Prologue

The crack of thunder sounded just as lightening lit up the sky almost like day. It had been so long since she’d been here and Lela almost forgot how bad monsoon season was. The storms never bothered her, though. She always thought lightening was beautiful. A force of nature that some feared while others marveled at.

            There were no lights on in the house she was parked in front of. It was a given since it was really late. Her coming here had been out of desperation and she hoped that her request could be met. At this point, she had no one else she could turn to. After everything she’d suffered, she knew this was the one thing she could do to ensure her son’s safety.

            Getting out of the car, she winced as she stepped wrong. The fresh stiches on her side hadn’t quite healed yet and she would have to wait a few days before she could get the nourishment that would help speed up the process. Her husband hated that he couldn’t help, but she kept insisting he not beat himself up. He’d suffered just as much as she had.

            Finally, she forced herself to walk around the large house and into the back yard. Her friend lived in a cabin there with her husband while her parents occupied the larger facility. It had been generous of the Taylors and she wished she could finally settle down with her family in a house like that. Her son deserved better.

            The cabin came into view then she picked up her pace as she approached it. There was no light there either, but she knew her friend wouldn’t mind. They hadn’t seen each other since earlier that year and Lela always felt welcome there. She would do the same for her friend’s children if their situations were reversed. With that in mind, she knocked on the door.

            Moments later, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. When the door opened, she was greeted by her friend, Gabriella Edison. Without a word, Gabby threw her arms around her and Lela hugged her back.

            “Lela Sharmentino-D’Aubigne. What the hell are you doing here?”

            “I had to see you. Is this a bad time?”

            “It’s never a bad time. Now get in here, you’re getting soaked!”

            Lela walked with her into the Cabin and Gabby shut the door. Out of curtesy, she took off her wet shoes and jacket before sitting on the couch. Gabby turned a few of the lights on and donned a sweatshirt before joining her. Gabby hadn’t changed a bit. Still beautiful and lively. Her hair was longer, though. The two of them had been friends since Lela was six and Gabby was eight. They were more like sisters than friends.

            “What brings you here?” Gabby asked. “Do you want anything? Water? Vodka?”

            Lela chuckled. “As great as vodka sounds, I can’t. You know I’m an at-risk alcoholic.”

            “Right.” Gabby crossed her legs on the couch. “Not to be rude, but you look like hell. What’s going on?”

            Before she knew it, Lela had burst into tears. It was the culmination of three months of pain and she couldn’t hold it in anymore. She told her friend everything; how she and her husband had been held against their will. How they’d been subjected to toruture, experiments, and had been separated for the entire time they were there. Lastly, she told her how their two year old son had been taken away.

            Gabby gave her some tissues and by then, her sobs had ceased. It felt good to cry and Lela didn’t let herself do it that often. She’d wanted to remain strong for her little boy and now it didn’t matter anymore.

            “This whole attack on vampires is getting out of hand,” Gabby said. “I can’t believe you went through all that. Where was Lucas?”

            “With a friend. We kept him hidden for as long as we could, but they found him. They also made a trade of some sort. He would be kept safe as long as we complied to their demands.”
            “What demands?”

            Lela lifted her shirt and showed Gabby her scars. They’d taken all sorts of samples from her and her husband and because of her poor diet, they hadn’t healed like they should. Drinking blood would have helped, but they’d deprived it of her for weeks on end as another part of their experiment. It was all because she was the only vampire in the entire country who had the ability to have children. It was a blessing and a curse.

            “They said we had to give them DNA samples and participate in some tests. When they were finished, they promised Lucas would be safe so long as we never set foot in Miami ever again. They’re putting him up for adoption.”

            “Oh, Lela.” Gabby hugged her once more. “Can’t you fight it? My father has a good lawyer. They can’t do this!”

            “I can’t Gabbs. If I fight it, they will kill him. They made that very clear. Now all I can do for him now is ensure he’s looked out for.” Lela took her hands. “With a little help, I was able to get the name of the family who’s adopting him. It’s the Wright family. The father is a police officer and the mother is a stay at home mom. They have one other son, but that’s all I know. I…I need you to do something for me.”

            “Anything. Just name it and I’ll do it.”

            The padding of little feet caught both women’s attention. Sure enough, a little girl appeared in the hallway wearing green pajamas. The color constrasted well with her reddish brown hair. It was Nicola, Gabby’s older daughter. She was about three.

            “Mom?” she said.

            “In here, baby,” Gabby said. The little girl came into the living room and Gabby sat her in her lap. “Bad dream?”

            Nicola nodded then rested her head on Gabby’s shoulder, closing her eyes. She had always been a unique little girl. Her hair was redder than Gabby’s and her golden eyes were unlike anyone else’s in the family. Probably because she had a different father than her sister.

            “Sorry, Lela,” Gabby said, “What did you want to ask me?”

            “I need you to make sure my son is friends with your children. That way you can keep him close. Whatever it takes.”

            “Done. In the meantime, where will you be?”

            “Not sure yet. We’re still trying to decide what we want to do. So far, Texas sounds like our best bet.”

 Lela’s phone buzzed and she looked down at the message. It was from an unknown number but the message was very clear. You have five hours to get out of town. You’re not gone, he dies.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

Both women stood up and Gabby carried Nicola as they walked to the door. Her request hadn’t been too difficult and  Lela knew she could count on Gabby to make it happen. Leaving Lucas alone in Miami would be hard, but now she had a way that he wouldn’t be completely alone.

“Thanks again, Gabbs,” Lela said, hugging her lightly so she wouldn’t squish Nicola. “You’re the best, you know that?”

“You’ve done more for my family than I can keep track of. It’s my pleasure. Don’t worry about your little boy. He’ll be fine.”

Lela nodded then forced herself to let go. As she walked across the yard, she felt more hopeful than she had when she first arrived. Lucas had someone to look out for him and maybe one day, she could come back and be reunited with him.