Three Deadly Trials (Battle for The Dark King Book 1)

by VS Winters

  I sat there, crying like a lost child until the pain in my wrist had become nothing more than a dull throb. Pulling myself together as best I could, I rose and made my way to the bathroom. With the heat turned all the way up, I stepped into the shower. The blood on my hands confirmed that it had, in fact, been my nose bleeding. Great. My wrist burned but, upon examining it, I could see that there was nothing more than a slight red tint on the skin there. No indication of a needle or knife wound, though it felt like my arm had been injected with rattlesnake venom.

  I let the water run cold before shutting the faucet off and making my way to bed. Clothing didn't even cross my mind. I just needed to sleep and forget anything had ever happened. Just before toppling onto the bed, my cell sounded off in the living room. Ava. I rushed to my bag. Pulling out my phone, I hit the green button and the words flew out before I could stop them.

  "Ava? Are you okay? What happened?"

  "Hey, um, everything is fine... you told me to call and check in, remember?" She sounded annoyed. I shut my eyes and sighed. Relief washed over me as my heart began to settle back into a reasonable pace.

  "I remember, sorry. Things got a little weird tonight."

  "Well, we just left the movie theater, heading to Ashley's now. I'll call you in the morning."

  Ava disconnected before I could say anything else. Maybe I had startled her into thinking that I'd changed my mind about letting her stay out all night. I decided to leave it at that and settled for sending her a text that said: "I love you."

  It was enough for me to know that nothing had happened to her. I went back to my bedroom and made sure the volume on my phone was all the way up before sliding under the covers. Despite my hopes of forgetting the strange encounter, my mind swam with questions. Why didn't he kill me, or worse? What did he mean by saying he looked forward to my participation? Participation in what exactly? He had also called me a Witch…

  Chapter Three

  Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz

  I grunted and threw a hand around my phone. With a headache pounding against my temples, I looked at the screen and accepted the call.

  "Hey, Ava."

  "Are you still sleeping? It's, like, two in the afternoon Eden. Did you stay out all night with Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome? You said things got weird, was it in a good way? Tell me everything!"

  Two o'clock? Regardless, it was too early for this crap. I hadn't even had any caffeine yet. I blinked the sleep from my eyes and sat up with a yawn.

  "No, just tired is all. How was your night?"

  "It was great! I'm going to stay another night at Ashley's if you are cool with it. Her family is taking a trip down to the lakes today and I really want to go, pretty please?"

  "Ava, I think you should come home today. I could use some help around the house. Plus, you promised you would find a summer job. Have you even started looking for one?"

  I rubbed my eyes and climbed out of bed while waiting for her response. Sifting through my dresser drawers, I could hear her chatting with someone else for a minute.

  "I promise I will, Eden. I just want to do this one thing. Please?"

  "Fine." I sighed.

  "Oh my god, thank you, Eden. You're the best."

  "But call me later. Wear sunscreen. Don't go near that water without a life jacket."

  "Yeah, sure."

  "I'm serious."

  "I said, okay. I love you, call you later."

  The line went dead. I tossed the phone onto my mattress and removed some shorts and a tank top from the drawer. The shirt grazed my wrist as I pulled it on, sending a tingle up to my elbow. The recollection of the previous night overwhelmed my mind. I jerked my arm in front of my face to inspect the injury. But what I found wasn't a wound. In fact, I didn't know what the heck it was.

  A star with seven points shone on the surface of my skin. It didn't penetrate my flesh, but instead sat atop it, like a glyph. My eyes were wide, my mouth hanging loose as I pulled a finger through it. The points curled at the touch, sending another odd tingle through my arm.

  I hurried to the bathroom. With trembling fingers, I wet a washcloth and scrubbed at the peculiar mark until my skin had become raw. Nothing happened. I cursed and ran back to my room, thrusting open my laptop screen. After a quick search, numerous articles popped up for the distinct star. I clicked the first link.

  "A Faerie star."

  I compared my mark to the picture on the computer screen. They were identical. Still, if it had come from that creep, it hadn't been there last night. Right? Had I just ingested too much alcohol and dreamed the whole thing? Perhaps I had just become so inebriated that I had stumbled into an underground tattoo parlor using experimental ink.

  "Yeah, that's more likely, Eden," I murmured to myself.

  The doorbell echoed out in short chimes, causing me to jump in my skin. Seizing my cell phone, I walked down the hall and cautiously approached the front door. Able to see the silhouette of a man, I slowly unbarred the locks and cracked the door an inch. Peering outside, my shoulders sank in relief as I pulled the door further open.

  "Hey, Ben." I did my best to greet him, squinting against the dazzling sunlight stabbing my eyes.

  "Hey Eden, I uh…" He scratched his scalp. A frown was stretched tightly across his face.

  "Come on in. I was just about to make some coffee."

  He looked down, kicking at the step with his tennis shoe, he nodded in compliance. Moving aside so that he could enter, I motioned toward the kitchen and lead the way. He hunkered down at the oval table while I brewed a fresh pot of coffee for the pair of us.

  "Eden, you don't have to do that," He started. Oh, but I did, I really did.

  "I just wanted to stop by to make sure that you were alright. You kind of disappeared last night."

  "Yeah," I answered, pouring us each a glassful and handing his off before settling down alongside him. "There was just something that came up. I'm sorry, truly."

  I took a careful sip from my mug, permitting the caffeine to eat away at my pounding headache.

  "I get that. I just wish you would have called me. I was worried about you."

  I could see he was being honest. His warm, chocolate-eyes were gentle and full of concern. I sensed my bottom lip tremble, aching to tell him everything but knew it was probably best not to. He would deem me crazy. Forcing my lip to behave itself, I looked back at him and gave a meek half-smile.

  "Thanks for caring, Benjamin. I just really needed to get back home in a rush. It was nothing against you..."

  "Everything okay with Ava? Your dad?"

  "Yeah, yeah...they are good."

  We sat in silence for a while, the only sound emanated from my fingernails rapping the ceramic coffee cup clutched tightly between my palms. Out of nowhere, Ben's hand encircled my wrist. I recoiled, remembering abruptly what was on it. What if he noticed?

  "I think you should go."

  Ben's brows pulled together, and he drew his hand back in a hurry.

  "Sorry. I just don't know what you're expecting of me right now."

  "I didn't mean anything by it, Eden. I just wanted you to know that I'm here for you if you need someone to talk to."

  Go figure. Mister ego had a personality outside of being a tool. He pushed his chair back and stood to head out. I pinched the bridge of my nose before setting my cup down and following him to the door.

  "Ben?"

  He turned.

  "Thanks...for the date, but also for checking up on me."

  That abnormally white smile spread across his face. He gave me a wink that nearly melted me to a puddle before pulling the door open and taking a step halfway out. He turned back.

  "Let me know when you are ready for a second?"

  I smiled back at him and nodded.

  "I will, I promise."

  He closed the door, and I was left to my empty house and thoughts again. Not knowing what to make of everything that happened, I retreated to the table. Coffee served me well for the better half of
the day. I sat there, gulping down the entire pot, plus the cup Ben had neglected to drink. Tidying the house here and there, my headache dwindled and ultimately became nothing more than an annoyance at the back of my skull.

  By dinner time, my belly was gurgling in protest to my dismissing the need to feed it for a full day. Our freezer was usually packed full of frozen goodness, so I grabbed a random box and pushed it into the microwave. Salisbury steak in gravy with mashed potatoes and corn. It wasn't my first choice in a meal, but it would be enough to pacify my stomach.

  With one hand full of piping hot food, the other holding a tall glass of black tea, I headed to the couch. Flipping through television shows, I polished off the bland meal. It was a distraction. What I craved was to think about what had transpired the night before. To analyze every second of it. To figure out what the hell that freak was talking about when he called me a "little Witch."

  My cell phone hummed with a text.

  "Thinking about you." I smiled at the message from Ben.

  Holding the phone with clammy fingers, I thought of a reply. I could give him a shot, like, a real shot. It wouldn't kill me to have a steady relationship with someone outside of my family. It might even be enjoyable. Who knew how long it had been since I had had a partner in my bed? It was definitely before I became a mother figure to Ava rather than an older sister. I suppose that I felt accountable for her, to the point that I didn't even want to try at a connection with anyone else. I wanted to focus on her, make sure her path was paved.

  Still, I'm human, and I have needs too…I picked up the phone and tapped the screen. Pulling up the text message, I wrote back and pushed send. The reply from Ben was virtually instantaneous.

  "Next weekend sounds great!!"

  A rap on the door made me jump. I hurried to pitch my dinner trash away and smoothed my hair before strolling to the door to pull it open. An empty porch awaited me. I moved into the cooling, dark air.

  "Hello?"

  I turned back to look at my cell phone, sitting on the couch several feet indoors. I had to be imagining things. Probably too much coffee. I shuffled back inside and shut the door. Once settled on the couch again, I checked my phone. No new messages. My shoulders slumped in disappointment. Oh well, it was getting late, and sleep didn't sound like too bad of an idea.

  Just as I started preparing myself to get up, something clattered to the floor down the hall, forcing me to me spring to my feet much quicker than I had planned to. With a glance at the door, I pondered whether to just run through it. I persuaded myself not to, thinking that I needed to stop being a baby, and tiptoed forward. Making my way down the hall, I peered into Ava's room as I passed. Nothing in there.

  My bedroom sat at the end of the hall, I observed that my door still was how I had left it, wide open. The floorboards creaked from somewhere behind me, which caused my feet to freeze in place. Had that come from the living room? Slowly, I turned my head. A figure stood, staring at me from down the hall. My chest tightened, a scream forming in my throat.

  "If you are thinking of screaming for help, think twice. I will close that mouth myself before you can so much as whimper."

  It was that distorted voice again, the one belonging to the man from the night before. Every ounce of my being cried at me to run, to get out of there and never look back. My chest heaved as I turned the rest of my body to face the invader. The outcry reabsorbed into my lungs.

  "What do you want?" I asked with an unsteady voice, taking a step backward toward my room. There had to be something in there I could use to defend myself. Fear stirred inside of me as he stepped closer.

  "Stay back!" I thrust a hand out. He hesitated before taking another step. Chills coursed through me. I worked to take deep gulps air as my hands fell upon the door frame to my room.

  "You are late to answer your call to the duty of your Coven. I'm a bounty hunter. I've come to collect you."

  "What are you talking about, you freak?" My throat was growing tight. The fear in me was building, morphing into something more. I figured a panic attack was on the way. With his next step, the fright began to feel like pure energy, I could feel it burning a hole inside of me.

  "My name is not 'freak.'"

  Gleaming red eyes probed me. There was still a hood atop his head, but it was different from before. Judging by his mostly shapeless form, I figured that he was wearing a cloak. I twisted my face in every direction looking for something, anything, to use against him. The floorboards groaned in protest to his weight as he moved closer still. Hot breath poured down my back.

  The thing inside of me split wide open at that moment. Whatever it was, it had hit its peak. White-hot energy crawled over my skin. I looked down with wide eyes to find that actual energy flashes were traveling between my fingers. The little electricity bolts coiled around my knuckles and began to strike up my forearms. It was like watching a lightning storm. A hiss sounded behind my ear.

  I did the only thing I could think of, which was to twirl around and plant a fist straight into the intruder's snout. The current surged outward once the contact was established. It raced from my fingers and branched out across his face, which was pinched in anticipation. I observed in horror as he tore at the bolts, trying to pull the web of electricity apart. I jerked back as it fizzled out, leaving his face smoking. With a clenched jaw, he lunged at me.

  "Think you can beat me, little witch?" he roared, clutching my throat, and hoisting me three feet above the floor. His grip contracted just enough to cut the oxygen from entering my airways. Efforts to pull myself loose weren't working, so I changed tactics. Self-defense videos I occasionally partook in say to 'go for the eyes,' so that's what I did in my frantic state of mind.

  His face was still smoldering from the energy blast I had somehow just conjured. I could feel the burning strands as I struck his face. Putting what little knowledge I had into action, I pushed the hood back, fully intent on doing what must be done. With eyebrows drawn tightly together, I watched the hood tumble across his shoulders and down his back. His obsidian skin was riddled with designs. The fervent ruby eyes bore into my soul, his anger feeding through me, all the way to the tip of my toes.

  But my eyes weren't secured on his, they were studying the twisted black horns growing from each side of his skull. There were two, bending wickedly around the crown of his head. Holy Hell. Wriggling and thrashing, I urgently tried to get away from the monster attacking me. His grip slackened enough for me to take in a deep breath before he released me to the floor.

  Chapter Four

  "You use that filthy Witch power on me again, and I will kill you. King's gold be damned, I won't let my status be sullied by Witch markings."

  "What are you?" I cried with more terror in my voice than I thought was possible. A laugh thundered from his chest in a way that made my skin crawl. He replaced the hood, taking care to pull it low onto the bridge of his nose.

  "Even with a crushed throat, she speaks."

  He thrust the same hand that had just been wrapped around my throat into my face. I didn't accept it and instead gawked at him as I rose to my feet on my own. He dropped his fist and proceeded to watch me struggle to get up.

  "Can you at least tell me what it is that you want from me? Without blocking my windpipe, preferably?"

  "As I told you before, you are due elsewhere."

  "What does that even mean? What are you?"

  "The name of my kind is Demon. Just as you are a Witch."

  He said the word like it left a bad taste on his tongue.

  "Yeah, got that much," I steadied myself. I was really in no position to get snappy with this thing, Demon, whatever. Maybe the fact that I had already expected him to kill me, twice, with no results was leaving me a bit cocky. Not that I was complaining about him not killing me, yet. "What is it that I am supposed to be doing?"

  "You should have answered the call to your birthplace by now, to compete in the Fae Prince's little games. Your mother's Coven expects your part
icipation."

  "My...mother? How do you know my mother?"

  Either this guy was playing some kind of sick joke, or he wanted me to do that little magic trick again.

  "I don't have time for chatting. If you want to know more, you can find someone to converse within Blaive's castle."

  "You came here to do what? Take me to a castle? I think I deserve some kind of answers!" He closed the distance between us. The same foul odor from the night before surrounded me.

  "Listen and listen well. Time goes by quickly while I'm here. So quickly, in fact, that it has taken a week of my time to find you. If I don't get you to Blaive soon, my payment will become forfeit. Do you know what that means for you, pretty little Witch?" He toyed with a curl on my shoulder, sending a shiver down my spine.

  "It means that you will have cost me a job that could feed me for a year. If you are of no use to me," He released the lock and came in even closer. "I will discard you and let your prince find the pieces I leave behind."

  "And if I refuse the prince?" I stood as tall as I could manage.

  Only then, I heard Ava's singsong voice calling for me through the house.

  "Eden? Where are you?"

  The Demon spared a glance over his shoulder and looked back at me with that wicked grin, showing every pointed tooth in his disgusting mouth.

  "Then the next in line to your mother's throne will take your place. Make your decision."

  He erupted into spirals of black vapor, disappearing from the room. Ava's footfalls hammered down the hallway. She reached the doorway and flipped the light on, staring at me with a scowl.

  "Why are you standing alone in the dark? And what the heck is that smell? Are you smoking in here?"

  I gazed back at her, my heart descending in my chest. He had meant her. If I withdrew, Ava would be required to go in my place. What if both of us refused? I trembled at the thought while she made her way over to me.

  "Are you alright, Eden? It looks like you've seen a ghost or something."