Fading Into Darkness: The Under Series Book 2 (10 page)

The click from my door handle alerted me someone was entering my room. I was hidden under my
covers out of sight, but I could still out through a gap. The room was dark and I could just about see
the nightstand. I heard a thud and then I heard Emmett mumbling a few curse words quietly to
himself. I closed my eyes and decided to stay put. What he was doing in my room? I was surprised
I'd fallen asleep so soon again after my nap this afternoon. I was probably going to be wide awake
for the rest of the night now though. I heard Emmett set something down on my nightstand. He
muttered strange words I didn't understand they were definitely not English, but nothing I
recognised. Then I heard a match being lit. I waited until I heard my bedroom door open and close
again. I threw back the covers checking he wasn't still in the room. He was gone and my room now
had a soft glow from the candle that flickered next to me. Emmett had come into my room to light a
candle. What was he up to? I quickly leaned over and blew the candle out. I switched the light on
and checked the time 12.10am. I had fallen asleep just before eight. I was now wide awake, I
rubbed my eyes they still felt sore from crying earlier. I stayed in my room for another twenty
minutes, hoping Emmett had cleared off and wasn't still lurking around anywhere.
I walked the empty corridors and down the stairs to the swimming pool room.
The room was dark except for a few wall lights that had been left on. The reflection from the water
rippled across the walls, outside I could see garden lights still on but there was no one around. I
went over to the bar and mixed myself a rather unusual cocktail of drinks topped up with vodka. I
downed it and poured myself another sitting at the bar stool feeling miserable.
I stayed there topping up my drink and when I eventually tried to stand the floor underneath my feet
looked as if it was moving. I clumsily walked over to the pool and dangled my feet over the edge.
The water felt warm and soothing against my skin and I soon wanted to get in. I didn't care if I
didn't have my bathing suit on. I slid down into the pool and swam over to the floating pool lounger.
I somehow managed to climb onto it without falling back into the water even if my coordination
was completely going from the alcohol kicking in. I laid down and closed my eyes floating on the
water.

When I opened my eyes I was no longer floating on the pool lounger. I was lying on a hard uneven
surface. I looked sideways and saw pebbles, lots of pebbles.
“Ruby,” Mack called jogging across the pebbles to me.
He knelt down next to me. I tried to sit up but my body wasn't responding like it normally did.
Mack pulled me up into a sitting position.
“Ruby what's wrong with you?”
“I'm guessing the drink affects me in my dreams as well.”
“You've been drinking?” he asked.
I nodded and looked sideways at him. He wore black jeans with holes at the knees, scruffy boots
and was shirtless covered in black stuff that looked like soot with a few smudge marks across his
cheek.
“Are you real?” I whispered.
“Are you?” he whispered back stroking the side of my face.
“I'm real. Totally confused right now and completely lost. But definitely real.”
“That's good to know.” he said repositioning himself so he was sitting straight legged next to me.
“You're the only thing that keeps me going some days, just the thought of seeing you. I think I
would have broken a long time ago if you weren't here.”
I turned more towards him and my hand went to his face before I could register what I was doing. I
rubbed away the dirt from his cheek.
“I think you were right about Cam doing something to mess with my head, making me forget my
past.”
“You remember our last conversation?” he asked sounding surprised.
I nodded. “Yes but only the last one. Cam has had Emmett lighting a candle next to my bed, every
night when I'm asleep. I think it has something to do with my memory loss.”
“Sounds like witchcraft.”
“Well whatever it is I don't think it's working as well anymore. I don't sleep in my bed every night
so I've been missing nights without the candle and other memories have been coming back to me.
Well I think they're are memories. There was one with me I think, I was a lot younger and Seth was
there.”
“You're remembering.”
“Yes but I still can't remember you though.”
My hand had now wondered to the side of his head and I was running my fingers through his hair. It
felt as though I had no control over my own hand. His hair was layered flopping over to one side
and was the colour of black ink, it looked dirty and unwashed but that didn't stop me. His face was
unshaven and all I wanted to do was trail my fingers across his jaw, after a few seconds of thinking
about it I did it anyway.
He smiled and looked at me. “Are you always this hands on when you've been drinking?”
My hand fell to his shoulder and down to his shoulder blade across one of the large scars on his
back, I ran my fingers along it. He shivered slightly at my touch.
“Tell me about these. How did you get them?”
He leaned further forward so I could get a better look. Then sat back and looked at me. He grabbed
my chin and turned my face towards him until we were inches apart.
“Are you sure you want to know?”
“Tell me.” I said.
“They're wing scars.” he said dropping his hand away from my face.
“What do you mean by wing scars? You're saying you had wings once?” I said sort of laughing at
how crazy it sounded.
“Yes. It was a long time ago before I fell.”
“Fell from where?”
“Where do you think?” he said looking up at the sky.
I looked back at him wondering why I wasn't at all shocked. It was as though I already knew, I just
needed reminding.
“You're fallen.” I said quietly to myself.
“Yes, but keep going do you know what you are?”
I shook my head trying to think but I couldn't come up with anything.
“I don't remember.” I said annoyed with myself.
He looked sideways at me. “Try.”
I closed my eyes thinking about it. The word fallen angel popped into my head followed by the
word Nephilim.
“Nephilim.” I said.
He turned and looked at me smirking. “Yes just like your brother.”
“And my father?” I asked
“Fallen.” he said chucking a stone into the water.
I leaned closer to him even though I knew what he was I wasn't afraid of him.
“How is this possible? How are you here in my dreams?”
“Your ability is stronger than we all first thought it was.”
“My ability. Am I like this because of my father?” He nodded. “Do all Nephilim have an ability like
me?”
“No only few have abilities depending on their father. Your father must have been one of the high
arc angels, they had special gifts given to them. Then when he fell he took his gift with him, you
inherited traits of it. Your brother Seth can get into a someone's head and put in whatever image he
wants them to see. It only lasts for a couple of seconds but it came in handy when he was fighting
other Nephs.”
“Fighting?”
“Yeah he liked to fight, good money. Don't worry it was controlled inside a ring.”
“Do you have an ability?”
“No, what you see is what you get with me.”
“How come I can't read your mind?” I asked.
“It doesn't work as well on us, our minds are stronger than yours. But you did somehow manage to
figure out a way to get inside my head before.”
“I did. How?”
“I don't know you somehow got into my head from looking in my eyes. Don't ask me what you saw,
I have no idea. You never told me but you probably saw one of my memories.”
“There is another person at the manor like you. With wing scars.”
“What's his name?”
“Senka Jenson.”
“Senka's staying where you are?”
“Yes he lives with the others. Actually thinking about it they are all very similar up there, maybe
they're all fallen? I've never seen the back of anyone else shirtless though.”
“But you've seen Senka without a shirt on?” he asked frowning.
“Erm....just once I walked in on him in his room without a shirt on.”
It was lie I had seen Senka shirtless a number of times but I didn't feel happy telling Mack that. And
he looked upset by the fact I had seen Senka shirtless in the first place.
“How do you know Senka?” I asked.
“I've heard his name used in the tunnels before and I think I've seen him fighting before at the
club.”
“Was it at the same place my brother went to fight?”
“Yes.”
“Where is this place, this fight club?”
“Heaven's Point.”
“I don't know where that is, I don't even know where I am.”
“Have you found a way out yet?”
“No I'm still working on that.” I said before gasping for air. It suddenly felt as though my mouth
was filling with water.
“Ruby, what's wrong?” he asked looking at me worried.
Water trickled out at the corners of my mouth.
“I can't.....breathe....” I said in between coughing violently and gasping for air.
“Ruby you need to wake up I can't help you here. Where did you fall asleep?” he shouted climbing
on top of me and shaking me by the shoulders.
I closed my eyes tightly and willed myself to wake up, as much I wanted to stay with Mack I
needed to get back. I could feel myself drowning.

I felt as though I was being tugged and pulled. I opened my eyes but quickly closed them again. I
was still underwater. My body was being pulled to the surface. When my head surfaced above the
water I quickly coughed up water. Senka had one arm around my waist the other holding my face
above the water as I coughed and gasped for air.
“What the hell Ruby,” he said angrily.
I took in air still trying to catch my breath. We were in the middle of the swimming pool.
Water dripped off his hair and down the side of his face, he was breathing just as hard as me.
“What were you doing?”
“I don't remember I fell asleep.”
“Since when do you sleep in the pool?”
I squinted again still trying to focus on something but I was still a bit groggy from the drink. I hadn't
felt this bad on the beach with Mack.
“Have you been drinking?” he asked, roughly holding my face turning it towards him.
“I'm fine.” I said trying to push away from him but he didn't loosen his grip.
“Ruby what are you doing?” he asked as I pushed at his chest.
“I'm okay, you can let go of me now.”
“Okay! Y ou nearly drowned. You're lucky I found you.”
“Let go. I want to get out.” I said.
“I'm not letting go until we are out of the water.” he said putting my arm around his neck.
He swam to the edge holding onto me. He put my hand on the side of the pool and pulled himself
out and quickly pulled me out by my arm until I was sitting on the edge of the pool. I was surprised
at how easily he lifted me out, as though I weighed nothing. Then he squatted down next to me.
“Now you want to tell me what you were doing?”
“I had a few drinks I must have fallen asleep on the pool lounger.” I said coughing again.
He put his hand on my arm but I quickly shrugged him off.
“Don't.” I said moving away and climbing to my feet. I took a step back feeling a bit wobbly but he
quickly grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to him.
“Ruby what's wrong? Have I done something wrong?”
“No you haven't done anything wrong.” I replied.
“Then why won't you look at me?”
“Where have you been?” I blurted out, silently scolding myself for saying it.
I pulled away and started walking towards the door.
Senka jumped in front of me. “You're upset because I went out?”
“No I don't care that you went out or who you were out with.”
I tried to get passed him, but he continued to block me.
“Ruby did someone say something to you?”
“It doesn't matter. Now will you please move so I can leave.”
“I'm not moving until you tell me what this is about?”
“Were there lots of pretty women wherever you were tonight?” Again I couldn't believe what I was
saying. I sounded like a jealous teenager.
He laughed softly. “What?”
“Never mind.” I said pushing against him one final time trying to get him to move but he didn't
budge.
“Hey, look at me.” His hands came up to my throat and he tilted my head back to look at him.
“What are you talking?”
I looked at his face and felt like I wanted to cry.
“Alex said you might not come back tonight, he said you might get distracted by all the hot women
especially the blondes.”
“Alex was trying to upset you and clearly it worked.” He let go and grabbed a towel from the table
near us and wrapped it around me.
“There were probably three girls tops were I was tonight and I didn't speak to any of them and I
never told Alex I like blondes. He's winding you up and when I next see him I will have words with
him.”
I shook my head. I didn't want Alex and Senka to have a fall out over me. Alex already disliked my
as it was.
“No Ruby, he shouldn't say stuff like that to you. And it clearly had the effect he wanted I mean
what were you thinking? Drinking and swimming at the same time, on your own.” He shook his
head annoyed and walked around to the other side of the pool to get his boots that he'd left on the
floor. He pulled them on and picked up what looked like a cellphone off the floor. I walked over to
the door.
“Where do you think you're going?” he called.
“Back to my room.”
“No, I'm not letting you out of my sight.” he said pushing strands of dripping hair off his forehead.
He walked over to me and leaned down next to me, I wasn't sure what he was doing until he swept
my legs off the ground and picked me up into his arms.
“Are you mad with me?” I asked quietly.
“No I'm mad with Alex.”
He carried me upstairs and I really hoped we didn't bump into Emmett. But the manor was quiet and
the corridors were empty. I caught sight of one of the clocks 3.10am.
The third floor was quieter than usual. I only heard a couple of guys laughing and music playing
softly in the games room. Senka reached his door and pulled out his key.
“You can put me down now.”
“Not until you're inside my room and the door is locked. Just encase you decide to run off and do
something else crazy.”
He carried me in and kicked the door shut then he put me down and locked the door. He clearly
wasn't joking. I held the towel tighter around myself. My legs had goosebumps running along them.
“You're shivering.”
“I'm fine.”
“You're not fine.” he said walking me backwards to the bed. He sat me down and pulled his covers
over wrapping them around me.
“I'm going to run you a bath.”
I shook my head. I didn't want him putting himself out anymore for me. I'd already made a big
enough nuisance of myself tonight.
“A shower then,” I shook me head again, he rolled his eyes at me and smiled.
“Well I'm taking a shower and I'm going to run you a bath and you're going to get in it. Even if I
have to undress you myself.” he said pulling his T-shirt over his head and hanging it over the back
of the desk chair.
The thought of Senka undressing me sent heat to my cheeks in seconds.
He walked into the bathroom and I heard water running, he reappeared and sat on the end of the bed
removing his boots and spent another minute trying to get his skinny black jeans off. He stood up in
his underwear and I quickly looked at a random poster on the wall to distract myself. Just looking at
Senka half naked was enough to make me feel like I was in the middle of a heatwave so much so
that I no longer felt cold. He walked back into the bathroom but didn't bother closing the door. I had
to look away again, I felt like I was about to melt. I stood up and went to the other side of the room
and sat down at his desk, with the bathroom no longer in view. About five minutes passed and I
heard the bath filling up and then shortly after Senka walked out wearing nothing but a towel
around his waist.
“Get undressed.” he said opening his dresser drawer.
“What?” I replied a little shocked at his request.
“Your bath's ready.”
“Oh right the bath.” I said standing up.
“And I wasn't kidding.” he said looking at the bed sheet I had wrapped around myself.
“I think I can manage.” I said chucking the sheets back on the bed.
The bath was full and bubbly and there were fresh towels at the side for me.
“You sure you don't need any help?” he said appearing in the doorway only this time the towel had
been replaced with underwear.
I lightly pushed him away from the door frame so I could close the door. His bathroom consisted of
all white tiles with a grey floor, a bath and a separate shower unit at the end, a wash basin and toilet.
There was a small shelf on the wall full of deodorants and hair styling products.
I slipped out of my damp nightdress and underwear and dropped them in a pile on the bath mat and
slid into the bath. I laid in the hot water covered by bubbles resting my head on the back of the tub.
After a few minutes there was a knock on the door.
“Ruby, can I come in for a minute?” Senka asked.
“Um yeah sure.” I replied quickly, before I had time to change my mind.
I stayed under the bubbles covering the front of myself with my arm not that he would be able to
see much through all the bubbles anyway.
He walked in and closed the door and sat down next to the bath, resting his arm along the edge. The
back of his hand lightly brushed the side of my arm to get my attention. I turned my head to look at
him, I couldn't believe how strange this day was turning out to be. Just this morning Senka had told
me he was crazy about me and now I was naked in his bath tub and he was looking back at me
biting on his lip ring. Which was doing all sorts of crazy things to me. He was quiet for several
minutes before he spoke.
“You scared me earlier.”
“Sorry.”
“Don't do it again.” he said trailing his fingers along my shoulder.
I nodded picking up some bubbles and blowing them at him. He smiled and stood up.
“Don't be too long or I'll have to come back and check on you.” he said leaning over playfully
splashing me with the water.
“Oh can I borrow some clothes. Mine are a bit wet.” I said looking at the floor where my wet
nightdress was. He leant over and picked up my nightdress then he picked up my underwear and
held them on the end of his finger.
“I'll hang these up, shouldn't take too long to dry there's not much to them.” he said spinning my
lace panties around his finger, with a playful smile on his face.
He closed the bathroom door and I quickly freshened myself up with some of Senka's yummy
coconut shower gel. I was quite sure shower gel wasn't meant to smell this good it was almost
edible. I pulled the plug out and wrapped myself in a towel and towel dried my hair the best I could.
Then I opened the door slightly.
“Senka, did you find me some clothes?”
He sat on his bed still shirtless with black lounge pants on looking at his cell. He hopped up and
picked up some folded clothes and bought them over to me.
“There you go. Can't wait to see what you look like in those.”
“Terrible probably.” I said taking them from him.
“Debatable.” he smirked as I closed the door.
I pulled on Senka's T-shirt that had a picture of a zombie with its arms out walking across the front.
Then I pulled on his underwear, small black boxer briefs which felt extremely comfortable. I
stepped out the bathroom tugging the T-shirt down at the bottom. Senka was on his bed leaning
back against the headboard. His eyes glanced over in my direction then quickly back to his cell. I
walked over to the edge of the bed and laid down next to him. He moved down the bed and flipped
over onto his stomach leaning on his elbows. He reached over me and put his cell on the nightstand,
then slowly moved back searching my face. He turned onto his side and trailed his fingers along the
side of my arm and down to my hand. I bit down on my lip, a habit that I found I was doing more
and more around Senka. He smiled looking at my lips and bought his hand up and rubbed his thumb
across my bottom lip. I looked into his eyes wishing my ability worked on him even it was only for
a few minutes, I'd love to know what he was thinking. Especially when he looked at me the way he
was looking at me right now. He moved closer still looking at me, I didn't take my eyes away from
his they were so perfectly blue. His leg playfully touched mine and he was biting down on his own
lip looking at mine. I wanted him to kiss me so much and I think that was all he wanted to do. I
gently grabbed his arm and pulled myself closer to him and he finally closed the distance between
us and pressed his lips against mine and I closed my eyes.