Shiela Stewart - [Darkness 06]

by Penetrating the Darkness (epub)

  “Talk to them. Get to know them.”

  “Then what? Do you plan to go back to this Realm place, or are you going to stay here?”

  She tilted her head to the side in contemplation. “I hadn’t really thought about it. I simply want to know my parents. I suppose I’ll decide after I meet them.”

  He just hoped meeting them wouldn’t be a mistake on her part. “Okay. Well, if that’s the case, I can tell you I know where they live.”

  Her icy blue eyes flew wide open. “You do?”

  “Well, sort of. They live in a castle somewhere on the outer limits of the city.”

  “Are there many castles in Jacob’s Cove?”

  “I have no clue. I’m not from here.”

  “Oh… How will we find this castle?”

  “I guess we go for a drive.”

  “A what?”

  “A drive. In a car. Tell me you’ve been in a car.”

  “There are no…cars in the Realm. What is a car?”

  Wow, she really didn’t know a lot. “I guess you’re in for a treat.” Now all he had to do was find one and they were set.

  Chapter Seven

  Felicity wasn’t too sure going out in the dark was such a good idea, but as long as Dusty was at her side, she felt a little safer. It was so different from what she was used to. Every sound was unfamiliar and scary. The barren trees looked ominous and eerie. The dilapidated building looked spooky and cold. She couldn’t understand how anyone could live in such a place that lacked warmth and beauty.

  “Why would anyone want to live here?”

  “Yeah, I’m with you there. It’s not a very nice place to be, but I guess when you’re a blood-thirsty creature of the night it’s just the right place to be.”

  It was odd to her how he always spoke of their kind as if he wasn’t part of the race. “Aren’t you one of us now?”

  “I’m human. I will never be a blood-thirsty animal. Look in the windows and see if anyone left the keys in the ignition.”

  “I do not know what that means.” She jumped at a noise, racing into Dusty’s arms.

  “It’s okay. It was probably just a cat or something. I forgot, you don’t know what a car is. Okay, you see that big metal object with four wheels sitting on the road there? That is a car.”

  “Oh, an automobile. I’ve seen those. Though I’ve never had the pleasure of riding in one, I have always dreamt of doing so one day.”

  “Today is your lucky day, Felicity. Cars can’t run without keys. Do you know what keys are?”

  “They are what is used to engage the vehicle, also used to open homes and buildings.”

  He smiled. “Yeah. When they’re used to engage a vehicle they’re starting an engine that runs the car. If you look inside the car windows, you’ll see a big round wheel on the driver’s side. On the side of that wheel should be keys, if someone left them behind. I’ll check this car; you check the one behind it.”

  “I would rather stay with you.” She didn’t like being away from him, especially in this dark, scary place.

  “We won’t be that far apart. You’ll be fine.” He glanced into his vehicle, pursed his lips, then moved on. “One of these cars has to have a key.”

  “What if one doesn’t?” She glanced into the vehicle behind his.

  “Well…I guess we keep looking. Or I could try and hotwire one.”

  “This vehicle is broken.” She stepped around the shattered glass on the ground. “What do you mean by hotwire?”

  “No point checking it. Whoever broke into it would have stolen it if there had been keys in the ignition. Hotwiring is something you can do to start a car. All you have to do is go under the dashboard, find the right wires, and hope for the best.”

  “I’m still confused.”

  “Here, maybe I’ll give it a try and show you.”

  He jumped into the broken car, laying across the front seat. His hand began doing something beneath the wheel. Curious, Felicity climbed into the seat beside him and watched him work.

  “I think I’ve got it.”

  When the car began to roar, she jumped out, taking several steps away. The sound was deafening. “Is it supposed to sound like that?” she shouted over the rumble.

  “Sounds like the muffler’s been enhanced.”

  She was utterly grateful when the car stopped making noise and Dusty climbed out from inside the car.

  “We’ll try another car. This one would draw too much attention.”

  “That would not be good.”

  “You’re telling me.”

  He headed to another car. This one at least wasn’t completely broken, though the back windows had been smashed in. She stood a little further from the car than the previous time, ever watchful as Dusty did whatever he did to get the vehicle started. It was so silent, every little sound seemed to echo forever in the dark coldness. Wrapping her arms around her body, Felicity wished Dusty would hurry. She didn’t like being here among the broken shops and garbage-littered streets that smelled of death and decay.

  “Got it!” he cheered as the car began to purr. “Much better. Hop in.”

  Cautiously, Felicity walked to the car and, opening the door, slipped into the seat beside him. She watched Dusty fiddle with something under the seat that sent his chair moving forward, then back again. Wondering if this was what was supposed to be done in a car, she imitated his actions. She figured out quickly enough that doing so awarded her more comfort in her seating area or less if she moved the seat forward. She adjusted it so that she was comfortable. Turning to Dusty, she wondered why he was staring at her so intently. “Did I do something wrong?”

  “No, no, it wasn’t that. I was just thinking how pretty you are.”

  “Thank you.” She felt her cheeks heat up and looked away. “I like the way you look as well.”

  “I used to have blue eyes, not as crystalline as yours though. I miss them.”

  “I like the color of your eyes. It goes well with your hair.” He had such a cute round face, attractive, and the way his long eyelashes fanned over his eyes gave him a sleepy quality she found pleasing.

  Realizing she found him attractive made her only warmer.

  “Yeah…well…I hate them. I should look into contacts when I get home. Crap!”

  “Where?” She shifted in her seat to look for the excrement and saw nothing.

  “Not literally. It’s a swear word I use way too much according to my mother and that’s why I said it. I haven’t called home. Like I even know what I’m going to say to them. ‘Hey Mom, it’s me, Dusty. Guess what? I’m a vampire now. Think you could put away the crosses and hang dark shades on the window?’ Not going to happen.”

  “You do not like being a vampire much, do you?”

  “I hate it. I had a good life—or was on the road to having a good life—when I was nabbed and turned. If I could reverse what happened to me, I would in a heartbeat.”

  She didn’t see why he would hate it so much. There really wasn’t anything wrong with being a vampire. “You can still have a good life despite being a vampire.”

  “Yeah, right. Seatbelt.”

  “Excuse me?” She jumped when he reached over her. “What are you doing?”

  “Seatbelt,” he informed her, holding up a strange-looking metal object with wide straps attached to it. “You have to wear it. It’s the law. It’ll help protect you if we get into an accident.”

  “Oh…” She felt even warmer now that he’d reached across her, especially since his arm brushed over her breasts. “I would prefer we not get into an accident.”

  “Yeah, well, me too, but shit happens. Okay, here we go. Man, it’s been a while since I’ve been behind the wheel. I missed it.”

  She squealed when he sped forward
at a fast pace that pushed her body to the seat. Gripping onto the seat, she wondered if his intent was to get into an accident. “It’s fast.”

  “Yeah…I like fast.”

  “I’m not so sure I do. Oh mercy, everything is moving by so quickly.” The houses and streets blurred as they sped past them.

  “Okay, I’ll ease up. I need to take this baby out on the highway. It has guts.”

  “Vehicles have innards?” How odd was that?

  He laughed as he fiddled with the dials on the front of the plate that held the steering wheel. “Not literally. It’s a figure of speech. It means it can move. You watch out your side. I’ll do the same on mine and see if we can find this castle your parents live in. How cool is that, though, hey?”

  “Cool?”

  “You don’t know very many phrases, do you? When someone says something is cool, it means they like it or it’s exciting.”

  “I see. Yes, I suppose living in a castle would be…cool.” The word was actually entertaining and she decided she would like to use it more often. “Where do your parents live?”

  “Springfield. It’s quite a distance from here. I was on my way to college when I was taken.”

  “College?”

  “It’s a school. You see anything yet?”

  Everything was dark and dreary and cold. Nothing like the beauty of the world her mother had shown her in images. In the distance, she saw shimmering light illuminating the most glorious-looking dwelling she had ever seen.

  A castle.

  “Ahead, to my right. Oh my, would you look at how big it is?” And the closer they came to it the more she was in awe. “I bet it is beautiful when the trees are in bloom and the grass is green.” She could just imagine it, imagined herself running barefoot across all the plush land, laughing and playing.

  Something she had never had the chance to do.

  “I’m not sure I can do this.”

  Dusty slowed at the tall iron gates hanging open and turned to her. “Second thoughts about meeting the parents?”

  “Yes.” Just thinking of it made her chest tighten. “I’m not ready. I’m just not ready.”

  “No problem. We know where they are now, so whenever you feel ready…we can come back.”

  She remained silent, nodding as Dusty turned the car around and headed back into the city.

  Felicity feared she might never be ready.

  Chapter Eight

  Felicity sat quietly as Dusty drove them back to the clinic. The ride from her parents’ castle hadn’t been a long one, yet it had felt as if it had taken forever. She felt tired, achy, and sad. She missed her mother…missed the beauty of her home, missed the warmth that had once surrounded her.

  Here, it was so cold, so dark…so hard.

  Maybe she should have just gone into the castle, introduced herself to her parents, and gotten it over with. Then she could have sent herself home and continued on with her life. If what she had really could constitute living. Sure, she loved the warmth, the brightness, the serenity, but…she longed for company, to talk with others, to interact. Much like what she was doing with Dusty.

  If she went back home, she wouldn’t be able to see Dusty. That thought alone made her heart ache.

  “Home sweet home.”

  Her mind cleared and she saw that they were parked near the place they were staying. Though she couldn’t agree with Dusty’s sentiment of it being sweet, it was a home. For now.

  “You’ve been so quiet. I imagine you’ve got a lot on your mind,” he said after they exited the car.

  She did, and acknowledged Dusty’s statement with a nod. But just as she was about to speak, a man jumped out at them, eyes wild, claws primed.

  She screamed and dove behind Dusty.

  “Oh…shit.”

  “Make him go away.” She clung to him for dear life.

  “Yeah…okay…how?”

  Felicity cried out when the animal-like man charged at them and, with a mere thought, froze him to his spot.

  “Holy hell!”

  “We need to hurry inside, then I’ll release him.” Tugging at Dusty, she dragged him to the entryway.

  “How did you do that?”

  “I just did. Come on, Dusty. I don’t like it out here.” Thrusting the door open, she pulled him inside, slamming the door behind her. She let out a long breath and relaxed. She screamed, jumping forward at the pounding on the door.

  “I thought you said you put a spell on this place to prevent anyone from entering?” Dusty asked as he hurried to the door to hold it shut.

  Taking a few deep breaths, she told herself to calm down. She was safe. “I did. He won’t be able to enter.” But he sure could cause a commotion with his fists. He was pounding on the door in a rapid succession that sounded like drums. “Trust me, Dusty.”

  Cautiously, Dusty stepped away from the door. When the pounding ended, he ran to the window to peer outside. “He’s leaving.”

  “Good.” She paced the floor, feeling worked up and tense. “Why is everyone in this city so eager to attack?”

  “Because they’re animals out for blood. Humans aren’t like that but since this place is filled with beasts, the humans stay away. Smart move if you ask me.”

  “We all lived in harmony once. Vampires and humans,” she explained when he gave her a baffled look. “Why is it we can’t all live the same now?”

  “Because some big bad vampire dude decided he wants to take over and make the city his.”

  “I will speak with my mother and have her take care of him.” She realized that by doing so she would have to return to the Realm and she knew the instant she did, her mother was going to punish her. She didn’t want to be placed in stasis again. Every time she was put to sleep she woke several years older. She couldn’t understand why her mother would do that to her. Why she would age her? Yet every time she had asked her mother, she had only received an answer of “It’s for the best”. Why was it for the best that she was older, that she wasn’t allowed to have a childhood? She didn’t even know when her birthday was.

  She jumped, her pulse pounding when Dusty laid a hand on her shoulder.

  “Sorry. Didn’t mean to freak you out. You kinda drifted off. What were you saying about your mother?”

  “It doesn’t matter. She wouldn’t be able to help anyway.” It made Felicity think. Her mother knew of the darkened city, yet she had done nothing about it, nothing to stop it. Why? Felicity was finding she had so many questions yet none of them were being answered.

  She crouched down on the floor, pulling her knees to her chest, wrapped her arms around her legs and began to cry.

  “Oh…man…don’t cry. Jeez…I don’t know what… Man.”

  She took comfort in his presence when he sat down beside her. Leaning against his shoulder, she sobbed.

  “It’s okay…I…uh…did I say something wrong?”

  “Oh no.” She lifted her head. “It isn’t you that has made me cry.” He wiped the tears from her face and the touch of his fingers on her cheek created a warm tingly sensation deep in her belly.

  “I don’t get why you’re crying.”

  “I’m so confused.” She sniffled, and the tears continued to fall down her face. “My mother has always told me that my birth mother was evil, yet when I met her, I felt no ill intentions from her whatsoever. Yet every time I’ve asked my mother questions about my birth mother, she’s put me in a stasis and changed my age.”

  He wiped her face again. “She did what?”

  Felicity liked the way he touched her, the way his fingers brushed along her damp cheek so delicately. And the way he looked at her with those big yellow eyes of his filled with compassion. “I never really had a childhood. My mother aged me. I’m not sure how she did it, but she puts m
e to sleep and when I wake I’m years older. She never gives me answers and it’s so frustrating.”

  “I’m…not sure I know what you mean. How is it possible to age a person?”

  She dashed her own tears aside now, angry at herself for letting them fall. “As I said, I don’t know how she has managed it, but she has. Weeks ago I was only ten. My birth mother came to the Realm and after she left, I asked my mother about her, and once again, my mother refused to answer me. She is always cryptic. She took me for a walk and the next thing I remember is waking in my bed…like this.” She ran her hands out over the length of her body.

  “Seriously? She made you…age?”

  Felicity bobbed her head up and down. “I have very few memories of my childhood. I have dolls I don’t remember getting, or how old I was when I received them. And I have all these thoughts inside my head now that I never had before. I was a child only weeks ago and now I’m a woman complete with womanly…thoughts.” Looking at him now those thoughts turned to desire. “I’ve never been kissed.”

  “Oh…” He cleared his throat. “Wow.”

  “Would you kiss me, Dusty?”

  “I don’t know…” He cleared his throat again, fidgeting on the floor where they sat.

  “Your face is growing pink.”

  He slapped his hands on his cheeks. “Yeah…well…that happens when I’m flustered.”

  “Why are you flustered? I only asked you to kiss me.”

  “Yeah…well… Jeez.”

  “Have you never been kissed before, Dusty?”

  His face grew even redder. “Of course I have. I’ve kissed a woman.”

  “Then what is the problem?”

  “Yeah…well....” He stood up, jammed his hands in the pockets of his pants. “You just don’t ask someone to kiss you like that.”

  She stood as he was now and walked to him. His red face and stammer confused her. “So I should just kiss you without asking?” If that was the case, no problem. She leaned towards him, her lips puckered.

  “No, asking is good.”

  “I am confused. You tell me not to ask you, then tell me asking is good.”

  “It is confusing. Everything about men and women is confusing.”