Destined for Dreams: Book One (28 page)
Read Destined for Dreams: Book One Online
Authors: Ginna Moran
It’s strange having such privacy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything now. Our large backyard is protected by six feet tall cement block walls, as well as spelled talismans created by the craftiest elf my father knows.
I can hear the phone ring from out here. It’s hard getting used to how quiet it is being away from the compound, but I’m not complaining. I like it—prefer it.
“Nadi?”
My father waves at me through the window and I pad across the grass and to the back door that leads to the kitchen. The scent of citrus and sugar wafts through the air and Alyssa holds up a frosting covered spatula in my direction.
“What’s up?” I ask.
My father shifts away from the counter and meets my gaze. “That was Mr. Soto. The council has made a decision.”
My heart drops. It’s taken them weeks to decide what my punishment would be for forcing Jacqueline to release Hunter. As far as they know, Hunter was an ordinary human and Jacqueline’s death resulted from unforeseen circumstances, but I also have to answer for breaking about ten other rules. I could be in serious trouble.
I blow a puff of air through my lips. “It’s bad?”
His expression doesn’t give anything away. “You can say that.”
“Just tell me.”
My father touches my shoulder. “You’ve been marked an outcast and exiled from the council and its community. You will no longer get protection, funding, or help from anyone in relation to them. You are technically on your own and cannot access any of their safe havens or resources.”
My mouth drops open. “And Alyssa?”
Alyssa’s eyes glaze over and she drops the spatula she’s holding. “That’s not fair. I helped Nadia do this. I deserve the same punishment.”
My father shrugs. “They believe you wouldn’t have done anything if Nadia hadn’t influenced you.”
“But—”
I wave my hand and cut Alyssa off. “I’m okay, Lys. It’s okay.” I turn back to my father and meet his gaze. “What about you?”
He hugs me. “I’m indebted to serve them, Nadia.”
I frown. “I don’t understand. How can they banish me and make you work for them?”
“It was part of the deal. They wanted your freedom so I traded it for mine.” He kisses my head. “It doesn’t change anything between us. I’m still your father and I’ll still look after you.”
“Unless they send you away,” I say. “What if something happens to you? I can’t live with that.”
“Yes, they can send me away, but they already do now,” he says.
“Dmitri can take care of himself, Nadia,” Alyssa says. “And we can take care of ourselves. Look at us. Look at this place. We’re safe here and don’t need the council. They’re the ones who need us. They’ll see.”
She’s right. I have everything I need and don’t need to rely on people who are afraid of me and who make me feel like a monster. I just wish they didn’t trap my father into doing their dirty work. He deserves freedom as much as I do.
“You can both laugh in their faces when they do,” my father says.
The doorbell rings and I startle. It’ll take time getting used to everything—the new house, my new freedom, my new life. My father smiles and nudges me to answer it. I stroll through the kitchen door to our quaint living room. Living away from the sanctuary of the compound has made me more courageous. I’m no longer terrified of who I’ll bump into or who will come knocking on my door. My fear was my worst enemy and it doesn’t have the same hold on me that it used to.
I peer through the peep hole and I smile at a delivery man from The Haven as I open the door. He hands me a small envelope. I thank him and close the door, leaning my back against it. I tear it open only to find a small piece of paper and another envelope with my name on it.
I read the note.
This was left with our security guard. -Cian
A pot clatters in the kitchen and I turn toward the kitchen door. Alyssa flies out and snatches her car keys from the front table. She grabs my arm and pulls me to the front door. “Come on, we have to hurry.”
I let her tug me onto the porch. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see, but we need to go now. You can open the letter in the car.”
HUNTER
I’m nervous. After dropping off a note in the city in hopes that it’ll find Nadia, Jacqueline insisted we hang out at a small park in the suburbs. She needed a break from the board and I need a break from my room, so here we are.
It’s hot outside and I’m sweating. Jacqueline sits on the park bench next to me and we watch the ducks swim on the man-made lake. She tosses a handful of duck feed she purchased from a small machine and the ducks waddle to the shore.
I dry my hands on my jeans. “Are you sure this place is safe? You don’t want anyone catching us hanging out.”
“Maybe that’s what needs to happen for them to trust you again.” Jacqueline pushes her sunglasses on her head. “It’ll show your mother that you believe in their cause.”
I lower my brows. I don’t think I can fake it. Thinking about the board’s hatred toward supers makes me sick. “I want to show Dr. Sullivan what I really think of their cause.”
Jacqueline bumps my shoulder and grins. “We will. Give it time.”
“I just want to make it safe for Nadia, you know?”
I stand up and go to the edge of the water, startling the ducks. I pick up a rock and throw it into the lake and turn to look at Jacqueline. I blink a few times and then rub my eyes. I can’t believe it. Maybe I fell asleep and I’m dreaming.
Nadia stands at the edge of the parking lot. Her long, blond hair blows behind her and she tilts her head toward the sky as she laughs at something Alyssa says. She’s wearing an ivory halter dress that stops just above her knees and glittery gold sandals. She looks just like I remember her—beautiful, ethereal, angelic—not the monster she thought she was.
I’m overwhelmed with so many emotions that I don’t move. It feels like I’m meeting her for the first time, but I know I love her. This is real. She is real.
Seeing Nadia gives me hope for a better future, a future with her, and a future without the board or the council. A future where we only have to worry about ourselves.
Jacqueline stands up next to me. “Then make it safe for her. I’m with you, Hunter, and I bet others will be too.”
I grin. “I plan on it, but, I’m not going to do it just for her. I’m going to do it because it’s the right thing to do. I plan on changing the world.”
It needs to be changed.
I know I can change it.
NADIA
“You didn’t tell my father?” I say as I get out of Alyssa’s car.
She shakes her head and follows me out. “Nope.”
“We’re going to be grounded for a week.”
She cringes. “Actually, make it two.”
I sigh and we both laugh. I’d follow Alyssa again even if it meant I’d be grounded for the rest of my life. It’d be worth it.
I turn away from Alyssa and toward the small man-made lake. My breath catches and I bring my hand up to my lips. Hunter’s still here. I was so afraid he’d be gone by now. I slam the car door and glide through the field in the direction of the lake. It feels like I’ve been waiting forever for this moment. I never thought it would come.
Hunter’s dark hair is styled messily around his head and his hazel eyes shine. He’s wearing dark denim jeans and a blue-plaid shirt with a tan jacket over it even though it’s warm out.
He steps away from Jacqueline. She’s in the body of the agent I’ll never forget. The one who almost killed us both.
“You found me,” he says.
“I got your letter and Alyssa had a vision of you coming here.”
He opens his arms and I fall into them. “You’re real. This is real.”
I tilt my head up to him and he leans down and kisses me. Electricity zings through me as I kiss him deeper. His lips are soft and he tastes of mint and orange, and I want to stay in his arms forever. It takes everything in me to pull away.
He tucks my hair behind my ear and smiles. “I’m glad you found me. I hated being away from you. I can’t picture not being with you.”
I kiss him again before meeting his hazel eyes. “It’s going to be hard.”
“I don’t care. I’ll fight to stay with you.”
And I know he will.
From Hunter I’ve learned that life isn’t supposed to be easy. It should be messy and out of control sometimes. It should be unpredictable, full of love and hope and promise. It should be worth the fight.
And now, as I stand here with the people I care about, I know it is.
Acknowledgements
I’d like to thank first and foremost, Jamie Hall, who was the very first reader for
Destined for Dreams
. She saw my novel at its roughest, and still loved the story enough to read every draft I sent her way. She spent many late nights talking me through characters and plot points, and I don’t know what I’d do without her.
I’d also like to thank Jan Moran, my mother-in-law, for helping me make
Destined for Dreams
possible. It would’ve never made it into my readers’ hands if it weren’t for her knowledge, passion, persistence, and the faith she has for me and all my endeavors.
I owe so much to my husband, Eric, for all the hours I spend sitting at my desk, lost in my head, and for thinking I’m only a little bit quirky for conversing with imaginary people. Thanks to my daughter, Zoë, for sharing my love of books at such an early age. I also want to thank her for the long naps—without them, I’d be exhausted from staying up all night.
Thanks to my mother, Elaine, for encouraging me to continue writing when I want to give up, for introducing me to creative writing through her own stories, and for all her unconditional love. Thanks to my father, Gary, for sharing my love of all things fantasy and supernatural. No one I know is more enthusiastic about supernatural creatures than he is. Thanks to my step-dad, Eddie, for his love, kindness, and guidance over the years. I know my teenage years weren’t always easy. Also, thanks to my step-mom, Sue, for her love and support.
More thanks is owed to my family and friends for their support through the years—thanks to Jazmin Garcia for reading my novels and loving my characters as much as I do, and for letting me talk about them as if they’re real people. Thanks to Renee Behrens for sharing the same love of fantasy and art, and for starting Silver Starlight Designs with me. Working with her is always a blast. Thanks to Malory for rekindling my love of reading many years ago after I took a year hiatus from opening a book. It wasn’t until then that I wanted to write novels.
And lastly, a special thanks goes to my niece, Lilyana Millan, for her interest in my stories, her willingness to answer any question I throw at her, for helping me choose the cover design, and for loving to read as much as I do.
About Ginna Moran
Ginna Moran is a writer living in San Diego, California. She started writing poetry as a teenager in a spiral notebook that she still has tucked away on her desk today. Her love of writing grew after she graduated high school and she completed her first unpublished manuscript at age eighteen.
When she realized her love of writing was her life’s passion, she studied literature at Mira Costa College in Northern San Diego. Besides writing novels, she was senior editor, content manager, and image coordinator for Crescent House Publishing Inc. for four years.
Ginna is now the Co-Founder of Silver Starlight Designs, where she took her passion of reading, writing, and design and co-created a company that provides exceptional and affordable design services for authors.
Aside from Ginna’s professional life, she enjoys binge watching television shows, playing pretend with her daughter, and cuddling with her dogs. Some of her favorite things include chocolate, anything that glitters, cheesy jokes, and organizing her bookshelf.
Ginna Moran loves to hear from readers so visit her online at www.GinnaMoran.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. If you loved
Destined for Dreams
, leave a positive review online for fellow readers.
Ginna Moran is currently hard at work on her next novel.
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