Cross My Heart by Elizabeth Morgan (motivational novels for students .TXT) 📗

“You can’t gohome.”

Her words were a deadweight that hit me right in the chest. If I couldn’t go home—anddeep down, I knew that. Of course I knew it—where else could Igo?

I sagged against thetree, defeated. Part of me wanted to feel it, that sinking feelingthat was despair and grief. I had the notion deep inside the cavernthat was my stomach that I should feel devastated by the fact, thatsuch feelings were right, but I just felt empty, numb.

My focus wandered tothe brown folder that had slipped from my grasp while I hadface-planted into the undergrowth. I could see my name scribbledfancily across the front. I reached for it, and opening the flap,pulled the wad of pages out. A photograph of me was clipped to thetop of the first page—a naked, unconscious me, lying on astretcher. It reminded me of a post-mortem report, the type you sawon CSI and other such shows. I read my details, the first page justinformation I imagined they had pulled from my wallet and passport.It was the second page I was stuck on.

“They removed my—” Thesides of the pages crumbled in my grip. I couldn’t finish thesentence. My throat seemed to be closing over, but I remembered thepain, in between my legs, knowing when I came to that somethingwasn’t right down there. The bastards had taunted me about losingmy balls, but I’d just presumed it was part and parcel of theridicule. It looks like they’d meant it. “They fucking ... Theyfucking castrated me.”

“Why, that doesn’tmake sense?”

“What t’hell are youasking me for?” I glared up at her, tension cradling my jaw. “Howt’hell should I know? You’re the fucking Vampire Expert. Why don’tyou tell me?”

I wanted to scream,cry, but I couldn’t feel the build-up even though I knew it wasthere somewhere, lost in the abyss that was now my dead body. Ishould feel something, be able to react. I’d been kidnapped,murdered, neutered, cursed to be undead, unable to eat or sleep, orsee my family ever again ...

“Come and findme.”

I looked up at her.“What?”

“Like you said, I’mthe Vamp expert. So come find me.”

I laughed, short andshallow. “Get real.”

“Where else are yougoing t’go? Who else will believe you?”

Another howl rippedthrough the night sky, that wild, haunting sound making thedarkness more isolating.

I was alone, and I hadnowhere to go. I couldn’t go home. My friend was dead, for realthis time, and I was currently shackled and half-naked. I had nomoney. I had no balls. No heartbeat. I had nothing.

“Firstly, you needt’stop feeling sorry for yourself.”

“Are you freakingkidding me?” I held up the folder. “I’m absorbing my situationhere.”

“You’ve beenabsorbing your situation for weeks. If you haven’t got it in yourhead by now that you’re undead and your life will never be the same... then you will never get it.” She walked over to me andknelt, her moss-green eyes on level with mine. “I know this isbad, but it could be worse.”

I snorted. “How?”

“You could be deadand buried in a field.”

Okay, you have apoint.

“But you’re not.You’re still here for a reason, and sure it’s complicated, but atleast you get t’find out why t’hell this happened t’you. You canget answers for yourself and Freddie.” She straightened.“So, you need t’get your arse up and get out of this forest.Secondly, you need t’find somewhere indoors t’hold up beforesunrise, and then, you need t’come find me. I’ll know whatt’do.”

“You really thinkyou’re going t’help me after all these years?”

“Maybe, maybe not,but I’m the only Vampire Hunter you know. Who else can you go tolike this?”

I looked back down atthe folder, at the photograph of my naked, lifeless body.

“You want t’knowwhy, don’t you? Why this happened? What all of it means?”

Part of me did. Partof me just wanted to wake up and find that it was just a longnightmare. “I’m not sure what I want.”

Something rustled inthe distance.

“Well, for now, Isuggest you figure it out somewhere else, because in this forest,there seems t’be more than one type of monster that you need t’beworried about.”

I placed the folder onthe ground. “It’s going t’be tricky t’move while I’m stillcuffed.”

“As long as you’reable t’move t’some degree, that’s all that matters.”

Ignoring the bite ofmetal against my wrists and ankles, I pushed myself up, using thetree as support.

Twigs snapped to myleft.

“I’d be quick aboutit, if I were you.” Elle pointed at the folder while backingaway from me, her focus in the direction of the rustlingundergrowth. “It doesn’t look like we have time t’ take in thescenery.”

I had no idea whathappened next, what my future held, if I could even have a future.I was a changed man—no, I wasn’t even a man anymore, and accordingto the she-devil, I was a different class of Vampire, whatever thehell that meant. Elle was right; only she would know the answers.Question was, would the real her give them to me?

Bending down, Icollected the folder, grasping it to my chest. “Lead on, spirit.Lead on.”

ChapterTwo

~ Danielle ~

Sunday11th October, 2015

Wicklow, Ireland

I awoke to the soundof rain hammering against my window, one of my all-time favouritesounds, especially when snuggled beneath my duvet. The world beyondmy partly closed wooden blinds looked grey and wet—why would anyonewant to leave the comfort of their bed for such a day? Why didanyone want to leave their bed most days? My bed had to be myall-time favourite place in the world, and I would gladly hibernatein it all year round if I thought I could, but my parents wouldn’tforget about me so easily.

A glance at my digitalalarm clock informed me it was past noon, so regardless of thelethargy hugging my limbs and the want to just stay put for therest of the day, I really needed to get up.

Before I could changemy mind, I threw my thick, blue duvet to one side, letting the coolair of my bedroom hit me, chasing away the want to hibernate. Handsfirmly planted on my mattress, I pushed myself up. A groan escapedme upon catching sight of my face in my freestanding, black mirroracross the way from my bed. Mascara was smeared all over my eyes,my hair