the dark days (book one of the darkness saga)

Chapter 44 - Training

Chapter 44 - training

Alex POV

present time -

It's been three weeks since Michael arrived. We've been training everyday. The werewolves have their own way of preparing for the coming conflict. Michael has been relegated to being adviser to the Alphas—it's pretty clear that they don't approve of his methods. But I think it's more because they don't like him at all.

Is it weird I'm glad he's here though? He's been keeping me busy, and the time away from the boys has allowed me to have time to think. I really don't know where things stand. I feel like a slut. I've never slept around before. I know it's been on everyone's mind.

I'm glad Austin and Justin are back. Justin especially, has decompressed the tension that was building up. He was on my side when I insisted on staying in a separate room. Xavier gave me my old room back. I was glad to have my books beside me. My things and baubles a reminder of my old life. It's my quiet break from everything happening.

Dameon was made to stay in one of the guest rooms; truth be told it's no different from all the other rooms here, but Dameon has made it sure that it's known that he is not pleased.

Michael—well, he doesn't sleep. I'm not sure what he does at night, he likes lurking around. What's strange is, had it been anybody else but him, his actions would make him a total creep. Oddly, his presence makes me feel safe. One evening I caught him; he was just standing in the hallway, looking intently at my door. I was on the way to the kitchen for a glass of water. We just said our "excuse me's," then after my water he was still there. When I got to bed I had the most peaceful, dreamless and restful sleep that night. I guess having an angel around would make any mortal feel safe.

What am I saying? Mortal, me? I wish I was just a mere mortal.

I was probably the giddiest to find out about Austin and Justin being mates. Justin is going to be staying with Austin, and officially being absorbed into the Crescent Moon pack. He had to step down from being Daemon's Beta for this to happen, ascending Max to the position he left vacant. They had quite a squabble over this—I'm just glad I was occupied with training that day.

In all my years married to Xavier, the house hasn't been this full, which is quite nice. Austin and Justin stays in Austin's place but they are always here by breakfast. Max had to go back to their town, he is the acting Alpha of the Blood Moon pack while Dameon is here.

My ordinary life—if you can call dealing with mental instability the least of my worries 'normal'—seemed so distant now. Back then I barely even used the words pack, alpha, beta, demons, angels, gods, or godess. Now any conversation will have most if not all of those words in the same sentence.

An invisible force pulls the rug from under me, and I fall on my back. "Meditation means clearing your mind, not wasting your time on worldly distractions."

Micheal has been making me meditate, Zen Buddhist style, lotus position and all. Which is great—if your idea of doing something to prepare for war is doing absolutely nothing at all.

"Sorry, I'm just still—"

"—You're still wrapping your head around things?" He finishes my thought.

"Something like that." He reaches out for my hand and pulls me up. "Thanks."

"The only way you can control the dark matter within you, is to first achieve balance between your body and mind. To achieve this, meditation is key. You have to undo what my brother has ingrained in you through the suffering that you went through in your life. He gave you to that man and woman not to be raised, but to be tormented; the suffering you had to endure brought out your innate chaos. He hopes to control your chaos, and he will succeed if you don't have focus.

"Let's try again. This time, I will guide you."

I've learned quickly that gods, angels, even Lucifer himself are neither good or evil. Humans, werewolves, and other sentient life on our world only have a concept what is good and bad because it stems from our own experiences as mortals. Life, love, and death are all driving forces on how we determine what is good and what is evil. But for the Nonpareils it's all about logic, reason, and ultimately, balance. Michael is like the science nerd in school who sees nothing but logic. If it's illogical it doesn't make much sense to him. Emotions don't apply to him, but he understands why we go through it.

Michael sits cross-legged on the other end of the mat. As soon as he's settled, he nods at me to begin. I close my eyes, and still my mind.

At first it's just like dreamless sleep. But after a while you get an overwhelming sense of yourself—just me, in my mind, without form or purpose. I can also feel Michael. His presence makes it feel like I have blinders—whereas before I can see to the side memories, people, experiences—this time I can only see straight, and what I can see ahead can't be defined by words.

The best way to describe that place in my mind is that there, feeling and thinking are one and the same; there's no mind and body, just one entity. For regular people it probably stops there. Which is more than enough. But for me, there's a third thing that is part of that single entity: energy. Dark energy, from dark matter.

From the back of my head I hear Michael's voice. "Remember this feeling. This is how you start to control all aspects of your being."

I open my eyes, and I can see the dark mist forming around me. I feel a sensation akin to burning on my fingertips, although my hand's not actually on fire. If I were still thinking in terms of mind and body being separate, I knew this would hurt like hell. The balance makes the dark a part of me.

Michael stoops down and puts his face inches from mine. With an arched eyebrow he says, "Now, show me."

I lift my hands to my sides. The mist intertwines with my fingers and feel its mass like I could touch it. It's so easy to release, but I keep my fingers moving in a slow rhythm, like I'm playing soft music on a piano keyboard. Little bolts of static appear from within the mist on occasion, like little storm clouds in my hands.

"Cute. I said show me." Micheal taunts me. He takes a step closer and I take a step backward. I back up while he advances.

I knew he was going to strike me. Or maybe send me falling from the skies again.

He needed to jolt my powers out of my system. He also offered to hurt one of the men in the house. Something I would never allow.

Especially Xavier—

All of a sudden I was standing right in from of Xavier. He was half naked.

"f**k Alex where did you come from?" He blurted out, surprised at my sudden appearance. He grabs my arms for balance, which I had none of course. We both fall to the ground with a load thump.

"I'm so sorry!" I gasp. We fall in a tangle.

A supposedly embarrassing moment actually brought back memories instead. My heart was racing, and it wasn't because I felt shame. His acute senses catches my increased heart rate.

"Get off of me, Xavier." I laugh, trying to deflect that this is actually arousing me.

"You do know I can sense your arousal?" He laughs.

"Nah-uh. I think you're forgetting I have powers now."

"Wait a minute, so this is what power does to you, huh, all high and mighty now?" He pushes himself off me and offers me a hand.

As I take it he pulls me up, and I find myself against his chest. I have one arm on his shoulder. Avoiding this was not going to be easy.

"Sorry to disappoint you, your highness" I push away from him and do a mock curtsy.

He eyes me sheepishly and takes a step forward. "That actually makes you royalty, being as we're still are married."

I roll my eyes. "I prefer being a Goddess."

"Ah yes, that is much more cooler" we both start laughing at our stale jokes.

Before I knew it Xavier pins me on the wall with his arm wrapped around my waist and our bodies pressed on each other.

Xavier leans in and we start kissing passionately. Before I know it we are all over each other. Xavier rips my clothes off. We are both hungry for each other.

Dameon walks in on us. It doesn't take him long to lose control of his wolf in a fit of jealousy.

He yanks Xavier from off me and throws him from the floor to the ceiling window in the bathroom. In mid-air, Xavier shifts before falling on his back on the ground outside.

Dameon jumps out after him and shifts. They two wolves attack each other.

It doesn't take Michael long to intervene. He arrives and with a wave of his hands the two wolves are thrown to either side of the clearing.

I look around me and I am no longer in the house looking down but standing in the middle of the field. I've seen this place before.

Dameon gets up, still rabid and wild, foaming in the mouth as he bares his canines to Michael. Xavier gets up in human form bleeding from a wound on his side.

I try to run to them but I stumble as I take a step. I fall over a dead body. When I look at it, it was Justin. His neck was twisted, his head faced the opposite where it should be. His eyes are wide open, looking at me.

Next to him is a sobbing Austin, who was bleeding from a wound on the side of his face.

Austin looks up to me. "You did this." His voice is full of hate.

No, No, NO!!! I finally heard my voice as I scream.

I open my eyes and I was on my bed. Xavier was sitting next to me while Dameon was pacing.

"What..what happened?" my throat felt dry like I've been thirsty for days.

"You unlocked your gift of sight." Micheal answers. He was standing by the window looking out.

"Her gift of what?" Xavier holds my hand softly as he turns to Michael.


"Sight. She can see things that will unfold. All gods have this. Even nonpareils like me."

"This is a good thing right?" Dameon clears his throat "She unlocked it without bursting in that cloud of matter, or whatever you call it. It means she's finally learning to use her powers."

"Yes, and no." Micheal turns to face us. He looks at me, then Xavier. "Yes, her powers are revealing themselves. No, because I never saw this happening"

"What do you mean?" I sit up.

"I can see things that unfold. That doesn't mean that they can't be changed, of couse they change. But I see all possible outcomes. This one I didn't' see."

"Meaning?"


"Meaning I was right with my assumption, that what ever connection you have with the Lycan prince, or this werewolf?" He points to Dameon. Dameon really hates how Micheal so easily dismisses him. "—your connection with them changes the future, even beyond what I can see."

"So what, welcome to the world of ignorance." Dameon remarks.

"Michael, is this good or bad?" I ask.

"I don't know." He says without emotion.