Descent (A Hidden Wings Novella: Prequel) (4 page)

BOOK: Descent (A Hidden Wings Novella: Prequel)
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Khelsey
gasped, trying to catch her breath, but before she could get up the Darkling knocked her back again, and straddled her. She fought the monster with all her might, but its weight and strength pinned her down tight. There was nothing she could do to get it off, but she still continuously fought with whatever strength she had left within her.   

The evil monster atop
her showed no mercy. It bashed and slammed her repeatedly with its huge fists, until she was barely conscious. She was helpless against this creature, and knew that her time was coming to an end. But even then, she glared at the creature and spat in its face. The Darkling laughed and placed the sharp blade to her throat.

“Y
ou will die in vain. We will kill the girl and the abomination.”

“GO. TO. HELL!”
Khelsey yelled.

She then shut her eyes and frantically searched for her
one true love, for his face in the recesses of her mind. She wanted to find him, and have his beautiful smile and his face, be the last thing she saw before she passed. She found his face, and in the midst of the horror…she smiled.

“Too late
,” it snarled.

Those were the
Darkling’s last words. The last words Khelsey would ever hear. She then felt pressure of the blade, as the Darkling pressed it to her throat and sliced.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Three

Escaping Danger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Go! Quickly!” the midwife urged, as she pushed Jane through the darkness. They could hear Khelsey battling with the Darkling above, and knew the creatures had made it inside. They needed to hurry before they found out where they had escaped.

On hand
s and knees they scurried toward a dim exit light. The ground was soggy from the rain that had fallen over the past couple of days. The air was stagnant and smelled of mold and earth. Jane winced as her hands sunk into conditions she couldn’t let her mind rest on. Cobwebs caught her face, but she pushed through and kept on. She knew she had to pull herself together if she wanted to live.

She
crawled as quickly as she could, not knowing what waited for them on the outside.

A few feet before the exit, the midwife flew forward grabbing
Jane’s mouth to keep her from screaming, and then quickly pulled her to the side behind a plank.

“Shhhhhh,” she whispered into Jane’s ear.

Terrified, Jane’s eyes widened with fear, and focused on the exit. A strong foul odor, which they encountered in the house, began to permeate the area, burning their eyes and nostrils. Suddenly, a pale white face appeared at the exit. It was sniffing the air, and they heard a loud rumbling in its throat.

Darkling.

Jane gasped at the horror. Eyes as black as the night searched the darkness and a horrifying growl resounded as its face locked onto them. 

What Jane didn’t know, was that the Darkling had exceptional night vision.
She wanted to scream, but she was frozen with fear. In one swift movement, the midwife pushed her out of the way, and lunged toward the creature, knocking it backwards away from the exit.

“Run
, Jane!” she screamed, as they tumbled into the woods.

Jane was frozen with fear,
but quickly pulled the pieces of herself together and dashed through the exit. As soon as she abandoned the dark confines beneath the cottage, something flew at her. She dove out of the way as a body collided into the side of the house, landing with a thud a few feet from her.

Her
heart hammered against her chest, her pulse raced, and her eyes snapped open, wide with fright.

Something moved in the distance, and she watched as the midwife
rose to her feet wearing a large smile and a look of satisfaction on her face.

Jane glanced
back at the body lying next to her, unconscious. It was the Darkling.

A tall, dark haired
man came out of the woods and stood behind the midwife. He was handsome, and tall, with dark features and dark brown hair.

He started walking toward Jane, offering his hand
. “I’m here to take you to safety, Jane.” His voice was low and kind. Jane started to move toward him, and just as she took a few steps, the midwife screamed and started running toward them.

Suddenly, there was a swishing sound, and just as Jane blinked, an
arrow plunged through the middle of the man’s chest.

T
he midwife wailed, running over to him. She must have known him because she threw her body over his and wept.

“JANE, RUN!”
The midwife turned to Jane, as tears flowed down her face. Another arrow whizzed past her head and stuck into the side of a tree.

Jane
ran aimlessly into the dark woods, terrified, not having a clue of where she was headed. The woods were ominous and she was panic-stricken, thinking of what she might encounter behind any one of the trees in the dark forest. She swore she could hear something behind her, but she kept on, never turning back, running as fast as her feet could carry her.

T
he ground was still wet, and it was too late before she noticed a sharp moss covered rock jetting out from the ground. She tripped over it and flew forward, hitting the ground.

Jane struggled to get back to her feet when she
was snatched and whisked upward into the air. She screamed and struggled, but her captor held her tightly in his arms, and took off, soaring high into the dark vast sky.

After a few moments, Jane gave in. She was much too high in the air to keep struggling. 

“Are you finished?” a low voice questioned. “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m here to help you.” The voice sounded vaguely familiar, and warmth suddenly wrapped around her. A warmth she’d felt only once before in her life.

Her captor
gently turned her, cradling her in his arms. Jane froze as she came face to face with the man who haunted her dreams. The face she saw every time she closed her eyes. The mysterious stranger who was the father of her child.

He
flew higher and higher into the air making Jane’s stomach twist.


Who are you?” Jane asked, staring at his beautiful face. His eyes kept focused into the darkness.

“Yesterday, I was your lover. Today, I am your savior,” he said with a sad
sort of grin. “I’m sorry I’ve put you in so much danger. I didn’t mean for this to happen to you, but I have vowed, as long as I have breath, to make certain of your safety and the safety of our child.”


I know what you are,” Jane said.


Does it frighten you?”


No. You don’t frighten me. Khelsey told me that you are a compassionate, chivalrous, chieftain of sorts. But I have one question.”

“I hope it is a question I can
answer,” he said.

“Why did you come to me?
That night by the river?” she asked.

His brow creased and his eyes
pondered.

“I noticed you
. There was never another mortal, in all of my many years, which I have taken notice of. My emotions became fragile and unprotected, the first time I laid my eyes on you.

You were alone
down by the river, only a few days earlier. You were lying in the grass as I passed over. You looked as if you were asleep, but it was your beauty that drew me closer. It drew me in, like a moth to a flame. A forbidden desire with a deadly consequence. But I couldn’t resist.

I came to you
that night with intentions of only speaking with you. But the moment we made contact, I became a victim under your spell. Never, in all of my years, have I felt such closeness to another.”  

Jane was speechless, because the feelings he was describing, was the same she felt. She never believed in love at first sight, but there was something about him that was entrancing, magical. A feeling that made her want to be with him, even now, as he held her so close. 

“You didn’t tell me your name,” she said.

It’s be
st for you and the child that it stays that way.”

“Why? I don’t understand why this is all happening,”
Jane said, getting very emotional. Her eyes filled with tears.


None of this was supposed to happen, Jane. It’s my fault and I take full responsibility. That’s why I sent Khelsey to you, and the others. The child will be well taken care of, and always under my watchful eye.”

Jane exhaled and nodded. There wasn’t much more she could do. She was at his mercy now if she wanted to live.


Where are you taking me?”

“Somewhere safe, where evil cannot find you.
And, right now, the further you are from the child, the better.”

Jane wrapped her arms around his neck as he flew her far and away
to safety.

**********

Jane was kept safe for a few years, and when certain she was clear from being hunted, she never saw, or heard of, her beautiful stranger again.

Eventually, she married a mortal man, and together
they had a beautiful daughter. But Jane never forgot of her first child. She was always on her mind and in her heart.

 

 

 

 

Chapter Four

Special Delivery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was under the cover of darkness and with the help of the Watchers, that Jane’s newborn child could be delivered safely during the middle of the night. The midwife’s assistant, also an immortal, took extra precautions to make sure they weren’t followed.

They didn’t travel far, and ended up in
another small town in Oregon, with a family who was privately seeking to adopt a child. It was a young couple, thoroughly investigated, and approved worthy for the adoption. They were the most perfect candidates for this precious gift, and anxiously awaited the arrival of their new addition.

The
transaction was made between private parties, and the paperwork had already been approved. It was fairly easy for immortals to manipulate the simple minded humans.

It was
1:11 on that cold September 20
th
, morning. The doorbell rang on 2121 Serendipity Drive, waking its inhabitants.

Mr
s. Gray nudged her husband and fell back to sleep. She assumed it must have been their senile neighbor on her constant search for her stray cat.

Mr.
Gray stumbled down the stairs in his robe. His dirty blonde hair was disheveled, and his eyes were heavy with sleep. But as soon as he opened the door, and the assistant placed the tiny bundle into his arms, his sapphire eyes popped open, and a large smile grew on his lips. He was silent for a few moments, staring at the beautiful child sleeping in the comfort of his arms.

BOOK: Descent (A Hidden Wings Novella: Prequel)
12.93Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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