Rules Of Darkness

by Tia Fanning

  Jackie jumped back as the reading table flipped over. The chest next to the table opened and a tarot deck popped out, scattering across the floor. The cards then took to the air, arranging into some kind of strange floating design.

  Three more booming knocks radiated from the front door. The building began rumbling, shaking with the force of a minor earthquake. Some of the candelabrums toppled over, as did some of the gold statues. The walls began to crack.

  I started laughing. “See, Jackie?” I hollered over the roar of speeding wind and cracking foundation. “You didn’t even have to summon him. The ghost came all on his own. All because of my gifts.”

  The earthquake abruptly stopped, but the wind didn’t. Three more blasting knocks. I turned and made my way toward the entrance, stepping over scattered candles, pillows and other crap as I went. It was time to face my destiny and see what the hell this ghost wanted. Oh, and to tell him to fuck off.

  Jackie appeared before me—how, I have no idea. She was just suddenly…there. And Jackie was looking a little different. There was a glow about her. Gold.

  “You will not open the door,” she said. Her voice was mingled with another, stronger voice. It was a voice so powerful unto itself that it didn’t need to yell to be heard above the whipping wind. Then Jackie’s eyes became cat-like, the pupils slitting up.

  I smirked. “So, the guide makes an appearance. That’s all well and good, but I have a protector already. It’s not your job.”

  “Stupid, stupid, selfish little girl. You only think of yourself,” the guide replied.

  Three more knocks accompanied by sound of cracking wood.

  I shrugged. “Yeah, well, someone has to look out for number one. Anyway, God protects the innocent and the foolish. Let’s just hope I fall under one of those.”

  “I am the one protecting the foolish girl who is innocent. The spirit would take you, but he is the least of the dangers here.” The guide slowly lifted its arm and pointed behind me.

  I turned to see hundreds of corporeal shadows emerging from the fissures in the walls. Moving with the consistency of thick lava, they slithered around, congealed in corners, and puddled on the floor. The shadows gathered and, like an oil-slicked tidal wave, surged forward.

  Oh, my God!!!

  I inhaled a sharp breath, expecting instant impact. But inches before the wave was to overtake us, it hit an invisible wall and washed back.

  “Those are not Qareen,” the guide continued. “Those are the masters, the original fallen. They have been told of your presence in this place, a place that is a gateway, a place that they might enter easily and without permission. A place a being with an unattached soul should not be. They have come for you.”

  For the first time since I woke up that afternoon, I actually felt fear. I thought for sure I would never feel fear again, or wouldn’t allow myself to feel it again, but there it was, crawling through my insides. In all my life, I had never seen anything like the evil spreading itself across the reading area. I turned back to the guide, not wanting to see the demon’s second attempt to break through the barrier.

  The guide tilted its head, assessing me. “I alone hold them at bay. Your spirit would now be in hell if not for me, for my mercy, for my intervention. A great treasure you would be for such as them. They could feed off you for eternity and gain great power by doing so. It is rare for them to encounter a meal such as you. The souls that come their way are usually shriveled and rotten.”

  “They would eat me?”

  “It would be an endless torment unimaginable to your kind. Your kind does not grasp the concept of endless in this phase of your existence, but I assure you, it would not be an experience you would want to endure for a second, much less for eternity.”

  Three more knocks reverberated through the room. Random objects were swept-up into the blurring whirlwind that formed around us.

  The guide smiled. “You wanted to speak with the dead. You wanted to speak with demons. Is this still your wish? Should I let them pass?”

  I shook my head, fear taking away my ability to speak.

  “The foolish can learn wisdom.” The guide clucked its tongue. “Your protector has come. He banishes the spirit.”

  The wind came to roaring stop. All things airborne went crashing to the floor. The door burst open.

  The expression on Stoyan’s face was more than angry. It was enraged. His furious gaze raked over me as he approached. He didn’t say anything, just towered over me and stared me down. Then he peered over my shoulder. I glanced back to see the shadows had increased their assault on the barrier, wave by wave, crashing into it.

  He stated something quietly in the ancient magic language I didn’t understand. I turned around in time to see him bow his head. The guide gave reply, looking at me with disdain. Stoyan nodded, said something else, grabbed me roughly by the arm, and dragged me out the shop.

  Chapter Seven

  “What did the guide say?” I asked as the severely beaten shop door closed behind us with a loud bang.

  Stoyan didn’t reply. He just pulled me along in utter silence into the deepening darkness toward his car. Lightening flashed in the distant skies, followed a few seconds later by a roll of thunder carried in the wind.

  “I know it was about me,” I pressed.

  He stopped and swung around, leaning in close. “It said if I were a proper master, I would beat you for your insolence. Immediately.”

  Proper master?

  Before I could respond, Stoyan was dragging me away again.

  “Wait!” I jerked back, but was unable to loosen his tight hold on my arm. “I have to drive myself home.”

  Stoyan reeled me around to face the direction of where I parked. He held out his open palm.

  “Rumani kal su atu.”

  A flash of light flew out of his hand and hit a nearby tree with a deafening crash. I cringed as the tree instantly went up in a ball of flame and illuminated the area. My SUV was brought to focus.

  AHH!

  My beautiful baby was destroyed. It looked like it had been mangled with a wreaking ball. Only the doors remained recognizable.

  “That fucking kid!”

  Stoyan gave a sharp tug, and resumed our original course. I didn’t resist, I was too shocked to protest. What use would’ve it been anyway? My car was completely destroyed.

  Stoyan unlocked the passenger door of his car and swung it open. “Get in.”

  I slid into the leather seat and he slammed the door shut. I absently put on my seatbelt as he folded himself in the driver’s seat. The Mercedes’ tires squealed as he drove off.

  Within minutes, all traces of the town were gone. We mutely drove along the dark two-lane highway toward home, the darkness occasionally interrupted by bursts of lightning from the oncoming storm. I allowed myself to be lost in the shadowy blur of passing trees, replaying the events of the last two days in my mind.

  Shit. It had been an emotional rollercoaster. Fear, shock, hopelessness, shame, grief, anger, passion, indifference. And it seemed that the cycle was starting over again. I had just experienced fear and shock less than an hour earlier, and now I was feeling the heavy weight of self-pity and shame sinking in. All because I knew Stoyan was furious with me. Worse, he was disappointed.

  Suddenly, my mind’s need to assert my independence demanded that I tell him to get over himself, that I’m a grown woman and can do whatever the hell I want, when I want.

  I didn’t want to care that he was upset…but I did. I guess it was because, deep down, I knew he loved me, and it feels wrong to let down the ones who love you. And to my dismay, no matter how hard I tried to fight the feeling, I wanted to make him happy again.

  “I know you’re angry because I broke the rules and put myself in danger, but it was something I had to do. And yes, I know I almost got myself killed, and it was stupid to let my emotions overrule good judgment, but we all do stupid things sometimes. I’m sorry.”

  Silence.

 
; “Do you hear me?

  More silence.

  “I said, I’m sorry.”

  He had to have heard that, yet still he did not respond. I gazed at him, annoyed by his continued silence. “Are you not going to accept my apology?

  Nothing.

  I waved my hand in the space between us. “Hello? Anyone there?”

  He couldn’t even bother to spare me a glance, much less an answer.

  Rolling my eyes, I turned away. “Fuck you then.”

  I could feel his anger surge. It was a tangible presence in the air, thick and stifling, encompassing the small area inside the car.

  “I don’t know why you’re pissed,” I muttered. “If anyone should be mad, it should be me. I’m the one who went on vision quest and found out that I’ve been living a lie the last twelve years. Thanks to my great-grandma and your father. So tell me, Stoyan, what exactly did your father do for me and my mother?”

  When he didn’t reply, I closed my eyes and leaned back in the seat.

  So this was my life? Was I to live in fear, never having any control over anything, following these fucking rules until the day I died? I knew I was unable to rid myself of the gifts I held, but it seemed I couldn’t even ignore them anymore.

  I glared at Stoyan as angry tears sprang forth. Why should I bother explaining my actions to him? Who was he anyway? My husband? Yeah, whatever. He didn’t even know me—hadn’t seen me in twelve years. So how would he understand how I felt? How could he when he was too caught up in his own misguided beliefs to possibly empathize with my struggle?

  Ha! This man, who insisted on acting like my husband, couldn’t even bother to look at me.

  Nice, I thought. Glad he cared so much.

  Swiping at the moisture on my cheeks, I turned away, staring back into darkness. As if ghosts, demons and werewolves weren’t enough, I had to deal with this asshole too. I wished the guide had let me open the damn door.

  The Mercedes came to a screeching halt.

  I pitched forward, but the seatbelt held and yanked me back into my seat. “What the fuck!”

  I searched the road for the cause of this sudden stop.

  After slamming the gear stick into park, Stoyan jumped out of the car. A sense of foreboding formed in the pit of my stomach as I watched him storm around the front of the Mercedes, his scowl fierce in the harsh light of the high beams.

  A moment later, my door was jerked open. I sat dumbfounded as he leaned over my body, unbuckled my seatbelt and pulled me out.

  He dragged me to the front of the car, sat down on the hood, pulled me over his lap, and…

  Whack-whack-whack.

  Yes, Stoyan smacked my ass. Three friggin times.

  It didn’t hurt, but how humiliating? What was I? A toddler? Why would he do such a thing? Thankfully, my mind came up with a quick retort.

  “Are you being the proper master beating me for my insolence?” I asked caustically.

  “No, you are acting like a selfish child, so I am treating you as such. When are you going to grow up and act like the woman I know you are?”

  So, he equates me to a selfish child now?

  “Oh. Sorry, daddy—sorry you don’t like my childish attitude. Instead of spanking my ass, maybe you should just kiss it and be gone. You can kiss my ass and go to hell for all I care.”

  I started squirming, struggling for my release, but for the life of me, I could not get out of his grasp. I was stuck there, slung over his lap like some irate, spoiled kid fighting against their punishment.

  “Fuck! I wish you’d just go to hell!”

  “You should not wish such things on your husband, Katia,” he replied. “Do you truly want to be alone? Without a protector?”

  I stilled at his chilling words, recalling the horrible demons I had encountered earlier. Knowing what I know now, I honestly would not wish that fate on anyone. But still, the bitterness I felt caused me to lash out anyway.

  “Really? I didn’t know you were my husband. I thought you were my ‘master’.”

  Stoyan suddenly released me. I scrambled to my feet and out of his reach, putting a good ten feet of distance between us.

  He ran his fingers through his hair. “You scare me, Katia. Your thoughts, your actions. Does your life really mean so little to you?”

  There was a flash of lightening and a roll of thunder. As if the very heavens knew my grief, it started to pour. I glanced up into the darkened sky, allowing the cold to water hit my hot cheeks and hide my tears.

  I fought to keep my voice steady. “I don’t know if I can live this way anymore, Stoyan. The rules, the ghosts, the fallen, the lies—everything. I’m sick of living in fear. I’m not happy. I don’t think I can ever be happy in this existence.”

  “Katia, you can be happy, we can be happy. But you have to let me in. Just give us a chance.”

  I closed my eyes and shook my head. “I don’t want a master. I have enough things around me dictating my actions and ruling my life.”

  Stoyan let out a heavy breath. “I am not your master, not in the way you keep using it. Over 5000 years ago, back when the guide was worshipped as a god of this world, protector, master, husband—these words were interchangeable in the ancient language we were speaking. When you asked me what it said, I was angry, translating in anger. I should have chosen my words more prudently.”

  Stoyan pushed away from the hood of the Mercedes. He was soaked through and through. His shirt stuck to his skin, outlining his muscular chest, his hair dripping. He slowly approached, looking ethereal in the dispersed glow of headlights and mist of splattering rain.

  “Forgive me for hurting you with my carelessness,” he said, his deep melodic voice caressing my heart, making me want to run into his arms.

  I resisted the urge to go to him. This was not like the incident with Charlie in the kitchen; he would not win me over so easily.

  I held out my hand. “Don’t.”

  He stopped. Biting his lower lip, he cocked his head and stared at the ground. I backed up a few steps. Stoyan was not in arms reach, but was still too close for my comfort.

  “What can I do to make us better?” he asked so quietly, I barely heard him over the hum of the car’s engine and water pounding on pavement.

  I was about to answer when a sharp howl pierced the air. My breath caught in my throat and my heart near leapt out of my chest. The sound was close… very, very close.

  Behind me, the crunching of bushes being crushed beneath a heavy weight filled my ears. I swung around, desperately searching the forest-lined highway. Nearby in the darkness, heavy breathing and growling marred the pitter-patter of rain.

  “For the love of God, Katia, do not move and do not make a sound,” Stoyan pleaded softly.

  Fear held me immobilized, allowing me to comply with his request. I felt Stoyan come up behind me, and then heard the unmistakable sound of a zipper being drawn. Moments later, a warm liquid was running down my calves and into my shoes. He then urinated on the ground around me. The stream stopped and the zipper was fastened.

  Oh, my God.

  As if knowing that I would ask why he peed on me, Stoyan offered a whispered explanation. “It is a way of marking territory.”

  Even as the growling became louder, and utterly terrifying, Stoyan turned me towards him and gathered me in his arms. He placed his hands on the side of my face and stroked my hair back with his palms, as if petting me. He leaned in close, nuzzling my ears and neck with his lips.

  I heard the sound of breaking twigs and the thump-thump of paws on cement. I knew the shifter was behind me before I heard the low growl emanate from its throat.

  “He challenges me for the right to mate with you. When we fight, you run for the car. I will hold him back until you can drive away. Promise me you will do this.”

  “I can’t leave you.

  He brushed his mouth against mine, and then proceeded to lick my cheeks, marking me with more of his ‘scent’.

  “Please do as I
ask,” he whispered.

  The growling became louder, more aggressive.

  Not wanting him to be distracted with worrying over me, I nodded. “Okay.”

  “I love you, Katia.”

  “I love yo—”

  I was pushed to the side. I landed on the ground, scraping my knees on the rough roadway.

  I twisted back to see the wolf was on Stoyan. Suddenly, Stoyan’s body began morphing, his clothes literally coming apart at the seams. I sat frozen, horrified, watching his body change into a huge beast.

  Once transformed, Stoyan rolled the other shifter off him. The creatures circled each other, the pouring rain and rolling thunder unable to cover the primitive growls of warning. Large, fierce fangs shined in the headlights, both sets of eyes possessing a feral gleam.

  The challenging wolf lurched forward. Stoyan met him head on. A ferocious fight ensued, with snapping jaws and swiping claws. The savage sounds of battle filled my ears. Amidst the vicious snarls and wild shrieks, my eyelids grew heavy and everything went black.

  Chapter Eight

  I was back in the village, watching my fifteen year-old self stare mutely at the ground as my great-grandmother conversed with a local farmer.

  “Elder Marija, you know I would give you anything you asked for. Anything I have is yours. Your people have been kind to my family, saving my young son’s life when he was struck with fever, helping my eldest son with his…moon sickness…”

  The farmer rubbed his jaw, his discomfort apparent.

  “I would not have come if this was not the third time I have caught your great-granddaughter taking animals off my farm. I swear to you, if it had been just about my animals, I would have approached you the first time I caught her.”

  “I am grateful you have come today. I wish you had told me of her thievery the first time it happened,” my great-grandma replied, her voiced laced with shame.

  The farmer shook his head. “Elder Marija, I am not concerned about the pigs or turkeys taken. That is why, even after I caught Katia, I let her bring the animals home. I know your people rely heavily on the forest for food, and game has been scarce with the overly dry summer and harsh winter this year.”