“Maybe so,” I told her. “I’ll be right out.”
I retreated back into the bathroom and washed the shallow cut in the sink. I still felt the dull, aching pain but it seemed to lessen as the water ran clear and the blood stopped flowing from my wound. By the time I put a tiny bandage on the cut, the weird pain was almost gone.
I went out of the room, hoping to have a real conversation with my Mom for once, instead of just asking her if she was all right when I could see clearly that she wasn’t. But she was already asleep.
I kissed her forehead and left but the incident had planted an idea in my mind. An idea which refused to be uprooted or pushed aside, no matter how crazy it seemed.
Could it be that I had somehow eased my mother’s pain? Had I transferred it to myself in some way and given her a moment’s release? If so, would it be possible to do it again?
It was and I did.
I cut more often after that, but not because I needed to relieve my own emotional pain. The horrible feeling of helplessness was gone. Yes, my mother was still dying, yes I was going to lose her, but until that happened, I had found a way to ease her anguish and that stopped the endless loop in my head. So the cutting was no longer for me—it was for her.
I came to see her every day after school, cut in the bathroom, and then sat with her until visiting hours were over. I usually cut once more before I left, to give her a few more hours of peace. The effects of my strange little ritual seemed to last anywhere from two to five hours, depending on how bad the pain was and what state of mind she was in. Feeling her agony inside me every time wasn’t pleasant but I took it gladly. As I said before, I’ll take physical pain over the emotional variety any time.
Mom lasted another three months that way. I ran out of room on my forearms and started on my inner thighs instead. I knew I’d have the scars for life but I didn’t care. I didn’t care because it helped her. I didn’t know how—I didn’t believe in magic or witchcraft or things that go bump in the night—but somehow it helped.
I never regretted the scars—they were all I had left of my mom.
But that didn’t help me now. Now that I was staring at my limited, mostly winter weather wardrobe, and realizing that I had moved to a place where tank tops and short shorts were probably the local uniform of choice. And tomorrow I would be going to school in long sleeves and jeans.
God, the first day of school was going to suck. Hard.
The key at my throat throbbed as if in agreement or maybe just to remind me of its hateful presence. I brushed it with my fingertips again and I swore it jumped at my touch.
Right. I would be going to my new school in long sleeves, jeans, and a freaky magic necklace that wouldn’t come off.
I didn’t see how things could get any stranger.
Want more? Get the rest of Lock and Key, Book 1 of the Nocturne Academy series, in January 2020.
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Also by Evangeline Anderson
Below you'll find a list of available and upcoming titles. But depending on when you read this list, new books will have come out by then that are not listed here. Make sure to check my website for the latest releases and better yet, sign up for my newsletter to never miss a new book again.
Brides of the Kindred series
(Sci-Fi / Action-Adventure Romance)
CLAIMED (Also Available in Audio)
HUNTED (Also Available in Audio)
SOUGHT (Also Available in Audio)
FOUND(Also Available in Audio)
REVEALED (Also Available in Audio)
PURSUED (Also Available in Audio)
EXILED (Also Available in Audio)
SHADOWED(Also Available in Audio)
CHAINED (Also Available in Audio)
DIVIDED (Also Available in Audio)
DEVOURED (Also Available in Audio)
ENHANCED (Also Available in Audio)
CURSED (Also Available in Audio)
ENSLAVED (Also Available in Audio)
TARGETED (Also Available in Audio)
FORGOTTEN
SWITCHED
UNCHARTED
UNBOUND
SURRENDERED
VANISHED
IMPRISONED
TWISTED
DECEIVED
BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME ONE
Contains Claimed, Hunted, Sought and Found
BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME TWO
Contains Revealed, Pursued and Exiled
BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME THREE
Contains Shadowed, Chained and Divided
BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME FOUR
Contains Devoured, Enhanced and Cursed
BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME FIVE
Contains Enslaved, Targeted and Forgotten
BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME SIX
Contains Switched, Uncharted and Unbound
BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME SEVEN
Contains Surrendered, Vanished, and Imprisoned
All Kindred novels are now available in PRINT.
* * *
Also, all Kindred novels are on their way to Audio, join my Audiobook Newsletter to be notified when they come out.
Kindred Tales
The Kindred Tales are side stories in the Brides of the Kindred series which stand alone outside the main story arc.
These can be read as STAND ALONE novels.
MASTERING THE MISTRESS (Also Available in Audio)
BONDING WITH THE BEAST (Also Available in Audio)
SEEING WITH THE HEART (Also Available in Audio)
FREEING THE PRISONER (Also Available in Audio)
HEALING THE BROKEN (a Kindred Christmas novel) (Also Available in Audio)
TAMING THE GIANT (Also Available in Audio)
BRIDGING THE DISTANCE (Also Available in Audio)
LOVING A STRANGER (Also Available in Audio)
FINDING THE JEWEL (Also Available in Audio)
BONDED BY ACCIDENT (Also Available in Audio)
RELEASING THE DRAGON (Also Available in Audio)
SHARING A MATE (Also Available in Audio)
INSTRUCTING THE NOVICE (Also Available in Audio)
AWAKENED BY THE GIANT (Also Available in Audio)
HITTING THE TARGET (Also Available in Audio)
HANDLING THE HYBRID
TRAPPED IN TIME
TIME TO HEAL
PAIRING WITH THE PROTECTOR
FALLING FOR KINDRED CLAUS
GUARDING THE GODDESS
KINDRED TALES VOLUME 1
Contains Mastering the Mistress, Bonding with the Beas
t and Seeing with the Heart
KINDRED TALES VOLUME 2
Contains Freeing the Prisoner, Healing the Broken and Taming the Giant
KINDRED TALES VOLUME 3
Contains Bridging the Distance, Loving a Stranger and Finding the Jewel
KINDRED TALES VOLUME 4
Contains Bonded by Accident, Releasing the Dragon, and Sharing a Mate
KINDRED TALES VOLUME 5
Contains Instructing the Novice, Awakened by the Giant, and Hitting the Target
KINDRED TALES VOLUME 6 (Coming Soon)
Contains Handling the Hybrid, Trapped in Time, and Time to Heal
Born to Darkness series
(Paranormal / Action-Adventure Romance)
CRIMSON DEBT (Also Available in Audio)
SCARLET HEAT (Also Available in Audio)
RUBY SHADOWS (Also Available in Audio)
CARDINAL SINS (coming soon)
DESSERT (short novella following Scarlet Heat)
(Also Available in Audio)
BORN TO DARKNESS BOX SET
Contains Crimson Debt, Scarlet Heat, and Ruby Shadows all in one volume
Alien Mate Index series
(Sci-Fi / Action-Adventure Romance)
ABDUCTED (Also Available in Audio)
PROTECTED (Also Available in Audio)
DESCENDED (Also Available in Audio)
SEVERED (Also Available in Audio)
ALIEN MATE INDEX VOLUME ONE
Contains Abducted, Protected, Descended and Severed all in one volume
* * *
All Alien Mate novels are now available in PRINT.
The Cougarville series
(Paranormal / Action-Adventure Romance)
(Older Woman / Younger Man
BUCK NAKED (Also Available in Audio)
COUGAR BAIT (Also Available in Audio)
STONE COLD FOX (Also Available in Audio)
BIG BAD WOLF (coming soon)
The CyBRG Files with Mina Carter
(Sci-Fi / Action-Adventure Romance)
UNIT 77: BROKEN (Also Available in Audio)
UNIT 78: RESCUED (Also Available in Audio)
The Institute series
(Daddy-Dom / Age Play Romance)
THE INSTITUTE: DADDY ISSUES
(Also Available in Audio)
THE INSTITUTE: MISHKA’S SPANKING
The Swann Sister Chronicles
(Contemporary Fairy / Funny / Fantasy Romance)
WISHFUL THINKING (Also Available in Audio)
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR (Also available in Audio)
Nocturne Academy
(Young Adult Paranormal/Action-Adventure/Romance)
LOCK AND KEY
FANG AND CLAW (Coming Soon)
STONE AND SECRET (Coming Soon)
Detectives Valenti and O’Brian
(1980s M/M Romance)
THE ASSIGNMENT
I’LL BE HOT FOR CHRISTMAS
FIREWORKS
THE ASSIGNMENT: HEART AND SOUL
Compendiums and Box Sets
ALIEN MATE INDEX VOLUME ONE
Contains Abducted, Protected, Descended and Severed all in one volume
BORN TO DARKNESS BOX SET
Contains Crimson Debt, Scarlet Heat, and Ruby Shadows all in one volume
BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME ONE
Contains Claimed, Hunted, Sought and Found
BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME TWO
Contains Revealed, Pursued and Exiled
BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME THREE
Contains Shadowed, Chained and Divided
BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME FOUR
Contains Devoured, Enhanced and Cursed
BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME FIVE
Contains Enslaved, Targeted and Forgotten
BRIDES OF THE KINDRED VOLUME SIX
Contains Switched, Uncharted and Unbound
HAVE YOURSELF A SEXY LITTLE CHRISTMAS
Contains Kidnapped for Christmas, Cougar Christmas and Season’s Spankings
KINDRED TALES VOLUME 1
Contains Mastering the Mistress, Bonding with the Beast and Seeing with the Heart
KINDRED TALES VOLUME 2
Contains Freeing the Prisoner, Healing the Broken and Taming the Giant
KINDRED TALES VOLUME 3
Contains Bridging the Distance, Loving a Stranger and Finding the Jewel
KINDRED TALES VOLUME 4
Contains Bonded by Accident, Releasing the Dragon, and Sharing a Mate
KINDRED TALES VOLUME 5
Contains Instructing the Novice, Awakened by the Giant, and Hitting the Target
KINDRED TALES VOLUME 6 (Coming Soon)
Contains Handling the Hybrid, Trapped in Time, and Time to Heal
NAUGHTY TALES: THE COLLECTION— Volume One
Contains Putting on a Show, Willing Submission, The Institute: Daddy Issues, The Institute: Mishka's Spanking, Confessions of a Lingerie Model, Sin Eater, Speeding Ticket, Stress Relief and When Mr. Black Comes Home.
ONE HOT HALLOWEEN
Contains Red and the Wolf, Gypsy Moon and Taming the Beast
ONE HOT HALLOWEEN Vol.2
Contains The Covenant, Secret Thirst, and Kristen’s Addiction + BONUS: Madeline’s Mates
Stand Alone Titles
(Sci-Fi OR Paranormal Action-Adventure Romance)
ANYONE U WANT
BEST KEPT SECRETS (Step-Brother romance)
BLIND DATE WITH A VAMPIRE
BLOOD KISS
CEREMONY OF THREE
DEAL WITH THE DEVIL (Also Available in Audio)
DEFILED
EYES LIKE A WOLF (Foster Brother romance)
FOREVER BROKEN (M/M romance)
GYPSY MOON
HUNGER MOON RISING
MADELINE’S MATES
MARKED
OUTCAST
PLANET X (Also Available in Audio)
PLEASURE PLANET
PLEDGE SLAVE (M/M romance)
PURITY (Also Available in Audio)
RED AND THE WOLF
SECRET THIRST
SEX WITH STRANGERS
SHADOW DREAMS
SLAVE BOY (M/M romance)
STRESS RELIEF
SWEET DREAMS
TAMING THE BEAST
TANDEM UNIT
THE BARGAIN
THE COVENANT
THE LAST BITE (M/M romance)
THE LAST MAN ON EARTH
THE LOST BOOKS (M/M romance)
THE PLEASURE PALACE
THE SACRIFICE (Also Available in Audio)
Stand Alone Titles
(Contemporay Romance)
A SPANKING FOR VALENTINE (BDSM)
BOUND AND DETERMINED, anthology with Lena Matthews, includes The Punishment of Nicollett
COUGAR CHRISTMAS (Older Woman / Younger Man)
DANGEROUS CRAVINGS (BDSM)
DIRTY GIRL
FULL EXPOSURE (with Lena Matthews)
KIDNAPPED FOR CHRISTMAS (BDSM)
MASKS, contains The Man in the Leather Mask and Masks (BDSM)
MORE THAN FRIENDS (BDSM)
PICTURE PERFECT (Step-Brother romance)
STR8TE BOYS (M/M romance)
Naughty Tales
(Short Reads to Get You Hot and Bothered)
CONFESSIONS OF A LINGERIE MODEL
PUTTING ON A SHOW (Step-Brother romance)
SIN EATER
SPEEDING TICKET
THE SWITCH (An erotic interlude with the characters of DANGEROUS CRAVINGS)
SEASON’S SPANKINGS
WHEN MR. BLACK COMES HOME
WILLING SUBMISSION
NAUGHTY TALES: THE COLLECTION— Volume One
Contains Putting on a Show, Willing Submission, The Institute: Daddy Issues, The Institute: Mishka's Spanking, Confessions of a Lingerie Model, Sin Eater, Speeding Ticket, Stress Relief and When Mr. Black Comes Home.
YA Novels
THE ACADEMY (Also Available in Audio)
About the Author
You can find her online at her website www.evangelineanderson.com
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Brides of the Kindred Volume One: Books 1-4 Page 171
