Darkness Awakens ( Darkness Series book 1)

Chapter One

"One of these days Rose you're going to get yourself killed! Of all the stupid, reckless-"

My phone goes sailing through the air, bouncing and skidding across the floor while I mutter to myself about pig headed men thinking they know everything. I hear the ringer going off again and eye it warily, shit... I walk over slowly bending to pick it up.

"Hey Luc lis-" I don't even manage three words before he roars down the phone.

"Hang up on me again Rose and I will seriously beat the shit out of you! Honestly of all the stupid things you could of done it had to be a Demon! I taught you better than this Rose, this is the fourth one this month! Carry on like this and the Elders will throw you in the bloody cells!" I sigh, dropping my shoulders in defeat.

"I'm sorry Lucas... I know it was stupid but I couldn't just stand there while that thing was trying to feed on that poor girl! I only did what I thought was right... what you taught me to do." I whisper quietly knowing that he is angry because he cares.

"Bloody hell Rose you know better than to take out a Demon on your own! I don't know what I'd do if..." He takes a calming breath no doubt trying to get a grip on his temper. "Listen... I need you to lay low for a few days, Lord Erebus is looking for you... he'll hurt you Rosebud, make you an example of what happens to anyone who kills his Demons."
His gravelly voice trails off and I sink to the floor , this is bad, this is really fucking bad! I run a shaking hand through my mass of dark curls, biting my lip nervously trying to think of anything but failing miserably.

"I'm going to meet with the coven now and get them to help smooth things over with Erebus, explain that you were helping an innocent but you need to trust me on this Rose, do not leave you're apartment check the wards and make sure you stay there until I come for you...promise me."

"I promise! By the Gods Luc, I'm sorry-" The phone goes dead leaving my talking to empty air. What am I going to do? Poor Luc! Always looking out for me ever since the coven took me in ten years ago he has always stuck by me, helping me get through the loss of my parents and teaching me to control my magic which always seemed so wild compared to the other witches in the coven.
I stand shakily and move towards the couch and plopping myself down, head in my hands as it sinks in how much trouble I'm in. I couldn't stop myself from helping that girl that Demon was trying to feed on her using his influence to seduce her into giving him access to everything, her mind, body and soul.
A rush of broken memories whisper through my mind of the night my parents were killed, the echo of their screams, blood painting the walls, my broken sobs as I cry for them... cruel mocking laughter from the dark figure with the cold black eyes. "NO!". I quickly push the scattered memories back not wanting to remember. My memories where lost from the first eight years of my life, the coven elders explained it was the trauma of my parents dying that caused me to repress them. I have noticed that they are trying to force their way through my mental block and shudder to think when they finally break through. Shaking my head in disgust I knew I needed to do something, anything before I lost what's left of my mind.

I walk into the bathroom and head to the sink needing to splash some water on my face, looking at myself in the mirror I notice that my violet eyes are glassy with shock, my skin paler than usual and my dark hair floating around my face made me look like I'd aged years in the last few hours. Rubbing my tired eyes I think of Luc once more feeling the lurch of guilt in my stomach that yet again I had dragged my best friend into shit that I've caused again. I loved him like a brother and knew he would do whatever he could to keep me safe.
Realising that I still hasn't checked the wards on the apartment I close my eyes slowly releasing my magic, letting the familiar warmth flood through me. I focus my power and channel it to the wards that surround my apartment checking that the protective circle is still up and running when my heart plummets and a nauseous feeling creeps through my body, large gaping holes are scattered through circle red and black tendrils of dark magic slowly creeping there way through. I quickly draw my power back knowing that I have no chance against magic this dark.
Scrambling to my feet I grab my phone, bag and jacket and jerk open the front door running blindly down the hall and I can feel something coming, so powerful it makes my teeth ache. Hitting the stairs I propel myself forward as fast as my legs can go stumbling down the bottom steps when I finally reach the emergency fire door and slam through it falling into the dark alley behind my apartment building, as I turn to run towards the mouth of the alley when something crashes into my side sending my head crashing into the wall with a resounding crack and I crumple to the floor. Waves of fiery pain burn around my skull and as I try to sit up I feel something hot and wet slide down my face. I hold in a whimper as my eyes find a tall dark figure standing in front of me, blinking blood out of my eyes I try and make out details but the figure is shrouded in shadows making it impossible to see anything.