by Alexia Purdy
He reached out and pulled me closer, his strong, firm arms gently holding me, and I melted into his chest, smelling faint cologne and his sweet skin. I wanted to kiss him but didn’t want to break the moment.
“I love you, Audrey.”
I looked up into his nearly colorless eyes, tears forming in mine. “I love you too, Saul. I’ve never felt like this for anyone else in my life. Tell me it’s not going to fall apart. Everything always falls to pieces.”
He nodded, letting my tear streaked face lean against his shoulder once more.
“I’ll always be here for you. Don’t forget that. I love you more than you’ll ever know, and I hope you can one day know just exactly how much. I’m so glad I took that ride with you and Liv that day at the motel. I could’ve said no and let my love drive away.”
I let the tears soak his shirt, leaving a snotty pile on his shoulder. I felt horrible doing so, but I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. He gave me the best present in the world that moment, and I didn’t want it to be over. The minutes turned into hours as we talked about our lives, until our bodies acted out the words, mingling in sensations I could never tire of. Then we laughed and chatted more, until we couldn’t hold our eyes open anymore and sleep took its turn controlling us into its embrace. Everything was alright. It was perfect because this was the only place I wanted to be, and as my mind drifted into the land of dreams, I remembered praying it would last forever.
Chapter Eleven
Liv
Staring at the group of henchmen gathered around Jonas, including Emilio, who was required to attend everything Jonas attended while in town, I felt a sour knot in my stomach. I hated it when Jonas was in town, hated it with a vengeance. The more I fell for Emilio, the more it felt like I was betraying him with his brother, Jonas. It was a masquerade I didn’t want to dance in anymore. I wanted to strip the mask off and yell across the stage on the microphone that I belonged to Emilio, forever, and my heart would never be Jonas’, ever.
But I couldn’t do it. The dread grew with each passing day, and my nightmares had worsened as my love for Emilio grew and my loathing for Jonas tripled. I turned to watch Audrey as she checked the amps, rolling out the long cords to keep them from tangling. She worked expertly, and we had tons of room on this stage. Some of the equipment was already set up and shared with several bands, but we could bring our own to add to it or use for our sets if we so wished. She looked so oblivious to the turmoil inside me, making me feel like I wanted to rush to the edge of the stage and hurl my lunch out to make it all go away.
Why did love have to happen now? Why did Emilio have to be Jonas’ brother? I wanted to shake my fist to the sky and demand to know these answers. Was it some sick joke? Was I on some unknown Truman Show, where others were watching every little step and misstep I took with morbid anticipation of getting to see me crash and burn? Maybe I was. Maybe life was just some horrible TV show that people watched when they were bored out of their wits and wanted something dramatic and tragic to talk about instead of their own pathetic lives.
My life could be a soap opera. No…a reality show. Oh, hell no. I pressed my eyelids together, feeling the exhaustion creeping into my bones as the moments ticked by. I’d spent yesterday with Emilio, fucking all over the house because Audrey and Saul decided to do another day trip to the beach. It was a miracle I even left the house, really, especially if Emilio was there. Then, we discovered Jonas was back in town and wanted to meet with me for a very special dinner. My heart had dropped to my shoes while lying in bed with Emilio, when the phone rang and it was Jonas. Tired and worn out from the ecstasy of the day, I’d reluctantly agreed to meet with him, knowing if I rejected his invitation, it would be a total invite for him to come to my house. Our house. The home I’ve built with my sister and Emilio. That was an invasion I think would have set me over the edge, even though I knew one day Jonas would waltz through my private abode, with or without my approval.
I hoped it would never occur when Emilio was there doing all those exquisite things he could do with his hands, mouth, and body…
Shit.
I ripped my eyes from the Jonas’ group and tried to concentrate on my keyboards. I was doing the piano today and some mixes that Saul had taught us on the electronic boards. It was going to be a hell of a show, one of the biggest and most intricate ones we’d ever done. If Jonas liked it, he was going to have us record our songs this way for the demo and send it to the producers he had in his family. I prayed they’d accept us, that they’d drag us so far from Jonas that we’d never ever see him again, but that could also backfire and separate me from Emilio. He’d convinced me it wouldn’t happen, that he’d make sure Jonas kept us together to keep us in line. The last part made Emilio chuckle, but I didn’t think it was so funny. I fact, I wondered if I’d ever laugh again with all matters about Jonas.
The cartel leader was a constant threat, a haunting lingering in the back of my mind, stealing away my sleep in the middle of the nights, and ripping my integrity until I was feeling like my thick skin had been shredded and the leftover was far too thin. He had us under his control, regardless what Emilio said about his brother. Jonas was king and he knew it.
I just hoped this queen would be able to keep her head attached to her neck.
“Hey, Liv…Liv!” Audrey waved frantically at me as I stared into oblivion.
“Yeah?” I stepped out from behind the keyboards to meet her halfway in the middle of the stage.
“You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what again?”
“The face full of fear look. I know you’re nervous because Jonas’ posse is here and all, but snap out of it. You’re going to freak and forget lyrics or notes or something. Breathe and whatever you do. Don’t look at them, not even Emilio.” She upturned her nose at the last name, making me narrow my eyes at my sister.
“What’s wrong with Emilio? You don’t like him, do you?” I was on the defensive, feeling my anger gearing up for a fight as I straightened. Anger focused me more than despair. If she wanted me to snap out of any kind of fog, she’d done it fast with the slight at Emilio.
“Nothing, just saying don’t look at them. They obviously make you freak out, so I think it’s best you pretend they don’t exist over there with their cold blooded killers modes. They scare me too. I don’t look at them either.
“Well, that’s fine and all, but I don’t see why Emilio bothers you so much.”
Audrey’s pursed lips and the look of parental concern made my flags rise up. She knew, didn’t she? She knew all about me and Emilio. She knew more than I’d given her credit for. Shit! How the hell was I going to hide stuff from anyone now with her giving away all the details on her face?
“I just don’t want you to get hurt, that’s all.”
“You mean you don’t want to see you get hurt either,” I spat. I walked away, flustered that she knew my secret that I didn’t really hide that well anyway from her, but mostly pissed off that she’d never admitted she knew. I could feel that this was old knowledge to her now, and it made me wonder just how long she’d held back this information. I was slacking on keeping tabs on my sister too, but at least I knew she was all about Saul. She was so predictable, like an assembly line. I knew what came next, but damn if a defective item didn’t roll down the line to mess up the queue now and then. Her silence was the defect, and I was going to have a long hard talk with her after the show.
“On in five!” the stage hand signaled to us, yelling out across the platform. It was set high in the middle of a grassy field of a park. I couldn’t even recall which one because when we’d booked it, Audrey had handled the details while I looked on, bored out of my wits. Now I wished I’d paid attention, even when we’d driven here. Audrey drove while I sat in the back picking my nail polish and applying lipstick. So irresponsible to know that I could be so complacent with her and not even know where she’s brought me.
Eyes back on the Jonas’ clan, the bitter tas
te returned as I pressed my fingers on the keys and began the preset instrumental that introduced us to the crowd, winning them slowly into a hushed bunch as my notes became more hurried, spellbinding, and enthralling.
I was possessed by it. My eyes wandered from Jonas, whose calm face watched me as my fingers sped across the keyboard, to Emilio, the man that made my heart squeeze with a furious joy I wanted to know for the rest of my life.
Jonas glanced from me to Emilio, then back again before I flicked my gaze away from them down to my keyboard and continued the set without looking in their direction again. I’d seen him catch me staring at Emilio, though, and that was all it took to warn me that a storm was brewing and the night wind was going to rip my life apart before I even know what I had. The scent of cut grass meshed with human sweat and stench, and as the crowd thickened and we started our sets of songs, it continued to rub at me until my soul felt raw, vulnerable, and frightened.
Jonas had seen my longing glance to Emilio. He had, hadn’t he? Maybe he’d missed it. It was a small possibility. I hoped so, but something told me even if he’d seen just a fraction of our exchange, it would be enough to light the tiny seed of fire in Jonas’ brain about Emilio and me. There had to be a sliver of hope that Jonas wouldn’t put two and two together and our night could go on like any other. I had to clutch to that tiny hope as my fingers flew across the keys and my heart died slowly on that stage, while my beautiful sister and I belted out lyrics to a very personal song called “Blue Heart”, about love and hate and the fall of the sky above…
“This tiny thread
Between love and hate
Keeps the dread
Inside this fate
No longer lost
But never found
Of dust and false
Forever bound
The sky has fallen
Our sun now gone
The moon so sullen
As lovers run…
My blue heart broken
Crushed and undone
My sweet life fading
Leaving unsung
Run from the frost
As cold sets in
The fiery breath
Of hell within
Clutches my mind
And won’t let go
Until the night
Has sold my soul
The sky has fallen
Our sun now gone
The moon so sullen
As lovers run…
My blue heart broken
Crushed and undone
My sweet life fading
Leaving unsung…”
The Fall of Sky Part 3
Coming November 21st…
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Acknowledgements
Thanks to my readers. You rock my world! Thank you for everything!
I want to thank Kendra Gaither, Michael K. Rose, Ella James, J.A. Huss and J.T. Lewis. Your insight gives me the drive to keep on in this chaotic world! Thank you for being amazing!
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About the Author
Alexia currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada–Sin City! She loves to spend every free moment writing or playing with her four rambunctious kids. Writing has always been her dream, and she has been writing ever since she can remember. She loves writing paranormal fantasy and poetry and devours books daily. Alexia also enjoys watching movies, dancing, singing loudly in the car and eating Italian food.
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Connect with Alexia Purdy:
Alexia Purdy’s Blog
Alexia Purdy’s Website
Twitter ~ @AlexiaPurdy
Goodreads Author page
Alexia Purdy’s Facebook Fan Page
Ever Shade (A Dark Faerie Tale) Facebook Fan page
Reign of Blood Series Facebook Fan Page
Also by Alexia Purdy:
Reign of Blood Series:
Reign of Blood
Disarming (Reign of Blood #2)
Elijah (The Miel Chronicles):
A Reign of Blood Companion Story
Amplified (Reign of Blood #3)
A Dark Faerie Tale Series:
Evangeline (A Dark Faerie Tale #0.5)
Ever Shade (A Dark Faerie Tale #1)
Ever Fire (A Dark Faerie Tale #2)
Ever Winter (A Dark Faerie Tale #3)
The Cursed (A Dark Faerie Tale #3.5)
Ever Wrath (A Dark Faerie Tale #4)
Elemental Fire Series:
History of Fire (Elemental Fire #1)
Short Stories:
The Faery Hunt
Never Say Such Things
Poetic Collections:
Whispers of Dreams
Five Fathoms
Anthologies:
Beyond the Never
Soul Games
Faery Worlds
Faery Realms
Shades of Chaos
Lacing Shadows
Hidden Worlds
Crimson Dreams: A Vampire Anthology
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EXTRAORDINARY AUTHORS & BOOKS:
Alivia Anders ~ Illumine
Cambria Hebert ~ Torch
A.O. Peart ~ Resist Me
Julia Crane ~ Freak of Nature
J.A. Huss ~ TAUT: The Ford Book
Cameo Renae ~ Hidden Wings
A.J. Bennett ~ Unintentional Virgin
Tabatha Vargo ~ Playing Patience
Ella James ~ Selling Scarlett
Tara West ~ Say When
Heidi McLaughlin ~ Forever My Girl
Melissa Andrea ~ The Edge of Darkness
Kelly Walker ~ No One’s Angel
Komal Kant ~ Falling for Hadie
Melissa Pearl ~ Fever
Penelope Harlow ~ Dark Temptations
Alexia Purdy ~ Reign of Blood
L.P. Dover ~ A Fighter’s Desire
Sarah M. Ross ~ Inhale, Exhale
Brina Courtney ~ Reveal
Amber Garza ~ Break Free
Anna Cruise ~ It Was
