Dark Matter - The Mors Mortis Trilogy Book 2

Epilogue

The first thing Jared became aware of as he woke again was a repetitive beeping. It sent echoing thuds through his skull and he let out a groan.

For a moment he lay still, his memories lost, cracked and distorted. But then the events of the raid slipped back into place. They flooded his senses, burning through his brain like the tails of dying comets, thick and scorching.

His breath came faster and he scrunched the balls of his hands against his eyelids, hoping the pressure would push the images out.

"You know, I almost thought you weren't going to wake up this time."

He opened his eyes at the voice and realised he was in the S.I.S's hospital room, laid on the same bed as last time, hooked up to the same IV.

Riley was sitting beside him; her eyes surrounded by dark rings.

Jared stared at her for a long time, hoping she'd say something; tell him it had all been a dream, that Leah was in the other room like the last time he'd woke in here.

But she didn't.

"She's dead, isn't she?"

Riley's expression was the only answer he needed and Jared glanced down at his wrists. A low hum of emotions was running though him, vibrating in his teeth, his bones, pulsing harder and harder until he thought he might shatter.

When Riley spoke next, Jared heard as if from far away.

"There's something you need to know, Jared. Something important. I ..."

The door opened and Riley cut off, jerking backwards. The sudden movement brought Jared back to the present and he glanced up.

Riley's eyes were wide, her feet retreating quickly, and Jared followed her gaze to the door to find Andrew standing there.

"Andrew," Riley said, "wait –"

Jared barely had time to register what was happening before Andrew pulled the gun from his belt and shot Riley through the head, sending her body flying backwards and clattering against the floor.

Jared jerked of the bed, positioning it between himself and Andrew as he stared at Riley's still form, mouth slacked open in horror.

He rounded on Andrew.

"What the hell did you just do!"

Andrew charged forward, grabbed Jared and yanked him by the arm towards the door.

"You need to come with me," Andrew said. "Quickly. If she's here, it's not safe."

Jared threw him off and backed up.

"What do you mean it's not safe? You just shot Riley!"

Andrew ground his teeth, letting out a huff.

"You need to listen to me, and you need to listen good," he said. "You've been unconscious for 24 hours and a lot has changed since then. What do you remember of the raid?"

Jared's heart spasmed, his face distorting in anguish as the images came back. Leah falling, eyes blank; Brenton disappearing, his screams following behind him.

"I –"

"You saw Leah die, didn't you? You saw the portal she'd been carrying around inside her appear in the room?"

Jared grimaced.

"Yes."

Andrew nodded. "Well it never closed again. It's still open. And every second we're standing here talking about this, more of our world is being sucked in, and more of the dead world is coming out."

Jared stared at Andrew for a moment, and then turned back to Riley. As he did, he noticed a shimmer around her, a warping of space. Slowly, the ground where she'd landed was disappearing. First the tiles, then the wooden beams underneath.

His mind kicked back to the raid, to the fact he hadn't seen Riley there, even though she had been Leah's partner. If Leah had come running to find them without Riley...

"Riley was already dead, wasn't she?" Jared said slowly, realising the truth of his words as he spoke.

He could see blood pooling on Riley's jumper, the flesh missing beneath – wounds that couldn't have possibly been caused by Andrew's bullet.

Andrew nodded. "And everything she touches will die too."

Jared swallowed hard and turned back to the older man.

"What does that mean?"

"It means," Andrew said, "that Leah has done what your father spent his whole life trying to do. It means that we only have one week before our entire world is consumed by the world of the dead. Maybe less if the ghosts keep interacting with everything. And if they touch you..."

Suddenly, Riley groaned behind them and sat up, cradling her head. The floor beneath her had melted, curling and twisting away in a jagged mess.

"Jared," she said, her voice unfocused. "I need to talk to Jared."

Jared stared at her, his gaze going straight through the gaping hole in her head and to the wall behind, and he sighed.

"Well, shit."

...

Hello everyone!

Thank you so much for making it to the end of Dark Matter! I honestly can't articulate how grateful I am for every read, vote and comment you have all given to this story :) I hope it was as much of a roller coaster ride for all of you as it has been for me. 

And now for some exciting news! Now that Dark Matter has finished, I am going to start working on the third and final book of the Mors Mortis Trilogy - BLACK HOLES!! :D :D :D

It's going to be a big one! Lots of drama, lots of action, lots of romance, and LOTS of dead people hehe. 

I will let you all know once Black Holes actually starts being posted, but don't expect it until later this year.  

Once again, thank you all so much for everything you've given to these books. 

Lots of love!

- Sky xoxoxoxo