Only Hunter could give the comfort she needed at the moment as he dropped to the ground next to her and held her hand. Rebecca wrapped her arms around his shoulders and allowed the tears to fall. The flood gates were open and she allowed herself to feel everything. Her guilt, sadness, disgust, helplessness, and every other emotion that was responsible for pulling her into that familiar dark abyss.
"We still have a deal. Now I have insurance that you won't turn on me. Your sister will awaken from death's door as my vampire princess. She will be my liaison with you." Two of the men they’d previously fought were picking up Savvy's lifeless body and carrying her away. Her body was twisted in an odd position, her neck hanging over the vampire’s arm. Her eyes open, staring at Rebecca. The crown she wore was moments away from falling off her head. The beautiful satin dress seemed out of place on the limp body. Rebecca wanted to reach up and close her eyes and fix her crown, but her sister was out of her reach now. She was no longer with them. She was gone.
Celestia reached a hand down to help Rebecca up. She wanted to smack it away and rip her throat out, but instead she took it. She was playing a long game and she and Savannah were major players. "We’re now family."
Felicity stood behind Celestia, void of any emotion on her face. Rebecca lashed out and slashed the pretty girl’s perfect face. Her claws extended instantly. Gabriel and Lucky grabbed Rebecca and pulled her back before she could rip the nephilim’s throat out. Rebecca’s eyes were red with fury and made it perfectly clear she was going to kill her. She would kill everyone if given the chance. Even Celestia, most assuredly Celestia and Maverick. They would all die before this was over.
Celestia started towards the door, pausing in the dim light. "I’ll contact you shortly and keep you apprised of her transformation." She turned to leave but stopped. "It was Violet who ordered the death of your pack."
The current vampire queen. Well, at least when Rebecca overthrew that reign she would be getting the vengeance for her pack. And in the next moment she was gone, and so were her goons. And so was their father. The only one who remained was Felicity. “You will pay for that, wolf!” She cupped her hand to her face and blood seeped out of her fingers.
“Get out of here, Felicity. I don’t ever want to see you again.” Lucky snapped.
“But…”
“Get out of here before I let Rebecca finish you off.” His voice was filled with disgust.
Felicity turned and left. Rebecca’s feet gave out again as another wave of sadness washed over her and Lucky caught her before she fell to the ground. Hunter was wrapped in Natalia's arms as he cried and Gabriel lowered his head in defeat. Jackson, Persephone, and Sundae stood in the background. No one spoke.
No matter what it took, Rebecca would avenge Savannah, their mother, and her pack. To hell with justice and doing things the right way. Now, things were different. She made that promise to the gods.
Check out a chapter in the next book in the series titled “VP (Vampire Princess) in Training”.
"Hello, sister dear."
It was the first time Rebecca heard her voice since her death. The tenor was different; colder, and sadder. If she hadn't been her twin she may have not recognized her with her back turned or eyes closed. This realization pulled her deeper into the depression abyss she was suffering since Savvy’s death. It confirmed she was no longer the wonderful person who was her best friend for seventeen years.
Rebecca looked up at Savannah and attempted a shaky smile. "Savvy! Oh, how I have missed you." Tears stung the back of her eyes but she managed to keep them under control.
Hunter looked up from the book he was reading on the sofa, speechless as he eyed Savannah cautiously. He was there when Celestia broke Savvy’s neck. He watched as Savannah’s lifeless body crumbled to the ground. Gabriel came into the room and kept his strategic position behind their visitor.
"Is everything okay in here?" Gabe’s voice was steady; such a wonderful warrior and protector.
Rebecca offered a smile and nodded her head slowly. "Savvy, you remember Gabriel?" In truth, Rebecca had no idea how to handle this situation. Her twin sister, the one person she had loved for almost eighteen years was now her genetic enemy. Her body and mind betrayed her as the scent of death assaulted her senses. The familiar scent that uniquely belonged to vampires put her wolf on alert.
‘She is your enemy now.’ The alpha reminded her in her mind.
"One of your boyfriends? Sure." Savvy’s tone showed no emotion.
"He isn't..." Rebecca was tired of the boyfriend drama. After Savvy’s death she cut all romantic ties, focusing only on finding a cure for her sister. Nothing else mattered. It was the reason why Hunter was here at the compound. It also helped that she could better protect him in this place.
Savvy interrupted her impatiently. "I really don't care, dear sister. He is of no consequence to me. You, however, are."
"Oh? Why is that?" Rebecca set her pen down and gave Savvy her full attention.
"Mother has tasked me as the liaison between the wolves and the vampires. I understand we have a truce, one that was sealed with my blood." Savvy said the last part with full on disgust. She wasn’t pulling any punches and Rebecca couldn’t blame her.
"Yes." Rebecca tried to push back the memory of her being held captive by Celestia. Of the fact that she was the pawn used to ensure hers and her pack’s compliance in the truce. She tried to push away the memory of Savvy’s neck snapping and her body going limp in front of her. She drove away the sight of her eyes, the same eyes Rebecca shared with Savvy losing the light of life. She tried, but was unsuccessful. "I’m so sorry you got mixed up into this situation."
"Don't be." She smiled wickedly as her fingers ran softly along the front rim of the mahogany desk. "In truth, I’ve never felt more alive than I do now. Because of you, I’m free." She spun on her heel and crushed her lips to Gabriel's. He attempted to push her back. Being that close to a vampire would’ve been unbearable for him, but she held him in place with a hand on the back of his neck. When she released him he stumbled backwards and managed to catch himself before his legs gave out. Savvy laughed, no cackled. In that moment she sounded like Celestia. She spun back towards Rebecca and zeroed her now red eyes on her. "I would’ve never done that to you as a human."
The memory of kissing Gabriel only hours after Rebecca told Savvy she should go with him to the homecoming dance replayed in her mind on fast forward. The look of pain in Savannah's then blue eyes still haunted her. Rebecca shook her head to force the memory of her betrayal out of her mind's eye.
"As I tried to tell you earlier, I’m not with Gabriel." I’m not with anyone. I won’t be with anyone until I bring you back to us. She thought quietly to herself.
Savvy laughed, "Oh, sister dear, I’m not naive enough to fall for that again. But that isn’t the reason why I came today. I’m simply here to invite you to a meeting with my mother."
"Celestia is not your mother." Rebecca said dryly.
"She is now, thanks to you." Savvy’s eyes narrowed, Rebecca shivered from the anger that vibrated off her sister in waves.
"We’re going to find a way to help you, Savvy." Hunter closed his book and moved to stand beside Rebecca.
“I don’t need help, foolish brother!” She nodded understanding. "But I see you have chosen a side."
"I have not chosen any side. You have. In fact, it sounds as though you’ve chosen a new parent, something we can’t do." He responded with short tones.
Savannah looked up from examining her fingernails and sighed. "Finished?"
"Why’s your... Celestia requesting a meeting and when?" Rebecca asked trying to move this meeting along.
"The when is tomorrow, two hours before the counsel meeting. The why, you’ll have to wait and see."
"I thought you were the official liaison." Rebecca countered; irritation clear in her voice.
"I am." She tilted her head to the side and examined Rebecca with new eyes, cold eyes.
&
nbsp; "So why can't you tell me the purpose of this meeting?"
"Because I choose not to." She started towards the door and Gabriel stood in her way preventing her from exiting. "Are you asking for another kiss?"
"Give her an acceptable answer." His arms firmly crossed his chest, creating a barrier that would be difficult to pass.
"Or what, you’ll keep me here against my will? Use me to get my sister's attention?" She faked a yawn. “That was already done, remember?”
Rebecca didn't have to see her face to know Savannah was lashing out because she was in pain. She heard it in Savvy’s voice and saw it in Gabriel's demeanor. Her words cut into him, too, but not enough to make him shirk his duty.
Savvy sighed heavily, again. It was something she would never do as the human sister Rebecca grew up with. "Okay, she wants to prepare you for the information she’ll be revealing at the counsel meeting tomorrow night. You know where to find us. May I go now?"
It was actually an absurd question. In truth, vampires had a natural defense against werewolves just as wolves had a natural defense against them. The only upper hand they had was that the wolves’ human state was weaker than their human state, but not by much, and because Rebecca was an alpha and Gabriel was her enforcer they both had the ability to change to wolves in seconds at anytime of the month. Betas, on the other hand, were not so lucky.
"We’ll be there, sister. Have a good day."
Thank you for reading this book. Book two is scheduled to be released in the Spring of 2014.
Be sure to like Jami Brumfield’s author page and the Lone Wolf Rising book page on Facebook for updates and other great news.
Harvest from Indie Author Michele E. Gwynn creates Sci-Fi suspense in a short read that will leave you disturbed!
“Human greed and gluttony can exist only so long before consequences catch up to actions. For Dave Forrester, the actions of every human living were about to be addressed in his home town of Farley, Oklahoma. A haunting memory from the past is about to become a nightmare. The people of Farley have disappeared without a trace. It's up to Dave to figure out why, and how to save the few that survive....the harvest.
Amazon.com Reader Reviews for Harvest:
From S. Warfield, an Amazon.com Top 1000 Reviewer – “This is a very well-written sci-fi story that has a creep factor that is off the chart. It is frightening and the story also has a moral lesson to it. I really enjoyed reading it and it is definitely a page-turner. A very creative short story from this author.”
From Independent Filmmaker Emanuel Bermudez – “A must read! This book kept me on the edge of my seat. Definitely a page turner for anyone who likes a good sci-fi book. In fact I would be bold enough to say that if you've never read Sci-fi, this is a great start.”
From Indie Author Rebecca Alizadeh – “Hooks you and keeps you reading start to finish! What a great sci-fi short story! For fans (or even not-so-great fans) of sci-fi will be completely hooked from the beginning. The story is well written, suspenseful and keeps you guessing until the end.
Harvest
By Michele E. Gwynn
Chapter 1
June, 2010
Traveling home after a night out was not unusual for Dave Forrester. It was a Saturday night like any other. He’d hung out with his buddies at the local watering hole, and after a few games of pool and a round or two of darts interspersed with beer and shots of Wild Turkey, he had clapped his buds on their arms, shaken hands, and promised to meet up again next week. So far, the only thing out of the ordinary had been the cute redhead seated at the far end of the bar all night. He kept sneaking looks at her, but Dave never quite got up the courage to approach her. She was prettier than he was used to, and he struggled with a slight inferiority complex.
So when last call came around, he finished off his Corona, told his best buddy, Red, he’d see him tomorrow sometime, glanced briefly at the pretty lady, (offering the customary tipping of his hat in her direction) before heading out the door to his Chevy truck. Yep, nothing was new tonight but the same old-same old, and going home alone. Dave sighed heavily, feeling incredibly lonely. It had been a long time since he last was in a relationship; so long that he had forgotten how nice it felt to have a woman’s arms around his waist at night or how sweet the sound of feminine laughter could be. He might not remember those things but he knew he missed them.
It had been three years since Sherry had dumped him after cheating on him with a married man twice her age. He still didn’t understand how the hell that had happened, but the only thing Dave could figure out was the fellow was rich, and had more to offer financially than he did. Sherry always did like gifts, and the stuffed bears, wildflowers and infrequent dinners out to the steakhouse with the all you can eat salad bar hadn’t satisfied her. God knows he had tried. Dave felt one lone tear begin in his left eye and he took a deep breath, sucking it up, refusing to allow any more tears to fall for that gal. Damnit, men just don’t cry. Sherry was just plain materialistic, and love notes, hand holding, and telling her he loved her hadn’t put designer clothes on her wonderfully sculpted body, hadn’t slid onto her fingers like diamond rings, and could never fly her to Monaco first class like all the other guy’s money had done. Sherry had no heart and didn’t deserve his.
With that last thought Dave tried to concentrate on the road ahead of him as he headed off down the country lane that would lead to his old-fashioned farm house on three acres of land. The house and land had come to him through his grandparents. When his granddad died five years back, his grandma, Effie, had been all alone in the house, unable to handle the planting and harvesting of the wheat and hay. Dave’s mom, Lynda, had subtly put the idea into her son’s head to move in with his grandmother, and help take care of things. Grandma Effie hadn’t wanted to lose the home she’d shared with her husband, Ernest, for over thirty years. Dave knew he’d end up with no choice in the matter, not that he minded much helping grandma out. The only setback had been in giving up his bachelor pad apartment which helped put a crimp in his love life with Sherry. She complained a lot whenever she and Dave had to go to her place to have sex, said a grown man ought to have his own place. She never understood that sometimes a grown man also had obligations to others as well. But that was in the past. Grandma Effie had declined in her health nonetheless after Ernest Hardy’s death. She just couldn’t seem to find a way to live her life without him, even with her grandson’s help. She passed on a year and half later, leaving the house and all the land to Dave. He’d been there ever since, making a go of farming. It wasn’t much, but he found he loved the simple labor. It was hard work, but he worked for himself, and what he made off the sale of the wheat and hay paid the bills. For the most part, Dave was content.
There were no lights out this far along the roadside and one had to really pay attention to what was coming in order not to hit any wild animals running across the road. It was dark, quiet, and mighty peaceful with the warm July wind whipping through the rolled down, driver’s side window. Dave drifted off into thought as he cruised along the 30mph stretch. Another mile and he’d be home, alone with his television and empty bed.
Behind him, a light streaked across the starless sky like a small comet. Dave noticed the flash in his rearview mirror. It grew larger and seemed like it was headed right at the back of his truck. The light continued to grow until it blinded Dave. He tried to look in the mirror to see what the hell was going on. For a split second, he thought a carload of kids had driven up behind him and had their high beams on. But another split second later, the Chevy truck was fully enclosed in a blinding white light and Dave barely got the chance to mutter “What the..” before a shuddering explosion of sound, or was it an implosion, like millions of conversations at once robbed him of consciousness.
The truck slowed and rolled to a stop in a small ditch off the side of the lane, just a few hundred yards from Dave’s front lawn. The light dimmed, and then was gone. Wisps of frost radiated off the truck and melted into t
he warm summer night. All sound seemed to stop. The air was still, and Dave, unaware and unconscious, fell sideways in his seat belt, hanging suspended above the bench seat. The car radio spit and sputtered to life, softly playing Hank Williams’ “I’m so lonesome I could die”….
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Check out Chapter one in the next book in the series titled “VP (Vampire
Excerpt from Harvest
Lone Wolf Rising (Paranormal Romantic Thriller) (The Winters Series) Page 32
