Dark Secret

by Danielle Rose

  I home in on a girl, maybe seven or eight. She’s far too young to be outside alone this late at night. The moonlight dances for the dead, not the living. If the rogues find her, it wouldn’t take much to end her existence completely. Her parents will wake tomorrow and wonder what happened to their bright ray of sunshine, and they’ll never know. They’ll never find out. She will simply be gone.

  I rush to her, reaching her side at the same time I hear the familiar growl of an approaching rogue. I turn to face him. The deadly vampire smiles at me, flashing inch-long fangs already tainted pink by someone else’s blood. He runs toward me, and I cannot move. I’m frozen in place, simultaneously mesmerized by my attacker and traumatized by my last encounter with a rogue.

  His black leather pants are shiny and make a cracking sound every time he takes a step toward me. His fishnet mesh top is too tight, clinging to his thin torso as if it were an extra layer of skin. His striking short hair is over-gelled and dyed neon red. It points straight to the sky on all sides. But nothing compares to the hunger I see in his crimson eyes. It stops me in my tracks and leaves me breathless.

  The moment he reaches me, I remember why I’m here and why I fight for them. Too weak to save themselves, humans need a hero.

  I spin to face the girl and push her backward so she’ll remain out of the rogue’s reach. By the time I turn back around to face the monster, he’s already in front of me. He wraps his thin, bony fingers around my neck and tosses me aside like I’m a sack of garbage being taken out.

  I slam against the brick wall of the Catacombs and slide down the rigid stone until I crumple into a heap on the dirty alley street. I fall to my knees and try to push myself up. Shards of broken beer bottles dig into my palms, cutting my skin. I wince and hold my hands up to assess the damage. Already, my skin is beginning to heal over.

  I rip out a jagged edge and crawl to my feet. My entire body aches from the impact of one hangry rogue. I wipe off the glass that clings to my jeans and glance up in time to brush noses with the short but deadly vampire.

  In the distance, the girl is crying. I ignore her because I figure if the rogue is focusing on me, then she should be fine. I want to tell her it’ll be okay and not to be scared. I want to tell her she’ll be home soon enough, but the moment the rogue’s hand slams against my chest, I can’t speak. I can’t breathe. I can only listen to the internal protests of my sternum breaking.

  I gasp so loudly I’m sure I’ll attract attention. If the vampires didn’t know I was in danger before, they certainly do now. Every ounce of air exits my lungs in a quick, painful burst. I try to gasp for more, but the rogue’s fingers are at my neck again. I claw at his hands, breaking skin, but this only amuses him. In addition to turning off his ability to empathize, he must not be able to feel much pain. Or maybe he’s a sick freak who relishes in the fulfillment of torture.

  In my last desperate attempt to save myself, I reach for my hidden stake. I pull it free quickly and easily thanks to all the years of training the witches forced upon me.

  I’m flush against the grimy walls. Something slick tickles the back of my hand as I try to wedge the stake against the rogue’s chest so I can thrust it forward. But there’s no room. My chest burns from lack of oxygen, and my limbs feel heavy.

  The rogue says something and laughs, but I can’t hear him. All I can hear is the desperate pleas from my lungs and the constant drum of my heart in my head.

  The rogue squeezes my neck harder, and I lose the ability to maintain my hold on the stake. It falls from my grasp, and I wait for the distinct clatter of failure as it hits the ground.

  Except it never comes.

  In some twisted sense of luck, the rogue caught the stake with his free hand. He thrusts it forward and plunges it into my chest.

  I gasp as the metal pierces my skin and breaks through bone. I want to scream or cry or, heck, even beg for mercy. But I can’t do any of those things. I can only wait for my inevitable demise, for the darkness to wash over me like a warm blanket, for eternal peace.

  The rogue laughs, and I realize he’s staked the wrong side. He finds pleasure in torturing me. Just as he’s about to plunge it into my chest again, he stops. His grip loosens, and his eyes nearly bulge from their sockets. After just a few seconds, he turns to dust.

  I’m falling, and this time, I never hit the ground.

  I fall against my savior, gasping for air. My lungs burn at the intrusion. The cool air is like fire in my chest, but I can’t stop. I continue to gasp until my racing heart slows and my vision clears.

  Someone is speaking to me, telling me I’m okay now.

  I open my eyes, expecting to find Jasik comforting me, only to see Hikari. She’s wrapped her arms around me, pulling me close to her. She scans our surroundings while holding my limp body in her lap.

  The soft footsteps of approaching vampires grows louder.

  “Help the girl!” Hikari shouts. “I’ve got Ava.”

  She rubs loose strands of hair from my eyes. I keep my gaze focused on her, mimicking her breathing, her steady heartbeat.

  “Can you stand?” she asks.

  I nod. My head is still spinning, but I already feel a million times better.

  Hikari helps me up, and I lean into her. She supports me and rubs her hand up and down my back as I rest against her solid frame.

  “You’re okay,” she says.

  We take several steps away from the wall. The ground is crunchy beneath my feet as I try to maneuver around garbage and filth.

  A soft amber light from an overhang illuminates the alley, and we step under it. I nod at Hikari that I’m okay, and she hands me my stake before stepping aside.

  Gripping my chest, I search for the girl. My stomach twists as I try to comprehend the scene before me. Jasik’s bloody wrist is pushed against the girl’s mouth, and she’s drinking his blood. The girl’s gaze darts around the alleyway until it finally settles on me.

  “What are you doing to her?” I shout as I stumble forward.

  “Ava, stop!” Hikari shouts.

  I blink, and Malik is no longer by Jasik’s side. He’s in front of me and preventing me from reaching his brother.

  “Get out of my way,” I say, seething.

  “He’s saving her life—something that wouldn’t have been necessary if you had listened to him in the first place,” Malik argues.

  “What? What are you talking about? The rogue didn’t even touch her,” I say.

  “No, but you did, didn’t you?” Malik asks.

  I gasp, furious by the accusation. “I never fed from her!”

  “Feeding isn’t the only way to hurt a human, Ava,” Hikari says.

  Malik steps aside so I can watch what Jasik is doing. The girl’s arms are bloody with slashes, and her T-shirt is stained. Her pants are soaked in urine, and her cheeks are streaked from tears.

  I cover my shock with my hands. “I—I didn’t mean to.”

  “You’re stronger than you realize right now,” Malik says.

  “Will she be okay?” I ask.

  Jasik nods, his eyes searching mine. I’m not sure what I see in them. Anger? Understanding? Fear?

  “He’s healing her,” Hikari explains.

  “Will she…” I trail off. I can’t bring myself to say the words. This is a child! Spending eternity as a preteen would be torture.

  “No. Transitioning is a complicated process. His blood will heal her and work its way out of her system within a day or so,” Malik says.

  I sheath my stake and take a seat beside the little girl. I don’t care that I’m sitting in filth or that I nearly died. My only concern is for this child who now fights for her life because I pushed her so hard she flew through the air like a damn superhero.

  “I’m sorry,” I whisper, but it’s too late. The damage has been done. The girl was attacked by a vampire, and she witnessed the whole thing.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Something about the forest feels different. It’s like
the trees, the flowers, and the creatures that hide here know my secret. They witnessed my failure, and they’re mocking me—even the way the moonlight cascades through the branches is insulting. I wrap my arms around my chest and stare into the distance.

  Jeremiah is carrying the girl toward the bouncer. The man stops counting the large wad of cash he’s handling from taking cover charges and looks up. He stands so quickly, the stool he was sitting on falls over, hitting the ground in a loud smack. The door to the club is open, but the partygoers don’t even notice the commotion outside.

  Earlier, we all agreed that a group of strangers carrying her into the club would look too suspicious, so Jeremiah volunteered to be the decoy. He feigns horror as he rushes toward the security guard.

  “I found her in the alley behind the club!” he shouts. He carefully offers just enough shock and outrage to convince the man he had nothing to do with it.

  “Bring her inside!” the man yells, even though Jeremiah is now right beside him.

  Jeremiah nods so frantically, the hood on his sweatshirt bobs up and down.

  “You got her?” the bouncer questions. He scans Jeremiah’s physique. Jeremiah may not be as ripped as the bouncer, but he’s definitely in shape. Obviously the man in the small tank top can’t seem to look past Jeremiah’s sweatshirt.

  “Yeah. Come on. She might be hurt,” Jeremiah says.

  They rush inside, and from our rendezvous point in the forest, I can no longer see what happens, but I hear everything. A girl near the door screams. The singer stops singing, but the band doesn’t follow his lead until a few seconds later. Finally, the drummer ceases his solo debut.

  “Lay her down here!” someone shouts, and a clattering of glasses smash against the floor.

  “Someone call the police,” the bouncer yells before asking the girl if she’s okay. She doesn’t respond. He asks if someone hurt her, and again she doesn’t respond.

  I didn’t realize how tense I was until Jasik places his hand over my own. I’d practically clawed my way through the arm of my jacket.

  Several different sets of beeps echo throughout the building. I imagine the dispatcher will be receiving a lot of calls tonight.

  I close my eyes and listen more intently.

  “9-1-1, what is your emergency?” a woman asks.

  “Yes, there’s a girl. A child. I think she’s hurt,” someone else says.

  I open my eyes and search for Jasik’s. He’s watching me closely. Is he as nervous as I am? I can’t tell. His usual calm demeanor gives away nothing tonight.

  “What if she tells them what happened?” I ask. After all, she did see us. She knows our faces, and worst of all, she knows what we are.

  “She won’t,” Jasik replies. He seems certain, but I’m not.

  “How can you be so sure?” I ask.

  “This isn’t the first time we’ve saved a witness,” he says.

  “And they never tell?” I ask.

  “They might, but nothing ever comes of it. I suppose those who speak up aren’t believed,” he says.

  I nod. He’s right. If I were human and a mother, I wouldn’t believe my child if she told me she was hurt—and then saved—by a vampire. I’d have her see a therapist, which is exactly what this girl needs after tonight.

  The distant sounds of approaching sirens blare through the village. With each passing second, they grow louder and louder until they’re almost unbearable.

  I glance down the street. Blue-and-red lights dance across buildings as they approach. I look up to the moon to try to assess the hour. The police have arrived at the club in record time. Although, in a small village like Darkhaven, they were probably itching for something to do. It sucks that it had to be this.

  The squad cars come to a screeching halt. The noise ceases, but the lights remain flashing as two officers open the doors and run into the building. Onlookers shout. It’s hard to hear because everyone is talking at once. The police shout for them to be quiet. They want to see the girl.

  In the chaos, Jeremiah slips out. He’s by our side so quickly, I’m sure they don’t even realize he’s missing.

  “Is she okay?” I ask Jeremiah.

  He nods. “She’s going to be fine. They’ll make sure she gets home.”

  I’m happy she’s safe, but my heart aches for the girl. I can only imagine what her home life must be like if she was able to escape into the night. I hope she gets help. I hope the police look into the situation and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Tonight, she was lucky. Tomorrow, she could be dead.

  “Everything is going to be okay, Ava,” Jasik says. His words are reassuring. Suddenly, the forest no longer plots against me. I’m stronger and more confident in my actions, even if I was just questioning everything I did tonight.

  Malik exhales sharply. “No, it’s not.”

  “Malik,” Jasik says, his tone sharp. “Don’t.”

  “I must, brother,” he says before turning to face me head-on. I swallow as the vampire stares me down. “Your pride is a nuisance. You need to stop this nonsense and embrace what you are, what you’ve become. You’re not a witch anymore, Ava. You must train, or you are going to get someone killed.”

  I don’t say anything—at least, not right away. He’s right. Tonight proves that. I am a liability. I’m not looking forward to admitting I’ve been stubborn about this.

  “You cannot hunt with us if you are going to risk our lives,” Malik continues.

  “Malik, stop—”

  “No, he’s right,” I interrupt Jasik. “I almost killed a girl, a child, and I almost died in the process. If the rogue had been paying attention to his surroundings, Hikari might have been injured—or worse. And she was trying to save me.” I shake my head, trying not to think about the road not taken.

  “You will train with me?” Malik asks, although I’m not quite sure if he’s actually asking me or if he’s telling me I have no choice.

  “I will,” I say.

  “We will begin immediately,” he says.

  I nod, but Malik is already walking away. Jeremiah joins him, and I’m left with Hikari and Jasik.

  “Hikari—”

  “Don’t,” she interrupts.

  “But—”

  “I don’t need you to thank me for doing my job,” she says.

  “And yet, I still want to.”

  She smiles. “You’re welcome.”

  “Can I ask you something?”

  She shrugs but doesn’t object. I’m sure she knows what I’m about to say.

  “Why did you save me instead of the girl?”

  “You would have died. The girl was fine.”

  “Right. It’s not like she needed blood to heal or anything…” I arch a brow, silently telling her I need a better answer than what she’s given me.

  She exhales slowly. “Look, I don’t particularly like you, and I certainly don’t trust you, but I don’t exactly dislike you.”

  “Um…okay?” I say, confused. I’m way too tired to follow that logic.

  “Jasik sired you. Whether I like it or not, you’re family,” she explains.

  When Hikari went through my bedroom and completely invaded my privacy, she did it because of her loyalty to her family. She was sure I was a threat, and she did what she felt she had to do to oust me. Not only can I respect that, I can relate to it. I would have done the same if a vampire-turned-witch showed up at my coven and asked for refuge. At the very least, I’d make sure the person wasn’t a threat.

  “Well, thanks for saving my life,” I say.

  “Sure. Don’t mention it,” she says before running to catch up with the others.

  I turn to Jasik. “So what happens now?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Amicia gave me one chance. Is she going to boot me for this?”

  He smiles. “I’ll talk to her. Maybe she hasn’t even noticed you left.”

  I gnaw on my lower lip. “Yeah, about that…”

  We’re only a few m
iles from home when a familiar sensation returns. It’s like something inside me is screaming to be released. There’s a spark in my gut that’s threatening to flame. My nerves rapid-fire, and a chill courses through my veins, turning my blood into ice.

  It feels like someone is watching me.

  Am I the only one who feels this way? The other vampires don’t seem to be acting any differently. Do they not sense incoming danger? Am I making something out of nothing?

  “Jasik?” I say.

  He glances at me, and the world falls into darkness. A piercing throb erupts within my skull. I worry my brain might actually burst.

  I cry out, shrieking for Jasik, for anyone. My eyes are closed. I can’t open them without the pain intensifying, so I remain in the dark.

  I grapple on the ground and dig my fingers into loose soil. Slowly, as the pain begins to dull and the screaming within my head softens to a whisper, I am able to hear the chaos exploding all around me.

  Someone is shouting for me, urging me to stand, to move, to fight. I mumble something incoherent even to me. More shouts, and I open my eyes.

  The light is blinding—so much so, I snap my eyelids shut again. I reach for the back of my head and rub the spot that hurts and wince the moment hand meets flesh. At the base of my skull, my hair is wet. I bring my hand forward and chance a peek. My hand is coated in blood. My blood. What the heck is happening?

  I try to sit up, but I’m hit by a wave of nausea and fall over, nearly heaving my breakfast. I roll onto my back and open my eyes. The moon welcomes me. She’s still big and beautiful like she was the night of the full moon. As she begins to wane, she’s not quite as round anymore, but she’s responsive nonetheless.

  I reach for her. I could never touch her, but I can use her power. I can try to tap into it, into the earth, and use it to heal me. At least, I could if I were still a witch.