Day The White Leopard

Therimau Book 1
1. Auflage 2023
ISBN: 978-1-6678-9207-8
Verlag: BookBaby
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet/DL/kein Kopierschutz

E-Book, Englisch, 332 Seiten

Larkyn never knew her family, and she's been abused by everyone who claimed to love her. Cyrus has been searching for his father's killer for five years. When he receives word that a young woman has been severely traumatized by the same man who killed his father, he vows vengeance. Will Larkyn survive the trauma she has endured and accept her place amongst her people? Will Cyrus choose to let the will of fate pass final judgement? For mature readers only.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Day, Melissa

Leseproben

Chapter 1 Larkyn Two Weeks Later. Beep. Beep. “She’s coming around.” Beep. Beep. “Her blood pressure and pulse are stable.” “Larkyn? Can you hear me?” Beep. Beep. I try opening my eyes but close them again. The light is so bright. I don’t know where I am or who is talking to me, but I thought… “Larkyn, open your eyes and look at me. I am Dr. Sanlyn. Can you hear me?” I blink a few times to shake the heaviness of lost time from my eyes. My vision is blurry, and I’m confused. “Larkyn, can you tell me your full name?” Why does this doctor insist I answer at this very moment. I look up at him and I still can’t see clearly. Everything’s so blurry. I close my eyes once again and open them one more time before answering. “My name is Larkyn Blanton.” I try to look around and all I see is the doctor who is talking to me. “Where am I, and how did I get here?” Dr. Sanlyn says to me, “You are on the recovery floor at Saint Gerome Hospital. What do you remember?” I have to think about it for a minute. The last thing I remember was having a fight with my husband Seth and… Wait… “My husband and I had a fight. I remember after the fight he left, and I took a bath.” I try to remember but everything is so fuzzy. After a few more moments, it all comes crashing back to me. “I tried to kill myself.” I say in a quiet voice. “I thought I succeeded.” My vision is clearing, and I turn to look out the window that is to the right of my bed. “How did I get here?” I ask again. I look at Dr. Sanlyn, seeing him clearly now. He is kind of tall, about five feet seven inches. The lab coat hides his body frame, but I can see he has broad shoulders. He has gray hair that is cut short above his ears, and he has some wrinkles around his light brown eyes and mouth. Smile lines. He looks like he could be in his sixties. “Dr. Sanlyn?” I say. He looks down at me as if I never asked my question. “How long have I been here?” Dr. Sanlyn replies. “As of today… Fourteen days.” Sitting up in my bed I ask, “How did I get here?” Dr. Sanlyn answers with a strained look on his face. “Your landlord received multiple complaints from your neighbors of yelling, screaming and loud noises coming from your apartment. He called the police, asking them to check on the residents and to make sure the disturbances cease.” Dr. Sanlyn pauses for a moment before he continues. “Larkyn, they found you almost lifeless in your bathtub.” Well… they did check on me, but only to make the noise and screaming stop. Dr. Sanlyn then continues… “You flatlined four times, twice in the squad and once upon arriving at the ER. After a few minutes of me receiving you, you flatlined a fourth time and I was able to bring you back. You were dead for a total of fifteen minutes.” He takes a moment as he stares at me thoughtfully, then takes a deep breath. “We ran tests to see if there were any signs of damage from the lack of oxygen to your brain, but everything seems normal.” After a few seconds of studying me, he says, “Larkyn, you should not be alive.” I did succeed. I was dead. So why did I come back to this life that never wanted me in the first place? A heaviness that is all too familiar settles in my chest and I want to ask him why he brought me back. But I don’t. I’m afraid of his answer. Instead, I go back to the scene I remember before I retreated in my bathroom: the dinner table broke in pieces on the floor as Seth lifted it in his rage. Food and dishes scattered on the floor. The fear as I was held up against the wall at eye-level with Seth. My final acceptance of death… “Larkyn?” Dr. Sanlyn says my name, bringing me back to the present. I look up at him. “Do you have anyone I can call? A friend, or a family member? I want to release you the day after tomorrow. You should not be alone right now.” In a quiet voice I answered him. “No. It’s just my husband and I don’t know where he is. I have no family or friends. I am alone.” I look down at myself and wonder why there are no wires attached, then I remember Dr. Sanlyn had said I have been here for fourteen days. “What day is it?” “It’s Wednesday, early afternoon.” I nod my head and throw back the covers to get up. Dr. Sanlyn lays a hand on my shoulder urging me to stay in bed and I flinch. He pulls his hand back to his side and backs up a few steps. “Where are you going to go? Your husband is still out there, you cannot go back to your apartment, you will not be safe there.” “I have no other place to go.” I tell him, hoping he will just let me go without another word, but to my disappointment he doesn’t. “Larkyn, where are your parents? Your family?” Dr. Sanlyn asks me with a grim look on his face, studying me. “I don’t know. They abandoned me after the wedding. My husband…” I pause and cringe at the title I gave Seth and turn to look out the window again before I continue. “Seth said they didn’t want me anymore after the wedding, that I am now his burden.” I feel my eyes fill with tears and try not to let them fall but they do and soak my cheeks once again. Dr. Sanlyn’s facial expression changes from the grim look he was giving me to that same look I always saw in Seth’s eyes before he was consumed with rage. Except I see a soul and an emotion I think might be pity in Dr. Sanlyn’s eyes. In the memory I cower in my bed, trying to get as far away as I can. When I realize I can’t go anywhere, I bunch the covers up to my chest and sink back into the pillows. I look up at Dr. Sanlyn, trying to predict if something bad will happen, but nothing does. Dr. Sanlyn’s expression softens as I look up at him. “Larkyn, you are safe here. Your husband will be detained on sight should he walk on hospital premises. Rest now and I will be back to check in on you a little later.” With that, the doctor who tried to reassure my safety, leaves my hospital room without another word. Several minutes pass before I look around my room to take in my surroundings. It looks like any other room on the floor of a hospital except the chest of drawers has a vase of fake flowers and two leopard statues. The door to the bathroom is not a normal bathroom door. I get up from the bed and approach the closed door with caution in case someone is behind it. No. Dr. Sanlyn said I am safe here and I shake my head, then study the door. There are leopards carved into the wood and the door itself has been burned. The carvings are beautiful, and I touch them with my fingertip. Two leopards are side by side, one bigger than the other. The big one is looking at the smaller one protectively, and the smaller one is in a sitting position looking downward at a group of leopards. The group are also sitting but seems to be looking upward. Tracing my fingers down the carvings, I noticed the leopards are spaced apart, like they are mimicking the shape of a pyramid. Studying the carvings, I can’t help but think how beautiful this is and I am entranced by it. It’s beautiful. There are no colors, but the burning of the door gives it a beautiful antique look. The handle on the door comes just above my waist. Turning the knob and pulling the door open, the bathroom looks normal in size, having a sink sitting in the middle of a small countertop. A fresh hospital gown, socks, and boxer shorts are neatly folded on the far corner of the counter. A toothbrush, tube of toothpaste, deodorant, and a brush are laid beside the gown for me to use. Fresh towels and rags have been placed on a towel rack on the far back wall. I disrobe, allowing the gown to fall to the floor. Stepping in the shower, I turn the water on to a comfortable temperature and allow myself a few minutes to feel the water gently pour over my body. I look down at my wrists and see the damage. I still have stitches and the wounds are covered with a clear bandage and tape. I turn to face the water that is cascading down my back and as soon as the water hits my face, I cry. I don’t understand why I’m still alive to continue suffering in this agonizing existence of pain and emptiness. *** Cyrus Sitting at my desk, I look around my study and I remember my father, Edwyn, sitting here just like I am, trying to find a way to save our people from extinction. He was no closer than I and we have nothing to show for all the sleepless nights and lost days. Being the successful attorney he was, he created his own law firm, Meleyda & Meleyda Associates, with several attorneys who work for him. His firm is the base for our people and serves as the main income for some and a haven for others. I remember how angry he was, even with his success, he was not able to find a solution to not only protect our people but to help us rebuild and thrive once again. As a child I didn’t understand why he was always in here and why I was never allowed to disturb him. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I understood, but I wish he would have included me. I worked with my father as a partner in his firm when I graduated law school. After twenty years, I have created a nice cushion for myself and eventually, my Queen. After the death of my father, I now solely run his firm, still employing the attorneys he started with. Though I no longer practice law, I am still CEO of my father’s firm and I take advice from his chosen attorneys and help decide which cases the firm takes on. Once I find my...