The Nexis Secret: YA Fantasy Romance (The Nexis Angel Series Book 1)

by Barbara Hartzler

  Bryan wiped the snow off his gloves. “All set. You better get back inside. Have a merry Christmas.”

  She leveled her gaze at him, hands on her hips. “Now it’s my turn to tell you to take good care of her.”

  “Don’t worry, I will.” He opened my door as if to prove it. She nodded back at him, grabbing her father’s hand.

  “You kids drive safe. Call if you need anything.” Curtis waved as they crunched back to the condo.

  “Goodbye.” I cupped my hands around my mouth. “And thanks for everything.”

  Shanda turned and waved, eyes glistening. Couldn’t be. Was it the cold wind, or had I imagined it? My tough roomie disappeared through the front door. Tears welled up in my eyes as I climbed into the car.

  Bryan shut the door, and I reached for a tissue. I hated goodbyes. Hard to believe I’d made such great friends like Shanda in only a few months.

  The engine sputtered, roaring to life after a few seconds. “You ready for an adventure?”

  “You sure this old girl is going to make it all the way to Pennsylvania?” I patted the tan dashboard.

  “You betcha.” He smacked the steering wheel. “I think it’s my sisters you’ll have to worry about. They’ll want to know every little detail, about everything, especially Abby.”

  “I think I can handle it. I can’t wait to meet her.” I swatted the cardboard cutout of Betty Boop. “Speaking of sisters, where’s Brooke?”

  “Abby picked her up on her way in. She thought we could use the time alone.” He reached across the gearshift, clutching my hand.

  “What an angel.” That expression took on a whole new meaning now.

  My mind flashed back to that night. The lightning man was no sweet little cherub. He was pure strength, pure power, fending off hundreds of shadows, all after me. What if I hadn’t called for help? A shiver ran up my spine. I didn’t even want to think about it.

  “Speaking of angels, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” As the car slowed to a stop, he turned to me. “What happened that night on the quad? Did you see any angels, or anything else?”

  “You didn’t see it the last time we kissed?”

  “Nope, just what happened at the Hard Rock.” His head snapped forward when the light changed to green. The piles of white outside the window outlined his jaw, more relaxed than I would’ve guessed. “Looks like I’ve got some catching up to do.”

  Maybe my visions weren’t such a big deal any more. Maybe he could help me make sense of what I’d seen, if that was even possible.

  “After Will abandoned me, I ran into Jake.” I clamped my lips together.

  “I almost forgot about Will.” His low growl filled the tiny car. He punched the steering wheel, swerving into the other lane. A car horn blared next to us.

  “Watch the road.” I snapped on my seatbelt, staring at him across the bucket seat. If I had to do this now, might as well get it over with. “He said he’d check and see if the coast was clear. He never came back. At first I assumed Jake got to him, especially after I saw him all beat-up. Come to think of it, I never heard from him or campus security about what really went down.”

  His knuckles went white against the steering wheel. “I can’t believe that guy. I bet he had something to do with it.”

  “I don’t know.” I hunched my shoulders. Tension seeped around the car. Even Betty Boop looked mad at me. My head ached until I couldn’t take it any more. “Enough about Will. Forget him. You’ll like the next part. I asked for my angel, and he came. Like lightning, he lit up the sky and fought off tons of shadows. It was awesome, dazzling, really.”

  “Wow, the angel actually came when you asked? I can’t wait to see that.” His mouth curved as he looked at me. Warmth flushed my cheeks. “That can mean only one thing.” He grasped my hand across the seat.

  I squeezed back. “What?”

  For a split second, his eyes met mine. “You’re ready.” Then he turned back to the road, hand over mine.

  “Ready for what?” I studied our fingers, entwined together like one, exactly how it should be.

  “Ready for training, ready to become all that you were meant to be.” He eased the car onto the George Washington bridge, the waters of the Hudson glistening below us. “Ready to be the next Seer.”

  His words washed over me as I watched the river whiz by.

  Was I really ready? It would be hard, even dangerous.

  I’d come to Montrose to find myself. Somehow that meant seeing angels, demons, and prophets like they were straight from the Bible. But I couldn’t turn my back on it. This was my destiny, who I was called to be. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I had settled into my new corner of reality.

  “You’re right.” I squeezed his fingers. “I’m ready.”

  I watched the New York skyline disappear as we crossed the bridge and drove away from the city, a city I’d come to love.

  He brought my hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. “You’ll be the best Seer yet. You already have a headstart.”

  Was it a headstart or a disadvantage?

  If we could keep Nexis in the dark long enough, we could wield it to our advantage.

  So many mind games, so much to lose. Yet I knew it was my destiny, fighting Nexis. We would win this thing. We had to. For James, for the Guardians, even for myself.

  Finally, I was ready. Let the training begin.

  Keep reading for free samples from the next two books, and a free book offer!

  Watch for Crossing Nexis, Book 2 in the Nexis Angel series. Or read the sample in the next chapter. Coming Fall 2019 . . .

  Want a FREE Nexis book? Keep reading for a free sample of The Nexis Awakening, Book 1.5 in the Nexis Angel series all about how James got banished from Montrose Academy.

  Click here to join my mailing list, or go to Amazon.com or your favorite ebook retailer to download your copy of The Nexis Awakening today!

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Barbara Hartzler has always wanted to write, not necessarily about angels, but the idea was too good to pass up. She’s a Missouri native living in Kansas City with her husband and two shih-tzus. As a former barista and graphic designer, she loves all things sparkly and purple and is always jonesing for a good cup of joe.

  The Nexis Secret, book 1 of the Nexis series, is inspired by Barbara’s college experiences and peppered with anecdotes from a New York City missions trip. Also while in college, she won a National Religious Broadcasters/Focus on the Family essay scholarship and wrote and directed a successful play. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Church Communication Arts from Central Bible College with an emphasis on drama and media.

  A Genesis Semi Finalist in the Young Adult category, she’s an active member of her local American Christian Fiction Writers chapter. Her debut novel The Nexis Secret finaled in the I Heart Indie Awards and her devotional Waiting on the Lord earned a 5-Star Reader’s Favorite award. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads, and her website at barbarahartzler.com.

  Look for Crossing Nexis, book #2 in the Nexis Saga, coming Fall 2019. Or join her mailing list Barbara’s Angels for all the latest updates. You can also check out The Seer’s Vault with all kinds of Nexis extras.

  PLEASE CONSIDER LEAVING A REVIEW

  Independent authors depend on reviews. If you enjoyed reading this book as much as Barbara enjoyed writing it, please consider reviewing The Nexis Secret on Amazon or on Goodreads.

  Thank you!

  Keep reading for free samples from the next two books, and a free book offer!

  Watch for Crossing Nexis, Book 2 in the Nexis Angel series. Or read the sample in the next chapter. Coming Fall 2019 . . .

  Want a FREE Nexis book? Keep reading for a free sample of The Nexis Awakening, Book 1.5 in the Nexis Angel series all about how James got banished from Montrose Academy.

  Click here to join my mailing list, or go to Amazon.com or your favorite ebook retailer to download your copy of The Nexis Awakening today!
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  Crossing Nexis Sample Chapter

  Crossing Nexis

  Chapter 1

  Snowflakes splatted on the windshield as Old Faithful charged uphill through the slush. Despite the fits of sleet and snow that assaulted us on the three hour drive from New York to Pennsylvania, somehow my heart felt lighter with every mile put between me and Montrose Academy. My junior year had started with the hope of a fresh start, only to end with my crazy ex stalking me a thousand miles to try to kidnap me. Not your average semester.

  But then again, I found out I wasn’t your average girl. In just a few short months, I’d discovered I had the power to see the unseen world of angels and demons. Not exactly a gift I’d asked for, by the way. Nope. Apparently my family came from a long line of people with this “supernatural sight.” I just lucked out it was my turn to carry the mantel of the Seer. At least now I had and new boyfriend to help train me.

  “Here we are, good old Harrisburg PA. At last.” Bryan squeezed my hand with his rough fingers, bringing me back to reality. We coasted into his hometown—more like a snow-encrusted Thomas Kinkade village.

  His tin-can of a car shuddered to a stop at the red light.

  “It’s beautiful all wrapped-up in snow.” I couldn’t help but smile at the welcome distraction.

  Quaint little shops lined the streets with roofs capped in snow. White Christmas lights twinkled in the eaves, bright spots in the gathering dusk. Red bows adorned every street lamp, their scarlet ribbons dotted with white flakes.

  “It’s the envy of all other towns.” Bryan’s blue eyes sparkled as the light turned green.

  “It’s okay, you can admit it. You live in one of those towns. The kind with festivals to commemorate the first snow.”

  I blinked at him, just staring at his profile. I still couldn’t believe this guy was my boyfriend. Earlier today he’d told me he loved me, and somehow convinced my dad to let me go to Pennsylvania to meet his family. What a guy, right?

  His brow bunched up as he stared at the road. “Uh oh. I forgot about this crazy festival. Looks like we’ll have to go around.”

  “What festival.” I turned to look out the windshield. A barricade I hadn’t noticed blocked the street in front of us, frosted enough to blend into the snowy backdrop. Bundled-up people lined the sidewalks, waiting around for something.

  Those blue eyes snapped toward me, suddenly haunted. “Lucy, I’m sorry. I’m such an idiot.”

  His jaw twitched as he flicked on his blinker and turned left past a stone chapel, blanketed by ice.

  “What are those little girls doing? It’s too cold for them to be out.” I sunk my teeth into my bottom lip. Yep, I just sounded like my mom. Too scary.

  He slammed his foot on the accelerator, eyes as wide as marbles.

  “Bryan, slow down.” My heart thumped away as we skidded past the church. “What’s going on?”

  I squinted at the strange scene in front of me, my heart beating just a little bit faster.

  Little girls in flowing white robes with red sashes swarmed from the church doors. Two nuns glided among the white-on-red huddle. One placed electric candles in the girls’ red-mittened hands, while the other plunked holly wreaths on their heads. The candles flickered like real firelight.

  Then I saw it—a giant banner next to the chapel. St. Lucy’s Day Parade Entrance. Dread slammed me, right in the pit of my stomach.

  I gasped, a choking breath that stilled my lungs. Automatically, I flipped my left wrist over. The tiniest scar still singed my skin. Remnants from the last time I stepped into St. Lucy’s church, where a lunatic Watcher vowed to brand a hot iron to mark me as the Seer, just like the original St. Lucia’s.

  Bryan snatched my hand, like a lifeline desperately yanking me back to reality. “Sweetie, I’m sorry. They do this stupid parade every year. I totally forgot it was today.” He sucked in a breath. “We’re not Catholic, so we don’t celebrate it. But any event that goes on in this town is a big deal. They make a production out of everything.”

  My hands trembled as his words crackled in my ears like radio static. White-gowned girls floated toward me in two perfect lines. Almost as if they had one mind synced together by the cold. A little blonde girl locked her eyes on me.

  My heart pounded with new speed, and suddenly I could see. All the visions of St. Lucia I’d ever envisioned lined up one after another—like a playlist of terror.

  St. Lucia appeared before me with creepy jeweled eyes of diamond and topaz, her long hair blowing behind her as she stretched a pale hand toward me. My pulse kicked into high gear as I tried to blink the image away.

  But the image didn’t go away. St. Lucia morphed into the version of her I’d seen in the Nexis book, with hollowed eyes. Her face contorted as if to warn me. I forgot how to breathe. All my breath seized in my throat. Would I share the same fate, and have my eyes gouged out by the Watchers?

  I shut my eyes against the horror as my stomach curdled. The darkness faded into light, as a new vision of St. Lucia emerged from the shadows. This time she had eyes of light surrounded by the rays of heaven. A peaceful feeling crashed over me, washing away all remnants of terror. St. Lucia stretched out her arm again, this time to beckon me closer. I shook my head. I didn’t want to hear her warning, whatever it was. With that she faded into nothingness.

  My vision cleared, and the world righted itself. I was back in Bryan’s car, stopped in a line of parade traffic.

  I turned to him. “Can we get out of here already? Doesn’t this hunk of junk have four-wheel drive or something?”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll get us out of here. Right now.” Bryan’s jaw hardened into a stony line as he spun the wheel hard to the right to escape the traffic jam.

  The tires slipped in the slush and the car fishtailed as he peeled out. I wrapped my fingers around the seat and held on tight, my stomach churning even as I silently urged him to go faster. With a few deft maneuvers, he righted the car and slid onto a desolate two-lane highway. Soon we were headed in the right direction. Away from this sick celebration.

  I didn’t care where this country road took us. At least I could breathe again.

  Suddenly Bryan’s palm encircled my scarred wrist. “You have to know I’ll never let something like this happen to you again.”

  “I know.” The trembling stilled, my heartbeats slowed.

  “I’m not just a Guardian,” his fingers laced through mine, “I’m your Guardian now. I’ll do anything to protect you.”

  “Thank you,” I whispered. Leaning over, I planted a kiss on his cheek.

  His body went rigid, from his head to his torso, except for a lone muscle twitching in his cheek. And that’s when it hit me. He was just as scared as I was. Only he was afraid for me.

  My heart curled in on itself. Angling my face to the window, I watched as pines blanketed in white buzzed past the window. I never wanted this. Never asked to be the Seer. The gift could’ve been given to many more worthy people, like my brother James. This so-called power was taking over my life and hurting the people I loved. Being the Seer felt more like a prison than a privilege. And I couldn’t trap anyone else in my own prison.

  So I pasted a smile on my face and let three empty words tumble from my mouth. “I’ll be fine.”

  “Are you sure?” He didn’t look at me, just flicked on his blinker and turning Old Faithful onto a snow-packed road that coiled like a slinky through the forest, winding and curving for miles.

  “I’m hardly ever sure of anything.” Except one thing. I couldn’t put this burden on anyone else’s shoulders. It was my cross to bear. I needed to learn to be the Seer and figure out how to use that gift. Bryan said his family would train me. Whatever that meant.

  “I’m not naive.” Gulping in a major breath, I clenched my fists. “I know you can’t protect me from everything. That’s why I’m here. To learn how to fight. To stand up for myself. So bring on the Seer training. I’m ready for it.”

  “That’s my girl.”
He squeezed my hand. “You’ll be awesome at this.”

  I closed my eyes against the whiteness, but the truth still smacked me in the face. It iced the breath in my lungs. I wasn’t even close to ready for this.

  Who-knows-how-many miles outside of Harrisburg, Bryan turned onto a deserted road that wound through luscious fir trees. Old Faithful plowed her way through inches-deep snow, then angled down a winding driveway that dead-ended in front of a house large enough to be a lodge.

  “This is where you live? It’s breathtaking.” If I snapped a photo right now, of this lodge nestled among the evergreens, it’d make the perfect Christmas card.

  “It better be.” He shut off the car as two wrapped-up figures trudged through the snow toward us. A golden retriever lolloped along behind. “The Guardians lorded over every detail of this place, from design to construction.”

  “The Guardians?” I cocked my head at him, unsure if I’d heard him right.

  “Incoming,” he pointed at the passenger side window.

  As soon as I opened my car door, Bryan’s mom enveloped me in a giant hug. “I’m Cindy. It’s so good to finally meet you.”

  “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Coo—, uh, Cindy.” I hugged her back.

  “Brooke has been talking about you non-stop. Ever since she got home with Abby.” She put her arm around me and led me down the driveway. “You’ve been so good for her, helping her come out of her shell. We’re so grateful.”

  The golden retriever jumped up, its paws landing near my shoulders. Foul breath assaulted my frozen nose as I dodged its lolling tongue.

  “Down, Ginger.” Cindy patted the dog’s golden fur. Ginger landed on all fours and followed Cindy to the front door. At the porch she called back. “Mark, don’t forget the bags.”

  Mark towered over me, offering a lanky arm. “Hi, Lucy, nice to meet you. Guess that’s my cue.” Hard to guess where Bryan got his broad shoulders.