All Chapters of Ultramarine: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

There had been four reported sightings of the Loch Ness monster in Loch Lomond within a week. And, on a small island north of Bowmore, Scotland, local fishermen swore to the existence of mermaids.That was enough to convince Mom to pack the little we owned and make a mad dash halfway across the world. Dad had no trouble with the idea, because Scotland was a paranormal investigator's paradise. I could

I released a cry of frustration when the cabinet above my bed smacked me against my forehead for what could have been the tenth time. I threw the notepad and pen down onto the bed, stood up onto my knees, and turned to slam the cupboard so hard that everything around me quivered.It felt like I was suffocating.I dangled my legs over the side of the bed and grabbed a small bag of potato chips Mom

The weather was as fickle as Kayn. One moment you’d be dressing for a heavy downpour and icy winds that could slice you into two. The next moment when you step outside, there wouldn’t be a single cloud in sight, and if the sun moved any closer, it would scorch us all into ashesI made that discovery the following morning as I strode toward the cottage, every muscle in my body aching.

The moment Dad handed me a brand new Kindle Paperwhite was better than being told we’d be living an average, suburban life. Okay, not entirely—but it was close enough. I sunk into the cushy recliner inside the livingroom, the air sweet of Mom’s rosie perfume. The bottle was left neglected ontop of the coffee table beside a stack of her research files.

Thursday morning I found Mom sitting at the kitchen table with a chunk of photos and papers spread out in front of her. There were dishes piled inside the sink and the linoleum floor felt sticky beneath my shoes. A piece of burnt toast was lying uneaten beside a half cup of coffee with excess creamer forming a layer at the top. I’d have no choice but to intervene once Mom left the kitchen. Eventually.

"Where to first?" Kayn held out his hand for me and all I could do was stare up at him. I had no idea what his Mom held over him that made him accompany me to Bowmore and suddenly be nice to me, but it had me curious. Water lapped noisily against the base of the raft, penetrating the chirping-cricket silence as we stared at each other.

“This is it, Jonathan, I’m telling you. I know this time I’ve got it,” Mom exclaimed as I walked into the kitchen, carrying a load of bags. Kayn followed with more bags, a dark brow arched as he glanced at Mom. I’ve always wondered how people did that—raising a single brow. I’ve tried practicing the notion in the mirror once, but my brows refused to work it no matter how hard I tried.

“The old man is looking for you. He said he’s—” Ember’s eyes widened when she saw what Kayn was holding inside his hand. “Oh. My. Word. Carly, are you okay?”I raised my hands to rub my bare arms, suddenly freezing now that Kayn’s heat was gone. “I’m okay, thanks to him.” It was then when it dawned on me that Kayn was

I couldn’t find Kayn anywhere.I knew he was following me, hiding from plain sight. I wanted nothing more than to corner him and ask him what the hell he was up to now. However, I was growing tired and needed to catch a breather.Besides that, I wasn’t here to run after him or play hide and seek.

The hospital room smelled of latex, bleach and coffee. There was coffee because of the two cops chatting in the corner of the room with Kayn. Each of them held a Starbucks cup in hand, occasionally slurping from it and exchanging words back and forth. All of them, including my brows, shot up as Mom announced her arrival by shouting at hospital staff from somewhere down the hallway.