Prologue.

Mercy giggled as she ran passed the trees, keeping her footing. She was running from her best friend, Joshua. They always played this game (tag) exactly at this late of night - midnight. It was one of her favorites. 

 

Coming to a dead stop as she heard sticks breaking from all around her, she spun in a slight circle. Not sure if it was Joshua. In her gut it didn't feel like him. She's never felt this presence before and it was starting to scare her.

 

Spinning around again, Mercy sat off. Her heart was beating faster now and her breathing was getting short, this wasn't a game anymore. 

 

Hearing Joshua call her name in the distance, Mercy opened her mouth to call back only to be cut off by something. "This isn't funny now, Mer!" She heard Joshua shout in the distance. Mercy's eyes widen as a tall, black figure hung over her. His dark chuckle answering Joshua's call. Just as Mercy went to run from him, the evil man grabbed her arm. Feeling a pain shoot across her arm, Mercy did the only thing she knew was right. 

 

"Joshie!" She squealed loudly, running through the darkness. She tried her best not to run into any trees as she looked for the clearing that led to the waterfall. 

 

Knowing she was close, she heard Joshua say something. But she wasn't quite sure as panic took over her body. Forcing herself into the clearing, she was shaking. She wasn't too worried about the cut but about the figure that had done this to her. She wanted nothing more than to be within Joshua's arms, the only place she knew she'd be safe in. 

 

Before she could focus on what was going on, that's when she felt it. Lips pressing to the cut on her forearm, sucking roughly. Screaming, she pulled away. Her eyes widening as she realized that it was Joshua. And there, plastered on his blood-stained lips were two sharp things - fangs.

 

Backing away in fear, she wasn't sure what to do. That's when Joshua looked away from her and ran with no hesitation. 

 

"Jos-Josh.." Mercy lowly called out after she took everything in, moving her hand from her wound. It was still bleeding. She looked at the blood that was on her palm before returning her hand back. "Joshua!" She screamed louder, hoping he didn't leave her alone in the forest. 

 

There was no reply. 

 

Crying to herself from her open wound, Mercy made her way down the familiar path that led her back into town. She wanted to go home and stay there. But what she didn't know was that was going to be the last time she'd see Joshua Storm. 

1.

 Mercy frowned to herself as she made her way into the clearing. The same clearing everything went wrong from so long ago. And of course her walking through the clearing all the time, she was always reminded. It even haunted her dreams. The creepy figure and his dark chuckle, her bleeding and not to mention, Joshua.

 

She was much more different now. Her hair was longer, her body taller, she was older. She had a few tattoos that covered most of her upper left arm, and she had a couple on her lower right arm. Her mind lingered on her best friend as she walked, her frown deepening. "Seven years," she mumbled under her breath. Seven years she suffered without her best friend. She blamed him most of the time, hating him for just leaving her alone. But most of all, she hated the feelings she had towards him. She loved him and he just left.

 

Mercy bit roughly on her bottom lip as she entered the tree house Joshua showed her when they were younger. She spent most of her time here. One of the places that brought happy memories to her. Happy ones of her and Joshua.

 

Cuddling herself into one of Joshua's jackets that she had taken from him when she'd spend the night at his house all the time, Mercy sat on the floor. She was surprised that the small thing still fit around her figure. She tilted her head up as she leaned against the wall, looking out the window. It was dark and the stars were out.

 

She ran her index finger along the scar on her arm. She hated that. Apart from the forest, the scar also reminded her of what happened in her past. And every single time she wanted to leave Don Juan's, she knew she couldn't. She couldn't just leave Anastasia and Skylar like that. They've been apart of her for as long as she could remember.

 

Mercy's practically been on her own since she was three. With the death of her parents Elizabeth and Sean, she was raised by her mother's brother Anders and his wife Narsha, along with their son, Ryle - pronounced as Riley, but Narsha always believed in spelling the names differently to be more unique. They, the Daray's, were one of the main three families that Don Juan's was based on. She knew of the Scott's, but never interacted with any of them. They owned many of the chalets on the mountains. And then there were the Storm's. She knew a lot about them and why it was just Skylar, Anastasia and Joshua. But out of all the families, Mercy and Joshua were the closest to each other. They were pretty much side by side, it was hard separating the two. That's why after that day, Mercy stopped going around the Storm's as often as she used too. She couldn't be near them without breaking down. She still tries her best not to cry when she's around Anastasia because she sees Joshua in her, and that only hurt Mercy more.

 

Skylar's the only one that knows about Mercy's irregular sleeping pattern and her nightmares. And he also knew that every night, she sneaks out to spend the remaining night at the tree house. "One day," Mercy frowned. She hasn't given up hope that Joshua would one day return back to her. She prayed that he did. She'd give anything to be with him again.

 

Laying down on the blanket Mercy had left there from the night before, she stared up at the ceiling. Thoughts fluttering her mind about the figure that had brought such chaos and whatever happened to him. Why he didn't come after her when she was alone or why she hadn't seen him since Joshua had been gone.

 

Mercy let her eyes close, feeling sleep coming. It was something she didn't want but her body needed. Being weak from the lack of sleep was really affecting her. She stopped doing most of the things she used to. Like laughing or smiling. She'd laugh at little things with Anastasia but they were never real, not like the ones when she was with Joshua. Same goes with her smiles. She wasn't really herself anymore and she disliked it. She didn't like the fact that when Joshua left, a huge part of her went with him. She tried, though. She tried her best to be herself again, but she couldn't. She couldn't without Joshua. He was always there, everywhere she turned. And now that he wasn't, she felt weird.

 

Every place seemed off to her, except the tree house. That's the only place that felt right to her. That and Joshua's bedroom. She didn't let anyone go near his room. It's been the same as he left it. Passing his door when she spends time with Anastasia hurts her too. She also hasn't set a foot in his room but she wasn't exactly ready for more breakdowns.

 

That's when she felt it, a warm tear escaping from her eye. Hurt.

 

You shouldn't let this get to you, you're stronger than that. Mercy thought to herself as she wiped the single tear away.

 

"Who am I kidding?" She muttered aloud. "I'm not as strong as I once was."

 

Sighing loudly, Mercy pulled the hood of Joshua's hoodie up and over her face. Begging for the sleep to take over her now. She was ready for the night to end.

 

2.

Anastasia shuffled into her family's dining room as her older brother was having breakfast.  She was still dressed in her pajamas, her bright pink hair thrown up into a messy ponytail. "Oh, you're up." Skylar said, slumming his feet onto the kitchen table. And like the two, they both have blue eyes and Skylar's hair is brown.

 

"Gross." Anastasia made a face, snatching a sausage off of his plate.

 

"Very gentleman like, Skylar." Misery, Skylar's fiancee, grumbled, pushing her eggs around with a fork. She took a sigh in a she swung her white hair behind her shoulders, "The taste of food has gotten very.. unsatisfying lately.."  

 

"Oh hush." Skylar growled playfully, his eyes snapping at Misery. "Shouldn't you be at the store, since that's more important than me?"

 

Misery glared at Skylar. "Don't be rude."

 

"I wasn't. I was stating the obvious." Skylar's head turned towards Anastasia, a smirk forming on his lips. "My wife doesn't have time for me anymore."

 

"Not wife quite yet... But I think it's cute. Skylar's not getting all the attention for once." Anastasia said in total awe.

 

Misery pulled the hood of her jacket up, she was embarrassed. Standing, she kissed Skylar's cheek. "Don't wait up guys, I'll be in late." And with that, Misery left Skylar alone with Anastasia.

 

"So..." Skylar began to say.

 

Anastasia didn't listen and loudly climbed the stairs, slamming her door after yelling "Save it, Sky!"

 

Being Friday, Anastasia spent most of her day watching old classics. Tells you how much of a life she has outside of her bedroom walls. She was cut short when her phone rang. 

 

"Hello?" She answered.

 

"Hey... Ana?" A male voice spoke from the other side of the line.

 

"No, she's dead," Anastasia sighed.

 

"Oh... Um..."

 

"I'm only kidding. What do you need?" She giggled.

 

"Oh... Uh... It's Ryle... You know... that one boy you turned down years ago for helping you out." 

 

Then She felt them, the butterflies in her stomach. She was nervous. She never thought she'd speak to Ryle again after what had happened years ago. "Ry-Ryle... How'd you get my-my--" 

 

"Number? Mercy gave it to me." 

 

Anastasia pouted. "Of course Meerkat did." 

 

"Anyways... Do you want to hang out?" 

 

"Loved too." Anastasia felt a smile form on her lips. She was sure a blush was coming with it. 

 

"I'll be seeing you shortly."

 

"Oh... Ry--" all she heard was the dial tone.

 

Anastasia frowned at her phone and shook her head. Getting over her nervousness, She dressed in a pair of shorts and a white tank top. While she was applying her eyeliner there was a knock on the door.

 

"Hey, Ana..." Skylar opened the door, "Whoa. Are you going out?"

 

"Yeah..." Anastasia looked at him through the mirror.

 

"How long?"

 

"Long enough to be home before Misery," She smiled as she was applying the last of her makeup.

 

Anastasia looked at her brother and couldn't help but smile bigger. "What are you thinking of? You make me nervous when you grin like that," Skylar leaned against the door frame.

 

"That I must be adopted," Anastasia returned to her makeup.

 

"How do you figure?" he asked.

 

"You and Joshua are likable... and well... I'm just me." She shrugged, "Being a twin and baby sister aren't exactly a good mix..."

 

"You know that's not true, Ana."

 

"Meh..."

 

"Ana..."

 

Anastasia knew Skylar was going to go on about Joshua, and she didn't want to hear it. "I should go," Anastasia nodded and left the room.

 

"Have fun with your boyfriend," Skylar shouted after her.

 

"Not my boyfriend," Anastasia shouted back. She ran down the steps and jumped the last few hitting the floor with a thump. She ran out of the house and leapt into Ryle's car after he leaned over to open the door for her.

 

"I'll have her home by eight, Skylar." Ryle smiled at Skylar, who was standing at the front door.

 

Anastasia smiled at Ryle and laughed. "Back by eight?" She asked him.

 

"I'll tell him I sent you home at eight. If you didn't go home then, it's not my fault."

 

The wind in her face and a pounding beat in her chest that she knew she couldn't feel made her feel free. What was the point of going to heaven if she had to forget nights like this? Anastasia glanced over at Ryle, who was smiling to himself. He was nodding his head to the beat of his stereo, his dark brown hair fluttering around his face and into his chocolate eyes.

 

Ryle...

 

Anastasia quickly turned her head and stared out the window to her right. She was afraid that Ryle would see what she'd managed to hide from everyone.

 

I'm in love with you...

 

She knew it was in her eyes, screaming to be noticed and to be taken seriously and to have her feelings returned. Anastasia tried to hide her smile and pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly as warm waves of giddyness spread through her

 

"So, Ana... What are we up to tonight?" Ryle asked.

 

"I don't really know, I'd hoped you'd have that planned," she shrugged.

 

"How about the skate park?" Ryle asked her and she rolled her eyes.

 

"So you can stare at all the sexy female skaters?" Anastasia giggled.

 

"No..."

 

"Do your parents know you're out with me tonight?" She asked him.

 

"No, I don't let them know all of my business," Ryle lowered the volume so the two of them could talk in normal tone.

 

"Really?"

 

"What's the worst they could do? Kill me?"

 

"Possibly," Anastasia smiled slightly at his joke.

 

"And yet a smile of pure satisfaction crosses her face," Ryle laughed out loud.

 

"I don't know what you mean?" Anastasia stared straight ahead and tried to keep her face devoid of any emotion.

 

"I need to stop at my place first," she gave Ryle a blank look, "before we go to the skate park," he clarified.

 

"You were serious?" She groaned.

 

"You need to appreciate skate," he turned the volume up again and turned up the street to the well known hill of the rich and well off of the city.

 

Anastasia rolled her eyes and stared out the window wondering what it'd be like to have her own balcony. She slowly climbed out of Ryle's car, and by the time she was fully standing with the door closed Ryle had entered his house and as usual, left the door open assuming

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Texte: Bookrix
Bildmaterialien: Bookrix
Cover: Google
Lektorat: Linzy Salvini
Übersetzung: Linzy Salvini
Satz: Bookrix
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 28.05.2015
ISBN: 978-3-7396-3320-6

Alle Rechte vorbehalten

Widmung:
My best friend, Nubian, the one who helped me come up with the lovely characters of Mercy Ray Vanti, Joshua Andrew Storm, Anastasia Mae Storm, Misery Hope Lynns , Skylar Hayden Storm, and Ryle James Daray. And not to mention, how there's going to be many more stories of Mercy and the gang!