He comes to in an unfamiliar place. Blinking, Drecca sits up, finding that he is shirtless, and his chest is covered in bandages. He looks around the room, which is lit by candles and sconces. Drecca is in a bedroom, but the room is huge enough to be the master bedroom, and he's been laying on a big, plush bed.
Drecca sighs and pulls himself up, trying to stand. But his legs are weak, his body shakes as he moves. Cursing, Drecca sits back down.
But then, a troubling thought occurs to him. How did he get here? Where is he? Where's Hayley? Is she okay?
Drecca finally gets up, and limps to the door of the bedroom he found himself in. He looks around, nervous, but then, a woman steps into his path. Drecca steps back, readying to fight.
She holds her hands up in surrender, and she backs away from him. "Drecca, right?"
"Who are you? Where am I?" Drecca demands.
"You're safe," she says. "My name is Mara."
Drecca studies her. Shes pale, her purple eyes hiding behind thick, red bangs of her long hair. She wears all black, and she steps closer to him.
"Mara? Who the fuck are you?"
Mara hums. She gestures for him to follow her, and begrudgingly, he does. They walk into the house's big kitchen, with its dining room to the right. He sits down hard on a chair in the dining room, as it's connected to the kitchen. Mara walks around, and pulls a bottle of liquid from the icebox.
She hands him the drink. He stares at it, then her.
She sighs. "It isn't poisoned. But really, why would I save your life, only to poison you right afterwards?" She chuckles. "It's brandy. "
"Brandy?" Drecca studies the bottle, then opens it and begins to drink. It burns going down his throat, and he sighs, setting it down on the table.
Mara frowns. "You okay?"
"Do I look okay?"
She shakes her head, picking at the rings she is wearing on her fingers. She hums once and looks over to the icebox, then back to him. "Drecca, I'm sure you have a place to return to. But .... I need your help with something."
"I don't know you," he says.
"I know," Mara says, nodding.
"So why the fuck would I help you?" Drecca asks, his tone deceptively calm.
Mara frowns. "Oh, well, maybe because I can help you, too, Drecca."
"Help me with what, exactly?"
"I have some allies, Drecca. And they can help you with Hayley," she says softly. "Drecca. She's dying."
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Darkness & Light: Book 2: Shatter Our Hope
FantasyBook 2 in the Darkness & Light series. Hayley and Aldrea have become one again, but now, they can never be separated again. Not without killing one of them. But Hayley and Aldrea find themselves and Deecca separated from the others. Away from their...
