When Cadence walked into the kitchen the following morning, her mom was already seated at the table, reading the day's paper and sipping her tea. She mumbled a quick hello and headed straight for the fridge."Do you want me to fix you some breakfast?" Sonja got up from the table and hovered around her. "No!" Cadence pulled out the milk, wishing she would back off a little. She wasn't a child anymore, and she could get through the day without any hand-holding."Okay." Sonja returned to the table and picked up Shadowbrooke Times.Cadence stared at her, the carton in her hands turning her palms to ice. But the cold was oddly comforting. At least she still felt something. The numbness in her heart hadn't spread to other parts of her body."Mom, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you." Cadence dropped her gaze and stared at the white tiles, absently scanning them for specks of dirt and grime, some traces of imperfection. But there wasn't any. The floor was spotless, like the rest of t
Cadence didn't know how to feel when she saw Luca's van in his front yard the next morning on her way to school. A part of her was thrilled he was back. But another—a huge one at that— wasn't looking forward to the challenge of staying away from him. She had to, though, for so many reasons. He was married. He was a vampire. He wanted her blood to free his brother. And how could she forget the most important reason: the whole town hated him. Her coven would cast her out if she so much as admitted to anyone she was in love with him. This insane love she felt for him was hopeless and a waste of space in her heart. She had to clear it out soon to make room for Mitchell."The coven would love that, wouldn't they?" She scoffed to herself as she walked into her dance class.Emme smiled at her in the mirror. Cadence returned it with one of her own. A silent promise was made in that briefest of moments. They'd never mention their chat again. In her moment of weakness, her mentor had lost
Cadence was done talking and listening. Done giving her mom chances too.She went to her room and rummaged through her closet. She dug out her overnight bag and an armful of clothes, and dumped them on the bed, two pairs of shoes and toiletries. She didn't even check to see what she was packing. She was in too much of a hurry to leave.But her mom wouldn't let her go without a fight. She begged and cried as she clung to her, grabbing anything she could get her hands on, her arm, her leg, just to hold on to her and make her stay."I'm so sorry. I didn't know what else to do!" Sonja wailed.Cadence carried on with her packing spree, paying her no mind, pausing briefly when her phone chimed on her desk. She snatched it up, relief flooding her as she read Rachel's text. Her bestie was cool, with her staying over for a few days."Cade, I didn't lie." Sonja tried yet again to plead her case, the rims of her eyes red and moist from her tears."You didn't tell the truth either. You made me th
Luca stuck close to Cadence and her friends in the woods, but he was careful to keep a safe distance. The last thing he wanted was the mutt catching his scent. They could only avoid their inevitable fight for so long. He breathed a huge sigh of relief when he saw Cadence and her friends go inside Rachel's place. Now that he knew she was safe and sound, he could finally get some much-needed rest. Turning back to the direction of the creek, Luca gently tapped his heart. He hated this constant fear and worry for Cadence. He really should talk to her. She had no clue that the people she thought she could trust would turn on her without batting an eyelid.He was almost at the manor when the hunters emerged from the thicket. He couldn't say he was surprised to see them. He'd known they were on their trail the whole time he'd followed Cadence to Rachel's house."Luca!" Samuel said grimly."Samuel." Luca nodded, his demeanour just as cold.It was their first meeting in twenty years. 'Meeting
"There you are. I thought you were skipping school again," Emme beamed at Cadence when she walked into class the next morning. And it didn't take her long to figure out why her dance instructor was as excited as a teenager high on space cookies.Three serious-looking suits—two males and one female—sat in the front of the class, appraising one of her classmates while she went through her modern dance choreography. They looked a little unnerving with their cynical smiles as they typed something on the iPads glued in front of them on the long steel table. From their expensive, stylish clothes, Cadence figured they weren't from Shadowbrooke. No one dressed to the nines around here. Not unless there was a funeral, a wedding or a job interview.Emme confirmed her suspicions about the strangers. "They are from the Bridgetown Dance Company, and they are looking for the next big thing. Cade, you have what it takes! You must impress the one in the middle—his name is Fernando, or Fern as he like
The day of the meteor shower dawned sunny and bright. Cadence wanted to stay indoors and laze around in her pyjamas, but Rachel wouldn't have any of it. And since Cadence was living under Rachel's roof, she had to follow her friend's rules."Come on Cade, it will be fun. I bet Luca will be there," Rachel bounced up and down the bed, yanking at the covers.Cadence closed her eyes tightly, wishing she could block out her friend's whining with as much ease. Luca was exactly why she didn't want to go to the beach. She and Rachel had spent the whole night talking about his pissing contest with Mitchell.Her bestie was torn. She liked Mitchell. But she loved Luca for her. She thought they'd make a cute couple, and was convinced Luca was her soul mate. Of course, Cadence had scoffed at the idea of soulmates, since she didn't believe in them. That shit only happened in movies and romance novels. Never in real life. And definitely not in Shadowbrooke."If you don't get up in the next five minut
The whole time she ran to Pirates Cove, Cadence kept hoping Luca was there and she wasn't going crazy. She almost broke down and cried from sheer relief when she saw him, waiting, his dark clothes making him one with the night."You came." He sounded gentle, relieved almost. The menace she'd heard in his voice earlier was gone."You didn't give me much choice," Cadence retorted.Luca didn't say anything for some time, and an unsettling silence wove its way between them as they stood appraising the other.His eyes glowed blue in the dark, giving away nothing and making it hard for her to figure out what he was thinking."I'm thinking about how beautiful you are," Luca answered her thoughts as he slowly approached her.Cadence suddenly felt overwhelmed by his sheer presence when he stopped in front of her, but she couldn't move away."Why don't you ever listen?" he growled as he cradled her face in his big hands and kissed her eyelids. His touch, cold as it was, set her ablaze as he dip
The days following the meteor shower were unbearable for everyone in the Delacroix manor. Luca's mood changed from gloomy to enraged very quickly. When he wasn't staring mournfully outside his window, he was constantly on everyone's throats. Little things, like when they innocently mentioned Cadence in passing, sent him flying in a rage.He ventured less and less to the cellar, too, choosing to spend his days in the crypt. On more than one occasion, April had to lie to Julian and the others when they asked after him, assuring them Luca was fine and they were on track with their plan.But truth be told, their plan was going pear-shaped, fast. And if nothing was done soon, if Luca was left to self-destruct, they were afraid he'd take everyone down with him."We have to talk to him, get him to open up somehow. If you were all not so obsessed with hating Cadence, he'd take a chance with her, risk her coven's wrath. But he's worried about the clan too. Worried about everyone's feelings, an