Awakening - Book of Fire (Blood Heritage #1) Read online

  Awakening

  Blood Heritage: Book of Fire

  By Krista Gray-Fee

  Disclaimer

  A Gentle Reminder That Fiction is Fictitious

  This is a work of fiction, any similarities to real persons or events are completely coincidental. This book is intended for entertainment purposes only and makes no claims of being historically accurate. Please enjoy this world that is not your own.

  Author Bio

  Krista Gray is currently living in Wasilla Alaska, where her love of nature can be fully appreciated. The small town in the wild state was initially not sure it was ready for her kind of entertainment. When she is not immersed in writing novels she is a Circus freak extraordinaire.

  A professional aerial artist and creator of Tribal Cirque belly dance she runs Sahara Storm Studio's Circus, Pyro Pin-Ups Burlesque, Aurora Burning Fire Dance and Fireflies Children's Circus. She is a highly successful screen writer for dance and performance productions with extensive choreography and story adaptations.

  Her appreciation for the importance of visual impact has been well incorporated into her Fiction as well.

  Recently married to the amazing love of her life, James Fee, together they live in a two story home that he built for her from a tiny one room fishing cabin. They are enjoying the quiet and serenity of the environment as well as the Circus scene. Life seems like a living dream, and they are making the most of it.

  Krista has successfully raised two beautiful little girls and now has the opportunity to help with her husband's two little ladies, though they are all teens now the family is active in a variety of camping, fishing, four by four trail riding, and just about any other Alaska adventure that presents itself.

  Some people thirst for knowledge, Krista is ravenous and devours every topic she can get her hands on. She is a Pre-Med student with additional studies in Philosophy, Religious Philosophy, Psychology, and Writing.

  She has worked in the fields of Emergency Medicine and Organ Recovery and has extensive background in Personal Training, and Nutrition Consultation. All of this has created a world perspective that is evident in her unique story telling.

  Dedications and Acknowledgements

  Writing a novel such as this is an all consuming endeavor that simply could not have been accomplished without the support and love of those closest to me. Thank you James Fee, my loving husband who's sacrifices have not gone unnoticed. You are the air that I breathe. Your input was priceless. Your participation has been the cornerstone of this enterprise.

  Thank You to my two beautiful daughters Alyssa and Ashley for inspiring me to be something great every day of my life. And my precious step-daughters Lilly and Jesse Fee for allowing me to be a part of their lives and taking me into their hearts as family.

  Thank You Helen Hegener for your motivation, editing and critiques, I respect you more than words can say.

  Thank You Mark, the art guy for all your creativity, sacrifice and dedication to this project; you are an inspiration. Your fantastic work on the characters and trailer has made me a believer this world can truly be brought to life.

  Thank you to all of my girls for letting me slack off when I got deeply focused in the book world, I love you all and cherish your individual gifts. A special shout out for those of you who inspired characters with your with, charm and personality.

  Thank you Mom for encouraging my imagination and keeping all those stories I wrote when I was little to remind me I always wanted to be a writer.

  Thank You Mark Woodcock for your confidence and encouragement, and all the finish work you do to make all of this possible.

  This book is for you!

  Foreword

  Who is Truly to Be Feared?

  The darkness has many eyes hidden from the modern world

  Destruction comes disguised in civilized machinations

  The beauty that has been raped, devoured by the beast within

  Not those beasts that cause fear and night terrors

  But the innocent smiling eyes of the modern age

  Destined to destroy everything of value

  The watchers, the beasts, the demons of the night

  Possibly our only hope for survival in these dark times

  So called freaks the salvation of our destiny

  What we fear, what lies hidden out in the shadows

  When the true enemy is within, winning the war

  Survival of the fittest or desolate extinction

  The choice is yours.....

  Table of Contents

  Unwelcome Visitor

  Fortunes and Finances

  Dark Dreams

  Bloody Murder

  Witchy Ways and Coffee Grounds

  Secrets

  The Missing

  Stormy Dreams

  A New Dawn

  Under Lock and Key

  Don't Close Your Eyes

  On The Right Track

  A New Way of Thinking

  Circle of Friends

  Not So Funny

  Unwanted Visitor

  Surprise in the Coroner's Office

  Everyone Cares

  Darkness Falls on Desperate Souls

  Something Wicked This Way Comes

  Soul mates and Familiars

  Dawn Awakes

  Changes

  Questions for the Soul

  Meeting of Minds

  Tears and Hunger

  Deep Discussions

  Shots Fired

  A Very Close Call

  Invite Me In

  Rissa Feeds

  Surprise and Exertion

  James Revealed

  The Meeting

  A New Light

  Decisions Made For Her

  Phoenix Rising

  Amber Dreams

  Clarity and Caution

  He Speaks

  Flights of Fancy

  Digging Deeper

  Just the Beginning

  Unwelcome Visitor

  Morning breaks and shatters the sanctuary of her dreams. Begrudgingly she opens her eyes to let in the morning light drifting through her window, as the flowers outside glow with anticipation of the warm day to come. She slowly draws on the determination within herself to feel a similar energy as she fully wakes and welcomes the beginning of her new life.

  This is her first day as a resident in this city, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, so far away from the cold and isolation she is used to. No one knows her here, and this is a good thing.

  She's not looking for friends or relationships, her only needs are the safety and security that comes from being unknown. Looking around her small and pleasant home a sigh of relief escapes her lips as the realization comes over her; she is safe and no one can find her now, not here in this place.

  She has taken a new name, but wonders if the old will be so easily forgotten. Amber, it rolls off her tongue smoothly and it does somehow feel like her own. She feels much more like this new person than the tattered and fearful girl she once was.

  She is no longer Emily, the identity so far away in her mind, like an old friend whose phone number was lost in the move. Perhaps it’s best to let that girl remain out of touch, as she has too much to be afraid of and too many memories.

  Only twenty-four, it feels to her that she is far older, and a streak of self-pity shows its face as she dwells on the many years of suffering she has already known. She brushes off the negative train of thought and refocuses on the future, on the hope that is growing inside her.

  Amber wanders into the bathroom to cleanse the last silken webs of dreams out of her mind and to make a clean start in her new world. A smile spreads across her
face as a ray of sunshine reflects on her hand from a crystal dangling in her window. Her spirits are high as she looks at herself in the bathroom mirror.

  It is in this moment when looking into her own blue eyes that she sees a glimpse of a memory; a thread of some past long ago forgotten. She sees a dense jungle and feels the sweltering heat against her face, feels the arms of a stranger scooping her up and running, the pain of leaves and sticks whipping against her face.

  Returning to reality, Amber blinks to find only her sun-drenched room and a sleepy-eyed and half-dressed version of herself still staring in the mirror. Amber's blue eyes are full of anxiety, her lightly freckled face, that usually leads people to judge her much younger and overly innocent, reveals the depths of her tension.

  Only five foot six and fairly athletic, she is not overly critical of herself, choosing instead to focus on her mental freakishness instead of the typical female obsession with the physical. Truth be told, she is afraid she may actually be a bit crazy.

  Her mind wonders at the strangeness of such random thoughts overtaking her; they seem so real, and often she feels as though time stands still in such moments, though a blink of an eye in the real world, she can spend hours lost in her imagination.

  Her dreams, her visions, whatever they are… They have served to protect her from many of the worst moments of her past. Isn't it normal to try and escape from reality when things are really bad?

  Shaking off the memory she enjoys a long steamy shower to get her nerves and her body prepared for the excitement of the day ahead. Though this home is hers, a gift from her adoptive grandmother, Amber knows she will have to come up with a job quickly before her meager savings run out.

  Pouring herself a bowl of cereal, she gets the paper off the doorstep. Might as well start with the want ads. Flipping through the pages her attention is drawn to an article about a local detective narrowly escaping death in a terrible automobile accident.

  Noticing his beautiful brown eyes, and boyishly charming face, she is overcome by the thought that his death would have been a terrible loss to womankind. She wants to know this man.

  Finding the job postings, Amber searches for something in a dance studio, but will fall back on work as a bar-tender. If times get really desperate she can always do the other kind of dancing if that's what it takes to survive.

  Though she is very particular about the clubs she chooses to work, the stigma is always there. Her hopes are high that this new home will allow her to enjoy a more simple and reputable employment opportunity. Unfortunately, she strikes out with the paper which leads her to the decision to simply take a day for exploring the nearby possibilities.

  Choosing a somewhat elegant green silk top and a pair of new blue jeans, she hopes to have an opportunity to speak with a potential employer in person. Her long auburn hair is pinned into a simple messy bun, the signature style of dancers worldwide.

  Carefully applying her make-up she keeps it subtle, allowing her natural beauty to shine through. Though not a model by any means, Amber has what it takes to get by.

  She decides against taking the car out, as she knows it will take time to get comfortable with the stick shift. Hopefully she will be able to find someone to teach her how to drive the beautiful blue beast waiting in the garage.

  According to the insurance company it is a classic and even a bit rare. Ambers' knowledge of cars is next to zero, but the lawyer who delivered her the keys had practically worshiped it. For the time being she will just have to settle for the world within walking distance.

  She has only spent one other day in this town, and it was a day of paperwork, loose ends and sadness. Amber is so overwhelmed with everything that has brought her here, that she has not even taken the time to absorb the unpretentious beauty of her new home.

  The postage stamp yard, full of wonderful plants and flowers looks like a tamed version of a tropical paradise; the bricked pathway to her front door lends an undeniable charm, and the small two-bedroom cottage-style home could not possibly be more wonderful.

  She thinks how difficult it would be not to be happy when surrounded by such simple elegance. Her Grandmother had spectacular taste and a wonderful green thumb. Hopefully, she will be able to do her memory justice and maintain the beautiful yard. Amber is not a gardener, but the back yard features a large raised bed garden with a variety of perfectly groomed and labelled wonders.

  She takes a deep breath, realizing she better find the local bookstore and figure out how not to kill all of the beautiful herbs, vegetables, and fruits that have so obviously been loved. Though she thinks of her grandmother with a hint of sadness, she feels closer to the woman with every moment she spends exploring all of her treasures.

  The comfort and love that she feels has a soothing effect on her soul. There is something grounding about touching the objects, feeling the lingering energy of loved ones lost, but not forgotten.

  And then she sees the most wonderful treat; a lagoon like garden pool with a small whirling hot tub. This will be wonderful, she thinks to herself as she walks around the tiled and crystal clear oasis. Her excitement is so explosive she actually claps her hands and hops up and down like a happy little girl.

  Composing herself, Amber looks around, and is thankful no one has seen her little outburst. She knows she will spend a great deal of time enjoying the way the water isolates the body and quiets the mind.

  Amber often gets lost in the quiet and the sensation of floating outside of herself. She allows the smile to remain on her face as she walks over to dip her fingers in the swirling waters.

  Her heart skips a beat as she sees a dark shadow beneath the bubbly surface, struggling to catch her breath, she takes a step backward, tripping over a flowerpot. She reaches for her cell phone and tries to regain her footing.

  Aware of the deafening pounding of her heart in her ears, she can't focus on pushing the buttons. Finally getting it right as she rounds the corner and heads to the front of the house. The voice on the other end of the line keeps repeating the same line again and again. Amber finally calms herself enough to answer.

  "What is your emergency? What is Your EMERGENCY?"

  "There is someone in the water, Oh,God... not again... there is a body in the water!"

  "What do you mean, there is a body?"....

  Breaking into uncontrollable sobbing, Amber sets the phone down on the grass. Waiting for the world to come crashing in on her again, she loses consciousness.

  Waking to the sound of sirens in the air and the presence of conversation around her, consciousness slowly surfaces. The EMT's check her blood pressure and give her a thorough once-over. Her blouse is dishevelled and she looks at them in wide-eyed wonder.

  "Where? What?" And then she remembers. "Oh... God, not me… A body in the back... in the water"…

  "It's okay, but it is a good thing you called us." The EMT responds in a soothing tone.

  "What do you mean it is ok?" she asks.

  Amber is instantly filled with confusion, "why are you just standing there? Someone is dead!"

  "No one is dead miss, but you have a very special guest in your hot tub."

  "What do you mean a special guest?" The tension in her voice is nearly palpable.

  "You have an alligator in your hot tub, we called the animal service to come and get him for you. Not to worry, it happens here all the time, you might want to put a security cover on your pool." He responds, still trying to calm her down.

  "Oh, great. I almost get eaten my first day here? Oh ... geez! ... I have a visit from an ambulance, a police car and animal control all before I even manage to unpack. So much for incognito."

  Amber seems to make a statement wherever she goes, and not many of them are the kind she wants to make.

  "Well, I’m okay now, I just panicked, I guess. Thank you for your help." She says, sheepishly.

  "Do you want us to wait with you for the animal folks?"

  "No, I’m okay, I have wasted enough of your time. I
’ll just sit on the front porch and wait." Amber takes the time to collect her thoughts, and to regain some footing in reality.

  The ambulance and the two EMTs fade into the distance, and she realizes the police car is still in front of her house. Amber hasn't seen a cop around… He must be in the back, keeping an eye on the creature hijacking her new favorite place.

  Sitting on the front porch realizing that her hands are still shaking, she feels the aftermath of the tremendous surge of fear, and adrenaline from her overactive flight response.

  She can't shake it, dizzy and weak, overcome by the unwelcome tingle of her frazzled nerves. At least she was wrong, and no longer has to worry about who might have met a disastrous end, destroying her sanctuary before she even has a chance to enjoy it.

  Amber realizes lots of research is necessary on the types of creatures who might try and share her lovely yard. What might have happened if she had actually gotten into the water without knowing about her unwelcome guest?

  Her paranoia actually saved her this time. That would have been an ugly way to go! She thinks. She is content to stay far away from the back yard until it is caught.