Darkside Chapter 1: Love

Love is not all it's cut out to be.

Lizzy

  I stared at Darren's hand as he placed it over mine.  A week, that was how long I had known him and that was how long it had taken me to fall in love with him.  Yet I would never be with him.  Not after what had happened with Kyle.  Most especially not after what had happened to him.  "Lizzy, did you hear me?" Darren's voice interrupted my thoughts.  Looking up into his golden eyes I shook my head.  He smiled.  It was almost smug, yet so disarming.  "I asked when I would see you tomorrow?"
        I pulled my hand away.  Clasping my hands together I looked out the window.  I couldn't look at Darren as he asked, "What is it Lizzy?  What's wrong?"
        "I wont be seeing you tomorrow."
        "Okay," he drew out that one word and I knew he didn't understand what I was trying to say.  "When will I see you then?"
        "You wont," I looked back at him.  confusion flashed briefly across his face.  His mouth turned down at the edges and the corner of his eye's tightened.  I sucked in my breath.  I had never seen that look on Darren's face, but I had seen similar on Ky le's enough times to be grateful that I was in a public place.  Grabbing my purse I made a hurried exit from the restaurant.  There was no way I was going to let this turn into a public scene. 
        As I expected Darren followed me.  Before I could get across the parking lot to my car he caught up to me.  Grabbing my arm he turned me to face him.  "What do you mean I wont?" he practically growled.
        "I meant exactly what I said.  You wont be seeing me again."  I tried to pull away from him.
        Darren held tighter.  "That's all you have to say?   You're going to walk away, just like that?"
        "Yes, now let go of me."
        "No, not until you tell me why.  What did I do wrong?"
        "You didn't do anything wrong." I swallowed hard trying desperately to keep the tears at bay.
        "Then why?" he raised his hand.  I flinched.  With great effort I willed myself to calm down.  Darren wasn't Kyle, I reminded myself.  Opening my eyes I realized that Darren had frozen completely still.  All the color was drained from his beautifully tanned face.  "Who?" he snarled.
        "What?" I asked confused.  There was no way he could have guessed, was there?  It was only a flinch.  It wasn't like I  had cried out in fear. 
        Ever so gently he touched the very tips of his fingers to my cheek.  "Who made you afraid?"
        I shivered.  Somehow this was worse than being hit.  Being hit I had gotten used to.  This was new.  This made me feel awful inside for leaving him.  Yet I had to.  He would never be safe around me.  "Let me go," I said softer than I had intended. 
        "No," Darren pressed the palm of his hand to my cheek.  Fear rose in me.  This time I was not afraid for myself but for Darren.  I should have never let things go on as long as I had.  I had been deluding myself.  The fear rose and strangled the rest of me.  I shrieked, "Let go."  One moment Darren was holding me tightly, the next he was sprawled on the ground looking up at me in total shock and surprise.
        Breathing hard I took first one then another step backwards.  Finally I turned and sprinted to my car.  My hand shook so bad that I had to try three times to get the key in the lock before I was finally able to steady it long enough to unlock the door.  Hastily I shoved myself into the car, slammed the door shut, and started the car.  Pulling out of the parking spot I gave on last glance back at the now forlorn figure that was Darren. 

Darren

 As I watched Lizzy drive away I inwardly cursed.  She did have Power.  Master had been right.  Why, then did I feel so hollow inside.  She was nothing to me, just another pawn in my Masters plans.  No, she should be nothing to me, but that wasn't the case.  I looked down at my hand, the one that had touched her cheek.  My fingers still tingled with the feeling that touching her invoked within me. 
        Gripping my hand into a tight fist I cursed again.  This was not how Master had raised me to think.  Humans were things to be used.  Even those with Power were nothing but tools.  I was part demon, better than this world.  The shadow's of the setting sun touched my face.  I had been thinking for too long.  With inhuman speed I disappeared from the parking lot and raced down the streets.  The human's as always oblivious.  Thinking only that their mind, or maybe the light, had played a trick on their eyes.
        All too soon for my comfort I arrived at the house that we were using.  It was not home, just a place to stay for a short while.  I strode right in.  There was one hallway on this floor.  I followed it almost to the end where I then turned right into a study.  The room was clothed in shadow.  In it's darkest corner stood the figure of a man.  Falling to one knee I announced my presence, "Master I have returned."
        "You met with the girl as planned?" my Masters voiced drifted from the dark.
        "Yes, Master."
        "And does she have Power?"
        Every night this past week he asked me this question and every night I answered.  Tonight I hesitated one second before answering, "No, Master, she does not."
        He made a motion from his corner.  Five long lines of pain burst open on my back.  Almost as though a tiger had clawed me, deep and long.  Though my shirt was not touched I could feel the blood running down my back.  I gritted my teeth in pain but did not scream out.  Master approached me.  He stepped into the light.  As usual he was clothed from nose to toe in cloth and robes.  Only his black hair and eyes were not covered.  His eyes shone with rage.  "You have lied to me my son," his voice rang like cold steel.  Slowly he placed his hand on my forehead.  Instantly every nerve in my body screamed out in agonizing, red-hot, pain.  Screaming I collapsed on to the floor.
        The pain stopped as quickly as it had begun.  My body twitched here and there for a few moore moments at the memory of the pain.  Taking a deep breath I forced my muscle's to relax.  I lay there silently on the ground waiting for my Master.  He knelt down beside me.  Slowly he began to stroke my hair, "My poor boy," he murmured to me.  I closed my eyes, taking in my Masters loving touch.  "You let yourself have feelings for  her."
        "What must I do Master?" I asked.
        His hand stopped.  "Kill her.  She is perfect for your first kill.  Pass your final test tonight and all will be well."  Without a sound he stood up and left.

Jez

 Darren had done it again.  I wasn't sure how he always got away with getting the Master upset but he did.  Sighing I pushed my hair back behind my shoulders.  "Let me see the damage," I said.  Darren sat down on our bed and took his shirt off.  He had five long cuts on his back.  "What did you do this time?"  I went to the bathroom to get a bowl of water and a clean towel.  Coming back into the bedroom I found Darren cross legged in a meditative state.  I frowned.  That was unusual.
        Sitting behind him I started to clean the wounds.  I waited a couple minutes before asking again, "So, what happened?"
        "I don't want to talk about it."
        He rarely wanted to talk but if I pressed he'd usually tell me.  I was his fiance after all.  Being very gentle about his wounds I started prying, "You had to go on another date with that human today?"
        "Yes."
        "It must have been hard, having to try to pretend to like her."
        Darren didn't say anything.
        "You didn't get in trouble because of her did you?" I paused in my cleaning.
        Standing up Darren growled, "I said I didn't want to talk about it."
        Swallowing hard I stood up.  i knew that emotions ran strong in him but he usually kept them under control.  Something had truly upset him.  gently I touched his elbow, "Come my love let me finish cleaning your wounds."  gentleness was not in my nature but I tried hard to be gentle for Darren.  He liked it.
        "Just bind them." He didn't move,  didn't respond too me.  It worried me.  With a little difficulty I did as he asked.  Once I was done he pulled on a new shirt.  Picking up his katana he paused.  "Master has given me my final test."
        squealing in delight I flung myself at him, wrapping my arms around his.  "We'll finally be able to get married," I exulted.  For human's marriage was just a ceremony, but for us, for demons, it was more.  It was a binding stronger than mere words.  Darren didn't respond, he just stared at the ground.  "Aren't you glad," I pouted.
        "Yes," he turned to me and gave a slight smile, "It's just been a long day."  I smiled back at him.  Leaning down he kissed me.  It was a soft quick kiss, not at all like his usual self.  Without another word he disentangled his arm from my grip and left.  Watching him go I frowned.  Something was definitely wrong.