Blurb
Heart Thief
Monsters come in many forms.
Some want shiny new toys to play with—others want blood.
Mona Walters dreams of adventure, of a world beyond the shoreline she’s confined to. She yearns for vibrancy in her dull, mundane existence, but succumbs to the bleakness.
Until the necklace her sister wore the night she was brutally murdered shows up on her door wrapped in a neat bow, fueling her to run away and seek out the person responsible for stealing her sister’s life.
Mona wished for more—for color in her gray world.
What she didn’t realize was just how much more she would get.
And that the world outside her own was soaked in red—blood red.
The world she dreamed of is made of nightmares.
A rich, influential world of two brothers—and once they have her in their sights, they plan to keep her there.
Her father kept her secluded for a reason.
Be careful what you wish for.
There's a thief out there, and he's coming for Mona's heart.
Author Note
This story has dark themes with scenes that can be upsetting to the sensitive reader.
Please read with caution.
For the heartless souls and the assholes who made us this way.
Introduction
Heart Thief
by
Ker Dukey
I knew from the minute I met you you were the villain and the hero in my story.
You were a thief.
You stole my heart straight from the prison caging it.
One
Mona
Twelve years old…
Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum.
Closing my eyes, I listen to Clara’s heartbeat. It soothes mine into a rhythmic beat beneath the bone of the cage it’s sheltered inside. My eyes feel heavy, but I strain to keep them open, ignoring the burning.
“Sleep, Mona.” My sister’s words hum through her body, making her chest rumble beneath my cheek. I huddle closer, curling my body against hers.
“Will you be here when I wake up?” I ask, already knowing the lie she’ll give me.
“Of course.”
Liar, liar, tongue on fire.
She breathes, stroking her finger down my arm. “When you’re old enough, I’m going to steal you away from here. Show you all the wonders that live beyond this island,” she whispers, cautious not to be caught speaking of such things.
My mind drifts to the shoreline. Visions of our day play like a movie in my head. My sister dipping her toes into the water, my excited squeals as Eli gave chase, pretending to be the beast that lives in the depths of the waters.
“Daddy says we’re to take over as leaders once we’re old enough.” I sigh, hating the idea of having to stand up and preach words I don’t believe in to worshippers blinded by the promises our father gives them.
I feel her exhale, the chest I lay upon deflating. “Do you not want to see what’s beyond our life here, Mona?”
I do. So much. The water calls to me in my dreams, urging me to explore, to discover if the world beyond ours is truly as bad as father says.
“I want adventure,” I utter, hiding my smile against the fabric of her nightgown. Her small hand strokes through my hair as she says, “And you will have it. I promise. We’ll have it together.”
Looking around the dull gray room we share, nothing but a bed and dresser filling the space, I breathe, “When?” I stare up into her brown oval eyes. Delight dances in them, making them almost appear amber.
“When you’re old enough, I promise.” She shifts. “Speaking of…” she says enthusiastically, moving me to sit up, pulling something from beneath the pillow, “I got your birthday present.”
Excitement warms my cheeks, tugging my lips into a grin. “But it’s not until next month.”
“Since when do I follow the rules?” She quirks a brow, her dark curly locks falling around her face. “Close your eyes,” she instructs in a giddy tone.
Doing as I’m told, I close my eyes and hold my hand out. Bumblebees buzz around my stomach, making me bounce a little on the mattress with anticipation.
A gentle weight placed in my palm alerts me to open my eyes.
It’s a small black jewelry box with the words Shiny Jewels by Ward Brothers blazoned across it in a squiggly font. My eyes widen, going between the box and my sister’s beautiful face.
Her long, unruly curls bounce around her shoulders as she becomes animated. “Go ahead, open it.”
With shaky fingers, I creak the lid open, my chest pounding. My stomach dips as I roam my eyes over the two silver chains sitting on a velvet pillow. Jewelry like this isn’t something you can get on our island. This must be from the city.
“Whoa,” I gasp, looking down at two silver chains with heart pendants hanging from them. They’re beautiful.
“There are two?”
“Yes,” she says, taking the box and pulling the chains free. “One for you, and one for me.” She unclasps one of the chains. “So no matter where I am, you know you own my heart and I love you.”
“Are you leaving me?” I choke out, the bees starting to sting instead of flutter.
“No. I’ll never leave you, Mona.” She leans forward to clasp the necklace in place around my neck. The small silver heart sits at the center of my chest, a little shiny red jewel twinkling in the corner of the heart. It’s then I notice the letter carved into the metal: C.
“C for Clara.” She smiles. “And I have M for Mona.” She slips the other necklace free and fastens it around her neck. My hand strokes over the C, joy beaming from inside me.
“I love it. Thank you.” I hug her tight and soak in the warmth of her embrace.
She lays back down and pulls me onto her chest again. I accept I’ll have to hide this from Father. The last girl to be found with jewelry from the outside world spent a year in father’s prison.
“Sleep, Mona. The darkness won’t consume you while I’m here,” Clara assures me.
My nightmares have been haunting me of a storm approaching.
Not tonight, though. She was right. Dreams of happiness and contentment fill my head as I drift to sleep.
But I was right too. She wasn’t there when I woke up.
Two
Mona
One month later…
Sand sinks beneath my feet, leaving echoes of my existence within the grains. Water swells and crashes, splashing my shins. The sun teases the horizon before heating my skin, bringing a glow to my flesh. I envision Clara looking up at the same sunrise, a smile on her pretty lips and an empty ache in her heart from missing me.
It’s been a month since she left in the night and didn’t return. I clutch the necklace she gave me, praying on the wind she’ll return for me.
“Mona.” I startle when Eli calls my name. I place the necklace back in the pocket of my dress as he comes racing from the tree line, his arms entangling around my waist, dragging me backward until we both fall into the sand, the sounds of our surprised chuckle tickling the air around us.