Darkness Within the Light

Chapter 8: Betrayed and Torn

I was trapped in a cave. The only light that shined down on me was the full moon. I tried to climb out, but the rocks were slimy, causing my hands to slip. My ankles were soaked in murky soil and my body trembled from its cool touch.

There was no way out.

I began to panic as I clawed at the walls and screamed for help. The echoes of my voice ricocheted off the walls and pounded into my ears. The vibration of the sound forced me to my knees as I began to sob.

“Let me free. I just want to be seen."

This part of me wanted to be unleashed but something kept it imprisoned as if it were too malicious for the outside world. I felt remorseful for this unknown thing.

“It is not your fault. You do not know of me."

At that moment, I looked up towards my only escape and there he was—Shadow—peaking over the edge, extending his hand to me begging for me to climb. I shook my head terrifyingly as his eyes saddened.

“You have to get out, Katie Anne. If you don't, you'll die."

“It's impossible. There is no way out. The walls are too slick for me to climb." I curled my knees into my chest as I began to rock myself. “There's something in the way," I whispered as my teeth began to chatter.

Coldness was beginning to pierce my skin as I caressed my shoulders for false warmth. “Can't you come get me?" I questioned as I felt a tear freeze to my cheek.

“No. I cannot. You must set yourself free. You have to wake up."

“What?"

“Wake up, Katie!"

Suddenly, I was jolted awake as my eyes burst open. Shadow sat at my bedside holding my shoulders as his eyes nervously scanned my face for untraceable danger.

“You had a nightmare," Shadow muttered as he kept his grip tight on me. “Are you alright?" All I could do was nod as his touch ignited my skin. The electrical sensation caused the tiny hairs on my arm to stand straight up. He brushed a strand of hair from my face with his fingertips as he seductively moistened his lips with his tongue.

“You are looking very pale. You need to drink this tincture my mother made for you. It will help you regain your strength," he stated as he handed me a small medicine cup with a blue concoction. I sat up and guzzled the liquid. The taste was bitter and gritty. I gagged as he handed me a glass of water to wash it down.

“Thank you," I cleared my throat. “How long have I been asleep?"

“A few hours. I—umm—took a lot of your blood when I was trying to suck the venom out. It made you very weak." Gloom and disgrace filled his eyes as parts of his cheeks began to decay into black ash.

“You saved my life," I reassured as I reached for his hand, but he jerked away and quickly rose from the bed.

“No, I almost killed you." He turned his back to me and gazed out of the large Victorian window.

“That's not true. Rachel almost killed me. I'm not sure how or why, but it was her, Shadow. Not you."

He crossed his arms as he glanced over his shoulder at me. He appeared to be searching his mind for a response, but he was torn. His pupils were glowing a magnificent gold, but the corner of his eyes were slanted into a frown. He was so beautiful, but his heart appeared to be hardened as if he were betrayed by some unfortunate fate.

Before he could speak, my mother exploded through the room as Nova Dark hastily followed. Her eyes were bulging from their sockets with rage and fear. She began to rush towards my side but then, suddenly, her path switched towards Shadow.

“Stay away from my daughter, you filthy creature!" My mother shoved her finger into Shadow's chest as he raised his hands in surrender. “You have no idea what you just did to her!"

“He saved her life from that scaly serpent." Nova was in between my mother and Shadow within a blink of an eye. “I suggest you keep your hands off my son."

“Nova, you know exactly what happens from—"

“That is precisely why I have given her the tincture."

“That won't be enough, and you know it. I will be reporting this to the Fellowship!" my mother snapped as she stood toe-to-toe with Nova.

Rage was boiling in my blood as I watched my mother become a tyrant. How dare she attack Shadow for what he did? He saved my life. She should be grateful.

“You should be reporting Rachel. Not Shadow." I leaped from the bed.

“Katie Anne, dear. I know what is best. Now gather your things so we can get out of this wretched place."

“No," I scoffed as I crossed my arms, “not until you thank Shadow for protecting me."

“I will not thank this death vampire for almost killing you."

“But he didn't. I would have died from the venom. Doing what he did was the only way he could save me." My indignation was causing me to shake.

“The school nurse could have saved you without almost draining your blood. She has the remedies for emergencies such as this. Instead, he took it upon himself to drag you out of the school so he could have you for himself."

I felt my heart sink from her revelation. My swelling eyes glared at Shadow as I scanned his face for some truth. His jawline flinched as his shoulders slumped.

“Katie, that's not true. I would never—" He tried rushing towards me to plead his case, but my mother stood in the way like a barricade.

“I will only repeat myself one more time. Stay away from my daughter, you filthy creature." The darkness in my mother's voice caused me to cringe. “Let's go, Katie Anne."

I was confused. I felt betrayed and torn. My mother's accusation made sense. Why hadn't Shadow just taken me to the nurse? It's a school full of hormonal teenage creatures so most likely she would have the cure to any injuries that occur during a fight or an accident.

But my mother. She was so cold to the Dark family. I had never seen her be so ruthless. She was always proper, dainty, and prude. She was never the type to threaten or assault anybody. It was like she had an old grudge against the Dark family that had been suppressed for years and was now exploding on the surface.

She ignored all my questions on the way home. All she said was— things are different in this town—and left it at that. Her vague responses made me skeptical of her too. Even after everything I had witnessed, she was still hellbent on maintaining this neurotic secret. What was she hiding from me?

And Rachel.

She annoyed the sh*t out of me and most of the time I wanted to avoid her, but she was my friend—so I thought—and she attacked me. Why? What did I do that caused her to strike me? She didn't seem like herself in that moment. It almost seemed as if someone had made her wig out. Was she possessed?

My thoughts lingered on Shadow. I just couldn't believe that he would purposely try to hurt me. He always looked at me with such kindness and softness. He was always so gentle and delicate with me as if he were afraid that he would crush me with his fingertips.

He was so frightened when my veins began to drown in the poison. The panic was evident within his eyes. So, if he wanted to 'take me for himself,' why was he terrified for my survival? My intuition was telling me that my mother's judgment was inaccurate. What did my mother have against Shadow and his family? They took me into their home, healed me, and she repaid them with accusations and threats. I didn't know who my mother was anymore.

I wanted my father. I wanted to hear his voice. I wanted him to soothe me with his comforting words and reassure me that everything I had been witnessing was just a terrible nightmare.

But when I called him, it went straight to voicemail. Tears began to swell as I prepared to hear that inevitable beep. All I could force out was, “daddy, I love you," before I hastily ended the call.

****

Shadow could feel her pain and lament. He was getting motion sickness from her back-and-forth thoughts that echoed in his mind.

He could hear his name whispered in her subconscious as his eyes stung from the tears she shed. He wanted to cradle her into his arms and promise her that he was not her enemy—that he did not have any hidden agenda for dragging her out of the school and fleeing to his home with her. He was afraid of the nurse discovering what she really was—a light vampire—that is why he decided to rush her to his mother.

But the poison had spread more quickly than he anticipated and there was only one way to save her: suck the venom clean from her blood.

Now, he completed a ritual bond that she knew nothing of. She was unaware that as long as her blood ran through his veins he could feel her every emotion, feel when she was in pain, and hear her every thought.

Shadow felt ashamed for violating her privacy like this.

He fought to block her thoughts and feelings from his mind, but their connection was too strong. He never knew a connection like this could run so deep.

The tincture that his mother gave her was supposed to help sever the bond, but even the tonic couldn't interfere with fate. It was as if they were meant to be joined.

Their blood was perfectly matched for each other.

He didn't want to lose this irresistible feeling of being entwined with someone, but he knew this was all wrong. By drinking her blood, he could have drained her of all her light—decaying her soul and killing her.

He didn't want to harm Katie.

She was the most beautiful and genuine person he had ever met. She didn't deserve to be trapped in this life. If only her mother would just tell her the truth. If only she could talk to her father like she so desperately needed to tonight… but the Fellowship will make sure that her father will never receive her message.

She will never be able to speak to anyone from the outside world again and once she realizes that it will devastate her, and Shadow will feel every shattered piece of her when the moment comes.