Surfacing the Rim (Piercing The Fold) (28 page)
Read Surfacing the Rim (Piercing The Fold) Online
Authors: Venessa Kimball
Chapter 49
Jesca
Xander tries to hush me, and I feel his warm lips on my forehead. “I’ve got you, Jes. We’re almost to the truck.”
I try to stay alert, but I slip back into unconsciousness.
* * *
I feel a soft pillow under my head. I roll my body to one side and pull the pillow close to smell the clean scent of the casing.
Nate whispers, “No nightmares.”
I shake my head, still smiling. “No. No nightmares.”
Nate! I open my eyes and sit up in the bed. Nate is standing at the footboard with his hands in his pockets.
I kick the comforter off of my body and crawl on my knees to the edge of the bed. Just seeing him standing here, I am overcome with emotions, and I start to cry.
Nate walks around the bed. I move my hand from my mouth, and Nate quickly sits on the bed next to me. He runs his hand along my temple, and then his thumb brushes away my tear.
I whisper, “You’re real. I can feel you touching me.”
Nate’s eyes are more blue than green now.
Ezra! I ask, “Where is Ezra?”
Nate looks over at the door and says, “She’s asking for you.”
The door opens, and Ezra leans in cautiously. I give him an accusatory look.
Ezra crosses his arms over his chest and walks slowly across the wooden floor. He confesses, “I didn’t want to overwhelm you.”
I look down at my hands as the images of the intersection flip through my mind.
My mind stops on an image of Sam. Sam hitting Ezra and pulling him away from me, then Nate falling with both of them through the wormhole.
I ask, “Is Sam with you?”
Nate looks down at his hands and sighs. “I can sense his presence. That’s all.”
I feel the warmth of Nate’s hand on mine.
“I wasn’t going to let him take you, Jes. If I went with Ezra, I knew that you would find us because of our link.”
I ask, “Where are you?”
Ezra answers, “We’re on the other side of the black hole. When we passed beyond event horizon of the wormhole, the pull was quick and strong. Then, there was a bright, blinding flash of light. The light faded, revealing a place much like our world.”
Nate interrupts, “It is exactly like our world. It’s identical from what we can tell so far.”
I recall the team’s discussion with Adam Claiborne about what is beyond the black hole. The soulless.
Fear burns my chest as I ask, “Are you safe? Have you seen anyone?”
Ezra and Nate look at each other.
Ezra responds, “Yes, but we have not interacted with them. They appear to be human, but we aren’t taking any chances by communicating with them. I’m sure they already know we’re here.”
Nate hastily reaches for my hand and pulls it into his chest. “Tell the others everything we have told you!”
Nate and Ezra start to fade, slowly becoming transparent.
My voice is urgent. “Wait, what’s going on?”
Nate whispers, “You need to—”
Then, Xander’s quiet voice takes over. “Wake up, Jes.”
A cool cloth is on my forehead, making my eyes flutter open.
I’m in the same room as the dream I just had. I try to sit up fast, but my muscles feel like overcooked noodles. I lower myself back to the bed, still feeling too weak.
Xander takes hold of my hand. His voice is low and gentle. “Monica gave you a heavy sedative after…” Xander pauses, running his hand over my cheek. “You were hysterical, and we needed to calm you down to get you out of there. It was too dangerous to stay any longer, so Monica injected you, and I carried you out. You’ve been out for two days. You need to get some food in your stomach.”
Xander’s tender sentiments give me the impression that he hasn’t left my side over the past two days.
His eyebrow raises as he says, “Damn straight! I’m not about to leave you for a second. No one is going to take care of you like I will.” Xander takes the cloth on my forehead and softly wipes one side of my face and then the other.
Just before he pulls back, I touch his hand and hold it tight. “Thank you, Xander, for taking care of me.”
Xander leans onto the bed and kisses my forehead. “You don’t have to thank me for that. I will care for you for as long as you let me, Jes.”
His words remind me of what Nate used to say to me. Nate said that he would always protect me. I drop my gaze as I remember the dream I just had.
Xander reaches for my hand and interlocks our fingers. He looks conflicted all of a sudden. “I have to tell you something.”
I ask, “What happened?”
He tightens his hand on mine. “No, it’s nothing bad. I just don’t know if it was real.”
I shift a little. Trying to ease his mind, I bring my other hand to rest on both of ours. I softly say, “Hey, tell me.”
Xander breathes in and out deeply. “Nate came to me in a dream last night…I think. I mean, it felt real. It felt like it did with Sam, so I guess it was real…right?”
I nod my head. “Yes, it was real.” This was Xander’s first dream contact experience with Nate. It makes sense that he visited us both since he is linked to both Xander and me.
I try to sit up. Xander helps me, only leaving a small distance between us. It’s surreal that just minutes ago in my dream Nate sat right where Xander is sitting now.
When I speak, my mouth quivers uncontrollably as my voice shakes. “Nate came to me last night, too. Ezra was with him. They made it there alive, Xander.”
Xander looks down at our hands, and then he squeezes tightly. He stares back up at me with pure determination, and then he speaks to me with such conviction. “Whatever it takes, Jes! If you and I have to run to hell and back to get them, we will!”
I urgently ask, “Have you told the others?”
Xander shakes his head. “No, I came straight to your room when I woke up.”
I start to scoot off the edge of the bed.
Xander grabs a hold of my arm. “Wait, what are you doing?”
I look at him like he’s crazy for even asking me that. “Going to tell the others! We need to figure out how to get to them!”
Xander forces me to sit back down on the bed. He holds me by my shoulders. Warning me in his cute but serious way, he says, “I will get the others. You stay put. You are still weak.”
I roll my eyes jokingly and mumble, “Sir, yes, sir!”
He starts walking backward toward the door with his eyes still on me. Xander points his finger at me, looking me up and down. “I mean it. Don’t move.” His delightfully earnest face fades into an adorable smile. Xander winks at me, and then he rushes out the door.
While I wait for the team, I consider how traversing between universes to save my partner and my father while protecting our world and the human race compares to against running to hell and back.
I shake my head and chortle at the situations I have accepted as normal in the past year.
One thing is for certain. I will not abandon my purpose as a guardian, partner, or daughter. What does that entail? I have to adapt and learn the ways of this new world I live in. I need to evolve with this world enough to snuff out the enemy and stop humanity from deteriorating. I must survive the invasions and attacks from beyond in order to save our humanity and world before we are lost.
Saving Nate and my father, Ezra, will not be easy. Balthazar and Sebastian will be instrumental to the pursuit. I will not relent once we have harnessed the capabilities to save them. I will not let their sacrifice be in vain. I will bring them home.
I glance across the room, and a white gift bag with royal blue tissue billowing out of the top catches my eye. I slowly stand from the bed. My legs feel stiff and a little weak. Until I feel like I can let go and cross on my own, I make sure to hold on to the bed as I move toward the other side of the room.
There is a small card dangling from the gift bag. I turn over the card and read it.
Will you take care of them while I am gone?
There is only one man that says that phrase—Ezra. I close my eyes, trying to figure out how he was able to leave this for me. Who did he contact other than me? I haphazardly pull the tissue paper from the bag. I reach down and feel something solid. I look down into the bag and slowly lift the illuminated gel-filled ant farm, making sure not to disturb the inhabitants. The little black ants are busy tunneling, exploring, and creating their own stories within their world.
I hold them up to my eye level, and I whisper, “I promise I will.”
Please continue reading for a sneak peek of Book 3 in the Piercing the Fold series, Ascending the Veil.
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, thanks to God for blessing me with family, friends, and mentors that have encouraged me and supported my dreams throughout my life. They have come at various stages of my childhood and adulthood. The timing of their intervention was always miraculous. Those “angels” need to know that the wisdom they passed on stuck with me persistently and would not let me quit. It was that wisdom that encouraged me to write, publish, and promote Piercing the Fold: Book1 and Surfacing the Rim: Piercing the Fold Book 2.
Much love to my husband and children who were and are my endless cheerleading squad. Husband, thank you for understanding the need for take-out on more occasions than not due to my need to finish writing “one more chapter honey.” I love you Greg Kimball.
To my three blessings, my children. Thank you for telling mommy to never give up! It not only has given me strength, but has helped me realize that I have taught you the true meaning of never giving up through my example! Win for mommy!
To Dawn Miller for being one of the those “angels” that intervened at a very poignant time in my writing process of this series. I clearly remember chatting with you about my idea of writing this series while picking up our kiddos at school. You gave me the initial encouragement and wisdom I needed to not just consider it a pipe dream. Rather, a dream that I could make happen. Thank you for staying on me girl.
To Jessica Baker-Bridgers for encouraging me to develop a team of Piercing the Fold series lovers and supporters. You were so right. And, I have met the most amazing women, men, and fellow writers because of it. Jessica Baker-Bridgers, Bev Rowden, Justine Vandale, Dawn Miller, Loni Flowers, Shanna Roberson, Karen Seager-Everett, Sabrina Ford, Heather Gunter, Kendall McCubbin, Kathy Ree, Alyssa Susanna, Kelly Nagy, Trudy Powers, Becky Hinrickson Juelfs, Penelope Anne Bartotto, Anna Estep, Sarah Hayden Davey, Natasha Hope Vahora, Tammy DeMan Zoch, Joseph Gelinas, Book Chatter Cath, Zee Hayat, Tarnya Rutheford, Tami Hill, Jennifer Campbell Bailey, Brandy Thornton, Kc Sprayberry, Jessica Lamb, Whitney Bear.
To the book blogging and book reviewing community that embrace, support, and promote authors for no other reason except their love of books! You keep the reading community alive by spreading the word about books daily! Thank you!
To my publishing house, Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly, along side of Hot Ink Press and Vamp
tasy Press; One House United...what an amazing family of authors! You have embraced me into the family with open arms and I am so happy to be a part of our publishing house!
To the fans of the Piercing the Fold series for loving the characters and wanting more! Much, much love to you! Writing this story for you has been a pure joy. You will never know how much your Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, and Goodreads comments, messages, and reviews have meant to me. It still amazes me that this series has moved some of you to create your own Pinterest boards, graphics, dream casts, and jewelry. I am truly humbled by the inspirations this story has stirred within you.
Make sure and keep up with my projects, events, giveaways, upcoming releases, or just to chat on my wall by visiting and liking my website and social network pages. Would love to hear from you!
http://www.facebook.com/VenessaKimballAuthor
About the Author
In 2010, Venessa Kimball
was struck by an idea, a story that needed telling. Having always been passionate about the written word, Venessa embarked on writing what would become her debut novel, Piercing the Fold: Book 1, a mature young adult/ adult crossover, paranormal, science fiction series. July 2, 2012, Venessa Kimball independently published the first book in the Piercing the Fold series. Book 2, Surfacing the Rim, released March 14, 2013.
In August of 2013, Venessa joined the publishing house, Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly.
The Piercing the Fold series will be re-published with them beginning with Piercing the Fold: Book 1 on September 3rd. Surfacing the Rim: Book 2 will be re-published on September 24th and Ascending the Veil: Book 3 will be released for the first time on October 18th. The final book in the series, Book 4 (Title TBD) will release in 2014.
As for the future, Venessa is already filling her Work-In-Progress folder.
Two of her future projects are adult contemporary fiction and will reflect her diversity as a writer in other genres. When Venessa is not writing, she is keeping active with her husband and three children, chauffeuring said children to extracurricular activities, catching a movie with her hubby, and staying up way too late reading and writing.
