I lower my arm and peak through a slit in my hands. I take in the blood covering the snow just in front of me.

"Alex." A dark figure stands far to my left, the eyes glow a bright red. His coat flaps to the side.

"Kian!" I scream. My body listens as I struggle to stand and run, tripping and falling several times into his outstretched arms. I cling tightly as I hear heavy, disjointed footsteps.

"Close your eyes," he whispers. "I've got you."
—
When Lexi and her brother Zero relocate to the Academy, neither of them is prepared for what lies ahead, especially when Kian reveals that the school is also home to vampires.

Lexi has to navigate a world once unknown to her and the strange feelings she has for Kian.

When unprovoked attacks begin to occur in her new home, she is drawn into the conflict. Now, she must find out who, and what, the attacker wants and the lengths they will go to in order to get it.

Blood and Thorns is created by V. R. Morgan, an eGlobal Creative Publishing author.

BLOOD AND THORNS

The Imprint is merely that; an Imprint. Until I've marked her I won't feel at ease. I can feel my strength slipping away as I watch her. She is so close, and so far away from me at the same time. I want to touch her but I can't. She doesn't trust me. At least there are no signs of injury as I look her body over.


I miss my parents, but I don't really know them anymore. Their motives were a mystery to me then, and they failed to tell me why Alex's real parents had died.


I push down the memories of all the times I argued with my parents. If only I'd realised then.


"They threatened to send you away if I pushed the matter; told me we'd tell you together when you were older," I sigh. "They wanted you to have as normal a childhood as possible. Not that it ever was," I snort. "You weren't allowed to leave the house, to meet anyone. Nobody knew you existed."


It hangs in the air as Alex processes. Her eyes are glassy.


Chapter 40