A Look Inside Redemption

Redemption is the first novel I successfully completed in 2007. For several years, I submitted query after query to literary agencies only to be turned down over and over. Most used the same excuse that they were already representing a book in my genre. Keeping the faith, I wrote a sequel, Sacrifice, and then started a third. But after getting turned down more times than I could count, I took a break from writing. For a couple of years I focused on raising my son. Then, I took the advice of a literary agent and wrote something different–a novel titled His Name is Moonlight. I didn’t try as hard to get this one published as the others because by then I was researching self-publishing. Last year, in 2013, the Lord blessed me to discover Amazon’s self-publishing, CreateSpace and Kindle Direct. It wasn’t exactly what I had in mind but my dream of becoming a published writer was becoming a reality.

In May 2013, I officially published Redemption.

The following is a compilation of excerpts from the pages of Redemption:

-Quickly, I ran back up the stairs into the hallway and stopped just under the door to the attic. I had to jump to reach the string that pulled the door open and unfolded the steps, but I took my shoes off first so that the sound wouldn’t send grandma running thinking I fell or something.

The steps looked at little weak and unstable but hopefully a hundred and fifteen pounds wouldn’t break them. I stepped up slowly and cautiously trying not to put too much weight on each foot. The steps creaked but held together.

A vast aroma of musty, moldy scents hung heavy in the air and burned my nose and my throat making me cough. With the sunlight shining through the small oblong window, infinitesimal dust particles could be seen whipping about through the rays. The floor was old wood planks that creaked like the stairs with every step and the walls were paneled in what looked to be pine. The room was grayish in the dim sunlight. I pulled the chain to the ceiling light—it clicked once—but nothing happened. Darn, the bulb must be blown.

I stood in the middle of the room and searched curiously with my eyes to take in different objects placed around the room. Everything was covered in dust. Mostly there were cardboard boxes and storage totes stacked on top of each other. An old white dresser sat in one corner, paint chipped and scuffed. In the opposite corner I spotted the chest, dresser, bed railing and headboard that once graced my dad’s bedroom. I automatically walked over to them remembering what the bedroom used to look like before grandma changed it for my benefit.

My big toe jammed into something hard I hadn’t seen in the floor causing me to stumble forward. Before my face hit the dresser I caught myself with my hands inches from the one of the knobs. I grabbed at my throbbing toe and turned to see what I’d tripped over. It was the corner of a chest sticking out from under a pile of blankets. I hobbled over rather loudly and threw off the blankets to get a better look.

The box resembled an old-time toy chest. Rusty colored brown with leather straps that fastened in the front. I knelt down loosening the straps and lifted the dusty lid.

The first thing I saw were aged—yellowish colored—papers. I picked them up and unfolded them gently. They were letters from my dad written to my grandma when he was overseas his two years in Afghanistan. Underneath the letters were his army uniform and a box I found that held his dog tags. Digging further down in the box I found pictures of him and his brother—my uncle Tom, short for Thomas—when they were just children. There were also school keepsakes like pictures he’d drawn or painted in art class most likely.

My hands shook picking up a small shoebox with he and my mother’s names written on top. Nora and Phillip. I held my breath while sliding off the lid. There was a Polaroid snapshot of them in grandma’s living room standing by the window and newspaper clippings. The first clipping I grabbed was older and faded in color. It was their wedding announcement. They must have mailed it to her. The next was newer—it still had crispiness to it. Once I opened it and read the first few words, I let it drop from my fingers, back into the box. This was their death announcement.

I started to cry and quickly shoved the box back in the chest and slammed the whole thing shut. Dust particles flew out in every direction. I closed my eyes and held my breath for the few seconds it took me to back away. Why would she want to keep that? Why would she want such a terrible reminder?

-He reached up as if to touch my face but instead, he brushed a strand of my hair away from my cheek and tucked it behind my ear. My heart fluttered and my face heated up. The coolness of his fingertips tingled.

I don’t know what I was expecting to happen but when he stuffed his hand back in his pocket, it faded.

“Goodnight,” I told him, feeling a bit disappointed as I turned to open the door.

“Abby?”

“Yes,” I asked, eagerly batting my eyes a bit—as if that would help.

He was strangely hesitant as he looked into my eyes with a blank expression as if he was searching for the right words in his head. This was the first time we’d actually stared so deep and so long at each other. When he decided on what to say, his words came out slow and careful and so low I almost had to strain my neck to hear him.

“I want you to know that I really do like you—you have no idea how much—I’m sure that’s obvious, but I want to take this a little slower. I realize I probably should have thought about that before I took you to dinner but I didn’t know that it would be this hard for me.” He then looked down at the ground and sadness took over his face for the briefest moment. When he looked back up to me he managed a slight smile but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Maybe it would be best if we were just friends for a while, until we are both more comfortable with each other.”

My fluttering heart suddenly sank to my stomach. I felt sick. This is so not what I was expecting him to say. But he was right. We didn’t know each other well enough to let this escalate into something we both probably weren’t ready for and at least he was adult enough to say it. So I nodded slowly unable to respond verbally.

“Good night then. Sleep well.” He smiled and then walked back to his car. So that was it. No other explanation. It all seemed too good to be true the moment he asked me to dinner, now it seems that it was.

My hand reached out after him but it wouldn’t have done me any good, so I grabbed the doorknob instead.

Once I was inside I leaned against the door and took several deep breaths. I could hear the roaring car as it sped down the street and at that moment I had the sudden panic that we may never have another night like this again. I suppose I was just feeling the need to be with him again but his words hung in my head and I kept repeating them over and over. Maybe it would be best if we were just friends for a while. I hoped he didn’t think this night had been a mistake and he would be an idiot to think this night didn’t mean anything to either of us.

Limply, I stumbled my way upstairs and peaked in on my grandma to make sure she was okay and sleeping good before I entered my room. I was putting on my pajamas when I realized I was humming to myself. A strange but familiar feeling was tugging at my heart. It was happiness. Underneath all that disappointment I was happy. For so long I had lived without being happy. The fear and sadness I held in my heart when I came to Bangor, the same sadness that lingered in the back of my mind waiting to be triggered, was now being crowded out by this old but familiar feeling. It felt good and I welcomed it with open arms.

-Caleb unlocked my door but as I moved to sit down my shirt got caught on something that was sticking out from the door. Caleb was already opening his when I pulled it free. I grimaced at the tiny hole it left. That’s when I saw the reflection of a dark figure in the window. I turned to see that same man. He quickly put a knife to my throat and demanded my purse. I didn’t have time to breath.

In an instant, what I thought was my life flashing before my eyes, was actually the man, suddenly airborne, smashing into another vehicle several feet away. All I could see was a black blur from the man’s clothing. A crunching, screeching sound echoed through the air as the metal of the car twisted and bent to the form of the man’s body. Glass from the windows flew out in every direction, shattering to the ground. Some even landing at my feet. It all happened so swift and so rapid that my conscious mind couldn’t process it fast enough.

When my eyes finally focused, and my head had stopped spinning, I noticed Caleb, standing not five feet from me, hunched over in a crouched position, staring in the direction of the crumpled car and the man’s still body. A sound that I had never heard before seemed to be coming from deep inside his chest, gurgling in the bottom of his throat. It sounded like a growl. Not like any dog I’d ever heard, but more like a tiger or a lion. I was instantly frozen to the ground—my eyes wide, my mouth open. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t breath. I was horrified. For Caleb had now turned his head to face me and his eyes were blazing mad. Blood shot and pupils dilated like when I thought he was high, only fierce and deadly.

I saw him take a step toward me and I gasped. Panic and fear flooded my body with a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach. I glanced at the man lying against the mangled car and then back at Caleb. I stepped back and cringed against the side of his car. My breathing was so hard and fast my chest literally ached with pain. He seemed to notice the horror on my face and stopped moving. I watched as his body straightened, fists unclench, and his eyes soften. The fury that, only seconds ago covered his face, was now melted away. There stood the Caleb I knew and loved. The Caleb I would have run to any other time. But not now.

- “Abby,” he shook his head while rubbing his temples. “You are making this more difficult for me. How can I make you understand…..to believe that what I’m telling you is true?” Then he stopped. For a moment his body was frozen and then he looked up at me dropping his hands to his sides. His eyes were wide with exultant relief. “I have an idea.”

Slowly he began walking toward me despite my protests, face softened from the hard line of anger only seconds ago. His hands reached out in front of him, palms facing me. “Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you. I promise.” Soon he was standing inches away from me. My head was spinning again; I didn’t know what to do. He was so close I didn’t know whether to hug him or push him back. I could smell his cologne and it made me light-headed and I felt his cool breath blow in my face.

He began unbuttoning his shirt. I knew any minute I was going faint from lack of oxygen at the sight of his chest. For a moment I thought I was looking at the statue of David, except for obvious parts being covered of course. “Give me your hand,” he whispered, almost purring. Reluctantly, I placed my hand in his and slowly he laid it on his chest. He felt like stone, cold and hard, but his skin still oddly flexible. I could see the imprint of my fingers indenting his alabaster skin.

Through my hand I felt his chest moving up and down but then his breathing stopped, and there was nothing. For a long moment he never drew another breath. I stared at him in disbelief.

“Why? How?” Was all I could get out.

He placed his hands on either side of my face, “Listen,” he commanded and pulled my face down to rest my ear over his heart. Again, there was nothing. No thumping, no anything. Complete silence.

My panic and horror was back again and I felt mass hysteria coming very quickly. I jerked my head back, clearly hyperventilating.

“Abby?” Caleb’s voice was urgent now, grabbing my shoulders with his strong hands. I fell back against the door, sliding all the way to the floor, resting on my knees. Caleb followed me on my way down, never taking his eyes or hands off me.
“Vampires aren’t real,” I somehow managed to mutter. Then, there was blackness.

-Walking up the steps to the door, a short mild breeze passed by sending chills down my arms. But I stopped abruptly when I saw Caleb standing frozen facing the door. Every muscle in his body was locked and his jaw was clenched down hard. His fists balled up so tight that his Hemi Cuda key chain shattered into a million plastic pieces, scattering onto the brick.

My heart sank when I heard the rumbling growl coming from his chest. My body began to tremble. I wanted to go to him but I was frozen to the ground.

“What is it?” I whispered softly, afraid to speak any louder.

A violent hiss passed through his lips as he said a name that sent pure ice cold fear trickling through my veins.

“Damon.”

- Two tall and extremely dark wraith-like shadows emerged from the blackness not ten feet from me. They walked slowly in my direction and stopped a few feet away. My mouth fell open looking up at them, trying to find their hidden faces in the dark. But, it didn’t take long for comprehension to break through my delirium and knock me silly with the dreadful truth. These two weren’t just any midnight stalkers. They were vampires. And I knew exactly which ones they were. Duncan and Roark.

Without speaking a word, they watched as I cautiously rose to my feet. My knees were sure to buckle underneath me from fear. They never moved and for one ephemeral moment, I thought about running.

“Well, well, well,” a gruff deep and chilling voice laughed. “What do we have here?”

“It looks like someone lost their pet,” the other concurred with a snort.

They knew me. They recognized me from that night they’d chased Samantha and I all the way to Caleb’s. Caleb. Oh how I wished he were here, to save me from certain death. And yes, I knew I was going to die. Now that they had me cornered, I knew they were not going to let me get away for a second time. It was only a matter of minutes before they stopped toying with me and got down to business.

I watched as they began inching forward again, straight toward me. Instinctively, I took a step back and as they kept coming, I continued to back away one step at a time until there were no more steps to take. My back hit something cold and hard but as much as I had wished it were Caleb’s body, to my dismay, I was trapped against the brick wall. I silently scolded myself for still wondering about the name of the building again.

-“Why Selena?” Caleb hissed in her face. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t tear off your head this second and throw you in the fire.”

“Please,” she choked, trying to speak through crushing vocal cords. “I meant her no harm. Duncan and Roark……..”

“Liar! She told me you gave the orders. You wanted her dead. From the first moment you laid eyes on her you were so filled with jealousy and hatred, all you could think about what getting rid of her. And you knew that even if I had known what was happening, if even I did know where she was, I’d never set foot in that inferno because I was a coward. Well you were wrong and now you’re going to die.”

“No,” she cried. “I promise I won’t come near her again. Caleb please don’t kill me.”

“And how many times did Abby plead for her life before you sent the wolf pack on her?” His voice grew louder as he shouted directly in her face.

“I only did it for you.” Her voice was a pathetic whimper. “I wanted to free you from her. I’ve always cared about you. I love you.”

Caleb’s voice came out swift and harsh, “You don’t know what love is! I don’t want you. I don’t care anything about you—I never did. How could I care for someone so evil and vile as you?”

His other hand came around gripping the top of her head. I jumped forward at the exact moment she screamed, grabbed his arm, and pulled as hard as I could against his iron grasp.

“Caleb don’t!” I begged. His furious face turned on me but I ignored the fear I felt. “If you kill her then you’re no better than she is.” I looked at Selena’s terrified face and for an instant she looked oddly human. Then, I looked back at Caleb and a tiny bit of the fury in his eyes had melted away.

But unexpectedly, Damon’s hands came out of nowhere, pulling Selena out of Caleb’s arms and into his own. We both stared at him in disbelief, not understanding what he was doing. Was he really this content on saving her life? Did he really care more for her than he’d let on?

Then, he spoke in a clear, articulate tone, directly at Caleb. “Better your soul be saved—if it’s truly there—than mine.”