Always Darkest Read online

  “Hi, my name is Victoria Clover and I was wondering if you have a phone I might be able to use. I am stranded and I just need to call my sister to come and pick me up.”

  The man inside took in her tear streaked face on the video monitor connected to the gate and decided his boss would not want him to leave a poor helpless woman stranded. In a moment of compassion he hit the button opening the gate. “Come on in and come to the front door.”

  “Thank you.”

  The gate swung open and the three made their way up the long curving driveway. The house was even more impressive close up. It was a very large brick colonial with large white columns coming up from the porch. As they stepped up onto the porch Justin released Tori’s hand.

  “Are you okay?” He asked.

  “I got this.” She walked up to the front door and rang the door bell. Instantly, the door was opened by and older gentleman in a suit.

  “Hi, I just wanted to use the phone.” Tori said trying to sound as calm as possible.

  “Of course, and who are these men?”

  “I was traveling with them when we became stranded.” That was as truthful as Tori could be without going into anything particular.

  “Well, come in then.” He held the door open as Tori, Thomas and Justin walked into a grand foyer. The floor was marble and a beautiful chandelier hung from the ceiling. He handed her a cordless phone and stood at attention looking at her and the men a little suspiciously.

  “Thank you so much.” She held the phone in her hand a moment. “Oh may I have the address so that I can give it to my sister?”

  “It is 720 Hemming Road, Carson, Kentucky.” Tori thought at least they ended up in Carson. He went to a desk by the large window and pulled out a piece of stationary. “Here, this has the address on it.” He said handing here the white piece of paper.

  Tori glanced at it. There was a name at the top and below was the address and phone number. She was just getting ready to dial the number for her sister’s cell phone when she stopped. She looked back at the stationary. The name at the top was Pearl Taylor. No, it couldn’t be. Could it?

  “Thomas, come here.” She said her voice shaky. He came over and she handed him the paper.

  He looked at it in disbelief. “Pearl, it says Pearl Taylor….”

  The man who had been helping them spoke. “That is the lady of the house sir.”

  “Is she here?”

  “Yes, but she is in a meeting with her son and she is not to be disturbed. Do you know Ms. Taylor?”

  “Where is she?” Thomas ran out of the room and towards the stairs. “Pearl!” He shouted as he ran back out into the foyer and toward the back of the house. “Pearl!”

  The man ran after him and Tori and Justin followed. “Sir, stop!” He yelled as he chased after Thomas.

  Thomas ran into the kitchen and there sitting around a table was a man who looked to be in his late forties with sandy brown hair graying at the sides and a woman. The woman looked very regal with salt and pepper hair and one of those chic bob hair cuts. The man who had been chasing Thomas said, “Ma’am I am so sorry I tried to stop him.”

  The lady held up a hand to silence him as she looked at Thomas. “Thomas, is that you?” She questioned.

  “Pearl, my Pearl, God how I’ve missed you,” Thomas said as he walked towards her. They embraced like they had been apart for merely a week. Thomas held on as tight as he could, like if he let go, she would disappear. Pearl touched his face as if to make sure he was indeed real. Thomas leaned down and kissed her squarely on the lips. When the kiss ended Tori could see that they both had tears streaming down their faces. She had never seen two happier people in all of her life. She felt a tear trickle down her cheek and smiled. The man at the table looked on Thomas and Pearl with sheer astonishment.

  “Thomas, there is someone you should meet.” Pearl put her hand on the shoulder of the man who had been sitting at the table and he rose. “This is your son, Peter.”

  Tori could see the resemblance now. Peter had the same chin and eyes as Thomas, and the same lean build. Peter looked warily at Thomas as if he wasn’t sure what to do.

  Thomas looked at him tears coming anew. “Son,” he said holding his arms out for an embrace. The look on Peter’s face melted from wary disbelief to love as he fell into his father’s arms. They looked at each other Thomas with his hands on his son’s shoulders. There was so much to say, but where to start.

  Pearl had an expression of pure joy on her face as she looked upon her son and her husband. “I’m being rude. Shall we all have a seat,” she looked at Justin and Tori who were standing over by the door to the kitchen. “You two as well, if you helped bring my Thomas to me you are welcome in my home.”

  They all sat around the large wooden kitchen table. Thomas sat between Pearl and his son. Tori and Justin sat on the other side. The man who had let them in stood by the door with his arms folded wearing a guarded expression.

  “Alex,” Pearl said, looking at the man, “Please set out some refreshments for us.” Alex nodded and quickly set about getting bottles of water from the refrigerator and setting one in front of everyone. Then he brought over a cheese and cracker tray and resumed his post by the kitchen door.

  Pearl turned to Thomas, taking his hand. “Thomas, where have you been? I have looked for you in every country on this Earth. I never gave up hope, even if everyone thought I was crazy for it. Who are your friends? Please tell me everything.”

  “It is a long story, my dear.” He said shaking his head.

  “Start at the beginning.”

  Thomas made quick introductions and told his tale. Pearl and Peter stared at him in disbelief. Tori and Justin also told their stories of how they ended up in Three Suns. Thomas showed his identification tattoo which read, Thomas Taylor Unknown In Service of King Dante of Three Suns. Justin and Tori also showed the temporary tattoos Mason had applied to them. They were beginning to fade and when Tori looked down upon her arm, the arm that Mason had so gently touched when applying the ink, she wanted to cry allover again.

  Tori hadn’t wanted to interrupt the reunion of Thomas and his wife, but now her sister came instantly to her mind. “I need the phone. I need to call my sister to come pick me up. She must still be worried sick.”

  Alex immediately reached her the cordless phone. Pearl looked at her as she began to dial the numbers. “You said you live in Mercy, correct?”

  “Yes.”

  “Call your sister and let her know that you are okay. I will have Alex drive you and Justin home or wherever you need to go. It is the least I can do.”

  “Thank you.” Tori said Pearl had the heir of a woman who was used to taking charge of any situation.

  Tori dialed her sister’s number as she got up and walked into the foyer.

  “Hello.”

  “Kathy it’s me.”

  “Oh my God! Are you okay?” Kathy’s voice sounded so hoarse and Tori could tell her sister had been crying.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Did that man… Did he hurt you? It was on the news a man named Ben was caught Friday, and the man you were meeting was named Ben, and you didn’t come home and I thought you were dead, and it’s all my fault for signing you up for that damn dating service, I thought you were dead…” Kathy had started crying.

  “Calm down. Yes he tried to hurt me, but I am okay. It is a long story. I’ll be at your house soon. I have to go now. I love you.”

  “I love you too. Come straight here.”

  “I will.” Tori hung up the phone and went back in the kitchen. Everyone was standing. Thomas had his arm around Pearl and they looked so in love. Tori figured they had a lot of catching up to do.

  “Ready to go?” Alex asked.

  “Yes and thank you Pearl.” Tori replied.

  “Think nothing of it.” She came over and hugged Tori. “Thank you for helping bring my Thomas home.

  Thomas shook Justin’s hand and said they would stay in touch.


  Alex led them around the back of the house where a black limo was parked. He held the door open for Tori and Justin to climb in the back.

  “Victoria, may I have the address where you want me to take you?” Alex asked.

  “Yes, of course.” Tori provided him with her sister’s address slowly while Alex typed it into the GPS.

  “Thank you Alex, and for letting me come in.”

  “I’m just doing my job and I am paid well to do it. As for letting you in, I’m always glad to help a damsel in distress.” He gave her a smile in the rearview mirror.

  Then she turned to Justin. “Shouldn’t we be dropping you off first? You live right here in Carson after all.”

  “I’m not letting you out of my sight until you are safely in your sister’s house. I promised Mason.”

  At the mention of Mason, Tori started to cry all over again. Justin let her put her head on his shoulder and stroked her hair until they arrived at Kathy’s house.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The limo pulled up in front of Kathy’s house. It was a nice brink ranch home, in the suburbs of Mercy, Kentucky. Before Tori could even reach the door handle, Kathy came flying out of the house to meet her. She stepped out of the limo and her sister flew her arms around her.

  “I was so worried! I am so glad you are okay, come in here.” Kathy was holding her so tight she could barely breathe.

  Finally Kathy released her sister. “Who is that in the limo? Why are you in a limo?”

  “That is Justin and like I said it is a long story.”

  “Well, get in the house and tell me about it. Your friend can come in too.” Kathy poked her head in the limo and asked Justin if he wanted to come in the house for a while.

  “No, but thank you. I just wanted to make sure Tori got home safe. I have to get home myself.”

  “Okay then,” Kathy said.

  Tori poked her head in the limo. “Be sure to call me, I gave you my number.”

  “I will. You take care.”

  Tori shut the door and walked arm in arm with her sister to the front door where Kathy’s husband Randy stood. He was flanked on each side by one of her nephews.

  “Hey Tori,” Randy said. “I’m glad to see you are alright. Kathy was worried sick and so were these two little guys. They wouldn’t go to bed until they saw you.”

  Tori bent down to eye level with her young nephews. Rick, the eight year old immediately embraced her. “Aunt Tori, mom was so worried all weekend. I was too a little.” Tori hugged him back and she felt Sam the six year old join in on the hug. In that moment Tori felt that she made the right choice in coming back to Earth.

  “I love you guys.”

  Randy put his hand on their shoulders. “Okay guys, you see aunt Tori is okay. Let’s go get ready for bed.”

  “But dad,” the boys said in unison.

  “No butts,” he said miming a spanking. “You have school in the morning and your mom needs to talk to Tori.”

  Randy gave Tori a quick little hug. “I’m glad your back.” Then he turned to his wife and gave her a peck on the cheek. “As for you, don’t worry about the boys, I’ll get them off to school in the morning. You take care of you sister.” Then he ushered the boys to their bedrooms.

  Kathy took Tori’s hand and led her over to the couch. They both sat and Tori saw the missing posters her sister had been making spread out on the coffee table. “Do you need anything? Water? Something to eat? I got some wine in the fridge if you need something stronger.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Okay, now tell me everything. What’s up with the limo?”

  Tori started at the beginning, going over how Ben had hit her over the head and tried her up and how she kneed him in the groin at the most opportune moment.

  Kathy said. “That’s my sister. I told you those Krav Maga classes we took weren’t a waste of time.”

  “I kneed him in the balls sis. It’s not rocket science.”

  “Go on,” Kathy encouraged.

  Tori finished her tale, leaving out only she had desperately wanted to stay with Mason.

  “Wow! That is a lot to take in.” Kathy said with a quizzical look on her face. Tori could tell her sister didn’t know whether to believe her or not. “Do you think he drugged you or something?”

  “I know he didn’t.”

  Tori took off her cardigan and showed Kathy the mark Mason had drew on her arm. Kathy inspected it and then shook her head. “I’m just glad you are okay. I love you so much and I thought you were dead. I don’t know what I would have done without you with mom and dad dead. I just don’t know….”

  “It’s okay, I’m fine. Did you say they caught Ben? ” Tori said changing the subject because she knew if she didn’t her sister would start crying and she would follow.

  “Yeah it happened Friday night. He got in a car accident and the police found blood in the back of his van along with rope, duct tape and God only knows what else. They didn’t release all the details but he is suspected in the rape and murder of five women. I reported to the police that you had a date with a man named Ben and you didn’t come home. You should make a report to them. I called them after you called me to let them know you were found, but it may help to prove a case against him.”

  “Maybe, I just don’t want to think about it now.”

  Kathy glanced at the clock on the wall. “Oh it’s nearly three in the morning. You must be exhausted. I’ve got the guest room all made up for you.”

  “Sleep sounds divine.” Tori said and it was the truth. The physical, not to mention the emotional toll of the last few days had left her exhausted.

  Kathy led her to the guest room and gave her one last hug.

  The gust room, which also doubled as Kathy’s craft room was cozy. It had a full size bed with lots of pillows and a quilt. Tori noted that Kathy had even laid out a pair of comfy flannel pajamas for her and wondered how in the world her sister be so thoughtful and get so much ready in the thirty minute notice she had given her.

  None the less, Tori was thankful. She quickly got out of the dress Willa had given her and into the soft flannel pajamas. She slipped under the covers and turned off the lamp on the bedside table. Within minutes Tori was fast asleep.

  When Tori woke up the next day, light was streaming in through the windows. She looked at the alarm clock and noted it was twelve thirty in the afternoon. Tori couldn’t remember the last time she had slept this late. She got out of bed and hurried to the bathroom and then made her way to the kitchen where her sister was busy in front of the stove.

  “Good afternoon sleepy head. There is coffee ready.”

  Tori went and got herself a cup and took a seat on one of the barstools that surrounded the island.

  “Good afternoon, I didn’t mean to sleep so late.”

  He sister made a dismissive gesture with her hands. “Shoot, after all you been through, I wouldn’t have been surprised if you slept all day. Are you hungry?”

  “Uh, huh,” Tori said still waking up. The caffeine suddenly hit her brain and she realized that she needed to call into work. “Oh shit, I need to call in to work.”

  “No you don’t, I took care of that for you. They don’t expect you back until after Christmas break. I already filed the FMLA claim. Randy brought your car back from the Old Castle Inn, it’s in the garage when you need it and here is your replacement cell phone. Randy went and got one for you this morning and I called and got it programmed with your old number.”

  Tori looked at her sister in astonishment. “How did you? How long have you been up?”

  “Since seven this morning,” Kathy relied.

  “Do you secretly take crack or something?” Tori said laughing.

  “I’m just taking care of my baby sister.” Kathy said has she handed Tori a plate loaded with hash browns, scrambled eggs, and two buttermilk biscuits. Tori began devouring the food. She was absolutely ravenous. Kathy just went about putting the dishes into the dishwasher and wi
ping down the counter. When Tori was done she handed Kathy the plate.

  “I needed that. Thanks, sis,” Tori said.

  “You’re welcome. Now I thought after you shower and get dressed, we could go over to your place and get some of your clothes and other things. I figured you might want to stay with me a while considering.”

  “No. It’s nice of you to offer, but I think I just want to go home for a while.”

  “Are you sure? We would love for you to stay.”

  “I am.”

  “Okay then.”

  “I think I’m going to go get that shower now.” Tori went straight to the bathroom, stripped and turned on the water as hot as she could stand it. As the hot water ran over her, she thought again of how warm and reassuring Mason’s hands were. She thought about how passionate his kiss had been and how he had pleaded with her to stay. Thinking the water would drown out the sound of her sobs she let go and cried and sobbed until the water ran cold and she had to get out.

  She wrapped the oversized fluffy towel around her and ventured out into the hallway and almost ran into her sister right outside the bathroom door. Kathy was holding a neatly folded stack of clothes and handed them to Tori without a word.

  Tori went into the guest room and quickly dressed in the black tank top, pink, hooded, zip up top and matching lounge pants her sister had given her. When she was dressed she went down the hall to see if Kathy had a comb she could use.

  “Are you positive you are okay?” Kathy asked with a look of disapproval on her face.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I just need to dry my hair and I’m ready to go.”

  “Bullshit! I heard you crying.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Victoria Nicole Clover I am your sister and I call bullshit! Fess up, did that man hurt you more than you told me?” Kathy had uses the “mom” voice that she adopted when their parents had died. Tori knew there was no use arguing because her sister would not let up until she was satisfied that Tori had told her everything.

  “I met someone when I was over there. Remember I told you about Willa’s grandson?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, I felt something for him and I had to leave.”