Mother of Darkwaters: Book one of the Vessel series by Tony C. Skye Read Free Book Online

is on its surface. But she does not write.
       “Is there something wrong, Recorder?”
       “Sssomething is above you,” the girl nervously answers without looking. The man glances upward and sees a swirling black mass.
     
       “Ah, yes,” the man amuses, “That would be one of my colleagues. Nothing to fear, Recorder.” He begins moving his mouth.
       The man speaks words of a language in which the teen does not understand. She hears sounds of hissing filling the room as the black mass dissipates.
       “Is that better?”, the man questions while triumphantly moving his boyish stare back towards the girl.
       The fear-stricken girl, slowly, raises her head to examine the space above him.
       “What was that?”, her words are barely audible, “W-why do they look like that?”
       The man's head retreats with subtlety. A small smile forms on his lips. He speaks calmly while pointing to himself, “It is as I have told you, dear Caroline. This look is for your benefit, earthly-one. My colleague meant you no harm. It is your earthly definition of beauty in which has created your fear.”
       The girl nods her understanding. But the man knows her response is a desperate agreement in hopes that he will not change from his current appearance – something in which he has no intention of doing. She, however, does not trust him like this yet. But she will. He will see to it.
     
       The handsome man looks to be in his twenties, but Caroline knows better. His age is only a deception, not unlike his gorgeous appearance. Not that she is complaining. In fact, this look is definitely working for him. His bod is absolutely scrumptious. Delicious, intriguing, and so...
     
       “Recorder!”, the man's voice deepens with a hint of rage and authority. The power within his words fills the room. Caroline's central nervous system responds with the slightest of jerks. She, quickly, subdues herself in order to not show the fear swelling up inside.
       The teenager approaching womanhood bows her head respectively, “I’m sorry. I wasn't prepared to meet your - um...colleagues. It kinda freaked me out.”   
       Even from his current distance, the man towers over the five-foot five-inch teen. He crosses his arms while raising his right brow in contemplation. He has been around for so long…so many years. It is easy to forget how the human mind has trouble with calculating the events Caroline's eyes have just witnessed.
       His voice softens, “I see.”
     
       Caroline's fear is begging her to become hysterical. It is coaxing her into a release in the form of an all-out slasher-style movie scream. But she understands this is not the time to fall apart. She, instead, concentrates on slowing her elevated heart rate. The pen held in her right hand tremors ever so slightly. Afraid of angering the man any further, Caroline stares at the paper in a readied writer's position. To her dismay, Caroline's heart races with an indescribable fear as a large hand with its long bony fingers reaches out to touch her writer's hand. Her begging scream swells up deep within her as the man lowers himself to eye level.
       “Shh...”, the man's voice soothes, “Calm yourself, earthly-one. No one will harm you. You have my word.”
       Caroline's wanting scream vanishes as the man's surprisingly warm hand brings her comfort. The sudden roundabout of emotions confuses her, but she would rather not revisit the former in place of the latter.
       The teen holds her breath while his other hand gently tucks away her long bangs behind her left ear. His fingers brush her cheek as they caress their way down to the underneath of her chin. With the slightest of nudges, the man's fingers urge Caroline's eyes to meet his own.
       His seducing voice speaks, “You are safe with me.”
     
       Caroline swallows. His boyish grin is so gorgeous. Her body responds with a rush of excitement. She feels overwhelmed with the