It’s no secret that Kat and I both loved Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm. Since we adore the fantasy world and characters Leigh created so much, we decided to write our very own Grisha fan fiction complete with smoochies, suspense and plot twists. And, psst, if you stop by the blog tomorrow you’ll get a chance to see Leigh critique it for our Siege and Storm tour stop in a hilarious chat style interview!

So without further ado, we present…

A dark figure dropped from the castle wall. It crept through the blackest parts of the night toward the shadow of the tree Mal hid under while he anxiously waited for his lover.

Mal’s heart beat in time with the light footsteps as the impossible shadow neared. The news he had now weighed heavily on his mind with each approaching thump. The black figure appeared and Mal’s chest expanded impossibly in anticipation.

“Mal,” it said, as the shadows separated revealing the Darkling in all his dazzling glory. His black Kafta rippled in the evening breeze, and the light of the moon shone behind him, making him look like a fallen angel.

“Darkling!” Mal exclaimed, pulling the evil warlord into his arms.

“I missed you,” The Darkling replied. Embracing him, and gripping Mal’s face passionately, The Darkling leaned close for a desperate kiss. “I came as soon as I could. Alina has been getting suspicious so I had to pretend to torture some innocent peasants to get her off my back.”

Mal stared at the Darkling, his deep eyes flashing with emotion. “There’s so much to say. I have news. Very, very… difficult news for you.”

A soft feminine voice gave a pained gasp. “Mal? Darkling?” Alina croaked as she came around the tree and saw the two men locked together. “What’s going on here?”

“Alina…” The Darkling replied, pushing away from Mal. “I um… caught your lover! Ha! Now I shall take him to my dungeon and do wicked things to him! Very, very wicked! Because I’m evil and not because I find him extremely attractive…”

Mal glared at The Darkling and shook his head, dropping all pretences in the face of Alina’s exasperated disbelief. “I’m so sorry you had to find out this way, Alina. He had me tied up in the chains in his dungeon and he was being all deliciously evil and that’s really hard to resist, okay? One thing led to another and… we fell in love.”

Alina looked to the Darkling who shrugged his shoulders. “His youthful, naïve, boyish optimism finally got to me, Alina. What can I say? There’s no resisting that face.”

Her mouth fell open and she tried not to scrunch her face up as she held back the tears. “You don’t believe this do you, Mal? You know he tried to seduce me to use me too?” she stepped forward, planning to reach out to the man she loved, but he stepped back into The Darkling’s waiting arms instead.

“It’s not like that, Alina,” The Darkling said, his face softening with tender emotion. “I didn’t plan for this to happen. I only planned to rule Ravka. Not his heart…”

“We didn’t want to hurt you,” Mal explained as Alina’s head spun in crazy circles.

The Darkling put up his hand as if he were a student in a school room, “Well, technically I wanted to hurt her, unless she agreed to be my power source so that I can continue my plans to conquer the world.”

Alina whirled on Mal who shrugged helplessly. “He really can’t help himself, you know,” he explained. “It’s really just a front for his emotionally sensitive, delicate soul. Please don’t hate me, Alina! I need you to understand.”

Alina fought back tears and tried to calm her heartbreak. “I wish you guys had told me. Of course, I’ll always love and care about you, Mal,” she said, reaching out and patting him on the shoulder. “You can’t help who you love. And whilst I’m hurt that I’m not the one for you, I understand. I just want you to be happy.”

Mal smiled happily as The Darkling took his hand, “Thank you, Alina, Sun Summoner of Ravka. You are a true friend.”

Alina’s smile fell, “Oh hell, no! I am Mal’s friend. You? You, I’m going to turn into a Darkling Shish-ka-bob if you so much as hurt a single hair on his head, buddy. You got that? You treat my boy well or you’ll have to answer to me.”

The Darkling put a long, slender finger under Mal’s chin and guided the golden-haired boy’s attention back to him. Mal gazed into the Darkling’s eyes, and momentarily lost his train of thought as the Darkling lightly stroked his plump cheek with his thumb. He leaned in and gently placed his soft lips along the curve of his jaw. Mal’s eyes fluttered shut.  Incredibly soft, luscious lips, Mal thought.

The Darkling unleashed a trail of kisses towards his waiting lips, teasing them with his breath, igniting the air between. For a moment, nothing existed. Not the Fold, not the impending war, not even Ravka. Suddenly, he pulled back. Mal released a breath he didn’t realize he was holding and the Darkling muttered, “I will never hurt my Mal-Mal.”

Alina shook her head as Mal remained transfixed on his lover’s face. “If I’d known a few smoochies would turn him into some kind of sappy, kitten-hugging, Romeo then I’d have puckered up ages ago.”

“Alas, it never would have worked, Alina,” The Darkling rectified. “Only my Mal-Mal could have effected this change. Now, darling, tell me of this most difficult news.”

“Hey, guys? As hot as this is turning out to be, I’m starting to feel like a third-wheel. Also, The Darkling being all romantic is freaking me out, so, I think I should go,” said Alina, gesturing back to the Little Palace as she began retreating.

The men broke apart and Mal stepped forward to stop her. “No! Wait!” Mal whisper-yelled.

Alina stopped and turned back to the lovers.

“There’s something I need to tell you. The both of you,” he corrected.

“Well, I’m not sure what more I have to do with any of this,” Alina said, frowning and gesturing at them. “Unless, you mean, I get to watch?” she asked hopefully.

Mal frowned at her. “Don’t cheapen our love, Alina. No, there are difficult times ahead for us. I will need your strength as well as The Darkling’s,” Mal said.

“Speak, my love,” said the Darkling. “Tell me what troubles your mind.”

“I-I-I’m pregnant,” he said, barley above a whisper.

“YOU’RE WHAT?!” Alina shouted, marching back to Mal. “How can you be pregnant?”

Mal winced. He knew this would be her reaction. “Keep it down. Do you think I want all of Ravka knowing about this? Anyway, it’s quite simple when you think about it. When two men love each other very much–” he began.

“I can’t believe this! Perhaps I could expect such carelessness from you, Mal, but Darkling?” Alina said, directing her anger to the other man. “I expected more from someone with goals to take over the world!”

The Darkling stood shell-shocked, eyes glazed over and muttered, “I’m going to be a daddy?”

“Oh, for Saint’s sake!” Alina said throwing up her arms. “Mal! How could you let this happen? What if he tries to use your child to further his evil plans? Is everyone but me forgetting that he’s an unrepentant dictator bent on conquering and enslaving the world?”

The Darkling stared at Mal, his face still frozen in shock. Yet, at Alina’s words, he shook his head out of its daze and glared at her resolutely. “Do you think I care more for my nefarious schemes than I do about my lover and unborn child? Never!”

Mal touched The Darkling’s hand tenderly, his eyes glittering with unshed tears. “Are you sure? I’d never ask you to compromise your evil plans for me- I mean – us,” he said as he placed his hand paternally on his slight belly.

The Darkling gripped him tightly. “We’re going to be a family, Mal. That’s what’s important. Becoming all-powerful, ruling with an iron-fist, subjugating humanity? None of that matters if I can’t have you.”

“Wow,” Alina said, genuinely shocked and surprised. “That’s actually, like, the nicest way ever to bring about peace to our torn nation. Great job, guys! We fixed the world with love! And-and, I’m going to be an aunty!” she squealed, jumping up and down.

Mal, The Darkling and Alina laughed together, sharing a group hug.

Alina wiped away a few happy tears and smiled brightly in happiness for her best friend and worst enemy in their special moment. “I swear. There is just nothing that could spoil this moment. Well, unless The Darkling wasn’t really the father but, you know, nothing else!”

At Alina’s comment, the Darkling’s head snapped up and the steely look in his eyes returned. “What kind of thing is that to say? Of course I am. Tell her, Mal.”

Mal looked away unable to meet their eyes. “I… I’m not sure.”

The Darkling’s face blanched. “What do you mean you’re not sure, Mal-Mal?”

“Wait… what?” Alina stammered, stepping back in shock.

“Darkling, you have to understand, this was before you. I was looking for the stag and… and I got on this ship. He was dashing and I had way too much kvas that night…” Mal stammered.

“How could you do this to me?” Darkling said, his eyes brimming with tears. “You’re ‘Darkling’s Darling’. I thought what we had was special!”

“You are! I swear it!” Mal said. He tried to reclaim the Darkling’s hand, but was refused.

“Don’t you dare touch me! Tell me who he is, Mal-Mal!” Darkling said.

“So about that world peace we were talking about earlier?” Alina tried to interject.

“It isn’t important. You and I is what matters! It’s you that I love,” Mal said, completely ignoring Alina. He held out his hands in a gesture of peace, but the Darkling advanced anyway.

“NO! You will tell me right now before I rip another Fold into this kingdom that will rival the first!” The Darkling roared, his face twisted in hurt and betrayal.

“Uhh… I think you should definitely tell the man, Mal,” said Alina, fear written on her face as she backed away.

“Alright, alright. I’m sure you’ve met him before, actually. He’s a master of disguises and cunning. And he has the uncanny ability to show up at the absolute worst possible times,” Mal said.

Footsteps sounded to their right and a figure appeared. “There you are! I heard noises and naturally couldn’t believe someone had the nerve to throw a party without my presence,” he said.

“Speak of the volcra,” said Mal in disbelief, his face as pale as a ghost.

The newcomer glanced around and noticed the tension in the air. “Oh, look what we have here. A lover’s quarrel!” The stranger was dressed as some kind of dashing sea pirate, his shirt open at the chest and his breeches tailored tight to his hips.

“And just who do you think you are?” demanded the Darkling, his body tensed and ready to jump with violence at the handsome stranger. He stood in front of Mal, his fists balled up and ready to wreak havoc out of his own wounded pride.

The newcomer smiled a cocky grin that had captured so many hearts, including Mal’s. “I have been called many names. ‘That Good-Looking Fellow’, ‘Handsome Beyond All Reason’ and to some,” he said sparing a wink for Alina, making her blush. “‘Future Best Night of My Life’. But for you Darkling, you can call me ‘The Competition’.”

Alina sighed when she saw The Darkling’s eyes bug out in fury. “We were so close to world peace, guys. So. Close.”

To Be Continued in A Darkling and Sturmhond Night…