Anew: Kindred Series Read online

  Anew

  Kindred Series

  by

  DJ Phoenix

  To my family that has supported me through this amazing journey. Love you all.

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you to my good friend, Katie Fezer, who read my manuscript and encouraged me to publish. Thank you to my editor, Eanna Roberts, who corrected my grammar, and offered her wisdom. Thank you to CrystalDesigns for the amazing cover art.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person or use proper retail channels to lend a copy. If you are reading this book and it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author DJ Phoenix.

  All characters, places, brands, media, and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to any actual person, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  www.djphoenixauthor.com

  Chapter 1

  Cynthia

  Cynthia’s shoulders were stiff from the tension of driving through the sudden storm. Rain fell from the dark clouds lining the night sky, pounding relentlessly on the windshield with so much force it made it hard to see. I hate driving in this weather. I hope the weather channel and the realtor were right. According to her sources the best weather in the area was seen from July through to September. Snow was not the best weather to be in when you drove a small car like hers, so she had booked her trip beginning of August through the end of September. Now, with this sudden storm, she hoped her sources were right.

  Sighing in frustration over the storm conditions, she momentarily closed her eyes. Just one moment of prolonged blinking. Upon opening them, a shadow hovered on the road; she was barely able to swerve around it. Cynthia’s tension skyrocketed and she straightened out, frightened she would hit something if she wasn’t careful.

  What the hell was that? You’re not in Kansas anymore, Cynthia; remember, wild animals are part of everyday life here in the mountains.

  She pulled her lip between her teeth and tried to stay alert. Her bright green eyes glued to the road ahead.

  The cabin’s porch light illuminated the front of the building as she drove up the driveway. It was small, only a one bedroom, but that was all she needed. Parking to the side of the cabin, she cut off the engine and blew out a breath of relief; finally, she’d made it, and thankfully, despite the current bad weather, safely. She grabbed her purse and prepared to make a run for it, not wanting to stand out in the rain any longer than necessary, but she had to get her suitcase from the trunk quick if she didn’t want to get drenched.

  The cabin door had a realtor lock for which she had been given the code. The keys were supposed to be inside. Now where did I leave that code? She could remember everything she ever read, but things like the code to enter her rental seemed to always get stored in her short-term memory. She rummaged through her purse and found the envelope containing the realtor’s letter.

  Score!

  Pulling it out, she held it in her hand, ready to punch in the numbers.

  She managed to reach the porch in record time, with her suitcase in one hand and the letter in the other, only slightly wet. She punched the numbers into the lock and popped it open. Removing the lock box from the door knob, she pushed the door open and found the light switch on the wall to her right and, with a soft click, light illuminated the entrance and small living area.

  The cabin was truly beautiful. Rustic but cozy, it felt like home. Nostalgia filled her heart for a moment, but she pushed it aside; she was determined to move on.

  I can do this, this is my first step toward starting anew.

  She nodded at herself and bit her lip, a habit her ex hated, and continued exploring. A stone fireplace nestled in the far corner, facing the sofa and chairs, and made her look forward to the day she could snuggle under a warm blanket beside a lit fire, reading a good book. A bookcase caught her eye and she smiled to herself, wondering what kind of books she would find; she enjoyed reading—that was the reason she wanted to write.

  Placing her suitcase next to the end table nearest her, she walked into the kitchen and flicked on the light switch. It wasn’t as small as she thought it would be: a small wooden square table sat close to a large window with four chairs, with nice and clean appliances. She opened the cupboards to find the kitchen fully equipped, just like the realtor promised. A coffee pot sat on one end of the counter and, right next to it, a toaster oven. Being on vacation but with the comforts of home, the realtor had promised, and she was right. She smiled at the thought as she admired the space.

  She headed to the back of the cabin, opening the door to her left. She hit the light switch and smiled, happy to see the bathroom was also fully stocked and clean.

  Wow! It’s better than I expected. I’ll have to send the realtor a thank you. Using a dirty looking bathroom is both disgusting and depressing.

  She turned off the light and headed to the door across from the bathroom.

  Opening the door, she once again found the light switch. It was intimate. A queen-size, four-poster bed sat against the far wall—a nightstand on either side—with a beautiful duvet with plush matching pillows spread delicately over the bed. If only there was someone to share that beautiful bed with. A large bay window to the left caught her eye, the seat covered in plush pillows matching the duvet. It was so inviting, she dropped her suitcase on the floor near the end of the bed and sat on the window seat, hugging a pillow. She had felt excited about her trip ever since she booked it, but actually, being here made her feel giddy.

  She knew she was going to be alright. She had survived a horribly abusive relationship and had gotten passed the battle that had been her divorce; she had managed to land her dream job despite her lack of experience since Dylan hadn’t allowed her to work; she had lost her parents but she was happy to have Cassie, who’d grown into an amazing, responsible, and independent young adult. Cassie didn’t need her hovering, so now she had all this time to focus on herself. She didn’t consider herself old having just turned twenty-six, and she still had a lot she wanted to do. Writing a novel, for instance. Learning to ski, skydiving, and skinny dipping were on her list too. She’d also love to do some traveling; she loved nature and had always been intrigued by the vast greenery of Ireland and Scotland. She’d love to make some good friends, maybe even find someone who will love her for who she is.

  Could I trust anyone ever again with my heart?

  Taking a deep breath, she unzipped her suitcase and began putting her clothes away. All the time thinking to herself how this had been a good idea. She knew she had to get out and live her life, so she was determined to do just that. But deep down she also knew her heart was broken and she didn’t know if it could ever truly be whole again.

  She gathered her flannel pajamas and put them on. Barefoot, she walked to the kitchen and living room, switching off the lights from earlier. She had been on the road all afternoon and evening—she was beat. Making a quick stop in the bathroom she took care of business and brushed her teeth, then climbed into bed and felt her body relax into the comfortable mattress. Tomorrow she would head down to town to buy food.

  Sunlight
filtered in through the slightly opened curtains, waking Cynthia from her first restful night’s sleep in days. Her vision adjusted to the morning light and she sat up, stretching her arms above her head. Five minutes later, the steam from the hot shower filled the room. Cynthia scrubbed her body and hair, thoroughly rinsing yesterday’s day of traveling out of her system. She had all the time in the world right now, no rushing to get somewhere, and she was determined to enjoy it. Half hour later she felt clean and refreshed enough to step out of the shower.

  With the soft material of her robe surrounding her body like a cloud, she headed to the bedroom to get dressed. A pair of fitted blue jeans, a white fitted tank top layered with a tan fitted long-sleeved tee, and tan-colored laced combat boots adorned her body; comfy yet not too warm. She ran a comb through her unruly red hair, applied a little product and pulled it up into a high ponytail. Having long, thick curls was a chore, and a ponytail was the easiest and least time-consuming option.

  Grabbing her purse and a light sweater, she walked into the kitchen where she had left the key hanging on the hook. She added the single key to her car keys and stepped outside, locking the door. The crisp air was a little chilly, making condensation puffs every time she exhaled. Hope it’ll warm up, it’s still early after all. She pulled out of the drive and headed to town, at ease, but a bit hungry and in need of coffee. She would find somewhere to eat, then she’d do some shopping.

  The town was quieter than the busy streets of her hometown, but at the same time it was busy with people walking and tending to their businesses. It was a peaceful kind of busyness. She found a spot and parked her car, pulling her long sweater on as she searched for a place to eat. Unlike the busy people of the city, these folks greeted her with friendly smiles. It felt good. She could totally understand why people would like to live in little towns.

  A small restaurant with a sign that read ‘Main Street Diner’ nestled between a florist and a barber, so she walked in. The hum of conversation reached her ears, and she took a few moments to take in the scene: a heavy rustic wood counter wrapped around the front of the kitchen with matching bar stools, and in the middle of the room, a large stone fireplace flickered, surrounded by rustic wooden tables and matching chairs. Mason jars with wildflowers and wooden carved napkin holders were the only decoration on the tables. Snapshot pictures of mountain sceneries framed in thick rustic wooden frames hung on the walls, along with larger mason jars holding bundles of more wild flowers.

  A young girl with straight blonde hair and bright-blue eyes greeted her with a wide smile. Her pretty diamond-shaped face and small upturned nose made her look like a doll. “Hi. Welcome to Main Street Diner. I’m Kristy. Will it be a table for one?”

  Cynthia took a liking to the young girl right away. “Hi, yes, it’s just me today.”

  “Great, let me show you to your table.” Kristy ushered Cynthia to a small table against the large window overlooking the street. “Is this table alright?”

  “Yes. This is perfect, thank you.” Thankful for the view, Cynthia took her seat and returned the girl’s contagious smile as she took the offered menu.

  Kristy pulled out her notepad. “What can I get you started with? We have regular and decaf coffee, orange juice, cranberry juice, hot tea and fountain drinks.”

  “I’ll have a regular coffee, please.” Kristy took her coffee order and walked away.

  Cynthia looked through the menu. She was truly hungry, but all the dishes offered seemed to have way too much food. She wouldn’t be able to finish her meal. Turning the menu, she found the à la carte items. When Kristy returned, she ordered a two-egg omelet with a side of fruit. There, that isn’t too much, and it has way less calories than all the other stuff on the menu.

  As she waited for her meal, she observed the people enjoying their meals. Some were families, others were couples, and some were on their own, like her. I wonder how many of them are townies? This seemed like the type of town where people knew each other. She wondered what it would be like to live in a town where everyone knew each other. Could I handle living in a small town?

  A plate appears in front of her, snapping her out of her thoughts. Kristy smiled. “Anything else I can get you?”

  Cynthia shook her head and smiled back as Kristy walked away to tend to her other tables.

  As the delicious omelet melted in her mouth, her scalp bristled, sending a shiver down her entire body. What was that? she wondered. Swallowing, she looked around the room.

  Everything seemed normal, people were eating and conversing.

  Trying to ignore it, she continued to eat, but the feeling of being watched didn’t ease. Maybe it was the townies curious about the new person in town.

  Kristy brought her the bill, and she couldn’t stop her curiosity from bubbling. “Does the town get a lot of tourists?”

  The young girl smiled and her eyes sparkled at the chance for conversation. “Not much this time of year. We mostly get a lot of folks in during the winter months. You know, visiting the ski resort at the edge of town and wanting to enjoy the snow. You aren’t from around here, Miss …?” Kristy trailed off, inquiring her name.

  “You can call me Cynthia.”

  “Okay.” She smiled. “Are you visiting or passing by, Cynthia?”

  “I’m visiting. I’ll be here till the end of September.”

  Kristy’s smile broadened. “Well, I sure hope you’ll be stopping by often during your stay. Our dinners are delicious, too, real homemade food. Grandma and grandpa like to cook everything from scratch, no frozen or pre-made stuff. Where are you staying?”

  “I’m renting a cabin up Stone Creek Road.”

  “Oh, well you’re not too far from town then.”

  “Kirsty, it was nice meeting you. I’ll definitely have to stop by for dinner. Are there any other things to do around here besides hiking?”

  “Well … there’s the lake, but you don’t want to go swimming in it, it’s mighty cold. Sure to give you hypothermia, but there are picnic tables around it. Older folks hang out at the bar; I hear it gets full after seven. I wouldn’t know how that is, though, I’m not old enough to go yet. There’s also a casino at the edge of town, mostly tourists there, and I’m not old enough to go there either, so I wouldn’t know how good the ambience might be.”

  “Alright, Kristy, thank you for your insight. I’m mostly looking forward to relaxing at the cabin, but if I get bored, maybe I’ll try some of your suggestions.”

  With that said, Cynthia paid her bill and walked out of the diner, heading across the street for a grocery store. The prickly feeling left as soon as she stepped out of the diner, and she relaxed. It must have been the town’s folk curious about her.

  Chapter 2

  Cynthia

  It didn’t take her long to find the grocery store, which was just a block from the diner. She walked in and grabbed a basket. Though the store looked to be small from the outside, she was surprised to find it vastly stocked. Double checking her mental list as she unloaded her groceries onto the conveyor belt, it seemed like she had all she needed, at least for a week.

  A young boy with wavy, dirty blond hair and big brown eyes bagged her groceries. “Need any help out, Miss?”

  “That would be lovely. Thank you.”

  On their way out, a tall figure cast a shadow over the store entrance, stopping her in her tracks. She looked up to meet a pair of ice-blue eyes so pale they almost glowed. She hadn’t thought of another man in years, but this man was gorgeous—anyone could see that—and as the breeze blew in through the sliding doors, his scent wrapped around her, making her insides quiver.

  Oh, good golly, what was happening to her? She wasn’t some hormonal teenager for god’s sake! She straightened her spine and walked past the man and, apparently, another man accompanying him. Somehow, she hadn’t seen the other man until she turned to make sure the bag boy was following. She made her way to her car and gave the bag boy a nice tip when he deposited her bags in the tr
unk. Ready to sit down and write, she pulled out and headed toward the cabin.

  Ten minutes later she pulled into the drive of her temporary home and carried the grocery bags into the kitchen, and, after putting her purchases away, sat down on the couch to catch her breath. Her mind wandered to the guy she had seen at the grocery store. He had such captivating eyes. Ice blue framed by long black eyelashes and low, dark eyebrows, enough to melt a girl’s heart. A strong jaw and high cheek bones paired with a perfectly sculpted nose complimented his chiseled face. Wide, strong shoulders tapered down to a slender waist, making him look exceptionally fit. And his five o’clock shadow gave him a bad boy look that practically melted her panties off on the spot. Just thinking about the guy was making her all hot and bothered.

  It had been a long time since she’d felt the touch of a man or his weight above her as he took her body to heights unknown. She hadn’t allowed herself to desire such things in the past couple of years. It made her too vulnerable to allow a man to touch her like that; she hadn’t even considered dating. Dylan had stopped showing interest in her that way after a short six months of marriage and, if she was being honest with herself, with the constant beatings to endure, she had been relieved.

  Shaking her wayward thoughts off, she grabbed her laptop from the dresser and headed out to the living room. She opened the curtains covering the window next to the desk and sat down. As the warmth of the afternoon sun seeped in, she settled comfortably into the chair and fired up her laptop.

  The sun had set by the time Cynthia surfaced from her fictitious world. Her story seemed to have started off quite well, and she was actually proud of how much she had gotten done on her first day. Excited but cramped from sitting for so long, she stood slowly and stretched her lithe limbs. Her stomach rumbled. Time to head to the kitchen.