Chosen Darkness (Chosen Series) (7 page)

Alex stood up as she came in to view, and while her father looked at her with an air of curiosity, her grandfather was looking at her with a warning in his eyes.

“Ah Alex, I told you your dog would find you!” her grandfather said.

Alex looked shocked for about half a second before he nodded.

Was this how she was going to get out of her father’s house? As a dog?

“I would say that is more of a wolf then a dog, Father,” Malcom observed as he studied her again.

“Seems wolves make good bounty hunters, don’t they, Alex?” Once more her grandfather was offering up a story for her.

“Yes indeed,” Alex agreed, eyeing her with a questioning look.

“Well Malcom, seeing how Falyn is not here I should get back on the road. Please tell her I stopped by.” Alex made a move toward the door.

“You’re sure you won’t wait around for her to return?” Malcom asked softly.

“No, I have a job with a tight deadline I’m afraid, but I’ll call again.”

“I’ll walk the vampire out,” her grandfather said, following Alex out the door.

“What’s going on, Rae?” Alex asked once they were far enough away that Malcom could no longer hear them.

“The wolf is Falyn,” Falyn’s grandfather said.

“What?” Alex demanded, coming to a stop.

“Keep moving, vampire, else she will never be free!” Rae kept walking.

Alex picked up his pace again as he listened to Rae telling him how she had been kept in a cell and tortured until she gave her father what he wanted.

“I had a feeling… I should have listened to my gut!” Alex mumbled as he came to the door.

“It’s too late for ‘should haves’ now. Take her away from here, Alex. While she is in this form no one will want her. She’s useless to anyone who hopes to use her gifts. But Falyn will be stuck like this for as long as she remains in this world,” Rae told them both.

“Meaning?” Alex asked.

“I don’t have time to explain it all. You must go. I give it mere hours, maybe less, before Malcom learns Falyn is gone. You need to be far away from here.”

Alex looked down at Falyn, his eyes full of emotions she could not ask about. He headed toward a Jeep in the back of the parking lot.

“God, this is not what I thought I would find, Falyn. I thought I would come and see you happily enjoying your new home, not being held prisoner or being tortured by your own father!” Alex said angrily, getting into the jeep.

Falyn looked at him, hoping he would see the confusion in her eyes. She let out a low whine and rested her head on his lap. He stroked her head as he drove, lost in thought.

“I also looked into why so many people want you. You know what I found?” he asked her out of the blue. “I learned they seem to think you have the blood of a druid, meaning you have powers many are going to want,” Alex told her.

It was nothing new to Falyn – her father had talked about it so much that she hated the words ‘magic’ and ‘druid’ and anything to do with the other world!

“You’re the only one who can open the Gate to the other world; the only one who can let someone in or out of the other side.” Alex kept his voice soft but it did not cover his worry fully. “So those wanting in or needing to get someone out are going to be hunting you… no matter the fact you can’t work these powers at the moment.” Alex was once more petting her head.

Falyn was not sure what the other world was exactly. She knew that the Immortal Guard were held there. These were the keepers of the immortals, their law makers. She also knew that many people like her father wanted to take over ruling the immortal Guard themselves.

“It’s my fault. I gave you to that monster… I’m going to help you, Falyn, and I think I know where to start,” Alex declared.

Falyn closed her eyes. Laying her head down, she tried not to panic, but as minutes turned into hours as they drove, she could not help but wonder what would become of her now. Was she going to be stuck like this for the rest of her life? How could she even get to the other world if she could not work the magic everyone seemed to think she had?

Chapter Eight: Magic

Falyn wasn’t sure how long she slept but once the Jeep stopped, she got up to see out the window. It was a partially sunny day and she could see the ocean below was mostly calm. There was a large white house with a porch wrapped around it, covered in netting. Blown glass and wooden seagulls decorated the railings. There was even a large carved whale in the front yard.

It was like the house was at one with the sea that was so close to it. Alex got out of the car and left the driver door open. Falyn decided he wanted her to follow him. So Falyn jumped out and trotted behind Alex up to the front steps, where she stopped as Alex knocked on the door.

Within moments the door opened and out stepped a girl. At first Falyn was sure it was a girl, but when she looked closer, she saw it was a woman, but a very small one. Her eyes were the color of a storm-tossed sea, her hair much longer then Falyn’s was a pale blonde, shining nearly white in the sun.

“Alex, how nice to see you. It’s been far too long!” she cried, giving him a warm embrace.

“It has been a long time, Break, and I’m sorry about that.”

Falyn felt the fur around her neck puff up. A low growl built but she forced it back down. She was not a wild animal, after all.

Break peeked around Alex to look at her.

“And who is this?” Break asked in a soft voice as she knelt down to greet Falyn.

“So you know this is not a mere dog?” Alex asked.

“Of course. A mermaid sees the soul and her soul is not that of a dog,” Break said airily.

“Thank God!” Alex muttered. “I was starting to wonder if this was even Falyn,” he confessed to her

“Then rest easy knowing this is no dog,” Break said reassuringly. “Come in, both of you.”

Alex followed Break inside, leaving Falyn to chase after them. It was really humbling being a dog, and Falyn did not like it one bit. However, Break did not make her feel like a dog and this was helpful. She felt welcomed.

Break’s home inside was much like the outside, all done up with things from the sea. It was white, like the exterior, but color was added by the blown glass mixed with sea shells they seemed to be everywhere. The windows also danced with color, each one being painted glass with a different scene of some ocean theme.

“What brings you here today, Alex? Is it this woman?” Break asked as she looked at Falyn.

“Yes, something is wrong. She can’t change back to her normal self – this is not her normal form – but I can’t ask her what happened.”

Alex filled her in on what he knew, as far as he understood it.

Falyn waited. She waited to see if this mermaid could somehow make things right. It felt like hours as Alex told their story. It might actually have been, for all Falyn knew, as time didn’t feel the same when she was trapped like this in a dog’s body.

“You picked a great night to come, Alex, because it’s a full moon. I can do the form spell tonight and that will keep her human till dawn,” Break said.

“What about after that?” Alex asked.

Falyn was also waiting for the answer.

“Come dawn she will turn back into what she is now. However, once she is human she can tell us what made her like this. I can test her blood as well to see if there is any way to fix it for good.” Break smiled at Falyn as she said this.

“So we have to wait until tonight for Falyn to turn normal?” Alex sighed in a weary tone.

“Yes, vampire, we do, so for now go out to hunt. I can see you need to feed. I will keep Falyn company.” Break gave Falyn another warm smile.

Falyn felt uneasy the moment Alex was out the door. She paced up and down in front of it.

“Take it easy, Falyn, he’ll be back. Come, settle down,” Break called to her from the living room.

With a soft whine Falyn did as Break asked. She took a seat on the sofa. Resting her head on the arm of it, she studied Break.

“I am sure there’s a lot you want to know, so let me tell you what I think you would ask me if you could,” Break suggested. “First things first. I met Alex a long, long time ago. When I met him he was a very broken man.”

Falyn sat up straight now.

“Aha, this was not something you expected to hear! But it’s true. I too was a little lost, being new to the human world, much like a fish out of water.”

Break laughed. It was like music.

“Alex helped me with an issue – one that helped me accept I would no longer belong to the sea but could still make a home here. Alex had lost someone close to him, and because of it he was cold and never let anyone get close. Yet when someone is in trouble, there is no better friend to have!” Break smiled again. “I’m sorry. I’m being vague, I know, but those stories are best left to Alex to tell you when he’s ready. However, there are plenty more stories I can share fully with you!”

Falyn listened to Break. She talked about other run-ins she and Alex had. The more Break told her about Alex, the more Falyn understood their friendship. It made her feel better knowing they had no romantic interest in each other.

The day was starting to fade into dusk. Sending Falyn into a pacing frenzy. She prowled up and down in front of the porch waiting for Alex to return. She must have done this a very long time because Break came to get her.

“Falyn, Alex was urgently in need of feeding. It may be a while before he returns. Now let’s get you changed back into yourself.”

Break gently encouraged her into the house. Falyn gave one longing look toward the road before following Break back inside. Once inside the living room, Break walked over to a large blue throw rug. Pulling it back she revealed a trap door.

“No worries, the stairs are very easy to get down,” Break called as she ducked into the space.

Falyn quickly padded down the stairs behind her through a long tunnel that led into an open cavern. In the middle of the open space was a tide pool. The moonlight poured down into it from a crack above the cave wall.

“This is called a moon pool. It’s how mermaids catch the magic of the full moon. Normally we use it to become human when we wish, or, in my case, to change back to a mermaid, although I don’t do it anymore.” Break’s tone was a little sad. “Now, I need you to get into the pool.”

Falyn slipped into the tide pool, looking up into the light of the moon. This was a bond she shared with Break; the moon was a power source for them both.

Break dipped her hand into the water, dripping it over Falyn. She chanted in some language Falyn did not understand. The opalescent stone around her neck started to glow with light as Break kept pouring the water onto her head. Falyn felt the magic run along her body, transforming her. Her skin was still tingling as she touched her face with her hands. She was never gladder of anything in all her life.

“Thank you!” she whispered, as she stumbled from the tide pool.

“You’re welcome, Falyn,” Break smiled at her.

“Alex!” Falyn called, turning to head up the stairs.

“Wait, Falyn!”

But Falyn was in too much of a hurry to get back into the house to see if Alex had come back. She slipped on the wooden floor, her body still dripping wet. But it took her only moments to spot Alex. He sat on the sofa, his body hunched forward, his head in his hands. The moment he heard his name, his head snapped up and his eyes locked on hers.

“Falyn! Thank God!” Alex said as he stood up.

Falyn didn’t wait. She rushed to him, crashing into his hard chest with a thud. Tears spilled down her face even as she tried to stop them.

“Alex, I’m so glad to be human again!” she mumbled into his chest.

“I know, little wolf,” he whispered into her wet hair. “I wish it wasn’t only for tonight.”

Falyn cried harder because she too was not looking forward to turning back into a dog.

“Falyn, I’ll give you some alone time with Alex, but first I need to get a sample of your blood to test. Plus you might want something to wear.” Break’s voice broke through her senses.

“Oh,” Falyn said quietly, trying to break out of Alex’s embrace. “Alex, let go! I’m naked!” She pushed at his chest.

“I know. Trust me, I know!” His voice sent shivers up her body.

“Here, let her get dressed, will you, Alex!” Break ordered him.

“Fine,” he grumbled, letting her go.

Falyn quickly slipped into the white dress Break handed her. It fit well, although it was a little tight across her chest.

“Thank you again, Break,” Falyn said, smiling now that she was dressed.

Break nodded then quickly went over to the table. She lifted up a large, wicked-looking needle.

“Sorry, but this might sting a bit,” Break apologized before pricking her finger.

Falyn felt the sharp pain of the needle but it was over quickly. Red blood started to drop from her finger into a tiny jar Break was holding.

Once she had enough, she told Alex to come seal the wound. Before Falyn could ask how he was going to do that, Alex took her hand. He ran his mouth over her finger, his saliva quickly closing the skin.

Break then picked up a small white flower. Pulling it apart, she dropped it into the bottle. She shook it until it was mixed with the blood.

“Falyn, while I wait for the results tell me how you came to be stuck like this, and don’t leave anything out.” Break took a seat, motioning for her to do the same. “Then I will leave you and Alex alone.”

Falyn told them how her grandfather had rescued her from the cell. She told them what he had said to her about freeing her, and how it would lead to her being stuck as she was now, but if she wished to be free it was the only way.

“Did he tell you how to get back to normal?” Alex asked.

“Not really. He only told me the magic was not from our world.” Falyn was still not sure what that meant.

“Hmmm,” Break said, as she got up to check on the blood in the bottle. “It’s as I thought. It seems you are under a blood spell. That’s a spell which locks your true forms apart from each other. Seeking out the magic of the Immortal world is the only way to break this bond.”