The Ethereal Darkness

He stared down at the tiny thing, all vibrant red hair and big, blue eyes. He frowned, wondering what on earth he was to do with such a small, helpless creature. What were the two of them thinking, Ethreena and Reese, the mortal’s parents? Their love was already forbidden, and the culmination of that forbidden fruit now lay in his arms, its dainty arms waiving frantically in the air as she cooed over he knew not what.

“Promise me, Requiem. You owe me that much.”

The woman’s frantic, fearful tone brought him back to himself. He glanced down at the delicate fairy clutching at his shirtsleeve. Her wide blue eyes echoed in the face of the infant in his arms, the woman’s expression one of terror.

“Promise me. Swear to me by all that you hold dear in this life that you will keep my daughter safe. Please, Requiem! Don’t let her pay for our mistakes.”

The vampire’s dark blue eyes moved from the red-headed woman to the slightly taller elf standing a few feet away, his aquamarine eyes scraping over the darkened landscape as he kept a watchful gaze to ensure their safety.

“It’s getting late, Ethy,” Reese said, his voice barely audible over the chirping of the nighttime insects. “We’ve got to get moving before they find us.”

Ethreena’s hands grasped at Requiem’s arm. Her sharp chin and russet-red lips gave her a wild appearance, her long reddish-brown locks dancing around her face in the evening wind as if they were alive.

“Swear to me, Requiem. Please. If you can’t ensure her safety, then give her back. I’ll take her to The Council if I have to.”

The vampire recoiled at the mention of The Council. Regardless of what the infant’s parents had done, the child was innocent. It was already a miracle Ethreena’s life hadn’t been extinguished. Her mixed heritage marked her for death as soon as she was conceived, a cross she was forced to bear. Now she had passed that same fate on to her daughter. Their entire family would be hunted down and eradicated by the elven and fairy tribes. The Council would hand the child over to them without a second thought at best, or keep her a prisoner to be used as leverage later, at worst.

“The Council won’t keep her safe, Ethreena. But I can.” He glanced down at the bundle again, the child’s wide blue eyes growing heavy as she yawned, her pale cheeks flushed with the slightest hint of pink. “I swear to you, I will keep her safe. I will protect her as if she were my own blood, with my life if need be.”

“Thank you!” she said, her voice breaking as she blinked back tears. “Thank you, Requiem. Here.” She slung the frayed backpack from her shoulder, pulling from within its confines a small, ornately carved wooden box, the hinges aged and worn. “This is for my daughter. Promise me you’ll give it to her, when she’s ready. It explains everything – her heritage, her father and myself.” Her voice caught in her throat, the minute sound oddly harsh in the quiet serenity of the night. “I don’t want her to think we didn’t love her.”

“She won’t,” Requiem said, his voice full of conviction. “She will be well cared for, and she will always know she is greatly loved.”

Ethreena tried to smile, but it was heavy with unending sadness. Requiem’s own heart fluttered for a moment before going still again.

“Thank you, Requiem. I don’t know what we would do without you.” Her eyes drifted to her lover, the man who had been there for her through thick and thin. “It’s not fair,” she whispered, the tears which had been threatening to spill forth for the past few minutes giving way, glistening in the waning moonlight. “Why would our families want us dead simply for who we love? Why would they want to hurt an innocent child?”

Requiem sighed. He knew her pain all too well. What would happen to all of them if the humans found out they existed, if the demons of their fevered dreams turned into reality? None of them would ever be safe.

“No, it isn’t fair, Ethreena. But I swear to you on my life, I will protect your daughter with my last breath. She will want for nothing in this world. She will be safe, and she will be loved.”

The half human, half-fairy nodded, trying to smile through her tears. Her bright blue eyes looked out over the darkened landscape, lost in her own thoughts, wondering where everything had gone so horribly wrong in their world that their own kindred would kill them simply for loving outside their race.

A soft rustle of the air pressed over them, Reese appearing at their side. The delicious perfume of fairy drifted to him like petals on the wind, the heavenly aroma stirring the thirst in the back of his throat. He almost recoiled at the sweet scent, momentarily wondering where the intoxicating fragrance came from. He had been in Ethreena’s presence many times, and she had never smelled this good. He glanced down at the tiny child he still held, the smell of sweet sun-kissed honeysuckle and grass clippings wafting into his nostrils.

He glanced up, seeing the child’s mother smiling. “I know. She will be extremely difficult to hide from the kindred. The Council will know immediately what she is. I know what taking her in means for you, Requiem. But I know if I can trust anyone with her, it’s you.”

He nodded, forcing down the rising thirst which threatened to take over his mind.

“We must go, Ethy. It will be daylight soon. We must get moving before we are spotted. We are already asking far too much from Requiem. We can’t expect him to take on half the fey kingdoms for our sake.”

Reese bent his head, his lips brushing over the soft cheek of his daughter. She cooed, letting out a delicate giggle, the sound bringing a smile to her father’s face.

Ethreena joined him, smothering the child in tiny kisses, eliciting a squeal of joy from the girl. She clapped her hands, wiggling in Requiem’s arms.

“I love you, my darling girl. I swear to the Goddess, I will come back for you, even if it takes me a century. I won’t ever forget about you.”

Reese took her arm, pulling her along with him. “Thank you, Requiem! Keep her safe until we return.”

“I swear it,” he said as he watched the two gather their things. “Wait!” he suddenly shouted. “What is her name?”

“Ethereal,” Ethreena said as she shouldered her backpack. “Ethereal Oscurita.”

He blinked as the name settled into his mind, and the two of them were gone, like ghosts in the wind.

The child’s tiny fingers wrapped around his long, black hair, her eyes staring up at him with pure joy as she cooed. She gave his hair a harsh pull, the vampire wincing slightly before letting out a chuckle.

“The ethereal darkness,” he muttered as he stared down at the beautiful baby girl. She looked like a sweet little cherub, rounded cheeks and pointed chin, her eyes big inside her pale face. She would no doubt grow into an even more beautiful woman than her mother.

Her blue eyes suddenly grew dark as a burst of wind swept across the now deserted courtyard. The moonlight dimmed as thunderheads grew overhead, a bolt of lightning zig-zagging across the sky. She yawned, rubbing at her eyes as the wind died down before the night grew silent and calm once again.

“Well, my little Ethereal, let’s get you settled in for the day. There’s a lot to be done to get this old mansion baby-proofed.”

About the Author

Paranormal & Science Fantasy Author Nicola C. Matthews was born and raised in Southern Mississippi where she still resides with her family. A lover of all things paranormal, Nicola began her journey into the writing world at the tender age of ten, completing her first paranormal novel at the age of thirteen. She has been both traditionally and independently published by large and small presses.

Nicola has an extensive catalog ranging from science fantasy to hard-core erotica, action adventure, paranormal fantasy, and psychological thrillers. Her global reader base has affectionately dubbed her the “Paranormal Princess.” Her world-building is unequal in the modern author, leaving critics to say, “Nicola captures the imagination, transporting her readers into a world unlike any other with unforgettable characters and twists you never see coming. This isn’t your normal paranormal, this isn’t just another vampire book, it’s better.”

A scholar at heart, Nicola has a thirst for knowledge for the paranormal, math, and sciences. In addition to being an author, she is also an accomplished graphic artist, a music buff, and an avid reader. She is very active in the author community, the indie music scene, and the alternative model scene.