Anastasia (The Bolton Series Book 1) by Heaven Lyanne Flores Page A

causing me to fidget with the hem of my shirt. I wasn’t use to people staring at me.
    “Emilie and he,” Emilie said pointing to the man who was still staring at me with the apple in his hand. “Is Weldon.”
    Weldon nodded in acknowledgment as his eyes traveled over my body. I wanted to hide behind a wall at his stare. I was not used to such looks. It was surreal. No guy had ever looked at me like that. I was always the quiet, plain girl. There was never anything special about me other than my eyes. Their extra blue tint always got compliments.
    “Are you hungry?” Yelson asked as he walked around me. I could feel the heat that radiated off him like a furnace.
    “No, thank you. I am just a bit tired. We didn’t really get a restful night’s sleep.” My mind went back to the night before, to sleeping in a thin, cold, sleeping bag on top of hard weeds and dirt.
    “I can show you to your room.” Weldon replied from across the kitchen. His eye’s still held that glint in them and his face still wore that hungry smile.
    “That’s alright Weldon, I can do it.” The edge in Yelson’s voice got Weldon to back down from his offer. I could see Emilie smirk at the exchange before she smiled at me. Arabella still stared at me in awe.
    I said my goodbyes and followed Yelson back to the living area and into the hallway off the left side of the room by one of the staircases.
    There were four doors lining the right side and three on the left. Yelson walked to the second to last door on the right and opened it. A four-poster bed with light blue bedding was in the middle of the room, an antique dresser was on the right, and a matching vanity was on the left. It was plain and I oddly liked it, it wasn’t as if I would be staying there long.
    “The bathroom is across the hall. My room is next door at the end of the hall so if you need anything just let me know.”
    “Thank you Yelson.” I grabbed my pack from him and closed the door when he walked away.
    I stared at the room. This is where I would be living until I find my family, and I would find them. Tomorrow I will talk to Cabel about it. Ask him about Daruka and why he wants me dead. Tomorrow I would get my answers.
    I grabbed the book Simon had packed for me. It was about zombies, of course. Simon could not get enough of those books. I spent the rest of the day reading until my body called for sleep. However, that sleep did not come easily. 
    “Dad?” My father looked up at my voice. I gasped in horror when I saw his eyes. They were all white, lifeless, yet dark. His once smiling face crumbled in ashes before my eyes. The invisible fire ate away at his body, leaving nothing in its wake.
    “Annie, run.” Simon’s voice bounded within my head. I searched for my brother around the endless black room but he was nowhere in sight. “Just run!”
    My body started moving without my consent. Almost as if someone else was commanding it.
    I ran farther away from the smoldering ashes of my father. I ran into the nothingness before me, not knowing where I would be running too. I trusted my brother enough to know he would not send me to my death. He was saving me, even if I could not see who or what he was saving me from.
    A small light appeared to my right. I followed it until it grew into a giant orb floating in front of me. The mist that glided inside looked to be searching for a way out. Slowly it found its way through the top. It moved over to envelope me in its embrace. My body froze as it tightened around me as a boa constrictor would with its prey. It tightened itself until I was gasping for breath. My lungs burned for air but I still could not move.
    “Just let it happen, Annie.” Simon? Was he doing this? Was he trying to end my life? “You can be with us if you just let it happen.”
    I shook my head back and forth. No, this is not real. Simon would never tell me to end my own life.
    Someone shook me awake from my nightmare. I shot up and looked around at the