Struggling to make ends meet with her dead-end job at the local diner, and living at home with an abusive boyfriend, Amora struggles to find some good in her life.
-Until one day, a mysterious man and a bite turn her life upside down.
HARDBACK COPIE...
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"Amora, go to your room and lock the door!" My mother whispered, silent tears falling from her eyes as the prepared for the torrent of abuse that was soon to follow.
"But daddy w-"
"But nothing, go now!" She cried, shoving me in the direction of the stairs.
-So I ran, just like the told me to. My legs pounding against the stairs as I went, and I heard the screaming from downstairs begin.
A loud bang echoed through the walls accompanied by furious shouts from my father, but his words were slurred and unformed, drunk again no doubt.
I slammed my door and stood on my tiptoes to push the bolt across.
No nine year old should ever have witnessed the thing that I had by that age.
Tears welled in my eyes and began to fall as my mothers terrified screams grew fainter, fading into the twinkling stars in night sky.
Because that was were she went that night, she went into the stars to be amongst the angels, at least that's what daddy said.
-But in reality, my mother died that night, beaten to death by the fists of my father. - he took from me the only thing I held dear, the only damn thing that cared for me in this retched world.
I was left with nothing, alone in the word with no guide towards the light.
And with the absence of the light, the darkness soon surrounded me.
***
Jack came into the diner that day with a stride in his step, recently his appearances at the diner had seemed almost forced, with sparse convocations and the main topic of all of our talks was always him asking me if I was okay, even after the same answers every time he asked, he was still persistent in asking. -it was almost like he knew.
But he couldn't. He may have suspicions, but he couldn't be sure. He couldn't.
"Hey jack," I smiled, wiping down the table he sat down at.
"Amora, I have brilliant news!"
But before he managed to tell me his 'brilliant' news the door swung open, causing the bell to jingle and heads to turn.
The scent of pine danced through the air, fresh and free as the forest.
I felt a large presence from behind me, and the tingle of eyes watching me, their gaze trailing up and down my body, causing me to inwardly shiver.
-A body slid past me and into the seat across from Jack.
"Amora, meet my son, Greyson."
I looked over at the figure, the man known as Greyson.
-The god known as Greyson, because, never in my life had I seen anyone like him.
His vivid blue eyes were what first caught my attention, unable to break his gaze. Like the way all the monsters in the stories my mother used to tell me as a child would lure in their innocent victims in with their entrancing beauty.
His silky raven was effortlessly tousled to perfection, and I had to resist the urge to run my fingers through it, because he would probably find me a creep if I did.
I took the time dragging my eyes up and down his sculpted form, his hard eyes and strong jawline, and I felt my knees weaken slightly.
And my eyes greatly appreciated the way his grey T-shirt clung to his muscled chest and how you could vaguely see the outlines of his ribbed abdomen, his crossed arms and bulging biceps.
His lips set into a firm line, and firm eyes assessing the scene in front of him, though they darkened ever so slightly and his jaw clenched as they skimmed over my body.
I struggled to stop my legs from buckling under his gaze, as I spoke,
"Hello," I mumbled, my voice all of a sudden hoarse and scratchy, and I watched as he clenched and unclenched his jaw. Clearing my throat I asked, "Is there anything I can get either of you?" Motioning a hand towards my notepad.
"I'll just have the usual please," Jack smiled, breaking my transfixed gaze from his son, I could see a resemblance between them, they had the same stunningly blue eyes, and I could imagine that Jack's now silver hair was once the same shade of noir as his son's.
"I'll have the same." Greyson rumbled, his voice deep and smooth, like liquid gold against my ears and his eyes still not leaving mine. His voice made something deep within my core awaken, something that hadn't happened in a long time. I felt like I was some sort of trance, that I didn't want to rid myself of. -like whenever I looked at him, my walls crumbled to ashes and the heavy shackles fell useless to the floor.
"Okay, I'll be right back." I barely managed to stutter, turning to give their orders to the kitchen staff.
On my way to the kitchen I noticed the same creepy guy from the other day sitting in the same corner booth, hidden from view. Same sandy blonde hair and vivid green eyes, same unnerving stare. Watching my every move. But I tried to ignore his presence and carried on my way to the kitchen.
Greyson.
The name echoed though my head like a broken record, but a beautiful one at that, with a face to match.
