Black Dawn (6 page)

Lucas laughed an ear-crackling laugh. “You’re too smart for your own good.”

Dar summoned her energy and tried to charge the large vampire with the speed of light, but he was one up on her. He caught her and flipped her over in mid-air, landing her on her back with a loud
thud.

“
Little girl, you’ve got a lot to learn about vampires, you really do,” he said quickly, before dodging a silver bullet from the gun. “Ah Dane, you disappoint me. Getting a little slow, are we? Look man, they already know where we’re at, thanks to this nifty little tracking device on my belt buckle. Cute,
ain't
it?”

Dane snarled and charged.
Blinded by betrayal and fury and the fact that Dar had been hurt.
In the distance he heard the sound of engines. “Dar, get out of here, now!”

She quickly rose to her feet. “I’m not leaving you!”

“
Damn you! You stubborn little…” Dane’s fangs lengthened.

Lucas laughed. “
Aww
,
ain’t
that sweet?
Lights out, you little fairy hybrid bastard.”
Lucas took out a cylindrical like tube, held it to his lips and blew hard.

Dane roared at the stinging sensation in the side of his neck intensified. His limbs became uncontrollable, and he dropped to his knees. He tried fighting the poison, but it was no use. Suddenly, darkness overpowered him just before he
fell
face first onto the ground.

Chapter Seven

Dane groaned as he came to and observed his surroundings. Silver cuffs dug into his flesh, rendering him helpless. Beside him, he noticed Lucas, who was in the same predicament as he, which befuddled him because his old friend had suddenly turned traitor.

“
Come on, snap out of it!” Dar’s voice was panicky, prompting him to come fully to his senses. If Lucas harmed her he swore he’d kill him. He looked to his right and snarled, witnessing her bloodied lip.

“
Lucas, did you put your hands on her?” He snarled.
“Traitorous bastard!
I’ll have your head!” he spat as he eyed Lucas up.

“No, you won’t. That’s the real Lucas beside you.” Dar stated with a sigh. “The Lucas that met us in the woods was an imposter
. ”

Lucas nodded in agreement. “Man, how could you think that lying sack of shit was me? You know boy, we’ve got a lot of talking to do if we make it out of this mess.”

Dane frowned and shook his head. “But, he was like you in every way. Everything about you, the vampires copied to a T.”

Suddenly, a tall man swathed in black entered the room. Long blond hair cascaded down his expensive-looking suit. “I just love it when all my hard work pays off.”

“Colin!” The name slid off Dane’s lips like a snarl. “You’re the reason behind this?
You son-of-a-bitch.
You’ve slaughtered millions of innocent people. What the hell?”

“We are different, brother. I’m a go-getter.
You.
Well, you’re nothing but a pathetic loser.”

“
But.
You died,” Dane sputtered as he continued struggling against the cuffs. “You perished in the fire.”

“
You deserted me, brother. And I do use the term loosely.” Colin tossed a seething look at Lucas. “Can’t believe you’d
chose
a backwards prick over your own brother!”

“
Hey, watch you’re damn tongue there, boy! I swear, when I get
outta
here, I’m tearing you a brand new asshole!”

In a flash, Colin was in front of Lucas. “That’s if you ever get out of here, which is totally unlikely, given the circumstances! I have a score to settle with my brother, and you just happened to be in the way.” He laughed. “Dane never knew that it was I who assumed your form.”

He glided over towards Dar. “Look at you, so beautiful, but so fucking naïve.
Almost the spitting image of your sister.”
Colin reached out to stroke her cheek.

“
Keep your hands off her!” Dane tried breaking free of his bonds, but it was no use since they were made of some type of special alloy that drained energy from fairies. His prick of a brother was using his own heritage against him.

“
Wait your turn, little boy. I’ll release you and we can settle the score. I doubt seriously that you’ll defeat me, given your handicap.” Colin smiled evilly. “You see, your mother contributed to your weakness, giving you the fairy and incubus traits.” Colin’s laughter echoed off the steel walls. “You see baby bro, or should I say half-brother. While our father, the pureblood, adored your mother, he simply could not stay tied down to just one woman.
Especially not a mere fairy.”

“
I’ll kill you for speaking ill of my mother! You know nothing of her, of us!” Dane spat.

“
Never knew your own history, did you? Don’t blame me because my father chose my mother. C’mon. Didn’t you know? Fairies are simply playthings. Just like the one you’ve fucked just last night.” He sniffed the air and smiled. “I can smell her on you! Oh…wait. No, you didn’t fuck. You simply toyed with her.” Colin clapped his hands together in amusement. “Man, you’re losing your fucking touch. You had
this
in bed and you never laid a hand on her.” Colin stroked Dar’s cheek with the back of his hand. “So exquisite, she is just like her sister,
Zari
.”

“
What have you done to
Zari
? Where is
she ?”
Dar sneered.

Dane threw his head back and roared his frustrations to the heavens. “How did you survive the fire? I went back for you, I swear I did, but I couldn’t get past the flames.”

“
You should have tried harder!” Colin howled. “Look what you’ve done to my face! Look at this!” Pulling blond hair aside, he showed off the serious looking scar tissue along the side of his neck and some on his face. “See what your hesitation has done to me, brother?”

“
It was an accident. I thought the fire had claimed you!”

Colin bared teeth. “Well, you thought wrong, you prick!”

“
How did you assume Lucas’ form?”

“
I’ve picked up many things along the way. My existence has been quite interesting, shall we say? Listen up boys and
girls,
I don’t have all day for this! Since we’re having this lovely family reunion, I think it’s time for the girls to meet up.”

“
Zari
!”
He called over his shoulder before turning to Dar.
“Time for a family reunion.”

* * * *

Dar gasped when she saw her sister slink in from the other room.
“
Zari
?
Is it really you?”

“
Baby sis, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”

“
What are you doing here? You know we’ve got to get back. King
Zurion
is closing the realms
—”

“
I’m aware of all that. It’s about time he did it.”

“
But why?”

“
Why not baby?”
Zari
shook her head and sighed. “Dear one, you’re so naïve. We don’t want the portal open so fairies can slip in and out into our world and regenerate the human race.”

“
But, father is worried sick about you!”

“
He’ll get over it. I’m dead to him anyway.”

“
You know the vampires plan to use your blood to cast this world into darkness forever. Is this what you want? Is this why you are here?”

Zari’s
face was suddenly close to hers. “You know absolutely nothing about me!” Her voice was dark, and menacing. “We are two different elements, night and day. We’ve been told that our entire existence! Oh how everyone praised you when the sun rose. Oh yes, the sun rose and set around you. You were guidance and always lit the way for those who were forever lost to darkness.”

“
Oh
Zari
, this isn’t you.” Dar’s eyes began to water because she could see the hostility and resentment in her eyes. Had her sister always harbored these dark thoughts toward her?

“
This
is
who I am. You don’t know me, at all. Open your eyes, sister. We’ve been repressed all our lives. I can’t live like that anymore! And neither should you!”

“
When it rained, some humans became depressed or melancholy, wallowing in their sick, pathetic sea of misery. When the moon rose, humans and fairies alike shivered within the smallest recesses of their homes, in fear of the dark. That was when the humans ruled the earth, of course. That is me! That’s what I’m about. I am the darkness!”

“
Is this really what you want?”

“
Well, now it’s time for a change. Darkness shall take hold of the earth, and
Sychuria
.”

“
But—one can’t exist without the other. There must be a balance and you know this.”

“
I know only one thing.”
Zari
kissed her baby sister on the forehead. “It is time I bid you farewell.”

“
You knew about this?” Dane interrupted. “Why did you keep this from me?”

“
Keeping secrets so early in the relationship?”
Zari
laughed.

“
I never thought it would come to this,” Dar told him. “I’m sorry.” She knew Dane was pissed, but she’d handle him later. “But you’ll be sacrificed!” Dar belted out through gritted teeth. If she were free, she’d slap some sense into her sister. “Why would you give your essence up for the likes of vampires who only wish to cast the remaining humans forever into darkness? Is there any shred of remorse left in you, or have you been tainted by these beasts?”

“
Remorse?
No remorse. The only remorse I have is that I didn’t free myself from the chains of our world long ago. I never knew what awaited me out here! It was always our duty to uphold
Zurion’s
demands! Duty this, duty that! I’m tired of being ruled. I’ll become vampire once the magic is taken from me. For once in my miserable existence, I’ll be happy.”

“
No. You’ll be dead, idiot!” Hands balled into fists, she pulled against the cuffs even though they dug into her skin. Dar shook her head and closed her eyes at her sister’s sudden change. “This isn’t you,” she whispered. “You’re better than this. Fight it. You’re under Colin’s spell. Smoke and mirrors, remember? He’s a master of illusion. You’ll never find happiness.”

“
That’s where you’re wrong. Through magic, you and I are swapping our essence. So, I’ll have the power of light, you the dark.”

“
You’d kill your own sister?” Dane cried out
.
“
Zari
, when I get free, your ass is mine!” Dar could barely speak as tears blurred her vision. Her sister’s betrayal was more than she could bear.

“
Enough talk!” Colin thundered.
“
Zari
.”
He walked over to the dark fairy and stroked her hair. “Take her essence. Destroy her. Then, we’ll sacrifice the entire pathetic lot of them.” He kissed her on the forehead. “Wouldn’t you love to rule over the realm you’ve come to hate so much?”

Zari
laughed. “It would be to die for.” She admitted. “But, we must rid ourselves of the dead weight.”

“
My sentiments exactly,” Colin scoffed. “Now, do your thing, my delicate beauty.”

Dar’s heart immediately sank. She could no longer stand the evil influence controlling her sister. With one last hope she mentally tapped into
Zari’s
psyche. This feat would snag any last bit of her energies, possibly destroying her she knew, but it was worth a try. She couldn’t allow Colin to destroy her sister.

 
The darkness was suffocating at first. The aura was so thick and mucky, nearly making her gasp. She sucked in a breath and her body began to convulse. First, small tremors shot through her body and soon they intensified.

“
Dar!”
Dane shouted. “What’s wrong with her?” He glanced at Colin and
Zari
and quickly back to Dar as he struggled against his restraints. “I swear
,
I’ll kill you for this! Stop it, she’s dying!” His fangs lengthened and he struggled until blood seeped from the areas where the restraints dug into his skin.