Dark Descent by Danielle Rose

Author:Danielle Rose [Rose, Danielle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781642632620
Publisher: Waterhouse Press

Chapter Five

The air is unkind tonight. It assaults my senses, a steady stream of erratic temperatures and salty sea breezes. Spring is upon us now, and the abrupt change of seasons leaves me on edge.

After my confrontation with Sofía, I decided to distance myself from the others. I stand outside, far away from their unruly gazes.

They want my amulet. When they speak, they warn me about its uncontrollable power and deem what is best for me, for my safety. But it is what is said between sentences that matters most. Their silence is profound, and I am noticing an undeniable truth.

They want the black onyx crystal. They want its power to harness as their own, but I will never relinquish it.

This truth makes the darkness happy, and I am overwhelmed by a sudden warmth. It calms my shivers, easing my anxiousness. My anger subsides, and the entity within grants me a moment of peace. I savor these moments, when the world falls silent and all I can hear is the whispering from within the stone.

“I will keep you safe,” I respond as I stroke the rough edges of the crystal. It is harsh against the pad of my thumb, but I like it. It reminds me that it’s there.

“Ava?” someone says from behind me. I spin on my heels, meeting Jasik’s unreadable gaze. His brows are furrowed, eyes narrowed, as he stares down at me, his height towering over my small frame.

In this light, I see all the little things I missed inside the manor. His hair is disheveled, messy and dry, and his eyes are sunken, their usual cool crimson color muddled and dim. Beneath his eyes there are dark circles, and I wonder how long he hasn’t been sleeping.

His frame is lanky, his chiseled chin appearing bonier, his jawline sharp. All his features are more defined, as though he hasn’t fed in weeks. I had no idea his concern for my well-being has been affecting him so drastically.

I reach for him, letting my fingertips linger against his soft skin. He rests his cheek against my palm and closes his eyes as he smiles. I feel the weight of him against me, the vulnerability and trust, and it silences the darkness. I discover true peace lies only with him.

“Jasik,” I whisper, and he opens his eyes to meet my gaze.

“Will you come back inside?” he asks.

“I need space,” I say, knowing he will understand. “I’m going to patrol, clear my head a bit.”

He nods, breaking my gaze to scan our surroundings. I lower my arm so I can turn away from him.

The woods are dark tonight, the clouds covering what little light we need to hunt. The trees sway in the wind, their shadows lunging forward like monsters in the dark. These shadow figures lash out at my nerves, and my anxiety intensifies.

“Will you be going back?” my sire asks.

“Back where?” I ask. I cross my arms over my chest, rubbing my bony palms against the fabric of my jacket.

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