The BloodDark Series
Book Two
Olivia's Return
By
Cindy A. Matthews and Adrian J. Matthews
Table of Contents
Title Page
The BloodDark Series
Dedication and Acknowledgment
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
About the Authors
The BloodDark Series
The BloodDark Series Book One: Olivia's Escape
The BloodDark Series Book Two: Olivia's Return
The BloodDark Series Book Three: Olivia's Decision
Desert Breeze Publishing, Inc.
27305 W. Live Oak Rd #424
Castaic, CA 91384
http://www.DesertBreezePublishing.com
Copyright © 2017 by Cindy A. Matthews and Adrian J. Matthews
ISBN 13: 978-1-68294-079-2
Published in the United States of America
Publication Date: February 2017
Editor-In-Chief: Gail R. Delaney
Editor: Shawna K. Williams
Marketing Director: Jenifer Ranieri
Cover Artist: Gwen Phifer
Cover Art Copyright by Desert Breeze Publishing, Inc © 2017
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Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination, or are used in a fictitious situation. Any resemblances to actual events, locations, organizations, incidents or persons – living or dead – are coincidental and beyond the intent of the author.
Dedication and Acknowledgment
To my parents, Pauline and Peter. —AJM
To my parents-in-law, Pauline and Peter. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do for us. —CAM
Chapter One
They're at it again...
Olivia hated hearing her parents argue. Their raised voices penetrated the solid oak swinging door separating the kitchen from the dining room of their renovated Victorian house. Her mom and dad argued a lot more than she remembered.
If having your child abducted by aliens and consequently returned several months later doesn't bring you closer together as a married couple, what would? Her returning from a run-of-the-mill Earth kidnapping?
Bright autumn sunlight streaking from the bay windows drenched the room. Olivia rose from the antique dining table and headed toward the front door.
"Where do you think you're you going?" her mother asked, barreling in from the kitchen and catching her just as she crossed the archway into the living room. Olivia backed up to the table and began clearing away their empty Sunday dinner plates.
She sighed. "I was going out. I thought I'd drop by and say hello to Britt. She texted me. She's in town from college today, and we thought we'd catch up."
Moira Brown accepted the dishes with a frown. The crow's feet around her hazel-green eyes deepened. "Oh, how nice, but I thought you were going to help me wash up and then we were going to sit down and plan out the big family reunion, Thanksgiving dinner. You know how much your out-of-state cousins are dying to see you. They haven't seen you since... since..."
"Since I was snatched by the alien vampires?" Olivia blurted before she thought better of it.
Her mother cringed and the plates chattered as her hands shook. Olivia rushed to her mother's side to take the dishes before she dropped them. She gently placed them onto the table and put a comforting arm around Moira's shoulders, then helped her to a chair.
"Sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to upset you." Again. Upsetting you is all I ever do nowadays. I've become an expert at making you upset, without even trying.
"It's all right, baby. I apologize my poor heart took a turn for the worse while you were gone."
Olivia sat in silence and patted her mother's back until the shaking subsided. People act amazed when they discover how I was able to survive on another world, but don't they ever wonder how the families of the abductees survived? It's amazing how well they've faired, what with all the stress, all the fears and terror of not knowing what happened to their loved ones. They deserve a medal—not me.
Olivia's phone alerted her to an incoming text. She pulled it out of her jacket pocket and glanced at it. "Yeah, it's Britt, asking what's up. I'll tell her I'll see her another time."
"No, you go along and visit your friend. You've been very busy these past few months. We can talk about Thanksgiving later." Moira straightened up and kissed Olivia's cheek. "Say hello to Britt for me. I heard from her uncle she's made the Dean's List at State. You know you could, too, if you'd enroll in—"
"Classes at the college," Olivia filled in for the millionth time. "Yes, I know. I'm off to see Britt. See you in a little while, Mom."
Olivia dashed to the front door and departed before her mother could get another word in edgewise.
She strolled down the street at a clip, deftly sidestepping their absent-minded neighbor's German Shepherd's large and fragrant calling card. She took extra caution not to slip on the damp fallen leaves plastered on the uneven sidewalks. When she was several houses away and out of sight from their front window, she took out her phone and returned Hernando's call.
"I got your text," she told his voice mail. "You can call me now if you like. I plan on being out of the house for the next few hours. Are you sure you can't get me a position on the next junket you're going on? I'm willing to travel anywhere—and I mean anywhere. My folks are driving me crazy."
She felt guilty for saying it out loud, but it was the truth. As she strode down the street toward her friend's home she realized the Olivia Brown most of her acquaintances knew didn't exist anymore. She had turned eighteen, and for sure she wasn't
