Vim Santa Cruz Novels & Stories

None were needed. The drive was long, two hours of winding mountain roads and silent calculation. Lucien spent it reviewing every piece of intelligence they had on Santiago. Every known ally. Every rumored weakness. The de la Cruz estate was a relic, built into the cliffs of San Marcos. High walls of crumbling stone, iron gates older than most of the men who stood guarding them. But behind those gates, Santiago still lived like a king. Or so he liked to believe. As they approached, the front gates groaned open. No welcoming committee. No soldiers in formation. Just open iron jaws and the air of old resentment.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐢𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬

“I told you she gets it.” “She does.” Rhysand looked at the mood board, then back at me. No. Do not be affected. Maya de Cruz did not get dragged into the past by a man’s voice, no matter how expensive that voice sounded. “For the venue,” I said, “the Santa Barbara estate makes the most sense if you want privacy while keeping vendor access from L.A. manageable. The coastal villa is more cinematic, but the risk is higher. Wind, paparazzi, access road issues, drones, and drunk guests who decide a cliff is the perfect place for an existential crisis.”

He stepped in between them as stupid Saskia and her crew kept badmouthing Phoenix not realizing they woke a sleeping giant. “Phoenix, Phoenix look at me. Right here” he tried to get her attention off Saskia because right now she was laser focused on her like an apex predator that just locked on to its prey. He moved closer to her and could really feel the heat coming from her. It was almost suffocating. He rapidly started to feel the urgency of getting Phoenix to calm down, he knew that this would be something that would get out of control quickly. “Phoenix please look at me, please.” He was desperate to get her back. He raised his hands in front of him. He waved them getting her attention.

I say. “They do, according to what I’ve heard,” Aunt Grace agrees. As we pull to a stop, Uncle Eli leans forward. “I’m with you, Kieran. This is all a bunch of bullshit if you ask me.” “Thank you!” he says, making me laugh. “Oh, don’t listen to him. He doesn’t like sprites either,” Aunt Grace scolds. “They’re annoying as shit,” Uncle Eli growls. As soon as we step out of the van, Silas’ nose goes up into the air and he growls softly.

We reach the southern outskirts of Santa Cruz shortly before noon the following day. It’s a pretty big town—at least it was back before The Incident. Not San Diego or San Francisco big, but a decent sized place nonetheless. I know from our cram course about the California coast that Santa Cruz was home to a large university and was considered a very progressive city.

There was a dragon tattooed down his whole back. Looked so lifelike. I was half expecting it to start moving. My eyes trailed further down to his lower back, where the letters S.I.X were inscribed. So wait six isn't actually a number, but an acronym? He turned slightly, enough for me to get a view of his front, but not for him to see me standing there.

We watched the sunset, talking and joking about everything and nothing. The large strawberry moon hangs above us tinting the night pink. Rose-colored water laps at the edge of the shore, crickets chirp, and the steady beat of Zac’s heart all combine in a perfect symphony. Zac’s hand snakes under the sleeve of the shirt I'm wearing and tiny zaps dance on my skin as he caresses my arm. I trace the outline of his hard abs with my finger. The tingles have become a craving now and I can’t get enough of them.

Aranjo studied hard and tried to grow into an elegant woman. On her birthday, Ara will always come to see her. However, there is no important news of any kind. Until her 20th birthday, Ara tells her that the God of Fire, Vulcan went to see the Jade Emperor and The Emperor, to tell him that it was all his fault and that he would be responsible for marrying her. The Fire God has only recently come to his senses, since he was unconscious when he was with her. However, it was too late, Aranjo had already received the punishment and served it.

Selena cut off Sitka “Sitka, I am used to hiking mountains. I know exactly where I came from. I started at the same point that I came the first time, but I got diverted. I didn't come across the mother waterfall and I knew I was lost. So I kept climbing and all I see is a camping zone and the thickest forest–” “What camping zone?” Zaden “You know, the one behind the east mountain, the mountain that looks like a pregnant woman's belly.” Again Selena with the same casual manner, making Zaden chuckle