Darkness Fades

Chapter 9

“Monarch must have made you like me,” I tell him, but I’m not sure if that’s right or not. I’m only guessing, just like I have with everything else.

“You think?” he asks with a crook of his brow.

My shoulders rise and fall as I shrug. “I’m not sure… I wish I had better answers, but I don’t, and I don’t know how to get them. Hopefully, this new colony will.” I rotate towards Maci, who’s resting on the lip of the rock, and maneuver my way over to her.

Once I get up there, I lean down and scan her over for bite marks. “Are you okay? You didn’t get bit, did you?”

She’s curled in a ball and looks terrified to death with her arms cradled against her. She shakes her head, a faint smile on her face. “No bites. You kept them all away, Kayla; you saved me just like I knew you would.”

I smile back at her, but it’s difficult after what happened, not just with the vampires, but also with Aiden.

Aiden starts to climbs over to me and then lands beside us on the ledge. “Is she okay?”

I nod. “Yeah, for now.”

“We should get going in case they come back.” His voice is full of confusion as he stares out at the dark, silent land in front of us. I remember the first time the vampires ran away from me and I felt the same way. That something had to be wrong and they’d come back at any moment to finish me off.

I move to let Maci hop up on my back, but Aiden gently pushes me out of the way. “Let me carry her up.”

I shake my head. “No, you don’t have any of her blood on you. I’ll carry her in case any vampires come back. At least your scent may chase them off.”

He runs his fingers through his dark hair, sweeping strands out of his face, frustrated, then moves away and nods. “Okay, but I’m not sure if I really believe it’s me that sent them running, just so you know, so don’t blame me if they come back and decide they want to eat us.”

“Okay,” I say and then turn so Maci can crawl up on my back. She does so with a struggle, although she does manage to get on and hold tightly.

Aiden grows quiet as he gets lost in his own thoughts and turns in the direction the vampires ran away. Then, looking torn, he returns to the cliff’s side and starts to climb up. I follow, moving a little slower, though I make it up to the top then move Maci to my arms and carry her so she doesn’t have to hold her weight. Aiden leads us through the darkness down the trail that dips into the rocks, leading us toward the cave.

It’s silent the entire way, but I’m edgy at every shadow and movement. Eventually we arrive at a cluster of large rocks blocking the path and Aiden climbs up and then drops down. I follow, landing a little loudly. There’s rocks surrounding the area and Aiden rolls the largest rock out of the way, revealing a cave nestled behind it. I carry Maci inside. There isn’t much room and when we enter it, it makes the fit even tighter, yet we somehow manage and Aiden seals us in with the rock.

I hear footsteps and spot Greyson and Nichelle moving up towards us as I set Maci down upon the floor.

“Is Maci okay? Is she hurt?” Greyson asks, flipping on a flashlight.

“She’ll be all right, I think,” I reply, though I’m not so sure. “Her arm’s broken, and she has some cuts and gashes.” I pause then glance at Aiden who’s leaning against the cave wall. “We were attacked by a herd of vampires.”

Greyson gapes as he shines the light onto Maci, curled up on her side with her hair blocking her face. “Did she get bitten?”

“No,” I reply and look back at Aiden, wondering what he’s thinking, wondering how he knew to come back to us. “But if Aiden hadn’t shown up when he did then… well, I don’t think we would have made it back.”

He looks back at me with a confident grin on his face. “Only because I’m a badass.” His weird behavior instantly returns, leaving me again wondering what’s causing it. If it’s just the Day Taker blood in him or maybe something else.