The Darkest Soul: Reaper University- Year One Read online

Zazi looked at her father. He was sincere. She picked up the once again full glass and downed half of it. “I sure hope you’re right.”

  Chapter 2

  “O.M.G. what took you so long to get here?” Lia rushed towards Zazi and pulled her into a tight hug. Soft laughter came from Zazi before gently pushing Lia away.

  “My dad suddenly needed to talk to me, and I had to push back our time for meeting but I’m here.”

  “Exactly! You’re here now and that’s all that matters. Luckily, we have enough time to look for an outfit for ya and get back to the house to change before we head out to the party. I can’t wait.”

  Zazi couldn’t stop grinning. “You’re right. I can’t wait to go shake my ass. It’s been entirely too long.”

  Lia and Zazi joined by the arms, waltzed into the mall together, giggling and laughing like little schoolgirls. Without a worry in the world.

  Two hours later, both young women had returned to Lia’s, dressed and was ready to party. Zazi was on cloud nine. She had bought a black dress that stopped at her thighs and hugged all of her round curves. Her back was out, and the girls was up. The spiked heels she got on sale matched the dress perfectly and she twirled around, admiring herself in the mirror. Her normally curled purple and black hair was straightened and fell down to her shoulders. Hazel eyes with green starburst flecks gazed back at her. Eyes like her father, but a different color. Smiling, she couldn’t help herself. She looked fantastic. She was ready

  “Let’s bounce.” Zazi told her friend. The girls went outside and stood beside the cars, trying to determine which one to take.

  “Do you think we should drive or catch a ride share?” Lia asked.

  “I don’t plan on getting shitfaced, but it probably would be safer.”

  Lia glanced at both vehicles. “I don’t want to wait for the ride share. Let’s take your car because it's nicer than mine. If we need to rideshare home in case we fail at not getting too shitfaced, then we can call always leave your car or call your brother.”

  Zazi groaned when Lia mentioned her brother. Her best friend had the biggest crush on Max since they were just young kids and she had hoped the crush would go away. But Max filled out his frame over the last few years, now he was lean and built, and super sweet. Lia was a goner, and no way was she going back without at least getting one date from Max.

  “Fine, my car, you drive.”

  Lia gasped, “I can drive your baby? Like for reals, no joke.” Lia pranced around Zazi’s all black Aston Martin Vantage. “How did you get your parents to buy you one of these anyway for graduation? These are expensive. Your family must be loaded.”

  Zazi grew uneasy with the conversation headed towards her family’s obvious wealth. It always did. They didn’t show boat it, but she was just as surprised when her parents gave her the car of her dreams at her graduation party. All the guys there was jealous. But Lia, she was that great friend and was so happy for her. Lia was her lifesaver.

  Zazi threw her the key fob, “I don’t know about loaded but you can definitely drive Phantom tonight.”

  “You named your car Phantom? As your best friend, how come I never knew this?”

  “I’ve told you numerous times, Lia. You never listen.”

  “I do too.” Lia pressed the fob. “But why Phantom as a name? I mean, it’s a cool as hell name so no complaints here.”

  “She’s named Phantom because at night, she moves through traffic like an apparition. One minute she’s there... next she’s gone.” Zazi grinned and opened the passenger side door and hopped in.

  It didn’t take Lia long to get them to the club where the party was being held. Zazi looked up at the neon sign and the long line of people outside of the club waiting to get in.

  “Club Fuego,” Zazi mouthed out loud. “Is this place new?”

  Lia slowed the vehicle to a complete stop in front of the valet stand. “Yup. Mark wanted to celebrate his new breakup, so here we are. VIP service and all that jazz.”

  “Thought we had to be twenty-one to get in.” Zazi’s eyes wandered to all the patrons in line, waiting to get inside the newest hotspot in their town.

  “Don’t you worry about that. Mark got it all squared away. They won’t even check our IDs.”

  They got out of the car and Lia handed the man with valet the key fob. Headed straight to the double doors and gave the doorman the password to get in. The tall and burly guy moved right inside, allowing them entry. A rush of excitement filled Zazi as she strolled through the threshold, while ignoring the mean looks from the women who still stood in line, waiting to get in. She already had a feeling it would be a glorious night.

  “I can’t believe you actually have bottle service too,” Zazi expressed to Mark. Honestly, she shouldn’t have been surprised. It was Mark she was talking to. She leaned back into the soft leather seats of the half-moon shaped booth they had occupied. Mark and all of his guests were upstairs in the VIP section and Zazi was enjoying every moment of it.

  Taking another drink from her glass, the alcohol was doing its job. As it flowed through her system, she could feel every drop of what she called truth serum or liquid courage filter its way through her. Zazi’s head swam only so much but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle. The buzz of it all was what kept her drinking more and more. Silently, she thanked whoever above and below that it was nothing like the mage wine she was drinking with her dad earlier. That stuff packed a punch, and she was thankful her dad kept a few anti-drunk potions in his desk. Her cousin apparently kept him supplied. If not, her mother would have ripped them both a new one.

  Looking around the crowded space, they cordoned the entire upper level off for Mark and his party. Not finding Lia anywhere among the people, she strongly suspected her friend was downstairs on the dance floor. The girl loved to dance and being invited to the newest dance spot in town was the highlight of her bestie’s week.

  Club Fuego was packed indeed, and the DJ was hot as the club’s name. He had the music pumping loud through the speakers creating a funnel of chaotic goodness. She could feel the bass vibrating from where she sat. It almost made her want to go down and dance but instead, she was enjoying where she was at. Talking to the birthday boy himself.

  “It’s no big deal,” Mark said. Almost in a braggart tone but Zazi knew better. That wasn’t like Mark at all. “I know the owner’s kid. He owed me a favor, and this was the hook up for said favor. I couldn’t think of a better place to celebrate breaking up with Kara than having it here. She’s been wanting to come here since they opened but could never get in.” Mark poured another shot and took it.

  “Hot and petty. I like your style.” Zazi chuckled. “I can use another shot myself.” She reached her glass out to him. Mark poured another for her and him, and they both downed it. Zazi relished the burn as it slid down her throat. She eyed her friend and caught him eyeing her too.

  “I’ve always wanted to-” Mark said before being interrupted with Zazi’s lips on his.

  Kissing Mark had been on Zazi’s list of things to do before she headed out to college. The opportunity never arisen because he always had a girlfriend. Kara. The girl who treated him like crap and always cheated on him. Now that he was single, the alcohol gave her courage, and she went for it. Relishing in the moment, she loved every bit of it too. Although Mark’s lips were soft against her own, it was his mouth that devoured hers like he was hungry and starving. Leaning into him, Zazi deepened the kiss. Overjoyed that Mark didn’t pull away.

  Her body felt like it was on fire as they continued. With her eyes closed, she could see the universe behind her lids. No wonder Kara was with him for so damn long. Mark leaned into her, gently pushing her into the soft cushion of the hidden booth they were occupying, just as into it as she was. Zazi instantly knew she wanted more from him.

  A sudden urge of curiosity overtook her mind, and she wanted to see his face. Zazi slowly opened her eyes. A bright light streaked across her pupils before everything cleared. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. She ripped her mouth away from Mark and jumped back. She scrambled as far away from him as she could and yet she wasn’t able to stop staring at what was before her. He said something to her, but it sounded like a colony of bees, buzzing whenever his mouth moved and words tried to come out.

  Zazi froze. Rooted deep in her spot, unable to move a muscle, the icy feeling of panic rose. The weirdness of everything consumed her. She found herself not able to stop staring at Mark’s head and his face no matter how much she wanted to. Maybe it’s the tequila. Must be the tequila. Zazi kept saying to herself repeatedly in her mind. Shaking her head side to side, hoping to disperse the images that burned into her retinas. When that didn’t work, she closed her eyes quickly and prayed the image would dissipate, but when she reopened them, Mark’s beautiful face was replaced with nothing but a skinless skull and empty sockets where his eyes should have been. At her sides, Zazi’s hand trembled and tapped an out of control rhythm. She opened her mouth and screamed.

  Zazi couldn’t stop the screams if she wanted to. Her heart raced behind her ribcage. Mark reached out to her, and she tried to push him away. Maybe Mark wanted to comfort her, she didn’t know. That could be the reason he kept trying to grab her, but she wasn’t having it. Her screams were high pitched, even over the loud music. He didn’t want others getting the wrong idea since they were hidden in the booth.

  Mark reached out to Zazi again and tried to calm her, but she hit him. With all the force she could muster, she shoved him away from her. She didn’t want the monster close to her. She couldn’t believe Mark was not a normie. He had been hiding his true nature well, she thought. He was a monster. She didn’t want the monster touching her. She had to been hallucinating. Zazi didn’t know what was w
rong with her. She glanced around him to see if Lia was back upstairs but everyone around them had skulls for heads. They were all like Mark.

  Suddenly, Zazi couldn’t breathe. She gasped for air. But couldn’t get enough air into her lungs. Shit, I’m going to die right here.

  “Zazi! Zazi... just breathe Zazi. You have to calm down. Breathe for me, okay. I’m going to get you help,” Mark rushed out. Hoping his words would sink into her head. He sounded so far away, him and his skull head. He stayed by her side while screaming for help. She could hear that much but darkness pulled at her mind, whispering sweet words of peace and safety if she succumbed. The emptiness seemed so much better than being surrounded by talking skulls, Zazi thought.

  “Zazi, stay with us, girl. Help is on the way,” a softer voice said to her.

  Zazi knew who that was. Lia found her way back to her. She wanted to reach out to her best friend but she couldn’t see her. Everything was black like an endless, lightless abyss. She had closed her eyes and didn’t realize they were closed. The darkness kept calling to her, still promising peace. Safety. It sounded so good to her. She turned and followed the whispers and everything else faded away.

  Chapter 3

  “Come back to us, Zazi Bear. Wake up, darling,” Ekalis murmured as he wiped Zazi’s brow with a cool wet towel. “Please, wake up but only when you are ready.”

  Three days had passed since he had received a frantic call from Lia, saying something was wrong with his youngest daughter. She had given him the address to where they were; he grabbed Max, and they both left out of the house in a hurry. They reached the emergency room at the same time of the ambulance, but he refused to let her be admitted. He had a feeling he knew what was wrong with his child.

  The doctors of course were against it and begged to at least make sure she wasn’t in danger and in need of critical care. He agreed to that much and let them check over her. Once they were satisfied, they discharged her, even though she was still unconscious, to him. He let Max drive while he sat in the backseat watching over her.

  When they arrived back home, his wife already had Zazi’s bed ready, and he took her to her room. Excitement buzzed from his family. They knew what this could possibly be. The family kept vigil making sure she was okay and checked on her often. But Ekalis refused to leave her side. His bear. His heart part. Now three days later and only a week out from her twentieth birthday, she was still not awake. But worried, he was not.

  Azora, Ekalis’ wife and mother to Zazi was silent as she moved into the room. She placed her hand on Ekalis’ shoulder and kissed his jaw. “Do you truly think this is her manifestation time?”

  “I’m sure of it. Our Zazi, she is destined for greatness. Can’t you feel it?”

  “I feel something,” Azora said. Worry tinging her words. “But let’s not get our hopes built up. Maybe we should call for a mage healer. They can let us know for sure.”

  “No! We cannot let the others know if she has manifested.”

  “It’s been three days, Ekalis. It shouldn’t take this long.”

  “I’ve researched the texts and it can. Sometimes it can take five days. That has been the longest in both of our family’s history. The longer she is out, the stronger she will be. We must wait. We will wait. For however long she takes.”

  “I understand,” Azora said defeated to her husband. Once Ekalis made a decision, there was no changing his mind. Azora pulled back the chair next to him and sat beside her husband. “We will wait.”

  A sea of darkness touched everywhere. In the tiniest crevices hidden from sight to the highest mountain top. Coating the world with a thick, inky blackness as if it belonged there all along. Zazi raised her hand in front of her face but still couldn’t see it. Images of laughing floating skulls pierced her mind time after time. She was so tired of screaming. At first she was afraid, but now she could see that it wouldn’t harm her.

  She didn’t know where she was or what day it was. In this place, time didn’t exist. She was alone and the only thing keeping beat was her heart. Not even a whisper of a breeze would sweep through and eventually she would come to believe that perhaps she was dead.

  Zazi kept trekking forward even though she couldn’t see where she was headed. Her feet touched the cold and unusual soft yet hard ground. For all she knew, she was traipsing in circles. She had walked so much until she couldn’t anymore and had to sit down. Not from being tired but tired of going nowhere. The abyss was unending. Unforgiving. So far from home.

  Home.

  One word elicited the pain that ripped through her heart and soul. Tears escaped from the well in her eyes. A loud unearthly sound escaped from her mouth and filled the silence. Animalistic. Raw. Primal. After the sound dissipated and silence filled her ears again, Zazi was more than surprised Zazi that the primal sound had come from her.

  Not able to take the pain of solitude any longer, Zazi’s legs weakened, and she collapsed to her knees. Everything inside of her mind, all of her thoughts, her entire being said give up. She wanted to give up. She lived a good brief life and for her; it was good enough. Or at least she thought it was. It never escaped her. Everything that was her or consumed her. The truth of her situation rang loud and clear in her mind. There was no going back. Was this something she really wanted?

  Home.

  She missed her family. Her best friend, Lia. Stuck there in the abyss, she wouldn’t see them again. Did she really want this.? No. She didn’t. A fresh wave of sobs continued to torment her. Chest heaved up and down, as she gasped for air. If this is what being dead was like... she would rather be alive. The emptiness and solitude. So many days and nights she thought her life was empty. Living in the shadows of the other mage families, hers were laughed at. Scorned and disgraced. She wanted to be better and getting into Oxford was her way of moving past all the hate of the others. Hoping to show her family that they didn’t have to live in the shadows of the greater families. Accept their fate as god’s cursed.

  Wake up.

  Two words she kept hearing repeatedly. A male’s strong and commanding voice that implored her to wake up. Slowly, Zazi opened her eyes, obeying the silent command, this time, not knowing how long they were closed or if she even slept.

  Wake up.

  There it was again. Someone called to her. Zazi rubbed her eyes. The world was no longer dark, but a muted gray. Silence still reigned but now there was some light. Shadowed shapes formed in the distance before her, and she moved towards it. The closer she got to the shapes, the more they resembled things. Mountains loomed in the far distance. Before her was an enormous gate made of the blackest stone she had ever seen. It was black as the darkness that had engulfed her. Once she was upon the mammoth-sized gates, she could see glowing markings all over it. They reminded her of the arcane markings she saw in her family’s old spell tomes.

  Two large dog-like creatures guarded the entrance, but all they did was watch her. Their flaming red and orange eyes was a blast of color amongst all the lifeless gray. The two followed her every move but didn’t bother to snarl or even attack the moment she was in their range. The beasts stared and stared. Zazi had an inkling that perhaps they knew her, and it was okay for her to be there. But she didn’t know why they knew.

  If you’re ready, step through the gates.

  Zazi couldn’t understand where the voice was coming from. She didn’t know if it was in her head, or it was words filtered into her ears. The voice was male, and it called to her like nothing she had ever felt before. Almost as if she knew who it belonged to but not. Familiar and not familiar to her all at the same time.

  With enough courage, Zazi passed through the shimmering gates and gasped when she came through on the other side. It was definitely not what she expected. This side of the gates wasn’t a barren wasteland. Everything was more defined. Still gray but an entire spectrum of grays, blacks, and deep blues filled the land. A wide river flowed through the almost valley like landscape, all the way to the mountains that she could see clearly now. Leafless trees littered the land and jagged stones jutted from the ground all over.

  Waiting for her at the bank's edge was a man who favored her father so much that she had to do a double take. His coiled hair fell to his back, dressed in clothes of time long past, he beckoned her to come to him. The pull was stronger and Zazi couldn’t help but to obey. Willingly, she went to him. His robe was in the style of her family, and it had her family’s markings embroidered into the fabric. The smile he gave her made her ache for her father so bad. Will I never see him again? She asked herself.