Usual disclaimer here, I do not, will not, and have not owned any writing, or characters created by Anne Bishop. I am however a fan of her writing and thus decided to create and have a little fun of my own. This will be the only disclaimer I will write.

The keep was to quiet that evening. Even Lucivar had commented on the silence before he, his wife Marian, and son Daemonar left for the evening. The silence was nice for once, Daemon had added. True, there keep was usually bustling with noise and arguing between there four children, and it was a rare thing, when the keep as a whole was silent. There eldest son, Saetan, had taken his youngest sister, Kendra to a play in the city not far from them, while there middle born daughter, Adara had joined them for the mere reason of socializing with her circle of friends. Much to Daemon's displeasure of them going without himself or another member of the court, Jaenelle understood the children's debate of wanting alone time with friends before they returned to the larger keep to pick up the schooling year again. So there she sat, pushed up against her headboard, book in hand while her husband peered over paperwork. She paused a moment looking up from her book before opening her mouth, then closing it shortly after.
"What's on your mind love?" His silky voice was a caress as he did not bother to look to her, but shifted a paper to the bottom of the stack.

"Just thinking it odd that Devi wished to remain here rather then see the performance."

"How is that odd? The girl wanted to read rather then spend her evening gossiping and pretending to watch a play." Daemon chuckled as the papers disappeared with a flick of his wrist. His wife watched him from where she sat, a small loose blond curl fell down her collarbone, teasing across the curve of her breast. His hand instantly moved to brush it away, his long nails trailing across her flesh before moving to pry her book from her. "Besides, when do we get alone time anymore.." his voice now that silken purr that could curl a woman's toes. She let the voice wash over her, causing a wolfish grin to paint itself upon her face as she slipped down and under the blankets, moving closer to her husband.

"Then shall we enjoy it?"

It was so dark, as if even light feared the place that she wandered through a empty terrain. It was the slick feeling of cool water that caused the girl to pause and look about again. The darkness eased up as she looked around, despite the lack of stars, or moon, or any light, she could see the ripples in the water as she moved across it. Each ripple itself flowed out in silver ringlets, as if gathering the stars with each arch, carrying them away and disappearing to darkness again. She giggled as she started to dance around the deep abyss of her mind. Her eyes racing to study all around her as she moved, her hands reaching toward an invisible partner, embracing, twirling, spinning and laughing. It felt so real for a dream, so true and hopeful. The girl paused and opened her eyes as the feeling of something as cold as stone touched her hands and body, pulling her into a dance as she was being pulled around now. Panic plaguing her mind as her laughter turned to muted screams.

"You dance in darkness little witch.." a deep rolling voice echoed the air. It sounded like thunder and rain, like the howl of a wolf and roar of the ocean, it sounded like silk and velvet, and the gentle winds that danced across the calm lakes. "Why?" Her own mind raced at the thought, searching for a answer for her own dark phantom, the question she had asked herself so often, but never could answer.

"Why not?"
"You avoid my question witch. I do not like that. Surly you must know why you hide yourself?" The voice was so masculine now. She laughed dipping her head back to the dance, letting the tips of her night touched hair brush the liquid midnight they raced across.

"And I repeat again. Why not?"
"Most fear the darkness." His voice was cool and calm now, a hint of a feminine side, a side that cared and caressed there.

"I do not fear what I do not understand, there in lays the difference dear darkness." She whispered now. The hands left her as she hit the liquid darkness, and wrapped around her like a cold silk wrap, pushing her as if her lungs would explode, and explode they did in a strangled cry as she forced herself upright.

Devi shot up, staring straight ahead as her mouth was still wide open, gasping from air as her door whipped open. Two wolves, and her father stood there, half dressed and riding the knifes edge waiting to find what shook the house and caused the screams.

"Devi…" His voice was cool, deep and dark. With a flick of his wrist the candelabras in her room flickered to life with witchfire as he looked at his daughter. She was soaked with sweat, the book she was reading lay tossed to the floor as he looked over it then back to her. It was another horror adventure novel she was reading. The third one this month, and this was the fifth night he was awaken to a dark ripple in the night, and a scream. The wolves entered timidly, sniffing around as he walked to his daughter's side.

"You know what I said about those books, there giving you nightmares." His voice was much calmer as he leaned down and kissed her forehead. For a mear moment she smelled of the ocean and thick musty forest, but the scent soon disappeared.

"But I…" She began before her mother stumbled in.

"Witch storm is brewing." Her midnight voice was there this time, as her eyes searched the window and door to the courtyard. "And a deep one at that."
"I didn't mean to wake you.. I'm sorry." Devi spoke now, a trembling voice as she looked up at her parents.

"No worries dear, just no more reading before bed." Her mother smiled at her this time before they turned to leave her room, the wolves following suit, leaving Devi there to stare out the windows. She let out a single held breath, letting the heat of it form smoke in the sudden bone chilling room.

"…alone." She muttered gently before turning over in her bed to try and sleep again. This time, it came without dreams and nightmares.