I spend the remainder of the ride into the Springs with a pleasant smile plastered on my face. Dorian has also abandoned his natural smoldering intensity and is engaging in casual conversation with the rest of the guys about random sporting events, or something equally monotonous. They could honestly be talking about killing puppies and the same dumb grin would be plastered on my face. My head is elsewhere. Dorian keeps dropping these bombs of truth on me, totally making me question my own judgment, which up until now was one of my most redeeming qualities. Unless tequila is involved, of course. But why would he do that? If he is truly Dark, wouldn’t he want to conceal his identity in order to deceive, and then eventually, kill me?
“Would you like to come up?” Dorian asks as we pull up to the main building at the Broadmoor. We have already taken Aurora to her posh downtown apartment which, to my dismay, is not too far away.
“I better get home. Parents will be expecting me.” It’s the truth; I haven’t sent more than a couple text messages to confirm my safety the entire weekend.
Dorian slightly nods then leans forward to plant a gentle kiss on my lips. “You know where to find me,” he murmurs before exiting the van.
As we pull away from the Broadmoor, away from Dorian, anxiety and sorrow creep into my chest. The farther we travel, the more distance wedged between Dorian and I, the worse I feel. I want to tell Jared to turn back around, to take me back to the man that I love. I want run back into his arms where safety and security live but I know I have to go home. The thought of being miles away from him unsettles me. I can literally feel the dull ache gripping my heart. I don’t understand it, and frankly, it scares me.
By the time we pull up to Briargate, I am barely holding onto my sanity. Pain is etched in my face, though I ignore the questioning glances from my friends. They don’t understand. They never could. This goes so far beyond being in love with Dorian. I need him. He’s ensured that. This is exactly what he wants. He wants me so dependent on him that I can’t say no. I have to fight the crippling urge to run back to him. If I do, then he will own me completely. I struggle to gulp down the rising taste of melancholy in my tight throat and flash a weak smile goodbye. Chris and Donna can’t see me like this. They will surely know that something is wrong.
“Gabriella! Oh thank goodness you are home!” my mom says rushing to me as soon as I open the door. Sheesh.
“It’s only been a couple days, Mom. Nice to see you too,” I murmur as she squeezes me in an urgent embrace. Chris is right behind her, a somber look on his face. Shit. Something is wrong. “What’s up? Everything ok?”
Chris takes my bag from me and quickly closes the door, locking it. He ushers us to the living room where I flop down on the couch. Mugs of tea and papers litter the coffee table, an unusual sight in the ordinarily pristine room.
“This came for you, Kiddo,” Chris says sliding one of the papers towards me. His disturbed expression alerts me and I automatically think it’s a letter from my school. Crap. Am I failing a class? Does it say I won’t graduate in a couple weeks?
I take the white sheet in my hands and hold my breath as I look at the words scrawled in black ink. It’s worse than I initially thought. So much worse. Yet fear does not greet me. Only rage. Extreme rage that causes my face to heat and my knuckles to turn white over my fists. I’m shaking with violent anger and my jaw is tightly clenched, causing my gums to hurt from the pressure.
Dark Light,
We know who you are. And we are watching.
Eleven months.
Align with the Dark or Die.
It’s the last thing I see before every light bulb in the living room grows blindingly bright, then pops and shatters instantaneously, leaving us all shrouded in complete darkness.
Chapter Thirty
We all spring to our feet- my parents in alarm, me in anger. Though only a trickle of sunlight illuminates the room from between the curtains, I can clearly see the worry etched in their faces. They do not fear that someone has come here to hurt us, immobilizing us by breaking the bulbs. They are afraid of me. I caused the sudden darkness. The violent ripples of rage rolling off of me have caused the light bulbs to explode right before us. I try to loosen my tight fists and control the tremors ripping through me. I don’t mean to frighten them. I didn’t even know I was capable of this.
“I…I’m sorry. I didn’t…mean to,” I stammer between clenched teeth, shaking my head stiffly. I try to take deep breaths in order to calm myself. I begin to feel the tension dissipate from my shoulders as I will myself to relax.
“I know, honey,” Donna replies meekly. She understands what has happened here though I’m not entirely sure myself.