Chapter One!
Darla tossed and turned , flitting in and out of nightmares too horribly to express…the bodies piling up…the blood flowing like wine…new graves being dug and refilled…the screams of the people suffering at the hands of the destroyer…torment…agony…death!
She woke with a start, her bed wet with sweat; she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. She was just about to reach over for her glass of water that rested on her bedside table when the wind howled like a hungry wolf ready to devour anything in its path.
She tumbled out of her bed and tiptoed over the ruby rich carpet that warmed her toes. She went silently over the other side of her bedroom to pull back the curtains and look out at the graveyard through the stained glass windows. She stood staring out for the longest time watching the rain fall like the tears she had cried so many times inside. She jumped back suddenly when thunder & lightning appeared making the tree outside look like a witch's hand reaching out to grab you. The branch etched out to unlock the windows and come inside. She drew the curtains closed and backed away to her wall. What was happening to her? She didn't understand, any of it, the sweating and the nightmares that happened every night. Always the same ones. It was like a message was being sent but just not getting through to her. All she knew was it had something to do with her dead boyfriend Angelus and the destroyer, whoever he was. Her house was situated right next to the graveyard where Angelus had been buried.
She could feel him calling her…beckoning her…it was like he was whispering in her ear hidden secrets untold…wanting her beside him…with him. But she was not worried. She had loved and would have traded her life for his, but no one, not even she had known what he had died of. It was quick and mysterious leaving even the doctors puzzled and disturbed. It had been two months since he had passed away and she had not visited his grave. Not once. Not even for the funeral. For how could she go without the pain welling up inside. Her broken heart forever in pieces no one could put together. He was angry though, she could feel it, it was like he was one with her. She had never wished him a goodbye and now he was angry. He wanted revenge but he would never hurt her. He couldn't. Never once in their relationship had he ever raised his voice nor his hand. Yes, she annoyed him sometimes but he would just brood until she was finished. His brooding was what had attracted Darla to him.
She had first seen him on her first day at his school, she was new at . She hadn't known her way around. She had been lost and not looking where she was going when she bumped into him sending his and her books flying. She had bent down to pick up hers and he had bent down to pick up his when they both looked up at the same time and looked into each other's eyes. It was at that moment that Darla knew she was in love. With his tall, dark and handsome features, she guessed he was the local catch around the school. His eyes were penetrating which just made him more interesting and exciting to her. He had smiled and asked for her name. She had told him with no stuttering or embarrassing situation. She had always found it easy to talk to guys but she really didn't want to mess this up. Especially with him. She had got up and had walked away slowly and casually. She had felt his gaze following after her wondering who she was. The wondering making him want to know. Like she was his new project. His new obsession. She saw him a couple of times after that around school but never had acknowledge him. She had caught his glance every now and then and had felt the urge to go to him just like she knew he felt the urge to go to her. But neither did. Each wishing not to make a fool of themselves. It was only after their mates had set them up on a blind date that they admitted what they felt. Just like that. They started dating and were the talk of the whole school. Every girl wanted to be Darla and every boy wanted to be Angelus or Angel as Darla called him. He would only let her call him Angel. Every touch…every kiss sent her crazy. But that's over now.
That was then and this is now. Darla cowering in a corner knowing sooner or later she will have to face her fears. Wanting it later rather than sooner. She shook her head at her wildest fantasies. Angel was dead and that's how he would stay. Six feet under. Always and forever. No amount of dreaming or wishing could change that. No amount could bring him back to her. She went silently back over to her bed and asked for the first time for the nightmares to come, so she would finally understand the meaning, the secret and the warning of what some higher being was trying to tell her. Darla needn't have worried. All would soon become clear.