Dark One- The Khiara Banning Series Book 1

Ten

Ten

The screaming won't stop! I'm in a hall of mirrors, and a choice is needed to be made- which way do I take? I can't concentrate with all of the screaming going on, and for some reason I feel like whichever way I take will kill me in the end. My death is inevitable. "You must choose," a strange female voice booms. I look left, and the screaming that's coming from all around me intensifies. I look the other way, and it gets even louder. "There is only one way," the voice purrs. "Death is inevitable." The mirror closest to me starts to shake, the glass looking as if it were made of water, and then a dark form steps from it- a man. He seems to be completely made of shadow, and he is absolutely terrifying. I seem to be stuck in place, unable to move as he takes hold of my arm and his somewhat familiar voice drifts to my ears, a terrifying whisper of pure evil, "Your time is up..."

I wake up feeling like I've been doused with a big bucket of cold water. My heart is beating erratically in my chest, and my eyes can't help but dart around the room, looking for the dark things that have plagued me in my dreams. Actually, I feel around and notice that in fact I do happen to be wet- slick with a cold sweat that must've occurred during the bizarre nightmare I've just awakened from.

Sighing, I reach over to my bedside table to turn on my lamp and gasp at the time; it's three in the morning. I turn the light on, and make my way to my door and stop dead in my tracks when I hear a noise coming from the direction of my window. Turning around slowly, I scrunch my eyes shut and resolve not to freak out when I open them. It's probably a tree branch I think to myself. When I open my eyes, my heart stops at the sight before me; Damien is staring at me very intently through my window. I feel his stare like it's a cold, ugly hand, tracing its way all over my body- defiling me. He smiles, and in the blink of an eye, disappears from sight. That's when everything goes black and I feel myself crumpling to the cold, hard floor.

~*~

When I wake up, the only thing that runs through my mind is, my head hurts a lot. Holy crap my head hurts. Why does my head hurt?

"How did you get on the floor?" Asks Cara, who's standing in the doorway to my room eating an apple and staring at me in confusion.

I yawn tiredly and shake my head. "I don't know. More importantly," I groan as I sit up, rubbing my head, "who let you in and what are you doing up at this ungodly hour?"

Cara snorts indignantly. "We have this thing to go to, you know, school." Oops...

"Right," I mutter. I stand up, stretching my arms out and cracking all the good spots in my shoulders and back, and yawn again. "Thanks." She smiles, and taps her wrist, "We don't want to be late. Hop in the shower, I'll make breakfast. Both your parents left for work, but your dad said that he wasn't working late tonight, so he'll be home when you get back from your first day on the job to grill you for details."

~*~

Try not to make eye contact, try not to make eye contact- "Welcome to the Sweet Treats Café, what would you like today?" So far, my first day on the job has been pretty slow, and of course Cara and Tristan are standing right at the counter, looking at me like proud parents. Would that make Tristan my step dad? I chuckle at the thought.

"Can I get a butt-latté?" asks Cara, with the most serious look on her face I have ever seen. Our eyes meet and she bursts out laughing, while Tristan says "God damn it, Cara! I told you not to do that to the poor girl, it's her first day." I just smile, trying to hold in my laughter.

"Sorry," she says, her face turning red from laughter, "I couldn't resist," and I roll my eyes because her mascara is running down her cheeks her eyes are watering so much.