The Dawn of Darkness: A Paranormal Romance Read online

  “Please don’t feel like you need to leave. I promise you are perfectly fine finishing your dessert.” My voice is on the edge of desperation.

  He gestures for me to get closer until our faces are inches away from each other. “The thing is, I’m worried I’m distracting Roderica.” His eyes flick to her and I start to turn my head. He stops me by gently placing his fingertips on my cheek. “Don’t look or she’ll know we’re talking about her.”

  A slight chill radiates from the spot his fingers touch. “I-uh, do you want to move to the bar?” I ask, staring into his deep blue eyes.

  “Now that’s truly pathetic. Lonely man, eating dessert by himself at the bar.”

  “Or mysterious man at the bar that eats dessert first because that’s the only way to live.” He chuckles and I can’t help but feel grateful that he finds me so funny.

  “As much as I’d like to stay. I think it’s time for me to go.” He pulls out a ten-dollar bill. “This should cover it?” I nod and run off to get him the check and change.

  On my way back to his table, I stop midway because there’s a new couple seated there.

  ***

  Near the end of my shift, I refill the salt and pepper shakers and fold napkins around silverware. Finally getting a chance to sit, I glance at my phone to read a new text from twenty minutes ago.

  Rowan: Hey, Im outside. I dont know if itd be weird to wait for you inside.

  Hopping out of my chair, I stroll to the exit and nervously stare at the door. One of the few things protecting me from the outside world. Just thinking about opening the door makes me want to run and hide under a table. Build a fort no one can penetrate. There’s food here. I can make it work.

  Before the growing anxiety paralyzes me, I press my hand against the glass. Fingerprints from strangers are visible, and I’m close enough to see my breath fog. I can’t bring myself to push it open, so I knock instead.

  Rowan slides into view with a wave and a high-pitched shriek comes out of me before I can stop it. He takes a step back. Apologies are muffled through the glass.

  He changed his clothes. The vintage shirt has the old Ghostbuster’s characters on it. Unlike the guys I see on a daily basis in swimming trunks, he opted for jeans. They aren’t tight enough to see every crevice, but they aren’t falling off either. They fit just right. Perfect to hide a weapon in his pockets without anyone noticing. Does he have gel in his hair?

  Now I regret making him come back. No one looks good after they’ve cried their weight in tears. I can’t imagine how hideous I was earlier. Eight hours of running around all night doesn’t help. The messy ponytail swings behind me and swats my shoulder, mocking my mistake. Maybe I should leave him outside so he can’t see me in the light.

  My mother’s voice shrieks inside my head for being so rude. Pushing the door open, my cheeks burn. “Come wait inside.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t want to piss off any boyfriends or man friends. Friend’s with benefits…” he trails off. The question he doesn’t ask sits between us like a giant pink elephant.

  “None of the above.” I can’t make eye contact with him, but there’s a smile only the pavement knows about. His presence relaxes the tension in my shoulders and the intense knot in my stomach unravels. He’s adorable, and my heart pounds against my chest at his interest in my dating life. There’s a natural urge to make sure he’s unattached. A potential date in our future. Not the abnormal possessiveness I felt earlier for Gabriel.

  “Girlfriend?” he questions lightly, raising his eyebrows.

  I burst out laughing and raise my head. “Hitting all the boxes, are you?”

  “Thought I’d try some polite conversation.” His eyes wander over me and it takes everything I have not to try and fix my disheveled hair.

  “Oh? And how does your girlfriend feel about you walking another girl home late at night?” Boys have taken a backseat to my job for so long, I’ve forgotten how to flirt.

  A sly grin crosses his face. “She doesn’t have a problem with it because she doesn’t exist.”

  “Boyfriend?”

  “Now he’s very jealous,” he says with a straight face.

  Of course, he’s taken. Why wouldn’t he be? I’m too embarrassed to attempt a reply. And my heart sinks into my stomach.

  A few seconds later he adds, “I’m kidding.”

  Maggie flies by and then backtracks. She looks Rowan up and down. Twice. “I thought you were joking.”

  His feet shuffle nervously under her inspection and his fingers slide through his hair. The combed, brown strands become ruffled, and he realizes too late that he messed up his hairdo. On the left side of his face, I notice a three-inch scar near his ear, parallel to his jawline. The pink line stands out against his dark skin.

  “Whatever you do, don’t listen to anything she tells you,” I warn and shoo Maggie off before she can open her mouth. “I need fifteen minutes to finish up.”

  Rowan sits on a bench. “I’ll wait here. Maybe your co-worker will stop by again.”

  “Are you threatening me?” I scoff and try to look offended.

  “Not at all. I’ll be sitting in plain sight. Where everyone can see me and possibly stop by and tell me stories while I wait.”

  I narrow my eyes. “Maybe I’ll bring you with me so I can babysit you.”

  “Flirt with the boyfriend when we’re all out of here,” Nora, my manager, chides from behind me.

  “He’s not—we’re not—,” I stutter.

  “I’m not—,” he says at the same time, and we both look at each other.

  “They are cute in denial,” Maggie says and winks at us as she passes by again.

  Nora claps to get our attention. “Today love birds. He can stand guard and tell anyone who comes in that we’re closed.”

  I rush off to finish my section, but can’t help peeking toward the waiting area every time I hear laughter. By the time I’m done and reach the front, Maggie is whispering to Rowan. Both their heads are together like co-conspirators. Jealousy rises out of nowhere and I plant a fake smile on my face.

  “It’s all lies. All of it,” I say to get their attention and white-knuckle my purse strap.

  Rowan stands up. “I hope so. She threatened to kick my ass if I broke your heart.”

  “We’re not—,” I start.

  “I know! I know! You’re not together,” Maggie interrupts and rolls her eyes. Her adorable curls bounce around her head. “Just because you say it out loud three times doesn’t make it come true.”

  She makes kissing sounds as we exit. Back on the street without work to distract me, I’m warped back to the alley. Instead of moving forward with him, I take a step back toward the restaurant. Against the glass doors, I don’t realize I’m the reason I can’t get back inside. My hand wraps around a handle I can’t pull because I’m in the way.

  Phantom fingers pull my hair and tether my wrists. Every breath I take is faster than the last, and my chest burns for oxygen.

  “Breathe,” Rowan says in a soothing voice, blocking my view of the street. “Be here with me and breathe.”

  Something warm rests on my hand and I turn to stare at his. He gently pries my grip off the door handle and pulls me a few inches from the building. Only a few people are walking around this late, and to anyone watching, we look like a normal couple. A boy holding a girl’s hand.

  Is it usually this dark with the streetlights on? My head whips around in every direction and I make myself dizzy. Each breath gets shorter, and the darkness wraps around me. Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, I reach out and clasp his arm at the same time I trip over my own feet. My purse slides down to my wrist and he catches it before it falls.

  His arm wraps firmly around my waist and he pulls me close, forcing my arm around his neck. I can’t catch my breath.

  My legs feel like jelly and he’s almost dragging me along. We slide into a dark alcove, out of the public eye. Gently placing me on the ground, he squats in front of m
e and waits patiently for my breathing to get back under control.

  “In need of assistance?” The voice rumbles out of the dark, but no one’s there. A hallucination?

  But Rowan’s eyes are scrutinizing the shadows, and he places a protective hand on my leg like he’s anchoring himself to me.

  I glance in the same direction he’s staring in. What is he looking at?

  A dark outline appears and steps out of the shadows like it was conjured out of my worst nightmares.

  Chapter 4

  Gabriel

  T he Boogeyman. Each breath of air reeks of the demon. He’s definitely in the vicinity, but the scent has faded. Something else has his attention for now. It’s time for me to leave before he comes back like a good little watchdog.

  Amelia quickly saunters off with my ten-dollar bill. She’ll be upset to find me gone when she returns. Every movement I make is faster than the last and I intentionally slow down. The shadows are vibrating around me, daring me to step out of the light. My fangs break through my gums at the imaginary threat and I lean against the table with my head down to hide them. There’s time to escape.

  On my way out, Rica blocks me from leaving. “Are we still going to Sipsys later?”

  This new generation and their love for caffeine. “Doubting me?”

  “Nothing ever good happens after midnight,” she says flirtatiously. Following me to the exit, she stands in front of the door, leaning against it so I can’t leave without giving her an answer.

  Such a tiny, fragile thing. I tsk. “Midnight is my favorite time of the night.”

  “So everything good happens after midnight?” she asks, batting her eyelashes.

  The predator in me wants to sink my teeth into her throat. My canines itch to be released. I place my hand above her head and lean in. “I never said that,” I say in a mysterious tone and push the door open slowly behind her. Maneuvering around her, she’s disappointed I don’t hang out to talk a little while longer.

  On the Boulevard, I casually walk among the humans. The Boogeyman stalks me from the alleys. Red eyes glowing in the dark. Moving around the buildings unbelievably fast to make sure he’s in the shadows to glare at me as I pass.

  And I ignore him, pretending he doesn’t exist. Exactly how I’d treat a lover scorned when we’re invited to the same party.

  When there’s a break in the crowd, I stop in front of the entryway of two buildings, a clothing boutique and a gift shop for wine lovers. In the shadows, barely visible, he stares at me with an ominous unblinking stare. “Join me?” I tease and make sure I don’t look him directly in the eyes.

  Sunshine Boulevard is a popular tourist destination and heavily illuminated.

  Light is not the Boogeyman’s friend.

  “How stupid of you to show your face here,” he growls lowly.

  “How else will you fantasize about me?” My fangs slowly descend, peeking over my lower lip. He can see beyond my human face. The demon magic to make me what I am leaves its mark. To him, I’m simply a halfling. Something that should not exist. An abomination to demons and humans alike. A grotesque experiment that should have been obliterated.

  Loud, giggling girls slow down to check me out and make him shrink further back into the dark. Bare skin taunts me at all angles as the group divides to swarm around me for the few seconds it takes to pass by. So many places my teeth crave to go. One, in particular, blows me a kiss. I’m so hungry I have to stifle the power to lure her away from the group.

  “I’ll be at The Jewel if you need to find me,” the brunette calls out. The group of girls surround her, whispering. But I’m not out of earshot. I can hear every questioning murmur. Every curious thought said aloud.

  “Don’t mind if I do,” I say to myself. And I’ll admit—to annoy the Boogeyman.

  “Leave the Boulevard half breed. Or I will send you back to hell,” the Boogeyman threatens at the light’s edge. A boundary he won’t cross. Not even when he’s covered head to toe in black clothes.

  “No need for name-calling. We should be working together. You have more in common with me than them,” I say disgusted at his endearment toward the humans. Something I’m positive he doesn’t even understand.

  We are superior to humans in every way, and yet, we are condemned to the underworld. A place souls go to die, never to see the light of day unless it’s an all-consuming flame of destruction. Our afterlife is bone-shattering agony built on the backs of the damned that wreaked havoc on Earth.

  Humans have a choice. Free will to embrace the light of God and enter the gates of heaven.

  That choice was torn out of my grasp.

  The shadow man blinks. It’s the only indication that tells me he’s distracted. Something in the vicinity has his attention and it must be something more important than a vampire strolling down the street. He’s debating. Weighing the pros and cons before he disappears like smoke.

  Down the street, the group of whispering girls are still glancing over their shoulders at me. Wondering what’s holding me to this particular spot. Too bad the Boogeyman will watch them like a hawk the rest of the night. A fantastic way to keep him busy while I play elsewhere.

  “Ladies,” I shout so the living shadow can hear me if he’s still close by. “I think I’m in the mood for a drink.”

  ***

  Right on time. Rica gazes up and down the street before turning in the direction of Sipsys, a coffee shop known to be open till 2 AM. A workplace during the day and a hangout after 6 PM. It gives people under the age of 21 a place to mingle.

  In between buildings, I wait for Rica to pass me. On her phone, she’s oblivious to the outside world. A curtain of short, dyed, blond hair hides her face. Those little devices have been a Godsend. It’s so much easier to pick off people when they’re absorbed in their phones.

  Out from the shadows, I silently trail behind her. She doesn’t notice the crowd has thinned out. Or the fact that I’m so close I can smell the perspiration glistening over her skin. Exerting herself will pump the blood faster into my mouth. The curve in her neck entices me to speed up.

  Someone bumps into me from behind and I growl like a hungry predator but they’re too busy staring at a screen to notice me. A herd of people surrounds us and the tiny window I had to pull her into the shadows without anyone noticing is gone. I sidle up next to her and use the allure power to pry her eyes away from the phone.

  “I think I’m jealous,” I tease and hint at the device when she finally gazes up at me.

  She stuffs it in her purse to give me her undivided attention. “Problem solved. You have me for the next hour.”

  “Only an hour?” I frown.

  “My parents think I’m still working. I’m forbidden to date.”

  My frown deepens. “How old are you?”

  “Does it matter?” She raises her eyebrows.

  “Not in my case,” I say truthfully. Youthful blood is so much sweeter than adults.

  Sipsys has people pouring inside, and a line has formed. All the tables are full and the couches along the walls have so many people sitting on them, they sag in the middle.

  Rica is determined to push her way through, but I catch her hand.

  She’s unbelievably short, and I bend down to whisper in her ear. “Maybe we can go somewhere a little less crowded.” We’re beyond the long line as I guide her from the busy building, and she hesitates. I let her fingers slip through mine and walk backward with a nod toward the beach to entice her away from the coffee shop.

  The scene is everything her parents warned her about. A handsome stranger luring her away from the public eye into the dark night. Deep down, something inside of her is begging for attention. A little voice warning her not to follow me.

  Desire dominates her fear and uneasiness. A vampire’s power to lure prey is a potent weapon—an infatuated human is the easiest mark. The allure makes more than a few people look my way. If Rica doesn’t follow, one of them will take her place.

  In a
daze, she takes a step toward me. If I wasn’t so thirsty, I’d play this game a little longer. Make her so obsessed, thoughts of me would consume her. My own personal, on-call stalker. In the end, she would beg me to drink every last drop of blood from her body.

  For centuries vampires have argued what the allure power does to humans. Some consider it a drug. Others say it’s hypnosis. All I know is that I’m very good at using it.

  She follows me down the street. The stores are closed and there’s barely anyone else around. Nui beach is only a few blocks away and I have to hold back my fangs.

  It gets darker as we leave the street lights behind. Swimsuit shops with beach accessories are strategically placed near the shore. Parents go in for flip-flops and their kids come out with floaties, buckets, and shovels.

  Rental shops are at the very end to provide umbrellas, surfboards, bikes, or lessons. Some offer tours off the coast, so tourists can observe sea life. Local fishermen provide tours if you know where to look.

  Her hand bumps against mine several times. A signal I ignore until the beach is in front of us and there’s a sign stating it’s closed for the night. “This is my favorite beach.”

  My fingers touch hers, and she threads her arm through mine. The perfect distraction. Our shoes hit the sand and Rica trespasses without noticing because she’s too busy staring at me. Only the moon is left to illuminate the water.

  “Why is that?” she asks curiously.

  “All the murders.”

  She sighs contently under my spell, more afraid of my arm escaping her grasp than what I said. Tightening her grip, she lays her head against my arm. “It’s a good thing I have you to protect me.”

  “I can protect you from everything, but me.” My fangs slip over my bottom lip and the dormant predator inside of me unleashes a low growl. Confusion grips her like an old friend and she’s unsure if I’m teasing her. The hold around my arm loosens and I inhale a deep breath of fear permeating the fresh sea air. Little by little the allure loses its effect.

  Until I completely strip it away.

  Horror pours out of her as she realizes we’re alone—in the dark. Not another soul in the vicinity.