The Darkness in You (The Darkness Series Book 2)

by Diane Ashley Nortje

  “Albert, thank you for coming.” Bishop says to him and gives him his hand to shake. I watch as the old gentleman walks through the door, barely able to keep himself up right. I watch as he braces himself on the side of the wall, before he walks in further.

  That’s Albert? That can’t be the same man I met a few days ago. It just can’t be. He has aged at least twenty years. How is this even possible?

  “I’ve been waiting a long time, Bishop and as you can see, my time is coming to an end.” Albert says to Bishop as he takes Bishops hand in his and gives it a shake.

  Once his eyes leave Bishops, they travel the room we are in and take in the rest of the men that are blocking me mostly from his view.

  “Hades, still pissing everyone off?” He asks and Hades just smiles at him and raises his teacup as a gesture.

  “Old man, you know me too well.” And once again, they give each other a handshake.

  I watch as he walks further into the room, greeting everyone around him with a smile and warmth not many people have these days. And once he gets to Mason, they too shake hands and exchange small words between them. Once his eyes land on me, his smile grows wider.

  “Natalie, my dear girl.” He says to me and comes over to kiss my hands. His touch feels cold to my hands and I see he has aged far more than I originally thought. His skin is soft and is smooth but gentle, but I feel his grip on mine is weak.

  “Albert? How is this possible?” I ask him. Tears threaten to spill from my eyes, as anyone can tell that his time is coming to an end and very soon.

  “It’s a long story and hopefully one of these assholes will explain it to you. But I’m just so happy to have met one of you. They all have waited so long for you lot to start appearing in their lives. Idiots will fight it, but there is no denying it. I’m just so grateful to have met you.” He says to me.

  I don’t know what he is talking about and I don’t want to dwell on it any longer than necessary.

  Albert kisses my hands once more and then moves towards Jacin’s still form on the bed. “It’s confirmed, yes?” He asks out.

  “Yes, it’s the same herbs from last time, Albert.” Mason answers and Albert gives a small nod and a sigh as his answer.

  “You- You, did you say goodbye?” Bishop asks him and I’m not sure why he would say something like that.

  “Yes, they all knew it was coming. They are okay, but you will all keep an eye on my family. My kids, my grandchildren, I hope.” Albert says to the three men as the five and Weyland have seemed to have slipped out without me noticing.

  “Every generation will be taken care of and looked after. You have the word of the brotherhood.” Hades says surprisingly.

  “Thank you and you will guide me?” Albert says to Hades.

  “All the way, right into Helens arms.” Hades replies and I look back and forth between them, I have no idea what is going on!

  “Thank you, then I am ready.” Albert says to us and then turns to place his bag on the table next to the bed. “You will give us some time, yes? It won’t take long. Hades will know when it’s done.” Albert says to us.

  Each man walks over to Albert and gives him and hug, each whispering small words for Alberts ears only and I watch tears forming at his eyes. Once each of the men have hugged Albert, he turns to me.

  His expression falls from his face once he sees me. “And for the love of god, will one of you explain to Natalie what the hell is going on.” He says to the men and walks over to me and gives me a hug. “Goodbye, Little Lady. Take good care of him for me.” He whispers into my ear and I finally get what’s happening, but I don’t understand why!

  “Wait, wait, what’s going on.” I say to Albert and he gives me a small smile and nods to the men. Bishop walks over and hauls me over his shoulder and moves towards the door, with Mason and Hades following. Once the door is shut, we make our way downstairs.

  “Wait Bishop. What is going on. What did Albert mean by all of that?” I say to him, but all he does is shift me on his shoulder and I let out an unladylike oomph.

  Once we reach the bottom of the stairs, we make our way through the house, each twist and turn we go through, my questions go unanswered by the men that follow me. All I want to know is what is going on. Can’t they just give me some sort of an answer. I’ll take anything at this moment.

  Once my feet land on the hard-wooden floors of the front sitting room. I move out of reach from Bishop and turn to face the rest of the men. Weyland and my five are already seated and Hades and Mason go to sit on the two-seater together.

  “What was that? What just happened!” I shout at Bishop.

  “Sit and we will explain.” Bishop gestures to the chair and I turn to go and sit. Once I’m seated, I watch Bishop intently. He is going to have to explain everything to me, whether he wants to or not!

  “I have known Jacin since he was a little boy. The years are countless Natalie. And Albert has known him just as long. We were there for him as a small boy, when his father wasn’t. I was hard on him and Albert was always kind and giving. As the nature of a Healer normally is. So, don’t think we take what is happening upstairs lightly and once Jacin comes through, he is going to be devastated once he is told.” Bishops says to me and I nod my head at him in agreement.

  “The years went by, Jacin grew to be the man he is today, and events took place. Events I don’t want to get into. But those events that took place were all prophesied by The Fates themselves. All of them have come true, so we can only believe what is still waiting to occur will definitely occur.” Bishop continues to say to me, and I sit dead quiet. Only nodding my head at him as an understanding.

  “One day, Jacin and Hades, being the fucking pair they are, smoked some of Hades drugs. The drugs Hades normally smokes are strong, but nothing Jacin can’t handle and they normally wear off in an hour or so. So, it wasn’t uncommon for Hades and Jacin to smoke. But one day, Hades had some new stuff and it fucked them up, to the point they were almost comatose. Much like Jacin is now, but he is obviously worse as he has had to endure weeks of it. I’m just surprised they knew to use such small doses on him. But anyway, back to the story. They were pretty fucked up and it got bad, but lucky Albert was there and caught it early. He was able to heal them and basically that was the last time both of them smoked.” Bishop says to me, my eyes flick to Hades and he once again is sipping on his tea.

  I nod my head in understanding and Bishop continues with his story.

  “After that night, The Fates visited Albert, but he only confided in me many, many years later. He told me a day would come that he would meet a woman and that day he would give up his immortality for her. He needed to because the day would come that he would give his life for the brotherhood, a life for a life. He did it, without second guessing and the day he met Helen, he gave it all up for her. He stayed on as our healer, but aged. Helen passed away two years back and he has been waiting to join her in the afterlife since then.”

  I can’t help myself; I choke up on the tears that threaten to fall, knowing the man upstairs is giving his life for Jacin’s.

  “He is at peace with this Natalie.” Hades says to me.

  And the tears fall freely, I can no longer hold them back.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  “In this lifetime or the next, I will wait for you.” -Natalie

  ~Jacin~

  “Jacin. Jacin my dear boy. If you can hear me. Please listen to me for once in your life. This was not your fault; you have to know that.” Alberts voice echoes in my mind. Out of all the voices I thought I would hear in my silence, was definitely not his. But it makes sense. Albert has always cared for me, even as a young boy, when Bishop was being too hard on me. Albert was there.

  “I’ve known for years that one day this would come and I’m happy to finally let go. I miss Helen, with everything in my bones, my soul craves her. My time has come and it’s your time now to fulfil your part of the prophecy.” Albert says to me and pats my hand. Hi
s skin feels cold to the touch. I smelt him dying years ago when he first met Helen, but Bishop said it was his choice to go when she does. I never understood it, until Natalie. Now I understand.

  I hear him shuffle about. The bed dips slightly and then I feel cold liquid being painted onto my skin. The liquid stops and I feel his cold skin run the length on my chest. “What have they done to you my dear boy? I can only be grateful that you heal fast and nothing can injure you too badly.” Albert continues to talk to me, as I feel a prick in my inner arm. “But it’s time for you to come back, you need to reign, and you need to come back to that dear girl. She needs you to come back, she needs you too fight.”

  He lets out a sigh, as he pats my hand like he always used to when he wanted to tell me bad news as a boy. Albert and Bishop were more of a father figure to me than my own father was. That should have been my first indication then, all those years ago and yet I was still caught by surprise that day. Albert continues to shuffle on the bed, and I have no fucking clue what he is doing. More liquid coats my skin, another prick in my arm and Albert continues to busy himself around me.

  “I will miss our chats; the years would go by and you became more entertaining with each escapade you seem fit to take part in. I will however not miss healing your body every time you come back from them. I might not be your birth father, but I would like to think that I did a fine job in raising you.” Albert continues to murmur to me as he works on my body.

  To me that sounds like he is saying all the things he couldn’t say to me in person. More liquid paints my skin and then it fucking dawns on me what he is painting on my skin. Our blood is being mixed and he is about to give his life up for mine.

  I want to shout at him, to scream at him not to do what I think he is about to do. He can’t die for me. He has been there from the time I needed him right up until now. What have I done in my fucking life to deserve him, his kindness, his care? Even his love.

  Nothing.

  I hear Albert start to chant. The blood mixture grown hard on my skin and I start to feel it. His life force mixing with my own. His blood starts to mix with mine as it runs through my veins and I can feel the life leaving Albert and giving me more.

  ~Natalie~

  We all sit silently in the front room. No one speaks, only the sound of heavy breathing and the crunch of the leather seats as we shift in them to get comfortable. Fifteen minutes go by. The tick of the clock becoming the only source of sound and its driving me insane.

  The men sit on their phones, Bishop looks as if he is having a quick nap, Mason is murmuring to Bus and Hades, well Hades is doing what he normally does. Be creepy as fuck as he stares at me. The same fairy has come in once to give Hades tea and she soundlessly leaves the room. No one pays her much attention, no one really does anything but wait.

  The minutes keeping ticking by, until Hades abruptly stands up. His tea in hand and nods at Mason and then to Bishop whose has finally opened his eyes.

  “Albert has passed on; his soul is traveling to the underworld.” He says to us as he starts walking towards the stairs. When none of us stand to follow him, he turns to look back at us. “Well come the fuck on, don’t we all want to kick his ass when he wakes up?” Hades says with a smirk and then darts up the stairs as if it is some sort of race.

  “He is so fucking strange.” I mumble under my breathe and stand to follow Hades up the stairs.

  “Get used to him, Jacin and Hades are extremely close, that’s why Bishop most probably thought it was best that Hades didn’t find out.” Mason says from behind me.

  “I thought you were all close?” I say to him, which he gives me a big smile in response.

  “Oh, we are, but Hades and Jacin are the youngest, their duties to the brotherhood and to their purpose are similar and they tend to get up to more shit than what me or Bishop would.” Mason explains to me.

  “So, what are you?” I ask Mason as we start to climb the stairs to Jacin’s bedroom, Bishop follows behind me along with my five.

  “You clearly have no filter, do you?” Mason askes me and I shake my head. I don’t. Not anymore and not when it comes to these men.

  “After the shit I have had to put up with, Bishop then Hades, I think I should just start asking right out what I need to know, saves a whole dance if I do.”

  “What you need to know.” Mason simply states to me and keeps walking up the steps with me.

  “Sorry?”

  “You will get the answers to what you need to know, but you don’t need to know what I am, you want to know. And knowing what I am, will not influence you.” Mason says to me, without even looking at me, as we climb the stairs together.

  “Is that your way of telling me no?” I ask him, sarcasm lacing my words as we continue.

  “Yes, the less people that know, the better.” Mason simply states.

  “Did you miss the part where I’m Jacin’s mate, your brother, so does that not give me any brownie points.” I point out to him and I don’t know why I even bother. These men are stubborn. Too stubborn for their own good.

  “No.” He simply states as we continue to climb the stairs together.

  “Wow, it really is a miracle that all you guys get along, all of you seem so damn stubborn.”

  “This whole thing is just an adjustment. I’m sure by the time the last one is found; we would have gotten used to it.”

  “Last what is found?” I ask Mason, but he looks at me confused, then he looks back to Bishop who is climbing the stairs behind us. I then look at Bishop, but he just shrugs his shoulders at me.

  Once we reach the top of the stairs, we make out way down towards Jacin’s room. The room is now empty, there is no sign of Albert and only Jacin lays still on the bed. I move further into the room, hoping beyond hope that Alberts body is not laying on the floor. It isn’t. It’s not by the bed and it’s not on the floor. I search the area. Hades was the first one here, but we followed soon after. There was no way Albert could have been moved that quickly.

  Hade must notice my confusion, or he is being nosey and is reading my mind. “He was extremely old.” Hades says to me.

  “I kind of guessed that, but what does that mean?”

  “He turned to dust the moment he passed on, only his soul is left, which is making its way through the underworld, back to his wife.” Hades says to me like it was the most normal answer in the world.

  “Well, I guess it’s good that you are a man of your word.” I say to Hades and look back down at Jacin’s sleeping form.

  “No reason to lie. A person will never make me do anything I wouldn’t willingly do.”

  “Noted.” I say to Hades and I take Jacin’s hand in mine. I’m not letting him go, ever again.

  ~ ~ ~

  Hours have passed. I just watch the steady rise and fall of Jacin’s chest. I’m starting to wonder if what Albert did, actually worked. What if he gave his life for nothing and Jacin doesn’t wake up? Well, it wouldn’t have been for nothing, he wanted to go to his wife.

  Time passes by and we wait. Me and the nine men that haven’t left yet. Fairies fly in and out for Hades. Bishop looks like he is sleeping again, and Mason is on the phone mostly, whispering to whoever he keeps phoning.

  Albert said that he is so glad to have finally met one. One what? Was Jacin the first in the brotherhood to find their mate? Does that mean, that each of the brotherhood has a monster within them?

  I watch the men closely now at that thought. I know Bishop has a monster within him, he admitted it to me already that he did and that he too felt the divide of his soul. But what of Hades and Mason? Hades monster came out to play but does that mean there is a mate out there for him. Mason, I have only just met, and he seems like he is the most normal of the lot. He doesn’t have a weird obsession with tea, and he hasn’t tried to get into my mind, just yet. But there is always time for him to bully me I suppose.

  My thoughts are finally disturbed when Jacin’s hand starts to move. The one that I haven’
t been holding moves over his chest to where the paint was painted a few hours back. Jacin’s hand swipes over his chest and moves down his stomach, pushing the cover back with his actions, revealing his muscular stomach to my very greedy eyes.

  God Natalie, get a grip, he is coming back from the brink of death and you are ogling all his yummy bits.

  Jacin starts to moan as he moves his hand over his stomach as if he is in pain, but I can’t be too sure. My hand grips his hand tighter; I don’t know what to do, his hand returns my squeeze but still his eyes are shut. I look over at the other men and they too have stopped what they are doing. What if something went horribly wrong and the spell is no longer working?

  The dried paint starts to disappear, as if his body is absorbing it. Jacin groans again as his hand moves over his stomach. I’m starting to worry that the spell didn’t work.

  I watch as Bishop looks at Jacin odd and then my eyes moves to Hades who has a little evil smile going on, on his face. Mason just stands there with his hands in his pockets. Like they are waiting for Jacin to jump up and start dancing.

  I look back to Jacin, his painful groans have stopped, but while he was moving his hand over his stomach, he moved the covers to reveal his very hard erection. My eyes stayed glued to his dick for a few seconds before Bishop disturbs my thoughts.

  “Ha! This motherfucker, should have left him for fucking dead.” Bishop says out loud and Hades starts to laugh.

  “He senses his mate, I can’t imagine what it must be like to want the same woman, all the fucking time.” Hades says as he continues to laugh at something, which he is only clearly privy to.

  “Yeah well, get used to the fucking idea. It’s gonna happen any fucking day now.” Mason replies to Hades and once again I have no damn clue what they are on about.

  “What are you guys talking about.”

  The three men turns their heads towards me, as if they forgot I was in the room with them.