Coveted [New/Revised Version]

P R O L O G U E

©COPYRIGHT 2012

Beth stared out at the dark navy canopy above her. The sun's rays had long faded from the horizons. In their place, thousands of stars festooned the sky. It was something of a dark, velvety beauty dotted with innumerable brilliant diamonds. However, no matter how bright the stars' radiance or the strength of the moon's light neither seemed enough in extremity to penetrate the darkness in Beth's heart.

Slowly, tears trickled down her cheeks as she took a step toward her motel roof's ledge. A gentle breeze lifted strands of her blonde hair and blew them in front of her. She brushed them back with a shaky hand. Through her bleary vision, all she saw lying in wait before her was nothingness. She was vacant, insignificant, and there was nothing left to live for.

Ever since Skylark entered her life, it was falling apart piece by piece. Instead of proposing to her, her boyfriend of ten years broke up with her, kicking her out of their apartment. She supposed she couldn't blame him too much. It was her fault. After all, it took two to tango. Not too soon afterward, Skylark took off.

Beth never saw him again.

She honestly didn't mean for any of it to transpire. What happened between her and Skylark was epic and beyond words. Their connection was instantaneous. Sparks flew and next thing she knew he was gone and her world was in shambles. Afterward, she fell into deep depression. She couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, couldn't do anything except cry. She kept thinking how miserable she was.

How alone she was.

She really believed no one cared for her. Eventually they all left-Skylark, her boyfriend, her family, her friends. None of them loved her. None of them stayed. She was so stupid to believe in a future with Skylark and fall so hard, so fast for him. They'd only known each other for a few weeks. She should have known it was a lie when he claimed he loved her. However, she wanted to believe in fairytales with happy endings.

Now she was living an endless nightmare.

Just end it, Elizabeth, the ever-tormenting voice in her head hissed. He doesn't care. No one does or ever will. You're incapable of love.

Her breath hitched in her throat while she took more steps. Her legs suddenly felt unsteady beneath her, like the heels she'd been accustomed to wearing since she was old enough to enter a pageant were foreign. But they weren't. It was all nerves-all emotion swirling wildly inside her.

You're a terrible person and you know it in the deepest depths of your heart. That's why they all go away. Who could ever love anyone as flawed as you? You lie, you cheat, you steal, and you expect them to stay?

You're too corrupt to change. You'll always be too damaged and sooner or later, they'll turn their backs on the lost cause you are. Haven't they already? Why go on? Why live on in a world where no one loves or cares for you? End it. Right here. Right now.

End your suffering, you beautifully afflicted soul. Be done with this world.

The words echoed in her ears and she took the final step, finally on the ledge itself. Beth never looked down. Instead, she kept staring at the night sky. This was it. She made her mind and this was the finale to her tragic tale. She lifted her arms parallel to the ground and shut her eyes.

She saw Skylark's face as if he were right in front of her. Its chiseled features defined a man of certain mystery and allure. His wavy inky hair always combed to domestication. The thick brows arching up as he smirked mockingly at her. His smile, a tad sharper than the norm but charming enough to drive her wild. Then her favorite trait of his-his eyes. Pale blue, glimmering, and always gazing passed her walls.

She recognized how perverse her thoughts were to reflect upon the man who ruined the perfect all-American dream she had going for her. But he brought her a sort of comfort she couldn't describe. A comfort she was sure only someone certifiably insanely in love would understand. With his name on her lips, she walked off the building and plummeted.

Nothing and no one will keep me from him, the voice hissed at Beth before everything dissolving into blackness.

Her happy vision of Skylark shifted into the final sight she'd have. A woman. She threw her head back in a mad cackle that sounded like something straight out of an asylum. Long, wild hair the abysmal color of unshed blood framed her haunting face, making her ghostly complexion and light brown eyes prominent. There were lengthy canines protruding from her pretty mouth and it made Beth shriek on the inside.