Marked: City of the Damned Book 1 by Everly Drummond

Chapter 1

    Sara startled and jumped off the couch as the
book she’d been reading dropped to the floor with a loud resonating
thud. Reaching over, she picked it up and placed it back on the
glass coffee table that sat in the center of the room. Moonlight
cascaded in through the open window, casting an iridescent glow
over the sparse furnishings of her small midtown apartment, and the
sound of the honking taxis on the street below could be overheard
above the annoying voice of the infomercial commentator as it rang
through the speakers of the dilapidated television that sat in the
corner. Sitting on the edge of the couch, she rubbed her bloodshot
eyes and did a double take at the clock that sat haphazardly on an
unpacked box of dishes. No way could it be 3 o’clock in the
morning! That meant that she’d been sleeping for over ten hours
straight, but the move from Montana to New York had been
exhausting, and with no one to help her, Sara had knowingly pushed
herself far beyond her own physical capabilities.
    At the age of 25, she had already graduated
from the University of Montana with a double master’s degree in
Computer Science and Media Studies, but no amount of studying
could’ve prepared her for the tragic events that had recently taken
place. Two weeks after graduating, Sara’s parents were on their way
home from spending a weekend at the cottage when the car they were
driving was struck head on by a drunk driver. It was then that Sara
had decided to pack up and move to New York, wanting to be closer
to her aunt and uncle, the only family she had left.
    After the death of her parents, Sara had no
choice but to sell her parent’s ranch. With the exception of her
personal items, some clothing, and a few pieces of furniture, an
estate sale was held by the local auction house, and the remainder
of the items sold to the highest bidder. With the bills paid and
the estate settled, not much money was left over, but it was more
than enough for her to buy a small used pick-up truck and move to
New York in search of a fresh start.
    “Oh Phineus,” she cooed “what would I do
without you?” Sara sighed and wiped away a stray tear that trickled
down her cheek. The gray clump of fur pounced onto her lap, and
with a resounding meow, purred contently as she gently stroked him.
Aside from a few tattered photos and broken memories, Phineus was
the only reminder left of home. He’d been given to her as a gift
for her 10 th birthday. As a child, Sara had never been
fond of cats, or any animal for that matter, but the minute the old
fat cat saw her, it was love at first sight. Over time, the two of
them became inseparable, but just like Sara, Phineus had lost a
piece of himself the day that her parents died. It was a grief they
both shared and understood all too well.
    The old fat cat protested as Sara shoed him
to the floor and stood up. She stumbled tiredly towards the
kitchen, groaning as the muscles in her legs protested against the
sudden movement. It had been two days since she’d moved into the
apartment, and still the cupboards were bare. Opening the door to
the cupboard, she found three boxes of Toaster Tarts, a can of
tomato soup, and an empty bag of cat food. Needing both cat food
and something more substantial than Toaster Tarts, Sara slipped on
her jacket and boots, and grabbed her purse from the table in the
hall.
    “I’ll be back soon.” She leaned over and gave
Phineus an affectionate rub between the ears, smiling as he purred
contently, and headed out into the brisk night air.
    Luckily, the diner around the corner was open
24 hours, but then again, this was New York, the city that never
sleeps. Even finding cat food at 3:30 in the morning was a fairly
easy task. The cold air whipping against her face was invigorating,
and after spending five days cooped up in the cab of a pickup
driving across the country it was a welcome reprieve from the
stuffy air of the truck that reeked of cat and fast food.