by VS Winters
Three Deadly Trials
Battle for The Dark King | Book One
VS Winters
Edited by
Christine Thompson
Copyright © 2019 by VS Winters
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
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Chapter One
"Why did I agree to this?" I grumbled to myself while slathering a second layer of sheer gloss onto my full lips.
Sliding the applicator back into the tube, I let it fall from my fingertips and onto the vanity so that I could fluff my long, crimson curls. My eyes shifted from the liner, rimming them to my younger sister, Ava, as she flounced through the doorway into my room. With a glance up from her incessant texting, she paused to stare at me with a loose jaw.
"Shut up," I said before the question could leave her mouth.
A grin formed on her lips as she took me in from crown to toe. I twitched in the snug black dress hugging my curves. It revealed a little more cleavage than I would have preferred and hit just above mid-thigh. Not my usual style.
She giggled.
"You're finally doing it. You are going on a date with Benjamin, aren't you?" She stretched out a flawlessly manicured finger and tapped the end of my nose.
"Stop that." I waived her and her ridiculous smile aside.
"I knew this day would come," Ava feigned pride, wiping a tear from her cheek.
"Ava, can you please just--" I sighed and turned back to the mirror to adjust my hair for the hundredth time. It was a nervous habit.
"Here, let me help."
Ava was much more experienced than I was when it came to female beautification techniques. The two hours of effort I had wasted on my hair took her only a matter of minutes to fix. She tidied it into a set of twists and knots at the nape of my neck, strategically leaving delicate wisps to hang loosely, framing my heart-shaped face.
"That's better, no offense. Now, tell me everything." She dropped her perfect little frame onto my mattress and clasped her fists under her chin in anticipation of a story that wasn't coming.
"I only agreed to one drink. Nothing more than that. And it's only to get him off of my back about it."
"Come on, Eden. The guy has been asking for, what, two years? He's practically in love with you. Plus, he is drop-dead gorgeous."
I glared at her reflection. I knew she wasn't wrong, despite my instinctive response. The guy wouldn't leave me alone at the office during work hours. And he was handsome, in a bad-boy kind of way. She rolled her large hazel eyes at me like she always did and flung her bleached ponytail over her shoulder. What a teenager.
"What are your plans for tonight?" I asked, changing the subject from my less than stellar love life.
Ava shrugged and looked back to her phone. It had a glittery pink case, which was just so Ava. And, as though I had reminded her of something, she started texting. I continued to glare as her fingernails clacked against the oversized screen.
"Hello? Earth to Ava?"
She glanced up at me but quickly returned to her phone, making me grind my teeth.
"Ava!"
"I was just confirming plans with Ash, chill out. We are going to the theater to catch a movie then hanging out at her place."
"Will you be staying the night?"
"Yeah, probably."
"Fine. But I expect a text or call tonight and another in the morning. What are the rules?"
I turned to face her. Crossing my arms over my chest, I waited for her to relay them.
"I know the rules." She said, matching my pose.
"Then let's hear them."
Ava sighed and stood, pink phone in hand. I was willing to bet it never left her grasp.
"No boys, no drinking, and no running around after curfew."
"And?"
"And if I don't check in with you, I will be grounded until the end of time."
"Great," I smiled and patted her on the head before she could shrink out of reach. "Stay safe and have fun with your friends."
She whined about her hair, but I ignored her and dialed a number on my own cell. The sound of her packing an overnight back echoed through the hall as I made my way to the kitchen. The receiver clicked on, and I straightened my shoulders as though they could see me.
"Ithaca medical center, how can I assist you?" Pleasant words, but the woman sounded annoyed.
"Room 233, please."
She put me through, and I tapped my arm while the appalling elevator music blasted from the other end. A mountain of unpaid bills sat unopened and staring at me as I paced across the kitchen's cream-colored linoleum.
"Hello?" My father's raspy voice cut the music off.
"Hey, Dad," I grabbed my purse and house key.
"Hey hon," He huffed, as though answering the phone had taken every last bit of his energy. It probably had.
"How's Ava? Big plans for the weekend?"
"Oh, you know, just being eighteen. She's hanging out with some friends tonight. How are you doing?"
My father snorted, which sent him into a hacking fit that made me grimace. He didn't like talking about his illness, not that he really had a choice at this point. Before cancer had taken hold, he had been a hard-ass. Tom Morris, the cop, and a damn good one at that. When they had diagnosed him, it took a toll on us as a family, causing splinters that had never really mended.
"I'm doing okay. Doc says we have a long way to go still."
No matter how many times I heard him say that, my heart still sank. The "doc" had also told him he only had a few months left with us. It was a hard thing to wrap my head around, the thought that soon it would be just my angst-filled baby sister and me.
At twenty-one years old, I was only a few years Ava's senior, but it felt like much more than that. Especially since I had been forced to drop out of my first year at college and let my dreams run down the drain to come home and help. She didn't really need it, as she would be graduating next spring, but dad didn't feel right leaving her alone while he was in and out of treatment.
"We will get through Daddy, you're the strongest man I know. I love you, and I'll be by to see you first thing on Sunday, okay?" I waved to Ava as she left through the front door, her friend's car just visible behind her. She waved back and slammed it shut.
"Alright, Eden. Make sure your sister isn't doing anything stupid."
"Always do, Dad. Love you."
I disconnected. My eyes lingered on the screen as it faded to black. I couldn't allow myself to lose control right now. The idea of the date alone had my nerves all up in knots. With a huff, I pulled on my matte black three
-inch heels and left through the back door.
A gathering of wispy clouds on the horizon grew rosy as the sun dropped low behind the buildings. The warmth of summer felt pleasant against my fair skin, and I had a passing thought that maybe I should get out of the house more.
I didn't know then that I should have turned around.
That I should have locked myself in and stuffed my face with junk food while watching trash TV.
Perhaps if I had, he would have chosen someone other than me.
Chapter Two
"Good to see you, Eden."
Benjamin greeted me with teeth far too white for any regular person to have. He extracted a chair from the table he had been sitting at before I strolled inside, hips swaying. We exchanged an awkward handshake, and he held out an arm to the seat. I accepted the gesture.
"Good to see you as well. Sorry if I'm a little late."
I tucked a stray curl behind my ear and avoided eye contact as he took a seat across from me. The eyes of random strangers observing me along the street made me much less nervous than being under Ben's dark stare. His copper-colored eyes were rimmed with thick lashes that would make a set of fake ones insecure. He lifted a hand to get the attention of a server and ordered me something girly to drink.
I picked at a napkin.
"I'll be honest, I wasn't sure that you would show up at all tonight."
So used to seeing him in a formal suit, it had never crossed my mind how sexy he would look in blue jeans a white button-down. Damn. It had been too long, and he was too good looking. So as not to gawk at his perfectly carved muscles underneath his shirt, I looked into his eyes again. They were locked onto my breasts. Alright, still a pig. Got it. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and cleared my throat.
"Yeah, um, me neither. I've been pretty busy with dad and Ava."
"Well, I'm glad you did."
That makes one of us. I politely smiled at him but allowed myself a glance around the room. The only thing that grabbed my attention was a rather large man sitting at the far end of the bar. His entire body was turned in my direction, his face mostly concealed under a hood. Who the hell wears a hoodie into a bar? Weirdos. That's who.
"Here you are." The chipper waitress put a martini glass filled with dark red liquor in front of me and a Budweiser, tall-neck, in front of Ben. "Can I get you anything else?"
I shook my head in sync with Benjamin's, tapping my foot to the rhythm of the blaring rock music to prevent myself from leaping up and making up a poor excuse to head home. Would it really be so bad to just let myself have a night out? Maybe. I threw back my drink and let him order me another.
This cycle repeated a few times as the bar began to quickly fill with people, so much that our waitress couldn't keep up. Ben jumped at the opportunity to be chivalrous. I waited at the table while he went to buy us another round at the bar. When he returned, he seemed to contemplate my glass for a moment.
"Something wrong?" I asked.
"Got this one for free, compliments of that guy," He said, sliding it in my direction and nodding toward the bar. I followed his eyes to the weirdo who was still facing me.
I should have refused it, and everything inside of me screamed to do so. Instead, in my fuzzy state of mind, I took a long pull from the glass. Prickling heat oozed down my throat. My head started to spin immediately, causing me to stand, feeling the alcohol warm in my belly and heavy on my eyelids.
"Excuse me for a sec?"
Without waiting for a response, I headed for the sign marked 'women.' My eyes wandered briefly to the weirdo man at the bar. His legs shifted as if he was thinking about walking over to me. I quickly looked away, not wanting to open that can of worms.
The door swung open easier than I had anticipated and I stumbled forward. I nearly fell face-first onto the cheap tile, but my fingers managed to find purchase on the counter underneath the chipped mirror. The lights in the poorly lit restroom flickered as I pulled myself back to a standing position. My reflection wiggled and warped, making my stomach flip. I swallowed hard against the bile rising in my throat.
"Pull yourself together, it was only a few drinks," I told myself aloud. Somehow, I was the only one occupying the restroom. Where are all of the other women? You know, like in the movies, who go to hang out in bathrooms, when I need them? I slapped the faucet handle which resulted in a reluctant sputtering of just enough water to splash onto my face. With another glance at myself, I noticed my cheeks had grown hot and almost as red as my hair.
I didn't care that my carefully drawn eyeliner was streaming down my cheeks. The cold water was reviving some of my senses, but only slightly. My head was swimming, my palms slick with sweat. I made my way back into the bar. Weirdo was nowhere to be seen, and I decided not to find Ben and tell him goodbye. I had one thing on my mind; I was very drunk and needed to get home immediately.
I shoved my way through the factions of sweaty bodies. People were asking me if I was okay, the looks on their faces were probably that of worry. But asking for aid wasn't something I was willing to swallow my pride to do.
Outside, the sky had darkened to a rich, deep azure with freckles of bright stars. The humid air hit my body. It weighed on my feet, causing them to drag with each step. Damn heels. I never wear heels, why did I think this was a good idea?
"You forgot something," snarled a deep voice from over my shoulder. I spun around as fast as my inebriated body would allow. Squinting, I could make out the shape of a handbag. It swayed against the breeze as it dangled from the fingers of a tall figure. Tall might be an understatement. This guy was enormous . . . and he was also the weirdo from the bar.
"Thanks." I slurred, snatching my purse from him. I turned to continue my journey home and worked at keeping my head low. I could hear his heavy boots marching in time to the click of my heels against the pavement. My heart began to thud wildly in my chest. Drawing my feet forward with as much force as I could muster, I quickened my pace. He did the same.
This was it. I couldn't believe I was about to be murdered by some creep I saw in a bar. It's what I get for going out once a year. My intuition advised that I run, and the rest of me did its best to obey. The only task I could perform was kicking off my cheap heels before taking off in a stumbling sprint.
I ran as hard as I could. Block number one whizzed by, and then the second. The alleyway I rounded into was one that leads to a street just a few houses down from mine. Footfalls were no longer thumping behind me. I continued straining to pick up even the faintest sound. Nothing.
I slowed to a halt and put my hands on my knees as I hunched forward, gasping for air. I could feel vomit rising in my throat and, without further warning, expelled the drinks I'd had all over the ground. Just as I had steadied myself enough to stop retching, gravel crunched to my left. Shooting up, I stumbled while backing away from the noise. My eyes flicked over the darkness, and I could feel my pulse pumping adrenaline through me from scalp to sole.
"Who's there?" I shouted.
I don't know why I asked, I didn't even want the answer. But I got it regardless. Weirdo emerged from the shadows. My heart stopped at the display of two gleaming spheres beneath the hood. They were ruby-red and glowing like there was a fire burning within them.
"What the h--"
The man rushed at me with inhuman speed. In seconds he held me pinned against the brick wall of a building. I kicked him and clawed at the arm he had pushed against my throat. My lungs tried desperately to fill with air. My eyes bulged, stinging with tears.
Digging my fingernails against his forearm was a worthless attempt against his hard-as-stone skin, and he didn't so much as flinch when I brought a foot into his groin. With ease, he shoved me further up the wall. My lungs were beginning to ache, my head filled with pressure.
With his free hand, the man dragged a heavy hand along my exposed thigh. I assumed the worst was about to happen. But instead, he seized my wrist, causing searing pain to tunnel up through my forearm and asc
end into my shoulder. I wanted to scream, or call for help, but I didn't.
"I look forward to seeing your participation in the Trials, hag." He growled in a low, distorted tone. A putrid stench saturated my nostrils, making my stomach lurch.
My knees slammed into the rough earth as he released me, and my hand flew to my throat. Coughing stung my chest and rocked my body as I attempted to stop myself from gagging. From the corner of my eye, I could make out his outline.
"Wait!" I rasped just before he stepped inside the shadows.
He twisted on his heel, an amused smirk displaying over his lips. I lifted to my feet, gradually as to not tip forward and eat dirt.
"Who are you?" My nose was either runny from the puking, or it was dripping blood. I wasn't sure which. Wiping the wetness from my lips, I took a step toward the hooded freak. He waited, unmoving and patient.
"I am the creature that nightmares are made of, little Witch. You'd do well to remember that." He sneered through rows of sharp, yellowing teeth before stepping into the darkness. At this point, there was no doubt in my mind about this guy not being a human.
"Witch?" I repeated, but he had already gone. Tears drenched my face. The stinging in my throat was almost as bad as that in my arm. I decided it best to get the heck out of there. Grabbing my purse, I ran as fast as my feet could carry me. I wasn't satisfied until I had returned home and shoved my way through the door. After a triple-check that the lock and deadbolt were both clicked into place, my knees buckled. I slid down the door, resting against it as my shoulder shook with sobs, my face buried in my palms. My brain was still hazy from the drink, not even the adrenaline had burned it from my veins.
