As many of you know (or may have heard me talk about), I'm currently writing an urban fantasy novel for young adults. Writing this book has been such a wonderful experience for me; I've learned so much about my strengths and weaknesses as a writer, and I've grown in ways I never expected. My writing has truly evolved, and I've established my own, defined style throughout the process. I've always loved creating with words, but the journey with this particular story has truly led me to believe that I have a chance at making this dream a reality - whether it's with this book or any of the others that I plan to write after it. Please enjoy this small glimpse into the project that continues to mold me and shape me as an author. Thanks :)
Introduction
In the rear view mirror,
I can see the fire in my eyes. It dances there, quietly contained for now by a
ridiculously uncomfortable pair of tinted contact lenses, a honey brown that
flares golden when the flames are at their worst. Here in the darkness, they
seem to glow. I won’t be safe here much longer.
“This will be fine,” I
say to the driver, a dirty, overweight Italian sporting a five o’clock shadow
and a jacket that reeks of stale cigarettes. “Just let me out here.”
He starts to turn
around and protest, but catches a glimpse of my face in the mirror before
mumbling “All right” under his breath and steering the car to the curb. When he
stops, I give him enough to cover both me and the person who might ride after
me. He says nothing. I don’t expect him to argue.
A drizzling rain falls
outside, and I tuck myself deeper inside my knee-length trench coat as I shut
the door to the cab. The night is dark, the stars and moon hidden by a thick
blanket of clouds that make the sky look like it’s about to cave in. My body
shivers involuntarily, protesting the chill of the rain drops that touch my pale
cheeks.
I assess my
surroundings. Trash litters the narrow street, highlighted in certain areas by
pools of yellow light illuminating from streetlamps. The buildings lining
either side of the road are concrete and cold, devoid of color and life. Their
windows are covered with rust-laden bars. A ragged, hungry man with white hair
and missing teeth leers at me from his perch a few feet away, begging with a
shriveled hand. Avoiding his eyes, I place a few small bills in his
outstretched palm. He mutters a “bless you” and fades back into the shadows.
I begin to walk as
goosebumps dance on my skin. I can feel
the fire behind my eyes now, threatening to burn too bright for disguise. The
place between my shoulder blades tingles, warning me of what I already know; I’ve
waited too long this time. Cut it too close. I narrow my golden eyes and pick
up my pace.
My cell phone vibrates
in the pocket of my coat and, trembling, I pick it up and answer.
“Get home now,” Nuriel
says in my ear, his velvet voice laced with anger. “I can feel you. Your time
is almost out.”
I shudder, clenching my
teeth and forcing the fire to remain at bay as I walk even faster. My heels hit
the ground with loud, constant taps on the wet pavement.
“I’m trying,” I gasp
out, trying to save my energy. “I’m injured.”
He sighs on the other
side of the phone. “I know,” he says, his voice slightly less severe. “I can
feel that, too. Just…get here.” I hit end as the phone line goes dead and slide
the phone back into my pocket. I can sense him. I know how close I am to being
safe and under his protection. I can see the building, only four blocks up the
street.
It won’t be close
enough. Not this time. The mark between my shoulders is burning me now, and I
know that I am out of time. I search the concrete prisons around me, looking
for a place to hide. Nearby, a street rat skitters into the street from
underneath a heavy wooden door covered in white and black graffiti. Even the
art here is cold.
I run, slamming hard
into the door and screaming out in pain as it gives way into a dank, dark
concrete hallway. The hallway leads to a large room, empty and abandoned. I
close my eyes and lean against the cold wall, listening for any sign of life
within this dull, broken structure. I hear nothing.
I am alone, hands shaking,
shoulders burning, eyes beginning to blur. I pull my coat off. The puncture
wound in my side is healing quickly, my blood seeping thick and dark to seal
the opening. I know that the fire will heal the rest.
My eyes flash a bright
white and I am blinded as the burning mark between my shoulders becomes a
searing pain that brings me to my knees. My skin explodes, releasing the fire
building up inside me. A fantastic pair of strong, transparent wings burst
through my clothing, ripping it to shreds. They crawl with fire, a bright
yellow blaze that transforms me, burning my human persona and exposing me for
what I really am.
Fire dances across my
flesh and heals me, making me whole again. I can feel my limbs loosening, the
tilt of my eyes rising, the lengthening of my ears as they form to a point. My
shoulder-length brunette human hair shifts colors to reveal wavy black strands
that fall to my waist. My pale skin lightens almost to the point of
translucency and my jaw muscles protest as my teeth strengthen and sharpen
inside my mouth.
Slowly, the white glare
in my eyes fades and my vision returns, rimmed with a fading red light leftover
from the change. I watch my skin as the fire fades out everywhere except my
wings, which tower above me, smoldering in the darkness.
Comments are welcome and appreciated. Until next time...happy reading!
