Dark Days (The Real World Series, Book Three)

By Elizabeth Lord

Elsie is fading fast and her magick is weakened when it is most needed. Gareth’s killers have escaped justice and are being hunted by both Jared and their own family. Chloe is determined to find her missing friend, despite the strange people that now call themselves her family. Liser is still in denial about her feelings towards the Human Peter. James and Ellie find themselves at the mercy of a depraved and sadistic ‘ghost’: their survival dependent on the whim of a cruel Hunter.

“The Vampire had laughed viciously and instead of killing them, he’d turned them ... and then abandoned them to find their own way into immortality”

“He sighed heavily. He hated involving Humans in the Supernatural. It never ended well. Humans had an idealised idea of what the world was, believing themselves to be the superior and ruling species: they fought their petty wars, had their little love affairs, ensured the continuance of their line and then died. They had no idea of what the real world was: of what surrounded them. They lived in an oblivious little bubble.”

“She was immediately distracted, as she returned his desire with an angry passion that he couldn’t help responding to. She pulled him quickly towards the bed, as she whipped his top over his head and he fumbled with hers. They fell in a tangled heap and savagely leapt at each other, desire to brand, mate and mark overwhelming every other thought in their eager bodies.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elizabeth Lord
• Release date: Jan 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310471285

Elizabeth Lord

I'm married with one son. I grew up on the outskirts of London and Kent but have subsequently lived in various places throughout England. I currently live in The Midlands.I have always been a real book worm and love nothing better than to escape into a story. I can remember sitting in my bedroom when I was about five years old, writing a story about a cat. I decided then that I wanted to be an author ... it just took me a few years to start!I read most genres but particularly enjoy Fantasy: there is something about that genre that challenges the reader to open their mind, to explore their imagination and to let go of the mundane.I'd like to take this opportunity to thank readers for their support. Please come and find me on Facebook: I love making new friends!Kind regards, Lizzie.

Book preview

Dark Days

Book Three of

The Real World Series

Vampires have evolved … the Emotes are here

By Elizabeth Lord

Copyright 2014 Elizabeth Lord

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Dedicated to my wonderful husband and son, who have encouraged and supported me in chasing the dream …

My friends & family, I love you dearly.

My Dad and Nan … I miss you every day.

Elizabeth Lord can be found on:

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Or just follow the smell of coffee …

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents are products of the author’s own imagination. They are not real.

Any similarities supposed or real, to either real or fictional characters and/or stories are a total coincidence. Any deliberate references (i.e direct quotes) are stated as such. Any resemblance to people (alive or dead), circumstances, incidents or fictional works are completely coincidental and unintentional.

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Please remember that the author has worked hard to produce this book. To read this story without paying for it (unless through an authorised promotion) would be like you going to work but not receiving a salary.

Dark Days

Book Three of

The Real World Series

Vampires have evolved … the Emotes are here

By Elizabeth Lord

Copyright 2014 Elizabeth Lord

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Man is the cruellest animal.

Friedrich Nietzsche

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Martin Luther King Junior

Oh, love isn't there to make us happy. I believe it exists to show us how much we can endure.

Hermann Hesse

Remember that all through history, there have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they seem invincible. But in the end, they always fall. Always.

Mahatma Ghandi

Dark Days

Book Three of

The Real World Series

Vampires have evolved … the Emotes are here

By Elizabeth Lord

Copyright 2014 Elizabeth Lord

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

CHAPTER ONE

James awoke by degrees. The pain in his body was intense. There literally wasn’t one part of him that didn’t feel burnt. Even his eyes felt as though they could easily pop from his face if he moved his head too quickly: which of course, he couldn’t … as his brain felt swollen and too big for his skull. His skin felt raw and over-sensitised.

He gradually became aware that he was laid on a hard floor. He was naked. He didn’t remember anyone stripping clothes from him but someone clearly had. Bile rose in his throat at the thought of someone handling his naked body whilst he’d been unconscious and what liberties may have been taken without him being aware.

He carefully lifted his head. His eyesight was a little blurry but he felt his optic nerves working with his regenerative cells, trying to repair and provide him with better sight. He was clearly indoors, which was a bonus, as his sunglasses had been removed with his clothes. He thought that he recognised the shape of the room but couldn’t be sure until his fuzzy eyesight cleared.

He looked around himself. He was in some sort of metal barred cage. It was small … cell-like … maybe seven foot square. There was nothing else in the cage … other than himself.

He reached out, grabbing a cell bar to pull himself upright as his legs felt weak. He received another electrical shock … that sent him jerking backwards. Pain vibrated through him once more, both from the electricity and the impact of hitting his head on the floor.

A cruel hard laugh barked from just beyond the bars. James squinted, sure that his eyes were not focussing correctly. He blinked hard, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

Mark stood there, proud and tall. He stood in the manner James remembered … so straight and masterful, certain of dominance over all he surveyed.

Impossible!

James had removed his head.

Stamped his face to smithereens.

Set fire to his remains.

He looked at the bars. Had the electrical shocks made him hallucinate: had the bang to his head damaged his brain badly enough that his cells hadn’t yet been able to repair it? His head hurt terribly but was that indicative of brain damage?

Mark laughed cruelly at James’ obvious shock and self-denial.

You know, James, when you kill someone … or try to kill someone … of our kind … it only works if you burn every part: fortunately for me, you missed a bit he laughed, flipping him off with the very finger that had secured him his regeneration.

Realisation spread over James’ face. Mark had regenerated. He hadn’t burnt all of him.

"You can’t escape, James … I’ve made sure of that. Your cells may have mutated again and again … but you’re still made up of a great deal of water … we all are. Water and electricity are a dangerous combination, as you’ve just found out!

So we’ll just sit tight and wait for your little play-mate to arrive … she’s sure to have found my note by now. You can watch whilst I fuck her til she can’t stand and then drain her to the point of death … again and again … and guess what? Magical powers or not … she’ll let me … to protect you".

Mark turned abruptly and left the room. James watched him.

Fuck! How was he going to escape this one? And before Ellie arrived? He couldn’t save her last time … would he now let her down again?

~~

Ellie went back outside and movement caught her eye. A note had been pinned to the wooden wall of her cabin, held in place with one of her own steak knives. The paper was heavy and ornate, as was the script that scrawled across it. It fluttered slightly in the breeze.

James is back where it all began, Little Witch: I look forward to seeing you again … they say that one taste is never enough. Does your neck throb in remembrance of me? I am not a patient man: do not keep me waiting long.

Her heart was racing so fast that it felt like it would burst from her chest … it literally hurt to breath: she struggled to draw air into her lungs, as she grappled with a reality that she didn’t want to accept. Her ears filled with the rushing noise of her blood being pumped around her body. She held her hand over her mouth in shock and disbelief.

Mark.

Mark was not dead.

The monster was alive and he had James.

James had ‘killed’ Mark: so what was Mark now doing in retaliation to her mate?

Help. She needed help. Her mind quickly ran through possibilities: with Jared away and Bobby still healing, she had little to choose from.

She grabbed the note, threw the knife on the counter top and grabbed her phone. She turned and ran back up the path. Holding her side, as it burned with a stitch, she ran as fast as she could to The Cottage and burst straight in.

Rose turned and looked at her daughter in shock.

I need your help Ellie panted I need it now. I cannot do this alone. I need you. But you must know … we may not come out of this alive.

Their differences were forgotten. Ellie was her daughter and she needed help. Rose frowned in consternation and pulled Ellie into a chair at the table.

Explain she demanded, slowly … and carefully.

"The Vampire … The Hunter: the one that kidnapped and abused me? The one that James thought he’d killed? He’s not dead and now he’s kidnapped James.

Hunters are vicious, Mam: cruel beyond your wildest imagination: they love to watch others in pain. Mark will be pissed at James for trying to kill him. There’s no telling how he will decide to punish him. I’ve got to go to them: but I know that there’s a chance that we won’t survive. Mark may kill us".

What about James’ coven?

"Jared is in London: he’s attending the trial of Gareth’s killers. Bobby had his hand severed and it’s still knitting back together, so he’s not in a fit state to fight. Mimi isn’t a strong fighter. Liser hates us … like I told you before, she blames us for Gareth’s death … there is no one else to help.

I thought that if you and I combined our magick, we might stand a chance against this monster".

Ok … where are we going … and when?

Now! Every minute we waste is a minute more that James is at Mark’s mercy … and we’ll need to take your car, as it’s way down South.

~~

Mark smiled cynically to himself. His original plan had been quite simple: leave James in the cage and then take his sweet time doing what he wanted to Blondie, as she was sure to submit in fear for her mate.

However, in retrospect, that seemed too simple: making James watch as he fed on and raped his mate would hurt him, certainly … but not enough. He would feel both his own pain and hers, through reading her emotions.

Mark relished that he was able to use the Light Emotes ability to read emotion against them, to cause them anguish: it was further proof that they were the devolution … not evolution … of the Vampire race.

Dark Emotes had consistently proved a useful tool for Hunters: they could read emotions but because they relished pain … seeking to cause it so that they could feed upon it … they were more in sympathy with The Hunters ideology. Dark Emotes were able to torture their victim mentally and emotionally, whereas Hunters did so physically. Between them they were able to break and completely subjugate their prey. Consequently, Hunters found Dark Emotes useful to own.

Light Emotes were scum though. They hated to cause pain as they, like their Dark counterparts, would automatically feed upon it. However, they disliked negativity immensely. Dark Emotes never formed attachments: they were totally self-serving and formed alliances only to improve their own situation … much like the Hunters. Light Emotes cared about both their own kind and those of other species: they actually sought to avoid causing pain. This was not only in direct opposition to The Hunters but proved their perverted nature: for perversion it truly was, to care for food stock … for humans … as though they were equals.

Mark sat back in his chair, pleased to be once more in his comfortable and opulent study. The damp and dank cave he’d regenerated in had offended his sensibilities. He was accustomed to luxury. He had never known hardship or deprivation in his entire existence and the cold, dirty cave had repulsed him as soon as he had regenerated enough brain to be aware of his surroundings. It had been a trial to stay there until he was strong enough to leave: to be unable to escape the pain, the pungent smell and the constant torment of his self-doubting thoughts.

He’d been worried that his handsome face would somehow be less so once regenerated … which had transpired to be a needless concern. Regeneration on such a large scale was rare and therefore little was known of its consequences. He’d been troubled by doubts about his ability to still shape-shift and his other supernatural gifts. That hadn’t been quite as unfounded: since returning, he’d only been able to shift into small animals or birds. He believed there to be a link between his now limited shifting abilities and his lack of strength: for although he was still far stronger than Humankind, he was much weaker than he’d previously been. He found these limitations irritating. He’d even had to send Henri to collect James, when it was a task he’d have preferred to entrust to no-one else. He hoped that his strength would return eventually but had no guarantee of it … which made him even angrier with James.

He smoothed his newly manicured hands over the now-dulled, especially adapted surgical tools that he’d ordered his pets to retrieve from the pyre outside the house. A tremor