Remembrance: (New Adult Paranormal Romance) (Heart Lines Series Book 1)

by Heather Hildenbrand

  I felt the presence of someone before I heard them; something that, twenty-four hours ago, might have made me wonder about my sanity. Now, it just was. I hadn’t really let myself explore these new facets of my own psyche just yet. There was too much to think about on the surface to even remotely have room for all that.

  I knew what I could do. What I had forgotten. Discovering who I was—and why—could wait a bit. I wasn’t sure even this whole version of me could keep from panicking if I decided to tackle it all at once.

  “You want some company?”

  I looked over and found Tara approaching from the woods at the edge of the property. I’d seen RJ come and go using that footpath, and I shouldn’t have been surprised to see Tara use it too, but I couldn’t help it.

  “You’re still surprised?” she joked, reading my expression as she approached slowly. She stopped several yards away and I saw the dirt underneath her fingernails. The tiny twigs still stuck in her hair.

  I looked away.

  “And still angry?” she asked.

  I sighed. “No. I understand why you did it. That you thought you were protecting me. And you couldn’t have known what would happen.” I met her eyes. “I had my own secrets.”

  “Still… I never meant to hurt you or make it worse. I’m sorry,” she said, coming to sit on the bottom step.

  “You did what you thought was best. I know that. It’s just…It’ll take me some time.”

  She nodded. “Of course.”

  “Angela knows,” I said. She nodded again. I shook my head. “I have to ask. I remember she and Alex spent some time together before…” I trailed off, not even sure what the question was here. But I needed to know. To understand all of the history I’d forgotten.

  “They were just friends,” Tara said knowingly. I blew out a breath. She patted my leg, adding, “Angela stayed with Alex after I… well, I almost killed him once.”

  My gaze snapped to hers. “What? On purpose?”

  She laughed. “Surprisingly, no. I shifted—back when I wasn’t very good at that yet—and when he surprised me during a fight, I bit him.”

  “The venom,” I said, recalling the day Alex had first told me about his condition.

  “He almost died but my blood saved him.” She held up a hand before I could ask. “It won’t work twice. Apparently, Alex already checked.”

  “But it’s your blood that’s staving off the … inevitable,” I said quietly, swallowing hard.

  “I think so.” Tara looked down but I saw tears brimming and was touched to realize she was just as scared about this as I was. “So Angela,” I began, because we needed a swift subject change or we’d both be sobbing.

  “She sat with Alex while he was in the hospital. They had a connection, I think.” She smiled crookedly. “Again, just a friendship. She has that way of being comfortable with the quiet and Alex hates to talk—well, about himself anyway.” I snorted. “If you want to know more, you’ll have to ask him.”

  I would. If he ever came back. But I couldn’t think like that either. I cleared my throat. “And Angela—she’s okay knowing about all this?”

  “She’s good. Still at Yale. Dating someone last I heard. You should call her.”

  “I will. Once things settle a bit,” I assured her.

  “When you stopped returning my calls, I felt awful. And I know Angela misses you too. You have to know I was so worried for you that night,” she said, looking up at me with wide eyes.

  Imploring. Asking me to understand. A thousand memories swarmed me. Memories of watching her use that expression on her mother when they argued. On me when I would push her to be more outgoing than I knew she really was. Tara had always been in the middle. Angela was the quiet one. I was loud. And Tara—she had held us together. Until she didn’t. “Honestly, Sam, if you’d been even half-okay with it all, I would have gladly let you keep your memory. I wanted to share this with you. You were my best friend and it killed me not telling you about this.”

  “I know the feeling,” I admitted.

  “Your memory of healing that bird,” Tara said slowly. “You didn’t say much about it last night but it had to be hard for you, keeping that part of yourself hidden.”

  “It wasn’t easy,” I agreed, but then you understand that more than I could have guessed.

  “Definitely.” She cocked her head. “There’s something else you didn’t tell us about. Something involving your memory of that night,” she said.

  I wasn’t sure how she knew but I wasn’t going to lie. Not even to Tara. “I remembered more than just that attack,” I said.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  I considered not telling her but in the end, I knew I’d need allies for what had to be done. “Before that night… Something had been happening to me. For years. Probably my whole life. Like with the bird, it started out small and I was young so I wasn’t even aware of it but I think my aunt knew. And my mother.” I snorted. “She didn’t like it.”

  Tara was quiet as I talked, giving me time to gather my thoughts. I’d forgotten what a good listener she could be. And suddenly, I was glad it was her hearing all of this. Not in spite of what she was and what she’d hidden but because of it.

  “Anyway, it had been growing stronger and obviously more confusing. And that night... when Wes started meddling and moving things around, whatever this thing is inside me didn’t like it. I guess you could say it woke up because at that last second, it all came together for me and I finally understood.” I looked down at her. “It has to do with the sick werewolves.”

  “What about them?” she asked.

  “I think… I have a connection to them,” I explained. “Something that draws them to me. And if I wasn’t sure two years ago, the past few weeks have proved it.”

  She nodded. “RJ told us about what’s been happening to you.”

  “He doesn’t know the half of it,” I muttered.

  “You want to help them,” she said, startling me.

  I met her gaze. “How did you know?”

  She shrugged. “I know you, Sam. Any version. And you’re one of the most compassionate people I’ve ever met. I’ve always loved that about you.”

  I blinked, too surprised to say anything.

  “I think that’s why you pretended not to care so often when we were younger,” she went on, her tone gentle. She was treading softly with truth. But I wasn’t angry; she was right. I had never known she saw me so clearly. “Your compassion and desire to help, to heal, has always made you an easier target. When you hurt, you hurt deeply. And you didn’t want people to see that, I think.”

  “How do you…” I swallowed hard, tears pricking at my eyelids. “I had no idea you saw so much.”

  “Well, for a long time, I didn’t,” she admitted. “Finding out about werewolves opened up a deeper side of me, I think.” She scrunched her nose and shook her head. “Made me wiser or something, I don’t know.”

  I felt my lips curve. “You wise? That’s a miracle.”

  She laughed. “No question. But if it can happen to me, it can happen to you. Watch out.”

  We shared a laugh and something tense inside me unwound. It was over quickly as we both sobered over the heavy reality of the moment. But it felt good nonetheless. Maybe there was hope for Tara and me after all.

  “If you’re intent on helping, you should know that my political job wasn’t a lie. Not completely,” she said. “I work for an organization called CHAS.”

  “Right. RJ mentioned it to me. It’s like your governing body for hunters and werewolves.”

  “More or less.” She nodded and ducked her head. “Wes and I, along with a few others, sort of run it.”

  “Wait.” I shook my head. “Wait, I thought you were a werewolf.”

  “I’m both actually. Half-werewolf, half-hunter. Wes and I both are.” She shrugged. “My grandma was well-connected on the hunter side of things and then when I learned about my past… It’s a long story.”
<
br />   “Your grandma is a hunter? Edie?” I shook my head, remembering the feisty older woman who always seemed so clueless and sweet. “You’ll have to tell me about it sometime,” I said.

  She grinned. “Definitely.”

  Over Tara’s shoulder, someone approached. I tensed and then relaxed when I saw the familiar leather jacket. Wes walked beside RJ, coming from the woods where Tara had been.

  When they caught sight of us, their laughter and voices faded and both turned serious.

  “Calm down. We’re not having a cat fight on the porch,” I said and they both relaxed.

  RJ snorted and sat down next to me. “You girls bonding then?”

  Tara and I exchanged a look. There was a gleam in her eye as she said, “Actually, I was just about to offer Sam a job.”

  I looked at her sharply. “You were?”

  RJ bumped my shoulder. “Nice. I’ve been looking for a partner.”

  Tara shocked me even more by nodding. “I was thinking the same thing.”

  Wes came to stand behind her and I could see their complete awareness of each other even though no looks were exchanged. It was impressive, really. And endearing.

  “Sam’s a lot more connected to all this than we originally guessed,” Tara said. “And we need someone who can reach the werewolves.”

  “Yeah, they can sense me coming a mile away,” RJ said. “I’ve had a bitch of a time locating any of them much less find out anything about what makes them sick.”

  “RJ’s been assigned to investigate the cause of this mysterious infection that has werewolves turning feral and violent,” Tara told me.

  “So far, I haven’t been able to investigate shit. The one body that could have told us something, you and Alex buried,” he said.

  I winced. “Sorry about that.”

  Wes looked at me with open admiration. “You buried a body?”

  “Alex didn’t give me much choice,” I said.

  Tara smiled. “So what do you say? Work with RJ to figure this out?”

  “So, I’d be like a consultant for CHAS or something?” I asked.

  “Officially,” Tara confirmed. “And you’d have our resources. A full lab in San Francisco for whatever you need tested. And a full library too for whatever you want to research.”

  “Old Magic isn’t in the books,” I said, remembering something Mirabelle had said. Besides, the answers I needed lay across the ocean. “What about travel expenses?” I asked.

  “Whatever you need,” Wes said.

  “Times two,” RJ put in, holding up two fingers.

  Tara nodded. “Absolutely. Someone has to look out for Sam through all this.” She leveled her gaze on me. “You understand this will make you more of a target. You have to be careful. Let RJ watch out for you.”

  I nodded. “Yes,” I said, my throat tight as I thought of the one person missing from this conversation. My last bodyguard. Unofficially.

  “It’s settled then. Wes and I have to get back so we’ll check in regularly.” She rose and kissed Wes then whispered something to him. He nodded at RJ and both guys disappeared into the house.

  Tara sat on the step beside me this time. “Don’t be angry with him,” she said quietly.

  Tears blurred my vision the moment she spoke. There was no doubt who she meant. “Why not? He deserves it.”

  “He’s been through a lot,” Tara said.

  “He lied,” I said.

  “He lied to me too once.”

  Something about the way she said it made me turn sharply. “Wait. Were you and Alex ever…?”

  She shook her head. “I was always in love with Wes. But I met Alex at boarding school,” she said, and I nodded, all of it clicking into place.

  Tara had been “shipped off” to boarding school when she’d gotten expelled from our public high school for punching a girl. She’d pretended it was a punishment getting sent there, but knowing what I did now, it had been part of the game plan once she knew she was a hunter.

  “Anyway, we grew close and he thought he had feelings with me.” My eyes narrowed. “Alex failed to mention that part?” she asked, rolling her eyes. “I figured. Anyway, Alex didn’t really love me.”

  “How do you know?” I asked.

  My insides were already twisting at her story. I wasn’t sure how I felt about knowing Alex had once had feelings for my former best friend…. Especially when I thought about how great it felt when he kissed me.

  “Because even though he claimed to care about me, when he lied to me it was to betray me. And when he lied to you it was to protect you. His lie to me put me and all my friends in danger. His lie to you ended the moment you stopped being safe for it.”

  I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.

  There was truth to what she was saying but I couldn’t admit that without completely falling apart over how it had ended. “Thanks,” I said finally and Tara patted my leg, rising.

  She kissed the top of my head and disappeared into the house.

  A second later, the door opened and closed. A shoe scuffed the porch, letting me know I still wasn’t alone.

  I whirled to find Wes carrying a bag. He swept past me to the car and I chewed my lip, watching him stow everything for their departure and thinking hard.

  I stopped him before he could disappear into the house again. “Why doesn’t he remember?” I asked suddenly.

  “Who?” he asked.

  “Alex. Did you do something to his memory that night too? Is that why he can’t remember?”

  “What are you talking about? Sam, I didn’t do anything to Alex’s memory.”

  “But he doesn’t remember,” I pressed.

  “Remember what?” he asked.

  I opened my mouth and then stopped short. The knife wound. I remembered it perfectly now. Every detail. Laying my hand over the open wound. Just like I’d done to the bird when I was a kid. And then the scar I’d found that day in his kitchen when he’d kissed me…

  I’d healed him. There was no doubt about that. But Alex hadn’t brought it up. Not even when my memory had been restored. Stupid me had assumed he didn’t remember.

  “Nothing,” I muttered, waving Wes off. He disappeared back inside and I bit my lip, thoughts racing.

  It had all been part of the lie. He knew full well I’d healed him once. That getting my memory back might even restore my knowledge of how to do it again. And still, he’d lied and then left anyway, running away from me. From a cure. All to punish himself.

  I huffed out a breath, furious that he’d escaped before I could really go off on him. I couldn’t exactly chase him down now. Not until I had a cure. I wasn’t about to let his pity party ruin my temper again. Besides, curing him and then kicking his ass: that would teach him to mess with me.

  Alex Channing was not dying if I had anything to say about it. And once I found him and saved his life, I was going to wring his neck for leaving.

  Did you enjoy this book?

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  Hi Love Bird!

  Welcome back to the world of Dirty Blood!

  I am so thrilled to share this next installment with you and spend time with all of our favorites together. I hope you enjoyed being in Sam’s world (and Alex’s head!) If you want to be the first to hear about when the next book is coming, and get access to our exclusive Facebook group, where we all talk about our serious love/hate with Alex Channing, click here to subscribe!

  See you in the next book!

  Love,

  Heather

  Inheritance

  Heart Lines Series #2

  Alex

  Snow drifts covered my truck tires and I scowled, balling my gloved hands into fists and yanking my collar up higher along my chin. I’d never been a big fan of snow. Today was no exception. So far, all it had done was make my job harder. I turned away from the useless rental ve
hicle, re-pocketed my keys, and began the mile-long trek to Mullet’s Oyster Shack.

  I turned the final corner and propped my elbow on the wood-planked building, bending at the waist as I coughed. A hand on my shoulder startled me and I wheezed as I sucked in a sharp breath.

  “You all right, man?”

  I looked up to find Breck, my contact and sort-of partner since I’d come to Valdez. His blue eyes were sharp against the white ink blot that was the tiny fishing town. They were also the only thing visible on his covered face. Smart guy. “You should really wear the right gear,” he said through the material covering his mouth and the scar I knew that ran along his jawline.

  I grunted and coughed again before straightening and wiping my mouth on my gloved hand. “I’m good,” I said, ignoring the fact that I wore only a pair of gloves and weather-proof coat to his full cold-weather setup.

  “You’re a stubborn ass,” he said, chuckling as I glared. He clapped me on the back. “Come on. Let’s get you something hot.”

  He led the way into Mullet’s and the dim lighting made me blink, blinded after the brightly lit harbor we’d left behind outside. Breck was clearly more familiar with the place—and the fact that my werewolf senses were currently on overload in here. Despite the room full of werewolf stench, he took off toward the bar immediately. I followed more slowly though I was careful to keep my expression blank. This town had one of the highest werewolf concentrations in the U.S. It wasn’t on the agenda to out myself as a hunter.

  I slid onto the stool beside Breck and hadn’t even gotten both gloves off yet before a glass appeared in front of me, half-filled with amber liquid.

  “Bottoms up, soldier.” Breck lifted his glass and I did the same.

  The glass clinked and then we both downed the contents. I shut my eyes against the familiar bite of the alcohol. It was already warming my gut and hopefully soon, the rest of me would follow. I shifted my boots a little just to check but I still couldn’t feel my toes.