Preface Lucy "Ms. Combs, I realize the school year is coming to an end, but that does not give you an excuse to not pay attention," Mr. Peters said, snapping me out of my daze and bringing me back down to earth. "Sorry," I replied quietly, wishing I could sink into my sweatshirt. I felt my face turn a deep red. He motioned for me to take out my earbud and I reluctantly did so. I was listening to the latest release from my...

An exquisite Sunset 'O' paints the pretty colours A luminous pearl The moon shows his face A maiden’s heart blossoms Moonbeams point to her fate Pirouettes beneath the starlight As she waits patiently An eternity, I’ve waited How long I've dreamed of you Every minute of forever You’re locked in my heart Rapture from above Rain, a soothing lullaby Floating into you In my dreams you are mine Moonshadows waltz serenely Under...

2 Grace Dobson leaned against a red, brick wall of an old factory building. Hiding in the shadows she watched the cars that drove past. Every once in a while a neighbor would walk past the alley Grace rested in. Taller neighbors would walk right past the alley, chatting with companions or into phones. A few walked by alone, huddling their coats closer to ward out the chill of November. Periodically, shorter individuals dr...

The sweet and bitter scents mixed together to create the soothing atmosphere that was only available in such establishments. Two young women wearing t-shirts of a rich chocolate color covered by purple aprons darted from the cash register to the machines behind the counter. A large crowd of men and women, dressed in an array of fashions, congregated in front of the counter. Men in suits with ties carrying briefcases waite...

PROLOGUE | There is Strength in Shame In a magnificent Golden Palace perched in a kingdom in the sky, a king dressed in robes of maroon cotton paces along the edge of a grand table centered within a musty, candlelit war room. King Oliver the Valorous, they call him. King Oliver the Prudent. Yet no wisdom from any man he has ever known could aid him now. The smell of the Palace kitchens preparing early breakfast awakens hi...

And then I shot up from bed. The weather is acting up. I had a bad dream, but what was it? I can’t remember. . . Wait, where is she? Is she okay? I have to check up on her. I don’t know why, but I think she’s in danger! This is what the boy thought to himself as he awoken from an unpleasant slumber, only to be confronted with these feelings of concern and uncertainty. The boy gets up from his bed. He sees that it is dark...

Eran sat staring dumbfounded at her laptop screen, as the cell phone blips disappeared. She poked Kevin in the ribs and he grunted. Her mouth hung open, as she kept refreshing the screen. The blips disappeared and never returned. She looked at Kevin and yelled, "What just happened? We lost the gang members cell phones. Where did they go? We need to find them." Kevin assured her, "If they are in that house we will find the...

I look at you sitting in the bay window, overlooking the setting sun, as twilight slowly approaches the Pacific Ocean. My heart feels warm and my soul is full of love. You sit there with your knees up, arms wrapping around them with your head resting there, tilting watching smiling at me. The sun's rays come through the glass wrapping your head in a golden halo, my sweet angel. You smile and mouth to me, "I Love You, My D...

Slade turned to Eran and Connie, as Leona and he walked to his car. "We are going to talk with Gustaf and Andrei to open a dialog with the vampire community. Why don't you go question Maria? That way we can do more in less time," Slade said as he helped Leona into the car. Connie looked up and smiled at Eran. "We can interview Maria easily. If Slade were there, he would intimidate her. Let's go to her place." They looked...

What's wrong with me? I ask myself as I attempt to open my eyes and lift my arms for the umpteenth time. I can't move... it's like I'm completely paralyzed. I feel wetness slide down my cheeks and land on the corner of my mouth, followed by a cold sensation landing on my forehead. "Gracie, it's time for you to wake up," I hear Chandler whispers, his breath warm against my ear. I swallow the large lump forming in my throat...

For a moment, when I woke up, I didn’t know where I was, or what time it was. I gritted my teeth against the pain and straightened up, blanching. I realized I was in my own room. “Sam are you, alright?” Chloe asked. Seeing her stunned me. She looked worried and said, “You know, you’re brother is soooo cute—I mean, really! When he was asking me what happened to you, I almost fainted! Not because I didn’t know what to say,...

“We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be.” --May Sarton It was typed-written on a buff-colored tissue paper. The other pieces have different passages too, but this one got me. The rain had finally died down, but I’m still waiting for Chloe inside a coffee shop near the meeting spot we had agreed to. A few minutes later, a black car stopped in front of the shop, rolled down...

Beep-beep-beep-beep. The other line was dead when I picked up the phone. I could still hear the busy tone playing around my ear. Akira had mentioned ‘she.’ It was the only thing I knew. It was the first time someone (not a relative) called me. The next morning, Akira knocked and then slowly opened the door, peering through it as I fixed my hair. “You’re up early,” he teased. “Yeah…” I said. Truth was, I couldn’t sleep thi...

When you came into my life, I wasn't prepared for what I found. You seemed to be hurt and deeply in pain and I felt a need to reach out a hand to help. After offering you friendship and a supportive, caring ear. Only to be reminded and told we had met in a different time and place. Stunned and shocked we talked more as the truth was gently disclosed. You took my hand gently in yours, and it touched my heart. Looking deepl...

After Kevin left, Eran took a long hot shower to clean up and to awaken her senses. She got some sleep, but all the events of the past two days ran continuously through her mind. She had not taken time to review the security videos, which Kevin delivered. As she dried, she thought she would start the review on today's shift. She had six days of video to scan and that would take a long time. She dreaded the task, but it wa...