Hello Darkness

Chapter Forty-Eight

A scream bubbles in my throat and I flip on the switch. My breath hitches and I drop the briefcase. Why is he here? My demon swirls in my belly, feeding on my fear. The shadows in the corners creep out, inching their spindly fingers closer. She rises to my chest and calls to her shadows on the outside, they're threatening to swallow me.

I take in shaky breath after shaky breath and force myself to look at him—to face my fear. The moment I meet his ice blue eyes, I no longer struggle against her, because she's engulfed by my fire. After everything he's done—how dare he step foot in my home.

"How did you get in here?" I spit, and clench my fists at my side, ready if he makes a move.
"We have to talk." He steps forward—

"Don't move." I take one step toward him—challenging him. I may be a newborn, but I knew how to fight before I changed. Those skills haven't been lost and he knows it. He stops. "How did you get in my house?" I repeat and count my breaths.

He opens and closes his mouth before looking at the floor. "I had to see where he was keeping you to make sure it was safe."

I hate that he's pretending to care. He didn't care when he deceived me for the last couple months or when he left me to die. "Well, I'm fine. You see me, now leave." I hold the door open, but he doesn't move.

His voice is soft. "Can we please talk?"

"There's nothing to talk about. If this is some ridiculous plan to try to get me to come with you, you can stop now. I'm not going. And I swear to God if you attempt to take me, I'll use all my new strength to kick and scream until they hear me in the next town over. Do you understand?"

With his hands in his pockets, and his eyes that once held such vibrance now a dull blue, I sense he's not there to hurt me. I hate that despite my anger, he still managed to uncover any remnants of feelings I had for him. And then I hate myself—this is my parent's killer. He destroyed my family. How could I ever have feelings for this monster?

"This is all a misunder—"

"Out! Get out. Get out! I don't want to see your face ever again." The heat inside me releases in burning hot tears. I hate him.

"I promise you, Victor—"

"Out!" My throat burns from holding back a scream.

Talum closes the space between us, his jaw clenched and cheeks growing pink. "This is bigger than you, Charley. He's not who he seems." He spins around, feet cracking against the floorboards, and opens the sliding glass door in the kitchen. With one last look, he disappears into the night.

My body moves without thought, and I'm in front of the door ensuring the lock is secure seconds later. I slump onto the couch, and sob into my hands. The door creaks and I shoot my head up. It's Victor, his eyes wide and his chest heaving.

"What's going on?" He comes to my side, leaving the door open.

I run my hands over my jeans, unsure on how I should answer. If I say Talum was here he'll run after him—and he won't refrain like I did. He could get hurt or worse—it could start a war.

"What's going on? I could feel you all the way at the lab." He sits and when the cushion compresses, I don't stop my body from falling into him. He doesn't pull away, and slips his hand around my waist. Our bond twists and pulses through me, strengthened by the contact. He's trying to calm me, but it jolts with his fear.

"Talum was here."

"What?" The bond flairs with heat. He stands and flashes across the room. I expect to hear the shatter of glass, but he stops just before the door. The sway of the curtain is the only sign there had been a disturbance. "Did he touch you?" he says through his teeth, still looking out the window, as if contemplating throwing it open and dashing into the darkness. Victor can't act on impulse though. It's not just his life he has to think about.