Beast in the Darkness by Stacey Marie Brown

Author:Stacey Marie Brown [Brown, Stacey Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hewlett-Packard
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Three

The morning light brought no brightness to my day. I craved the dark nights. Most days I remained in my room, staying there till night fall.

I rolled over with a groan, rubbing at the healing scars where each bullet had been. Remaining in my Dark Dweller form the rest of the night had helped to heal me, but the bruises and soreness were still raw and painful.

I needed to check on Cooper. I paused remembering he lost his bike in the ordeal last night. Yeah . . . I’ll wait a bit longer. I leaned against the headboard. He was gonna be so pissed. I’d have to buy him a new Harley next time we got paid.

“Eli.” A fist pounded on my door. “Get up, it’s time to go,” Gabby said through my door.

Right. The drop.

“I’ll be out in a minute.” I snarled, swinging my legs over the bed. I stood, rubbing my bare ass as I walked to the dresser. I yanked it open and looked for my least dirty jeans.

My fingers stopped on a t-shirt, and I caressed the fabric with the familiar paint stains on it. Even though I knew I was alone, my gaze still darted around the room. If anyone caught me . . .

No one knew about this. No one ever would. It was the last thing I had of her.

The bank had just taken possession of her house when I snuck in. Her smell was rich and thick through the house. It had taken me to my knees the first time I had entered. The crushing pain of her loss had made it hard to breath. My brain kept thinking that she would walk out of her room at any moment, put her hands on her hips, and ask what the hell I was doing there?

Then the slight stink of the Strighoul and a mix of Vek’s and Ember’s blood, stained on the wood floor, would remind me. The smell and sight of her blood had me exiting the house. I swore to never go back. But the need for her, to be near her again, if only by her smell and possessions, pulled me back. I’m not sentimental, but I found myself stuffing the paint stained t-shirt she slept in, her sketch pad, baby book, and a few other keepsakes into my bag. The bank would sell or donate it all, glad to get rid of it. It would be gone forever. Brycin would officially disappear from my life.

I stuffed her shirt farther back in my drawer and snatched a pair of jeans and light weight t-shirt. The summer in Olympia had been unseasonably hot. Usually it stayed pretty mild, but it was as if my personal hell had come to life.

Shading my eyes from the glaring sun, I walked out on the porch. Cooper leaned against the rail, his arms crossed.

“Hey man . . . I am so . . .” I was stopped when his fist smashed into my face.

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