by Maria Xystra
Half way back to her block, I decide against it.
Instinctively I reach for… for the mark she left on my neck. The wound is nearly healed by now, but it’s there. It’s inconceivable! It’s unbelievable!
I shake my head and climb onto my bike.
This cannot be happening. I can’t believe she played me like this!
Barely a mile down the street, I pull over. As much as I rub my face in my hands, nothing changes.
Right when things had started falling into place…right when I decided to tell her everything, to tell her who I really am, what I really am…but now how can I? What am I even supposed to say? That I’m a Guardian and my kind is meant to protect people from… you? Vampires are destined to be our enemy, by default.
She’s destined to be my enemy. The one person I desire most is the only person I could never be with.
I need answers, she did this to me, I gotta know.
Fuck this shit.
I get back on my bike and race to her place.
Throughout the ride a strange feeling of unease hovers over me. And it’s not about what just happened.
As a black SUV rushes past me, I intuitively check its license plate to find out it has none. My insides clench and the weird vibe becomes even more unsettling. My instincts scream at me to go after it but… I’ve gotta get to her.
Punching the code for the back door of her building, I call Eric.
“Dude, where you at?” he shouts through the phone.
“I need eyes on a black SUV heading south on the 5th,” I waste no time to place my request.
“What? OK, got it, what’s going on?”
“And get Gear to get the surveillance tapes for Lexy’s building.” Not sure why, not sure what I’m expecting to find on the tapes, I just know it’s the right move.
“Uh-yeah, OK. What’s the deal man?”
“Just do it! I’ll call you back.”
Reaching her floor, I catch sight of someone lying on the floor.
“Frank!” I call his name as I help him back to his senses.
“Cole…?” the guard mumbles.
“What happened?”
“You’re too late…they took her…”
I glance at Lexy’s door to find it ajar. A chilling feeling creeps under my skin.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help…I came as soon as the alarm went off but…there were three of them…they knocked me out the moment the elevator doors opened…”
I push the button and take note that the elevator was halted at -1. The underground parking.
“How long ago?”
“I don’t know… I’m not sure…”
I link the pieces and I’m instantly aware that whoever used it, whoever took Lex, must be in that black SUV. It was the only suspicious movement in the area in the past few minutes.
Frank gets back on his feet and together, we head inside Lexy’s apartment.
Minutes ago, I left her room. I replay the scene of her teeth ripping my skin. The shock in her eyes when I drew back. The small droplet of my blood on her lips. By the time I registered what was going on, I saw her choking on the poison as it traveled through her system. I know she tried to call for me but right at that moment, I had to get out.
Now, slowly pushing the door to let myself in, I’m taken aback.
I heard the doorman when he said that somebody took her but… this… this is unreal. The place is wrecked, pieces of glass are scattered all around the floor, and the floor to ceiling windows of the living room seem to have been broken with a great amount of force. The door to her bedroom is broken and signs of a struggle are evident everywhere.
Shit. Another wave of chill travels up my body.
This is…on me?
Shit. If I hadn’t left…
I knew my blood would make her weak. Just like every vampire when they bite us. Guardian blood is like poison to them. We are meant to keep people safe from monsters like them. We’re built to fight them. Our blood weakens them. And in large quantities, it can be fatal.
Shit. As I walk through the room, it’s like the events unfold in front of my eyes.
I can practically see her fighting against the intruders. Frank said there were three of them. She wouldn’t have stood a chance. But then again, she’s a vamp…but she bit me. With my blood in her system she would have grown too weak to defend herself.
Everything is so fucked up.
On the other hand… she didn’t appear to share common vampire traits – in fact she showed none of their traits. She can walk in the sun, she can eat and drink, she never seemed thirsty…she has a… beating heart. Wait- That’s not right. Damn her! She found a way to deceive us all and she did one hell of a job!
Who would take her, though? And why would they?
Turns out, I know nothing about her.
My phone vibrates in my back pocket and I literally have to tear my eyes away from the bed, where I saw her last. Her dark eyes wide open, her soft hair cascading down to her waist, her body calling for me, her expression one of pure…agony.
“What do you have?”
“Not much yet but the boys are on it. Where are you?” Eric asks.
“I’m on my way. Did you get anything from that guy?”
“Which one?”
“That Christopher!” I snap at him ready to smash the phone in my hand.
“Not much…there’s something kinda off with him.”
“Of course there is.” I take one last look around the apartment, grab her phone from the coffee table and head out.
“I don’t know what it is. He’s being… he seems too content with us keeping him here,” Eric lowers his voice and goes on.
“I’ll be there in ten.”
“Wait- is Lexy OK?”
I draw in a deep breath.
“I’ll be there in ten.”
END OF BOOK 1
We hope you enjoyed reading A Reason To Be Book 1, and of course, reviews are greatly appreciated!
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Anthia Archontides
Born and raised in Cyprus. Having spent three years in the UK, where she studied, Anthia used to fill her spare time reading an array of romantic novels. Now, however, the time she can spend on reading is much more limited since she started writing and working on her novel. Feeling like there was something missing in the books she read, Anthia always desired to write a book she would like to read. And that’s exactly how she feels about her work, wishing that the readers will enjoy reading it as much as she enjoyed writing it.
Maria Xystra
Born and raised in Cyprus, where she currently lives and works. Fascinated by the English language from a young age, her bookshelves host a wide selection of romantic novels. The unexpected outcome of this was not only that she studied English Language and Literature, it is the fact that she has written the book she always wanted to. Maria’s dream was to write the perfect romantic novel, that would reach a wide audience around the world, with the mere purpose of making readers smile with its jokes, relate to its characters and get hung up on the plot.
To connect with Anthia & Maria, visit them at:
www.anthiamaria.com
Also by Anthia & Maria
The Color of Happy Endings