Realm of Dusk - The Darkdusk Legacy - Chapter 6: Growth and Development

While Kelly takes care of Maria and replants one of her plants, Cyrus performs as The Great Darkness.  After all, there is now one more Darkdusk, and the house needs the money more than ever.  After the performance is done and Cyrus returns home, Kelly returns to the grocery store, which is still closed while the police are investigating the burglary and theft of the aspirin and laundry detergent.  Kelly decides to do some investigation of her own, just to make sure the police aren’t investigating her or Cyrus’ robberies.

What she finds, though, is much worse.

The aspirin and laundry detergent are indeed gone, and the police are focusing on that section of the store.  What the police don’t realize is that the real clue to discovering who did it is under the plasma fruit display – which Kelly is naturally drawn to.  She notices a card hidden under the display.  Upon picking up the card, she notices a distinctive symbol that makes her non-beating heart sink.

It’s the Sorenson house insignia.  Donna or Desirae had created that card, and then given it to an agent to place in the grocery store.

Kelly immediately realizes why the store was burglarized in the first place.  The aspirin and laundry detergent were never part of the reason; the Sorenson agent merely picked those items because they were far away from the produce section (and would probably sell well in the Realm of Night!).  The real reason was to draw police attention, and to get the police to close the store for investigation!  What the Sorensons didn’t count on was that Kelly’s and Cyrus’ Vampiric speed gets them past the police and into the store, making it even easier than normal to steal plasma fruit!

While Kelly is stealing plasma fruit from the grocery store – right under the police’s nose – it’s Cyrus’ turn to take care of Maria.  Once Kelly comes home, the two work on a new addition to the house: a room for Maria and any other children the Darkdusks may have.  After all, a Vampire house with only one daughter doesn’t live long.  The addition is finished just as Maria grows to be a toddler.

Kelly invites Daydream and Bailey, along with their friend Alice Fitzgerald, to Maria’s birthday party.  Daydream brings food (which, of course, is of no nutritional value whatsoever to Kelly and Cyrus), which Kelly graciously accepts, to the party.

Meanwhile, in the Realm of Night…

Donna: “The report on my wayward daughter?”
???: “Despite the mixture’s effects, the upstarts still live.”
Donna: “This will not stand!”
Desirae: “Why don’t we just kill her now?”
Donna: “She still may be useful.  Place this stone in the Realm of Dusk.”
???: “Yes, my lady.”

As Kelly and Maria sleep, Cyrus steals plasma fruit from the grocery store.  The police presence at the door is gone, but the store is still closed.

After stealing from the grocery store, Cyrus goes to a party at Faith MacDuff’s mansion.  He has no intention of actually attending the party; he instead intends to steal from the mansion!  With the aid of his Vampiric strength, he steals a mirror, a water fountain, and a loveseat(!), putting the items into a “stolen” car (which is actually not stolen, but Cyrus’ own car that he bought without Kelly’s knowledge) before speeding off.

Kelly teaches Maria how to walk…

…and Maria plays with her toys.

Who is the mysterious Sorenson agent?  What is Donna’s latest plan?  And how will it affect Kelly and Cyrus – and the rest of the Realm of Dusk?  Find out next time!