by Morgan Rice
“Jonah?” came a voice.
Jonah spun, his heart soaring. It was her voice—the girl he loved, the girl he had risked everything for.
Jonah turned and saw, facing him a few feet away, Caitlin. She walked out of the fog as if she were an apparition, and wore a happy yet exhausted expression.
Jonah’s heart soared. He rushed forward and hugged her, clutching her tight, and she hugged him back. He did not let go, and neither did she, as he rocked her in his arms.
All of his pent-up emotions of the last twenty-four hours finally came pouring out, and he found himself crying over her shoulder.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, pulling back and looking at him.
He quickly wiped away his tears.
“Nothing,” he said. “I’m just…so glad you’re alive.”
She looked back at him with compassion, and he knew she understood.
“Me, too,” she said.
Jonah looked into her eyes, glistening in the moonlight, and she held his gaze—and then it happened. Jonah didn’t plan it, and he could sense that she didn’t either, and yet they leaned in and kissed each other.
Jonah felt himself exploding with love as they kissed so long he could barely breathe. He felt alive for the first time in his life. Everything he had sacrificed to be here had all been worth it for this moment. She loved him, too. He could feel it. The same way he loved her.
Finally, they pulled back.
They looked into each other’s eyes and smiled, and Jonah reached down and took her hand.
“Come with me,” he said.
He led them to a door to the theater and tried the handle. It was a flimsy lock. Jonah leaned his shoulder into it twice, and on the second time it gave.
Jonah turned and checked over his shoulder for any sign of the police, and saw none. He took her hand and led her in, closing the door behind them.
The two of them walked side by side into the open-air theater. Jonah looked up and saw the stage, saw all the seats. It looked like an ancient Greek theater, and he was in awe at the sight. He could see Caitlin looking around and could see that she was affected by it, too. It was as if the two of them had a great theater all to themselves.
They walked down to the front row, sat on the bench side by side, and looked out at the empty stage. It was quiet in here, the season over, and on the stage there were some props left behind—a twisted, wooden tree, a few fake swords. There was something sad about it.
Jonah glanced back over his shoulder at the empty bleachers and imagined it filled with thousands of people. He wondered what it would be like to perform here.
Jonah turned to Caitlin and saw her examining the stage, too. She held his hand and silently looked out into the mist. He sensed that something within her had changed; he was not sure what. She did not quite seem like the same person he had met but days before. He felt himself burning with curiosity to know what had happened to her, to know why all these people were after her. To know why his whole life had changed because of her.
“What happened,” he finally asked her, “back there in Carnegie Hall?”
Caitlin sighed and shook her head.
“I don’t really know,” she said.
Jonah gulped, afraid to ask the next question.
“They said people are dead,” Jonah said. “Is that true? Did you…kill someone?”
Caitlin shook her head.
Jonah was flooded with relief, and he squeezed her hand. He knew it. He knew she couldn’t have done it.
“Then why are they all after you?” he asked.
She furrowed her brow.
“I can’t really remember,” she said. “Something’s happening to me…I can’t explain it. It’s…bigger than me. Something I don’t really understand myself. I don’t…think I hurt anyone.”
He looked back at her, confused.
“You don’t think you did?” he asked. “How can you not know?”
She shrugged and looked away.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I wish I could explain it. You probably think I’m crazy.”
Jonah examined her. He didn’t know what to think, but he knew that he loved her. And he didn’t sense that she was capable of violence. He felt certain the cops had the wrong person.
He took her hand and looked into her eyes, until finally she looked back.
“I believe you,” he said.
She met his eyes, and he could see how much his words meant to her.
“You do?” she asked.
He nodded.
“I don’t know what it is about you,” he said, “but I felt it from the moment I laid eyes on you. You’re different. You’re not like everybody else. I don’t know what you did back there—but I don’t really care. I just want to be with you. Just don’t run out on me again, huh? Those were expensive tickets!”
Caitlin laughed, a beautiful, sweet sound, and he found himself laughing, too. For a moment he felt all of his tension melting away, and it felt good.
Caitlin leaned into his arms, and he leaned back and held her. The two of them looked up to the sky. As the fog lifted, he began to see the stars peeking through.
As they sat there in the silence, a gentle breeze passing through, the park more still and quiet than he had ever experienced, the moment felt magical. Engulfed in a comfortable silence, neither of them wanting to stir, Jonah lost all sense of time. He felt as if they could sit that way forever.
Then, in the distance, he heard the faint sound of a helicopter flying by, and it brought it all back. He knew they hadn’t much time.
“Let me help you,” he finally said, breaking the silence. “Let me help you get out of here. Anywhere you want to go. We can find a way.”
Jonah expected Caitlin to be happy at his offer, and he was surprised to see her slowly, sadly, shake her head. She turned and faced him.
“I want to be with you,” she said. “But I can’t let you come with me.”
He looked back, confused.
“What do you mean?”
“There are people after me,” she said. “Very bad people. Much more violent and dangerous than those cops.”
Jonah’s heart started to pound.
“Who?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“I can’t tell you,” she said. “You wouldn’t believe me. And it wouldn’t matter anyway. You still have your whole life ahead of you—but for me, it’s too late. I’m already changing. You’re not like me, not anymore.”
“Not like you?” he asked, puzzled. “What do you mean?”
He stared back at her, baffled.
She shook her head sadly, and he saw tears fill her eyes.
“All I can say is that I love you, Jonah. And that’s why I have to say goodbye.”
Jonah could see how serious she was, and he felt his heart starting to break.
She stood and turned to go, and he held her arm as he stood, too.
“They’ll kill you,” he said, hating the thought of it. “Whoever they are.”
She nodded back sadly.
“I know,” she said. “But they won’t kill you.”
She reached out and held his face, and then she leaned in and kissed him one last time. It was a kiss filled with heartbreak.
“Never forget,” she said, “how much I love you.”
Download TURNED for FREE on Amazon now!
"TURNED is a book to rival TWILIGHT and VAMPIRE DIARIES, and one that will have you wanting to keep reading until the very last page! If you are into adventure, love and vampires this book is the one for you!"
--Vampirebooksite.com
The #1 Bestseller, with over 500 five star reviews on Amazon!
In TURNED (Book #1 of the Vampire Journals), 18 year old Caitlin Paine finds herself uprooted from her nice suburb and forced to attend a dangerous New York City high school when her Mom moves again. The one ray of light in her new surroundings is Jonah, a new classmate who takes an instant liking to her.
; But before their romance can blossom, Caitlin suddenly finds herself changing. She is overcome by a superhuman strength, a sensitivity to light, a desire to feed--by feelings she does not understand. She seeks answers to what’s happening to her, and her cravings lead her to the wrong place at the wrong time. Her eyes are opened to a hidden world, right beneath her feet, thriving underground in New York City. She finds herself caught between two dangerous covens, right in the middle of a vampire war.
It is at this moment that Caitlin meets Caleb, a mysterious and powerful vampire who rescues her from the dark forces. He needs her to help lead him to the legendary lost artifact. And she needs him for answers, and for protection. Together, they will need to answer one crucial question: who was her real father?
But Caitlin finds herself caught between two men as something else arises between them: a forbidden love. A love between the races that will risk both of their lives, and will force them to decide whether to risk it all for each other…
THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS comrpises 11 books and counting.
"TURNED is an ideal story for young readers. Morgan Rice did a good job spinning an interesting twist on what could have been a typical vampire tale. Refreshing and unique, TURNED has the classic elements found in many Young Adult paranormal stories. Book #1 of the Vampire Journals Series focuses around one girl…one extraordinary girl!...TURNED is easy to read but extremely fast-paced....Recommended for anyone who likes to read soft paranormal romances. Rated PG."
--The Romance Reviews
“TURNED grabbed my attention from the beginning and did not let go….This story is an amazing adventure that is fast paced and action packed from the very beginning. There is not a dull moment to be found. Morgan Rice did an awesome job bringing the reader into the story. She also made it easy to root for Caitlin and want desperately to her succeed in finding her truth….I will be looking forward to the second book in the series.”
--Paranormal Romance Guild
“TURNED is a likable, easy, dark read that you can read in between other books, as it is short….You’re sure to be entertained!“
--books-forlife.blogspot.com
“Rice does a great job of pulling you into the story from the beginning, utilizing a great descriptive quality that transcends the mere painting of the setting….Nicely written and an extremely fast read, TURNED is a good start to a new vampire series sure to be a hit with readers who are looking for a light, yet entertaining story.”
--Black Lagoon Reviews
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Listen to THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS series in audio book format!
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Books by Morgan Rice
THE SORCERER’S RING
A QUEST OF HEROES (Book #1)
A MARCH OF KINGS (Book #2)
A FATE OF DRAGONS (Book #3)
A CRY OF HONOR (Book #4)
A VOW OF GLORY (Book #5)
A CHARGE OF VALOR (Book #6)
A RITE OF SWORDS (Book #7)
A GRANT OF ARMS (Book #8)
A SKY OF SPELLS (Book #9)
A SEA OF SHIELDS (Book #10)
A REIGN OF STEEL (Book #11)
A LAND OF FIRE (Book #12)
A RULE OF QUEENS (Book #13)
AN OATH OF BROTHERS (Book #14)
THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY
ARENA ONE: SLAVERSUNNERS (Book #1)
ARENA TWO (Book #2)
THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS
TURNED (Book #1)
LOVED (Book #2)
BETRAYED (Book #3)
DESTINED (Book #4)
DESIRED (Book #5)
BETROTHED (Book #6)
VOWED (Book #7)
FOUND (Book #8)
RESURRECTED (Book #9)
CRAVED (Book #10)
FATED (Book #11)
About Morgan Rice
Morgan Rice is the #1 bestselling author of THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS, a young adult series comprising eleven books (and counting); the #1 bestselling series THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY, a post-apocalyptic thriller comprising two books (and counting); and the #1 bestselling epic fantasy series THE SORCERER’S RING, comprising fourteen books (and counting).
Morgan’s books are available in audio and print editions, and translations of the books are available in German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portugese, Japanese, Chinese, Swedish, Dutch, Turkish, Hungarian, Czech and Slovak (with more languages forthcoming).
TURNED (Book #1 in the Vampire Journals), ARENA ONE (Book #1 in the Survival Trilogy) and A QUEST OF HEROES (Book #1 in the Sorcerer’s Ring) are each available as a free download on Amazon!
Morgan loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.morganricebooks.com to join the email list, receive a free book, receive free giveaways, download the free app, get the latest exclusive news, connect on Facebook and Twitter, and stay in touch!