Chapter One

Meet Amara, her best friend, and her curse.

Chapter 1

 

"I can't hold you back forever can I?" She asks as he rises from the bed and begins walking towards the door. A slow smile forming on his pale face. She sits and watches as he turns to face her.

                "Things change dear, no one can help that." The way the answer was formed made it sounded much sweeter then what it was. She had been holding onto him for years now; knowing that someday she would have to let go.

                "I don't change." Her mumble slips and he smiles more, earning a glare from the woman still sitting on the bed. "I don’t, in the ten years we've lived here have you noticed a change? A wrinkle or a gray hair; no because I don't change!" She was off the bed now and was with the man in the center of the room. One hand holding out her bright red hair, the other held firmly at her side.

                "You must learn, Amara. Then you will be released."

 

--

 

"S**t." I pushed myself up from my mountain of pillows and sat on my bed. My hand going to my forehead to wipe away the bangs that had become stuck there over night.

                "That dream again?" I jumped at the sound of his voice before twisting myself to look at the man standing in my doorway. His dark hair was shaggy and his button up shirt was hanging out of his pants, once it might have been tucked in. Ian, always here the moment I wake up.

                "What, oh yes it was." I nodded as I pushed the covers away from me and slid off the bed. "I don't see why I still have it; it's been what now, a year since he left?" I pulled my silk house robe on and sighed. "It was no help to me then and it's no help to me now."

“Oh stop being so dreary Amara! Come have breakfast; cheer up.” Ian said as he nodded towards the hallway before leaving his hold in the doorway. I sighed and then followed him out the door. The rest of the house was light, Ian was big on natural light. If the sun was out why have lights on, I can't count the number of times I've heard him say that.

“Now what would you like, a glass of warm blood maybe?” He held a smirk as leaned of the counter.

“How many times do I have to tell you?” I screamed and ran over to him, smacking his shoulder. “I’m not a vampire Ian!”

“Oh calm down Amara, it was a joke. Though I’m sure you could pass as one. Let’s see, come stand in the sunlight over here.” Ian said grabbing my shoulders and pulling me into the light coming from the window. “Does it burn, are you sparkling?”

“You twit.” I growled at him as he smiled and kept observing me.

“No, no burning? I don’t see your skin sparkling. Maybe if I removed this robe,” He grabbed for the shoulder of my robe but I moved away.

“God Ian, you know I’m not. Could you please just get me some eggs and a glass of milk?” Ian nodded and went over to the fridge to begin his cooking. “You know one of these days, you are going to play one of those jokes on some girl other than me; and she’s going to smack you. Just wait.” Ian laughed over the stone. “What?”

“Like I would ever joke like that with anyone else.” He sent a smile over his shoulder at me. “Because you never let me leave the house.”

“Oh shush.” I turned away before he could say anything else. It’s not that I don’t let him out the house. I’ve told him many times that if he wants to go out for the night I’m fine with that. It’s that he doesn’t think I could handle being in the house without him. Having the change of routine. And to be honest I’m not real sure I could but maybe it’s worth the try. If I start to freak out I could simply call him and he would come home.

“Amara, your eggs are done.” Ian said as he set them down on the table. I smiled and took my seat before the plate. He sat down next to me with his bowl of fruit. “Can I asked you something about that dream you have?” I nodded. “Is it always the same? Like when you reply a memory in your head?”

“Yes, always.” I didn’t have to think about it. It was a memory, basically. It’s of what Jasper told me the night he left.

“Have you ever, you know, tried changing?” I dropped my fork. How could he ask that? He knew how hard it was for me. He knew how impossible it was.

“Would you like to see me try? Would you really? Come with me, come here.” I said standing from the table and going in the kitchen. I opened one of the drawers by the washer where we kept the silverware. I grabbed one of the three scissors in the drawer and held it up to his face. “You see this, its regular old scissors right?”

“Amara please "“Right?” I interrupted shoving them closer to his face. He nodded.

“Now watch.” I I grabbed one of the long pieces of my hair and brought the scissors to it and chopped a big chunk out of my hair. And in the moment it took the hair to fall to the ground my hair grew back to the length it had been before I cut it. “I can have no change.” 

Author's Note

Just letting you know, this is NOT a vampire novel nor will there be any vampires. There's too many of those out there anyway.
Thanks for reading ^^ please review !
-Shannon

Reviews

[KayleeLegend]

Wow. I love the way you opened this story. Overall, it looks like the plot line will be original, and I think that's what we need these days. Amara seems like a character that is relatable, yet, she is nothing like me, or probably not anything like anyone else in fact. I think that is a quality that can make characters a favourite of anyone. I absolutely can't wait for the rest, and I'm looking forward to finding out what's behind this mysterious dream....

[Elana Turczynski]

First chapter was amazing, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I am already waiting for more, I can't think of anything you need to change, I hope that once it's done you will try to get it published, I know I'd buy it for sure :)

[Skye Fields]

Nice. Very nice. And thank God it's not a vampire novel! I do love the "glass of warm blood" line, though. Gross and visceral, in a good way.

I love the themes of clinginess and not changing. It's interesting how they tie together as well. The dream (which has muddled tenses by the way; sort that out) establishes Amara's physical inability to change, as well as her inability to let go of men. That's a great character trait, and you present it right away. Such a rigid character will shatter especially hard, which makes an emotionally charged novel, of course :)

I like the banter between Ian and Amara. Very cute.

This whole chapter can be slowed down. There's a lot of information, so it's a little difficult to follow, but this is easily fixed. Take your time. Add setting description to break up the dialogue.

This is a strong, intriguing first chapter and I wish you the very best of editorial luck!