Destined for Darkness

by Cassie Pierce

  I faintly register someone calling her name and my focus shifts to Tyler. He is pushing his way through the police barricades. He is shouting at them to let him through. When he finally reaches Ali, his own eyes are bright with unshed tears. He pulls her into his arms, and she doesn’t resist. He cradles her face in his hands repeating, “It’s ok Ali. It might not be them.”

  Anger courses through my veins at his words. How can he give her hope when he knows there is none? Why? Why did he let her see this?

  “I don’t know my love, but we will find out. Right now, we need to go. Staying will only make it worse for you.”

  I turn my body so that I can see his face. “Just get me the hell out of here. This is too much. I can’t take it. I can’t….” I am unable to finish my sentence. I am choking on guilt and sorrow, its presence so thick that it has clogged my throat

  “Say no more.” He gently scoops me into his arms, and we disappear into the night sky.

  ~~***~~

  .Tristan

  I am barely able to contain my fury with Tyler as I hold Ridley in my arms. Her tears have soaked through my shirt, and are cold against my skin. I feel her pain. It is worse than death. “I did this to her.” My brother was supposed to keep Ali away. So, why didn’t he? I know Tyler. He is always true to his word. Something must have happened, but what?

  The plan had been to distract her, and if that didn’t work to put her under a sleeping spell. Granted, I hadn’t counted on the news coverage, but still. How hard is it to keep a human girl away from the damn T.V?

  I cradle Ridley’s shaking body tight to my chest, trying to push comfort through our bond. It is no use. She has closed herself off to me somehow. Her anger and pain are so intense, they are almost visible. Her normally pale blue glow is tinged in red.

  How is that possible? Only the dark have a red glow.

  It can’t be. Impossible. Ridley has tainted blood. She is somehow more than Lamont. She is Tenark too. She has dark magic in her blood. Just how much dark magic is the million dollar question.

  I am conditioned to hate all things dark, but that can’t be right. Nothing could ever make me hate her. Her blood may be tainted, but her heart is pure. For me, that is all that matters.

  ~~***~~

  Ridley

  Under any other circumstance, flying would have been amazing, but tonight I barely notice. My mind is too lost in guilt, grief, and anger. Ali will never get over my death when she thinks she witnessed it firsthand. I trusted Tyler to keep her away. So what in the hell happened? I know that Tristan would have never allowed her to witness that knowingly. Something went wrong; so very wrong. I still hear her screaming for me over and over in my mind. I am vaguely aware as my feet hit the ground, and I realize that we are now standing on Tristan’s deck. I sag to my knees, guilt and grief making my legs feel heavy. Tristan sinks down beside me, never letting me go while I cry. I really hope this crying stuff ends soon. I am not a crier. Well, until recently. I sob until I have no more tears, until my body goes blissfully numb. I bury my head into his neck, drawing comfort from his touch. I can’t move. I never want to move again. My heart aches for the life I left behind, but most of all it aches for my friend. My sweet friend, who will always think she witnessed my death. Ali has never lied to me, and I repay her friendship like this. She will never get over tonight. My tough Ali will be broken. Broken because of me.

  We are still sitting on the deck when Tyler finds us. Something in me explodes at that moment. My anger is a rolling tsunami that refuses to die. The flames return with a vengeance. My skin ignites. I start to shake, and confusion eats at my soul. I have never believed in hate, but it seems in this moment hate believes in itself enough for the both of us.

  Tyler takes a step closer. His mouth opens to say something but my fist stops him. Blood sprays from his lip on impact. I smile, satisfied that he is bleeding. My hand wraps around his throat. I see red. With strength that seems foreign, I tighten my grip on his neck. His eyes widen. Tristan moves behind me. He is speaking to me, but I don’t hear him. I can’t hear anything over the roar in my skull.

  “You!” I shout in a voice that is barely recognizable. It comes out deep and wrong. “You let her see! Do you not know what that will do to her?”

  He struggles in my grip. His face takes on a dusty hue. I see the fear in his eyes, and it seems to feed whatever is controlling this anger. I squeeze harder. Everything is red. The taste of sulfur invades my senses.

  “Ridley. Stop. Control it.”

  Tristan’s voice helps to clear the red haze from my mind. What am I doing? I am hurting him, really hurting him. I push the red fog away and look deep into the pools of Tyler’s blue eyes. Sorrow. So much sorrow looks back at me. His voice floods my mind.

  “I never wanted her to see. I swear. I had just gotten back from helping you guys. I froze her before I left, but it must have worn off somehow. She was already gone when I returned. She left a note telling me she was going to look for you. She said that she knew in her soul that something wasn’t right. She couldn’t find you at first, and then the news came on the radio. She got there minutes before I did. I am so sorry Ridley. Truly. I never wanted her to see that.”

  I let go of him, sickened at my behavior. He grips his throat and takes a very large step away from me. Tristan wraps his arms around me as the shaking begins. What the hell is wrong with me! I tried to kill him. I actually wanted to. The reality of my actions scare me. This is not me. I am not a violent person.

  “Shhh! It’s alright baby,” Tristan croons. “Your body is still adjusting to the change. You will have a hard time with your emotions until then. You just have to adjust to your strength, that’s all. Besides, we’re immortal. You couldn’t have killed him that way.”

  Something in his voice tells me that there is more to it than emotions, but I am too tired to argue. I just tried to kill his brother and he is comforting me. What in the hell kind of world did I stumble in to?

  “I’m sorry Tyler. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Are you ok?” I expect him to yell at me, to call me crazy and storm out, but he just laughs.

  “I’m fine Ridley. Tristan is right. It takes more than that to hurt us. I am sorry though. I never meant for this to happen.” I take a moment to assess his face, his indigo eyes showing sincerity.

  “I know. Is she- is she- ok?”

  He shakes his head and his shoulders drop. “She will be. She just needs time. I don’t know why fate needed her to see the accident, but everything happens for a reason Ridley. I haven’t known Ali long, but I know that she is strong. She will get through this.”

  He is right. She is the toughest person I know. I nod and turn to Tristan.

  “Can we just go to bed? It’s been a long day.” He nods and after whispering something to Tyler, walks me to his room.

  I throw myself on the bed and cover my eyes. “Tristan! I’m sorry! Please don’t be mad at me.” The bed shifts as he lays beside me. He takes my hands from my eyes.

  “Mad? I am not mad at you Ridley. If anything you should be mad at me. I should have made sure she didn’t look for us. Can you forgive me my love?”

  I sigh. I am relieved that he doesn’t hate me, but at the moment I hate myself enough for both of us.

  “There is nothing to forgive. Tyler’s right. Everything happens for a reason. Let’s just sleep ok. I’m drained.” He stands up and walks to his dresser, removing a black T-shirt.

  “Here,” he says as he tosses me the shirt. I smile. It smells like him.

  “Thanks.”

  “That’s as much for my benefit as it is yours, trust me,” he says with a wink. He pulls his now ruined polo over his head, exposing his perfectly sculpted chest. He slips his shoes off and climbs under the covers. I pull his shirt close to my face, inhaling his scent. I smile as sunshine and strawberries tickle my nose. I push myself off of the bed and head to the bathroom. I quickly shed my clothes and slip into his soft cotton shirt. It is huge on me, fallin
g mid-thigh. I use the restroom and make my way back to the bed. I slide under the covers and snuggle into his arms. I place my cheek on his warm chest, drawing comfort from the sound of his steady heartbeat. I am about to fall asleep when a thought occurs to me.

  “Tristan?” I ask, not knowing if he is still awake.

  “Hmmm?”

  “What about clothes? All my things are at home, and it’s not like I can go back and get them.”

  He runs his hands through my hair. “We will pick you up some tomorrow. Don’t worry love. I will never let you go without anything you need.” I cuddle closer to him, running my hands over his perfect abs.

  “I know,” I whisper before sleep finds me.

  I wake to the sound of his breath in my ear; to the wonderful feeling of his body pressed to mine. I wake to heaven. His soft lips are pressing into my hair. His strong muscular arms around my waist. I watch him sleep, thinking how lucky I am to get to wake up like this every morning. He is beautiful, in a male model meets biker badass kind of way. The best part, he is mine. A yearning for this man is building in my heart, in my body, like nothing I have ever known. I have grown to love him in the last few days. There is no denying my feelings now. His kisses melt my heart. His touch sparks every neuron in my skin to life. His presence gives me peace, even in the middle of chaos. I want him, all of him. I want to be as close to him as space will allow, then I want to dig deeper.

  I press a kiss over his heart and he stirs beneath me. With bravery I don’t normally possess I throw my leg over his stomach, climbing on top of him. His eyes fly open. He greets me with a silky laugh.

  “Are you taking advantage of me in my sleep love?”

  I silence him with a kiss. I put all of my need, all of my desire behind it, hoping he will understand what I want. His tongue enters my mouth, matching mine stroke for stroke. He grows deliciously hard beneath me. I press my hips down, trying to get closer. He deepens the kiss with a growl and flips me on my back.

  “Ridley. Are you sure?”

  I am sure. I want this more than anything else. It is a thirst that can only be quenched by him.

  “Yes.” I pant between kisses. He bites my bottom lip, and runs his hands down my body. He softly pulls the shirt over my head, exposing my bare breast. “So beautiful,” he whispers before moving his mouth to my neck and back up again. His kisses grow deep and hungry. I smile against his lips as his control starts to crack. He wants me as badly as I want him. I can feel it. He pulls back and looks into my eyes; searching for the answer.

  “Baby, are you sure? You know that I love you. We don’t have to do this if you’re not ready.”

  I normally would be embarrassed by my forward behavior, but not now; not with him. I have already lost so much in my life, and if I have learned anything it is that life is short. Gone is the girl who lived for others. It is time I start living for me. I might not have tomorrow, but I have now. Right now. I want Tristan. I want to feel him and love him like I have never loved another. I want him to have me, all of me. It doesn’t matter that I have only known him for a couple of days. My soul has loved him since the beginning of time.

  “Please. I need you. I love you.”

  He pulls me in for another kiss, this one soft and full of promise. “And I love you my sweet kohtalo,” he says as he gives me what I need. It is the most glorious feeling; a blissful mixture of pleasure and pain. He is gentle, taking his time with me. He holds me close as he carries me to a high I have never experienced before, showing me with every stroke his passion...his love. It is everything that I have always imagined it to be, only better. He never takes his eyes off of mine as we both reach our breaking point. True bliss…..

  I lay my head on his chest as he plays with my hair. The smile on my face will probably never go away. His strong arms pull me closer, and I know that everything will be okay. He is my new home.

  He pulls me to him and kisses me sweetly. “Now that is some way to wake up,” he jokes. “I think we should make that our wake up call.”

  I press a kiss to his tattoo. “Works for me.” My fingers trace his tattoo. The double infinity makes sense now. Infinite love by two people, joined as mates.

  “Ridley. I do love you. It has nothing to do with the bond. I think I would have loved you no matter what. Human, Lamont, vampire. It would not have mattered to me.” I look up, momentarily hypnotized by his eyes.

  “I know. I love you too. I don’t care that we haven’t known each other long. I feel it in my soul that you and I are meant to be together. I love you for the man you are Tristan; the man you will always be.” He presses a kiss into my hair and we lay there awhile before we have to face the world. It is time for phase three of our plan.

  “Go grab a shower my love. Tyler bought some supplies for you last night, so there are toiletries in there if you need them.” I sigh, not wanting to leave our little paradise.

  “Ok, I won’t be long.” I stand on wobbly legs, slightly surprised by the soft ache between my thighs.

  ~~***~~

  Tristan

  Man! What a way to wake up. When she kissed me this morning I thought I was dreaming. I didn’t have to read her mind to know what she was thinking. I think that kiss said it all. I tried to fight my desire for her until I felt through our bond that she really wanted this. Her need for me was so strong I could almost taste it.

  Being with her was the best moment of my existence. She is perfect. She may not be the first woman I’ve had in my bed, but she will be the last. She completes me; body and soul. I am half tempted to join her in the shower, but I decide not to press my luck. This morning was perfect and I want it to stay that way. I will figure out who is after her, and I will kill them. As long as I can draw breath, no one will ever harm her again.

  She may have darkness in her blood, but her soul is made of light. I will find a way to keep her from the dark, even if it kills me.

  ~~***~~

  Ridley

  The warm water feels wonderful on my skin as I let it rain down my body. I smile, thinking of making love to Tristan. It was…wow. Perfect doesn’t seem an adequate enough word to describe it. The sweet mix of pleasure and pain when he entered me was amazing. Excitement floods me just thinking about it. If it was that good the first time, next time will be epic. For the first time since I found out about the Lamont I am actually starting to look forward to my new life. I step out of the shower and wrap a towel around myself. Still daydreaming about this morning I make my way into the bedroom and smile at the pile of clothes laid out for me. I quickly pull the thin white cotton tank over my head and step into the skinny jeans. A perfect fit, of course. I pull on the black boots that match the outfit and make my way to the mirror. “Ali would die for these shoes. Ali”… I sigh, remembering that I can never trade shoes with her again. A tear falls without my consent as I turn to the mirror. My skin is glowing today, and I figure it has more to do with my recent bedroom activities than good genes. I run a brush through my long chocolate locks and go to find my man.

  He is sitting in the kitchen when I round the corner, talking on his phone. His eyes met mine and he ends his call.

  “It’s all set,” he says as I make my way to the table. “I made you breakfast. I hope you like pancakes.”

  I smile. “I love pancakes, but I think you already know that. When am I going to get to go fishing in your mind like you do mine?” He smiles and sits the plate in front of me.

  “Anytime you want. I will show you how. I need to warn you though, it could be dangerous. My mind is filled with all kinds of thoughts; most of which include you in limited clothing.”

  I laugh and go to work on my food. I must be starving because three pancakes later and I still don’t feel satisfied.

  “I never eat like this,” I say slightly embarrassed.

  “Lamont need more calories than humans. We burn more energy than they do. Plus, I am certain that after this morning you burned A LOT of calories,” he says with a smile. “Besi
des, I like a woman who can eat. It’s sexy. The reason you don’t feel satisfied is because you need more blood. Here,” he says as he holds his wrist out to me. My baby fangs push through my gums without any direction from me.

  “Here? You want me to bite you here? In the kitchen?”

  “Why not? We both know that if we go to the bedroom we might not ever leave,” he says with a grin. The sad part is, he is right. I scoot my chair closer to his and take his wrist. I bite down gently, sucking slowly, as his blood satisfies my hunger. I am about to pull away when I hear someone clear their throat.

  “Uhhuuummm. Don’t mind me. I am just getting some milk,” Tyler jokes. I drop Tristan’s wrist, my cheeks turning red.

  “Shut the hell up Tyler,” Tristan says playfully. He runs his thumb across my lip, removing a streak of blood.

  He stands from the table and grabs his keys. “Come on Ridley. It’s time to go.”

  I don’t want to leave. I feel safe here. I am not ready to face the council. Not at all ready to learn what my role for the Lamont will be. If I’m really immortal what’s the rush? “You know why we must go now Ridley. You need to access your powers. It will help keep you safe. You need to train.” Damn, I really hate it when he is logical!

  “Where?” I ask as I follow him to the garage.

  “The council is based in England. So, we go there first. After that we can go wherever you want.” He opens the door to my beautiful car and helps me inside.

  “How will we get there? I mean, we are supposed to be dead. I don’t think boarding a flight is such a good idea.” He laughs as he pulls the car from the garage.

  “Angel, we don’t need planes to fly, but for comfort reasons we will be taking Tyler’s jet.”

  “Wait. Tyler has a jet?”

  I shouldn’t be surprised. I knew that they had money, but a jet. Come on! Who really owns a jet? Tristan’s laugh fills my ears.