Chapter 9:

Alexander's Point of View:

I was almost too late…

While locking my Porche, I heard it. A scream. It was short, as if cut off, and far away, so far I was sure only my ears picked it up. The scream belonged to a young woman and with it came buried memories of the times I had caused those shrieks.

I could feel the monster deep inside me come alive, but I ignored it and jumped off the pier. Swimming would get me to the island faster than a ferry.

About a mile away from the shore of Bear Island was a body of a woman, the screamer, I presumed, was either unconscious or dead. She was foreign to me; therefore it did not matter whether she was alive or dead. Soon, she would wash ashore and someone would run across her corpse. I was about to leave her when I noticed a liquid streaming from her wrist and mixing with the water. I knew what it was… and so did the beast. My throat felt tight and my mouth heavy as my fangs unsheathed. My vision narrowed in until all I saw was her wrist and the blood blending with the murky sea.

Then, there was a ringing in my ears and my monstrous half was no longer in control, almost as if it had slipped into a coma, thus leaving me in charge. I turned away from the body, noticing for the first time a struggle with a person that was very much alive.

Golden hair flowed with the current, making it look like a halo around her face. There was something else there, a shadow that was pulling this second girl down. The water was an opaque wall of brownish-blue, but it did not take long for me to realize who was being dragged into the depths of the ocean.

Beautiful blonde hair, fair skin, sky blue eyes hidden beneath her eyelids.

Lara Jade.

'NO!'

I wanted to believe that I cut through the water and to her side, but I suspect it took much, much longer.

Around her foot was a wad of seaweed, but I knew I was not mistaken about the shadowy figure. Quickly, I grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and pulled her to the surface.

Her pulse was faint but it was there.

After dragging her ashore, I was unsure about what to do next. My supernatural strength made it impractical for me to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation as I'd probably just crush her. I could hardly leave her though and hope for the best. No, that was an impossibility. Leaving was not an option.

Lara Jade's Point of View:

I was having an out of body experience. I was floating above my body, detached and a million miles away. Then, without warning, I was where I belonged and it hurt.

My throat felt like sandpaper.

It felt like my face had been dipped in acid.

My lungs were on fire, despite the fact that the water I was purging was icy cold.

"Come on, breathe. Please… breathe," a distant voice called to me.

My brain was too busy doing somersaults to even try to decipher who the voice belonged to, though it sounded familiar.

I hesitantly dragged in ragged breaths between wet coughs.

A large chunk of ice ran across my skin: my wrists, my throat, my legs. I shivered involuntarily, already cold.

"Sorry," the voice apologized, as if it was his fault for making me shiver.

Time stretched on for forever as the warm sand took the chill from my body. Knowing I could stay here eternally, knowing my father would eventually come looking for me, I opened my eyes momentarily. I was on my stomach, head resting on my arm, and I vaguely remembered turning over to make it easier to clear my lungs of the water.

"Thank you," I rasped, struggling to get to my knees. My head sloshed a bit when I lifted it, but I was able to open my eyes once again. The world stayed upright and in place.

My eyes searched for the person that I assumed saved me… but no one was there.

Seriously.

Not one person was within view. Yet I was so sure that the voice was real.

Maybe what saved me wasn't human at all. People have been rescued by angels before…

"Thank you," I whispered again, grimacing when a sharp pain sliced down my throat.

Alexander's Point of View:

Silently, I watched. I watched from a bush fifty yards away as Lara sluggishly got to her feet and looked around for her savior. I would rather let her think her rescue was a celestial act than unveil the truth. No doubt her beliefs would be shaken if she found out a vampire saved her from an untimely death.

So far, this was turning out to be an intriguing weekend, and it had only just begun.