Eternal Darkness: The Light Keepers Trilogy, #2

By Bettina Melher

There is something brewing in the town of Blackheath…something dark and ancient with the power to change the world forever.

Victoria knows that she should leave the past where it belongs—buried and forgotten—but her intuition tells her otherwise. She knows that there is more to her sister’s disappearance, and she can feel that her fight against the darkness is not over yet.

Victoria’s hunt for the truth leads her down deeper into the secrets and dangers of the world of magic. But with a new threat looming and an eternity of darkness waiting at the doorstep, she must prepare for her hardest challenge yet.

In this battle, failure is not an option.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bettina Melher
• Release date: Jun 14, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386952695

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

The warm summer air blew through Victoria’s long hair. Her head was resting on her hand, leaning on the open window of the Toyota Corolla rental. The highway wound through the towns and bushland on the way to Blackheath—a small town in the picturesque Blue Mountains.

Victoria closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. This smelled like home.

You’ve gone all quiet on me, Liam said, taking his eyes off of the road for a moment to look at her.

His voice freed her from her thoughts and she looked at him.

Are you all right? he asked, when she didn’t respond.

Victoria nodded. Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just this long weekend passed so quickly, and now that we’re on our way back home it feels like all of our problems will come back.

We’re going to be fine. There’s nothing to worry about.

Liam took his left hand off the steering wheel and placed it on Victoria’s thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze.

His touch made the butterflies in her stomach flutter again.

I’m sure Regina’s friends don’t suspect anything, and Sophie hasn’t contacted me for weeks. Besides, you’re not allowed to worry about anything yet. Until we reach Blackheath, we’re officially still on holiday. So we’ve got just under an hour left of being completely carefree.

Victoria laughed and that made her feel much better. She loved how Liam always knew the right things to say when she would start obsessing about what had happened.

Before they left for their holiday to Melbourne, Liam had been the one who couldn’t stop worrying. He had been paranoid about another demon returning or Regina’s friends threatening them in some way. But now, it seemed, the tables had turned.

Whatever it was, Victoria had a strange feeling. She could sense danger—something was brewing, but she just couldn’t figure out what it was yet. She shook her dark thoughts off and tried her best to enjoy the rest of their drive home. After all, Liam was right—they had some important decisions coming up about their future and Victoria was in no rush to make those just yet.

Victoria wished they could have stayed on their little getaway forever. She dreaded having to make a decision about her future, whether she should go to university or look for a job, if she should stay in Blackheath with her mother or if she should look at moving out. Mrs. Crane, her history teacher, was right when she advised her students to enjoy their last year as much as they could, as real life would hit them hard as soon as they graduated.

There was something else that was waiting for Liam and her—a talk with her mother, Alison.

We still have to talk to my mum, Victoria said.

I know, Liam said, not taking his eyes off the road.

Liam had been living with them since Regina had died at the hands of a demon who had set out to claim Liam’s soul. Her mother, and everyone else for that matter, believed Regina died of a heart attack and since Liam had no other family left, Alison agreed to let him stay with them, at least until he figured out what to do after school. The fact that Liam and Victoria were dating was something Alison was not so comfortable with.

Victoria knew that the talk would come once they arrived back home.

It’ll be fine. It’s not like your mum’s going to kick me out today, Liam said lightly.

Of course not, Victoria said.

But Liam couldn’t stay with them forever and Victoria had some decisions to make as well. The only problem was, she still had no clue what she wanted to do. Most people her age had an idea of what their future looked like, but Victoria didn’t.

To be fair, the recent events of her life had turned everything upside down and inside out. Nan’s death was difficult enough to take as it was, but it was her family’s secret that she uncovered afterward that had changed everything—had changed the purpose of her life.

Victoria was now a witch—a white witch who was one of many others around the world who fought to defend the world of the living from the shadows. The two worlds exist parallel to one another, with the entities in the shadows waiting to break through and thus throwing the world of the living into the shadows. If this were to ever happen, the world that exists in the present day would never be the same again. Satan, the devil, the dark lord—whatever the black witches called their ruler—would reign on this Earth and he would bring with him all the creatures and entities that resided in the shadows.

Victoria’s craft and magical powers had changed her as a person. Her newly found powers had enabled her to save Liam from being claimed by Razam, one of the shadow world’s most powerful demons. Razam had been unleashed by Regina in a sacrifice ritual. Although Liam’s sacrifice was unintentional, Regina had given up trying to change what she had done. If it weren’t for Victoria saving him, then Liam would not be here, and neither would Victoria.

But above all, the reason Victoria had chosen to awaken the powers that had been within her since birth was because she needed closure about her sister’s disappearance. Alison believed that a demon named Anyana had taken Natalie, but her body was never found. If a demon claimed a person’s soul, the body always remained. Except that wasn’t the case for Natalie’s—she had disappeared without a trace.

Victoria! Liam’s voice rattled her again. I’m serious, he said, almost laughing now, stop thinking about it.

Victoria ran her fingers through her hair and turned to face him. "I can’t. I mean, we have no plan of what we’re going to do next. With everything that happened, you still haven’t enrolled into uni, I don’t have a job, and I know that my mum won’t let you stay with us for much longer. We have to make a decision… We have to think about this. Whether you like it or not."

Liam was now the one who had gone quiet. Victoria waited for him to say something but his eyes remained fixed on the road.

So? What do you think? she prompted.

Well… it’s not like I don’t want to move back to Melbourne, Liam said. He hesitated, clearly too nervous to keep going.

But?

I don’t want to go without you.

The words hung in the air and Victoria felt a warm feeling spread through her body. In the short amount of time she had been with Liam she never actually thought that his feelings for her were so strong as to stop him from making his plans for the future.

She swallowed hard; suppressing the urge to kiss him and tell him that she loved him. They hadn’t yet declared their feelings for one another, and Victoria wouldn’t dare to say the three little words first, but she realised in that moment, that she really did love him.

Liam glanced at her again, his brows furrowed in deep concern for the reaction he was going to get.

Liam, I don’t want you to go but I also don’t know what I should do.

And I’m not expecting you to make a decision right now, Victoria.

You might not, but I know that my mum is waiting for one.

Victoria shook her head. Her attempt at not worrying about this until they arrived home had clearly failed.

I just can’t think about this now. I don’t know what it is, but something is telling me to try and find out more about my sister’s disappearance. I also need to find out who helped me fight Razam.

You still think that it wasn’t just your powers that defeated him? Liam asked.

Victoria appreciated his input but she knew that the whole witchcraft topic freaked Liam out. Especially after having a demon attach itself to him, the last thing he wanted to do was to talk about magic and witchcraft. Although he had never asked Victoria to stop using her magic like her mother had done after Natalie disappeared, Victoria knew that he had thought about it. If it weren’t for Victoria’s powers, she could have never saved Liam, and although he only wanted to ensure their safety, Victoria knew that by not using her powers they would be in more danger than if she didn’t continue.

No, I felt the different energies join mine and I could hear their chants inside my head. It was a group of witches.

Liam didn’t say anything. He just kept driving, giving Victoria time to think.

I know that you would prefer it if I just stopped with all this—

No, Victoria. I never said that, Liam interrupted her.

Liam, just listen. I completely understand. After all, my mum chose to just give up her craft too, but I can’t do that. At least not yet. I have to find out about Natalie and the demon that took her, and I need to find out who helped me fight Razam. I know you might not understand it, and that’s why I want you to know that you don’t owe me anything.

Liam shook his head. What do you mean, I don’t owe you anything?

Victoria could tell that he was hurt by what she said, but it was the truth. The last thing she wanted was for Liam to be with her because he felt that he owed her his life.

You know exactly what I mean. I saved your life and I don’t want you to feel obliged to stay with me or to help me with my problems. This is my family and I don’t want to put you into any kind of danger. This isn’t your world, and never was… Victoria trailed off.

Liam’s hard features softened and his hand found Victoria’s thigh once again.

I’m not going anywhere, Victoria. Besides, my aunt was a black witch who tried to sacrifice me to a demon—I mean, how much worse can things get?

He smiled at her, and his little joke had lifted the tenseness of the dark turn their conversation had taken.

Victoria leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his shoulder. She grasped his hand still sitting on her thigh and laced her fingers with his.

She was relieved to have Liam’s promise to stay by her side but she knew that he was naive to think that things couldn’t get worse. Things always had a funny way of getting worse.

Have you changed your mind about telling your mum about this, after all? Maybe she can help you? Liam said, his voice was cautious, as they had previously discussed this after Regina died.

Victoria shook her head. She had been waiting for Liam to ask her again. What he didn’t understand was that Alison would not be supportive of her quest to uncover the truth. She would force her to stop using her powers and expect Victoria to turn a blind eye to the problems and dangers that surrounded their family. Victoria had no choice but to keep going. She couldn’t stop now and unfortunately that meant having to continue lying to her mother about it.

No, Liam. I haven’t and I won’t. I know you’re concerned, but trust me, if I tell her it will only make things worse.

As long as you’re sure.

I am, and I promise, when the time comes I will tell her everything, but for now you have to promise me you won’t go behind my back and tell her yourself.

Liam looked at her pleading eyes. I promise.

Victoria smiled and looked at the open road before them. A sense of hope had returned and she felt confident that she was up for the challenge ahead of her. But the closer they came to Blackheath, Victoria’s good spirits and positive attitude began to fade away. She tried to ignore it, telling herself that she was only being paranoid, but her magical powers picked up on the growing dark energies nevertheless. She couldn’t ignore something that was intensifying with each passing moment.

As she considered what these energies could be, she thought about asking Liam to turn the car around, to turn back to Sydney and catch the next available plane down to Melbourne; and together they would run from the evil that seemed to have taken over their lives. But Victoria was a white witch and she had taken an oath. She was going to do Nan Rose proud and she would uncover the truth about Natalie and Anyana.

Victoria knew that in the world of witchcraft and magic, sometimes the most dangerous beings of all were not the demons and entities living in the shadows, but the humans who served those in the darkness. The very people who lived veiled lives, hiding behind a mask, only to wait for their opportunity to turn the tides and release the shadows into the light. Victoria knew that there were more witches out there—witches just like Regina had been. Perhaps even worse.

CHAPTER 2

Natalie was almost always in the company of other people. The only time she ever got to be completely alone was in the evenings when she went to bed. Although she felt safe, she knew that in the world of magic and witchcraft, safety was merely an illusion. No matter how experienced, how advanced a witch may be in her craft, nobody was completely safe from the dangers looming in the shadow world. But fear was not an option. Fear was irrelevant when a witch’s sole purpose was to protect the world of the living—the world of light.

Natalie was an advanced witch. She had learned her craft from the very best. Karst Springs Girls Boarding School may have appeared like a normal school to most, but for a select few it was also the place where they learned their craft. The school was their fortress—a safe place where witches of all levels could practice and learn the ancient powers of the light. The school was located eighty-six kilometres from Launceston, Tasmania, and was only a twenty-minute drive from the Mole Creek Caves that featured spellbinding Karst formations.

Natalie had spent the last nine-and-a-half years at Karst Springs. It was her home—her only home. The school had never before reached more than one hundred and fifty students at a time—of which currently only twenty-two of them were witches in training—and despite its small size, the school was impressive. The three-storey U-shaped building featured sandstone brick walls, steep gable roofs lined with dormers and chimneys. The white Georgian windows complemented the tan walls and the crimson roof. The open courtyard housed a lovely lavender garden and a water feature in the centre. Natalie had spent countless of hours sitting on one of the surrounding benches, reading, studying or just listening to the birds and the whispers in the wind. The kitchen had access to a large variety of vegetables and herbs from the garden adjacent to the east wing. Karst Springs was a beautiful school and under normal circumstances Natalie would not have had the overwhelming urge to leave. The difference was that most of the other students, teachers and caregivers could leave whenever they pleased, but Natalie was not so lucky. The life she had before she was forced to come here now seemed like a lifetime ago. But the memories of how it came to that point were as fresh as if it had only happened yesterday.

She had been robbed of the chance to say goodbye, to feel her mother’s warm touch one more time, to see her father’s face, and her sister’s beautiful smile one last time. She only remembered being taken away in the middle of the night by three older women she had never seen before. She couldn’t see her grandmother but she remembered hearing her whispers in her ear in a state of trance-like sleep. I’ll bring you back when it’s safe… You’ll be okay. We’ll see each other again.

Now all those years later, Natalie knew what had happened and why it had to happen like it had. Nan Rose was only trying to protect her, and that meant taking her away from her family.

Her life had been reduced to waiting—waiting to hear word from Nan that it would be safe to return back to her family. After Natalie completed her education, she had no choice but to stay at the school, working and helping the high priestesses in training the new students. She had begged them to let her go—to let her return to her real home—but they wouldn’t allow it. They couldn’t let her go until it was safe to do so. Not only would she be risking her own life, but she would put her family in danger as well.

Often it seemed like she was waiting her whole life away. The monotony of her days was beginning to get to her, especially in the last few years, when she no longer had the distraction of normal school life and constant studying. So Natalie remained confined to the school grounds, only allowed to venture as far as the perimeter allowed her.

It was maddening, and she was beginning to lose hope of Nan Rose ever calling.

Natalie spent most of her time helping younger witches with their studies and the newer students settle into the school. On paper her official position was boarding supervisor, although she mostly worked with the witch students; her title at the school was necessary for the ordinary girls and their parents should they ever ask. Her free time was spent cultivating and honing her own craft.

At twenty years of age, Natalie was well advanced in her craft as the result of being completely immersed in the world of magic and witchcraft. Her own Book of Light was already three-quarters full and each week she added more entries to her collection of spells and magical practices.

She loved what she was doing, but not having another choice, and being forbidden to return to her family, made her daily life unbearable at times.

When life really got hard and there was no more work left to do at the end of the week, Natalie would lock herself away in the Hall of Light, which was a large room hidden away in the basement of the school. It was where many of the ceremonies and rituals took place. She would go there with her crystal ball, and use it to visit her sister and mother.

Sometimes she would see Anyana’s face, but on the good days, when her head was clear and she concentrated hard enough, she would manage to see visions of her family. However, they never lasted long enough for her to clearly see how they were doing, or what their lives were like now. Something was blocking the channel for her to see through, and it would distort the true image. After countless attempts of watching them by using her crystal ball, she had only gathered that they still lived in the same house and that her little sister had grown into an attractive young woman. Their father had long left and for some reason Natalie could not reach out to him, either, in her attempts to see a vision of his current life. She didn’t even know if he was alive. The visions she did manage to see were just a little, but it was better than nothing—at least while she watched them for those few seconds she felt like she was a little closer to them.

Magda, the high priestess of their coven and headmistress of their school, who had been there the night Natalie was taken away, said that Natalie’s powers couldn’t get through because Anyana’s energy was still around her. What made it even more difficult was that her mother’s magical abilities had been shut down, so unless her sister could awaken hers, communication between the two of them was virtually impossible. Besides, it was still too dangerous.

Natalie? a gentle voice called through the door.

It was Vera.

Come in, Natalie said, without looking away from the window. The view from her room looked directly out over the lavender garden, and Natalie planned on doing her reading outside later that day, once the sun warmed the air.

The door opened.

Do you have a minute?

Natalie spun around and looked at her best friend. Pain and sorrow were etched into her usual cheerful and bright face. Her brown eyes shone with the hint of fresh tears.

What’s wrong, Vera?

Natalie immediately stood up, but Vera motioned for her to sit down on her bed again. When Natalie sat, Vera covered her mouth with her hand and closed her eyes for a moment.

She ran her fingers through her short brown hair and sat down beside Natalie.

It’s Rose… she began to say.

Natalie blinked at her, momentarily not understanding. She had been waiting to hear from Rose for all those years. She was expecting good news. So, why did Vera look like she’d been crying?

I’m so sorry, Natalie.

What? What is it? she asked. Her heart had already understood what Vera was implying but her mind refused to believe it.

She’s gone, Vera said, placing her hand on top of Natalie’s. Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them away.

Natalie didn’t speak. She couldn’t speak. Her mouth was open and she started to move her head from side to side, refusing to believe what she had just been told.

She died yesterday. Magda was just on her way to tell you, but I told her that I would do it.

How? Natalie said, her voice barely a whisper.

Old age. Her heart just stopped beating.

"But she was