5 Darkness Falls

by Christin Lovell

  Vamp Chronicles

  DARKNESS FALLS

  Book 5

  Christin M Lovell

  Edited by: Susie Hatfield

  www.susiehatfield.com

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  Darkness Falls

  Copyright 2012 by Christin M Lovell

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  Cover Copyright: konradbak - Fotolia.com

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  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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  Smashwords Edition

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

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  Vamp Chronicles

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  Diary of a Vampeen

  Vamp Yourself for War

  Hit the Road Jack

  The Innocence of White (short story)

  Vamp Versus Vamp

  Darkness Falls

  The Breaking of Dawn - Coming Spring 2013

  Vigilante – Mel’s Story – Coming Fall 2013

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  To all my readers, thank you for your support.

  To some in particular, thank you for your inspiration.

  To Ismael, Chayce and Jewel, you will never be forgotten.

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  4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

  8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

  1 Corinthians 13:4-8 ESV

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  DARKNESS FALLS

  Chapter 1

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Kellan checked with me for what seemed like the thousandth time. He wrapped his arm around my waist, drawing me closer to him. He gazed deeply into my eyes, preparing to analyze my answer.

  “I’m positive. This is something best done by me and me alone. Having you anywhere nearby would be a mistake.” I swallowed past the serum, rising in the back of my throat; I recognized my body’s response for what it was: fear. I dreaded this moment…I was dreading his reaction.

  “I’m coming with you. I’ll stay outside, but you can’t go unguarded.” Drexel crossed his arms, his buff biceps nearly doubling as they wrapped around his chest. His mind was set; his words rang with finality. This wasn’t up for discussion.

  The vamp army decided to keep Drexel enlisted as my personal bodyguard, until further notice. He didn’t bother me. Actually, we’ve become good friends, and when I didn’t want anyone around, he was great at blending into the background.

  I pursed my lips, taking in his stance. Knowing I wasn’t going to escape his company, I agreed. “Okay.”

  I had the drive, and the common sense, to be more careful, now that there was a baby inside me. Since telling Kellan, his parents, Drexel and Sanders, two days ago, they’ve all gone into overprotective mode. When I met Aunt Claire and Auggy for lunch yesterday, even they both started issuing commands about taking extra precautions…that was, after their initial shock subsided.

  Just thinking about who I had to tell next, my stomach twisted tightly; I was certain I wasn’t going to get a favorable response from him.

  Kellan exhaled a deep breath. His eyes glittered as he gazed into mine. “Call me when you’re done.” He paused, giving me a once over. “Don’t let him get to you. It doesn’t matter what he thinks, okay?”

  I nodded my head. I knew he was right. Regardless of what was said, I couldn’t take it personally; I couldn’t allow it to eat away at me.

  Kellan leaned in to kiss me, his lips soothing away my anxiety for a brief moment. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.” I smiled up at him.

  “Let’s go, Baby Cakes,” Drexel said. He grabbed the car keys off the island and headed for the door.

  “Baby Cakes?” I smirked.

  He shrugged. “You’re pregnant and you bake cakes.”

  “I hope that one doesn’t stick.”

  “We’ll see.” He ushered me out the door. Shutting and locking the door behind us, he took the time to ensure the lock was secure.

  We walked to the elevator side by side. My heart thumped loudly with each step. Mindlessly, I placed a hand over my lower stomach at the same time I pressed the call button. Catching my move, I shoved my hands in the pockets of my jean shorts.

  Pregnancy was already affecting my temperature. It was summertime, but it felt more unbearable than usual. I was wearing a comfortable, silky, black cotton tank top with my faded, rolled-up, blue jean shorts and a pair of grass green Ked tennis shoes. Flip-flops were always my preference, but they weren’t exactly practical, if I needed to run in an emergency. I tossed my hair up off my neck as high as I could manage to get it.

  I stared at the elevator doors. “Why don’t we take the stairs?” In all the time I’d lived here, I’ve never once taken the stairs.

  “Too many attack points, and only one escape route.”

  I considered his words, picturing the single doors on each level that would allow anyone access to the stairwell…and ultimately us. Having so many access points would make it easy for someone to corner us, unless we could get to the bottom before our attackers reached us. A chill ran down my spine, thinking about this horrific possibility.

  I shuddered, shaking off the mental images. I never realized what a tactical nightmare stairs were. “Makes sense,” I simply stated.

  The sideways look Drexel was giving me indicated he knew my inner thoughts and knew I’d envisioned the entire idea.

  The elevator dinged, the doors opened and we boarded. Pressing the button for the first floor, the doors closed in front of us.

  Drexel fidgeted beside me, the rustling of his clothes drew my attention. “I’ve, uh, been meaning to talk to you. Now that you’re pregnant, you’ll want space for a nursery. I don’t mind if you need the room back.” Drexel sounded so unsure of himself. Focusing forward, he stared at the stainless steel elevator door. I could see his hands fiddling inside his cargo pockets.

  Placing a hand on his forearm, I reassured him. “Drex, I gave you that room. I would never take it away from you. Plus, we’re going to turn the bonus room into the nursery. It’s right beside the master bedroom, and it works out better, since I’ll want to be near the baby.”

  His lips scrunched together. “Let me know if you change your mind.”

  I punched his arm, and instantly, he spun around to face me. I locked eyes with him, crossing my arms over my chest in defiance. “I’m not going to change my mind, so get it out of your thick head that I will. I don’t know what happened in your past to make you think that everyone is going to walk away from you at some point, taking everything with them, but I’m not them. Don’t pass the same judgment onto me.”

  His eyes glittered, as he tried to hold back a smile. “I believe you.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Why must men be so hardheaded?”

  “History shows that nothing changes; everything repeats itself.”

  “Yeah, well, it’s about time someone changes that.”

  He
couldn’t hold back his smile any longer; it lifted his cheeks, splitting his face. “The next nine months are going to be a blast.”

  The elevator chimed, announcing our arrival. The doors opened, delivering us to the first floor. “I’m not going to be one of those crazy, pregnant women.”

  “Marvelous!” Will exclaimed, popping up from behind the counter of the concierge desk. He was grinning from ear to ear. “The lad actually had it in him,” he murmured. He was beaming as he closed the distance between us.

  I studied him for a moment, my mind mulling over his words. It took time for everything to align. “That’s what you meant when you said ‘we had to do what we were meant to’ in the condo, right?”

  “I shall plead the fifth.” He winked at me.

  I frowned. “This was in the prophecy?”

  “Hidden beneath a million hints.”

  “So the people who have read it wouldn’t necessarily know about this aspect, would they?” I pulled my lip between my teeth, worry gnawing at me. Kai had read the prophecy.

  “Certainly not! The child is born at a climactic point; the context blurs the image. Many would assume you received merely a war injury.”

  “Wow… that makes me feel so much better.” I tried not to think about the future, of what he was insinuating.

  “Like many historical documents, much is left to interpretation, Alexa, and not everyone will interpret it alike.” He gazed down at my stomach. “Do take care of yourself though. That’s more than a baby; it’s the symbol of unity between vampeens and vampires.”

  “I will.” My thoughts trailed off, wandering like they do each time I speak with Will. He meant well, but… I feel like my life should be lived. I shouldn’t let two strangers dictate my every move.

  Will’s brows furrowed, as he sighed. “What is running through that head of yours now?”

  “You won’t like it.”

  “I’m sure.” He stood straighter, clasping his hands together behind his back.

  “It seems like everyone knows my life better than I do at times. You seem to know what I’m going to do before I do. It adds an extra layer of pressure.”

  “On the contrary, I know the highlights of your life, Lexi. I don’t know the finer details that create the big picture. I have but half of the puzzle. It’s not my job to whittle away at your life experiences; it’s my job to help guide you through them. I shouldn’t be taking away from them or adding to them. I wish merely to assist you in your journey. Nothing more, nothing less.”

  Will had stated something similar before. I knew he wasn’t trying to make my life more difficult, or sway my choices based on what he read and believed, but it did feel that way at times. Everything he said was drawn from his knowledge of the prophecy, when all I wanted was the true William-answer, derived from him, not his blind faith in the prophecy.

  “I’ll try to remember that.” I mashed my lips together.

  “Do try, Lexi.” He smirked.

  I narrowed my eyes at him, finally noticing how disheveled he appeared. I cocked my head, taking in his attire. His button up shirt was wrinkled and untucked, hanging over the waistline of his khaki pants, and the top few buttons were undone. His hair was standing every which way, instead of parting off-center and lying neatly combed to the side. His eyes were bright and clear, unlike the somewhat exhausted state I typically see them in, despite his vamp vision. The final detail giving him away though was his lips; they appeared slightly fuller, as if they’d been kissed hard and the blood was just beginning to disperse.

  I gasped; I know my face was lighting up. “You’ve been with a lady! William!” I giggled. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”

  He blushed. “Please keep your voice down. I am the owner of this building still, and those are my employees,” he said in a rushed whisper. He glanced back, worriedly, at the concierge counter.

  I looked towards Drexel. Even he was simpering.

  I continued to rile him. “You didn’t even try to deny it. O.M.G. You so were.”

  “I’m not here to discuss my personal life.” He tugged on his shirt, nervously trying to straighten the creases.

  “So you can read about, and study, my personal life all day long, but I’m not allowed to know one tiny detail about yours? I’m not even asking her name, where she is or how long you’ve been seeing her.”

  “I suppose that’s fair,” he conceded, continuing to avert his eyes.

  “I’m going to let you stew on that for a while.” I tried to keep a straight face, disguising my smile, but I was enjoying this new revelation too much. Notwithstanding, Will looked defeated. “I’m sorry, Will. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m actually happy for you. Whether you admit it or not, you need this. You already seem less uptight and less stressed. It’s a much better look on you.”

  He sighed. “I’m sure you’re right.”

  “I’ll talk to you later. Whoever this woman is, please, give her a big ‘thank you’ from me.”

  “I will do no such thing, but I will be seeing her again. If things work out, I will introduce you at some point; after all, she needs to know my life’s work.” He finally met my gaze.

  I shook my head. “That sounds good. Have a good day, Will.” I patted his chest playfully, before skipping off towards the door.

  Chapter 2

  My heart thundered in my chest, as I approached the door. I took a long, deep breath before lifting my hand to knock.

  Kai opened the door; his brown eyes widening marginally as he took me in. “Leka, hi. Come in.”

  Stepping over the threshold, I offered him a small smile.

  “How have you been?” he asked on his way to the living room.

  “Um, okay. How about you?” Are we really making small talk? At least it was momentarily distracting me.

  “Good. Did you stop by for anything in particular?” He faced me, raising a single, expectant brow.

  I couldn’t blame him for his speculation. Lately, I’d only called if I needed something, which makes me a lousy friend.

  “No.” I shook my head.

  We gazed at each other for a minute. I allowed all else to fade away; my heart’s steady pumping, and our rhythmic breathing, were the only sounds I heard. The longer we stood there, the easier it was to feel his soul, a palpable presence – it seemed like it was reaching out to me. I studied the contours of his face, the slope of his nose and the curves of his lips. Staring into his eyes, I appreciated the familiar tones of honey and chocolate in their depths.

  “Is everything okay, Leka?” he asked hesitantly. Pursing his lips, concern weighted down his brows as he watched me.

  I diverted my eyes and moved a few steps away from him, bringing my hands together in front of me. A knot of fear tightened my stomach. I didn’t know how he was going to react.

  “I, um, actually came to talk to you. I wanted to tell you something.”

  After hearing this, he seemed to perk up. His lips curled up in the corners, anticipating good news. “Go on.”

  I balled my fists against my sides, trying to gather myself. I inhaled deeply, blowing out the air slowly. Feeling shaky, yet still focused, I lifted my head to meet his gaze.

  His lips slowly began to turn down, as the seconds ticked by.

  “Kai, I’m pregnant.”

  His mouth fell open, and his eyes stared through me, rather than at me. His whole body quaked, as he stumbled backwards, bumping into the closest chair. His jaw flexed, and his features twisted. Tears quickly gathered in his eyes, and my gut tightened, feeling like it’d been punched. “He has you, doesn’t he?” The pain in his voice sliced through me.

  “He has my heart, Kai. I’m sorry.”

  He closed his eyes, working to regulate his breathing through silent sobs. He clasped his hands together, leaning his forehead into them. I watched helplessly as the tears dropped one by one to the floor. This was the first time Kai didn’t hold anything back, and for the first time, I felt truly awful about my cir
cumstances. Guilt was threatening to destroy me, shredding me from the inside out.

  He looked up at me, blood staining his face. I bit my lip, trying to control the tremble working through me. He sighed. “Aw, Leka, sweetie. Don’t cry,” he cooed.

  And just like that, the dam burst. I was no longer able to contain my remorse. “I’m sorry, Kai. I never meant to hurt you. I…I didn’t want this.”

  He stood up, pulling me into his chest; he kissed my head repeatedly. His fingers combed through my hair and caressed my back. “Shh. It’s okay, Leka. You’re going to be okay. I’m not mad; I’m just shocked, and maybe a little hurt. But I love you. I’ve always loved you. I want you to be happy, and if Kellan’s the one that makes you happy…” His words trailed off, as he continued to soothe me.

  The tears began to fade, and slowly, I backed out of his embrace. He wiped the last few tears from my face and placed a kiss on each cheek. I closed my eyes, leaning in to feel his touch. When my eyes opened, I found him inspecting me closely.

  Our eyes locked, and he waited until my focus was solely on him. “If he ever makes you unhappy, if he ever hurts you or endangers you, I’ll kill the bastard.” His tone was serious, but a smile playfully lifted his lips. “I’ll always be here for you. Maybe it won’t be in the way I want, but I will always be here…in whatever capacity you allow me to be.”

  “Kai.” His name was a soft whisper on my lips. I shook my head negatively. “I don’t want that. I’ve been honest with you. I love you, but I love Kellan more. I can’t give you what you want and you shouldn’t be accepting scraps from me; you should be with a woman who…” I sighed and shook my head, regrouping. “You should try to find someone else to make you happy, Kai…in every way. You deserve that kind of happiness with someone who…” Tears spilled, cascading down my cheeks. My emotions overpowered me, causing my chest to tighten and forcing me to pull away. He looked so broken, like my words were stinging. How did I ever allow myself to hurt someone that I care about so deeply?

  “Don’t blame yourself, Leka. I let my feelings for you grow to what they are. I’ve controlled myself, kept walls up with every other woman, but I chose to let you in…and I’ll never regret it.” He gazed down at me, determination etched in his features. As he faced me, his body visibly tensed; I could tell he was trying to punctuate his words with a deeper emotion.