A brand new Coming of age paranormal romance......
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Closer--The-Full-Curse-Carr-ebook/dp/B00GF5Y18Q/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1384263900&sr=8-7&keywords=kam+carr
Here is a little sneaky peek...
Chapter
One
“Angus!!” screamed the voice.
She woke up startled, the voice once
more cried out. She slowly got out of bed, crept out of her door and
down the hall towards her Grandmothers room.
“Angus.” It wasn't a scream any
more, sounded more like a cry. She opened the door and a figure was
rocking in the darkness. She switched the light on and there her
Grandmother stood rocking from side to side in front of the window.
“Angus?” She asked, turning round
to look at Tammy; her eyes lost and the only expression on her
fragile face was confusion.
Tammy felt a pang of sadness for her
Grandmother, she was now just a shell of the woman she once was. It
seemed in the last few months her dementia had gotten worse; to the
point Tammy didn't recognize the woman before her. Tammy walked over
to her Grandmother and guided her back to bed.
“Where's Angus?” Her voice full of
distress.
“I don't know, Gran” Tammy replied,
beginning to tuck her Grandmother into bed as if she was a young
child. “Who's Angus?” She perched on the end of the bed and moved
a strand of brown hair from her Grandmothers forehead. It was normal
for her Grandmother to ask of the where a bouts of people. Normally
it was her Grandfather, who had died a few years back. Or she would
ask for her baby, which of course her mother was no longer a baby.
But Angus? She had never heard of such a person.
She watched as her Gran's eyes widen.
“It's beginning,” she growled. “It's awakening.... Just like
Angus did....”
Tammy leaned froward and gave her Gran
a kiss on the forehead. She didn't know what any of that meant. “Get
some sleep” she smiled as she slowly got up and left the room.
Tammy walked back into her room and climbed into bed. Her Grandmother
was getting worse and there was nothing she could do to stop
anything. Her family couldn't even afford any treatment or care.
Tammy hated being poor, she couldn't even afford college, so there
was no chance she would gain qualifications to make money.
Her father had been made redundant when
they closed the steel factory a few months ago. They were all trying
to survive on Tammy's and her mothers earnings. Tammy worked in the
only book store in Ashville. Even though it didn't pay very much she
got to spend her days lost in books. Her mother worked as a cleaner
working very long hours. Her father now remained mainly at home to
take care of her Grandmother.
Life was dull, glum and lonely. Tammy
did have a few friends, but they all seemed too busy to even bother
with her. Like she cared , she wasn't ready to get married like Rose
or Jenna. In fact, she wasn't really a typical twenty-one year old.
Men, in her opinion , were trouble and too time consuming. She would
take a dull,glum and lonely life over being controlled by a man.
Tammy closed her eyes, tomorrow she
would ask her mother who Angus was? That way when her Grandmother
asked for him again, she would be able to give a more detailed
answer. Finally, she drifted off into a deep sleep.
Morning seemed to come round too
quickly for Tammy's liking. She made her way down to the kitchen and
began to prepare breakfast. Her mother was sat at the table staring
at a mug of coffee. She looked tired and defeated, but in spite of
everything she was strong willed and wouldn't allow anything to knock
her down. Tammy figured that's where she had got it from.
She placed two slices of bread into the
toaster, leaning on the counter she turned to her Mum. “Gran was
talking again last night” her words broke her mother's
concentration.
“Yeah,” she gave a smile but it
never met her eyes. Tammy studied the black circles which seemed to
be getting darker each day. “What did she say?”
“Calling out for Angus” Tammy
folded her arms. “Do you know who this Angus is?”
Even her own mother looked confused.
“No,” she sighed. “I've never heard of her speak of him
before.”
“She also said it's beginning, It's
awakening.... Just like Angus did....”
“That's strange” she shrugged her
shoulders and stood up from the table. “I have no idea what she
talks about any more.” She bowed her head and quickly restored
herself. “Right, no rest for the wicked. I'll see you tonight”
she grabbed her bag and was out of the door.
The toast popped up from the toaster
and made Tammy jump. Her Grandmothers words had actually intrigued
her. To top it all her mother didn't know what any of that meant.
Maybe after work she would sit down with her Grandmother and find
out.
The shop was quiet—as always. Tammy
was sitting on the sofa next to the shop window reading a book. She
was in complete charge this afternoon as her boss Mrs Waters had
needed to go out of town till tomorrow.
Tammy loved reading, she loved all the
Bronte classics. However, she loved re-reading Emma and Little
Women. It was a shame she would never get to visit where these
masterpieces had been written.
It sucked being poor, Tammy had a funny
feeling she would never actually leave Ashville. She would end up
like her mother and one day, maybe like her Grandmother. This wasn't
a life. She felt she was just excising, maybe that's why she loved
to get lost in her books.
The shop door bell rang and Tammy
jumped. Her eyes looked over at the man standing in the doorway. His
tall lean frame gracefully walking in, her eyes looked up to his
face. He was beautiful, breath taking beautiful; His strong jaw,
sculptured cheek bones and nose. Pink full lips and a mass of jet
black hair.
Tammy slowly got up off the sofa. “Can
I help you?” She managed to say, her eyes still fixated on the
perfect stranger.
He looked over at her. “No” he
snorted. “Wrong store!” With that he turned on his heel and
matched out of the bookshop. Tammy quickly ran to the door to watch
the stranger walk down the street. Who was he? He was new that
she was sure of. Tammy doubted very much she would see him again. He
was just passing through, like many others did.
The stranger had now vanished and her
eyes turned to the house which sat up on the hills looking down on
the town square of Ashville. The people who lived there were like the
royal family of Ashville. But yet, no one knew exactly who they were.
They didn't mix with anyone, they just handed out donations to local
causes.
The house intrigued her, she wondered
why they would hide away from everyone. There had to be a secret and
Tammy would love to find it out. She shook her head and stepped back
into book shop, back over to the sofa and carried on reading her
book.
That night she got in from work and
headed straight to her Gran's room. Her Gran was sat in her chair
staring out of her window. She had a perfect view of Ashville's
countryside.
“Hey, Gran” Tammy smiled, crouching
down on the floor next to her Gran's feet. “I was just wondering
who Angus is?”
Her Gran's head whipped round in
Tammy's direction. “Angus?” She whispered, her eyes went wild.
“They are back!” She stood up and glared at Tammy. “Their boy
has awoken with age.”
Tammy stood up and grabbed hold of her
Grandmother's hand. “What?” She laughed, none of this made any
sense. “Gran, what are you trying to say?”
“Angus...He died” she started
bursting out into tears. “He died.”
Tammy felt really bad now for even
asking anything. She pulled her Grandmother into her and hugged her
hard. Tammy vowed she would never ask her Grandmother about this
Angus any more. The whole thing had filled her inquisitive mind. What
was all this awakening of age? Although, there was a chance this was
all in her Gran's imagination.
Tammy made her way downstairs after
making sure her Grandmother had calmed down. Her father was in the
kitchen sorting out dinner. Obviously, her mother was working late
again.
“Something came for you today” her
Dad pointed to an envelope sitting on the side.
“Really?” Tammy said surprised as
no one ever wrote to her. She picked up the ivory envelope and began
to study it. The hand writing was neat..
Miss T. Miller.
Tammy
stuffed the envelope into her jeans back pocket and decided she
would read it later. The sun was still out, so she decided to grab a
blanket, sit outside and do some more reading before dinner.
The sun beamed down on her pale skin
and she tried to get lost in her book. The envelope felt like it was
burning in her pocket and she was now itching to read what was
inside. She placed her book down and retrieved the ivory envelope,
she quickly tore it open and pulled out the white card.
It was an invitation. An invitation to
the Ashville manor--- the house on the hills. She jumped up and ran
inside the house.
“Dad!” She yelled, she waved the
the card in the air. Her Mother had now returned from work and was
sitting at her favourite place at the table. “Mum, look!” She
slammed the card down in front of her Mother. “They have invited me
to their home?”
“Who?” Her Mother began to read the
card.
“Why would strangers invite me to
their home? No one ever sees them.” She thought out loud.
“Like I said,” a ghostly voice
appeared in the kitchen, Tammy's eyes fell on her Grandmother
standing in the doorway. “The boy has awoken of age....”
Chapter
Two
According to her Grandmother awakening
of age occurred to boys when they reached twenty-one. After that she
didn't say any more. So, Tammy had been invited to 21st
birthday party for a complete stranger that didn't even mix with
anyone.
She was curious that was sure, but more
curious to see who lived in the house and what it looked like inside.
Her mother had obviously told her to dismiss anything her Grandmother
had told her. There was no way Tammy was going to turn down the
invitation, this was the first excitement she'd had in her whole
life. How was she going to get through the next few days? Saturday
felt like a long time to wait.
Her boss Mrs Waters had been shocked by
the invitation. She had lived in Ashville for over 50 years and not
once had she seen something like this. This only in fuelled Tammy
more.. She wondered who else had been invited and wondered what this
boy looked liked. If he looked an inch like the perfect stranger, she
would be in her element.
Thankfully, the tiny amount of money
she'd managed to save paid for a new dress. She had thought about
buying a card and present, but had no idea what to get. So, she had
decided she would explain this at the party. Surely no one would take
offence. What do you buy someone you have never met?
***
This whole thing is a
waste of time, he thought as he stared out of the window. He
watched as the cars pulled up and girls wearing their finest dresses
entered his home. All of them smiling and itching to take a look at
the strangers who lived here. If only they knew the real reason
behind their spontaneous invites. All of them would go screaming
for the hills.
He turned to leave the room,
it was time to host his gathering. He made his way to the banquet
hall, his parents had gone over the top. Of course, it had been
decades since one of them had to do this degrading event. All their
hopes and dreams laid at his feet, like he would be able to change
centuries of hell. His own father couldn't do it and his Uncle had
died trying. There was no ending to this hell, why couldn't they see
it?
He entered the banquet hall,
the girls were all in awe of the antique furniture and the grand
paintings. The smell of them burned his nose and he could feel
himself flinch. This was painful – just like his father had
described. At the end of the day, this was how his father had met his
mother. So, it couldn't all be bad.
He grabbed a glass of wine
off a waiter and downed it. He started to scan the room-- who's
first? He thought. His eyes moving from one girl to the other.
None of them seemed interesting to him.
His eyes fell on a dainty
girl dressed in a blue dress, her brown hair in a loose ponytail. He
had seen her somewhere before. Ah, yes, the book shop. He
started to study her, her pale skin was flawless and she was staring
at a portrait of his Uncle. Her dress didn't look very expensive and
her shoes were falling apart. Poor thing! He
would leave her for last.
“Well,”
his father placed a hand on his shoulder. “Anyone?”
“Please!”
He snarled. “You make this sound like an easy thing to do. It's
taking all my strength to not drain the room.”
His
fathers eyes narrowed. “Keep your voice down” he hissed. “None
of them should know our secret until one has been chosen.” He
rubbed his brow in frustration. “Do you not remember what happened
to your uncle? One slip up and we will all be
danger!”
“Yes!”
he hissed back. “I have heard the story a million times.”
“Good,”
his father now patted his back. “Do what you have to do... Let's
get this over with quickly. Your mother is relying on you, Dante.
Don't let her down!”
He
handed his father the empty wine glass. “Fine” he snapped
abruptly. “I'll do this quickly” he gave a sly grin and matched
over to the bookshop girl. As he passed a few girls would stop mid-
sentence and stare at him. Dumb girls!
He thought, he was designed to do that. He hated being watched and
made to feel like nothing. The girl was still looking at the
painting, surely by now there was nothing more to look at. He gave a
cough and the girl turned to face him, her tiny face taking him in;
just like she had done the last time they had met. It had made him
feel uncomfortable then too.
He held
out his hand, “hello” he smiled. “I am Dante Renaldo,” her
mouth opened but no words emerged. “I believe we have met before..
You are?”
“Tammy”
she mumbled, her eyes never moving from him. “Yes, we have met
before in the shop I work in.”
“I
gathered that” he looked round the room. The party was over, he'd
had enough now. His eyes looked back to Tammy. “Well, we don't have
to get to know each other now.” A little smile hit his lips. “We
have plenty of time for that.” He added, backing away slightly from
her. Her eyes were wide with wonder. “Enjoy!” He turned on his
heel and matched back to his Father. “Her” he grunted.
A
massive smile appeared on his Dad's face. “Good,” he sounded
pleased. “I'll deal with it.”
Before
Dante disappeared from the room, he looked back over his shoulder and
at Tammy. Yes, she will do.
She wasn't bad looking herself and her smell didn't burn his nose--
that was exactly what he was looking for!
***
Tammy
walked home from the party, well if you could it a party. Tammy
stopped outside her run down little house, a car she'd never seen
before was parked outside. She pulled her keys out of her bag and
walked up the steps to her front door and let herself in. A few
voices were coming from the living room and she was pretty sure she
could hear her mother crying.
Sat down
next to the stairs were a couple of tired looking suitcase. Was
someone leaving or someone staying?
Tammy
made her way into the living room, her mother sat on the sofa in
floods of tears, her father by her side trying to give her some
comfort.
Tammy
could feel someone standing behind her. She slowly turned round, a
tall well built man with the exact same features as Dante with thick
black hair was smiling at her.
“Mr
and Mrs Miller” his voice low and slightly husky. “I'll be
waiting in my car.” He slowly made his way out of the room.
Both her
parents eyes were on her now. Tammy was getting the feeling she
wasn't about to like what she was told. “Who was he?”
Her
father stood up. “Look, we had no idea this was going to happen.”
He was speaking very fast and Tammy began to feel very uneasy. “He
has come here to ask for your hand in marriage.”
Tammy
burst out laughing. “What? Him? Ha, I do not
think so.” This was a joke and a very good one. Tammy shook her
head, she was dying to get out of this dress. “I'm going to my
room.”
“Tammy,”
it was now her mother that spoke. “Not him... His son! And your
father agreed. You leave tonight to go and stay in Ashville manor.”
Tammy
froze on the spot, the suit cases! Her mother in flood of tears!
“No!” she cried, her anger targeted at her father. “You don't
have the right to do this!” Her father hung his head down in shame.
“Who does this? You can't just walk into someone's home and make
these demands.”
“He's
paid us!” Her father yelled.
Tammy
felt like someone had punched her in the chest. Her body physically
shaking and her mind racing with fear.
Sold?
Her
father had sold her to strangers? For all she knew they could be cold
killers. Her father had put money over his own flesh and blood.
They
were poor, she knew that, but this was going a little too extreme.
“The
money will help with Gran” her mother continued. “We will be able
to get her treatment and care.” Tammy's jaw dropped in shock, that
was the reason. Even her own Gran wouldn't allow this. This was wrong
on so many levels. Her mothers tears had now dried up and they were
both waiting for Tammy's reaction.
“Tammy,”
her dad said. “Sir Renaldo has promised us he will look after you
and keep you safe.” Tammy didn't reply, right now she hated her
father. “I'll take your things to the car.”
The
minute he left the room. Tammy raced over to her mother, falling on
to her knees. “Please, please, please” she begged, clutching on
to her mothers hands. “You can't let this happen.. Stop it please!”
Her
mother's hand reached out and touched Tammy on the face. “Don't you
see” she gave a slight smiled. “This is your chance.”
“My
chance of what? Death? Rape?” She spat. “We don't know anything
about these people. Normal people don't pay people to marry their
children. You have to do something” she demanded.
“Tammy,
sweetie... These people are rich. You'll be marrying into money. So,
you never love this boy, but at least you won't have to endure this
life any more. Anything is better than this.”
Tammy
narrowed her eyes, had those words actually come from her own mothers
mouth? She wanted her gone too.
Why was everything about money? Her life wasn't that bad, not bad
enough that she had to agree to this weird occurrence.
“Go
and do this for me, please” it was a plea. Her mother was begging
her to go and do this. Tammy looked into her mother eyes, there was
no fear in her face. Sadness, yes, but she didn't look scared.
Tammy
gave her mother a hug, slowly rose to her feet and made her way out
of the house. She couldn't believe she was doing this. She hadn't
even said goodbye to her Gran. She didn't want to spend another
minute in a house where she didn't belong. This was nothing to do
with her parents--she hated them. This was for her Grandmother, if
her doing this made her Gran's last days of life easier, then it was
worth it. As she got into the back of the car she made a conscience
decision never to come back to this house again and she would never
speak another word to her parents. As from now, they were both dead
to her!
***
“Here
is your room” Sir Renaldo said as he opened the door for Tammy.
Tammy stepped inside, she didn't care to take in the room. She didn't
want to be here, now she had no choice after the decision she'd made.
She walked over to the bed and sat down. She watched as Sir Renaldo
put down the cases.
“It's
okay, Dad” said a voice. “I'll take it from here.”
Tammy
looked up and Dante had now appeared in the room. So, here was her
husband to be. Tammy glared at what was once her perfect stranger.
Had his party been a hoax? Was that the only way he was able to meet
women. What had happened to courting? Tammy took her eyes off him and
stared down at the floor. This was wrong...
“Tammy,”
Dante's voice was smooth and crisp. Any other girl would of probably
got chills from it. Tammy cringed at the thought of him being
anywhere near her. “I am glad you agreed to this.”
“What
is this about?” Tammy snapped.
“It's
been a long day” Dante said, ignoring Tammy's question. “Maybe
you should sleep.”
Tammy
looked up and narrowed her eyes. He was already trying to control
her, which made Tammy cross. This was exactly why she had tried to
avoid marriage. “Tell me” she ordered. “What is this all
about?”
Their
eyes locked, he took in a deep breath and suddenly Tammy felt funny,
as if something was being pulled away from her. Her eyes began to get
heavy and her body felt drained. She tried to keep her eyes open but
failed. She felt hands lay her down on the bed.
“See,
I said you were tired” chuckled a cold voice. “I'll explain in
the morning.”
The
darkness set in and Tammy was fast asleep.
***
He heard
her feet stomp down the wooden staircase. She appeared in the doorway
of the kitchen, still dressed in the blue dress from yesterday.
“Morning,”
he mumbled sitting at the breakfast table. “My mother went to the
trouble of making you breakfast” he waved his hand over the table.
As per usual, his mother had gone over the top. She didn't speak,
just glared at him. He felt his lips twitch, she was not going to be
easy to deal with. “Come! Eat!” Tammy slowly walked over to the
table, she sat down and folded her arms. Her eyes still burning into
him. “Sleep well?” He laughed at his private joke.
“Better
than I wanted too” she quickly replied. In fact, she had no idea
what had happened last night. She didn't even remember laying down
and closing her eyes. She was just putting it down to trauma. She
looked over the table at all the food, there was enough here to feed
her family for at least a month. These people liked to flash their
money about. Her eyes looked back at Dante, his eyes still staring.
She wondered what he was thinking about.
“You
not going to eat?” He pushed a box of cereal in her direction.
“Are
you?”
He
tilted his head to the side and gave a amused smile. Like he knew
something she didn't and she was dying to know. “I have already
eaten” he smirked.
Tammy
rolled her eyes and poured some cereal into a bowl. “Where are your
parents?” She asked as she poured in the milk. His staring was
beginning to make her feel uneasy, there was something not right with
him. His eyes were a much brighter shade of brown than they were
yesterday. He didn't look as dark and dangerous as he did at their
first encounter. Tammy shook her head and dismissed the idea. She was
starting to sound like a crazy person, no one's eyes changed colour.
She started to eat her cereal.
“They
have gone away for five days” Tammy stopped eating and looked at
him shocked. “It's tradition” he added.
“Tradition?”
Tammy replied, “None of this is tradition. What happened to
courtship, stolen kisses and the getting down on one knee.” She
focused back on her cereal.
“An
old romantic” Dante laughed. “Can't you just be grateful that my
family have taken you away from your miserable life.”
“My
life was not miserable... Hard, maybe... But not miserable!”
He
rested his elbows on the table and scowled at the ungrateful girl.
“Can't you see this as a win-win situation” his voice low. She
was starting to bug him and he had no idea how he was going to make
her warm to him. Five days didn't seem enough time.
Tammy
raised an eyebrow and swallowed what was in her mouth. “Why do I
get the feeling this is something more than you gaining a wife.”
Something chilled inside her, she couldn't explain what that feeling
was.
“You're
quick,” he smiled, that breath taking smile. Tammy felt herself
lower in her chair, now he had her intrigued. He quickly jumped up
and ran a hand through his black hair. “I'm going for a swim... I
expect you to join me.” Tammy just stared at him dumb struck. “You
may go and change” he hissed. “My mother left a few things in
your bathroom.”
Tammy
dropped her spoon in her unfinished breakfast. She had lost her
appetite anyway, she rose up and left the kitchen. She ran upstairs
and into room she was staying. She closed the door and rested up
against it. Her heart racing and her breathing erratic. What was
going on? With her and this whole weird situation.
She
entered the bathroom connected to the room, sitting on the black
marble counter was a black swimming suit.
The
bathroom was bigger than her bedroom at home, Tammy felt a pang of
sadness. She could no longer call it home, after all her father had
sold her to the one who was making her heart race and dragging her
into some crazy world.
Tammy
liked the pure white rolled down bath, she could use that as a
swimming pool, it was massive. She picked up the swimming suit and
cringed, she had been swimming but it had been a while. Also, she
couldn't just slip it on and be done. She had a lot of prep work to
do.
She
caught her reflection in the large mirror. Now she was here there was
no point dwelling on what had happened. There was a dark part of her
fascinated with the mystery with what was going on.
A
little smile appeared on her pale little face. She could have her own
fun, have her own game plan, find out all of Dante's dark secrets.
Even if
they did get married, she was never going to love him. He was very
attractive and there was something different about him. Something
that called out to her, maybe she should take his words for it-- Why
couldn't she see it as a win-win situation?
Although,
she would be winning wealth.. What was Dante getting out of
this?Tammy stopped her thoughts in their tracks, she had to get ready
for her swim and get this game rolling.
What the hell is she
doing? Dante thought to himself
as he sat on the pool's edge. Surely changing into a swimming suit
didn't take this long. She had to be taught not to keep him waiting.
He could feel his teeth grit in anger. She hadn't even thanked his
mother for the breakfast she had prepared. She was ungrateful and
asked too many questions. He would have to teach her not to speak
unless she was spoken too.
“What
took you so long?” He growled when she finally did grace him with
her presence. The swimming suit fitted her slender body perfectly.
Her brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, it was her eyes that caught
his attention the most. They were far too big for her tiny doll
featured face. In fact, everything about her reminded him of a little
pale doll.
Tammy
shrugged and sat down next to him at the pool's edge. “Sometimes a
girl just needs time.”
Dante
let out a groan of annoyance. “Time is something we do not have. We
only have five days to get to know each other.” His eyes turned to
look at hers. “Maybe you should remember that!”
Tammy
gave a little chuckle and Dante's expression hardened. “Five days?
You can't get to know someone in five days!”
“Do
not laugh at my family's traditions. After all, no one forced you to
my house yesterday” he hissed. “You came just like all the others
did-- to find out who the freaks were!”
Tammy's
jaw opened in shock. Okay, she did come to see who lived here but she
hadn't thought of them as freaks. She shook her head and folded her
arms. Dante rolled his eyes, everything about her screamed child.
“I
actually came because I thought I was invited to a 21st
birthday” She turned her nose up. “It looks like I was doped.”
It was
now Dante's turn to laugh, she really did have a vivid imagination.
“21? I am 27.” He tilted his head to the side and the sadness
flooded through him. “I was late awakening. My parents had hoped it
had missed me completely.”
Tammy
looked over at him curious, his tone had softened and he was just
staring out at the water. There was that word, the same word her Gran
had kept saying. “What had missed you?” The hairs on her arms
stood on end. A chill ran through her blood as she remembered
everything her Grandmother had said.
“The
curse” he shrugged his shoulders and dropped himself into the pool.
“You coming?”
Tammy
stared at him. “Are you not going to tell me any more?” Feeling
intense disappointment in the pit of her stomach.
“No,”
Dante snarled. “Not until I can trust you.” He was about to swim
off but froze turning back round to look at Tammy. His tall lean but
yet muscular figure commanding every inch of the water. Tammy felt
herself swallowing hard, he was very mesmerizing. “I will tell you
something...”
Tammy
climbed in the pool and swam so she was directly in front him. He had
her full attention, one of his masculine fingers ran down her cheek.
Tammy gasped as an electric current shot through her and at the
gentleness of his touch.
“I
am drawn to you” he slowly said, a hint of deep husk to his voice.
He gave a slight smile and swam away.
Tammy
stood frozen in the pool, what did this all mean? She was starting to
get dizzy from his weird mood changes. He was drawn to her.. What
did that mean? Tammy had only
one choice, she had to gained Dante's trust and then she would know
the real reason why she was here with this perfect dark and dangerous
stranger.
