Darkness of Light (36 page)

Fire isn’t quiet. It has a frighteningly deep, steady humming sound as it devours everything in its sight. The noise, along with the commotion of everyone making sure the Queen was all right, was the perfect opportunity for me to escape. I pushed myself up and scrambled over to Mark, ignoring the jabbing pain in my ribs.

“Go Ember.”
Torin yelled into my head as he gestured frantically towards the forest.

“No, I’m not leaving him,” I hissed back. 

“You cannot help him now. You’re only condemning yourself. You will be of no use to him or yourself. Please, I’m trying to save you. Now go!”

Mark’s sweet, familiar face was turned my way, and his swollen eyes opened enough that I could see his blue irises. I knew Mark well enough to know what they were telling me.
Go. Save yourself.

Torin moved in behind me.
“I will protect him, Ember, but you have to go. She will not hurt him. She knows he is too valuable to you. But you know if she gets those cuffs on you, you have no hope. You will be hers.”
Torin’s words hit their target. He was right.

Everyone was regrouping, getting ready to act. This was my last chance. It was the only way I could keep Mark alive. If she had me, she would kill him. Without me, she would keep him alive using him as bait. I nodded at Torin, and then took my last opportunity to look back at Mark.
I love you,
I mouthed to him. 

Torin grabbed me, pulling me back into him.
“Find Lars. He will help you.”
He gently kissed my head before pushing me away. I didn’t hesitate. I shot off, leaping over the bushes and disappearing into the thick, dark forest.

Thirty-three

My bare feet barely struck the cold, wet ground as I tore through the forest. I stumbled through the maze of trees and the foliage, gripping my side. It took everything I had to stay upright. I ached everywhere, but I couldn’t stop. I didn’t know how long or how far I ran. My mind had turned off, and the woods became a blurred picture in my peripheral vision.

I ran until exhaustion made me clumsy. My foot hooked on a rock. I fell to the ground, sliding over the dead leaves and foliage to the edge of a cliff. I bit my lip to keep from shouting as my ribcage screamed in agony. Sweat and tears mixed together as I inched backwards, away from the ledge. I lay down, my cheek pressing against the damp ground. It took a moment for my eyes to register what I was seeing. A pitiful whimper left my lips.

Seattle was a charred ruin. It was unrecognizable—leveled.

Smoldering billows of smoke rolled and twisted into the sky. Ash fell from above like black snowflakes. The smell of gas, burning plastic, and smoldering wood assaulted my nose. I could hear the fire engines echo off the mountain. But what was worse was the sound of people screaming. The terrified, aching cries of people searching for their loved ones and watching their homes burn resounded in my ears. Thousands of innocent lives had been consumed by the destruction I had created. 

I threw up in the bush as another anguished cry tugged at my soul.
This was what I was capable of?
Seattle was no small town, and now it was destroyed.

The pain was too much to bear. 

Torin had helped me escape because he knew the Queen was planning to start a war with the Unseelie King, to take Earth from him. Seattle was only the beginning. It was just a declaration of war. She planned to use Earth as her battlefield and me as her weapon.

I gazed across the watery sound upon Seattle’s scorched remains. The Queen wouldn’t rest until she found me. I couldn’t, I wouldn’t, let that happen. I would not be a pawn in her game. 

Torin’s words repeated in my head:
Find Lars. He will help you.

I had no idea who or what Lars was, but I trusted Torin. If he wanted me to find this Lars person, I knew it was for a good reason. He wanted me to fight the Queen, and I would fight. That bitch had my father, the only family I had left. I would battle whatever she threw at me to get him back. 

I stood up, watching the last bit of sun reflect off the city. Everything had changed, but instead of being scared, I was ready. I had never fit in before, but now I found my place.

I was fay and demon. I was earth and fire. I was darkness and light. I was not a victim. I would become what I was meant to be.

A dae.

And I would fight.

Thank you to all my readers. Your opinion really matters to me and helps others decide if they want to purchase my book. If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving an honest review on the site where you purchased it. Thank you!

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Fire In The Darkness

Book #2 in the Darkness Series

Coming out in Fall 2013

It's been four weeks since Ember Brycin witnessed what her powers are capable of. The Electrical Current Storm (ECS) has turned the Seattle, Washington area into a national disaster. The death toll is in the thousands with countless others homeless and hungry.

And Ember is the one who caused it. Something she will have to live with every day.

Those people who were unable to escape either turned quickly into gangs or live in shelters. Ember, on the other hand, can’t do either. With a price on her head and a Dark Dweller on her ass, she is constantly on the move. Both Light and Dark are hunting her for their own purpose to use her as a weapon or a pawn in the war between the Unseelie King of the Dark and the Seelie Queen of the Light.

Em needs help but doesn’t know who to trust: Lars, the mystery man Torin told her to find? Torin, the Seelie Queen’s personal knight, who has sworn to keep Em safe? Or Eli, who wants to turn her over to the Unseelie King, but whom she has an undeniable, intense connection with?

No matter what she chooses she will probably lose—her life or everything and everyone she loves.

Glossary

A GHRA:
Gaelic for “my love.”

CIACH ORT:
Irish for “dammit.”

CINAED/CIONAODH:
Irish meaning “born of fire.”

DAE:
Beings having both pure fairy and demon blood. Their powers and physical features represent both parentages. The offspring of fairies and demons are extremely powerful. They are feared and considered abominations, being killed at birth for centuries by the Seelie Queen.

DAMNU’ ORT:
Irish for “damn you.”

DARK DWELLER:
Freelance mercenaries of the Otherworld. The only group in the Otherworld that is neither under the command of the Seelie Queen or the Unseelie King. They were exiled to Earth by the Queen.

DEMON:
A broad term for group of powerful and usually malevolent beings. They live off human life forces, gained by sex, debauchery, corruption, greed, dreams, energy, and death. They live on Earth, taking on animal or human form, their shell being the best weapon to seduce or gain their prey. 

DRUID:
Important figures in ancient Celtic Ireland. They held positions of advisors, judges, and teachers. They can be either male or female and are magicians and seers who have the power to manipulate time, space, and matter. They are the only humans able to live in the Otherworld and can live for centuries.

FAE:
A broad group of magical beings who originated in the Earth realm and migrated to the Otherworld when human wars started to take their land. They can be both sweet and playful or scary and dangerous. All fae possess the gifts of glamour (power of illusion), and some have the ability to shape-shift. 

FAIRY (FAY):
A selective and elite group of fae. The noble pureblooded fairies who stand as the ruling court known as the Seelie of Tuatha de Danann. They are of human stature and can be confused for human if it wasn’t for their unnatural beauty. One of their weaknesses is Iron as it is poisonous to the fey/fae and may kill them if there is too much in their system. Also see “Fae” above.

GLAMOUR:
Illusion cast by the fae to camouflage, divert, or change appearance.

GNOME:
Small humanlike creatures that live underground. Gnomes consist of a number of different types:  forest gnomes, garden gnomes, and house gnomes. They are territorial and mischievous and don’t particularly like humans. 

GOBLINS:
Short, ugly creatures. They can be very ill-tempered and grumpy. They are greedy and are attracted to coins and shiny objects. Will take whatever you set down. 

KELPIE:
A water spirit of Scottish folklore, typically taking the form of a horse, reputed to delight in the drowning of travelers.

MO CHUISLE MO CHROI:
Irish phrase of endearment meaning “pulse of my heart.” Can also mean “my love” or “my darling."

OTHERWORLD:
Another realm outside of the Earth realm.

PYROKINESIS:
The ability to set objects or people on fire through the concentration of psychic power.

SEELIE:
The “Light” court of the Tuatha De Danaan meaning “blessed.” This court consists of all the noble (pure) fairies and fae. They have powers that can be used for good or bad, but are thought of as more principled as the Unseelie. However, “light” does not necessarily mean “good.” 

SIDHE:
Another name for the fae folk of Tuatha De Danann. 

TECHNOKINESIS:
The ability to move an object with the power of one's thoughts.

TEIGH TRASNA ORT FEIN:
A Gaelic swear word with the approximate meaning of “Go screw yourself.”

TELEKINETIC:
The power to move something by thinking about it without the application of physical force.

TUATHA DE DANANN (or DANAAN):
A race of people in Irish mythology. They are the earliest fae/fairies. 

UNSEELIE:
The “Dark” fae of the Tuatha De Danaan. These are considered the un-pure or rebels of the Otherworld and do not follow the Seelie ways. They are nocturnal and have powers thought to be more immoral. They can also use their shell to seduce or gain their prey; however, “dark” does not necessarily mean “bad.”

Acknowledgements

Writing a book is anything but easy. It involves years of blood, sweat, tears, banging your head against the desk, more crying, and some serious tantrums. That is just the writing part, turning it into a book for the public is even more laborious. However, I’d do it all over again, without hesitation.

Writing is also a very solitary activity, but publishing a book is not. There are “victims” you drag into it, whether they want to or not, who help so much through this long, sometimes painful, journey.

First and foremost to my mom, who is my best friend, sounding board, editor (I will admit I’m not the best speller), and cheerleader. You came into this unfamiliar with the fantasy world (besides Harry Potter books) and became proficient in the Fae/Demon world. You helped me look at things differently, question and solve those glitches in the story. There are not enough thank yous in the world to replay you. I love you more than anything and am so grateful you are my mother. Thank you for believing in me and always letting me follow my own road. You helped my dreams come true. Now get ready for book two! 

To Linne, “L,” for being my beta reader. Your insight and funny comments helped add so much more to the story. The Ember and Eli scenes seemed to get hotter with your input. Both you and Paul helped me see different views when I got too far inside my own head. You are amazing, and I am so thankful you have come into my life.

To Clare and Dave, at Woulds & Shoulds, for your editing and design. You two are amazing! Clare, thanks for the hours of editing and helping me really shape this story and getting to what mattered. Dave, thank you for the endless hours editing and for putting up with my nitpicking and being a general pain in the rear about the cover. Your talent and patience is astounding. I am so grateful to you both for bringing my baby to life. 

To Dawn and Lily, your love of fantasy and your friendship inspired me more than you know. 

To my “Shut up and Write” writing group, thanks for making me shut up and write . . . well maybe not shut-up, but at least write!

To my family, a big thank you for the support and love. For all my friends scattered around the world, you are all constant inspiration to me. I love you all so much. (If you are not “named” in this book, remember there are two more books and future ones you might show up in! Good or bad—writer’s revenge!)

And lastly to my nieces, Audrey, Kinsey, and Darcy, you girls are my light in the darkness.

About the Author

Stacey Marie Brown works by day as an Interior/Set Designer and by night a writer of paranormal fantasy, adventure, and literary fiction. She grew up in Northern California, where she ran around on her family’s farm raising animals, riding horses, playing flashlight tag, and turning hay bales into cool forts. Even before she could write, she was creating stories and making up intricate fantasies. Writing came as easy as breathing. She later turned that passion into acting, living and traveling abroad, and designing. Though she had never stopped writing, moving back to San Francisco seemed to have brought it back to the forefront and this time it would not be ignored.

When she’s not writing, she’s out hiking, spending time with friends, traveling, listening to music, or designing.

To learn more about Stacey or her books, visit her at:

Author website:
www.staceymariebrown.com

Facebook:

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https://www.facebook.com/staceymarie.brown.5

Book page:
https://www.facebook.com/DOLSeries

Twitter: 
@S_MarieBrown