The Ember In The Dark ( book one )

Chapter 19

“You are just going to hurt me,” Danny

(Trigger warning)

Blake gently lifts her hand. He turned it over and pushed the sleeve higher, revealing a dozen scars on her wrist and forearm.

Blake softly traced each scar then his lips kissed her arm gently.

“I am sorry I wasn’t there for you.” His voices echoes

“Am sorry I was a coward who didn’t stand by you. “ She could hear him talking, but he wasn’t there.

Yet His touch, his touch, was soothing every part of her. Her eyes fluttered close.

“Am sorry I never told you how strong you are. How brave to go through your days even though you are suffering. And am sorry you couldn’t count on me.”

“I meant what I said. I’ve loved you all my life, Daniella. I love you. It hurts me to stop myself from being away from you Physically. I am no longer hiding.”

When she opened her eyes, he was gone.

Danny was in the hospital room; she remembers this room, this night, everything she hated about how weak she felt that night was in this room.

She looks down to see that she is wearing a hospital gown, and he wrists are wrapped up with bandages. This was one of the many nights she tried to take her life. This was before her training; this was when she felt weak. She hated that part of her, disgusted she even considered it when killing every f*****g wolf was so much better. This was the night she had enough; this was the night her father told her about wolves.

“Werewolves killed your mom and attacked you! Werewolves!” She hears her father’s voice, but she cants’ see him.

Panic starts to consume her; she looks down again to see her hand no longer with bandages but zip ties.

No, no, no, Danny starts to hyperventilate.

As the hospital room starts to evaporate around her, she finds herself bound to the bedpost. She was naked, and her legs were spread eagle bound on either side of the bed.

She freezes as she breathes staggers.

This isn’t real; this isn’t real. I cannot be here! She screamed in her head as tears streamed down her face.

“BUT YET YOU ARE.” A sharp, menacing voice answers.

Danny will never forget that voice; it was of her attacker. The one who bounded her to the bed. The first one that touched her was watching as others had their way with her.

Tears stream down her face. She hyperventilates from the overwhelming pain she is feeling. It’s like her body was burning in hell, all over again.

Before she could scream, a smooth, gentle touch on her forearm sent electrical currents throughout her body as if zapping all the pain and suffering she felt.

The room grows dark; her arms and legs are no longer bound. She lays in a fetus position in the middle of a dark room.

She was alone, yet she could feel Blake touching her skin, His lips on hers. A sense of calm took over.

Then her body was hungry, hungry for more of him. Her core throbbing in heat. She feels Blake’s hands between her. As pleasure took over, she reached the point of ecstasy.

She moans out Blake’s name.

_ Present time-

When she opened her eyes, she was in the guest room of the twin’s house. She was alone. Danny was panting and sweating.

“What the f**k was that?” She told herself. She’s always had the nightmares of being back in that hell, with the voices of her attackers haunting her.

Usually, she wakes up and fights the urge to cut herself or she would go to the barn and do some training beating to punch bag until her hands were sore. This was the only way she knew how to self-regulate.

Of course, that’s when she does get to sleep at night. But after her first s****l experience, her body was so relaxed, and she was able to sleep.

Tonight’s episode was different with Blake’s voice in her head. Remembering his touch, she didn’t fall into the abyss of her nightmare. She woke up as herself without the need to cut or to feel pain.

Why does Blake have so much effect on me? She questioned herself.

Looking at the clock, it was 4 am. “Well almost through the night,” She tells herself.

But she would never admit this to Blake.

- The evening before –

After she went down from the high from her first o****m, Blake held her tightly while showering her with soft, gentle kisses on her cheeks. When their eyes finally met, she immediately released herself from his hold.

Confused, Blake just watched her as she pushed him back., “No Blake, this was wrong.”

“Didn’t you hear what I said? I love you? Daniella.”

“I heard, but it also doesn’t mean I am about to give myself to you. You took advantage of the situation, of me.”

“What?” Blake responded, his voice laced with hurt.

“This should have never happened?” And with that, she turned on her heels and walked away from Blake.

Blake dared not follow her, as she was glad so. Yet the guilt of the painful words she said stung her.

-Present time –

“ I may have been a bit too hard on him. “ She bit her lip as she washed her face.

She knew there was no longer any point in trying to get back to bed again. Since she was only in a chamois and pajama pants, she pulled out a red silk robe in the drawers. It wasn’t hers. It was something that the Crowle house has in guest bedrooms. They always make sure their guest a well provided for. The silk was too much for her but at 4 am she didn’t care, especially when her stomach was growling with hunger.

An hour later that early morning, she had breakfast of Bacon, eggs, pancakes, and hash browns suitable for all four of them ready. Even though she knew it was still too early for the boys.

“Well, who said it was for all four of us” She giggled as she got a pot of coffee from the coffee maker. As she turned to face the counter, she screamed, causing her to drop the coffee pot.

“f*****g HELL!” She yelled as the hot coffee burnt her foot. “f**k BLAKE, AT LEAST MAKE A SOUND WHEN YOU ENTER A ROOM”

“DANS, it’s 5 am; I was just going to get water.” Blake walked quickly next to her.

Danny trying to avoid him, took a step back but only to step into some glass shards from the pot of coffee she dropped.

“Ouch,” She gasps.

“Stop moving,” Blake ordered as he placed both of his hands on her waist and lifted her out of the pool of broken glass and hot coffee that surrounded her.

She tried to protest, but she was already in mid-air before saying, “Blake put me down.”

Blake sat her on the countertop as he lifted her leg to pick out the glass that got stuck on the bottom of her foot. “It’s just a surface wound.”

Danny watched him quietly as he mended her wound with the first aid kit he found in one of the kitchen cabinets. He also placed burnt cream on her foot.

Once finished, he placed his hands on either side of her. “You should learn to be more careful” he smiles, his eyes warm.

Danny caught herself almost leaning into kissing him. Instead, she quickly jumped off the countertop. She was winching at the pain of landing on her wound.

“Well, thanks for helping me out with you know …” She stutters

“Your wounds” Blake watches her amusement. He leaned on the counter as he crossed his arms on his chest.

“Right!” Danny snaps her fingers as she walks back towards the kitchen door, obviously flabbergasted.

“I made breakfast, by the way.” She quips

“I can see that, not having any?” Blake arches his eyebrow as he smirks.

Faking a yawn, I am still sleeping, you know.” She points back to the breakfast food as she continues, “ so enjoy breakfast.”

She turned on her heels, and as she was about to exit the kitchen, Blake interrupted her.

“Oh Daniella, I love you. You know, thanks for breakfast.”

“OK, Blake,” Was all she said as she almost ran out the door.