Dwellers of Darkness (8 page)

My response was automatic. I’ve never done well with authority. “I can do whatever the hell I want. You have no say.” I tried to tug out of his grip to no avail.

“Oh, I have a say when you are doing foolish shit.” He tightened his grip, his breath heavy.

My body became even stiffer. “No, you don’t. I may be part Dark Dweller, but you cannot command me. I am not something you can control. My choices and actions are my own.”

“Damn it!” Eli roared. “Do you have any self-preservation? Any idea with one word or signal from the Queen you and your family would be dead right now? Luck and two pixies are the only reasons you are standing here right now.”

“So
... I had nothing to do with the fact we’re safe?” I screamed back. “You don’t think maybe some of my skills and training are responsible for getting us out?” I didn’t want to mention the only reason I was actually still alive was Torin had told the Queen I was part Dark Dweller. That knowledge had spared my life. But right now I felt too pissed to be honest.

He barked a short laugh, which only provoked my fury. Without warning, I cinched him closer, my leg hitching around the inside of his, and with a yank I tightened my leg, pulling it back. His feet came out from underneath him, making him land hard on his back, shaking the cabin walls. I leaped onto his chest, pulled the dagger out of my boot, and brought it to his throat.

“Let me ask you again.” My words were measured. “Do you really think my skills had nothing to do with getting us out?” His eyes flared red again, but this time it was not from anger. “Don’t ever doubt me again.” I tilted my head. “If I can have you down on your back without even pulling from my powers, then give me a little more credit than it simply being luck.”

“I knew you wanted me on my back again.” Lust pulsated through his gaze, making the air grow thick. “Damn. That
... that was hot.”

I couldn’t stop the smile forming on my lips. Just as quickly as I had him on his back, he pulled me down, and flipped me onto mine.

“This works for me, too.” He crawled between my legs. His cocky smile thrust my pulse into overdrive. His gaze moved over me, causing me to become dizzy. We didn’t move as yearning and desire saturated the room, weaving together so tightly it hurt. We hadn’t really cleared anything up, but the need to have a heart-to-heart evaporated when he pressed closer to me.

I acted first. My head rocked forward and my lips crashed into his. With a groan, his hands came around the back of my head and pulled me in tighter. Kissing him felt like finding water in a desert after months. I couldn’t stop the whimper of relief and happiness which escaped as I felt his tongue slide over my lips, into my mouth. Our lips were desperate and needy as we inhaled each other. Lust blocked out everything beyond each other. Our hands were already yanking at the clothes obstructing us from touching each other. My fingers tugged the hem of his shirt over his head. His inked lines wound over his shoulder, down his back, and over his butt. Seeing the curved Celtic lines again started my heart to thump faster. My greedy hands tried to consume him. He pulled off my tank in one swift movement. Our hands hungrily ran over bare skin. He was
more fit than I remembered. His ass so taut I couldn’t stop my hands from pushing their way underneath the jeans. Eli moaned softly, as he hastily tugged at the top of my sweatpants.

He suddenly halted. Before I could ask what was wrong, he yelled out, “You can go, Gabby.”

Oh, right.

“
Awww... it was finally getting good.” She snickered, but I could hear the chair creak as she got up. Eli waited for a few more beats before turning back to me.

“Good call.” I smiled.

“I’m sure she’ll still be able to hear us anyway. We can get kind of loud,” he teased.

“We are also capable of damaging property.”

“Never liked the stuff in here anyway.” Eli grinned; his lips and weight came down on me, laying me back on the ground. He kissed me so deeply everything in me turned to butter. Then he stood and pulled me with him. His arms gripped my bottom, picking me up. My legs wrapped around him as he carried me to the operating table.

“Now you’re just getting kinky.” I smiled against his lips as he placed me down. “Fulfilling your doctor fantasy?”

“It would be a nurse fantasy.”

As I reached for the top of his jeans, he cupped my chin and forced me to look up into his face. His expression was serious. “As I said, don’t ever do that to me again. All right?” His words were simple, but I knew they meant so much more. This was equivalent to him baring his soul, letting me see him vulnerable. All I could do was nod in response.

“I told you once I would follow you anywhere, and I meant it.” Then his lips were back on mine. I tugged on the belt loops, bringing him in against me. His hands dropped from my face, and stopped at my exercise bra, which he stripped over my head and tossed to the side. His hands roamed over my bare skin, which set it on fire. With a tug, his jeans dropped to the floor. Of course he wore nothing under them. He kicked off his boots and stepped out of jeans without his lips leaving my body. He peeled my jeans over my hips and yanked them off. Only one tiny piece of fabric was now left between us. He climbed up on the table, laying me back. His skin pressed against mine and had every nerve tingling.

“Fuck, I’ve missed you,” he mumbled, his lips and hands exploring every inch of me.

Reaching for my underwear, he once again paused. This time I also heard what had stopped him. The door to the cabin swung open. Mom, Kennedy, and Jared walked in. They paused in their tracks.

I closed my eyes and exhaled.

“Shit.”

“What the
hell
is going on here?”

Nothing is scarier than a mother’s fury, and I could feel my mom burning a hole into me; actually, it was boring into Eli’s bare ass. I had to give him credit; he did not flinch or scamper off and hide like I wanted to. He stood up grabbed his pants and slipped quickly into them with an amused grin on his face. I wrapped my arms around my bare breasts and willed myself smaller.

Stop smiling. This is so not funny,
my eyes said to his.

You’re right
... it’s not funny... it’s fuckin’ hilarious
. He chuckled under his breath.

If my mother doesn’t kill you, I will.
I shook my head, sliding off the table and grabbed any clothes within my grasp.

Kennedy mumbled apologies and was already half way out the door. Jared seemed caught between embarrassed and entertained. My mother was close to shooting fire out of her eyes.

“We will give you a moment, and then I want to have a few words with you.” Rage coated every syllable my mother uttered. She curtly turned, grabbed Jared by the arm, and pulled him out with her to where Kennedy stood on the porch. Eli’s eyes still ran over the last of my nakedness he could absorb.

“Crap, crap, crap,” I repeated, tugging on what garments I could find.

“Like she didn’t know.”

“Thinking you know is one thing; seeing it is different. Especially when you’re naked and on top of her daughter.” A flush of humiliation heated my face.

“Awww, look your ears are turning red.” Eli stood over me, his hand cupping the side of my face. He leaned down and kissed the tip of my ear.

My mother is right outside the door ready to murder us both.
I looked up into his green eyes.

Let her. I am not afraid of your mother.

You should be.

You’re the only who can scare the crap out of me. I can handle her.

Where do you think I learned it from?
My eyebrow arched.

Mom banged her fist against the door. “Ember, you better be dressed because I am coming in.” She only paused a brief moment before entering. I was relatively dressed
... at least my sweatpants and tank were back on. Eli was only wearing his jeans, so he swiped his shirt off the floor and pulled it on as she entered.

Arms crossed, she settled herself in the middle of the room. “
Elighan, I would like a word with my daughter.” Her commanding tone suddenly made me feel like a kid again. I gulped the panic in my stomach back down.

Eli turned to me.
You’re right; she is scary
. He winked before maneuvering his large frame around my tiny mother, who stood like an unmovable boulder, and left me. The sound of the door closing behind him made me wish I could follow.

Don’t leave me.

When Mom spoke, it was in the overly-calm, controlled voice which scared me more than if she yelled. “I knew I would have to deal with you having sex with boys, but I will admit not even I imagined you’d be with a Dark Dweller.” Her lips turned white as they pressed together. “I don’t want you seeing him anymore.”

“Excuse me?”

“He is dangerous, and I mean it in the most extreme sense. Elighan is not someone you should be near. You don’t know how shady and terrible Dark Dwellers are.”

“I’m sorry, but are you telling me who I can and cannot see? The woman who disappeared, who lied to me all my life, who I thought was dead for the last seven years of my life? Really, you are going to stand there and tell me what to do?” I yelled. “What I’m doing with Eli is none of your business. You are a little late for the birds and bees talk. Your daughter isn’t a little girl anymore. I haven’t been for a long time. I’m an adult and capable of making my own decisions.”

“This is what you call making a grown-up decision?” she shrieked. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you during those years. You don’t know how much I regret the time I lost with you, but you will always be my daughter, and I will always want to protect you.” The stubbornness in her tone matched my own. “The Dark Dwellers are soulless killers. You do not want to be involved with them. I’m saying this because I love you. Please, trust me on this.”

“Trust you? Really? This is so incredibly ironic coming from you.” Anger layered thickly in my chest. Needing to move, I went to grab the knife still on the floor from when I tackled Eli. “The Dark Dwellers are not what they used to be, and neither am I.”

Mom shifted, keeping me in her sight. “Believe me they are, and they’ve done terrible things in the past. You need to believe me on this.”

“No. Tell me what you know besides what you remember of them in the Otherworld? I already know they were mercenary killers. Is there more to it?” The words fell out of my mouth in a storm of resentment. The two bulbs that still remained intact flickered with my impatience. I took in a lungful of air, trying to compose myself.

Mom’s jaw clenched, her eyes looking away.

“Okay, so tell me,” I demanded. “You obviously knew them or interacted with them in the Otherworld. Am I wrong?”

“No, you are not wrong.” Her finger twisted at the empty spot where her wedding ring used to be.

I could see her debating on opening up to me. She was still hiding things from me. “Mom?”

A crease shot across my mother’s forehead before she shook her head slightly. “I understand you are mad. But don’t let your anger at me cause you to make reckless decisions.”

For some reason this only infuriated me more. A small, crazed laugh erupted from my lips. “This coming from the woman who, when I was three, dated the most wild and dodgy men she could find
... any male with a bike between his legs. Guess I take after you more than I thought.”

Her eyes narrowed. “This is different, and you know it.”

“Is it?” I slammed the knife on the table. Suddenly, I was a teenager rebelling against my parents. “Don’t tell me some of those guys you went out with hadn’t killed? The only difference is yours were human. Oh, right, not all of them were. You were married before, right? To a Fay who you cheated on with a Demon. Then you married Mark. Is it considered polygamy if you’re married to two different species?” I threw out my arms as I churned with resentment. “Yeah, I should really listen to you. I love how you are criticizing my choices when yours have not been so stellar.”

My mom gasped. “How do you know about Eris?”

“Eris? Was that his name?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Did you love him? Did he know about the affair?” I had so many questions tumbling around in my head.

“He did find out about the affair. But it was not as if he wasn’t having a string of his own.” Every word she uttered looked painful and forced. “Before the betrothal, he was a nice man, or so we all thought. After the marriage, his true personality came out. He was a cruel and abusive man, and he married purely for the title and status.”

I felt sick to my stomach. My mother’s past was full of hidden secrets and heartbreaking memories. Still, I could not seem to get past my own anger. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this? Why did I have to hear this from Lars? It’s sad and slightly funny a Demon has been more honest with me than my own mother.”

She flinched and took in a deep breath. “I did what I thought was right at the time. Don’t judge me. I am your mother.”

“Technically... but you haven’t been my mother for seven years. Mark has been my mother and father. You have to earn the title,” I bellowed. Her eyes filled, and she stepped away from, me, her face drawn and tired all of a sudden. Immediately, I felt guilty. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it.”

She looked to the side, tears sliding down her cheeks. “Yes, you did, and you’re right. I wasn’t there for you.” She gulped and brushed the salty drops from her face. “I still want you to be my little girl. I want to pretend I didn’t miss all those years with you. But I did, and no apology in the world is going to get them back.”

My stomach twisted. “No, it’s not. But I know you did what you did to protect me.” Picking up the knife again, I touched the metal, focusing on the intricate design etched on the blade. I shoved it back into the slot in my boot. “We can’t just pick up where we left off. Things are not so simple.”

Mom’s head bobbed. “I know. But I want to try. Get to know each other again.”

“Yeah... that would be good.”

“But first we need to get out of here. We need to find someplace safe. Away from them.”

And there went those peaceful feelings that had begun to float down around me. “What?”

“Ember, we talked about this. I know you have feelings for Eli, but trust me. We need to get as far away from them as possible. I thought that was what you wanted as well? Or at least it was before this encounter with
Elighan.”

“It was. But I came to my senses.”

“No. You were right the first time. We need to go.”

“Go where?” I threw up my hands. Even though I had agreed last night to leave, now I wasn’t sure if I would have gone through with it.

“Up north. I have connections in Canada. We can stay with them.”

She’d been planning for this, waiting for me to say the word. The night before I might have left, but things were different today. Maybe I was being more honest with myself. I would have gone out of spite, even knowing I was being stupid. My stubbornness knew no bounds, but neither did my mother’s. I could tell she’d made up her mind to go, despite of how dangerous it would be. It would take a lot to convince her otherwise.

“And then what? Aneira is not going to sit back. She will be coming for us. We are being hunted now. We wouldn’t even reach Canada. Also, I need to be here for Kennedy and devise a plan to get Mark and Ryan out of the Otherworld. Did you forget about them?”

“Of course not. We can still plan to get Mark and Ryan out up there only without the Dark Dwellers.”

“I know what I said in the note earlier. I was angry and not thinking clearly. We can’t leave, and you know it.”

“Maybe you’re not thinking clearly now.
Elighan has you wrapped around his finger.”

My eyes contracted. “Don’t. I am not some silly girl. I never have been. So don’t turn me into something because it suits your argument.” I sucked in a deep breath. “My stubbornness, which I inherited from
you
, did not let me see the obvious. They are one of the most powerful Fae to have on our side. Having them with us only helps. I am not leaving.”

My mom’s teeth gritted together. “If it wasn’t for
Elighan, would you be more willing to go?”

“It doesn’t really matter because Eli
is
a part of this... a part of me.”

“You may feel this way now, but—”

“No.” I cut her off. “You don’t get it. Stop making me feel like some daft, dreamy, teenage girl. When I say he is part of me, it is not hypothetical.”

Mom’s eyes locked on mine. “What do you mean?”

“I’m one of them.” My arms folded over my chest. “Eli’s blood runs in my veins. I am part Dark Dweller now. I won’t leave him, and besides, it would be pointless. There isn’t a place on Earth he wouldn’t be able to find me.”

Her head shook back and forth hastily. “It is not possible.”

“Yeah, everyone keeps saying that, but here I am. Eli saved my life. I was dying, and Eli gave me his blood. I wouldn’t have survived without it. Most thought I wouldn’t survive with it, but I did. Owen thinks Daes respond differently to foreign blood. Our blood doesn’t reject it but takes it on, molding it with our own.”

“Owen’s tested you? He knows this for sure?”

“Yes. He salivates every time he can get a needle near me. Last time he checked, I had thirteen strands of DNA. A normal Fae has around eight. I took on Dark Dweller DNA and made it my own. No one knows if this is a Dae-thing or me-thing because Daes keep ending up dead. No one I’ve talked to really understands or knows the full capability of a Dae,” I explained. It felt strange to explain this to the woman who gave birth to me. I guess even having a Dae didn’t make you knowledgeable of one. “Guess they didn’t have a parenting book on Daes when you were pregnant with me, huh?”

Mom’s mouth hung slack. Then she grimaced, looking away.