by Rue Volley
His eyes darkened like an approaching storm.
A voice called from the distance. “My Lord, have you found her?”
The man gripped the leather straps firm in his gloved hands, and then called back to his companion. “No—I’ve found nothing of worth.”
He tugged on the reins and the horse whinnied.
I gasped as he turned and rode away, leaving his daughter to rot here simply because of his hatred and bias.
He would rather live his life without her, than let her live with Athan.
I turned back to see Emma standing behind me. Athan was leaning against the tree. She removed her crown and placed it on my head and the pain rolled through me, nearly buckling my knees. My fingers twitched, and my stomach twisted into a dozen knots.
She backed away as I reached up, with a trembling hand, and felt the crown on my head.
My heart sank into darkness as thoughts of my Dad walking away from us that day tore through my memory, shredding every wall I had constructed to keep the hurt away.
Emma had lost her father’s love as I had mine.
Was it because of this thing that lives inside of me?
I stared at my hands in horror, then drew them in, letting them rest against my chest.
“Rook.”
I turned around to see Gage standing there. I shook my head and backed away as the ground started to blacken beneath my feet. One foot of charred earth, turned into two, then three.
I cried out as every part of me lit up in a bright glow that would blind most people, but Gage simply shielded his eyes.
“Leave me.”
The circle continued to grow, but he wouldn’t move.
“I love you,” he whispered.
Time stood still as he rushed in, and pulled me to him, cupping my face. His eyes swirled like mercury, allowing me to see my reflection. I saw Emma Green with her beautiful crown placed upon her head.
I gasped, expecting to see Gage turn to dust, and fade away.
But then he spoke through the chaos and reached into the deepest part of me.
“The stars’ memories keeps burning.”
He leaned in and his lips crashed against mine, bringing with it a wave of release that rolled across our skin, down our bodies, and into the earth. I wrapped my arms around his neck and his free hand slid to the base of my back, forcing it to bow. His thumb moved, caressing the fabric, until he balled it up in his fist, with unbridled passion.
My light raced through him, around him, across his skin—penetrating his soul. He trembled, but held onto me, refusing to let me go.
I surrendered and the pulsating light rushed out of me in one final blast, blowing back the trees like a nuclear wave, then allowing them to stand upright again.
All the while, Gage’s mouth remained on mine, giving me what could possibly be my first and last kiss in this world—but it didn’t matter anymore.
The only thing that mattered was him.
Always him.
The charred ring that surrounded us had one last expansion of growth, devouring every inch of hemlock that filled the circle, and then it stopped, sparking ember and flashes of evaporating flame that rose up all around us. He moaned against my mouth one final time before our lips parted.
He pulled away just as we witnessed Emma and Athan sitting at the base of the tree staring into each other’s eyes, and then they faded into a glittery dust. The swirling mass rose above us and we stared up at it in wonder. The sparks of lights danced on the wind. Happy and free.
I placed my hand against his chest, and searched his eyes for answers.
“Did we break the curse? Did we set their souls free?”
He shook his head while gently letting his fingers move across my cheek.
“I think so.”
My eyes narrowed. “But how are you alive?”
The grin curled the edge of his full lip, exposing something I never expected to see.
“Who said that I was?”
His sharpened fang peeked from behind his pouty lips.
I gasped. Only able to say one word.
“Vampire.”
The end for now…
Thank you so much for taking this journey with me and the entire cast of Hemlock!
This is only the beginning. Book two will be released in December 2020.
Now please enjoy the prologue for two more books by Rue Volley!
13 Ways to Midnight and The Dead Boy’s Club.
Happy reading!
Prologue
I closed the magazine and admired the cover. There they were, standing side by side, my parents, Peter and Alice Navarri, world-famous archaeologists. The headline was about as accurate as it could be.
“Digging up the past to predict the future.”
I lowered the glossy image and spotted the two of them standing next to each other on top of the small white steps jetting out from the side of the plane.
My dad’s thick curly black hair framed his pale face and bright blue eyes while my mom’s long dirty blonde hair lay in a thick braid that cascaded over her shoulder and rested just above her narrow waistline. Her eyes were emerald green with specks of amber tossed in here and there, almond shaped and devoid of emotion. She’s impossible to read, so I don’t even try. My dad, on the other hand, is an open book. I guess I fall somewhere in between.
Ten plus hours of skirting along the lower stratosphere had not upset them in the least.
Me? I was a hot mess.
My hair was disheveled, and my clothing wrinkled. I suffer from terrible jet lag, and this had been the longest flight we had been on in months.
I had exited the plane in search of solid ground and taken a tumble down the steps only to catch myself with one white-knuckled hand and a yelp. Luckily our transport had not yet arrived, so the only witness to my graceful exit was the vast jungle that stretched out before us.
“Alice, look! Beautiful Brazil.” My dad spoke with his usual excitement while my mom eagerly leaned into his side. I lifted my hand and shielded my eyes from the blistering sun, noticing the small scrape on the side of it that I must have collected from my most recent fall. I shook it off. The collection of scrapes and bruises were nothing new for me; I excel at it. At least I excel at something.
I’m tired and cranky. Time to spread the misery.
I cocked my head and called out to my parents, yelling above the plane’s engine as it was winding down. “Hey, I hope the hotel has Netflix, I’m in the middle of binge-watching Gilmore Girls, and this whole thing with Dean and Rory has me all upset. Not that I don’t think about how ironic it is that he’s now known as Sam, and has a brother named Dean on Supernatural. Don’t you find that odd?” I asked, trying to conceal a grin. Truth be told I was catching up on Ancient Aliens but that would please them and I wasn’t about to do that. This was far more enjoyable.
My dad laughed, and my mom rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Echo. Television is trite.” She spoke with her trademark dismissive tone and pursed lips. Annoying her may be the only pleasure I’ll get here, so I’m cashing in.
My dad winked at me. “I thought you were more of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer girl.”
My mom nudged him from the side. “Stop encouraging her, Peter.” He winked at me, and I hid my amusement. I nodded at the two of them while I lowered my hand. My eyes narrowed to thin slits. “It’s very cerebral, the show, I mean.”
“It’s fictional.” My mom spoke without much emotion while she passed me by. I let out a defeated sigh. She hated anything she couldn’t prove, so there was no talking to her about things that I liked. Whether it was shows or the many paranormal books that I had devoured over the past few years as we migrated from dig site to dig site unearthing any treasures we could as commissioned by private contractors.
I don’t disagree w
ith her analogy. I just enjoy reading about things that couldn’t possibly be true. That’s why they call it entertainment. I like being entertained. She enjoys explaining everything until it no longer holds any mystery.
That’s why we don’t talk. I’m more like my dad.
Their fame had allowed them to become more selective in the jobs they accepted and I assumed that eventually they would settle down and take up residency on some prestigious college campus. I looked forward to that day, or at least I thought I did.
Our own house, my own room, stability, a set schedule? What a strange concept.
It would be a cultural shock to both my sister and me.
We had been on the move since birth, my sister and I, along with my parents. We were born in Port Royal, Maine. Our parents grew up there, but they didn’t stick around after we were born. They packed us up, and the rest is history. We grew up shuffling from one dig site to the next as our parents pursued their passion and secured their legacy…not in me, in my twin sister, Midnight.
She’s the adventurous one. She’s exactly as they are. She has that fire inside of her.
Me? I’m not sure what I want to do with my life which makes me abnormal in my parent’s eyes. Well, that, and about a million other things that scream ‘YOU ARE ADOPTED,’ which I would believe if Midnight and I didn’t look exactly the same.
Two pale arms wrapped around me from behind and my sister leaned into my ear. “You should come this time and help me explore.”
I shook my head as she squeezed me. “No thank you,” I muttered. She let go and stepped around in front of me. The only difference between the two of us was the fact that she had her hair pulled back in a thick ponytail while mine sat on the top of my head in a balled up mess. Well, that and our clothing. I was wearing a black and white striped t-shirt with dark skinny jeans, and she was decked out in Indiana Jones attire complete with khaki pants, boots, and a white shirt that clung to her small frame and accentuated her toned physique.
“Well, there it is.” My dad said as we all turned and peered into the jungle. It seemed to go on for miles and miles. My stomach growled, and I placed my hand over it.
“Can you see the hotel? I’m starving.” I asked, scanning the countryside.
Midnight giggled while placing her arm around me. She moved us forward.
“Pizza.” She crooned in a whispered reply.
I perked up. “Pizza?” She let go and rushed out in front of me, spinning on her industrial boots and walking backward. Her playful nature was shining through. “With toasted grasshopper and centipede.” She winked and bit on the edge of her bottom lip.
My nose wrinkled in disgust. “Yuck.”
“Do they have that here?” my dad asked in passing.
I leaned toward her and spoke in a hushed whisper. “I will freak out if they try to get some funky glazed insects for dinner. I’m serious.” Midnight smiled tightly.
A large white jeep pulled up in a hurry. The bulky tires screeched to a halt causing the vehicle to rock from side to side. Our guide hopped out and landed firmly on the ground. I looked him over. He was tall, dark, and handsome. His white shirt lay open at the top with a couple of extra buttons undone for good measure. The wind caught the material and showed off his thick roped necklace and tanned skin. Totally Midnight’s type. His shaggy black hair swung into his bright green eyes, and he had to reach up and move it out of the way. His muscular arms captured glints of sunlight. Midnight noticed, and that was it. I was history.
“Oh, hello.” She spoke in a flirtatious tone.
He grinned at her and ignored me. The story of our lives.
Our hunky guide helped Midnight up and into her seat as I struggled with the grace of a drunken monkey. My dad caught my arm right as my foot slipped off the edge of the long bar that ran the length of the oversized jeep.
“Thanks, Dad,” I whispered, and he gave me a nod. I fell back into the seat when the man slammed his foot on the accelerator and took off like we were on a movie set and being pursued by the police. I glanced up to see Midnight hanging onto the overhead bar. She reached up and undid her ponytail, allowing her long black hair to whip around in the breeze. It was supermodel photo shoot worthy.
How? How could someone who looked exactly like me be so different in every way?
Ridiculous.
We made our way to the hotel, checked in and got settled the best we could. I unpacked, my sister didn’t. She stood at the doorway of our room giggling while the boy flirted with her. Finally, I had had enough.
“We have to get up really early, and I’m starving.” This was partially true. Midnight had to get up early with my parents. I would be up, but my destination wasn’t the same as theirs. I would stay behind, as usual.
He paused as she glanced back at me with those eyes. I don’t know how she managed to make hers look more attractive than mine. It had to be her attitude.
“There’s more to life than food, Echo.” She spoke in a sultry voice, staying in character for him.
I grumbled. “Not for me.”
She gazed up at him while toying with her ponytail. The thick strand of hair twisted between her fingers. “You wouldn’t happen to know where we could get a killer pizza, would you?”
I perked up. He gave me a quick once-over and then returned his attention to her. “Sure, yeah. What do you want on it?”
“Every bug you can muster up.” She replied while trying to control her laughter.
I walked to the door and crossed my arms over my chest. “No—no bugs. Not a single one.”
She held up her hand in surrender. “Okay, fine. Pepperoni, cheese and extra sauce.” She thumbed at me. “My sister doesn’t like an adventure.”
“That’s a shame.” He said as he finally noticed I existed. My lips pursed. “No, I don’t.”
The boy lingered. “Honestly, I’m dying of starvation here,” I added, hoping to hurry him along.
“I’ll be back,” he said in a flirtatious tone, leaning in toward my sister. I swear if I had a fly swatter I would give him a good whack across the cheek.
“Promise?” Midnight asked, and he bit his lip. “Baby, you know it.” I arched my eyebrow, and he straightened up. “Seriously?” I muttered.
He walked away, and she leaned out the door to get a better look. I shook my head, and she turned to face me. “He’s amazing, don’t ya think?”
I laughed. “Amazing?” I tried to deepen my voice to mimic him. “Baby, you know it.” My shoulders hunched. It was my best impression of him.
“Stop.” She said with the exhaustive roll of her eyes.
I headed back over to the bed and dropped down on it, forcing it to bounce. My hand lifted then hit the white comforter. “Come on, Midnight. He didn’t have one piece of information to share with you while we drove over here except for how often he works out.” I touched my chin and tapped it with my index finger. “Let’s see, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday he works on those abs and Tuesday and Thursday he focuses on cardio.”
She interjected with an aggravated sigh. “Physical health is important.”
I smirked, pulling out a map and staring at it. “So is mental.”
“Okay.” She lifted a hand and waved it around. “So maybe he isn’t the brightest, but he’s hot and hot sometimes overrules everything.” It lowered, finally resting on the side of her hip. “Besides, I don’t need him to talk to me.”
“Gross,” I muttered.
She gave me a wink. “Maybe he’s one of them.”
I rolled my eyes. “No, he isn’t.”
“His skin looked kind of pale.” Her mysterious hush was amusing. I chuckled and tapped the map on the bed. “He was not, he was tan. He wasn’t pale at all, Midnight.”
She bit her lip and added a reassuring nod. “I think I saw a fang.”
I snorted. “Oh
my God. Midnight, listen. I said this on the plane. It’s folklore. I know you’re on this quest to prove that vampires existed here, but I’m going to burst your bubble…they don’t. Vampires are not real and honestly Mom would die, I mean DIE if she heard you talking this way. You know that if she can’t prove it, then it’s a waste of time.”
“Dad thinks they could be real.”
I paused. “He does not.”
She started laughing and dropped back on the bed. She stared up at me. “Oh, but wouldn’t it be amazing if they did?”
I shook my head in disbelief. “I think you’ve lost your mind,” I added a twirl of my fingers to nail it home.
She rolled over and drew her legs up. I watched the bottoms of her boots sway as she crossed them over. Her chin rested in her hands. A wink followed. “You need a boyfriend, one who bites.”
I felt my cheeks redden. “No, no I don’t.”
“I just don’t get it, Echo. You read all of those paranormal romance books. You have to believe that maybe, just maybe, something could exist out there that doesn’t fit into a neat little box.”
I pointed at her. “Watch it; you’re dangerously close to mutiny and mom may have the room bugged.”
“Mutiny.” She muttered. “Some of the greatest discoveries in history began with rebellion.”
I studied her expression. Could this be the first signs of my sister breaking off from what was expected of her?
It couldn’t be.
She was the prodigal daughter, the one who would carry on the work that my parents had begun.
She broke in with another question. “Why do you prefer reading about romance instead of experiencing it?”
I paused, licking my pouty bottom lip, quickly biting and then releasing it. Her shift in attitude was confusing at best, but then again we would be celebrating our sixteenth birthdays, soon.
Maybe her hormones were jumbling her brain.
I shrugged my shoulders. “It’s not as messy, I guess.”
She moaned and snatched the map from my hand. She rolled onto her back and held it up, staring at the cover.