The Dark Prince (The Dark Light Series)

  Dorian chuckles and flicks my lip gently. “No, little girl. I told you. Chris and Donna are not ready to see me.”

  “They know there’s nothing they could do to make me stop seeing you. Maybe it’d be good for them to see that you really don’t intend to kill me,” I say with nervous laughter.

  Dorian nods. “In time, but not at Morgan’s house. We shouldn’t ruin her day. Besides, we need to be sure there are no other witnesses just in case things become hostile.”

  I look at Dorian quizzically. “You wouldn’t hurt them, would you?” After witnessing just a fraction of Dorian’s incredible power, Chris and Donna would be annihilated in the blink of an eye.

  “Of course not. But I can’t say the same about you. You aren’t in control of yourself yet.”

  Huh? Dorian thinks I would hurt them? “What are you talking about?”

  “Gabriella, you are still so raw. You are completely ruled by your emotions. If things became heated, I don’t know how you’d react. I could defend myself. They could not.”

  I think of how I left things with my parents less than a day ago- my hands trembling violently, my eyes burning with unseen frost and every light flickering throughout the house. They were afraid of me, and I liked it. Their fear empowered me. My parents wanted to keep me from Dorian and I was ready to strike like an untamed animal. He’s right; I am a serious danger to them.

  “You’re right,” I nod solemnly. “The sooner I move out, the safer they’ll be. Will the apartment be ready by graduation?”

  “It will be. Or you could come here and stay with me.”

  I choke on my own saliva, hacking into my palm. “Um, are you serious? You just told me you were sent to murder me and now you’re asking me to move in with you?”

  Dorian shrugs, his mouth twisting into an uneasy, hopeful grin. “I know it seems too soon for us; I understand that. But you need to be protected, Gabriella. I need to make sure that whoever is out there lusting for your blood doesn’t get near you.”

  He lets out a breath then shakes his head. “And I just want you here with me. Always. I know it’s selfish of me to request that of you but it’s the truth. Having you near mollifies me in a way that I can’t describe. I’ve never felt this…good. I’m completely addicted to you and I’m not sure how to deal with that.”

  What happened to the elusive, enigmatic man that totally beguiled me with just a look? Dorian’s words leave me speechless; there’s not much I can say in response. Of course I feel the same way. Of course I only want to be where he is. I’ve been battling my own addiction to him, feeling more and more drawn to him with every passing second we’re together. Part of me wants to pull back and put some space between us so I could gradually wean myself from my insatiable craving for him. Yet I know that I could never be strong enough to actually stay away. Even as I stared at that photo for the first time, the evidence of Dorian’s betrayal looking back at me, I couldn’t stay away. And now that I know how he feels, now that I know he loves me too, all resistance is futile.

  “Why do you think that is? I mean, I understand why we’re drawn to each other; I get that level of crazed need to feel you. But why me? And why does it suddenly feel so…intense?”

  Dorian takes my hands in his, pulling me to face him. “Every time I touch you, every time I breathe you, that feeling of frenzy intensifies. I take you inside of me; I absorb your life force. I know you don’t understand how deep of a connection that is just yet. But willingly giving yourself for the sake of pleasure is one of the most intimate acts for us, both Dark and Light alike.”

  He brings my hands to his lips, trailing soft kisses on each knuckle. “Little girl, we, the Dark, don’t love easily. It’s a notion that is rare for our kind. So when we find it, we don’t take it lightly. We fight for it. We die for it.”

  Die for it? Dorian has said that he would gladly die for me yet the words still surprise me. But the nagging reminder that his ravenous lust for my essence could accidentally kill me nudges my sensibility before I give into his request.

  “As much as I want to spend every second of the rest of eternity with you, I think there are too many doubts, too many questions for right now. I want to be with you; I know that for sure. But we have to sort this shit out, Dorian. What we have- what I thought we had- is in repair. Hell, I’m in repair. Plus I want to room with Morgan. We’ve planned this for months and I won’t let her down.”

  Dorian nods, giving me a tight-lipped grin. “I understand. You’re right to be reluctant. And it’d be for the best. The more we are together, the closer we are, the harder it is to resist. We should be smart about this. Our lives are already at stake. No need to make things even riskier.”

  “Thank you,” I smile. “Speaking of Morgan…you know about her, right? How she’s different?”

  “Yes, I know,” he nods. Dorian looks at me with a furrowed brow. Something about this topic troubles him. “When I told you I would protect your friends, I meant it. When I tried to make good on that promise, I learned that Morgan already had a protection spell around her. Something that even I could not penetrate. I am Dark, but Dark magic and black magic are two different things. Even still, I am considerably more powerful than any Vodou.”

  “Mr. Pierre? Could he have done something?”

  “No, it wasn’t him. He has the gift of sight but he can’t use. The only thing I could think of would be if a powerful force of black magic actually was sacrificed for this one spell. But who would do that? Then I did some digging. You know about Morgan’s grandmother, right?”

  “Right,” I answer meekly.

  “She was very powerful for a priestess. But her life was short-lived. She died suddenly, a few years back. No one knew what caused her death. Do you know what triggered her sudden demise?”

  I shake my head slowly. What is he getting at? “No, Dorian. I don’t.”

  He looks at me with remorseful eyes, and reaches out to stroke my cheek. “Her son and his family moved to Colorado Springs. And her granddaughter instantly befriended another young lady. On the outside, this new friend seemed innocent enough. But her grandmother learned that this girl was very different. Very special. Very dangerous. And she sacrificed herself to give her family one last gift.”

  Tears pool in my wide, horror-stricken eyes. “Morgan’s grandmother killed herself to protect Morgan from me?”

  “Yes, my love. Do not be saddened. Even Morgan’s father does not know the truth and he never will. That form of magic is unnatural, and our kind avoids it all costs. She did us all a kindness, you will see.”

  I look at Dorian in disbelief. “How can you say that? Her grandmother killed herself to protect Morgan from me! Killed herself! Am I that horrible, Dorian? Am I that much of a monster?”

  “No, of course not! Don’t you dare think that this is your fault. People fear what they don’t understand. And you have to remember, you are not an ordinary person. You are a goddess amongst mere mortals. Shit, you are a goddess to me.”

  Dorian’s words stop me up short. Again, he is right; I am not just some regular person on the street. People will fear me, and rightfully so. But to think that Dorian looks at me in such a high regard startles me. His love is enough. That is all the devotion I need.

  “Do you fear me, Dorian?”

  He looks away, pondering my question before meeting my gaze. “I only fear losing you. The Dark are fearless. We are one of the most powerful forces on Earth. There is virtually nothing to fear.”

  Dorian brushes my cheek adoringly with the back of his hand, causing me to nestle into his touch. “But you, my love, hold the most powerful magic that this world has ever seen. And I am in love with you. You could easily decimate me by simply taking your love away.”

  I look at Dorian in amazement, taken aback by his admission and wistful expression. I could hurt him? I don’t care about the magic I will ascend into on my 21st birthday. I don’t care about being the most feared force on Earth. All I want is Dorian. Hurt
ing him- losing him- would crush me just like it would him.

  “Dorian, I would never do that. You have to know that. And I would never physically hurt you. How could I?”

  Dorian laughs heartily and I can’t help but feel relieved at his lightheartedness. “You just don’t get it, do you? By linking myself to you, I’ve made your emotions my own. But I’ve also allowed you access to my heart. You control it; it is yours. If you stopped loving me, it would literally kill me.”

  Now I understand; I see why Aurora was so upset with Dorian for creating the bond. I could kill Dorian. If I suddenly decided that I didn’t want him anymore, he would die. I would never do that, but the thought that I hold that much power over his life terrifies me to my core.

  “Dorian, why would you do that? How could you?”

  “I told you, Gabriella. We die for love. It is not something we take lightly. So I really hope you are serious about your affections for me,” he laughs.

  I look at him in disbelief. How can he take this so casually? “I would never do that, Dorian. I love you wholeheartedly. But I really wish you wouldn’t have done that. Don’t you know I have a reputation for being painfully indecisive and conflicted about my feelings? Not to mention, my fear of commitment.”

  “I’m well aware of your human life, Gabriella,” he replies gravely.

  I sigh and shake my head at my blunder. I really have a way with words. “I don’t mean it like that.” I reach both my hands out to cup his, squeezing a bit. “I’m not going anywhere. Ever. I’m just afraid of that much responsibility.”

  Dorian looks at me questioningly, a smirk playing at his lips. “You better get used to responsibility. You do know what the Light have planned for you, right?”

  “Is it any different than what the Dark want from me?”

  “Touché,” he snickers.

  “Can you…tell me about them? The Light? I know virtually nothing about that side of me, other than what Natalia wrote in her journal.”

  “What is it you want to know?” he asks dryly, his face blank of all emotion.

  I shrug. “I don’t know. What’s their power like?”

  Dorian chews his bottom lip then sighs his resignation. “I want to tell you that they are self-righteous, contradicting martyrs. That they are so outspoken and judgmental when it comes to our transgressions, yet they have no qualms about committing the exact same crimes in the name of the Light.

  “But that would just be my very biased opinion. The Light are just as powerful, if not more so, than the Dark. Why? Because they have faith. Not just in the Divine Power; we all bow down to the Divine. They have faith in the Light. Their belief is unshakable. This act of treason resulting in your creation initially stemmed from the Dark’s corruption, not theirs. And look at me now, sitting here with you, too weak and pathetic to kill you all because of love.” He shakes his head as if he still can’t believe it.

  “How can you say that?” I mutter. He thinks loving me is pathetic? Ouch.

  “Because the Light have always believed in love. We are a bit more stubborn in that aspect. And since it is not an emotion we know well, when we find it, we hold onto it. We die for it.”

  Again, Dorian speaks of dying for love. This isn’t just a figure of speech; it’s proclamation. The Dark’s deep devotion for their mates is unwavering. Even Aurora, who has been blatantly rejected by Dorian, is still willing to help him deceive his father and save me. Her love for him will never die. But how far does that go? Would she be willing to betray me in order to have Dorian to herself?

  I try to shake the reservations from my head, though I know there is more than an inkling of truth to it. Why wouldn’t there be? If I were in her shoes, and there was only a powerless girl standing between me and my happily ever after, would I be willing to kill for it? Could I kill for Dorian?

  I look down at Dorian’s hands enraptured in mine. I inspect the insides of them, raking my fingers against his palms. “How did you do that? Can you just turn it on and off at will?”

  Dorian gives me his sexy half-smile and spreads his hands out. Suddenly, they are engulfed in what looks like translucent light blue flames. I quickly yelp and recoil, pulling my hands back. Dorian laughs at my trepidation.

  “It’s okay. I won’t hurt you,” he smiles. He looks like a little boy showing off his shiny new toy. “Don’t be afraid.”

  I scoot forward cautiously and fold my bare legs in front of me. Slowly, I extend my hand towards his into the mystic blue fire hovering over his palms. Tiny bolts of electricity shoot up to greet me, sticking to my hand like static. It doesn’t hurt. It’s tingly, like the prickles that coursed through my body the first time Dorian’s lips brushed my skin. And it’s oddly cold, though it looks like his hands are on fire. I am completely mesmerized.

  “How?” is all I can mutter in awe.

  “We, both Dark and Light, draw magic from the elements. It is what powers us. I mainly draw from water.”

  I run my fingers down his hand, and the tickling sparks follow them. I giggle in amazement. “So that’s why rain helps you, right?”

  Dorian nods. “I can draw from any element as well as manipulate them. Water has always just been easier for me. It’s quite fitting, actually. The loose translation of my first name is ‘of the sea.’”

  “And what you did to my body- how you manipulated me- how did you do that?” I can’t even speak the words without blushing. Dorian made me feel as if he had a thousand hands, all caressing me at once, yet he didn’t even touch me. The recollection provokes dampness between my legs.

  Dorian smirks then inhales as if he can smell the sex on me. He closes his hands, causing the blue fire to dissipate. “I made love to your mind. You only think you felt those sensations. I have the ability to plant those thoughts in your head.”

  Talk about a mind-fuck.

  I bite my bottom lip and look down. Just talking about it arouses me but I know I have to go soon. I look outside at the grey, cloudy skies and frown. “I just hope the weather holds up long enough or there won’t even be a barbeque.”

  “It will. But it will rain tonight. After dark,” Dorian replies. I meet his gaze with question in my hazel eyes. “Gotta feed the beast, baby.” He leans forward and plants a kiss on my forehead.

  With an agitated sigh, I swing my legs off the side of the bed and stand up to make my way to the shower. I’m wearing only Dorian’s dress shirt from the night before with just a few buttons fastened, exposing a good bit of cleavage and a lot of leg.

  “Well, since you can’t come with me today, there’s something you can do to make it up to me,” I say, spinning around to face him before I reach the adjoined bathroom.

  “And what’s that?” he responds with a raised brow. He looks so amazingly sexy lounging on the bed, dressed only in black boxer briefs.

  “Hmmm, why don’t you meet me in the shower and find out?”

  And before I can turn around to tease him with my sultry exit, Dorian appears before me, trails of dark vapors dissolving around his frame. Then he shows me just how incredibly skilled he is at manipulating water, pleasuring me under the shower’s jets until my body is too weak and sated to withstand anymore.

  ***

  “Where the hell have you been, young lady?” Chris barks as soon as I step foot in the house. “You nearly gave us heart attacks. Do you know how worried we’ve been?”

  “Sorry, forgot my phone,” I mutter, brushing past him.

  “Is that you, Gabriella?” my mom calls out, scurrying from the kitchen.

  “Yeah. I’m back. Alive, obviously,” I say sardonically. I really don’t want to be here; it doesn’t even feel like home anymore.

  “So? Where were you?” Chris questions, following me into my room.

  I toss my purse onto my bed and kick off my sneakers. “With Dorian. And for your information, he told me everything. He was honest about why he came here. And you know what? He’s not going to do it; he can’t. Dorian loves me, and like
it or not, I love him too.”

  “And you believe him?” Chris is really beginning to annoy me with the third degree.

  “Most definitely. He can’t lie; he’s been spelled. And he’s taught me more about who I am than I would have learned on my own. He’s helping me deal with all this. And he is risking his own life to protect me. I seriously doubt a heartless killer would do something like that.”

  “It’s not that we think he’s heartless, dear. We’re just worried for you,” Donna says, feeling the tension radiating between Chris and I. I will myself to calm down, remembering Dorian’s reservations about meeting with my parents.

  “Well, don’t be. I appreciate you both, I truly do, but this is beyond you. Dorian wants to save me. I know you think he’s this bad guy but he’s not. He’s good. He has the ability to love, just like my father did.”

  “Dorian isn’t a bad guy,” Donna says reassuringly. Chris rolls his eyes and shakes his head before stalking out of my bedroom and down to his study. Donna’s solemn eyes follow his retreat before returning to me. “I just know what he’s up against. Even he can’t fight it.”

  “Because he’s the Dark Prince. Because his father is the king.”

  “Yes. No one defies him and lives to tell about it,” Donna replies gravely. “He won’t win.”

  I sigh and walk to my door, indicating that I’d like to be alone. I’m tired of talking about this. I just want some peace. I just want Dorian.

  “Look, I need to get ready for Morgan’s party. I’ll be ready to go in half an hour.”

  My mom nods and exits the room. She turns to look at me with mournful eyes. “I just want you to be careful. That’s all we want from you. You can’t save him and save yourself too.”

  Though Morgan and her family also reside in Briargate, their ranch style home is considerably more lavish and extensive. We pull up to the Pierre property nestled in a cul-de-sac in one of the more pricey areas of the neighborhood. Cars line the sidewalk and driveway, indicating that the party is already in full swing.