Frailty: The Darkshine Read online

  They made love that morning, the sun skimming off of their exposed skin as Gaijryc seemed to touch a part of her that had never been discovered. They connected that morning on a level that had nothing to do with sex. It was as if their very souls had meshed together and bonded as one. It was indescribable.

  Preparations

  Gaijryc left Helina asleep in the bed, exhausted from their lovemaking. He felt as if he were floating, drifting through the woods as he raced toward his parents’ home. As he reached the mansion, he turned and looked into the forest. He didn’t know how he was going to tell them, but he knew that he had to. His parents, his kind, needed to know that the future King of the DarkShine was going to mate a human female.

  He walked through the double doors and into the ballroom that was already covered with extravagant decorations. Silks hung from the walls, and sheers from the ceiling around the huge crystal chandelier. Servants hustled around, placing tables and covered chairs away from the center of the room. He sighed as his mother and Iena spotted him at the same time and gave a wave and smile. He turned and went up the stairs to his quarters before the sirens could capture him.

  Helina lay in bed, her face buried in the pillow as she thought about Gaijryc. She rolled onto her back and sat up, wrapping the sheet around her breasts and standing. She padded into the kitchen, her stomach growling even though Gaijryc had handfed her fresh fruit. Opening the fridge, she peeked inside, grabbing a cup of vanilla yogurt and popping the foil lid. Leaning against the counter, she stared out the small window above the sink.

  Setting the yogurt down, she leaned forward and stared out the window. In the distance she could see a flash of white moving through the trees. The shape slowed, finally stopping completely and facing Helina. She could tell it definitely was a female, her small form standing next to a large oak tree, an overhanging branch obscuring her face. The white dress she wore billowed all around her, the wind moving it against her body in a sensual dance.

  Even though she couldn’t see her face, Helina knew she was staring right at her. The woman’s hand rested against her thigh and even from the distance Helina could see her brightly painted nails—red tips against the white fabric. A knock sounded sharply at the door. Helina gasped and spun around, knocking over her yogurt and feeling the contents spray against her feet.

  Gaijryc.

  She all but ran to the door and whipped it open. When she saw who stood on the other side her smile faltered and her heart rate spiked. The man standing in front of her was not Gaijryc, but he was a DarkShine. Helina knew right away who he was. She would never forget his face. Clutching the sheet tighter around her, she stared into his pale grey eyes that seemed to see right into her soul. His black flame tattoos snaked up the sides of his neck and knew she was standing before Ryce. Her heart beat an irregular rhythm and her palms became clammy. He inhaled deeply, his eyes closing and then snapping back open to spear her with an intensity that frightened her down to her marrow.

  “I wanted to see what is occupying so much of Gaijryc’s time.”

  He didn’t move any closer, just tilted his head and stared at her neck. She instinctively brought her hand to her throat, covering the twin puncture marks she knew Gaijryc had given her.

  “I see he has claimed you. This should be interesting when he presents you to the council.” He watched her for a suspended moment before bending at the waist and turning to leave.

  His body was no more than a blur as he raced away from her. Her hands were shaking as she shut the door. She made her way toward the couch, her appetite suddenly void. She sat there, the time moving so slowly, but her mind still thinking about Ryce. The door suddenly burst open, slamming against the wall with such force she felt it in the floorboards. She gasped and turned around, seeing Gaijryc standing in the doorway with an expression of such fury she actually feared him. He inhaled deeply, his eyes going red with his anger.

  “Did he touch you?”

  She wasn’t surprised that he had sensed Ryce. She was more surprised by the intensity of his actions and emotions. She shook her head furiously. He was in front of her in the next instant, his movements so fast she hadn’t even seen him move. His hands roamed over her body, his eyes following suit. He wrapped his arms around her, crushing her to his hard frame.

  “I hate leaving you.”

  “Me too.” He ran his hands up and down her back, his mouth kissing the top of her head as he whispered endearments to her.

  “I’ll kill him.”

  “He didn’t do anything to me.”

  “What did he say to you?”

  “He knocked on the door and just stared at me. He said he wanted to see what had you so preoccupied.” He growled above her, the sound vibrating his whole chest. “He saw the mark on my neck and said something about you presenting me.” He sighed and she tried to pull away to look at him. He kept her close to his body, not letting her move even an inch. “Gaijryc, I can’t breathe.” He instantly let her go and cupped her face with both of his big hands. He kissed her firmly on the lips, her breath leaving her in a sigh.

  “I can’t leave you alone any longer, not now that he knows where you are.”

  “That was Ryce, wasn’t it?” Although he had never said his name, Helina had known. She wanted Gaijryc to affirm it, though.

  “Yes. I don’t know how he knew about you, but now that he knows where you are I can’t risk something happening to you. I should have been more careful, should have taken better precautions where you were concerned.”

  “Will he harm me?”

  “He wouldn’t dare, but the fact that he came here and spoke with you without my presence is an insult.”

  They held each other for what seemed like forever, his hands roaming her body in a soothing way and calming her further.

  “I missed you.” His deep voice sent shock waves through her core, lighting her up and making her wet with desire.

  “I missed you too.” She smiled as Gaijryc scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bed. That’s where they stayed that night, tangled with each other as he handfed her and made love to her. If this was how it would always be, Helina knew she would never want him to leave.

  Gaijryc took the basement steps two at a time, his blood pumping fiercely through his veins as he thought about what could have happened. He should kill Ryce with his bare hands, rip open his throat open and feed off the blood that poured out. He pushed the doors open so forcefully that they slammed against the walls and cracked down the middle. All the males in the room stopped their fighting, their practice coming to a standstill as they looked with apprehension at their prince.

  “Where is he?” His voice was no more than a deep growl.

  “Who, my lord?”

  Gaijryc looked over at Gradeall, who stood by the wall, his posture that of relaxation and uncaring. “Ryce.”

  “He didn’t show for practice today.”

  Gaijryc looked around at the males in front of him and stripped out of his shirt. He left his jeans on as he made his way to the center of the room, the males breaking away like water from oil. He didn’t need to speak for them to know he needed to fight. He needed to work out this energy that was causing an inferno inside of him. One by one they approached him, ready to fight their prince. One by one they fell to the ground, crawling away as blood dripped from their wounds.

  By the end, he was the only one standing, his fists bloody and raw, his body coated with sweat. The rage was still there, though, and he knew until he could get his hands on Ryce, it would continue to fester like a piece of meat rotting in the sun.

  He headed upstairs to his room where he planned on taking a quick shower, grabbing food and heading back to Helina. Even though Ryce had been disrespectful and had been in Helina’s presence without him, he knew the male wouldn’t harm her, wouldn’t dare to.

  Just as he was about to head out the front door he heard the screeching sound of his mother’s voice calling him to the ballroom. He squeezed hi
s eyes shut and clenched his fists as he hurried to the room to get whatever she had to say over with. It didn’t surprise him to see Iena right behind her, her barley-there dress nothing more than a scrap of fabric that covered her tits and ass.

  “I have picked out your ceremonial outfit for the ball, Gaijryc.”

  He didn’t care about the ball, nor did he want it to even happen.

  “Hello, my lord. How are you this fine day?”

  He looked over at the small female voice that had spoken. Lucie looked up at him with her strawberry blond hair and her almond-shaped brown eyes.

  “Hello, Lucie. I’m fine, and you?” His attention went back to the preparations in front of him and he gritted his teeth in frustration. He looked back at the small servant who hadn’t yet answered him. “Are you doing well, Lucie?”

  “Oh yes, my lord. Thank you for asking.” Lucie smiled shyly and turned to leave.

  He thought about Helina once again. He needed to bring her to the mansion before the ball, although his family, his kind, would not welcome him mating a human. He couldn’t be banished, couldn’t be punished, there was nothing they could do to the first born DarkShine prince. As he thought about how they couldn’t touch him, he thought about how they could hurt Helina. He might be safe, but the fact that she was a fragile human had him on edge.

  Even though anyone who dared touch her, who even looked at her in the wrong way, would meet their end by his hands, he couldn’t guarantee that she would be fully safe. The ball was in a couple of weeks and he only had a short while before his mother started pushing the females on him. He knew that she was the one he had to be worried about. She was the one that would try and hurt him by taking what he held most dear to his heart… Helina.

  A week had already passed, the time flying by like the wind through the trees. Gaijryc saw her every day, bringing her little trinkets every time he came by. Many times he never left her side, staying with her day and night.

  She hadn’t seen Ryce since that one time and was thankful for it. She had thought back to seeing the woman in the trees, but after a while, she pushed it away to an overactive imagination, something her mind conjured up from all the stress in her life.

  Tonight Helina planned on making Gaijryc a special dinner that hopefully led to a special night. She felt herself grow wet and became embarrassed by how strongly she wanted sex. The build-up was becoming unbearable.

  She stood in front of the stove, the apron wrapped around her waist and covered with spaghetti sauce. Her mind started to cloud as she stared at the thick red liquid. She could picture Lizzie, both of them in the kitchen with their mother. She had only been about seven, Lizzie ten. Their mother had showed them how to make her special “gravy”, as she had called it. Helina had been standing on a chair stirring the sauce while Lizzie had been chopping the herbs. She remembered Lizzie screaming and clutching her hand as their mother ran around frantically looking for a towel. Blood oozed from between her sister’s fingers, dripping on the floor and mixing with the fresh herbs.

  Helina stared at the spaghetti sauce, the thick red liquid looking just like Lizzie’s blood when she’d cut herself, just like the blood that had been around her body when she’d found her dead on her bedroom floor. Her appetite instantly vanished and tears started to slip down her cheeks. She was completely alone in this world, the only surviving member of her family. The vampires had come and taken over everything, had taken everyone she knew and loved and kept it for themselves.

  Helina wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Even though she wanted to hate the vampires, she knew that if there were some like Gaijryc, she wouldn’t be able to. Bracing her hands on the sink, she looked out the small kitchen window. She couldn’t see the stars or the moon and decided to go outside and sit on the porch. The sauce was almost done, and the fresh air would clear her head. Placing a hand over her stomach, she looked at the sauce and thought about Lizzie again.

  It seemed like forever before the nausea went away, but as Helina made her way outside, she was thankful for the fresh air and the little help it provided. Sitting on the wooden swing that hung from the roof of the porch, she looked at the stars through an opening in the trees. The night was clear, and the moon was bright. Slowly rocking back and forth, she rested her head on the back of the swing and enjoyed the sounds of the night. Her skin started to prickle, the hairs standing on end. She lifted her head and slowly looked around.

  All she could see were tall trees and shadows lurking between them. Although she should have been alone, she felt as if someone were watching her, as if there were eyes looking straight into her face. Of course it was probably nothing, but she couldn’t help the sense of awareness. A twig snapped and her heart rate picked up. Her hand went to her chest, as if that would slow the rate down. She stared at the inky blackness and watched as a huge figure stepped out from the woods, the shadows covering them completely. She was about to run, to scream, to do something, when she heard Gaijryc’s deep voice.

  “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

  Breathing a sigh of relief, she leaned back on the swing and stared at his large, dark figure come closer. He stood and stared at her as he leaned against the railing, the moon casting hints of light over his frame.

  “You scared the shit out of me. Why were you in the trees?”

  “I parked away from the house and made my way through the trees to try and pick up any unusual scents. I wanted to make sure no one has been coming near the cabin.”

  “So everything is okay?” He nodded and she breathed out deeply.

  “There’s something different about you.”

  “Is there?” She looked down at herself and wondered what he was referring to. “I must look like a mess.”

  “You look beautiful.” His bright white smile came through the darkness like a beacon of light. “It’s not on the outside, but on the inside. You seem different, but I can’t put my finger on it.” He watched her intently, as if he were trying to decipher his own words.

  “I was just thinking about my mother and sister.” He sat next to her, the swing creaking in protest to his massive weight. His hand captured hers and placed it over his heart, the deep beat soothing her further.

  “It pains me to see you sad.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed them gently. He took his other hand and rubbed small circles on her cheek. “On another note, something smells delicious.”

  Panicked, she jumped out of the swing. “Oh hell.” She cried out.

  “What?” He was up in an instant, his eyes roaming over the land as if waiting for something to pounce.

  “The sauce.” She took his hand and ran inside, charging toward the stove and stirring the sauce quickly. Splatters of sauce covered the counters as it bubbled and popped like it was alive. Letting out a relieved breath when she saw nothing was burned, she turned the stove off and leaned against the counter. She glanced up at Gaijryc, surprised to see him all but laughing.

  His laughter died as his eyes roamed over her body. She looked down at herself and saw how much sauce covered her. Her cheeks heated and she quickly turned around, taking the apron off and washing her hands in the sink. His hands landed on her hips, his lips on the side of her neck. She had purposely worn her hair up, leaving her neck exposed in hopes that he would be enticed. The hard length of his erection pressed against her lower back and her body instantly came alive with desire. Her head fell to the side as he licked and sucked at her skin, his sharp fangs running up and down her pulse.

  “I want you so bad.”

  She shivered, his words vibrating against her throat. “Then take me.” He groaned loudly and turned her around until she faced him. He pushed his pelvis against her lower stomach and started to grind his erection into her.

  “Is that what you want?”

  Nodding, she braced her hands on the counter just as his mouth descended on hers. His tongue swept into her mouth, stroking the inner recesses and igniting her arousal further. He broke the
kiss and stepped away from her. She slowly opened her eyes, frustrated that he could walk away from their kiss so easily.

  As if he had read her mind he murmured, “That wasn’t easy for me to do.”

  Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound escaped. She finally cleared her throat and went to check on the sauce. Her panties were soaked by that point, the cotton fabric rubbing against the lips of her pussy and causing her that much more frustration. “If it isn’t easy then why do it at all?” She couldn’t understand why he was denying both of them the pleasure that they could easily find with each other. Helina cared for him deeply and she wanted to show her feelings to him with more than just words.

  “I don’t want to rush anything.”

  She stared at him without conveying her emotions. He wanted to go slow, yet they had already been intimate. It made no sense to her. “I have been so insanely aroused since our first time. I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately.”

  “It’s because of me.”

  Crossing her arms across her chest, she stared at him in shock.

  “As a DarkShine, we emit a potent aphrodisiac that aides in ensuring we procreate.”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  He took a step toward her. “When I came in you, I marked you as mine, and because of that you will only crave me.” His voice had dropped to a sensual whisper. “That’s what a DarkShine male does when he finds his mate.”

  “So, what? I’m like a tree you’re marking so that no one else can piss on your territory?” She was furious. “So the arousal that I’m feeling isn’t my own?”

  “It is just a way that nature has ensured that once we mate, we mate for life.” They stared at each other before she closed her eyes and breathed out deeply. Every new revelation was starting to take its toll on her. Turning her back to him, she drained the spaghetti and thought over what he said. “What did you mean when you said once we mate I will only crave you?”