A Sneak Peek at 

Unyielding: Book Two in the Shattered Mirror Series

Lucy

I left Chicago. I did exactly what that maniacal, disfigured freak wanted me to. I know that he’s a murderer, capable of destruction. Touché, but I didn’t want to run the risk of being in his crosshairs. I have too much at stake to be thwarted now. I hate Erik Copia. I hate Christine Daae. May they spend the rest of their days in misery.

For five years I have wandered the world furthering my schemes. I left the states to travel across Europe. I expanded my reign of calculated terror from musicians to politicians, aristocrats, and celebrities alike. My engagements were spread out. Their deaths seemed random, so no one ever suspected anything nefarious was afoot. You can get away with a lot when the whole world is your playground.

I need to disappear for the foreseeable future if I want my good fortune to continue. I need a brief respite, a place to lay low for a while. It’s time to finally return to my hometown of Charleston, South Carolina. Though I haven’t been back to Charleston in quite some time, it’s the perfect resting place while I gather myself for the fight of my life.

I see online that Haunted is performing the final stop of their farewell tour in the Windy City. An idea blooms in my brilliant mind. I decide to briefly return to Chicago under the guise of night to seek vengeance on Erik Copia. I buy my concert ticket, plane ticket, and hastily pack for a quick overnight trip. I’m going to blackmail Erik, force him to put everything in my name, then kill him before he becomes a problem. What could go wrong?

I don my best disguise and blend in with the electrically charged crowd. My plan is to tolerate this show then make my way backstage. The show begins well enough. Their music is fine. It’s loud and fun and I hate it. Everyone around me is losing their minds at every note. Idiots. An hour in, I decide to make my way backstage, I hear a voice that stops me cold in my tracks. Christine is on stage. They’re still together. Like the virus that just won’t leave you alone, she’s here.

I’m nauseated to see that Christine makes an appearance in this show. Steals the show more like it. She’s stunning, I have to admit. A giant ring capturing every light, sending glittering spots into the air, catches my attention. My eyes mist as I see them kiss deeply in front of the crowd. Their eyes beaming at one another like their little world is perfect. I have to leave. Their talent and love radiate from every note. I’m about to be physically ill. I rush out immediately. All schemes of vengeance vanish. 

I wait until I’m in the cold, wet, empty street next to the opera house to fall apart. Tears sting at my eyes. Lucy, you are not doing this. I scream and crouch down to the ground. There’s a puddle in front of me. I lean forward to see nothing where my reflection should be. I didn’t realize being in the presence of true, unadulterated love would affect me this way. I look up to the empty sky and wonder if my own love is looking to the same sky. Overcome with remorse, I curse God. Mocking me day in and day out as I claw my way back to what’s mine.

Back at home, doom scrolling and thinking about the next phase of my plan, my stupid algorithm bestows a video of Erik and Christine’s wedding upon me. They apparently tied the knot a few months back. The video is blurry, but the poor quality doesn’t disguise the happiness contained within. A fan must have snagged it as Erik and Christine were leaving the courthouse. She wears a vintage light blue gown with off the shoulder sleeves and small pink flowers at the bust. He wears a black suit with black shirt, light blue tie, and red rose on the lapel. No mask. Interesting choice, freak. What to do when your face is that messed up? I digress. Christine’s bouquet is a small spray of red roses. 

My heart stops when I see a precious little boy standing between them, beaming with joy, arms spread wide as if trying to hold his whole world. The pure joy of a little child. My heart stops for a moment. I drink in every line of his sweet little face, round and soft. His cheeks are rosy. His eyes are twinkling. Dark hair wild around his angelic face. I draw a finger across my screen, tracing the outline of his face. A painful memory flashes across my mind before I have time to stop it. Like a dagger to my heart, it sends cold chills through my body.

Quickly my eyes go from the little boy to a noticeable baby bump under Christine’s dress. Those stupid fuckers, do they not have enough? They get another one? The happy family smiles brightly through my screen, taunting me, gloating at all they have. The amount of love emanating from the video makes me throw my phone across the room. It hits the tall mirror I propped up on my bedroom wall, causing the mirror to shatter. Perfect. Not like it’s actually useful to me.

Love. What a strange concept. I’ve only known true love once in my life. The kind of love that comes on so unexpectedly and plants itself deep in your core. A love you wouldn’t hesitate to kill for. It was ripped from me entirely too soon. The loss left me empty and broken, hungry only for vengeance. 

I want to clear the air. I know I didn’t come off as the best or warmest character this time around, but when you hear my origin story you’ll understand why. I have my reasons for using those handsome idiots and ultimately gaining the majority of their fortunes. I wasn’t always the lying, manipulative black widow I have been in recent years. I used to be easy going, lovely, and happy… until something happened that would change my life forever. Now, the time is right for the next part of my plan.

I am going to find Dracula and get my son back.