Truth and Consequences
Page 14
I felt a blush spread over my face. To say Mom was embarrassed about my decided lack of social life would be a massive understatement. She was so outgoing, talking to people all the time. It used to horrify me when she walked up to complete strangers to compliment them on an outfit, their haircut, or ask them where they bought that fabulous bag. Now that I was older, and less stupid about the social graces, I understood that it was just Mom being Mom.
“Your dad and I are so proud of you, sweetheart, but I can’t go through this again. So please, please try not to fight off the world’s evil alone. All right?”
“I promise.” I leaned against her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around me. I had the coolest parents, and I planned to stick to that promise. I didn’t want to go through anything like that again. At the time, I acted. In hindsight, what I did terrified me. “Mom—have you heard anything about Katie?”
“Her aunt is here, and plans to stay until everything is sorted out.”
That’s my mom—always the diplomat. Sorted out equals how long they’ll be in prison. I had a feeling it was going to be a long time for Mr. Hyatt—and I did not look forward to testifying against him. For Mrs. Hyatt—if the prosecutor found evidence that she did start that fire ten years ago, she was about to become the diva of the women’s prison system.
Personally, I thought Katie was better off without them. And I’d make sure she wasn’t alone.
A yawn escaped before I could stop it. Mom kissed my forehead, again, and stood.
“Get some sleep, sweetheart. I’ll check on you before dinner. Are you hungry?” I shook my head. My appetite still hadn’t come back. It might have something to do with having over an inch of knife blade stuck in my gut. “Okay, we’ll take it slow.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Sweet dreams.” She closed the door. And for the first time in more than two weeks, I was completely alone.
I gathered my strength and pushed myself off the bed. Taking the bowl of jelly beans with me, I shuffled over to my desk, eased myself into the chair, setting the bowl in easy reach.
“Hey, Red.” I brushed my laptop, my best friend for longer than I will admit. Opening her up, I clicked on the file I discreetly label MF. It had been too long, and it was time for some updates.
After a few minutes of fumbling, my fingers warmed up, and I got back into the rhythm.
So much has happened since I closed this file, I’m not sure where to start. For now, I’ll sum up: Sam is back, for good. I met some new friends—one of them a ghost!
That stopped me for a minute. I hoped Simon was okay. Zach still couldn’t reach him. I felt bad, since it was partly my fault. Misty, who had been spending practically every waking hour not in school with Zach, told me he didn’t blame me, but she could tell Zach missed him. I seriously doubt he missed Simon too much when she was in the room.
Smiling, I continued.
After everything that happened (to be added later), the big news is this—the haven is going to reopen. I plan on being a big part of that project. The challenge will be telling my parents without inducing heart failure—or a permanent grounding.
Who knows what monsters, creatures, and Others will show up once the word gets out? Or what will happen next in the craziness that has become my life.
I can’t wait to find out.
~ ~ * ~ ~
Excerpt from Welcome to The Haven
Life is—crazy.
If you told me six months ago that I’d be running through Emmettsville, chasing after an adolescent monster that no one else could see, I would have laughed, and felt more than a little sorry for your family.
But there I was, Sam on my heels, chasing after the slippery bugger, dodging the people who couldn’t see us.
“Alex—use the bow!”
I didn’t want to. We had learned how to stretch the “can’t see me” field on the rune necklaces. Yeah, necklaces, plural. Sam found a drawerful while they were renovating the haven. But a flying object, like the arrow I had fashioned, with a plunger style tip instead of an arrowhead, would fly straight out of the field and be visible. I considered it a last resort action.
And I wasn’t about to fire it on a busy street, in the middle of lunch hour.
The little demon shot across the street, headed for the beach. I waited for a lull in the coast road traffic and dashed after it—him. I had to stop calling them it, even when I couldn’t tell male from female.
Oh, yeah—my life has definitely taken a turn into crazy town.
When the demon hit the sand, it slowed, not able to balance as well on the sand. Those clawed feet made him as fast as a—well, demon—on a hard surface, but hindered him on the soft, shifting sand. He also ran away from the lunch time tanners, loping toward the stretch of private beach.
Now I could use my bow.
I stopped, Sam running past me, careful to stay to one side, out of the line of fire. I pulled an arrow out of the quiver on my back, checked the plunger tip; the uber sticky but harmless goo coated it, glistening in the sun.
With a slow, even breath, I nocked the arrow, lined up my target, and let it fly.
The long, thin length of rope attached to the arrow, just in front of the fletching, unspooled from a reel attached to my utility belt. I watched it shoot past Sam, and hit the demon square in the back.
Before he could rip it free—and yeah, he was strong enough to do it—I jerked on the rope. He flew backward, plopping to his flat butt on the sand. Sam skidded, halting next to him.
I could hear the demon’s gravel voice from here, the cold spring wind carrying it over the sand and water. “But I just wanted to see! Mama won’t let me go more than ten steps outside our front door. I wanted to see the water—”
“And now you have.” Sam hauled him to his feet, his hands gentle when they closed over the hunched, horned shoulders. “All you had to do was ask me, Hern. I would have been happy to take you out myself.”
“You would?”
The demon gazed up at him, adoration and more than a little fear in the slitted yellow eyes. Everyone in the haven knew Sam was a Fenris Wolf, even though he hadn’t changed since Mrs. Hyatt put on the necklace he wore around his neck. A necklace that was determined to stay. No matter how many times he took it off, it reappeared.
He even tested it by going out on a boat, twenty six miles out to Catalina Island, and dropped it in deep water on the way there. By the time the boat reached the island, it was back around his neck.
Now he smiled down at the demon, the breeze ruffling the ends of his streaked blonde hair. “Anytime. Let’s go home, before your mother claws up the boardwalk, again.”
Hern laughed, letting it die quickly. He was the reason she lost her short temper the first time.
“Sorry.” He lowered his head, twisting one clawed foot into the sand.
“Hey.” Sam tipped his chin up. “No harm. Lesson learned, I take it?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.” He waved to me, and I jogged down the beach, slinging the bow over my shoulder. “Apologize to Alex, and we’ll be square.”
I could feel the embarrassment radiating off. Literally, I could. This particular species of demon could project their feelings, and the younger ones could smack you off your feet with it. Hern had more control over his since coming to the haven.
“I’m sorry, Alex.”
“Apology accepted.” I kept from smiling. He was so nervous, I didn’t want him spewing emotion. “Ready to go home?”
“Not really.”
This time I did smile, and he returned it, showing his wide, flat teeth. I pulled the nail polish removed out of my utility belt, moistened a scrap of cloth and loosened the glue until the arrow came loose from his back.
Sam took his hand, leading him toward the main beach. I followed after them, tucking the arrow in my quiver. There he was, the man I loved more than anything in this world, walking along the beach with a demon.
Oh, yeah, my life is strange
.
~ ~ ~
Welcome to The Haven, Book 3 of The Monster Files, will be coming your way in Fall 2014. Want an advance notice – and be in on some exclusive contests? Then sign up for my list: http://catedeanwrites.com/join-my-list/.
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Books by Cate Dean
Love in Time
Book One – Final Hours
Book Two – First Breath
Book 2.5 – Loving Kane
Book Three – Second Chances
Shattered Throne
Prequel – Second Son
The Claire Wiche Chronicles
Book 1 – Rest For The Wicked
Book 2 – A Gathering of Angels
Book 3 – Carry On Wayward Son
Book 4 – Annie's Song
Book 5 – What Doesn't Kill You
Box sets
The Claire Wiche Chronicles Volumes 1-3
The Claire Wiche Chronicles Volumes 4-5
Young Adult
Alex Finch: Monster Hunter (The Monster Files Book 1)
Truth and Consequences (The Monster Files Book 2)
When Walls Can Talk (The Black Mountain Saga)
Danel of Black Mountain (The Black Mountain Saga)
Fantasy
Choices
Last Chance Jack
Anthology
Tales From The Mist – The Messenger
Lore: Tales of Myth and Legend Retold – The Barricades
Love Is… Charity Anthology – Tempted Heart
My Thanks
I may be the writer – but this book would not be what it is without my team, who are a joy to work with, and make me look good.
Thank you to Janet of Dragonfly Editing – you get my style, and my book is more polished because of your attention to detail. To Cheryl at CCR Book Cover Designs – thank you for designing the perfect cover, again. And to Margo, my lovely beta reader – thank you for diving in Alex’s world again.
And finally – thank you, my readers. I write stories because of you, and for you. Thank you for your constant, unconditional support. You all continue to inspire, delight, and surprise me.
About The Author
Cate Dean has been writing since she could hold a pen in her hand and put more than two words together on paper.
She grew up losing herself in the wilds of fantasy worlds, and has had some of her own adventures while tromping through the UK, and a few other parts of the world. A lover of all things supernatural, she infuses that love into her stories, giving them a unique edge.
When she's not writing, she loves cooking, scaring herself silly in the local cemeteries, and reading pretty much anything she can get her hands on.
There - I got the official biography out of the way.
I love to write, and yes, I have been doing it most of my life. I've made up stories in my head for as long as I can remember, and I am thrilled to be able to write them down and share them with you.
The Claire Wiche Chronicles is my first series. I am incredibly proud of it, and floored by all your wonderful comments and emails.
Now with the last book in that series finished, I have more fun planned for me, and for you. Stay tuned.
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Table of Contents
TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Excerpt from Welcome to The Haven
Books by Cate Dean
My Thanks
About The Author
Table of Contents
TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Excerpt from Welcome to The Haven
Books by Cate Dean
My Thanks
About The Author