The Ties of Darkness (Book Two of the Hidden Secrets Trilogy)

Chapter Three

I watched Erebus leave still wondering how I was going to escape this. I flopped back onto the couch just wanting to sleep for once, but I knew that wasn't going to happen because if I shut my eyes Erebus's face would appear in my dreams.

I knew Liam and Jacob were fuming about this, and they would be out to come save me. I finally allowed my eyes to close and went into a fitful sleep.

The next morning when I awoke, everything was silent. I sat up and stretched when something caught my eye.

I gazed at the mark Erebus had given me. It looked like a dark spiral and it throbbed. I tried summoning my powers which came but stronger than they were before. Black wisps leaked from my hands and I let out a scream.

"Enjoying your new powers?" Erebus sneered from the big stairs.

"How could you do this to me?" I whimpered. He strode up to me and took my wrist. He closed his eyes and did something to ease the throbbing.

"There, now it shall not bother you," he said with a purr.

"Thank you," I said in disbelief. I gazed at his grey eyes and felt myself being drawn into them. I broke the gaze and took a step back. "Um well, thank you again," I said quietly, then I rushed off upstairs to a small room and locked myself in it.

I began to pace furiously still feeling afraid. I stopped and calmed my mind reaching out to Liam, waiting and hoping to get a connection, but there was nothing. Tears pricked my eyes threatening to spill when a soft knock was heard at the door.

"G...go away," I said in a wavering voice.

"Anna, you can't hide from this," Erebus said.

"So, I'd rather die than be here with you," I mumbled.

"Anna, just open the door," he said gruffly. I sniffled.

"What if I don't?" I said. There was silence on the other side of the door before a silent sound like someone blowing air from their mouth reached my ears.

I dropped my eyes to the bottom of the door and saw shadows and wisps seeping underneath snaking toward me. I backed up against the wall, afraid of how they moved.

The reached my ankles wrapping around them then crawled up my leg. I couldn't stand it any longer. I sprinted to the door, unlocked it and stumbled into Erebus's arms. His hand stroked my hair and the wisps and shadows disappeared.

"Have you learned your lesson?" he asked. I nodded against his chest, cheeks wet from the few tears that escaped. I felt his fingertip my chin up and his long elegant fingers brushed away my tears. He led me back downstairs and sat me down on the couch and he sat down next to me. "Anna, I have control over all darkness and shadows. You know that now, but I'm not going to hurt you in any way," he said.

"How can I trust you?" I asked skeptically.

"You just can," he answered.

"That's not the best answer," I said through a growl. He sighed and rubbed his hands together slowly.

"What more do you want?" he asked avoiding my eyes.

"I want you to let me go," I said flatly.

"Tell me one thing that your boyfriend has that I don't," he said.

"Liam has a kind heart and would do anything to save my life," I hissed glaring at him.

"Ok, now tell me one thing I have that Liam doesn't," he continued.

"You seem like you wouldn't keep secrets from me which Liam does..." I stopped starting to get annoyed with all Erebus's senseless questions.

I grounded my teeth together before I ran to the door and jiggled the knob finding it locked. Erebus came behind me and yanked me away from it.

"Let go of me!" I snarled and thrashed. His grip on me was firm and there was no escaping it either, then an idea hit me.

I summoned the ones Erebus had given me. Light and dark streamed from my hands and crept up my arms toward him.

He let go of me as my powers convulsed around him allowing me to make my escape from his wretched place. I ran back to the door and forged my own key to unlock the door. The door did open and when it was I fled for my life into the dark of night.

I had no idea which way to run. Any direction would take me anyplace. I stood quietly and called up light to show me the way. My light orb levitated in front of me before it took off with me following it in close pursuit.

The orb knew where it was going until I realized that I was in a familiar place. It was the park where Liam and I had been before Jacob had come and crashed the party.

I let out a sigh of relief. I'd finally made it somewhere close to home. I tried connecting with Liam again to see if he was close, yet he didn't answer, but I felt something signaling that he was close.

This time my heart was the one to lead the way and it led me right to Liam. I found him gazing down at some roses with a sober look on his face.

"Liam?" I said gently. He turned and faced me. First, I saw shock, then anger, and finally relief. He rushed to me, took me in his arms and kissed me deeply.

"I thought I'd lost you," he murmured against my lips.

"You didn't, I came to find you, Liam," I said softly. He pulled back a bit.

"How'd you escape?" he asked curiously.

"A little help from my powers," I said teasingly. I reached up to cup his cheek in my hand when he caught my hand in his. He turned it over so he could see my wrist when his face became hard. He swore.

"He marked you?!" he yelled.

"Shh, it's ok he can't-," I started.

"Anna, he can find you by this! How could you let him do this to you?" he asked.

"I...I didn't, he just did it. I couldn't do anything Liam I promise you that," I said. He stepped away from me, running a hand through his hair.

"Liam, we can fight him together," I said taking his hand.

"Oh no! This isn't going down the way it did with Anya, no way!" he snarled whipping his hand away from my touch.

"Well, what are we going to do then?" I said almost desperately.

"Nothing! That's the answer! Anna you can't run from him now, he's branded you! Oh my god!" Liam cried to the stars in the darkened night sky.

I heard a growl rumble in his chest as he approached me and took my arm in a harsh grip and led me over to the parking lot where I saw the infamous dodge challenger. Jacob rolled down the window.

"Man, I thought you'd never-," he stopped as his gaze settled on me.

"Anna?" he asked appalled. He opened the door quickly and got out. He searched my face trailing his fingers over my face to make sure I was real. "Is it really you?" he asked looking me in my eyes.

"Yes, Jacob it is," I said with a small smile. Jacob pulled me into a hug and held me.

"Jacob you need to see this," Liam said from behind us in a gruff tone. He took my wrist and showed it to Jacob. Jacob jerked back from me.

"What, did that bastard do that to you?" he said crudely.

"He did, now he has a chance of finding her again," Liam said for me.

"I'll figure this out myself you guys. Besides I did put this all on myself so I have to fix it alone" I said looking up at them.

"We'll talk about this back at the house. Let's go" Liam grumbled.