Read Online Dawn of Darkness (Daeva, #1) by Daniel A. Kaine - Free Book Online Page A

it won't solve anythin' in
the long run."
    "Maybe
not," I said, handing him some more coins. I'd worry about that
part when I got to it. Right then, I just wanted to
forget.
    I could
feel my cheeks starting to radiate as I continued with the second
pint. When I started on the third, it felt as though there was a
haze blanketing my brain, and the air around me was somehow less
thick. Starting to work, I thought, my mind beginning to wander
elsewhere, and the troubles washed away with the flow of
alcohol.
    "You
asshole." I set my drink down and looked to my left, to see Ash
walking towards me, his fists clenched. I smiled, though I'm not
sure why. "I've been worried sick looking for you." He sat on the
stool next to me and motioned for Hans. "I'll have whatever he's
having."
    Hans
nodded and finished drying the glass in his hand, before pouring
another pint.
    "How many
has he had?"
    "That
there's his third."
    Ash
turned on his stool to face me. "So what was your plan? You come
here without telling anyone, get pissed, and then what?" I
continued drinking, though it appeared this was one problem I
couldn't make disappear by drowning it in alcohol. "Come on, Mik.
Talk to me. I can't help you if I don't know what the problem
is."
    "Maybe you can't help me," I
growled, slamming my half-empty glass onto the bar. "How
could you understand? You didn't kill someone today."
    "That's
what this is all about?" Ash sighed. "I should have guessed. Still,
do I have to remind you that if I wanted, I could feel exactly what
you're feeling?"
    "Just
because you can feel it doesn't mean you understand."
    "I
understand better than you could imagine." Ash took a few large
mouthfuls of his drink. "You're not the only one who has killed
before."
    I looked
at him in disbelief. Surely he was only saying it to make me feel
better.
    "The day
I found out I could do this..." He lifted his free hand from where
it rested on his knee. The water in the air above his hand began to
condense, then freeze, creating a small sphere of ice. "There were
two casualties, a young girl and her... boyfriend." His fist
clenched, crushing the ice. "I couldn't stop it. He froze to
death."
    "How is
that the same? You had no choice. You couldn't control
it."
    "And what
choice did you have? Let him kill you? This is the army, Mik. When
we're out there, it's kill or be killed."
    "I know,
I know. I thought it would be easier because they're the enemy, but
it's not. I feel like I've done something awful."
    "I hear
you, man. But sometimes, there's nothing you can do about it. You
did what you had to... to survive. And if it makes you feel any
better, I'm glad you did."
    We sat in
silence for the next few minutes, while I pondered over Ash's
words. It was true it was either me or the enemy, and I had no
desire to die anytime soon. When it was put as simple as that, it
seemed to make a sad sort of sense. I really didn't have a choice.
Still, that didn't mean I had to feel good about it, but at least I
could stop blaming myself. That man forced my hand when he lunged
for me. He made his choice, and died for it.
    "Feeling
better?" Ash asked. Not that he had to ask.
    "A
little."
    "Lemme
give ya kids some advice," Hans said. He lined three shot glasses
out on the bar, and filled them with the same dark liquid he had
given me earlier. He handed one each to us both and took the last
for himself. "Ya didn't want to kill him. Ya have a good heart. Be
thankful for that and pray ya don't lose it along the way. Now,
bottoms up."
    We downed
our shots together. Hans let out a quick 'Ahh", as though it
weren't liquid fire he had swallowed. Ash screwed up his face a
little, but didn't seem overly affected by it. I coughed and
spluttered, which the others found hilarious. I scowled at Ash, who
held up his hands as if to say, 'Hey, not my fault'.
    Hans
cleared up the empty glasses and moved them to the sink at the far
end of the bar, where another customer waited.
    Now we
had some privacy, I asked, "Did