Fading Darkness (Bloodmarked #1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

and just needing to be far away from the events of
the night. I ended up in one of my favorite places in the city, the cemetery.
    It has become almost laughable that my life
has begun to feel like one long, and as of lately, endless string of monster
movie clichés. Here I was, standing in what appeared to be a giant stone garden
of divine figures under the bright, full moon with gnarled old trees all around
baring their twisted and broken bones in preparation of the changing seasons.
The falling leaves were just another reminder of death, along with the shorter
days and bitter cold that accompanies the approach of winter. I just saw Count
Dracula, so I stood expectantly, still waiting for the sound of a distant howl
or the silhouette of a witch on her broomstick flying across the pale moon.
Nothing. Well, I guess it was good to know there were no other kinds of
monsters in my own horror story.
    I walked through the maze of stone crosses
and angels and settled into my usual spot by the grieving angel. There was just
something about her figure slumped over the grave in complete despair and
anguish that drew me in and tugged at a tormented and very familiar string in
my heart. It was painfully and heartbreakingly beautiful, and for me, almost
comforting. This was my place, the place I felt most at ease, and as I lied
their letting the cold from the ground creep through my layers of clothing and
into my skin numbing it, I began to wind down.
    I sifted through some of the softer rock
songs on my iPod as I let my eyes drift from one grave-marker to another. There
was one that looked like an archangel that was put there to protect all who
were buried here from being disturbed in their eternal sleep.
    I would never benefit from his protection.
Eternal sleep was never an option for me. I would be forever stuck in this
horror story, only wishing I could be lucky enough to die as a normal human
being. Except, I’d really just be wondering when I, too, would become the worst
monster of all.
    I stared at the angel’s high and mighty
stance, sword in hand and masculine figure. His face held strong features and
was, well, angelic, but when it started looking like a certain detestable
vampire I quickly turned away. I felt my pulse picking up and my cheeks burn with
the thought of his arrogant superior tone, insulting me, insinuating I wasn’t a
good enough killer. Like he was any better at it. Although, he was very precise
and damn was he fast.
    Grrrr !
    I switched my iPod to a much harder song
with a lot of cussing and headed back to my apartment hoping a good night’s
sleep would erase some of the confusion of tonight’s events. I was starting to
regret wishing for an eventful night. Vampires working with other vampires, to kill
me no less. A vampire helping me , a human (for lack of a better word). No
thank you. Not tonight.
    †
    I woke to the setting sun and my phone
beeping telling me I had a voicemail. I hauled myself to the side of the bed
and reached down to grab my phone wear I had tossed it on the floor before I
passed out. I checked the missed call list and it showed a missed call from
Holly earlier this afternoon. It was beginning to bug me that I couldn’t
understand why I always felt so drained all the time after fights, even more-so
after really big fights like last night. Again, I wasn’t so sure I could handle
the answer to a question like that, one that points me more in the direction
toward the dark part of my life.
    Sometimes I felt like clinging to my human
life as hard as I could, but then the guilt sets in, and I knew I didn’t
deserve a normal human life when the rest of my family didn’t get that
opportunity, most likely because of me and what I am, definitely not human and
especially not normal. Plus, it felt like the more I clung to human lives by acquainting
myself with them, the more I pulled them into the darkness with me, and I
couldn’t risk getting them killed like my family.
    My biggest regret has