Nonetheless

By Xlibris US

Cassandra Bloodstone and her family are on the run again and things arent as sunshiny and rainbows as they would hope. The Bloodstones are faced with new challenges, such as a pack of wolves that want their blood and the inevitable boredom that comes along with long road trips. They cant seem to catch a break.
If Cassie and her family win the oncoming battle, they could be normal at last, well almost normal. If they lose well, that just meant death. But they all knew that when they banded together in the first place.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 17, 2014
• ISBN: 9781493175116

Book preview

1. PROLOGUE

M Y NAME IS Cassandra Bloodstone, and The Hunt thirst for my blood. I have evaded them too many times in the past sixteen years, and I have two options. I could join The Hunt and leave my family forever, or I could refuse and have The Hunt kill me and everyone I love.

And I have chosen to refuse. Magic can barely help what I have gotten myself, and my family, into. The Hunt will find us, one way or another, and kill us slowly and painfully.

We are on the run, but we can’t run forever. We are all tired of running away from the inevitable, and this time we are going to fight.

My family and I have tricks up our sleeves that could literally blow The Hunt away, but that isn’t enough. Killing one of The Hunt wouldn’t be enough. We have to kill them all, or they will just rise up again and the whole vicious cycle will repeat itself.

I am Cassie Bloodstone, and I am the only thing standing in between The Hunt and the destruction of the world. I am the girl wolf, a Magic-worker, and a master of Weightlessness, and I refuse to be beaten.

I am Cassie, and my family and I are ready to rid the world of The Hunt once and for all.

2. BIRTHDAYS AND PRACTICE

H APPY BIRTHDAY TO you  . . . Happy Birthday to you  . . .  Happy Birthday dear Cee and Jay! Happy Birthday to you! We all sang as the twins blew out their birthday candles. Their blue eyes were shining with excitement.

And many more! Dylan sang like an opera singer. Danny, the twins and I all laughed.

Thanks for the party, Cassie! Cee said, running up to me and giving me a big hug. Cee and I looked around at the party. It was at a clearing in the middle of the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri; it was decorated with streamers, pink and black balloons, and lanterns that lit up the space just like the sun would, since the sun had long since fallen.

Yeah, thanks Cass! Jay said, looking at the cake. I knew he wanted to start eating the cake by the handfuls, because I wanted to do the same; the presence of sugar made us all a little eager.

Cee was by her brother’s side in a flash, poking his cheeks and having a miniature slap fight. Daniel playfully broke the two up, and they were all laughing like crazy.

How old are you guys anyway? Daniel said, ruffling the twins’ red hair. Nine? Ten? He guessed. Cee and Jay brushed him off.

Eleven. They both said simultaneously, in the same flat tone. Daniel made a face.

I knew that! Daniel said. I walked over to them and punched my cousin in the arm. He rubbed his arm playfully.

Mm hm, of course you knew that, I said with a smirk. I was playing just as much as Daniel was; he has loved Cee since we first met them, which was almost a year ago. He knew everything about her, and ultimately her twin brother, Jay. It was just like how I knew practically everything about my love, Dylan.

Give it a rest, guys! Dylan said, flipping his long blonde hair out of his clear blue eyes and pushing Danny and I away from each other. Let’s dig in! We all agreed on that one!

The cake was cut and I was putting the slices on plates. I handed Cee a plate, which she looked at briefly. She pulled at my sleeve.

Shouldn’t we wait until Matt and Shyowa come back? she said with a worried look on her face. Matt, the Alpha, and Shyowa, the (second) love of his life, went out early that morning to scout the area for any signs of The Hunt. They were gone for nearly twenty-four hours.

I’m sure they’re fine, Cee, I said, holding the plate out for her again. She took it, reluctantly at first, but after the first bite, all reluctance was lost. We all got cake and sat down onto the soft grass. We were quiet for a while, munching on our cake, but the mood suddenly turned somber.

I wonder what’s taking them so long, Daniel said to his plate. I knew he wasn’t worried about them genuinely; he was trying to sympathize with Cee.

It’s probably nothing, guys, Dylan said, trying to lighten the mood. He hated nothing more than a bad atmosphere. Dylan is naturally funny, and most times he doesn’t even know it.

"It is nothing, I said, standing up and letting my plate and fork fall from my lap. They disappeared just before they hit the ground. Danny, Dylan, Cee and Jay did the same, and their plates and forks disappeared too. They’ll be here soon."

Without a word, Cee and Jay scooped up their weapons: a bow and arrow for Cee, and a sword for Jay. They were both equally talented in the other’s weapon of choice, but they chose to stick with their favorites. They looked at the rest of us expectantly, their eyes relaying the clear message: "Well?" The sky was pitch black, but the lanterns helped us out a bit. The twins refused to just sit there and wait until Matt and Shyowa returned.

I looked at Danny and Dylan. Want to practice with them or not? I asked. Danny’s face broke into a mischievous smile. Dylan’s face was an exact replica of Danny’s. I laughed. What’ll it be?

Bow, Danny said. My cousin’s choice of weapon had nothing to do with Cee; Daniel was an expert archer, swordsman, and martial artist. I scrunched my eyes, and a simple bow and quiver filled with a dozen arrows appeared in my hands. I tossed them to Danny and he smiled.

Sword. Dylan said, looking at Jay competitively. Jay and I have a score to settle. My eyelids slide across my eyes, and when I opened them again, there was a sword in my hand. I tossed it to Dylan, and he deftly caught it by the hilt.

And they were all off. Dylan and Jay started sparring furiously, looking like each of them were intent on trying to cut one another’s head off. Danny and Cee were shooting arrows, and they were competing to see who could shoot the highest.

Magic was my thing. I had control over the Magic of Earth, meaning that I could chuck very heavy rocks at my enemy’s head and kill them. My other power made up for the lameness of my first Magic: I could make anything I ever wanted just by imagining it. That proved to be the most useful of my Magical abilities since our nomadic lifestyle made it hard to walk into a store or keep a job.

I could also transform parts of my body into a wolf’s body. For instance, I could be human and have a wolf paw instead of a hand. My last power isn’t really considered Magic: Weightlessness is pretty self-explanatory. The ability of Weightlessness is gravity having little or no effect on your body, and it’s probably my favorite power. You learn it, and it’s something very few people can do . . . but it’s also extremely dangerous for beginners. I smiled, and charged a tree.

I took three steps up the tree trunk, and I jumped effortlessly to the next tree limb, swinging myself around like a gymnast. I finally sat down on the limb and let myself relax.

I wasn’t the only one that was able to use Magic. Cee had control of the Magic of Water, Jay had the control of the Magic of the Sky, and Shyowa could see the future and was in control of the Magic of Fire.

Oh, yeah, and Matt, Danny, Dylan, Shyowa and I could turn into werewolves. How could I forget the most important power?

I stood, no longer wanting to relax, and walked daintily to the end of the limb. I looked at the height I was at and deemed it not high enough. I launched myself into the air again, swinging from limb to limb until I was dangerously high. I couldn’t control the smile that blossomed across my face. There was something comforting about distancing myself from the surface of the Earth; maybe if I could climb high enough, I could escape my fate. I shook my head, no one could escape their destiny.

An arrow flew near me, and I caught it deftly. It was one of Danny’s arrows, and I threw it at him. It landed in the earth right before his bare feet, and he looked up at me.

What? Trying to kill me or something? I yelled at him. He laughed. Cee was looking at him, a smile creeping onto her lips.

No, not really! He called. I twitched when I let go of the string! That was a lie, no ifs ands or buts about it. I jumped off my limb and landed lightly on the ground in front of Danny. I snatched the arrow from the ground and pointed it toward him, tip first.

Daniel Orthius Bloodstone, are you lying to me? I said, using his middle name to humiliate him. His cheeks instantly flushed red and his brown eyes were daggers. Cee burst out laughing.

Really? Daniel said, looking at me with a pissed-off expression. I just laughed and nodded my head. Cee was practically on the floor, clutching her stomach as she laughed even harder.

Really, I said. I couldn’t stand that face anymore, so I pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. Oh, c’mon Danny! Don’t be such a sourpuss! I said in a baby voice. He pushed me away from him, trying desperately to hide the smile that was on his face.

Don’t be such an annoying-! Danny was starting to counter, but he was cut off by a scream.

MATT! SHYOWA! Jay said, and the melodious sound of metal colliding with metal stopped. I looked at Jay, and all I saw were two swords on the ground where Dylan and Jay were sparring. Then I saw it . . .

Matt and Shy were limping into the clearing, as wolves; both were barely conscious and their faces were set into grimaces of pain. Danny, Cee and I were at their sides in an instant. Dylan and Jay were just visible through the thick trunks of the trees; they were on high alert, looking around and making sure there was nothing abnormal out there.

Matt collapsed onto the ground, breathing hard, and then phased. There was a cut right next to his hairline, stretching from his left ear to the middle of his forehead. Blood was gushing down his face like a waterfall. He had a series of scratches and punctures all over his shoulders, chest and back, but none proved life-threatening.

Everything else faded, and all I saw was Matt. I pulled my T-shirt over my head, thankful that I chose to where a black tank top under it today, and pressed it firmly to Matt’s cut. A sharp inhalation was the only sound that confirmed that Matt was in a lot of pain. His eyes opened slightly and locked on my face.

Cassie . . . Matt said weakly, as if he was just noticing who I was.

Matt! What happened? I said frantically. Dylan and Jay were rushing back to us, and it was Dylan that answered my question.

Wolves, he said, sniffing the air cautiously. Smells like Kaynati has come back for revenge.

Kaynati, I thought viciously. She and her pack had wanted Dylan to be their Alpha, and when they found out he was a werewolf, they wanted to kill him. Good thing I was there to stop them . . . It appears as though they wanted a rematch. My fists clenched until my knuckles were white, and my face broke out into a devilish grin.

Perfect, I knew they wanted more of this, I said, and my fists relaxed as I looked at Matt. I knew the task at hand, and it wasn’t killing those proud hounds, it was fixing Matt up. With the help of the power over my imagination, I got Matt’s wound clean, infection-free, and stitched up in no time.

I looked at Shyowa and I realized that she was still a wolf, and that she was passed out. She did have some injuries, but there weren’t any that was big enough to kill her. Cee was kneeling beside her, and I gave the little eleven-year-old a terse nod, and she returned it. It was then that I knew that Shyowa was in good hands. I walked over to Dylan.

Are you sure it was Kaynati and her pack? It could have been- I said, but Dylan cut me off.

If it was The Hunt, they would have been dead for sure, he said firmly. Plus, The Hunt doesn’t smell like that. Seeing this as a prompt, I took a deep breath through my nose. All I could smell was wet dog, raw meat, and the earthy smells of the forest. I nodded, seeing that there was no evidence that The Hunt were remotely close.

What do we do? I said.

Hunting them down would be pointless, Danny said, We’ve wasted so much time already . . .

If they want to kill us, they need to hunt us down, Dylan said in confirmation. There is no way in Hell that I’m going to lead you all to your deaths.

Waiting here is the only option we have, Jay’s voice came, and our heads whipped to look in his direction. He was helping his sister tend to Shyowa. "They are in no position to move, and I’m sure you three will be pretty reluctant to leave Cee and me alone." There was something in his tone that suggested that he knew something he shouldn’t.

We reluctantly agreed, and we made the preparations for the night. We made a fire and got everyone’s sleeping bags ready. Dylan and I tucked Matt and Shyowa into their sleeping bags gently, as if not to wake them. Seriously, they were in enough pain as it was.

We should set up a watch, Danny said, You know, just in case. Dylan and I saw right through that statement; we knew that the only reason he wanted a watch set up was so that Cee could be safe. But Dylan and I agreed, and Danny volunteered for the first watch.

I’ll be on watch with you, Jay said, and Dylan and I didn’t object as we climbed into our sleeping bags and settled down to sleep.

3. KNOWING

S LEEP WAS ABOUT to claim me when I heard someone speak. I kept my eyes closed and made sure that my muscles didn’t betray me in any way. The only thing I kept moving was my chest, allowing it to rise and fall with every measured breath.

I know, Jay said quietly.

About what? I heard Danny say lightly.

About you and Cee, Jay said, insisting that Daniel give him his full attention. I heard Daniel’s breath catch, but he quickly composed himself and continued the façade he had been keeping up since we found Cee and Jay on a boat that fateful day.

What’s there to know about? Daniel said, pulling off nonchalant quite nicely.

That you’re in love with her, Jay snapped. And I think it’s messed up that you’ve been keeping it from her this whole time. Jay’s voice was colder than ice, and it took all my might not to cringe at the coldness. Daniel was quiet, but he spoke quickly enough.

How’d you find out? he asked, and even though I couldn’t look, I knew his eyes were wide.

At Bloodstone Manor, Jay answered, also sounding nonchalant. You were telling Dylan when I walked in the back door. You guys didn’t notice so . . . I didn’t say anything.

Did you tell her? Danny said quietly, not successfully hiding the mortification in his question.

Didn’t I just say that I didn’t say anything? Jay said hotly, but I knew it wasn’t really how he felt. I figured that it wasn’t my secret to tell. What I want to know is: when were you planning on telling her?

When this whole thing was over, after we killed The Hunt, Daniel said. There was a pause, and then Jay broke it with seven simple words.

She likes you, you know that, right? Jay said matter-of-factly.

"She – she does?" Danny said, the optimism in his voice tangible.

"Cee liked you from day one. But now I think she likes you, likes you, Jay said. Whenever I ask her about it, she acts weird, as if I don’t know what’s going on."

You think I should tell her? Danny said, unclear about where this conversation was going.

Oh, gosh no! Jay exclaimed, amazingly keeping his voice down. "That would be way too crazy for her! Definitely wait until after the war."

Good. Danny said. Why did you tell me?

Thought it would be useful for you to know, Jay replied simply. Do Matt and Shy know?

Nope. Only Cassie, Dylan, and now you, Danny said.

You are really good at keeping secrets then, Jay said.

I guess, but you could give me a run for my money, Danny shot back. Jay laughed softly.

I could . . . he said confidently. Then it was Danny’s turn to laugh.

They became quiet once more, and I felt sleep pulling at me. The last thing I remember was wondering if Cee had heard the conversation too.

4. RECOVERING

I WOKE UP WITH a start, remembering the conversation I listened to last night. The memory of it made me flush. I quickly tamed my hair by braiding it to the side, and it was only then that I looked at everyone.

Cee looked oddly reserved as she sat by the makeshift fire pit and idly played with one of her aquamarine arrows. Dylan and Danny were getting Matt and Shyowa up, or trying to, anyways. Jay was hanging upside down on a tree limb above Cee.

I made some clothes that would fit Matt and Shyowa, who had finally phased in the middle of the night, and walked them over to them. Thought this might be useful, I said, handing them the clothes. They took the clothes graciously; even though we were family, none of us wanted to see the other naked. I mean, come on, would you want to see your parents naked? Yeah, I didn’t think so. It was the same thing in this scenario.

Thanks, Cass, Dylan said playfully, "I was already scarred for life by a naked person, I don’t think I need to go through that again," I chuckled, remembering when I accidentally phased in front of him and he had fainted.

Ew. Danny said in response. Thanks, Cassie, One look at him made color flush into my cheeks. I should not have listened to that conversation.

No problem, I managed to say evenly before my stomach growled. I’m going to catch some breakfast, anyone want to come? I asked.

Cee surprisingly sprang up. I’ll go! I blinked a couple times; Cee never wanted to go hunting. Oh well, I thought. She grabbed her bow and arrows and I made a half-dozen spears appear, and we were off.

Cee and I trekked out about a half-mile away from our campsite, and the forest came to life before our eyes. Acting on Cee’s idea, we flew up a tree to get an advantage over the animals on the ground. There would have been more animals, if Cee could have kept her mouth shut.

I had a weird dream last night, she said, almost sounding angry. Want to hear about it? I looked at her, my eyebrows raised.

Do I have a choice? I sighed playfully. Cee’s eyes were like daggers. Just kidding. Sure. My answer sparked something in her, and she was suddenly babbling like she was going to die in two minutes and she wanted to get her say in.

"So, it went like this: Danny and Jay were talking, and for some reason they were talking about me. And then Jay said something like, ‘I know you’re in love with Cee’ and Danny got all scared, and then they started talking about how