Deceptions

By Isabelle Arocho

Set in Celestin City. Labeled as an incomplete vampire, Evie is doing what she can to stay under the radar and avoid trouble but when the local alpha and his daughter are attacked she’s pushed into the lime light and forced to face all her secrets.

At the age of fifteen Evangeline Cortez ran from the only life she had ever known in search for something normal, and she found it in the arms of a vampire, at least for a little while. After pushing his hand too far he attempts to turn her only to find the vampire virus doesn’t full take. What exactly is Evie? The alpha werewolf is suspicious and when she saves his life many more questions are asked. This woman, not quite a vampire but never actually human, wields powerful magic and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Isabelle Arocho
• Release date: Oct 18, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301293131

Isabelle Arocho

Hello everyone, as a self-published author I like to talk to you in my own words so here we go, here's my story:I used to avoid everything pertaining to reading and writing in school because it was never my strong suit. But then something happened when I was fourteen years old, and I found I had a deep passion for telling stories. As far back as I can remember, I would always create stories in my head and call them my made up movies. These are the movies I make into books today.I shied away from telling anyone about my passion for telling stories and kept it to myself for a long time. I learned from reading book after book how to write a proper novel and found the confidence to share my work, first on online communities and now with the world.In 2012 I have decided to take the leap into self-publishing. I write and edit all my work myself, no excuses, but if you see any mistakes I apologize.A little bit more about me...My name is Isabelle Arocho, I’m of Hispanic descent. I grew up in Perth Amboy NJ and now live somewhere in the sticks of FL. I am a woman, sister, daughter. I have a passion for rock music, tons of TV shows, and of course reading when I’m not trying to create my own masterpiece.I write all types of genres including mystery, fantasy, suspense, romance, paranormal, and cop procedurals. I'm always striving to get better and I hope you enjoy my work enough to stick with me on this journey. I have hundreds of characters in my head always in a scene crawling to get free onto paper. I'm grateful for writing because without it I'd just be a crazy nut who talks to herself.I have a few books out now in both Ebook and paperback format. I’m working on several different of ideas to be released soon in all those genres I mentioned above. Visit my personal website, isabellearocho.com, for more information.PS: Don't forget to review and let me know what you thought about the book you read. I love hearing from you and it helps to know what you think.

Book preview

DECEPTIONS

By

Isabelle Arocho

isabellearocho.com

Copyright 2012 Isabelle Arocho

Smashwords Edition

Thank you for downloading this free eBook. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s mind and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organization, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

License Notes

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or edited in anyway. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Chapter 1

I ran away from home at the age of fifteen scared and alone because I couldn’t handle the life I knew was waiting for me otherwise. I ran to a place I thought I could find happiness; normalcy. I found happiness, at least for awhile, except it was anything but normal. I never knew normal.

I walked inside the large mansion style house that once held a feeling of home and love, now I only visited if it was needed for work. I came when called and left soon after. I was a courier for Michael Winston; a very powerful vampire in town that oversaw all his father’s businesses. His father was semi-retired now and relinquishing control. Why did immortal vampires feel the need to retire? They weren’t getting older.

Michael’s office was at the end of the hallway on the first floor. I knocked and stepped inside. Seeing his beautiful face never seemed to get easier. I knew Michael and his family for years, for a long time I considered them my own family. I stood in front of him. I didn’t say anything because with Michael, less said meant more.

He stepped from behind his desk and handed me an envelope. I need you to put this in Caleb Nikolas’ hands.

I took it. It’s sunset, you don’t necessarily need me to do this. I was their daywalker. During the night Michael conducted business himself or a higher up in the organization took on the task.

Caleb is only willing to read the proposal if you deliver it. Michael leaned back against his desk. Do you know why that is?

I could sniff out Michael’s jealously before the thought entered his mind. I haven’t spoken more than twenty words to Caleb in all the years he’s been in town. I’m just the messenger, it’s not my job to figure anything out. I explained tightly. I resented his jealously. He gave up the right years ago to have any opinion about my life.

Does he know what you are?

I don’t know and I don’t care. What I do care about is you questioning me when it’s none of your business. You left me, remember? I couldn’t ignore the harsh facts.

He grew silent. That was a long time ago.

Not long enough to forget the pain every time I saw his green eyes. Exactly, no more questions unless it has to do with the job. I’ll get this to him. I left the room, once again wondering why I worked for the Winston vampire family. In the end, I always felt like I owed them my loyalty.

Caleb Nikolas was an Alpha werewolf to the Grayson Pack. No one knew exactly when he came to town and took over for Thomas McGill. I only knew Caleb’s been involved with various businesses for the last five years. I knew of him through his dealings with Michael and the fact he lived three houses down from mine. I didn’t know him though; I knew only what I saw and nothing of the man himself.

I stopped home first to ditch my work uniform for a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, before walking over to his place. Caleb shared the home with his daughter when she visited. I’d never seen anyone outside the pack visit him, especially of the female variety. He usually conducted any work in the packs’ main house; an office of sorts surrounded by miles of forest. I suspected they used the land to run when a full moon sat bright in the sky too.

With his car parked in the driveway it was a safe bet he was there and I wouldn’t have to go to the Grayson compound. It wasn’t my favorite place to visit in the world. I liked to avoid it at all costs.

Caleb’s fifteen year old daughter, Jamie, answered the door. Evie! Another package for dad?

Yeah, is he here?

Yup, hold on a second. She turned around and called out for him loud enough to wake the dead in the cemetery ten miles away. I was just on my way out.

Where ya headed?

Jamie turned around to make sure we were still alone before confessing, A date. Don’t tell dad.

I smiled. I won’t.

Thanks! she ran outside the same moment I stepped inside. The house was always nicely clean, yet still showed signs of being lived in. Magazines littered the coffee table, the pillows along the sofa weren’t in order, leaving the house with a nice and classy feel to it.

Caleb came down the stairs with an effortless jog. She left?

I nodded yes.

I wanted her to wait. Caleb was very protective of his human daughter and with every right. He knew all too well of the dangers that lurked closely by, even of the one living on the same street with them. He stepped off the staircase wearing his business casual outfit of black slacks and a dark buttoned down shirt. The only indication he was home and relaxing was the shirt wasn’t tucked in anymore.

I handed him the envelope. Here. Is there a reason you wanted me to deliver this or did you just want to piss Michael off? The two men worked together for the good of the town to prevent a war that would lead to too much bloodshed, but they hated each other and made no secret about it. I refused to be a pawn in their continuing game to one up each other. I might have to consider seeking a different line of work if it kept up. Conflict was something I kept far from. Conflict could lead to exposure and exposure led to threats.

It’s too easy to ruffle his feathers by using jealously. I wanted you here to talk about Jamie. Caleb walked over to the living room mantel and placed the envelop on top of it to be looked at later. I know you two sometimes talk.

Is that a problem? Jamie was one of the few people I interacted with outside of work. She reminded me a little of my life before it ended several years back.

Continuing to move with a deadly grace, Caleb took a seat on the couch. No, since the divorce there’s a lot she doesn’t tell me and her mother. I’m glad she can talk to someone. He let that sink in before getting to the main topic. She’s been hanging out with Ray and it needs to stop. There was a harsh undertone in his voice reflecting the anger along his dark blue eyes. He was worried about Jamie and he couldn’t control her like he could his pack.

Now I understood his need to talk to me. Ray was one of Michael’s vampires. You want me to run interference? I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of that.

Talk to Jamie, she’ll listen to you.

I sighed and agreed with him, she shouldn’t be near Ray. Does she know that I’m technically a vampire?

No and I’m not sure she’d believe you considering...

Considering I walked in sunlight, I didn’t feed off blood, and crosses and holy water had no affect on me. Some vampire huh? But I was immortal to never age again since the night of my twenty-first birthday. I should be twenty-six. The virus hadn’t fully infected me and I believed it had to be the fact I wasn’t human to begin with. No one else knew that, to the public I was a vampire when I never fully could be one. I’ll talk to her before something goes too far and she’s bitten but I can’t tell her or Ray what to do. You should talk to her as well. I explained while I slowly made my way to the front door.

I have and she doesn’t listen.

I faintly thought of my parents. What teenage girl does?

Chapter 2

I didn’t like to be near Caleb Nikolas for any longer than I needed to be. Werewolves and vampires didn’t get along, it was in their nature to hate each other, and while I wasn’t the traditional vampire, there was still a great deal of tension between us.

Lately I didn’t want to be near anyone unless I had to, animosity or not. I worked days and nights during