The Darkness in You (The Darkness Series Book 2)

by Diane Ashley Nortje

  I look back to Weyland. I should feel some sort of remorse, something other than a job well done. But it doesn’t come, and she stirs, wanting to shed more blood, but I push her back. She must behave.

  “Fuck. You. You brought me to a whore house!”

  “This house is a fucking cover. Now what the fuck is your problem?” He whispers in my ear. “I didn’t take your small fucking ass as prude.”

  “I’m not a prude. She got control and I couldn’t get it back.”

  “Why? What set her off.”

  I look to the small puddle of blood and then back at Weyland and smile. “I guess that’s one less whore to worry about.”

  Weyland watches me, his eyes taking in every small detail, when finally, he lets out a small laugh, and releases his hold on me slightly.

  “I don’t find anything about this situation funny, Weyland.” I grumble out.

  “Ask me.”

  “Ask you what?”

  “Ask me the question your jealous ass has on the tip of her tongue.” He says to me.

  I look around, the crowd has dispersed and the five have gathered around, listening to the conversation that is happening.

  “Did he ever come here?” I say to Weyland.

  “Did who ever come here?” Weyland asks me innocently. God he is so annoying.

  “Jacin.” I grind out.

  “Yes, many times.” Weyland says to me and watches me closely.

  I feel my body start to shake, my eyes glossing over and I feel the itch in my palm once more as destructive thoughts play out. Weylands hold on me tightens once more. I feel him dip into my shoulder again, licking the spot he had latched onto before.

  A warning.

  “I will kill them all.” The voice that comes out of me, I don’t even recognise it.

  “It’s a cover Natalie. And yes, he fucked the women here. So what?”

  “He is mine.” I grate out to him as I try pull her back in so I can have control.

  “Yes, he is now. His dick has been mopping about since you have left. He hasn’t touched another woman since you.” Weyland whispers in my ear and starts to lick the path where he will bite me again.

  “Will you stop fucking licking me, I’m not your fucking supper!” I grind out to Weyland. “How would you know?” I ask him once he has stopped licking me.

  “Oh, I will know. Just like I can smell your enchantress inside you, I can smell Jacin. I can smell who he has been around, who he has been with. That’s how I knew you had dream walked with him. I smelt you, on him.” Weyland says to me. “Now get control, or I will get it for you.”

  I take a few deep breathes in and out, trying to fight her for control. When she finally lets up and I feel her retreat, I give Weyland a nod, and then he releases his hold on me.

  “Is she dead?” I ask Weyland.

  “No, just knocked out. Sexy as fuck by the way.”

  “She didn’t like that he had been with women here.” I grumble out, embarrassment starting to form in my gut from what I just did.

  “It’s natural to get jealous Natalie. And I know you don’t fully understand this mate business. But you are his and he is yours. It’s done. No take backs, no second guesses.”

  I nod my response. “Let’s just get this over and done with.”

  “Please and let’s try keep our anger issues in check, okay?”

  I look over to where Dimitri has appeared once more out of the darkness and is eyeing me with suspicion and respect. Why because I lost my shit on a naked woman or because he saw what lurks beneath my surface? I don’t want to know, and he can keep his thoughts to himself.

  I finally get a chance to take in my surroundings. It screams gentleman’s club. Why hadn’t I picked up on that first, when we first walked through the doors. Dark wooden walls make up the room, which is lined with bookcases. Ornamental rugs line the floors with large wingback chairs sit. There is a fireplace off to the end of the room and a large glass chandelier hangs in the centre of the room.

  There are two massive staircases that take up most of the room and winds its way to the top onto the next floor, which I can see is also decorated in a similar manor. There is no one about but I can smell cigar smoke coming from somewhere in the house and the giggling is continuing elsewhere too. Thankfully not near me. I ignore the sounds further or she might escape again and go in search of more helpless victims.

  “Follow me.” Dimitri says and leads us up the winding stairs, through large double doors. My heels clicking behind him as we go through the house. I feel the blood drying on my face and I don’t even want to see the state of my hair.

  “Natalie.” I hear Weyland say beside me. I look over to him and watch as he doesn’t even bother to look in my direction. “I need you to act like you own this house, they will eat you alive in there if they sense a weakness in you.”

  “Act? I thought Bishop knew we were coming?”

  “No and he doesn’t know jack about what has happened to Jacin. I doubt he would have agreed to meet here in any case.”

  “So why haven’t you spoken to him?” I ask.

  “Too many ears and we can’t have the wrong people knowing. I’m going to speak with him tonight and ask a favour of him. Let’s just hope he agrees.”

  “What kind of favour?”

  “I don’t think you will want to know right now, and I can’t have you running away, screaming for the hills.

  “Okay. Act. I’ve got this. I’ve got this.” I say more to myself that to Weyland, while trying to pull some matted hair from my face.

  “And Natalie, Bishop is going to be pissed. Just warning you. An angry Bishop is not someone you want to challenge.” Weyland says to me but doesn’t wait for my answer and continues on ahead of me.

  Luckily my thoughts are distracted when we pass by a large mirror. The woman staring back at me, has semi crazed eyes and a blood streaks on her face. But everything else is normal. For once, luck is on my side. But I know that when I do get lucky, it runs out faster than a water puddle in the desert. What could possibly happen next?

  ~Jacin~

  Another fisted hand connects with my jaw and I feel my tooth dislodge, only to start the healing process before pain makes itself known. Again, another strike, and I feel nothing. Again. Blood slips passed my closed mouth and I can’t help but chuckle at these fuckers, which causes more blood to run free down my neck to coat my chest and mix with the already dried blood.

  “You lot are fucking pathetic.” I murmur out to them. I’m waiting. Patiently. My beast stirs within me. But he knows my plan. He must wait too.

  “Will you think me fucking pathetic when I fuck your mate right in front of you?” Number thirty-four says to me. I gave them numbers because I was killing them to fast and couldn’t bothered to remember their names.

  Before I can reply and use my magic to twist his head off, I’m cut off by the most annoying fucker of the lot, number forty-five. “I wouldn’t poke his beast; we cannot kill him, and your fucking ugly face is hard to forget!”

  “He doesn’t even fight back! You fuckers are so afraid of him? For what?” Number thirty-four says.

  “The fact he ain’t fighting back should be a warning to you, you dumb fuck. Now we have our orders, he can’t get out of his little prison. Wait for Master to arrive.”

  “Yeah, and when the fuck will that be.”

  “When it’s time.” Number forty-five says.

  Yes. When it’s time. I am waiting. I smirk at number thirty-four; it sets him off again. I won’t kill him. I will drain the life out of him, slowly. Him and the other two, who thought I was weak.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “How do you control a monster, that demands to be heard?” - Jacin

  ~Natalie~

  Dimitri opens the last set of doors at the end of the passage he is leading us down and pauses. He looks at me like he wants to say something but then thinking better of it and shakes his head. Do I even want to know?

 
“He is inside, he doesn’t know you are here, I didn’t exactly get the chance to tell him.” Dimitri says to us.

  “Thanks.” Weyland replies, slaps him on the shoulder and moves through the doors and I follow closely behind.

  I keep telling myself that I can do this, I’m a confident bad ass chick, who can kick butt if necessary. My problem is that I’m only a confident bad ass chick if I’m in some life-threatening situation. Which hopefully I’m not going to be in one soon. I feel her stirring at the back of my mind, she feels the slightly erratic beat of my heart and I’m slowly starting to panic. I’m not sure what to expect.

  I peek over Weylands shoulder and see a small group of people that are sitting in the corner of the room. And I keep telling myself that I’m confident, and I can do this. Bishop didn’t bite last time I saw him, I’m sure it’s not going to be much different.

  I’m confident, I’m confident. Bad ass bitch here, coming through!

  I hear a burst of laughter coming from the group of people sitting on the couches and I peer over Weylands shoulder to see who is laughing, its Bishop. But he isn’t laughing at what someone in the group said, he is looking at us! Weyland peers back at me and raises an eyebrow and I just shrug. I didn’t say anything.

  When we are almost at the group of people sitting on the couches, a thought occurs to me that maybe Bishop is laughing at me, like maybe he is envisioning my death or something, because he has got to be pissed right? Jacin is not here, he is not going to save my ass from Bishops wrath and what if Jacin comes back and he finds out that Bishop got angry at me and ended my entire existence because I saw it all and did nothing to stop it from happening. Even though I was dreaming and slightly pissed at Jacin for taking my memories, I would have never let Jacin be taken like that. We don’t even know if he is alive, even though Weyland says he is, but we don’t know for sure, so am I walking to my-

  “Weyland!” I hear Bishop bellow, which stops our entire group in its path. “Where the fuck is he!” Bishop screams again.

  The people sitting beside Bishop look at him like he has gone crazy and then look to us with varying looks of concern.

  Weyland abruptly turns around and glares at me. “Really Natalie, couldn’t you keep your thoughts to yourself!” He grinds out to me.

  “Hey! I told you to stay out of my head!” I shove passed Weyland and glare at Bishop.

  “Fuck woman, can you control yourself for one moment. Don’t challenge him!”

  “It’s challenge fucking accepted, Weyland. Move out of my fucking way.” Bishop says to Weyland with his eyes glued on me as he stalks towards me. Oh, crap cakes!

  I know the best thing right now is to have some self-preservation and maybe just run. If I didn’t have my heels on, I’m sure I could have outrun him. I’m wishing now Jacin had taught me to fade, but if I remember correctly, it was Bishop that was supposed to help me out with that. I move my eyes over the storming Bishop and my fight or flight mode wants to kick in. My flight mode wins against the battle and I take a step back and then another and another. No one is stopping Bishop on his war path, I’m on my own on this one.

  “Oh, fucking no. You are not going anywhere, Little Lady.” Bishop says to me and is upon me before I can take another step back.

  His hands lock onto my head holding it in place. He is squeezing my face so hard, I’m sure I’m making the god-awful fish face. Why are these men so rough with people? Especially me! He brings our faces together and I start to fight him back. But like Jacin, I feel like I’m hammering a brick wall down with my hands and it does nothing to stop him. Our noses meet, instead of two angry eyes, I’m looking into one now. We are that close.

  “Breathe.” Is all Bishop says to me.

  I slap his arms once more and then dig my nails into his flesh. Nothing stops him. I consider kicking him where it will hurt, but that will just piss him off more. So, I go against that idea.

  “Let me in, it’s going to hurt if you don’t. Either way. I’m getting in.” He whispers to me.

  I feel something pushing at the walls of my brain. I feel like it wants to open me up like a book and read my deepest darkest secrets I hide from everyone. I try fight the feelings, but then something sharp pierces my wall and I let out a little whimper as it starts to push and push until it gains entry.

  “Easy way or the hard way, Natalie. Either way. I will get entrance.” Bishop says to me.

  I grumble, the pain starting to flow through my body, and I can’t take it anymore. My brain feels fractured, it feels broken, like I will never be whole again. Did I ever think I would be in this situation, with the Reader of all people, who is trying to flip through my mind as if it was some magazine. No.

  I give way and I feel his presence in my mind. Paging through memory, after memory. He doesn’t stay too long on each memory he looks at, he continues on through my brain as if he is flicking through some filing system, when abruptly he stops.

  He searches through the memory of the night I walked with Jacin, the night he was taken. He sees it all. The destruction, the violence, the blood. So much blood. He goes over and over it again, and every time he rewinds in my mind, I let out a whimper of pain. His dark stone eyes look back at me, until he pulls back and releases my mind from his. I fall to the floor, the pain is too much, and I black out, with the last thing I hear is “Fuck Zander!”

  ~ ~ ~

  “Natalie, wake up.” I hear Bishop say to me, but he sounds so far away. I barely make out what he says next.

  “Is she okay? You better not have hurt her!” Trays voice comes from afar.

  “Or what, puppy? You think you would stand a chance against me?” Bishop challenges him back.

  “It’s my job to protect her. You fucking destroyed her mind.”

  “She is fine, if she didn’t fight it, it wouldn’t have even hurt.” Bishop replies.

  “Natalie.” Weyland says to me, while shaking my body. “Natalie, come on. Wake up.” He whispers into my ear.

  I groan, I can’t form coherent thoughts at the moment and my head hurts. Like really hurts! I peek my eyes open and they start to water from the bright light that hangs above me. I move my arms and feel my lace dress that still covers my body. Thankfully. It was starting to get really old, really quickly with me waking up naked.

  “You’re such a dick.” I grumble out, not getting the full impact that statement deserves.

  “I asked you nicely. You didn’t have to fight me.” Bishop replies to me and turns around and moves back to his chair.

  I move Weylands hands off me and try to sit up on whatever I’m lying on. Tray quickly comes up behind me and helps me to a sitting position. Once I’m sitting, I nod my head at him and he releases his hold on me, then sits down beside me.

  “Here, water and a pain killer.” Weyland says to me while handing me the items.

  I don’t ask questions, I down the tablet along with the water. Water has never tasted so good before in my life. I move my head to glare at Bishop, who is watching me with a smug ass look on his face. My enchantress comes forward and I allow her to see Bishop. Bastard! She thinks to me. And I couldn’t agree with her more.

  “Does she want to come out and play?” Bishop says to me, the smug look still stuck on his stupid beautiful face.

  “I don’t feel like cleaning your blood off my body, Bishop.”

  “And here I thought you came here for my help.” Bishops says.

  “I have no idea why we are here!” I grumble out to him.

  “Oh, I am going to enjoy this, way too much now.”

  I hear a throat being cleared off to the side of Bishop and once I remove my glare from Bishop, I take in the other people that are in the room with us. There are two other men in the room and a woman whom is seated next to Bishop.

  I take them all in and notice they are all silent, watching but they have that air of confidence you get when you know people wouldn’t dare fuck with you.

  “I’m Albert, Natalie.” Th
e older gentleman says to me. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “I would say the same thing, but under these circumstances, it’s really not.” I say to Albert.

  “You will get used to all of us over time. Bishop is just a bit touchy when it comes to the brotherhood, that’s all.”

  “Fuck, Albert, while you about it, why don’t you just give her a fucking history lesson about us all too.” Bishop snaps out.

  “She will know, eventually, not point in keeping her in the dark.”

  “Yes, eventually.” Bishop grinds out and Albert just shakes his head at him.

  “How long has he been gone for?” The man I don’t know asks me, which pulls my attention away from Bishop as he leans over to the lady and whispers something in her ear. I watch as she gets up and leaves without another word.

  I don’t answer him, I just glare at him. After Bishops rough treatment of me, I don’t want to do anyone any favours.

  “My name is Sawyer, I’m the liaison between The Council and The Watchers.” He says to me. I still at his words. He carries the air of confidence for a reason, clearly. You don’t fuck with him. Or so I have heard.

  “A few days.” I finally answer him, either way, they will get their answers from me.

  “That’s simply fucking impossible. Just as impossible if you told me Zander was taken.” Sawyer says to me.

  “Zander?” I question. I’m sure I heard that name earlier before I passed out.

  “Zander Bishop, Natalie. But we call him by his last name.” Weyland answers my question.

  “Have you dream walked with him since then?” Bishop asks me.

  “Only parts, but I thought those were nightmares, I thought I was going crazy.”

  “What was happening in these dreams?”

  I don’t want to answer, it was bad enough that I was witness to them. I don’t want to relive them, not now, not ever. But the way things are going, I’m going to have to one day put my big girl panties on and deal with the darkness that surrounds us.