Dark Souls: Box Set: Books 1-5

by E. J. King

  While the others slept, I cleaned the house, from the kitchen floors to the tile grout in the bathroom. Sadly, no amount of house chores was going to be enough to make me tired. Half of my brain was thinking about the fact that my brother was alive and sleeping right down the hall and the other half was thinking about the fact that Rafe was hot and sleeping right upstairs.

  The second thought won out and I let myself upstairs. Ethan’s bedroom door was shut, but Rafe’s was cracked open. I nudged it further, half expecting to find him lying in bed waiting for me. But his bed was empty, as was the rest of his room. I almost gave up, thinking that he had gone out for the night, but then a gust of wind fluttered his curtains and I realized his bedroom window was open.

  It was too chilly to have been left open for comfort, so I crossed his room and peeked outside. The window faced the street out front, overlooking our porch roof. I was surprised to find Rafe sitting just on the other side of the window, back pressed against the house and head tilted up to the sky.

  “Don’t jump,” I said, only half-kidding.

  He turned, smile already spreading across his face. “Wishing on a star actually works. Get out here.”

  “I don’t know.” I eyed the rickety roof doubtfully. “I don’t really feel like plummeting to my death tonight.”

  “This thing is perfectly stable.” He pretended to be offended. “Don’t you trust me?”

  I sighed. “Fine.”

  As carefully as possible, I climbed over the windowsill and abruptly sat, as close to Rafe as possible.

  “Do you do this often?”

  “Almost every night.” Rafe’s arm went around my shoulders, like it was something he did all the time. “It’s peaceful up here.”

  “Peaceful… dangerous.” I smiled up at him. “Do you hate me for ruining the quiet?”

  He kissed the tip of my nose. “Everything is better with you by my side.”

  “Dork.” I acted like I wasn’t swayed by his charm, but I smiled as I rested my head on his shoulder. “You seem to be feeling better.”

  “Getting stronger every hour.”

  While it was true that he was quickly recovering from his run-in with the Siren, it was also true that he was still slowly fading.

  “I think my brother knows how to cure you,” I said, nearly too quietly to be heard. While I was almost certain I was right, that didn’t make it any easier to admit.

  “Why do you think that?” Rafe’s arm had tightened around me. Any time we talked about his condition and a potential cure, it made both of us tense.

  “Just a hunch.” I wasn’t ready to tell him about Violet’s journal. “I think that’s why he finally decided to make an appearance.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He thought that staying away would keep me safe. So he must have a reason for changing his mind about that.”

  Rafe was quiet for a long time. He seemed to be perfectly content to let my words hang in the air while he studied the night sky.

  “See anything good up there?” I asked when I grew uncomfortable with the silence.

  “When I was a kid, I used to sneak outside at night and climb up this giant tree in our backyard. I would stay there for hours, waiting to see a shooting star.”

  My breath caught in my throat. Rafe never talked about his childhood.

  “So you could make a wish?” I guessed.

  “Every time I made the same wish.” He leaned back, eyes wide as they scanned the stars. “I wished for you.”

  “What?” I had not been expecting him to say that. I’d assumed he would say that he wished for his step-father to stop hitting him.

  “I didn’t really know it at the time,” he said with a soft chuckle. “I mean, I was just a kid. But I wished that I could find a home and family, someone that I could love and that would love me.”

  If I hadn’t already been smitten with Rafe, that would’ve done the trick.

  “What about your mom? And Ethan?”

  “My mom never really loved me as much as she loved Ethan and my step-father. I think it hurt her just to be around me because I reminded her of my real father. And Ethan is a great brother, but he won’t stick around forever. He’s always wanted his own life and I would never stand in the way of that.”

  “So it’s just you and me?” That thought didn’t scare me as much as it would have just a few weeks ago.

  Rafe didn’t answer and I knew that he was thinking about how it wouldn’t be the two of us for long. In a few months, I would be on my own again.

  “It’s good that Lincoln is back in your life,” he said.

  “Yeah.” I couldn’t help but feel that while I was gaining a brother, I was also losing Rafe. “I don’t think Link is going to be a fan of this.”

  “This? Sitting on the roof?”

  “No. You and me.” I nudged him gently in the ribs. “He is my big brother, after all. And you’re…”

  “Having sex with his little sister?”

  I flinched. “Younger sister, but yes. He once punched a guy for just looking at me suggestively. When he finds out about us… well it won’t be pretty.”

  “Especially when he finds out about my condition?” Rafe’s jaw tightened.

  “An added layer of complexity.” Rafe’s bad boy persona alone would be enough to alarm Lincoln, but his Lost Soul status would likely push him over the edge. “It doesn’t matter though.”

  Rafe sighed. “It doesn’t?”

  “Nope.” I tilted my head up so I could kiss his cheek. “You’re stuck with me.”

  “I love it when you threaten me,” he said with a leer.

  “Don’t get any ideas. Link is right downstairs.” But I could never resist Rafe when he looked at me like that.

  The next thing I knew, we were making out on the roof, moving precariously close to the edge, figuratively and literally.

  “We should go back inside,” I suggested nervously.

  “Good idea,” Rafe said, lips pressed to my neck. “The bed is more comfortable.”

  I pushed him away. “It’s also right above where Link is sleeping.”

  “We’ll be quiet,” he said with a wink.

  “Nice try.” I shivered as he ran a hand down my spine. Resisting Rafe was even harder than fighting Souls. “You need to get some rest tonight anyway. You’re still recovering.”

  Rafe waved away my concern and his lips found my neck again. “I feel great.”

  “Yes, you do,” I muttered, stifling a groan. “A little too great.”

  He didn’t stop what he was doing with his lips and his hands moved under my shirt.

  “So… we’re not going inside, are we?” I said, my hands rubbing his chest.

  “One of us is,” he said with a pointed smirk that made me warm.

  Our house was surrounded by trees and faced a vacant lot. Still, it felt a little exhibition-y to be going at it on the roof. But it also felt incredibly hot. I was done protesting.

  “Rafe?”

  Ethan’s voice sounded like a gun shot. I sprang away from Rafe and hurried to rearrange my disheveled clothes. Rafe held a finger to his lips and went back to the window.

  “Hey, man,” he said, voice hoarse.

  “What are you doing out there?” Ethan asked suspicious.

  I flattened myself against the house, hoping the Ethan would be perfectly comfortable staying inside.

  “I was just getting some air,” Rafe said, throwing a leg over the sill.

  “Are you feeling okay? You look a little flushed.”

  Rafe coughed. “I’m fine.”

  Now that Rafe was inside, I started to breathe more normally. The close call was a good reminder that we needed to tell Ethan about us sooner rather than later.

  “You’re up late,” Rafe said, sounding slightly more natural. “Did you run out of porn to watch?”

  “It amazes me that you actually think you are funny.”

  “What do you want, bro?”

  E
than cleared his throat loudly. “I want to talk to you about Kaylie.”

  My breath caught in my throat and I could practically see Rafe trying to hide his panic. While I was all for telling Ethan about us, I knew that Rafe wasn’t ready for that yet.

  “What about her?” Rafe’s voice sounded tight.

  “When we first got to town, I thought we were doing the right thing by keeping her in the dark. But now that we know her, it’s starting to feel cruel to keep lying to her.”

  My heart started to beat faster.

  “We’re not lying to her to be cruel,” Rafe said quietly. “We’re protecting her.”

  “But that’s the problem. By keeping this lie going, we might actually be putting her in danger.” I could hear Ethan pacing around the room. “Lincoln is back now, and I’m pretty sure he knows the truth, too. If we don’t tell her, he will.”

  “He might know about Kaylie, but I seriously doubt he knows that her dad asked us to watch over her before he died.”

  “We have no idea how much he knows,” Ethan objected. “I’ll give it another day, but if Lincoln doesn’t tell her, I will.”

  Rafe’s voice grew loud again. “It’s not your decision to make.”

  “And it’s yours?” Ethan scoffed. “Just because you have a crush on the girl doesn’t mean you’re in charge here. We’re in this together.”

  “Don’t do that,” Rafe said, voice deep and intense. “Don’t pretend you know my motives.”

  “Whatever.” Ethan’s voice got softer as he moved toward the door. “We’ll talk in the morning after you’ve had time to think about it.”

  I waited a long time before letting myself into the room. Rafe was seated on the edge of his bed, head in hands. He had to know that I’d heard every word the brothers had exchanged.

  “I trusted you.”

  Rafe’s head shot up at the sound of my voice and he was on his feet just as quick. “Let me explain.”

  “You were there before they died? You talked to my dad?” It had never once occurred to me that Rafe and Ethan had been part of my life prior to moving to Jackson.

  “Our dad sent us to help your parents. They were paranoid about a Soul attack and we offered to help.”

  My throat started to feel tight. “Paranoid? You did see their mutilated bodies, right? I’d say they were right to be worried.”

  “Of course, Kaylie. That’s not what I meant.” Rafe stepped toward me. “Your dad knew something was going to happen and he asked me to keep you safe.”

  “How long?”

  “What?”

  My arms crossed over my chest. “How long did you watch me?”

  “A few weeks before they died. And I’ve been watching you off and on ever since.” He watched me with unapologetic eyes. “Even if he hadn’t asked me, I would’ve done it anyway. From that first second I saw you, I wanted to protect you.”

  “He told you about my blood?” I guessed.

  Rafe nodded. “He knew they were coming for you.”

  “You were following me that day? You followed me, and they died.” I felt an inexplicable rush of hatred for him at that moment, even though I knew their deaths were not his fault.

  “I followed you back to the house, but we were too late. I just barely got you out of there in time.” His face hardened at the memory. “I almost failed your father.”

  “And what about me? You don’t think your lies failed me?” I hated the sound of emotion that laced my voice.

  Rafe winced. “I lied to protect you.”

  “Maybe in the beginning when we barely knew each other. But after… after I slept with you, didn’t it cross your mind to tell me the truth?”

  “Kaylie…” Rafe reached for me, but I stepped away.

  “What else did you lie about? Do you even really love me?” My voice cracked.

  Rafe grabbed me more determinedly this time. “Of course I do, Kaylie. You have to know that.”

  “How? How would I know? You’ve said it yourself- I barely know you.” My head shook slowly. “You’ve been watching me for two years and I’ve only known about you for a few weeks.”

  “Kaylie, I love you. I would never lie to you about that.” He tried to put his arms around me, but I backed away.

  “I need to go.” Feeling very confused, I stumbled to the door.

  “Don’t go.”

  He started to follow me, but I held up a hand to stop him. “I can’t do this right now, Rafe. I need some time.”

  I hurried into the hall and was surprised to find Ethan’s bedroom door standing wide open. He stood on the other side, staring directly at me.

  Holding his gaze, I knew without a doubt that he wasn’t surprised to see me leaving Rafe’s room. In fact, he had known I was on the roof the entire time they were talking. I was certain he had planned the whole thing.

  “I’m sorry, Kaylie,” he said, sounding like he meant it. “I thought you needed to know the truth.”

  For someone that had so many people looking out for my best interest, I had never felt more vulnerable and alone in my life.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  One of the good things about all of the drama in my life was that I was finally exhausted enough to sleep. It only lasted a couple of hours, but it was nightmare-free. When I reopened my eyes, bright sunlight streamed through the living room windows. I’d never gotten around to hanging curtains.

  “Coffee?” Unbeknownst to me, Lincoln was sitting in the chair across from me.

  “How long have you been sitting there?” I mumbled sleepily.

  He shrugged. “An hour?”

  “You’re a creeper.” I sat up and rubbed my eyes. “Where’s my coffee?”

  “Here.” He handed me a steaming mug.

  I eyed him suspiciously. “What do you want?”

  “I’ve been playing dead for two years. Can’t I just want to hang out with my little sister?” His lack of eye contact did not go unnoticed.

  “You really do think I’m stupid.”

  “Well, yeah.” He smiled at me like he used to when we were kids. “I did have something I want to discuss with you. Once you’re awake enough to focus.”

  I took a big drink. “Okay. Shoot.”

  “Rafe.” He stared me dead in the eye. “You know what he is?”

  “I know that he’s a Lost Soul if that’s what you’re asking.” I wasn’t entirely surprised by his direct question. Since he had been watching me from a distance, I was sure he had picked up on Rafe’s secret.

  “Then you know that what you are doing is dangerous?”

  I looked away. “I’m not going to stop being friends with the guys because of something Rafe can’t control.”

  “Kaylie.” Lincoln waited for me to look at him again. “You know that’s not what I’m talking about. I saw the two of you together.”

  My cheeks flushed hot, both from embarrassment at having been caught by my brother and from annoyance at the way he was talking down to me. “I’m an adult now, Link.”

  “You’re eighteen.”

  “I didn’t ask for your opinion on my life. I know what I’m doing.” My eyes narrowed threateningly. “I’ve been making my own decisions for a long time now.”

  Lincoln’s face softened slightly. “Yeah, I know. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “Rafe isn’t going to hurt me.” But I didn’t sound convincing. The truth was that just last night, Rafe had hurt me considerably and I was still recovering.

  “You have to be very careful, Kaylie. With the bloodlust growing, he may not be able to stop himself soon.” Lincoln reached for my empty mug. “He’s also a guy. Take it from me, we’re jerks.”

  “I’ll be fine, Link.” It was sweet that he was worried about me, but I didn’t need him echoing my own concerns and making them feel even more real. “Rafe is a good guy. If you give him a chance, I think you’ll like him.”

  “Never.” Lincoln smiled sadly. “There’s no way that guy is good enough for my s
ister.”

  “He saved my life.”

  “Good.” He nodded. “If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll always put you first. Otherwise, I’ll kick his ass.”

  When I was sixteen, I’d been a late bloomer. I was so busy hunting Souls that I never really got around to dating. This was the first chat I’d ever had with my brother about boys and I thought we both handled it pretty well.

  “Wanna go for a run?” I asked, eyebrows waggling. I knew that Lincoln couldn’t resist a challenge. “I think I can beat you now.”

  “No way.” He jumped to his feet. “Let’s do this.”

  I didn’t end up beating Lincoln, but I came close. Since picking up training again a few weeks ago, my stamina and speed had greatly improved.

  “Not too shabby, Kay Kay,” Lincoln teased as we turned down our street, walking slowly to cool down.

  “Oh god. Not that.” I had completely forgotten about his childhood nickname for me. “I was just starting to accept your return and now you’ve gone and ruined it.”

  “I’m sure you’ll get over it.” He looked at the house and back at me. “I’m guessing you’ll have other things occupying your mind in no time.”

  Rafe was on the porch, sitting quietly and unmoving in one of the old chairs. His head turned in our direction, eyes covered by his usual shades.

  “Good run?” he asked, his tone unreadable.

  “She’s gotten better,” Lincoln said. “Anger must be a good motivator.”

  The look he gave me said that he knew I was fighting with Rafe. He pointed to the door. “I’ll put on a fresh pot of coffee. Take your time out here.”

  Rather than sit next to Rafe, I perched on the porch railing across from him. It was hard to get a read on his mood without being able to see his eyes.

  “Your glare is unsettling,” he said after a long moment of quiet.

  “It isn’t supposed to be comforting.”

  He sighed. “Kaylie, I really don’t want to fight with you about this. I understand that you are mad, but I didn’t do any of this to hurt you.”

  “I know, but that doesn’t really make me feel better.” I had to look away because whenever I looked at Rafe, my mind would wander and I would lose focus. I needed to focus on my anger if I was going to work past it. “Ethan knows about us, Rafe.”