Eternal Descendants

ETERNAL DESCENDANTS ETERNAL SAGA: BOOK 1 EMORY GAYLE Copyright © Clan Whelan Publishing. Cover design by Joy Design Studio. Cover copyright © Clan Whelan Publishing. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book contains content that might be troubling for some readers, including, but not limited to, violence, sexual encounters, and adult language. Please be mindful of these and other possible triggers. For Jon, Oakley and London. My most favorite people on this planet. CONTENTS Chapter 1 Mellie Chapter 2 Erich Chapter 3 Erich Chapter 4 Somewhere in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada Chapter 5 Mellie Chapter 6 Erich Chapter 7 Mellie Chapter 8 Erich Chapter 9 Erich Chapter 10 Mellie Chapter 11 Erich Chapter 12 Mellie Chapter 13 Mellie Chapter 14 Erich Chapter 15 Mellie Chapter 16 Erich Chapter 17 Mellie Chapter 18 Erich Chapter 19 Mellie Chapter 20 Erich Chapter 21 Mellie Chapter 22 Erich Chapter 23 Mellie Chapter 24 Erich Chapter 25 Mellie Chapter 26 Mellie Chapter 27 Erich Chapter 28 Mellie Chapter 29 Mellie Chapter 30 Erich Chapter 31 Mellie Chapter 32 Erich Chapter 33 Mellie Chapter 34 Erich Chapter 35 Mellie Chapter 36 Erich Chapter 37 Mellie Chapter 38 Erich Chapter 39 Mellie Chapter 40 Erich Chapter 41 Mellie Chapter 42 Erich Chapter 43 Mellie Chapter 44 Erich Chapter 45 Mellie Chapter 46 Erich Chapter 47 Mellie Chapter 48 Erich Chapter 49 Mellie Chapter 50 Erich Chapter 51 Mellie Chapter 52 Erich Chapter 53 Erich Chapter 54 Mellie Chapter 55 Erich Glossary Author Note Acknowledgments Review and Recommend CWP Newsletter CWP Authors and Books CHAPTER 1 MELLIE Happy birthday to me. Twenty-five years old and not a soul to spend it with. How pathetic am I? The bus ground to a halt, and another swarm of sweaty passengers got on. The moisture level went up several notches, making it that much harder to breathe. The air conditioning did nothing to tame the heat monster that attacked every passenger within. To make matters worse, the smell was like we were stewing in the belly of the beast itself. “Excuse me,” a fragile voice spoke as a finger tapped my shoulder. I glared up over my sunglasses at an old woman carrying a large grocery bag. “Would you mind moving over?” I had spread out on the seat to dissuade the creepy male who had been staring at me for the last ten stops. He wasn’t a regular passenger and had my nerves buzzing. “Of course,” I said with a smile. I dropped my knee from the seat and shuffled over so she could rest. Her hair was tucked up into a small bun, and she had the bluest eyes I had ever seen—that did not match the age she appeared. Slight in frame, she looked as if a good breeze could blow her over. “Let me take that for you.” I lifted the paper bag full of groceries out of her hands and set it on my lap. “Thank you, ever so much. So kind,” she said and slowly lowered herself to the seat. Grabbing a flyer out of her oversized purse, she fanned herself. “It’s hotter than Hades in here.” I laughed and nodded. “It’s supposed to get worse this weekend.” “Really? My poor plants. They are having the worst time of it in this heat.” “I know what you mean. An extra evening watering has been working to keep mine a little happier,” I suggested. “That’s a great idea. I will do that. Are you a gardener?” “I—I just have a way with plants,” I replied. Which was true. Since I could remember, things grew easily for me. I just seemed to know what they wanted. “That’s lovely. It’s such a rare talent these days.” “Thank you. That’s a pretty pin you have. I’ve always liked owls.” “Me too. They are wise.” We lapsed into a comfortable quiet as the bus rolled along. I settled in for the long ride home from work. Even though Regina wasn’t the biggest city, its bus routes weren’t the best, which meant I was riding the bus for a solid hour each way. I worked at a small local plant shop called Fat Plant in the industrial area of downtown. My talents with plants had come in handy a couple of summers ago and I managed to secure a job on a permanent basis with their staff. I loved it. While I was working, I felt more at ease than when I was just about anywhere else. Plants always made me feel welcome. Plus, my boss was awesome, and the staff appreciated the work I did. Their sales had almost doubled since I started there. The bus went over the Albert Street Bridge, and I looked out at the lake. Wascana Lake might have been manmade, but it was pretty, and it gave the city a beautiful green space at its heart to enjoy. With a walking path all around the lake and lots of scenery, including thousands of Canadian geese that nested there every year, it was a popular place whether you wanted to take your baby for a stroll or get in a two-mile run. Looking through the window I could see some people braving the heat to play frisbee on the front lawn of the Parliament Building. The green copper-roofed dome of the provincial building was a common architectural feature of Canadian parliamentary structures. I found myself wondering if they had intended for the dome to turn green when they chose copper for the roof, or if it was a happy accident. A tingle on the back of my neck made me turn around. I could feel someone’s eyes on me. Sure enough, I saw the creepy guy sitting four rows back from me. His eyes were dark, his skin sickly pale