Page 1 of Dark Embrace

Prologue

Rune

16 years old…

I sit nervously in the school parking lot waiting for the final bell to ring. Fresh drivers license in hand, I hop out of the car when I spot my best friend Calista making her way down the long staircase. It looks closer to a rundown prison than it does a high school, but our parents insist that my brothers and I graduate from this specific school. I guess it’s like a rite of passage in our family. Something to solidify us as Wicklow’s, because apparently our adoption papers weren’t enough. Have you ever seen those stories where the couples go to adopt a puppy, but there ends up being one puppy whose story is much worse than the rest? That’s what our parents must have felt like all those years ago. All four of us were adopted around the age of five, except for Karrion. His biological parents put him up for adoption as soon as he was born. His mother said she ‘could feel the demon from the time he was conceived’. She even went to the clinic to have an abortion, but it was unsuccessful. She wasn’ttoo far off with the whole demon bit, though. He’s a kind, caring guy, but there is a darkness inside of him that scares the shit out of me. He’s also extremely close with Calista, which really gets under my skin at times, but I deal with it. Cali and I have gotten much closer since it’s just the two of us at school now.

“You did it!” Cali squeals as she leaps into my arms. I catch her easily, wrapping my hands around her back. “I knew you were going to pass.” Her nose brushes against mine, and for a split second, I think she might finally kiss me. Instead, she unwraps her legs, putting them back on the ground and adjusting her skirt. “Sorry about that.” She whispers, fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

“What if I want to try this?” I ask, brushing my thumb over her bottom lip.

“Try what?” She swallows and looks up into my eyes. Her cheeks are tomato red, pretty much how I imagine mine are right now.

“I’ve been in love with you since I was eleven, Cali.” When she doesn’t respond, I take a step back, feeling like my stomach is going to drop out of my ass at any second.

“Merrick Rune Wicklow, I fell in love with you before I sat down at your lunch table.” She whispers, closing the distance between us. She grabs the back of my head and stands on her tiptoes to kiss me. I cup both sides of her face, deepening the kiss when a throat clears behind me.

“Mr. Wicklow, Ms. Sanders, let’s save those displays for when you’re not at school.” Our principal, Mr. Smart says as he walks past us to the faculty parking lot.

“Sorry about that.” Calista blushes and uses her thumb to rub circles on her knuckles. It’s a nervous tic of hers that I’ve adored for years now.

“Let’s get you home.” I smile at her and open the passenger door, closing it once she’s seated.

Chapter 1

Rune

Present day 21 years OLD

Dragging my ass out of bed, I stumble into the bathroom, turning the shower on to warm up while I brush my teeth. I grab my toothbrush, not bothering with toothpaste yet. Once the vodka taste is gone, I squeeze the minty crap on the bristles and brush my teeth again. Something has to give, and soon. I can’t keep missing work because I’m too hungover to go. As if he could sense my thoughts, Karrion steps into my bathroom, not bothered at all that I’m completely naked.

“Another fun night, Small Fry?” He asks, leaning against the door frame with his arms across his chest.

I roll my eyes at the nickname, he knows damn well how much that shit pisses me off. “Stop calling me that. I’m fucking six feet tall, I’m not that short.” I snap, slamming my toothbrush down on the sink. “I’m not coming to work.” I ignore his response as I step into the shower letting the hot water run down my face.

When the water turns cold, I turn the knob off and step out into the steam filled room. Gagging sounds reach my ears and I grab my towel off the hook, wrap it around my waist and step into the bedroom where Calista is on her hands and knees dry heaving. I grab the small trash can and slide it under her face. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I cradle my head in my hands. “I can’t do this shit anymore, Cali.”

“What shit, Rune?” She spits, sitting on the carpet and pulling her legs underneath her. “You can’t love me anymore?”

“You know that I love you, Calista. I have loved you for ten fucking years.” I drop my hands down to look at her. “I’m talking about the drinking. If I keep missing work, I’m going to get fired.”

“You work for your dad, baby.” She crawls across the floor, coming to a stop between my legs. “You know he won’t fire you.” She slides her hands up my legs, squeezing and rubbing my thighs. “We don’t have to go out anymore. I’ll get better, I promise.”

“Okay, but you have to quit for good this time.” Wrapping my hand through her hair, I pull her head back to look into her eyes. “No more quitting for a weekend and going right back to the bullshit.”

“I promise baby.” She groans and licks her lips. I release her hair and stand, pulling her to her feet.

“I love you, Calista.” I whisper, my lips brushing across the shell of her ear.

“I love you more.” She kisses my cheek before heading into the bathroom. A few moments later, I hear the shower start and Cali squeals.OOPS, should have saved some hot water.I grab a pair of shorts from my closet, throwing them on and heading downstairs to make breakfast.

I’m just finishing up breakfast when Cali makes her way down the steps. I fill two plates with bacon, eggs, hash browns and toast and sit them both on the table before grabbing the orange juice from the fridge and filling two glasses.

“What do you have planned for today?” I ask while we eat our food.

“I think I’m going to meet the girls later and do some shopping.” She smiles at me and my heart swells. For ten years I’ve loved this woman, through all the ups and downs. I even learned to deal with the weird ass relationship she has with my brother. As much as it pissed me off at first, I’ve accepted the fact that they’re best friends, and there is nothing I can do about it.

“Is Karrion one of the girls today?” I arch a brow, scooping up the rest of my hash browns.

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