Page 1 of The Secret of Pain

CHAPTER ONE

THEN

Looking into his piercing, bright blue eyes, I question how we managed to get to this point. After everything we’ve been through, to end up here, with him in my arms and me praying to a god I don’t believe in… that this isn’t the end of our story.

There have been so many moments throughout our history that could’ve killed either of us. Where we could’ve killed each other. But we survived it all.

The rise and fall of empires.

Wars of the world.

The breakdown of the world we once knew.

Not once, during even one moment of our past, did I think I’d be the one hoping beyond all hope he’d survive. That he wouldn’t leave me. Especially not like this. When he has given so much for me. Something I never would have thought possible.

I scream as I lift him onto my shoulders, his groans of pain matched by mine. I will save him if it’s the last thing I ever do.

Because a Dracul saved me. My immortal enemy.

In more ways than I ever knew I needed saving.

CHAPTER TWO

NOW

“Colt, I am not having this conversation again.” I breath out an exasperated sigh and blow my hair out of my face as I struggle with my bags up the stairs to my apartment. The summer heat is stifling and everything is sticky. I swear, parts of me I didn’t realize even touched are practically glued together. So freaking gross..

“Remy, come on. You cannot be serious about marrying that douchebag. He couldn’t be more wrong for you if you’d picked up a total stranger off the street, blindfolded!” he shouts down the phone.

Colt might be my favorite brother, the one I’m closest to, but he’s also been gone since his disappearing act twenty-one months ago, just after his birthday. His disappearing act which kind of broke me because I didn’t hear from him for six months. Then I broke all over again when my bestie, Creek, went to join him traveling the fucking world eight months later and ghosted me too.

“You get to have an opinion when you’ve spent some decent time with him and are actually present, Colt. Even then, your opinion doesn’t necessarily weigh in on the decisions I make about my life. Because it’s exactly that,” I tell him as I fumble with my keys to open my front door.

“Fuck!” I screech as I trip forward over my cat, Sushi, and try not to drop my bags. My phone flies from my hand, and I huff again.

“Fucking cat,” I moan at him, placing the bags on my counter before grabbing my phone from its hiding place under the couch. Sushi wraps himself around my feet, meowing at me to feed him like the little dictator he is.

“Fall over the cat again, Remy?” Colt laughs when I finally bring my phone back to my ear, and I roll my eyes.

“Fuck you, Colt. Just because I’m clumsy doesn’t mean you get to make fun of me from a million miles away.” I tear open a packet of cat food from the grocery bags and put it down for Sushi, then refill his water.

“Aw, come on, sis, you know I love you just the way you are. You’re my favorite sister.”

“I’m your only sister, dickhead.” I laugh. “Are you coming home anytime soon?”

“That’s actually why I’m calling… Creek and I land in two days, would you mind grabbing us from the airport?” I can hear the cheesy grin in his voice, and even if he did disappear on me, I can’t deny him.

“You’re home for my birthday?”

“Of course, we wouldn’t miss your twenty-first for anything.”

“Well, considering I haven’t heard from Creek for over a year, I didn’t really know if he’d be around, and you left before my last birthday too. I didn’t expect you to be here for this one.” I hate how whiny I sound, but Colt and Creek were the two people I was closest to in the entire world before they just both up and left with almost no explanation.

“He’s been going through some stuff. I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it when we’re home. He’s missed you a lot. You should cut him a little slack.” Colt chastises me, but all that does is piss me off more..

“Maybe, or maybe he can learn what it’s like to be ghosted with no reason or explanation. Your bromance is strong—I’m sure you’ll dry his tears.” I put away the rest of my groceries, then pop the leftover mac and cheese from last night in the microwave. I grab a can of Pepsi Max, my ultimate weakness, and drop down onto my couch.

“You and I both know that’s not how it’s going down, Remy. So, you’ll get us from the airport?”

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