Eternal Changes
The Mikah Series
Tiffany Berry
License Note
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. The book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Copyright 2012 by Tiffany Berry
Acknowledgements
To my wonderful husband for supporting me in every aspect of my life. You’ve given Prince Charming a run for his money. In my eyes, you are beyond any fairy tale. To my parents for always encouraging me and for never grounding me from reading when I got in trouble. To my Grams for always telling me to reach for the stars. I’ve reached for them, Grams, and I’ll keep reaching. To my mother-in-law for always being there for me and being my sounding board on this book. Last, but definitely, not least – to my best friend, Jennifer, for always having faith. I love you all.
Prologue
Time seemed to stand still as the rain beat steadily against the dining room window. A loud crack erupted as a streak of lightning lit up the angry black sky. Lucy stared out at the chaos. The wind whipped through the leaves on the trees, tossing them from side to side. Even the large oak tree in the front yard had not escaped the storm’s wrath. Burn marks now seared the wood where a bolt of lightning had sliced the tree in half.
A flicker of movement near the base of the tree captured Lucy’s attention. She leaned her hands against the cool glass window as she peered out into the murky night. A small gasp escaped her lips as a pair of golden eyes stared back at her. Her heart pounded a mile a minute as another streak of lightning splintered across the sky. Lucy’s eyes widened. A cougar stood at the base of the tree, unafraid as it stared straight through to her very soul.
Lucy slid down to the floor and leaned her back against the wall. She squeezed her eyes closed as she tried to stop her chest from heaving. It felt like she had just sprinted a mile as she fought for each breath. Her eyes flew open as a loud screech pierced the air. She could taste the metallic flavor of fear in her mouth as she peeked out into the night, hoping what she’d just seen was only a figment of her imagination. She held her breath as another flash of lightning lit up the night. Her eyes scanned the area, trying to find the cougar, but it was nowhere to be found.
Lucy was frozen in place, unable to move a muscle as her mom walked into the room. She looked over at her mom and Lucy’s heart dropped. Tears flowed down her mom’s cheeks like a broken dam. Her mom took a small step forward and then her legs gave out from under her as she crumpled to the wooden floor.
Lucy gasped and her heart pounded as she ran across the room. “Mom!”
“Momma,” Lucy whispered as she sank down on the floor next to her. Sobs wracked her mom’s small frame; her hands covered her face as she rocked back and forth. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s d-d-daddy,” her mom managed to choke out between sobs. “He’s d-d-dead.”
Lucy’s heart dropped to her stomach as shook her head in denial. “It has to be a mistake.”
“They said it was a head on collision, Luce,” her mom whispered in a broken voice. “They had to pull his wallet from his back pocket to identify him.”
Chapter 1
The last few months of Lucy’s life were a complete blur. After they buried her father, her mom had started packing all of their belongings. Everything in the house was a constant reminder of what was and what would never be again. It was something that Lucy had to deal with, but she didn’t think running away was the answer. Her mom obviously thought otherwise.
Lucy glanced over at her mom. The car window was down and the wind whipped through her mom’s chestnut brown hair. A small, sad smile was pasted on her beautiful heart-shaped face as she belted out Trisha Yearwood’s song, “How Do I Live”. Lucy closed her eyes in utter agony as her mom sung off key.
As Lucy reflected on the events of the past few days sadness coursed through her body. With daddy gone nothing was the same; her mom had completely tuned Lucy out and writing had become her escape from reality. There were times Lucy felt like a ghost in her own home. She’d never been close to her mom and the rift seemed to widen with each passing day.
Lucy leaned her head against the door and looked out at the rolling green hills. She scanned the new landscape, fear and uncertainty permeating through her as she thought about the future. What was her new school going to be like?
Lucy reminisced about her old high school. There were several different cliques that roamed the halls. There were the cheerleaders, the football players, the rejects, the skateboarders, the bullies, and then the miscellaneous group. The sad thing was: she didn’t even fall into the miscellaneous group. She’d always been considered the freak of the school.
The only thing Lucy had actually been good at, and somewhat accepted for, was running on the track team. She’d always been the outcast and it tore at her very soul. Her daddy would always manage to stumble upon her as she was crying in her room at night. He’d walk in and sit down on her bed. He’d gently brush her hair from her face and wipe away her tears as he told her that she was a caterpillar that would one day turn into a beautiful butterfly.
Pain flooded through Lucy as she shook the sweet memory of her father away. Her heart felt like it was breaking into a million pieces and it’d never be able to be put back together again. A soft sigh escaped her lips and she tried to focus her attention on the scenery that was passing by her in slow motion. The houses were sporadically placed on the green country side and ugly barbed wire fences gleamed underneath the sunlight. Her eyes scanned the area as she stared out the window. Green corn stalks had erupted from the ground and went on for miles. “Do they only have cows and corn here?” Lucy asked in disbelief as they passed by another cornfield.
“Did you say something, Luce?” her mom asked.
Lucy shook her head in denial and leaned her head against the seat. If someone would have told her a year ago that she’d move to the middle of nowhere Kentucky, she would have laughed in their face. Who in their right mind would move to a state where the fortunate few have teeth and no one owned a pair of shoes? It just didn’t make any sense.
Lucy turned in her seat and stretched out her legs and rested them on the black dash. She glanced down at the black leather seat. It looked plush, but after eight hours, it was miserable. She glared over at her mom, trying to hide the growing resentment she was feeling.
Jean glanced over at Lucy and shut off the radio. “I know you’re not happy with the situation, but we just have to make the best of it.”
Exasperation colored Lucy’s voice. “Of course I’m not happy, Jean. I’ll be starting my senior year at a new school and it looks like my best friend just might be a cow.”
Jean shook her head in denial. “It’s not going to be that bad and you can stop calling me Jean. Ever since your dad died, you’ve pushed me away. I’m your mom, not some stranger.”
Lucy glared at her mom for a minute before shoving earplugs in both ears and blaring “Just Like You” by Three Days Grace. The song fit her mood perfectly. She leaned her head against the door, trying to let her mind go blank as the music drowned everything else out.
It was late afternoon when Lucy’s mom pulled up to an old, two story white house. Lucy scanned the area around the house as she looked for something…anything. An exasperated sigh left her lips as several green fields of grass and small forest glared back at her.
Jean climbed out of the car with a bright smile on her
face. “So, what do you think?” her mom asked with her arms spread out wide. “Isn’t it fantastic?”
Lucy stared at the scene in front of her in disbelief. As she climbed out of the car she looked up at the crusty old white house in front of her. The paint was chipping, the shutters were hanging off their hinges, and large cracks were splintered throughout the wood.
“Tell me this isn’t the house you bought,” Lucy pleaded. “It doesn’t look like anyone has lived in it for years.”
Jean walked up the porch steps. “You’re always so dramatic,” she said as she turned around and looked at Lucy. “I’ll be the first to admit that it needs a little tlc, but it has a ton of potential. I can finish writing my book without hearing car horns blowing every two seconds.” Jean unlocked the front door and pushed it open. “It’s going to be wonderful for the both of us. You just wait and see,” she said as she walked inside.
Lucy grudgingly walked over to the front steps and held her breath as she gently placed a foot on one. She stood on it and bounced. The decaying wood creaked slightly, but it didn’t come crashing down. She took a deep breath as she started climbing up them. The stairs cracked and grumbled with each step she took.
A sigh of relief left Lucy’s lips as she made it to the front door. She looked up and said a silent thank you right before she walked through the front door. Shock zipped through her and her eyes widened as she looked around her. The beautiful oak floors sparkled under the chandelier’s soft glow. Each of the chandelier’s light bulbs protruded from beautiful gold and red metal flowers.
Lucy walked up the carpeted stairs and made her way to the second story. Her eyes widened slightly and a small gasp left her lips as she opened the first bedroom door. She walked over and touched the oak panels that made up each wall. Deer, raccoons, bobcats, and other animals were painted on them.
Lucy strolled around the empty room and then over to the large bay window and stared outside. The oversized clouds were white fluffy pillows against the clear blue backdrop of the sky as the green trees swayed slightly in the soft breeze. The view was breathtaking.
A single tear glided down Lucy’s cheek as she left the room and walked down the stairs. Her dad should be here with her. She paused by the front door and squeezed her eyes closed as her father’s sweet face flitted through her mind. His blue eyes always sparkled with mirth and his gentle smile wiped all of Lucy’s fears and worries away. He always believed in her even when she didn’t believe in herself.
Lucy’s heart ached as she opened the door and stepped outside onto the porch. She looked across the plush green field as memories of her father flashed through her mind. Tears blurred her vision as she rushed down the porch steps. Her lungs burned and her heart pounded as she ran. Tears slid down her cheeks as her feet skimmed across the gravel. She ran into the green field and fell to her knees.
Lucy looked up to the sky, tears streaming down her face. “Why did you have to take him from me?” she asked as her gaze dropped to the ground. She closed her eyes as she sobbed. “I needed him,” she whispered.
Lucy took a deep, shaky breath and wiped the tears from her eyes as she stood up. She turned her face up to the beautiful blue sky and soaked up the sun’s warm golden rays as she walked across the large grassy field towards the nearby woods. A gust of wind gently tugged at her ponytail as if beckoning her to continue her journey.
Lucy jerked her leg back as something softly grazed across it. She looked down and a small laugh escaped her lips as the thick grass did a tango with her feet. She stared across the green field and continued walking towards the miles of woods looming in front of her.
Lucy paused and took a deep breath at the edge of the woods. The scent of honeysuckle wafted in the cool breeze and birds chirped in the nearby trees as she took her first step into the shadow of the woods. Leaves rustled and branches shook as the birds hopped from branch to branch. A small thrill of excitement shot through her as she moved forward to explore the untamed wilderness.
Up in the canopy of the trees, Ashton’s eyes followed the young girl as she traipsed through the woods. His gaze honed in on her as she looked up at a small brown squirrel as it rushed up a nearby tree. Her violet-brown eyes twinkled as she smiled. Several golden wisps had fluttered free from the ponytail and framed her pale face.
Ashton stayed hidden in the camouflage the tree provided as the girl continued to make her way through the dense woods. The small twigs on the ground cracked and popped as she walked over them. The girl paused and glanced over her shoulder before continuing forward.
Ashton scanned the area and stopped as his honey gold gaze narrowed in on a golden tail that peeked out from under a thick green bush below. He closed his eyes as he attempted to communicate with the animal telepathically, but he was met with a solid brick wall. His eyes flew open and he rubbed his head in confusion as he dissipated. Ashton solidified in front of the bush full of red berries as a large golden cougar stalked out.
The cougar’s fangs protruded sharply from its lips and its gold eyes narrows as it growled and circled around Ashton.
Ashton frowned and folded his arms across his chest as he stared at the animal. “Why are you following her, Malachi?”
The cougar’s bone cracked and popped as it slowly shifted into a man. Malachi’s muscles rippled as he stood up and glared at Ashton. “It’s really none of your business blood sucker.”
Irritation flared in Ashton’s eyes. “I’m making it my business furball.”
Malachi pulled his raven black hair back into a ponytail “I will let you know that you’d better not harm a hair on her head. She’s under the protection of my people.”
Shock coursed through Ashton as he stared at Malachi. A million questions raged through his head, but before he could ask a single one, Malachi shifted back into a cougar and raced off after the girl.
Ashton dissipated and solidified in a tree near the bubbling creek. The gentle sound of the trickling water below didn’t help soothe his uneasiness as he waited patiently for the girl to return.
Ashton leaned forward as the young girl glided into the opening and stopped dead in her tracks. A smile lit up her beautiful oval face as she sprinted towards the creek in front of her. She ripped off her shoes and walked over to the sandy bank and stuck one of her bare feet into the cool shallow water. A smile slowly broke out on her face right before she plowed into its murky depths. She lifted up her foot and kicked at the water, creating ripples with every movement. Drops of water flew up into the air and rained back down on her golden-blonde hair.
The girl’s violet-brown eyes closed as she spread out her arms, leaned her head back, and spun around in a circle. A gasp left her pink lips and her eyes flew open as she slipped and fell backwards into the freezing cold water. Her head bobbed up out of the water and she wiped the water dripping from her face with her hand. She covered her face with both hands and her small frame shook.
Ashton started to move towards her. Was she hurt? He stopped dead in his tracks as he heard it: a small giggle. He stared down at her as her hands fell from her face. She tilted head back as she laughed. Ashton’s gaze softened and his lips curved upward as a small smile broke his ice like composure.
The girl wrung the water from her hair as she climbed out of the water. Ashton froze and his throat constricted as he stared at her. Her jean shorts and pink tank top clung to her figure like a wetsuit and her waist dipped in while her hips curved out. She was beautiful.
Ashton tried to swallow, but his throat was as dry as the Sahara Desert as his gaze followed her. She walked over to a large, flat boulder and lay down. Her eyes slid shut as the sun’s warm ray washed across her. The water on her pale skin glistened under the light.
Ashton shook his head. What was it about her that made him want to protect her? How did a simple favor turn into so much more? Ashton glanced down at the girl, his gaze softening. There was something about her that touched him to the core of his being
The sun
was beginning to set as Lucy climbed up the front porch steps. She looked over the railing and paused. The bright blue sky faded into a light orange, yellow, and purple as the sun barely bobbed over the horizon. She nibbled on her bottom lip as she looked across the terrain and thought about tomorrow.
Was she really ready to take on a new school? New people? Lucy rubbed the back of her neck as she leaned against the railing. What if she didn’t fit in again?
Lucy glanced over her shoulder as the front door creaked open.
“How about we take a ride to find something to eat, Luce?” Jean asked as she walked over to the railing.
Lucy looked at her mom and shrugged her shoulders.
An aggravated sigh left Jean’s lips as she headed for the car. “I guess I’ll take that as a yes.”
Lucy hopped down the steps and climbed into the car. She leaned her head back on the seat and stared out the window as they drove down the road. Mile after mile clicked by and not a building was in sight. Did restaurants even exist around here?
Eternal Changes (Mikah) Page 1