Scarlet Eclipse [Temporarily on Hold]

Chapter 1

Alyxa

No one moved. Not a finger. 

It was like no one dared breathe or fear this Lord Moon’s wrath. I stood first and looked around. There were roughly half a dozen others with me, all looking as bedraggled and weary as I felt. I turned to face the endless blue-purple-colored ocean. Unnatural. All unreal. Angrily, I kicked at the sand. It only proceeded to fly into the air and spray back into my face. I shut my eyes tightly. 

What the hell had happened?

This didn’t happen to me. Not the popular, cool, pretty one. And I was that popular, cool, pretty one. 

Back at home, I was the beautiful Alyxandra Blair. Tempting but untouchable. Back at school, I was the amazing redheaded beauty that was sophisticated and smart and everything. Men lined up at my doorstep to meet me, to talk to me, to get my attention. 

No one would suspect that underneath all that glamour, I was Fae. A Faerie. Naturally beautiful and appealing to the human eye. Able to glamour humans, graceful, and more. 

“This can’t be happening,” I murmured. “This can’t.” 

I had a life. This only happened to those who didn’t, to those who needed a boost to make their pathetic lives exciting. 

“No, no, no.”

This was impossible. It had to be a dream. 

“I want out.”

I wanted to get out. Away from this Forever Island and back to my regular life. 

“Let me out.”

This was impossible. Not right.

“This isn’t real!”

Impossible. Not right.

“LET ME OUT OF HERE!” 

A strong grip clamped onto my tanned, smooth arm, her short nails digging into my skin. “Get a hold on yourself, Alyxandra Blair!” harshly hissed a girl with long, plain brown hair and the damn scariest ice blue eyes I had ever seen. She had a British accent.

I stopped my wailing. When did I start screaming? I wasn’t even aware of what had happened. She let go.

“Don’t succumb to Lord Moon’s madness,” she continued. She looked around at the rest of the appalled people. “You see? Lord Moon has made the mark on his first victim. Strengthen the mental barriers to your minds, lest Moon sneaks in and plants the madness in your head,” she ordered. There was a flurry of facial expressions as they all put up extra mental shields.

I rolled my eyes. This was getting ridiculous. “There is no madness. It’s just your imagination.”

Creepy British Girl looked me in the eyes and I shivered. “You too. You are no exception. Moon has begun to plant the madness in your head already. You are more vulnerable to the mental attacks he will launch against us than the rest of us. It’s time to step away from your fancy life, put on your—what was the phrase?—big girl panties, and move on. We’ve no time to lose.”

I looked down on the girl in my best imitation of Mother’s what-do-you-want-from-me-peasant look. “How do you know my name? And who the hell are you?” I asked her impolitely. 

British looked at me and her eyelids lowered halfway. “I am a vampire with special particular abilities. I can mind-read, Alyxandra dear. And I would ask you to refrain from asking who the ‘hell’ I am. It offends Hell. My name is Lilith Rainsworth. Lily, if you may,” Lily said. Lily the British vampire. What a freak.

“Alyxa Blair. Thank you, for reading my mind without permission!” I growled.

Lily shrugged. “What was I suppose to do, walk up to you, ask, ‘Oh, good day. May I read your mind?’ Are you off your rockers? Plus the thoughts come to me, not the reversed way, though I would if I could,” Lily explained. 

I just glared. I was at a loss to say and that never happened. 

What the hell have I gotten myself into?

And what a freak Lily the British vampire is.