the dark days (book one of the darkness saga)

Chapter 16

Alex POV

- last night -

I got out of the Uber. If Justin didn’t help me by calling me an Uber, Dameon would have caught up with me. Not that I was trying to run away, I just needed space to think.

Dameon must have mind linked with Justin because he was in my room before me before I knew it.

His idea was to do the bed sheet thing; I would have never had time for that. He did that as I went thru the back stairs that led to the garage out the front where the Uber was waiting.

I never realized how fast werewolves are until tonight. No wonder Xavier and Dameon’s hockey skills are above average compared to all the human teenagers in school. It also makes me rethink all those times the boys “just so happened” to be in the right place.

I pull out my phone, texting Justin that I’ve made it safely to the pub he recommended. My phone vibrates. He replies that he will give me 2 hours to cool my head. After, he will come and pick me up.

My phone vibrates again, a message from Justin: so that you know, Lola and he are finished. It wasn’t what you thought it was.

I reply: I just need space to think.

My phone vibrates again; the message is from Dameon: it’s not what you think it is; I promise you we are over.

Vibrating again: where are you, please answer?

Again: I am worried, Lexie. Please stop acting childish.

again: answer me

Again: s**t, I am sorry.

Before I could turn off my phone, it vibrated again,

Justin: Make that one hour. Sorry, the Alpha will kill me if I don’t come home with you soon. I’ll drive around town; I am just close.

Okay, I have 1 hour.

What better way to drown the pain in a hurry than with alcohol? Lots of alcohol!

Since I knew Justin would pick me up, I didn’t have to worry about how much I’d drink, even though I promised Justin I would only have one or two.

I'm pretty glad I found a friend in Justin. It must be hard for him to hide our friendship from Dameon, especially since he is the... what was it that they called him? Alpha.

I would have lost my mind if it wasn’t for Justin. He patiently answered all my questions regarding werewolves. Especially the one about the reason talking...what was it called? Mind-link.

Meanwhile, my so-called "best friends" were hounding me. One is in my head while the other hovers around me. Dameon doesn’t think I notice when he's eavesdropping when I am with Justin. Thank goodness Martha has asked him to back off.

I already figured that he has super hearing, so it made it extra annoying.

However, my guilt got the best of me. I finally decided to make it up to Dameon for ignoring him for a week.

It wasn’t his fault, and I needed to deal with this whole werewolves thing.

fuck, there was that! Werewolves are real.

With Justin’s help, I decided to break the ice with Dameon by downloading the Twilight and Underworld movies.

I was excited about my plan that I even made our favorite chocolate coffee mix. Justin was so game to being my accomplice; he planted the idea to Dameon to make him think I was curious. It was all a setup so that I have both movies to talk about with Dameon. I know that we would have to talk about Xavier if I approached him. And I know he can't handle that just yet. Neither am I, for that matter.

What a joke! I laughed at myself.

How pathetic, Alexandra, you thought he was waiting for you. Why would he? He was a super being!

I nodded to the bartender for another bottle of beer.

Why was I so jealous?

Do I even have the right to be jealous?

Yes, Dameon told me he loved me, and yes, he kissed me. My thoughts trail off to that long-overdue kiss and how it felt.

The cold bottle touches my lips, sending chills down my spine. Dameon's shirtless image invades my thoughts. My heart races.

What are you doing to me, Dameon?

Did he have to be that buff?

Is it a werewolf thing to be that hot? There was no justice for us mere humans.

Well, Lola’s hot, so it must be. Hot, long-legged, Wonder Woman incarnate - Lola!

See, it's not fair; how do I complete that! - I grumble at the thought.

Emptying another bottle, I slammed it on the counter a little too hard that the bartender gave me a look. I glared at him to dare say something, but instead, he gave me a smirk and just handed me another beer.

Wasn’t it always like this with Dameon ever since?

17 years old -

My thoughts go back to my 17-year-old self. It was prom night. Of course, I had new bruises from dad, so I threw on an oversized hoodie on top of my dress. Mom could care less; she thought all my bruises came from karate. It was actually why I signed up for karate in the first place.

It was easier to hide in plain sight.

So here I was, ready for prom with no date because the boys scared off any potential suitors except for that one time last year.

Thinking about that horrible night sent shivers down my back. I shrugged off the memory.

I really didn’t mind, though; I wasn’t into dating after that. That and the fact I was starting to have a massive crush on Dameon.

So when Dameon promised me, he won’t bring a date, and we could go together. My teenager's heart fluttered at the thought.

I get to the dance, and who do I see necking the captain of the cheerleaders?

Dameon!

Hurt, I quickly turned around, about to leave. But Xavier stood right behind me.

“I knew that would happen. Those two have been flirting all week.” He shrugs as he removes his jacket.

“New flavor of the month?” I tried to act coy. There was no point in acting hurt when I knew Dameon and I were only friends.

“Hmm, where’s your date?”

Xavier smiled, and he quipped, “She’s finally here.”

I looked at him, confused, as he was clearly alone. Did I miss something?

“Now I know you're making a bold fashion statement with this hoodie over the dress look. But I think this will do much better.” I didn’t protest as he lifted my hoodie over my head.

Sparks erupted as his fingers grazed my skin.

He tucks the hoodie between his knees as he places his suit jacket over my shoulders. I've never been this intimately close to Xavier; having his scent all over me was intoxicating.

Why have it I never noticed?

This was a feeling I had never noticed before, and I liked it.

He wore my oversized hoodie and then took a deep breath. “You’ve always smelled good,” he smiled as I blushed.

What was happening?

Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. We were in a room filled with teenagers, but my eyes were glued to him.

Noticing as if for the first time, all the small details of his face, the dimple on his cheek, how his dirty blonde hair falls over his forehead, the wrinkle between his eyes, and his heart-stopping, piercing blue eyes.

He eyes me as if I am missing something. He pulled out a corsage from his back pocket and slipped it on my wrist. His piercing perfect blue eyes burned through me as he whispered, “Perfect.”

- Present time -

Xavier... I whisper as I finish my last beer. Looking at my phone, I knew Justin would be here anytime soon.

Slipping a few bills on the table, I got up, not realizing how buzzed I was, and fell back on the seat. I let out a breath as I tried to get up again.

Sort of thriving, I wobbled out of the pub.

I'll be fine; Justin is coming. I need to get some air. I stand by the side of the road and notice two men approaching.

Before I could back step and return to the pub, the two men were next to me. They both reeked of alcohol. I knew I was in trouble.

What dumb luck do I have with drunk men! Do I have a magnet that pulls them to me?

The two men started heckling me. “Where you off to pretty?” Said the first.

"Cute chick like you drinking all by your lonesome. You must be waiting to get lucky. Well, wait no more because here we are." Said the second with a toothy smile.

I turn around and try to ignore them.

“Aw, come on! Don't be such a buzz kill. We don't bite. Unless you want it? Hehehe.”

It only annoys them that I didn’t answer. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. But that didn’t matter because they looked like they'd made up their mind about what they wanted to do with me long before they started talking.

One of the men grabs my arms to keep me from struggling while the other drags me towards a dark alley. I tried screaming, but nothing came out. It only made them enjoy the entire situation more.

“Man, are we lucky tonight! We got ourselves a mute!”

“We can do whatever we want to you, and no one is coming to help you!”

One of them slaps me across the face; my glasses fall and shatter. While the other rips my hoodie. I kept on trying to scream, desperately trying to fight back.

Xavier, help me! I scream in my head.

I tried to fight them back, but they overpowered me. I take a swing, missing miserably. I'm too drunk to be coordinated with my punches.

Fucking pathetic little girl! I heard my dad’s voice in my head.

You can try, but you will always fail. You are worthless! His voice continues.

My vision blurs, the alley darkens, and all I focus on are the faces of the two men. I had no glasses, but my dream was clear. I stop fighting, laying still. This took the men by surprise. They loosen their grip on me just enough for me to shove one off me.

I quickly got to my knees and punched the other man in his balls. He falls to his knees.

That should keep him busy for a while, I thought. I turn my attention to the man on the ground. The one who ripped my hoodie, the one on top of me, tried to touch me.

He must have seen something that scared him as he started crawling away from me. I slowly walk towards him. As I stood over him, I kicked him in the face, and then his side turned him over and sat on his chest, pressing my weight on him.

Oh, how pathetic to hear him begging.

“You die today, old man.” Not recognizing my voice, I start punching his face. I hear his nose break first, then his jaw, his cheekbones. Blood spatters across my hoodie.

His friend grabbed a bottle lying on the ground and threw it at me. It hit the back of my head, causing me to stop and turn around while wiping his friend's blood off my face with my already bloody hand.

It looked horrifying as the man stumbles and falls to the ground. I didn’t even realize I stood up or walked. The next thing I knew, I was right on top of him. I had the bottle he threw at me in my hand, smashing it into the man’s face.

I pull out the broken glass wedged on his cheek and slit his throat. I hear him drown in his blood.

It dug into my palm; my blood dripped all over it. I strolled back to the other man, who was barely breathing.

From the silence in my head, I hear Xavier’s voice faintly. “Alex, stop!” It breaks the silence enough to break the darkness around me. I let go of the shattered bottle, shocked as I looked at the mess around me.

I stood between the two men lying on the ground. Waiting until I no longer hear their heartbeat, I fell to the ground unconscious as their heart stopped.