

  “Lucas, we finally agree on one thing. Enough is enough. No more blood should be shed here tonight. Leave now, and agree to never come back and this can all end,” Brad said as he stood, his face strained with pain.

  Realizing I had to stop their exchange, I screamed a piercing cry into the darkness. “Brad, stop. This is all a trap. Lucas and Loreli don’t just want to take Dark Haven, they want to kill you and me. Loreli refuses to love Lucas until you are dead.”

  Turning his head in my direction, Brad’s eyes rose in a wild wonderment as he heard what I had just said. Everyone around us began to glance around as realization struck them too. Lucas and Loreli had planned this from the beginning. They were going to end Brad tonight. Well, I wasn’t going to let them do this.

  Laughing, his eerie sounds pierced through the night air. The sound was painful to my ears. “Oh, Brad. You are merely a child here. Your little pet over there is correct. For some reason I just cannot fathom, Loreli has a strange desire for you. With you dead and gone, I can get everything I want. I have lived centuries longer than you have and I know how to get exactly what I want. I want Dark Haven. I want Loreli. Now, I tried to be agreeable about this, but you have left me with no choice,” he said as he spun around to speak to his arm of men that were left. “We do not leave here tonight until everyone one from Dark Haven is dead,” Lucas bellowed.

  The men raced toward us again, prepared and willing to kill each and every one of us. Finally joining in, Lucas lifted his knife and went after Brad. Thankfully, Brad had anticipated the attack and was crouched down, ready to jump and attack.

  There are moments in our lives that we have to think of others above our own needs. Your life and needs begin to seem insignificant compared to the one you love and cherish. All it took was one look, one glimpse of Brad’s face and I knew I would give up anything and everything to protect him. I loved him enough to die to save him.

  My feet reacted first, then my head as I moved toward Lucas. I slipped my hand into my jacket and pulled out my knife. I raised it high above my head and kept clear eyes on my target; the man who was aiming to hurt and kill the love of my life.

  Reaching Lucas, he stood and smiled at me as he watched me lunge at him. Just seeing how he belittled me with his glare enraged me. My body filled with power and strength that I never knew existed in this world.

  “How adorable, the princess thinks she can overthrow the king,” Lucas stated as he looked at me like I was nothing more than a bug he was about to crush.

  I leaped into the air and as I prepared to stab him in his neck, Lucas raised his hands and pushed the air at me. A strong gust of wind hit me hard like a punch and I was flown backward until I landed several feet away. My head hit the ground with a sharp pain and I felt my energy decrease.

  “Amelia,” Brad screamed out as he threw one man off of him and began running toward me.

  Lucas rushed toward Brad and pushed him, causing Brad to push back. Lucas was too strong and Lucas dug his feet into the ground as Lucas pushed him back. The earth below his feet came up as mud and dirt flew into the air. With one final shove, Lucas had Brad flying through the air until he landed when his body slammed up against one of the large oak trees surrounding the property.

  This new technique gained the attention of everyone fighting. As I stumbled to gain my balance and stand, I noticed Brad wasn’t moving. His body lay beneath the large tree, it towering over him like a gravestone.

  Limping my way to him, I noticed out of the corner of my eye John, Will, and Davis attacking Lucas. The force amongst the three of them matched the single force Lucas held. It was almost magical watching Lucas use his evil powers. Nelly, Sarah, and Ally all stood with guns blazing as they prepared to shoot off each member of Lucas’s remaining army. Anger washed over each of their faces as they too were exhausted and tired of Lucas’s attack.

  I managed to get to Brad and I kneeled down and placed my hand on his face.

  “Don’t leave me now,” I begged. “I just found you,” I cried.

  Slowly opening his
eyes, Brad gazed up at me lovingly. He wrapped his hand around mine that was still caressing his bruised and bloody face.

  “Run, Amelia. Get out of here,” he pleaded in a hoarse voice.

  With tears streaming down my face, I knelt down and placed a kiss on his cheek.

  “You saved me once, Brad. Now it’s my turn to save you. I am not leaving without you” I cried.

  Suddenly, Brad’s gaze shifted away from mine and I saw a look of painful terror scream across his face. I didn’t need to turn around to know what was waiting behind me. I could sense his presence, his evilness as he stepped behind me.

  “Let her go,” Lucas said with no emotion tracing his voice.

  I felt a surge of energy course through my veins and as I took one last look at Brad, injured and in pain on the ground, I jumped to my feet and turned around. One thing Lucas hadn’t planned for, was the knife I had tucked in the long sleeve of my jacket. As my body faced him, I dug the knife deep into his throat. A look of pure terror overcame Lucas as his eyes drifted to the blade nestled in his skin.

  Lucas stumbled backward as his eyes rose with terror. He fell to his knees as he continued to stare at me with horror in his eyes.

  I moved slowly to his side, watching him as the realization settled in him that this was the end. Life was draining from him and no one was going to save him now. I wouldn’t allow it.

  I stood over him, my small frame towering over his large one. He was now hunched over, his hands on the ground as he was on all fours like a wounded animal. I leaned down and placed a kiss on his cheek. His head turned to look up at me and he was struck with awe and wonder at my gentleness.

  “It seems, the princess did in fact, overthrow the king,” I whispered into his ear as I took my knee and kicked it in his stomach. The impact caused him to fall forward and the blade to push further into his neck. The last little bit of crimson blood poured out of him, leaving Lucas in a pool of liquid. He was surrounded by his life, yet none remained inside of him.