Falling (20 page)
He was set to marry a girl he’d known all his life. It could hardly be anyone else but me. Everyone agreed we were the perfect match. He would someday take his father’s place as Governor of Arcadia, but would start at the Committee. He, too, was slated to live in the luxurious suburb of Diamond.
How many times had he told me his Life’s Plan had to include me? Countless. And every time he did, my heart raced a little faster. Life would indeed be perfect; a beautiful home in an exclusive neighborhood, a loving and gorgeous husband, and my best friend living nearby. What more could I hope for?
I couldn’t resist leaning into him to snuggle. He wrapped his arms around me, kissed my forehead and chuckled in that soft way he had when he knew I was feeling amorous.
“Cool it, you guys,” Sarah snapped. “I’m still here, in case you hadn’t noticed. Besides, this is my Life’s Plan we’re happy about, remember? You’ll have your chance in a few weeks, Kama.”
Yes, I wanted to scream. And I hoped I wouldn’t have to wait long. While some people waited weeks, as Sarah had, many received their Life’s Plan within days of their 18th. No doubt mine would greatly resemble Sarah’s and Liam’s. We were basically cut from the same cloth, even if our childhoods were slightly different, but our destinies were bound to include one another.
The sensation returned again, drawing my attention away from the table and pulling me out of the diner like a magnet. I looked out the window, looking for the source of my distraction.
Across the street, simply standing there, tall, dark and strangely out of place, was a young man of such intensity, the hair on my arms rose. He was like no other man I’d ever seen, confident, sure and so attractive in his gloom. He was dressed like no one else in Arcadia, and his hair was longer, blowing wildly around his face.
While blue denim jeans were occasionally seen here and there, most young men of Arcadia wore stylish elegant slacks. But this intruder dared to wear not only jeans, but black jeans that seemed to have seen their share of battle. Instead of a shirt, he wore a dark leather tunic, bared at the chest that added to his mystique and aura of danger.
I was drawn to him in a way I’d never thought possible. It was magnetic. I felt my heart quicken and my pulse race. He was like a warrior straight out of those romantic fantasy novels I’d heard about. Extremely handsome, a bit exotic with his tan skin and jet-black hair. But his sapphire eyes held mine in a gaze that spoke lifetimes.
Kama, the desired one.
My fork stopped midway to my mouth. I froze as the strange and darkly mesmerizing voice entered my mind. I glanced at Sarah. Happily chomping on her burger, she had not heard a thing.
Glancing sidelong at Liam, I could see he had not heard anything either.
I have found you, yet again…
Where was that voice coming from? I looked around and back to look at the mysterious stranger’s face.
Him.
I forced the rest of my forkful of food into my mouth before the others noticed my sudden odd behavior, but I almost choked on it. When I finally managed to swallow it down, I turned to Liam.
“I think I just saw Tula across the street,” I said as I laid down my fork and prepared to rise. “I owe her two dollars, so I’ll run out to give it back to her.”
He stood, and while he looked completely perplexed by my sudden need to leave the diner, he said nothing.
I hurried out and headed in the direction of the mysterious man with raven hair. Breathless before I even began to run across the street, I felt an urgent need to meet this man. But I could see before hitting the curb that he’d already disappeared.
My disappointment surprised me, as if I’d missed something important, something that could change my life. My heart felt heavy as I looked up and down the street. There was not even a trace of him until I arrived at the very spot I had seen him. Did I imagine him?
A perfect deep purple orchid laid on the ground where he had stood. It had to come from him. No orchid of such color grew in Arcadia. It was the only proof I was not completely going nuts. He had been here. I had seen him. I had felt his presence. This mysterious man with the burning blue eyes was here and knew my name. Who was he?
From The Author of FADE
Kailin Gow
PULSE
17 year-old Kalina didn’t know her boyfriend was a vampire until the night he died of a freak accident. She didn’t know he came from a long line of vampires until the night she was visited by his half-brothers Jaegar and Stuart Greystone. There were a lot of secrets her boyfriend didn’t tell her. Now she must discover them in order to keep alive. But having two half-brothers vampires around had just gotten interesting…
From the Author of FADE
Kailin Gow
BITTER FROST
All her life, Breena had always dreamed about fairies as though she lived amongst them… beautiful fairies living amongst mortals and living in Feyland. In her dreams, he was always there – the breathtakingly handsome but dangerous Winter Prince, Kian, who is her intended. Then she sees Kian, who seems intent on finding her and carrying her off to Feyland. If she is his intended, why does he seem to hate her and want her dead? And her best friend Logan has suddenly become protective. Things are getting strange…
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