They watched as the males fired their weapons at the enemy a scream in their throat as they charged. The enemy laughed. They met the males head on cleaving through their bodies as if they were as insubstantial as mist.
The Darkness itself walked through the battle watching as the beings of the planet died.
“Go after the women and children. Kill everyone.”
A section of its minions broke off avoiding the males who were fighting. The male’s actions were more panicky, their aim not as true as they tried to retreat to protect their families. The minions left surrounded them hoarding them together.
They fought desperately their lips moving with a prayer for their family’s safety. Each being was willing to die to protect those he loved. In the end, they pleaded with The Darkness offered to trade their lives their very souls for those of their woman and children.
The Darkness commanded that those still alive be brought out. The men crumpled going to their knees at seeing so many alive.
“I will take every male still alive because you have shown your worth and for your fealty, I will also take the lives of those you hold most dear.”
There was a scream of horror from the males as every woman and child burned to death. The screams of the tortured rang throughout the night. The despair of those left behind bent them over as they cried for those they lost.
When it was over, the males were carted off to begin their lives of servitude. Damon fell to his knees; head bowed as he looked at the remains of those he was unable to help.
He pushed himself up and walked over to the mother whose hands were still reaching for the child she’d never hold again. He bent over and gently picked the child up and placed him in his mother’s arms before making sure she was holding him tenderly.
He straightened up and looked at his brother. “Why did you bring me here?”
“We’ve become too complacent with our place in the galaxy. The planets suffer but as long as our section of the universe is safe and the Earth is safe we turn a blind eye to what The Darkness is doing forgetting that The Darkness watches us every day looking for our weakness. It doesn’t make deals; it doesn’t forgive, and it has no compassion.”
Damon moved back to his brother’s side, and they faded into nothingness.
*~*~*~*
The bell rang, “I’ve got it.” Amber called out going to the front door.
“Amber!” Alexei screamed running full out to intercept her.
“Alexei,” she stopped to look at him, rolling her eyes and placing a hand on her hip. “Since when can’t I open a door especially since I’m equipped to take care of myself.”
He pulled her into his arms not arguing with her but not letting her go to the door either.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Damon and let me in before your mate guts you.”
“Damn Created hearing,” Alexei muttered under his breath.
“I heard that,” Damon called out.
“Come in,” Alexei opened the door. “We’re over here in the game room.”
Very little had changed about Aran and Rena’s home over the centuries and the game room was situated to the left of the entrance.
Damon walked in and stopped, he felt like all the air in his body had been sucked out. River sat in one of the many love seats that were scattered around the room. Her hazel eyes watched him intently; a small smile hovered over her lips as she waited to see what he planned to do.
“River,” he took a few steps towards her and stopped
“Aran,” Damon said acknowledging him. He gave Rena a smile and pulled her into a small hug of greeting before his eyes focused on River again
“I don’t know if you remember me from the cave?”
“I remember, you were there, and then those males came, and you were gone.”
“That was unavoidable; please accept my apology for running out on you like that.”
The smile hovering over Rivers' lips finally took hold.
“Apology accepted, Damon,” she said his name tasting it on her lips. She looked at her hands; her captivity was too long and now she didn’t know how to react in the presence of a male who attracted her.
River, she chided herself. You have an enemy after you that wants something you still don’t understand. Now is not the time to let eyes that change from light blue to black and back again captivate you, but she wasn’t listening. Her heart was beating too fast, and her mind was telling her he was special.
“Would you like to take a walk outside. The yards are beautiful.”
Rena opened her mouth, and Aran laid a kiss on her. River stood up her lips twitching as she watched them. After a month of seeing them interact she could almost read the signs between them.
“I would like that.” Damon offered his arm for River to take and led her out the front door. They walked around the side of the house until they came to a large pool that Aran must have had cleaned and filled. The water looked enticing and cool.
“Where did you go when you disappeared?” She asked softly still walking with him. There was a gazebo filled with lawn furniture not too far away from where they were.
“I was taken against my will by The Darkness.”
“I’ve heard of them. They’re known as the scourge of the universe.”
The walked into the Gazebo and took a seat turning to look at each other.
“What happened to you when they took you?”
“It’s a long story.”
She watched him and waited as he moved a little closer to her.
“I’m cursed River, the minute I lay my eyes on the female I know is my mate, my other half, the soul I have been missing, The Darkness, a force that has terrorized the known galaxies will come for me, come for us. It will only have one thought, to harvest my soul. To accomplish that goal, it must kill the female I swear all my tomorrows too.”
“I don’t know if I want to wipe tears from my eyes because what you said about your soul was so beautiful, or roll my eyes because you must be making it up.”
“You can do either, but I spoke the truth.”
“Was that The Darkness that came for you in the cave?”
“It was some of its minions.”
“Oh.” She moved away from him feeling immediately bereft when his body heat was no longer warming her. She’d been spending hours thinking about a male who wasn’t available. He’d already promised all his tomorrows to someone else. That seemed to be her luck.
“Thanks for coming to check up on me. That was nice of you, but I don’t want to keep you away from her.”
“Who?”
“The woman you promised all your tomorrow’s too.” She was trying to be nice because he saved her life and it wasn’t his fault that she had been fantasizing about him.
“River.” She turned to face him because all he said was her name.
He reached out gathering a tear on her cheek. She wasn’t crying because he was into someone else. What did she expect?
“I’m going to kiss you, River.”
“You can’t.” She licked her lips wanting that kiss.
“Why?” His breath feathered over her lips making her stomach jump in anticipation.
“Because there is some woman out there that you promised yourself to.”
“She’s not out there; she’s right here.”
His lips came down on hers. They were soft at first like he was asking permission. She opened wide needing to taste him. His tongue came in dueling with hers, stroking her as his flavor filled her. Her arms went around his neck while he pulled her closer crushing her breasts against his chest. She was dizzy with the pleasure of kissing him. It had been so long, but she knew, there had never been a kiss like this in her life before.
He backed away running his hands up and down her arms. She didn’t complain as her head went to his chest and her hand tightened on his thigh. She didn’t want to let go of him. This could be a dream, but she prayed it wasn’t. He was worth the pa
in if she somehow managed to end up with him. The side of herself that advised caution told her not to get her hopes up or her heart involved was screaming in her ear. She ignored the voice at least for now. Right now, she’d enjoy this unknown feeling and later she’d retreat and hide until he went away.
Chapter Eight
She felt pressure pushing her down even as Damon jumped to his feet turning around to face the threat. Elandra and his minions were crossing the lawn.
Damon reached for her making sure she was behind him.
“Elandra, aren’t you outside of your jurisdiction or am I not to be given any down time?”
“I want her Damon, no mistakes, and no games.”
Elandra hadn’t come alone. There were at least ten minions of Darkness moving to surround them.
Elandra smiled allowing fangs to show before he approached Damon.
“River are you ready to get out of here?” Damon asked her quietly.
She gave a brief nod of her head that had him spinning around to wrap his arms around her. Then he was moving up through the atmosphere.
“Catch them,” Elandra screamed. “Do not let them make it to the Created level.”
His minions took off after them; Elandra tried to shoot up into the air to follow them, but he faltered.
He turned around to see Aran, the smile on his face was deadly.
“Personally,” Aran said drawing closer to him. “I would kill you and make the world a better place, but it seems Dante is determined to claim your soul.”
Fear hot and bright entered Elandra’s eyes as the claim Dante had on him was mentioned.
“Fortunately for me, Dante doesn’t care if I play with you for a while. You came to my property Elandra when you knew better. Even The Darkness would have warned you away.”
Aran raised his hand allowing Elandra to feel the choke hold around his neck. Aran walked back to the house, and Elandra was dragged along unable to claw off the invisible noose around his throat.
Alexei stood at the door, death in his eyes.
“I want to spend some quality time with him.” Aran nodded and detoured to the back of the house.
Elandra closed his eyes preparing for the pain to come. He whispered quietly to himself, “minions kill River,” it was the only thing that would make what was going to happen to him acceptable.
*~*~*~*~*
The first blast sent Damon off course, he and River fell in a dizzying trail of spins until they hit something hard. He helped her to stand and looked around; they were in the warehouse district. The minions were still on their trail although he hadn’t caught sight of Elandra. The last thing he wanted to do was take them back to the Created level. If they were chasing him, then they had a right to cross into their sanctuary.
“We have to shake them,” he said softly.
She gave a weak smile before throwing back her shoulders. “What do we have to do?”
“Elude the minions after us.”
She nodded moving to follow him. He reached back catching her hand, and they ran towards the warehouse compound before them. The sky on this level was a very light blue that almost faded into a white. The clouds were blocking the sun. There was no smog, but a thin film sat across the atmosphere reminding them this was a working district. There were several huge buildings that blocked the view around them and interrupted the view of what was above them. The machinery that was used to load heavy crates into industrial hovers looked like huge skeleton structures of long-deceased animals.
A cry went up when a minion caught sight of them running. Damon increased his speed holding onto River’s hand. The terrain was rocky making them slow down not to trip over the materials jutting up.
“Why are we running?” she raised her voice just enough to be heard but not enough for anyone behind them to hear.
“They are tracking me. I don’t know how and I didn’t know The Darkness, or it’s minions had that talent, but it’s the only way they would have known we landed here. If we take off into the air, they will follow us, and if I will us out of here while they are still this close, they may be able to follow us. I think our chances are better if we shake them.”
She pulled on his arm and pointed to a small space that looked like it led into a building. Damon swung his head looking at the building he was thinking of going into, and then the one River pointed out, with a nod of his head he made up his mind, he chose hers and changed directions.
There were large black rivets jutting from the ground. They allowed the machinery to grip the ground without rolling backward when it moved. They found themselves running around them in an effort not to fall or be cut by them. It slowed them down, but it would also slow the minions down. Damon and River pushed themselves flat against the darkened shadow of the door as the minions came into sight. They spread out not seeing them immediately.
Damon slid his hand along the door until he felt the panel that would allow it to open.
“It’s locked,” he whispered into River’s ear. If he used his power, the minions would be able to locate them, but if they stayed outside the door much longer, they would still locate them.
He moved his hand, but the softness of her hand on his made him stop.
“Let me,” she whispered back. “They shouldn’t be able to track me.”
He gave a slight tilt to his head to indicate that he agreed. He stiffened as her voice wrapped his body in warmth. This was not the time to feel himself grow hard for her, but even the danger couldn’t stop him. How much longer could he avoid The Darkness? How much longer did he have to gaze into her hazel eyes or look at her creamy brown skin. He didn’t know, and right now he didn’t want to know as long as he could squeeze more time together with her.
Her hand came up, and a small stream of water emerged capturing his attention. He would have asked her about it, but the smile on her face as the door opened captured him, mind, body, and soul. All he could do was follow her into the huge open space.
“What is this place?”
Damon looked around taking in the hooks that hung from the ceiling and the colder feel to the room.
“I believe this was where they used to bring sides of meat.”
“Used to?” River moved away from him walking into the room. She rubbed her arms noting the slight chill, it reminded her of the cold as you began to descend into the sea but nowhere as cold as when you sat on the floor of it. How did she know that? The pressure in her head threatened to make her pass out. The minute she changed her thoughts, she felt better.
“Humanity has changed their dietary needs at least for a while. They now consume synthetic food. Fifty years from now, one hundred tops they will finally link the food with the way their bodies are declining. Once again they will want chefs and the few people around who know how to cook.”
She walked over to touch the wall feeling the chill of it and the moisture that clung to it.
“Why don’t you let them know now?”
He walked over to her wiping off the wall showing the gray color of it.
“You can scream disaster is coming to the top of your lungs for as long as you want, but until they see it with their own eyes, they will ignore you. Why? Because the experts said it was safe.”
She went to say something but snapped her mouth close as they heard a sound near the door.
Damon pointed to the lift that would take them to the next floor. He leaned down for her to wrap her arms around his neck, then he gripped the pole the lift was attached to and began to climb it hand over hand while River kept her eyes focused on the door.
Five minions entered as he crawled onto the platform above. He sat River down waiting to see what they would do. Three of them disappeared into the back of the building while one lifted his head and stared at Damon.
“I’m coming for you.”
Damon climbed to the railing that kept the platform safe for the workers and jumped down. The two minions in the room grinned at him before spreading out.
/> “If you give us the female we will leave you alone.”
Damon frowned. “Does that line ever work?”
The minion behind him raised his hand and shot what felt like a laser from the palm of his hand. Damon collapsed to his knees while the burns on his back tried to heal.
“I guess it’s going to be like that,” he murmured as he reached for his Symphor. It was a dagger shaped weapon only he and his brothers could use. It almost had a mind of its own. It would not kill an innocent and flew true to the heart almost every time.
Damon dropped to the floor missing the second laser blast from the minion behind him and threw his Symphor at him. It flew end over end leaving trails of fiery gold in its wake before it embedded into the heart of the minion.
“A worthy opponent,” the minion in front of him said. “Elandra will reward me when I bring you in.”
“I thought you served The Darkness.”
“Elandra’s rewards are more to my liking.”
Damon gave a slight nod. He may hate Elandra, but he would take him any day over The Darkness. He stretched his hand out for his Symphor, but it didn’t come. One look behind him showed the dead minion but not his Symphor. He looked around, but it wasn’t within sight.
“Play fair,” he heard Dante’s voice in his head and knew his brother had taken his weapon.
He would have taken the time to argue with him, but there were still four minions in the warehouse, and his mate was unprotected.
“No weapon?” The minion laughed. “I’m sure The Darkness took it.”
Damon smiled, they gave The Darkness to much credit. Dante was correct they had allowed The Darkness to run around unchecked for too long.
The minion in front of him came at him with a high kick. Damon ducked it remembering his first fighting lesson with Dante.
“You will not always have a weapon Damon,” he said as his foot connected with his face. “Reflexes, reflexes. Every time you can avoid your opponents move it gives you the advantage.”
Damon looked up to see the hatred on the minions face as he took several steps back his eyes weary as he watched Damon roll up from the floor and start to stalk him.
Damon: The A'rouk Brothers: A BBW Paranornal Page 5
