I’ve decided to post chapter one from my third book. Keep in mind, this is all fresh stuff. Never been read by anyone but yours truly. But hey, I’m not a selfish gal. I would absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE to hear feedback!
CHAPTER ONE
The castle appeared again. Right over
the trees, out of nowhere. One minute, a perfect evening sky. A blink later and
those towers again. Lily clenched her eyes shut. I’m not crazy. I don’t see anything.
the trees, out of nowhere. One minute, a perfect evening sky. A blink later and
those towers again. Lily clenched her eyes shut. I’m not crazy. I don’t see anything.
“Lily, you okay?” Ian asked.
Lily opened her eyes and attempted a
casual smile. “I’m great.”
casual smile. “I’m great.”
Ian stood a few inches taller than most
guys, with straight caramel colored hair that fell to his shoulders. He wore
skinny jeans, a leather jacket and thick gloves. Always the gloves, even at
school. She’d never seen him without them. “Are you sure? You looked scared for
a minute there.”
guys, with straight caramel colored hair that fell to his shoulders. He wore
skinny jeans, a leather jacket and thick gloves. Always the gloves, even at
school. She’d never seen him without them. “Are you sure? You looked scared for
a minute there.”
Eva bounded forward. She reminded Lily
of a skinny hyena looking for something mischievous to do. “Dude, Lily doesn’t
get scared. She’s freaking immune to fear.”
of a skinny hyena looking for something mischievous to do. “Dude, Lily doesn’t
get scared. She’s freaking immune to fear.”
Lily wanted to laugh. If only.
Eva grabbed Lily’s hands and bounced up
and down on her toes. “Isn’t this the most awesome spring break ever? Aren’t
you sooo excited Ross invited us to his bonfire tonight?”
and down on her toes. “Isn’t this the most awesome spring break ever? Aren’t
you sooo excited Ross invited us to his bonfire tonight?”
Lily attempted a smile. “I’m super
stoked.”
stoked.”
“Me too!” Eva laughed and stared at the
bonfire. A red-head slunk near the flames and tossed sticks in. “Oh look,
there’s Ross. I’ll catch you in a minute, okay?”
bonfire. A red-head slunk near the flames and tossed sticks in. “Oh look,
there’s Ross. I’ll catch you in a minute, okay?”
“Sure.”
Eva scampered toward Ross. Behind the
bonfire, the Big Cypress River roiled. The dam sat close to the bonfire,
churning out tons of water, so loud Lily heard the thundering water from where
she stood.
bonfire, the Big Cypress River roiled. The dam sat close to the bonfire,
churning out tons of water, so loud Lily heard the thundering water from where
she stood.
Lily turned back to Ian. He stared at
her with a strange expression on his face, as if he were trying to see inside
her head. Lily felt unnerved, pushed strands of jet black curls out of her eyes,
and headed to the cooler. Ian followed. She stopped near the ice chest and
grabbed a cup.
her with a strange expression on his face, as if he were trying to see inside
her head. Lily felt unnerved, pushed strands of jet black curls out of her eyes,
and headed to the cooler. Ian followed. She stopped near the ice chest and
grabbed a cup.
“Let me get that for you,” Ian said as
he pulled the Styrofoam cup out of her hands and filled it with kool-aid. He
handed it to her and smiled. She took it, stared at the blazin’ berry blast
spinning around in her cup, and wondered why Ian suddenly seemed so interested
in her.
he pulled the Styrofoam cup out of her hands and filled it with kool-aid. He
handed it to her and smiled. She took it, stared at the blazin’ berry blast
spinning around in her cup, and wondered why Ian suddenly seemed so interested
in her.
“Umm, thanks,” she mumbled.
“So you’re name’s Lily White, right?
You’re Grant White’s daughter?”
You’re Grant White’s daughter?”
“That’s me.” She smiled, hoping he was
mature enough not to start making jokes about the virginal connotations of her
name.
mature enough not to start making jokes about the virginal connotations of her
name.
Ian only smiled back. Well, at least he passed that test.
He thrust out his gloved hand. “Ian
Kanellis. I know we’ve had Greek Lit together, but I’ve never really introduced
myself.”
Kanellis. I know we’ve had Greek Lit together, but I’ve never really introduced
myself.”
Lily stared at his hand for a moment and
then shook it, feeling a little awkward. “I’m glad we got to meet up tonight.”
then shook it, feeling a little awkward. “I’m glad we got to meet up tonight.”
“Um-hmm,” Lily said as she took a drink
of her punch and watched Ross climb the utility ladder leading to the top of
the dam. Ian followed Lily’s gaze.
of her punch and watched Ross climb the utility ladder leading to the top of
the dam. Ian followed Lily’s gaze.
“You think he’ll jump?” Ian asked.
“Not a chance. The guys do this every
year. Usually they just climb to the top, wave their arms around and act like
morons. Somebody died a few years ago and now they’re all too scared to jump.”
year. Usually they just climb to the top, wave their arms around and act like
morons. Somebody died a few years ago and now they’re all too scared to jump.”
“Are you?”
Lily turned on him. His question sounded
innocent enough, but she heard something in his voice that seemed like a
threat. “Why do you think I would want to jump off a twenty-foot dam, Ian?”
innocent enough, but she heard something in his voice that seemed like a
threat. “Why do you think I would want to jump off a twenty-foot dam, Ian?”
He shrugged, acted casual. “I’ve heard
you’re a daredevil, that’s all.”
you’re a daredevil, that’s all.”
“That’s all?”
“Yes.”
“You haven’t heard anything else?” she
asked.
asked.
Ian locked those honey colored eyes on
her and she froze. He knows. She
wasn’t sure how he could have found out. She’d never told anyone. Maybe she was
overacting. How could Ian know about her ancestry—that she was the daughter of
a demon? Hadn’t he only been in town a few months?
her and she froze. He knows. She
wasn’t sure how he could have found out. She’d never told anyone. Maybe she was
overacting. How could Ian know about her ancestry—that she was the daughter of
a demon? Hadn’t he only been in town a few months?
Ian cleared his throat and turned his
gaze on the dam where Ross stood on top, waved his arms around, and acted like
a moron.
gaze on the dam where Ross stood on top, waved his arms around, and acted like
a moron.
“You should go up there,” Ian said.
“You’d show all the guys up, make them feel like dumb asses. It would be fun.”
“You’d show all the guys up, make them feel like dumb asses. It would be fun.”
Lily crossed her arms and bit her lip.
Who was this guy? “You think it would be fun to watch me jump off that dam?”
Who was this guy? “You think it would be fun to watch me jump off that dam?”
He smiled and reminded her of the
Cheshire cat. The bon fire crackled and sent a pop of sparks through the air
that glinted off Ian’s teeth. Lily wasn’t sure if her pounding heart was a
result of fear or of something else.
Cheshire cat. The bon fire crackled and sent a pop of sparks through the air
that glinted off Ian’s teeth. Lily wasn’t sure if her pounding heart was a
result of fear or of something else.
Lily turned to the dam and watched the
water rush to the bottom. Beyond the river spanned the towering East Texas pine
forest, the trees dark silhouettes at this time of night. The castle flickered
into appearance once and then vanished.
water rush to the bottom. Beyond the river spanned the towering East Texas pine
forest, the trees dark silhouettes at this time of night. The castle flickered
into appearance once and then vanished.
“Twenty bucks,” Ian said. He pulled a
wadded bill from his back pocket. She stared at it.
wadded bill from his back pocket. She stared at it.
“What’s that for?”
“For you. If you jump off the dam.”
“Is this a joke?”
“Nope.” He straightened out the bill.
“What do you think it would feel like to be up there? I’ll bet it’s awesome.
Huge adrenaline rush.”
“What do you think it would feel like to be up there? I’ll bet it’s awesome.
Huge adrenaline rush.”
Blood thumped through her ears. She felt
her demon wake as if it had been in hibernation. Oh no.
her demon wake as if it had been in hibernation. Oh no.
“Have you ever been sky diving? I bet it
would feel like that. The rush must be amazing.”
would feel like that. The rush must be amazing.”
Stop
it. Please, stop.
it. Please, stop.
“Here,” Ian said and took her cup. “I’ll
hold this while you jump.”
hold this while you jump.”
“All right.” Why did I say that? Lily focused on the dam and walked forward.
“And Lily,” Ian called after her.
She turned.
“Don’t forget to swim.”
Lily nodded. Then she started moving
again. Half-way to the dam. Oh crap.
Why was she doing this again? She didn’t want to go back to the ER. How many
times had she been this year? Seven, eight?
again. Half-way to the dam. Oh crap.
Why was she doing this again? She didn’t want to go back to the ER. How many
times had she been this year? Seven, eight?
No
more risky crap, she’d promised herself. No more rushes.
more risky crap, she’d promised herself. No more rushes.
She climbed the ladder. Lights blinked
from the top of the dam. Strange alien lights, as if she were boarding a
spaceship.
from the top of the dam. Strange alien lights, as if she were boarding a
spaceship.
Standing now. On top of the dam.
Thousands of gallons of water churning below. Invigorating!
Thousands of gallons of water churning below. Invigorating!
Heart pumping faster. Blood in her
cheeks, in her hands.
cheeks, in her hands.
“There’s someone up there!” A voice
shouted. Then all eyes on her.
shouted. Then all eyes on her.
“Don’t do it!” someone called. Eva?
Wind rushed through her hair, tugged on
her jeans. She raised her arms and let tiny drops of water splash her skin.
Cold, even for March.
her jeans. She raised her arms and let tiny drops of water splash her skin.
Cold, even for March.
“Lily, don’t!” Eva again.
With her demon’s sight focused, she saw
Ian looking at her with those amber lion’s eyes. Jump, he seemed to say.
Ian looking at her with those amber lion’s eyes. Jump, he seemed to say.
Lily exhaled. Then inhaled. A tiny voice
said she’d drown. Her demon pushed the thought away and she jumped.
said she’d drown. Her demon pushed the thought away and she jumped.
Ahh! Where's chapter 2? I want to read it! Great job. It definitely pulled me in!
Ok………Now for Chapter 2!?! I love when a book leaves me wanting more at the end of a chapter! This is the first of your writing that I've read, and I'm impressed! Great job!