Dark World Genesis

by A. R. Kingston

  “The men were trying to kill Philip, what would you have done in his place?” Tom shot back.

  “Enough of this,” Arthur broke up the conversation “What's important here is that no one was hurt. I'm sure we can figure out where these men came from and what their intentions were.”

  “Exactly, gentlemen. I'm not hurt, and we have averted a potential war. I propose we all sit down and discuss this calmly, without trying to place blame on anyone.”

  “Good idea my boy! I knew there was a reason I picked you for my daughter. She couldn’t be betrothed to a better man.”

  “Speaking of Lady Alexandra,” Rupert butted in politely, “I do not think such discussions are a proper place for a young woman. If it's all right with you sir, I will escort her back to her room, so she can relax and forget all about this horrid ordeal.”

  “Of course, Rupert. Thank you.”

  “Come with me, my lady.”

  Placing a gentle hand of Alexandra’s shoulder, Rupert escorted her out of the room. Following the butler’s guiding hand up the stairs, Alex wondered if Philip would be all right. Dalton would not make another move tonight, but she could not help but worry that this was far from over. Walking down the long hallway, she allowed herself to breathe as her body trembled with the tension being released. Suddenly, tears rolled down her face at the realization of how close they came to a war.

  “No need to cry, miss. The disaster has been averted, and you, my dear lady, put on an excellent show.”

  “What are you talking about Rupert?”

  “Why, your fainting act of course. Superb acting if I may say so myself.”

  “You knew I was faking?”

  “Miss. You really don't give old Rupert enough credit. I have known you since you were a little baby, of course, I can tell when you are faking.” Rupert gave Alex a gentle wink and smiled “How did you know the wine was poisoned?”

  “I overheard them talking about poisoning Philip while over at Jay’s.”

  “Ah, I see. So it happened during one of the many adventures you take late at night visiting the half-blood barkeep.”

  “Wait—” Alex looked at the servant wide-eyed, “Rupert, you know what Jay is?

  “Certainly, my dear girl. There is almost nothing I don't know around here. But don't worry miss, his secret is safe with me. I would never tell a soul.”

  “Thank you, Rupert.”

  “Don't mention it. And remember, I am always here to offer advice for you, Miss.”

  Nodding in acknowledgment, Alex stopped before her door and allowed Rupert to open it up. Not having anyone else to talk to, and not wishing to be left alone, she turned to the butler standing beside her. She hoped the wise old man could provide her with some fatherly advice about Jay, something she would never get from Arthur.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Certainly miss.”

  “Have you ever been in love Rupert?”

  “As a matter of fact, I have. I have been married for many years before coming to work at this palace.”

  “What happened to your wife?”

  “She is in the veil now, keeping an eye on us.”

  “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked.”

  “Poppycock my dear. It's been ages now, and I prefer to recall the happy times, anyway. The years I spent with her were the best years of my life.”

  “Why, Rupert, I would have never guessed that you were such a hopeless romantic.”

  “Romantic yes. Hopeless, no.” Rupert looked at Alex with his wise amber eyes “May I ask why my lady inquiries about love?”

  “I—well you see...” Alex stammered, “... not sure how to put this.”

  “Allow old Rupert to guess. My lady has fallen in love with the barkeep.”

  “Yes.” Alex let out a sad sigh “But I don't think he loves me back.”

  “Why would you say that Miss.? The man would have to be both daft and blind not to love a woman such as yourself.”

  “It’s just, every time we get close, he pushes me away. It's almost like I'm diseased or something.”

  “Is that why you're worried?” Rupert chuckled gently “My lady, it's not that he does not love you, as a matter of fact, he loves you deeply, he is just afraid.”

  “Afraid of what?”

  “Pain. He’s been through so much of it in a short time. Now, he fears hurting you, and at the same time, he is terrified of you hurting him. I was much the same until I met my wife.”

  “What changed?”

  “I realized she was the only one who could save me, and she did. With time and patience, she convinced me to bare my soul to her. Perchance that is exactly what this young man needs, time and patience.”

  “Thank you, Rupert, for the advice. You have been a better father to me than the man downstairs. I don’t know what I would ever do without you.”

  “No need to thank me miss, my loyalties lie with you. And though the time comes for the bird to spread its wings and leave the nest, I shall always be there for you. Just be careful Alexandra, a dark force is afoot in Winter Haven, and he has help. They shall stop at nothing to keep you from succeeding with Jay.”

  Frozen in place, Alex looked at Rupert, thinking about what he said. Images of the raven kept creeping up in her head. It was silly to believe she could consider a raven a dark force, but there was something about it that had always unsettled her when she saw it. Alex knew full well the bird could be a totem, but she was not aware of anyone in Vega who held it. Then again, no one in Vega knew she was a wolf either.

  Leaving Alex to her thoughts, Rupert bowed and began to exit the room. Almost out the door, the butler stopped to look back at his mistress. His eyes studied her with a sharp, steady gaze before shaking his head and putting on a smile.

  “Oh, and Lady Alexandra. May I recommend you exit through the chimney tonight. The talks are bound to continue late into the night, you wouldn’t want anyone to spot you.”

  “I will, thank you.”

  Still smiling, Rupert walked out of the room, locking the door behind him. Finally, Alex had the chance to be alone for the first time all day. Exhausted by the events from the party, she collapsed on the window bench and leaned her head against the wall. With a deep sigh, Alex closed her eyes, and slowly went over everything that had transpired since she woke up that morning.

  Satisfied a calamity had been temporarily avoided, Alex opened her eyes. Glancing out at the lawn, she was met with the fierce look of Mathis staring up at her. His black eyes ogled her where she sat. Something about the way his eyes glistened in the sun scared Alex half to death, and fear pimples crept up her arm.

  Letting out a gasp, she bolted up in her seat. Down below, Mathis smirked before he lowered his head and walked back into the palace. With her heart racing, Alex sat in her seat and wondered what that was all about. Why was Mathis watching her, did he know it was her who foiled their plans? The thoughts of his dead eyes gave Alex an uneasy feeling that she had seen them before. Pondering what Mathis was up to, she sat there waiting for him to return, but he never did.

  When she felt safe, Alex closed her eyes and drifted off into an uneasy sleep. The dreams filling her head were far from peaceful, and Alex tossed in her bed. In the dream, a dark, cloaked figure surrounded by black birds and a shroud of dark mist pursued her. At the shadows command, the birds swooped down upon Alexandra, pecking at her flesh.

  Bodies lay all around her as rivers of blood ran past, and the smell of sulfur filled the air. Flashes of bright red light and maniacal laughter surrounded her as she tried to escape. Running away from the darkness, Alex searched for Jay, but he was nowhere to be found. She was all alone in a dark, hopeless place with no one to save her.

  Chapter 20

  Midnight Tango

  The dreams were so vivid and terrifying that Alex woke up in a cold sweat. Gasping for breath, her eyes traced the corners of her room. The shadows had crept up the w
alls, eating away the last bit of light which remained. On the opposite wall, a familiar old clock struck seven. The sun would set in only a few short minutes. If Alex wanted to make it to Jay's on time, she would have to hurry and get ready.

  Getting up from her bed, Alexandra walked over to her mirror and frowned. The strange reflection was still looking back at her with disdain. Removing the headdress which had adorned her hair, she placed it on the marble vanity. Better, thought Alex, at least now the girl who stared back looked slightly more like her. Unfortunately, changing her dress would take too long, and she did not want to be late. Deciding to stay in her party attire, she fastened the cloak around her neck and put the hood up over her eyes before turning to Cosmo.

  “Ready to go?”

  “Hoink…” Cosmo stretched out with a yawn and flapped his mint wings for their nightly work out.

  Changing into a tiny, white carmala bird, Alex took Rupert's advice and went out through her fireplace. Sitting on top of the chimney, she twitched her shimmering long tail to shake it free of soot and turned her attention to the lawn beneath her window. The men of the three Vega provinces were gathered below. Their hushed voices drifted up to the rooftop as they discussed what they should do about the rebels.

  Alexandra's heart raced at hearing their conversation. It would appear Dalton and Quinton were pushing for the genocide of any gray they suspected to be involved. Fortunately, the rest of the group was dead set against it. So long as Arthur was the ruler of Manevia, the grays were safe, and the agitation in Quinton’s voice was enough to tell Alex he was hoping for things to change. Shaking her head, she flapped her wings and took off in the opposite direction, leaving a trail of silver dust to glisten under the moonlight in her wake. Leaving the talks of war behind her, Alex soared through the sky with only one thing on her mind, Jay.

  Landing in the woods on the outskirts of town, Alex waited to be sure she was not followed before changing back. Usually, she would take her time walking up the dirt path leading to the tavern, but tonight she hurried along, afraid someone might be watching her. Making it to Jay's cottage in record time, Alex opened the door and was instantly hit by a delicious smell wafting from within. In the kitchen, by the stove, Jay's back was turned to her, cooking away whatever was causing her mouth to water.

  Alex barely had the chance to step inside when a pair of little arms wrapped around her waist, squeezing her tight. Picking Andy up off the ground, she carried him into the kitchen to peek over Jay’s shoulder. Attempting to steal a glance at what Jay was making, Alex was blocked by his back. Every time she tried to sneak a peek at the stove, Jay moved in front to obstruct her view. Alex pouted from the frustration, causing Jay to chuckle, and making her more annoyed by the secrecy.

  “Hey, what gives? Why can't I see what you are cooking?”

  “It's a surprise for your birthday. Not my fault you got here early. Now get out of my kitchen and go sit at the counter.”

  “Well, you're no fun. I didn't ask you to make me anything.”

  “Will you just shut up and go sit down over there? I think the little man has something for you, anyway.”

  “Fine.” Alex stuck her tongue out at Jay. “Come on Andy, show me what you got.”

  Turning her back to Jay, Alex huffed and went to walk away when something connected with her bottom, making her yelp in surprise. Turning her head, she saw Jay standing with a rolled-up towel in one hand and a devilish grin on his face. Realizing what happened, Alex turned a bright shade of pink. Raising an eyebrow, Jay chuckled as she continued to frown at him, hoping it would be enough to conceal her embarrassment.

  “You are such an ass.”

  “True. But you seem to like me regardless. So, you know, I guess I'm doing something right.”

  “Touché.”

  With another huff, Alex tilted her head up as she turned around and stalked out of the kitchen. Snickering, Cosmo fluttered along beside her. It thrilled him that despite everything, some things remained the same. Alex did her best to ignore her pigrie’s amusement and headed for the counter. Placing Andy on a stool, she sat down next to the little boy who was pulling something out of his pocket.

  “Is that what you want to show me?”

  “Yup. I made you a card.”

  The boy handed Alex a folded piece of paper. Smoothing it out gently, a warm feeling spread in her chest. The card had a drawing of a family; a tall man, a woman, a small boy, and a brown pigrie. All the people were holding hands in front of a small house, while the pig flew smiling above the woman’s head. At the top, scribble in the handwriting of a three-year-old was: Hapy Birsday Alex.

  “Is that the four of us?”

  “Yup. Me, daddy, you, and Cosmo.”

  “Oink, oink.” Cosmo did a small flip, smiling at the drawing.

  “I made us a family. You like it, Alex?”

  “Of course. This is the best gift anyone has given me. What do you think Cosmo?”

  “Oink.”

  “You’re right. It’s everything a family should be.”

  Coming over to the counter, Jay leaned over Alexandra’s shoulder. Feeling his warm breath on her exposed skin made her pulse quicken. Alex wished he would stop doing that. Having him so close was driving her insane. Seemingly oblivious to her awkwardness, Jay leaned in even closer. His goatee brushed on her bare shoulders, and Alex allowed herself to shudder with delight.

  “Pretty good likeness of us, if you ask me.” Jay’s husky voice breathed past her ear.

  “Yes. Andy is a talented artist.”

  “I could have told you that one. This kid loves to draw.”

  Leaning down, Jay brushed his lips on her neck and placed a warm hand on Alexandra's shoulder. The tips of his fingers slid up and down her skin, causing Alex to gasp and shudder. It felt like she had a crazed eel in her stomach trying to make its escape via her throat. She was filled with strange thoughts of Jay removing her dress and caressing every inch of her skin the way he did with her arms. Closing her eyes, Alexandra tried her best to suppress her urges for Jay, even as his breath continued to tickle her ear.

  “New dress? I can't say I've seen you with this much skin exposed before.”

  “Yes,” Alex rubbed her bare arms where he touched, all the while feeling like she kept melting on the inside “I... I didn't have time to change, that's all.”

  “I see.” Jay whispered into her ear as he ran another finger over her bare skin. “You expose yourself to other men, but not me?”

  Those words made Alexandra's heart skip a beat. If she didn’t know better, she’d think Jay was jealous. Thinking it was impossible at first, Alex recalled the conversation she had with Rupert, and for a moment, she entertained the idea. Fidgeting in her seat from the urges which were gnawing away at her, Alex turned to glance into Jay’s icy blue eyes.

  “No... I... I... it was just… my mother made me wear it... and—”

  “Relax” Jay gave her arm a reassuring squeeze while kissing her neck. “I was just teasing you, princess. You look lovely.”

  “No daddy, Alex looks beautiful.”

  “I stand corrected.” Jay pulled away. “You look beautiful.”

  “Thank you.”

  "So, I take it your day worked out well. Philip must still be alive." Jay changed the subject much to Alexandra’s relief.

  "Yes, they are having discussions now about what happened and how they should proceed."

  "Good, glad it all worked out. I'd hate to not see your shining face here every night."

  Teasingly, Jay ruffled up her hair before making his way back into the kitchen. Sulking from missing his sensual touch, Alex sat at the table gazing at him with a different kind of hunger. Rubbing the skin where Jay’s hand was, Alex felt herself getting desperate for his touch. Longing to feel his skin on hers, Alex bit her lip to steady her breath as she watched Jay plate the food.

  When Jay returned to the table, he was carrying three plat
es. Carefully, he sat down one before Alex and the savory aroma reminded her of how hungry she was. The small porcelain dish contained what looked like a round serving of meat covered in a thick brown sauce.

  “What is this?”

  “Braised antelope in gravy.”

  “But Jay, there is no way you can afford this.”

  “I may not be able to buy it, but I can certainly hunt my own.”

  Letting out a gasp, Alex looked at Jay in surprise. It was against the law for grays to hunt for food as the pastime was considered to be reserved to the elite men. Not only was Jay breaking the law, but he was casually admitting it to her as if it was nothing. Seems Jay trusted her after all, even if it was only about his illegal activities.

  “You are admitting to breaking the laws of my land. Does this mean you trust me?”

  “Of course I trust you. I trusted you enough to tell you everything about my past, didn’t I?”

  “True, it’s just… I guess I didn’t expect you to be honest about this.”

  “Why not? I have no reason to lie to you.”

  A soft smile formed on Alexandra’s lips. It felt nice to have someone trust her for a change. Even Richard, who she’d known for years, did not trust her as much as Jay did. Feeling a strange tug of an invisible thread, her eyes grew hot as a happy tear liberated itself out in the open. Jay brushed it away with his finger, and Alex continued to smile at him as she mouthed a silent ‘Thank you.’ Turning his reddening face away from her view, Jay pushed a plate in her direction.

  “Eat your damn food before it gets cold.”

  His voice came out brash, but by now Alex learned this was Jay's way of hiding his emotions and diverting the subject. Choosing to not argue with him, Alex turned her attention to the plate in front of her. Cutting off a small piece of meat she placed it in her mouth. It was expertly cooked and melted on her tongue like butter. Resting his face on his hand, Jay watched her eat with satisfaction.

  “This is magnificent.” Alex could barely contain her excitement. “You are a surprisingly amazing cook.”