Bound in Darkness (The Legend of Mortem Book 2) Read online

  Jadis let out a sigh, releasing some of the nervous tension she had been holding in. She felt like she had been holding her breath since the moment they had entered.

  Ivory grabbed her hand. “Come, we need that drink.”

  “Most definitely,” Jadis replied as they headed straight to the bar.

  Ivory already ordered their drinks, and the bartender politely set them down. Jadis drank so fast, she chugged the entire glass.

  “Damn, Jadis… Someone’s thirsty.” Skye laughed.

  “Everything okay?” Ivory asked telepathically.

  “Yes, I couldn’t be happier.” Which is the honest truth. “It’s good to see you both. It’s only been a couple of weeks, but it feels like it’s been months.”

  “Agreed.” Ivory held her glass up, and Skye and Jadis returned the gesture.

  A crack of thunder captured Jadis’ attention and pulled her gaze to the expansive windows. I’m nervous enough as it is, and now there’s an immense storm heading our way. She watched the bolts of lightning snake their way through the windows, lighting up the room. The colors had her hypnotized. I can feel the static in the air with each flicker. She lifted her hand out in front of her, feeling the gentle, energetic buzz.

  Skye noticed Jadis reaching her hand out as if hypnotized. “You okay? You seem distracted,” Skye asked, as she Ivory side-eyed each other, trying to see what she was so taken with.

  As soon as Jadis noticed her sister’s eyes on her, she quickly snapped her hand back.

  “Okay, why are you being so weird?” demanded Ivory.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Silas offered, having noticed Jadis watching the storm. She looked in his direction and smiled.

  “Are you even hearing us, Jadis?” Ivory called again.

  “What? Yes, Ivory, I heard you. I was just looking at my vampire,” she replied, keeping her eyes fixed on Silas.

  Skye playfully shoved Jadis’ shoulder. “Bullshit! Something’s up with you, we can feel it.”

  Silas, Syth, and Agaeus joined the girls and ordered a couple of drinks for themselves.

  “Jadis is fine,” Silas offered.

  Silas stood behind Jadis and wrapped one arm around her waist. She rested her hand on his forearm with a tight grasp, trying to maintain her sense of composure. As she looked up at him, his smile lit up the room. He also looks like a fox in the henhouse, she thought, which brought her back to her heightened state of mind. The party is just beginning, and I feel like a fly stuck in a web, waiting for the inevitable.

  Silas heard her and laughed aloud, interrupting her train of thought.

  “What’s up with the two of you?” asked Syth as he raised a questioning eyebrow to his brother.

  “No doubt about it, they’re up to something,” Agaeus replied.

  “What’s with the evasive answers, brother? Do tell,” Syth demanded.

  Jadis was so engrossed with the noise and the feel of the energetic buzz, Silas had to mentally take hold of her thoughts before she ‘turned’ with the storm’s intensity.

  “We just have a little announcement,” Silas replied.

  Silas’ words broke her fixation, and she choked on her drink.

  “We want details and now,” demanded Skye.

  Ivory waved her hand at Silas and Jadis to give up the goods. “Out with it.”

  “Oh my God,” exclaimed Ivory. “Are you pregnant?” Everyone stared at the two of them, looking for an answer.

  Jadis nearly lost it once again. It isn’t the announcement we planned, although I would prefer it, she thought, along with a burst of laughter.

  “No, we’re not pregnant. Not yet anyway,” Silas joked.

  A voice broke in from behind. “Well… Well… Well, I see the party’s already started without us?”

  Jadis quickly spun around. “Aiden!” she exclaimed. She jumped right into his arms, and he swept her up and spun her around.

  Silas went as rigid as an iron coffin nail. No matter how well he and Aiden were getting along, he still couldn’t stand him, cousin or not, being anywhere near Jadis, much less touching her.

  Aiden set her down and held her hands out in front of her. “You look amazing, happy…” Aiden was at a loss for words staring at her. There’s definitely something different about her. “Fresh?” was all that came to mind.

  “Fresh? Really? Well, that’s the first time I’ve ever been told I look fresh. Usually, someone’s always calling me a pain in the ass.”

  Aiden laughed as well and let go of her hands to greet Silas. “Cousin, good to see you again. It’s been awhile. Being mated looks good on you,” he said, acknowledging that Jadis belonged to him.

  Silas grasped his forearm. “Good to see you too, cousin.”

  Another voice broke in from behind. “You still can’t keep your hands off each other, I see?”

  “Aria, you actually showed up. I thought you had dignity,” Jadis replied in jest.

  “And I thought you’d look better,” Aria quipped back, along with a tight embrace.

  We’ve come a long way since having met a month ago in the Valley of The Kings. Our initial meeting was more of a knife to the throat kind of introduction, Jadis thought.

  Aria took her place next to Aiden, who wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She in return wrapped one arm around his waist. Silas proceeded to hand a drink to everyone, and they all held up their glasses to one another.

  “What, no crack knives?” laughed Jabari, who sauntered over to give Jadis a hug, having walked in with Aiden and Aria.

  “Not yet anyway,” Jadis replied.

  “Give us a couple hours,” Aria joked, as she gently nudged Jadis with her shoulder.

  “I see you were able to keep her locked down for a couple of weeks?” Dante announced.

  “Dante, welcome. Good to see you again, brother.” Silas grasped Dante’s forearm. They gave each other a quick hug, along with a couple of hard pats on each other’s backs.

  Dante looked at Jadis and winked. “I see my brother’s in one piece and sane? I’m a bit surprised,” he said, jokingly.

  “There’s that funny vampire. I thought I missed you, Dante. I was wrong,” Jadis teased.

  He picked her up and gave her a suffocating squeeze. He finally set her back down and looked her over, not once but twice, with a curious expression.

  Bain strolled up, grabbed Jadis’ hand, and spun her around. “Since you’re both standing here in one piece, I’m assuming Silas has you wearing a certain gold anklet?” Bain offered, looking down at her ankle.

  “Ohhh… Not one, but two funny vampires. I see you’re still just a nanny. Haven’t moved up the ranks yet?” she joked.

  “Yep, that’s the smartass I know.” Bain laughed.

  Jadis heard the squeals coming from Maddie and Chloe, who had just walked in with Eden.

  She moved from the current crowd at the bar and headed towards them. She suddenly realized Silas caught her and slowed her down. She didn’t even realize how swiftly she moved. Thank God for Silas.

  “What’s up with Jadis?” Bain asked, looking to Silas.

  “What do you mean?” Silas asked, like he knew nothing.

  “Come now, Silas. I can see it. I felt it picking her up. There was something different. She’s okay… Yes?” Dante asked, truly concerned. He cared for her in ways he continuously tried to deny to himself. After everything that had taken place between them all back on the yacht, he was genuinely concerned. The ‘little possession’ was no joking matter, and Jadis had almost lost her life.

  Silas gave him a hard pat on the shoulder. “Trust me, she’s better than okay.” He smirked.

  “Apparently, they have some sort of announcement,” offered Agaeus. The curiosity piqued once again in everyone standing there.

  “Oh, hell,” Bain rumbled. “Jadis and anything secret can never be a good thing. I believe this party will be interesting, to say the least. So how much should we drink before your little announcement?” He tilted his
glass towards Silas, who again laughed aloud.

  “Have the bottle,” Silas suggested.

  Everyone’s face went still with curiosity. Eyebrows raised, heads tilted to the side, all trying to decipher what Silas wasn’t telling them. The way Silas was acting was completely out of the ordinary; he was never upbeat in such a manner.

  Dante turned towards Bain. “A familiar feeling is suddenly rushing over me. Something is a foot as we speak.”

  “I agree, this feels all too familiar. You still have that double-headed coin?” Bain joked.

  “What I have is the need for another drink,” Dante rumbled..

  “As Silas said, you should grab the bottle,” Bain added, sending them both into nervous laughter. Dante materialized a coin in his hand and tossed it into the air towards Bain.

  “I call tails this time,” Dante declared. Bain snatched the coin out of midair and as soon as he opened his palm, it was on heads.

  “I’ll remember this later. I had my turn once already,” Dante reminded him.

  “Sorry, wizard, tails is tails.” Bain smirked back, shrugging his shoulders.

  Jadis was busy greeting Maddie and Chloe, while Silas moved in to greet Eden.

  “You both look amazing. I’ve missed the two of you.” I did miss Maddie and Chloe. They were there during one of my most trying and confusing moments. They were a beacon of light, softening the darkness that seemed to embrace me. Not to mention Maddie running interference between Eden and myself on multiple occasions.

  “You look so different. We thought you might look a little rough after everything Eden and Aiden had shared with us. Seriously, Silas must be taking good care of you. You look amazing, yet different somehow?” Maddie politely looked her up and down with a warm smile.

  “They’re noticing. What if I do something stupid again, like I did when I almost flew to them?” Jadis quietly said to Silas, on their own level.

  “Shhh... they don’t know, baby. Be calm, I’ve got you. Just enjoy yourself. Everyone is truly happy to be here. At the end of the day, we’re all family. There’s no judgement.”

  “Really, Silas? ‘No judgement’?” She looked over at him and raised an eyebrow.

  “Well, you do give them plenty of reason, if we’re going there.” The statement cracked them both up. He’s right. After all, I am my own worst enemy.

  “What’s so funny?” a voice asked. Jadis turned, only to see Eden standing inches from her.

  Silas was there in an instant, saving her from herself. Even after everything we’ve been through, Eden can still make me feel like I need to run from him, she thought, while staring at him blankly.

  Silas and Eden grasped each other’s forearms, giving each other a hug. Jadis took the opportunity Silas was giving her to gather her composure. Eden moved to Jadis and gave her a genuine hug.

  “It seems you’ve finally been behaving yourself, and you look great,” he offered.

  Jadis pondered the way in which Eden looked at her momentarily. Eden said it lighthearted enough, but I can tell he’s curious. Once again, his subtle keenness to seek information is unnerving. If anyone is going to sniff out my turning, it will be Eden.

  “Thank you; you look good too. How are the headaches, or should we say migraines?” Jadis joked, raising a curious eyebrow and trying to act normal.

  “I found a cure. It’s called a little distance and this. “Eden pulled a bottle of aspirin from his pocket.

  “You didn’t,” exclaimed Maddie. “You’re as incorrigible as ever!”

  “That was a smart move on your part Eden, I believe you’ll need that later,” Silas joked, raising his glass to him.

  Jadis slapped Silas on the stomach, giving him a look of death, which he of course brushed off.

  Eden, however, was taking it all in and looking at Jadis. His curiosity when it came to her, was cynical. On more than one occasion she had brought the Trojan Horse to his doorstep.

  Jadis practically pulled Silas back to the bar trying to escape Eden’s unrelenting, curiosity.

  CHAPTER 2

  The party was in full swing, and the cacophony of music and voices drifted through the busy atmosphere. Everyone had arrived hours ago, and the food was being served for the guests that did eat, while the blood hosts were being escorted to the private rooms for those with ‘other’ tastes. The boisterous laughter radiated from the rowdy crowd and all business was left at the door, tonight was a night for celebration.

  Eden quietly turned to Aiden. “Something’s a-miss, I can feel it.”

  “Agreed.” Aiden nodded.

  It had been hours since Jadis thought about their announcement, and she was hoping they could wait for another time. She felt guilty. Leave it to me to, she thought before Silas interjected.

  “Stop baby, this is a good thing. As usual you’re over thinking it.”

  “Silas I turned without the clan’s permission, much less a single lord’s, how is this a good thing? Eden will lose his mind and you know it.”

  “Sooo… What’s this little announcement the two of you aren’t sharing?” Lars blurted out.

  Again, leave it to Lars, Jadis thought. She simply looked at him and squinted her eyes.

  “Fess up, we want to know,” he demanded.

  “Announcement? What announcement?” Eden asked as he looked straight to Jadis with his head cocked.

  Great! All eyes are now focused on me, and I feel like they’re searing into my very soul, she thought, before trying to get out of Eden’s way.

  Silas caught Jadis; she moved so quickly trying to get away from Eden, he had to stop her dead in her tracks. He knew if she moved like that in front of him the cat was out of the bag.

  “I guess it’s time, come.” Silas motioned to the staff to clear one of the rooms off the parlor. He took Jadis’ hand to help calm her nerves.

  All the worst-case scenarios she had conjured up earlier were now in the forefront of her mind once again. They made their way to one of the smaller rooms, and one of the female attendants closed the door behind them, shutting out everyone but immediate family and a couple of the waitstaff.

  Jadis was hoping Aria would be able to calm Aiden when he heard the news. It is anyone’s guess as to how this is going to go at this point, she thought.

  “Enjoy each other’s company, it’s well deserved. We’ll make the announcement shortly,” Silas offered.

  Silas now sounded like the ‘all business’ vampire I’m used to, there’s no escaping this now, she thought.

  Jadis’ sisters’ could always be counted on to break the tension with their laughter and jokes, and Maddie of course, could always be counted on to add a bit of reassuring support.

  Maddie walked over to Jadis and squeezed her hand. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it will be fine. Relax, I can see the tension all over your face… I think you could use another drink.”

  Jadis walked to the bar with her and joined her sisters, as well as Chloe and Aria. All the while she could feel Eden watching her every move.

  “I think a bomb is about to drop,” Dante said to Bain.

  “Yep, I can’t even imagine what we’re about to find out.”

  Eden saw the looks on Dante and Bains faces, and joined the private conversation. “I already feel it coming on.” He tilted his glass towards them and took a large swig.

  “I believe Pandora’s box is about to unleash itself,” Aiden added, also having joined the conversation.

  Silas was watching Jadis from across the room and as soon as she looked at him, he winked at her, and smiled like it was time.

  She shook her head, as if to say no. “Not yet,” she replied.

  “You can’t put this off all night my dear.”

  One of the barmaids walked over to Silas, rubbed her hand up his arm and gently squeezed his bicep. “Can I get you another drink sir?” She placed her other hand on his lower back before tilting her head to the side, exposing her neck. She looked up at him and pulled her hair to the side. Sh
e had no idea he was mated and was offering up more than an alcoholic drink.

  Did she just touch my mate? Not only that, but she is also offering to feed him, as well as spread her legs. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she lunged at her. In an instant she had the barmaid pinned to the ground, with her throat in her mouth.

  Maddie and Chloe let out a short, gasp filled scream; Skye and Ivory grabbed each other’s arms and Ivory yelled out, “Holy shit!”

  Aria, however, didn’t make a sound. She didn’t dare move from Aiden’s side as she stood with her mouth gaping open; she didn’t know how to react.

  Silas didn’t bother trying to stop Jadis, he was completely in awe, he was captivated, not to mention turned on at the sight of his mate attacking and feeding from the barmaid. This was the first time she had fed from someone other than him. She not only fed on the girl she drained every cell from her body. The waitress’ body curled up on the floor in a fetal position, turning into the equivalent of solid ash. She looked like a frozen, three-thousand-year-old mummy. He stood protectively, making sure no one intervened.

  Jadis gracefully stood and glanced at everyone in the room, all of whom were standing as still as inanimate objects. Their expressions ranged somewhere between stunned, to shock to amusement. She wiped the blood off the corner of her mouth with her thumb, and gently sucked it off. She stepped over the mummified body like it was nothing but a branch in her way. As soon as she turned around to face everyone it was clear; she was Nosferatu, she had been ‘turned.’

  Silas held his hand out to Jadis, and let his eyes turn back to their ‘new normal.’

  Aria was in shock as she looked at their eyes; they’re the same cat-like-slits, swirling with color. They look like an exact replica of each other’s, she thought.

  Dante, Bain, Aden, and Eden were mortified. Lars, Jabari, Agaeus, and Syth stood in quiet amazement.

  “And we just thought they had matching shirts,” Lars announced, as he chuckled, each one growing with intensity.

  Dante snapped his wrist and silenced the few remaining barmaids, quickly putting them in a comatose state of mind to keep them still.