Giver of Light by Nicola Claire Read Free Book Online

though, not something nestled in a tree rimmed, grass expanse, land-locked piece of property high up in the mountains.
    They all looked up when I came in the room, but it was Jonathan who came rushing over, concern written all over his face. A face that still felt very unfamiliar to me.
    “You're awake, sweetheart. Can I get you anything.”
    He seemed genuine, but his affection only made me cringe. Not from fear, but something else, something I couldn't name, no matter how hard I tried to home in on the feeling.
    “Where are we?”
    He came and clasped my hand, immediately rubbing his thumb across the back of it. My heart rate started lowering straight away and the strange feeling from moments before evaporated. This was familiar, but that thought only left me feeling a little disoriented now, as though my world was spinning out of control.
    “You're at home. Everything is going to be OK.”
    Jonathan pulled me towards a two seater sofa and sat us both down side by side. His leg brushed up against mine, I could feel the warmth emanating from the long length of his body. His thumb continued its hypnotic swirls against the back of my hand, I watched it for a while, trying to piece my tumbling emotions back together. To make sense of everything and nothing that seemed to engulf me right now, but it didn't work. Even though the room was full of six or so vampires and one was holding my hand affectionately, sitting right next to me, I felt so alone.
    I looked up into his bright azure blue eyes. They were captivating, but I felt not a thing as I stared across the short space between us.
    “What is it, sweetheart? Can you still not remember us?”
    I shook my head, unable to form any coherent words. He looked sad, but resigned, as though he had expected that answer all along.
    “It is all right, Lucinda. I have already told you, I will remember for both of us. Trust me, can you do that?”
    My mind and heart shouted no, my head nodded yes. I could only put the reaction down to survival instincts, because make no mistake, I was fighting for my life and I knew it.
    We sat silently for a while, him still stroking my hand, me trying to take in as much of my surroundings as I could manage. I felt a little tired and fuzzy, but you always do after a long flight and although I had slept most of it, my body was still remembering the trip. Plus, I was sure whatever drugs they had been injecting were also partly to blame.
    What the hell was I going to do? I needed to formulate a plan. I have always been practical in all that I approach, so breaking down the task ahead into smaller manageable parts made sense. I smiled slightly to myself at that thought, the more I remembered who I was at my core, the better. Jonathan didn't notice my smile, he just seemed happy to sit with me while I glanced around the room. Maybe he thought I was trying to jog my memory, maybe that thought made him happy too.
    I knew there would be nothing here for me to remember. I just knew it, just as I knew at sunrise the vampires would not be able to go outdoors and that was when I would need to make my escape.
    So, practical part number one. Escape. It covers a lot more than just physically getting myself away from these vampires. It also means I'd stop being injected with whatever drug they were using on me. Two birds with one stone. That I could handle.
    How to escape, of course, was the next hurdle. I needed to get myself armed for starters and just as I knew sunlight was detrimental to a vampire, I also knew silver was too. Stakes were best, but I doubted I'd find one anywhere near here, so a knife would have to do. Arm myself and then escape. Things were looking up on the planning front.
    Next, I would need to have an understanding of the layout of the land. Which direction to head in. Obviously away from here as fast as I could, but if I didn't find a road and just wandered for the duration of daylight hours, the vampires would pick up my scent and come after