The Darkness Within (6 page)

Yes, she was sated. A badly injured Rufus lay on the floor. He could barely move. Soon after, a neighbor had called the police. You would think one would become used to the constant bickering of a married couple. But not her next-door neighbor, Mattie Hays.

When they found her, Althea was sitting in the kitchen floor talking to herself. Apparently she didn’t know what had come over her or what she’d done to Rufus.

Neighbors and family members knew he abused her, and everyone believed she did what she did in self-defense.

Althea knew otherwise. Now she knew of the sickness lurking deep within her. That night she’d created a monster. That night, she gained her powers and life as she knew it would never be the same again.

Chapter Seven

“Wake up, Althea.” Vukasin’s familiar voice pulled her from the dark depths that started it all. “Please, sweetheart, awaken!” He chanted something in his native tongue.

Althea’s hand immediately flew to her head. “Wh—what happened?” The vampire and wolf helped her into the chair. Her mouth was dry and her head thumped like crazy. Apparently she was working on obtaining a nasty goose egg up there. “Ow!” She winced as she lightly touched the sore spot.

“What the hell happened to you?”

Suddenly she came to her senses. “Oh, you guys, you can’t be here.” She gasped. “You’ve never been to my office before.”

“Oh, Althea, we’re afraid something is horribly wrong with you.” Quinton shook his head. “We need to protect you.”

She sighed. “There’s nothing you or anyone can do for me. Earlier I looked into the mirror, but someone else was looking back at me. Dimples was here too. She saw—whatever it was that’s inside me, staring at her, apparently. She flew out of here with her tail between her legs.” Althea looked at them both. “Dimples don’t run from anyone. She’s like me.”

“It’s the witch,” Vukasin muttered. “We’ve battled with her again. She wasn’t lying when she said she grows stronger each time she enters this realm.”

“Yeah.” Althea’s mouth was dry. Reading her mind, Quinton quickly summoned a cold glass of water. “Oh, my darling. Thank you so much.” Grateful, she gulped the water down in one setting. “But, what the hell is she doing inside of me?”

Suddenly, a black cloud formed in the room and began to take shape. Althea gasped and rose, ready for another encounter. As the mist cloud settled, a figure in a hooded black cloak remained. She couldn’t make out the face, but she knew the familiar presence.

The figure pulled back the hood, revealing an all too familiar face.

Althea screamed and the vampire and wolf seemed to be beside themselves. “No!” The woman had revealed her identity. It was as though Althea was looking at her own reflection.

“Now, do you see?” Her mirror image laughed, sending chills throughout her body. “You and I are one in the same.” A wicked smile crossed the woman’s features.

Althea shook her head and her mirror image nodded. “Oh yes. Like Dimples said, you’re in denial.” The figure walked toward her.”

“You!” Anger shook Althea’s insides.

“Yes. Be angry. The angrier you become, the longer I’m able to exist within your realm.”

“Calm yourself,” Quinton warned. “Already, you’ve given her too much power.”

“Shut the hell up, vampire!” Her mirror imaged snapped. “I’ve had more than enough from you two twits!” Once more she set her sights on Althea. “While I am proud of you, I’m afraid there isn’t enough room in this world for the both of us!”

Althea placed her hands on her hips. “Oh no, I know what you’re getting at.”

“Oh, do you?” The figure paced the floor, her cloak making swooshing sounds in the quietness of Althea’s office.

“Who are you?” Althea asked.

Laughter reverberated throughout the office, shaking the windows. “I’m so disappointed in you.” The woman hung her head, pretending to be disappointed. “I am Aehtla.” She giggled. “Althea spelled backward, if you will. She stopped to glare at Althea. “Judging by the look on your face I didn’t have to tell you that.”

“You’ve ruined my life,” Althea said with sorrow, suddenly realizing that Dimples was right in what she said. “You’ve alienated me from everyone I know!”

“Don’t pin this on me!” Aehtla snarled. “I helped you to get Rufus out of your life! You wanted to hurt him just as much as I did! As a matter of fact, you created me. I gave you your powers!”

“Althea, destroy her, now!” Vukasin urged.

“Wolf, fuck with me and you’ll get more of the same the last time we met!”

“Fuck with him and I’ll kill you,” Althea warned, edging closer to her evil twin.

“Ah, that’s right. You created them also.” Aehtla glanced over at the wolf and the vampire. “I so envy you. Perhaps I can conjure a hot-ass vamp and wolf.” She put her hands on her hips. “What do you think, fellas?” She laughed when they said nothing. “Just as I thought. A Goody-Two shoes, just like your creator.”

“You’re evil, you need to get out of my life, now!” Quickly Althea raised her hands, releasing blue lightening bolts into the dark one, but Aehtla was too fast for her. She did the same. Both women reeled backward into furniture.

Cursing, Althea rose to her feet, hurling another bolt at the woman. It bounced back in her direction. Gasping, she ducked as it destroyed her computer. She roared with anger. “You bitch!”

“Althea! You can’t get angry!” Quinton demanded.

Suddenly, both women clashed. A small whirlwind erupted in the room, like a black hole, sucking them up. In a flash, the hole brightened, leaving the vampire and wolf all alone.

* * * *

“What the hell happened?” Vukasin punched the wall, leaving a hole in it.

“Nice going, superman.” Quinton sneered. “Now look what you’ve done!”

“Now isn’t the time for your smart-assed remarks,” Vuk said through gritted teeth. “Once this is over with, we shall have our time.”

“Okay, knock it off. The last thing we need is to argue among ourselves. We need to find her and fast!”

Vuk shrugged. “But where the hell did they go?”

“Back to our realm, perhaps,” Quinton suggested. “Can we transport ourselves there?

“Yes, we can. Apparently, what’s her name forgot about that. We’re free to travel through the realms.”

“Why did you call her what’s her name? It’s Ae—“ Before he could finish his sentence, the wolf clasped his hand over the vampire’s mouth.

“Don’t do that,” Vukasin warned.

“Don’t you ever put your paw in my face again, wolf!” Quinton spat.

“Dumbass, if you speak her name too many times, she’ll remain in this realm in flesh and blood. Guess who takes her place in our realm?”

Quinton’s hand connected with his forehead. “Shit!”

“I hate to break it to you, but I don’t foresee us winning this fight.” Vukasin crossed his arms. Suddenly, the pair were pulled into a realm they had never seen before. A tall man clad in black awaited them.

Chapter Eight

An old man appeared in flesh form before the vampire and the wolf. “So—you are the gentlemen who have captured my granddaughter’s heart.” Robert walked around them, eyeing them up. “It is a pleasure to meet you both.”

Quinton scratched his head. “Sir, it is great to meet you, but why have you brought us here?”

“Althea’s dilemma is of no surprise to you,”
Taylor
confessed as he continued pacing back and forth. “I’ve been around a long time, and never have I seen any of my family linked with darkness they way Althea is.”

Vukasin frowned. “So, we weren’t wrong. Althea’s been taken over?”

“Not fully, the process has just began. The darkness within her formed the day she assaulted her husband.”
Taylor
’s facial expression changed. “It angers me how it was so easy for him to use and abuse her without a thought. The demoness fed off her emotions. My baby girl was once swathed in self-pity and despair.”
Taylor
cringed. “There was a point in her life where she hated herself.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but I cannot help to think he got what he deserved. I understand she didn’t go about things in the right way, but just the same, he reaped what he sowed.” Quinton held his head high. “Unfortunately, we were both powerless to come to her aid at that time.”

“Don’t blame yourselves. Althea’s power to travel between the realms only strengthened once she freed herself from Rufus. Unfortunately, the witch slipped in and took advantage.”
Taylor
sighed. “Althea will have to take care of her. The incubus is of more concern to me. You see, if he seduces her, the witch grows stronger, and Althea will have to take her place.”

“We know,” Vukasin stated drily. “Just tell us how we play a part in this. What can we do to help her?”

Taylor
shook his head and placed a hand on Quinton’s shoulder. “I don’t see you boys surviving this fight. I am so sorry.”

Quinton glanced at Vukasin. “I don’t care what it takes. Althea’s best interest is what’s important. You agree with me, wolf?”

Vukasin nodded. “As long as she’s all right, I can go to my grave with a happy heart.” He bowed his head. “I’ll miss her, just the same. But—I just wish—“

Taylor
squinted. “What is your wish?”

“Honestly, I just wish we could find a way to stay with her, forever. That’s the only thing that eats at my heart. I thought we’d be with her for a long time.”

“We’re in love with your granddaughter, sir,” Quinton stated. “Gods help us, we love her to pieces. She’s the one who created us. We couldn’t bear to think of our existence without our Althea.”

Taylor
nodded while stroking his chin. “Well, that’s what I wanted to hear. It’s nice to know my granddaughter has two strong suitors that will aid her in time of need. For that, I thank you both.” Something twinkled in the old man’s eyes. “You never know, maybe you both will receive a second chance.”

Vukasin shrugged. “A second chance? At what? We’re nothing but companions conjured by your granddaughter. She needs the love of real men, not a wolf and a vampire.”

“Now you’re selling yourself short, I’m afraid. What makes you think you haven’t earned the right to become real men? Have some faith. You never know what the universe may conjure.”

* * * *

Instantly, the vampire and the wolf were taken to Althea near a large, gray castle in a dark land. Large black clouds hung heavy in the atmosphere, and the blackish, silvery moon seemed to frown, striking dread even in Althea’s being. The look was carved onto her face.

“So nice you could join us,” Viktor said with a laugh. “You’re just in time to bid your bitch farewell,” the incubus spat at the vampire and the wolf.

“Let the women do their own battle,” Quinton said with a sneer as he withdrew his sword from its sheath. His incisors descended.

“This isn’t your fight!” Althea tried to warn them. “Why did you even come here?”

Vukasin shifted into full wolf before her eyes, lunging at the incubus. An evil laughter erupted from the demon as he hurled an energy bolt at the animal. Vuk screeched as he hit the ground.