Emerge: The Captive: (Book 3)
Page 1
Table of Contents
Emerge: The Captive
PRAISE FOR THE EMERGE SERIES
Copyright
Free Offer
ALSO BY MELISSA A. CRAVEN
DEDICATION
Family Tree 1
Family Tree 2
Soma
Chapter 1 - Sasha: The Springtime Ball - Cleveland
Chapter 2 - Quinn: Summer - Atlanta
Chapter 3 - Sasha: Summer - Agra, India
Chapter 4 - Quinn: Summer - Atlanta
Chapter 5 - Quinn: Summer - Atlanta
Chapter 6 - Sasha: Summer - Agra, India
Chapter 7 - Quinn: Summer - Atlanta
Chapter 8 - Sasha: Summer - Agra, India
Chapter 9 - Quinn: Summer - Atlanta
Chapter 10 - Sasha: Summer - The Chola Valley Temple
Chapter 11 - Quinn: Fall - Atlanta
Chapter 12 - Sasha: Summer - The Chola Valley Temple
Chapter 13 - Quinn: Fall - Atlanta
Chapter 14 - Sasha: Summer - The Chola Valley Temple
Chapter 15 - Quinn: Fall - Atlanta
Chapter 16 - Sasha: Summer - The Chola Valley Temple
Chapter 17 - Quinn: Fall - Atlanta
Chapter 18 - Quinn: Fall - Atlanta
Chapter 19 - Sasha: Meithari - The Chola Valley Temple
Chapter 20 - Quinn: Fall - Atlanta
Chapter 21 - Quinn: Fall - Atlanta
Chapter 22 - Sasha: Ankathari - The Chola Valley Temple
Chapter 23 - Quinn: Fall - Cleveland
Chapter 24 - Sasha: Ankathari - The Chola Valley Temple
Chapter 25 - Quinn: Fall - Atlanta
Chapter 26 - Sasha: Verumkai - The Chola Valley Temple
Chapter 27 - Sasha: Summer - The Chola Valley
Chapter 28 - Quinn: Fall - The Dreamworld
Chapter 29 - Sasha: Summer - The Chola Valley
Chapter 30 - Quinn: Fall - Atlanta
Chapter 31 - Sasha: Summer - Outside the Chola Valley
Chapter 32 - Sasha: Fall - Kelleys Island
Chapter 33 - Sasha: Fall-The New Moon - Kelleys Island
Chapter 34 - Quinn: Fall-The New Moon - Rural New York
Chapter 35 - Sasha: Fall-The New Moon - Rural New York
Chapter 36 - Quinn: Fall-The New Moon - Kelleys Island
Chapter 37 - Sasha: Fall-The New Moon - Kelleys Island
Chapter 38 - Quinn: Fall-The New Moon - Kelleys Island
Chapter 39 - Sasha: Fall-The New Moon - Kelleys Island
EPILOGUE - Livia: Fall-The New Moon - Kelleys Island
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Preview of Emerge: The Volunteer (an Emerge Short Story)
Emerge: The Edge (Book 1.5)
Emerge: The Judgment (Emerge Book 2)
About The Author
Acknowledgments
EMERGE
The Captive
BOOK 3
Midnight Hour Studio
Atlanta
PRAISE FOR THE EMERGE SERIES
2016 RONE Award Winner – Best Book Cover
2016 YA Books Central Top 4 Finalist – Best Indie
2015 Dante Rossetti YA Awards Finalist
2015 International Book Awards Finalist
2015 USA Best Book Awards Finalist
An engrossing start for a potentially riveting paranormal series. ~ Kirkus Reviews ~
Melissa A. Craven is fantastic at world building and creating strong origin stories for her characters. This is one Indie book that should be on every YA shelf. ~ YA Books Central ~
This story has a good message for young readers, especially young girls. Craven did a nice job of packaging that message into a fun, paranormal action story that readers can get excited about, with a romance that will get them talking, too. ~ Readers' Favorite ~
The Awakening grabbed my attention within the first few pages and refused to let go until the very end. ~ Readers’ Favorite ~
Young Adult Fantasy has been pumped out like never before, but Craven has skillfully developed an Urban Fantasy set in a real life, believable context. I can almost believe this ancient race of Immortals actually lives among us. ~ Hub Pages Reviewer ~
Never once did I stop and think, this kind of reminds me of (whichever book insert here). Get this book. It’s amazing. Warning though... you might get obsessed. ~ The Book Goddess ~
Allie was a breath of fresh air when it came to heroines. She was totally badass. ~ Literary-ly Obsessed ~
Emerge: The Awakening is a story that begins as a single snowflake and ends in an avalanche. Melissa A. Craven has put together a story that unfolds and unfolds and unfolds again, revealing characters of unusual depth. ~ Amazon Reviewer ~
From the first page to the last, Melissa A. Craven has a talent for keeping her reader’s attention as she reveals Allie’s story, layer by interesting layer. And when you get to the last page, you are left wanting more! ~ Amazon Reviewer ~
The immortal characters in "Emerge" all have a special gift, but so does the author. Craven’s is a superpower that we can all benefit from: storytelling. ~ Amazon Reviewer ~
EMERGE: The Captive
Copyright © August 28, 2017
By: Melissa A. Craven
Midnight Hour Studio INC
Atlanta, Georgia
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
For more information contact: Hello@Melissaacraven.com or visit the author’s website at Melissaacraven.com
Cover design by: Zoe Shtorm
Edited by: Chase Night of Story Taming
and Robin Schroffel
Interior design by: Melissa@TheWriterLab.com
ASIN: B072M5373Y eBook
ISBN 978-1975788933 Paperback
First Edition for Print by Midnight Hour Studio: August 28, 2017
Printed in the United States of America
Immortality. Prophecy. Power.
Quinnton Loukas has a dangerous secret
In The Captive, find out what happens when his addiction spirals out of control.
And then download your free copy of Emerge: The Scholar
Sign up for Melissa’s mailing list and get a free copy of Emerge: The Scholar, an Emerge series companion novel with over 170 pages and full color illustrations.
Click here to get started: www.melissaacraven.com
ALSO BY MELISSA A. CRAVEN
Emerge Series:
Emerge: The Awakening (Book 1)
Emerge: The Edge (Book 1.5)
Emerge: The Scholar (Illustrated Character Journal)
Emerge: The Volunteer (An Emerge Short Story)
Emerge: The Judgment (Book 2)
Emerge: The Catalyst (An Emerge Short Story)
Emerge: The Captive (Book 3)
Emerge: The Heir (Book 4) Coming Soon
DEDICATION
For my sister, Angela. My biggest fan (well, except for mom, she’s kind of stalkery).
Thank you so much for your unwavering support and for being my most awesome sounding-board
when my characters are misbehaving.
“We have drunk Soma and become immortal; we have attained the light, the Gods discovered. Now what may foeman’s malice do to harm us? What, O Immortal, mortal man’s dec
eption?”
—Rigveda 8.48.3
CHAPTER
ONE
Sasha: The Springtime Ball
Cleveland, Ohio
“You think Allie’s face will freeze like that?” Sasha cheered with the crowd for their reluctant queen of the Springtime Ball.
“Is she pissed or excited? I can’t tell which,” Quinn said as he wrapped his arms around Sasha’s waist.
“I’m going with sixty-percent pissed and forty-percent confused.” Sasha leaned back against him, enjoying his closeness. For however long it lasts this time. They could never seem to get on the same page in their rocky relationship, but she couldn’t imagine spending this night with anyone else. Even nearly a year after they ended their relationship … again.
“Our Allie is really not the prom queen sort, is she?” Quinn laughed.
“There’s something about those two together, though,” Sasha said as her brother and her best friend stepped onto the dance floor.
“You think they’ll ever figure it out?”
“They’ll get there.” Sasha smiled.
“Will we?” Quinn’s breath was warm against her ear and his clean, masculine scent of birch and tea tree sent her pulse racing the way it always did when he was close.
“Of course we will.” Sasha turned in his arms, the rush of all her old feelings coming back. Not that they’d ever really left. There was a time when she was convinced she would spend her life with her first love. Sometimes she still believed Quinn was her Complement and that the source of all their trouble was that they were just too young. Maybe they would be ready for it one day. She could wait.
“Dance with me?” Quinn asked, taking her hand in his.
They moved to the dance floor to join the crowd circling Allie and Aidan.
“Sometimes I wonder why we’re so good together when we’re not together,” Quinn said, wrapping his arm around her waist.
“And so terrible for each other when we are together?” She added.
“We’re ridiculous.” Quinn twirled her around and dipped her until the tips of her hair brushed the floor. His smile was brighter than she’d seen it in a long time.
“We should see a shrink.” She laughed, determined to enjoy the evening and not let their past drama spoil anything. “What made you ask me to the dance?” It was a risk. They’d both known going into this night that it would stir up a past probably best left buried.
“I made you a promise.”
“That was ages ago, Quinn. I was just thirteen.” She stared into his dark blue eyes, unable to believe he actually remembered a silly old promise from when they were kids.
“And seven feet tall with giant clown feet.” His laughter rumbled in his chest as he held her a little too closely. “So worried no one would ever ask you to the junior ball because you were head and shoulders above the rest of us.”
“Quinn Loukas, you take that back. I do not have big feet!”
“You grew into your height, Sasha. But you still have clown feet.”
“You know I’m armed, right?” She scowled at him.
“Ah, you know you’re gorgeous. Always have been.”
“I’m glad you kept your promise … and glad you finally got as tall as me.”
“Walk with me?” He pulled her toward the gardens, away from the glittering dance floor. “I could do with a little quiet and some fresh air.”
Sasha followed him through the double doors and into the chilly spring evening, wondering if her heart could handle it if they tried to go down that road again and failed.
“What are we doing, Sash?” Quinn sighed as they strolled along the winding pathway, avoiding the other couples seeking a quiet moment away from the revelry inside.
“Enjoying the ball. Let’s not make it more complicated than that.” Her heart wanted to gallop right over the cliff with him the way they always did, but her head cautioned her to take it slow. They’d hurt each other too many times to make the same mistakes again.
“The last thing I ever want is to hurt you. We suck at relationships, but ‘just friends’ … it’s not enough. I miss you, Sasha.”
“I miss you too. But I … won’t go through that again—not until we’re both ready to do it right. Let’s enjoy tonight and not make any promises we can’t keep.”
They were always so drawn to each other like moths to a flame, but at the same time, they clashed like opposites. The constant battle of their relationship was exhausting. They were better as friends, but he was right, it wasn’t enough.
“If tonight is all we have, then let’s make it worth it.” Quinn pulled her into the shadows, and the warmth of his cloaking gift enveloped them. In an instant they were wrapped up in their own little world, oblivious of anyone or anything going on around them.
When his lips found hers, it was like everything clicked into place and Sasha’s world made sense again—in the way it only did when they were together like this. But this was never their problem. This was the one thing they were good at.
His hands slid down to her waist, his touch so familiar and, as it so often was with him, a little bit dangerous. Something powerful and angry fueled his power … and his passion. With the vine-covered brick wall at her back, and the wall of Quinn’s chest pressing against her, Sasha rushed headlong into all those old feelings. The concerns, the hesitations, all the reasons they shouldn’t be doing this—she’d think about all those things tomorrow. But for this one night, she just wanted to focus on the boy she’d loved all her life. Consequences be damned.
“Sasha,” Quinn whispered, his lips trailing down her throat. “I love you. That has never changed and it’s the one thing you can always count on from me.”
“I know. And I love you too. That’s always been the easy part for us,” she said, letting her hands wander over his shoulders.
“Sasha! Quinn?” Aidan burst into the garden. “We’ve got company.” He whirled around, searching for them. “Where are you?”
“Here.” Quinn gave Sasha one last kiss and stepped away, letting the illusion of their invisibility fall away.
“What kind of company?” Sasha asked, smoothing her hands over her dress, glancing around for mortal ears.
“Coalition.” Aidan took off toward the edge of the gardens and through the gate leading into the alley. Quinn fell in right beside him as Sasha followed.
“I swear to God, you hurt my sister again and we’re done,” Aidan said.
Quinn nodded. He would take the threat seriously. It was just the kind of guy he was.
“How about you let me handle my own love life?” Sasha said. “We’ve got bigger things to worry about right now. What are we up against?”
“Allie and two Coalition. Front of the building.” Aidan stopped short at the sound of gunfire as a bullet hit the brick wall behind him, just missing his head. Quinn pulled them behind the cover of the dumpsters.
“Aidan? What’s going on?” Vince called in the darkness. “Where’s Allie?” He ran to catch up with them. “Was that gunfire?” He joined them behind the dumpsters.
At the same moment, two Coalition men stepped into the alley from the rear of the conference center next door.
Sasha was on the verge of panic, but she looked to her brother for direction. Aidan was always quick to step into the leadership role. He would know what to do.
“Quinn, go after Allie, now,” Aidan said. “Sasha, get past these thugs and circle the building. Get them to follow you. I’ll handle Vince and meet you in the front in two minutes. Let’s box these guys in.”
“I don’t need to be handled,” Vince said. “But someone needs to tell me what’s going on. Where is Allie?”
“Be careful, Sasha.” Quinn turned and darted around the dumpsters, disappearing under the cloak of his gift.
Sasha ran straight for the men at the back of the alley, ducking under an arm and turning with a swift kick to disarm him. She fled down the back path along the rocky lakeshore, just beneath the gard
ens, hoping the men would follow her. Sasha was fast. She could easily outrun them and get back to Quinn before this turned ugly.
Just as she rounded the corner of the building, she heard another gunshot and chanced a glance over her shoulder to see the two men were trailing far behind. Sasha slowed, giving them the illusion that they might be able to catch her.
She circled to the front of the building and flung herself against the brick. The men following came flying around the corner a moment later. With them ahead of her now, she could finish boxing them in.
But the Coalition agents didn’t seem to be looking for her.
“No,” Sasha whispered as the men piled into a van.
“Nice!” Quinn’s voice echoed across the empty parking lot. “Your aim sucks, Allie. How’d you manage that?”
“Progress under pressure, I suppose.” Allie stepped up beside Quinn, facing the Coalition man in front of them. But they didn’t see the van heading straight for their backs.
“Quinn!” Sasha shrieked at the same moment she heard Allie’s anguished cry.
“Aidan! No!” Allie fell to her knees. “Aidan, please!”
“Allie! What’s wrong?” Quinn shouted, not hearing Sasha’s warning cry.
He didn’t even see it coming. Leaning from the open door of the van, the Coalition man struck him with the butt of his knife and Quinn went down hard.
“No!” Sasha cried an instant later when the collar snapped around Quinn’s throat.
She started running, heedless of her own safety.
“Sasha, no!” Graham crashed through the front door of the banquet hall and pulled her back into the shadows just as one of the Coalition cracked a bat across Allie’s back. She looked like a broken doll, sprawled on the pavement as another man slipped a collar around her throat.
“Let me go, Graham!” Sasha struggled against him. “We have to help.”
“The best thing we can do for them is escape the same fate so we can go after them later.”