Extraits

« Chapter One

I guess it’s easy to say in retrospect, but I probably shouldn’t have answered the door. Nevertheless the incessant banging was rudely interrupting my daydreaming.

The hammering on the door paused and my eyes flicked over to an old, leather-bound book sitting on the dresser, confirming that my dreams were actually based upon truth, and I wasn’t going quietly mad. The book had come from Eva, presented to me only minutes after returning to Daniel’s house, the night of my brief but terrifying adventures in Sebastian’s cells. I frowned remembering her words of caution…

‘What is it Eva?’ I’d whispered, as Eva had handed me a rather battered looking book, which was brown with age and had lost its slip-cover, if it ever had one. The embossed design was faded and « lattened, and the spine was damaged beyond repair. Yet despite all this it was beautiful, and it drew me in as if calling to me. I held out my hands, a feeling of yearning welling up, and a look of frustration flickering in my eyes as she held it out of reach, a half-smile dancing about her face.

‘It’s a book of shadows,’ Eva had told me. ‘A very old one, and if you’re not hunted down for your half-witch, half-vamp status, you’ll be hunted down for owning this book. So don’t mention it or show it to anyone. This is possibly the only copy in the whole of the UK.’

‘You’re joking, right?’ I’d asked nervously, my hands still itching to get a hold of it.

‘When have you ever known me to joke, Jess? This book is worth a small fortune. Even Sebastian couldn’t afford it. Luckily I had a favour to call in.’

What kind of favour would buy that? I’d wondered.

‘It’s fine, sorted,’ she said. ‘Anyway, it’s yours now. Take it,’ she added, passing me the beautiful book. »