Kiss of Darkness (Blackness Falls #3) (A Paranormal Romance Book)

By Shania Tyler

He lives in a world of darkness, but none is more powerful than that in his soul…

Maurice has always known one thing about himself.

He's really good at killing.

If there's a war, he's your man… or vampire.

He's a leader in the Rebel army, fighting to free the enslaved elves in his world.

But that's only one thing that Maurice has ever been good at during his many centuries.

Love.

After his heart is broken by the people who were supposed to love him most, he's found it hard to trust anyone again, and yet he's let his long-lost brother Ethan close.

But their loyalties are tested when Maurice realizes that his soulmate is a woman who will always be out of reach.

Meg is stunned when she finds out that Maurice is her soulmate, since there's a whole list of reasons they will never work…

1-  She's dating Ethan.

2- Maurice is bloodthirsty in a way that has nothing to do with him being a vampire.

3- Most importantly, the feelings he stirs inside her fill her with fear… and desire.

In the end, the old saying is true. Destiny must be fulfilled.

But when Meg is given the option for freedom from her destiny, does she take it?

And at what cost?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shania Tyler
• Release date: Oct 18, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393315483

Shania Tyler

As a young girl, Shania has always been fascinated with the world of vampires, dragons, fairies, elves and angles. So strong was her fascination that she always felt there is indeed such a world out there. A world where creatures of supernatural powers can transcend beyond time and space, not confined to the rules of the human world, and being able to live for eternity. In Shania’s writings, you will find an infusion of passionate romance, action and mystery, and sometimes with a touch of suspense. She enjoys creating a dark complex world containing entities of a supernatural or otherworldly nature and being able to bring a romantic flavour to the plot and amongst the characters. It brings her great joy to see her childhood fantasies becoming a reality through the pages that she wrote. Some of her inspirations of writings include Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series, J.R. Ward’s The Black Dagger Brotherhood series and Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton .

Book preview

chapter 1

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Morwen, Asea

Maurice’s hands gripped the woman’s plush hips as she rode him hard. A sweat had broken out over both their bodies. His heart raced, and he tightened his stomach as his partner quickened her pace. He groaned when she rolled her hips, embedding him deeper inside her. He was close.

Her black hair swept his face as she leaned forward. She smelled of roses.

Red roses.

At the thought, her hair changed, turning from straight strands of the blackest night into wild curls the shade of fire and heat. Red. He froze as her curls fell over his skin and her body— even softer than before— tightened around him. 

No, he rasped and dug his fingers into her hips, trying to stop the frenzy of her body, but he was so close. He was going to come.

Just don’t look.

Don’t look.

Don’t look.

The woman leaned back, and pushed back her hair to reveal a face created by the heavens. And he couldn’t help but look. Her full mouth was parted in ecstasy. Her cheeks had turned the hue of her hair. And her green eyes locked with his.

With a shout that seemed to consume his very soul, he came. No.

No!

Maurice fell out his bed and fought the moist sheets that were tangled around his limbs. He finally got to his feet and looked around his dark room. As a vampire, he could see everything, but recently the shadows had started to play tricks with his mind, so he lit a lantern and threw light into the corners of his room.

The bed was empty.

He walked his entire room from one corner to the other and then checked his private bathroom. Nothing. He turned back to the bed and stood there, waiting for something to reveal itself, but nothing came.

A woman with green eyes flashed in his mind, and he tried to block her out.

Meg.

He’d set the entire room on fire if it would get rid of his dreams of her, but he knew that wouldn’t work. He’d tried sleeping in other parts of the house, but she followed him. It was like she was embedded in him, stamped in a part of his mind that overrode the rest of him.

She is your pava. Your destiny. Your fated one.

But she wasn’t his, and she never would be.

He picked up the sheet from the floor and put it in the laundry chute. Another one ruined. He was sure the servants wondered what was going on in his bed... if they only knew. He walked back across the room, blew out the lantern, and fell back in bed.

Was it just in his head or did he still smell roses?

He sat up and inhaled the pillows and then the sheets underneath him. He didn’t smell it anymore.

He closed his eyes and whispered, Leave me alone.

His plea was met with silence.

Maurice stretched back out on the bed and thought this to be the reason the house needed electricity. There were more than thirty bedrooms, forty bathrooms, a billiards room, three dining rooms, a banquet hall, servants’ quarters, and a kitchen large enough to prepare a feast for the entire army, but Maurice would trade it all for a hole in the ground that had a TV. Or a radio. Music would work as well. He’d even listen to Justin Bieber, if it would work to drown out thoughts of Meg.

He should move to Earth.

He would the moment the war was over. He was tired of Asea. He didn’t enjoy the things about it he used to. Everything seemed to pale in comparison to Meg’s touch.

He groaned, turned over, and tightened his eyes even harder, but it didn’t block his mind from reaching out and throwing the latch on the box that held the memory of the only time she’d touched him.

She’d touched his cheek, and her green eyes had filled with desire for him. Her breath had quickened and her heart had skipped a beat. He’d felt the heat pour off her body and cursed his vampire instincts, which allowed him to pick up on all of that with still a foot between them.

You knew, she’d whispered.

He had known. It was why he’d told her not to touch him. It was why he’d tried to avoid her, his brother’s girlfriend. No good would come from her knowing, and he’d been right. Now, instead of him just avoiding her, she was avoiding him.

He supposed he should be grateful that she stayed away, because while she knew how that single touch had affected her, she had no clue how greatly it had affected him.

How it was still affecting him three months later.

In the ninety days since their shared moment, Maurice had not gotten a single good night’s sleep. Meg was always there, caressing him, making love to him, and setting off one orgasm right after another in his dreams. And they’d all been more powerful than if he’d been with an actual woman.

He’d thought sleeping around would help get rid of her, and he’d tried. He’d fucked every willing woman he’d come across, but she was still there, with him every night like a bad habit he couldn’t shake.

But not really there. She was with Ethan, and whenever Maurice thought of his own brother touching her—

He threw back the covers and dressed, pulling on a fitted graphic tee, dark jeans, and black boots. There was no way he was getting back to sleep. He might as well train. He and some of the men were leaving in a few hours for a mission that would take them months to complete and Maurice was glad. The further he was from Meg, the better. For everyone.

He walked out his door and started down the hall, sword in hand.

He wondered if anyone else was awake. With much of the house occupied, he doubted he’d be alone, and the thought of sparring with someone put a lightness in his steps. Fighting, he was good at. His emotional life sucked. Always had.

He turned toward the main staircase that led out into the grand foyer and slowed his steps at seeing who was standing at the foot of the staircase.

Ethan was speaking to another fighter, Noel, and both men looked up at Maurice’s approach. Though Ethan was the reason Meg was unavailable to him, Ethan was his brother. A brother he’d only recently discovered.

And he liked the kid.

Not that Ethan was a kid. He was twenty-two and had a similar athletic bulk as Maurice, but since Maurice had two hundred years on the young guy... and possibly two thousand more kills on his hands, Ethan was a kid to him.

His brother smiled at him. What are you doing up? Ethan was dressed in his staple polo, khakis, and running shoes, the kind of outfit a guy would wear if he were trying to impress the world while seeming casual. That was Ethan, and he did it flawlessly. His blond hair was cut in the style that reminded Maurice of Captain America. In fact, everything about Ethan reminded him of the captain. While Maurice was everyone’s favorite criminal. His blond hair was a darker shade than Ethan’s, which Maurice attributed to his inability to sunbathe.

Ethan was good natured and stuck to most of his morals. Everyone loved him.

Including their parents.

Including Meg—

I’m looking to spar, Maurice rushed on to say, cutting off his thoughts. Then, because he could barely look at Ethan and not think of Meg with Ethan, and thus want to punch Ethan in the face, he turned to Noel to avoid such an incident. You up for it?

Noel’s cool brown eyes moved between the brothers before he shrugged and said, Sure. Noel was the better fighter anyway. He’d had centuries to perfect his craft and had once been a member of an assassin team called the Mum.

You can spar with me, Ethan said, placing a hand on his chest.

Maurice caught sight of the bracelet on Ethan’s wrist. It was the one that Maurice had made him, fashioned to look like one of those woven surf bands, to match Ethan’s Abercrombie style, but laced with Morwen diamonds to build his power. Most of the men wore a diamond somewhere. Maurice kept his in his ear, though he knew that would not be Ethan’s style at all.

You’re not dressed for it, Maurice said without looking his way again.

And Noel is? Ethan asked. And he had a point.

Noel was dressed in a sleeveless black turtleneck, black dress slacks, and black shoes that shined as clear as the marble floor. But in the end, the clothes were still on Noel. It was like putting a bow on a tank. In the end, a tank can still run you over, bow or not.

It’s Noel, Maurice said, knowing that would be enough.

I need to train, Ethan said. I’m coming tomorrow with you guys.

Maurice turned his brother then and narrowed his eyes. You up for that? Three months ago, Ethan had been injured in battle and had been on bedrest for a week. He’d broken a rib and none of the healers had felt comfortable with speeding up the healing process and causing the bone to be off alignment. Once the bone was in place, they’d healed him and Ethan had continued his training.

But Maurice didn’t think him ready for what they were about to do. Honestly, he didn’t think his little brother would ever be ready.

Ethan gave him a slow smile and placed a hand on Maurice’s shoulder. Is my brother concerned about me?

Maurice simply stared. Yes, he was concerned, but Ethan didn’t have to know that. Ethan, you’re a college graduate from Earth, and you almost got yourself killed the last time we took you into the field. You’re not ready for this.

Ethan’s hand slid away and a grimace covered his face. You seem to forget that I’ve been Kelly’s guardian since I was five. Kelly was a goddess who’d been born in America, but was kidnapped a few months ago and brought to Asea by the man who later became her husband. Ethan had been her guardian, appointed by Melina, the goddess of sight and visions.

Maurice crossed his arms. I seem to recall Kelly being kidnapped from right under your nose.

Noel coughed.

Ethan narrowed his eyes at the other man and then turned back to Maurice. Everyone messes up, sometimes, ‘Rice. Even you.

Kid was right. Maurice had messed up when he’d let Meg touch him. He should have been more careful.

He groaned and wondered if he killed himself would thoughts of the woman finally leave him alone or would she simply haunt him in the next life? Let’s go, Maurice said as he walked toward the training room.

He could hear Ethan follow, happiness making his feet light.

Maurice’s lips twitched, and he wondered if he and Ethan would have been this way had they grown up together. Him being the eldest, who simply wanted to be left alone and Ethan the young one who always wanted to tag along.

Then he remembered that there was nothing usual about their situation. Nothing at all.

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chapter 2

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Meg stared at the paper before her and tried to sketch out the image in her mind as quickly as she could, but it never stayed long enough. In her visions, she saw the library just as vividly as if she were standing in it.

The room was large, but the shadows caused it to seem much smaller in dream state. A window was open, letting in a cool night breeze that blew at the wrap she wore. She already dreamed of the room whenever she went to bed. She felt the breeze touch her and the soft carpet underneath her feet.

The walls and floors were an exposed wood, the decor rich and done in dark tones. Chair and tables looked to have been carved by the best carver Asea could offer. She’d never seen such gaudy designs. And everywhere, she spotted silks and rugs of maroon and midnight blue. There was a fire dying in one corner in a fireplace that seemed to be the size of the entire wall with a mantel cluttered with gold objects. A table with a single lantern was on the other wall. And at the far wall was the grand bookcase. Its complete size, Meg did not yet know, because the only thing her eyes were drawn to was the single open book on the table.

Every time she entered the dream, she rushed over to the table and touched the book. It was the only thing that mattered in the room. The Book of Temples. Each chapter spoke on one of the eight gods or goddess, but what interested her most were the illustrations.

There were drawings of each of the temples, but the one Meg needed more than any other was the temple of Seocan.

Seocan was the God of Light and Shadows and gifted his bloodline with those abilities. Vampires who were his descendants were given the gift of shadows and other obscurations of light while his elf children were given the power of light. This was the case for each god and each of their descendants. However, in order to gain access to those powers that were locked deep into their DNA, the children were required to sojourn to the temple of their ancestor. But Seocan’s Temple had been destroyed four hundred years ago by the Evaness to prevent any elf from ever getting hold of light abilities again.

So, for the last four centuries, Asea had been cast into darkness and the vampires ruled, enslaving the elves and making it so the sun never shined again.

Prophecy spoke of this being the end of the eternal dark, but for that to become true, Seocan’s Temple had to be rebuilt.

That’s where Meg came in.

At least, it was where she was supposed to come in.

So far, she’d built seven temples. Small ones. Models really. They were temples just large enough for someone to stick their hands in, but they seemed to work the same.

And with each temple, she’d dreamed of their layout. The number of pillars, the materials required by that certain god. The water, the incense, every window, from the foundation to the top of the roof, she’d dreamt it all.

Except for the Temple of Seocan.

She’d ask after books on the temple, but from all accounts, chapters about Seocan had been torn from the pages of history to prevent the very thing that Meg was attempting. She’d almost been ready to give up.

Until the dreams started a week ago.

She appeared one night inside the library and had felt herself drawn to the table. And there was the book. Though she’d not managed to find Seocan’s page yet, she had a feeling it was there. If only she could draw the room out to completion then she could send one of the Rebel warriors out to get it. Then they would return it to her and she would get to work.

A strand of her red hair fell out of her messy bun, and she groaned just as she felt the rest of her hair give way. The hair tie fell out. Meg ran her fingers through her curls and tried to find it and then she looked around her. She picked up the lantern, got on her knees, and searched the floor.

A knock came to her door just before someone came in.

It was Kelly, and Meg envied her friend’s shorter, more manageable, blond curls. At one point, Kelly had a haircut that reminded her of Meg Ryan in City of Angels... and just about any other Meg Ryan film, but more recently it had grown out, touching her shoulders.

Hey, Kelly said as he left the shadows and dropped down onto the floor beside Meg. Her blue eyes shone with her kind and strong spirit. What are you doing down here?

Looking for my scrunchie, she said in a pitiful voice.

Kelly laughed and then reached into Meg’s hair and presented the black elastic object. Found it.

Meg smiled. Thanks.

Let me put it up for you.

Kelly was so awesome.

Meg picked up the lantern and retook her seat. Kelly stood behind her and began to pile Meg’s hair back onto her head. Not too tight. Not too loose. Kelly always managed to do it just right.

Do you know whose library it is yet? Kelly could obviously see the dozens of scattered drawings on Meg’s desk. We leave in a few hours. By ‘we’ she meant the men, her, their friend Piper, and a few of the servants. Meg was not going.

Not yet, but I’m mighty tempted to ask someone to drug me and not let me wake back up until it’s time for you to leave. She wondered if Kelly could hear the desperation in her voice.

Kelly chuckled and took a step into Meg’s view. She placed her hands on her petite hips and stared at Meg. So, you haven’t figured the room out?

Meg shook her head. But I know the person has to be a top member of the Evaness. A council member maybe. There’s a lot of money in the room. You can tell by how extravagant everything is.

Kelly just stared at her.

Meg lifted a paper from the stack. If Ethan goes into each home with this copy, he’ll be able to find it. I’m sure.

Kelly didn’t speak. She barely blinked.

Meg frowned. Please, Kelly. Don’t make me.

Meg, you have to.

I can’t.

Kelly frowned. Why not? I don’t understand why you’d rather stay here when the rest of us are leaving and could be gone for months. I mean, I would understand if it was just me and Piper, but Ethan is going. Don’t you want to be with your man?

Meg looked away. I don’t want to distract him. Half-truth. Her heart was racing.

Kelly leaned over and got in Meg’s face and touched her shoulder. Hey, what happened to Ethan in Ucrary was not your fault. He was doing his job.

Yes, Meg agreed. Protecting me and I got him hurt.

He was protecting Piper as well, Kelly said. And she felt bad about it, too, but that was months ago and since then, I’ve never seen Ethan train so hard. He’ll be fine. Then a wicked grin appeared on Kelly’s face. And you could always make him coming back home so much better.

Meg’s face reddened, but not for the reason Kelly assumed as she laughed.

Kelly headed toward the door. I’ll let Mason know you’ll be coming with us.

Meg turned to watch her friend go and almost called out to stop her. She didn’t want to go. She’d been looking forward to a few months on her own. She needed time to think and organize her thoughts. Especially when it came to a certain man in her life.

Or rather, the certain man who was not in her life.

Her breath came out in a shudder as she thought his name.

Maurice.

She turned back to the black and white sketches on her table, but it was no use. Once she thought of him, her mind took hold of his image. His hostile, empty blue eyes and the earring that glittered in his ear, always winking at her, tempting her. He was so very bad for her.

And yet...

No! she shrieked. She got up from the table and began to pace the room.

She only liked him because he was her pavo. According to Asea tradition, everyone was born with an intended and while many lived their entire lives never finding the one, Meg had found hers.

But it was too late, because...

I love Ethan, she whispered to the room, speaking the words aloud so that they’d been drilled into her mind. I love him, she pressed. She knew she did. He was all she’d ever wanted, and she’d been all he’d ever wanted. And after years of it never working out, they were finally together.

There was no going back.

But then there was Maurice, Ethan’s annoying, conceited, irritating, handsome, fierce warrior of a brother. Maurice.

She stopped pacing and, at the ache in her heart, allowed herself just a few seconds to think about him. It seemed to be the only thing to calm her racing pulse. She imagined the moment they’d first met. Maurice had dragged Ethan into aiding him in an interrogation that had gotten bloody. Maurice wanted answers and was willing to drill holes into flesh to get them.

She’d walked into the supply room