Chapter Nine

Arriving home from classes later that day, Colbie knew something was wrong – very wrong. Digging her key from the bottom of her bag - where it always seemed to end up no matter which pocket of her bag it started the day in – she turned to face the plain and rather unassuming front door. It was a perfect copy of everyone other front door in the row of houses but still she could tell that something bad lurked behind the door.

With trembling hands, Colbie lifted her hand to the door and pressed her key in the lock but could not find the will to actually turn the key. She felt something instinctual in her gut, that once the key had turned there would be no going back, her lie would irrevocably change. A sharp shake to the head banished the thought. Nothing could be that bad.

The brunette cast a glance over her shoulder at her bodyguards. Immediately nausea filled her stomach. Both had gotten out of the now parked BMW and were crossing the road. That was a break from normal procedures in itself but it was the expressions on their faces which had her backing away from the front door.

Colbie had the strongest urge to flee. It burned so deep into her heart that tears formed in her eyes and she shook her head back and forth.

Big and burly, the one who often looked at her with irritation now levelled her with a stare that was filled with pity.

She gulped and turned away, her hand going for the key on instinct. She just had to get away from those stares. They only meant bad things. When someone glanced at you like that, from her own experience, it always meant that someone was dead.

When her trembling hands could not turn the key, big and burly stretched his arm past her, gently taking her hand from the key. He then tucked it into the fold of his arm before using his other hand to turn the key in the door and nudging it open with his foot.

“It will all be okay Miss Carrington,” he murmured softly, tugging her into the deceptively welcoming warmth of the house.

When she made no move to walk any further, he sighed and all but dragged her down the hallway. He used her keys to open her bedroom door and gently nudged her inside despite the presence of a complete stranger.

If she had though Alex and Max were tall, or even that big and burly was tall, they had nothing on the man now stood in the middle of her bedroom. Standing at nearly seven feet tall, he had to duck his head to avoid hitting it on the light fitting. He was broad and muscular, or at least he seemed that way through his perfectly tailored black jeans and black long sleeved tee shirt.

Despite his attempt to cover up and seem inconspicuous, Colbie’s eyes were immediately drawn to the markings on his skin which started behind his ears and wound its way down his entire body. The only part of his that wasn’t covered in marked skin was his face. But without them, he was still just as intimidating. His face was not pretty or beautiful – at least not in a traditional way. Colbie supposed someone might find the ferocity in him attractive. For her though, it just felt wrong to even consider it.

The man’s eyes did not immediately fall upon her as she was forced into the room. Instead they roamed over the pictures she had tacked to the walls, photos of her family and drawings she had made. In his hand he held a small red book. Colbie pressed her lips together at the lock which had been unceremoniously torn from the front so that this stranger could read her thoughts, her dreams and her nightmares.

She gulped and clutched tighter on to big and burly even as he tried to extricate his arm from her. Finally he pried himself loose and with a sharp nod of his head to the darkly clad man, he stepped out and shut the door firmly behind him.

Silence reigned for several long seconds. Colbie averted her gaze from the man and fidgeted awkwardly as she waiting for this stranger to speak. Whatever he would say would mean nothing good for Colbie. He was a member of the black brotherhood. One never caught glimpses of them unless something bad was happening. All of their free times was spent training and paying dues to the dark goddess, Hecate, the one who had bestowed her gift on the Carrington family in their hour of need so that they could protect human race for all time. The most important aspect of her gift, was she gave each member that belonged to the family a choice. Serve her and obtain ‘immortality’ or choose the mortal path.

Finally merciless eyes turned her way and Colbie shrank backwards. She stopped however when they seemed to warm. It was difficult to tell. His eyes were like that of a cat, startlingly green irises bisected by animalistic diamond slits. All of the brotherhood had something similar. It allowed them to see in the darkness. They brotherhood were the best of human and animal, an amalgamation so strong and powerful that just one stare was enough to have most creatures of evil turning tail and running for sanctuary in the shadows.

“Bumblebee, look at you. You’re all grown up.”

The young woman jumped and took an involuntary step backwards at the sound of his smooth voice. She had half expected his words to growl out of his mouth like a beast talking through the mouth of a human with the untamed look he carried about him. His voice was surprisingly pleasant to listen to which was why it took so long for the words to sink in.

“I’m sorry, but have we met?”

She bit her lip and forced herself not the step away when his jaw clenched and he looked away.

“We haven’t seen each other since you were a mere baby. I am Sebastian.” He paused and glanced down at her but when she made no signs of comprehension he blew out a breath, his tattooed hand coming up so he could run his fingers through his hair. “I am your brother.”

Colbie let herself walk over to the bed and slumped down onto it. She stared at her hands for a long moment before lifting her face so that she could look at the giant who was supposed to be a sibling. She could vaguely see it. The shape of his eyes were similar to their fathers and he had mother’s chin but other than that he was an entirely new being. Members of the brotherhood changed greatly when they became inducted.  The people who came out after initiation were always completely different to who they had been when they had signed up for the dark guard. Sebastian was no different.

“Well it is nice to meet you Sebastian.” Colbie twisted her fingers in her lap for a few seconds before breathing in deeply and allowing her spine to stiffen. “Now, I am guessing that this is not a social visit. Just tell me the bad news that you have come to deliver.”

She gulped and looked away as her – she struggled to associate him with the word – brother perched on the edge of her desk. His long legs were stretched out in front of him.

He sat there so casually but it was clear from his posture that he was as uncomfortable with the situation as she was. He cleared his throat.

“It’s our brother. Byron.” He paused, his jaw clenching as he fought an internal war. “He was killed in an attack in the early hours of yesterday morning. There was a series of co-ordinated attacks. We try to be everywhere but we were unable to stop his death from coming to pass.”

The air rushed out of Colbie’s lungs like she had been sucker punched in the stomach.  Her eyes squeezed tightly shut as she suffered through the intense burning pain in her chest. It was like someone had shoved a hot poker right though where her hurt should be.

“did he –?” She paused and struggled past the lump that had formed in her throat. “Did he suffer?”

Sebastian did not move or speak, he just levelled his cat like eyes upon her and gave her a look that warned her of the answer. She nodded her head and looked away, her throat working as she fought back her emotions.

“Probably best that I don’t know.” The sob which she had been trying so hard to hold in came forth with a few tears. She hastily wiped them away before shoving her fist in her mouth to stifle any further sobs. Colbie decided she had cried enough.

“Do you know what it means? Do you know what has to happen now?” Sebastian asked. His voice was even and almost cold as his strange eyes stared into the side of his sister’s face.

Colbie looked down at her hands which had started to shake. She nodded her head unable to actually speak.

“Yes, I must go home.”

Sebastian stared at her for several long seconds before pushing himself up off of the drawers.

“And you must take your rightful place as the rightful heir to the Carrington line.”

He noted the way that she bit her lip and glanced away. Touched by a rare bit of pity and feeling, Sebastian stretched out a hand and wiped away the signs of her turmoil.

“Do not fear. You will have me and our father there to watch over you as will the great goddess Hecate.”

He glanced around her room and frowned.

“Is there anything you need urgently? We need to get you back to the estate to get you prepared.”

Colbie looked over her room, at possession she had brought with her. She pushed up off of the bed and pulled several pictures off of the wall. She clutched them close to her chest before slipping them into her pocket.

“We can just send someone to collect the rest.” She whispered, walking towards the door and waiting patiently for her brother to follow.

Sebastian didn’t walk. He glided close behind her, his movements so smooth and seamless that she couldn’t hear his steps as he moved. It was only his powerful aura that clung to his like a second skin that let her know that he was right behind her.

“Come on Bee,” he replied stiffly, his shoulder pulling back and his body becoming more alert as he reached for the door handle. “Let’s get you home.”

 He glanced down at her, watched as she tilted up her chin, wiped any signs of distress from her face and took a steadying breath. She blew out through her mouth and felt her heart rate pick up as they moved closer to the front door. And then they were stepping out into the darkness.

The street lights had come on in the time that she had been in the house and the sky had turned inky black. The air felt heavily and the skies rumbled ominously. There was a storm brewing.

Big and burly stood by his black car, his arms folded across his chest as he stared out into the darkness.

There was a rumble of engine which cut through the night air like an angry breast. The black SUV pulled up to the curb and idled at the side of the road. The headlights cut into the darkness, illuminating some of the lightless alleys and shadows ahead. The young woman could see more of her father’s guard sat inside. Colbie stilled and closed her eyes.

“This is it.” She murmured, tilting her head back as the first drops of rain started to fall. “There’s no going back.”

Sebastian closer a hand on her shoulder, meant to be a sign of comfort but feeling more like a manacle closing around her wrist.

“There was never any choice Colbie. I’ve learnt in my life that there is a destiny for all of us. This is yours.”

With those solemn and damning words in her ears, she was ushered into the back of her car.