Enthrallment: (Enthrallment Series Book 1)

by Meg Evans

  With difficulty, I manage to mumble a final few words. “I knew… it was you… all along.” I look deep into the eyes of my executioner; the eyes of the man who’s been haunting my dreams.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispers, right into my ear.

  When I close my eyes, somewhere far away I hear a bang, followed by other loud sounds. Maybe it’s just my brain deceiving me right before I die.

  “Leave her alone, Hatch!”

  It’s someone’s voice. It belongs to a man. I can’t see his face, but I’m too weak to stay conscious.

  Darkness falls.

  EPILOGUE

  A cold breeze brushes my face. Still immobilized, I strive to open my eyes, but my eyelids feel as though they’ve been glued together.

  Someone is carrying me, striding very fast, maybe even running. I have no idea where I am. The only sound that reaches my ears is the echo of quick, heavy steps on a hard surface. I don’t even care where I’m being taken. All I want is to fall back to sleep.

  “You’re safe now. Nothing bad is going to happen to you,” a male voice says. It’s rough and uneven. I don’t recognize it.

  I’m balancing on the edge of dozing off. Am I dreaming?

  ZARA…

  It’s another voice, but this one I know very well. It’s him. He’s calling my name. I wish I could respond, but my lips refuse to move.

  I’LL FIND YOU.

  Everything is shrouded in darkness. Is that a promise or a threat? I don’t know if I should be relieved or terrified, but as an intense, familiar scent surrounds me, I know that he’s with me. It’s my last thought before I fall asleep.

  CAN’T WAIT TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  READ ON FOR A SNEAK PEEK OF BOOK TWO OF THE ENTHRALLMENT SERIES

  I take a few more steps, and right by the round coffee table, I walk onto something hard that stabs my foot. The thin sole of my shoe doesn’t protect me from its sharp point. I flinch in pain and drop onto the couch behind me, holding my left foot. Taking a closer look at the sole, it becomes clear to me that there’s something stuck to it. I detach the tiny thing immediately to examine it. It resembles a black stone.

  Wait. Isn’t it the same exact one that Blair gave to Dorian right before she and her creepy friends left the house? What did he call them—gems? He must’ve dropped it…

  I turn the stone over in my hand a couple of times and realize something strange. It feels warm to the touch, as though it’s absorbed sunlight for several hours.

  How bizarre.

  Suddenly, another memory comes flooding back. Dorian mentioned the gems get warm in the presence of other gems. Does that mean that there are others hidden throughout this house?

  “What the hell are you doing here?” a deep man’s voice demands from behind me.

  I almost jump out of my skin, my heart thumping an erratic rhythm in my chest. There’s no time to think; driven by instinct, I stuff the gem deep into my sweatshirt pocket and jerk to my feet. I whirl around to face the intruder, but there’s no one there. Adrenalin whips through my body as I scope the room. I feel vulnerable, unable to tell where the danger is lurking.

  “Do I need to ask you again?” The voice comes from the hallway, out of my field of vision. I’ve never heard this man before; he has a British accent.

  Is he a soul thief who’s going to kill me now? Did he notice that I picked up the black gem? Maybe that’s why he’s here.

  “Why did you come here unattended?”

  He knows I’m alone. I’m screwed. Panic starts to take over. I need to come up with a good reason for being here, and quickly.

  “I came here to see Dorian, but apparently he’s not home,” I say, with a slight tremor in my voice.

  “Liar.” Judging by his heavy tread, the man is approaching the living room. I take a few steps back; my legs are shaking so hard that I’m afraid I’ll collapse.

  “Why do you say that?” I ask, pretending that fear hasn’t gripped my entire body.

  “Neither Dorian nor Rita have been here since Rafael attacked your aunt three days ago.”

  His dark shape unfolds from the hallway.

  I see a tall man clad in a black leather cloak. Beneath it, I detect small tactical pockets around his waist and chest. Strapped to his shoulders are several weighted pouches that appear to be full – of what, I cannot tell. Then my eyes fixate on the sheath and a hilt with familiarly engraved gems in it, just visible under his cloak. It must be the Black Heart: a weapon that can kill soul thieves. The sight of the dagger gives me a glimpse of hope.

  “You’re not a soul thief,” I toss out, staring hard at him without blinking.

  “No,” he says, pacing toward me. “My name is Vincent. I’m not here to hurt you; I’m a hunter.”

  I deflate and let out a long sigh. Even though the tension slowly subsides, my limbs still jitter. When he stops a few feet from me, I take in a staggeringly handsome, strong and defined face with a rugged beard. Vincent’s hair is a dirty blonde; his blue eyes, full of intensity, are steeped in a serious expression but not unkind. There’s something about him that feels familiar. Have I seen him somewhere before? I frown.

  “Have we ever met?”

  “Nope.”

  “But you know who I am.”

  “Of course I do,” he says, as if it’s obvious. “You’re Zara Logan, the target of the most dangerous soul thief out there—Dorian Hatch. News spreads fast, especially the part where Hatch’s victim has survived. That’s something unheard of. Everyone in the hunters’ world is aware of your identity.”

  Apparently I’m famous. But not exactly in a way that I’d like to be.

  “You know me, but I know nothing about you. That’s unfair, don’t you think?” I examine his unusual outfit, trying to figure out what is hidden in all of those pockets.

  “That’s perfectly fine,” Vincent says, walking away a few steps. “The less you know about me, the better.”

  Frustration rises in me. That’s the line that Dorian used to give me whenever I asked him questions. I don’t give up that easily anymore. “How did you find me? Did you follow me all the way here?”

  “No, I didn’t expect to find you here.” He fixes his stern eyes on me. “Are you aware that you shouldn’t be here?”

  “Why?”

  “You’ve come to the house of the creature that wants to kill you. Do you think that’s a clever thing to do?” he says condescendingly.

  “Maybe I want to be dead…” I drop my gaze to the floor. My heart has definitely felt dead since the incident in the cabin.

  “Right. Enough chitchat. I’m taking you with me.”

  “What?! No way!” I shake my head. “I’m not going anywhere with a stranger.”

  “Yeah, whatever you say.” Vincent obviously doesn’t care about my objection. Instead, he reaches into one of the satchels adorning his outfit and fishes something out of it. A second later, he throws the thing at me with a quick “Heads-up!” warning.

  I catch it with one swift motion inches from my face, preventing it from hitting me between my eyebrows. It’s a small, cold, metal ball, no bigger than a thumb. No sooner does it end up in my hand than I feel it releasing something flexible and elongated, like tentacles, that wrap around my wrist. At first they’re soft and sticky, but after they finish lapping my wrist tight, their texture completely changes and now they feel hard like metal. The ball is gone, absorbed into this strange device that now resembles a handcuff.

  “What the hell is this?” I lift my hand up to examine it.

  “It’s an essential measure to ensure you’re not going to escape.” He raises his hand, which is cuffed by the same thing. “Ready?” he asks, taking the first step toward the door.

  Before I can react, a strong force attracts me to Vincent like an invisible lasso. The handcuffs act like magnets, pulling each other. I can’t resist it; it’s too powerful.

  “Let’s go.”

  “But—”

  “Have I mentioned
no questions yet?”

  He puts his hood on, so that now I can only see the silhouette of his lips. My blood pressure rises. I’m trapped and helpless. I came here to sniff around, not to be caught and imprisoned by some stranger. I have to go back to the hospital and find out if my aunt’s condition has worsened. And what about poor Maddie? She needs me there – she’s so sensitive. I try to struggle against the pull of the handcuffs as Vincent heads out the door, but the force is far too strong, dragging me behind him. The realization sinks in: wherever this stranger is taking me, I’m completely at his mercy now.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Writing this book was an amazing experience. However, I shouldn’t steal all the credit. Enthrallment would have never come to life without the help of many amazing people.

  The first person I’d like to thank is my mom. You’ve been my most devoted reader since I can remember. I appreciate you being an honest critic. Dad, I have to mention you right after mom, thank you for the hundreds of books that you read to me in my childhood. That time we spent together exploring different worlds, immersing in various realities, and accompanying multiple protagonists in their journeys has had an immense impact on me as an author.

  Jesse, thank you for supporting me regardless of my bad days. You’ve been there for me when I needed it the most. Plus, I always appreciate your wonderful ideas that inspire me.

  Thank you, Emma O’Connell aka my hero, for making Enthrallment shine. You’ve gone above and beyond to perfect my book. Enthrallment would never be as great as it is without your careful eyes. You’re not just my editor, you’re one of my dearest friends.

  Thank you to all the wonderful beta readers who provided me with their valuable feedback during the editing process: Grace Tudor, Kate Crane, Stephanie Berumen, Bethany Votaw, Zoe E., and Tanja G.

  Publishing can be a very overwhelming process, but I was fortunate and could count on advice of a few great authors. I’d like to thank E.G. Radcliff, Mary Ann Tippett, and Robin Lyons for your valuable tips.

  Thank you, Mila Milic, for creating a masterpiece cover that has a powerful symbolism hidden within. You’re a talented artist, who’s also very patient. I appreciate your commitment and attention to detail.

  I can’t skip all of my friends and family members who’ve been rooting for me since the very beginning. Thank you for never giving up on me.

  Finally, I’d like to thank you, my reader, for giving this book a chance. The literary world wouldn’t be the same without you!

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Meg Evans is a certified health passionate about wellness. Although she’s a hardcore gym rat, she likes slowing down and getting absorbed in a riveting page-turner. Meg is the author of Enthrallment, her debut paranormal romance and the first book in the Enthrallment series. When not writing, Meg enjoys a good conversation over a soy latte, and laughing until her face hurts with her friends.

  She currently lives in New York.

  KEEP IN TOUCH WITH MEG EVANS

  www.megevansauthor.com

  info@megevansauthor.com

  @megevansauthor