Beginning of the Spenser ~ Laurence Trilogy

Chapter 1

I was being hunted. My heart raced wildly, threatening to break free from my chest as I ran at my full

speed through the forest. My throat ached with the amount of air I was forcing into my lungs, but I didn't pause

to think about the burning. I continued through the forest unguided by anything but my own need to get to safety

and to protect those who I loved. I dodged left to avoid a tree and ended up in a patch of vines. Their thorns

cutting easily through my skin leaving it raw. I broke free from the tangled mess and continued to run. Wincing

as the wind caused the cuts on my skin to burn but I willed my tired legs to go further, to press harder; to

escape.

I could feel rather than see the people pursing me through the dense trees. They were getting closer and I

had to stay ahead of them for a little while longer. I couldn't give up, I wouldn't give up. Not now. Not after

everything I had been through. The group was closing in and I was starting to panic. My mind was starting to shut

down when I heard it. The most beautiful sound in the world. His voice calling my name. I changed my direction

slightly towards the voice. The trees thinned out and I saw him standing at the edge of the forest, a shinning

beacon of hope. I almost cried at the sight of him.

"Rowan!" He yelled and I forced myself to concentrate. He started running towards me. "Rowan, behind

you!" I threw my head back to glance behind me and could see my attackers come out of the trees right on my

heels. There were five of them fast approaching me throwing their curses in my direction and in his. I was

overcome with sudden fear that he would get hurt.

"Turn around, go back," I yelled at him but either he didn't hear me or didn't listen to me because he

continued toward me. I watched as the bright red lights whizzed past me hitting nearby trees. The light burned

everything that it touched. It burned holes straight through the trunks of hundred year old trees. The light was

getting closer and closer to hitting it's mark; me. I ducked as I felt the heat of the light right behind me and

then it happened. It was like everything stood still. The girl to my left sent off a spark of light speeding towards

him. I was powerless to stop it. There was nothing I could do but watch in horror as the light hit him squarely in

the chest. He crumpled to the ground as a cry was ripped from my throat.

"No!" His body shook and trembled as the full effects of the curse took hold of his body. I could hear the

girls laughter behind me as I skidded to a stop beside him. He clutched at his chest where he had been hit and I

watched as his eyes glazed over with pain. I knew that he was dying.

My attackers surrounded me in a half circle, leaving me no escape. I stood up and whirled around to face

them.

"Hand over the amulet and we'll let you live," the woman who had ended my world said. I hated her more

than I hated any person. The man on the forest floor was the love of my life and she was responsible for taking

him from me. I could feel the anger rise within me and I let it flow through my body. The power started low in

my stomach but quickly spread like wildfire as I watched her and her smug smile. I touched the amulet she had

mentioned. The necklace. The necklace was made out of onyx, black as night cut into a perfect circle with a

blood-red ruby spiral that dropped down into the middle. "That's it, just hand it over." I looked up at her then,

dropping my hand from the necklace.

"No," I said quietly.

"Don't do this to yourself. He's already dead. No one can save you now. Give it to me and you live, don't

give it to me and I'll kill you. Either way, I get the amulet. It's your call." She stepped forward with her hand

outstretched. I heard a thudding in my ears but I attributed it to the adrenaline rush I was experiencing and

refocused on the woman in front of me. She could have no idea who I really was so I let her have a taste. The

power roll off of me in waves. All the emotions I was going through added to the power and changed the

atmosphere around us. I surprised them. I could see the fear and uncertainly in all of their eyes. They hadn't

been expecting this, they hadn't been expecting a fair fight; they hadn't been expecting me. They hadn't known

that I was ready for them. The thudding returned in my ears, louder this time, as I raised my arms. The power

pooled together as balls of light in my hands but before I could release my curse on them they disappeared along

with the forest and the dying man behind me.

I sat straight up in bed dripping in sweat, disoriented and unsure of where I was. It took me a full minute

to realize the thudding in my ears had been knocking at my door and as I looked around at the moving boxes

and piles of clothes in the dimly lit room I understood it had all be a dream. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I

had been holding trying to release the tension in my body. I dragged my body out of bed to answer the door

before my visitor woke up the entire neighborhood. I wrenched the door open to see my dad standing on the

other side looking concerned, or maybe a better word would be exasperated. A sudden fear gripped me as I went

through the reasons why my dad would be at my door in the middle of the night.