Darkness Falls: A Lesbian End-of-the-World Romance Adventure Read online

  DARKNESS FALLS

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Darkness Falls

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  CHAPTER 29

  CHAPTER 30

  CHAPTER 31

  CHAPTER 32

  CHAPTER 33

  CHAPTER 34

  CHAPTER 35

  CHAPTER 36

  CHAPTER 37

  CHAPTER 38

  CHAPTER 39

  CHAPTER 40

  CHAPTER 41

  CHAPTER 42

  CHAPTER 43

  CHAPTER 44

  CHAPTER 45

  CHAPTER 46

  DARKNESS REMAINS

  CHAPTER 1

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  DARKNESS FALLS

  By

  KC Luck

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  COPYRIGHT © 2018 KC Luck

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

  20180626

  Thank you for your interest in Darkness Falls. I sincerely hope you enjoy the story. It was a pleasure to write. If you find time to write a review, or even better, make a referral to another reader, it is always appreciated.

  Please enjoy!

  KC

  CHAPTER 1

  he attic was dusty and dark but for the single bulb Thanging on a cord in the middle of the large space.

  Thankful she brought a flashlight, Anna Patten snapped it on and looked around. Years of keepsakes were piled everywhere. Boxes and furniture, clothes on racks, and old sporting equipment. This is what happens when a house stays in a family for three generations, she thought and started to work her way to the back of the attic. It seemed like a good enough place to start as any. Shining the light in her hand to the left and the right, she stopped when it fell on a box with her name written in marker on the side.

  Keepsakes from my childhood?

  After Anna moved away and the house was empty, but for her parents, her mom had converted Anna's bedroom into a quilting room. Anna had never been sure what happened to her softball trophies or shelf after shelf of books. Now I know, she thought and set the flashlight on a table where it shone at the box. Opening it, Anna smiled as memories immediately began to wash over her. Her senior yearbook from Astoria High School was right on top, and Anna picked it up to flip through some of the pages. As if by fate, it opened to a photo of Anna and two of her closest friends joking around after a home football game. They were all decked out in purple and gold spirit wear, and Anna was even wearing a letterman's jacket. It belonged to the team's all-state running back, Mitch Wallace. Now that brings back memories. Their relationship had been complicated even by normal high school standards. Mitch was gay but afraid to death of anyone finding out. In a small town in Oregon in

  the 1980s, being a star athlete did not pair well with having an alternative lifestyle. So Anna was his beard, so to speak, and she never minded. It kept all the other boys from trying to get in her pants. And the ruse helped with other things too, Anna Patten, and you know it.

  Not wanting to think about all of those details right now, Anna flipped the page and scanned the other pictures. She realized she was in a lot of them. As senior class president and one of the top academic students, Anna remembered being extremely busy and it showed in how well she was represented in the annual. The hard work had paid off though, and she earned a full-ride scholarship to Stanford.

  That opportunity to leave town and head out of state could not have come at a better time, she thought. Her life in Astoria had become complicated and confusing. Thinking of it all now, Anna paused. A part of her wanted to flip to the autograph page at the back of the book, yet another part of her was uneasy. Why is my heart beating faster while I consider this? Feeling foolish for hesitating about something so silly, Anna defiantly turned to the last page of the yearbook. At first, she did not see the words she was looking for and then her eyes fell on them. In neat, clear script were five words and reading them now made Anna catch her breath.

  WHENEVER YOU ARE READY,

  LEXI

  NOT MORE THAN FIVE miles away down a dirt country road, Lexi Scott walked with her two golden retrievers along the fence line of her twelve-acre property. Even though it was early, the sun was warm for an April morning. The tall grass was damp though and Lexi knew she would have to rub her two dogs down before she let them back in the old

  farmhouse she called home. As if wanting to let her know it was worth it, Rosy came bounding alongside her with a grin on her face. Her brother Clem was right behind her, and the two of them romped in a circle around Lexi. “What are you two crazies up to this morning?” Lexi asked them. Clem barked as if he could understand her and Lexi chuckled.

  “You don't say?” Picking up a stick from the grass, Lexi held it up for her two dogs to see and the animals immediately paused in their antics to focus on what their master was doing. “Sit,” Lexi commanded, and both dogs obeyed instantly. “Now wait for it ... one, two, three!” Lexi threw the stick with all her might, and the dogs tore after it. The throw was a good one, and Lexi smiled. Even at forty-three, she knew her arm was still better than most.

  When she was eighteen, the college recruiters had come knocking with softball scholarships, but she was not interested. To her, the game was a hobby, and so she settled for going to the local community college to take writing classes. In the end, the decision was the right one as her talent at creating imaginary worlds proved lucrative.

  Although she knew she would never be a Stephen King or a Nora Roberts, Lexi had a strong base of followers who always bought her books, and so she cranked out one or two a year in order to live very comfortably. It was with those funds she was able to buy the old Reynolds' place five years before and slowly fix it up. The project was a challenge from the start as Lexi knew little about remodeling, but it turned into a labor of love as she found joy and fulfillment in bringing the house and the land back to life. Not to mention it was the distraction I needed at the time, she thought with a heavy sigh. I should never have gone to that damn high school reunion. It was dumb then, just like it is dumb thinking about it now.

  With a shake of her head to try and clear the unwelcome thoughts, Lexi started walking again and called to her dogs.

  Before the animals could get all the way back to her, Lexi’s

  cell phone rang, and, grateful for the distraction, she answered. “This is Lexi,” she said.

  “Good morning, big sister,” Lexi heard her sibling Jackie Scott say. “Out walking the fence line, I assume?” Lexi chuckled.

  “You know it,” she answered. “And let me guess. You’re racing way too fast down the I-5 thr
ough the heart of Seattle because you’re late for a meeting.”

  “Actually, I'm on the 405, but pretty much yes,” Jackie said, and Lexi could tell she was smiling. “But I didn’t call to chit chat about directions. I want to know if you're still coming up the weekend after next for my birthday.”

  “Wouldn't dare miss it,” Lexi said, even though the last thing she wanted was to drive three hours into big city traffic. Still, this was a milestone birthday, and Lexi was pretty sure Jackie was not looking forward to it. All the more reason to rub it in, Lexi thought and grinned. “After all, you are turning the big four-oh,” she said. There was a pause on the phone.

  “You’re loving this, aren’t you?” Jackie said. Lexi laughed.

  “More than you can imagine,” she answered.

  TAYLOR BARNES WAITED in the guard's booth at the end of the parking ramp and checked her Apple watch for the time.

  She was happy to see Jackie Scott was due any minute and checked herself in the small mirror. Taylor knew she was being ridiculous carrying a crush on the classy but infinitely sexy CEO of Vibrant magazine, but the flirting was harmless, and the extra attention always made Jackie smile. As if on cue, the familiar red Audi R8 coupe came screeching around the corner and shot down the ramp. As it slowed for the gate, Taylor watched to see if the driver's side window would roll down. It was a cue Taylor had learned early on. If

  it went down, Jackie was in a good mood and would be willing to chat for a minute. Taylor was pleased to see the window dropping and stepped out of the booth. “Good morning, Ms. Scott,” Taylor said as she leaned forward to look into the car and make a quick appraisal of Jackie's designer outfit. Taylor was indeed no expert, but if she had to guess the soft gray dress was expensive. Considering how fantastic she looks in it, I’d say the money was well worth it, Taylor thought.

  “Good morning to you too, Taylor,” Jackie said with a smile. “Are you working tomorrow?” Taylor lifted an eyebrow.

  Tomorrow was Saturday, and therefore she usually had it off.

  Although, other than spending the day at the gym and the evening with a good book, she had no plans.

  “Depends on who is asking,” she replied. Jackie tilted her head. It was a flirtatious move and Taylor wondered if Jackie knew she was doing it. Probably not, Taylor thought.

  Although Taylor had only been working as a guard for three months, she had yet to see Jackie with anyone, but her guess was the woman was straight. Unfortunately.

  “Well, I’m asking,” Jackie said. “I have a late afternoon meeting, so I’ll need someone to let me into the garage.”

  Taylor hesitated. As much as she found Jackie attractive, she was not someone’s puppet either. Twenty years with the Army Military Police Corps taught her a lot of things, but a big one was to make decisions with your head and not your heart. Or any other part of your body, she thought. Still, Taylor knew she could get in a long workout in the morning and then come in to pick up a few extra hours. Although her retirement pay allowed her to live more than comfortably, there was never anything wrong with some extra pocket money.

  “I can help you out,” she finally answered. “What time?”

  CHAPTER 2

  ackie walked out of the conference room and let out a Jsigh of contentment. The teleconference call with Los Angeles had gone well. Very well, in fact, she thought, and it looked like she was about to have another feather in her cap for signing a deal with an excellent up and coming design photographer. The man was going to be expensive, but worth it as he had proven already to be exceptionally gifted behind the lens. As she strode down the hall and walked into her office, her handsome young assistant, Daniel, rushed in behind her. He was carrying a handful of pink memos, all of which Jackie knew were from people eager to talk to her.

  “Ms. Scott,” Daniel said as they entered the plush corner office. “I have a few notes for you as well as the confirmation for next Saturday.”

  Before bothering to answer, Jackie went behind her desk and dropped into her expensive leather captain's chair.

  Kicking off her shoes and wiggling her tired toes, she looked at Daniel. “So, there's no problem then with the reservation?” she asked. “The Space Needle is ours for the whole evening after all?” Jackie had made big plans for her fortieth birthday, including spending significant cash to reserve the SkyCity at the Needle restaurant. The arrangements were made over a year ago, but then in the last week, the owners were trying to back out. Apparently, the same night as her birthday party, a spectacular northern lights show was expected. Jackie did not budge and even had Daniel threaten them with a lawsuit. Apparently, the restaurant had finally relented.

  “Yes,” Daniel answered. “The threat worked, but they were not happy. No doubt seats to watch the solar storm effects on our night sky would have come at a premium.”

  Jackie rolled her eyes. She had been hearing about this

  ‘once in a lifetime’ natural phenomena for weeks and could not completely understand the excitement. And I’m sure as hell not going to let it mess up my birthday party, she thought.

  “Well good,” she said. “The whole thing was ridiculous anyway. Who cares that much about a few lights in the sky?” She saw Daniel raise an eyebrow. He was gorgeous and gay to the hilt, but all Jackie cared about was the fact he was efficient as hell. Plus, he was smart enough to keep his thoughts to himself, but Jackie was curious what his take was on the whole northern lights thing. “You disagree?” she asked. Daniel shrugged.

  “There is something special to be said about Aurora borealis,” he said. “And on that Saturday, it will show its stuff to the 10th degree. At least that is what the weather folks on the internet are saying. And I quote ‘a better light show than any fourth of July’.”

  Jackie leaned back in her chair to consider Daniel's words. “Fine,” she said and smiled. “Sounds absolutely perfect and will just make my birthday that much more memorable.”

  LEXI POURED THE KIBBLE into the two metal dog bowls as Rosy and Clem looked on. They were both in a down and stay position, but Lexi could feel the excitement running through them. Dinner was a highlight, or at least it was until it was gone in four bites and a squirrel ran through the yard.

  Stepping back, Lexi gave them a nod, and her pets attacked the food with such pleasure it made her chuckle. If only I

  could get as excited about what to eat, she thought and wandered from the pantry into her kitchen. Although she would never consider her life lonely, bothering to make dinner for one sometimes seemed a waste of time. Often, like tonight, she would skip cooking a full meal and instead grab a few handfuls of the early season sweet peas from her garden, some locally grown lettuce, and a greenhouse tomato for a quick salad. It was one of the reasons her body stayed so lean. Add in the physically demanding work on the remodel and around the property, and Lexi was proud of the toned body it earned her. She might have more gray hairs and wrinkles than she did in high school, but her jean size was the same.

  Turning on some music, Lexi puttered around the butcher block island throwing together her food and was sitting down to eat when her cell phone buzzed. A quick glance at the screen to see if whoever was calling was worth interrupting her dinner, Lexi raised her eyebrows when she saw it was Diana Malone. They were friends from way back, but certainly not close. Diana was a bit of a gossip, and Lexi stayed well clear of any small-town drama. Still, it was odd the woman was calling at six on a Friday night. Deciding to answer it, Lexi pressed the connect button. “This is Lexi,”

  she said.

  “Lexi!” Diana said sounding thrilled to have her answer.

  “How are you tonight?” Lexi tilted her head. What is this all about? A fundraiser maybe? she wondered. It was not unusual for the booster club to ask Lexi to donate an autographed copy of her latest novel for a school auction.

  “I’m good,” Lexi replied. “What can I do for you tonight?

  Need a signed book or something?”

  “Oh, no, noth
ing like that,” she said. “I was really just calling to catch up.” Hmmm, Lexi thought now wondering what was going on. Diana never had in the thirty years she knew her called to just “catch up.”

  “Well, I’m fine. Thanks,” Lexi said. “Everything okay?”

  This time Diana actually giggled, and Lexi realized the woman might be a little tipsy. Lexi thought she had heard somewhere Diana liked her wine a little bit too much.

  Figuring it was time to get back to eating, Lexi was about to say goodbye when Diana blurted out a sentence which froze Lexi in place.

  “Anna Patten is back in town,” Diana said. “And she’s divorced.”

  WITH A POPULATION OF around ten thousand, the city of Astoria was quaintly small and a beautiful jewel along the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean. It also boasted some of the best restaurants for miles around although the selection was a little limited. After a week in town already, she had tapped out the best spots to have dinner and a glass of wine and so restlessly drove around town trying to decide what to do. Since her childhood home was now handed off to the new owners and her hotel room had no kitchen, it was eating out or nothing. Of course, the idea of sitting at a table for one yet again was depressing, to say the least as well. Which is all your own fault, she thought. It was true she had a number of friends still in town she could ask to eat with her, but Anna was not ready for an inquisition yet. Coming back here recently divorced to sell her family's old home was mettle for gossip, and she knew it. Of course, people would be respectful considering Anna's mother was now in a special memory care facility down in Los Angeles. Add in the fact her father died of a heart attack when she was twenty and Anna knew she was a bit of a sad case. The idea she was a pity piece made her madder than if she was a scandal. Maybe I should just go look up Lexi then, she thought and immediately regretted it. Not only

  was it not nice, but the last thing she wanted was to stir up anything from the past. She was in town for one more week and then she would never be back. Ever.

  Finally seeing a place she had not tried, Anna pulled into a parking space and wandered in. There were a few couples at the table, tourists, Anna guessed, but still plenty of room for her to take her pick of a spot. As she pulled off her jacket, a man came to the table with a menu in his hand.