by Rue Volley
I sat down and chewed with my mouth open. She grimaced and stopped. I pointed at the pillow in her hand. “I bet this one has a higher IQ.”
“I’ll smack you, Echo.”
I grinned while taking another bite of cold pizza. I waved at her pillow. “Oh, hi, Bob.” I winked at her. “His name is Bob, just in case you wondered.”
“I wouldn’t make out with a Bob. Maybe a Roberto.”
“Oh sure. Like you would know.” I continued to chew, foregoing any manners.
“Way to ruin the mood.” She huffed.
“Sorry.” I grinned as I swallowed. Finally, she joined me and took a slice, quickly nibbling on it.
I half laughed. “I thought love sustained you.”
She nudged me from the side. “Shut up you brat.”
* * *
She woke me up late that night, whispering in my ear.
“Echo…Echo. Wake up. I want to show you something.”
I swatted at her, and she giggled. She shook the canister next to my nose, and I could smell the coffee. I perked up.
“You suck,” I muttered while I took a sip of it. She nodded to me. “You won’t regret it, come on.”
“What time is it?”
She ignored my question and grabbed my hand, dragging me from the bed. Luckily I had fallen asleep in my clothing or she would have been pulling me along in my pajamas.
Soon I found myself standing in the dark jungle with strange sounds echoing in the distance and Midnight's hand firmly gripping mine. She pulled me along, silently as my clumsy feet hit every protruding vine beneath us. Her pace quickened, her grip tightened. I dropped my coffee, and it annoyed me. I jerked on her hand, breaking her hold.
“Why? Why did you bring me here?” I muttered.
She just kept pushing forward.
“Midnight, wait,” I grumbled through blurred eyes.
“Come on, I want to show you something amazing, trust me.” I stared at the jungle floor trying to find my coffee. Finally, I did, and as I reached for it, I heard Midnight cry out to me. I stood up, squinting my eyes, trying to allow the full moon to give me some direction.
“Midnight!”
She didn’t respond. Again I yelled into the darkness. “Midnight?!”
I rushed forward, trying to stay upright and then I heard her call out to me.
“Echo! Over here!”
I gasped when I reached the edge of a large ravine. I stood next to her and stared into a blue mist that masked everything below us. The breeze would kick up, and the thick sheet of mist would rise a few feet and then drop back down like a living breathing thing.
“Oh my God,” I whispered.
“I know, right? Isn’t it beautiful?” she asked me.
I shook my head. “It is, it really is.”
“If you close your eyes you can hear it.”
“What?” I asked.
“A heartbeat.”
I half laughed. “You cannot.”
“Echo, just try.” She said without laughing.
I glanced at her, and she already had her eyes closed. I decided to give it a try, but just as I relaxed and accepted the fact that I may hear something, the peaceful silence was broken by movement behind us. We both turned to see what it could be and she cried out as her foot slipped over the edge. I spun in horror just in time to see her disappear over the side. I rushed forward, and my eyes widened when I spotted her. She was hanging onto a thick root protruding from the side of the cliff. Instinct flared. I fell to my knees and then laid flat, extending my hand toward her. She looked down and then back up at me. Her eyes captured slivers of the moonlight.
Even then she didn’t look frightened.
Even then, she was brave.
“Take my hand, take it,” I yelled, half out of breath. Her free hand lifted and she clasped it in mine. I felt my heart flutter in my chest as I could hear the root giving way. It budged, spewing dirt and dust down onto her and jerked me forward. I dug my nails into the earth at my side while my grip tightened. Again the root shifted and pulled me further over the edge. Inch by inch, moment by moment, it was begging to claim us and drag us into the unknown.
I moaned as my body moved forward. I stared down at her in horror, sweat glistening on my face and neck. I could feel the strain in my arm, shoulder, and back. The tips of my shoes desperately dug into the ground but found nothing that could stabilize me.
Her expression was calm.
No fear, no regrets.
I didn’t know that she had made her choice without consulting me.
The root gave way, and I cried out as she dangled there from my hand. I felt her grip loosen and my heart sank. I was losing her.
I wasn’t strong enough.
I was never strong enough.
“No…no, help me, please, help me,” I cried out through gritted teeth. I inched forward while gravity played havoc with us. “No, no,” I repeated as if my words outweighed reality. The top half of my body was inching forward with each passing moment. I couldn’t find anything to grab onto so that she would have the opportunity to climb. I just didn’t have the strength to do it myself.
Her eyes softened, and she tilted her head. “Echo.”
I tried to focus on her through the sheer terror of the moment.
“Midnight, please…please help me.”
“Live.” She whispered and then she let go.
My hand extended toward her while her body disappeared into the mist, silent and peaceful.
No screams, no sound at all.
She was just gone, taking my heart with her.
If you enjoyed this prologue of 13 Ways to Midnight then please check out the entire book here:
About the Author
Rue Volley is a USA Today Bestselling Author and award-winning screenwriter who is best known for creating compelling storylines with a multitude of twists and turns that leave her readers virtually speechless.
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She specializes in paranormal romances that include otherworldly characters who, regardless of their supernatural abilities, feel oddly familiar, or in other words, human. This, coupled with her easy reading style, wicked sense of humor, and excellent world-building skills, has garnered her a fiercely loyal fan base over the past decade who support her regardless of what genre she chooses to write in.
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Some of her best works include 13 Ways to Midnight, Hellhound, The Devil's Gate, and A Vampires Tale of Blood and Light. All of which utilize her skill at piecing together compelling dramas that highlight her love for vampires, witches, angels, and demons across many genres including young adult, new adult, urban fantasy, and erotic romance.
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Rue Volley's work seems to be synonymous with one phrase in the publishing world.
Thoroughly addictive.
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She is accredited with two award-winning screenplays for film, Hellhound (original script, 2014) and Awakening (contributing screenwriter, 2015). IMDb
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Rue is represented by Gladys Gonzales Atwell, Publicist, and Sarah Davis Brandon, Publisher, and Neil M. Schwartz, Editor, and Manager.
Business inquiries, please contact
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Connect with Rue:
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