The Darkness of Day

By S.V. Brosius

Her journey into adulthood was just beginning. Then, a vampire hero changed her life forever. This is Clarabella's story.

 

This is a steamy protector/virgin romance.

 

Nothing extraordinary ever happened to Clarabella Moore...until the night a vampire came to her rescue. But Chasis was no ordinary vampire. A member of the Brotherhood of Sacred Light, Chasis has a duty to protect Clarabella. However, his infatuation awakens her to danger and a world of not only vampires, but other supernatural beings as well.

 

Suddenly, Clarabella's world is anything but dull.

But when a mysterious villain threatens to expose the Brotherhood's most prized secret, Clarabella has no choice but to go along for the ride and experience the romance she has always wanted with the hero of her dreams.

A world where her sexual desires come to life and her faith is put to the test.

• Language: English
• Publisher: S.V. Brosius
• Release date: Jan 17, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223669029

S.V. Brosius

S.V. Brosius is an author of paranormal romance and poetry. She also enjoys cooking and baking and lives in the Midwestern U.S. with her husband and two children. 

Book preview

CHAPTER ZERO

Fall 1995

It was over. I stared in disbelief at the words The End. My favorite vampire book series had concluded. What else would I live for? I sadly put the book down on my end table and stared at the shirtless vampire hero that had graced the cover for the last five years. My box of tissues was empty. I grimaced at having to go upstairs to get a new one. My mother would no doubt notice my blotchy face and puffy eyes. She was the last person I wanted to explain myself to. Carefully, I tiptoed up the stairs and peeked around the corner. My father was in his recliner, reading the Sunday paper and mumbling to himself in a manner that only he could understand. I turned my head slightly to wait for any sounds that would indicate my mother’s approach. Hearing none, I continued to the main floor and quietly opened the hallway closet to obtain a new box of tissues. Smiling at my success, I closed the door and screamed when my mother’s face appeared. Her arms were crossed as she glared at me. She merely raised her eyebrow, and I knew what I had to do.

I finished it. My voice was meek as my eyes fixed on the colorful swirls that decorated the prized possession in my hands. After a long pause, I cautiously raised my gaze to meet hers.

She shook her head in response. Waste of time. That nonsense does nothing but fill your head with sinful thoughts. I don’t know why I allow you to bring that filth into my home.

A surge of defensive anger rose within me. I knew better than to speak against her. All I could do was be thankful she had never resorted to throwing my books away. My mother was a woman of words, not action. Yet, her tongue was as sharp as a knife, and she knew how to use it to cut my joy into pieces. My mind raced with all the things I wished I could say to her. I am a grown adult, and I can read whatever in the hell I want to! I don’t know what your problem is, but I am going to leave someday and then you won’t have anyone to control anymore!

Where would I go? How would I support myself? I had a minimum wage job downtown in a small company with no room for upward movement. I still had two more years of college. My best friends Amanda and Julie were doing so much better than me and would surely leave me behind. No boyfriend. No romance. No excitement. Nothing to look forward to. I was a nobody, and it became harder each day to see any way out. I held my mother’s gaze and simply nodded. She shrugged her shoulders, sighed, and brushed past me down the hallway without another word. I clutched the box of tissues to my chest and ran back down the stairs, stumbling over the loose piece of carpet that always managed to snag my toe.

Once I reached my chair and laid the tissue box down on the end table, I picked up the book and sat down to stare once more at the unrealistic man that had starred in my darkest fantasies for so many nights. Every sensual scene replayed in my memory. The way he caressed the heroine with such delicate touches while he held the monster inside of him back. I pretended she was me. A woman deserving of sexual gratification. A woman deserving of passion and romance. A woman deserving of love. A woman that I was not. I closed my eyes and allowed the finality to sink in.

My thoughts slowly turned to the other man who had appeared in my dreams since I was sixteen years old - recurring dreams of a mysterious figure that hid in the shadows. I always assumed it was the vampire novels stimulating my overactive imagination...but he watched me. Stalked me. Whispered his name to me. Or...perhaps he was simply watching out for me. All I knew was he both frightened and excited me at the same time. He seemed to know me but that only made it even more enticing.

The sun streamed through my lace window curtains and I could feel the heat on my face. A long drive in my car with the radio blasting melancholy goth tunes is what I needed.  But alas, my car was in the repair shop and wouldn’t be done until Tuesday. Realizing I had nothing better to do, I easily drifted off to sleep.

My eyes fluttered open as my gaze fixed on the partially obscured window. How long was I asleep? It was morning. It can’t be night already. As my hazy vision adjusted, a rising panic filled my insides as I stared at the shape of a large man outside. Rationality tried to tell me that it was my father, but he was much too stocky. Despite the thudding in my chest, I forced my shaky legs to move so I could get a closer look. He’s got to have the wrong window. He’s probably looking for someone else. The moment I was halfway to the window, the shadow moved away slowly. Sunlight flooded my room, and I accepted the creepy truth: I had a Peeping Tom.

I swallowed with an audible gulp as I gingerly moved the curtain out of the way. No one. A part of me still felt as if I were dreaming. Could he have run away that fast? What if he merely moved out of view and is hiding on the side of the house? A surge of determination forced my trembling legs to race upstairs and look out the back door window. No one again. It must have been my imagination or...my fears of being alone are getting the best of me.

CHAPTER ONE

I ’ll see you tomorrow , Mr. Smith, I said to my workaholic boss as I anxiously darted out the door of the lone office on the third floor. I gazed at my gold wristwatch and gasped when I noted how late it was. Why was I in such a hurry to get home? As I thought about what would be waiting for me...nothing... I slowed my pace and exhaled. It was Thursday which meant Mom’s gourmet goulash for dinner. Dad loved it, but I felt I had eaten so much of it in my twenty years of life that one more night of it might just be it for me. Oh, who am I kidding. I’ll just eat it like a good girl, like I always have. Uncomplaining and obedient. That’s me.

The building was old, and the elevator had been under repair for weeks. I decided it was good for me to take the stairs. I had sat all day at the computer typing so many lines of data entry, I had lost count. Of course, I knew it wouldn’t hurt for my slightly overweight body to get some exercise. It was a lifelong struggle and, for the most part, I had won. The relentless teasing in middle school had been my motivation to do something about it. Many diet shakes and lunch carrots later, I had only a tiny bit of gut left to deal with.

The front door creaked in protest as I left the building and began to walk to my car in the darkness, enjoying the cool fall breeze, contemplating what to do about the handsome specimen with the amazing blue eyes that sat next to me in World History at the university. To say he had been giving me mixed signals for weeks was an understatement. I always hoped he would offer me a ride in his Dr. Pepper colored Mustang, and I would finally know what it was like to successfully land a guy. I sighed as I thought of him, reaching into my purse to find my keys. Who am I kidding? He is way out of my league. Just like every other guy I’ve ever had the misfortune to like.

The streetlamps barely illuminated the parking lot ahead of me. Shadows began to appear in various forms which caused my imagination to spike. I quickened my pace. I started cursing under my breath as I grasped at every possible object crammed into my much too small purse except for what I needed. Lip Balm. Hairbrush. Wallet. Amanda’s scrunchie? Oops. I still haven’t given that back to her. Keys! Finally! Before I could get the car key in the keyhole, I heard heavy footsteps behind me. My body froze. Come on, stupid fingers! Work! My hand shook so violently that it was impossible to insert the key. The bulky shadow in my window the other day matched the looming figure visible in the reflection he cast. A low moan rumbled in my ear.

Suddenly, two large hands grabbed my shoulders and forced me to turn around. Black, dead eyes stared back at me with pure menace. If I had never seen evil before, I was surely seeing it for the first time. He looked like a man, but besides his eyes, there was something unnatural about him that I couldn’t identify. He looked as if he hated me and wanted to end my life. I screamed as pure terror set in as well as a rush of adrenaline. Before he could manage to put one of his large hands around my throat, I shoved against him, dropped my purse in the process and managed to separate just enough for the knee-in-the-groin maneuver. It worked and I pushed him even further away as I ran back towards the building, screaming Help twice before I tripped over the deep crack in the pavement. My knees landed hard on the rough terrain, and I could feel the road rash through my torn pantyhose. My wrists took the remainder of the impact, stinging and burning with pain. It felt like my pounding heart would burst out of my chest as fear gripped me. I began to cry when I heard his approach. I began a painful army crawl towards the building, only to be flipped onto my back by his freakish strength. The shock of the sudden jarring movement seared across my torso. The fear of what might come next caused me to hyperventilate. I struggled to breathe as I felt the weight of my attacker’s stare on me. As I watched him pull out a black dagger, the fierce pain in my back and knees became distant as everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

In that moment, I saw a dark figure approach from the night sky at an unbelievable speed of descent. Was I hallucinating? As I froze, the creature turned to see what had caught my attention. The figure swooped down, wrapped a single hand around his neck, and lifted him up in flight.

The whole event happened so incredibly fast that it took me a moment to realize that my breath was no longer hindered, but I still couldn’t seem to inhale enough oxygen to fill my lungs. I watched as the two figures flew up to the roof of my building. I scrambled to my feet to watch in astonishment and barely noticed the pain in my whole body. My savior roughly pulled my attacker closer to him and pulled off the mask. I strained to see his uncovered face, but quickly became distracted when he grabbed his hair, forced his head downwards, and bit into his neck!  In my wildest dreams I never thought it was possible!  I felt a mixture of excitement, wonder and fear as I questioned my sanity. I wondered if I truly had rotted my brain with all the vampire novels I had read. After he had apparently finished drinking from him, he then pushed the attacker aside, who crumpled into a lifeless ball. I watched in awe as he stepped off the edge of the roof and landed on his feet with no effort. He walked towards me and wiped the blood from his lips. In the darkness, I could see only his piercing green eyes as they bore into me, and my heart continued to pound. Fear and anticipation held me hostage to where I stood.

Under the light of the streetlamp, I began to get a good look at him as he approached. He was several inches taller than me and wore a navy-blue T-shirt, black jeans, and a black leather jacket with black boots. As his face came into view, I felt the shock vibrate through me. He was gorgeous. A twenty-something masterpiece with a squared jaw, shoulder length hair that was the color of dark chocolate, and emerald-green eyes that were brighter and more vibrant as he walked towards me. His skin was perfectly clear except for a hint of five o’clock shadow and his nose was perfectly straight. I thought the vampire on my book cover was the best-looking guy I ever saw. I stand corrected.

Everything in me felt electrified in his presence as my mind tried to tell me he wasn’t real. I knew I should have been frightened because he walked right up to me and placed his cold hand on my cheek. Why can’t I move? His eyes seemed to dim a bit as they roamed over me in more of a clinical fashion instead of a seductive one. Those eyes seemed to have a friendly yet mysterious aura about them. Caught between fear and curiosity - I merely stared at him.

Are you okay? His voice had a clear, distinct tone with just a hint of rasp that made my knees feel weak. A foreign accent was evident in his intonation, but I found it impossible to determine what it was. There was a genuine kindness and concern in his words; any lingering fear I had of him quickly dissipated. Only the shock of almost being killed remained.

I weakly nodded my head, and he withdrew his hand. I think so. I failed to stop the tears from rolling down my face as I realized how close to death I came. He wanted to...to...kill me...and I think...I think he was looking in...in my window the...the other day. Why?

He slowly shook his head. I don’t know, Cara Mia.

Maybe he’s Italian? Vampire mafia maybe? Thank you for saving me. I found it impossible to tear my gaze away from his beautiful eyes. My frantic heart slowed as the adrenaline subsided. But it beat just as hard.

He gave me a small sympathetic smile and said, I don’t think anyone heard you scream. This isn’t exactly the safest area of town.

Well, a girl has got to make a living, right? I felt so nervous that I instinctively crossed my arms and wished I could look away instead of keeping my eyes fixed on him. I had never had a guy look at me the way he did, as if he knew me down to my very soul. This is probably a stupid question, but are you okay?  He didn’t hurt you? I watched him anxiously for a response.

A hint of a smile on his lips, he quietly chuckled, then responded, No, I’m fine. Thank you for asking. He backed up a few steps, looked me up and down, then froze when he saw my bloodied knees. I followed his gaze. I was a mess. My beige skirt had streaks of dirt all over it and my pantyhose looked like they had been run through a shredder. Long streams of blood ran down my legs. A sudden fear gripped my insides as I carefully met his eyes once again. Hunger stared back at me, the green irises vibrant and jewel-like. I watched him inhale deeply, then turn his head while shutting his eyes tight as if to gain some self-control. You should get home and clean those wounds, he said through gritted teeth.

I pulled off my matching blazer and used it as a shield to cover my legs. It was at that moment I realized my palms were bleeding. I watched a small trickle make its way down the side of my pinky finger. Uh oh. My gaze crept back up to his. I waited for him to respond as he watched the rivulet of blood stain my skin and my blazer. In a flash, he was kneeling in front of me with his mouth clamped to the side of my hand which caused the blazer to drop from my grasp. I stood frozen as his eyes widened in shock. Something was wrong, but my heart pounded so furiously inside my chest that I could barely think straight or formulate any coherent words. I stared as his perfect mouth sucked the ruby liquid from my hand. His expression was one of pure ecstasy, which sparked an instinctive retreat inside my body. I jumped back and somehow managed to wrench his meal away from him. I retrieved the blazer and covered my knees. The vampire stared at my hand in disbelief and dragged a shaky hand across his lips to wipe off the blood. He appeared to be trying to compose himself when he finally met my gaze. Please tell me I didn’t hurt you. The pure terror I felt in that moment began to fade. I slowly shook my head and let out a long breath. After he nodded in response, he continued, I’m sorry this happened to you.

I...I appreciate that, I replied cautiously, I’ve n...never had anything like this h...happen to me. Embarrassment over my nervous stutter caused my cheeks to feel hot.

I know.

Confused, I started to ask him what he meant. But before I could utter a syllable, he had risen to his full height and stepped towards me so that our proximity was only a breath apart. His intense gaze held mine and I somehow knew he was silently asking permission to show his affection for me. I couldn’t explain how I knew. It was as if he were saying without words: Let me comfort you. Nothing made sense. All I could do was awkwardly smile to acknowledge his silent plea. He gently placed his lips on mine, and I heard myself gasp in surprise. His hands held my waist as I melted inside and allowed him to deepen the kiss when his urgency couldn’t be ignored. My hands gripped the blazer tight against me. I didn’t dare to touch him and risk getting my blood all over his clothes. Every nerve in my body tingled as my heart accelerated once more and pumped hard against my chest. After that moment of pure bliss, he stepped back and studied me with complete adoration in his eyes. I felt my lips curl into a helpless smile as I realized I had never been kissed like that in my entire life. His expression slowly turned grim as he ran a hand through his hair. He shook his head with regret-filled eyes. I shouldn’t have...

I felt my eyes widen. Shouldn’t have kissed me? Shouldn’t have drunk my blood? What? All I could do was wait for him to finish his sentence. Instead, he stated in a business-like tone, I have to go now...to dispose of him.

Oh, yeah. The body. How could I forget in my just-had-my-first-kiss state? He’s dead? I managed meekly as I realized that the person in front of me was not only my hero and a great kisser, but also someone who had just committed murder right in front of me.

A hint of remorse crossed his features. He is. I tried to...well. Self-control was never my strongest characteristic. The vampire shrugged nonchalantly and continued, At least this way he won’t be bothering anyone else. A polite nod followed, and he exclaimed with all seriousness, See you around. He turned to leave.

Wait, I heard myself say, sounding more panicked than I intended. He pivoted towards me. Who are you? And why did you kiss me?

He stepped back in front of me. Why is he looking at me like that? Is that a look of pity or sad longing? I really can’t tell. I am your knight in shining armor. If you want me to be. His hand reached out and stroked my cheek. He leaned towards me until our lips were inches apart...and hesitated. I waited. Nothing. My mind was a jumble of confusing thoughts. He finally spoke and the rush of his breath against my lips made me quiver. Chasis. My name is Chasis.

I know that name! It can’t be! As he backed away from me, I exclaimed, Will I see you again? My voice sounded desperate even though my rational self knew this whole thing was crazy.

You will. He turned away and made a single leap into the night sky. I knew it was him. Chasis. The figure from my dreams. Right or wrong, he was real, and he just saved my life.

CHAPTER TWO

My drive home was silent . No melancholy goth music. No classic rock. Nothing. I needed pure quiet so I could attempt to process what just happened to me. My body felt numb even though I knew I would feel it later. Paranoia set in as I wondered who had attacked me. Why was he stalking someone like me? I wasn’t famous, and I did my best to not stand out in a crowd. Maybe he was just some druggie looking for someone to rob so he could get his next fix. If that were the case, he would have been sorely disappointed with my three dollars and change. I managed to laugh at that image which eased the tension that held my shoulders in an upward position. I shook my head and realized that I would probably never know who he was. I would have to be okay with that. His eyes were black. Why? Did Chasis know the answer? My thoughts quickly turned to the handsome vampire that rescued me. Vampire. I repeated that word several times in my head. Unreal. 

I pulled into the driveway and exited the car as my entire body ached, protesting every step I took. The wind had picked up and nearly knocked me backward as I wrenched the front door open. I was greeted by my mother’s sharp voice calling from the kitchen. Thank God, she could not see me. It’s about time you showed up, Clarabella! Have you no consideration for the work I put into this goulash? Your father fell asleep in his recliner waiting on you.

I tried not to cry and knew I did not want to get into what happened. I shouted back, I tripped in the parking lot, so I need to go change. I promise I’ll hurry! I ran downstairs before she could see me as I concealed every sharp pain running through my body as best I could. As I looked in the mirror of my bathroom, I barely recognized myself as my blue eyes stared back at me in horror. The freckles across my nose were barely visible under the streaks of black mascara. I looked like I had been in a street fight. My long, light brown hair was all over the place, my normally straight bangs were in all directions and a bruise was forming on my right cheek. The pastel blue blouse I had just bought a week ago was ripped down the front, which barely exposed my very old and worn pink bra. Chasis saw me like this and still wanted to kiss me? Why?

The memory of his lips on mine made me smile. So tender and gentle, but still powerful and demanding. Then, the image of the guy that tried to kill me came into focus and I began to sob when I remembered what it felt like when he was chasing me down like a wild animal. I felt so powerless when I fell on the pavement and the thought of what he could have done to me made me shiver. I was so thankful that Chasis had rescued me, but he did kill my stalker and it did not seem to bother him much. It was as if it was something he had done before. Well, duh, Clarabella. He must have killed before – he is a vampire for pity’s sake! The word repeated in my head once again as I thought of his unnatural eyes and the way he suckled my hand. Why did he look shocked when he was drinking from me? Did my blood taste weird or something? It figures that I would have weird tasting blood. I tried not to think any more about it and quickly changed clothes, wiped up the blood on my palms and my legs, brushed my hair, fixed my makeup, and took a couple of Tylenol for the pain. One final look in the mirror told me I had done a good job covering up all evidence of my attack. I made my way upstairs to have a normal Thursday evening with my parents.

I had managed to eat a third of the goulash before my mother started in on me. She had been a supervisor at the local aircraft manufacturing plant until my father had received a promotion, so she decided to quit and stay home. Dad worked for the city inspector’s office and was a mid-level manager. They both had uncanny attention to detail as their most valued skill. However, it did not always translate to making a happy household as it was easy for them to point out each other’s faults daily. I was born when my parents were in their mid-40s, so to say we had a generational gap was a huge understatement.

I watched her carefully load her fork with precisely the right amount of goulash and place it neatly in her mouth. She was dressed in a nice lavender blouse with matching pants. Her salt and pepper hair fell perfectly in place with lots of hairspray, curling just under her earlobes. Dad stared at his plate and did not say a word. He seemed lost in thought as usual. A lock of his white hair fell just over his forehead which grazed the top of his silver rimmed glasses.

After she swallowed her food, Mom took a sip of water, and I could feel her intense gaze upon me. Why were you really late, Clarabella?

I took a swig of milk. My eyes refused to meet hers. I told you. I fell in the parking lot.

Are you sure your boss didn’t make you stay late because you messed something up?

I sighed and stared straight ahead. I worked late because one of our clients didn’t send over what we needed to finish the reports until 4:30. It takes time to compile the reports. Call Mr. Smith if you don’t believe me.

She shrugged and shifted her gaze down to her plate. I see you have a bruise on your cheek. You never could keep your balance well.

Her words still stung, even though I had heard her criticisms all my life. You know me, Mom. I’m not graceful. Our eyes finally met in a silent battle that had waged for years.

Mom took another bite and swallowed. I thought those ballroom dance classes would have helped you. If nothing else, I thought you would have found a new boyfriend by now.

I quickly shot a look at Dad, but he continued to stare at his plate, as if contemplating whether he was allowed to take another bite. Typical. He never hesitated to defend himself against her nitpicking, but he refused to say a word in my defense. Resentment had built an invisible wall between us, and I resolved that it would probably never erode. I hurriedly finished my meal, took my plate and glass to the sink, and ran downstairs to retrieve my newest vampire novel. It was the best escape I could think of.

Chasis dominated my every thought as I happily attended my classes in the morning and then went to work in the afternoon. I replayed my recurring dream over and over in my head and tried to remember as many details as I could. A million questions ran through my mind as I wondered where he was from, how old he was, did he have a favorite TV show – all the basic things that one would want to ask a potential boyfriend. Why would a gorgeous guy like him want me? I secretly chided myself. Why did he kiss me? I am not someone that guys usually want to kiss. Freddie pushed me away when I tried to kiss him. Well, it was only second grade, but he was so cute! Then there was Kevin, my first major crush in seventh grade. I wrote a special note for him every day and put it in his locker, telling him to have a great day. What did he do? He showed it to all his friends, and they laughed at me! Finally, there was Jim, who I met in Home Economics during my junior year. I thought for sure he would ask me to prom after he raved about my chocolate chip cookies – the only food I knew how to make. He asked someone else. I failed to be good enough for any of them. Why should Chasis be any different? Will the self-doubt never end?

As I finished work that evening, I anxiously looked in the same place for him outside. Nothing. I stood outside of my car for about five minutes while I looked around and waited for him. Nothing. What am I doing? How pathetic am I to be waiting around for someone who is not only a killer, but maybe a figment of my imagination? I turned to leave but a small stain of red caught my attention on the pavement. My blood. I found myself drawn to it. As I stood transfixed by the red blotch, I thought of Chasis and the way his lips clung to my hand. He seemed to savor the taste of me. Or, I might have been just a meal for him. Nothing more. Maybe the mind-numbing kiss was meant to be a thank you? That was depressing. The events of the previous night played in my mind once again and I felt myself shudder. It was so awful. I felt helpless and unable to fight back. What if he was a zombie? That would explain the black eyes! He must have been a zombie. Zombies exist, don’t they? If vampires can exist, then what else is out there that I don’t know about? I closed my eyes and fought back a wave of nausea. I decided it would be best for me to leave.