Darkness

Darkness

ALSO BY JOANN I MARTIN SOWLES

Laney

Darkness

The Brookehaven Vampires

Joann I Martin Sowles

2011

Brookehaven Publishing

Rocklin, California

PUBLISHER’S NOTE:

This is a work of fiction. The characters, names, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, business establishments, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

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For my parents, Jeffrey & Georgette Martin.

I love you both so much!

Acknowledgements

A special thank you to my vampire-loving partners in crime, Denise “Nisy” Arambarry & Kim Duncan. Thank you for always having my back and being my voice when I cannot speak. Someday, we will fight giant rats on the subways of New York and make it to that secluded island where the temperature is always perfect. We’ll have side-by-side cabanas, complete with libraries tailored to our tastes – vampires, of course. But, most importantly, all of our fantasy boys will be there to cater to our every whim. I’d name them, but our list seems to be getting rather long. And, of course, we will have an endless supply of Maple Leaf cookies. But first, I’ll see you both in Vegas! It’ll be a hoot! Much love and vampire kisses to both of you!

Contents

Chapter 10 – The Great and
Almost
Disastrous Hallway Incident

A Message from the Coven

Same rules apply; keep things quiet. A few did not take this warning seriously the last time it was issued and they had to be silenced. Do not waste my time. It is irritating and tedious to track down the offenders. I will not be so pleasant next time. Remember your places.

Oh, and in case you’ve been wondering, I’ve gotten what I came for. Now it’s just a matter of holding onto what is mine…

Chapter 1 - Vampire Wars

When we arrived at Julz’s place, there was no one there, including the dog. Something had been mentioned about them going to a nearby town called Paradise, and from what I gathered, it’s anything but. I also gathered that they were visiting the grave of a family member. Either way, I didn’t pay much attention to the conversation between Oliver and Felix on the ride out to the Gothic Princess’s house and I really didn’t care. I had been so exhausted in the car that I faded in and out the entire drive. One minute we were speeding onto the highway and the next minute we were pulling into Julz’s driveway next to that “well loved” Toyota truck.

As I sat at the dark wood dining table my body ached. I felt filthy with more than just dirt covering my clothes. I watched Felix scrambled some eggs for himself and me, while Oliver made two trips out to the SUV to bring in the bags that had been packed for us. I was happy and relieved when I saw Oliver head down the hall with my backpack that contained my purse and laptop. He also had my pillow and my favorite fleece blanket that I had shoved into the pillowcase.

Oliver joined us at the table as Felix placed two plates of scrambled eggs with a side of diced cantaloupe on the table; one in front of me and the other for himself. Felix, in all his massive glory, sat across from me on the long side of the table, while Oliver sat at the end sipping blood from a stainless steel water bottle and eyeing both of us in turn as we quietly ate.

Oliver had once told me that eggs were on the list of food he could not have, that he couldn’t eat or tolerate anything that came from an animal, and I found it very interesting that Felix was able to stomach them. So I worked up the nerve to ask him. Not without a bit apprehension of course–the man was huge, powerful, intimidating, and if that wasn’t enough, a vampire too. But it was just a question about eggs so I told myself I was being silly to be nervous about it.

I steadied myself with a deep breath then said, “How is it that you’re able to eat food other than fruits and vegetables if you’re a vampire?” My voice gave a little quaver as I asked and the sentence didn’t sound as good out loud as it had in my head.

His beautiful sky blue eyes lifted from his plate to meet mine. He straightened in his chair that creaked a little under his weight, placed his fork on the edge of his plate, lifted his napkin from his lap, and neatly dabbed the corners of his mouth. He swallowed the last bit and grinned with his lips together, causing his eyes to sparkle and that sweet dimple of his to form. He placed the napkin back into his lap and kept his eyes on mine. I had stopped eating as I waited for his response. I’d also, uncontrollably and unconsciously, raised both eyebrows at his table manners.

His voice boomed, seeming like it was reverberating off the kitchen walls. “Because my dear Delaney, I am a pure-blood vampire. We are the original
human
species of this world.” My eyes felt like they were going to bulge out of my head.
Did I just hear him correctly?
He seemed amused with my reaction and continued, “Originally there were only vampires in this world. We lived peacefully and respectfully among one another for many years until a subspecies of vampire was born to one of the royal families. This child bore no vampire traits: no fangs, no blood desire, no longevity or any of the resistances that vampires naturally have. This child was only a first of many. As the children came of age they were sent to a village to live together peacefully within a walled community that had been created especially for them. For many years it was successful, but their numbers were growing and their village was becoming crowded. Eventually they turned on us and that was the beginning of the original Vampire Wars.”

What the hell?
My jaw was hanging open and my eyes were fixed on Felix when Oliver snickered, bringing me back from my shock. I quickly closed my mouth and focused my attention on him. Even filthy, covered in dried blood and his hair all out of sorts, he was still gorgeous and I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my lips. His emerald eyes held mine for a moment and he smiled that hint of a half smile that made my knees go weak and my heart rate quicken. Leaning casually back in his chair, he tipped his head back and finished the contents of the water bottle. He placed the empty bottle on the table with a metal to wood clunk, then his eyes met mine again.

“You ready for a shower?”

I had an instant moment of panic that he had meant the two of us together, but it faded quickly when he added, “Felix and I will be right out back if you need me,” he nodded towards the back door just off the kitchen. “Your bags are in my bedroom, the one down the hall on the right. There are towels in the cabinet in the bathroom.”

They both rose from their seats almost simultaneously, Felix headed to the sink with his empty plate and Oliver to me. He brushed my hair behind my ear. His cool fingers gently tipped my chin up and he bent to kiss my forehead. I closed my eyes as he did so, enjoying the sensations that his touch caused me. We had survived the night together and the comfort in still being near him made every ounce of me relax.

He was at the back door when I opened my eyes. Felix was holding it open, waiting for him. Oliver flashed me a quick smile before disappearing into the backyard and then Felix closed the door behind them.

I sat there for a moment in the silence of Julz’s house pondering this new information Felix had just given me. I felt too exhausted to fully comprehend what I’d just learned, so I pushed it aside to deal with later. I took a deep breath, let it out in a rather loud exhale and then I finished what was left on my plate. I rinsed it off in the sink and wasn’t sure what to do with it, so I followed Felix’s lead and placed it on the same side of the sink where his plate rested. I peeked out the kitchen window before heading off for my well needed shower.