Then she flung open the door and ran from him, leaving him feeling as if she were taking his newly awakened heart with her.
Taking all the light.
Her car was outside, parked by the driver he’d paid to deliver it when she’d decided to stay there. As she ran to it, he had to hold himself back from stopping her, from running out into the darkness to keep her from leaving him behind.
That wasn’t his right anymore, and besides, after what had happened today, it would only scare her.
As she pulled out, and he prayed she would drive safely, he looked up and cursed the moon for betraying him. For keeping him alone all his life and then, the one time he needed it, abandoning him.
He sank to his knees, muttering more curses, and watched as she faded into the dark. As her car turned down a side road and the light disappeared in the distance, his hands tensed into fists.
Perhaps he was only meant to be with her long enough to save her. Since he’d stopped the bomber, she should be safe now.
She still probably had a stalker, but he knew now it was probably unrelated to the running and screaming and death he’d first seen when he looked into her future that day they first met.
He would call Sasha and tell her to go be with her. Or maybe Lillian would. Yes, that would probably happen, right?
He stood and began to stumble toward the house when he felt his knees give out and the transformation battling to overtake him.
Now? The love of his life had just left him, denounced him a liar, and now the moon decided to show up?
Screw midnight. Screw the life he’d been given. Screw trying to do things right.
As wings ripped out of his back and his huge, slashing tail swung out behind him and horns curled out of his head, he let out a snarl as he turned to go back to the mansion.
He was walking up the stairs when he heard the screech of brakes behind him and whirled around. Was it Lillian? Had she come back?
He squinted into the darkness, holding up his hand to block the bright headlights of the car that was parked at the top of the street that led to his mansion.
Had someone simply made a wrong turn? The car quickly turned and skidded away, and Nathan decided it didn’t matter anymore.
He hadn’t recognized the car as Lillian’s, and anyone who saw him outside would simply wonder what the heck that was.
When he reached his door, he hit the button to ensure the gates were closed so if the person was curious, they couldn’t come closer to see more. And if they told anyone about what they’d seen, who would believe them?
And what did it matter anymore?
His claws bit into the marble of his foyer, leaving cracks, and his wings caught carelessly on furniture, knocking down a precious vase here or a lamp there.
He no longer cared about being careful with his size.
He stumbled into his study and walked to the window, falling against the wall and sitting there, ignoring the falling plaster as his wings scraped the wall.
She was gone, and he was a monster. And fate had apparently decided to make him look like a madman if he ever decided to tell or show who he was.
He cursed those who had made him as he leaned back, letting frustrated tears bite at his eyes. He wouldn’t feed tonight. What was the point of hunting?
He should have listened to their creator when she said they were cursed. That they could try to complete the ledger, but that it might not do any good.
Nothing would ever change, and his last hope had disappeared like so many ashes scattered on the wind.
The sun always rose in the morning, but tomorrow, for Nathan, it would still be incredibly dark.
* * *
Lillian was sitting at her table, drinking much stronger alcohol than she was used to, when she heard pounding on the front door.
She jumped slightly because, with everything that had happened, she still hadn’t been able to calm down. And because whoever was out there could be the stalker.
She’d totally forgotten about that when Nathan had turned out to be a big fat liar on top of being a killer and insane and a fraud.
Her heart hurt more than it ever had in her life. Why on earth had she ever taken this story? Why had she ever gotten involved?
“Lillian? Let me in! It’s me, Sasha!”
Her balance was only slightly affected as she pushed herself up to go over to the door and undo the deadbolt. Of course, Sasha. She’d texted her to tell her to come to their place, but only a couple minutes ago.
That was fast.
She staggered to the door and opened it, glad she hadn’t drunk enough to be incomprehensible now that her friend was here. She swept a hand in unsteadily. “Welcome home!”
Sasha ran in and slammed the door behind her, keeping her back to it, and that’s when Lillian noticed something was wrong.
“I… I…”
Lillian slumped over to a couch and sat down on it, motioning for Sasha to join her.
Sasha did nervously, tucking her blond hair behind one ear. Her gray-blue eyes were wider than Lillian had ever seen them, and she was dreadfully pale.
Lillian felt herself sober up slightly just at the sight of her friend. “Sasha? What happened?”
“I… I saw something. I didn’t get your text in time, and—”
“What?” Lillian got up and staggered to the window to look outside. “Is the stalker out there? I started drinking about an hour ago, so if I don’t drink anything else, I should be sober pretty soon. Don’t worry.”
“You’ve been drinking?” Sasha asked worriedly. “You never drink.”
“Not much,” Lillian said.
“Did you see Nathan, too? Is that what happened?”
Lillian blinked at her. “Did I what?”
“Did you see him… you know?” Sasha shuddered. “It was awful.”
Lillian gaped at her friend. When had Sasha seen him? “Eating people?”
“As a monster?” Sasha said at the same time, right over Lillian’s words.
The two women stared at each other, paling for a moment.
Sasha jerked up to standing, her small hands balled into fists. “He eats people?”
Lillian stood up, too. “You saw him as a monster?” So it was true? Then why hadn’t Nathan showed her?
“What the hell is going on?” Sasha shouted. “I thought we were just staying with a billionaire. I thought you were in love with him. God, it didn’t even look like cosplay or something. It looked like he really was… that thing.”
“Describe it,” Lillian said quietly. If Nathan really was what he said, not human, then why hadn’t he given her the proof she needed to know he wasn’t insane?
Not that he still couldn’t be insane, but… knowing he wasn’t a human would definitely help his credibility in some ways.
Sasha began panting, hyperventilating as she tried to remember. “It was awful. Wait. What do you mean he eats people? Lillian, what have we gotten ourselves into?” She stamped a foot. “Things like this aren’t supposed to exist! I was just supposed to come home from the library, and we all could have hung out. What the hell have you gotten us into?”
Lillian had no idea.
But just then, a thump sounded on the rooftop, and whatever it was then hit the railing of their balcony and landed on their front step, making the ground shake.
Sasha raced over to the window and peeked through the curtains. Then she stumbled back, falling onto her butt and muttering unintelligibly. “Th-th-that! That thing! That’s just like what he was.” She scooted back rapidly as loud knocks sounded on the door.
“Oh God, we’re going to die, aren’t we?” Sasha said. “You haven’t seen it, have you?” Sasha put her hands over her face and sank to her knees again. “It looks like death warmed over. It looks like…” She stared up at Lillian with unseeing eyes. “Like the most frightening thing you could come up with in your mind. Tell me we’re dreaming. Tell me we’re in a nightmare.”
Lillian made h
er way cautiously toward the door, hoping the lock would hold, hoping she could look through the peephole and at least see what Sasha was so scared of.
But then she heard wood breaking and quickly jumped back, just as the door was yanked from his hinges and rudely tossed aside.
A huge, inhuman arm reached forward, grabbing Lillian, and when Sasha ran forward to help, it grabbed her as well.
She tried to scream, but before she could even process what was happening, they were dragged onto the roof and thrown down on the concrete, dazed and confused.
Lillian slowly gathered her wits and looked up, gaping at the creature in front of her.
She tried to take all of it in as a primal sense of terror welled up in every cell of her body.
Looking at this… thing… she wished she could tell Sasha that it was only a nightmare.
But as the thing stepped forward, shaking the ground around them, Lillian was positive that it was very, very real.
As she placed herself in front of her friend, ready to protect her from the trouble she’d placed them in, she stared into the eyes of the hideous monster and, for a moment, felt a bit of shocking relief.
The thing might be huge, might be terrible. Might even want to hurt them.
But she knew with every part of her that it definitely, positively was not Nathan. Despite everything Sasha had said.
Which meant Nathan was still out there, a creature just like this, and he might even be able to help if he could ever forgive her for disbelieving him and running away.
Chapter 25
Lillian felt nausea overtake her as she stared up at the monstrosity in front of her, trying to calculate her next move.
The thing had to be ten feet high and only semi-humanoid in form. Its back legs were oddly jointed like those of an animal, but it was standing on them, arms hanging limply at its sides. Obsidian claws extended from both dragon-like feet, digging into the cement of the roof as the creature paced.
Its skin was reptilian, almost snake-like, pale white in the moon, glimmering with flashes of red at certain angles. But its wings were dark black, bat-like, with tiny bony protrusions at every apex.
Its head was narrow and long, with the vague impression of a human face, a handsome one, transformed into a stone-like gargoyle. Faint outlines of scales still showed as the features hit the light. Inhumanly large, red eyes flashed at her, tilted upward at the sides and blinking meanly. Its nose was a mere bump with slits, and its mouth was spread wide in an ominous grin with the kind of fangs that one only saw in the scariest of deep sea creatures.
Dear heavens, what had made it that way?
Lillian scrambled back, keeping Sasha behind her, as the thing stopped pacing and turned their way. No matter what, she was determined to protect her friend at all costs.
After all, she was the one who’d brought them into this.
The creature began to pace again, sniffing the darkness and grunting in exasperation, shaking its head. Whatever it was, it seemed frustrated. Impatient.
Was this really what Sasha had seen? But looking at it, Lillian just knew it wasn’t Nathan. It didn’t have his feel at all. So what was it?
She didn’t dare interrupt the silence to ask Sasha for more information.
Instead, she felt quietly for her phone in her pocket. She had to somehow explain to Nathan what was going on while the creature was still busy pacing in the darkness.
If this was what Nathan was, perhaps he would know what to do.
But if it was a man-eater that didn’t care for them the way Nathan did, perhaps they were doomed already.
She carefully opened a text conversation with Nathan, then clicked on the camera button and raised her phone. As soon as she took the picture, it should instantly be sent.
The creature had turned its back on them, baring it’s huge, ugly wings and a long, spiked tail that swished violently.
She took a picture before she could change her mind.
The camera made no noise when it captured the image, and as she looked down at her screen as it sent the photo, she could hardly believe her own eyes.
Hopefully, Nathan would know what to do.
Suddenly, the creature whirled and its inhuman eyes went to her phone, quickly figuring out what had happened.
It stamped its foot into the ground, making the whole roof shake. Sasha clung to Lillian as they watched the creature roar an angry shriek into the sky.
Then it pinned them with a furious glare glinting in its nightmare-red eyes. “How dare you? You’re going to die for that.”
Its voice was oddly human. A little deeper, a little raspier, with something like an echo, but the inflection was human nonetheless.
The thing took another rumbling step, and she looked around them in disbelief. Why was no one waking up with all this ruckus?
The creature threw its head back and laughed. “I already put everyone to sleep, and they’ll stay that way until I release them.”
It paced around them in a slow circle, and Lillian could feel Sasha’s heart beating where she was smashed against her arm.
“I am darkness. I’m in control now. And you’re going to regret what you’ve just done.”
“It was nothing,” Lillian said quietly. “I just—”
The thing shot forward so quickly Lillian couldn’t have imagined it, and the next thing she knew, she was lifted by the throat, struggling weakly as her legs kicked empty air.
The thing sneered at her. It actually sneered. “Did you send that to my brother? It’s hopeless, you know. He won’t come. Besides, I already warned you to stay away from him. With my note and ransacking your house.”
“That was you?” Her voice was barely a squeak.
“Of course it was. It’s always been my job to watch out for him. And when you didn’t heed my advice, I had to know more about who you were. Your real intentions.”
“I was never going to hurt him.”
“You can still say that now?” The creature sneered. “Don’t be silly. It was easy to hurt him because he has always been weak to your kind.”
Anyone insulting Nathan still infuriated her, so she kicked out, trying to strike the monster anywhere she could. “He’s not weak,” she choked out. “Not in any way.”
The thing dropped her to the floor, cocking its head mockingly. The twisted horns on top of its head looked sharp and ominous and dark. “Then tell me why he bonded with a human.” The creature crouched to glare at her as she was still trying to catch her breath. “One who would run at the first sign of who he was.”
“I didn’t run.” But she had. “You don’t understand. In my world—”
The creature let out a hiss. “I don’t need to hear about your world, human. I’ve been here longer than you. I probably know it better than you do. It’s dank and smells of piss and is full of spineless, pathetic creatures who only look out for themselves and don’t even know that they crawl in the darkness.” He straightened and looked out at the sky. “At least my kind is aware of what we are.”
Lillian rubbed her neck carefully, surprised it wasn’t hurt. “Who are you? What are you?”
He smirked at her, and the sight of it made her want to crawl away even faster. “You took a picture. You tell me.”
She looked down at her phone, which had fallen to the ground when she’d been picked up by him. She couldn’t see the screen, but she could remember the image on it perfectly.
The night lit up slightly as it began to ring, buzzing its way across the rooftop.
The creature strode easily over to it and scooped it up, hitting the button to answer.
She stared opened-mouthed as the thing spoke on the cell phone as though this were a totally normal occurrence. She shared a look of sheer disbelief with Sasha, who looked as if she were on the verge of having a stroke.
“Hello, dear brother. Yes, yes, I’m here with her. I’ll take care of it since you can’t, but you should know I’m tired of cleaning up your messes. There’s no
point in fighting the darkness. A human can never be your friend.”
Then he tossed the phone off the roof, cackling as it disappeared into the night. “He always tried to consider himself human. Helping them. Trying to fit in. It’s disgusting. Beneath him. That’s why I have to watch out. If he’s discovered, it’s bad for all of us.”
“All of who?” Lillian asked quietly.
“Me and my brothers, of course,” the creature said.
“What’s your name?”
Its lip curled disdainfully. “You don’t need to know that because you’re going to die soon.”
Sasha popped out from behind her, trembling but trying hard not to show it. “You aren’t going to hurt my friend.”
The creature turned its attention to Sasha for the barest of seconds. “Shut up, snack.”
Sasha stuttered, wide-eyed. “Sn-snack?” She looked at Lillian. “What is he talking about?”
“Lillian can tell you,” it said, continuing to pace around them, a predator eyeing its prey. “After all, she saw Nathan. That’s what sent you running back here? I knew it was only a matter of time. For all that he tries, he’s just not careful.”
“What is that? A v-vampire?” Sasha asked Lillian quietly. “It doesn’t look like o-one.”
The thing whirled to face them, forcing them to look all the way up its long, horrifying length. “What I am doesn’t matter, human. In a few moments, this will all be just a dream.” It laughed wickedly. “Well, since you’ll never wake up, it’ll be more like a nightmare.”
“You’re really going to kill us?”
“Planning on it,” the thing said dryly.
Lillian held on to Sasha. “Then why haven’t you? Nathan will be here any moment.”
The thing bent down to mock her. “Nathan has probably given up right now. He has realized that all his useless work helping humans has been for nothing, that he will never fit in with them, let alone be loved by them. That he would have been better off giving up like I did long ago.”
“No,” Lillian said.
“A hundred years of sunk cost is probably fairly paralyzing, given how much time he has put into being so good.”
Midnight_Nightmare Dragons Page 18
