The NSC Boxset: Heart of Stone
Page 1
The NSC Boxset
By D H Sidebottom
The NSC Boxset
Copyright © 2015 D H Sidebottom
Angel
Copyright © 2013 D H Sidebottom
Heart of Stone #1: Incineration
Copyright © 2013 D H Sidebottom
Heart of Stone #2: Tolerance
Copyright © 2013 D H Sidebottom
Heart of Stone #3: Resolution
Copyright © 2013 D H Sidebottom
The Hunt for Summer
Copyright © 2013 D H Sidebottom
Heart of Stone
Heart of Stone #4: Atonement
Copyright © 2013 D H Sidebottom
Heart of Stone
Heart of Stone mini-novella: Avengement
Copyright © 2013 D H Sidebottom
Kade
Copyright © 2013 D H Sidebottom
Heart of Stone
Heart of Stone novella : Endurance
Copyright © 2014 D H Sidebottom
A Heart of Stone novella: Ferocity
Copyright © 2014 D H Sidebottom
Heart of Stone: Fortitude
Copyright © 2014 D H Sidebottom
Heart of Stone
Heart of Stone: Nativity
Copyright © 2014 D H Sidebottom
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to places, incidents or actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Formatting: Champagne Formats
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEDICATION
BOOK 1: ANGEL
PROLOGUE
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
EPILOGUE
BOOK 2: INCINERATION
QUOTE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
CHAPTER 39
CHAPTER 40
CHAPTER 41
CHAPTER 42
CHAPTER 43
CHAPTER 44
CHAPTER 45
CHAPTER 46
CHAPTER 47
CHAPTER 48
CHAPTER 49
CHAPTER 50
CHAPTER 51
BOOK 3: TOLERANCE
QUOTE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
CHAPTER 39
CHAPTER 40
CHAPTER 41
CHAPTER 42
BOOK 4: RESOLUTION
QUOTE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
EPILOGUE
QUOTE
BOOK 5: THE HUNT FOR SUMMER
QUOTE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
CHAPTER 39
CHAPTER 40
CHAPTER 41
CHAPTER 42
CHAPTER 43
CHAPTER 44
CHAPTER 45
EPILOGUE
BOOK 6: ATONEMENT
QUOTE
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
; CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
CHAPTER 39
CHAPTER 40
CHAPTER 41
CHAPTER 42
EPILOGUE
BOOK 7: AVENGEMENT
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
BOOK 8: KADE
QUOTE
PROLOGUE
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
EPILOGUE
BOOK 9: ENDURANCE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
BOOK 10: FEROCITY
CHAPTER 0NE
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
BOOK 11: FORTITUDE
FOR JOAN HOPKINSON
PART ONE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
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
PART TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
EPILOGUE
AVA AND MASON
BOOK 12: NATIVITY
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
EPILOGUE
FINALLY, THE END
Dedication
For Vickie.
You will always be Mrs Fox #2 and Mason will forever love you as much as I do. Thank you for being there every step of the way with me and the Fox’s.
You have no idea how much we love you for it!
Prologue
“OH, COME ON Liv! I have Haribos!” Beth pouted, “You know I need it.”
Rolling my eyes at her, I laughed. “Why is it so damn important that you wear my red dress?” I asked, even though I had an inkling of why she was so desperate to claim it.
“Because I need sex tonight . . . desperately, I’m so bloody horny Liv!” she replied, not noticing the slight giggle I was trying to hide under my breath.
“Mmm, why is my red dress gonna help you get laid?” I looked at her, she was stunning . . . Greek goddess stunning; blonde hair, blue eyes and a figure to die for with long, long legs, trim waist and large breasts. “You don’t need any help to get a bloke.”
She turned to look at me, grinning widely. “Because I look goooood in it.”
Frowning and wondering how the hell she already knew she looked good in it, I took my chance. “Haribos, wine and don’t fucking leave me alone with Tom tonight, then it’s yours.”
Screaming, she flung her arms round me. “You got it girl, but what’s wrong with Tom? You know he wants you, don’t you think it’s about time you tried sex, you’re gonna love it!”
I turned away, sighing. “You know why. I want to wait till it’s someone I like. I’m only eighteen for god’s sake, I’m sure I’m not gonna die a dried up old virgin yet!”
It was important to me, just because everyone else seemed to give it up for any lad that smiled at them. I wasn’t frigid or against sex. I thought I was a decent-ish looking, petite 5ft 3” curvy, but slim girl, with long wavy brown hair and huge brown eyes, but I just hadn’t found a lad that did it for me. I couldn’t remember any male attention that made me hot and ready.
Sensing Beth’s stare on me I turned back to her. “What?”
“Hey, what you wearing anyway?” she asked, quickly changing the topic. “Even if you don’t wanna get nailed you still need to attract the men.” She laughed, “Just enjoy their attention, it can still make you feel good.”
“Jeans,” I deadpanned, knowing it would wind her up.
Noticing the shocked look on her face, I couldn’t hold in the grin. God, I loved winding her up. According to Beth, every girl on campus should look good at all times even when they’re sound asleep or sat on the loo.
Bringing her eyebrows together, she looked at me. “No Fucking way Liv, it’s a Christmas party, you can’t wear jeans and I won’t let you.” She stomped off towards her room, leaving me shaking my head in humour.
Walking over to my wardrobe I took a look inside. My favourite red dress had been claimed, leaving my black, tight lacy dress which I had a feeling Tom would see as an invitation to stare at my breasts all night, or my blue dress.
“Blue it is then.” Pulling it out and giving it a quick whiff to see if it still smelled fresh, I wrinkled my nose. “Eugh, maybe not.” Starting to panic I shouted, “ANYBODY GOT ANY FEBREZE?” to the rest of my flat mates.
* * *
An hour later we approached the block of flats on the univers
ity digs; Beth and Lexi, already half plastered on cheap wine, and me attempting to pull my clingy blue dress down to my knees.
“Relax,” Beth grumbled. “What’s up with you tonight? You sooo need a man.”
Sick of hearing the same thing I glared at her. “For Christ sake Beth, leave it! Why don’t you try NOT getting screwed for one night?”
She gasped and put her hand to her chest, looking at Lexi, “What did she just say?”
Lexi looked at me and snorted. “You’ve no hope Liv, hell hasn’t frozen over yet!”
From out of nowhere a huge lad came barrelling over and scooped Lexi up, swinging her round. “Babe, I missed you.” He grinned, leaning her over and giving her the sweetest kiss ever.
“Put me down, Pete!” She giggled but the twinkle in her eyes, gave away how much she was in love with him.
Lexi and Pete had been together for over three years and had moved to the same university from the same college. I only met Lexi when I moved into the student digs on the first day of term but we hit it off together straight away, both having the same taste in music, films and of course wine.
She’d turned out to be a quiet girl but when she hit the wine, boy, did she get loud and wild; everybody who knew her groaned and ran for cover when she got the corkscrew out. We’d had many a fun, loud drunken night since I started at uni.
Beth and I however had been best friends since we were at primary school and always seemed to know what the other was thinking. We moved from primary to secondary school, then college and university together. I couldn’t have asked for a greater friend. We went through hell together when my dad died, both of us clinging to each other in our grief.
My dad had been a surrogate dad to Beth when her own had buggered off and left Beth and her mum struggling with all the gambling debts he left behind. My dad had bonded with Beth when I brought her home for tea one day after school and she had treated our house as her own from that day on.
Pete carried a giggling Lexi up the stairs to the flat, while me and Beth followed on behind.
The music was bouncing through the walls as we climbed, the smell of cigarette smoke and cannabis permeating the air the moment we entered the pulsing flat.
It was packed to the rafters, hot and sweaty bodies brushing against each other. There were a few couples already making out in the corners and two girls practically having sex on one of the threadbare couches.
My head throbbed with an approaching headache as soon as I squeezed myself between the wall and the mass of people. Beth had already gone on the hunt for a willing, testosterone fuelled male and Lexi and Pete were talking to a group of people in the kitchen.
I wandered over to the alcohol table, picking up a bottle of lager, and turned to survey the room. Taking a swallow of the cool liquid, I had an odd feeling I was been watched. The hairs on the nape of my neck stood up, my breathing accelerated and my ears started pounding. Looking around, trying to see through the thick smoke, I could make out a figure across the room leaning on the wall, one foot propped up on the wall behind him with a bottle to his lips. It was hard to see him properly but I had an overwhelming feeling he was staring at me.