The Freedom Search: Kai & Gloria's Story (Search Series Book 4) (16 page)

“Keila!” Coralee shouted from outside her bedroom window. Keila shot up in bed. Today was the day, she was finally sixteen. She’d be driving by the weekend and most importantly, she could now date. She closed her eyes again. Clifton Wright, her long time crush had promised her a proper date when she turned sixteen she suddenly couldn’t wait to get to school.

Clifton was seventeen and sexy as hell. He was also the typical cowboy in Bison and never had a shortage of girls to take out, but none of that mattered to Keila.

She raced through her morning routine and rushed out to Coralee. “I’m sixteen!” She shouted embracing her best friend.

Coralee hugged her back before pulling away. “So today is the day?” She questioned on a wink.

“I know, I can’t wait. I really like him.” Keila answered as she climbed into Coralee’s car.

Keila could barely sit still on the way to school, and as if on cue, Clifton Wright was standing in the grass in front of Coralee’s parking spot. The car stopped and Keila slowly climbed out, not wanting to show her excitement for the moment that was about to happen. “Mornin’ Clifton.” She smiled at him.

“Good mornin’, darlin’ I’ll pick you up at seven.” He replied to her greeting and then just walked away. Well it wasn’t how she pictured being asked out, but she didn’t care either. She had a date with Clifton Wright and that was all that mattered. She couldn’t imagine a better birthday present.

She sighed thinking about that night again. “Some night that was, Keila” She said to herself as she crawled out of bed.

“Keila!” Her mom called.

“Coming, mama,” she replied, quickly dressing.

“Keila, I know it’s your birthday, but…” Keila sighed as she walked down the stairs towards her mom.

“It’s okay, mama. What do you need?” Keila didn’t mind helping her mom out.

“I hired a new ranch hand. He should be arriving soon. I was hoping you could help him get settled, show him around.” Keila sighed. Great, a guy. She had ignored all date requests since that night.

“Keila, doll, didn’t you have a date?” Her mom asked as she was heading for the back door. It was eight thirty. She knew Clifton wasn’t coming. His excuses didn’t matter either. He stood her up, that was all she cared about.

“Guess he changed his mind,” Keila whispered as she exited the house heading for the creek that was on the edge of their property. When she reached the creek she was crying and she was angry, she was just everything. It hurt so badly. She really liked Clifton and he just stood her up. No explanation, no nothing.

She looked up to the sky on her knees just in time to see a shooting star. “I wish upon a star this night. Make me unique. Make me special.” She placed her hands over her face and just bawled.

She didn’t know how long she cried, but she knew she needed to start heading home. She could smell the rain in the air. She slowly pulled herself from the ground only to collapse back down. She was shaking. “What is happening?” She questioned the sky. She could feel something changing. When the sensation stopped she didn’t feel better she just felt weird. Standing at the edge of the creek she feared her reflection. She opened her eyes and found a horse staring back at her. No wait, not a horse, a unicorn. She looked around and found she was still alone. She stared back at the reflection in the creek, she was a unicorn. As the realization hit her, she morphed back to herself. She fell to her knees when the transformation completed.

“Oh my God!” She screamed. She got up and raced back to the house. In the morning it would all be a bad dream.

“Keila?” Her mother’s voice pulled her from her thoughts. “You’ll show him around when he arrives?” She asked again.

“Of course, mama.” Keila replied before grabbing an apple to eat while she waited on the mysterious cowboy on the front porch.

Twenty-four year old Woodrow Drake just needed to get the hell out of this place. Nothing was left for him. His fiancée was killed in a car crash, she had been pregnant. Woodrow didn’t even know. He only found out from the doctor when he delivered the blow that Annalyse was gone.

“Mr. Drake.” A male voice came from behind him. Woodrow had been standing in the hospital waiting room for over twelve hours.

“Yes.” He spoke his voice hoarse as he turned to face the man who had called his name.

“Mr. Drake, I’m Doctor Kasner.” Woodrow didn’t take his extended hand. The doctor sighed and dropped his hand. “Annalyse didn’t make it and she was too early in her pregnancy to save the baby.” Woodrow fell to the floor. Annalyse was gone, what was he going to do? As he struggled to breathe he focused on the second part of what the doctor said. Baby? Annalyse was pregnant? How did he not know this?

“Doctor…” He rasped out, “She was pregnant?” He questioned.

“Yes, Mr. Drake. Only five weeks. It’s likely she didn’t know or just found out.”

That day from a year earlier still haunted Woodrow. In the blink of an eye, he lost everything he imagined his life was supposed to be. He was drowning and he knew he had to get out of the quiet town he lived in. Iowa was home, but that was gone now. He closed his eyes, and circled his index finger over the map he had spread out on the table. When his finger touched down he opened his eyes. Bison, South Dakota it was.

Upcoming Releases

Persian Sea Chronicles

Stormy Seas 9/8/15

Treasure Seeking 10/12/15

Surviving the Sea 11/16/15

Stormy Seas

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Piracy is illegal in the 1900s.

He decides to hide out at a deserted island at the tip of the Persian Sea,

or so he thinks.

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She escapes her privileged life hiding out on an island.

She found it as a kid and has always used it when she just needed a breath.

Her peace has never been invaded until now.

Piracy, Kidnapping, Ransom, Death, Passion.

Life changes. Choices are made.

Does passion become more?

Upcoming Release

Becoming the Wolf 12/18/15

Commander Paul Jackson’s Story

The Hunter Jackson Tales, Bonus Book

Becoming the Wolf

Life can be perfect...

Life can be a blessing...

Until you throw away for what?

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Commander Paul Jackson knows how badly he screwed up his life. He pushed his one true love away.

Emily is gone and well...

Things with Hunter are improving, but strained. He knows he deserves nothing, but maybe learning how he became the wolf will win him back the only family he has, Hunter, his wife Amelia, and Emilio Reid his grandson.

About the Author

I am a Paranormal/Fantasy Adult Romance Author. I’m twenty-nine years old. I am a Navy Wife and a mother of two. My daughter was born December 4, 2010 and my son was born July 18, 2013. My husband and I have been married for almost seven years, but we have been together since our junior year of high school and we have known each other since 8th grade, yes a long time.

I am a Florida girl at heart, but since getting married I have lived in Washington, South Carolina, and our latest move Connecticut. I hold a B.A. in Multimedia Journalism with a minor in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida.