Love & War Book 1 in the Arcadia Falls Chronicles Read online

  Since I am not here to help you, if you would like to find him for yourself, to find out more about who you are, his name is Trevor Krasimir. I have no pictures or other information aside from the address of my old apartment, which is enclosed with this letter.

  I love you, Zander. Please do great things with your life and always keep me in your heart.

  Love always and forever,

  Mom.

  I finished the letter and actually had to wipe away tears. “I’m sorry about your mother, Zander.”

  He nodded and reached across the table for his letter. Everyone was pretty quiet, it was one of those awkward silences where nothing you say is an appropriate thing to say. He was actually the first to speak. “Chloe, I don’t know if you want to, but we have to stay in touch. If we are family, I have no one else.”

  I wrote down my cell phone number on a piece of napkin. “Before I give this to you, I’m going to tell you that I don’t trust you. But I believe in giving people chances, and you better not be lying to me.” I handed him the napkin. “If I do find out you’re in on some kind of trickery, you will find out just how dangerous I really am.”

  He shrugged. “Believe me, I have my own trust issues. And I don’t normally have these mushy conversations with people. So, same goes for you, if this is some kind of trick, it will be you who sees how dangerous that I really am.” He wrote his own number down and then gave it to me in return and I snatched it away from him

  “I really should get going.” He stood to put his jacket back on. The bad boy persona had returned quickly. Zander leaned over and gave Christina, who had been surprisingly quiet this whole time, her own napkin with his number on it. Then, he just left.

  “Oh, my god.” I slumped back in my seat. “I did not see that coming at all.”

  ~~~***~~~

  Christina dropped us off, and we filed into the house. It was around three in the morning, and we were all exhausted. Alice and I went straight to our room and practically fell into bed. She passed out immediately, but even as tired as I was, I tossed and turned in bed. Finally, realizing I wasn’t going to be able to get to sleep, I did something I had never done before.

  I crept out of bed as quietly as I could. The hardwood of the floor was cold against my feet, causing me to shiver. I had on only my shorts and tank top, but I didn’t let myself stop to get my robe. Sneaking out the door, I hurried down the hall to Drew’s room and entered without knocking.

  I stopped right inside the doorway and quietly eased it shut. Drew lay in bed on his side, snoring softly. The window shades were drawn so the moonlight shined through and bathed him in glowing light. Slowly, I approached him, peeled the covers back and slid in next to him.

  He startled, and I realized that climbing in bed with him while he was asleep was akin to a car backfiring around a soldier with PTSD; probably wasn’t the best idea that I’d ever had.

  He didn’t reach for his gun or hit me, after the initial confusion he realized it was me. “Chloe?”

  “It’s me.”

  “What are you doing in here?” I snuggled as close to him as I could get and still remain facing him, His arms found my waist and rested there.

  “I couldn’t sleep.”

  He smiled. “I don’t have that problem.”

  “I’m sorry,” I told him. “I can leave.”

  I shifted, intending to let him sleep. I should have known it was a bad idea.

  “No, no. It’s all right.” He tightened his arm around me and pulled me against him. I pulled my leg up and rested it on top of his legs because it was more comfortable that way. Strange how we could probably cuddle this same way on the couch downstairs and it would seem far less intimate and more playful.

  I looked into his eyes, searching for something, although I didn’t know what. “Is it okay if I just lie here with you?”

  “Of course,” he whispered back to me and then kissed my lips softly. “Are you all right after meeting Zander?”

  “I don’t know. I hope that he’s telling the truth, but fact is, we don’t really know if he is.”

  “So if he is telling the truth, how do you feel?”

  “I have to think about it some more. I guess if it’s true, we will probably have to spend some more time together. He is a vampire killer, too, so it makes sense. It just feels weird to have us, as this whole community, as a family, and then to have my… brother,” I choked on the word, “out there fighting them all by himself.”

  He nodded, understanding my dilemma.

  I thought for a few minutes before I continued to speak. “I also wanted to make sure that you knew Gavin left.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean, he left?”

  “He left. He’s gone. I don’t know where, but he told me that he was going somewhere, but that he would be back.”

  Drew rolled his eyes. “Good. I’m glad he isn’t around. It’s one less thing for me to worry about.”

  I let out a huge sigh. I should have known better than to say anything. I just kept hoping that one day he and Gavin would let go of their animosity and just be brothers. So what if Drew’s mom is a bitch? I had seen Drew and Gavin fight together. They were a great team. They could be a great team, if only they could bring that into other aspects of their lives.

  “Do you want him to come back?” Drew asked softly.

  I so knew better than to answer that. “I don’t want to talk about it. I just wanted you to know he isn’t around.”

  “Are you sleepy yet?” Drew yawned while he spoke.

  “I can try. Will you let me stay with you?”

  “Sure.” He reached up and moved some of my hair away from my eyes. I turned around so my back was to him and his chest was pressed against my back. He placed his arms around my waist and entwined his fingers with mine. I could feel his breath on my neck, his heart beat against my back, and the heat of his body keeping us warm. I hadn’t felt so utterly peaceful in a long time.

  “Oh, and Chloe?”

  “Hmmm?”

  “We’re gonna take the Talon Building.”

  THE ARCADIA FALLS CHRONICLES CONTINUE

  IN BOOK 2

  TAKING TALON

  READ AN EXCERPT

  ~~~***~~~

  Chloe’s Diary

  ~~~***~~~

  Feb 10th, 2012

  A person does not choose their destiny.

  We are given free will and the ability to choose which direction to take on the map of our lives. However, fate will always lead us back to where we belong, no matter which road we take to get there.

  My destiny is to be a Hunter. Fate put the choice in my hands and gave me gifts to succeed at my destiny. I have finally accepted … no, chosen to embrace the life placed before me. The blood of the Hunters runs through my veins, mingling with the demon vampire blood of my father. It took a long time to realize that this was not a curse, but a gift, a road sign on the map leading the way to where I need to be in life.

  As I chronicle our adventures in this journal, I write it down, recalling what we’ve done and what has happened to us. As these events sink in, it really occurs to me just how crazy it all sounds. Someday, this journal will be found and recorded for the history books of the Hunters. Through these pages, we will continue to protect the human race from the ever present evil of vampires.

  I have found my place, but the life of a teenager continues.

  We are amidst plans for taking out the Talon Building. Drew has finally agreed to go along with my idea about bombing vampire central … aka, the Talon Building. Now, it is merely a matter of getting other Hunters in on our plan.

  Alice, Oscar, and Christina are with us, of course. So is Luke, but the board doesn’t think we should move on the vampires. We, however, saw Sostrate—my demi-goddess ancient grandmother—appear to us with a warning about the coming war between the Hunters and the vampires, so none of us are willing to risk the community, where our homes and families are.

  Zander is my l
ong lost brother whom I never knew I had, which is another story. We are debating on bringing him into the group, into our community and our plans, but we can’t let just anyone through the gates into Arcadia Falls, even if they are my family. He is my family on Trevor’s side, not my mother’s. I am not sure I completely trust him enough to bring him here yet. However, we have been spending some time together, to talk about Trevor.

  I loathe talking about Trevor, that man was one of the worst things to ever happen to me, but I do it because Zander deserves to know where he comes from. I admit, even though I hated Trevor, it was nice to have learned my heritage during the time I spent with him.

  Alice is becoming a powerful weapon. I despise talking about her that way, but each day her magic grows a little bit more. She practices all the time, and studies ancient books in hopes that she will find more on what she can do. She is most likely more powerful than any of us are.

  My mother would be proud of us, I think. My mother, whose destiny to save the world from vampires changed when she discovered me inside of her womb. She passed that destiny on to me and took another for herself. Her fate was to die protecting the one who stole her destiny.

  Her death wasn’t an accident, everything that happens is guided by the gods or fate, or something …

  ~~~***~~~

  Large, fat snowflakes fell gently from the moody, grey sky.

  I tilted my head and let the flakes fall onto my face, tempted to stick out my tongue and catch them like I did when I was a little girl.

  “You ready?” Drew called out.

  “I am!” Alice’s voice rang across the snow covered field.

  Shaking off the memories and the wet snow, I snapped back to attention. “Me, too. I’m ready.” I spread my arms wide, focusing my energy and imagining what I wanted it to do. The heat flowed and expanded in my body, making its way outward until two flaming spheres appeared in my palms. The fire danced and swirled, just waiting to be released.

  I moved my gaze back to Alice, who looked like a snow princess in her white coat with fur trim and matching boots. Her whole outfit was white, even her jeans. She wore her blonde hair down to cover her ears, instead of her usual ponytail, and she had twin short swords crossed at her back, replacing her customary hip sword. Her hands were up and at the ready.

  Still hesitant, even though we had done this before, I pulled back and launched my flaming spheres at her.

  Between her extended hands a wavering glow appeared. The gentle glow moved like the ripples when you touched still water. My fire balls hit the glowing shield and absorbed right into it. Thank God. Those fireballs could cause some serious damage if they had actually hit her.

  As soon as the shield had completely absorbed the fire, I charged her.

  She saw me coming and expanded her shield wider. I knew I wouldn’t be able to penetrate it, so I dug my boots into the snow and pushed off, sailing right over the top of her head. While I was over her, she spun, letting down her shield and drawing her swords simultaneously.

  My gun was out of its holster before I even landed. I stuck the landing and had the weapon aimed between her swords, directly at her heart.

  READ AN EXCERPT FROM SAVIOR

  A FULL LEGNTH NOVEL BY JENNIFER MALONE WRIGHT

  Sweltering heat emanated from the searing flames. Alex ignored his blistered skin and burnt clothes. He plunged both arms into the blazing orange inferno without a second thought for his own well-being. His hands frantically flailed until he found what he searched for. He pulled the charred remains up and hugged them to his chest before he gave a desperate glance toward the others.

  Smoke curled into his mouth and nose and made it nearly impossible to breathe.

  “Hurry, hurry. Get out now,” a gentle voice whispered into his ears. “You must go right now if you want to live.”

  However, he couldn’t leave them behind.

  “Go now,” the voice whispered more urgently.

  Sparks flew when a giant log broke in half and fell from the ceiling. It crashed onto the floor less than two feet from where Alex stood. Flames engulfed the fallen wood and created yet another obstacle.

  The voice tried again, crying out, “Hurry, Alex!”

  Alex knew he needed to move if he wanted to live, but he paused for a moment to question whether he even wanted to bother. The flames grew while Alex stood motionless, undecided. Suddenly, a great push from behind thrust him forward toward a wall of fire.

  ***

  Alex stirred in his mahogany coffin, one of the best money could buy. He felt the soft, white velvet lining rub against his cheek, but it didn't comfort him. He panted like a thirsty dog and writhed helplessly inside the narrow wooden box.

  His eyes snapped open. First, he checked his hands for burns, but he found none. He groaned while he became more aware, and realized he'd had another nightmare.

  He sighed, wondering if the recurring dreams were going to last forever. He reached up and unlatched the locks he’d installed for his own safety, or at least his peace of mind. He pushed open the lid and sat upright. His gaze wandered across the room while his mind tried to fight off the feeling of dread he had about the night ahead.

  In the center of a large stone room that was buried deep beneath his house, his coffin rested on a massive stone slab with Egyptian hieroglyphic carvings around its edges. The carvings read, ‘Death is not but eternal life.’ The slab and coffin were the focus of the room, with the only other items being his slippers and a small table that held a candelabra and a box of wooden matches.

  Alex lit a match and touched it to the candle wicks. A soft glow lit the room and let him safely climb out of his coffin. When he slammed the lid shut, the hollow sound reverberated off the stone walls and quickly died. He wedged his large feet into his slippers, padded to the wide steel door and punched a series of numbers into an electronic keypad. The door emitted a soft whooshing sound when the lock released.

  Yawning, he stepped through the door and into a maze of tunnels that worked their way into deadly traps scattered throughout his underground chamber. Another whoosh signaled the door locking behind him. With the candelabra in his right hand, Alex moved through the maze and watched the flickering shadows play on the walls.

  Alex stopped short and blinked. He saw what he thought was Malcolm's face, shining menacingly in the light ahead. He held the candles out toward the face, but the image wavered in the candlelight and disappeared.

  Hmmmm, he thought, perhaps the night ahead will prove eventful after all.

  Except for his echoing footsteps, the tunnels were deadly silent. Once he reached the end of the tunnels, he faced yet another heavy steel door with an electronic lock. Again, Alex entered a code on a keypad and exited the tunnels into a small closet.

  Finally, he came to a thick oak door that simply needed a key. He removed the key from the pocket of his pajama shirt. Alex unlocked the door, entered the actual bedroom of his house, and relocked the entryway to the tunnels like he always did.

  More out of habit than concern, Alex scanned the room with all his senses. Despite popular legend, the many mirrors in the room reflected his image off each other.

  Alex gazed longingly at the four poster bed in which he never slept. The thick mattress was clothed in burgundy blankets with piles of decorative pillows scattered across the head of the bed. Burgundy and black dominated the color scheme: black carpet, burgundy walls, and sheer black curtains shading the windows.

  Preferring the softer light of candles, he bypassed the light switch and went to the dressing table. He placed the candelabra on the table and picked up a candle that stood in a golden holder with biblical carvings on its base. Each time he lit the candle he was reminded of his time in Rome. The things there were so beautiful he couldn’t resist bringing something home for himself.

  Alex knew his hobby of decorating bordered on obsessive. He brought back things from his journeys all over the world to put in his main house in Reno. But his house was finished
.

  On top of that, his casinos practically ran themselves. His place on the Higher Collective only occupied him every now and then.

  He found it an awful feeling, having no purpose.

  He tried to ignore the weakness that plagued his body with pain, indicating it was time to feed again. Glancing at his nightstand, he noticed the blinking red message light on his cellphone. Pushing back the pangs of hunger, he checked the messages.

  Damion’s smooth voice came through the earpiece. “Hey Alex, I’ve set a Collective meeting for tonight. Something is going down with Malcolm ... I really don’t like the feel of it. I think we all need to get together to talk about this one. Eleven, conference room.”

  Clicking his phone shut and throwing it on the bed, Alex went to his closet and rummaged through his clothes. With exacting care, he chose a black Armani suit, complemented by a dark red dress shirt. Dark red was his power color, and he loved to feel powerful.

  In the connecting bathroom he stripped out of his pajamas. The reflection staring back at him was one that would never change. Until the end of his existence, each time he looked in the mirror, he would see a twenty-eight-year-old man. His harsh Russian features would forever remain without wrinkles, and his coal black hair would never gray. His eyes, though, told the story of his age, and even he could see the stories in them.

  His bare arms and chest still held the large muscles of the hardworking man he had been as a mortal. Although, his chest now bore the one mark he had allowed himself to get. He ran his fingers over the red longevity symbol. He had chosen longevity as a marker for being immortal. Like it was yesterday he remembered China and the tattoo shop where he had received the tattoo. As a last minute decision he asked the artist to add the three koi fish in a circle around the longevity symbol because the koi fish were associated with life-long good luck. And he felt like he sure need some of that.