Fading Into Darkness: The Under Series Book 2 (6 page)

I felt something gently nudging my leg. I peeked out the top of my covers rubbing my eyes. My
room was still dark but the flame from a candle flickered next to me. I felt the weight of someone
sitting next to my legs. I pushed the covers back further to find Senka sitting on my bed. He smiled
at me and re-adjusted his beanie. I rubbed my eyes again and sat up yawning at the same time. I was
pleased to see him but I was surprised as Senka had never been in my room before. I didn't even
know he knew where my room was. I looked at the clock on the nightstand 1.10am.
“I thought you had to stay on at work?” I asked, casually smoothing my hair down with my hands.
I had only been asleep for an hour but knowing my hair it was probably already sticking out
everywhere like a haystack.
He grinned and looked at me. “A little birdie told me you were waiting for me on the steps.”
I matched his smile. “Oh really! I don't suppose that little birdie is called Alex by any chance?”
“Maybe and he's covering for me. I have to leave again at seven.”
I looked at the clock, if he had to leave at seven that gave us just under six hours together.
“You look tired. I shouldn't have woken you.”
“Then why did you?” I asked curiously.
I knew why but I wanted him to tell me. I think he liked being around me a lot more than he let on.
He looked at me for a moment before his eyes drifted to the candle on the nightstand.
“Who put that there?” he asked.
“I don't know I never see who puts it there. I just wake up and there's a burnt down candle every
morning.”
“Every morning?”
“Yep, except for the nights I don't sleep in here.”
He reached over me and using his thumb and finger he put out the flame. The room went dark and
he leaned back slowly, our faces only inches apart. All I could smell was a mixture of coconut,
cigarette smoke and a different smoky smell like he'd been at a bonfire or barbecue. I'd never smelt
that on Senka before. It was different and made me think of Mack and the way his T-shirt had
smelled the same.
“Do you want me to leave you alone to sleep?” he asked while running the back of his fingers down
my bare arm, which left a trail of goosebumps.
I shook my head. There was no way I would be able to go back to sleep now and especially if Alex
had purposely covered for him so he could come back and see me. Alex was never over the top
friendly with me so I knew he was doing this for Senka. Not me.
He stood up and switched the bedside light on.
“What happened to your nightdress?” he asked.
“I got a little scissor happy and made a few changes.”
Senka's eyes roamed around my bedroom taking it all in.
“You weren't kidding about the lack of entertainment no stereo no TV. No wonder you're always
upstairs.”
He stuck his head round the bathroom door and flicked the light on.
“Nice bathroom. Shower looks like it was designed for two.” he said flashing me a wicked grin.
I felt my cheeks flush red, I was blushing and he knew it as his grin widened. He walked over to the
other side of the room.
“So what's behind door number two?” he asked opening my closet.
I climbed out of bed and smoothed the sheets down waiting for him to say something about the size
of my closet. I knew he would.
“This closet is bigger than my effing bedroom.”
I stood in the doorway watching him. He took off his beanie and chucked it to me. Then he tried on
a ridiculously oversized fluorescent pink hat with feathers sticking out and turned around to show
me. I burst out laughing at how silly he looked.
“What it doesn't suit me?” he asked placing it back where he had found it. “Don't ever wear that.”
he said laughing holding his hands up in the air as I threw his beanie back. “Wow!” he said catching
sight of me.
“What?”

He pulled the closet door shut and stood in front of me. I had to crane my neck to look up at him.
“You really went to town on that nightdress.” He tilted his head and eyed me from top to toe.
I looked down at myself. Maybe I had shortened it too much? I didn't understand why I was so
bothered, I was dressed in a lot less earlier wearing only a loose vest when Alex had seen me.
Even the thought of wearing Senka's vest made me blush again. I don't think it was the clothes that
were the problem. I think it was the affect Senka was having on me, I felt way more self conscious
around him.
I crossed my legs and tugged the dress down. Not that it made much difference, I suddenly felt as
though I was completely naked in front of him.
“Don't it looks fine.” he said walking over to the balcony door.
I blew out a breath and tried to compose myself.
“Do you want to go upstairs or hang out in here?” he asked.
I smiled and my eyes flickered to the ceiling. He grinned and opened the balcony door.
“I'll meet you up there. I think it's best if I take the trellis.”
“Yes cause scaling the building doesn't look suspicious at all.”
“Race you to the top.” he said playfully.
“Not fair I have to take a corridor and a flight of stairs.”
“Well that depends how bad you want it.”
“How bad I want what?”
“Just picked you up few midnight treats. Soda....chocolate.”
My hand was already on the door handle. I looked back at Senka one last time, he laughed softly
and closed the balcony door.
I raced along the corridor picking up more and more speed as I went even I was surprised at my
sudden speed. The stairs came into view then something blocked my view and I ran straight into it.
I fell backwards from the impact and crashed into a small table. The table toppled over and the vase
of flowers flew off and I fell down with it. I heard the smash and crunching sound as I landed on top
of the broken vase. I sat up surrounded by pieces of broken vase, water and flowers scattered
everywhere.
“Ruby, I'm sorry. You came out of nowhere.” Emmett said standing on broken vase that crunched
under his feet.
He pulled me up by my elbow and away from the debris.
“What are you doing? I thought you were asleep for the night?” he asked brushing me down. “What
did you do to your nightdress?” he asked pulling at the fabric frowning.
“Nothing. Get off. I'm fine.” I said pushing his hand away and taking a step back.
Two guards appeared on the stairs rushing up to see what had happened.
“She's fine. Just a broken vase.” Emmett called over the banister. “You're on your way upstairs
aren't you?”
“What! No. I was just stretching my legs.”
“Ruby you're a terrible liar.”
“Well it's none of your business.”
“While Cam's not here everything you do is my business. Someone has to keep an eye on you.” He
looked around. “What's that smell?” he mumbled quietly.
His eyes landed on the floor next to my feet. “Are you hurt?” he asked.
I looked down at the floor and noticed a few spots of blood. I held up my hand and saw a cut
running down the edge of my palm.
“I must have landed on some of the broken vase.”
Two maids ran up the stairs with cleaning buckets and paper towels. They were still dressed in their
maid outfits. Knowing Cam he probably made them sleep in them. I held my hand and thought it
was strange how I hadn't noticed the cut before. I rubbed my thumb across the cut and frowned at
how little feeling there was for such a deep wound.
The two maids got straight to work cleaning the floor and picking up pieces of vase. Emmett took
one of the paper towels and handed it to me at arms length. I took it and pressed it against my hand.
“What you don't like blood?” I asked.
He was keeping his distance from me with his sleeve over his nose.
“It's not that.” He shook his head keeping his eyes glued on my hand.
I looked down at the two maids cleaning up the mess I had caused. I recognised the one picking up
the flowers as Katie from the kitchens.
“Do you think Cam will be mad about the vase?” I asked turning back to Emmett but he was gone.
I hung over the banister looking for him on the stairs but he wasn't there. I turned back and looked
at the maids, they hadn't noticed anything strange and were still busy cleaning the floor.
Where had he vanished to so quickly?
At least he was gone which meant he wouldn't be asking me another fifty questions about where I
was going. I followed the banister rail round heading upstairs.
Vampire....
The word came out almost as a whisper.
I stopped and looked around and saw Katie watching me, she quickly looked away and went back to
scrubbing the floor. I turned slowly keeping my eye on her but she didn't look up again. I was sure
Katie had said it but not out loud. I walked into the main games room and spotted Senka, he was sat
at the back talking to someone sipping on a beer bottle with his legs crossed resting his boots on the
table. I walked along the room passing a pair of boys playing pool. One of the boys smiled at me
and nodded in my direction then he looked over at Senka smirking. The other one was looking
down at my bare legs and wasn't even trying to hide the fact he was openly staring. I smoothed the
back of my dress down over my butt suddenly feeling extremely self concious.
Senka saw me and waved me over. I hovered next to the couch but didn't sit down. I politely smiled
at the other person he was talking to. The guy had a buzz cut all over and looked built. He obviously
spent many hours in the gym pumping iron from the size of his scarily big biceps that bulged under
his tight T-shirt.
“What took you so long?” Senka asked before downing the rest of his drink.
“I had a little run in with a table and a vase.” I said holding my injured hand in the other.
Senka dropped his boots to the floor and sat up pulling my hand over to inspect it.
“What happened?” he asked removing the paper towel.
“I ran into Emmett, I didn't see him lurking behind the corner. I ran straight into him and bounced
off him back into a table. Cut my hand on a vase.” Senka stood up and picked me up without
warning scooping my legs up.
“Let's get you cleaned up.” He carried me out of the room, any chance of me trying to keep my
dignity was gone as I was sure my panties were on full display from the way he was carrying me.
He set me down on the kitchen counter and dug through an overhead cupboard. Looking at the cut
under better lighting it now looked deeper than I'd first thought.
“I'm not sure but I think I might need stitches. Maybe I should go down and see the Doc.”
“Let me see.” Senka took my hand and started cleaning the blood off with a wet paper towel. He
was inches away from my face and my cut suddenly didn't seem as important. All I wanted to do
was stare at Senka's cute face all night. He had taken his beanie off and his hair fell down in front of
his eyes, I had to resist the urge to push it back off his face.
“So what's the damage?” The guy with the big biceps asked walking into the kitchen.
“I think I need stitches.” I said trying not to show how much Senka's touch was affecting me, I
didn't really need an audience this was already awkward enough as it was. The guy leaned over
Senka's shoulder and had a quick look at my hand.
“Stick a bandage on it and you'll be as good as new in the morning.” he said winking at me and
sipping on his beer.
Senka tensed at something he had said. But I didn't think he'd said anything out of place. Senka
leaned against the counter in between my legs wrapping my hand in a bandage. The other guy
downed the rest of his bottle and placed it on the counter.
“We'll catch up later Senk. Have a good night you two.” He smiled at me and patted Senka on the
back.
“Goodnight Trip.” Senka replied.
“All finished.” he said turning to face me placing his palms flat on the counter either sides of my
legs. A couple of boys walked into the kitchen and over to the fridge but Senka didn't move and
stayed where he was.
“You don't think I need stitches?”
“Wait until morning and see how it looks. Does it hurt?”
I shook my head. “Nope, I can't really feel it. I didn't even know I'd hurt myself until Emmett
pointed it out. It was weird he said he could smell something then he looked straight at the floor
where I'd dripped blood.”
“That's cause he's a freak.” one of the boys said taking an energy drink from the fridge.
He walked passed us unscrewing the cap. “That's why he's not allowed up here. He's a freak of
nature and he's Cam's little bitch.”
The other boy laughed and followed him out the kitchen.
Senka went to the fridge and retrieved an energy drink. Energy drinks and alcoholic drinks was all I
ever saw him or anyone else on this level drinking. He walked back over to me and leaned against
the counter, he offered me some drink but I turned it down I didn't like the stuff. He downed half the
bottle and looked at me.
“Say it,”
“Say what?” I asked hopping down from the counter.
“Ruby,” he looked at me with a look that made me feel powerless like I would tell him anything at
will.
“Why did he call Emmett a freak of nature? I mean I get that Emmett is Cam's little lap dog but why
does that make him a freak of nature? Is there something wrong with him or am I missing
something? It's not the first time I've heard someone up here calling Emmett a freak.”
“Emmett is just different to us. There aren't many that like him and especially no one living on this
floor.”
“Different how? I still don't understand. So what no one likes him so that makes him a freak of
nature?”
Senka finished his drink and threw it in the trash can across the kitchen, it dropped straight in first
time.
He looked at me and scooted along the edge of the counter stopping in front of me. He lifted my
bandaged hand and rubbed his lips along my knuckles gently kissing them. I got the picture he
didn't want to talk about Emmett anymore and this was his way of distracting me. But this was one
distraction I liked maybe a little too much. He looked at me and held my hand close to his chest.
“What do you want to do?” he asked.
“What do you want to do?” I asked back.
I liked the way we were together but I thought if he knew I had feelings for him he might not want
me hanging around so much. I didn't really know what I meant to him but I was sure he didn't go
around kissing every other girls wounds. I got the feeling he liked me but it was hard to tell as he
kept his feelings closely guarded around me. It was only on few occasions like this that he let his
guard down.
“I think a game of pool would be a safe choice.” he finally said.
We played a few games of pool but I was sure he was letting me win. We made some very
questionable alcoholic drinks that we downed in shots with a few of the other guys. We played
drinking games and a game of darts but after that many drinks my co-ordination was a little off and
my darts kept hitting everything but the dartboard. We finally ended up on a couch in the main
games room, Senka was chatting to someone about some shooting game they both played. I laid
back against the end of the couch, my legs resting on Senka's lap. My thoughts drifted back to the
weird dreams I'd been having of Mack. I watched Senka as he chatted and joked with his friend,
every few minutes he would look back at me and squeeze my foot letting me know he hadn't
forgotten I was there. I wanted to tell him about the dreams but at the same time I didn't feel like I
wanted to share those dreams. They felt private and special in some way, something was special
about them. I looked over the back of the couch out the window at the dark cloudy sky and watched
the clouds moving. My eyelids became heavier and heavier to the point I could no longer keep my
eyes open.