To my grandmother Andrea Elina Avila
The one who took the time to teach me how to read and
Write. Without you this book would never be possible…
Thank you.
“Not all scars show
Not all wounds heal, sometimes you can’t
Always see
The pain someone feels.”
‘Pure white, pure silver gray, this is my essence. A pure white soul with a tainted outline that is my mystery.’
Back then…
“Look at him! He’s useless, just an unworthy human.” He hissed. “What do you see in this, this thing! He can’t even protect you. I could blow his brains out right now, and he wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.” He raised his hand, his fingers prickling with friction. You could see the fire running through his veins, his face completely red. He could have killed him at any minute. The slightest move and it would have been over for him. His raspy, inhuman voice was filled with anger and hate, and nothing else. I thought for a moment I could see the slightest bit of insecurity in his eyes, but the thought was quickly brushed away by the stench of his rage, he was ruthless, careless, and hateful. And I found myself asking the same question I’d asked many different times before, how could I ever love such a monstrous creature.
I grabbed his arm as he was about to attack, and immediately jerked my hand back as it stung from the heat. “Don’t!” I pleaded.
He turned to face me “are you protecting this, human! This thing?!” there was so much disgust in his voice. “You could rule with me! You could be the queen of the underworld, Rule the desperate souls of the ones that you now chose to co-exist with.” His eyes begged for me to accompany him but his words were harsh. “Yet you choose this meaningless life. You’ve grown soft. Come with me, rule with me, be my queen.” He extended his hand out to me, or what passed for a hand in a demon, his face still filled with rage, and his eyes with malice.
I stared at him with tears in my eyes. His offer while tempting was dangerous. He was right, ruling with him would give me a power unlike any other, but forbidden at that. This choice was hard to make, but it wasn’t much of one. It was either I sacrifice my family for my own good, or I sacrifice them for my own protection. I’d made my choice years ago, I swore I would never fall into his trap again, one mistake in our lives is enough to last, this one… this one would haunt me forever and that proved true, as he would not give up. “Anything to rule your soul yet again my queen.” He had said, “Anything.” his draw on me was incredible.
“You will not intimidate me. You leave my family alone, and if you so much as think you will dare to hurt them-- I said my voice quivering and my eyes flooding with tears. He interrupted me.
“Family? Ha! Pretty soon you won’t have a “family” so long as you choose to be with these humans, I could kill you as well.” He said the word with such disgust humans. He came closer, his vicious eyes now visible in the moonlight. “You’re weak, you’ve always been weak.”
“You’re freedom for his life. If you come with me now, ill spare his meaningless, life.” He said brushing it off as if his life were nothing of importance.
“What if don’t? Huh? What happens then, what will you dare do to me? Will you kill me? Torture me? You don’t have the power, hell you don’t have the balls.” I spat out the words with the tears now reaching my cheeks, and a sarcastic smile. I was scared but I couldn’t let him have that kind of power over me. I had to show him I wasn’t backing down.
“If you don’t,” He paused, as if he were actually considering what he would do to me.
“Admit it, you can’t hurt me. You have absolutely no power over me, none whatsoever.” I hissed, hoping that would stop him in his quest to rule me again, to entrap me as he had done once before. His eyes were red with fury, but his smile was inviting, yet dreadful, and morbid. He wanted it to die, more than anything he didn’t want this child to come into the world, but he would sacrifice that desire at the thought of having me under his control. He didn’t want me, more my power, what our abilities combined could do, that was what he had come for.
“Enough! I will not let one ridiculous mistake trap me.”
He leaned in closer, and grabbed my throat closing his rough fingers around my sleek throat. “You have no choice. You can save him of course, but the question is, will you?” He stared into my eyes, and I saw the fury but also the joy, he was getting off from the pain he inflicted in me.
“Come on,” He whispered to me as I whimpered in his arms. “ your only other option is your mother. And she doesn’t want you anymore than she did twenty years ago when she gave you to me.”
“That’s a lie!” my voice quivering as the tears raced down to my cheeks faster each time, I tried to say more but my voice caught as his grip tightened getting closer and closer to cutting off my breath.
“My mother loved me! It was you who took me from her. You robbed me of my life.” I said when he finally released me, unable to keep my words clear of the rasp and cough that my throat inevitably let go of.
“Oh really? Than how come she hasn’t come back to save you, to take back her supposed beloved daughter. The one she loved so much? Huh? Why is that?” I grabbed my throat as he spoke trying to soothe pain.
I could try to speak again but couldn’t I was silenced, but not by the pain but by his words. He was right. She could have come back for me. She could have saved me. But she didn’t. He stepped back into the shadows that seemed to swallow him whole as he moved in closer and closer.
“So, come with me?” He said, as the shadows seeped from deep inside him and came for me, the allure was too much, the power they had over me was too strong. I was swallowed whole as he was, filled deep inside, deep enough to cover my soul with them, and engaging in the deceit that was their lives, or more appropriately put their death. And with the undistinguishing thoughts that they brought to my mind I was back home, my real home, a home of dreadful misery and hate, but indeed my home.
Chapter One-Luna
I turned the knob, and the door lashed open, smashing against the wall without any of my intention. The room was dark, and all I could hear was rustling, fabric against fabric. Someone was snooping around in my closet. I flicked the light on and examined the room, walking inside and disregarding the noises. “Hello?”
‘She could be here to kill you. Be careful child.’
I felt a breeze blow into the room and I froze. The lights flicked off, and I heard an unusually familiar voice come from behind me. “Sorry, but if you don’t mind I prefer the dark, light and I, just don’t mix.” I reached down for my knife still encased in my leather boots, but she was too quick, she grabbed my wrist before I could even reach the silhouette of my navy blue skirt.
I heard her laugh, her hot breath trickling down my neck. She ran his fingers through my hair. “Just like her. The spitting image of--”
“What are you doing here?” I said shaking as she walked around me. I could feel her eyes on me, examining me, moving in closer, ready to slit my throat at any moment. She was an assassin no less, I could smell it on her, the scent of death, it was awful. And more than that her aura was horror, pure and grim, as sick and twisted as any aura could be.
“Don’t interrupt me!” she snapped, losing the grip on my wrist only to take my throat in her cold hands, enclosing her wicked fingers around it like a snake, slithering its way into the moist earth. “Now.” She paused momentarily still staring into my eyes—my soul—with her ice cold blue eyes. “I have a message.” She said as I struggled against her grip on me.
“Who are you?” I asked, in a hissed whisper.
“Not important. I’m not here for formalities; I’m here to give you a message and leave.”
“What message?”
“Shut it.” She said tightening her grip, “Didn’t I tell you not to interrupt me?” I felt a cold Blade pressed against my neck, and heard myself let out a later regretted scared whimper. She had stolen my blade.
‘How refreshing, an assassin without a weapon. Oh come on you can take her.’
“Look, I don’t have to be here, I’m trying to help you, so just shut your trap, and let me talk. You got that?” She said halfway through her teeth.
I was sweating nervously and unable to speak I nodded, and kept quiet. She finally let go of my neck, but not before shoving me to the ground at her feet. I rubbed the red marks I knew she had left there, and spoke up to her in a cracking voice, “Yes of course you’re trying to help, I’m sorry I didn’t think about that when you were stealing my blade and choking me to death!”
She bent down, smiled a devious smile and chuckled softly. Yet as fast as the smile had come it had turned into growl, she shook he head and said “Disgusting.” and smacked me. I touched a hand to where she had hit me and my breathing quickened and got heavier, I made myself turn and meet her bitter navy blue eyes. I couldn’t help what happened next, the anger in me rose to a level too high to control, my blood boiled at the thought of her, not he particularly but what her and her kind insinuated, I may have been one of them by blood, but I could never be this heartless. I pushed her to her back slamming her wrists against the cold floor, her head bashed against the black tile and for a moment I was in full control. I sliced my old pocket knife from the back pocket of my jeans and pressed the small blade to her long neck before she reopened her eyes. I tied both of her wrists up above her head and yelled at her until she answered, not the best choice, for a girl fighting against an upper level demon with the aura of pure evil.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She said, as if she were actually pondering on the situation. “Reclaiming what’s mine.” I said with a sideways, sarcastic smile. I tilted my head slightly to the right before taking the knife from her, and squinted at the cut on her cheek, the scarlet blood dripped from it slow and thick, it lured me, captivated me. It’s scent, it’s texture everything about it, I wanted nothing more at that moment than to widen the gash, and suck the blood ‘till I was satisfied, and I had reason to believe that wouldn’t happen, I had this fear that Alex called irrational that if I ever gave in to the lure of blood I wouldn’t be able to stop, it would become some sort of a drug for me, a vicious addiction that I wouldn’t be able to control, I couldn’t, and I swore on my undying father that I never would.
“It draws you doesn’t it?” She said with a devious smile. I bashed the knife against her face, and bared my teeth like a lion taking charge, about to attack. My next words came out as atrocious hisses that sounded far from human, beastly in fact. “You do not speak!” I said still staring at the bleeding gash that had now widened as I had before desired, and was now gushing with the tempting sight of blood. I could no longer stand it, the attraction was just too much. I had to, ‘No child, you mustn’t.’, and the words were drowned out by the smell, the sight, I felt as though I could literally hear it rushing down, calling to me. Finally I bent down and hesitantly pressed my tongue to the freshly cut wound. I had been right, the taste only made me want more, only made me desire the pain that seemed to rush out of it, I wanted more and more, and she didn’t seem to want me to stop, she seemed to want it. I licked the blood faster and faster as I went on, it attracted me, and not in a sexual way either, it went deeper than that, it was more than that, the lust it caused me was unbearable, I had to have more with every taste I got.
She moaned softly, and shifted under my grip, she seemed to love it, and hate it all at the same time. ‘Stop child, you must stop now, before you can’t control your urge.’ I tried, it was like a battle against myself, I couldn’t seem to stop, the power it had over me was unbearable, the pain was satisfactory, and the taste of her misery on my tongue was almost overpowering, it sounds awful I know, but what do you expect from a demon, I’m a horrible creature, no matter how much I try to hide that, or how much I try to distance myself from it, I am, I am a beast.
“Luna,” His voice came from behind me in a scared whisper like a dagger to my heart. “What are you doing?” He asked as he rushed to my side. His smell was more than enough to get my attention, I lifted my head to look into his deep blue eyes, and I knew there was something there, more than the monster, more than the regret I knew he must feel. But I couldn’t see it, the sight of any love, of any compassion, any relation I once had to the good side was gone now. I was a monster that’s what I had turned myself into. He looked at me with worry, but I could see past that now, he was angry. The sun rising sky outside set his aura on fire, and I could see it all, I had always been able to, but now there was more, now I could feel everything he felt, I could want the horrible things he desired, I was capable of so many things my soul would never have let me even consider before now. And now I wanted it, I wanted the pain, I could see into his soul if he ever had one. I could remember what he had felt at the sight of other people’s misery, and I wanted it, and all at the taste of blood.
“Make it stop.” I whispered to him as I whipped the mesmerizing blood from my lips with the back of my hand. I looked down on myself and realized my own aura had turned black, It looked as though the shadows had engulfed it in their mitts and twisted it’s once beautiful sapphire color, it’s presence that once gave me courage, and burst with life was now dead in every sense, destroyed and engulfed in the pain I knew could only have come from her.
“You bitch!” I screeched as I slapped her already unconscious face. “You did this to me! You killed it!” I screamed over and over as I hit her again and again before he stopped me. I had gone into some sort of uncontrollable rampage. He pulled me off of her by the shoulders as I kicked and screamed to try and wake her.
“Luna,” He whispered over and over again, to try and soothe my fit. But I wouldn’t listen, my ears had shut out all sound, and all I could hear was the sound of me screeching for her to wake up. Get up! I yelled again and again, as Alex held me down, Fix it! I’d said for the last time before he finally did it. “Luna!” He yelled slapping me. “Get a grip. She’s unconscious.” That made me stop, but somewhere very close to my throat’s vocal ability was the desire for her to be dead instead.
“What the hell happened?” He asked as I slid down the wooden wall behind me on my back, ‘till I hit the floor. I brought my knees up and buried my face in them, wrapping my arms around them wishing I never had to let go. I started to cry softly, making no sound, but the almost impossible to hear sounds of the tears smashing against my shirt. “Luna,” He whispered engulfing me in a cold hug, wrapping his rough hands around me. “What happened?”
As the last of the tears hit my shirt I said my next words softly, and raspy, choosing them as carefully as I possibly could, this was something that needed to be explained gradually. “I don’t know.” I said rocking back and forth in his arms with mine still wrapped around myself, wishing that were enough to keep me safe.
‘Finally, I had begun to believe you would never conceive your true form.’
It said at the back of my mind. Though it wasn’t the same as before. The voice before was more peaceful and full of guidance an love, all I could feel now was hatred and sorrow form it. Just as I was about to break down again I stopped. Suddenly I couldn’t, suddenly I felt no need to feel bad for what I had done, In fact it felt almost, right. “No, no!” I yelled frantically holding my head in my hands.
“What? What is it?” He said calmer than he should have. “Luna, what’s the matter?” He said shaking me, his harsh hands wrapping my shoulders in them, and his eyes trying to fixate on mine, to look straight into me, straight into my soul, the problem was I was afraid I no longer owned one of those, I felt empty inside, as if something so valuable it might as well have been my aura its’ self had left me.
“It’s not fair, it’s not fair!” I yelled repeatedly, now actually staring into those deep blue eyes and wondering if he felt anything, if he ever regretted his decisions, and if I ever would. I grabbed his face in my hands, and noticed I hadn’t realized until then my hands had become as cold and bloodless as I’d noticed his were. Of course I knew the blood still rushed through my veins and to my heart letting it beat hard and fast; that’s not what I meant, humans use the heart as an organ for love, a supposed storage space for emotions when really it was all your brain’s work. But I had never actually realized the reason why; How important the feel of a warm heart beating in our chest could be to a person, and how incredibly harsh and cruel the feeling was when you knew the heart that beat against your chest no longer contained that power. I felt harsh, cold and criminal, of course the cruelty of the feel of a heart in your chest could be so devastating when you knew there was no love, and the warmth you had once felt had gone away, all feeling was lost.
I kissed him hard, and slow trying to preserve as much of that feeling as I could, but it wouldn’t come. The feel of his lips against mine, the taste of his tongue with mine, dancing around each other like passionate lovers doing the tango; yet nothing. There was no feeling, no love, no passion. Only hate. Only disgust. He pulled away from me looking into my eyes again. “Luna. What’s going on?” He whispered.
“I’m scared.” I said averting my eyes to the right, were the shadows grew larger, and more obscure with every blink. “Scared of what?” He asked. He slowly slid his fingers under my chin, sending a chill trough me. He leaned in and kissed my cheek. ‘Tell him,’ It whispered to me, ‘as a matter of fact, show him. Do it, bite him, take him for your own. It’ll be easy, he’s no match for you.’
“No!” I yelled at the wind. I sprung up from the ground easier than I thought possible. “Shut up, shut up, shut up!” I yelled again as he followed and stepped next to me, as if to make sure I wouldn’t fall back down.
“No what Luna? What do you mean.” He said reaching out to touch my arm.
“You have to get away from me. Go! Leave or else I’ll just end up hurting you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m a monster, I’ve become some sort of horrible creature!” He backed away from me. He looked hurt. For a second I thought I could see a lingering tear in his gleaming blue eye. But it was gone before the fall.
“Is that what you think of me?” He said with forced confidence.
“What? No, o-of course—he cut me off before I had a chance to finish.
“Than why did you say it?!” He yelled this time putting all of his rage into his words.
“I-I didn’t mean you.” I said confused. Looking anywhere but at him.
“You are what I am, you think, feel, and express yourself in the same way I do.” He said.
He chuckled humorlessly. “Of course. How could I not see it. You humans are all the same, judging what you do not know only by what you feel and hear and experience.” He backed away deeper into the shadows. By now he should have been nearly invisible, but to me he was entirely visible.
“Alex stop!” I called after him, reaching a hand out for him.
“Why?!” He yelled coming slowly back into the light of the dim moon. “So I can listen to you call us monsters again, so you can judge everything as black and white, based on your experience and not ours? This isn’t all about you Luna! There are bigger things at stake here.”
“But Alex!” He growled under his breath, and waved me off with his hand. And in an instant he was gone, disappearing into the shadows leaving nothing behind but the lingering scent of his blood.
I started to break down again--holding my face in my hands and bawling, snot streaked tears as they reached my chin--When she came to.
“Shit, couldn’t you have stopped at the second pint at least.” She said in between growls. She held herself up by the elbows and looked at me with those dark blue eyes, seeming to notice something I didn’t.
I walked over to, her still crying uncontrollably and slapped her, as the tears blurred my vision. “Shut up!” I screamed whipping tears from my eyes. “You should be dead.”
She smiled. “Already thinking about the long run, are we?” She said standing up. “What, no help?” She stood in front of me looking as healthy as ever, as if nothing had just happened.
“This is your fault.” I said lifting my hand to slap her again, but she grabbed my hand mid way and twisted my wrist back.
“Don’t even think about it.” She said in my ear, low enough so that only I could hear, but loud enough for it not to be a whisper. “Nice way to greet someone trying to help you.” She said letting go of my wrist.
The tears had finally stopped rushing and my voice went right back to normal. I spewed and rolled my eyes. “Nice way to treat someone you’re trying to help.”
“Hey, I’m not the one who attacked me.” She said rubbing the back of her neck. And suddenly she looked recognizable. Her dirty blond hair sliding down past her waist: recognizable. Her pale long fingers, with nails like a witch: recognizable.
“Violet?” I whispered moving in, closing the space between us. She looked up at me startled.
“What?” She lowered her eyes and let her bangs fall to her face. “What’re you talking ‘bout?” She said.
My jaw dropped at her sight. And suddenly all of my bad feelings about her, all of my worst feelings, came back to me magnified. “Oh hell no!” I yelled this time punching her with my right fist. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”I yelled grabbing her face to make her look at me.
“I told you trying to help you.” She said slapping my hand away. “Or what, now that you’re one of us you think you’re beyond help?”
sniffed the air for a moment, then her hands freed me, and I felt her push me. I fell to the floor with a thump! And hit my head. “Stupid Newbie’s. Listen, tell Alex to bring you to Enemy Lines at three o’clock a.m. Alright?!” she said. And I blacked out.
I woke up to see Lucinda crouched down beside me. “Luna.” her voice sounded muffled. “Luna, sweetie, are you alright?” She said caressing my cheek. Her image was blurry, and I could hardly hear her against the blood pounding hard in my head. I stood up half way holding myself up with my elbows. “My head is killing me.” I said as she helped me up. We were in my room.
“Oh honey what happened?” She said still holding me by the shoulders so I wouldn’t fall back on my butt. I was starting to get her on focus, but my head was still spinning, and I felt a little wobbly. “Don’t move too much honey.” She patted me on the back softly and led me to the bed. “Lie down sweetie. I’ll bring your dinner up okay?” She said fluffing up my pillow and caressing my hair with a sweet smile.
“How long was I out?” I said.
“I think since you first got upstairs hon. Are you sure you’re alright?” She said, still smiling at me.
“Yeah I’m ok; I just have a bit of a headache that’s all. W-what time is it?” I said, not sure whether I should tell her the truth. “Eight thirty. Hold on hon.” She said and left the room to get the phone, which seemed to be ringing louder than ever.
“Hello?” I could sort of hear what she was saying. But I was too tired to try and make out anything. I heard the rain outside, the light pitter patter of it. And the pitter patters of the one coming from the leak on the roof, and before I could help it, I passed out.
I awoke to a strange dream. I saw, a woman she seemed to have awakened from a terrifying nightmare, sweating and screaming. She sat upright on her bed to listen to the creaks and sounds of her house “I know you’re there” she said. Her searching eyes were still trying to make out a shape from the shadows taking form in front of her. I couldn’t see who it was much less whether it was a woman or a man. “So you do, do you.” He said stepping out into the dim moonlight shining a single ray upon a newly formed face, letting his face show. “It seems the time has come much too quickly.” She said. She seemed scared, but her voice made her sound strong and fearless.
“That’s what happens when— He stopped, his eyes were searching the room but his response was directed at her. “It seems we have some company.” He said sniffing the air.
“My decision has not changed you know.” She said changing the subject. “You may take her if you please, just be warned I will go back for her one day.” He seemed to have gone to her bed side at superhuman speed. “What have you done? Tell me!” He snapped grabbing her throat, then letting her go with regret in his eyes. She seemed terrified but her response was free of any emotion, “Nothing.” He didn’t look convinced; he started to look around the room again, and finally his gaze stopped on me and he gasped. His eyes bugged out, and that was it. I recognized him.
“Alex.” I let out a short gasp, un-covering myself from the sheets, and sitting on the side of my bed, clutching teddy in my hands. “What did you see?” I jerked my head towards him. He was leaning against the door frame sweating and panting as if he’d been running a great distance. His head was bowed and he looked like he could barely stand up on his own. His hair was hanging past his forehead and his eyes were barely visible. I could see sweat running down his forehead, and he was shaking. “Alex?” I said, my voice quivering. “What did you see?” He said through his teeth, this time with anger in his voice. I went over to him barefooted, touched his arm slightly and tried to look into his eyes. “A-are you alright?” He turned to look down at me with his face still bowed, he moved in closer still holding my gaze looked deep into my eyes and said “Their coming.” He held me tight in his arms, and hugging me he whispered into my ear “You have to be careful,” He sounded scared. He was shaking as he held me. “What did you see?” I pulled away from his arms and looked into his eyes. “Nothing,”
“Don’t lie to me!” He snapped. “I’m not lying!” I said glad my voice sounded more confident than I felt. “Who was she? What was she talking about, who were you taking?” He lifted his head, and moved farther away into the shadows, he looked more scared than I’d ever seen him. “That’s not important, what’s important is who came for you today.” I moved in trying to close the space between us but he moved farther back. “Who was she, what did she want?” He drifted farther back into the shadows only showing his glowing blue eyes. “She was one of them.”
“What are you so scared of? Tell me, I can help.” I said shakily.
“No! You can’t, no one can. Just save yourself. I’ll be fine.” He moved in closer and took a strand of hair from my face. “I have to go.” He sounded sad. He kissed my forehead and moved back. “Wait!” I took his wrist in my hand. He stopped “She said he had to warn me about something, what was it?”
“What” he paused and looked into my eyes. “Luna what exactly did she say?”
“Nothing much, all she said was that she had to warn me about something. And,”
“And what?” He said aggravated his back still turned to me. “And she said for you to bring me to Enemy Lines.” I let go of his wrist and he turned to face me.
“Did she hurt you?” I thought about telling him, but knowing Alex he’d just make a big deal about it, hunt the girl down and kill her, and all that would achieve was starting an even bigger war between us, so instead I kept it to myself. “N-no,” I lied, and reached a hand to touch my throat.
“Are you sure?” he stared deep into my eyes and I was sure he could see the lies in them. “Yes, I’m sure. Now go, you shouldn’t be here, it’s too dangerous.” I said. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine, just,” He caught himself before saying another word, looked deep into my eyes and smiled. I could see that it was a fake, a mask to cover his fear. “Just promise me you’ll be careful.” He said sounding weak. “I promise. Now go.” I hugged him one last time then pushed him out the door. “Luna,” He said hardly above a whisper.
“Yeah?”
“I love you, remember that.” He said then kissed me, (really kissed me.) His lips felt soft against mine, his kiss was comforting, it made me feel strong. “Stay safe” he said against my lips still holding my face in his hand, then he let go, and as he drifted back into the shadows I couldn’t help it, there was a chance I’d never see him again, and if that was true he had to know how I felt, how I really felt. “Alex,” I said.
“Yeah?” He said with his back turned to me.
“I love you too.” I said. He bowed his head lower with a hand on the door frame. “Just stay safe okay? I can’t stand to lose you too.”
“I will.” I said. “I’ll be back for you at two, be ready.” He said as I watched him walk farther into the shadows. He was gone.
I went back to lie down for a while. I was still clutching teddy in my hands close to my chest, and without me knowing, and before I could stop them the tears gushed down my cheeks. I lay back on my pillow to sleep, let the memories drift back to me, and the tears run down my face.
The memory started to replay in my head and over and over again it made the tears run down my face faster, and made my head hurt more and more.
“Lucy C.J’s picking me up today!” I said rummaging through my closet for something to wear. I looked in the mirror finding a nappy haired, sleepy faced stranger occupying it. I went into the bathroom still undecided on what to wear , showered and washed my hair knowing I’d come out with a mess of curls that hardly went past my shoulders.
I came out of the bathroom to the smell of freshly baked English muffins, and leaving behind a sea of steam behind me. I tied a towel around me and walked out with my hair dripping wet and my phone ringing in my purse. “Hey,” I said holding the phone between my shoulder and my ear, and looking through my closet.
“Hey, you ready?” He said.
“Um, no, but give me two minutes and I will be. ‘Kay?”
“’Kay” I let the phone fall on the bed and started getting dressed. I took out my favorite pair of blue skinny jeans, a white short sleeve shirt, and my black ballet slippers, I fixed my hair in a quick curly pony tail that hardly went pass my neck, tied a cute silk green scarf around my neck and tossed my book bag over one shoulder. I stuffed my phone in the front pocket as I raced down the stairs to meet Lucy, who was standing behind the counter with her hair pulled back in a long pony tail, and wearing an apron covered in flour. “Sorry Lucy, I’m going to have to make it a to-go-breakfast today.” I said walking towards her. She moved from behind the counter and handed me a muffin and a cup of hot chocolate “At least drink the chocolate,” She said smiling sweetly, I gave her a crooked smile and said “Sorry, C.J’s waiting for me outside. Gotta hurry.” She frowned putting the cup of hot chocolate on the counter and moving in to hug me. “Okay hon.” She said and I walked out the door pulling on my gray trench coat, and gloves.
Outside C.J had parked his new car near the front gate, and was standing in front of it leaning on the driver’s side window, “Hey,” He said straightening up and closing his fist around the keys. “Hey, nice car” I said. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and got inside to start the car. I could feel my cheeks getting hotter as I opened the car door to the passenger’s side. “What kind is it?” I asked as he started the engine. The car rumbled under me and we moved out of the parking space. “2010 Honda accord.” He said. His lip curled up in a smug grin, and he glanced at me for a second. “You like?” He asked.
“Yeah, it’s cool. When’d you get it?” I asked trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
“Last week for my birthday.” He said.
“Nice,” I said putting on my seat belt and tossing my book bag to the back seat.
“Hey I’m going to stop for a coffee you want anything?” He said pulling into the small parking lot of the Starbucks at walking distance from my house “Yeah sure,” I said forgetting all about the muffin Lucinda had given me when I left. We met Sapphire inside; she was ordering a slice of the reduced fat very berry coffee cake, and a medium sized cappuccino.
“Hey Saph,” I said, she looked over her shoulder at us and her face lit up with a smile. Sapphire was a creamy chocolate skin colored Dominican who worried about her figure way too much. She was about 5’3 had beautiful hazel eyes, and long light brown curly hair. “Hey guys,” She said in that perky tone she always had. She walked over to C.J who gave her a kiss on the cheek and a hug, saying “Hi,”
“Hey,” she said giving me a quick hug before returning to the counter to claim her order.
“That’ll be sixteen twenty five,” He said handing her a small bag and a coffee cup. “Here put it on this,” She said handing him a chase card. He swiped the card, handed her a receipt and said “Have a nice day.” I stepped up to the counter next to Saph, and C.J and asked for an apple bran muffin, and a peppermint mocha hot chocolate. “That’ll be, twelve sixteen.” He said. Punching in the numbers on the cash register. I started to dig into my purse for some change when C.J stopped me “That’s okay Lun. I’ll pay for you.” I felt my cheeks begin to heat up, and smile up at him. “Thanks,” I said. The guy at the register handed me a small white bag and a green coffee cup with the Starbucks logo on it. “I’ll have two muffins and medium size Iced café mocha, please.” He said. “What kind?” The guy asked him. “Um, blueberry,” He said taking out his wallet. “That’ll be twenty seven dollars and thirty nine cents.” He handed him the money, and took the bags and coffee from the guy’s hand. “Have a nice day.” He said as C.J walked away. “Let’s go,” He said gesturing me to the door. That’s where I woke up.
“Luna,” I felt someone shaking my shoulders slightly. I opened my eyes to see the blurry image of Alex standing on the side of my bed. “Come on we have to go,” He said. I sat on the side the bed still clutching teddy in my hands, rubbed my eyes and let teddy fall to the floor below me. “Wait,” I said in a sleepy voice just a pitch above a whisper, “I have to tell Lucinda where I’m going, and,” I paused knowing he wouldn’t be happy about this, “And I have to call my dad.” I saw anger rush by his eyes, but his response said okay, He nodded his head, and I saw him blink the anger away from his eyes. “We have to move quickly and quietly, make sure you do not tell her too much of what is going on, she knows you are marked but she does not know to what extent that takes your future life correct?”
“Yes,” I said and nothing more.
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 29.07.2011
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