TWISTED FATES BOOK 1: THE FIRST TWIST

by Jacklyn Scott Rogers

  Thump, Thump ...

  My acute eyes scrutinized her vicinity for the cause of the thumping sound and found nothing. When I peered back over at Astrid's face, my eyes trailed downwards along her soft jawline, down her pale, slender neck, and then stopped. My keen senses were now fixated on the continuous source of the thrumming sound I had been hearing. It was the blood flowing through the jugular vein, located on the left side of her neck. I could hear it clear as day, and it was calling me.

  Thump, Thump ...

  I hadn't even noticed as my mouth began to salivate.

  I was suddenly very hungry. I licked my lips.

  No. I realized I was more than hungry.

  I WAS RAVENOUS!

  As if all my self-control had been dominated by my yearning to satiate the powerful intensity of my hunger, I bounded out of bed and lunged towards Astrid.

  With strength and speed more astounding than I had ever witnessed before, Jareth was suddenly in between myself and my impending prey. His strong arms tightly wrapped around my body, refraining me from striking with my now extended fangs that had been snapping with ferocity.

  Immediately, Jareth dashed me back over to his bed and held my hands together, not allowing me to break free from his tight hold.

  "Shit!" Shay blurted out. "Jareth, what's wrong with Sammie?"

  "She needs to feed NOW!"

  "It is imperative that I restrain her. One of you will need to go downstairs and retrieve at least two to three pouches of blood located in the wine cellar as quickly as possible."

  Shay gave Astrid a quick once over, making sure that she wasn't too shaken after almost becoming my lunch. Astrid responded with a reassuring nod, and after she muttered a few words in some foreign language I'd never heard before, Shay vanished into thin air.

  If I weren’t so busy trying not to eat my friends, I'm pretty sure I'd comment about how friggin awesome that was.

  But as you can see, I was not quite myself at the moment ...

  In an instant, Shay returned with three clear bags containing a deep red viscous fluid in each. My eyes held the bags' contents to be super disgusting. My hunger, however, felt quite the opposite. Sustenance!

  Shay handed Jareth the pouches and quickly backed away from me. I could see the fear in my friend's eyes.

  Oh, MY GOD! I can't believe I tried to attack Astrid.

  "While she feeds and gets under control, I'm taking Astrid out for a bit so that she can calm down. Maleyna has agreed to stay here and assist you in case you need anything else." Shay announced.

  OK, that makes no sense. How the hell is some 70 plus-year-old woman going to be able to help out? As if.

  I suddenly laughed to myself at the absurdity.

  "That's a one hundred and seventy-four-year-old witch, you impertinent child. And do not underestimate what I may or may not be capable of."

  Holy Shit, she totally read my mind.

  I was just read for filth by an old witch.

  Oh, the Shade of it all!

  "Enough of this insufferable badinage, ladies." Jareth was evidently getting a bit perturbed. "Shay, I'll have Maleyna contact you once it is safe to return, I promise. Now, Samantha ...Drink."

  He presented me with a pouch that had been rigged with a straw to drink from, as he held my hands tightly with his other hand. I looked like I was drinking one of those Capri-Sun pouches with the way it had been set up for me. Ok, maybe the vampire's Capri-Sun ... Capri-Blood ... ooh, could that be a thing. I pondered as I continued to drink the pleasantly warm liquid.

  Hmmm.

  I surmised that I must be feeling a bit more rational since I was starting to crack corny jokes to myself.

  Yay me.

  After I had consumed my third pouch in silence, I informed Jareth that I was feeling stuffed like a turkey on Thanksgiving. He studied me, and, realizing that I was no longer a threat, he finally released my hands from his firm grasp; but still held onto both of them within the confines of his own.

  "I can't express to you how remorseful I feel about not protecting you, Samantha, and for concealing my true nature from you. All I wanted was to love you and perhaps one day, if you so desired, make you one with me and my kind. But fate was not letting you slip through its fingers without a fight, and I am not one to back down from a fight, Samantha. I could not let fate end your existence." He stood up and placed his hand tenderly on my shoulder while cupping my chin in his other hand. He tenderly began stroking my jaw with his thumb. "I know this whole scenario is overwhelming, and I promise that we will have a serious discussion. I vow to tell you everything you want to know. But for now, my love, you need to rest. Your body is still transitioning, and since you have fed, you need rest in order to heal completely."

  "But- " I interjected, "I don't want to. I'm not that tired, and I have so many questions that need answering, Jareth." I knew I sounded like an insolent teenager, but I didn't even care. I wanted to know everything from start to finish about me, Jareth, Shay, Astrid, and even Maleyna.

  "Samantha, I promise you will receive those answers, but it is imperative that you let your body recuperate. You need to rest first."

  I shrugged my shoulders and huffed, biting my lower lip. Clearly, this was an argument I was not going to win, and honestly, I was beginning to feel the draw of sleep as my eyelids became impossible to keep open.

  I rested my head back against the soft cradling pillows as my heavy eyelids fluttered closed.

  "Fine," I whispered, "but Jareth...when I wake up, you got some serious 'splaining to do, mister."

  I heard a slight chuckle at my childishness as the bedroom door was quietly opened then shut before I allowed myself to fall into a deep soothing slumber.

  **********************************************************

  Jareth's POV

  The moment I stepped outside my bedroom, where I had left Samantha to rest, I was met by a pair of pale grey eyes. Maleyna was livid towards me, a surprise to none. I was well prepared to face her ire and indignation at my decision to turn Samantha.

  "Jareth – "

  I raised my hand to silence her.

  "Before you begin, Maleyna, I would like to continue this conversation further down the hall so as not to disturb Samantha." She nodded in agreement, and we made our way towards the center of the long corridor beside the staircase. I motioned that this location was far enough and could proceed with whatever she had deemed necessary to convey.

  She shook her head with a grim expression and sighed. "Jareth ... as you were made well aware, you were tasked to keep Samantha alive until midnight on her 25th birthday. An undertaking you were unable to bring to fruition. I sympathize with your plight Jareth. And I suppose some slight part of me appreciates the basis of why you elected to make such an extreme decision regarding siring Samantha. However, Jareth, your decision was not without consequences."

  "I acknowledge your cautioning witch, but you know as well as I do that I have no trepidations regarding these consequences you speak. The decision to turn Samantha was made without remorse, save me doing so without her consent. Samantha is alive, and that is all that concerns me, Maleyna. So, to hell with fate." I scoffed as I dismissively waved my hand in the air.

  Maleyna's eyes widened at my brash quip. Her face twisted into one of grave concern as she gently placed her pale age-spotted trembling hand atop mine.

  "Jareth, you are a vampire that I hold in high regard, but your words and actions have only infuriated stronger forces than you could possibly conceive. You cheated fate its entitlement to Samantha by siring her. The scales have been tipped, and there is only one way now that can restore balance Jareth... a life for a life."

  My lips curled into a slight sneer as I let out a cold-blooded laugh.

  "We shall see about that witch."

  Chapter 18

  ***SEXUAL CONTENT CONTAINED IN THIS CHAPTER - I WILL MARK BEGINNING AND END FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO SKIP THIS SECTION ��***

  Sammie's POV


  I awoke to feel oddly refreshed and energized. Even my wound was now completely healed. I also changed out of my bloodied attire and was currently wearing one of Jareth's button-down shirts. Damn, I guess there are some perks to being a vampire. Gotta love that super-fast healing.

  Nice.

  I carefully set myself upwards, resting my back against the pillows that lined the mahogany headboard, trying not to disturb Jareth's peaceful sleeping form. I wasn't sure how long I'd been out. I guess Jareth was right after all about my needing rest.

  I glanced over to the shirtless Adonis lying next to me on his side, still cradling my hand in his. I didn't even feel him climb into bed with me, but then again, he's probably got some stealthy vampire abilities making it especially easy to sneak up on people. Now that I think about it, him being a vampire ultimately makes sense. I mean, he's uber pale, his skin feels colder than most, he's broody and mysterious. Also, his mannerisms are like someone from an older era, and the kicker ... he's super fucking hot. Reasonably sure, hotness is a prerequisite for being a vampire, in my opinion. Damn, how could I not know this man wasn't human? I giggled and shook my head at my obliviousness, which caused Jareth to stir.

  His brilliant cobalt eyes stared back at me as a boyish grin adorned his face. "You're still alive." It was a declaration rather than a question, one that seemed to bring about a serenity throughout Jareth's chiseled features. I knew he loved me. I even understood why he chose to decide to change me. But the man was still going to have to make it up to me. I was not going to be the pushover in this relationship.

  "I am. "A slight smile escaped my lips. "And I am eternally grateful towards you for saving my life. But, mister man, you promised me answers. So, before you try and sway me with that sexy ass smile of yours, spill Jareth. Who is trying to kill me? How long has everybody known about my supposed assassin, and why was I targeted?"

  Jareth quickly sat up and held onto my hand as his features took on a dark aspect. I actually managed to sit in silence as Jareth recanted the sordid details of my plight. I couldn't believe that Dasha, of all people, had tried to kill me. To top it off, she was also a witch - a corrupt one at that. I was shocked deep down to my core, but a part of me almost expected that it was her. I mean, the way she behaved towards me at the end of our so-called friendship explains a LOT. She wanted me dead.

  Guess I didn't know her as much as I thought I did after all.

  Once Jareth answered the nagging question of who the big baddie in my life was, he informed me that if I had any questions about who he, well, we now were, then he would be glad to enlighten me. I smiled and thanked him before stretching and catching a brief whiff of the pungent aroma of blood and grime that permeated my skin. I scrunched my nose, grimacing at my lack of hygiene, and realized that I was in dire need of a shower. This was literally a code red, people. The fact that he wasn’t running for the hills over my foul stench screamed volumes.

  I gave a shy smile and let Jareth know my intentions, and he kindly acquiesced my request for a pause in our discussion. Swiftly grabbing one of his button-down shirts and a towel, he gently took my hand and led me to the elegant en-suite bathroom adjoining his bedroom. Once He showed me how to use the shower’s fixtures, he placed a gentle kiss on my forehead then left me to my own devices. I stripped out of what I had been wearing and put the soiled clothing in the tan hamper placed near the corner of the room by the doorway, then turned to see my naked reflection in the vanity mirror. A gasp escaped my lips at my appearance. There was dried caked on flecks of blood affixed to my torso, and my hair looked like a family of birds had decided to nest in it. There were no signs of any injuries other than the two tiny puncture wounds on my neck above my clavicle despite everything. Slowly I traced my fingers on the two small hollows. It was weird. Despite being a bit pink around the edges, there was no soreness; there was almost a pleasurable sensation when I touched them.

  Breaking myself out of my trance, I hopped in the massive shower. I proceeded to wash away the dirty remnants of the horrible events that occurred, silently weeping for the loss of Sammie Hunter, the human girl that died on her 25th birthday.

  Once I finished my shower and towel-dried my hair, I slipped on Jareth’s shirt and made my way back into the bedroom where my sexy vampire was waiting for me with two more blood pouches. I crawled onto his bed and sat next to him, consuming my Capri-Bloods, while Jareth addressed the fanged elephant in the room.

  I learned a great deal about vampires from Jareth. Apparently, many, many myths were created to mask their existence amongst humans throughout history. We were so easy to believe in the falsities that we literally had no clue that they lived among us the whole time—people such as Bram Stoker. Anne Rice, Stephenie Meyer, LJ Smith, Charlaine Harris, and even Marilyn Manson were vampires hiding in plain sight. They created unbelievable, yet completely false, representations of their kind. All these smoke screens, just to make it seem like the likelihood of vampires and witches' existence were not real. Of course, the closest of all truths out there was Anne Rice's book, Vampire Lestat. But who would have genuinely thought she was blatantly spilling the proverbial beans to the entire world? Even still, it was so unfounded to humankind that there was truth behind her words. Instead, her book was merely regarded as a romanticized story made into a movie, which ended up having a kick-ass soundtrack. Go figure. Also, in case you're wondering, all those people seem to age because they either use great makeup or they are using human counterparts to represent them.

  Fact.

  Surprisingly, vampires don't, in fact, have an issue with the sun. I mean, granted, they aren't the poster child for suntan lotion, but it won’t kill us. Garlic, crosses, and holy water also does absolutely nothing to them. Oh, and mirrors, obviously a big misconception. I mean, clearly, how else would they be able to look as attractive as they do without one?

  Just saying.

  Vampires also don't need to eat regular food but can if they want to for its novelty. Vampires can compel others that are weak in nature, and finally, they do not need to be invited into someone's house. Trust me; I was wholly shocked by all the information I just found out.

  Vampires and Witches are real; what's next, werewolves?

  As if.

  Am I right?

  After my brain overload, only one mystery remained ... why? Jareth swore he didn't have any knowledge as to what Dasha's motivation was because he only became aware of her evil scheme after the fact. According to Jareth, I had met Maleyna once and commissioned her to conduct a spell that altered my own timeline.

  Facepalm here for my stupidity, please. Sigh.

  Maleyna enlightened Jareth that she could not divulge the reasons why I made such a life-altering decision. Her explanation is that she was bound by covenant rules never to betray her sisterhood. I could only assume that my circumstances must have been so grave that I was left with no other options. I just wished I knew what drove me to be so rash. A whirlwind of emotions clamored around inside me, and in the middle of it all, was Jareth. He was the calming eye in the center of my torrential emotional hurricane. He made me feel at peace with my past actions. I know he wasn't as perfect as I thought him to be, but who is? And I was ok with it. Once Jareth was finished speaking, I sensed his unease. He just sat still, guardedly observing me, waiting for my reaction.

  I gazed into his soulful eyes and understood that I loved this man with all that I was despite everything. I also knew that he felt the same adoration towards me. I mean, really, how could I possibly remain upset with someone who cherished me enough to go up against some fucked up curse ... am I right?

  Without a word, I placed my hands gently on Jareth's pallid cheeks and kissed his soft lips slow and tenderly. Our kisses became fuller as Jareth's hand clenched my hair. Our tongues intertwined, unleashing an unbridled yearning that awakened in both of us.