Dark Illusions: The Beginning

by Ariana Browning

  Kat swallowed the lump in her throat. Fear swept over every inch of her. “Let me go.”

  Cameron smiled and shook his head. “Ah, but princess, I can’t do that.”

  Before Kat had a chance to respond, the air stirred and Cyrus grabbed her from behind. He held her with an arm around her waist and another holding her chin. Kat couldn’t move. Cyrus whispered to Cameron, “You sure about this? Last chance.”

  Cameron trailed his hand down Kat’s cheek. She tried to scream, but Cyrus’s hand clamped around her mouth. “Absolutely,” Cameron said.

  Fear boiled inside Kat when she figured out why she’d felt the apprehension. Cameron wanted to Awaken her. Without Julian’s permission? What would happen to him for doing so? What would Julian do to her? Was she going to make it? Were they going to kill her? What would become of her? Questions flew threw her mind as death approached in Cameron’s eyes. His cold hand caressed her cheek. She sucked in a breath, trying to shake Cyrus off, but she couldn’t move or breathe.

  Cyrus tugged her head backward and sunk his teeth in her neck.

  Kat’s entire world disappeared from beneath her. Feelings of fear, pleasure, pain, and more coursed through her while Cyrus drank the blood from her. Her eyes closed and she whimpered under his hand. Her breathing slowed and death took over.

  Her head was light and fuzzy and her muscles turned to mush when Cyrus released the grip on her mouth. If Cyrus wasn’t holding her, she was sure she’d have fallen, or was? She couldn’t tell. She couldn’t feel her body anymore, other than death knocking at her door.

  They were killing her.

  She was too stupid. She didn’t listen to Julian and stay away and this was what she got.

  They were killing her.

  “Do it, Cameron.” The words whispered through Kat’s ear. Cyrus’s voice came from far off. Her world darkened, and something wet was shoved in her mouth. It had a coppery taste. What were they shoving in her mouth? She couldn’t think. Something slimy and disgusting. Her own blood? Was she choking on her own blood? That was it. She must’ve, because her world cascaded down into blackness. She fell and fell, downward she went, calling into the darkness of her mind for the one person she regretted not listening to, and the one person she needed.

  Julian. . . .

  Cameron pulled his wrist away when he’d fed Kat enough blood to initiate the change. When Sean picked her up to take her back to Cameron’s penthouse, he could’ve sworn he heard her whisper, “Julian.” He clenched his hand into a fist, and the bite wound healed on his wrist. He will never want you now, Kat. You are mine . . . finally. . . .

  On the other side of the city, Julian stood looking out his office window back at home. A stabbing sensation struck deep within that he couldn’t explain. Kober was speaking with him when it hit. He was forced to get up and look outside to ease the pain, but it didn’t help. He couldn’t explain what he felt, or where it came from, but his thoughts went to Kat as though she needed him. That feeling came again while he looked out the window and fury rose within. He hadn’t wanted to leave her alone in her condo, but the fury he felt wasn’t directed at her, it was directed at Cameron. Why?

  “Julian, what is it?” Kober asked him in concern.

  “Nothing.” He shook his head, but couldn’t escape the feeling within that something wasn’t right. He stared out at the night beyond, thinking of Kat.

  Forty Two

  Kat sat bolt upright in the bed. She woke with a silent scream stuck in her throat. Her lungs burned like they were on fire, and so did the rest of her body. Her body quivered and burned. Am I dead?

  A searing hunger enveloped her, unlike any hunger pangs she’d ever known. Her body shook with the need for it, what it was, she didn’t know.

  Shrieking, she fell back into bed when another wave of fiery pain struck her, worse than before. Her body was in agony, her veins burned as though filled with liquid fire, and she fought the urge to scratch her skin off.

  Arcing her back off the bed, a thousand knives struck every inch of her body, and she grabbed fistfuls of the covers, letting out an ear-splitting scream.

  ****

  Kat peeled her weary eyes open. Every inch of her cried with exhaustion, and it took every last ounce of strength she possessed to force her eyes to stay open.

  Something was wrong.

  She reached out and touched her skin—it was ice cold. She put her hand over her heart and freaked out. I’m so cold . . . I can’t . . . I can’t feel my heart beating.

  She leapt from bed, but her legs gave out and she tumbled downward. Her body responded like she didn’t even know how to walk. Pushing back up to her feet in aggravation, she managed to stand, though she wobbled. Glancing around, she recognized where she was.

  Cameron’s penthouse.

  Thousands of shouting male voices surrounded her. Her hands flew to cover her ears.

  Where did they come from? They were familiar . . . Sean . . . Sean and the other Raaka. They stood guard outside the door, but they weren’t shouting. They were talking.

  So why did it sound like they were in her head, screaming as loud as they could?

  She licked her lips. Her mouth was dry, and there was a taste she couldn’t put her finger on for a moment. It was an iron taste, but familiar. What was it?

  Blood.

  Nausea swept through her and she almost gagged. She remembered what happened to her. They Awakened her. Cyrus bit her, but who gave her the—Cameron. She remembered Cyrus telling Cameron to, “do it.”

  “Oh my god,” she whispered.

  Bursting through the bedroom door, she almost tripped over her own two feet. She had no shoes on, but she didn’t care. She was clothed, and that was all that mattered. She was freezing, but doubted clothes would make a difference.

  She had no time.

  When she regained balance, Sean turned to look at her from the main room. So they weren’t right outside the door. It sounded like they were. Shit.

  “Look who is up.” He grinned and began heading toward her.

  Kat’s eyes widened, but she didn’t say a word. She bolted for the door. Not quick enough. Sean stepped in front of her and told her she wasn’t leaving.

  Without hesitation, she shoved him out of the way, only planning on moving him. Instead, she sent him flying across the room.

  “Get away from me!”

  The others tried to step in to stop her, but she was too fast. She dashed through the door and took off into the street, leaving them all behind. She had no idea where she would go. She just knew she had to get as far away as she could. They pursued her, but they underestimated how fast she’d become after they Awakened her. They were behind her, yelling at her to stop, but the voices soon faded.

  Kat ran until she couldn’t run anymore. It was almost funny how weak one could be and still manage to run so far. When she finally slowed down and looked around, she was near where she lived. She stopped and looked at the large place, wanting to go in, but she was scared Cameron would come looking for her. No doubt Daryl would tell him right away. He would know she’d come as soon as she got close to the building.

  People screamed around her, horns blared, cats and dogs howled. All the noises around her came in so loud and clear, amplified. A soft meow turned into a lion’s roar, a car door shutting like an explosion, causing her to jump.

  The street lights almost blinded her, and the dark was lit up like day. Everything was so clear and crisp, it all looked brand new. She dropped to her knees with the realization of what was happening to her. She could never be the way she was. It wasn’t even like she’d been given a choice. She felt like she should cry thinking about it, but no tears came; nothing but a deep sadness overwhelmed her.

  Glancing around, she tried to decide what she should do, where she could go.

  Would Julian want anything to do with her? Doubtful. She didn’t listen to him, and her stupidity placed her in this position. Rage took over where sadness had been. Cameron go
t what he wanted all along. He wanted her to become his, and now she was. At least he thought so. She wasn’t his. She belonged to nobody. He underestimated her.

  She laughed. She knew the sweetest revenge she could give him. He wanted her to turn into this . . . this . . . animal, but she wouldn’t do it. She was who she was. She was a fighter, and he would never have her. It didn’t matter to her that she starved, she would never feed. Nobody could force her to feed. She would find someplace to hide, and she would not feed. Ever.

  Making a vow, she swore then and there to starve herself until she perished. Julian, I’m sorry. Her sadness deepened until it tried to consume her. She’d betrayed Julian. Tears made their way down her cheeks even though she didn’t know she could cry. Drops of blood hit the pavement below her.

  I cry blood?

  Across the city, the pang of anger struck Julian again, and sadness hit him, but he still couldn’t place the why. He sat across from Cara at Inferno. She looked at him in concern and asked if he was okay.

  “Why?”

  “You look like something is wrong.” Cara said, reaching across the table to touch his hand.

  “I keep getting this feeling. It’s nothing.” Julian told her, taking his hand away. “I need to leave. There is some business I must attend.”

  “Thank you for coming, Julian. You know how much I love seeing you.”

  Julian said nothing. He stood and left.

  Forty Three

  Kober stood in front of Kat. Rage boiled within him at the sight of the girl’s pain and fear.

  Without her consent, she had been Awakened, and without Julian’s. She looked ready to give up. His heart crumbled when he saw her standing in his doorway. He was surprised she could find the entrance in the sewer. Newly Awakened were not usually so adept. No doubt, she already figured out how to use her senses. He knew she was afraid, because she asked if she would get in trouble for being Awakened, which increased his rage.

  “Kober, can I please stay here? I have nowhere to go.” Kat couldn’t stop shaking. She was petrified, hungry, and hurting all over. It surprised her that she still stood on her own two feet. On her way over, she’d passed by a few humans and their hearts screamed in her ears, making her stomach churn in hunger. Nausea followed. She was horrified over her cravings, but their blood flowed through her ears like the sound of the river through the mountains. It screamed for her to take a drink, and it became a struggle to continue past them.

  “Of course you can. You do not have to ask. You know I will always have a place for you.” Kober stepped toward her, but she stepped back in fear.

  “Your scent drifted up to me from a sewer grate I passed. It was so strong. I tried to figure out where to go. I followed it and found you. You are the only one I can trust. I think.” Her strength disappeared, and she fell to the floor. Kober tried again to come near, and she scooted away from his touch, “Please . . . don’t.”

  “Kat, you know you have nothing to fear from me.” Kober said, backing away, allowing her to see he would not try to touch her again.

  “I’m sorry. I just hurt . . . so bad, Kober. My body hurts so much. I feel so damn hungry. I just—please . . . stay away from me.” A tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away, ashamed of what she was, which only made more tears escape.

  “You need to feed. How long ago did this happen?” Kober’s pain for her was clear, and he worked as hard as he could to hold the anger in check.

  “Last night,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.” More tears fell.

  Kober rushed over to her and bent down to look in her eyes. “Look at me.” When she glanced up at him, he told her, “This is not your fault. You did not want this. Okay? I am telling you. This is not your fault. Everything will be okay.”

  Kat looked up and wiped the tears away. “I can’t do this, Kober. I’m not this . . . this . . . animal. Make it go away. Please. . . .”

  Kober tried touching her cheek, but she moved away from his touch. “I cannot undo this. I truly wish I could. Now it is me who is sorry. I wish I could take this away from you. You do not need this burden upon you.”

  “Cameron got what he wanted. I’m Raaka. I refuse to live as this. I won’t be part of his clan. I won’t be his. Julian is going to be so furious. He’s going to be so mad at me when he finds out. He’s going to hate me.” She panicked, thinking about how angry Julian got when he was defied.

  “Kat please. Calm down. Julian will not hate you—”

  “He hates the Raaka. I’m screwed.”

  “Kat . . . do not do this. Do not do that to yourself. You need to calm yourself. Everything will be all right.”

  Kat heard footsteps approaching, and her attention flew to the door to Julian’s home. She knew who was coming. It hit her like a ton of bricks. She flew to her feet. It didn’t matter what Kober said, Julian would be furious. She could feel his approach, smell him, almost taste him.

  Kober sensed it and went to reach for her arm, but she jerked free of his touch. “Don’t!”

  “Kat . . . please. Do not go. Do not be afraid.” She took a step back when Kober turned to face the approaching footsteps.

  “I’m already dead. I won’t feed.”

  Julian opened the door and walked into the room. Kober turned to speak to Kat, but she was gone. He hadn’t even heard her leave. She was so scared of Julian’s response, she ran. The beast within surged, and she took flight. Kober looked over at Julian. Julian knew who’d been there. His beast surfaced and his eyes glowed with his fury.

  “Where did she go?” he asked, lips curling up.

  “She ran.” Kober braced for rage he was about to release. “Julian. There is something you need to know. Kat—”

  Julian interrupted before Kober could finish. “It was her.”

  “Julian?” Kober questioned.

  “I couldn’t shake the sense that something was wrong. It was her. Kober. . . .” Julian choked out as his rage grew, but underneath, his pain was unmistakable.

  The single worst part of being Awakened was the first day. When all the hunger and pain hit you, then the memories of the ones who’d turned you flooded through you and felt like your own. The memories of the ones who turned you, and the ones that turned them, became your own—it was how the clans protected themselves, so their history was never forgotten.

  Kober confirmed what his friend thought and felt. “Yes, Julian.”

  Julian grabbed the chair sitting in front of him and hurled it across the room. It slammed into the wall and shattered. “How could he?! I will kill him.”

  Kober remained calm and told him, “Julian, she is alone. Kat is in need. She is scared.”

  “She is Raaka,” Julian spat out. “It is only a matter of time before she remembers the past of her clan and hates me. We cannot be together. The Raaka and the Runsasi do not belong together. We will forever be enemies.” Julian paused, then finished with a touch of sadness, “She will hate me.”

  Kober stood and watched Julian, trying to determine whether what he said, he believed himself or not. “Julian . . . You can stop this. She needs you.”

  Julian headed back into the castle, feeling the pain of losing Kat within, “No. What she needs is Cameron, her mate.” His anger boiled with the knowledge of never having her. She belonged to Cameron now. “She is Raaka.” He told Kober, disgusted.

  “Julian. . . .” Kober called out to him, but Julian had already gone.

  ****

  Kat looked up at the dark sky, dawn was beginning to break through. “Where am I supposed to go?” she whispered to no one in particular. A tear fell down as she looked around, desperate for a place to go. She knew if she ran fast enough she could get to her condo, but she still feared Daryl and the others finding her there. If they did, it was right back to the one person she didn’t want.

  There was nowhere for her to go. She didn’t belong anywhere now.

  She wasn’t far from Cameron’s penthouse, but she knew he
would force her to feed and she refused to.

  The dock.

  She could probably make it, but she’d have to hurry. She didn’t know why it mattered, but she felt an innate need to hide from the sun. A built-in survival skill.

  Forty Four

  Kat couldn’t sleep. She woke up, fell asleep, and woke again. She didn’t know if the Awakened did sleep. She thought she did, but wasn’t sure. She’d never seen one of them sleep, maybe they just went into a deep rest? She remembered Cameron next to her the other night, but as soon as she moved, he opened his eyes, so was he sleeping, or not?

  Her body shook, but not from the cold. She couldn’t actually feel the cold. When she touched her skin it felt cold, but she couldn't feel the weather the way she should, which scared the hell out of her. What else couldn’t she feel? Was there any way of telling? She didn’t want to know. She had a plan not to feed and she’d stick with it.

  People walked above her on the dock. She could feel them. She could hear them, the way their footsteps bashed in her skull. They weren’t close, but she could hear their voices and footsteps as if they were. She could hear their hearts beating and the blood flowing through their veins, screaming for her to take a taste. If only she’d come out and sink her teeth into those perfect throats.

  She sat there under the dock, shaking with an equal amount of hunger and fear. She stared out over the water, wishing she could go to sleep and never wake. She watched the waves crashing against the shore until the sun set and she’d be free to roam.

  When the sun did set, she’d have to get away from the dock, away from people. They didn’t help her hunger. It was a struggle not to grab one of them and gouge out their eyes, rip the skin from their throats, devour them until they had no blood left.