Paranormal After Dark

by Rebecca Hamilton

  Ollie nodded. “Go. Run.”

  Ever vaulted into the night, and Cade followed, racing into the thunderstorm.

  Chapter 39

  EVER

  FOR WHAT SEEMED a long time, but was really only seconds, Ever thought they’d gotten away.

  As expected, the circle had fallen the minute she and Cade broke through. But a reassuring flash of blue from inside the cabin let her know Ollie had managed to put up a protective boundary around the coven.

  Ever knew nothing but the rain in her eyes and branches whipping her face as she stumbled over fallen trees and shrubbery, her legs desperately pumping to put distance between them and her father.

  Just as she’d started to feel relief, to believe they were going to make it, she heard shouts in the distance. A moment later, orange energy flashed over her head. She ducked instinctively and lost her footing, tumbling in the dark.

  She flipped over, already jumping to her feet, when she realized Cade’s gaze was behind him, searching the forest for Gilles. He hadn’t see her go down. Before she could yell out a warning, he stumbled into her and collapsed over her.

  He caught himself on his elbows, but the impact still stunned her. She gasped, unable to catch her breath. Cade slapped a palm to her breastbone and shoved his magick inside her.

  She inhaled shakily, blinking away pained tears. “Are you okay?”

  He grimaced. “I think I hurt my arm.”

  The yells came from all around them in the forest now, audible over the pouring rain. Ever stared up at Cade’s face, water dripping from his hair.

  I love you, she told him.

  His eyes widened at her admission but then he steeled himself. It’s not over yet, babe.

  But Ever knew it was. She could hear pounding footsteps now, more than one pair. Gilles had brought back up. It’s too late. I’m going to let him take me. At least I’ll know you’re safe.

  Cade’s jaw clenched, and he shook his head. She saw his mind working as he tried to come up with something, anything to save them.

  Ever closed her eyes as hot tears mingled with the cool rain on her face.

  “Have you ever drawn power from a storm?” Cade asked urgently.

  Ever opened her eyes. “What?”

  “Reach for the storm,” he went on. “Draw energy through me. Use me as a vessel to capture more than you can hold on your own.”

  Ever didn’t question him. If there was any hope at all, it rested in his plan. She closed her eyes and opened herself to the storm.

  It had been years since she’d tried this. When the F5 ripped through Coalhaven and claimed twenty lives, she’d closed herself off to weather magick, relying instead on the earth.

  But after the past week with Cade, channeling each other’s energy, Ever felt renewed confidence in her strength and control. She began to reel in the power of the storm, drawing it into Cade.

  As she reached a breaking point, she opened her eyes. Cade’s face was pained, his jaw clenched as if it took everything in him to remain upright above her. She panicked; she didn’t want to hurt him.

  Then his voice came in her head. Now, Ever. Let it go.

  So she did.

  Their magicks exploded, sending a shock wave through the forest, illuminating every tree around them. Ever cried out at the moment she felt Cade’s spell snap into place.

  Then Cade was lifted off of her.

  “What the hell was that?” an unfamiliar voice said. “I can’t fucking see.”

  “Where is she?” This time it was Gilles who screamed.

  Ever scrambled to her knees, terrified. The spell hadn’t worked. Again! He’d found them.

  Cade glanced at Ever. I love you. Forever. Then he turned a stony face on Gilles. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

  Gilles responded by slamming a palm to Cade’s chest. Orange magick sparked on Cade’s torso and he convulsed, crumpling to the ground.

  “No!” Ever cried, reaching for him.

  “Idiot boy. If he’d just listened to his father. Pathetic.” Gilles snapped his fingers, and two of his cronies picked Cade up from the leaves.

  He was so still and pale.

  “Dad!” This voice was terrified and desperate, feet crashing through the trees towards them. Ever gasped as Ollie burst onto the scene, her chest heaving.

  Dad?

  “Dad, what are you doing?” Ollie cried, grabbing Gilles’ arm. “Have you lost your mind?”

  Gilles shoved her away. “Know your place, Olive.”

  “Sir, the girl is gone,” another man breathed heavily as he ran up to them. “We’ve lost track of her.”

  Ollie stared at Ever in confusion, then purposely turned her back and inched in front of her.

  She held up a palm behind her back as if to tell Ever Hang on. “Dad, let go of Cade.”

  Ever had never heard Ollie’s voice so low and dangerous.

  Gilles barked with laughter and began to speak in rapid fire French. Ever couldn’t keep up with the conversation as the two began to argue, although it suddenly became clear why Ollie was so good in French class.

  The argument ended as Gilles clenched his fist before him. Ollie cried out and fell to the ground.

  Ever crawled to her side and touched her, terrified she’d find her friend dead. She knew Gilles was capable of terrible things, even when it came to his own daughter. Ollie’s eyes were closed, but her chest was still moving.

  His daughter. I have a sister.

  “This brat is more trouble than she’s worth,” Gilles said, glaring at Ollie. “I should have killed her when I killed her mother.”

  Ever froze, gripping Ollie’s hand. She willed him to walk away, to leave Ollie alone.

  “Take the Bourdain boy,” Gilles said.

  Ever sat on her knees and watched, stunned, as Gilles cut an orange gash in the air. The slash opened, a rip on the backdrop of forest. She could see rolling hills and the edge of a stone fortress on the other side. Brilliant sunlight bled through into the storm-darkened forest.

  Gilles looked around one last time as his goons dragged Cade’s unresponsive body through the portal. His gaze moved past Ever as she stood, her entire body numb.

  Then he stepped through the tear.

  Ever rushed forward, determined to follow after him and save Cade. She leapt through the air, but with a loud crack the gash closed. Ever crashed to the drenched forest floor.

  In the silence that followed their departure, Ever sat crouched on her hands and knees, staring into the inky woods. Slowly, an ache began in her solar plexus. She felt her connection to Cade tightening, stretching, as if he were so far away from her she would never be whole again.

  Ever cried out as the sensation became unbearable. She clutched her chest, trying to breathe through the waves of pain. Her heart sped, and she gasped for air.

  She fell onto her side, starbursts exploding behind her eyelids. Before her vision darkened and she knew nothing else, she had one last thought.

  Cade.

  * * *

  If you liked this book, check out Priestess Prophecies, Book 2 in the Wiccan Wars Trilogy!

  http://amzn.to/1PlxTBX

  http://www.heathermarieadkins.com/WiccanWarsTrilogy.html

  * * *

  About Heather Marie Adkins

  Heather Marie Adkins loves magick and words, but not necessarily in that order. She worships the moon and stars, and revels in the feel of grass beneath her bare feet. She is the author of numerous titles including Abigail (Witch Faery, Book One); Mother of All (Hedgewitch Mysteries, Book One); and Wiccan Wars, the first book in an occult bestselling trilogy. Heather lives in north-central Kentucky with the love of her life and a house full of cats.

  Find out more about her at heathermarieadkins.com

  Read More by this Author:

  http://amzn.to/1PlxTBX

  http://heathermarieadkins.com

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  JUMP TO...

  A DOSE OF BRIMSTONE by NOREE COSPER

  END OF DREAMS by KIM FAULKS

  HAUNT by HEATHER HAMBEL CURLEY

  DARK CROSSINGS by ANN SIMKO

  HEADSPACE by CALINDA B

  THE OTHER F WORD by SUSAN STEC

  UNLEASHED by RACHEL MCCLELLAN

  HIDDEN INTENTIONS by STACY CLAFLIN

  THE COMPLETE BLOODLING SERIAL by AIMEE EASTERLING

  SHE WHO FIGHTS MONSTERS by KYOKO M

  ST. CHARLES AT DUSK by SARAH M. CRADIT

  WICKED BY NATURE by MADISON SEVIER

  UNDERLIFE by MARISSA FARRAR

  DRAGON’S REDEMPTION by EDEN ASHE

  MILAN’S RETURN by GRAE LILY

  THE BREAKERS CODE by CONNER KRESSLEY

  THE MEDIUM by MR GRAHAM

  WICCAN WARS by HEATHER MARIE ADKINS

  CARPE NOCTEM by KATIE SALIDAS

  A QUESTION OF FAITH by NICOLE ZOLTACK

  CARPE NOCTEM

  Book One in the IMMORTALIS series

  BY KATIE SALIDAS

  Copyright © 2015 by Noree Cosper

  Becoming a vampire is easy.

  Living with the condition, that is the hard part.

  Newbie vampire Alyssa never asked for this life, but now it’s all she has. Rescued from death by Lysander, the aloof and sexy leader of the Peregrinus vampire clan, she’s barely cut her teeth before she becomes a target.

  Kallisto, an ancient and vindictive vampire queen - and Lysander’s old mate - wants nothing less than final death for her former lover and his new toy. She’s not above letting the Acta Sanctorum, and its greatest vampire hunter, Santino, know exactly where the clan can be found.

  With no time to mourn her old life, Alyssa’s survival depends on her new family. She will have to stand alongside Lysander and fight against two enemies who will stop at nothing to destroy them.

  Immortalis: Carpe Noctem

  EBOOK EDITION

  Copyright © 2010 by Katie Salidas

  Second Edition © 2015 Katie Salidas

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  SECOND EDITION

  Editing by Sharazade

  Interior Design by Katie Salidas

  Published by Rising Sign Books, LLC.

  http://www.RisingSignBooks.net

  Katiesalidas@gmail.com

  http://www.katiesalidas.com

  LCCN: 2010900421

  ISBN-13 978-0-9844196-0-9

  Chapter 1

  I HATED WAITING!

  I shot impatient glances at my phone, checking the time displayed in green LED. It was late and I was restless.

  Sounds of clapping in the background signaled that another poetry reading had finished.

  It was a busy night at Café Copioh; but then, just about every night here was busy.

  Copioh drew in a unique crowd from the nearby college. It wasn’t one of those fancy frou-frou coffee houses where nameless baristas slung foamy beverages to a waiting hoard of credit card-wielding consumers. This place was small, intimate, and had a bohemian feel: colorful, vibrant, and eclectic. Each wall had been painted in a different color: teal, maroon, sand, and sage. Reprints of various famous artworks lined the walls, including a large mural of Van Gogh’s Starry Night, in black light reflective paint. A plethora of flea market-style furnishings were strewn about haphazardly in the large space, completing the relaxed, homey feel.

  Mike, the manager—a stereotypical beatnik-esque guy, complete with goatee and long pony-tail—set down a Styrofoam cup filled with a dark, chocolaty drink. “You adding this to your tab, Alyssa?”

  I smiled thankfully, knowing I owed that man at least half my paycheck already. “Yeah. I’ll pay up on Friday, okay?”

  He nodded and walked away.

  I was a regular here, and Mike usually let me slide as long as I made some attempt at paying down my massive tab. I could be found here almost every night. And so could my friend, Fallon who was inexcusably late… again.

  I shot another impatient glance at my phone and sighed.

  “Ten p.m. C’mon Fallon, I don’t want to wait all night.”

  A shrill voice blared over the café’s speaker system. I cringed. Another dreary poem.

  Someone was almost always on the makeshift stage. Reading poetry was the custom here. I leaned into the cushions of my favorite brown threadbare loveseat in the front window, far away from the stage, and tried unsuccessfully to ignore the babbling. I never did care for poetry. Most of it was nothing more than nonsensical emotional ramblings, with too much use of words like dark, black, emptiness, and despair.

  A hum of mumbling voices nearby tempted me to listen. Eavesdropping here was like having a front-row seat to a taping of my own personal soap opera. Tidbits of gossip about people I knew piqued my interest, momentarily stealing my focus.

  The sudden jingle of my cell phone startled me. I jumped to answer it, almost knocking over my mocha. I didn’t need the caller ID to tell me who it was. Fallon was well over an hour late.

  “Please tell me you’re close. You would not believe the day I had. I need to vent,” I blurted out before she had a chance to speak.

  “Sorry, Alyssa, I’m not going to make it out tonight.”

  Great, what else could go wrong today?

  “What? No! Oh, c’mon, Fallon. Don’t leave me hanging. I need a friend today. I got fired….”

  “Lyss, I don’t feel like going out tonight. I’m tired and it’s already late. Let’s just meet up tomorrow, okay?”

  There was something in her voice. If I’d not been in such a bad mood I might have recognized it, but in my anger, I simply huffed in response.

  “Alyssa, I promise, tomorrow,” Fallon was using her most sympathetic voice.

  “Yeah, sure. Whatever.” I didn’t bother hiding my disappointment.

  “Sorry, Lyss, I’ll make it up to you. I promise. We’ll go out tomorrow. You can tell me all about work then, okay?”

  “Fine. But next time, don’t leave me hanging here by myself for an hour before you decide to cancel on me.” I breathed a disappointed sigh and ended the call.

  The perfect end to the perfect day. Might as well pack up and go home. I gulped down my mocha, waved to the manager, and walked out the front door.

  A hot summer breeze greeted me: a mixture of coffee, car exhaust, and the lingering tang of grease from a nearby taco shop.

  I set off across the street to the University. My apartment was on the other side of campus. Just a quick ten-minute walk and I’d be home.

  Being a petite woman, I never did like walking home alone, especially at night, and tried to avoid it whenever possible. This time, though, I had no choice. Fallon would have been my ride, but since she stood me up, I had to hoof it. Reaching into my bag, I pulled out a keychain of pepper spray. Old Reliable.

  Knives could be turned against you and do some serious damage. Pepper spray was a good enough deterrent without having the potential to be deadly. If someone managed to get it away and use it against me, the worst I could expect was stinging eyes, and that was better than a stab wound.

  UNLV was quiet at this time of night. The regular classes had ended hours before and the walkways were empty. Armed with my pepper spray, I took the pathway leading toward the theater and music halls.

  Just w
alk fast and don’t talk to anybody. I hated walking home alone.

  Sounds of distant chatter caught my attention. Echoes of raised voices reverberated off brick buildings. A couple of men were arguing somewhere ahead of me.

  Small lamps dotted the walkway, and floodlights hung from the corners of some of the buildings. Normally, there was plenty of light on the walkway, but tonight things seemed darker. A light on one of the buildings flickered. I noticed another building’s lights had completely burned out, leaving a portion of my path in darkness.

  Imagination got the better of me though I tried to remain calm. Tightening my grip on the keychain, I quickened my pace. I gritted my teeth and fought against the weak voice of my intuition telling me to go back to the café. Almost home, just keep going.

  The arguing voices faded into silence as I neared the theater. An eerie quiet sent a shiver dancing down my spine. I stopped and looked around, checking for any movement in the shadows. Intuition, no longer a weak voice in my head, screamed at me to run. Something wasn’t right.

  Anxiety kicked my heart into high gear, pounding so hard I thought it might punch a hole straight through my chest. And, when an unexpected voice called out, “Excuse me,” I damn near shit myself.

  “Excuse me, miss. Hello. Can you help me?” The voice called out again.

  Against my better judgment, I turned around to see the man belonging to that voice.

  “Sorry to bother you. I’m new here and kind of lost. Could you tell me where the library is? I’m supposed to be meeting a friend there.”