She’s an amazing woman, and, as it turns out, was Melinda Hunter’s childhood best friend, turned personal assistant. A connection that Cole’s father allowed to remain. Even when his psyche fell into the pits of hell, he kept her around as a substitute mother figure to his sons. She too felt the wrath of the Craven/Hunter feud and bears the scars to prove it. The strength of her spirit is proven by her refusal to leave. She may have been unable to save Cole and Luke from their horrific childhood but she was their one point of salvation in the horrors they endured and as much as she was able, she looked after them like her own.
The woman is, quite simply, an angel.
An angel who has lived her entire life in the bowels of hell.
“You sleep while I go and help Anne and Simon. We’re leaving in a few days. There is much to organise, plus I don’t like sharing you.”
His deep voice tickles my skin as I lie in his embrace.
“No. I want to come with you. I can help, if you let me. I’m sure the girls would prefer another friendly female face. If you can wait for me to clean up, I can be ready in minutes.”
“Faye.” He begins to protest, but I interrupt him. It’s funny how much our relationship has changed over the last few weeks. It has changed but in essence is very much the same. Yes, I can speak out more, which is different and something he seems to like, me challenging him but I ultimately still obey him, just like I always have.
“You know I hate being locked up alone, I’ve spent the majority of my life that way. I know it’s your need to protect me, but I’m safe Cole. I’m here. I’m yours. He’s gone.”
He shifts up the bed and drags me to lie over his chest. His eyes stare into mine, his mind racing to find the words.
“I know that, Princess. But there are others out there just as dangerous as Alec, just as hungry for my blood. I am a Hunter, but I will forever be hunted. That means you will always be in danger, and I will always do everything in my power to shield you from it. It’s who I am.”
I lean forward to instigate a gentle kiss. Another new development in our marriage, I now take what I want when I want it. He never denies me.
“I know, but you need to let me be who I am too. You saved me, Cole. Now give me the right to be free. You know my life lies with you. There is nothing and no one that can change that. I drown with you, husband and with you, I breathe. Now kiss me and make me drown again.”
And he does.
I failed her.
I watched her die.
As my lungs filled with the murky, blood tainted river water, I saw her spirit leave her in a breath-taking spectrum of colour.
I closed my eyes and submitted to my fate. Only it wasn’t colour that came for me; it was blackness.
When I came to on the cold ground, spewing up the contents of my lungs, it was Luke I saw first, beating at Faye’s chest.
My initial reaction was to kill him. He was touching her, pounding on her chest with his fist.
I flopped to my side, my legs refusing to obey my command to walk. My body drained of all strength.
With a final, brutal punch of his fists, explosive splutters of filthy liquid expel from her blue lips. Luke quickly turned her onto her side while her chest convulsed and her body seized, fighting against the grip of death that had wrapped its claws around her and was refusing to let go.
My heart stuttered. My will to live entwined so tightly with her survival that my lungs shut down and I didn’t breathe again until I saw her beautiful, mismatched eyes.
All at once pain washed over me, my chest heaving in oxygen, my extremities flooding with much-needed blood. And still, I kept my eyes locked on hers.
This girl, this gift forced upon me by a madman, was my saviour.
I thought revenge was my goal.
It was until my eyes were opened to something else, something better.
Sanctuary.
She was mine, and I was hers.
Born of villainous fathers, and birthed by long-dead mothers, our lives entwined by blood and death, our bonds forged by vengeance.
Where once I saw weakness, I now found strength. Where once I wanted to break, I now sought to heal.
Opposite ends of the spectrum, her light to my dark, we meld together creating a force both impenetrable and yet vulnerable.
She will be the chink in my armour, the path to my soft underbelly where even the bluntest blade could penetrate.
My power lies with her.
I am the weak link.
Lying here on the cold ground, my hand reaching for hers, I see it, and Luke sees it, and so he does the only thing he can to protect our legacy.
He kills us.
For all intents and purposes, we are now dead.
The Red Order now bows at Luke’s feet.
He commands the society I’ve fought my entire life to control.
And now he’s calling me back. Despite experiencing a freedom, a bliss I’ve never had in my twenty-eight years, I will go to him, and I will take her with me.
Where she is my blackened heart, he is the blood that it pumps through my veins.
I am to be resurrected. Like Jesus on the third day.
Only I will not bring peace to all mankind.
I will bring blood.
Rivers, lakes and oceans of blood.
Read other books by e.s. carter
Sound of Silence – Disturbed
Born to Die – Lana Del Rey
You Know You’re Right – Nirvana
Creep – Radiohead
Wicked Game – Chris Isaac
Where the Wild Roses Grow - Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue
Soldier’s Eyes – Jack Savoretti
Back to Black – Amy Winehouse
Closer – Nine Inch Nails
Teardrop – Massive Attack
I am blessed to have met so many amazing people since I hit publish on my first book.
To all the authors and readers who have supported me on my writing journey, I don’t have the words to express enough thanks.
Special, BIG snogs to my ‘Southern Hemisphere Twin’, the lovely KA Sterritt, who keeps me sane, listens to my crazy ramblings and always has my back.
To the crazy ladies in my reader’s group ‘E’s Elite’. All the best people are bonkers, and you lot definitely are. Thank you for your support, your friendships and your random posts that often require me to pull out my bottle of eye bleach. (Don’t you dare say it’s my fault, or I’ll cook the goat, banish the nuns and drown the mermaids!)
HUGE thanks to my Ah-mazing beta readers. Sharon - #GoatQueen, Nicola - #TVT, Alexandra - #TeaserQueen and Diane - #ARCQueen, your support is unending, and when I asked if you wanted to read my darkness, you all said, “Hell, Yes!”
To all the blogs who took a chance on a new indie author and not only read and reviewed, but recommended, pimped, and promoted me and for no other reason than they love to do so. BIG SWS for you always.
Finally, for you, the readers.
I wouldn’t be here without you. Thank you for your passion, your reviews and your support of authors by legally buying our books.
Bookworms will rule the world!
Eli Carter is a mum of three from the U.K.
She is a stay-at-home mum and a part-time advocate for families of children with special needs.
Her life is pretty manic, and she often gets asked, “How do you find the time to write?”
The answer is simple; she never sleeps, but not from lack of trying.
She loves to connect with readers, so please feel free to friend/follow her on Facebook, follow her on IG and Twitter, sign-up for her newsletter on her website or join her reader’s group, E’s Elite.
Website: www.escarter.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/escarterauthor
IG: @escarterauthor
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Copyright 2016 by E.S. Carter
All rights reserved.
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This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without expressed written permission from the author; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.
All trademarks contained in this book, are the property of the respective copyright holders and have been used without permission.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Books by E.S. Carter
About Feyness
Quote
Dedication
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 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
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Epilogue – Part One
Epilogue – Part Two
Playlist
Acknowledgments
About The Author
Copyright