A/N: Well here is Chapter 2! Just to recap Dana has been kidnapped by Darrin's twin brother Davian. He has taken her to the Shadow Realm and it's Darrin's job to find her so he can begin his task of proving himself worthy to marry her. God Darrin's dad is a dick :P
Chapter Two
I stood there in the library next to Cain as he concentrated on the shadows surrounding us. His eyes had become much darker than before as he muttered something under his breath. The rest of Dana's clan had all wandered into the library and glanced over at my family. Father was fuming silently with Mother fussing around him. Chris was glaring at my father with so much hatred I could feel it seeping into my bones. Abel was clinging to Alex's side watching his brother with interest. Once Cain had summoned up enough shadows he altered them into a swirling portal. He looked over his shoulder at me in triumph.
"Once I go in how do I get out?" I asked glancing from him to the dark portal.
"Your brother will bring you and the girl back to us," Father answered me in a rough voice. "I shall decide then what you shall do next."
I nodded stiffly at him and stepped into the portal. An icy chill ran down my spine as I walked further into the shadows. I repressed a shiver as the shadows enclosed around me, completely blocking off the real world behind me. Once I was all the way through I found myself in a strange land. There was absolutely no color. The few trees scattered about were a mix of dark and light grays. The sky above me was a void of white providing some light to this dark land. There was an unsettling silence, the only sound coming from my feet crunching the dry grass beneath them.
I could see things moving around me, lurking in the ever present shadows that shrouded the area. I tried to quell my growing fear as I walked through this silent, gray world. Something darted towards me on my right and I reacted quickly. I caught the fast shadow on the shoulder—at least I think it was a shoulder—and threw it to the ground. Surprisingly red eyes gleamed up at me as the creature let out a small hiss.
"I have come to show you the way," it hissed its shadowy form coming into shape.
A slender girl with curling black horns poking out of her hair stood before me. Her skin was an ashy gray and she was dressed in flowing black clothes. Her eyes were the only color I found in this world, a bright red that matched mine.
"Who are you?" I asked taking a step away from her.
"I am one of Davian's subordinates," she told me in her hissing voice. "He has sent me to show you the way. Despite what you make believe he wishes to assist you and your mate."
I looked at her warily before giving her a curt nod. She smirked back at me and sauntered off motioning for me to follow her. I kept my distance as she led me further through the Shadow Realm. The unnerving silence that had greeted me when I arrived was broken by various hisses and growls as we roamed across the seemingly deserted terrain. She stopped at turned around to face me. She pointed up a steep hill to a small cottage at the top, a thin line of smoke trailing up towards the sky from its chimney.
"There awaits your brother and your love," she told me.
"Thank you," I replied walking past her and up towards the cottage.
Once I arrived at the top I was greeted by Davian. He stood there, his arms crossed over his chest, a sullen expression on his face. He said nothing as he turned and opened the door to the cottage. I followed him inside to see Dana sitting on the floor by a roaring fire. Her eyes were downcast and staring into the flames. She looked up when I shut the door and her face lit up. She ran towards me and wrapped her arms tightly around me. I embraced her and kissed the top of her head.
"I thought I would never see you again," she said her voice muffled as she buried her face in my chest.
"You knew I would come for you," I chuckled softly rubbing her back soothingly. "Always know that I will come for you no matter what."
She said nothing but held on to me tighter. I heard a small sniffle as Dana's small frame began to shake. I shushed her as I buried one of my hands in her silky curls. Her shoulders began to heave as she sobbed into my chest. I pulled her back a little to look at her face. Her eyes were shiny with tears and the tip of her nose had started to turn red. I smiled gently down at her as I wiped away her tears cupping her cheek in my hand. She nuzzled into the touch and smiled back at me. I pulled her back a little further as I looked her over.
I could now see the changes her body was making to prepare for the baby. Her hips were a little wider and curvier and there was a gentle swell to her stomach. I reached down and covered the small bump with my hand. Her eyes grew wide as she stepped away from me. Her surprised expression turned to one of desperation and shame. I smiled reassuringly at her before pulling her back into my arms.
"Why didn't you tell me when you found out?" I asked her stroking her hair softly.
"I was afraid you wouldn't want the baby," she whispered looking away from me. "I thought that you wouldn't want a child right now seeing as how our relationship had just started."
"How could you think I wouldn't want this?" I scolder her laughing under my breath. I placed my hand over her baby bump once more and subconsciously rubbed my thumb against it. "I would love nothing more than to have a family with you. I would have liked a little more time but this is a blessing and I am more than happy to accept it."
"This is all very touching," Davian said making me look away from Dana, "but we have a situation on our hands."
"And that would be?" Dana asked stepping around me to face my brother.
"Our family is not all that pleased by this relationship," he told her meeting her gaze. "Father has not been very happy with you ever since what happened last year. And now that he knows your pregnant things aren't going to go so well."
"He wouldn't try to hurt me would he?" Dana asked bringing a hand to rest on the gentle swell of her stomach.
"He might," Davian answered bluntly causing me to snarl as I wrapped an arm around Dana. "If Darrin can't pass his test then he will kill you and your baby."
Dana let out a gasp and covered her mouth with her other hand. I looked down at her with concern. She looked back at me with the same expression. I covered her hand with mine, feeling her tremble. I could see tears swimming in her beautiful eyes and I gently kissed her cheek and forced a smile.
"I won't let that happen," I assured her. "He will never touch you or our child."
"I don't know," Davian said with a sigh. "Father's tests are hard to beat. You may not come out of this victorious little brother."
"I will," I growled glaring at him. "If living with this family has taught me anything is to figure a way out of any situation. I will pass his stupid little test and I will marry Dana and we will raise our child as far away from him as possible."
Davian let out a long sigh pinching the bridge of his nose. He shut his eyes tightly as he stood there breathing deeply. Dana looked up at me, her sad expression breaking my heart. Davian opened his eyes and looked at the two of us.
"You really love her," he stated simply.
"She's my Bloodmate," I told him never taking my eyes off of Dana. "I have been waiting for her all my life."
"I'm surprised she agreed to marry you," Davian said with a chuckle. "I mean after seeing what an ass you can be I would think she'd run and never look back."
"He can be a handful," Dana agreed laughing lightly, "but I know how to put him in his place."
We all shared a brief laugh before there was a light tap at the door. Davian waved his hand and the door flung open to reveal the girl that had led me here. She walked into the room and looked us all over. She turned to face her master and sunk into a low bow.
"What is it Sheba?" Davian snapped.
"Forgive my intruding," Sheba said never coming out of her bow, "but your father has sent a message asking what has become of Darrin. I sent one back saying he successfully found you and his fiancée. His reply wasn't a very pleased one."
"What did he say?" Davian asked crossing his arms over his broad chest.
"He wishes for you to open a portal so he may address your brother in person," she replied finally straightening up.
Davian sighed and waved his hand again. The shadows lurking in the dark corners of the cottage swirled around much like they had in the library and a small opening appeared letting a bright light stream into the room. Sheba shrunk away from it with a snarl and ran out the door. I could see three figures walking through and could make out the powerful form of my father. He, my mother, and Chris all stepped through the portal and into the small room of the cottage. Dana let out a small cry and ran towards Chris. His arms closed around her as he held her tightly. Mother and Father stood stiffly by Davian as we all looked upon the warming scene.
"Are you alright?" Chris asked as he pulled Dana from his embrace.
"I'm fine," she assured him with a smile. "I just hope all this shadow travel doesn't hurt the baby."
"It won't," Davian answered her with a shrug. "You travel through shadows everyday and don't realize it. All it may do is give the fetus the ability to control the shadows when it's older."
"Fetuses you mean," Chris told him looking over Dana's head to meeting his eyes. "Harrison called me with Dana's last test results. It showed that you are having triplets."
"That means I'm having three babies!" Dana shrieked her eyes growing wide. She whipped her head around and glared up at me. "You are an awful person."
"How am I supposed to control how many babies you have?" I defended myself. "You're forgetting that it takes two to make one baby as well as three."
Dana let out a huff as she turned to face my father. He glared down at her, his nostrils flaring. Dana glared back just as fierce as she clenched her fists at her side. My mother looked between the two and over at me raising her brow. I shrugged my shoulders and went to stand beside Dana. I wrapped an arm around her slender waist and pulled her to my side. She turned her body towards mine and wrapped her arms around me, never taking her eyes off of my father.
"I see you found her," he said finally breaking eye contact with Dana.
"Yes," I said stiffly. "Now what do I have to do to prove myself."
"Her birth parents are dead?" Father questioned. I nodded once and Dana cast her eyes down, she shoulders slumping slightly. She didn't like being reminded that she was by definition an orphan. "Then you must seek their approval to marry their daughter."
"And how pray tell can I do that?" I asked narrowing my eyes.
"You have to seek out the Land of Lost Souls," he explained pacing back and forth. "Once you have found the location you must travel into its depths and seek out the parted souls of her parents. You must then bring them to me so that I can be sure you really completed the task. I'll give you two months to pass my test. Then and only then can you begin your life with the girl."
Silence filled the small room as we all stared at my father. His eyes met mine and a smug smile spread across his face. Dana looked up at me, her expression unreadable. I looked down at her trying to find the right words to say. Chris looked at us both sadly as did my mother. Davian stared blankly into the fire. I let out a long drawn out sigh before looking back at my father.
"Alright," I said, "I accept your challenge."
X X X
Finally back at the mansion, I stood in the weapon's room staring at the vast collection. I had already armed myself with a bow and a quiver full of arrows. Strapped to my back along with the bow and arrows was a large broadsword. A dirk hung at my hip along with several small daggers. I was debating on what else I should take when Dana walked into the room. She looked up at me sadly as she came closer. I felt her small arms wrap around me as she nuzzled her face into my chest. I buried my face in her hair and breathed in her sweet scent.
"Do you really have to do this?" she asked in a small voice.
"Yes," I sighed. "If I want to assure a secure life for you and the children I must do this."
"But it is impossible," she whispered her voice shaking slightly.
"Nothing is impossible," I said gently taking her face in my hands and making her look at me. "You taught me that."
She gave me a small smile before standing on her toes and bringing her lips up to mine. I kissed her back gently, my hands sliding into her hair. Her arms came up and wrapped around my neck pulling me closer and deepening the kiss. We broke apart and she smiled at me, a light blush dusting her cheeks. I chuckled softly and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She smile faltered as her eyes filled with tears.
"I don't want you to go," she said sadly. "Why can't your family just leave us alone?"
"They would have found out somehow," I told her wiping away the tears that cascaded down her face. "And it's not like we can run from them."
"Why not?" she whined her eyes pleading with me.
"They would find us and take you away from me," I said softly, "all of you. I couldn't stand it if anything were to happen to you…or our children."
"I hate your family," she huffed her eyebrows knitting together.
"They all aren't bad," I assured her. "My sister is still filled with sweet innocence and my grandfather is quite hysterical at times. As for Davian, he is my brother and I hold some respect for him. Mother means well…I think. And Father has always been like this."
"When you come back and the children are born he is never to see them," she told me firmly her expression hardening. "From what you've told me of your childhood he was a cruel man."
I only nodded as I pulled her closer to me. She sighed and rested her cheek on my chest. I rubbed soothing circles on her lower back as we gently swayed from side to side. I looked up as another presence entered the room. Davian leaned against the doorframe not looking at us. I raised one brow in question and his eyes met mine.
"It's time," he told me before pushing off of the doorframe and walking down the hall.
I looked down at Dana and she looked up at me sadly. We walked out of the room and down the hall, our hands held tightly in the others. Her fingers threaded through mine and she squeezed my hand gently. I returned the squeeze as we walked into the library. Cain and Davian stood side by side while the rest of our families stood around the large room. Chris smiled at us reassuringly as did Abel. Clarissa beamed up at me from my mother's side while my father glared over her head. Grandpa was standing in the center of the room, for once standing to his full height. I could still see the powerful, strong young man he had once been before the hands of time caught him it its cruel grip.
"You understand the task presented to you?" he asked me in a strong voice.
"Yes," I replied letting go of Dana's hand and stepping towards him.
"Two months is all you have," he told me sternly. "If you do not return on the 11th of the second month, then the fate of your mate falls with us. Should you return beyond that date, you can do nothing once we have made our decision, our word is final."
I nodded once and squared my shoulders back. Grandpa looked me over once before nodding as well and stepping to the side. Cain and Davian both held up their hands, a look of concentration coming over their features. A sudden surge of energy and darkness filled the room as a strange light appeared before them. I watched as slowly a glowing portal opened before me. I could see nothing past the blinding light that spilled from the opening.
"Go through the portal and you shall be in the Land of Lost Souls," Father told me coming forward. He held out something in his clenched hand. I stepped towards him, holding out my own hand. He dropped in it a faintly glowing black stone. "Once you have the girl's parents break open this stone and it shall return you here. Remember: two months is all you have."
I nodded and put the stone in a leather pouch hanging from my belt. Raven walked towards me, a black pack in her hands. I took it and opened it to find food, extra weapons, supplies to make a fire, and sleeping gear. I nodded to her in thanks and she went back to stand with my clan. Dana rushed towards me and pulled me down into a hard kiss. I wrapped my free arm around her and held on tightly as I kissed her back. She pulled away and I could see new tears sliding down her face. She walked away from me and into Abel's arms. She turned her face into his chest and cried quietly into his shirt.
I looked at her longingly before walking towards the portal. Davian and Cain's face showed the strain of holding the portal open, a light sheen of sweat forming on their brows. I quickly ran through the portal the warmth of Dana's lips still lingering on mine.
A/N: Land of Lost Souls sounds like a cool band name….maybe I should learn to play an instrument and get some singing lessons and start one up hahaha. I wonder how hard it is to find two dead people…guess you'll have to wait till next time to find out! And yes, Dana is having triplets. Here soon I'll be asking you all for name suggestions so be looking out for that. Reviews are like kittens which make me smile…so make me smile and review!
