Treston is a shy guy that’s always staring at me and Rafe is my handsome friend from the prison. Together we fight back against a group called The Blood Brotherhood. What do they want? To take over the world, of course. You’d think the bad guys would get a new plan. Starting a resistance is hard enough then I discover what makes me the way I am. It all ties into this cult and the end of the freaking world. Humanity needs a hero, now more than ever, but all they get is me, a monster from the darkness. - Sneak Peek -“Now how did you get up there?” It was Rafe’s hypnotic voice. I froze, searched the darkness and found nothing. “A girl has to have her secrets.” I saw him the moment he stepped out of the shadows. He was a lot taller than I thought. Rafe walked closer to me. I could see the glint in his green eyes as he passed under the bright light. The corner of his lips turned up in a half grin. “Secrets are dangerous.” “So am I.” I held my ground. My heart beat so fast it made the vein in my neck throb with each pulse. “You’re too pretty to be dangerous.” He spoke softer, almost a whisper. He thought I was pretty? Okay, so I may have lost my cool for a minute there but I quickly straightened my backbone and narrowed my eyes at him. I squeezed the bag in my hands tighter to keep my focus. “Ah, she blushes.” Rafe let out a soft chuckle. The sound made my frown crack and fade. “I wasn’t blushing because of you.” “Of course not.” He reached out almost as if to touch a strand of my hair that had gone awry and separated from my braid. He paused before his fingertips made contact. His smile fell. He stared behind me. “Get out of here.” I snapped out of my weird, butterfly in my stomachs, moment very fast. Listening closely, I heard the faint sound of footsteps behind me. Slowly, I turned and kept my back toward Rafe. I didn’t trust him but I distrusted him less than others. To my surprise, he took a step in front of me. Rafe shielded me from the two men that approached. They were both young, maybe late twenties. Their clothes were filthy with soot so it looked like they’d been down here a while. That made them all the more perilous. I saw a glint on Rafe’s back. It looked like a blade tucked into the rim of his pants. At least he had a weapon. When they began the fight, I could run for it. However, I wasn’t a coward and I had a weak spot for Rafe. If he died who would I stare at while I was up in that tube waiting? Hand over the food.” The taller of the two spoke. “And the pretty girl.” I could have come up with some quirky comeback or given him some of my loot, but I kept silent. The last thing I needed was enemies down here. “Larkspur is under my protection.” Rafe spoke quietly, but his tone was firm. It surprised me to hear him say that. How did he even know my name? I waited, tense but ready. My feet were shoulder width apart, my knees bent and my grip loose in case I had to bring out the claws. They would attack us. I knew it by the desperation in their eyes. This food was mine. I wasn’t giving it up without a fight. It happened quickly. The taller guy came at Rafe pulling his makeshift blade. The shorter one approached me. I tossed my bag to the wall then faced him. He had a crooked nose, a scar over his eyebrow and blond hair turned brown with soot. He lunged at me. I rushed to the right, spun behind him and shoved my elbow into his back. He grunted and came at me swiftly. I think he tried to hit me in the midsection. He didn’t get that far. Each punch he threw I stepped back until I was under the tube. I had a trick for him. I leaped into the air. My claws were nearly undetectable with the light here. They burrowed into the edges of the tube. I swung wide, over his giant frame and landed behind him. I twirled. My claws raked over his back. He went down with a yell. A moment later Rafe was over him and delivered a kick that sent him a few feet away. His intense stare found mine. “Go. Get out.” I caught sight of his knife. The shiny tip marred with blood. I nodded, grabbed my bag of food and took off down the tunnel. I didn’t go far, just enough to slip away into the darkness. I waited there, listened to a few grunts and footsteps as the men fled. Then there was nothing but silence again. Stale air filled my lungs as my gaze followed Rafe. He found his own shadow to camouflage. I smiled, even knowing it was foolish. |