Falling Into Darkness: The Under Series Book 1

by Dakota Lake

  He parked the car a good distance away from the cabin and turned the engine off. “Micah's truck is still here, he's probably inside why didn't he ring me,” I said going for the door handle.

  “No, you stay here. Just cause his trucks here doesn't mean he is and there might be someone waiting inside for you. Lock the doors when I get out. If you see anything sound the horn.” Mack opened the door, shut it quietly then jogged over to the cabin. He ducked low round the porch and disappeared around the back out of sight. This was crazy why hadn't Micah phoned me, he was probably inside sitting in a corner guarding the door with a gun, I probably should have warned Mack that Micah had a gun for intruders. I checked my cell again, I was in signal but there were no missed calls. Gunner started barking loudly outside the car window, I jumped and dropped my cell on the floor.

  The raven had landed on the bonnet and was hopping around, Gunner stood close by barking at it. I rolled down the window. “Shhh! Gunner, it's just a bird,”

  I ducked down and grabbed my cell from the floor, as I sat back up Mack was jogging back to the car, the raven took off and flew into the trees.

  Mack knocked on the drivers window and I wondered what he was doing until I remembered I had locked the doors. I leaned over and unlocked his side.

  He opened the door and whistled over to the dog. Gunner trotted over wagging his tail and Mack pushed his chair forward so the dog could get in the back, then he jumped in himself and started the engine.

  “Why was the dog barking?” he asked.

  “It was nothing just a bird. Where's Micah and Carly?”

  “They're gone.”

  “What do you mean they're gone, gone where? Did you go inside did Micah leave a note or something?”

  “Ruby stop, their not in there. I searched the place from top to bottom. Whoever turned up here looking for you took them instead. We should get out of here,” he said putting the car in reverse. “Why would they take Micah and Carly? That's crazy that's kidnapping,”

  “They probably want information from them.”

  “Information?”

  “Ruby don't you get it? Those men were sent to collect you, but they couldn't find you so they took them instead to get information from them probably about where they can find you,” “What will they do to them?”

  “That night you went to the club you didn't get lost did you? You followed me. I should have been more careful, Micah was right he always is. He knew this was going to happen, I should have listened.”

  Mack hit the steering wheel out of frustration, I was trying to listen to what he was saying most of it wasn't making sense but I got the feeling he knew Micah better then he first let on, but I quickly got distracted from my thoughts when I saw Mack's sleeve and wrist. It was covered in red stuff. “What's that?” I asked.

  “Ruby, do you get what I'm trying to tell you?” he asked, but I hadn't been listening to him. “Is that blood?”

  He looked at his wrist and pulled his sleeve further down to cover it.

  “Are you bleeding?” I asked trying to reach for his wrist but he moved it away.

  “Mack what's wrong?”

  “It's not mine, it was on the kitchen floor.”

  “Why is there blood on the kitchen....,” I couldn't finish the sentence I already knew. “Do you want the truth or the sugar coated version?”

  “What kind of people are they?”

  “The worst kind,”

  “I don't get what's so important about me? Why do they want with me?”

  “It's because of what you can do. If you're like your brother then you probably have an ability and that's why they want you so they can use you. But I'm not going to let that happen.” He glanced over at me then quickly looked back at the road, he knew about me this whole time, he knew I was different. Seth.....I suddenly remembered he was at work and didn't know any of this was going on.

  “Seth, I forgot he's at work I need to ring him,” I looked at my cell.

  “I don't have signal, do you have signal?” I asked Mack.

  “Ruby, Seth's at the club he probably won't hear his cell, I already tried.”

  “So you know my brother?”

  He nodded looking in his wing mirror again, he had been looking in it constantly since we had left the cabin.

  “What is it?” I asked looking around out the window and in the side mirror, but I didn't see anyone following us.

  “It's still following us,” he said in a low tone.

  “What is?” I asked looking out the back window.

  He swung the car round to the right and drove onto a side road through the forest. The trees whizzed past and I was afraid to even look at the speedometer.

  “Mack what's following us? I don't see anything,”

  “The raven, he must have told it to follow you. It makes sense now, I even took your bracelet to prevent him from finding you, but he's using the bird instead.”

  I pushed my sleeve up thinking he couldn't be talking about my bracelet, but my bracelet was gone from my wrist.

  “You stole my bracelet?”

  “I had to it's how he finds you, he linked himself to it. It's like a tracker he can always find you when you're wearing it, but he's using the bird instead to find you. I should have known what he was, it's so obvious now I can't believe I missed it.”

  The track up ahead split into two different directions, Mack turned left and the back of the car skidded round. He then put his foot down and drove until we came to the end of the track which led back onto the main road.

  “I think we lost it,” he said checking the mirrors.

  “What or who are you talking about?” I asked holding onto the seat as he turned right and drove down another track. He ignored me.

  “So what are we going to do? Where are we going? What if their hurting Carly and Micah right now?”

  “Ruby calm down, I'm going to drop you off somewhere safe, then I'm going to go and find them and I think I know where they'll be. I'm not going to let anything happen to you or them okay....Okay,”

  All I could do was nod my head, my body felt numb, the thought of someone hurting Carly was too much.

  Mack drove the car along a bumpy road which looked familiar. It wasn't until I saw a large gate up ahead I realised where I was.

  Mack drove the car around the gate and cut across the grass, and past a row of trailer homes, he turned the car back onto the dirt track and turned at the end driving straight until pulled up into a small parking space next to a trailer. A trailer that I had already seen before.

  I leaned forward and looked out the window. It was the same trailer I had got myself trapped in before. Mack got out and jogged round to my side of the car, opening my door.

  “Come on, you'll be safe here while I go and find Carly.”

  I slowly climbed out and looked at the trailer then back at Mack.

  “How do you know Micah?” I asked.

  “Ruby I will explain everything when I get back, but right now I need you to get inside and stay put.”

  “Who are you?” I asked confused.

  “What?”

  “Who are you?” I said louder.

  “Ruby, I promise I will tell you everything when I get back. But right now I need to go inside.” he said slamming the car door.

  The rain pelted down on my face but I didn't move. I didn't trust him, I didn't know who he was. My mind flashed back to the picture someone had taken of me stuck to a mirror, inside this very trailer. Maybe Micah had got it wrong about who really wanted to kidnap me, maybe I was staring him in the face?

  “What's wrong? Ruby come on get inside,” he said running up the steps to the door. I looked around and spotted the raven sitting close by on a flag pole.

  I looked at the raven then back at Mack, I didn't feel safe here something felt wrong, I suddenly didn't trust him.

  “Ruby what are you doing?” Mack called to me.

  I started walking backwards then I turned and ran before I h
ad second thoughts about it. “Ruby!” I heard Mack shouting. I didn't look back at him, even though running away from Mack didn't fell right.

  My speed soon picked up and I zigzagged round the trailers, until I saw the metal fence which I somehow managed to climb over in a matter of seconds. I kept looking over my shoulder but there was no one following me, I was sure I was going in the right direction back to the main road but I had no idea where I was going to go when I got back.

  I slowed down into a jog and checked my cellphone. I found Micah's number and tried ringing him but it went straight to voicemail.

  I tried Carly's but it just rang and rang. My last hope was Seth's cell, I knew he was busy and probably wouldn't answer but hopefully he would listen to his messages, it went straight to voicemail.

  “Seth it's Ruby. Can you please ring me as soon as you get this.”

  It was getting dark quickly and I didn't want to be outside in the dark. I put my hood up as the rain continued to fall, I was soaked all the way through. I jogged out from under the trees and stopped alongside the road. The only thing I could think of was to walk to Aimee's and hope she would be there, her house was the closest from here. I stayed close to the edge hiding behind a tree, every time I heard a car coming.

  I looked at my cell and considered calling the police but hesitated after remembering what Mack had said about the police.

  I came to the crossroads and ran across and back into the trees on the other side. I heard another car approaching in the distance, I ducked down behind a large tree waiting for it to pass. I waited about thirty seconds until I was sure it was gone and stepped out onto the grass, but up ahead I saw the back of a van, it looked like the same van that had showed up at the cabin earlier. It was just sitting there with it's lights on and engine running. I quickly stepped back into the trees so I wouldn't be seen. The van stayed in the same spot as another car drove along the road, it beeped it's horn at the van and drove around it.

  I didn't think it was a good idea to stay here any longer so I walked a little way into the forest but not too far I didn't want to get lost. From this distance I could faintly make out the vans lights through the trees.

  A branch snapped close by, I spun around but all I could see was darkness. Suddenly I heard footsteps close by crunching through the leaves, I held my breath and crouched down behind a tree trying to stay as quiet as possible. The footsteps got closer and closer, I closed my eyes praying they wouldn't walk this way. I slid my cellphone out, maybe now was a good time to call the police. Why was it so quiet? The woods had suddenly become eerily quiet. All I could hear was my own heartbeat thudding in my ears.

  Someone grabbed the back of my hoodie and lifted me up to my feet.

  “Got you,” said a deep male voice.

  I tried to pull away but their hold on me was too strong. My cellphone started to ring but before I got a look at the caller I.D he had snatched it away from me and thrown it into the forest. He started walking back towards the road, I tried my best to get away from him but he made me feel like a rag doll in his arms, my feet barely touching the floor as he pulled me along. “Let go, I'll scream,”

  “It will make no difference, there's no one out here to hear you so please be my guest, scream away,” he said laughing.

  I didn't scream he was right there wasn't anyone else out here, I was stupid for running away from Mack and now I was in even more danger.

  The headlights from the van caught the mans face. I recognised him from the club he had been the big tattooed man that had been with Cole.

  He took me round the side of the van where another man was waiting.

  “What took you so long?” the other man asked.

  “She wanted to play hide and seek.” he said setting me down on the floor, but he still had a firm grip on my arm.

  “Well those glow in the dark laces are a dead give away,” the other one said smiling showing a front row of perfectly white teeth with a false gold.

  I looked down at my feet and silently cursed myself for my choice of shoes today, high tops with glow in the dark turquoise laces.

  “Kids these days wear the strangest things. So did we get the right one this time?” he asked pulling my hood down to get a better look at me.

  “Yeah I thinks so, hold on a minute,” the other one said retrieving his cell from his pocket that was ringing.

  “It's Cole, do I answer it?”

  “No he'll only shout at us for taking too long, just ignore it we'll be back there soon. He can wait.” The man put his cell back in his pocket and slid the van door open.

  This was not good, they were planning on putting me in the van.

  I frantically tried to pull away, kicking and scratching the man that was holding onto me. A loud squawk from above made us all look up. The raven flew down and attacked the other man. I carried on kicking and scratching, I even bit him but he still didn't let go of me.

  “Marcus a little help, she's got nails like daggers,”

  “I'm a little busy, what is with this bird? Put the girl in the van and lets get out of here,” The man holding onto me lifted me off the floor like I was as light as a feather, he then threw me into the van. I hit the floor and slid across to the other side of the van.

  I quickly tried to get back up but I was too late as the other one had already closed the door. I heard both the doors at the front of the van slam.

  “I'm not sure I like this Marcus, that looked like a death tracker,”

  “Leron how would you even know what a death tracker looks like? You've never seen one.” “Neither have you, but I've heard things you know. That was definitely a raven, Marcus.” “Why would a death tracker be interested in her. For a start she's not dead or dying from what I could tell,”

  “What if it wasn't here for her what if it was coming for us?”

  “Don't be stupid, it's probably just lost or has rabies?”

  “I don't think birds can get rabies? I've got a bad feeling about this Marcus, I don't think we should take her back, that bird was trying to stop us. I'm telling you it was a death tracker, which means its owners might not be far behind.”

  “Enough with the death tracker stuff, the next time you say the words death tracker you can get out and walk and there's no way I'm leaving her here I do want to get paid this week.” The engine started and the van started moving forward, it turned a corner quickly and I slid across the floor.

  I looked around for anything I could use as a weapon. The only thing I saw was a shovel and a bundle of blankets and there looked to be dried blood on the floor. I didn't like to imagine what this van had been used, what kind of people had I just run into.

  The van came to a sudden halt and I slid into the side.

  “Is that...?”

  “A death tracker. I told you that bird was a death tracker,”

  “Calm down he has no business here. Let me speak to him.”

  “Speak to him are you insane you don't talk to death trackers. I've heard they can kill you with one touch, suck the life right out of you,”

  “Will you shut up Leron, stay here,”

  I heard the van door open and close. I didn't know what he meant by death tracker so I held off from screaming for help, these men seemed scared of whatever was outside the van, even I felt scared and I couldn't see it.

  There was a loud thud on the roof above and I let out a small scream and backed myself into the wall.

  “Marcus,” the man in the front of the van called.

  I heard the van door opening slowly, it creaked loudly then stopped, then it creaked again, then again as if he was inching the door open.

  “Marcus, where are you?” he whispered loudly.

  I knelt down with my ear up against the side of the van trying to hear what was going on. Something thudded against the van side door, then I heard the man screaming but it was so high it could have easily been mistaken for a woman screaming. Then there was silence. I stayed still not wanting to create any noise
to draw attention to myself, hopefully what ever was outside the van would leave.

  A tapping sound started at the back of the van and made its way slowly round to the side door. I reached for the shovel and quietly pulled it onto my lap, not sure what I was going to do with it, I had no idea what was on the other side of the door.

  I gripped the shovel and held it up in front of me as the side door slid open.

  “If you're interested in taking up gardening I wouldn't recommend that shovel, it's probably used for digging graves.” Cam said crossing his arms.

  He was dressed in black wearing what looked like a black cape with the hood up. I chucked the shovel to the other side of the van.

  “You know you seem to attract trouble wherever you go, like a moth to a flame and right now there's another van of ugly fallen on their way so hurry up we're leaving.” he said stepping back from the door.

  I stood up and hopped out the van, completely confused as to what was going on and how Cam had even found me. I noticed the tattooed man lying on the floor, then I spotted the other one on the roof of the van, I looked at Cam.

  “Don't worry their not dead, takes a lot more to put one of them down. They'll wake up in a few hours.”

  “You said fallen are on their way what do you mean?”

  “Come on princess you're a smart girl I thought you would have figured it all out by now,” “Are you talking about fallen angels?”

  “Bingo!” he said grinning.

  “Are they fallen angels?” I asked looking at the man lying motionless on the floor. He nodded, nudging the one on the floor with his boot.

  “Do you know what I am?” I asked.

  “I think you already know what you are,”

  “Well I think I'm different I'm not like other teenagers my age,”

  “So what do you think you are?”

  “Nephilim.” I said quietly but loud enough for Cam to hear me.

  “We need to leave,” he said holding his hand out to me.

  “Wait I have more questions,”

  “And I can answer all your questions when I get you out of here.”

  “Just one more,”

  “Fine go,”