Free The Awakening: A Witch-Vampire Romance: Feel the Heat. by Anastasha Renee Page A

ahead of ourselves.”
    “Okay… ” I looked at him with so many questions running through my head that I don’t even know where to begin.
    “Okay why don’t we start with this? You tell me where you got your talisman . How you came to be adopted, then I’ll fill you in on everything else. And, Ella,” he says with a grin. “There is a lot of else. So keep an open mind and open your heart. No matter what I tell you. Please don’t be scared or try and run.”
    I s it in the nearest chair and try to process what he just said. It closely resembles what is written in my mother’s letter. I take a calming breath and begin to tell him my story.
    “I was dropped off outside my Uncle Dan’s door when I was three months old. It would have been November. I was wrapped in a pink blanket and I had a letter and my necklace tucked inside the blanket I was wrapped in. My uncle was barely eighteen at the time and he couldn’t keep me or care for me himself, but his sister was older and already married to a respected man in the community. So he took me to her and they adopted me. I grew up in a household where you didn’t speak unless you were spoken to. When I was three years old my adopted parents took me to a Catholic Priest claiming I had a demon inhabiting me because my eyes glittered when I got upset. The Priest laughed at them after he met me. When I was younger and I got upset, my eyes would glitter and glow. I actually remember that, I also remember that things would rattle and move when I was throwing a tantrum over not getting my way,” I pause, wondering how to continue.
    Jaxx wait s patiently. With a smile he takes my hand. “Go on,” he encourages me.
    I nod and swallow hard. “ I was verbally and physically abused growing up,” I say tightly. “They called it beating the demons out of me. I was told I was a damned soul and only pain would cleanse it.” I look up into Jaxx’s eyes which are filled with compassion. “That went on until I turned eighteen, a few weeks ago. Then I was legally old enough to leave and they didn’t want that. They wanted everyone outside our home to think that we had the perfect family,” I finish, staring at my lap. I am afraid to look at him again, afraid I will see disgust on his face, disgust for me. But when I finally look at him, he has tears streaming down his cheeks. There is something else in his eyes, something I can’t quite explain, anger, maybe, but something more too.
    “How did…why did you leave ,” he asks softly.
    “Last night , when you found me sitting alone after dark,” I start and he nods, remembering. “My mother had just kicked me out of the house because Sabrina had called her and told her I was doing vile things with someone in the Caf. She slapped me and threw me out. After you left, my Uncle took me back to get some of my things…” I stop, feeling the tears stinging my eyes. “She was burning them all in the backyard, Jaxx.” I finally break down and start sobbing.
    Jaxx move s quickly and pulls me into his arms.
    “This is not your fault Ella. Norms are afraid of things they can’t understand. They react cruelly. That’s on them. Not you, never you, sweet girl.” He continues to rock me and whisper sweet things into my hair until I calm myself down.
    “ I’m good now. You can let go. I promise not to break down again. I hate crying. I never cry in front of anyone. Ever.”
    “Never be afraid to show yourself to me , little raven. You can always be honest with me, in all ways,” he says softly.
    I look at him. I mean , I really look at him and read the truth of his words in his eyes. “Can you tell me what is going on now? I would really like to know that I’m not going crazy. And I’d like to know why I have always felt out of place with everyone around me.” I settle more into his arms.
    “This isn’t going to be easy to understand , Ella. You weren’t raised in this world, my world. There have always been our people in