Page 2 of Darkness Rising
Death will fill the night soon enough.
Chapter Two
Death is in the Air
The swirling breeze carries us over my father’s kingdom. The city passes in a blur of shining lights and colors. It’s a wealthy community. Beautiful buildings and busy streets take up miles and miles of the land. I’m thankful I can never truly see it. I hate seeing it. I hate seeing people I once knew.
I do love the flight, though. I love the feel of the wind caressing me, freeing me, comforting me for just a few short seconds. The four of us hold powers gifted by the Wild Hunt. I’ve always loved the feel of it.
Until it spits me out as quickly as it pulled me in.
A tingling sensation consumes my body as the glittering particles swirl around me, making me whole once again. The last glinting granule tingles against my fingertip as it settles back into place.
A golden hue emits from a street lamp overhead. It falls across the dark alley, shining light onto the tragedy that’s sure to come.
We stand on the opposite side of the street. A train passes fast and loud directly behind us. The speed of it pulls at my hair, swirling my locks restlessly around my face.
Jeriko’s palm connects suddenly with my shoulder. My feet falter. A gasping breath leaves my lungs and I force the magic to burst through my body at the last second.
My body breaks down into millions of swirling particles. The train collides with the dust that is my life. It carries me swiftly into the night air. I’m aware of the panic within me. And I’m even more aware of the stinging pain of the impact.
At a rapid pace, my body shifts back into place. I glare up at the sneering Fae.
I hate him.
I hate him with every single fucking sparkling particle of my existence.
My glaring gaze trails over his features. That magic that scars us all takes more and more of us the longer we’re in this job. Jeriko’s been here for so long half of his face glistens black as if the magic of the Wild Hunt is consuming him from the inside out.
Maybe it’s eating away at his rational mind.
My fingertips press against his wide chest and Jeriko just stares down at the minor touch. My jaw clenches as the air around us starts to quiver. My magic starts to shake through me, picking up speed and turning the breeze into a sudden rapid mass of power.
Link’s palm presses to my lower back. It’s a calming touch, a warming touch that I want to sink into.
But I don’t. At the feel of his hand on my body, I push down on the rising energy within me. The small contact of Link’s warm fingers makes the aggression in me fall away.
In a weird way, he is my friend.
“Don’t fucking touch her again. We have shit to do.Obviously.”Link keeps his pretty eyes locked on Jeriko’s as he presses lightly against my back, ushering me forward.
He’s right though. We do have a job to do here.
And thinking of clever ways to murder Jeriko isn’t one of them.
For now.
The four of us make our way across the quiet street. Just ahead, a man a little older than me is backed into the corner of a brick building and a wooden fence. His dark eyes sweep across the five men before him, assessing every move they make.
He seems young. Around my age maybe. Early twenties at the most. He stands with more confidence than fear. It’s always interesting to see their will to live.Would I put up that much of a fight?
I’d like to think I would.
“You don’t want to push me,” he tells them on a steady breath.
Really? That’s your opening line? Clearly, you’re not as powerful as you think you are, or I wouldn’t fucking be here.
The four of us wait patiently. Link takes a seat on the damp cobblestone, crossing his legs like he’s a child preparing for story time. His pale eyes blaze with magic, hungry for what’s about to come. Jeriko does the opposite; he paces, his gaze eating up every detail of the night. Nollix leans against the brick building, his attention fixed on me like he might consume me with just a dark look.
