Truth After Dark Chicago Novels & Stories

this is what this dark room is. My trauma...

on the counter in front of Grady—one of the regulars—and takes his money, giving me one more look as he registers the sale at the register. “Your car isn't working,” she says. “And it's dark outside. You can't even walk to the cinema. Sex dealers are looking for hot teenagers with blonde hair and all that shit. I huff. “You need to stop watching detective shows. We may be quite close to some larger cities, and Chicago is only a few hours away, but we're still in the middle of nowhere. I lift the divider and step out from behind the counter. “The movie theater is around the corner on the block,” I say. “I'll be there in ten seconds if I run like I'm in the qualifiers. I pat Grady on the back

Ari beamed happily. Dani and her two lovers owned and operated the Chicago Dark Tower - a brand-new goth-themed hotel that catered to a lot of immortals. They'd just opened last month, and I'd been meaning to check out the salon and spa. It would be nice to go to a place that really understood our unique needs. "Sorry, girls, I'll have work to catch up on tomorrow." Did they really expect me not to have a hundred details to see to before the auction?

To his astonishment, the safe opened. “What a pathetic romantic.“ Chad snorted. He took out the documents and was thrilled to find what he'd been searching for. The documents of Belmont island. The faint, approaching footsteps got him acting rather quickly. He placed the fake documents he'd arrived with into the safe. Neatly, he folded the real documents into a small briefcase. He returned the portraiture to its initial position. “Mr. Chad.“ Gwen walked in. “You have some Russian visitors.“ “Thank you, Gwen.“ Chad Belmont was thrilled. The frustration was gone. Right now, he could pass up as the happiest man on earth.

I wouldn’t tell my mother how the party went and I knew he wouldn’t either. The next month passed by swiftly and Tia and I just grew closer. We had sex a lot more, every chance we got in fact and I was careful to use protection. I didn’t want a surprise like Greg had gotten two months earlier. Chase and I sat in the back of the SUV while Lucas drove and Rev accompanied him. We were headed to Chicago and according to Lucas this was a good sign. It was our birthday and a blood moon and tonight we’d be getting our dragons.

Even if it was broken, jagged, and dangerous. Maybe we were past everything else. Right now, it was just the two of us, in that car, in the city, under the building lights that kept us alive, that drowned out the total darkness but muted the light of the stars. Our natural light, the one that brightened even the darkest soul, had been extinguished. Chicago wanted to show how it owned us, how it molded us into who we were that night. I thought I could navigate it all just fine. I thought I had this city by the balls. All these men, my relationship with HJ, all this mafia—I thought I had a handle on it.

Everything was pointing to a woman, although most serial killers had been men. Sophia, his longtime partner, and Jimmy had been on a stakeout that seemed futile. New York City was being pounded by a blizzard and both partners agreed it was time to call it a night. Jimmy had driven Sophia back to her home in Huntington since he had a Blazer. The snow was already three feet deep and he struggled to keep the SUV on the road. Upon arriving at her home, they both noticed the lights and door were wrong. The lights were out, and the door was open to the blowing snow.

The thought of them together made something dark twist in my gut. Was that why Grace didn’t want to see Max romantically anymore? Had he scared her? I knew about Max’s sexual preferences. He liked a little kink. But like myself, only if their partner was willing. Helena hadn’t been into it. Had Max pushed and Grace had pulled back… No, that couldn’t be right because she said they were going to be friends. I let out a breath in relief. If Max had scared her she wouldn’t want to have anything to do with him. “The Chicago presentation is coming together,” Grace said, keeping her tone professional. “I’ve confirmed the travel arrangements. We leave Wednesday at 9.”

Even as a human with no special powers or enhanced strength, he was intimidating. “That doesn’t answer my question.” “Yes, I can move fast enough.” “Good,” I say as I let out a breath. “Because you dying would really fucking suck, you know.” “I’d hope.” After getting everything sorted out with work, I laid out in the sun until my skin got too hot to stand it anymore, and then went inside to tell Lucas we should go to Chicago and finally have that hot date. I showered, packed my bags, and cast the same spell on the car windows that I used in the house. My stuff is in the trunk, and my familiars are in the backseat of Lucas’s car, waiting to come to Chicago with us.

he asked, his voice filled with equal parts awe and worry. "I..." My eyes fell on Chase, lying limp on the ground beside us. "No, no, no, no. This wasn't supposed to happen." I moved to him, desperation clawing at my heart. My canines sank deeply into his neck, marking him and trying to share my light. "He's gone, Kiera," Drake said, his voice breaking. But I couldn't accept it. It wasn't possible. This had to work. I bit down harder, pushing the power inside me into Chase, willing my light to heal his darkness.