Lord of Shadows (A Paranormal Romance Book): Blackness Falls Read online

  Kelly couldn’t speak, and she didn’t want him to stop, but she nodded. He had to be playing her. No one had ever said anything like this to her.

  An arm wrapped around her shoulders. She jumped, thinking it was the handsome stranger, but instead found her boyfriend—ex-boyfriend—Ethan. She hadn’t even known he was there.

  Ethan narrowed his blue eyes at the other guy and said, “Stay away from her.”

  Kelly’s eyes widened, and she turned to stare at Ethan. “Ethan!” She’d never seen him this way before.

  The other man smiled, holding Ethan’s gaze, but then he looked at her, bowed, and turned away, fading into the crowd.

  Kelly pursed her lips at his departure and then turned and stepped out of Ethan’s possessive grasp. “That was kind of rude, Ethan.”

  “He was standing way too close to you.”

  “We were just talking.”

  Ethan lifted a cocky blond brow, and Kelly had to admit that her ex was hot. He was tall and toned. He’d played football while they’d been in high school, but upon entering Morwen University four years ago, Ethan had given up the game. Kelly didn’t understand why; he was built for it. “That guy was trying to get under your skirt.”

  Kelly rolled her eyes and mumbled, “At least someone is.”

  Ethan looked away. “Look, Kelly—”

  “Forget I mentioned it.”

  They were silent for a moment.

  “You look nice,” he said, finally able to meet her eyes.

  Kelly stared up at him and gave him a tight smile. “Thanks.” She looked down at her dress and thought she looked . . . more than nice.

  The black jersey knit dress had a deep scoop neck, a nipped in waist, and a hem that flared out above her knees. She wore black heels, and her only makeup consisted of mascara and red lipstick.

  She’d somehow managed to get her shoulder-length, unruly blonde hair to defy the humidity and glow like a crown around her head. She had then stuck pearl studs in her ears.

  All in all, she’d spent a good two hours on herself and all she got from Ethan was that she looked “nice.”

  “What are you doing here?” Kelly asked as she looked Ethan over. He’d dressed for the evening in a black shirt and black suit that fit his athletic physique perfectly. He looked great for someone who’d said he wouldn’t show. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

  “Last minute decision,” he said, as he closed the distance between them and took her hands. “I wanted to be with you.” Ethan was like a work of art. His skin glowed as though it’d been kissed by the sun every morning; there was not an imperfection in sight.

  They had their issues, but he was always willing to go anywhere and everywhere with her if she asked. She never had to beg for his attention. He gave it willingly and without thought. It had been that way since they’d first started dating in high school, though she’d known him her whole life.

  They’d grown up in Morwen, Connecticut and had both attended Morwen Academy. Kelly had always thought him cute, and Ethan had become like a brother to her. They’d never been more than friends . . . until high school, when Kelly had started thinking about boys as more than just playmates.

  During freshman year, Peter Flint, another awesomely handsome guy, had passed her a note in English class asking her to go out with him. Kelly and her friend Meg had squealed with delight, and their excitement had gotten Ethan’s attention.

  When they’d made it to the hall, Ethan had demanded to see the note.

  Kelly had willingly passed it over to him and watched the anger draw his blond brows together. Then he’d crumpled the note.

  She remembered how livid she’d been at Ethan, but in the next minute, all the anger was knocked out of her when Ethan pressed his lips to hers.

  It had been her first kiss.

  His mouth had taste like bubblegum, which had made her giggle later. He’d asked her out, she’d said yes, and they’d been dating ever since.

  Eight long years until a few months ago.

  No breaks ups or time outs, no I-need-some-space, or maybe-we-should-see-other-people. It was always Kelly and Ethan. He’d become like a limb, a part of her that seemed just as vital as air . . . until Kelly had decided she’d had enough.

  “Kelly, you made it!”

  Kelly turned and smiled at Meg, giving her a hug when she approached. “Of course, I did.”

  Meg turned to Ethan with surprise in her green eyes—normal green eyes, not like those of the handsome stranger. “What are you doing here?” Meg asked Ethan.

  Ethan put a possessive arm around Kelly and said, “Thought you might need my support.”

  Meg nodded slowly, her dangling bead earrings bobbing with her head. Her red hair had been pulled into a high ponytail. True to Meg’s style, her outfit was as dressy as it was bohemian. The egg-shell white maxi dress was sleeveless and draped her body flatteringly. “Support is always good. Did you see my model?”

  “Not yet,” Ethan said. “I just got here.”

  Kelly had seen the model throughout the entire process of its creation, and it had sat in their room for the last week undisturbed on a high shelf. She knew its every detail.

  Meg’s eyes grew wide. “You have to see it,” she told Ethan and rushed ahead, her long dress flowing behind her.

  Kelly and Ethan followed Meg over to the diagram, and Meg launched into a speech about why she thought her idea the best.

  Ethan stepped closer to Meg to hear her over the crowd and Kelly, after seeing a flicker of light, moved to peer at Meg’s gazebo and vegetable garden from a lower angle.

  She smiled when she saw that Meg had added a final touch to the display. It was man in a Greek-style robe, and Kelly wondered what Greek fraternity she’d thought of when making it. It was no secret that the school’s new president, Ted Smith, had belonged to one of the houses. Every speech of his included several shout outs to Phi Kappa Tau.

  Kelly smiled and reached out to touch the figure, finding the wood smooth. She admired Meg’s craftsmanship and found herself looking into the statue’s eyes when something stung her finger. A rapid warmth passed through her, traveling up her hand, arm, chest, and then flooding every limb.

  She backed away from the model and looked at her finger. Surely it must just have been a splinter. She didn’t see a splinter, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t one there. She pushed on her finger but there was no pain. Perhaps the splinter had fallen out already.

  Loud laughter caught her attention, and Kelly saw a group of Ethan’s fraternity brothers. All of them were dressed in their dark suits with their fraternity's pin stuck on their lapels.

  Ethan looked at her, and she patted him on the back. “Go have fun.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked, stepping away. He scanned the room with watchful eyes. His forehead was creased and Kelly smiled, recognizing that look. Sometimes, dating him was like walking around with a Secret Service detail rather than a boyfriend.

  “We’re in a crowded room with half the school staff present. I’ll be fine.” He was very protective of her.

  “But that guy . . .” He looked at her for a long moment and the hesitation was there. “I think I should stay with you.”

  Kelly squeezed his hand. “Ethan, we’re not dating anymore. Go.”

  “I’ll watch her,” Meg said with a wink.

  Ethan’s gaze didn’t leave Kelly’s, though he spoke to Meg. “Thanks.” Then he left.

  * * *

  2

  CHAPTER

  TWO

  .

  .

  .

  * * *

  I’ll watch her …

  * * *

  .

  Kelly let out a breath.

  Meg came over and put a hand on her arm. “Don’t be so hard on him. He’s just really protective.”

  She shook her head. “Yeah, but more often than not, he acted like my babysitter and not a boyfriend while we were dating. He rarely touched me o
ther than as a friend. I practically had to beg him to kiss me.”

  Meg frowned and whispered, “He seems to love you though. I mean, Ethan is a great looking guy. He could have any girl he wanted, but for the last four months, he’s been following you around like a lost puppy.”

  “Well, I don’t want a puppy, I want a man,” Kelly snapped, even though the subject was not one they usually discussed in public. “Am I crazy?”

  “No,” Meg quickly rushed to say. “Some people are simply more ready than others.”

  Kelly was ready. She’d been primed and ready for years, but Ethan never did more than kiss her, and even then, it wasn’t with passion. Half the time, it felt like a consolation prize, something to keep her happy enough to ensure she stuck around.

  And as often as she’d romanticized their first kiss, she had to say that the novelty of it died more every day.

  Kelly shook her head. “But it’s not just the sex . . . or the lack of it. Something is wrong. I can feel it when I’m with him. There is something he isn’t telling me.” And then she’d seen him look at another woman the way she’d always wanted him to look at her.

  That was what had pushed Kelly to end things with him.

  The pure animal desire she’d seen in Ethan’s eyes for another woman had been her breaking point. For a long time, she’d thought he simply had performance issues, but she was starting to believe this was not the case.

  He simply didn’t want Kelly, yet he wouldn’t leave her alone.

  “Let’s forget about Ethan.” Meg linked her arm with Kelly’s and pulled her along. “Come on, let’s go look at the competition.”

  They stopped at Kelly’s favorite.

  A simple flag.

  Meg scrunched up her nose. “That’s all you built?” she asked the guy who’d built it.

  Jax, like Meg, was an engineering major, and Kelly found his monotone hilarious . . . especially whenever he and Meg had to work on a project. The juxtaposition between Meg’s fiery nature and his cool head was charming.

  Jax wore a suit, but he’d left his collar open. He’d wasn’t the tie kind. His chestnut brown hair was pushed back from his face and his brown eyes said he was bored.

  He crossed his arms. “Simple is better. Leave the gazebos and gardens for Glory.” Glory was a quiet meditation place on campus that also held the school’s church.

  Kelly inwardly agreed.

  Meg let go of Kelly. “There should be gazebos and gardens everywhere! We should be growing our own food.”

  With no enthusiasm at all, he said, “Then let’s skip the veggies and grow cattle. Steak’s more filling.”

  Meg, a diehard vegan, gasped. “Cows in the middle of campus?”

  Kelly slowly slipped away from the pair, walking backward until she bumped into a large form. “Oh, sorry.” She quickly turned around and was met once again with those hypnotic green eyes.

  Her stranger grinned. “I have been looking for you.”

  Kelly cleared her throat to relieve its tightness.

  “Looking for me?” she asked and took a small step back from him.

  He nodded slowly, his eyes steady on hers. An expression of wonder and understanding spread across his face. “And now . . . I’ve found you.” He made it sound as though he’d been searching for her his entire life.

  She froze for what seemed like a full minute, and then she looked around the room, but she didn’t see Ethan or his friends. She really shouldn’t be talking to this guy. Ethan would lose it, and she’d have to deal with his anger for the rest of the night. She really didn’t have the time for that. “Mm. I have to go.” She moved to edge by him.

  His hand came out and touched her arm. The air left Kelly’s lungs on contact and on her inhale, she became intoxicated with the smell of him. The woodsy spice, the scent of salty skin . . . an explosion went off in her head, and Kelly’s senses became heightened.

  His hand tightened, and a tingling sensation covered her arms while a comforting heat coated her, sweeping over every sensitive part of her body. She closed her eyes, but then quickly opened them to see what he was doing to her.

  His dark brows had pulled together and his breathing was heavy, and his eyes looked just as confused as she knew hers must appear.

  God, she needed to have sex . . . with Ethan. But Ethan didn’t want her. He wanted someone else, but was too afraid to say it.

  The stranger let her go, and Kelly felt her body settle back onto her feet. It was like, for a moment, gravity had stopped existing and only his hold on her could keep her anchored to the ground. But gravity, along with reality, came back all at once, taking her new awareness with it.

  She wanted to blame Ethan for this encounter. For the extreme sexual tension she’d just experience with this stranger. If only Ethan had wanted her and had fulfilled her needs, she was sure she wouldn’t feel this way for a man whose name she didn’t even know. But to blame Ethan would be unfair. Her hormones were clearly in charge at the moment.

  She didn’t dare look at him again. “I have to go.”

  “Wait—”

  Kelly didn’t. Instead, she maneuvered her way through the throng of people, out the front door, down the flight of steps, and into the humid night.

  Guilt hit her quickly. Ethan wasn’t her boyfriend, but being with anyone else seemed like cheating . . . and it only made it worse that she wanted the stranger more than she’d ever wanted Ethan. She hadn’t known arousal could be that intense. If the touch of the stranger’s hand did that to her, what else was he capable of?

  She took a deep breath, but the smell of Morwen, which usually gave her comfort, didn’t now. The wind blew her forward, and she knew exactly where she needed to go to feel good.

  She crossed the car-lined street and, when she reached the other side, she took off her pumps and stepped into The Square.

  The feel of grass had always been blissful to Kelly, but tonight . . . She took in another breath and then another. She could almost taste the spring air like fresh herbs on her tongue. She moved her toes farther into the grass and felt each individual blade that touched her, forming a bed underneath her feet.

  She looked back at the administrative building, but saw no one else leave.

  Then she turned back around and stared at a figure on the other side of The Square, but the person was so far away that she couldn’t make out his face. He was also dressed in what looked like a black robe which covered his face.

  She shrugged, finding that strange, and looked over to the building on her left. The student theatre was open, though there was no show tonight, only practice. Perhaps the stranger was playing the Grim Reaper in the next production . . . though she couldn’t remember a Grim Reaper in The Sound of Music.

  He could be a frat brother who was taking part in some sort of initiation, but it was kind of late in the year for that.

  “Hey!” she called as he headed toward her. “What’s with the robe?”

  A strong gust pushed her dress backward. She looked over her shoulder at the administration building and then back at the stranger, who stood only a few yards away.

  He’d been so far away a moment ago.

  Kelly did a double take, noticing for the first time that he wasn’t wearing a robe. The black was like a shadow that floated around him. The image of Pig-Pen from the Peanuts comic strip—the little boy with the cloud of dirt always circling him—stopped her from totally freaking out.

  Then the image of Pig-Pen vanished and she freaked out.

  “Kelly!”

  She turned and saw the stranger from inside and frowned. How did he know her name?

  He held out his hand, his green eyes wide and his dark hair windblown. “Come to me.”

  She rushed to him, too afraid of the thing behind her to think about the consequences.

  A peacefulness fell over her at his touch and then she was flush against him, chest to chest and thigh to thigh. “I—” Her body jerked and a fast wind stung her eyes. Her hair w
hipped in her face, and it was only then that she realized they were moving.

  Her stranger, with his arm around her waist, held her with her feet off the ground and was running faster than humanly possible. “Hold onto me.”

  Kelly’s jaw dropped, but her arms went around his neck to hold onto him for fear of being dropped; she could feel the strength in his body and knew he wouldn’t let her go.

  What was happening to her?

  Maybe she’d been drugged.

  She tried to remember everything that had happened. Had she even attended the event? What if she was dreaming? It was the only explanation for the fact that she was being carried by a man who was speeding past buildings and trees like some sort of superhero. The street lamps’ rays splashed onto the sidewalk in quick patterns and everything about the dream felt real.

  The man holding her certainly felt real. His thick muscles and the coolness of his leather jacket under her hands all felt real.

  But then she looked up and saw they were being chased by the shadow. She thought it a dream again, especially as the shadow seemed to spread into the darkness around them, turning the already dark night into a blackness she’d never seen.

  She closed her eyes and, like she did with any nightmare she’d found herself stuck in, told herself to wake up.

  Her body jerked when they turned, and she heard the opening of a door before her body jolted again when they came to a complete stop.

  The stranger set her down on her feet and then turned to close the door.

  Kelly looked around and recognized the president’s house. She’d attended a few dinners at the house last year with her friend Amity, who’d been part of every major organization on campus.

  “Come on,” the stranger said, holding out his hand.

  She didn’t move. “What is going on?”

  Something flickered in his green eyes, anger she thought, before he smoothed it away and said, “We have to go.”

  “No.” Kelly shook her head. “I want to know what’s going on.”