Dark Realms

by Kristen Middleton

  Dark Realms

  SIX Stories of Paranormal Fantasy and Horror

  By Kristen Middleton

  Smashwords.com edition

  Copyright©2013 Kristen Middleton

  Wicked (A Night Roamers Short)

  Blur (Book One of Night Roamers)

  Enchanted Secrets (Book One of Witches Of Bayport)

  The Coin Collector (Stand-alone Short)

  Zombie Games (Origins) Book One

  Venom – (Derived from Night Roamers)

  Cover by Lourdes Blazek

  Warning – This book contains adult situations and language. Recommended for ages sixteen and older…

  This book is purely fiction and any resemblances to names, characters, and places are coincidental. The reproduction of this work is forbidden without written consent from the author. The author acknowledges the trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which has been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of this copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This eBook is licensed for your enjoyment only. It may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this with others, please purchase additional copies for each individual. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Wicked

  When eighteen-year-old Emily wakes up to find herself being held captive in a barn with four other women and tries to escape, she finds herself being hunted by a dark presence through the deep woods of Montana.

  Blur

  Danger lurks in the dead of night...

  Seventeen year old Nikki and her twin brother, Nathan, move to the small town of Shore Lake to start over after their mother is brutally attacked. When a missing teenager washes up on shore during their first night at the cabin and there are whispers of vampires in Shore Lake, Nikki begins to realize that there are things roaming in the darkness that are far more sinister than what they left behind in the city.

  Enchanted Secrets

  Magic, murder, and mayhem...

  Eighteen-year-old Kendra learns that her mother has been keeping secrets, the biggest being that she and her twin sister, Kala, are descendants of a long line of witches. Unfortunately, where magic reigns, so does danger and she is forced into an adventure that leaves her racing against the clock to stop an evil curse.

  The Coin Collector

  In their small Iowa town, children start to go missing on their tenth birthday. The hot Irish girl across the street claims her creepy father, Mr. O'Darby, is a leprechaun who collects more than just gold coins, and 17-year-old Trent begins to fear for the safety of his brother, Ben, whose tenth birthday grows near.

  Zombie Games (Origins)

  Seventeen-year-old Cassandra Wild thought that living in the chaos of her mother's home daycare and dealing with new feelings for Bryce, her martial arts instructor, was a struggle until her world turned upside down. When an untested vaccine kills more than just a rampant flu virus, Cassie learns how to survive in a world where the dead walk and the living... run!

  Venom

  When Melody Williams goes missing at a concert, at Club Nightshade, her eighteen-year-old cousin, Chelsey Fairfax, sneaks into the club to find answers. Little does she know that some mysteries are better left hidden.

  Meanwhile, Venom is in town, a hot new band from Europe, and the owner of Club Nightshade wants them there permanently...

  Wicked

  By Kristen Middleton

  Chapter One

  I stared up at the white speckled ceiling of my new apartment, still too full of adrenaline to sleep. The excitement of moving out of my parents’ home and starting college in two weeks was beyond exhilarating. Plus, my best friend Betsy was going to join me after she returned from Florida with her parents in a couple of weeks. They’d taken her to Disneyworld as a graduation present, and although she’d been excited about the trip, finding an apartment we could afford together had been the real highlight of the summer. Ever since we’d met in the eighth grade, we’d always talked about going to UMT, living together, and meeting hot college guys. Now our dreams were finally becoming a reality and it made me so giddy, sleep was laughable.

  Sighing, I got out of bed and went into the kitchen for a spoonful of creamy peanut butter. It was a nightly habit that sometimes helped me sleep and my parents had purchased a case of it for me as a joke, but I’d been thrilled to receive it.

  As I opened the cupboard, I thought of my mother, who seemed to have a knack for catching me with my hand in the peanut butter jar every time I had a craving. She often teased that if I ever stopped, that peanut farms everywhere would go bankrupt.

  I grabbed a jar from the shelf, twisted the cap off, and scooped out a large spoonful. Once it was in my mouth, I remembered that I had nothing to wash it down with. Plus, my cups were still packed in one of the boxes and I really didn’t feel like rummaging for them in the middle of the night. Recalling the landlord’s mention of a beverage machine by the swimming pool, I decided to buy a couple bottles of soda and check out the pool.

  I put the jar away, washed off the spoon, and went back into my bedroom to change out of my pajamas. As I pulled on a pair of jean shorts, I caught a glimpse of myself in the dresser mirror and was relieved that it was so late. My auburn hair was messy and there was mascara smudged under my lower lashes.

  Screw it.

  I slipped on an orange sweatshirt, pulled the hood over my head, grabbed a handful of change, and stepped out of my apartment.

  Shoving my hands into my sweatshirt pockets, I went downstairs to the lobby and stepped out into the cool darkness, suddenly grateful that my parents had pushed me into Taekwondo three years ago. Although I normally didn’t think much about wandering near my parents’ house late at night, here, however, it was a little disconcerting. Even for a Brown Belt.

  I thought of my parents, who were only an hour away, and had acted like I’d moved to a different continent. My mother had been in tears when she’d left earlier, and my dad, well his voice had actually cracked, which truthfully had kind of shocked me. In all my life, I’d never seen my dad cry, even when his own father had passed away. My mother had told me he’d mourned in his own way, and didn’t like people feeling sorry for him. It was kind of weird, but I always assumed it had to do with the fact that he’d served in the military for many years. That it had made him hard. But, this afternoon, he’d kept his eyes down and had given me an extra-long hug before driving away.

  Now, thinking of them, I felt a tug on my heart. Although I was excited about the move and starting a new life in college, part of me already longed for them. They’d been strict and demanding, but I’d never doubted their love.

  For a long time, I’d felt as if they’d treated me like a baby. Nothing had ever seemed fair, not my early curfews, or any of the other stringent rules they’d enforced. Hell, I hadn’t even been able to sleep at a friend’s house without getting the third degree. They’d always said that they’d trusted me, but not other kids, claiming that they didn’t want me to be influenced by the wrong kind of people. This had seemed like a total joke to me, since Betsy and I hung out with computer geeks and people not really into partying.

  And dating?

  Well, sadly, I’d only gone out on one date in high school – th
e prom. My dad had put the poor guy through hell before releasing us. Sure, we’d had fun there – dancing, flirting, even a couple of kisses, but when he’d gotten me home a few minutes late, my dad was waiting for us with an earful for Brian. Needless to say, he never asked me out again and I decided that it wasn’t worth torturing any of the guys at school by going out with them. So, here I was – an eighteen-year-old virgin who’d had one date –

  Brian, and had only kissed one person – Brian.

  Not that I hadn’t fantasized about other guys. Hell, my dreams were filled with faceless heroes rescuing me from danger. Sexy, brave hunks who would carry me off into the sunset, where I could shower them with kisses. Unfortunately, I always woke up before getting a chance to show my appreciation.

  I couldn’t even get lucky in my dreams.

  Betsy promised that everything would change in college. There would be guys, parties, and more fun than we’d know what to do with. She said that our lives were just beginning. I prayed she was right. I was all about doing well in college, but I was also ready to start dating. Life was too short.

  Pulling my sweatshirt in tighter, I wandered between the buildings towards the pool area. When I arrived at the entrance, the gate was locked.

  “Crap,” I mumbled, glaring at the sign. It had closed several hours before.

  Annoyed, I turned around and gasped in shock.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” said a man, stepping away from the shadows of the building next to the pool.

  I stared at his alabaster skin, which seemed to radiate in the darkness. I swallowed hard. “It’s, uh, okay.”

  “Little late for a swim, isn’t it?” he asked, standing in front of me. He appeared to be in his late twenties, high cheekbones, a pointy chin, and dark eyes that burned into mine. Although he was certainly nice-looking, there was something off about him. Something creepy.

  I took a step back and forced a smile. “I was just going to buy a bottle of soda.”

  His lips, which seemed eerily red against his translucent skin, curled up. “Late night craving?”

  “Yes. I guess so.”

  “I can appreciate that,” he replied, staring at me so intently, that things became more awkward.

  I tore my eyes away, and looked past him, as if searching for someone. “Well, I suppose I’d better get back to my place before my boyfriend gets worried and comes looking for me.”

  “Boyfriend?”

  I looked at him again. “Yes, boyfriend. His name is Brian.”

  His eyes, which were blacker than coal, danced in the darkness. “Brian should have volunteered to get you your soda. It’s much too dangerous for a girl to be wandering out here, all alone.”

  “Good point,” I said, feeling the hair on the back of my neck stand up. “With that in mind, I guess I really should get back. Excuse me.”

  As I tried to step around him, his hand snaked out and grabbed my wrist. “Not so fast.”

  I inhaled sharply and instinct took over. I rotated my wrist, snatched my arm away from him, and then quickly hit him in the jaw with an uppercut. It was like hitting a plate of steel.

  “Ahhh!” I gasped in pain.

  “Nice attempt,” he smiled darkly. “I do applaud your efforts. It amuses me.” He then smacked me back, hitting me in the chin. I fell backwards, landing on the ground.

  In pain, but now more furious than anything, I jumped up and swung my leg up to kick him in the chest.

  He caught my foot and dug his nails into my ankle cruelly. “You are a fighter, aren’t you?” he said, grabbing my neck with one of his large, cold hands, holding me in place. “I like that.”

  “No, I’m really not,” I whispered hoarsely as I tried to pull his fingers away from my neck. “Please, you’re hurting me. Let me go and I’ll do whatever you want.”

  Sighing, he released my neck. “You should have thought of that before you crossed me.”

  Crossed him?

  I opened my mouth to scream, but he clamped his hand over it with incredible speed. “Uh, uh, uh…” he whispered.

  Terrified, I reached between his legs and squeezed as hard as I could.

  He roared in pain and released me.

  I turned away and began running towards my apartment building, frightened.

  “Hey!” hollered a man’s voice from an apartment window above. “You okay down there, miss? You need help?”

  Before I could answer, someone grabbed me from behind and I was whisked away into the darkness.

  Chapter Two

  I slept and my dreams were morbidly disturbing.

  I was trapped in some kind of old pine coffin, trying desperately to escape. As I pounded and clawed at the wooden box, I could hear someone digging.

  Without a doubt, I knew it was a grave.

  My grave.

  Each stab at the earth was followed by the sound of dirt being tossed, chilling me to the bone. When the noise of the shovel stopped, I cried out for help, hoping that it was some kind of mistake

  “Please!” I screamed again, pounding my fists and kicking my feet against the coffin. “Let me out! I’m alive in here!”

  Silence.

  “Dammit, I’m not dead! This is a mistake! Someone help me!”

  No response.

  I sobbed. “I don’t deserve this. Please… let me out of here.”

  “Uh, uh, uh…” replied a man, chuckling. “Should have thought of that before you crossed me.”

  My eyes snapped open and I sat up. “Oh, my God,” I whispered in horror as my eyes adjusted to surroundings that I did not recognize.

  I was in a dimly lit barn, lying on an old wool blanket, and there were three others with me.

  “Welcome to your nightmare,” muttered one of the women, who was sitting a few feet away. She looked to be around my mother’s age, had short dark hair, and a painful-looking shiner under her right eye.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, getting to my feet. I brushed away some straw from my knees and straightened up. “Where am I?”

  The woman with the bruise smiled grimly. “You’re in the Land of Oz. Don’t you remember riding the tornado here?”

  I stared at her in confusion. “I…”

  Then it all came back to me.

  The stranger.

  Our fight.

  Running and then being grabbed from behind.

  The weight of the situation hit me like a sledgehammer. “Oh, God…someone kidnapped me?”

  “Oh yeah,” said a girl, walking over. She was not much older than me, with short blond hair and glasses. “Obviously, you’re not the only one. I’m Amy, by the way.”

  “I’m Emily,” I answered in a hollow voice. I looked around the barn, which held no animals or livestock.

  Just us.

  “I don’t understand, who’s doing this and why?” I asked.

  “Do you remember the guy who took you?” asked Amy.

  I thought about the man by the pool. Obviously he was involved. “Yeah. I’m sure it was this guy with dark hair and pale skin. He approached me by my apartment building and we fought.”

  “He’s one strong son-of-a-bitch,” muttered a dark-skinned girl who was lying down on another blanket, staring up at the roof of the barn. “Something’s not right about him.”

  “That’s Tara,” said Amy. “She actually stabbed him with a switchblade.”

  Tara turned her face to look at me. “He didn’t even flinch. Stabbed the bastard in the hand and it was as if nothing happened. It was some freaky shit.”

  “Uh, did he kidnap all of you?” I asked, not recalling the guy having any kind of wound on his hand when he assaulted me.

  “No,” replied Amy, lowering her voice. “There are more of them.” She looked towards the roof of the barn. “They’re probably watching us right now.”

  I felt like I was in some kind of twisted horror movie, only this was real. I stared up at the dark shadows of the barn and shivered. “Why are they doing this?�
��

  “I don’t know,” said Amy. “We were all brought in here within the last twenty-four hours.”

  “Have you tried to escape?” I said, lowering my voice as I eyed the barn door.

  Tara snorted. “Hell no, genius. That didn’t cross any of our minds.”

  “Be nice,” said the woman with the bruise. “She’s just as confused as the rest of us and doesn’t deserve any more abuse.”

  Tara closed her eyes and sighed. “Yeah, I know. Sorry. I’m just not in the mood for this shit anymore.”

  “We’ve tried getting out of here,” said Amy. “But they’ve locked us in from the outside. And…” her lips began to tremble. “Another woman tried climbing up to the loft right after I arrived. But, something killed her up there.”

  “What?” I asked, horrified. I looked up towards the loft, which seemed so dark and menacing.

  “There’s something up there,” she whispered in an ominous voice, stepping closer to me. “Gloria, the gal who climbed the ladder, she screamed bloody murder when she reached the top. Tried climbing back down, but something pulled her back and dragged her away from the edge. We couldn’t see exactly what was happening.” She grimaced. “But, we all heard it.”

  I swallowed. “Something?”

  She nodded. “We heard it growling and then it sounded like Gloria was wrestling with it.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I’ll never forget the sounds coming from up there – her cries and something that sounded like hissing. I was so scared, I almost peed my pants.”