Fading Into Darkness: The Under Series Book 2 (9 page)

I skimmed down the page which was just more explanations about standard dreams not what I was
looking for. I flicked through the pages, half of the book was dedicated to dreams and the different
meanings behind them. There seemed to be an explanation for everything ranging from what the
hidden meaning behind eating an apple was to what seeing a white rabbit meant. The last section
immediately jumped out at me. Titled
'Dream Linking'
.

Dream Telepathy is when two minds link during the sleeping state. A person may be able to access
someone else's mind during sleep, pulling the other person into their own dream or accessing the
other persons dream.

Depending on the mind and ability of the one accessioning the dreams, it may be possible for that
one to connect with the other person for dream linking. During the connection or linking the dream
will take on a more realistic appearance and both people will experience and feel just like they
would do in real life. If the connection between the two people is strong enough they may be able to
link at any time during the day or night.

I shut the book and quickly dashed into the bathroom, I'd forgotten the bath was still filling up.
As I soaked in the bath, Mack consumed my every thought. Who was he? Where was he? Was he
real? Why couldn't I stop thinking about him?
I needed to see him again, I needed to ask him more questions I needed to prove I wasn't going
insane and talking to an imaginary person inside my head during my sleep.
Reading the book had made me more convinced that I wasn't just dreaming when I saw Mack, I was
dream linking with him. This was crazy, why was this happening? Did it have something to do with
my strange mind reading ability? Did that make me different to everyone else, is that why it was
possible? Was I pulling Mack into my dreams?
I lifted my hand out of the water forgetting I still had a bandage on my cut. I unwrapped my hand,
hoping it had healed a bit more to avoid a trip to Vivienne the Doctor. The bandage fell away and I
sat bolt upright creating a tidal wave in the bath that splashed against the edge. I rubbed at my hand
with the other. There was no cut, not even a scratch. I even held open my other hand thinking I was
going crazy and it had been the other hand.
My cut was gone. I remembered Trip had even joked about it being as good as new in the morning.
Maybe he wasn't joking? I needed to talk to someone about this. This was definitely not normal,
like my mind reading. But I was frightened, what if I told someone and Cam found out? What if he
kicked me out or something, I didn't even know where I would go. I needed to find some answers,
there must be someone here willing to talk to me.
After my bath I laid on my sun lounger playing with the Rubik cube still trying to figure out where
Kenzie had disappeared to so quick? The atmosphere outside felt humid today. I'd never seen the
sun it was always blocked by clouds which made the day a little duller it was the same most days
except for the odd shower of rain which never lasted long. I closed my eyes thinking of Senka
hoping he would be back soon. All I wanted was to see him even if it meant sharing him with his
friends upstairs or watching him play pool, as long as I was near him I would feel more contented.
My life here seemed pretty pointless sometimes if it wasn't for Senka and Kenzie. I heard the clocks
chime, letting everyone know it was three o'clock. Which meant I had three hours to kill before
dinnertime and for once I had no homework to do. I closed my eyes feeling the warmth from the air
on my skin. I concentrated as much as I could on Mack, hoping if I fell asleep I would end up with
him. But he would have to be asleep or taking a nap for this to work. I concentrated so hard my
head started to hurt, I was trying to hard. I couldn't make myself sleep I had to relax it would either
happen or it wouldn't. A squawk sounded close by. I opened my eyes to see Rocky sitting on the
railing looking at me.
“What do you want? Stop littering my balcony and room with stones. I don't like it and I don't like
you staring at me like that. It's creepy it's like you know what I'm saying.”
The raven squawked and flew over to a large tree near by. It still looked like it was watching me just
from a distance this time. I closed my eyes again.

I dreamed of a little girl wearing a yellow T-shirt with dungarees, playing in a garden near a large
tree. There were teddies and dolls sat around on a blanket and she was helping herself to a plate of
grapes. A black raven with a white splodge on its head landed on the blanket and hopped over to her
and dropped a pile of small stones on the blanket beside her.
“Rocky, you're making a mess.” she said collecting the stones.
A tall hooded figure stepped out from behind the tree, he walked over and squatted down on the
blanket near the girl.
“Good morning princess,” he said removing his hood. It was Cam dressed in his usual black
clothing and hooded cape.
“Hi Cammy. Your bird keeps bringing me stones.”
“That's because he likes you.”
The girl looked sad as she sipped on her juice straw.
“Ruby what's wrong you look upset?” Cam asked.
She put the juice down and sniffed. “I heard my mom thinking about me.”
“What do you mean?”
“She think there's something wrong with me because I keep repeating things I hear her thinking.”
“Ruby we talked about this. You can't do that around people.”
“Why not?”
“Because you are not like them and they won't understand. They will think there's something wrong
with you. But there isn't.”
“Why can I hear what people are thinking about?”
Cam exhaled loudly. “Ruby, what am I going to do with you? You ask so many questions, you're to
young to understand at the moment.”
“No I'm not. I'm six next week.”
“I know. Look Ruby, you have an ability to read minds because of your dad and who he is, you
inherited some of his special gifts. But you can't go around telling people they won't like it, they
won't understand how special you are.”
The little girl frowned and crossed her arms. Cam patterned her on the head.
“When you're older I promise I will explain everything to you.”
“Then will you take me to your castle? I want to see the coloured mice.”
“I promise one day I will take you there,” he said taking her wrist. “You remember this?” he asked
pointing at the bracelet on her wrist with the black stones. She nodded. “What did we talk about last
time I saw you?”
“I can't take it off. I need to keep it on so you can always find me.”
“That's right and don't let anyone take it away from you. Ruby, I want you to have the most normal
life you can, which means I won't be able to keep coming back to see you for much longer. But I'll
come back and check on you every now and then. And Rocky will always be around making sure
you're all right.” The little girl looked close to tears. “Ruby please don't cry, we've talked about
this.”
Another figure appeared on the grass out of nowhere. I knew straight away it was Kenzie, the
tattoos were a dead giveaway. He looked different though with short hair and no snapback cap. He
wore a plain red T-shirt, black cargo pants finished off with a pair of black Converse hi-tops and had
a bag slung over his shoulder.
“Cam I'm sorry, we could really use your help.” he said.
“Okay,” Cam said turning back to the girl.
“Who's that?” she asked looking over at the stranger.
“That's my friend, Kenzie.” Cam said.
She looked around Cam at the stranger and he waved at her. She half smiled at him and looked back
at Cam.
“I have to go,” Cam said standing up. “Be a good girl and don't get into too much trouble while I'm
gone.” Cam stepped off the blanket and was joined by Kenzie.
Kenzie whispered something to Cam and Cam nodded his head. Kenzie came forward and knelt
down near the girl, she looked unsure and watched him carefully as he pulled his bag around to the
front. He unzipped the bag and stuck his hand in, digging through for something. A few seconds
later he pulled out a Rubik cube and held it out for the girl on the palm of his hand. The girl looked
at Cam, Cam smiled and nodded and she cautiously reached out and took the cube from him and
smiled at him. He stood up and walked back over to Cam.
“Bye Ruby.” Cam said.
“Bye Cammy.” she said waving, then they disappeared one by one into nothingness.
The girl sat on the blanket playing with the Rubik cube as a door slammed in the distant. A boy that
looked only a few years older walked over to her.
“Ruby, mom says it's going to rain. You need to bring all your toys in. Where'd you get that?” he
asked looking at the Rubik cube in her hand.
“A friend gave it to me.” she said picking up a few teddies.
“Which friend?” he asked.
She didn't answer. “Seth do you think there's something wrong with me?”
He laughed. “No, but you spend too much time out here talking to your imaginary friend.”
“Cammy's not imaginary.”
“Okay if you say so, but how come I've never seen him?”
“He always disappears before you show up.”
“Come on we'll come back for the rest.” he said as they walked back towards the house.

Something was shaking me which stirred me awake. I opened my eyes to see Emmett looking down
at me.
“Dinner is in ten minutes.”
I nodded and sat up still piecing the dream together, maybe it wasn't a dream but a memory? I
followed Emmett downstairs thinking about the little girl, who I was about ninety-nine percent sure
was me she was called Ruby for a start. Mack was right I did have a brother and he was called Seth
and I hadn't grown up here, I had grown up with my real family.
The dining room was deserted. Only Emmett, Grayson and I were seated. The other dining table
wasn't even laid out.
“Where is everyone tonight?” I asked.
“Busy I guess,” Emmett said poking his pasta with his fork. “Where's the meat in this dish?” he
asked searching through his bowl with his fork.
“There is none, tomato pasta with a side salad.” Grayson answered.
“Ugh!” Emmett said grabbing a bread stick from the middle of the table.
I looked over at the empty table where Kenzie normally sat. I wanted to ask Kenzie about my
dream/memory but something told me he wouldn't tell me anything anyway. But I thought if I could
get back to Mack he might be able to give me some answers.
After dinner I told Emmett I was tired and wanted to go back to my room. But I had no intention of
going back to my room yet. I walked upstairs and found Narmi polishing the railings. I smiled at her
and carried on up the steps but I remembered there was something I wanted to ask her.
“Hey Narmi, can I ask you something?”
“Yes, Miss Ruby.”
“The sewing room, the one with all the fabrics,” I said stepping back down a step.
“Yes,”
“Who do all the unfinished dresses belong to?”
“No one they are just unfinished.”
“What about the other clothes do they belong to one of the maids downstairs?”
“Any clothes up there belong to no one downstairs. Why do you ask?”
“I found some jeans and sneakers up there, I just wanted to know who they belonged to and why
they had left them up there?”
Their yours....
she said softly.
“What do you mean they're mine?” I asked.
She looked up at me and quickly stood up.
“I didn't say anything.” she stuttered.
“What? I just heard you. You said 'they're yours'.”
A few maids walked by the railing up above chatting to one another. I looked back at Narmi and she
was looking up as well. She looked worried about something and quickly picked up her cleaning
bucket. I grabbed her arm before she could run off.
“Whoa wait, I just wanted to talk. Why are you trying to run away from me?”
“I have to go.”
“No wait,” I said jumping in front of her. “What did you mean by 'they're yours' I heard you.”
“I didn't say that out loud Miss Ruby,” she said in a hushed tone looking around.
I hadn't realised, I had just assumed she had said it out loud. No wonder she wanted to get away
from me. I had just exposed myself as a mind reading freak.
“Narmi I'm sorry I can explain. Sort of.”
“No Miss Ruby, it's my fault I should have been more careful. Please don't tell Master Cameron.”
“Tell him what?” I asked confused, I thought she'd be running off to tell him about me.
“That we know about your ability. That I spoke in my mind in front of you. We were told
specifically not to. We were told to keep quiet when you were around.”
“You know what I can do?” I asked but it came out so quietly I wasn't sure if she'd heard me.
“Everyone knows what you can do.” she said.
I froze on the spot shocked by this information.
“It's why the servants don't talk to you. Please don't tell Master Cameron. I can't lose my job.” she
looked close to tears. “If he finds out it could cost me more than my job.” she said shaking.
“I won't say anything.” I said quickly, still confused by the whole conversation.
She brushed passed me and hurried along the corridor. I walked to the top of the stairs in a daze,
everyone knew what I could do but no one had said anything.
I walked into the main games room, Senka wasn't around. I saw Alex at the back stretched across a
pool table. He took his shot and stood back up, leaning on his pool cue. He casually looked over in
my direction and our eyes connected. I walked back out and knocked on Senka's door, I had left his
door key in my bedroom.
“He's not here?” Alex said walking up behind me.
“Is he still at work?” I asked.
Alex shrugged. “He's not here.” Alex said being as unhelpful as possible.
“What do you mean he's not here? Where is he?”
“I mean he came back from work and then he went out again. He can do that, he doesn't need your
permission.”
“I didn't say he did. I just wanted to know where he was.”
“Well he's out doing stuff.” he said casually.
I desperately wanted to ask what he meant be out doing stuff.
“When is he coming back?
Alex shrugged. “Dunno hard to say,” he tilted his head to the side and smiled. “Depends if he gets
distracted.”
“Distracted by what?”
Alex leaned closer. “Oh nothing, it's just there's a lot of hot women where he is and you know how
Senka likes his ladies,” he said tapping on the poster on Senka's door, the one of the topless lady on
the beach. “He prefers real women not silly little girls. And blondes I know he can't resist a blonde.”
he said winking at me before walking away.
I looked back at Senka's door, something inside me felt like it was ripping. I stepped away from the
door trying not to show how upset I really was. I felt hurt by Alex's harsh words but for all I knew
they were true and Senka was out messing around with some beautiful blonde women. Alex was
right, Senka probably did only see me as some silly little girl. I want straight to my room and
changed into my altered nightdress and dived into bed sobbing myself to sleep. I suddenly felt like a
stupid teenage girl for thinking Senka and I had something special.