"It's been years of searching, Aiden. How do you know she truly exists?""I'd have thought she was dead, a ghost come alive to haunt me if I didn't have this conviction that she was alive somewhere, out there. I felt the pull to come back here, home to face the ghosts of my past, Mara. Because of her. And she has given me something that I never thought I'd find after so long in the dark. Purpose."Tamara Thorne and Aiden Thorne (2015)_________________________________________________________Tamara’s POVIf I could say I missed her, then I didn't want to think about how Aiden was taking her absence. It'd been two days since she left and yet it felt like years. We were, or better still, I was in Idris, because I hadn't seen Aiden since she left. I let him be because he needed time alone, though I had no idea for how long. When I'd asked where he was going, he'd said nothing, allowing me to wrap him a hug, which said a lot about the amount of pain he was in. I knew he still blamed h
"How would describe my nephew?" "In one word, Cold. It's no wonder that they call him Frost."Sub-councilor Gaia to Jacob Thorne (2016)_________________________________________________________Tamara’s POVFortunately, I was able to trace Aiden to Mondale, three towns away from Idris. Thanking the heavens that he'd chosen to not go into complete hiding, as he often did, getting a witch to cloak himself whenever he wanted to disappear, I drove past the welcome sign, my face donned with sunglasses. I hated sunlight. Sue me.Unlike Idris, where finding a person would take longer, Mondale was a small town and my hunch told me to start my search from cafes and restaurants, because unluckily for my cousin, his face wasn't the type to forget. Except he'd compelled them to forget which would make finding him a whole lot harder. Parking out in front of the first cafe in my sights, I saw him. Looking out the see through glass windows, his gaze intent, he made no move to stand, even though
"We have to tell her, Camille.""We will tell her nothing, Christian. I made a promise. She will be shielded for as long as possible.""What happens when we can't hide it anymore?" "I hope that day never comes." Christian Black and Camille Black about daughter, Ally Black (5yrs old)_________________________________________________________AllyMy entire body feeling like I'd been hit repeatedly by a truck, I opened my eyes to find myself in a luxurious bedroom. Blinking several times confirmed that I wasn't in a dream and I took in the unfamiliar environment. Wait, what happened? The last I thing I remember was running in the woods, talking to Ariel...Ariel. Caleb!!!The memories hit me immediately and I tried mind linking Caleb. It didn't work. Are you there, sister?'Yes.'The reply was too weak and when I tried sitting up, my hands ached, but that wasn't what held my attention. It was the fact that I was cuffed to the bed on both sides. I didn't know what was worse. Th
Ally’s POV Running. I was running through a fog so dense it was hard to see. It was a trap. I shouldn't have ever left the pack, but it's too late now. I wanted to prove myself. Too little, Papa had said. Maybe next year, my sister had whispered just before she left with the patrols to investigate the deaths happening in the human town farthest from the pack borders but under our jurisdiction. I shouldn't have followed them. But I did. "Keep moving, Ally. Please, we need to get you to safety." Kara yelled as we ran through the forest, her eyes glowing amber, the only indication that it was her wolf that ran beside me in human form. The vampires who'd attacked the village, rogues by the crazed look in their eyes, had wanted the wolves from my pack to come and find them. They'd come prepared, armed with silver ar
"Mama, am I a monster?Why am I different from everyone else?" "You are not, my darling. Just like there are many flowers in the world, the red camellia is the rarest of them all. You are like the red camellia. Rare. And that makes you special." Camille to her daughter, Ally (8 yrs old) _________________________________________________________ ALLY’s POV The first time my powers manifested, I was eight. Kara and I had been playing in our mother's garden in the backyard and something had bitten my bare foot. One minute I was screaming and the next, I saw my sister sitting on the ground several feet away from me, terror in her eyes. Our mother, heavily pregnant had rushed out to see what the commotion was about and gasped. That was when I looked around to see what used to be her garden. Nothing remained. Just a huge pile of ash. I'd
"What is wrong with Ally, mama? Is she sick?" "She is not sick. Just a little different.That is why you must not tell anyone about it and make sure she is safe and can protect herself. People will hurt her if they know she is different. We don't want that, do we?" "No. I'll always protect her. I promise." "I know, my beautiful Kara. My strong girl." Camille to daughter, Kara (11yrs) _________________________________________________________ ALLY’s POV My father was going mad with rage. Three more dead bodies had been found in less than two weeks. All showing the same symptoms: No pupils, fangs removed and black liquid oozing from their mouth. All in their teenage years. At first, we were convinced that whoever was doing this attacked only girls, until Jeff's dead body was found floating on the lake. Jeff was one of t
"You don't like talking. Are you shy?""No. Just different.""Oh, I'm Caleb, I like to paint. What do you like?""Flowers. Plants. Vegetables.""Vegetables are disgusting, especially broccoli, my mama makes me eat them.""You are disgusting if you don't like broccoli." "What's your name?""I don't tell people that hate plants my name.""I'll call you broccoli then."Caleb (10) to Ally (9). _________________________________________________________ALLY’S POVThough I hated to admit it, Raymond was the best party-thrower ever. Maybe if I could look past the horrible sex and his awful personality, I'd be ecstatic to be at this party. As I got to the door of his house and saw two people already doing it at the front yard, I groaned. Maybe not. I couldn't believe I'd let Caleb talk me into attending a party when there was a supposed killer on the loose. I couldn't believe there was even a party in the first place."Don't you even think about turning around. You can't back out now." Cale
"The migraines that usually knocked me unconscious whenever I used the fire when we were younger seems to have reduced. No, reduced is not the right word. After that night, anytime I try to use the magic, the migraines still send me to my knees and make me feel like my brain is going to explode but I'm able to stay conscious, even if it's for a short while." "Maybe it's a sign that you were never supposed to use the ability in the first place and you might not wake up from using it one of these days.""Then maybe it's better if it kills me. It's better than living and knowing that I'm the reason she's dead. That this 'gift' is why she's dead." Ally (16) to Caleb (17), days after Kara's funeral. _________________________________________________________ALLY’s POV "Christ, Broccoli. Where the hell have you been? Come on,let's get out of here before the oldies show up with the sentries." Caleb dragged me out of the party and I followed him to his truck, my body numb.It couldn't poss