A Dark Night (Book One of The Grandor Descendant series)

by Bell Stoires

  Sameth shrugged but looked annoyed, and quickly raced up to his bedroom, blurring past Ari so quickly that her dark hair flew across her face. Thomas, who was now sitting on the chair, looked up at his mate. Slowly he retrieved a long cylindrical rod from his pocket, while placing an old rag and a bottle of thick black liquid on the table. Ari looked curiously at the long thin rod, unsure of what to make of it. She was just about to ask what it was, when Thomas forced the rod through the wall, pushing it hard until it reached the outside of the house.

  “Oh Jesus, what the hell happened tonight?” asked Sandra, seeming to recognise the tools in Thomas’s hands.

  Thomas didn’t respond, but reached into his jacket pocket and threw a wallet onto the table. Ari, who was still shocked that Thomas had driven a hole into the living room wall, recognised the wallet instantly. It was the one he had taken from the man he’d killed. Sandra hesitated, sweeping a few strains of wayward red hair out of her face and reached down to pick up the leather wallet.

  She flipped it open, stared at something for a moment, then said, “I’m sorry honey.”

  Unlike Ari, Ragon seemed also to realise the significance of the wallet.

  He stormed over to Sandra, took the wallet from her and looked at it incredulously, before rounding on Thomas and said, “What the hell have you been doing?”

  Ari, who had not made up her mind if she was even going to tell Ragon about her and Thomas’s outing, now looked sheepishly down at her feet.

  “You said you would watch her,” Ragon growled, throwing the wallet at Thomas.

  “I never let her out of my sight,” he said, retrieving the driver’s license from within the wallet.

  “You took her with you?” roared Ragon.

  Before Thomas could answer, bright sunlight poured through the hole in the rod, leaving a very small pin prick sized beam of light in its wake. When Thomas began removing his shirt, Ari looked away, but not before a small cross pendent on a long, thin silver chain, met her eyes. She had no idea what the hell was going on, but guessed by his catholic gestures in the alleyway, and the way he had referred to life as being sacred, that he was upset about having just killed someone. This thought was punctuated by a small scream which made her swerve around to face Thomas.

  As Ari approached him, she was horrified to see that the pin prick of sun light coming from the hollow rod was shining on his chest, so that it cut neatly through his flesh. He had positioned himself so that he was kneeling, with the sunlight acting as a laser, burning through skin and tissue. The smell of burnt stone assaulted her nostrils, and she instantly felt sick; why was he doing this to himself?

  “What the hell are you doing?” she asked, looking from Sandra to Ragon, unable to understand why they weren’t stopping him.

  Thomas smiled weakly up at her, and began moving the small rod rhythmically in the wall, so that a different part of his flesh began to burn. A new scream from Thomas had Ari moving over to the wall, her hand stretched out to block the sunlight, but before she could reach the tiny beam that was doing so much damage, Ragon had stopped her.

  “Leave him,” he said in frustration, and Sandra nodded once in agreement.

  For a few more minutes Thomas continued like this, moving the rod so that it burnt a different part in his chest and screaming out. Finally he fell to the floor, shivering and taking in small gasps of air. Ari knelt down beside him, her concerned eyes narrowed on the burnt area of flesh that were bubbling and smoking. Slowly Thomas’s shaking hand reached across to the rag and he poured the thick black liquid onto it, before clasping it to his panting chest. The moment the rag touched his skin, he shut his eyes, just as his face curled into a horrified expression.

  “That’s enough love,” said Sandra, quickly blurring over to the kitchen, wetting a tea towel and speeding back to her mate.

  Taking the tea towel in one hand, and lovingly removing the black rag, Sandra wiped it across his chest. Thomas’s flesh sizzled as his burning skin met the cool liquid, and steam erupted from the wound. Then Sandra moved her wrist up to her mouth and bit into it quickly. In a second she was pressing the bleeding wound into Thomas’s mouth. Reluctantly Thomas took her hand and drank from it, and soon thick red blood spilled from his mouth.

  Ari’s eyes widened in amazement as the wound on his chest began to heal. Where before the skin had been blistered, now there was a small tattoo. Raking her eyes up and down his flesh, Ari realised that this was not the only tattoo, but that there were many others also, each of which was a name. With her mouth open in surprise, she realised that this was not the first time she had seen these tattoos; when they had been trying on Halloween costumes, she had glimpsed the list of names.

  Ari read the newest words of a long list, and whispered, “Edward Jenkins.”

  Thomas did not reply and unable to stop her curiosity, Ari scrolled through the rest of the names tattooed there. The first name she read was ‘Victoria Hardings’; her eyes widened when she reached a name that that she knew- Sandra Wood. Instantly she realised what the list on his chest signified- all the people Thomas had killed.

  “I’m going to bed,” said Ragon, taking a meaningful look at Ari.

  Ari pulled her eyes away from the artwork on Thomas’s body and followed suit.

  Once inside her bedroom, Ragon rounded on her.

  “How could you be so foolish?” he asked.

  Ari’s eyes narrowed. So she was foolish?

  “I am allowed to make decisions for myself you know,” she said angrily.

  “Not if those decisions get you killed.”

  “But I haven’t been killed; I am fine, nothing happed,” she said, her heart racing as her cheeks blushed.

  “Don’t,” Ragon said quickly, turning away from her.

  “Don’t what?” she spat.

  In an instant he was next to her, his hungry eyes rested on her uncertain ones, and one hand placed over her heart, “Don’t be afraid.”

  “Afraid?” she asked. “I’m not afraid. I’m… angry.”

  Ragon smiled, unable to stop himself and kissed her. For a moment Ari struggled but quickly gave in, returning the kiss hungrily.

  The pair was locked like this for a few moments, before Ragon pressed her hard against the bedroom wall and whispered, “I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “Does that include living?” she asked sarcastically.

  Ragon stopped kissing her and moved over to the bed.

  “It’s just for a little while. Once you’re safe… once I know that there is no one after you-” he began to say.

  “You’ll what? Disassociate me?” Ari scoffed.

  Ari had been expecting Ragon to argue with her the instant she had said this, but he did not.

  “What?” she asked. “That’s… that’s what you’ll do?”

  Ragon was no longer looking at her. His eyes had darted upstairs and he was frowning.

  “Shit,” he said in a whisper, before racing to the bedroom door and throwing it open.

  There was a soft growl and Crystal slunk into Ari’s bedroom. Ari wasn’t entirely surprised to see her. The dog had taken to sleeping outside Ari’s bedroom whenever she had become sick of using the couch.

  Loud thuds on the staircase, told Ari where Ragon had gone and she raced upstairs after him.

  “Patrick, so help me god, you had better open this door,” Ragon said loudly.

  A few seconds of silence greeted this, during which Sameth, Sandra and Thomas emerged from their rooms.

  “What’s going on?” asked Cambridge, when he and Larissa finally made it to the landing also.

  “Didn’t you hear?” asked Clyde.

  Clyde was flanked outside his room, wearing nothing but a pair of long track pants. He had one hand on the top of the door and a casual indifferent look on his face. For a few moments Ari stared at him, entranced by his perfect body, but then quickly looked away.

  “Patrick,” Ragon yelled again.

  Sudde
nly the door opened and Patrick, wiping blood away from his mouth, said, “What?”

  “Oh Patrick, you didn’t?” said Sandra.

  Ari, fearing the worst, pushed past Ragon, knocking hard into Patrick and sweeping into his room, where Ryder was laying on the bed, apparently asleep. She stared at him and then her eyes fell on the dark red blood that had stained the pillow his head was rested on. She inched closer, reaching out a shaky hand, trying desperately to avoid the two large puncture wounds, as she felt for a pulse- but there was nothing.

  Patrick moved over to Ari and touched her on the shoulder saying, “He’s not dead…”

  “Yea he is,” said Clyde, “well sort of,” he added, seeing the murderous look in Ari’s eyes.

  “He’s undergoing the transformation,” said Patrick.

  “That’s if he makes it,” Clyde said arrogantly.

  “What?” asked Ari, her eyes open wide in fear as she turned to face Clyde, “what do you mean, if he makes it?”

  When Clyde didn’t answer, Ari turned to stare at Patrick, waiting. She wanted to scream at him, to hit him, anything to bring back the friend which was as close to a brother that she had ever known.

  “It’s what he wanted,” Patrick said softly.

  “And if the vampirism doesn’t take?” hissed Ragon.

  “It’s a risk he said he wanted to take,” said Patrick, looking down at Ryder.

  “You liar,” cried Ari, sitting down on the floor next to Ryder’s bed. Crystal moved over to her, nudging her in the face before settling herself in Ari’s lap. “You made him do this. You bit him and you lulled him. You made him think he wanted this, but-”

  As her desperate eyes looked up at Patrick, she thought she saw the tiniest hint of regret, but any sympathy she might have felt towards him was smashed by the realisation that Ryder could die- for real.

  “-I didn’t,” said Patrick, and there was a genuine tone to his voice that made Ari certain he was being truthful. “I would never force… this, onto anyone who didn’t want it. Ryder knows the risks, the consequences, what he would be giving up.”

  Ari blinked dumbly up at him.

  “How long?” she asked simply.

  “When the moon comes up again, we will know,” said Thomas.

  “I want to stay with him,” said Ari.

  Instantly Sandra moved over to her, and taking her hand, said, “Oh sugar, if he wakes he will be a fledgling; their unpredictable and ravenous for blood. In fact it might be a good idea for you to get out of the house for a while.”

  Ari looked over to Ragon, who was nodding his head slowly.

  “What?” Sameth asked, and Clyde turned to look at him.

  “Sameth, you know full well what trouble fledglings can be. What’s the point of us all being here to protect Ari from Kiara when all Ryder will want to do when he’s a vampire, is drain the first person he sees, which will be Ari?” said Larissa.

  “I will take Ari to -” Ragon began to say, but Ari interrupted.

  “No. I need you to stay here; I need you to watch Ryder,” she pleaded.

  She couldn’t leave Ryder alone, and Ragon was the only person she trusted enough to stay with him.

  “But… Kiara,” Ragon began to say.

  “Someone else can look after me,” said Ari.

  “I would like to volunteer my services,” said Clyde, sticking out his chest. “My car has full grade UV filtered windows, we could leave now. I am sure there is a motel that we can bunk down in for the day.”

  At the mischievous grin on Clyde’s face, Ragon shook his head, but Ari moved over to him, “I want you to stay here. Please, for me?”

  “I will watch Ari,” said Sameth, now moving into the room and placing one firm hand on Ragon’s shoulder. “I am older than Clyde; I will be able to match Kiara should the need arise. Which… I am sure it won’t.”

  Ragon glanced at Ari, his sad eyes meeting hers.

  Ragon nodded once and said, “Okay, if Ryder’s transformation goes smoothly, I will join you tomorrow night.”

  “I can go with Sameth and Ari too,” said Sandra.

  “No,” Sameth said quickly, before adding in a more calm manner, “Ryder will need as many vampires to control him as possible. The last thing we need is for Ryder to cause a scene that the Elders find out about. Besides, the less of us that are with Ari, the less attention it will draw.”

  Sandra looked disappointed but did not argue; while Clyde watched Sameth with narrowed eyes.

  “Well there’s no point leaving until it gets dark. Ryder won’t become a fledgling until tomorrow. We might as well get some rest now; Sameth and Ari can leave an hour or so before sunset,” said Cambridge, his loud booming voice slicing the tension in the room.

  “It’s settled then,” said Ragon.

  Everyone in the room nodded. Ari, who had remained next to Ryder, felt Ragon reach for her hand. Grudgingly she accepted it, then, when everyone else had left the room, allowed Ragon to steer her back downstairs.

  It wasn’t until Ari and Ragon were back in bed, that she remembered their previous conversation. For a few minutes neither talked; Ari lay awake, resting her head against the soft pillows, unable to remove the horrible image of Ryder’s lifeless body from her mind.

  When she thought her head would explode, Ari rolled over and said, “What’s it like to be a new vampire?”

  Ragon turned to face her and whispered, “Close your eyes.”

  Ari hesitated, but then did so, thinking that Ragon was trying to get her to fall asleep. She was just about to say that she couldn’t sleep, that there was too much going on in her head, when she felt Ragon rush away, and then a moment later return.

  “Close your eyes,” he reiterated and Ari closed her eyes again. “It’s hard to explain,” he said. “I remember feeling like a vampire more than I do being a human, but the first time… the first time you realise that you can do almost anything, every sense is heightened.”

  As he said this Ari’s nostrils were assaulted by something floral smelling- jasmine? Ragon was holding a few stems of the sweet smelling flower under her nose, gently brushing the petals over her cheeks and lips. She breathed in deeply, letting the delicious smell intoxicate her.

  “Every smell was intense, completely overriding the senses. It was like everything was new, and each touch was a different experience.”

  As soon as he finished speaking, Ari felt him place a cube of ice against her warm skin, tracing a path along her collar bone and sending shivers along her arms and down her spine.

  “You could hear everything and see everything, and for a while that all felt wonderful. But eventually as time passed, there was less and less mystery in the world… until there weren’t any surprises left at all,” he said.

  At his words, Ari felt sad, she was just about to say this when Ragon spoke again.

  “Until I met you.”

  Chapter 19 – A Vision

  Several hours later a loud knock at the door dragged Ari from her slumber. She sat up quickly, but laid back down, her head rested against Ragon’s chest. Outside Crystal was barking.

  “It’s time,” Sameth yelled.

  Ari moved sluggishly out of bed and replied, “Ok,” while searching for a pair of jeans to put on.

  When she had finally dressed, Ragon was sitting up in bed watching her.

  “I’m sorry,” said Ragon, and when Ari looked confused he added, “about before, when you asked if I would disassociate you. Part of me wants to… for you. But I don’t think I would be able to.”

  Ari didn’t answer at first.

  She knew exactly what he meant and moved over to the bed, quickly kissing him on the lips and saying, “I need you in my life.”

  “The moon isn’t going to slow down for you,” Sameth’s loud voice said, penetrating through Ari’s bedroom door. “Ryder will wake soon.”

  Ragon grimaced and swept Ari into his arms, saying, “Promise me that you won’t do anything foolish.”


  Ari smiled, jumped out of his arms reluctantly and moved over to the door, saying, “Me, foolish; never!”

  Ari had wanted to check in on Ryder, but Sameth’s insistence that they had to leave immediately, prevented this.

  “Look after her,” Ragon said from inside the house, as Ari and Sameth moved towards the car.

  “Look after Crystal,” Ari yelled back, following Sameth’s fast pace.

  Sameth, who had been racing to the car, had not answered.

  Ari wound down the window to wave, while Ragon’s eyes locked on hers as he said, “I love you.”

  Ari’s face broke into a smile; her heart was skipping with happiness but before she could respond, Sameth’s foot was on the gas and they were driving away.

  Ari watched from the side door mirror as Ragon faded into the distance. She could still hear his words, telling her that he loved her; in that moment she knew she felt the same. She wished that she could go back and tell him how she felt, but it was too late now. Still, she only had to wait a few hours before they would be together again.

  Ari and Sameth did not talk as they drove. Ari’s thoughts had been locked on Ryder and Ragon, and she didn’t spare any thoughts for anything else. The pair had been driving for only a few minutes, when a shiver ran up Ari’s body. Her hands and feet were tingling and she felt dizzy. As she let the sensation take over, it began to transverse her extremities, slowly advancing its hold of her, until she was numb all over. She had been looking out the window, watching the houses blur past, when she went rigid and her eyes widened. Had she not been looking out the window, Sameth would have seen that one of her eyes had turned green, but he continued to drive, completely oblivious to her condition.

  Slowly the window she was looking out of began to fade into darkness. She was transfixed, seeing something other than the rush of trees or the blur of street lights as the moon began its accent into the night sky. No longer was she in the car, but standing in a cold dark room that she recognised- Ragon’s family mausoleum. There was muffled screaming coming from somewhere. She turned and gasped. Tied to the same stone bench that she had slept on all those months ago… was a person. Inching closer she realised who it was- herself. She looked at her mirror image dumbfounded, until her eyes fell on the silhouette of someone advancing from the shadows. In the darkness of the tomb, it was impossible to make out who was walking towards her. Suddenly a large silver knife was bought into focus, just as the face of the stranger was revealed; she knew who it was- Sameth. In Sameth’s left hand was a long silver blade, and there was a look of malice in his eyes that she had not seen there before. Looking back at herself, she saw a dull metallic grey tape placed around her mouth; it was the same gaffe tape that Sameth had used on Patrick all those nights ago, to stop him from singing.