Scars (Book 1 Saints & Sinners)

It was a job serving coffee. Nothing special or difficult. An easy job or at least that's what Becca Sinclair thought, but nothing is ever easy when your guardian is a two thousand year old vampire and your grouchy coworker needs a place to crash.

*************************

Life leaves scars. People come into your life and are torn away. So, you learn to accept that everything and everyone are temporary. Until you start to pull inward and avoid making connections. Instead you cling to the memories of those stolen moments of happiness that are too few and far between, wrapping yourself in them like a warm blanket. But soon memories are not enough and the loneliness makes it hard to breathe.

For the most part my life is uncomplicated. I'm taken care of, a loft overlooking Central Park, closets filled with clothes, cupboards full of food. My guardian, my uncle, Rowan, makes sure I have everything I could ever want or need. And I do, except someone to share all of it with.

The thing about Rowan is he's not really my uncle. But my little white lie tends to be a lot easier and safer than telling anyone my benefactor is really a two thousand year old vampire. That kind of talk gets you more than strange looks, it gets you shock treatment. Believe me I know.

Rowan is the one constant in my life. He is the one person in my life I can count on to be there when I need him. But Rowan's life is complicated and always dangerous. Being a two thousand year old vampire playing for the good side can rack you up a lot of enemies. So, he tends to keep his distance to protect me.

However, things changed for me one rainy afternoon when I ducked into Perk Me Up, a local coffee shop, to wait out the rain. For some reason when I saw the Help Wanted sign I asked to see the manager. Crazy, I know, wanting to work in a coffee shop or work at all when everything was already provided for me."