call of night: beyond the dark Read online

  From that moment on he was involved, no way out. The key was meant for both of them.

  Call of Night 15

  Frank admitted to not being a very good father, if he could go back and change the way things were now, he would do it in a heartbeat. The last thing he ever wanted was for his beloved daughters to ever become the monsters that he killed.

  Lily, she had a heart of gold. She always sought to help others in any way that she could. Katya, she had the most incredible imagination he had never seen in a child before. As vampires, their innocence was gone. The sweetness that remained in them after they became teenagers even, it was gone from their eyes.

  He hadn’t seen them since they turned; he got the word from another hunter. He wasn’t ready to face what he had done. He wasn’t sure how he could continue to live with himself, but there was work that had to be done. The vampire who made Lily and Katya his target was the same one he had been hunting since Lily and Katya were five years old. There was a memory they had forgotten with or without their powers in which he was thankful for.

  The memory unfortunately was what Frank could not let go of.

  It was right after his sister Katherine opened her own diner. Katherine had gone with Frank to pick up her son as well as daughters from a play date before it was time for Katherine’s shift. Frank and the kids were going to have late supper. Katherine was first to step inside and tried to hold in her scream; she was able to yell to the children to stay back.

  Frank stood beside her to see what her reaction was to. The customers were all dead laying in a pool of their own blood what was left of it as well as the waitress.

  Call of Night 16

  Frank closed the door quickly so the children wouldn’t catch sight of it, but one child was missing; Katherine’s son.

  Frank asked, “Where’s Charlie?”

  Katherine had her hand over her heart as Lily answered, “A man took him.”

  Frank often tried to block out the memory although it didn’t seem fair since his sister couldn’t.

  “What do you expect we do when we come across Lily and Katya?” George asked keeping his eyes on the road.

  “Not what you are thinking.” Frank replied.

  “Their taking people’s lives just so they can survive.” George said angrily.

  “They are still my daughters, they are still my blood; our blood.”

  A haunting feeling of sorrow ran effortlessly through George’s veins as the rest of the drive continued in silence. He knew the road they were on wasn’t a good one; their plan had already been set in motion.

  Call of Night 17

  The night wreaked of death, blood will spill; a warning Katya kept to herself although Lily could feel it too. The uncontrollable hunger was the last thing on Katya’s mind, what was to come there was not enough time to prepare not even with magic. Soon, it would not be the vampires mortals would have to fear. How long could she keep it from Julius?

  Katya stopped counting the hours in the night. Apart of her still remembered being mortal, not what it was like to feel; she thought it was better that way. She remembered what the world looked like in sunlight and how it was to her before she turned.

  As Katya stood outside the mansion listening to the whispers in the wind, Julius watched her from a first floor window.

  “Got something on your mind?” Xavier asked.

  “We need to keep an eye on her.” Julius replied with no hesitation.

  All Katya could do was laugh inside. Soon, the wolves would be at their door and there would be nowhere for anyone to hide. Lily found it impossible to ignore what she was feeling as well, more darkness creeping over her.

  She dreamt of it as a child, not quite sure if her sister had too, she never spoke of it.

  As close as everyone thought they were, Lily still had her secrets. Spending time with Micah just made her realize how different they actually were. Micah knew he couldn’t stop Lily from completely turning into the monster he hated and Katya from gloating, knowing that Lily wasn’t at all as perfect as she let herself to be to others; Lily had a mind of her own that much was certain. Lily was the only one who knew just how envious Katya was.

  Katya used her beauty to get what she wanted even when it came to satisfying her cravings. Lily couldn’t help but wonder what else she would use it for.

  Call of Night 18

  The difference between Lily and her sister she was out for revenge, Katya was out for blood and it didn’t matter whose. Lily was the only one who could stop her. Lily had one thought to end the vampire who turned her and she wasn’t going to let her hunger get in the way of that. Katya was her way to get as close to Julius as possible, she would never let her sister near him without a fight and that was what Lily was hoping for.

  Call of Night 19

  With Dana’s determination to get to their destination what would come out of the shadows would not be enough to stop them. It wasn’t such a quiet night in the forest, her mother once told her to listen closely to the sounds for they were warning signs of danger nearby. She could hear her mother’s voice inside of her head and feel her grandmother’s strength stronger than she’d ever had before. She wondered how they themselves would feel if they knew Christopher hadn’t really turned his back on his family forever. If anything, the quest would bring them back to the way they were when they were children.

  The ancient house was nestled deep in the forest, no more than a two day walk. Not exactly sure of what they would find when they would finally reach the front door, but they were prepared.

  As a doctor, Christopher was able to deal with others and their tragedies comfort them unlike his own often running from them, never toward them.

  Call of Night 20

  Because her heart always remained with family, Christopher knew there were worst things his sister had to go through. Killing the vampires on her own, and the nightmares she couldn’t escape. He hated himself for leaving her alone and not being there when she needed him the most. Coming along with her would never be enough to make up for it.

  There were eyes upon them Dana couldn’t tell if they were mortal or immortal.

  “No secrets, Dana.” Christopher interrupted her thoughts.

  “We’re not alone.” Dana spoke quietly.

  Call of Night 21

  The house wasn’t at all vacant like Dana and Christopher had thought. Eve Dupree had a fascination with any and all things to do with history, when she stumbled upon the house by chance she didn’t expect to wake up tied to a chair in the cold, damp basement. As she began to see a little more clearly, her heart began to race and fear settled into her chest. It was Christian who took a liking to her even though it was forbidden. It would’ve been impossible to keep her a secret.

  “You’re probably wondering why you are here.” Although, Christian’s voice was gentle it wasn’t enough to calm her.

  She wanted to be home, in her own bed underneath warm sheets. That wasn’t the question she was asking herself, she was wondering if she was ever going to see the light of day again.

  Eve didn’t speak, tears rolled down her cheeks. Christian knew he didn’t need anything other than the rope for her hands she wasn’t going to cause trouble.

  Eve had done research on witches, vampires, ghosts and shape shifters. Christian was the first shifter she had the displeasure of meeting.

  Call of Night 22

  It was the way he looked at her that made her certain of it. What he wanted to make her sure of was why he was restraining her, not to harm her but to protect her from wandering about the house and letting curiosity get the best of her. Her mind was filled with knowledge and she wouldn’t have been able to help herself.

  “It was dangerous for you to come here.” Christian continued, “You know what I am?”

  Eve nodded.

  “Then you know I am not alone.” Christian was different than his kind.

  “What do you want from me?” Eve asked nervously, a part of her didn�
�t want to know the answer.

  “To keep you safe.” Christian replied.

  Eve wasn’t quite sure she understood, in the back of her mind she knew there was more he wasn’t telling her.

  Call of Night 23

  Christian didn’t want to leave her in the basement but he knew if he didn’t return the others would search for him and find her. Eve wasn’t sure if she could trust him, she knew he was the only one to set her free. The moment Christian left; she wondered what it was he was keeping her from.

  Another question that ran through her mind, how long did he intend to keep her?

  Call of Night 24

  Being the daughter of the town Sheriff, Maggie Arnold was expected to follow in his footsteps instead she did the opposite. Bodies were piling up at the morgue; her father never thought she would have the stomach for the career as a medical examiner and wasn’t sure why it was that position she wanted to take. It was strange seeing the people she once knew laying before her with no pulse even stranger that the healthiest people could suddenly drop dead. Her father did the best he could to keep the investigations as quiet as possible. When Peter Gould walked into the police station, Sheriff Arnold knew it was going to be a long day.

  “He came in this morning with quite the story to tell but would only talk to you.” Deputy Cooper kept his distance from Peter while he spoke as most people did.

  The Sheriff nodded and entered the interview room. Peter wasn’t acting like himself; the Sheriff couldn’t help but notice as he took a seat in front of him.

  “What can I do for you Peter?” The Sheriff asked.

  “I’m here because of how I can help you.” Peter replied. He wasn’t the most trusted man, anything that came out of his mouth was sure to be a lie.

  “Help me how exactly?” The Sheriff knew he should’ve ended the conversation before it started.

  Call of Night 25

  “I know things aren’t right in this town, I have eyes I can see perfectly clear. I also know what people think of me; I have ears they may whisper but not low enough.” Peter stopped caring about the opinions of others and did the best he could to live his own life the way he chose.

  “I know what I saw that night Sheriff,” Peter continued. “It wasn’t some hallucination although I wish it had been.”

  “You still believe there is something supernatural here?”

  There was a change in Peter’s body language as he focused on the Sheriff’s question.

  “More than that, something really bad is come more frightening than what nightmares are made of.”

  The Sheriff could feel his shoulders and neck tense. His gut told him he needed to start listening to Peter no matter how crazy the man seem.

  Call of Night 26

  It was the smoke from the bonfire that caught Lily’s attention and where that smoke was were sure to be warm bodies. She kept to the shadows, making it easy to creep up on them without a sound but the hunger she felt wasn’t going to let her lay in wait.

  “Got another beer?” She hated the stench of it; they welcomed her as the male with the green eyes handed her a bottle.

  They didn’t need to ask any questions of her, perhaps they should have. The woman kept dancing by the fire laughing and smiling.

  “Careful, you don’t want to fall in do you?” Lily gained their trust immediately. If they had paid attention to her not just leaving the bottle unopened, but the strange look in her own eyes they might have been given the chance to run not that they would’ve gotten far enough away from her.

  It was the woman Lily wanted, always the easiest prey; to distract the male wouldn’t have been too difficult especially since she did have plans for him, it would have been a problem for Micah yet it was too late she had already made up her mind.

  With her powers she was able to put the male under a spell; he would do anything she demanded, it was an idea she liked a lot.

  Call of Night 27

  “What is your name?” Lily asked him seductively.

  For a moment he was quiet, lost in her beauty.

  “Alex.” He replied. The woman was still dancing, the music echoed in her thoughts like thunder vibrating in a night sky.

  Lily only wished she could block out her own thoughts as she drank the woman’s blood knowing her need would never be fulfilled.

  ***

  Micah was at the motel pacing the floor when Lily walked in with Alex. Lily wasn’t sure exactly how to read the look on Micah’s face deep within she really didn’t care. She was changing; the memory of the person she used to be was dying.

  “This is Alex.” Lily introduced him with a smirk.

  “Did you?” Micah was unable to finish his question.

  “Turn him? No, not yet.” The last thing she was going to let Micah do was ruin her plans.

  “Then why bring him here?” Micah was starting to believe he should have just left her the night he followed her.

  Lily didn’t answer, just smiled.

  Call of Night 28

  Bringing a mortal could have endangered them both; Micah couldn’t help but wonder if that was her plan.

  He began to question just how different Lily was from Katya and part of him already knew they were one in the same;

  A darkness that no immortal had ever seen.

  Call of Night 29

  Frank had fallen asleep no matter how desperate he was to fight it; he also had a gift which he kept from his daughters, his dreams were not his own. As much as he hated them, they helped him know things beforehand including where his daughters would be. He used to need the alcohol just to release the images from his mind but he found something better. Killing a vampire meant one life saved, he reminded himself over and over again. His brother George knew it would not be enough to ease the pain once he is in fact in the presence of his daughters. When they were children, it was simple to pretend the world was a wonderful place. When they were children, they turned a blind eye to evil and lived in peace.

  He missed feeling that happiness.

  “We’re here.” George said as he put the vehicle in park and stared up at the old run down farmhouse.

  They weren’t nearly close to their destination but it couldn’t hurt to make a few stops along the way and in the end it was always worth it.

  “How many do you figure are in there now?” Frank asked shifting his seat into an upright position.

  “No more than usual.” George replied, thankful they made it before sunset.

  Call of Night 30

  Frank thought he would never be able to walk again even as he was walking straight into a nest he felt peace within. Frank was never one who liked surprises one of the reasons why he did happen to be a little grateful for his dreams. George knew the more vampires his brother killed the harder it would be for him to see what they had to do. As much as he loved his nieces, he couldn’t keep letting them take the lives of the innocent.

  Before they entered the house, they checked their stakes always safe to carry multiple supplies especially when vampires come at you from every direction.

  You had to be quick enough, you had to be focused.

  The world they were living in now was much different than the stories they were told when they were young. Vampires didn’t sleep in coffins; to them it really didn’t matter. What mattered was when they woke how thirsty they were, it was easy when they weren’t people you knew before they turned.

  Strangers in the dark.

  With no souls, no humanity left in them at all it becomes all that remains in your thoughts;

  Stopping the evil.

  Call of Night 31

  Dana couldn’t ignore the rustling of the leaves in the tall oak and maple trees all around them. There were words in the wind; she couldn’t make out what they were saying. The closer they got to the house, the more the air began to change. It took a moment before Christopher had realized his sister wasn’t beside him, she was standing still a few feet from where he was.

  “Wh
at is it?” Christopher asked although his sister didn’t need to answer.

  The trees around them began to bleed, it was meant to keep them from continuing.

  “We can’t stop now.” Christopher wasn’t about to let her give up.

  Dana closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She ignored the twigs cracking beneath their feet. It wasn’t just a hallucination they had seen and not another warning, but a premonition. Dana wasn’t going to tell Christopher how it made her feel, she considered it strange they both could see it.

  Dana could feel the sense of relief she would receive once they’ve reached the house.

  Call of Night 32

  It was nothing like Dana had imagined it to be. Her hand wouldn’t stop shaking as she held the key in her hand even more as the door slowly unlocked. The house was dark, Christopher took the first step. She felt an undeniable fear she knew she couldn’t let consume her. She wondered if having her grandmother’s strength would be enough, her grandmother’s wasn’t afraid to face death, she didn’t scream as most women would have; of course most women didn’t know the real evil that did exist.