Dark One- The Khiara Banning Series Book 1

Twelve

 

“Hello?” I call into the scary darkness. My little hands are trembling, though they’re tied behind my back. “Mommy? Papa?” Nobody answers me. I try to focus on how I got here but I just can’t seem to remember. One minute I was outside playing with my tea set, and the next thing I know I’m here. “Cara? This isn’t funny! You know I don’t like the dark. If this is about your doll, I’m sorry I broke her it was an accident I swear, ask your daddy he saw me trip!”

“Shut up!” booms a voice out of nowhere. “Nobody is coming for you.” A flashlight turns on and illuminates the face of a man inches from my own face. He’s real scary too, his dark hair is all dirty and matted to his head and I can’t help but think how nice of a colour it’d be if it were washed and that he doesn’t deserve pretty hair, being so scary and mean.

“Why’d you take me here?” I ask, my voice shaking slightly with fear. The man’s cold blue eyes roll and he says, “If you must know, to deliver you to my boss- if he ever gets here.” A chill races down my spine.

“Who’s your boss?” He deliberates a moment and answers with a rather smug smile, “I call him Lucy for short. Do you go to church? You may have heard of him.” I shake my head no and the man sighs. “His name is Lucifer.” I blink, unsure of whom he’s referring to.

The man balks. “Kids these days know nothing! Lucifer doesn’t ring any bells at all? Okay then, we’ll try this. Satan. The Devil. God’s opposite.” I gasp and he laughs maniacally. His breath reeks of alcohol.

“That’s not real,” I say, trying to steel myself. My eyes water, “You’re lying.” He shakes his head and clicks the flashlight off, plunging me into darkness once again.

“Naw,” he says and I can hear him walking away from me. His footsteps echo throughout the room, and I hear a door creak open. “You just stay right where you are. I’ll be right back.”

Minutes that feel like they’re hours pass until all of a sudden the door creaks open. I’m so sure it’s him I don’t bother calling out for help. When the flashlight clicks on, I’m surprised to see a lovely girl staring back at me, her hair dark as well but with pretty blonde streaks as opposed to the flat brown of the man. She puts her index finger to her mouth in the universal sign for shh, and without turning the light off she walks around me and unties my wrists. She then comes back around and smiles at me, and a warm happy feeling settles over me as she reaches out and strokes my hair affectionately.

“Okay, kid.” She whispers, “the cops are on their way, your guardian already took care of that.”

“What?” I ask, confused. She smiles, “Camael called the cops while I set you free. Now I gotta go distract my boy toy before he finds out I’ve helped you escape. Can’t let him in on our little plan to save the world, now can we?” I nod my head like I understand, but really I’m scared and just want to go home, and this crazy lady helped me so I’ll agree to whatever she says if it helps me get there.

“Sweet darling,” she coos, “I don’t expect you to understand anything. Not yet. It’s a shame that you’ll have to forget this ever happened though.”

“We have to go,” says a voice that makes my heart pick up, though not in fear. I don’t really understand what this feeling is, but it’s not bad so I don’t find myself panicking. I feel safer than anything else.