Page 98 of Into The Darkness

And I was so tired.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

“I love you, Ember Solis,” I whispered into the wind. Then, I saw the world through Ember’s eyes.

The saying her Mom used to whisper to her when she feared the dark came to the front of my mind. Instinctually, I reached up to where my tattoo was over my heart.

“Into the darkness . . .”

“Ash,” I heard just as I turned around.

“Noooooo . . . . . .” The last thing I’d heard before I fell, tumbling down to a place where Ember and I could exist forever, hoping to leave this world a better place for her.

Chapter thirty-nine

“Ember, wake up.”

“Huh?” I mumbled, and looked over at my clock that read four in the morning. Who was waking me up this early?

“Ember. Get up, now.” Maddy’s familiar voice echoed in the dark room, and I pulled the covers down, rubbed my eyes, and looked at her. She was still dressed in her going out outfit.

“Are you okay?” I asked, and she nodded.

“The man outside has been pounding on the door for the last thirty minutes, yelling about an emergency.” My heart raced in my chest. The guy from the Den assigned to watch over me? He must be who she was referring to.

But hold on, the bonfire . . . I leaped out of my bed, throwing on a hoodie over my bra. Already dressed in gray sweats, I rushed to the door.

Wait, the bonfire wasn’t scheduled until midnight tonight, so this couldn’t be related to that. And Walsh had assured me he wouldn’t harm Ash.

I threw open the door, and the guy looked like he had seen a ghost.

“I’ve been banging for a half hour. Where is your phone?” the stranger demanded.

“I was sleeping. I turned it off when I went to bed.”

The guy ran his hands through his hair, then grabbed my hand.

“What is going on?” I demanded.

“We need to go to the Den . . . immediately.”

I paused. “No. I am not in danger here. I was just sleeping . . . alone.” Maddy shrugged at me. I respected that Ash wanted me to be safe, but I wasn’t going to just jump because he wanted some sort of a booty call in the middle of the night.

“Get up, Ember. This is serious shit. We gotta go.” The guy tugged at my arm, trying to pull me forward, but I dug my heels into the carpet.

“Let me get my shoes . . . damn,” I said, then grabbed my rain boots as he paced in the hallway.

Then I grabbed my phone off the charger and turned it on while I slipped into my boots. I realized Rain had been calling me all night.

What the fuck was going on? I had no text messages, absolutely nothing but missed calls from him.

Bile rose in my throat, and I ran into the bathroom, puking at the ominous feeling that had crept through the apartment. Something was wrong. Rain wouldn’t be calling me if something wasn’t wrong.

I called Walsh as I washed my face, but there was no response. I debated calling Ash, but the guy in the door called my name again, so I decided it was best to go over to the Den and see what was happening for myself.

Maddy was standing still in the center of the living room as I shuffled out the door.

“Ember, I hope this wasn’t your fault,” she called as I followed the anxious stranger out. I narrowed my eyes at her because I wasn’t sure if I heard her correctly.

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