Darkness Breaks (Darkness Falls Series, Book 2) Read online

  “A tunnel?” I rest against the hillside. “Like the one that leads to the river?”

  He shakes his head. “This tunnel was different. There was no river and there were things there…” his forehead scrunches over. “Strange rock carvings and colorful images.”

  “Why didn’t you mention this before?”

  “Why would I? It’s for you to figure out, not me.”

  I sigh and stand. “So you were there to get me?”

  “I guess.” He shrugs, raising his eyebrows and staring at the ground, attempting to conceal the hurt he was experiencing at the time. “But Monarch changed his mind and wouldn’t let me take you. He wanted Aiden to help you, not me.”

  “But what drove you to go there?” I ask. “Because, from what I saw, Monarch never told you to do it.”

  He glides to his feet and stretches out his legs. “That’s the million dollar question.” He holds up his finger. “Perhaps it was my undying love for you.”

  I start to speak, but his laughter shuts me up. I rub my hands across my face. “Is there anything else behind the red door?” I ask and take the watch out of my pocket. “Besides a lab? Is there anything else that goes on in there besides experiments and torture?”

  “Lots of things went on in there besides experiments.” He sketches his finger along my collar bone and breathes in my scent. With an intimate look on his face, his eyes travel up my body. “Lots and lots of things.”

  What does this guy know that I don’t? “Sylas, how close were we?”

  His eyebrow curves up as he drags his finger down my arm. “Another million dollar question.”

  I open my mouth to order him to stop, but the words won’t leave my lips. They don’t want to leave my lips.

  “Aiden and I were close too,” I say as his fingers journey down my ribs. “He loved me once.”

  “But did you love him?”

  “I wish I could remember.”

  He closes his eyes, breathing me in again, and he wants to do things to me I’m not comfortable with—I sense it dripping from him.

  “Sylas,” I warn as his hand moves downward.

  He pulls away, giving me a cold look. Then his eyes dart over my shoulder at the sound of voices and two distinct heartbeats.

  I freeze, my muscles tensing. “It can’t be them? Can it?”

  “This is so ridiculous,” Ryder says. “I bet they didn’t even take her. I bet she wandered off on her own. And we just left everyone behind on a rescue mission for her.”

  “She wouldn’t do that,” Aiden replies confidently and guilt plagues me. “I know she wouldn’t.”

  “That’s what you think.” Ryder’s voice rings with anger. “You build her up in your head and make her into something she’s not.”

  “She’s exactly what I think she is,” he responds defensively. “I know her better than anyone.”

  Sylas lets out a low chuckle. “My brother, the idiot.”

  I shoot him a dirty look and shove him back against the hill. He laughs harder and it echoes around the hill for Ryder and Aiden to hear. They stop talking, walking, breathing.

  “Did you hear that,” Ryder whispers, nervousness lacing her voice. “It came from over the hill.”

  “Shhh,” Aiden hisses and then they still. “Be quiet for a minute.”

  Sylas laughs louder, not caring if they hear him. I sigh and hike down the hill, leaving him in the shadows. I slip to the bottom, my boots filling with warm sand, and I step around the hill into the open.

  Aiden’s honey eyes light up. He looks like he hasn’t slept in ages. He’s clothes are filthy and worn out. He begins to run for me, but I step back, shake my head, and hold up my hand.

  He skids to a stop, his eyebrows furrowing. “What’s wrong?” He wonders and whispers, “Are they here?”

  “The Day Takers?” I ask and he nods. “One is.”

  His expression falls. “My brother.”

  I point over my shoulder. “He’s over the hill, hiding out in the shade. Where’s Maci and the others?”

  “Back in the cave,” he explains. “Don’t worry, they’re safe. Maci said you needed us, though.”

  “In a way, she was right,” I tell him. “But probably not in the way you’re thinking.”

  Ryder shakes her head and folds her colorfully decorated arms. Her blue eyes, traced with black, narrow on me. “She doesn’t look like she’s being held against her will.”

  Aiden eyes me over and sweeps his dark, scraggily hair out of his eyes. “Did he hurt you?” He looks at the bottom of my pants, caked with blood. “I’ll kill him if he did.”

  Sylas’ amusement erupts over the hills. “I’d like to see you try.”

  Aiden inches in the direction of his voice, but I swing my arm out and hold him back. “There’s no point. He’ll probably kill you with the first swing.”

  As our skin comes into contact his emotions mix through me. He’s worried about what they’ve done to me, relieved I’m alive, and grateful I’m touching him.

  “I’m fine,” I tell him, lowering my arm. “This blood's not from Sylas or any of the Day Takers.”

  His honey eyes burn cinder. “They did this to you.” He shouts over the hill at Sylas, “Sneaking into the cave in the middle of the night, while everyone’s asleep, is a coward’s way to steal someone!”

  “Do you want to be the one to break it to him, Kayla?” Sylas laughs. “Or can I have the pleasure?”

  Aiden looks at me, his expression bewildered. “Break what to me?”

  I gather my stray hair, tuck it behind my ears, and let out a sigh. “I left on my own.”

  He dies a little inside, his heart nearly stopping. I wonder if it’s from me, or from Monarch messing up on him.

  “You left on your own?” he says slowly. “But now you’re back?”

  I pause. “I came back for a reason.”

  Ryder huffs and turns for a cluster of rocks. “This is so ridiculous.” She stomps to the rocks and takes a seat, mumbling to herself as she pulls her matted hair into a ponytail. “It’s always about her. Always about her.”

  I blink my attention to Aiden. “I think you might have some of my memories inside your head.”

  He stares at me, not listening, hurt evident in his eyes. He storms off toward where Sylas is hiding.

  “Aiden, don’t,” I advise. “You know you can’t fight him and win.”

  “But can you fight him and win?” He questions, veering around the side of the hill.

  I follow after him. “No, I can’t fight him and win.” But deep down, I want to.

  His heart skips a beat and he stops. “Then you’re still human.”

  For now. “Yeah, with a beating heart and everything.”

  This doesn’t stop his suicide mission. When we round the corner Sylas spots us, and a grin creeps onto his face.

  “Hello, brother,” he says.

  Aiden halts just short of where the sun joins the shadow of the hill. Sylas moves to the line and the two of them stand face-to-face. Aiden is taller and his dark hair longer. Aiden used to be more muscular, but he must have lost some weight from the last time I saw him.

  “Is food a little scarce?” Sylas motions at Aiden’s lack of muscle. “Looks like you’ve lost a little bit of weight since the last time I was graced with your presence.”

  “The hillside was raided.” He crosses his arms. “So yeah, the food’s a little limited.”

  “My poor little brother.” Sylas fakes a pout. “But then again, if you weren’t human, food wouldn’t be a problem.”

  Aiden steps forward, his black boots clipping the edge of the line. “Well, if you were human, then you could step into the light.”

  “You really think that’s stopping me?” He inches his hand into the light and his skin starts to smoke. “A little sunburn would be worth it.”

  Aiden’s heart nervously accelerates, but he doesn’t back down. “Then go ahead. Prove a Day Taker makes you stronger.”

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nbsp; I charge between them. “Would you two knock it off? This is getting us nowhere.”

  They look down at me and I feel small. I put a hand to each of their chests and I shove them anyway, forcing them to back down. Sylas barely budges, but Aiden stammers backward.

  Sylas laughs, touching his chest. “Feisty. I like it.”

  “You are such a jerk.” Ryder’s voice floats over to us and our gazes land on her. She stands a distance away, her eyes slicing into Sylas. “You never change, do you? You’re still the same smart ass you’ve always been.”

  Sylas’ lips twists and hatred pours off him. There’s a passionate revulsion between the two of them and it almost hurts to be able to feel it.

  “Come over here in the shade and say that,” Sylas calls out mockingly. “Come on Ryder, I dare you.”

  She taps her foot and looks away. “No thanks.”

  Sylas backs toward the hill and drops to the ground. “Just remember. When night comes, that line doesn’t exist.”

  “There’s something I need to tell you,” I announce to Aiden. “Something about my memories. And about you.”

  “Okay…” He waits.

  “I think you might have some of my memories inside your head,” I explain again, now that he’s listening. “I think Monarch might have put them in there to protect them.”

  He rubs his hand across his face, taking it in. “How would he do that?”

  “I have no idea.” I shrug. “I thought maybe you knew something about it.”

  “I don’t, but you might.” He touches his fingertip to my temple. “It’s just locked away in here.”

  My skin tingles from his touch. “Or maybe it’s in your head.”

  “Here’s a thought.” Sylas’ sudden closeness is disrupting. “Maybe someone has the gift to extract memories and place them inside someone else’s head.”

  I spin on my heels and he’s right behind me. He’s pulled the hood of his black jacket over his head and his hands are tucked in his sleeves. But it’s not easy for him to be out in the open grayness of the afternoon. His skin is red, sweat dews his forehead, and his strength is weakened.

  “Like Emmy,” I suggest. “Or did you already know that.”

  He presses his lips together. His gaze elevates over my head, past us and to Ryder.

  I gape at him. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  “Don’t listen to him, Kayla,” Aiden cautions. “He’s just messing with your head.”

  “No he’s not. He’s telling the truth.” I lower my voice. “Does she know she can do it?”

  “There’s only one way to find out.” He steps for Ryder, coughing from the light.

  I push him back. “I’ll get it out of her. You go back in the shade.”

  He grins impishly and winks. “Don’t be too rough on her, Kayla. Even as a human, you could still take her any day.”

  I start to smile, but hastily erase it. I advance toward Ryder and Aiden falls into step with me.

  “You two seem to be getting along,” he notes with disapproval. “I guess you don’t regret your decision to leave us then.”

  “I had to leave, Aiden.” I sigh, avoiding his eyes. “At the time, Emmy seemed like my only option to get my memories out of my head.” I let out a huge breath, stop, and face him. “But it turned out I could get some of them out on my own, and without harming myself. But not the important ones. Those are the ones Monarch locked away in your head.”

  “I told you we’d find a way.” He frowns. “I knew I had some of them in my head and together we could put them all together. I was just waiting for you to catch up.”

  “You could have just told me. It would have saved us a lot of time if you did. But instead, you were always lying to me.”

  “You lied too,” he retorts. “We both lied, but I lied to protect you, Juniper. I care about you more than you realize.” He points a finger at Sylas with an ache in his heart. “And way more than he does.”

  “Aiden.” I calm my voice. “The fact of the matter is, I don’t really know either of you, so I have to decide things for myself. At the time, I thought it was best to leave. But I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  “I hate to break up your little moment,” Ryder interrupts. “But Aiden and I need to get back to the hillside before dark.”

  Aiden keeps his eyes on me, even when I look up at Ryder. “Is there any way to extract a memory and hide it in someone else’s head?”

  She pulls a disgusted face. “What kind of stupid question is that?”

  “The kind you need to answer.” I square my shoulders, preparing to beat it out of her if I have to.

  “She doesn’t know anything,” Aiden assures me. “I know Ryder better than anyone and if she knew how to do it, she’d tell me.”

  “Exactly,” Ryder sways her head with attitude.

  I clasp her wrist, feeling her lie pulsing through her veins. “No, she knows a hell of a lot more than you think.”

  “Kayla.” Aiden swats my hand away. “Knock it off. You’re acting like one of them.”

  I miss my fighting skills. I know just the right places to hit them and they’d fall over and take a light nap without any permanent damage. But I don’t have the strength anymore.

  Ryder side swipes me and we tumble to the sand. A swish and Sylas is beside us. He takes a punch at Aiden while Ryder flips us over and crunches her knuckles against my cheek.

  My jaw pops loudly. I groan, clutching my cheek.

  Ryder grins. “I’ve wanted to do that ever since the day you showed up.”

  Her fist dives for my face again, but I block it and put all my strength into shoving her back, even going as low as digging my fingernails into the back of her hand.

  “Ow,” she whines, wincing. She punches her free hand at me and I snatch hold of it. I inhale, summoning any inner strength lingering in my human body, and overturn us. Her back hits the ground and she lets out a groan.

  “Ryder,” I try to reason with her. “Just tell me. No one has to get hurt.”

  “The only person who’s going to get hurt is you.” She tries to bite my hand and that’s when nice Kayla goes away.

  I slap her face hard. Her cheek stings red and my hand throbs.

  Sylas appears, grinning from ear to ear. “Nice.” His head is still tucked under his hood and his fingers are shielded by his sleeves. Behind him, Aiden lies in the sand, hands slack to the side, mouth parted, eyes shut.

  “You didn’t kill him, did you!” I exclaim as Ryder tugs on my hair.

  He shakes his head. “Nah, he’s just taking a little nap.”

  Ryder takes another blow at me. I lean back and her knuckles clip the tip of my nose.

  “A little help here please.” I struggle to pin Ryder’s arms down.

  “What would be the fun in helping?” He licks some blood off his lips. “Honestly, I’m kind of enjoying this.”

  “Sylas, please,” I beg as the last of my strength diminishes and Ryder jerks my head down.

  “Oh fine.” He grabs Ryder’s arm and dips his teeth into her wrist.

  She screams as blood seeps down her arm. Her jaw slacks open and her head wobbles to the side.

  I frown up at him. “How am I supposed to get the answers from her if she’s unconscious?”

  He kneels down on the ground, wipes the blood from his mouth, and turns her head to the side. On the back of her neck is a red circular symbol that winds around itself, shrinking to a small dot in the center.

  “What is that?” I slide off Ryder and kneel next to Sylas. “Is it her experiment number?”

  He presses his lips together. “This isn’t a number. It’s a symbol.” He scratches his head. “I’ve seen this before.”

  “How did you even know it was there?”

  “I have no idea.” He tells the truth.

  Blood dribbles from my cheek. Sylas drags his finger across it and then sucks the blood off. Disregarding him, I sit cross-legged on the ground, noticing the deepening sky.


  “I’ve seen that symbol before…” I pull the pocket watch out and show Sylas the back. “It’s the same.”

  He steals the watch from my hand and rubs his thumb along the circular lines. Then he glances at the symbol on Ryder’s neck. “It’s exactly the same.”

  “I know.” I take the watch from him and press the back of it to Ryder’s neck. “It’s a perfect match.” Hot energy zaps through the metal. I drop the watch in the sand and suck on my burnt fingertip. “It’s hot.”

  Sylas scoops up the watch and stares at the numbers encompassing the front. “It’s glowing.”

  I lean in to get a closer look. Six numbers glow a light blue and stand out against the rest. I turn my numbered wrist over and move it next to the watch.

  “Three match.” Sylas gets the strangest look on his face and then he crawls across the sand to Aiden.

  I hop up and follow him. “What are you…”

  Sylas has the watch against Aiden’s marked wrist. The unmatchable three numbers match three on his wrist. “Jackpot.”

  I squat down beside him and turn the watch over. “But it still doesn’t tell us how this is the key to ending the world. Or what it does. Or what we’re supposed to do with it.”

  “You’re supposed to program each other with it.” Ryder’s voice makes us jump.

  Sylas shoves me behind him and I face plant it in the sand. He bares his fangs at Ryder. “Are you looking for another fight?”

  “Oh, back down guard dog.” Ryder plays tough on the outside, but she’s terrified on the inside.

  I spit the sand from my mouth and wobble to my feet. “Did you say program?”

  “Yeah, but I’m not going to do it.” Ryder backs away, her eyes refusing to leave the watch. “He can’t make me do it. No one can. I’m not a part of that life anymore.”

  “Sylas isn’t going to hurt you, Ryder,” I lie, because I can feel that’s what he’s planning on doing. “We just need your help using the watch.”

  Sylas’ eyebrow arcs up. “I’m not going to hurt her?”

  I weave around him. “Is the watch what can get my memories out of Aiden and into me?” Fear is rushing off her wildly and it knocks the breath out of me.

  “It hurts,” she whispers, her eyes wide. “Endless pain. I told him to let me do something else—to let me do your job instead, but he said I felt too much to follow through with it and that he’d already messed me up anyway.” She’s contemplating bolting. “I don’t ever want to go back to being that stupid girl behind the red door. All by herself.”