Dwellers of Darkness (Darkness Series #3)

by Brown, Stacey Marie

  Kennedy broke the silence. “Can I ask what’s going on between you and Eli? I know he isn’t known for his cheery disposition, but he seems like he is going to explode with anger. I could feel it. And it’s mostly directed at you.”

  My eyes rolled up to the ceiling. “If I understood the conundrum which is Elighan Dragen, my life would be so much simpler.”

  “Yeah, he’s a complicated one... even more than the others.” She scooted back, leaning higher against the headboard. “So give me a quick rundown of what has happened since we last saw each other, or at least the juicy stuff you don’t want your mom to hear.” She looked toward the bathroom door.

  “Which would be everything having to do with Eli.” I leaned on my elbows. I started in on what happened between Eli and me, brushing quickly past the sex part. But Kennedy got it. Her eyes widen even more when I told her what Lorcan had said about them killing my mom and the link to my tattoo.

  “But he obviously didn’t. Unless your mother is a ghost... she’s alive.”

  “Yeah, I know. I don’t understand any of it. And neither my mom nor Eli seems to be forthcoming with details. Oh, yeah, a warning: Fae are not good at telling you the full truth. Every Fae I’ve been in contact with tends to be extremely close-lipped. Even telling you a mundane thing about themselves or about Fae in general is like me trying to do math in my head. And you know how good I am at that.”

  “So nearly impossible.” Kennedy smiled, patting my arm. “Funny you say that. You’re not an open book either, you know. You have the same trait as well. Probably not as bad as them, but you tend to keep things hidden. Jared, too. He appears all talkative and open, but he’s really not. He only me tells the basics of what I need to know.”

  It always took me off guard how insightful Kennedy could be. Since she now knew what she was, I was going to find it even more difficult to hide from her seer abilities. Playfully, I bumped her leg. “So what’s going on with you two?”

  Kennedy didn’t need to utter a word. The silly smile bursting from her reddening face told me everything I needed to know. “He’s so young, though.”

  “So? He clearly adores you, and the two of you are adorable together. I watched you guys a few times when I dreamwalked. I kind of saw this coming.”

  Kennedy’s eyebrows clenched together. “Watched us? What do you mean dreamwalked?”

  Ah, right.

  “Forgot.” I tapped my temple. “You don’t know about my freaky abilities.” I tried to explain dreamscaping and dreamwalking to Kennedy. “Dreamscaping is pulling someone into a dream, usually only another Fay. But because of the blood we share, I can bring Eli into mine. I can fully interact with the person. It feels just as real as when I’m awake. Dreamwalking is the ability, through a dream, to put myself in a place in real life and actual time. But I cannot be seen or interact with people while dreamwalking. I’m a ghost to them.”

  Kennedy’s eyes widened. “Oh, my gosh. There were a few times I felt this strange chill over my skin like I was being watched. Of course, I brushed it off as me being paranoid.”

  I nodded. “You were feeling me. I saw you react when I would enter the room. I wondered if it was because you could somehow sense me there.”

  “I did. This is so crazy...” She shook her head. “You talk about Fairies and Fae. What is the difference?”

  I used Cole’s definitions to me when I had first asked. “F-a-e is a general term for everything in the Otherworld. F-a-y is type of pureblooded fairies. The Queen and her court are pure Fay.” I reached out and touched her arm. “You okay?”

  Her head bobbed slightly again before her forehead came down on my leg. “Yeah.” Her voice came out shaky. “Simply taking this all in.”

  “I know this is a lot to deal with.” I stroked her hair in a rhythmic motion. The brown silk sliding through my fingers. “If it helps, you’re handling this better than I did.”

  Kennedy gave a small laugh before sitting up again. Her back straighter and stronger. Kennedy may be petite and quiet, but there was something about her which made you pay attention. She had a compelling inner force.

  “Now you know what you are so you need to trust your instincts. I think you will come into your powers faster the more you let yourself go and don’t try to block them.”

  “Right. My magical powers.” She sighed, looking away. She pressed her lips together and turned back to me. “I am overwhelmed by all this, but at the same time...”

  “It was like you knew before they told you.”

  Her eyes widened in agreement. “Yes, exactly.” Her face turned serious. “I also always felt, even before I met you, I was waiting for you to show up. The day you came to our school there was a strange connection. There was no doubt I was supposed to know you, and our lives were going to be linked.”

  I had felt the same. That first day at lunch when I was by myself in the school cafeteria and this tiny thing boldly sat next to me with her friend, Ryan. It was like we were predestined to be in each other’s lives. A Druid and a Dae, both orphans of the Otherworld... brought together.

  “Okay, enough serious talk. You girls are bringing me down.” Mom spoke from the doorway of the bathroom. Turning around, I was startled at the sight of her. She had lost so much weight and muscle, but she was still beautiful. The six years away had not aged her. To a Fae, it was barely a blip on the radar. Her face was striking and sweet. She looked so little standing there. My mother had always been petite, but her formerly curvy, toned frame was now thin from the years of being locked away. To see her standing in front of me again was surreal. I wanted to touch her to make sure she was real. I had always wished for this, but never imagined it possible.

  My looks were even in more of a contrast to hers than usual. Being a Dae, I took on features of both my parents, but I favored my biological father—a Demon. I was tall and had jet-black hair with red streaks layered past the middle of my back. My eyes were large and prominent. One eye was a strange, bright yellow-green that illuminated like a cat’s eye. The other eye was pale blue-lavender, outlined with electric dark blue and purple.

  I was a freak both in the human and the Fae world.

  Mom towel dried her hair. “I say tonight we catch up and have some girl-talk and gossip about boys. Tomorrow we can become serious again and get into all the heavy stuff. I think we’ve had enough for today. Tonight let’s forget about everything. Okay?”

  “Mom, I don’t think talking about boys is the best use of our time. What about Mark and our friends?”

  “Humor me. We can’t do anything tonight, and I’ve lost six years of your life, of you growing up. I think Mark would want us to take an hour or two to catch up. Plus, Kennedy looks like if she doesn’t get her mind off the hamster wheel, she is going to explode.” Mom moved to the single bed next to us and plopped down. There was still a wall between us, but I couldn’t ignore how good it was to be near her, laughing and being silly. This was the mother I remembered.

  “I’m in.” Kennedy sat up, twisting her frame to face my mom.

  I nodded slowly. “All right, I’m in, too. But I warn you, Mom, talking boys with me might not be as fun as you think.”

  “You’re right. I am not so blind I don’t see there is something between you and Elighan.” She grimaced. “Fine, current boy talk with you is off limits for tonight. Kennedy, on the other hand, isn’t. I would love to get to know you and hear all about my daughter’s exploits since you met her.”

  I groaned.

  Kennedy sat straighter with eager giddiness. “Oh, where do I start?”

  “Before we go down that long, cringe-worthy road, who’s up for raiding the kitchen? I know where there is peanut butter, extra crunchy.” Funny how I told him to just leave me alone, and all I did was spend my time antagonizing him. Going after Eli’s peanut butter? I couldn’t be asking for it more.

  “Peanut butter?” My mom groaned, and her face turned wistful. There wasn’t any in the Otherworld. I doubted the Queen
’s minions gave Mom more than some kind of gruel. I could imagine how much she probably missed peanut butter and other Earth foods.

  “Gabby always has cookie dough ice cream in the freezer, too.” Kennedy and Mom both perked up. “Let’s go, girls. We are invading a Dark Dweller’s kitchen.”

  Several hours later, Kennedy and I took our well-deserved showers and were ready for sleep. All of us were now clothed in outfits I had left here last time I was a “guest.” Both Ken and my mom swam in my clothes. My mom was only two inches taller than Kennedy but still short compared to me.

  Finally, exhausted from the day and practically in a sugar/food coma from raiding the kitchen, we climbed into bed. I think I was asleep before my lids even closed.

  “Torin? Oh, my god. Are you all right? I haven’t been able to contact you.” I stood up, wildly looking around the forest where he and I had met so many times before in our dreamwalks. “Where are you?”

  My gaze fell on a huge outline.

  “Sorry to let you down.”

  “Eli?”

  “Wow, you got it on the first try.”

  Disappointment burst through me, not at seeing Eli but at not finding Torin. What was happening to him? Why couldn’t I feel him anymore or dreamwalk with him? What had the Queen done? The fear I felt for him was palpable, almost crippling me. It was difficult for me to admit, but I missed our connection. I missed him coming to me. I missed him.

  Eli shook his head. “Obviously, I am not who you were hoping for.”

  “I’m worried about him. I can’t feel him at all, and I’m afraid of what the Queen is doing to him.”

  Eli snorted. “Nothing he hasn’t done willingly before.”

  Resentment boiled in me at his statement. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. You know nothing about Torin or what he’s been through.”

  “I know enough.”

  I gripped my hands together tightly. “Ahhhh!” I gurgled in frustration. Torin had confessed his past with the Queen; most of it was not good or healthy. He had stuck it out with her in hopes of finding me. How could I turn my back on someone like him? Especially for a guy like Eli who strived to be an arrogant prick in life. “For once just shut up. I’ve only been back for a day, and already I’ve had enough of you.”

  “Then stop dragging me into your little nightly fantasies.”

  “I don’t want to.” I was frustrated and embarrassed I couldn’t stop my unconscious from bringing him in. It made me feel exposed, vulnerable, and stupid, like some little girl who went all goo-goo over him and drew our names in a diary with hearts.

  “You want me.” He stepped closer to me, his body pressing to mine. “Completely understandable.”

  He was right. This angered me more than anything. My pride wanted me to come back guns blazing, but I didn’t have it in me. Not anymore.

  “I will try to learn to control my dreams, but till then you might have to put up with seeing me like this. My mother and I will leave the ranch tomorrow, and you’ll no longer have to deal with me in your everyday life. Put us both out of our misery.” I strode away from him. As soon as I spoke the words, I knew I was right. Mom didn’t want to be here. She made it clear. Kennedy would need to stay; it was safer for her under the protection of the Dark Dwellers, and she’d want to remain near Jared. Mom and I would figure out how to survive. We could go to Lars. He would punish me for disobeying and breaking his contract. It was something I would eventually need to face anyway, but instinct told me Lars would protect me.

  Eli moved swiftly to me. “You can’t go. It’s not safe.”

  I pulled back so I could look into his eyes. “It is not safe for me to stay. You and I are oil and water, and it’s better if I leave. Don’t deny you would be relieved. You don’t want me here, and I don’t want to stay.”

  His hand reached up like it was going to stop at my cheek, but he jerked it away to the stubble on his head. “Whatever we feel or don’t feel, it can’t get in the way of your safety. I won’t have you leave and get killed or be taken by the Queen because we can’t stand being near each other.” His words were gruff and harsh. Bitter.

  “Well, Dragen, it really isn’t your decision.”

  “So you’ll risk your life to spite me, Brycin?” he snapped. “Damn it, woman, you are the most stubborn, obstinate creature I’ve ever met.”

  “Takes one to know one.”

  “Don’t be reckless simply to piss me off,” he fumed.”

  “Piss you off is all I seem to do when I am here.” I rubbed my forehead. “I can’t win with you.”

  “No, you can’t... Em—”

  My hand flew up. “Stop talking before more stupid words come out of your mouth. I’m leaving in the morning, and that is final.”

  “But—”

  “No! Not one more word.” I backed away from him. Closing my lids I demanded myself to wake up.

  A familiar nauseating feeling came over me. When I opened my eyes, Eli was gone, but I wasn’t back in my bed at the ranch. I was inside the walls of the Queen’s castle. My unconscious once again dictated who it wanted to see.

  “Dad!” I couldn’t stop myself from screaming. He couldn’t hear or see me, but my need to run to him wouldn’t be stopped. He sat in a wooden chair next to Ryan’s bed. His athletic body slumped forward. Dark circles surrounded his blue eyes. His silvering blond hair was disheveled and normally clean-shaven face covered with stubble.

  Looking around the room, I realized he had been moved in with Ryan. But it was only Mark and Ryan. Where was Josh? What happened to him?

  Mark pressed a damp cloth to Ryan’s forehead. “When did he become this sick?” Mark addressed someone else in the room. Tearing my eyes away from the gloriousness of seeing my father alive, I noticed Castien leaning against the wall by the door.

  “It was not long after they arrived here. Some humans are more sensitive to the transition from Earth to the Otherworld. Ryan appears to be one of those.” Castien looked away from my father’s direct stare. He shifted, defensively crossing his arms in front of his body.

  Whether it was his shielding movement or his lack of eye contact, something didn’t sit right with me. Mark obviously felt the same way. “Why don’t I believe you?”

  Castien looked away with a shrug. “Believe me or not.” He fidgeted with the belt looping around his waist. “Whatever I have done was to protect Ryan. I only want him to be safe.”

  Mark sprang up. “What do you mean?” He took another few steps toward Castien. “This boy is like a son to me. I don’t care what you are; I will find a way to hurt you if you harm this boy in any way.”

  A surge of pride filled me. Go, Dad.

  “I saved him.” Castien burst from his leaning position on the wall. Mark watched him, his fists still clenched, ready to take on this handsome Fay boy. “He was dying. Between the stress of his cousin’s death and the trip between worlds, Ryan’s system was slowly failing. I didn’t want to see him perish. I did what I had to do to save him. I gave him Fae food to help him live. At first there is an opposite effect. It kills the human immune system before it rebuilds it. They get really sick before they get better.”

  My stomach gurgled with acid. I knew what this meant: Ryan would never be able to leave the Fae world. I felt guilt, fear, and anger. But I didn’t know if it was more at myself for letting Ryan get into this mess or at Castien.

  “So he will be all right?”

  “Yes, he actually has been showing small improvements. Ryan will be fine.”

  Mark plunked down on the bed next to Ryan’s with a sigh. My father was unaware of what this really meant for Ryan. I, on the other hand, did not feel relief. I was so grateful Castien saved Ryan but at what cost? Ryan would never see his family, or go to college, or do any of the things he had planned. He had always dreamed about going to San Francisco after he graduated. Now this would never come to pass.

  With the knowledge Ryan and Mark were okay, generally speaking, I focused aga
in on Torin. Nothing. Not a good sign. I couldn’t bear to think about what the Queen was doing to him, so I tried to find Josh. I could feel him. The connection to him buzzed with electricity and life. He was somewhere in the castle, alive. This was good at least, but for some reason, he was blocked from me. Frustrated, I slipped from my dreamwalk back into reality.

  The instant my lids popped open, I was out of bed. Moonlight glinted through the tiny cabin windows, giving the room a spooky glow. Beams of light shone softly over Mom and Kennedy. I let them sleep. There was nothing they could do, and they had been through so much. Revealing what I’d learned would only add to their worries. Mom and I could leave when she woke up. I scratched a quick note telling her my idea and to come find me. She was going to be thrilled when she reads this. Since sleep was not going to be my friend, I headed to the place where I could take my aggressions out: the gym.

  It wasn’t my first choice, but my first choice was no longer an option. My preference required less clothing and slipping into bed with a certain Dark Dweller. My feelings for him constantly ran the gamut between hot and cold—mostly hot.

  Dressed in my sweats and a tank top, my hair back in a ponytail, I stepped into the old garage, which had been fitted into a workout facility for the Dark Dwellers. Overstuffed punching bags dripped at different heights from the ceiling. Black, slick mats were on one side and training equipment sat on the other. I grabbed hand wraps from the shelf and went to work on a punching bag. My fears for Dad, Ryan, Josh, and Torin drove into the bag with every punch.

  “Your form still is lacking,” Eli’s rumbling voice spoke from behind me. Without turning, I pressed my head into the bag with an aggravated grumble.

  The heat of his body was instantly there as he moved behind me, grabbing my hand. “You are still tucking in your thumb.” He curved my fingers in on themselves, placing my thumb over the top. “Now punch.” I hit the bag with force. “I know it’s uncomfortable, but it protects your fingers and does more damage to your opponent.”