Fighter (Outsider Series) (32 page)

“I did,” she smiled.

“This is incredible!” He pulled out a guitar. I didn’t know what kind it was. All I knew, was it had a shiny blue finish. “I’ve wanted this for so long!” He strummed the strings and when something didn’t sound right he tuned it. “Wow, thank you, mom!” he put the guitar down long enough to hug her.

He unwrapped the rest of the presents from me
, and then started in on the ones from Bentley, Chris, and Charlotte.

Bentley got him a desktop golf, bowling, and basketball set.

Chris and Charlotte both got him gift cards. I chuckled to myself. Caeden was going to have enough gift cards to last him the whole year.

“Thank you so much,” he told everybody.
“This has been the best birthday I’ve ever had.” He stood and started to pick up the trash.

“Hold up, there’s one more,” I said.

“There is?” he looked around for it.

“
I have a surprise for you, remember?” I asked.

“Oh, right,” he sat back down.

I pulled the small box out of my pocket and handed it to him. My heart was racing a mile a minute while he opened it. “I hope you love it,” my voice went all high-pitched with nervousness.

“Babe, I know I’ll love it,” he ripped the rest of the paper off.

It seemed like it took him an eternity to lift the lid off of the box but I knew in reality it only took seconds.

He stared for a minute in puzzlement.

“What is it?” Bryce asked.

“Caeden?” Amy asked.

“Tell us! We’re dying over here!” Chris shrieked.

Caeden’s eyes widened and he turned to me. “Does this mean what I think it means?”

I nodded, tears falling from my eyes.

He grinned and turned to the people gathered. “We’re having a baby!”

epilogue.
travis.

I’d give it to them, the Williams’ pack put up a good fight, but they were nothing against my mut
ts.

Soon, I’ll have a whole army of mutants behind me and I will be unstoppable.

But I still want Caeden all to myself.

I want to feel my claws rip into his flesh and watch the light fade from his eyes.

I’m sure he wants to do the same to me, but that will never happen.

I will end this, once and for all.

Continue for an exclusive excerpt of Mari Arden’s, Flame, coming soon!

Caeden and Sophie’s story continues in the 4
th
and final installment. For cover, title and release date news check my blog or facebook page (links below).

I really hope you enjoyed this installment in Caeden and Sophie’s story!

You can find me at the following links:

BLOG:
http://micaleasmeltzer.blogspot.com/

FACEBOOK FAN PAGE:
http://www.facebook.com/MicaleaSmeltzerfanpage?ref=hl

EMAIL:

[email protected]

TWITTER

My username is @msmeltzer9793 but I rarely use it so you’re better off to contact me by one of the above avenues.

And don’t forget to check out Caeden and Sophie’s fan pages!

Caeden

http://www.facebook.com/CaedenWilliams?ref=hl

Sophie

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sophie-Beaumont/355566554527026?ref=hl

Pinterest

To see my inspirations follow this link:
http://pinterest.com/micaleasmeltzer/

Thank you so super duper much to my MawMaw, for always being there for me! Thank you so much for keeping me calm (some what) when I started freaking out that Fighter wouldn’t be done on time! Thank you so much for always being there for me! I can never, ever, repay you for the love you’ve given me and everything you do! But believe me when I say, I’ll try.

Thank you to my mom and dad for being so supportive of my dreams! It means so, so, so much to me
to know that you have my back and that I’ve made you proud!

SHELBY!!!!!! Girl! I don’t think I could’ve gotten this book done without you! Your emails have made me smile and often had me laughing out loud! When I was stressed and freaking out, an email always seemed to come from you, and I’d instantly feel better! Thank you so much for he
lping me edit! Your comments had me cracking up and I always loved your ‘chapter review’ at the end! You’re the best! (Now, we must go track down Caeden look alike) ;)

Thank you to Regina Wamba for creating the most beautiful covers! Everything you do is magic! Thank you for putting up with all my revisions and being so awesome! You’re amazing!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, a 1000x’s thank you to the fans! You guys are so amazing and I love each and every one of you! I love reading your emails, messages, comments, etc.! They keep me going! You guys are so amazing and I can never thank you enough! Thank you for buying my books! Thank you for being so supportive! And thank you for loving Caeden and Sophie as much as I do!

Exclusive Excerpt of Flame by Mari Arden

Scheduled to release in March 2013

            
 
"You got the money?" The voice is rough, and unnatural. The skinny man smiles dazedly at him. Cold eyes glare back. A thought crosses his mind that he should be scared, and he feels a slight tremor go through his body.  The only thing that keeps him upright is the rush of adrenaline from the E-bomb he had snorted earlier.

             
He hands the cloaked figure the rolls of Benjamins from his jacket pocket. Fifteen thousand dollars. That's how much his sister had given. There are some hundreds missing that he used to pay off his dealer, but it'd been worth it. He couldn't be standing here with the delivery tonight if he had gotten jumped, now could he? Large hands count the hundred bills, muttering softly. He sees the exact moment the man realizes some money has disappeared. He gulps.

             
"Hey, man, chill, I can get you the rest later," he attempts to sound cool, but his voice sounds weak, and pleading. In the silence, one thought whispers in his mind: he should've snorted more. His heart's pounding now, but it isn't from the drug. It's from fear.

             
He peers into the voluminous hood, but the deep shadows make it impossible to see inside. Silence emanates from the cloaked figure like a threat. The skinny man is reminded yet again of how secluded they are from the city. The nearest road is over a mile away, and the cabin behind them looks old and dilapidated. The trees are bare and the ground barren. The winter breath has wiped it all away. Everything about where they are feels desolate and wrong. Even the euphoria from the drug can't hide that.

             
When the hooded figure speaks, his voice rumbles with tightly controlled anger. "The deal was fifteen thousand and not a penny less."

             
The smaller man takes a step back. "I don't know what type of deal my sister and her crazy husband made with you, but-"

             
"The
deal
," the man repeats again with lethal precision, "was fifteen thousand
and not a penny less
."

             
"Hey man," he responds nervously, taking another step back. "You can trust me. I can get you that money back. If you would just wait a few days-"

             
"Wait?" The dark figure interrupts. His voice continues to be low, but that's more deadly than yelling. The smirk is felt even though the smaller man can't see it. "You don't know who you're dealing with, do you?" The cloaked figure stares hard at him. "In fact, I don't think you know
what
you're dealing with." That realization makes him chuckle, and the sound sends cold shivers down the other man's spine.
Something is very wrong here,
he realizes with growing unease. Every instinct tells him to flee, but he can't move. It's like his feet are trapped on the ground. Suddenly, a strong hand shoots out, grabbing his neck with force.

             
"Your sister kept you in the dark about a lot of things, it seems." He is rasping for breath, but the hand is ruthless. "Where is the package?" he asks so softly that the other man almost doesn't hear it.

             
"B-b-b-ack th-e-re," he pants, his hands clawing at the force that holds his life. "In the car." His large hand squeezes for a second more, taking a perverted delight in the other one's suffering. When he's released, the man falls to his knees, gasping for air. The hooded figure watches him with detached interest.

             
"Bring it to me," he commands. Then he adds, "If you try to run, I will find you. And you will be very, very, sorry." They both know it isn't an empty threat.

             
The smaller man stumbles away, terrified. What kind of crap had his sister gotten herself into? But that thought is brushed aside with the nauseating smell of fear. This is the only thing his sister had ever asked him to do, so he's doing it. But after this, he's going to drive far, far away and never look back.

             
He pulls the car door open, and stares at the small box that contains his sister's most precious possession.

             
It holds a baby.

             
Her daughter. His niece. The "package" that needed to be delivered. He uses both hands to carry her. She's awake, and staring at him with wide eyes. He met her for the first time a week ago, and in that time he'd grown close to her- well, as close as a person like he could, anyway. He feels a wave of sadness as she cooes to him.  He shakes it off, and continues forward to the scariest man he's ever seen. If he hadn't promised his sister, he would've ran with the baby right now, but he doesn't. She had looked desperate when she made him promise. And he loved her, so he agreed.

             
Crickets and owls are heard in the darkness, but the baby is oddly silent. Maybe she is starting to sense fear. He sure as hell feels it. When he's in front of the man, he can't bring himself to let go of the box. Even through his drug induced haze, he's having doubts about what is happening.

             
"You owe me four hundred dollars," the cloaked figure finally says after staring at the box he holds.

             
"What are you going to do with her?" he asks.

             
"What your sister asked me to do, of course," is the simple reply. The man moves to take the baby, but his own fingers tighten around the crate.

             
"Where is my sister?" he suddenly asks, afraid. Doubt is plaguing his mind like darts. Maybe if his sister had seen this man she wouldn't allow him to take her baby. He looks dangerous. Before he can say more, the man reaches over to pry his fingers loose. The baby is out of his arms before he can even blink. The large man reaches in with one hand, and lifts the girl into his arms. The empty box is thrown carelessly to the ground. In the darkness there is silence as the cloaked figure stares at her. She is completely still. Warning alarms ring in the smaller man's head.

             
"Where is my sister?" he asks again. A growl of anger erupts, and the man's arm shoots out once more, clasping his neck. This time the pressure is so intense he sees flashes of light in front of his eyes. The man had been holding back before, but he isn't holding back now.

             
"Your sister is dead. And you'll be meeting her in hell." The man is literally squeezing the life out of him. His feet dangle in the air, as breathing becomes impossible.

             
The last thing he sees before his eyes close forever is a bright light, filled with orange flames. When it goes black, he hears the sounds of fire and smells burning flesh.

             
Then he was no more.