Dark Shadows

By Natalie Hancock

Layla is incredibly weak from serious wounds after the attack and the hunger raging inside of her does not help. When Shade tempts her, with not just his body, but with his blood also, Layla struggles harder than ever. As much as she wants his blood pouring into her mouth while he takes her, she cannot do it. Her secret, her hidden identity will get out—and that she cannot handle.

Layla tries to continue to live her life as normal, however, things turn bad when Layla and Nikalye discover something and Layla has to fight for her life, putting everyone in serious danger.

Layla is on the lookout now, and the only distraction is Shade. When he speaks, when he breathes down her neck and touches her, she cannot remember anything but him. When they get intimate, it is all she can do to keep herself breathing as he pleasures her. She cannot understand how they both react so strongly with each other, but she does not care.

Yet she feels as though something is going to go horribly wrong, not with Shade and herself, but something else, something bigger...and she is not wrong.

It is worse than before and Layla has no choice now but to reveal who she really is, and risk everyone hating her for the rest of her time in the academy.

What is her secret?

• Language: English
• Publisher: eXtasy Books Inc
• Release date: May 15, 2012
• ISBN: 9781771111676

Natalie Hancock

Natalie is a hyperactive writer of Paranormal Romance books. She writes about vampires mainly, but would like to write stories of other paranormal creatures. Natalie loves to read, listen to loud rock/hardcore music, game, and look after her crazy animals. She also loves vampires! She's a true believer of all things supernatural.

Book preview

Layla is incredibly weak from serious wounds after the attack and the hunger raging inside of her does not help. When Shade tempts her, with not just his body, but with his blood also, Layla struggles harder than ever. As much as she wants his blood pouring into her mouth while he takes her, she cannot do it. Her secret, her hidden identity will get out—and that she cannot handle.

Layla tries to continue to live her life as normal, however, things turn bad when Layla and Nikalye discover something and Layla has to fight for her life, putting everyone in serious danger.

Layla is on the lookout now, and the only distraction is Shade. When he speaks, when he breathes down her neck and touches her, she cannot remember anything but him. When they get intimate, it is all she can do to keep herself breathing as he pleasures her. She cannot understand how they both react so strongly with each other, but she does not care.

Yet she feels as though something is going to go horribly wrong, not with Shade and herself, but something else, something bigger…and she is not wrong.

It is worse than before and Layla has no choice now but to reveal who she really is, and risk everyone hating her for the rest of her time in the academy.

What is her secret?

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Dark Shadows

Copyright © 2012 Natalie Hancock

ISBN: 978-1-77111-167-6

Cover art by Martine Jardin

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by eXtasy Books

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Smashwords Edition

Dark Shadows

Cursed in Darkness Book Two

By

Natalie Hancock

To my sister, Shelby, who read every single change I made and loved every single one.

Prologue

"Where is Father?" I asked.

"In a meeting. the murders have gotten worse and something needs to be done, Mother replied as she pushed the black mats on the floor with her foot. The humans have left no traces for us to follow. It is as though they weren’t even there." Mother sighed wearily and shook her head.

Father did not want me to know this, of course, but Mother had told him plenty of times not to keep anything a secret. Besides, I had ways of knowing. He knew this, but he tried not to think about it. He raised me up to be strong, and that was what I was doing.

"Where is Akila?" I faced Mother in the middle of the hall. As Father was in a meeting today, Mother was training today’s lesson.

"She is most probably in the study, reading and writing. You know her." She smiled and I couldn’t help but smile back. Mother was the most beautiful woman I had ever met. She could make the saddest person smile with her own.

"She isn’t the violent type," I agreed. Then I smiled widely.

"Layla. Mother kissed me on the forehead. Let us begin." She took a step back, standing straight-backed. Mother would not hit me first, just as Father would not. She would wait for me to make the first move and use that against me.

I took a deep breath, emptying my thoughts and calming myself. I shifted, sliding my left foot along the floor and turning my body to the side slowly. I wasted no time planning my moves but jumped up high, kicking out with my right leg.

Mother stepped to the side and with a simple hand on my chest, she pushed me to the mat.

"You know you should always plan your moves. If you don’t plan, you will not know whether it will work or not."

"Nikalye said that."

Mother helped me to my feet and placed her hands on my shoulders as she bent to look me in the eyes. And you should listen to him. He is a warrior, he knows his stuff.

"True. Nikalye had never been hurt in a battle before, and it was what made him a valuable asset to my father’s guards. Okay, I said. Let’s try again."

Mother smiled and stood up straight once more.

I bent, stretching to touch my toes before I dropped to the floor, intending to knock Mother’s feet from under her. She jumped as I stood up straight and spun, kicking her in the stomach and knocking her to the floor.

Her laugh sounded like music that echoed around the room. Well done, Layla.

"Are you okay?" I helped her to her feet.

"Of course I am. If I were to get hurt during our sessions, why would I do it?"

"You wouldn’t, I answered, smiling. I cannot help but ask."

"I know, and as much as I love your concern, I am not likely to get hurt, am I?"

I shook my head. No, you won’t. I moved into the middle of the hall once more. This time, Mother attacked first. She twisted her body quickly, moving around me until she was behind me. She spun and kicked me in the back before spinning once more and slamming me to the mat.

I groaned. Did you have to?

Mother laughed and pulled me to my feet. Always expect the unexpected, isn’t that what Warrior Nikalye always taught you?

"Yes," I said stiffly.

"Come now, don’t have that attitude. If I go easy, what will you learn?" she quoted Father’s words.

"Logic," I muttered before lifting my leg up high and kicking Mother in the face. I twisted around, dodging her own kick and kicked her in the back before I knocked her to the floor. I spun as she flipped herself up to her feet and kicked her twice, once in the stomach and another in the head.

She moved impossibly fast and I turned and ducked her fist before punching her in the face and kicking her in the stomach. She fell to the floor as I wiped the sweat from my face. I heard her gasp in a breath.

"That is not possible," she whispered.

I turned, looking behind me where Mother stood. I had not seen her move from the floor, let alone move behind me. What is not possible?

She did not answer, she just looked at me with a mixture of shock and fear. I did not know what had caused Mother to react this way.

I stepped forward with my hand raised. Mother— She grabbed my hand, twisting it fast and forcing a cry of pain from me as I fell to my knees.

"How did you do that?" she asked, putting her face close to mine. Her expression changed quickly to one of hate.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," I said calmly, though I felt anything but. She slapped me hard enough to draw blood. Pain stung my cheek and I fought back the tears. I would not start crying, not when Father had beaten me senseless during our training session before and I had never once cried. I would not start now.

"You’re a liar!" she spat, tightening her hold on my hand.

"Get off me!" I yelled.

"Not until you tell me how you did that."

"If I knew what you were talking about, then I would!" I screamed at her. She slapped me again, this time with the back of her ringed hand. I felt the diamonds scratch my skin and cut me deeply, and I felt the blood slide down my face and drip onto the black mat.

"Do not! Do not speak to me that way! She hit me again, this time with her fist before she grabbed my hair and pulled my head back. How. Did. You. Do. That?" she asked slowly.

I did not answer. She would not listen to me and I had no idea what she wanted me to say.

She let go of my hand after one final squeeze and wrapped her slender fingers around my throat, squeezing me slightly.

"I will ask you once more, if you do not tell me, I will kill you."

"And Father will kill you," I said calmly. She backhanded me once more, her rings cutting in deeper this time and sending more blood cascading down my face and onto my clothes and the mat. She didn’t stop there, she slapped me again, opening my wounds further before she drew her hand back to slap me again.

A hand closed around her wrist and squeezed, causing her to cry out and turn to the offender. She stopped short when she saw Father’s livid expression. Nikalye came to my side as soon as Father drew Mother away.

"Explain yourself!" he demanded.

"Her! She is an abomination!" Mother screamed. Father moved quickly and slammed her into the wall with his large hand around her throat. Nikalye turned my face away from the scene and moved some stray hair out from my bleeding cuts as Doxiak knelt by my side also. He placed his hand on my neck. I flinched, unable to help myself.

"Sorry," I muttered.

"Do not be," Doxiak murmured as Nikalye took my hand.

He placed his hands on either side of my head, over my ears. I knew this was to block out Mother and Father, but it was also the closest area to my cuts without having to touch them. I closed my eyes, squeezed Nikalye’s hand and felt another hand slip into mine, a smaller hand, soft and warm. I squeezed it gently and she squeezed back.

"What will happen now?"

"I do not know, Akila," Nikalye muttered his reply as warmth flooded through my entire face.

"It cannot be good. They have been together for ages, and now she turns on Layla."

"Yes, that is true, but why did she do that?" Doxiak asked, directing his question at me.

"I don’t know. She kept asking me how I did it, and I didn’t know what she was talking about, so she hit me."

"How did you do what?" Akila asked gently, her soft voice soothing me.

"I don’t know. If I had known, I would have answered to avoid being beaten."

"Why wasn’t she specific?" she asked it more to herself than to anyone else.

"We do not know at this time, Akila."

"She will continue to get to me," I whispered, my words aimed at Nikalye more than the others. He was silent for a long time.