Title: Dark Times
Author: Ageless Light
Beta-ed by: Nobody right now! But I'd like one! Please PM me if you are interested.
Characters/Pairing: Zacarias De La Cruz and Ashelia Sole,Amelyn Stormcloud and Dominic Dragonseeker, and Iris Airan and Lojos Jaegar.
Genre: Romance/Fantasy
Summary: The mission to Romania was just the starting point. Now that they have found each other, their stories were just beginning. The next installment to Dark Moments featuring our leading couples!
Rating: T (Contains content suitable for teens and older)
Status: Continuous (Incomplete)
Disclaimer: I do not own the Dark Series Universe or any of Christine Feehan's characters. I do own the OC's though. I went to babynames . com for my character names though. A nice reviewer PMed me and told me that the book the original concept of the Ways came from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series. I however, have altered their purpose, make-up, and description to fit my fic. They are very different since I haven't even read the story, but if you like epic fantasy books; I encourage you to check them out.
Spoilers: Up to and including Dark Slayer and parts of Dark Peril (The most recent novel in Feehan's Dark Series). This is the sequel to Dark Moments and I recommend that you read that first. You can access it through my profile
Created on: July 15, 2010. Edited December 21, 2010.
Word Count: 1,095 (Total: 6,034)
"Talk" – regular talking
Talk- Inner thoughts
"Talk"- Speaking telepathically
A/N: Installments, for lack of a better work, of Dark Times will be chronological, so you can think of this as a loosely structured story. It is in fact going somewhere but since I will be focusing on the different couples it may take a while. Just to be warned the length of these "chapters" will vary. Some will be as long as the chapters for Dark Moments and others will be as short as a drabble.
Chapter 2
Fate, Faith, Love and Pain
Morning had come a few hours ago and since the forest added shade an eerie mist slithered just above the ground. Beautiful emerald eyes looked at the breathtaking scenery before her as she leaned against one of the banisters on the wooden bridges suspended hundreds of feet in the air. Amelyn was in no danger of the sun but hid nonetheless, wanting to escape the scrutiny of others.
The pain could not be ignored and she did not want anyone to see her. Word would get back to her charge and she would not allow her princess to spend time worrying about her. Especially with everything else going on. She could handle it herself. Taking a few deep breaths she attempted to control herself while her mind echoed only her thoughts. That's the problem is it not? She asked herself and before she could control her urges she reached out among her telepathic link for her lifemate. Since it was daytime she knew he was resting underground and could not answer, but she could not help herself.
Being separated from him filled her with indescribable pain both real and imaginary. Her worst insecurities came out and her thoughts had trouble completing a full sentence. It seemed like the darkness could swallow her at any moment. Pavarotti's powerful voice rang loud and clear from one of the downtime rooms behind her and though it was her favorite version of Nessun Dorma it did not set her at ease like usual. It is my own fault she spoke to herself and in a rare display she rubbed her temples with her fingers trying to focus.
Dominic waited as long as possible but she insisted on resting after him. She needed to think, to process, and she couldn't do it with Dominic being in her mind. The pain and emptiness she felt while he slept, separating them, was agony but it was similar to what she felt when he was awake. I'm not sure how much longer I can hide it from him.
When they journeyed to South America Dominic's mission was to infiltrate the enemy's camp. Nightly he interacted with vampires, mages, and jaguars. Acidic vampire blood burned in his veins and he was subjected to torture to prove he was on their side. The parasites were the worst. Constantly whispering to him.
As his lifemate, Amelyn felt all of it. She was his link to this world and it was only her presence that saved him. Though that was true to all female counterparts, she doubted it was ever this true and painful before. For all intents and purposes, he was a vampire working with other master's to destroy the Carpathians.
It was a double edged sword. Now as a mated pair, he was saved. But because of his task infiltrating the enemy he now felt all of the unspeakable acts he had to commit. It was heartbreaking and the Kylierions could only add so much help without risking the truth. For every step of the way Amelyn had been with him. Parasites racked his body and though he slept she swore she could still feel them as they tore the pair apart from the inside. Flashes of cuts and stab wounds where vampire blood was poured in seemed to re-open and it took her several times to blink and clear her head.
"The staff meeting has been pushed back, again. There is no need for you to remain. Go rest." Caleb's voice pushed into her mind and relieved some of her pain and confusion without permission from her or a comment. For which she was grateful of. Her fellow guardian sounded tired even telepathically but thanks to him she found the strength to shift her form into mist and left the trees.
Carefully she maneuvered around the few spots where the sun's rays pierced the canopy of the tress and headed into a tunnel that would lead to her bed chamber where she could finally rest. I barely accomplished anything. Her frustration was evident but thankfully she didn't encounter any one on her path. I will have to think on this again, she vowed as she returned to her physical form. Passing through her small office, which was only because she was a guardian and therefore a senior staff member, she ignored the piles of paperwork and updates that needed her input and carried on.
Being with the Empire for so long she had grown up not taking pleasure from being buried in the earth like the rest of her race. Instead she always had a room that resembled a tomb in which she rested underground. Due to her high status, South America was no different and she was granted a bedroom carefully arranged in the tunnels that ran throughout their compound since construction began. Climbing gracefully into bed she glanced at how empty the furniture was and how it seemed to engulf her. It was cool underground but not cold and she could not really feel it. Nonetheless she grabbed a deep purple blanket that was ratty and filled with more holes around her. It was her favorite blanket given to her by a young Ashelia, one of the first purchases the young princess made with her own money. The memory filled her mind and helped chase away another wave of pain wracked her body and she could only just bare it. Burying her nose into the blanket she caught the smell of sun, warm air, suntan lotion, and the beach and it comforted her as she thought of what the coming days would bring.
One of the first tasks Dominic was given was to drain a human to prove his change to a vampire. Luckily the Kylierions were able to influence that event. As the best up and coming telepath, it was Iris who entered the vampire's mind and helped altered what their senses were telling him. Ashelia used her medical talents to put the poor captured man into a state of suspended animation. However, this next time it wouldn't be possible for their interference. Too many of the enemies were gathered in one place and both the Carpathians and Kylierions needed the information from this meeting. If they could not think of something soon, Dominic would be forced to break his oath and murder a member of the human race. Sighing softly, Amelyn slammed the door on her train of thought, and methodically shut down her lungs and stopped her heart; while locked safely within her room and let her spirit leave her body.
Thanks for reading! Please review and leave your thoughts/comments and advice!
Until the next chapter,
~Ageless Light
***Notes***
1-It took me forever to find a title for this chapter and oddly enough my brother was singing lyrics to the song "Love and Pain" by New found Glory. When I researched the lyrics I decided to name the chapter after the lyrics from the song.
2. Nessun Dorma- is an aria from Puccini's opera Turandot, and is one of the best-known tenor arias in all opera. If you translate the title it means "none shall sleep" I have never seen the opera but I've heard Luciano Pavarotti's recording (which is his signature aria) and it's so beautiful, so powerful that one could cry. I thought it was appropriate for this fic. I encourage you to look up this song and listen to it. I wrote this piece while listening to this and I feel it speaks so much more if you read this chapter and listen to this song.