Nobela ni Jasmyne Ford

I walk to my car. The breeze clings to me, cooling me, but still heavy. It knows. It wants to say something to me. It can't be harder on me than I am on myself. The drive drags. My ribs scream. Knuckles throb. It’s not just pain. It’s something deeper. Ache in the bones. In the soul, maybe.Pain crawls up my spine like fire ants. The drive back is a lengthy one. Every bone in my body aches from the fight. It’s practically a blinding pain as my tendons stretch in ways that they shouldn't. If I were a real werewolf, I’d shift. Heal. Be done with it. Instead, it lingers just like everything else.I pull into my spot. I kill the engine as I let out the breath. I check the mirrors. I’m stalling. This is my neighborhood. Fresh paint with the smell of rotting underneath. A dog bolts across the street into a neighbor's yard. Animals hate the smell of me, and I can't blame them. Even if only half, I am a predator.Looking upwards at my apartment, I'm glad I have plans tonight. If I were insid

"It’s not what it looks like Paul,” Raven rushes to the big dumb ex jock with egg literally on his cheek. She makes sure she stays somewhat close to me as she is crossing between us. She is playing coy, but I know her. Her scent is enough to bring back memories of me being jealous of other men.“It’s not what it looks like?” He whispers coldly before letting out a ghastly nervous laugh."No." She stands in front of me now, facing him down. She is daring and cocky with me behind her. I want to push her into him at this point. How could she bring me here and expect me to just go with whatever mood she is in?“ I go to the store and I come back to you with this guy.” He stares past her at me now. "He looks a lot like your ex..."I cringe now. I just don't feel like fighting. It's been such a long day at work, and this isn't my fight, but I won't let him hit her. Anger engulfs his face and dries out his tongue to the point where he can barely talk. I'm the sideline rider. The train wreck

Norfolk is a long drive when anger is the fuel in the tank. I push my pedal down and practically slide across the road. I'll kill him if he puts his hands on her. She isn't mine anymore but that doesn't change the fact that he is scum. This useless pile of shit wants to murder his child and kill Raven's mind right along with it.Thoughts are so muddled in my mind, but I know one thing for sure: killing tonight would feel good. I do it for a living, but it is power I wield in my hands to decide for myself. Raven doesn't want me to kill him. I know her well enough to know she probably has some abysmal soul tie to him. She wants my support.I’m not supportive, I’m deadly.Her house is decrepit. The smell hits me on the way up the driveway. This place isn't suitable for human life. Rotted meat wafts from the trash can, and my nose is all wolf picking up subtle musks and gross maggot-covered food items. Bodies of the white creatures dance atop the wet trash can lid.Vomit crawls up my thro

When the sun slowly fades into the distance, I find myself on my doorsteps with my holster off and in my hands. My slick neck is starting to cool from the breeze. How could I have hesitated? A softness I didn't know was there had creeped in and stolen my identity for a brief second.Double dates are supposed to cause nerves to burrow into your belly, but I looked forward to the distraction. Brandon was the real culprit behind my knotted nerves and never-ending ability to breathe deep and shallow simultaneously.Inside the debris of my papers lay plastered all over the dresser, and I wade through clothes on the floor. I used to pride myself on neatness, but honestly, it didn't matter anymore. I'm hardly ever home. Maids are out of the question for someone like me who revels in their privacy.As the phone blares to life, I break from my trance."Aiden?" A familiar voice whispers over the line.Her voice is cold water in my veins. Once, her voice would power me like a battery. My finger h

“ I can not do it tonight." I can't ignore Brandon's threat, even if I want to. "Besides, sometimes I pick up an extra hit at night." “There aren’t any night kills tonight. The boss is using the time to figure out who’s going to get monitored first by the A.S. members. Now, you have to double with me before I have to beg.” He is already pleading with his eyes, and I can't ignore it. I also realize that if I say yes, then I'll get to spend more time with Jade. “Fine. I wouldn’t want to make you beg.” I say parking the car a few houses down from the hit. Even though begging is exactly what he is doing. Soon, it might turn to groveling, and I'd be more uncomfortable. I could have told him off and instantly shut him up, but honestly, I had my own interest in the date now. “Why don't you want me to beg? The ladies say I beg so well.” He laughs, but I can’t help but laugh with him. He was far from a ladies' man, but with hi

“Back just in time.” Caleb is typing quickly on his computer. "I hate computers. Did I ever tell you that?"I laugh at him. "You may have told me once or twice."The truth is that Caleb had mentioned many times that he hated computers and that robots were going to take over the world. I told him that they predicted that happening years before the Great War, and here we are with robots still piles of metal.Caleb's office is a unique mixture of bright colored art in jagged picture frames and odd green plants that almost looked blue in the light. He loved to talk about plants. His weird fascination with plants probably led to him being single. Not only was he single, but he didn't even seem like he had a warm bed.I questioned him about it; if he was ever lonely, and he just stared at me. I realized it was a stupid question. Everyone in this world was lonely. Guys like us were lonelier still because we lacked the time and education to impress the women who

Hands suddenly grab me hard and fast."Dad?""It's me." My sister is standing in my doorway in a tattered dress with blood slick down the front.Staring at her, I can't believe Booker would hurt anyone like this. I don't think Booker is even capable of this kind of violence. There is a reason Booker isn't an alpha even though he is of good blood."How could he?" I say with my mouth open wide."I'm in pain." She walks two steps toward my bed and suddenly falls between the sheets. She passes out fast and hard. I still haven't gotten any answers, but I do have my sister.I curl myself around her body. The warmth of her skin against my own is comforting. The hunt had left so much cold electricity in the air. Father is out doing Mother Moon knows what, and mother is also missing. I lay the blanket over her and kiss her forehead.It reminds me of childhood. When we were cubs, Marta was the ferocious younger pup who was always getting into trouble. I am the one who would clean up the problem

Vampires are not comparable to wolves. That is like comparing the dark to the natural heartbeat of Mother Moon.One might assume that beings who dwell in the shadows and thrive beneath the same swollen moon would feel some ancient kinship. There would be some kind of dark blood connection. Wolves are the epitome of life, and vampires are death. They are just death incarnated into a body that shouldn't be.I've never felt anything like it. We don't move the same or even hunger the same. We need passion and the souless suckers need energy. And I’m not convinced we were made by the same moon goddess—if we were made by her at all."Stop calling me." I keep my shaking voice as steady as possible. It was day two of him being captured, and I heard his voice like a whisper. He was relentless these last few minutes.My mind is still being flooded by the vampire held captive in his hazy torture chamber. He slips in like smoke under a door. His torture is never silent. In daylight, they let bead

My back is pressed tightly against the cool wall. My heart beats violently, and I begin to think it will burst through my back and into the plaster of the wall. Glynn's hot breath scorches down the side of my face, humid and close.I fight every instinct I have not to flinch. He’s too close—so close I can feel the heat of him like a fire I can’t escape. I freeze. This unbearable moment is inked by his possessive nature and searing, growing anger."I hear that beautiful sound of your prey like nature beating in your chest," Glynn slyly says as he places his hands on my hips. "I guess you and Marta are both just so addictive.""This isn't some sort of sick game." I hiss through clenched teeth.One desperate, quick fluid motion, and I am out from under his arms and making my way quickly down the stairs."Dad, please don't do this." I plead to my father at the foot of the staircase, as he signals for his guards to go upstairs and get Booker. My voice is as shaky as my eyes squint to plead.

Part Two“What the hell is going on?” I shut my door and stand in front of it. I search my room for a minute, thinking this might be about the rogue vampires or even a jealous Glynn.“Never mind, I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be putting you in danger as well.” He is manic and crying now. I’m trying to stay calm and get him to give me something to cling to. He just hasn’t given me much to understand.“We’ve been friends forever, Booker, just spit it out.” I lock the door and sit on my bed, staring at the crazed man before me. “Plus, where would I even hide you?”“Anywhere. I don’t know what to do or even what to say. I came to my only friend, but all of this is so complicated. They think... I raped Marta.” His words are sharp stings across my skin.I feel like I’m sinking into my bed. My mouth is dry now. I can’t look at him. Avoiding looking at anything, my mouth hangs open.“Marta?” Hearing him say it makes it even less real. I tremble at the thought of betraying my sister. “You ca

“I will bed you another time,” Glynn says angrily. “There was a rape tonight and I must go attend a meeting with the council.”“Shouldn’t I go?” I stand on my heels facing him.“Not this time.” His eyes flicker. “You have just been linked to me, and I want you to get your rest after the ceremony and the blood practice. When I come for you again, I will want to take what’s mine.”I didn’t fight back this time. Fighting back as a married alpha queen is useless. My biggest job now is to bring cubs to life. Even if I hated him, I would have to lie with him. It was even within his rights to procreate by force. Also, he was right, I needed my rest.I was tired and the last thing I wanted to do was to face a pack member who could commit a rape. Worse if the rapist were a vampire then I wouldn’t want to see the consequences of their actions. I couldn’t watch the carnage tonight.I think instead about my own future and the tension I can finally let go of from this evening.I hate that we are st

Glynn and I both look up into the trees, but we can’t see the owner of the voice. The darkness of the trees wraps around us as if a thick blanket, and for a moment, there is this unnatural silence that feels heavy. I can sense the presence there, just beyond my line of sight.I think it’s some twisted prank, maybe one of the clan testing our nerves. There’s something about the air that changes. The hairs on the back of my neck rise. I move my hand into Glynn’s, naturally reaching for comfort, but it’s more than that, I’m grounding myself, as much for him as for me.Glynn, ever the defender, is already poised in a way that makes it clear he’s ready for a fight. Every muscle in his body is tight with eagerness, his stance wide and strong. His eyes are sharp, scanning the surrounding trees.“Fanger!” Glynn sees the figure before I do. His voice is tight, and he locks eyes with the figure emerging from the shadows. This thing that has no more humanity left in it is barely visible against