[book one]
The game was simple: A contest comprised of three unique challenges, designed to test a human's strength physically and mentally, their personality compatibility, and their chance of survival.
The prize was excruciatingly tempting: The ch...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
THE WORLD AROUND Sophie seemed to fade away into a jumbled mess of blurry colors. A fire crackled in the corner of the room, and someone drowned a glass of water. Several hunters shifted around in their seats, forks scraping against their plates of half-eaten food. Her stomach twisted into a bunch of tight knots; anxiety and shock gushed through her system like water pushing through a crack. Tears started to build and her gaze blurred over.
"Mom?" she repeated, bewildered.
The woman who stopped in front of her looked just as bewildered. Time seemed to stop entirely, and Sophie started to pick apart her appearance. Her mother looked the same, with the same almond shaped hazel eyes. Her lips were still stained a pale rose pink and her skin was smooth, ageless. It had been quite a few years since Sophie had seen her last, yet she looked just like she did the night she kissed Sophie's forehead goodbye.
The woman ran a hand through her hair, her expression bewildered. "What are you doing here?" she asked.
Sophie could hardly comprehend her words –she could hardly comprehend anything that was happening. A thousand emotions rushed through her all at once. Shock. Heartache. Anger.
"What are you doing here?" Sophie asked. Her voice broke, and betrayed the pain that brewed inside her chest.
The woman's gaze faltered. Her lips twitched and she reached out, fingers aimed to brush at Sophie's hair.
Sophie took a startled step back, her jaw clenched. Her eyes narrowed with anger. This woman, this stranger had no right to touch her. "Answer my question," she snapped.
The hunters around them watched the scene with varied expressions. Suspicion tainted some, as a few of the hunters twitched toward their weapons. The woman held up a hand and glanced at them, expression hard. "These two are welcome here. Please continue with your meal. Regular training will resume tomorrow morning," she announced.
Aubrey took a timid step toward Sophie as the room erupted with whispered gossip. Sophie watched with a scowl as the woman gestured for them to follow her. "This way," she said. "We need to talk. In private."
"Do we?" Sophie questioned.
"Sophie," Aubrey murmured, expression stern. "Please remember that we are surrounded by very skilled vampire hunters. I'd rather not die just yet."
Sophie didn't pay any attention to her and remained focused on her mother. Her hands clenched into tight fists when the woman started toward the door without another word, her cloak billowing out around her. "What?" she ground out through her teeth. "A wave of your hand and you expect us to just follow you?"
"Move it," a familiar voice sounded from behind them. Sophie whirled around and came face to face with Tadashi, the original hunter who had confronted them. His eyes were narrowed with suspicion and focused on Sophie.
