To Darkness Bound Box Set

by Zandria West

‘These are maps of the demon realm,’ I say. ‘This is where we are: the old city. There is a breach here to the north,’ I point. ‘From there we could pass over to a location not far from the town your father mentioned. It may be quicker than making the journey in the human realm. How would you feel about travelling on this side of the Barrier?’

  ‘Would we be safe?’ She looks up at me. She doesn’t show any sign of fear.

  ‘No route is safe now. This will take us through the Arvonne Forest, which at least is outside the control of the Council.’

  I catch Reuben’s eye and he gives me a tiny nod. I know what it means. He has agreed to my request, just as I’d hoped. He’d walk through fire – any one of us would – for Lana’s sake.

  Lana takes hold of my hand and twines her fingers through mine. The simple gesture almost undoes me.

  ‘I want to see my mother more than anything,’ she says slowly. ‘I understand the risks. I don’t care how we get there, honestly. Can I leave this decision to you?’ She looks up at me and meets my eyes. Her trust fills the bond between us with a warmth and strength that almost undoes me

  I nod quickly and squeeze her hand in reassurance. ‘If we can get our supplies organised, we will leave today. With your agreement, we will travel in this realm, not the human realm. We’ll take a path that is not often used. It passes through the deep forest, in lands that are yet beyond the power of the Council. Nobody is likely to search for us there.’

  The bathroom door opens and Alex steps into the room, naked except for a long white towel wrapped low around his waist, emphasising the sharp angles of his abs.

  ‘There’s a catch, though, isn’t there Gabe?’ he says in a low, dangerous voice. ‘Werewolves. The Arvonne Forest is the territory of a ferocious, insular, and mistrustful werewolf pack. I don’t know what plan our glorious leader has for getting us through it…’ He gives me a hard look, and I subdue the rise of anger that I feel. It is good that Alexander tests me. I choose to take it as an expression of concern that our plans be as carefully thought out as possible, as they should be.

  ‘I’ll guide you,’ Reuben says. ‘It’s my pack. They’ll let us through.’

  Alex raises an eyebrow but, wisely for once, says nothing.

  ‘Are you sure?’ Lana asks. ‘I thought you said they cast you out? It sounded pretty final the way you described it to me.’

  Reuben’s expression hardens. ‘Nothing is final, cub. I know my pack. I know our law. I just have to approach the request in the right way. Now, you need a decent meal before we set out. What would you like for breakfast? I’ll fix something.’

  As grateful as I am that Reuben has agreed to help guide us through the forest, I can’t help but grimace at his offer of assistance in the kitchen. Our resident lupine has never been known for his domestic skills. ‘Are you sure –?’ I begin. He’s been living in the wild a long while, and even before then…

  ‘You don’t trust me to make breakfast?’ He frowns as he stands, rising to his full height, and stretching his neck to one side to get a crick from it.

  ‘Of course he doesn’t trust you, you mutt. When was the last time you ate something that didn’t still have fur on it?’ Alex says.

  ‘I will make breakfast,’ Reuben’s frown deepens, his voice a statement of a truth so unshakeable it might be carved in stone somewhere.

  ‘Guys, let him make breakfast, for goodness sake. I’m sure it will be great,’ Lana says, looking pointedly from Alex to me.

  ‘Thank you, Lana,’ Reuben says, then wanders over to the small space in one corner of the room that serves as a kitchen.

  I turn back to the map as he begins fiddling with the gas-burner. Whatever disaster is about to occur is for once not my responsibility, and at least is not likely to be fatal. I study the map more closely. It’s a good start but it doesn’t tell us everything we need to know. I’m sure there’s another, which shows the Arvonne Forest in greater detail. That would be immensely useful, about now. I begin to dig through the chest to find it.

  ‘Don’t blame me if you’re eating charred leg of goat in a few hours’ time,’ Alex mutters and Lana laughs and swats at his arm.

  ‘Go get dressed, dufous,’ she says. To my shock, Alex obeys. Outside of a life-threatening emergency, Alexander never, ever does what he’s told to do. It’s a fundamental law of his personality: tell him to do something, and he’ll do the opposite.

  Everything is changing, I realise as I watch Alex meekly dressing, and hear Reuben clattering about with the breakfast things. We are changing.

  Lana is changing us.

  3

  LANA

  ‘Oh my god, this is amazing,’ I say, as I drown pancake number four in maple syrup.

  I see how brightly Reuben’s smile lights up his face and feel a happy glow in return.

  There’s something ridiculously adorable about my super-tough, won’t speak more than three words at a time, solitary goddamn werewolf making us all pancakes for breakfast.

  I’m wiping my sticky hands on the t-shirt I’m wearing when I notice that Alex is sitting, still and silent at the far end of the table. He doesn’t look unhappy just… pre-occupied. And he’s not eating.

  Idiot! I almost smack myself when I realise: he’s a vampire, of course he’s not eating. This is not his idea of a solid meal. In fact, solid is not how he likes his meals at all.

  I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before.

  As I contemplate this, he glances at me. I can’t read his expression at all.

  ‘Are you okay Alex?’ I say. ‘When did you last feed?’

  ‘I’m fine, thank you Lana. My feeding habits are… personal.’

  I lean back in my chair and cross my arms over my chest. ‘So are mine. I just ate four pancakes in a row and I feel like my stomach is about to explode. But that’s good, because from what I understand we’re about to head off on a long, arduous, uncomfortable trek and god knows when we’ll get to have a meal like this next. I don’t want you setting off hungry. Hungry vampires are cranky vampires.’

  I watch Alex look to Gabriel as if for support. ‘I… I may have had a little snack while I was out getting the laptop for you yesterday,’ he says awkwardly.

  I flush a tiny bit and hope that nobody sees it, though I’m sure that Alex does. I’m pretty sure he is aware of the actions of every single miniscule blood vessel under my skin. There’s something strangely arousing about thinking of him feeding. Drinking human blood. I feel jealous and frightened and curious and… well kind of sexy when I think about it. Like I wish it was my blood he was feeding off.

  He shakes his head. ‘No, angel. I can’t do that. It would weaken you…’

  Damn. I’d forgotten about his pesky mind-reading abilities.

  ‘Alexander is a big enough boy to make sure he’s looking after himself,’ Gabriel says, standing from the table and collecting my plate.

  ‘Where do you find…’ I don’t know what the right word is for what I want to say. Victims? Subjects? Snacks?

  ‘Human blood-workers cross the Barrier each night. It’s a highly regulated industry, though not much publicised. Guards protect the workers from a vampire taking too much at any one time, and the workers get regular checks to make sure we don’t pick up any nasty diseases. You’d be surprised how many people are willing and keen to have vampires drink their blood. Great pay too.’

  As he’s speaking, I find that my jealousy is overtaking my curiosity. I don’t want him drinking anybody else’s blood. I don’t want those beautiful fangs sunk into some random human’s neck. He’s mine and I am his. He shouldn’t need anybody else.

  Alex scoots his chair closer to mine, takes my hands and looks into my eyes. ‘I appreciate the sentiment, angel, believe me I do, but there are challenges to the kind of relationship you’re envisaging. For both of us. Let’s survive the next few weeks, and then see how you feel…’

  I vaguely sense Gabriel and Reuben taking things to the kitchen, giving us space
as we talk.

  I’m stunned by the strength of the feelings that are rushing through me right now, by the things I’m thinking, by the things I’m wanting.

  ‘The bond is new still,’ Alex says gently. ‘It is deepening every moment we spend together. It’s natural that you feel the way you do. And believe me, I feel the same. You have no need for jealousy. You are the realest thing in the universe to me, and by far the most important.’ He lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it.

  ‘I just… one day I want to be with you like that,’ I say. The longing is so intense I almost grab him and pull his mouth to my neck. I’m desperate to feel the sharp pain of his teeth piercing my skin, the warm spurt of my blood entering his beautiful mouth, trickling down his lips and onto his chin.

  Alex moans and sits back, placing a hand over his mouth.

  Oops. I think I made his teeth descend.

  ‘Sorry,’ I say, blushing and looking away.

  ‘Fuck, don’t apologise,’ his voice sounds different, huskier. ‘There’s nothing I’d like more. But it’s too soon, Lana. You’re being pulled by the bond, and I wouldn’t ever want anything to happen between us that you might later regret. Do you understand?’

  He closes his eyes, breathes deeply, and removes his hand. Teeth back to normal.

  I nod, embarrassed.

  ‘And in the meantime, don’t worry about me. I can look after myself, okay?’ He tucks a finger beneath my chin and lifts my head so I’m looking directly into his eyes.

  ‘Okay,’ I whisper. He leans in and kisses me, one warm, deep kiss.

  ‘Time to get ready,’ he says. ‘You should probably have a shower. We might not see one of those for a while now, either. Oh, and I got you some clothes yesterday. They’re on the bed.’

  I smile. ‘Thanks, Alex.’

  He shrugs. ‘Just following Gabe’s instructions. Hiking-chic is a thing though, right?’

  ‘It is now,’ I say.

  I strip off and step into the shower. When I close my eyes, I can still feel my men’s kisses on my mouth and all over my body, their touch… I shiver. Okay I’m meant to be getting ready for a difficult and probably dangerous day. Though nobody’s said as much, I saw the looks they were throwing each other and all three of them seem keyed up about leaving. Now’s not the time to get distracted. I think again about what they told me about Grayson – we need him to complete the bond. They won’t fuck me until we have Grayson with us too.

  Well if that isn’t motivation for finding the guy, I don’t know what is. If only one of them had some idea of where to start looking…

  I turn the water off, get out and dry myself quickly. I pull the towel around myself, and then on second thoughts let it drop to the ground. What does it matter? They’ve seen me naked.

  I open the bathroom door and pad through the main room on bare feet to where my clothes are waiting, folded on the bed.

  Gabriel and Reuben are talking in low voices over the maps. They look up and see me and fall silent mid-sentence. I almost feel the electricity in the air as they watch me. I swallow and continue over to where Alex is busy packing a backpack.

  He looks up and a wicked smile twists one corner of his mouth.

  ‘You look… clean,’ he says in a low voice, running his gaze down the length of my body, lingering on my breasts, my stomach, my pussy.

  The sound of his voice makes me feel dirty all over again.

  ‘We leave in an hour,’ Gabriel calls from the other side of the room.

  Alex sighs. ‘As much as I’d usually say that’s plenty of time, we need to be ready. Bookmark this moment, angel, because we’re coming back to it later, alright?’

  I nod mutely. My whole body seems to have become suddenly weak. I feel as though my legs are about to collapse beneath me, in a good way. Alex opens a drawer and pulls out some clothes and passes them across to me. Underwear. A pair of lightweight, heavy-duty black pants. A tank top and black jacket. Socks and my own, trusty, boots.

  I get dressed quickly, almost regretting the sensation of clothing against my skin. Everything fits perfectly. Once I’m dressed, I feel a sudden rush of nerves, and my heart beats faster. Being here in the safehouse with my three men has felt like being in a bubble. We’ve been protected from the hostile world that surrounds us. I’ve been removed from the memories that I know will cut like a knife.

  I’ll have to face them when I step back out through the door.

  A life without Jamie.

  A life without safety.

  A life without a home.

  I’m going to meet the mother who I always thought was dead, but who is in fact a living, powerful sorceress hidden away somewhere in a remote jungle.

  I sit down on the bed, overcome by terror and sadness. Instantly Alex is beside me, his arm around my shoulder.

  ‘We’ll be with you every step of the way, angel. We’ll be your safety. We’ll be your home.’

  I nod, my eyes filling with tears. Alex squeezes me tighter, so my face is pressed into his chest. I close my eyes, wishing I could just stay here, like this, forever.

  4

  LANA

  An hour later, we’re dressed and ready to go. I’m carrying a small backpack with a few changes of clothes, some food and toiletries. My father’s urn takes up about a third of the space, but I don’t care. It’s a comfort to have him so close. I couldn’t leave him behind. I have this idea that I’ll find a beautiful, peaceful spot somewhere with a view of the sea and scatter his ashes on the breeze. I think he’d like that. The USB is zipped into a small, waterproof compartment, not that I imagine I’ll have any way of watching the video where we’re going. It doesn’t matter. I may have only seen the footage once, but I remember my father’s every word.

  Gabriel sends Reuben out to scout the tunnel, and we sit in silence for ten minutes while we wait for him to come back. I have so many questions spinning through my mind, but I don’t ask any of them. My nerves are on edge. I feel sick to my stomach and fidgety. I can’t sit still. Finally, the door opens and I feel a rush of relief when I see that my werewolf is safe.

  ‘All clear?’ Gabriel asks.

  Reuben nods.

  We file out one at a time.

  Compared to my previous trip through the tunnel alone, this is heaven. I have Reuben ahead of me, Gabriel beside me and Alex behind me. And no snake demons in evidence at all. Gabriel does something with his hands and whispers some words to create a little ball of purple light, which bobs along helpfully next to us.

  I’m not alone and I’m not in the dark. It feels like a good omen for our journey ahead.

  In no time at all, we’re out of the tunnel but instead of exiting into the human world, as I did the last time, we’ve taken a different fork and stepped out into Darktown. It’s a cool, grey morning. The sun’s pale glow is barely touching streets that are hazy with mist. No sound. Nobody moving.

  No-one speaks as Gabriel signals us to follow him. I know from our discussions this morning that this is the most dangerous part of the trip. We’re deep in Darktown and we need to get out as quickly as possible. Alex’s car is parked a few blocks away. He didn’t want to leave it too near the entrance to the tunnel because he didn’t want to risk drawing attention to our hiding place, but now we have to walk a few blocks in the open to get to it. My shoulders are already starting to ache from the weight of the bag, which doesn’t bode well for the bit of the trip which involves leaving the car and hiking through the fucking forest on foot for a week or more. Ahead of me, Reuben is piled up like a pack-horse: he carries two huge bags, a waterskin hanging off one of them, a rolled-up camping mat off the other, and around his waist, an array of weapons that I find it hard to take my eyes off. I’ve never seen that many pointy metal things in one place outside of an industrial kitchen. He actually clanks a little as he walks.

  We travel one block, two blocks and don’t see anyone. It’s like the whole city is asleep. The streets are so silent, the buildings so forbidding, I fe
el like an intruder, like just my presence should be enough to set off an alarm.

  ‘We’re almost there,’ Gabriel murmurs. We turn a corner and I see Alex’s car parked towards the end of the street under a lamp-post.

  Thank fucking god. This place is creeping me right out.

  Reuben walks a bit faster, still scanning around us at each step, looking right to left, on the watch for trouble. Gabriel reaches across and takes my hand, and I feel a jolt of warm energy move through me, filling my chest with a shimmering power.

  I turn and check that Alex is still behind me. He’s watching my butt as I walk – or what he can see of it under the backpack I’m carrying.

  Typical.

  I raise an eyebrow. He shrugs and grins back at me with an expression that says, well what’s a guy supposed to do?

  We’re getting closer now. Not too much further to go.

  Suddenly I hear something, a kind of slow, scraping noise coming from somewhere nearby. I squeeze Gabriel’s hand tighter as I feel my heartbeat pick up pace.

  Then, a sound makes my blood freeze. Laughter. Cold, hard, cruel laughter. A figure steps out from behind a wall and my mind struggles to make sense of what I’m seeing. He’s huge, his skin is pitted and red, his eyes are black, and he has actual horns growing from either side of his head. He looks exactly like the sort of demon that humans would use in one of those scare-tactic anti-Darktown propaganda films that parents show to their kids to frighten them into staying on the right side of the Barrier. And he’s smiling.

  I turn to Gabriel to see how bad this is. He lets go of my hand and takes his place beside Reuben ahead of me, but we don’t stop. We keep walking and, in a few moments, we’re directly facing the huge demon. Alex steps closer to me so we’re shoulder to shoulder.

  ‘Duriarg,’ Gabriel says. ‘Punctual as always.’ He reaches out a hand and the huge demon shakes it. I blink. My mouth dries up. I stand up straighter, trying not to show how fucking terrified I’m feeling right now. ‘What news do you have?’ Gabriel asks.