A Toiling Darkness (9 page)

I watched as the shadows engulfed Darkness.
She was still smiling at Chris, her blue eyes cold enough that even
polar bears wouldn’t be able to withstand her stare. When she
disappeared it was as if my body wanted to go back out into the
city and keep looking for something.

What was it about her? She wasn’t Akhlys.
She was just a child, a little girl. Nothing like the being my
master wanted me to find.

“Do you know what she is?” Chris asked and I
turned to him with a frown.

“I think I’m beginning to figure it
out.”

Chris shook his head. “It’s better to just
avoid her, save yourself the trouble.”

“Why? Who is she?”

Chris shrugged and pulled Tracy into his
arms. Tracy looked at me with such sad grey eyes that I wanted to
ask her what was wrong. I bit my tongue and followed as we made our
way back down the side street, getting back to where people
were.

“Where do you live?” I asked them.

“Not far from here,” Tracy replied with a
small voice. She looked exhausted, and definitely still scared. I
didn’t blame her.

We walked in silence for a few minutes. I
kept my eyes on our surroundings, taking in the small hotdog and
ice-cream vendors, the families on their way towards some touristy
attraction. I picked out each homeless man, assessing their risk
and finding them lacking. Nothing dangerous stood out and I
couldn’t sense anything.

“She’s Darkness,” Tracy finally spoke as she
stopped and turned around at some apartment complex. It was a small
one, about three stories, newly built with a doorman and bushes
planted around the front. “She showed up a couple of months ago and
within three days, everyone knew to stay away from her. She keeps
to herself so there isn’t much anyone knows about her. Some have
tried to look into her past and found nothing. It’s as if she just
came into existence three months ago.”

“Why does everyone stay away from her?” I
asked, my interest now peaked.

“She made Vernon disappear. He’s a powerful
bison-shifter. When she first went to Baron’s Tavern, he decided to
pick on her and then the next day, no one could find him. Still
can’t. We all know she did it.”

“Did anyone actually ask her if she did
it?”

“No.” Tracy shook her head.

“Then you can’t possible know she did,
right?”

Tracy looked at Chris and he frowned. She
looked back at me, her eyes unblinking. She was so deeply rooted in
her belief that Darkness did something to this Vernon she
mentioned. “She did it.”

I sighed and looked away, tired now.

“Just stay away from her. It’s the best
advice we can give you. She’s bad news, man. Bad news,” Chris spoke
up, his voice going all dramatic.

“I’m not going to condemn her just because
of rumors.”

“Just know that these rumors will keep you
alive.”

I nodded, not so much as in agreement, but
more like an acknowledgement.

They really didn’t believe I was agreeing
with them, but they didn’t press the issue.

Chris let go of Tracy’s hand and stepped
forward.

“Listen. How about we get Tracy settled into
a hotel and then I’ll help you with something. I need to return the
favor. You saved us back there.”

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Besides, I’ve lived here
for a few years. I’m sure there’s something I can help you
with.”

I nodded. This could work. He could probably
point me in the right direction at least. I know a being was
involved with that little girl’s death at the park. I just didn’t
know how to start looking. My gut was telling me I was right with
these thoughts.

Now if it would just tell me where Akhlys
was. Then I could be free from these shackles around my soul. I
could feel their bite on my skin, their weight holding me down.

Akhlys.

Where are you? Who are you?

I needed information and what better person
to go see than a being just as powerful as I am in my real form. He
made it a business to always know what was going on in the world.
Unfortunately, said powerful being was Kay and could be real jerk
when he wanted to be. But he would know Kalen’s master. He knew
everyone. Of course he only worked at night to cater to all beings
for his little underground business, so today was as good as a time
as any to visit.

The hotel he owned was officially closed—no
naïve little humans around. Or gluttonous little beings who Kay
would never grace with his presence. Unofficially, Kay was meeting
with some of his special guests, probably to plan for the annual
tournament that was going to take place next week. I got an
invitation for it over a month ago and sent it right back to him
the second I got it.

I tried to get excited about going to see
him. I just couldn’t. Not when he was the reason I was branded. It
was just a little grudge against him. I swear. Something I’ll get
over…just not today or in the next thousand years or so.

It really didn’t help that the Consort even
had the nerve to banish me from parts of Europe in an attempt to
stop the rumors that were spreading around. Since I have yet to be
back to Norway since the banishment, I should only be a legend now,
passed down through stories around the campfire or to make children
behave. That was a bit of an insult. I never touched children and
Kay was the one to make them sick in that village. I still resent
him for the whole incident. I liked Norway.

So yeah…just a little grudge.

When night fell, I went directly to Lord
Kay’s little business in the middle of the red light district. They
called it Salacity Hotel. It was the place to go if you were a
powerful being. And it was the perfect place for those that longed
for anything and everything, from more power, to prestige, to
passion, and hunger. The clients hang out, get the latest gossip
and feast on whatever their hearts desired. The location made it
rather easy for hookers, drug addicts, and homeless people to
disappear for those who wanted some fine dining. The area was
nearly forgotten by the police. They only ever swing by when they
wanted information from one of their snitches. Even then, their
visits were only minutes long and they turned a blind eye to
everything they saw. They wouldn’t want to disappear like the other
do-gooder cops.

The building itself was dark and cold, and
not for the weak. At least for beings, it wasn’t for the weak.
Humans just didn’t know better to realize the risk they take every
time they step into the building. The restaurant-slash-hotel acted
as a cover for the underground tournaments Kay loves to put on. The
underground arenas were available only for the chosen few to go and
place bets on specially chosen fighters. I went down there once out
of curiosity and hated it. The place reeked of death, blood and
magic, and while there were shadows to play with in every corner,
there was nothing fun down there for me.

I get my kicks out of many things, but
fighting for money was not one of them. If I was to hate a deadly
sin the most, it would be greed, and the place was filled with
nothing but it.

Half the occupants that usually occupied the
restaurant part of the hotel were greedy little shits hoping to get
the invite to go beyond the door with the ‘No Admittance’ sign on
it. The door led down to an entire underground area as big as a
football stadium and set up with an arena in the middle, surrounded
with seating for the clients, and lockers, and sparring rooms
hidden in the back. Think coliseum underground.

There were even living quarters down there
for the teams when tournaments were going on and they had to stay
in them for a couple of days. I stared at the door that led down to
the dark arena stained with blood and thought how I never wanted to
go back down there again. The upcoming tournament was going to
start soon and I wanted to be out of the city before then. With the
way things were going, that wasn’t going to happen. I had my
priorities and life preservation triumphed avoiding annoying beings
every time. I’ll just have to stay away.

The other half of the clients who frequently
visited were usually naïve humans making use of the dining
experience before they take their companions up to one of the
rooms. They really could not read the atmosphere in the place. It
was dark and so they thought it was romantic, it was always busy
and so they thought it was popular and good. They didn’t know the
darkness hid the real purpose of the place or that the other half
the occupants weren’t even human and just wanted to suck up to the
most important person in the city—Lord Kay.

Sadly, Kay was as greedy as they came and
for some unknown creepy reason, he adored me. He was small, looking
more like a college kid who hasn’t had time to grow into his frame,
and yet also a man who should be modeling the clothes he always
manages to make so sexy and enticing. He was the kind of man that
attracted both young woman and the crazy teen fan girls, or the
couple of cougars who couldn’t keep their hands to themselves. He
prided himself in making use of everyone, including those old
kooks.

There was always a light glaze of silver
covering his entire body that acted as a barrier against any magic.
Silver has always been a favorite when it came to magic
manipulation and Kay would be considered the most talented in the
entire east coast. I’ve seen him completely covered in the silver
glaze only a hand full of times, today was not one of them. They
were more like swirls that moved along his body. Yes, they were
moving. Soft waves rippling across his skin. Humans couldn’t see
the markings, or if they somehow could, they would just think it
was really intricate body art.

Kay didn’t fear me like other beings—he was
too powerful to feel the kind of fear I instilled in others.
Tonight, his two lackeys of the month sat next to him, kissing his
butt to stay in favor. I approached them slowly, taking in the
surroundings. The place was empty except for them. They whispered
to each other, Kay facing the entrance with the other two flanking
him. They sat on an elevated stage, looking just like a real lord
surrounded by his two favorite vassals. The only lighting was by
the candelabra on the table in front of them and another in the
corner of the stage. Kay was old fashioned, really old fashioned.
You know: dungeons, torches, chains, whips, and horses.

One of his lackeys was a Fae. Fae have two
forms, their real form and the human one they used in this realm to
blend in. Just like me in a way. If someone was powerful enough,
they could see the Fae as they really were. The fact that his two
forms were overlapping each other only showed that we were probably
on par power-wise. I would have to try harder to see his true form
clearly. From what I could see though, his skin was alabaster white
with thin dark blue hair that shimmered with his human light brown
curls. His eyes were big, blue and vast, and tiny blue lips hid
behind his human lips that were still small, just longer. He
reminded me of a frost giant and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was
a descendant.

The other one was a plump warlock who tried
to hide in the shadows. The man was short, his presence not
important. He didn’t even leave an impression. He didn’t seem that
powerful. The only thing interesting about him was the gleam in his
dark eyes. He had some serious secrets and knowledge in them. It
was tempting to try to dig inside of him and see what I could find.
Lucky for him, I was more interested in the Fae Kay was keeping
around.

When they noticed my approach, Kay beamed
with delight while the other two glanced around, making sure it
really was me. Their expressions looked like I forced a lemon down
their throat.

“Ah, Darkness! Welcome back to my humble
abode.” He stood up and I braced myself for his affections. He
lifted me up like a parent would his child. I kept myself as
relaxed as possible, refusing to let him know how much I didn’t
like his touch. He knew I didn’t like it; which was why he did it.
It was his way of showing his disapproval of my form.

I don’t like this, Akhlys. You’re running
away by doing this.

Then let me. Just for a little while. I need
this, Kay. Please, help me.

Ugh. Every time I see him I’m reminded of
memories I’m still not ready to unbury. I stared into those hazel
eyes and wondered why he even helped me create this form. He was
never really clear about it.

Kay’s body dripped magic just like Kalen’s
blade did. The affects of the excess magic turned his body into a
furnace. His very touch could burn someone if they angered him
enough. Right now his touch was similar to simmering water as he
spun me around.

He finally put me down, laughing and taking
a good look at me. The other two were standing up respectfully. The
Fae stood to his right, his eyes frosty blue. The impression his
eyes gave me was the kind of ice that didn’t melt unless he wanted
it too. It was a little enchanting. Usually people like to make
references to warm summer skies when someone has blue eyes like
his, but there was no warmth in them. It made me wonder if his eyes
were always like that or was it just me.

I stared at the fae curiously as Kay settled
back into his chair. The being was taller than Kay but he stood in
a submissive manner, his shoulders slumped and head tilted
respectfully with his eyes downcast. The other lackey just kept
himself in the background, definitely being shady and skittish, but
still respectful to Kay.

Everyone was respectful to him. Even after
he killed hundreds simply for wanting to test out some kind of
Fae-enchanted ring he took from a child. Humans took candy from
children, Kay took heirlooms.

“Lord Kay, care to introduce me to your
companions?” I asked.

“Of course, this is Frey.” He pointed to the
Fae and I smiled. Frey winced, not looking happy at all at being
introduced to me.