Disclaimer: I own nothing, the wonderful Becca Fitzpatrick does.
I hope you enjoy!
Chapter One
I was running. Running away from something or towards something, I didn't know. But I had to keep going. I knew if I stopped, even for just a second, something terrible would happen. I turned down an alley and skidded to a stop when a dark figure crept out of the corner.
"Nora. Nora, Nora, Nora. I've been waiting for you. For days, I've been trying to get you alone, following you to school, home, shopping. Wherever it was, but someone was always in the way - Vee, your mom, daddy dearest. But here we are, at last." The man had a deep voice, and his lips puckered out from his face. He loomed about a foot and a half over me, with greying hair hanging down past his shoulders. He wore a three piece suit, the jacket drapped over his right shoulder as if he just whipped it off.
"D-Do I know you?" I hated the way my voice quivered, but I was scared. Scared and alone. Where was Patch? We were together not even ten minutes ago.
The man slipped his jacket over his shoulders and the moon glinted off the watch he was wearing. Or was it a bracelet? It had a round center, but I couldn't make out much more. Something told me to hold onto that one piece of information.
"No, not formally. How is - Pat is it?" The man sneered at me and I went numb.
"Patch," I said without moving my lips. I mentally kicked myself for giving him Patch's name and confirming that I knew him. If I could just figure out how I got here, I could get away. The last thing I remembered was going to Patch's after Scott cornered us at my house. Then I noticed the lack of color. I was wearing a red top when I went to Patch's, but it looked black now. I must have been dreaming. Wake up! I commanded myself. Wake up!
"It's hard for me to keep up these days. Times are so different. It's for one to change his or her name these days. It would make my job a lot less troublesome if he had just stuck with Jev. But I suppose he knows that, huh? I'll have to ask him how he came to be called this Patch. All in good time, though. I think I'll start with you, Nora Grey.Tell me, do you love young Patch? I've been watching him for quite some time and you seem smitten. I must say, I was sure Patch would dump you weeks ago. But no, you're still around. It seems to me Patch has found something he loves more than keeping his enemies at bay." He sneered again and I felt my stomach tighten. Wake up! Why was I still here? I needed to get out.
"It's good for me, though. Obvious reasons; Patch's guard is down. He won't see me coming, and you surely won't tell him. Will you, Nora? I think I can trust you. But just in case, how about we take a precautionary measure?" He pulled out a pocket knife and flipped it open. By the look on his face, I knew he had every intention of keeping me silent - forever.
"Don't look so scared. This will all be over in a minute." He came closer and I took a few steps back. I may have been scared, but I was still a Nephil. I was strong, I could handle this. As he drew toward me, I thrust my knee between his legs and his face twisted in pain. Wake up, wake up, wake up! I could feel Patch's silk sheets around my body and relaxed just a fraction.
"This isn't over, Nora Grey! Do you hear me? This isn't over!" I jerked awake and sat straight up. My breathing was ragged and sweat beaded my forehead. Patch was at my side in an instant.
"Angel, what's wrong? What happened?" Worry creased his face and I told him everything that happened. "What did he look like? Nora, what did he look like?"
"He was tall, taller than you. He had long, stringy white hair, but no facial hair. He was wearing a suit and a watch, but it wasn't really a watch. I think I saw an outline of an eagle or something on it." At that, Patch went stiff. His breathing ceased and his eyes were darker than the sheets on his bed. "Patch, what is it? What's going on? Who was that man? He wants to kill you. He wants to kill me. Who is he?"
Patch stared off into space for a minute before locking my eyes to his. "My father," he whispered.