Immortal Wounds: Book #1 in the Immortal Wounds Vampire Series-Paranormal Romance/Vampire Romance/Romantic Fantasy Read Free Page A

became red. The last of my air escaped me as I realized . . . I was going to die.
    Something wrapped around my waist and began pulling me upward. I gasped for air, choking on the water as my face broke through the surface.
    The sky flashed by overhead. I was conscious of the ocean around me, the waves crashing against my body, and the sounds of birds. But I couldn’t see who was pulling me.
    The warm sand was comfortable beneath me now. My eyes focused for only a moment. I could see his face lowering to mine. His lips parted and then a cool breeze blew through my lungs inflating my chest with air. He released me as I rolled over to choke out the remaining water. I lied there on my side for several minutes, waiting to catch my breath. Then something brushed across my back.
    “Shark!” I jumped, looking around me frantically.
    “Shhh,” he spoke softly as he held my body still. “The shark is dead, you’re quite safe now,” he assured.
    I glanced around me, not trusting his words at first, then calmed. I looked over to see his face gazing into mine. It was like an angel’s, flawless and smooth. His hair hung down around it, drops of water still fell from the tips as he hovered over me, watching me anxiously.
    “Are you alright?” he asked. His voice was soft and familiar, like a melody I had heard long ago. He caressed the side of my face gently with the back of his fingers. The touch of his skin on mine was almost electric, causing my heart to speed up.
    “How did you . . .?” I reached up and rubbed the water from my eyes. “I saw you on the rocks. You were so far away. How did you know there was a shark?”
    He glanced past me. “Perhaps, another time,” he suggested, his eyes still gazing down the beach.
    I could hear Kim and Leah screaming my name as they ran toward me. I looked in their direction and then back to my savior—he was gone!
    “Phoebe, are you alright?” Leah gasped as she dropped to her knees beside me, trying to catch her breath.
    “Yes, I’m fine . . . now.” I sat up, looking all around me.
    “The shark, how did you get away from it?” Kim cried as she hugged me tightly.
    “What do you mean? Didn’t you see that man pull me out?” I asked urgently.
    “Nooo,” Leah answered, “We didn’t see anyone. The waves must have washed you up.”
    “No, a man saved me! I was drowning, he pulled me out, and then he gave me mouth to mouth. I almost died!”
    “What man?” Leah asked as she looked up and down the beach.
    “You didn’t see him?” My voice was softer now, tired, defeated. Was I the only one who could see him? The only one who could hear him? I put my fingers to my lips. I could still feel the cool kiss he’d left there. I searched the sand around me. The only footprints were from my friends.
    They looked at one another then back to me, shaking their heads. They hadn’t seen anyone.
    “Uh, Phoebe, maybe we should get you home,” Kim suggested as she looked to Leah who was nodding her head in agreement.
    “Hey, look!” Kim jumped up and ran to the water’s edge to retrieve my surfboard that had just washed up. “Not even a bite!” she added cheerfully.
    I frowned. Leave it to Kim to be making jokes at a time like this.
    Leah helped me to my feet as I took one final look around, hoping to see my stranger. He was nowhere to be seen.

Chapter 2: The Stranger
     
    I sat at my kitchen table half-heartedly eating a bowl of granola. I picked up the local paper and began reading the front page: “Local fisherman capsizes boat off coast of Trinidad. Nestled in the heart of the Redwoods and hugged by the Pacific Ocean, a small beach community mourns the loss of one of their own.” I sighed, remembering Bert, down on the docks selling his daily catch.
    I plopped the paper down and glanced around the room. The bright yellow walls and powder blue curtains did nothing to brighten my mood.
    I couldn’t get him out of my mind. I’d dreamt about my stranger again last night,