Hades’ Daughter (The War of Fate)
Page 31
When she managed to sit up straight, sweat ran down her face, leaving behind tracks of moisture through her make-up. From where she was sitting, she could see the restaurant windows and the puddle streets beyond. Her reflection stared back at her, blurred and nondescript, but her hunched shoulders were tense. Her eyes pivoted, taking in the rest of the room and freezing when she saw the figures sitting at a booth that had been empty the entire night. Her pain swam, sliding through barriers and walls she’d erected to keep herself calm. Her eyes lingered for a long moment on the dark booth, attempting to see past it and to the people who’d managed to sneak inside. Just when she thought she could make out movement, another sharp pain laced through her, and in the second before her eyes slipped closed, she thought she saw eyes staring back at her.
Once the pain had gone, she kept her head down and her eyes closed. She was afraid to open them again; afraid to see if those people were still there. Elizabeth knew for certain that no one else should have been in the restaurant, let alone sitting in a dark corner, spying on her. More than that, she was afraid to see if they weren’t there. She wasn’t a superstitious woman; she had never been, but it was her mother, raving and leaving her with a miserable childhood she hadn’t been able to escape until Peter Dixon moved to town. Her childhood had been filled with omens and left the world around her murky. All she’d wanted to do was close her eyes and fall asleep just so she could wake up to a clearer day. Her mother had continuously yelled and screamed, wanting someone, anyone, to see the things she saw; the things that hid in every dark corner of the house she’d grown up in. Her mother had gone insane worrying and fearing everything and everyone. She slept little and ate even less. Elizabeth had known that she wanted more than omens and superstitions.
Elizabeth gave a startled shriek when she felt a light touch on her shoulder. Her ears rang as her eyes snapped open and she spotted the waiter, his face flushed and stuttering apologies in between hurried inquiries as to her health.
“I’m okay,” she told him, and his worry calmed. From her seat, she spotted Peter pulling the car to a stop outside. The rain was still coming down, and he ducked his head as he ran inside. Turning to look at the waiter, who still stood by, shifting his feet, Peter gave him an appreciative glance. He handed him the money to pay for their dinner before leaning down to help Elizabeth to her feet. Her face was pale behind what was left of her make-up, and when he placed a hand against her head, he felt how chilled her skin had become. With a worried breath, he began leading her to the door. At the last second, he turned to make sure they hadn’t forgotten anything and froze. Towering over the worried waiter was a man; a familiar man. Peter had hoped that he’d never have to see him again. At the look on this man’s face, Peter just wanted to wake up; to escape from the nightmare that had haunted his childhood years. But it wasn’t going away.
Elizabeth’s groan was what gave him the strength he needed to turn away. He turned back to her, leading her through the doors of the restaurant a little faster. As they exited the door, he stopped to pick her up before hurrying back to the idling car. Still, Peter could feel those dark, immoral eyes burning into his mind as they got into the car and drove to the hospital.
If you enjoyed this sample then look for The Cursed.
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Acknowledgements
First of all, I would like to thank everyone who has been there for me through the last few years; you were the ones that made this book happen!
There are a number of exceptional people I would like to thank:
My parents—for giving me my fingers and brain that allowed me to write this book, and for their constant support.
My clucking mad brother, Oliver—for giving me the inspiration for all the silliness in this book and always making me smile.
Gemma—for always being there for me!
Calvin—for helping me, and my family, fight the demons. I wouldn’t be where I am in life without him.
Rae—for teaching me English well!
Mel—for being my fabulous hairdresser and friend.
My publishers—for believing in me and my book, and making my dream possible. I wouldn’t be here doing these acknowledgements if it wasn’t for them.
And thank you to all of you who have taken the time to read this book, whether it be when it was online or now. I wouldn’t be achieving my dream without you!
Author’s Note
Hey there!
Thank you so much for reading Hades’ Daughter! I can’t express how grateful I am for reading something that was once just a thought inside my head.
I’d love to hear from you! Please feel free to email me at charlotte_carol@awesomeauthors.org and sign up at charlotte_carol.awesomeauthors.org for freebies!
One last thing: I’d love to hear your thoughts on the book. Please leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads because I just love reading your comments and getting to know YOU!
Whether that review is good or bad, I’d still love to hear it!
Can’t wait to hear from you!
Charlotte Carol
About the Author
I love to write, usually different types of romance. I like to think that I am a friendly, funny, and happy person. You will most likely find me reading, writing, eating chocolate, or going an adventure somewhere (some of them at the same time!).