Catching Temptation (In Darkness She Fades book 1)

by Sarah Erber

  Chapter Twelve

  Reviving Memories

  “Don’t let Mom bully you.”

  “I’ve got nothing to hide.” I love Karma for putting up with my depression for the past month and a half. “I don’t know if I’ll be out of the office before it happens, but if I don’t see you again, I wanted you to know, you’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”

  Karma wipes tears from her cheeks. “See what you made me do. It’s going to suck without you around, again. It sucked when you weren’t around this semester.” Over the past month and a half, Karma helped me hide from my family. If Jenkins survives, I refuse to put my family back in danger. The back roads around Urbanna, Virginia shelter many abandoned houses. I took up residence in one of the houses in the woods. Ever since my last encounter with Silus, I crave the safety of the forest, and the beauty that comes with it.

  A question I have been dying to ask since my return from Rosewood, escapes my mouth before I can stop it. “Karma, what are you?”

  The rhythmic rise and fall of Karma’s chest stops. “What?”

  “I can see you. Your hair is like gold.” I touch Karma’s dull hair. “Your skin glows like a light is shining underneath it.”

  Karma’s tears decrease.

  “And your eyes.” I observe my best friend’s frightened face. “They’re such a brilliant blue it almost scared me the first time I saw you when I came back. I’ve never seen anyone else who looks like you.”

  “I didn’t know I look different.”

  I grin. “Seems like our next mystery, is you.”

  

  I sit in the guidance counselor’s office, listening to the news, and waiting for the eclipse to happen. While the school surrounding me erupts into chaos, my only thoughts are on him. Eyes shining like candles in the dark and needlepoint teeth, the shade of chrome, accent his horrifying face. Despite his beastly features, I love him. Like Beauty loves the Beast.

  The office door hurls open behind me with an annoying squeak. It bounces on its hinges and then shuts with a bang.

  “–ridiculous nonsense! We’re not even close enough for the hurricane to affect us! Oh, Hun, I have to go. I have an appointment with a young woman.” She pauses. “Yes, Karma’s in her last class. She’ll come to my office when she’s done. Herb, just because every other parent is taking their child out of school doesn’t mean we’re going too. I’ve gotta go. Uh-huh – bye.”

  I shift in my seat.

  “Hello Temptation, I’m sorry I kept you waiting.” The counselor stuffs her cherry-tinted cell phone into her tote bag. It bulges. “It seems like my intelligent husband is terrified along with everyone else. Ridiculous.” She drops, or rather throws, her bag on top of the file cabinet. “I’m Mrs. Linn.” Her gaudy necklaces clank together as she sits down behind her desk. She places a pair of jeweled reading glasses on the bridge of her pointy nose. It strangely resembles a stereotypical witch’s nose. “Do you know why I’ve called you into my office today, Temptation?” Mrs. Linn’s eyes flicker over area where my shoulder curves to my neck.

  I tug the collar of my crochet shirt up and twist my fingers around the ends of my lengthy hair. “No. I’ve only been in school a month and a half. I haven’t misbehaved in any of my classes.”

  Mrs. Linn rises to her feet and paces around the office. The thump of her stilettos matches my own heartbeats. “I’ve received a few complaints from other students about–”

  “I don’t talk to anyone,” I interrupt, keeping my eyes on the desk with carvings of angels. “Anyone who tries to talk to me, I ignore.” I cross my beige arms. “Is it my hair? I like it black and white.” Ever since my departure from Rosewood, I re-dyed my hair black. Only highlights of white remain.

  Mrs. Linn halts and regards my hair for a brief moment before smiling.

  I notice her perfectly human teeth. The tension between us is suffocating. Gods, I want to get out of the office. I wish Mrs. Linn would crack a window; I need a breeze in here.

  “A few students spied you washing your clothes in the locker room showers. People have also seen you stealing food from cafeteria and hiding it in your bag.” She glances down at my backpack, which reeks of soy burgers.

  My body sags. “I get hungry easily.”

  “What about your clothes?”

  “What about them? I don’t like stains.”

  “Yes, but you’re always wearing scarves or turtle neck shirts.”

  “It’s winter.”

  “One of your teachers approached me today. She swore she saw blood underneath your shirt collar. We both believe you’re being or have been abused.”

  “Well, I’m not. So you both can keep those crazy assumptions to yourselves.” I fold my arms over my chest. My unnatural eyes kill the calmness of the flowery room.

  Mrs. Linn strides around her desk. Bending down to my eye level, she says, “It’s absolutely imperative you describe to me the circumstances you find yourself in. It’s unnecessary for you to be afraid. I can help.” Her fingernails, the shade of ripe pomegranates, reach out and peel back the crochet collar from my neck.

  My eyes, swirling electric lime-violet, twitch to my reflection in a mirror behind Mrs. Linn. The jagged bite mark on my neck still looks fresh. As fresh as the day he gave it to me. Halloween. He was right. It was sharp and unpleasant. I fight to keep the emotions swirling within from reaching my voice. “I-I want to go home like everyone else.”

  Mrs. Linn drops her perfumed hand and ascends to her feet. She strides over to the file cabinet, ignoring my statement. “I called your uncle earlier.”

  I press my ruby lips together. Tilting my view away from my foreign reflection, I stare out of the window, and watch panicky parents arrive early to pick up their teenagers. They embrace their near-adult children like toddlers. Everyone rushes to their vehicles, fearful of the minuscule amount of time they possess. But not me. Time is all I have and, because of Silus, death is not an option.

  “The people I called said they didn’t have a niece. I checked your transcript papers.” Mrs. Linn tosses a file down. It lands with a loud thud, despite the shouts from the students outside. Mrs. Linn twists her stiff hair up and clips it. Platinum blonde spikes outline her head like a demented halo. “I tried to contact your old school, Rosewood High. It does not exist. In fact, every single document we have on you proves you don’t exist. Our records show Temptation Falls died earlier this year. Child Protective Services have been called. They’ll be her shortly, so if you want to change your story, now would be the time to do it.”

  I continue to ignore Mrs. Linn’s penetrating line of questions. I am not surprised Mrs. Linn does not remember me. Whatever Silus injected into me through the bite mark, is changing my entire body. I often wonder if I am becoming part goblin myself. As for my cousins, I found out Uncle Jack went through the court system to prove they were not dead. I can only guess magic affected everything when we entered Rosewood. After all, we should not be alive. I urged my cousins to keep away from me until I discover the outcome of the battle of Rosewood. Though he was reluctant, Uncle Jack agreed to move to a different area in Virginia.

  “Temptation, I know my daughter hangs around you sometimes. You need to tell me what happened to you.” Mrs. Linn lays a soft hand on top of my henna-tattooed palm. “I promise, whoever did this to you won’t hurt you ever a–”

  “You can’t help me,” I snap and withdraw my barbaric hand. “No one can. I went to Rosewood High. It’s where all this crap started. Where he lied to me. Tricked me.” I glare at Mrs. Linn. “He’s not human.”

  Mrs. Linn’s confusion transforms into pity. She stares at me as if I am a lost three-year-old. “Temptation, there’s no such thing as nonhuman beings. The town of Rosewood doesn’t exist–”

  Emotions overtake my actions. I slam my fist down on the desk, startling Mrs. Linn. “Rosewood can’t be found on maps! The only way to get into Rosewood is if someone who’s b
een there before shows you. I would’ve died there if I wasn’t saved by–!” Halting, I grip the sides of my head and shake my thoughts away. I cannot speak his name – not without having a breakdown. A cold tear escapes my inhuman eye and rolls down my cheeks. I hate being alone. It is still possible Jenkins survived and not Silus?

  Mrs. Linn plucks a few delicate tissues off her desk and offers them to me. “You need to stay calm, Temptation. Let’s say, for the sake of argument, I believe you.”

  Liar. I grit my sharp teeth.

  “But I need you to explain to me the how you received those cuts on your neck.” She scoots her chair back and reclaims her seat. Fingers lacing together, she waits patiently for me to speak.

  I rub my nose with the tissue and sniff. “They’re not cuts. I was bitten,” I mumble.

  The guidance counselor gaffs. “It’s hardly a bite mark, Temptation. More like someone took a set of razor blades to your neck. I’m surprised you survived. You’re going to have to see the school nurse later, unless she’s an idiot like everyone else. In which case, I’ll take you to the hospital myself.” She studies the wound from across the desk. “You’ll probably need stitches since it hasn’t healed.”

  Viewing the unclear sky through the office window, I say, “The eclipse should be starting soon.”

  Mrs. Linn leans forward. In a low voice, almost a whisper, she asks, “What happened?”

  A shaky laugh escapes my lungs. “It would require a huge leap of faith for you to believe me.” Dreadful memories flood my vision, cranking out buried emotions rusting with decay. “It started the day I moved to Rosewood with my cousins. I knew something was wrong as soon as we passed the sign.” I pick up the golden locket dangling against my chest. “You know the weird feeling you get when you walk through a graveyard at night?”

  Mrs. Linn adjusts her glasses on her powdery nose, apparently insulted by the mere idea of having a nighttime stroll in a cemetery. “I’ve never walked through a graveyard at night, but I can imagine how frightening it must feel.”

  I shrug and unsnap the twinkling locket. I gaze longingly at the two photos within its tiny metal heart. “I used to walk through the graveyard where my parents are buried. You get this feeling, as if you’re not welcome because you are part of the living world. Only the dead are welcome.” My attention returns to the foggy window. Dark clouds pass over the sun, causing a few people to scream outside in the courtyard. I wish my worst fear is the hurricane. Not my life. Not what I am becoming alone.

  “How does this feeling pertain to Rosewood?”

  I see flashes of chrome teeth that are jagged like a cluster of scalpel blades. Their soulless eyes would even haunt a ghost. “It’s what Rosewood is. A graveyard. And the living, are not welcome.”

  I recount what happened in Rosewood. Mrs. Linn listens intently the entire time. By the time I finish, the color in Mrs. Linn’s cheeks drains away.

  “My goodness that’s quite a tale. I don’t suppose you have any physical proof?”

  “Don’t you see my teeth – my eyes?”

  Mrs. Linn grimaces, but swats an imaginary fly away. “You can buy those online or at special stores.”

  “Fine.” I dig into the pocket of my bag and pull out a tattered book. “This is the book Mrs. Peters gave me.”

  Mrs. Linn plucks the book from me and flips through it.

  I glance around the office, while Mrs. Linn reads the ancient book. My eyes land on a photograph of the counselor’s daughter. Even in the photo, I can see the real Karma hidden so well from the goblins.

  “Do you know if Jenkins is dead?”

  The new fear in Mrs. Linn’s voice startles me. “I can’t feel him or Silus. I don’t know what happened after I left. If they’re alive, I should see one of them today–”

  “Did Jenkins ever mention any other Nephilims?”

  My brow creases. “No. Why?”

  “Did he ever say what other world would appear today?”

  I stare at the counselor’s bug-eyed expression. “What kind of being is your daughter?”

  Mrs. Linn blinks. “What?”

  I point to the photo on the desk. “I can tell Karma’s not all human. What is she? A Nephilim?”

  Mrs. Linn removes her glasses with a shaking hand. “No. Something a bit more special.”

  The television blinks a few times before blacking out. Darkness creeps into the room.

  “The eclipse is starting.”

  The earth shakes beneath our feet and a sharp wind howls. Mrs. Linn screams and grasps the desk. The room is covered in darkness. The window makes a cracking noise. It breaks. Shards of glass whip into the office and graze our skin. The window on the office door pops like a bubble. Before Mrs. Linn or I can move, the contents of the office swirl like a tornado. Cackling enters the room and glowing eyes narrow in on me.

  Mrs. Linn shrieks.

  I beam. Warm arms encircle my waist. Unlike humans, I can see perfectly in the dark.

  Silus’ handsome face registers my own. “I told you I’d come back for you.”

  My eyes turn an electric green and the black part of my hair fades away, leaving a beautiful white shine. My figure morphs into sharper features. I can feel the mark on my neck heal instantly. “I didn’t know if you were alive.”

  Silus chuckles. “Did you really think Jenkins could defeat me?” Conjuring a single blue rose from his pocket, he hands it to me. Raking a claw through my hair, he massages his fingers down to my shoulders. “Will you come back with me?”

  I smile and snake my arms around his neck. “Tempt me.”

  Pulling me into a tighter embrace, he kisses me. I deepen the kiss, loving every second of our connection. The way he smells of pine and a single strand of his black hair slashes across his eye. I finally have a family. I can finally go home.

  The surrounding goblins cheer, except for Remorse. He is staring at the photo on Mrs. Linn’s desk. Picking up the photo, he strokes the picture of the plain girl. His eyes flicker to Mrs. Linn when she makes a gurgling noise. A lamp lay on the floor with light still emitting from its’ flashing core. “Be this yer daughter?”

  Mrs. Linn’s body freezes, but she manages to nod.

  “Yer a witch, but human, so her father be the immortal.” Remorse frowns and points a spidery finger at Mrs. Linn. “Be warned, yer daughter’s life be in danger. He be huntin’ her at de moment. He can feel her and yer disguise ain’t gonna fool him. Teach yer daughter how to do the spell or she’ll be found before the week is out. Yer not alone in this world anymore and yer daughter be not the only one of her kind. Jenkins woulda taken her if he’d lived. But he be not as powerful as the creature seeking yer daughter.”

  The goblins cackle loudly. The eclipse is about to end. After all, they only last about five minutes.

  Silus holds me – his new queen – as the wind picks up. “Return to Rosewood!”

  The goblins pop out of the room and into the blackness of the world. I smile – happy for the first time – to fade into the darkness.

  Thank you for reading book one of the In Darkness She Fades Series. I would love to read your thoughts on Catching Temptation. Please leave a review on Amazon or any other site that allows a review for Catching Temptation.

  Incurable Karma, book 2 of the In Darkness She Fades Series, is Available Now!

  About the Author

  Sarah Erber spent her childhood growing up around the lush forests and beautiful lakes around Interlochen, Michigan. Since childhood, she moved to Central Texas where she is rearing her two beautiful little girls, Karma and Isis. Between raising children, working, going to College, and writing novels, she still finds time to dip into a good book.

  Please visit her on her facebook page at www.facebook.com/saraherberbooks

  Works in Progress

  Incurable Karma, book 2 of the In Darkness She Fades Series is Available!

  Embracing Tragedy, book 3 of the In Darkness She Fa
des Series is in production.

  My New Adult fiction novel A Martyr for Freedom is in production.