by Kailin Gow
“No,” said Kalina. “No.” It was now or never. “I'm tired of running. Of being protected. I want to go back to Rutherford. I want to finish school, and go to Yale in the fall. I want to protect Justin and Maeve – and protect you. Whatever's back there – whoever's back there – Stuart, Mal - I'll face them.” She took a deep breath, sadden by the thought, especially remembering how Stuart had stood by her, protected her, and faced Jaegar knowing how it would be his sure death, just so Kalina could live another day. Stuart had turned, and she remembered how he once said he would rather stake himself, die, than turn into a monster like Mal. The Greystone Brothers had given so much for her, Aaron… his life, now Stuart. Stuart had told her turning was far worse than death. Her heart ached for him, yet she knew Stuart would be affected worse than Jaegar. She had to do something. She was the Carrier, and with that, came powers…powers she was just beginning to realize. Kalina looked straight ahead. She knew what she had to do. “I have to find Stuart.”
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PULSE continues in
Blue Blood - Book 4 of PULSE
Blue Blood
(Book 4 of PULSE)
Coming
March 8, 2011
Join us for the virtual release party on March 8, 2011 at: http://www.kailingow.wordpress.com
Excerpt from
the phantom diaries
kailin gow
Prologue
Annette Binoche stepped out of the cab and had her first taste of a Manhattan sidewalk beneath her feet. Staring up at The New York Metropolitan Opera House, a cool breeze rustled through her long dark hair and tickled her nostrils. This was not the hot and lazy breeze of the bayou back home in New Orleans. It felt different. Smelled different. Even tasted different.
Despite her jeans, warm black sweater and leather jacket the chill in the air squeezed through the collar at the back of her neck, traveled down her spine and left her skin tingling all the way down into her boots.
The excitement of this new adventure added to that tingling sensation. She pushed through the doors of the back entrance of the Opera House and went in search of the head seamstress. As soon as her eyes adjusted to the gloom, she glimpse the grand stage through a door left ajar.
Her desire to find the seamstress was overtaken with the need to view the splendid stage she’d long dreamed of. The silly childhood fantasy of singing to a full house had her heart pumping with envy. It was majestic and unending. The ceiling seemed to go on forever and she couldn’t even see to the back seat of the top balconies.
“Can I help you?”
With a start she turned to the unexpected voice and faced a small elderly gentleman who smiled politely.
“I’m looking for Mrs. Henley. She came down to Louisiana a while back to visit with my mom and liked my abilities as a seamstress and suggested I come up here to work for her.”
The old man’s smile broadened and Annette realized she was rambling, but just couldn’t stop. “I may be only eighteen, but I’ve worked at my mother’s dress shop since I was thirteen and my mother has been a great teacher and even though I lack formal training, I know I can do this…”
“Right through there,” he said as he pointed to his left. “Up the stairs, second floor, third door on your right. She should just be getting back from her lunch.”
With a tight and nervous nod, she turned on her heel, repeating his directions in her mind over and over again.
Her heels echoed up the steps and the cool chill at her back followed her. She turned to glance behind her and could have sworn her breath frosted in the air. The echo of her steps reverberated in an odd cadence that didn’t quite match the pace of her steps.
Though her body shivered, her hands were clammy and heated. Her fingers reached for the cross hung at her neck. Her index played repeatedly over the rubies that formed a rose pattern at the center of the cross. Her breathing soon returned to normal and she proceeded while remaining cautious and aware of the sensations around her.
“Mrs. Henley?” Annette asked upon reaching the correct door.
A pleasantly plump woman turned and grinned. “Miss Binoche? Is that you?”
Annette realized her frumpy seamstress clothes back home were a far stretch from her fashionable, meant to impress New York attire. She’d gone out of her way to assure her clothes didn’t make her stick out like a tourist.
“Don’t really understand why a pretty girl like you wants to come and stick your fingers with pins and needles, but I’m sure happy to have you.”
“I’m happy to see you again, Mrs. Henley, and I look forward to doing my best work for you.” Annette gave her a warm hug and kissed her cheek. “Mother says hello and wants to thank you once again for being so gracious as to allow me this opportunity. You have no idea what this means to me.”
Mrs. Henley waved the compliments and pleasant words aside. “Nonsense, I need a good hard working girl that has the imagination as well as the work ethic you have. I have one girl who left to get married and three who dumped me once the school year resumed.”
Annette smiled and nodded, pleased to be given such praise and responsibility.
“You’re not going to go off and get married, are you?”
“Heaven’s no.”
“And you’re not going on to college, right?”
At this, Annette hesitated. She had once dreamed of attending a performance art school. Finances had not really allowed such a dream for now, but this was no doubt a step in the right direction. “Not for quite a while, if at all.”
“You know with all that pretty dark hair and soft innocent eyes, New York will eat you up. Just let me know if any of the young men here give you a hard time. Oh, and watch out for Marie, our house diva. She can get a little testy when she’s not the prettiest thing in a room.”