Dark World (Book I in the Dark World Trilogy) Read online

  Dark World

  Danielle Q. Lee

  ISBN 978-0-9865680-4-6

  Copyright © 2011 by Danielle Q. Lee at Smashwords

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.

  Smashwords Edition

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. And any resemblance to actual persons, living, dead (or in any other form), business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Smashwords Edition License Notes

  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 person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  For Lea,

  thank you for being there for me and helping me bring Dark World to life.

  Who is this irresistible creature who has an

  insatiable love for the dead?

  Living Dead Girl.

  Rob Zombie

  Part One

  Scarlet

  Eve of Fate

  “Where are you hiding?” Scarlet whispered, searching the dark horizon. Palms and forehead pressed against the cool glass, she sighed, her warm breath captured on the pane. Only visible on the clearest of nights was her favorite constellation—the Phoenix. She peered into the darkness, Edmonton’s city lights glaring back at her.

  Soon part of the cluster came into focus, sparkling from millions of miles away. Even though she couldn’t see the entire sequence, Scarlet smiled, satisfied with just a peek.

  Already October, a chill lingered in the air, foreshadowing the onslaught of snow. She didn’t mind though, stars were easier to see in the winter sky.

  Gentle nuzzling against her calf, followed by a quiet mewl, pulled Scarlet from her hypnotic stare.

  “Well, hello Miss Seraphine,” she said, sweeping the fluffy feline into her arms. The Persian’s eyes narrowed, her slit-like irises submerging into a pool of ocean blue, purring as she pressed her face to Scarlet’s cheek.

  “Oh kitty, can you believe my dream is really coming true?” Anxiety trickled through her stomach. Was she ready for this? She’d dreamed of this moment for two years. And now, it was finally happening.

  With the sound of approaching steps in the hall, Seraphine stiffened, leapt from Scarlet’s arms, and pressing her stomach to the floor, crawled under the bed.

  The door flung wide open. Hands fanning her face, Shelby strolled across the room with the poise of an old-fashioned debutante.

  “Well, Miss Scarlet, I do declare, there’s finally goin’ to be a rooster in the henhouse,” Scarlet’s best friend announced with a Southern drawl.

  There were times, like now, that Scarlet wished her parents hadn’t named her after the spoiled Southern belle from Gone With the Wind. It was just plain annoying.

  “Quiet! My mom will hear you,” Scarlet warned, a heat rising to her cheeks. “I’m not allowed to date yet, remember?”

  Shelby’s dark-brown eyes rolled. “You’re almost seventeen for goodness sake, when is that woman going to lighten up? At this rate, you’ll end up a forty-year-old virgin!”

  Scarlet winced at the word virgin and decided to change the topic. Flicking her long brown hair off her shoulders, she closed the door behind Shelby, then walked to her stereo. “Wanna listen to the new tunes I downloaded to my iPod?”

  Shelby shook her head. “Nope, come on, spill it. How’d he ask?”

  Blushing, Scarlet moved to the bed and sat down. Shelby followed suit. She then relived the moment he asked her out and her heart picked up pace.

  Rory Dean.

  His name alone elicited a wave of tingles up her spine.

  A shy smile tugged at Scarlet’s lips as she readied to divulge the juicy details. “Well, you know how I have a spare between Biology and Latin?” She grabbed Shelby’s hands and held them excitedly, beginning her story. “He must have been waiting for me outside the classroom and…”

  Scarlet’s bedroom door burst open, revealing her older brother in all his self-adoring glory. Dressed in his gym clothes, she surmised he was just leaving for a workout.

  “Hi Greg,” Shelby blurted, dropping Scarlet’s hands and turning pink.

  Scarlet tossed him an irate look. “Do you mind?”

  He grinned at Shelby, relishing the female attention. His expression turned arctic as his gaze shifted to his sister. “Shut up, Sticks. Do you have the car keys?”

  Her jaw tightened. She hated when he called her that. While it was true she’d been too skinny when she was younger, she felt she’d filled out nicely over the last year or so.

  She snatched the keys from her night table and launched them at his face, hoping to gouge an eye or stab a nostril. “Now piss off!”

  “Wow, cranky!” Greg sneered at his sister, then left, slamming the door behind him.

  Scarlet opened her mouth to continue gushing about Rory, but paused when she saw a pout marring Shelby’s lips.

  “What?”

  “It really bugs me when you talk to him like that.” Her normally bright eyes dimmed. “Rory is your crush…Greg is mine.”

  Bewildered by Shelby’s interest in her brother, Scarlet apologized, “I’m sorry Shell, I’ll try to be more considerate.”

  Excitement returned to Shelby’s eyes. “Okay, tell me more about Rory!”

  “Okay, well, he must have been waiting for me to get out of class because he was standing by the lockers when I walked out.” Scarlet wound a ribbon of her long, mouse-brown hair around her finger as she spoke. “He said, ‘Hey Scarlet, you wanna see a movie with me tomorrow night?’ and I seriously almost fainted.”

  “Oh my god! That’s so awesome!” Shelby squealed, burying her face into one of the decorative pillows on Scarlet’s bed. After she composed herself, she asked, “Which movie are you going to see?”

  Scarlet paused, responding with a nervous laugh, “I have no idea!”

  Erupting into a fit of giggles, the two girls then sprawled out onto the bed and basked in the moment.

  “Scarlet Prince,” Shelby began with a sigh, “you are one lucky girl.”

  Scarlet had to agree, though, she wondered why Rory had taken such a sudden interest in her. He hadn’t said more than two words to her the whole two years they’d attended high school.

  I don’t care, I’m just happy he decided to ask me out now.

  “What are you going to wear?” Shelby narrowed her eyes at Scarlet’s open closet.

  Scarlet shook her head, stating for the second time that night, “I have no idea.”

  Arms wrapped around her library books, Scarlet scanned the hallway with a disquiet flutter in her chest. Tonight was the night of the big date and she wasn’t even sure she could go through with it. Not because she didn’t like Rory, quite the opposite, but because she’d been a nervous wreck ever since he’d asked her out. After so much time admiring him from afar, she
couldn’t believe this was actually happening.

  She’d never been on a date, what if she messed it up? Then he’d never want to see her again. Her steps slowed, her mind whirling with worry. What does this date mean? Were they just going out on a date? Or were they going out? Like boyfriend and girlfriend? How was she to know? How was she to ask?

  What if he only wanted—she shoved the thought away. She wasn’t ready for that. No way. Besides, her mother would kill her if she did.

  Scarlet continued her trek to the library, still attempting to quell the butterflies multiplying in her stomach. In a way, she hoped she wouldn’t run into him at all, she’d probably just end up babbling like an idiot. With a sigh, she realized that the entire date might turn out poorly. Her nerves were almost certainly going to get the best of her.

  She turned into the entrance of the library, colliding with a freshman as he exited.

  “Sorry,” he mumbled, his pimply face enflaming as he ogled her chest. Rushing past her, he turned and scurried down the hall with all the grace of Mr. Bean.

  That’s going to be me tonight, I just know it. Just some nerd with a crush.

  Pushing the library door open, Scarlet’s fretting vanished the moment she entered into her element. A wave of tranquility embraced her with the sight and scent of books.

  Her books made a loud clunk as she placed them into the return bin. From her perch behind the desk, the librarian, Miss Collins, gave her an appreciative glance. Scarlet always thought she was pretty cool for an adult. Far from the stereotypical old, bespectacled spinster, she’d sport a new and fantastic hair color every other month or so, dark purple being a perennial favorite. Probably in her mid-twenties, she could have passed for a senior in the crowded high school, what with her silver lip ring and the blue butterfly tattoo on her shoulder. Scarlet made a mental note that she should get a piercing of some kind. A respectable one, of course. Considering a librarian wore one and all, it couldn’t be that risqué.

  She took a sweeping glance around, Miss Collins’ rebellious Dewey Decimal system in full display. Instead of the traditional form of organization, the eccentric librarian had chosen to separate the classics and new-age fiction.

  To Scarlet’s left was the vintage novel section, timeless tales of romance, hardship, and inspiration. The antiquated voices of Dickens, Austin, and Carroll calling her to re-read their adventures.

  On her right, the world of modern fiction offered a plethora of paranormal mysteries, thrillers, and fantasies. Spectacular stories about boy wizards, secret aliens hiding on Earth, and sparkly vampires in love.

  Although enthusiastic about literature, it was not Scarlet’s first love.

  Astronomy.

  Stars, planets, and just that big black space overhead were her greatest obsessions. The infatuation began when she was five. Given her first telescope on Christmas morning, there it stood in all its glory, just waiting to unveil the secrets of the universe to her.

  Her world just made so much sense when daylight was gobbled up by the vast shadow of space. While she loved the clouds and the sea of blue overhead, nothing could compete with the Milky Way and its spray of illuminated diamonds across the galaxy.

  Scarlet made her way to the science section like she was on a mission. She knew the exact location of her favorite book: Mythology and the Stars. It described the locations and configurations of star patterns in which the ancient Romans used to conjure their gods and goddesses. Though she’d borrowed it from the library too many times to count, it never ceased to lure her to read it again. She ran a meticulous finger over several book bindings, then frowned when she realized it was gone.

  Sighing, she resigned to satiate herself with a large hardcover on the Big Bang Theory. A quick glance around the busy library however, proved fruitless for a place to sit.

  The floor it is.

  Scarlet crossed her legs and sunk to the floor, the open book resting on her knees.

  She had no idea how long she’d been sitting there, lost within the minds of Stephen Hawking, Albert Einstein and Carl Sagan, when she suddenly became aware of a presence looming over her.

  “Is this seat taken?”

  Scarlet craned her neck, following a pair of jeans-clad legs to the top. Her face burned when she realized who it was.

  Rory.

  A flurry of fresh nerves rolled through her stomach as she waved an unsteady hand over the space of floor beside her. Not wanting him to see what she was reading she slammed the large astronomy book shut, consequently blowing a hefty draft of air into her face, sending her hair flying back. Quickly pulling off her glasses and tucking the flyaway strands behind her ears, she tried her best not to look as nauseated as she felt.

  “What are you reading?”

  He reached to take the book off her lap, his hand grazing the inside of her thigh in the process. Her mouth, now completely devoid of saliva, dropped open at his touch. A delicious, musky scent wafted from him, leaving her light-headed and somehow less intelligent.

  “No, I mean, it’s just…something for science class,” she stammered, wishing she hadn’t picked such a geeky book. As far as she knew, guys didn’t particularly like girls with nerdy interests. At least, that’s what the teen magazines suggested.

  “Hmmm…” A playful smirk pulled at his lips while he flipped through the pages. “Very interesting.”

  “Interesting?” Scarlet repeated breathily, resisting the urge to run her hands through his wavy, blonde hair.

  “Yah, I never pegged you for an astronomer,” he stated, giving her a winning smile that made her stomach drop. “I guess that’s another thing we have in common.”

  “What? You? You’re into…astronomy?” She raised her eyebrows in surprise.

  Nodding, he continued to peruse the pages with vague interest. A moment later, he suggested, “Maybe after the movie, we can go out to my favorite stargazing spot.”

  “Yes! That would be wonderful!”

  “Great!”

  Upon standing, he offered her his hand and she accepted, clumsily pulling herself up. Scarlet winced as her left leg prickled, announcing it was totally asleep. She tried to stand still, pursing her lips into an awkward smile. Normally, if her leg was to fall asleep, she couldn’t help but shake it and whine until it was awake, but since she was attempting to appear cool, she just stood there and squirmed, enduring it.

  His eyebrows furled, eyeing her up and down. “Do you…have to go to the washroom?”

  Horror, sheer horror, swept over her. Hot blood raced to her face and she contemplated running out of the room in similar fashion to the zitty, red-haired kid she’d bumped into earlier.

  “Um…no, my leg…it’s asleep.” If there was a hole in the general vicinity, Scarlet would have crawled into it—and died.

  With a grin, Rory helped her to a nearby chair. She rubbed her leg with her hand and silently cursed herself for acting like a doorknob. Chin down and hair veiling her face, she avoided raising her head to look at him.

  He’s probably trying to think of a way to get out of the date tonight.

  She stared at the floor, numb with humiliation. Between the narrow slats of her mousy brown hair, she saw him kneel before her. He reached out, cradling her chin within his palm, and gently lifted her face to meet his gaze. The warmth of his hand made her woozy, but it was nothing compared to the way he made her feel when his blue eyes locked with hers.

  “Scarlet,” he started, tucking her hair behind her ears and leaning closer to her, his hot breath feathering her face. “I’ve wanted to take you out for a very long time…”

  Only inches away, he tilted her chin up further and before she knew it his soft, warm lips were pressed against hers. Electricity surged through her body. Her head swam with delicious dizziness.

  She was wandering in a perfect dream. A fairy tale.

  My first kiss…was from Rory Dean.

  Great Expectations

  “Is Shelby picking you up tonight?” Scarlet’s
mother inquired, glancing back at her daughter as she stirred a steaming pot of noodles on the stove. Already paranoid of getting caught, Scarlet was certain she saw a flash of suspicion cross her mother’s eyes.

  “No, I’m, uh, going to meet her there, I’m just driving myself,” Scarlet stammered.

  Rory had offered to pick her up, but considering her mother’s adamant rules against dating, Scarlet convinced him to meet her at the theater.

  “I don’t want you out too late, sweetie. Okay?” Her mother turned her head in Scarlet’s direction to give her the I-mean-it eyes, waving a dripping plastic spoon haphazardly in her daughter’s direction. “You know what night it is.”

  “Don’t worry, mom, nothing’s going to happen to me.” Scarlet fought the urge to roll her eyes.

  Ironically, she already knew she was going to be late. Rory had invited her to go stargazing after the movie, she couldn’t say no to that.

  I’ll deal with the consequences later…he’s worth it.

  “Hello my gorgeous girls,” her father’s cheery voice embraced the kitchen.

  “Hi Daddy,” Scarlet smiled, rising and hugging him. His dark brown hair, spackled with silver, was matted to his head from a long day under a hard hat. Slivers of sawdust loitered on his broad shoulders, the bane of a hard-working carpenter.

  “Hi honey,” her mother called back as she fished out a spaghetti noodle and tested it for doneness. “How was work?”

  “Oh good,” he answered with a sigh, indicating that it wasn’t that great, but didn’t really want to go into it. “And yours?”

  “Good, I have to go out to Mrs. Dempsey’s house this evening and change her dressings.” Being a respite nurse, she often worked odd hours.

  Her father then turned towards his daughter. “And you, Miss Scarlet? How was your day?”