[Luna's Children 03] • Lorestone · The Strength Within

Rachel and Gabe have found each other and bonded as life mates. Now they are settling down into a nice normal, quiet, life together in Sapphire Lake where the biggest decision is what flavor of ice cream to serve for Carson's baby's birthday.

In the middle of all this normalcy, their lives are suddenly ripped apart when a brutal betrayal strikes leaving behind destruction, death and shattered lives.

For those that survive, how do they continue on?

~~~~~~~~ Excerpt ~~~~~~~~

Carson slid her arms around Chase's waist as they made their way down the recently shoveled walkway and to the street. Cars lined both sides of the road for as far as the eye could see. "I'll never complain about you parking a block away again. There's no way we could have gotten out had we parked closer," she murmured.

"See, sometimes I do know what I'm doing."

"Sometimes," she agreed.

They continued their walk in silence, their exhales making frosty clouds as they enjoyed the early hours of the New Year. Crossing the street to the next block, they could finally make out the shape of Chase's truck left parked on the side of the street. Pulling out his keys, Chase opened the passenger side and helped her to climb up. "Uh oh, looks like you got a ticket," she pointed to a small white item tucked under the driver side windshield wiper.

He sighed. "This street isn't posted as 'no parking'." Closing her door he walked around to the other side, reached up and tugged the square and opened his door. Sliding in, he closed the door then sat looking at the item. "It's not a ticket. Looks like maybe a card?" Cranking the truck, he turned the heat on followed by the cab light and examined it. The envelope was approximately four inches by three inches and although cold, did not carry any frost on the surface unlike the rest of the vehicle. There was no address on it, so with a shrug, he opened the flap and pulled out the card.

The satin like surface bore a picture of a simple but elegant vase of beautiful white lilies. Written in script to the side were the words, "In Deepest Sympathy". Flipping the card open he read the words out loud.

"There are few things on this Earth as heart wrenching as losing a child, of knowing that you will never see his smiling face or hear his beautiful voice ever again. It is one of the most painful experiences anyone can ever experience and one that I would never wish on another being...

... except you.

You took my child from me.

Hennisons took my home, my birthright, my father and my mother.

Sapphire Lake has taken everything that meant anything to me and now I've done the same.

Enjoy your empty life full of misery and pain."