Page 1 of Shadows of Rage

Prologue

Dark. Cold. Alone.

The screams outside of my dark, little hideaway are far worse than they have been in the past. Glass is shattering across the floor, and things are being thrown around. My parents have never really had the best relationship for as long as I can remember. My panic attacks have been out of control and I had started acting out in school. I never understood why this all affected me, but now at the age of twelve, I’m starting to understand more and fear that things are not going to end well.

Today, the issue started before I even got home from school. As I walked in the door, my parents were already screaming at each other and I could tell that my father was already drunk by the way he was slurring his words. I walked into the living room of the trashed trailer, trying to ignore it. The picture frames were torn from the wall and the old TV we had was smashed on the floor. Dripping from the small coffee table was what looked like a red sticky substance. Putting my finger through the liquid, I realize that it’s blood. That’s when I decided that I just needed to hide. Rushing towards the back of the trailer, I pushed the bathroom door open and locked myself inside, crawling into the small compartment underneath thesink. I can hear all of the awful things my father tells my mother.

The screaming continues and I start to panic. Trying to distract myself, I go through my breathing exercises to stop myself from crying. I sit in the dark cabinet in the bathroom, cradling my head in an attempt to calm myself. My heart is pounding and my body shakes in fear. I sit there, thinking of what it would be like to grow up as a normal child, for what feels like hours before everything goes silent. Building up my courage to crawl out of my hiding spot, I unlock and open the door and walk out of the bathroom to see my father slamming the trailer door shut as he stomps outside with a knife in his hand.

Walking back to the kitchen, all I see is shattered glass and that red liquid splattered all over the place. I tiptoe around, trying to avoid the broken pieces on the floor, until I get to my parents bedroom. The door is slightly cracked, so I push it open all the way and step inside. I gasp when I see my mother lying on the floor in a puddle of blood, with her throat sliced, and insides pulled from the hole in her stomach. I fall to my knees beside her with tears streaming down my face. Numb is all I feel. Alone, scared and it's times like these that I wished I had a sibling, someone to lean on, but I don't. I'm all alone.

Jolting out of bed, I rip the blankets off. Cold sweat drips down my body from the nightmare as tears continue to stream down my cheeks. It takes a couple minutes before I’m able to regulate my breathing and slow my racing heart. The same nightmare happens again and again, and has been for the past thirteenyears. Every time I feel more numb than before. Getting out of bed, I pull the sheets off the mattress and put them in a basket, replacing them with a clean set.

I feel disgusting and decide to shower. Turning the water to the coldest setting, I grab a towel from the closet and put a new head on my razor. I undress and step in, the freezing water cascades down my body, making my teeth chatter. Taking my time, I try to calm myself down and focus on the task at hand. I wash my hair, then condition, making sure to comb the product through. I choose to use my pumpkin and vanilla scented body wash and slowly lather it over my body. I shave all of the necessary areas and turn the water off. Stepping out, I wrap myself in a fluffy towel and lotion my body, ensuring everything is smooth.

A couple of hours later, I’m getting dressed in my usual attire of ripped jeans and a corset top. My makeup is simple and my hair is up in a ponytail. At least it’s Friday and I will have no responsibilities tomorrow, so I can drink my problems away for the night. As I’m putting on my necklace and hoops in my ears, my best friend, Leighton, comes into my room to let me know the Uber has arrived. Thank God we are going out tonight. I need this distraction.

Arriving at the local bar, my first priority is getting a drink, but I decided tonight is the night that I will just get drunk on shots and save some money while I’m at it. I head to the bar immediately, ordering two shots of tequila. Shooting them back, the burn down my throat is a relief from the fire I feel inside. The bass rolls over my skin and my vision blurs as the liquor settles in my belly. The small space is packed with people and workers. In between shots, we dance in the middle of the bar belting out our favorite songs. Shot after shot after shot, until finally my body goes numb and I blackout. Free of these memories at last.

CHAPTER 1

Daniella

Shit.Waking up with a bright light shining directly in my eyes, I look to my right and realize I left the damn curtains open last night.Oh god.

Last night…no wonder my head is killing me. Leighton convinced me to go to that bar and drink way past my limits.Some best friend she is.It wasn’t even worth my time. Just being groped by weirdos as I drink myself into oblivion.

“Rise and shine, sleepy head!” I hear Leighton’s voice before I see her in my doorway. Her pretty honey-brown eyes are much brighter with the direct sunlight in them, framed by long fluttering lashes. A beautiful wild mane of natural blonde curls cascade down her back. She eyes me warily before she speaks again. “How are you feeling? You had a lot to drink last night.” I glare at her and roll my eyes.

“I feel like absolute shit and I could really use a cold glass of water.” Leighton turns on her heels and is back in seconds with a cold water bottle.

“Do what you need to do to get yourself out of bed. We have some shopping to do today.” She watches me carefully with herhand on her hip. She looks like we didn’t just spend the entire night out getting completely obliterated. She gives me a gentle smile and I know that’s her cue for me to get up. With a groan I sip my water and roll out of bed, walking to the bathroom to wash my face.

An hour later, we are in the car on our way to the shops for some retail therapy. We walk into a cute new shop and right away I spot the perfect dress for the night. Yup. We’re going back out tonight. A little hangover isn’t gonna stop me. I grab the dress and hold it up against myself to show Leighton my find. “Bitch, that will look so good on you!” She says with flames in her eyes.

The dress is not my typical style. It’s a skin-tight, black mini-dress with a zebra print overlay, and cutouts on the sides and in the center of my chest, showing off my cleavage. I usually try to stay more tame, but lately, my darkness is starting to bloom and I’m ready for the world to feel my rage.

After shopping, we go back to the apartment and start looking around for places we want to go tonight. I’ve been in my head a ton lately and just want to spend some time letting loose.

We finally decide on a club after way too much consideration. Black Lux is one of the hottest clubs in town and supposedly has a mysteriously sexy owner who only shows his face to the patrons every once in a while. The list to get into the club is almost impossible to get on, making it one of the most exclusive places in the city. Somehow, Leighton manages to find someone who is a regular there and can get us on the list for the night.

The adrenaline is pumping as the hours pass, and it’s finally time to get ready for our night. I put my dress on with black, strappy heels and decide on a black smokey eye with a nude lip. The black eyeshadow accentuates my blue eyes. Leighton helps me straighten my hair before I spray my perfume. The intoxicating scent of vanilla and black cherry takes over my senses as I walk to the other side of the room, grabbing my bag before we’re ready to go.

We order an Uber and while we wait, we go over our basic ground rules for the night. No leaving with anybody without telling one another, always keep your location shared, and no drinking drinks from anyone if they didn’t grab it directly from the bartender right in front of you. Also, bathroom trips are never solo. Leighton has been like my lifeline these past few years and I can’t imagine how awful life would be if anything were to happen to her, so we take these rules very seriously.

The car arrives and we hop in then we head to the club. After the brisk fifteen minute ride, we claim our spots in line to get in. Once we get to the door, and give the bouncer our names, we’re let in right away. The deafening bass of the music overwhelms my senses as soon as I step into the club. The vibrations radiate throughout my body.

We make our way through the crowd and over to the bar to order our drinks. “One blue lagoon and a whiskey sour for her, please!” Leighton eagerly says to the bartender and winks at me. On the opposite side of the bar, I see a breathtakingly handsome man staring directly at me. His stare makes me nervous and goosebumps riddle my body. I try to look the other way, but his gaze draws me in, even more so when I see the corner of his mouth lift into a smirk. Social situations are not my area of expertise, so his smile makes me uneasy at first and I look back at the bartender as he hands us our drinks.

I hesitate for a few minutes before I look back over to where he was, just to realize he’s gone. A ping of disappointment hits me, but Leighton quickly distracts me when she downs her drink in a matter of seconds and is ready to dance. Grabbing my hand, she drags me out to the middle of the dance floor, where it feels ten times hotter than it did at the bar.

We dance for what feels like hours but must have only been a few minutes. We laugh and dance with each other, singing every word to every song.

Despite having fun with my best friend...I still search the crowd forhim. The nameless stranger that caused my knees to quake and my heart skip a beat. I don’t know what it is about him but I can’t get his eyes and that dangerous smirk out of my head. I haven’t found anyone that intriguing since…well…ever. “Earth to Dani!! Hello? Where did your mind take you?” I shake my head trying to clear my thoughts and focus on Leighton.

“I’m fine, the alcohol is just starting to hit me.” I realize I downed three in such a short amount of time that my brain is foggy.

Ignoring my earlier thoughts, I continue to dance with Leighton for a while until I see a familiar face standing towards the back of the throngs of people. Zeke Palmer. The only person that’s ever been able to get under my skin enough to break me. Memories of his torment flow through my head.

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