Until Darkness Comes (13 page)

Olivia woke early the next morning. Her whole body ached from tension and fatigue. Every time she thought of Max, her stomach turned and a wave of nausea would hit her. His suspension was over, and she really wasn’t looking forward to dealing him today. What if he showed up this morning to take her to school? What would she say?

She flipped open her phone to check the battery life and saw four missed calls. She scrolled down to see the caller. Max…Max…Max…Max…Olivia sighed.
He just isn’t going to make this easy now, is he?

She heard a car pull up and raced over to the window. Her heart skipped and a smile lit her face when she saw her Jeep sitting in the driveway. She ran down the stairs, finding her dad standing at the door. Liam stood at least four inches taller than her dad. Olivia waved when he looked over her dad’s head and gave her a beautiful white-toothed smile.

Her dad stepped to the side as Olivia approached. “Well,” he said, extending his hand toward Liam, “it was nice meeting you.”

“It was nice meeting you too, Sir.” Liam shook his hand.
“He’s a big one,” her dad whispered to her as he walked away.
“Dad…” she hissed, feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
Liam chuckled. The soft rumble in his chest was like music to her ears.
“Come in,” she said, stepping to the side. A “meow” echoed from the living room. She turned to see a ball of white fur running toward them. “He acts like you’re here to see him,” she laughed.
“Maybe I am,” he teased, bending down to scoop the cat into his arms. Andre’s purring filled the room.
“Unbelievable…” she laughed, shaking her head. “So, besides turning my cat into a traitor, why are you here as seven in the morning?” He looked up from the cat, sprawled across his arms, clearly in seventh heaven. It wasn’t hard to imagine why, having been in those arms herself last night.
“I was wondering if maybe you’d like to take a holiday and hang out with me today.”
“What were you thinking we’d do?” The idea of getting away from Evercrest for the day sounded fabulous, and the idea of spending the day with Liam—even better. Not to mention the added benefit of avoiding Max.
“It’s going to be a beautiful day. I thought we’d head down to the beach. Maybe walk along the pier, bum around, check out some shops, get out on the ocean, go dolphin watching.”
Perfect!
“It sounds great. I just gotta run upstairs real quick and get changed. ”
“Take your time. We’ve got all day.”
Oh, she loved the sound of that—all day. Olivia ran upstairs and changed into a light blue tank top and cut-off shorts. She pulled her hair up into a twist, set her sunglasses on top of her head, and grabbed a bottle of sunscreen off her dresser. On the way out, she ducked into her parents’ room across the hall. Her mom stood in front of the fulllength mirror, putting on a pair of earrings. She looked beautiful, as always.
“Hey, honey,” she met Olivia’s eyes in the mirror. “You look like you’re ready for the beach. And you smell like a coconut.”
“That’s because I am.”
“A coconut?”
“Ha, so funny.” She laughed at her mother’s poor attempt at humor. “I’m going to the beach. Liam’s here. We’re going to spend the day together.”
“Hmm…and what about school, and Max?”
“School’s fine, it’s only one day, and what about him?” she answered coolly. The last thing she wanted to do right now was think or talk about Max.
“Be honest with him, Liv. Just don’t string him along. He doesn’t seem like the type of guy who’d be very understanding about his girlfriend spending the day with another guy.”
“I’ve tried to tell him, Mom, but he isn’t hearing me. And I’m not his girlfriend anymore.”
“All right then,” Kim turned away from the mirror to kiss Olivia on the cheek. “Be safe and have a good time. Remember it’s family night, so be home for supper. It’s your dad’s movie pick tonight, so if I gotta suffer, you gotta suffer with me.”
Olivia laughed. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll see ya tonight.”
She ran down the stairs, feeling bad she’d kept Liam waiting so long. He was standing in the foyer, still loving up on her cat when she walked over to him. He didn’t seem the least bit irritated she’d kept him waiting.
That’s because he’s not Max.
He smiled up at her, and even that simple gesture made her weak in the knees.
Does he realize how gorgeous he is?
If he did, he never gave any indication of it. There wasn’t even a hint of arrogance about him, which was a huge turnon for her. He was so different from Max. His confidence came from somewhere else, somewhere…deeper. It made her want to know him all the more.
“Ready?” he asked, setting Andre on the floor. The cat protested with a “meow.”
“Yep. I just have to be back by supper. It’s family night.”
“Family night?” Liam chuckled.
“Yeah, Tuesdays and Thursdays we have dinner together and watch a movie. Everyone takes turns picking. Tonight’s my dad’s pick, so it will probably be some lame
Clint Eastwood
spaghetti western.”
“It actually sounds fun.”
“It is. I just like to give my dad a hard time. I’m ready if you are. Do you mind if we swing through the coffee shop on the way out of town?”
“Not at all. Do you mind if we take your Jeep? Mine’s in the shop,” he teased.
“You’re funny.”
The drive to Clearwater couldn’t have been more relaxing. When was the last time she’d had this much fun? Or felt more relaxed? No pressure, no brooding. Being with Liam made her feel…alive—refreshed. God help her, she was falling for this guy—hard.
They walked along the pier, checking out quaint little gift shops and browsing for souvenirs. “Let’s go in here.” Olivia grabbed Liam’s arm and pulled him along behind her. They walked into a handmade soap shop. The store was filled wall to wall with bins of soap and sea sponge loofas. Olivia grabbed a few bars and held them up to her nose. She made a sour face and turned to Liam.
“What do you think of this one?” she asked, holding it up to him. He took a quick sniff and shook his head. Olivia giggled, enjoying this game. She walked over to another bin and dug through the soaps, looking for a scent he might actually like.
She suddenly froze. The heat of his body pressed against her bare shoulders, and his breath brushed against the side of her neck, sending shivers of delight right into her core. He inhaled, slow and deep, as if he were savoring the most delicious scent. Was he…smelling her? Her mouth suddenly went dry. She swallowed past the lump in her throat that was probably her heart. She could feel its erratic pounding in there.
“I don’t think there’s a soap in here that can smell better than you do right now.” His words whispered against her throat, making her flesh tingle. She stood there statue still, waiting for him to come just an inch closer, wishing he would kiss her, imagining what it’d feel like to have his lips against her skin. Liam suddenly turned away, and a pang of disappointment nearly made her knees buckle.
“Take your time.” His voice was raw—husky. “I’ll meet you outside. I just need a little fresh air.”
Olivia’s throat was too tight to speak. She could use some cool air herself right about now. His closeness rattled her unlike anything she’d ever experienced before. She stalled inside the shop a few extra minutes, waiting for her heart to stop racing, trying to compose herself.
She walked outside and found Liam sitting on a park bench. She approached him silently, stopping a few feet away to take in his statuesque profile. Sea gulls walked around his feet, they were so close. One of them sat on the arm rest of the bench less than a foot away from him.
He casually reached out and ran his hand over the bird’s back, murmuring understand. It sounded couldn’t be sure. The gull turned its head, watching him with alert, intelligent eyes. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear that bird understood exactly what he said. Olivia scolded herself for being so foolish. She stepped a little closer, and the birds flew off in an explosion, scattering in something like another to it she couldn’t language, but she different directions.
“Are you ready?” He turned to glance over his shoulder. “You didn’t buy anything?”
“Yeah, I’m ready. I guess I didn’t find anything in there that really appealed to me. Do you mind if we walk on the beach?”
“Not at all. This is your day. We can do whatever you want.” He stood up from the bench and turned to smile at her. His warm violet eyes set off the deep burgundy flecks in his hair. He held his hand out, and she took it without hesitation. Her heart skipped a beat when their palms connected.
Liam led her down the pier. When they reached the end, he released her hand and leapt gracefully off the edge, landing on the whitewashed sand below. He turned and lifted his arms. “Come on,” he encouraged. “It’s not as far down as it looks.”
Olivia took a step closer and peered over the edge. She wasn’t so sure. It was at least a twelve-foot jump. She wasn’t fond of heights, and liked jumping off them even less. It took all her nerve to bend down and reach over the pier’s ledge to grasp his hands.
He gave her a confident smile. “Jump,” he encouraged.
“I don’t really like heights,” she said reluctantly, wishing she could let go of his hand and step away from the ledge.
“I know, but you’re safe—trust me. Just close your eyes and jump.”
She closed her eyes tight and jumped off the edge of the pier, bracing herself for the hard impact against the ground. When her feet fell softly against the sand, her eyes flew open in surprise.
“That wasn’t so bad now, was it?” he teased, sliding his fingers in between hers. “Come on.”
“Wait,” Olivia said, stopping to bend down. She slipped her feet out of the sandals and grabbed them in her free hand. She took a moment to dig her beautifully manicured toes into the warm soft sand and smiled up at him. “This is my favorite part.”
They walked along the water’s edge as far as the beach would take them, the cool ocean waves lapping over her feet. She’d stop occasionally to pick up a seashell and hold it up to the sun, admiring its beautiful colors.
The salty ocean air made her senses tingle. This was truly a perfect day, and she owed it all to Liam. She stole a glance at him and couldn’t help the smile that touched her lips. He was so easy to be with.
Heat rose to her cheeks, when he glanced down and caught her staring—again, but it was difficult not to. He’s so…beautiful. He must have a flaw somewhere. No one is this perfect.
“What?” he asked, smiling down at her.
“Nothing. I just really needed this today. Thanks for inviting me.”
“You want to talk about it?”
“No, not really. I’m having a wonderful day with you, and I don’t want to ruin it by talking about my problems. I’m just going to enjoy being here with you and pretend, just for a little while, that the rest of the world doesn’t exist.”
Liam laughed. How she loved the sound of that deep, rich melody. “Fair enough,” he said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m having a great time too. I really love spending time with you.”
In fact, she could think of a few other things she’d love doing with him right now. “Thank you,” she said, smiling up at him. They walked together in comfortable silence. She watched the gulls fly overheard as they moved with a rhythm and elegance that made them almost appear to be dancing in the vibrant blue sky.
“So, what do you say we grab some lunch on the pier and then go dolphin watching?” Liam’s soft baritone voice cut into her thoughts.
“Sure. That sounds great.” They turned around and walked back toward the pier. He occasionally brushed his thumb over the top of her hand. She wanted him to stop her, right here, right now, and kiss her. She couldn’t stop thinking about his lips, what they would feel like against hers. What he’d taste like…
“What are you thinking about?” Liam asked, breaking the silence.
Olivia’s mind went blank and she tripped over her feet, stumbling forward. Liam reached for her, and with blinding speed, his hand slipped around her waist, pulling her up against his chest. She let out a surprised little gasp when she looked up into a pair of dark violet eyes instead of face-planting into the sand.
“Are you all right?” His tone carried a touch of amusement.
“I’m fine, really. I guess now you know why you won’t be seeing me on
Dancing with the Stars
anytime soon.”
He chuckled softly. “I guess not.”
His hand pressed against the small of her back. She stood there, waiting for him to move, watching as his eyes darkened to sapphire blue—a color she was beginning to recognize very well. She’d seen it last night in the car. He wanted to kiss her. She could feel the tension building inside him.
“What are you thinking about?” Olivia echoed his own words back at him.
“Nothing I should be putting words to,” he ground out in frustration. “Come on,” he said abruptly, sliding his hand out from behind her. “Let’s go grab some lunch.” He turned away and walked toward the pier, leaving her standing there in stunned, disappointed silence.
Liam stopped a few yards away and waited for her to catch up. His eyes returned to their deep violet hue, his expression a composed mask that could no longer fool her. He wanted to kiss her, she was certain of that, but what she didn’t understand was why he refused. He cared for her, without a doubt, or he never would have put his car in front of hers last night. So why was he holding back from her?

“It looks like we’re the only ones here,” Olivia commented as they boarded the two-level touring boat. The lower level held fifteen rows of empty benches. The stairs on her right would take them up top. With any luck, the upper level would be empty as well. The idea of having the boat all to themselves seemed incredibly romantic.

Olivia glanced back at Liam before starting up the stairs. Her hand grasped the railing, her foot balancing on the first step. She saw him handing the captain a stack of tickets and suddenly understood why the boat was vacant.

“I think you’re going to love the view up here,” Liam said, walking up behind her. His hand rested on the rail just below hers. His fingertips brushed against the sensitive part of her wrist. She was reluctant to climb the steps, in no hurry to move away from the heat of his body as he hovered behind her. She only needed to lean back a mere few inches and her backside would be pressed against his thigh.

“I’m sure it’s going to be beautiful.”

“Well, you’re never going to find out if you don’t walk up the stairs,” he teased.
Olivia put one foot in front of the other and was rewarded with a beautiful view of the ocean when they reached the upper deck. “Oh, Liam! It’s amazing up here!” She rushed to the back of the boat to peer over the railing into the clear blue water below. Small whitecaps peaked the waves. Frothy foam sat on the water’s surface where it washed against the hull. The captain’s voice crackled across the loudspeaker, announcing their departure from the harbor.
“Do you think we’ll see any dolphins today?” she called over her shoulder, unable to contain her excitement. “I’m embarrassed to say, I lived in Florida my whole life and I’ve never been dolphin watching before.”
“I’m sure of it.” Liam walked up beside her and casually slid his arm around her low back. “Careful,” he cautioned. “If you lean any farther over that railing, we’re going to be swimming.”
Olivia turned around to look at him. “You’d dive in after me, wouldn’t you?” She already knew the answer in her heart before he spoke.
“Of course I would. There isn’t anywhere I wouldn’t go, or anything I wouldn’t do to keep you safe.” The intensity of his eyes and total honesty in his voice caught her off guard. Why did it always seem like his words carried a deeper meaning that went far beyond what he actually said?
Olivia leaned into him, the whole right side of her body pressed into his. His muscular arm crossed her back, and his hand rested against her hip. She couldn’t remember ever feeling as safe and protected as she did at this very moment.
Unfortunately, that treasured feeling was short-lived. Liam’s body suddenly tensed. He spun around so fast she barely saw him move. Olivia turned around to find him standing in front of her, partially obscuring her view of the stairwell. She opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong, but the words caught in her throat.
Three men in varying levels of poor hygiene rounded the stairs of the upper deck. Fear prickled her skin like a thousand needles. She and Liam had been the only two people who boarded this boat, and they were at least a mile off the coast. There was no way anyone with good intentions would be here right now.
Olivia’s heart began to pound in her chest, a sense of impending doom washing over her. She reached out and grabbed Liam’s hand. He didn’t turn to look at her, to give her that reassuring smile she so desperately needed right now. Instead, he kept his full attention on the three approaching men. He gently squeezed her hand. Was that meant to reassure her?—because the tension radiating off of him was anything but comforting. Olivia glanced down at his hand. She was gripping it so tightly, her nails dug into his palm. He didn’t seem to notice or didn’t care, either way keeping his eyes locked on the man now approaching them.
He was big. Not as big as Liam, then again few men were. He stood a few inches shorter, which still put him easily over 6’2.” He was muscular built, sleeved in tattoos depicting violent, horrific acts. He wore an old, filthy wifebeater and black faded jeans. A long cluster of scraggly black hairs hung from his pointy chin, and his shaved head revealed a skull cap of tribal markings that ran down the back of his neck. The stranger’s dark eyes roamed over her, making her flesh crawl.
The two men, who stood a few feet back on either side of their leader, looked equally menacing. Dressed similar, the lanky one on the left had long dirty black hair. He wore a ring through his septum and several studs through his eyebrow. Similar tattoos ran down his neck, signifying they were somehow connected. The one on the right was slightly heavier built. His ashen blonde hair was cut short in a wild, disheveled look. A long jagged scar ran down his face, starting at the corner of his right eye and disappearing into his goatee.
A slight breeze blew, and the strong acidic scent of smoke and sulfur assaulted her nose. She immediately thought of Max, but he never smelled quite this bad. The captain’s voice continued to carry on in the background, oblivious to the trouble that was brewing aboard his Summer Breeze.
The man in the tattoos said something to Liam in a language she couldn’t understand. His deep and scratchy voice sent goose bumps crawling up her flash. He kept looking from her to Liam as he spoke, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was talking about her.
“Do not assault my ears with that offensive tongue. If you have something to say to me, you can say it in my Father’s language, or have you forgotten how to speak it?” Liam snapped.
Olivia stared at Liam in wide-eyed shock. He didn’t seem the least bit afraid of these three, or bothered by the fact that he was clearly outnumbered. The tone of his voice was one she’d never heard before: full of authority and contempt.
This time when the man spoke, the language was different—beautiful. It carried almost a musical brogue, and Liam answered him in the same dialect. She wished she could understand what they were saying, or knew what language they were speaking.
Liam finished his sentence in English, “…it’s inconsequential, Rowen. You do know she can see you.”
Holy shit! He knows them!
“So the rumors are true?” Rowen replied in English, his black eyes boring into her soul. “The girl does have the sight.”
He watched her with a mixture of intrigue and mild amusement. A wicked grin spread across his face, filling her with disgust. A wave of nausea washed over her and she involuntarily shivered, resisting the urge to take another step behind Liam. Olivia stood her ground, something telling her these men would only thrive on her fear.
“Don’t pretend this is news to you. I know why you’re here, Rowen, and if you continue with those thoughts you’re having, I’m going to kill you right where you stand,” Liam promised with a low, menacing growl.
She looked up at Liam. The amethyst glare in his eyes confirmed his deadly intention. The wicked sneer fell from the face of the one called Rowen. His black, hateful eyes locked on Liam. “You really think you’ll be able to save her, don’t you?” he asked incredulously. “How many of us do you think you’ll be able to stop?”
“As many as it takes,” Liam growled.
Holy shit! They were here for her? And Liam didn’t seem the least bit surprised by this news. What could they possibly want with her? What did he say about her sight? Of course she could see them. They were standing right in front of her! She wasn’t blind!
“I’m actually surprised you’re here,” Liam sneered. “I thought you valued your miserable existence more than this. You’re out of your fucking mind if you think I’m going to let you near her.”
Liam looked absolutely terrifying! The ominous energy that hovered in the air around him was almost enough to make Olivia want to take a step back. The preternatural look in his eyes was undeniably lethal. Oddly, at the same time, she didn’t think she’d ever seen him look more breathtaking.
The two men standing behind Rowen must have felt the energy too, because they were beginning to look less confident by the second, especially the one on the right— the one with the scar on his face. Liam leveled his amethyst glare at him and he took another weary step back. “You survived your last encounter with me, Cale, and walked away with that scratch on your face. Don’t think you’ll be so lucky this time.”
Cale glanced around anxiously, maybe looking for an escape, she couldn’t tell for sure. Before Liam could speak again, a sudden breeze picked up from the opposite direction. The three men looked in the air above her, their faces filled with fear. She turned around, wondering what they saw to cause such an abrupt change in their countenance, but the only thing behind her was clear blue sky and a few gulls circling overhead.
“Come on,” Liam drawled. “Did you really didn’t think a legion wouldn’t be sent? I’d rather not do this in front of the girl. But I will, if you force my hand. My patience is growing short, so I’ll give you this one chance to walk away, Rowen. Leave now and tell your court that any other attempts on Olivia’s life will not end this peacefully. I will not be this forgiving again!”
“This isn’t over!” Rowen growled. “You can’t be with the girl every minute of every day.”
“Then the next time you approach her, be prepared to die!” Liam snarled.
Olivia watched in wide-eyed terror as the three figures disappeared before her eyes into various shades of black and gray mist. As the mist turned left and disappeared over the railing, the wind at her back ceased. Olivia gasped. She yanked her hand out of Liam’s and stumbled back until the cold, steel railing dug into her back, halting her retreat. She stood there clinging to the bars, panic climbing up her throat, threatening to choke her.
Liam turned toward her. She stared past him, unblinking at the space where three. Things stood just one minute ago. Whatever they were, they were not human! Her breath came in quick, rapid bursts. She suddenly felt dizzy. If not for her tight grip on the railing, she would have collapsed to the floor.
“Olivia?” Liam reached his hand out toward her, but thankfully he didn’t dare take a step toward her. She stared at him, feeling like she was looking into the eyes of a stranger—fear and confusion threatened to overwhelm her.
“Come here, Olivia,” Liam held her stare. His hand stretched out toward her, waiting for her to take it.
“Who…who are you?” she demanded. “And what were
they
? What did they want with me, Liam? And don’t tell me you don’t know, because you obviously do!”
“I know you have a lot of questions. But unfortunately, I can’t give you the answers you’re looking for.” The sincerity and regret in his eyes did nothing to assuage her panic.
“Can’t or won’t?” she shot back.
“Both.”
“Well then,” she said, straightening herself up from against the rail, taking a tentative step toward him. “If you think this,” she paused, waving her hand in between Liam and herself, “is going to go anywhere, I strongly encourage you to reconsider. I hate secrets, Liam, and quite honestly, after what I just saw, I’m completely freaked out.”
Liam stepped forward and closed the distance between him and Olivia. His outstretched hand gently grasped her wrist. Any remnants of fear she’d been holding onto instantly vanished with his touch and filled with a numbing calmness.
“I know what just happened must be very frightening and confusing for you, but I need you to believe that I want nothing more than to keep you safe. I need you to trust that I will never do anything to harm you, and believe that this,” he paused, mimicking her hand gesture between them, “is real…”
“I don’t understand how you can care so much for me. You’re willing to kill for me—to die protecting me—from what, I don’t even know, but you do! And you know why they’re after me, don’t you?”
Olivia’s pulse quickened when he reached up to brush an errant lock of hair out of her face. “You’re very special, Olivia—gifted, and that gift must be protected, at all cost.”
“Even if the cost is your life?” she challenged.
“Yes,” he answered without hesitation.
She had no idea what he was talking about—gifted how? What did he know about her that she didn’t know about herself? What could be so special that it was worth dying for? She didn’t bother asking him, because she knew he had no intention of telling her. Honestly, she was no different from anyone else. Maybe they had the wrong person?
“Liam, I think there’s been some mistake. I’m not whatever it is you think I am. I have no gift. I’m just regular—normal.”
He reached up and caught her face in his hands. “I am not mistaken. And I promise you, you are anything but regular. I know exactly who and what you are Olivia.”
“Then tell me!” she pleaded.
Liam sighed in frustration and raked his fingers through his hair. “I can’t, Olivia!”
Olivia took a brave step closer to him, cupped the side of his cheek, and forced him to look at her. “Then who are you? Surely you can tell me that. And don’t you dare lie to me either, cuz
you’re
not normal. I’ve never met anyone like you before. Normal guys don’t act like you. Normal guys don’t look like you, and if they do, they’re usually more like…”
“More like what?” His eyebrow arched curiously.
“More like Max, I guess.”
“Well, I can promise you that I am nothing like Max. Probably the exact opposite, to tell you the truth.”
“Why do you dislike him so much? At first, I thought it was because he was my boyfriend, and you were just jealous or something. But it’s more than that…”
“There’s a darkness in him, Olivia. Can’t you feel it?”
“I’m not sure how I feel when I’m with Max anymore. I used to feel…carefree—wild and reckless, you know? But lately, I’m starting to just feel…afraid. Like I’m walking on a tightrope and I’m about ready to fall.”
“I’ll catch you…” he whispered. His fingers trailed down the side of her neck. Her pulse beat erratically beneath his touch. She opened her mouth to say something, but stopped. Instead, she moistened her lower lip with the tip of her tongue.
Olivia felt Liam’s resolve snap as a wave of desire blasted into her. A soft groan of defeat rumbled in his chest as he lowered his head to capture her lips in a tender embrace. His kiss tore through her like fire. What started out as tentative and sweet quickly escalated to urgent and demanding as a rush of adrenaline flooded her veins. She melted into his arms, her lips fitting perfectly against his, like she was made just for him.
He tasted exactly like he smelled—rich and spicy. She parted her lips, aching for more. He responded to her request as if she’d spoken it. Drawing the kiss deeper, his tongue brushed against hers. The longer he kissed her, the more hungry she became.
She wound her arms up around his neck and pulled him closer. She’d never felt as starved and yet completely satisfied as she did at that very moment. He wrapped his arms around her and gently pulled her up against him.
Time stood still. She had no idea how long they stood there in each other’s arms. The floor of the boat rocked beneath their feet as it changed courses, taking them back toward the harbor. The captain’s voice crackled over the speaker, announcing the end of their tour. A reluctant groan escaped Liam’s lip as he broke their kiss and released her. Olivia stumbled when her feet touched ground. Liam’s hand shot out to steady her.
“Careful…” he chuckled. His hand gently grasped her arm.
Olivia looked up into his dark blue eyes, currently watching her with a hint of amusement. “Your eyes are beautiful,” she whispered. “They’re the deepest blue I’ve ever seen. Did
I