Chapter Nine – Jade POV

I had enough. That fight was the last straw, and I was going to figure out how to stop this once and for all.

It was the day after the fight, and I was getting dressed after a long, thoughtful shower. Marco was still asleep, so I left him a text and set out for the realm.

When I got there, I marched straight to the book of legends. Aidoneus followed me.

“Jade, you’re on a mission,” he grinned.

I nodded. “Yeah.” I flipped through the pages, searching for anything that could help me with the darkness Marco and I were plagued with.

Aidoneus seemed concerned, but kept it to himself. I was thankful for that. After all, this was a bit of a delicate situation.

I sighed. “So do we know if this supposed dark power couple ever found a way to combat their darkness?”

He looked down. “I’m not sure.”

I stared at him. “What?” I was dumbfounded. “You know, like, everything. You don’t know this?”

“I mean, it’s a legend.” He narrowed his eyes. “And it is not like I create these legends. That couple has never existed. They are more predicted than encountered. Therefore, like predicting the weather, we may never know what they did, how they did it, or even why they did.”

“I don’t think I want to know why they would do anything they do.” I know my words came out as a mumble, but I didn’t care. There had to be something, right? This couldn’t go on forever. we would either fight our darkness, or be consumed by it.

I refused to let it be the latter.

“Okay, I need to look at this differently.” I folded my hands in front of me. “Instead of looking into the legend, I should be looking into the darkness and how to combat it.” I looked at Aidoneus. “Ideas?”

He shrugged. “I don’t think dark spells like this one have been studied too much. The dark sages were either killed or banished and the spells they learned or created were swept under the rug. Everyone just assumed they’d never be used again.”

I sighed. “Well, here we are, and we’ve got nothing.”

“What’s got you so determined anyway?”

“I…” I stopped. “Nothing. Just research.”

He tilted his head.

I sighed again and explained. “After Damien forced Marco to cast the dark spell on me, it was like a switch had been flipped. I can switch between light and dark, as can Marco. However, it happens on its own. We don’t control it. Marco is pretty good at pulling himself out of the darkness, but I’m not. At all. And then I try to drag Marco with me when I’m like that. I seduce him, or try to convince him that darkness isn’t bad, whatever. And I can’t stop myself.” I clenched my fist. “We fought about it last night. Something needs to be done. I refuse to just let this happen.”

Aidoneus was shocked. “You and Marco are…”

“Yes.” I hung my head. “That’s why I need to find answers. I need to stop this before it consumes us. I don’t want to do any harm to the realm.”

There was silence.

“Based on your reaction, I’m going to say you don’t think that’s possible.” I narrowed my eyes.

He looked away. “It would be unprecedented.”

I growled. “I’m going to make it work!”

And with that, I stormed off, heading back upstairs.

I didn’t get far before there was a loud rumble, like thunder. I moved quicker, running up the stairs to see what was going on.

People were flocking outside in a panic to see what the noise was. We were all met with a thick, dark gray fog.

“What the hell?” I stood back. “What’s this?”

“Not good,” Morgyn said quietly. “It’s the presence of dark magic.”

Marco appeared in front of us from the mist. “Get inside!” He shouted. “Everyone in! Go! Go!”

We all ran in, taking cover in HQ.

Morgyn looked at Marco. “What’s going on?”

Marco coughed a few times. “That fog is toxic. I don’t know who conjured it, but their goal was to harm as many people as possible.” He looked out the window, coughing again. “We can’t leave here until it’s gone.”

I gazed at him, worried as he continued coughing. Morgyn did the same. But Marco smiled and assured us he was alright.

The fog dissipated after only a few more moments. Marco advised all spellcasters and sages to go home in case it happened again.

“This is serious,” he warned. “It’s dark magic that even I have a hard time fighting against. Whoever has conjured this is incredibly strong and isn’t out to cause just chaos. He wants to cause death.”

I hung my head, thinking, ‘he is the destroyer.’

We all made our way home. Marco flopped onto the couch as we did, holding his throat.

“Damn, that fog did a number on me.”

“Are you okay?” I sat by him and stroked his hair.

“I’m alright,” he said, his voice hoarse.

I was skeptical. “Okay…”

He coughed again, holding his head and wincing. “Okay, I’m less alright.”

I gestured for him to sit up a little and sat behind him, massaging his temples again. “I’m scared.”

Marco nodded. “I am too. But hey, things always seem to work out, right?”

My eyes filled with tears. “Mi rey, while I’d like to think life is a fairytale, I think we both know it’s not. How many times have you died now?”

He waved his hand, coughing again. “That doesn’t matter.”

“Two of those times were because of me.”

“Jade, please.” He shook his head.

I sighed. “I’m sorry.”

He turned, looking at me lovingly. “Let’s not dwell on whatever happened then. We have much larger tasks right in front-” he coughed a few more times. “In front of us.” He cleared his throat. “And I…just think…maybe…”

I tilted my head. “You good?”

He nodded. “I’m fine. Um, we need to focus on the darkness in the realm and stopping that.”

“Marco,” I stroked his hair. “I think maybe you should see a doctor.”

He sat up, holding his head. “I think I just need some sleep, babe.”

I gave him a worried stare. He tilted his head with a smile and kissed me softly. I wrapped my arms around him.

But after a moment, he abruptly broke the kiss, coughing again. He stood up, holding his head again.

“As if I needed something else to make my body hate me,” he growled.

I walked up behind him and looped my arms under his, hugging his back.

“I’m going to lie down,” he said.

I followed him to the bedroom and sat beside him as he got comfortable under the covers. I leaned over and kissed his forehead. He gazed at me as I pulled away.

“Leaving me?” He asked, taking my hand.

I smiled. “You need rest.”

“Stay with me?”

I was torn. Part of me wanted to go back to the realm, despite it being dangerous. But I needed answers. But the other part of me wanted to stay.

I smiled. “I’ll stay.” I moved to the other side of the bed and laid with him.

He rolled over and held me. “Thank you.”

I stroked his hair. “Mhm. Now, rest.”

He nodded.

We both fell asleep. When I woke up maybe an hour later, Marco was still sleeping soundly. I smiled at him and pushed some of his hair from.his eyes. I leaned in and kissed his forehead.

“I love you,” I whispered. I stood up and headed out of the room.

After a couple hours had passed, I started to get worried. I went back into the room and knelt next to the bed, my face level with Marco’s. He had dark circles around his eyes, his skin was more pale than usual and his breaths were shallow. I felt tears in my eyes. Was he dying?

“Marco?” My voice was soft, almost a whisper, but shaky from my growing worry and the knot I felt in my throat.

His eyes seemed to flutter, but not much else. I shook him a little. “Marco, hey.”

His eyes opened slightly. They were red.

“Why are your eyes red?” I asked.

“I have more strength in this form.”

I tilted my head. Things were starting to come together. That fog was purposely cast exactly where Marco was. His strength was in his darkness. Whoever cast the fog knew this and wanted him to use it.

The only person who knew this was Orion.

I furrowed my brow. “He tricked us.” I explained the situation. “And it’s working. He has you exactly where he wants you.”

He nodded. “But I’m not sure what to do.”

“Me either.” I sighed. “But I think we have to go back. The only way we can stop this is by fighting it.”

He sat up and pulled me close, dipping me down playfully and kissing me. I laughed a little.

“Marco! Now is not the time for this.” I giggled and stared at him.

He nuzzled me, moving to my ear. “Are you sure?” He whispered seductively.

I giggled again, squirming away from him. I pushed him playfully, but gazed at him. I knew my eyes were filled with lust. I couldn’t help it.

He continued to tease me a little. I started to give in, letting him slowly undress my shirt and run his hands across my skin. All the while, he kissed my neck slowly, teasing me mercilessly. I bit my lip, craving more.

And of course, it was more we did. We undressed each other, teased each other’s bodies with kisses and other foreplay before he pinned me on my back and entered me quickly. There was something about encounters with his darkness. He was more bold and daring, and I loved every second of it.

However, I also knew that his timing was inappropriate, even if the light side of him didn’t mean to seduce me like this. I was a tad worried that his seduction may have been his darkness’s way of also pulling out my darkness. After all, I had done something similar to him.

He snapped me from my thoughts as he moved faster. I gripped the sheets, completely forgetting what I had been thinking about. Did he know? Did he do that on purpose?

It didn’t take long for either of us after that. I snuggled up beside him and growled playfully.

“That was uncalled for, Mr. Lew.” I glared at him. “I have things I need to do, not to mention you’re only in this form because it’s stronger. You were practically dead. Sex isn’t really getting proper rest, is it?”

He grinned. “You weren’t complaining, hush.”

I sat up. “Marco, I’m serious. Consider me complaining now then. You almost died.”

He shrugged. “Wouldn’t be the first time.” He booked my nose. “You’d revive me anyhow.”

I furrowed my brow. “Are you even trying to fight the darkness?”

“No, not this time. I need to recover.”

I growled, letting out an “ugh” as I stood up. I quickly got dressed and left the room.

Marco followed me. “Jade, come on, do you blame me?”

I sighed and looked at the floor. “Marco, I don’t know who or what to blame. All I know is I want this to end. I want life to be normal.

He ran his hands down my arms and kissed my neck seductively. “You know how to stop all of this.”

I closed my eyes. “Marco, please, not now.”

“We just have to accept our fate in the roles we were given. That’s the only normal we will ever have.”

I turned around quickly. “What?!” I narrowed my eyes at him and stepped away. “Accept our fate? The new normal? Hell no!” I headed for the door. “I’m going to stop this, with or without you!”

I slammed the door and made my way to Glimmerbrook.

Chapter Ten (click here)