Olivia's Return

By Cindy A. Matthews and Adrian J. Matthews

It’s good to return home—or is it? A year after Olivia Brown’s abduction by vampiric aliens, she isn’t sure where she belongs anymore. On Earth, she’s told to forget her adventures and go to college. But evidence of wrongdoing by the Pure Bloods prompt fellow Resistance fighter Annara to concoct a plan to spy on Clan Alpha. Are the Alphans dealing with billionaire Roland Grundfest, a man willing to supply “vampire brides” for a price to serve their needs for fresh DNA on BloodDark?

To become a spy, Olivia must do more than dye her hair and change her clothing tastes—she must lie to both her parents and her Quadsang boyfriend, Hernando. A little white lie can’t hurt, can it?

Once again on BloodDark, Olivia realizes she needs friends like Valori, whose psychic powers can incapacitate hired killers. Will Olivia ever return to Earth again?

• Language: English
• Publisher: eXtasy Books Inc
• Release date: Feb 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781487421281

Book preview

Olivia returns to Earth, then travels to BloodDark, prepared to sacrifice herself to make both worlds safe from those who would do evil.

It’s good to return home—or is it? A year after Olivia Brown’s abduction by vampiric aliens, she isn’t sure where she belongs anymore. On Earth, she’s told to forget her adventures and go to college. But evidence of wrongdoing by the Pure Bloods prompt fellow Resistance fighter Annara to concoct a plan to spy on Clan Alpha. Are the Alphans dealing with billionaire Roland Grundfest, a man willing to supply vampire brides for a price to serve their needs for fresh DNA on BloodDark?

To become a spy, Olivia must do more than dye her hair and change her clothing tastes—she must lie to both her parents and her Quadsang boyfriend, Hernando. A little white lie can’t hurt, can it?

Once again on BloodDark, Olivia realizes she needs friends like Valori, whose psychic powers can incapacitate hired killers. Will Olivia ever return to Earth again?

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

Olivia’s Return

Copyright © 2019 Cindy A. Matthews and Adrian J. Matthews

ISBN: 978-1-4874-2128-1

Cover art by Carol Fiorillo

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by eXtasy Books Inc or

Devine Destinies, an imprint of eXtasy Books Inc

Look for us online at:

www.eXtasybooks.com or www.devinedestinies.com

Smashwords Edition

Olivia’s Return

The BloodDark

By

Cindy A. Matthews and Adrian J. Matthews

Dedication and Acknowledgment

To my parents, Pauline and Peter.—AJM

To my parents-in-law, Pauline and Peter. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do for us.—CAM

Chapter One

They’re at it again...

Olivia hated hearing her parents argue. Their raised voices penetrated the solid oak swinging door separating the kitchen from the dining room of their renovated Victorian house. Her mom and dad argued a lot more now than she remembered.

If having your child abducted by aliens and consequently returned several months later doesn’t bring you closer together as a married couple, what would? Her returning from a run-of-the-mill Earth kidnapping?

Bright autumn sunlight streaking from the bay windows drenched the room. Olivia rose from the antique dining table and headed toward the front door.

Where do you think you’re going? her mother asked, barreling in from the kitchen and catching her just as she crossed the archway into the living room.

Olivia backed up to the table and began clearing away their empty Sunday dinner plates. She sighed. I was going out. I thought I’d drop by and say hello to Britt. She texted me. She’s in town from college today, and we thought we’d catch up.

Her mother, Moira Brown, accepted the dishes with a frown. The crow’s feet around her hazel-green eyes deepened. Oh, how nice, but I thought you were going to help me wash up and then we were going to sit down and plan out the big family reunion Thanksgiving dinner. You know how much your out-of-state cousins are dying to see you. They haven’t seen you since... since...

Since I was snatched by the alien vampires? Olivia blurted before she thought better of it.

Her mother cringed. The plates chattered, and her hands shook. Olivia rushed to her mother’s side to take the dishes to prevent her from dropping them. She gently placed them onto the table and put a comforting arm around her mother’s shoulders, then helped her to a chair.

Sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to upset you.

Again. Upsetting you is all I ever do nowadays. I’ve become an expert at making you upset, without even trying.

It’s all right, baby. I apologize—my poor heart took a turn for the worse while you were gone.

Olivia sat in silence and patted her mother’s back until the shaking subsided.

People act amazed when they discover how I was able to survive on another world, but don’t they ever wonder how the families of the abductees survived? It’s amazing how well they’ve fared, what with all the stress, all the fears and terror of not knowing what happened to their loved ones. They deserve a medal—not me.

Olivia’s phone alerted her to an incoming text. She pulled it out of her jacket pocket and glanced at it. Yeah, it’s Britt, asking what’s up. I’ll tell her I’ll see her another time.

No, you go along and visit your friend. You’ve been very busy these past few months. We can talk about Thanksgiving later. Her mother straightened up and kissed Olivia’s cheek. Say hello to Britt for me. I heard from her uncle she’s made the Dean’s List at State. You know you could, too, if you’d enroll in—

Classes at the college, Olivia filled in for the millionth time. Yes, I know. I’m off to see Britt. See you in a little while, Mom.

Olivia dashed to the front door and departed before her mother could get another word in edgewise.

She strolled down the street at a clip, deftly sidestepping their absent-minded neighbor’s German Shepherd’s large and fragrant calling card. She took extra caution not to slip on the damp fallen leaves plastered on the uneven sidewalks. When she was several houses away and out of sight from their front window, she took out her phone and returned Hernando’s call.

I got your text, she told his voice mail. "You can call me now if you like. I plan on being out of the house for the next few hours. Are you sure you can’t get me a position on the next junket you’re going on? I’m willing to travel anywhere—and I mean anywhere. My folks are driving me crazy."

She felt guilty for saying it out loud, but it was the truth. As she strode down the street toward her friend’s home, she realized the Olivia Brown most of her acquaintances knew didn’t exist anymore. She had turned eighteen, and for sure she wasn’t her parents’ dear little Ollie girl anymore. She had survived difficult situations while handling dangerous individuals and had returned more or less intact to deal with Earth’s anal-retentive civil authorities for several months of hell. She felt more confident in her abilities and opinions than she had prior to her ordeal.

Olivia would never be content with going to college and studying to be a civil rights lawyer, as she had thought she would before her abduction. Sure, she wanted to help others make the world a more just place, but there wasn’t only the one world anymore. Mankind had to acknowledge intelligent life existed on at least two worlds.

The angry graffiti spray-painted across the brick sidewall of the closed corner store reinforced this concept.

Jobs for humans only! Damn vampires—stay the hell away from our planet!

I figured they’d blame them for the unemployment rate sooner or later. Her friend Jace’s droll voice interrupted her thoughts.

Olivia turned and smiled at the pale, freckled kid dressed in black sweats, his baseball cap on backward as usual. He sat on his younger brother’s bicycle across the street. To think just a few decades ago this crude comment would have been directed at a particular human racial or ethnic group, she said, sighing. My, my, humanity has improved in its expressions of bigotry.

Next thing you know, they’ll be blamed for the climate changing.

And for depleting and polluting our ground water, not that fracking had anything to do with it. She shook her head in disgust, then crossed the street to give her old friend a hug. It’s so good to see you, Jace. I’m happy to know you haven’t fallen for all the bad press about the Pure Bloods and other peoples of BloodDark.

Jace brokered a weak grin. Well, I reserve the right to update my opinions of the vampires after Lauren gives me her report of what it’s like.

Olivia widened her eyes. Her jaw dropped open. "Don’t tell me... Your half-sister is actually going to become a vampire mail-order bride?"

Yep. She figures after the divorce she wants something more permanent with a guy she can trust, and when she heard how well the Pure Bloods treated their human mates and how loyal they were... He shrugged. My mom went ballistic, but Lauren is thirty years old. What can we do about it? It’s her life.

I wish you’d have contacted me earlier. I’d have set her straight. Olivia sighed. Times have changed, haven’t they?

He laughed. Ha. No kidding. To think a year ago we were both seniors in high school. Now look at us—I’m a part-time pizza delivery boy and paper deliverer and a part-time college student with a solid B average in your dad’s Civil War and Reconstruction history class, and you’re a... whatever you are. You finally got your high school diploma, right?

My GED. I took the test while I was in quarantine. It helped to pass the time.

I’d forgotten they’d locked you all up like you were criminals, thinking you could be contagious or something. He lowered his voice. It must have been unpleasant.

Not all of it. Olivia smiled to herself as she remembered that for six weeks, she’d had Hernando’s attention almost to herself in their group confinement. We were allowed carefully monitored phone calls and visits from family members—only those deemed not to be security risks—and they had to swear not to reveal our presence to anyone on fear of imprisonment. Other than those Orwellian conditions, it was a nice, long vacation.

Jace narrowed his eyes, crossed his arms, and leaned back. Sure, a vacation. I’d almost believe you. If it hadn’t been for the one investigative reporter and his online broadcasts breaking your story around the world, I’m not sure you and the others would have been released at all.

She nodded. You’re right. We all are grateful to Mr. Galindez and his team for getting our stories out there. After all, Hernando representing the government of BloodDark deserved better. Locking up diplomats is a crime.

Not when it could mean the end of the world as we know it, it isn’t. Jace nodded toward the graffiti. They should have realized when the public found out we’d been visited by aliens for over a millennium and we could travel there ourselves, we’d want changes for the better here on this planet. The number of governments toppled and career politicians out of a job these days? He gave a long whistle. You’ve really shaken things up here in the ‘hood, Ollie.

Me? She looked cross-eyed at him and stuck out her tongue. I’m not powerful. I’m just one woman who wants to normalize relations between our two worlds.

One woman with a friend who owns a very cool limo with dark window tinting, it seems.

Olivia spun around. The vehicle Jace had observed came up the road behind her. The official flag of the BloodDark government—a half-white, half-red circle against a dark-blue, starry background—fluttered from the car’s antenna. It pulled up to the corner and stopped. The back window lowered, revealing the passenger within.

Get in, Olivia. We need to talk, Hernando said.

Chapter Two

Wow, what a quick reply. I just left you a voice mail.

I didn’t see it. I must have missed it. Hernando took out his smartphone and fumbled with it for a moment.

Olivia forgot how uncomfortable Hernando was with all the Earth technology thrust upon him as the BloodDark ambassador and wondered if he’d consider hiring her back as his personal assistant. She turned and waved goodbye to Jace, then crawled into the backseat. The driver drove toward her house.

Hey, I was going the opposite way. She took the phone from Hernando and showed him how to retrieve his messages and then put it to his ear to listen. You don’t mind visiting Britt’s house for a few hours, do you?

Uh, thanks, and no, we can’t stop for a visit to Britt’s. I need you to gather your things as quick as you can if you’re going to come with me. It’s what you’re saying in this voice mail, right?

It is, but... Guilt washed over her. I was thinking of leaving after the holidays. Remember, I told you about this big reunion my family is planning. I don’t want to disappoint them.

"Of course not. It’s why I let you go home in the first place. Your parents needed you. It was stressful for them while you were... away. You traveling all over your own planet with me didn’t ease their stress upon your return. Perhaps it’s better if you stay with them for a little while longer."

She wrinkled up her nose as they turned into the driveway. You sound so mature and reasonable, Hernando. Makes me feel childish for whining in the first place.

You have the right to feel the way you do. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her until she melted against him. I’ve missed you these past few weeks, Olivia.

I’ve missed you, too. She snuggled closer. Is this why you dropped by the neighborhood?

Not entirely. I was on my way to a solar-powered vehicle manufacturing conference in Detroit so I thought I’d stop by and give you this. He scooted away and reached into a cloth bag marked as an official diplomatic pouch from BloodDark and handed her two letters. Both Valori and Annara wrote to you.

Thanks. Olivia accepted the envelopes with a smile, cherishing the familiar handwriting on them. It’s so old-fashioned, but nice. I wish we girls could talk online or text in real time but I suppose the laws of physics must be obeyed.

Hernando laughed. "You sound like the determined scientist who kept grilling us about how the Portal worked right after we arrived. The laws of physics must be obeyed! he kept saying over and over. Why should space-warping, sub-atomic particles obey a boring person like him? He really thought he was Earth’s smartest person."

As if. Olivia rolled her eyes and giggled. "What part about your explanation of an instantaneous trans-dimensional