"In a way. Then again, I finally feel connected to everyone here. We've been through so much, it's hard to leave."
"It's not forever. I'll be able to come over and visit, and you'll be able to come back."
"Will you though?" If she were honest, the fear of never seeing him again was behind the sense of letdown she'd been feeling all night. With his world safe again, it was over. There was no reason for Eric and her to meet anymore, except wanting to be together. They had a relationship – she just couldn't decide what it was. But she wanted to see where it could go. And how could she do that if they lived in opposite worlds?
If long distance relationships were hard to keep, then cross–dimensional relationships would have to be impossible.
And given his father's disposition, she didn't think she'd be welcome over here anytime soon. Everyone else had been friendly though. Several people had stopped to thank her. Some had stopped to ask her questions about her world and how long she was staying.
She needed to go home. Who knew what she still might have to fix back home yet? She'd left things in a bit of mess. And undone. Like the note on the inscription of the stylus she'd hidden on her computer. Not that it mattered any more as she could just ask the stylus about the lettering. Later, when she got home and had time to delve into all the unanswered questions.
"You look like you've lost your best friend." He bent closer to peer into her eyes. "Are you okay?"
"Yes." She gave him a reassuring smile, at least she thought it was. "I'm just sad."
"That's understandable. You've made some friends here. We appreciate all you've done. We might even be able to have you come over as a consultant on some projects."
"Really?" She brightened. "I figured I'd never be welcomed back – considering I had a death sentence on my head at one time."
"A fond memory of your visit." He snickered. "Even if they aren't interested in having you consult, I'll come visit you. I promise. There's no way I'm giving up our friendship."
She closed her eyes briefly. Then said with a lilt in her voice, "Boy, am I glad to hear that. I guess I was feeling a little blue, thinking I'd never see you again."
"Not going to happen." He stood up. "But I understand you need to go home. Did Paxton speak to you yet?"
"He apologized and thanked me." She smirked. "I think he's still a little miffed at me over the stylus stuff."
Eric laughed. "I wouldn't be surprised. He's been bonded with his for over a century. It can't be easy to be shown up by a young girl. Especially one not even from his world."
"I can understand that."
Eric pulled her upright and into his arms. He stared at her quietly for a long moment. His voice rumbled from his chest. "Thank you for coming back and helping us. I'm not sure we'd have survived without you."
"You would have, just in a different way." Storey nestled closer. "I couldn't see your world suffering when I'd figured out a way to help."
"And help you did. The Louers are gone forever and all because of you."
She lifted her head to caution him. "We don't know they're gone for good. It's too early to say. Paxton still has some work to do there. He has to make sure the portals are permanently sealed. We also don't know which dimension the Louers ended up in – for sure. We think we do, but..."
"Paxton will sort it out. He's nothing if not dedicated." As if to calm her worries, Eric bent and kissed her gently, then with growing enthusiasm.
"Arrumph."
They broke apart to find Paxton standing in the doorway. "I think it's time. Everyone wants to say good-bye to Storey and watch her leave."
"Oh." She brushed her shirt down and walked over to where her backpack sat on the floor waiting for her. "I hadn't realized."
They walked back into Paxton's lab to find a line had formed. Most of the Torans hugged her or shook her hand. By the time she'd reached the end of the line, she could barely hold back the tears.
Paxton gave her a codex. "So you don't have to travel by drawing portals everywhere. We all saw the result of that effort!" There was mixed laughter from the crowd, but it was the warm look on Paxton's face that made her respond with a big grin.
When the laughter died down, Paxton added, "This is a guest codex. It's pre-coded for your home, my dear. Thank you for all you've done."
Tears collected in the corner of her eyes. Storey smiled mistily. She really was going to miss him. "You're welcome." Impulsively, she gave him a quick hug.
Eric walked her over to the portal that his people used for travel and dropped a kiss on her cheek. "I'll pop over tomorrow to see how you're adjusting to being home again. Your mom has to be wondering where you've been all this time."
"True enough." Thinking about her mother brought her father to mind. Oh boy. What waited at home for her? Not daring to speak in case she broke into tears, she managed a brave smile. He reached over and hit the button on her wrist unit. The familiar musical notes sounded.
Storey straightened her back, determined to go out gracefully. Forced to sniffle back tears, she gave the crowd a quick wave good-bye. It had been a hell of a weekend. She'd miss these people. Definitely Eric and maybe even Paxton. With a final look around the room, she recognized Eric's father, the hated Councilman, standing in the far back corner, a malicious grin on his face. What was he up to? He looked way too happy for her comfort.
The black mist swirled up around her legs.
The Councilman gave her a wiggling fat sausage finger wave good-bye and opened his other hand so she could see what he held. Nestled deep in the rolls was a long thin object.
Her stylus.
The black swirling mist rose to her chest.
She gasped in shock.
It was too late to stop the portal.
His grin fattened.
The room disappeared into darkness. Panic threatened. Oh God. Was she going to die now? Could the esteemed Councilman have actually won? She closed her eyes, hating him and what he'd done. How could she contact Eric to let him know? Without her stylus she had no way to communicate with anyone here.
Just then the mists thinned and cleared.
She turned around. An oily darkness greeted her. The rank smell of death rose, overwhelming her senses. She wrinkled up her nose and coughed, then coughed again. "Oh God. I know that smell!"
Hearing something behind her, she spun around. A long meaty arm stretched through the darkness. White bony fingers reached for her.
Previews
Deadly Designs – book 2 of Design Series
Drawing is her world...but when she’s banished to a deadly new world and needs help, it's his world too .
Her…Storey Dalton wants to go home – but something goes terrifyingly wrong and she ends up in her worst nightmare. There’s no escape…not without Eric or her stylus. Then she finds someone who needs rescuing even more than she does…
Him…Eric Jordan races to save Storey, only to realize a close family member has betrayed them both. Now the enemy is closing in on him. When he meets up with Storey, he knows her plans are a bad idea, but she won't be dissuaded…and it could be their only way of staying alive.
It…the stylus, now bonded to Storey’s artistic soul, is determined to survive this new chaos – against all odds. But damaged from a prolonged separation, he can't help Story or Eric – without making things worse.
Them…Storey is determined to make things right. Eric is determined to help her. Neither counts the personal cost, until their very lives are in danger.
In Cassie's Corner
Faith and loyalty are tested as a young girl learns what it is to believe – in herself, in her friends, and in life after death.
Cassie's best friend, bad boy Todd, is gone. Gone as in dead. Gone as in ghost. But she doesn't realize that when he wakes her in her bedroom and begs her not to believe what they say about him. It's not until the next day when her parents tell her about the accident that she learns the truth... The police believe Todd was living up to the fam
ily name, drinking and driving and coming to a predictable end. It's up to her to find out the truth and clear his name.
Todd is shocked at his sudden change in circumstances...and angry. He struggles with his new ghostly reality, realizing all he's lost as he watches his brother build a relationship with Cassie as the two pair up to find out what really happened to him. The truth isn't always pretty, and Cassie has to be stronger than ever before.
Especially when the whole world seems to be against her.
Vampire in Denial – Book 1 of Family Blood Ties
Blood doesn't just make her who she is...it also makes her what she is.
Like being a sixteen-year-old vampire isn't hard enough, Tessa's throwback human genes make her an outcast among her relatives. But try as she might, she can't get a handle on the vampire lifestyle and all the...blood.
Turning her back on the vamp world, she embraces the human teenage lifestyle-high school, peer pressure and finding a boyfriend. Jared manages to stir something in her blood. He's smart and fun and oh, so cute. But Tessa's dream of a having the perfect boyfriend turns into a nightmare when vampires attack the movie theatre and kidnap her date.
Once again, Tessa finds herself torn between the human world and the vampire one.
Will blood own out? Can she make peace with who she is as well as what?
Gem Stone
A juvie kid trying to stay on the right path stumbles into trouble...
Gemma takes her camera everywhere. From juvie hall to a halfway home, the new hobby gives her a focus she'd never had before and...hope in a future. Until she takes pictures of something that could get her killed.
And not just her...after she and another juvie girl are chased by a stranger to the halfway home that same night, the other girl goes missing and Gemma knows she needs help. But who can she trust?
Not the authorities that's for sure. Trusting them is impossible for a girl with her damaged history, and besides, who cares about a troubled kid...especially when trouble just naturally seems to find her.
About the author:
Dale Mayer is a prolific multi-published writer. She's best known for her Psychic Visions series. Besides her romantic suspense/thrillers, Dale also writes paranormal romance and crossover young adult books in several different genres. To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion gardening and the US mortgage system. She has recently published her Career Essentials Series. All her books are available in digital and print formats.
Published Young Adult books include:
Vampire in Denial
Vampire in Distress
Vampire in Design
Dangerous Designs
Deadly Designs
Deceptive Designs (summer 2013)
In Cassie's Corner
Gem Stone
Published Adult Books:
Psychic Vision Series:
Tuesday's Child
Hide'n Go Seek
Maddy's Floor
Garden of Sorrow
(Book 5 Summer of 2013)
Bound and Determined... Series
Unbound
Other Adult books:
Touched by Death
It's a Dog's Life
Connect with Dale Mayer Online:
Dale's Website – www.dalemayer.com
Sign up for her newsletter - www.dalemayer.com/blog
Twitter – http://twitter.com/#!/DaleMayer
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/DaleMayer.author
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Dangerous Designs Page 19