Darkness by Marcella Smith (chromebook ebook reader .TXT) 📕

Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino. He orders a black coffee. Black coffee black soul.
I sit there and drink it looking at pictures of John Cena, John Morrison, and Randy Orton as I drink my yummy drink.
As soon as I am done I order two more Venti Frappuccinios for the road. For me Starbucks was my drug. It was something I grew accustomed to when I was a freshman. I start driving around memorizing where I was driving. I drank two of those within the hour as I inconspicuously checked my phone ignoring him about telling me where to go. After about an hour and fifteen minutes I check my phone and see a message from Annette.
Ready.
I turn around and head back after stopping by Starbucks again for two more Frappuccinos. At a stop light I text her where they are. She texts back and says in the back parking lot. I drive into the front letting the valet take my car and I head to my room.
"I'm going to my room but remember I can always find you."
"Yeah yeah I know." I say as I use the elevator to go up to my room.
I use the room key to see they still hadn't checked out. I get the stakes and put them into my huge purse. I head downstairs and go to the check out area. I check out and went to the back parking lot. I see a SUV and brilliant red hair. I slide into the passenger seat.
"Let's go."
She looks at another SUV and nods I see Robert and Douglas and smile. We drive in silence until Annette pops the question.
"And we left why?"
"Because of Terrence. The faster we leave areas the more we don't have to worry about babysitting vampire or killing vampires."
"I guess I can't fall in love."
"Of course you can you like Douglas."
"What?!"
"Don't deny it. I and Robert talk about you guys all the time."
"Yeah it’s true we are kinda into each other but you and Robert like each other."
"No!" I lied.
"Why not?"
"We are just friends. Just because he is cute, has a wonderful personality, and is my guardian angel doesn't mean I like him." I put my hand over my mouth trying to cover up the guardian angel part knowing it was too late.
She gasps.
"You are so into him!"
"So?"
"I'm so gonna tell him."
"Why? So you guys can date."
"A relationship is not what I need right now."
"But you want one."
"We're done with this conversation."
"I'm gonna tell him."
"Whatever."
We go to the baggage area and get checked. I burned the stakes to ash before I get checked out. After that we stayed in the area by the plane and talked for a little bit but then Douglas and Annette suddenly got thirsty and went to Starbucks. I told Annette to get me a Frappuccino.
"Okay. Annette told me what you said and... That made me feel good. Me being your guardian angel was what I want to be. I didn't know you felt the same way."
"No crap you're serious you like me?"
"I always have."
"Why didn’t you? I was crazy about you."
"I was but then Darrell got in the way."
"Well ask me out now!"
"Well I would really be happy it if you would be with me."
"Of course!"
He leans forward and kisses me. It was a warm soft kiss probably because we were in a public area. I hold his hand just about the whole time. We get onto the plane and I get sleepy. Luckily, we had first class and we could both fit onto his seat. I lay my head down on his chest and close my eyes I see Terrence. His eyes turn red and he lunges for me. I scream and I turn my face away but he wasn't lunging for me he was lunging for Robert.
I try to help but he shrugs me off and punches Robert in the face. I keep screaming at him why but he doesn't answer. I try to stop him again but once again he shrugs me off. Except this time I get thrown in a corner and stay there weeping over Robert knowing he was already dead. I hear the repeated smacks on Robert's face stop and I feel a hand with Robert's blood touch my shoulder.
I cringe away from the hand and sob harder.
“Get away from me!” I scream and he flinches back.
I stand up and think of fire. I’m gonna burn him to ashes. I want to watch him disintegrate into nothing. I think of fire but somehow he already knows what I’m doing. He runs forward at that inhuman speed and raises my hand up to the ceiling where huge amounts of fire come out of my head.
I droop down in his arms exhausted from all of the power I had put into the fire I just poured out. The room quickly catches on fire but the smoke doesn’t choke me or make me uncomfortable. Terrence is anxious though it is one of the few things I know that can set him on fire. He scoops me up and in the next two seconds we were out of the building. I cry on the grounds and the earth shakes and that’s when I wake up.
I jolt upright and feel Robert tense. He opens his eyes and smiles at me but, the smile leaves right away when he sees my frown.
“What's wrong?” He asks.
“Nothing just a dream.” I say not wanting to get into detail.
“You okay?” he asks worriedly.
“Fine just tired.” I lay back on his chest.
I pretend to slow my breathing and act like I’m sleep but instead I look across from me. I catch Annette’s eye and she winks at me. I smile feeling better. My guardian angel liked me! I feel happy. Not only is he super hot but he is so sweet but tough at the same time! I smile to myself knowing I was gonna be with for a long time.
I close my sleep and go to sleep with happy thoughts. I wake up once to use the restroom and then return to is chest and sleep through the whole plane. Something about planes must make me sleepy. I wake up to Robert calling my name.
“Lola we are in Miami.”
I stand up and stretch.
“Good we might have a while to stay here.” I get on my toes and kiss him.
“And you said you two weren’t in to each other.” Douglas says as he walks by as I kiss Robert.
Annette just walks by and chuckles. We go all through the airport procedures and we call a cab. We take separate cabs Douglas and me in one cab and Annette and Robert in another. We tell the cab drivers to take us in the best hotel in Miami Beach.
“My best friend and my sister.” He says when we get in the cab.
“My best friend and my brother.” I retort.
“You got me there.” Douglas says. We sat quietly for a couple minutes.
“How do you think Mom and Dad are right now?” I ask after a while.
“Heart broken they only have five kids left.”
“I never really noticed until now how many siblings we have.”
“A lot.” Douglas answers.
“You were always my favorite.” I say truthfully.
“Likewise.” He smiles at me.
“I remember that time we got busted for drinking beer and mom almost killed us.” I sigh thinking of the memory.
“Yeah it was hilarious,” Douglas chuckles, “The getting beat up part hurt… a lot.” He says.
“I know who knew mom was so strong.” I sigh.
“Anyway I never want to see them again.” Douglas said.
“What why?” I ask startled.
“Because if I see them again Portia and her army are going to kill my family and it’s not worth it.”
“True. What does Portia want with us anyway? I mean out of all the college students in the world why us? Not that I wish this on anyone else to see.” I say.
“We are special that’s why. I don’t know what she wants us to do but I need to figure out so we can hold it against her somehow. We need to make friends with enemies which I’m pretty sure she has.”
“Wow I see why she needed you Douglas. You’re good with thinking.”
“Whoa a compliment from my little sister what in God’s name is the world coming to?”
“Shut up,” I say, “I kind of get your point though. Robert has amazing street smarts and can practically get his hands on anything. Annette can basically always get what she wants without being under suspicion and besides we all know she can kick some major butt. I don’t know what they would want with me though.”
“Oh bull!” Douglas says, “ You can fight, you can lead, you control elements, and come on I swear you have the best plans ever! You can take down an army of vampires and werewolves single handedly.”
I gasp. “Is my brother giving me a compliment?”
“Shut up.”
After that we arrive at the Gansevoort Miami Beach hotel which is amazing! We check in and luckily I get the penthouse suite again. I know I’m living in major luxury. This time we all share the penthouse suite though. We decide to stay here for about two weeks to come up with our next plane. As soon as we get settled we discuss our next moves. In the lounge area.
”Okay different continent name it.” I say.
“Europe.” Robert says.
“Country?”
“Italy.” Douglas says.
“Of course,” I say, “Italian sports cars.”
“Look on the bright side. Italian shoes.” Annette says and I smile.
“Okay Italy I think we need to buy a place I’ll make calls and as soon as we get there we can get everything signed and we can keep that as our place if we ever need to go back.”
“Cool our first place.”
“Now we need stakes and stock this place with a whole bunch of weapons and cash and stuff. So that means we have to get jobs.”
“Yeah of course I’ll make calls but right now can you guys go get the stuff for me to make some new stakes.”
“Sure.” Everyone says.
“Robert I need you though.” I say.
Douglas and Annette head off while Robert and I go on italianpropertysale.com. We find a big roomy home all of us will like. Robert is half Italian and half African American. He bilingual and speaks Italian perfectly which to me is sexy. He gets on the phone and while he is on hold tells me to go in his bag and get one of his fake ID’s. I go into his suitcases and pick the first one I see. He says a whole bunch of words and stuff while he talks to the real estate person.
Robert gets off the phone.
“I had to bribe that guy into holding the house for me. I told him we would be there in three weeks is that good.” Robert asks.
“Yes that’s fine.”
“Wow we are buying our first home.” He says.
“Not how you planned huh?” I ask.
“Definitely not.” He says.
“We need to pay him in cash okay? We need to get known and involved with the weapons and fake ID stuff. We are gonna be serious G’s about this.”
“Of course we