Beneath Manhattan Skies

By Emma Meade

November in New York is cold but full of possibility for college freshman Erin Harris. When her twin brother, Nick, shows up on her doorstep for a surprise visit, Erin is delighted. Unfortunately, Nick’s arrival coincides with the discovery of a body outside her apartment building, a body drained of blood. Right away, Nick assumes vampires are involved. He’s not exactly their biggest fan since Erin dated one in high school.

Juggling nosy roommates, a first date with a gorgeous guy from college and a brother on a Van Helsing kick is enough to keep any nineteen year old girl busy – And then Erin’s old flame walks back into her life.

Is Erin destined to be caught up in supernatural shenanigans, or will she choose a different path?

(45,000 word novella)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Emma Meade
• Release date: Nov 3, 2013
• ISBN: 9781310416941

Emma Meade

I love reading and writing supernatural fiction. On a rainy day there is nothing better than curling up on the couch with a hot cup of tea and watching a marathon of my favourite tv shows (Buffy, Roswell, Dark Angel, True Blood, The Big Bang Theory, Friends...to name a few)

Book preview

BENEATH MANHATTAN SKIES

A Novella by Emma Meade

Smashwords Edition 2013

Copyright © Emma Meade 2013

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the author. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, alive or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Cover Design by Najla Qamber

Also by Emma Meade

Under the Desert Moon

Night Sighs

The Awakening & Other Stories

emmameade.com

emmameadebooks.com

@EmmaMeadeIrl on Twitter

For Laura, a steadfast friend and fellow Buffy addict.

Chapter 1

November in New York was cold and full of possibility. Erin Harris looked up at the black sky from the roof of her apartment building. She missed the stars. Back home in Copperfield, Arizona, she’d taken them for granted. She exhaled, watching her breath float before her in puffs of ghostly fog.

Erin, get over here. You're missing the free beer.

She zipped her hoodie up to her neck, turning at the sound of her name. Sadie Montana, her best friend and one of her roommates, held out a red plastic cup. Erin accepted the poorly poured beer from the keg. A two inch thick layer of foam floated on top. Erin wasn't much of a drinker, and Sadie knew it, yet she persisted in trying to get Erin as drunk as the other freshmen of Amberley House, their art school in Greenwich Village. Sadie wanted her to have a typical college experience, and apparently that involved consuming beer at least once a week. The Friday night roof party provided plenty of cheap booze.

Sadie touched her cup to Erin's. Cheers. Her warm, coffee brown eyes focused on Erin.

Cheers. Erin took a sip and grimaced at the taste. How her father had become addicted to such a disgusting drink was beyond her. No one else appeared to be complaining. Erin recognized most of the people from her floor, but the other dozen or so partygoers were strangers.

Tommy's looking at you again, Sadie said in her teasing, Texan drawl.

Erin couldn’t help glancing to where Tommy stood, one hand in the pocket of his jeans, other hand holding a beer, chatting to a couple who lived down the hall from her. He laughed at something the girl said, his deep chortle carrying across the roof. The muscles in Erin’s lower belly clenched in response.

Tommy nodded at her before returning to the conversation, his dimples standing out as he smiled. Erin knew he liked her, but she'd done nothing to reciprocate—yet. Tommy Hyde could get any girl he wanted, or so she imagined. But she hadn't seen him with a girlfriend since they started school, a fact that baffled her. Was he holding out for her? A laugh escaped her at the idea.

She turned back to see a knowing grin plastered all over Sadie’s glossy, pink lips. Erin ignored it. No point in encouraging her.

With her clear, dark skin, poker straight hair and gorgeous smile, Sadie had no problem hooking a guy. She was also relentless in trying to set Erin up with Tommy. It had been Sadie who invited Tommy over that night.

Earth to Erin.

What?

Go over there and talk to him. He's seriously into you, and you're being a dumbass.

Thanks.

Well, he's not going to be single forever. Chicks dig the biker boys. Sadie pursed her lips as she checked him out. Ooh, he wears that leather jacket well.

Don’t let me stop you, Erin said. Oh, that’s right. You like someone else. That shut Sadie up, and Erin felt a tiny bit guilty. Sadie was half in love with someone else, a very taken someone else.

To alleviate the awkwardness, Erin took another sip of beer. Not so bad this time. Pop music drifted across the roof through speakers attached to an iPod. She swayed from side to side, relaxing into the beat. Once again, the guy standing with one hand in the pocket of his jeans drew her attention.

Tommy was gorgeous. Tommy was sweet. Tommy rode a motorcycle and painted art that could make a grown man weep. But Tommy wasn't James.

You've got those sad eyes going on again, Sadie said.

I'm not sad. I'm just thinking.

Well, thinking is overrated. Less thinking and just being is the way to go, and beer helps with that.

A small, fair-haired girl in a red dress and black jacket caught Erin's attention. She tottered precariously in her heels as she passed them. Erin didn’t recognize her from the building.

Looks like someone's gone overboard on the vodka, Sadie said.

The blonde collapsed into the arms of a young man, Erin's neighbor from two doors down the hall. She was ninety percent certain his name was Max.

Whoa there. You okay? the guy who was almost certainly Max asked, holding her up.

Max caught Erin and Sadie watching and offered them a reassuring smile. He steadied the girl. How much have you had to drink?

Nothing—I—nowhere, Blondie said.

At that point, Sadie lost interest and checked her cell. Erin studied Blondie closely. Something about the wide-eyed, confused look on her face made Erin’s heart beat a little faster.

What's going on? Where have you been? Max asked.

Blondie shook her head, flinging her already messed up hair about. I—I'm not sure. I don't remember. I—I— She dropped her purse and bent to retrieve it. When she stood, she stumbled and crashed into the table holding plastic cups and bottles of vodka and mixers.

The glass bottles shattered. Erin jumped. Max grabbed Blondie, pulling her back to her feet. A few onlookers tutted at the spilled alcohol.

It's okay, Max said. Let's just get you out of here—wait. Are you hurt?

A lot of drama for a Friday night, Sadie whispered.

Erin ignored her.

Max pulled Blondie’s hair to one side and touched her neck. She jerked back. Instinctively, Erin took a step closer. Is she alright? she asked Max.

Erin’s body temperature seemed to drop ten degrees. A dry trail of blood ran from three inches below the girl’s ear to the top of her shirt. The trail began under two puncture marks.

No frickin' way.

I don't know, Max said. He touched Blondie’s neck again. She must have cut herself. Weird. It's stopped bleeding. He caught her by the upper arms gently. Tell me what happened. Does it hurt?

Blondie pulled out of his grasp and let her hair fall back, obscuring the wound. I'm fine. Just take me home.

Max shrugged at Erin. She's okay. Too much rum or something, I guess.

As they passed, the girl’s eyes met Erin's. Erin gripped the red cup so tightly, it crumpled, spilling beer on her hand and onto the ground. She'd seen the same glazed, half-confused/half-frustrated look before, back home in Arizona, the telltale result of vampire hypnotic mojo. Her art school buddy, Zach, had walked around with that look for weeks after his up close and personal encounter.

Was there one in the building somewhere? Or had the girl met him earlier that night? For a moment, Erin's heart swelled painfully. Could it be James? No. Surely if he was in New York he would have found her. Then who was it? Were they in danger? Blondie had been left alive, so probably not.

Calm down, a soothing inner voice advised. Could be wishful thinking and nothing more. She wanted so desperately to see James, she was inventing vampire activity where there likely was none. Maybe the girl had simply suffered the hickey from hell. No. Erin’s gut told her she’d got it right the first time.

Max led the girl away. Lucky for him, in his cozy world, his friend was simply drunk, and vampires didn't exist. Erin trailed them until they left the roof. At least the girl was alright. Nothing an iron tablet wouldn't fix.

Erin, you okay? Sadie peered closer. You look like you've seen a ghost.

Sadie exhaled loudly in the hall outside their apartment. Erin offered a small smile of commiseration as they waited for their drunk roommate to open the door. Valerie hiccuped and attempted one last time to fit her key in the lock. Bingo! She stumbled into the apartment, making straight for the couch.

Oh no, you don’t, Patrick, her ever-doting boyfriend, said, steering her toward her bedroom.

Night, Val, Sadie called after her. You’d think for an Irish girl, she’d be able to hold her drink.

Erin locked the apartment door. She wouldn’t see her roommate until noon the next day, if past experience was anything to go by. Luckily, Valerie had Patrick to put her to bed.

With Valerie’s flaming auburn locks and creamy skin, there was no mistaking Valerie Duggan’s Irish heritage. Apparently, her mom was from County Cork or some place, though Valerie had been born and raised in sunny California.

Valerie’s tone-deaf rendition of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance drifted into the living room.

Wow, Sadie said.

Four freshmen sharing one apartment got a tad too snug at times, especially when a couple was involved. Erin pitied Patrick, surrounded as he was by so many girls, not that she ever heard him complain.

Patrick emerged from Valerie’s room and filled a glass with tap water. She’s going to suffer in the morning. He scratched his head of light brown hair, yawning. It was the longest Erin had seen it. Valerie would probably be booking him into her hair salon soon. In his baggy jeans and oversized cardigan, he was the fashion opposite of his chic girlfriend.

You're a saint, Erin said.

Nah. I'm just minimizing the damage for us tomorrow. He grinned, flashing a pair of straight white teeth, and raised the glass to Sadie and Erin. Night, guys. I’m beat.

Night, Patrick, Erin said, smiling fondly at him. He was the sweet to Valerie’s sour.

Sadie cast a longing glance after him. Night.

Poor Sadie. Being half in love with your roommate who happened to be dating your other roommate couldn’t be much fun.

A big, weary sigh escaped Sadie as she poured her own glass of water. She leaned back against the sink. What’s up with you? You’ve got your deep thinking face on.

Nothing.

Is it Tommy or that other guy?

What?

Oh, come on. The mystery guy you’re still pining for.

I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Of course you don’t. Why didn’t you invite Tommy up for a beer?

I’m sure he’d love listening to that. Erin jerked her head in the direction of Valerie’s room. She’d moved on to Poker Face.

Whatever, Sadie said, pursing her lips at Erin.

Goodnight, Sadie! Erin headed for her own room, aware of Sadie watching her. That girl never gave up.

Erin shut her bedroom door and stretched out on her bed. She'd studied every single person on the roof, checking for any non-humans, at least checking as much as she could. She'd only ever met two vampires in her life, James and his psycho stalker maker, and they hadn't had the words blood sucker stamped across their foreheads. Erin wasn't even sure she'd be able to recognize one if they stood right in front of her.

Nobody out-of-this-world beautiful, graceful or magnetic had stood out at the party. Just a bunch of ordinary young people, a mix of students and professionals, unwinding on a Friday night. For all she knew, the blond girl could have been bitten and had her memory messed with somewhere else entirely. There wasn't any proof it had happened close to home. If she’d been bitten at all. Maybe Erin was just making assumptions, and there was nothing paranormal about the girl’s state.

But what if there was?

As far as Erin was aware, she hadn't met a vampire since the summer before senior year. After James left town, no supernatural shenanigans had come her way.

Until now.

Lying on her back, Erin looked around her bedroom. Posters covered half the wall space. Some she'd brought with her from home, like the Pocahontas picture her mother had given to her years ago. The earthy tones exuded peace and serenity. Others, she'd picked up in New York, many from artists selling their wares on street corners. Then there were photos shot by her own hand: images of the desert back home in Copperfield and a few snaps taken on the set of a horror movie filmed in town that fateful summer. The summer of James.

James Linkin had been the star of a cheesy horror flick that never saw the light of day. When the lead actor skipped town to avoid being arrested for murder, a murder he hadn’t committed, the movie had fallen apart.

Sighing at long ago—but not forgotten—memories, Erin glanced up at the charcoal portrait of herself, her three roommates and Tommy all in costume. Sadie had drawn it the day after Halloween. Erin smiled at the image of herself dressed as Morticia Addams. Sadie oozed sexuality in the Xena outfit she'd rented for the night. Valerie and Patrick posed as Victoria and David Beckham, not very Halloweeny at all.

She zoned in on Tommy. He stood to her left, rounding out the group. Inspired by The Walking Dead, he’d come as a zombie, using his considerable skills as