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Siblings. Sacrifice. Secrets Revealed
To save his sister, one brother must outmaneuver the world's most dangerous secret society.
James McAllen just found out the truth ... he's not the Seer. Which means his younger sister, Lucy is next in line. Now, he must find a way to outsmart the all-powerful Nexis Society before they brainwash Lucy into helping them taking over the world. Lucy McAllen can't wait to follow in her big brother's footsteps. After all, he's the president of the Nexis Society at Montrose Academy and bound for Yale after graduation. Soon, she starts having strange dreams and visions of a supernatural angels and demons. Little does she know that two secret societies want her ability... and will tear her family apart for her gifts. Can James protect Lucy from the dreaded Nexis Society, and stay alive in the process? Find out in The Nexis Awakening, the much-anticipated prequel to the award-winning book, The Nexis Secret. If you like intrigue, sass, and life or death choices, The Nexis Awakening is for you. This free YA Angel Romance blurs the lines of teen angst with angels and spiritual warfare. It's a fast-moving, visually-descriptive young adult fantasy full of action, adventure, and romance that really makes you think. Making a splash in clean paranormal romance, one reviewer called the Nexis series, "The best paranormal books of the year." AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FOR READERS ON MY EMAIL NEWSLETTER (Click "Get Me Free Book" Button to join!) |
FREE EXCERPT from The Nexis Awakening
CHAPTER 1
JAMES
Here’s the funny thing. I was never that guy. The responsible guy. No, I was the guy who froze his sister’s training bra. The guy who paintballed the Guardian floor of Denby Hall for Halloween open dorms.
Sure, I’ve been on my own for four years living it up at Riverdale, New York’s finest boarding school. And I’m still president of the Nexis Society, for at least another day. Until they find out what I’m about to do.
Because here I was, sitting on the subway, about to break into a church in Harlem.
I told the heir apparent it was his initiation mission. That’s right. I lied to the great Will Stanton, Jr. Golden Adonis of the Nexis Society. The boy wonder who’d usher in the Utopian society Nexis had been engineering for centuries.
It was easy to lie to this kid. But it was hard lying to all of my friends, even my girlfriend, for two months now.
Here’s the truth. I was doing the most responsible thing I’d ever done in my life.
I had a plan to protect my kid sister, Lucy. Even if I had to break into a church to do it. You think the cops would buy it? Yeah, me neither. Let’s pray we don’t get caught.
Cocking my head, I glanced across the subway bench at the kid who’d replace me soon. Maybe tomorrow, maybe next week. But right now, Will Stanton didn’t know what I knew. He thought this was a Nexis mission like any other.
The corners of my mouth curled. Good. That’s what I wanted him to think. It was his family against mine. And I wouldn’t let them win. If I’m going down, he’s going down with me.
The brakes squealed as we slowed to a stop. I zipped up my black hoodie and stood up.
“You ready for this?” I asked, the doors sliding open.
“You bet,” he said with a grin plastered across his face. “I’m always ready for a secret mission.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Only a handful of bleary-eyed people walked out with us. Still, every hair on the back of my neck stood up. My blood pumped double-time, but no one seemed to notice two black-clad teenagers on the subway platform. It was midnight on a Thursday, after all. Only in New York.
We booked it up the steps, two at a time, and made it out to the street without any more naive freshman comments that might give us away. I led our two-man crew around the corner to the next stoplight.
Will pressed the button and we waited our turn. When the Walk sign lit up, we crossed Third Avenue, ducking into the shadows of the residential side of 104th. Distant sirens and the clunk of our footsteps were the only sounds in the night. Almost in the clear now.
“So, what’s this mission anyway?” he asked, breaking up the silence.
“You’ll see,” I whispered. We had to make it past the Harlem projects without being seen. Didn’t he get that?
The street was darker now. Twenty more feet and we’d be there.
“C’mon man.” Will was whining now. “Tell me what’s up.”
Shaking my head, I kept walking. Five more steps, and I stopped. “Here we are.”
Will backed up. “No way. I can’t break into a church.”
“Some pampered Nexis president you’ll be, mama’s boy,” I hissed at him. Pivoting around to face the wimp, I glared him down. Think. Make something up. “Listen, man. This is my last mission as Nexis president. And your first. It’s a long-standing tradition to initiate the new guy. But hey, if you can’t handle it, I’m sure they’ll find someone else.” There, that should shut him up.
Sure enough, his eyes went wide. “Are you serious? I’m the next Nexis president? Awesome. Let’s do this.”
“Welcome aboard.” I shook his hand, all official-like and everything. See what I mean? Responsible. Turning back to the church, I pulled my lock pick out of my pocket.
Bing. Bong. Bing. Bong. The church bells dinged as I jimmied the lock. Not helping.
“St. Lucy’s Church,” Will said slowly as if he just learned how to read. “We’re breaking into a church named after the first Seer?”
My hands quaked. Please God, don’t let him figure it out. Not yet. But I kept working the lock. I had to get those documents. My own Lucy needed protection from the likes of people like him. And she needed that stone.
“Don’t you have a sister? Her name’s Lucy, right?” Will asked.
I flinched and hunched my shoulders, refusing to give anything away. “Yeah, so what?”
“A funny coincidence I guess.” He started whistling to himself.
“Yeah, funny.” I tuned him out. Thank God he was fifteen and completely clueless. Back to business. I was so close. My palms were sweating now. My heart thumped in my ears. I could feel the lock about to give way. I needed to relax.
Pop. Like magic, the lock clicked and the door cracked open.
“You’ve gotta teach me how to do that,” he said as we tiptoed into the dark building.
“Shh.” I put one finger to my lips.
Darkness draped the cavernous foyer in eerie silence like it knew we were here. And it was watching our every move.
My sneakers squeaked across the marble. I slid up against the wall, motioning Will to do the same. He followed my lead as we turned the corner and trekked up a long hallway. Two doors down was the library. I knew because Responsible James had already cased the place.
JAMES
Here’s the funny thing. I was never that guy. The responsible guy. No, I was the guy who froze his sister’s training bra. The guy who paintballed the Guardian floor of Denby Hall for Halloween open dorms.
Sure, I’ve been on my own for four years living it up at Riverdale, New York’s finest boarding school. And I’m still president of the Nexis Society, for at least another day. Until they find out what I’m about to do.
Because here I was, sitting on the subway, about to break into a church in Harlem.
I told the heir apparent it was his initiation mission. That’s right. I lied to the great Will Stanton, Jr. Golden Adonis of the Nexis Society. The boy wonder who’d usher in the Utopian society Nexis had been engineering for centuries.
It was easy to lie to this kid. But it was hard lying to all of my friends, even my girlfriend, for two months now.
Here’s the truth. I was doing the most responsible thing I’d ever done in my life.
I had a plan to protect my kid sister, Lucy. Even if I had to break into a church to do it. You think the cops would buy it? Yeah, me neither. Let’s pray we don’t get caught.
Cocking my head, I glanced across the subway bench at the kid who’d replace me soon. Maybe tomorrow, maybe next week. But right now, Will Stanton didn’t know what I knew. He thought this was a Nexis mission like any other.
The corners of my mouth curled. Good. That’s what I wanted him to think. It was his family against mine. And I wouldn’t let them win. If I’m going down, he’s going down with me.
The brakes squealed as we slowed to a stop. I zipped up my black hoodie and stood up.
“You ready for this?” I asked, the doors sliding open.
“You bet,” he said with a grin plastered across his face. “I’m always ready for a secret mission.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Only a handful of bleary-eyed people walked out with us. Still, every hair on the back of my neck stood up. My blood pumped double-time, but no one seemed to notice two black-clad teenagers on the subway platform. It was midnight on a Thursday, after all. Only in New York.
We booked it up the steps, two at a time, and made it out to the street without any more naive freshman comments that might give us away. I led our two-man crew around the corner to the next stoplight.
Will pressed the button and we waited our turn. When the Walk sign lit up, we crossed Third Avenue, ducking into the shadows of the residential side of 104th. Distant sirens and the clunk of our footsteps were the only sounds in the night. Almost in the clear now.
“So, what’s this mission anyway?” he asked, breaking up the silence.
“You’ll see,” I whispered. We had to make it past the Harlem projects without being seen. Didn’t he get that?
The street was darker now. Twenty more feet and we’d be there.
“C’mon man.” Will was whining now. “Tell me what’s up.”
Shaking my head, I kept walking. Five more steps, and I stopped. “Here we are.”
Will backed up. “No way. I can’t break into a church.”
“Some pampered Nexis president you’ll be, mama’s boy,” I hissed at him. Pivoting around to face the wimp, I glared him down. Think. Make something up. “Listen, man. This is my last mission as Nexis president. And your first. It’s a long-standing tradition to initiate the new guy. But hey, if you can’t handle it, I’m sure they’ll find someone else.” There, that should shut him up.
Sure enough, his eyes went wide. “Are you serious? I’m the next Nexis president? Awesome. Let’s do this.”
“Welcome aboard.” I shook his hand, all official-like and everything. See what I mean? Responsible. Turning back to the church, I pulled my lock pick out of my pocket.
Bing. Bong. Bing. Bong. The church bells dinged as I jimmied the lock. Not helping.
“St. Lucy’s Church,” Will said slowly as if he just learned how to read. “We’re breaking into a church named after the first Seer?”
My hands quaked. Please God, don’t let him figure it out. Not yet. But I kept working the lock. I had to get those documents. My own Lucy needed protection from the likes of people like him. And she needed that stone.
“Don’t you have a sister? Her name’s Lucy, right?” Will asked.
I flinched and hunched my shoulders, refusing to give anything away. “Yeah, so what?”
“A funny coincidence I guess.” He started whistling to himself.
“Yeah, funny.” I tuned him out. Thank God he was fifteen and completely clueless. Back to business. I was so close. My palms were sweating now. My heart thumped in my ears. I could feel the lock about to give way. I needed to relax.
Pop. Like magic, the lock clicked and the door cracked open.
“You’ve gotta teach me how to do that,” he said as we tiptoed into the dark building.
“Shh.” I put one finger to my lips.
Darkness draped the cavernous foyer in eerie silence like it knew we were here. And it was watching our every move.
My sneakers squeaked across the marble. I slid up against the wall, motioning Will to do the same. He followed my lead as we turned the corner and trekked up a long hallway. Two doors down was the library. I knew because Responsible James had already cased the place.