Your Guardian Angel Uncut (The Guardian Angel Series Book 1.5) Read online

  Your Guardian Angel “Uncut”

  By Skyla Madi

  Your Guardian Angel “Uncut”

  Copyright © 2013 by Skyla Madi. All rights reserved.

  First Print Edition: September 2013

  Limitless Publishing, LLC

  Kailua, HI 96734

  www.limitlesspublishing.com

  Formatting: Limitless Publishing

  ISBN-13: 978-1492371311

  ISBN-10: 1492371319

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

  Dedications

  This is for all my readers who continue to stick by the Guardian Angel series.

  You’re support means more to me than you’ll ever know.

  In the beginning

  When I think of death, I picture a warm light embracing me in my sleep at a very old age. When I experienced death, it was completely different.

  The heat that exuded from the fireplace warmed my skin and I watched as the hot, red flames danced lullingly, calming the ocean of nerves in the pit of my stomach. I brought my attention back to the open math textbook on my lap. I didn’t usually get nervous over an impending exam, but for some reason this one was getting to me. Algebra. I hated algebra. I grasped the edges of the book and slammed it shut. I tossed it to the side and it landed with a heavy thud before Mum’s feet as she stepped into the living room.

  “Not looking forward to your math test?” She assumed, picking up the thick book and setting on the small coffee table in front of me.

  I shifted on the couch to make room for her as she dropped into the seat next to me. Mum flicked her long, black hair over her shoulder and pulled me into her chest. Directly underneath my ear, I could hear the steady beat of her heart.

  “It’s algebra.” I told her. “I don’t like algebra.”

  Her long, thin fingers combed through my hair effortlessly while we watched the mesmerizing flames.

  “So you’ll go in tomorrow and do your best.”

  I pulled away from her, sighing heavily. “It’s not as simple as that.”

  Mum leaned forward on her elbow, waiting for me to elaborate, but what was I meant to say?

  “Don’t worry about—”

  Three loud bangs thundered on the front door and my words were caught in my throat. Mum launched to her feet, pulling me with her and tucking me protectively behind her back. My heart beat its way up my throat, my hands clammy with cold sweat. As I peered around Mum to peek at the front door, Hank, my stepdad smashed through the wood sending ice cold air and flakes of snow rapidly into the house.

  “Run, Ruby!” Mum shrieked in pain as his pale white fingers curled around her hair and yanked hard. He pressed her back flush against his chest, revealing her terrified face to me.

  It all happened so fast and I stood watching, unable to do anything. I was breathing so hard that my lungs began to burn and a searing heat spread down my spine as a cold sweat formed on my forehead. It wasn’t sweat from the fire, but sweat from the anxiety that grew in my chest. My gaze flicked over to the door. I wanted to run for it. I really did, but all I got out of my legs was a twitch in my calf muscle. I was stuck.—frozen—staring at Hank’s new appearance. The usually cheerful smile that frequently played on his lips was contorted into an evil grin, his face void of any warmth—any life. The tan skin he had was now a deathly pale and I felt my bottom lip quiver as my sight fell onto the thick, black veins that ran and pulsated underneath his translucent skin.

  “You never have listened to your mother,” said Hank. His long fangs stuck out from beneath his smirk and it was the creepiest thing I’d ever seen, until I met his eyes.

  Look away, I urged myself, but I couldn’t. His eyes were as black as volcanic glass and they trapped me in them. I swallow hard at their devious gleam. It was like he knew something I didn’t.

  “What do you want, Hank? I’ll give you anything, just let Ruby leave.” Mum begged.

  The fear was plain on Mum’s face—along with a million and one other emotions.

  A chill ran down my spine as Hank chuckled. “Oh, Meredith. You know exactly what I’m here for. You knew the moment I kicked down the door.”

  Then it dawned on me. When I was sixteen, Mum explained that a newborn vampire needs to feed off a ‘pure’ being. In our world, that meant either a Guardian Angel or a God/Goddess. If a vampire feeds off one of these pure creatures, he receives a more ‘human-like’ appearance. Meaning, their veins would disappear and the skin will become more opaque. They’d be able to blend in with humans at night without being noticed. If Hank drained my mother right now, all the creepy new changes he had would fade away. I couldn’t let that happen. I lunged forward, arms reached out to grab for Mum, but Hank shifted his position pulling her further away from me. Burning cold fingers wrapped around my throat and all air was cut off from entering my body. In a panic, I grabbed at Hanks arm and squeezed as hard as I could, trying to get him to drop me. Over the loud noise of my heart beating in my ear I heard Mum’s frightened cry as it rang throughout the house. The floor fell out from beneath my feet. Jesus Christ! I was going to die. I tried to scream, but the tight grip around my throat made it impossible. Only a scared, tight squeak came out. The sheer strength of Hank sent my mind reeling and heart racing.

  Hank’s black eyes and evil smirk was on me. He was analyzing me—watching me intently. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mum extend her hand towards the fire. Hope sparked in my chest—I think it was hope. If I was being honest, there was so much going on in there it could’ve been anything. It seemed a failed attempt on my part was all she needed to conjure a fireball from the fireplace. The ball of fire flew out of the fire place with a roar and it didn’t stop until it came into contact with Hank’s face. Little specks of fire flicked onto me, burning my skin. I didn’t have time to react or get my hands out in front of me as the cold surface of the wooden floor rose to meet me, connecting solidly with my body. He dropped me and I rolled to my side, coughing and spluttering, trying to force as much air into my lungs as I could. I forced myself to my knees and a warm hand took my arm, abruptly pulling me to my feet. If it wasn’t for the adrenaline pumping ferociously through my body, I wouldn’t have budged. Mum dragged me behind her as she pulled me toward the door. The air grew colder as we drew closer to the exit. Cold snowflakes hit my face and then stopped as Hank’s dead hard body whipped in front of us.

  “Leaving so soon?” Hank snickered, blocking our exit.

  The back of his hand slapped me across my face, snapping my head to the side and sending a sharp pain down my spine. I hit the ground, and Mum’s grip fell from mine. My arms shook underneath my weight as I lifted myself with my elbows. My face slammed into the hard floor as Hank’s heavy, black boot came down on my head, pinning me to the ground. The pressure was intense. Any harder and my head would be crushed. My eyes burned as I strained to look out of my peripherals. Hank had my mother by the hair again and I watched as she fought against him to no prevail. Her arm shot out toward the fire and Hank’s foot pressed down on my skull. A scream tore from my throat as tears spilled over the brim of my eyes.


  “If you do it, Meredith,” Hank warned. “I will pulverize Ruby’s skull and make you watch.”

  He pressed even harder and I cried out again. “Please!”

  I felt my brain pulsate and that was not a good sign.

  “Okay, okay stop!” She begged, sobbing.

  I blinked my eyes rapidly, clearing my blurry vision. Mum smiled apologetically at me as tears rolled down her cheeks. Hank yanked her head back, exposing her throat.

  “No!” I screamed until it burnt my throat. “Don’t!”

  His long white fangs flicked out further and his lips twitched into a victorious smirk. My stomach sank into my intestines and my heart shattered into a million pieces as Hank sunk his fangs into her throat. A loud sob escaped my lips as her warm, sticky blood sprayed onto my face. I squeezed my eyes shut as tightly as I could and prayed for my own death. I prayed for something—anything—to come and relieve me of this sick and twisted nightmare. Mum’s pain filled grunts turned into a blood-curdling gurgle as her life was drained from her. I couldn’t believe this was happening. These things didn’t happen to me. They were meant to be stories to scare me into going to bed on time... they weren’t meant to be a part of my reality.

  ***

  It felt like an eternity had passed before I heard Hank toss Mum’s body away. I opened my eyes as her body hit the floor next to me. Her blue, empty eyes level with mine. My hand flew up to cover my mouth as I half choked on a sob and half screamed. My heart hammered in my chest, rattling my ribcage and my lungs ached. I eased air out of my lungs, slowly, as he removed his foot from my head. This was it. I was going to die by the hand that made me toast and drove me to school this morning.

  Cold hands dug into my hair and wrapped around the black strands. My scalped seared as he yanked on it, forcing me to my feet. I had no energy left to fight him. He’d won and I was ready to die. His hard fingers wrapped around my throat, once again. A strangled sob fell from my lips and I didn’t bother to kick my legs in an attempt to break free. Hank’s hands continued to squeeze my throat, even though I wasn’t fighting him and my heart, once quickly beating, slowed in tempo. I locked eyes with my stepdad and chills rolled down my spine. The thick black veins that ran under his skin had disappeared and although his skin was still deathly white, it was no longer translucent. His black eyes burned into mine intently. He wanted me to see his new features. He wanted to burn them into my brain before he robbed me of my own life.

  “Please, Hank.” I managed to squeeze out. “Don’t.”

  My lungs burned with lack of oxygen.

  “You’re useless.” He growled. “More or less a snack.”

  I squirmed in his grasp as he drew me closer and bared his fangs. My whole body was trembling and tears poured from my eyes. I flinched as his sharp fangs scratched thoughtfully against my skin before sinking in. The pain was excruciating and I tried to kick and scream, but I couldn’t. I was paralysed. I winced as his fangs slide from my flesh and he smiled unrepentantly at me.

  “Delicious.” He laughed darkly before sticking his fangs back into my neck.

  Soon, the pain that came with being bitten became tolerable...and then it became pleasant.

  Am I dying? I tried to get my bearings, but my head was spinning. I could no longer tell which way was up. A burning pain tore through my veins as a thick liquid forced its way into my bloodstream through the hole in my neck. The pleasant fuzziness disappeared quickly and my mind became clear.

  He’s turning me!

  My entire body became overwhelmed by pain as if I was doused with gasoline and set alight. Beneath it all, a weird tingling sensation started in my toes and began working its way up my body, coming to a stop at my heart. My thoughts became non-existent. There was too much going on within my body, mind and soul. Hank pulled away from my neck and my head fell limply, my chin touching my chest. The sharp colors and lines of the world began to fade. Fire tore through my insides, burning every organ with its heat. There was so much pressure inside my body, I felt like I was going to explode. Suddenly, a beam of light tore from my chest, throwing Hank and I to opposite sides of the room. An abrupt pain shot through my body as I hit my head on the bricks surrounding the fireplace and darkness swallowed me.

  Lured

  I was fourteen when we discovered I’d inherited the goddess magic. One morning, Mum and I were having an argument. When I looked back, it was a miniscule fight, but one that changed my life forever. I wanted to go to the local carnival that rode through town once a year and of course, she said no.

  “It’s a school night,” She protested, scooping a spoonful of yoghurt into her mouth.

  I remembered getting angry—very angry.

  My anger rose quickly and there was tingling sensation beginning at my toes. Quickly, it began coursing its way up my body, going straight to my head.

  “You never let me do anything!” I shouted, throwing my arms up in exasperation. The jug of water that sat upon the table crashed to the floor, shattering and sending glass everywhere.

  A few weeks later, Mum uprooted us from Salter City and we moved to the quieter town of Lake Thanton. She claimed it would be safer for us and that vampires strolled through there less frequently than the busy city of Salter, and for the few vampires that visited Lake Thanton, Mum assured me she could handle them if they discovered us. Months after that, she met Hank. He was good for her and he made her happy. In fact, he made her so happy that just after my fifteenth birthday, they got married and Hank became my stepdad. Sadly, just after my seventeenth birthday, he was turned into a vampire and he killed my mother—and technically killed me.

  “Are you even listening?” Camilla asked, shaking me from my memory.

  Camilla had been my best friend since kindergarten, and as luck would have it, she was also my cousin—or at least on paper. Aunt Jen was adopted into the family when my mother was young and regardless of the un-blooded relation, they were family. Sometimes, family ties run deeper than blood.

  “Yes, I am,” I lied, pushing a dark tangle of hair out of my face to glance at my watch.

  “Then what did I say?”

  Busted. Staring at Camilla with a blank expression was the only answer I could provide. She rolled her pretty, light purple eyes at me and scoffed. “Typical. I was talking about your party tomorrow.”

  Camilla pulled her long, strawberry blonde hair into a stylishly messy bun and I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror as she bent over in search of something in her makeup bag. My long dark hair was looking a little messy draped around my face so casually so I leaned forward and grasped the hair brush Camilla left on the table. After a few frantic strokes through my stubborn hair, I gave up and tied it into a high ponytail.

  “What about it?” I asked, checking my watch again.

  I was ready to leave for school half an hour ago, but Camilla was taking her sweet time. She had her own room with a functioning bathroom and mirror, God knows why she was doing it in my room.

  “Don’t you have your own room?” I mutter, leaning against the frame of the door.

  Slowly, Camilla turned to face me, taking her brush from my hands. She rubbed her thin pink lips together, spreading the light pink lip-gloss. “Please don’t get mad, but I changed the plans...”

  I blinked at her.

  “I invited the entire senior class to your party.”

  I ran my hand over my face. “What? Why?”

  I couldn’t say I was too surprised. Camilla always changed plans at the last minute. Everyone has a down fall and that was hers. Just last week we were supposed to see a movie, but she cancelled at the last second because she decided to go to a late night dance class.

  “Don’t stress, it’s only for a few hours. Besides, in a few short weeks you won’t see them again. School will be over.”

  I sighed. It wasn’t that I had a problem with my school mates. We generally got on well. I just preferred to keep my school and home life separate. The last thing I needed was
a bunch of snoopy teens asking questions about my family...or me, to be more specific.

  “Don’t worry. Your party will still be bad ass.” She said, noticing my worried expression.

  “Yeah because that’s what I’m worried about.”

  “I know you don’t get along with everyone, but it’s not hard to pretend for one night.”

  “Is this your party? Or mine?”

  Camilla rolled her eyes. “Of course it’s your party, but I’m hosting it.”

  She laughed, putting her mascara back into her makeup bag. “Ready?”

  I exhaled in relief. It was about time she finished. Camilla ran the palms of her hands down the front of her yellow sundress to straighten it. As she pulled her lemon colored cardigan off the back of my chair and shrugs it on, I turned from her and headed out the door.

  ***

  We found Aunt Jen downstairs, standing on a step ladder and adjusting a rather ugly yellow and blue painting. The furniture downstairs had been cleared out and replaced with bar stools and strange hipster art. My gaze fell onto the colorful fairy lights that were strung along the skirting boards. The party was actually happening. Great. I was hoping Camilla called it off by now. I felt bad Aunt Jen was prepping for my party on her only day off this month. She seemed happy doing it, but that didn’t ease the guilty feeling in my stomach.

  “Bye, Mum.” Camilla called, walking past Jen and exiting out the front door without so much as a glance over her shoulder.

  “Bye!” Jen called back, stepping off the ladder.

  Camilla and Aunt Jen’s brief farewells had always bothered me. What I would give to hold my mother again. Some people don’t know how good they have it.

  “Thanks for doing all of this.” I said, gesturing to all of the colourful decorations that hung from the ceiling and ran across the white walls.