Silk Read online

  SILK

  an anthology

  Silk

  an anthology

  Boxset

  Each title in this collection is copyrighted to their respective authors as noted. This collection is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, place and incidents are the product of the author’s imaginations, and any resemblances to actual events or locales or person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. These books contain material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without prior written permission of the author/publisher.

  Cover Design:

  Formatting: Kassi Cooper of Kassi’s Kandids Formatting

  The Edge of Darkness

  Copyright © 2012 by Melissa Andrea

  Falling

  Copyright © 2013 by E.K. Blair

  Let Love In

  Copyright © 2013 by Melissa Collins

  A Blue Tale

  Copyright © 2013 by Sarah Dosher

  Trusting You

  Copyright © 2013 by LP Dover

  Better

  Copyright © 2014 by Carey Heywood

  Love In Between

  Copyright © 2013 by Sandi Lynn

  “Clouds”

  Music and Lyrics by Letters and Lights

  I want to take this opportunity to thank, Eric Knudsen, of the band, Letters and Lights for graciously allowing me to use the lyrics to his song “Clouds” in Love In Between.

  You can connect with Letters and Lights on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lettersandlights

  https://twitter.com/letters_lights

  Unexpected Forever

  Copyright © 2013 by Heidi McLaughlin

  Remebering Joy

  Copyright © 2013 by Jenni Moen

  Next to Forever

  Copyright © 2014 by S. Moose

  Mid-Life Love

  Copyright © 2013 by Whitney G.

  Contents

  The Edge of Darkness

  Prologue

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-One

  Twenty-Two

  Twenty-Three

  Twenty-Four

  Twenty-Five

  Twenty-Six

  Twenty-Seven

  Twenty-Eight

  Twenty-Nine

  Thirty

  Thirty-One

  Thirty-Two

  Thirty-Three

  Thirty-Four

  Thirty-Five

  Thrity-Six

  Epilogue

  FALLING

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Epilogue

  Let Love In

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  A Blue Tale

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Epilogue

  Trusting You

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty
r />   Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Epilogue

  Better

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Epilogue

  Love In Between

  Prologue

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  22

  23

  24

  25

  26

  27

  28

  29

  30

  31

  32

  33

  34

  35

  36

  37

  38

  39

  My Unexpected Forever

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Remembering Joy

  PART I

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  PART II

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  CHAPTER 29

  Next to Forever

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Epilogue

  Mid Life Love

  December 28, 2012

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 1.5

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 2.5

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  January 19, 2013

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  April 14, 2013

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 25.5

  August 15, 2013

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  The Edge of Darkness

  Melissa Andrea

  I loved to dance, but I don’t anymore.

  I was in an accident I don’t remember… or maybe I don’t want to remember.

  Either way, every day since, has been… an adjustment and I’m left with a constant reminder that nothing is forever.

  Now, my life is a tangled web of darkness filled with deceit, hate, betrayal and lies. I don’t dwell on the past, I don’t regret and I don’t remember… I survive. But then I met Ryland Dare and he changed everything. He reminded me that life’s worth living and that remembering isn’t always a bad thing.

  You don’t know true darkness until you've felt light…

  On the outside looking in, some would say my siblings and I have had a pretty easy life. But beyond the fancy cars, the huge house and endless social events, is where the truth really lies. Power hungry father, defeated mother and fake friends? Yeah I have one of each. Then Araya Noelle comes along and shows me what I’ve been missing. She thinks I changed her life, but really, she saved mine.

  At the edge of darkness, you must DARE to HOPE. DARE to LOVE. DARE to LIVE

  Prologue

  It happened so fast and not like people thought or said it did.

  My heart raced as I stood off to the side of the stage waiting for my name to be called. I bit my lip, clinging to the black curtain and peeking out at the audience.

  My life didn’t flash before my eyes.

  It was a packed house, not an empty seat in the entire place. My eyes scanned the crowd until I was able to spot her.

  There were no images of blissful times, no final memories to cherish before I died.

  She was looking in my direction, but I knew she couldn’t see me within the shadows. It didn’t matter. Just seeing my mother calmed my racing heart and I was able to breathe again.

  No, I wasn’t that lucky. I witnessed everything in slow, horrifying detail.

  The lights were dim and the crowd was hushed as the music came to a measured end. I took a step back, pressing my heels together, rising and squatting gracefully.

  I was jerked forward, my seat belt cutting painfully into my body before I was slammed back.

  The melody finally drifted to an end and the dancer came running off stage. She smiled at me and whispered “Good luck,” before disappearing into the darkness.<
br />
  Thick, jagged pieces of glass shattered into a million tiny crystals in front of me.

  I heard the cool voice of the announcer as she introduced me to the crowd. I took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, and scolded my nerves as I suppressed the urge to throw up.

  Before I could block my face, their sharp edges cut into my skin.

  I could do this; I knew I could. Dancing was something I’d done since I was eight months old and refused to walk any other way but on my toes.

  Tires squealed and the world spun as we flipped and rolled.

  I could feel my adrenaline pumping as confidence began to flow through my system. I took form, counted to three, and spun onto the stage.

  Metal screeched across the road, melting and sparking against the pavement.

  Positioning my arms above my head, I extended my leg and pointed my foot out. When the music lifted I spun around, lifting on my toes and kicking my leg into the air.

  The smell of gasoline, burnt rubber, and blood mixed and stung my nose.

  I wanted Julliard to be proud they chose me. I may have only been fifteen, but I was a damn good dancer.

  I tried to focus on her face, but my vision blurred.

  The tempo changed and I recognized the dramatic ending for what it was and my mom’s words lingered in the back of my mind—”Blow their minds, Araya. Dance like it’s the last time…” And that’s exactly what I did. I danced like it was the last time.

  Our screams were the last thing I heard.

  ***

  My head pounded with each whispered word that drifted through my never-ending black fog.

  Everything felt heavy. My arms and legs felt weighed down. I couldn’t wiggle my fingers, much less move anything else. As bad as I wanted to, the simple task of opening my thin eyelids was something I couldn’t manage.

  “Unfortunately, we couldn’t contain the infection in time and it has spread…”

  I didn’t recognize the low voice hidden in the shadows. It was deep and male as his words flowed from the black and swirled around my head.

  Infection? Spread? Couldn’t contain? Where am I and how long have I been here?

  “What does that mean exactly?”

  I knew that voice. I could never forget the easy sweep of her cold tone. It was my Aunt Nina. I strained my ears to hear the one voice that would make everything feel okay—my mother’s.

  “I’m afraid it’s not good news…”

  The male voice got deeper; it seemed to dip lower at the end of each sentence. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but a tiny pull deep in my stomach told me my life would never be the same.

  “She’ll never dance again.”

  She wasn’t fazed. I wanted to focus on what that meant, but her words stole my attention.

  “How long before she wakes up? The arrangements for my sister have already been made.”

  My aunt’s voice was cold—it was always cold—but that wasn’t what sent an icy chill through my body. Arrangements? What arrangements? There was a loud buzzing in my ears and my chest began to hurt, and as I listened to the rest of their conversation, the knot in my stomach grew.

  “She’s already showing signs of coming to. It’s just a matter of time now.”

  I wanted to sit up and scream at them, tell them I was awake—that I was alive, but I couldn’t form the words, and the deep voice was still talking.