In the Dark by Lila Rose (23 page)

"I, ah, I have to go." He nodded, understanding shone in his eyes. "Oh, God, Gregory. I love you. You've shown me so much, you… Thank you." I kissed him on the cheek and ran to the door.

Not caring I probably looked an emotional mess, I opened the door and told his family, "He wants you back in there." Taking a deep breath, I moved aside as they walked in and closed the door behind them.

I went over to the wall, away from everyone, and sank to the ground, my head in my hands, but not crying as I wanted to. Instead, I thought of all the good times I'd had with Gregory in the short period we knew each other.

He'd asked me to help them through their loss, to be there for them. Of course I would, but would all of them let me? I had to agree with Gregory. We would be better off without MaryJane around. Hell, if she hadn't shown up in the first place, things would be different.

Would I still be with Isaac though? I didn't know.

All I knew was if it came down to it, I would protect them with my life. They were my family and I could no longer turn my back on them just because Isaac hurt my feelings.

Putting everything aside was what I had to do. No matter how much I ached for him inside.

I lifted my head to see Xavier sit beside me. His arm came around my shoulders. I gave him a half smile and leaned against his weight, while filling my mind with wonderful thoughts of Gregory—him trying to teach me to cook; the talks we had; the funny stories of the past, when he would start laughing at the main part and then it was hard to get the rest out of him, so in the end I'd just be laughing at him. So many good, happy memories and in such a short amount of time.

Gregory Grey would always be remembered by me.

I drew in a sharp breath.

"What is it, Leila?" Xavier asked.

"Someone needs to tell Caelen. Jezza will need him."

"I'll go get him," Xavier said and then quickly left.

Silence filled the hall. Unfortunately, it didn't last long. "Come on, how long does it take to die already," Mary-effing-Jane said.

Before I even thought of it, I stood and strolled towards her, ignoring her three guards at her side with their guns pointed at me. Just as I was about to reach her, Darik flashed in front of me, stopping me in my tracks. He grabbed me by the arms. I looked up to his face and he shook his head at me.

"Oh, let her go." MaryJane laughed. "It's not like she'd get to lay one finger on me anyway." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Look at you. You're only here so you can have a chance to comfort what's not yours. Tell me something,
Leila.
Who warms your bed at night? Oh, that's right, no one. You're alone. No one would love something like you. So while you have no one, I have Isaac. It's not like you could keep up with him, sweetheart. We're at it. All. Night. Long." She laughed at me.

My body shook with rage. For the first time in my life, I didn't have control over the change. I was fuming, pissed off with how uncaring she could be in a time like that. I wanted to rip her head off, claw out her eyes. Kill her.

"No," Darik growled, bringing my attention back to him. He lifted me off the ground while I shook from the change and dragged me to the wall. He held me against it, hiding me from everyone. "You will not do this, Leila. Take control of yourself. Now is not the time. Do not let her baiting win." He was right. I closed my eyes and clenched my fists. Calming my breaths, the shaking eventually stopped.

The lift doors opened and out walked Caelen and Xavier. Caelen looked defeated. They walked down the hall, taking in the tension that was obviously in the air, coming to a stop in front of myself and Darik.

"I was on my way here. I felt something was wrong. Foolishly, I left my phone at home. I went to your house. When you weren't there, I tried Isaac's. Some of the other lads told me what happened. I can't believe it. This is going to wreck her. She still lives with the pain of the loss of her parents, and now Gregory?"

"I know. She's going to really need you," I said. He nodded.

The door to the room opened. Jeremiah came out. His cheeks were wet but his eyes dry. Through clenched teeth, he told us, "He's gone."

Oh, God, my chest tightened as Isaac and Jezanna followed him out. Seeing the pain in their eyes was so hard. But I knew it matched my own expression, not only for the loss of Gregory, but also for what they'd gone through in the past. Jezanna spotted Caelen. He held his arms out to her and she ran into them, burying her face in his chest. I watched Isaac step into she-devil's embrace. Jeremiah stepped away from them all. I went to him, pulling him into my own arms. His body stiffened. I knew he wouldn't cry, like me, not in front of others. But I was rewarded with him giving into the hug and placing his arms around me. I glanced over his shoulder, looking straight into Isaac's eyes as he stared back over her shoulder.

I wanted that to be me. Still, I was glad I could be here for any part of my family. I mouthed, '
I'm sorry
,' as one tear escaped and ran down my cheek. We were near enough he was able to reach out his hand and, with one finger, he wiped that tear away.

"Master, we have incoming," Adan called from down the hall, just as the elevator doors opened and a doctor, with a nurse, walked out.

Class wasn't in my cards Friday. We'd spent half the night up at the hospital, then the other half making arrangements. During the early hours, we were at my house talking. Not all of us though. Isaac went back to his own place with shithead, Darik and Adan. Jeremiah said he couldn't stand to be around all the falseness and came with us. I was pleased he was comfortable enough around me to let everything go once we got through the front door. I made everyone come down to my room where we all huddled around on my bed. Jeremiah, Jezanna, Caelen, Xavier and I talked, cried and laughed, and remembered everything that made Gregory the amazing man he'd been. Later, we curled up and slept.

I wished Isaac had been there for it. I felt terrible he'd gone back to a house with someone as cold as her. I could only hope Darik and Adan were taking care of him.

* * * *

Darkness surrounds me. Every way I turn, I see nothing but black. My heart beats hard in my chest. My hands tremble along with my legs. I want to run, to scream, but I don't.

Because I know I'm waiting.

It isn't until I see two small red dots in the distance that I relax somewhat.

"Yes," I whisper. "That's what I'm waiting for."

The dots drift closer and closer.

And in a blink of an eye, which always makes me jump, they're right in front of me, so close I can reach out and touch them… No, touch the face that belongs to those red eyes.

I want to.

I need to.

Even though a small amount of fright fills me, I still know I'm safe.

The red eyes study me.

"You're mine," the voice growls…

When I jolted awake, I found an elbow in my left eye and one in my right rib. I pushed Jeremiah's arm from my face and Xavier's elbow from my rib and sat up. I looked around and smiled. They were all still sound asleep with emotional exhaustion. Jeremiah took up most of the space. Caelen was on the far end with Jezanna in his arms and while she had one hand on him, the other was holding Jeremiah's hand. I turned to Xavier next to me. He lay as stiff and straight as a board. Probably worried he'd fall off the bed, because he didn't have much room.

Slowly and quietly, I crept down the end of the bed, managing not to wake anyone. I grabbed some clothes and went for a shower. I looked out the window in the bathroom and saw it was already late in the day. The sun was nearly set over the horizon. I really wanted to go back to bed and then spend the rest of the night with my family. It hurt to leave them. But I'd made a promise to someone who needed help. I could only hope they'd stay asleep long enough and wouldn't even notice I'd disappeared.

My mind drifted back to Isaac, wondering how he was and what he was doing. He should have been at the house with his brother and sister.

Sighing, I got dressed, and on the way out of the house, I grabbed an energy bar to eat, as well as Jezanna's mobile. I quickly placed it in the front pocket of my hoodie. I had a feeling I was going to need it.

Guilt ate at me for leaving the house when I knew they could need me. However, I was also worried about Sofia's safety, especially when I hadn't seen her in so long.

Jason's parents' house wasn't far from my own. In human form, I made my way over. Something told me I didn't want to show my feline part just yet. As I reached closer to his property, I slowed. Doubt ran through my mind, causing the hairs on the back on my neck to rise.

Taking a deep breath through my nose, I absorbed the many scents in the air. Bark, leaves, grass, dirt, humans. The only one that shocked me was the familiar woodsy scent of Ty. Was he here? Was he a part of this? I really hoped not.

Tension boiled, causing my stomach to flip. It was funny how calm I was until I scented someone I knew.

I had to relax myself, go in with a clear mind. Closing my eyes, I took another deep breath, shook out my limbs, and then crept closer.

Voices came from the right. It was close to his house, which was strange, unless he was having a party. A clearing came into sight and in it stood Jason, Mathew, Ronan and Steven, who were all from the football team.

Who I couldn't see was Sofia. Suspicion took over all other feelings. I stepped into the clearing and the conversation halted. They all turned to me smiling.

"Well, well. She did pull it off." Jason laughed.

Alarm bells rang through my mind.
Shit, it was a
trap. RUN, RUN, RUN.

The back door to his two-storey house opened and about ten more people came out. All students from college, including Jenna and her cronies. Within them was a concerned Sofia; she was being held by two guys.

"I'm so sorry, Leila. They made me. I had to get you here or they said they'd kill me and my family. Leila, please, please forgive me."

Crap.

She'd believed them when they said they'd kill her family. A snort left me. I highly doubted they would. But killing me. Yes, I could see that happening. No one in the town would care if I disappeared.

Was everything Sofia told me a lie? How stupid did I feel, falling for her story hook, line and sinker.

Though, how did Sofia get that black eye? Or those marks on her collarbone?

The group surrounded me, forming a circle. I let them. I wasn't going anywhere. I wanted and needed answers, plus I was in the mood to teach them a lesson.

Looking at my fingernails, I asked, "So who wants to be beaten first?" I smiled and placed my hands in my pockets, rocking back and forth on my feet. Trying to come across less afraid than I truly was.

Fuck, I'd better not die tonight. Any other night would be all right. Just not there, not by those people. I looked out at their scowling faces and thought it could be a possibility.

"Thank you, dear Jason, for bringing her here. I will reward you all later."

Double crap.

I knew that voice. Anyone would after hearing it only once—the irritating sound, which made you want to clench your teeth together.

Turning, I watched as Mary-fucking-Jane walked out of the woods.

"Really? You need all this help to take me down."

She laughed. "No, silly. I don't need their help. I want it. You see, I was so excited to find out you're so loathed. These sweet people want nothing more than to get rid of you. All this hate gives me chills and the chance to use them to do what I want. Then I don't have to get my hands dirty." She giggled. "At least then Isaac won't blame me for your death. I know,
Leila
, I know he still cares for you and it makes me so sick." She screamed. "So now, if I have you out of the way, we can go back to how things were, until Gerald gets here, of course."

Scoffing, I shook my head. Why was I not surprised she was in cahoots with Gerald? My hand went into my pockets. I rocked back on my feet while my fingers pressed the buttons on Jezanna's phone, praying I pushed the right ones to receive some help.

Something MaryJane said triggered me to look out around the crowd. What I hadn't noticed before was most of them had vague looks in their eyes.
They're being controlled
. She was using her vampire power to make them hers. So they'd do her bidding, to kill me. The only ones who didn't have the glazed look was Jason and Sofia.

"So you can control minds. What other tricks can you do?"

"You will just have to wait and see."

I should have—no wait, I'm not going to start on the I should haves or wishes. This just plain sucks and I can't do anything about it.

Shifting forms was one solution, but I wouldn't until it was the last resort. There were too many of them around to know my secret.

"Where are all your guards?"

"Around. Come, people." She clapped. "Hurry up with the task."

Jason, Jenna, and their so-called friends started descending upon me. They moved closer, but slowly. Were they waiting for me to do something?

"Bring the girl to me first. I could use a little snack." Mary-stupid-Jane motioned towards Monica and Bertina, who were now holding Sofia. They dragged her struggling body over. "I want you to watch what you helped organise," she said and held Sofia's face with one hand so she looked at me. Sofia whimpered. I knew a vampire's hand could crush a skull.

I was hit from behind first and fell to my knees. I looked over my shoulder to see Steven holding a baseball bat.
No wonder it hurt like a motherfucker
. I took a kick to the head and a punch to the back. They all joined in at the same time, kicking, punching, pulling and screaming at me.

"Freak, Witch, Weirdo, Bitch, Satan, Loser," were just some of the taunts thrown my way as they beat me.

Everything in me wanted to fight back. To change into my feline form and attack them all. Hurt them, because the agony they put me through was viciously raw. I whimpered. I yelled and I cried out in pain.