Page 91 of Darkness

Every single member of my family is giving me an opinion, from Uncle David to Miles. Saying I should fight and I should not run away. I keep shaking my head because everyone is actually pissing me off.

I slam my fist into the table. “Enough,” I shout. “Autumn, tell your mom you'll call her back.” Pressing my palms into my eyes as they hurt so much, I give myself a little talk to calm myself down, but it's not really helping.

Taking a deep breath and with a heavy sign, I turn to everybody. “Would you let Aunt Jane go down to The Pit?” He stays silent. “Uncle David?” It is so easy for all of them to give me their options, so let's see what they do when I ask them.

“No.”

“Would you send Lileah down there?”

“No.” Uncle David answers the second I finish asking the question.

“So, why the fuck do you think I want to take Autumn down there? It's easy for you to say, yes, take her down there, but yet you won't take the two people who mean more to you in the world. You all stand there like you know how it is down there. You don't. It's a fucking nightmare. You saw only the very top layer of hell. You ask, Autumn, how much do I sleep during the night? I can answer it. I don't. I close my eyes and the demons, the pain, the screams and the smell hit me, there's always something that will wake me up.” I take a moment to catch my breath, as I’m shouting at them all. “You all stand there saying, ‘Oh, it's fine, you can do it.’ You think I want people and families from down there to know who Autumn is? Get a look of her face? No. Do I want them to see you? No, that's more enemies who will come for me than I'd ever want.” With a heavy sigh, I run my hand through my hair, because I'm losing it with all of them. “Then the fight with Yang. That man didn't lose one fight down there, not one. The only reason he never left the fucking Pit was because his son couldn't win a fight. You only leave that Pit if you win a fight. He could have walked out after twenty-four hours down there, but he didn't because of his son. He knows Chinese martial arts to the fucking T, that's what he does. He moves fast. Yes, he's old, but he killed people for fucking fun, ask Lincoln the man's fucked in the head.” I point to Lincoln just to give me a second to get myself back together.

“He once cut off a guy's fingers and started using them as chopsticks.” Lincoln looks over at me when he tells them just one of the things he did.

There's a silent echoing in the room, you can almost hear everyone's thoughts going on in their head. Fucking hell.

“Can I fight him? Yes. Can I win? I don't know. The last time I got in a fight with him I was losing. The only reason I'm here is because grandad took my place, and look how that ended up. Grandad is dead.” My sight moves to Autumn, who hasn't said one word, but she looks absolutely petrified.

I close my eyes as my head replays the fight I had with Yang. The man would pick me up with one hand, yeah, I was a kid, but he could throw me across that Pit with no trouble. My grandad was a good fighter, he was a strong fighter, but he took him down in minutes.

“Do I not get a say?”

I turn to Autumn and I have to stop myself from laughing at her. “No, I'm not taking you down there.” She must think I’m fucking crazy.

“So, you're going to look over your shoulder, like he said, you can't be with her all day,” Lincoln adds. Shaking my head, I grab a whiskey glass and walk over to my bar and fill it up to the rim, because two fingers of whiskey will not help me right now.

“Can everybody leave?” I turn to look at Autumn as she speaks. “I think it's been a fucked up three days. Half of you have not slept. Half of you are just saying things without really thinking, and Cain has only this morning woken up, and gone to talk to the crazy man who shot him, so I would like everyone to please leave. When's the fight?” Autumn asks.

Lincoln answers the question for me. “Two weeks.”

“Right, we have two weeks to figure something out, figure out a plan or work out another way. But for right now, I would like everybody to leave and rest. Maybe a good night's sleep for everyone is what's needed.” I lean on the counter, and watch everyone leaving, no one saying anything to me, because Autumn’s right.

It’s been a crazy day for me, but my whole family has been here for three days, and they need to rest.

Thirty-Two

Autumn-Rose

I walkwith Lincoln to the elevator, and we both stand there as we turn to see Cain grabbing a bottle, and sitting on the couch looking out at the night sky.

“Am I going to lose him?” I’m not asking Lincoln as much as I’m asking myself.

“No.” I turn to Lincoln. “He just needs to work on a plan, he won’t go without a fight, that I can promise. I’ve seen him fight, he’s a stubborn asshole who refuses to lose.” Lincoln leans in and kisses my cheek. “He’s just scared of losing you.”

The elevator doors open, and Lincoln tells me to call if I need him. Giving him a nod, I walk over to Cain, and sit on his lap, and lean in to give him a gentle kiss. Placing my hands in his hair, which always makes him close his eyes, I softly move them through his hair a few times. Every time I do this, his body always seems to relax a little, not one hundred percent, but enough for me to know he likes it when I do it.

“I used to sit here and watch you in your apartment. So carefree, you danced to whatever music you were listening to, and drank more tea than anyone should.” His words make me smile, there is nothing like too much tea. “I knew I shouldn’thave brought my darkness into your sunshine.” His eyes finally open and lock with mine. “You like flowers and puppies and-”

“And nothing. You told me about the family, told me about you. I’m still here. Because I love you, and you didn’t give me any darkness, you gave me my Prince Charming, he’s just in disguise.” I lean in closer and kiss his lips quickly a few times. “I have no idea what you have going on in your head about Yang and the fight, no matter what you do I will stand next to you.” He needs to know no matter what happens I will always have faith in what he does.

“I can’t take you to The Pit.” The words escape his beautiful mouth in a whisper, as if the room would burn in flames if he said it louder.

“And you think looking over our shoulder for the rest of our lives will be better. Yes, you beat Yang, and there might be another family, and when that happens, we will fight again. But right now, the fight is with Yang and Rowan. So you take me to The Pit, I will be with Lincoln and Hayden-”

“Autumn-”

“Cain, I’m going to The Pit, and you’re going to end this. You’re going to do whatever you have to finish this.” Cain shakes his head slightly, his eyes not leaving mine. I wish I could read his mind right now, but I can’t and Cain closes his eyes again, as he brings his whiskey glass to his lips and drinks.

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