One Life
by L.A. Cadieux
Series: A Teddy Owens Story, #1
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Release Date: June 20, 2014
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Strong and sassy, sixteen year-old Teddy Owens has barely considered her own mortality, unaware within her lays dormant the ability to save one person from death...a particularly difficult decision to make when so many people she loves are in desperate peril.
Intent on leaving her troubled childhood in the past, snow-obsessed Teddy has moved from Texas to her uncle's secluded Rocky Mountain estate—a beautiful place, but colder than she imagined. Curious about her surroundings she ignores the persistent advice of new friends and digs to uncover the allure of the mysterious estate—only to discover her friends have terrifying secrets of their own. With each new revelation, Teddy is thrust further into a clandestine underworld where she is hunted for her supernatural power.
After her family's sordid history of betrayal is unearthed, her world is rocked when she must travel to New York City and take an oath promising her power to an arrogant heir of the underworld, Leevi Koivu. Can she trust him?
In the end someone she loves, but cannot save, will die.
Why hadn't Kane phoned to tell me he was all right? He must know I’m concerned? My fingers thrummed nervously on the island. I needed some air.
After pulling on my coat I unlocked and opened a sliding glass door off the side of the living room. The security system beeped in warning. The beeping noise made me miss Fred and Barney. I felt extremely sad and very alone as I stepped out onto the rooftop patio. Leaning against a cement wall as high as my chest I stared out at the downtown New York skyline. The city’s lights cast a reddish orange haze into the sky above. The haze was beautiful but it was sad I could not see the stars. Far below a hum of vehicles and honking car horns disturbed the peace. I could just make out a young couple rushing to hail a yellow taxi. They were dressed for a night out and if I hadn't been so high up I am sure I would have heard the woman’s high heels clicking frantically against the pavement. A few more minutes passed and the cold November air began to bite at the tips of my ears. I could hear a fire truck siren ringing in the distance, followed by a police siren. New York: the city that never sleeps.
After pulling on my coat I unlocked and opened a sliding glass door off the side of the living room. The security system beeped in warning. The beeping noise made me miss Fred and Barney. I felt extremely sad and very alone as I stepped out onto the rooftop patio. Leaning against a cement wall as high as my chest I stared out at the downtown New York skyline. The city’s lights cast a reddish orange haze into the sky above. The haze was beautiful but it was sad I could not see the stars. Far below a hum of vehicles and honking car horns disturbed the peace. I could just make out a young couple rushing to hail a yellow taxi. They were dressed for a night out and if I hadn't been so high up I am sure I would have heard the woman’s high heels clicking frantically against the pavement. A few more minutes passed and the cold November air began to bite at the tips of my ears. I could hear a fire truck siren ringing in the distance, followed by a police siren. New York: the city that never sleeps.
“New York at night, amazing isn't it?” said a voice thick with a guttural foreign accent. Startled, I turned and grabbed my chest. A lanky young man with gray eyes was leaning against the open patio door staring at me with a smirk. He had shaggy blond hair the color of white sand, the kind you might find on an exotic, secluded beach. Those eyes were stunning—a sexy—nearly metallic gray.
“You scared me.” I said, with a frog in my throat. “Who are you?”
“A friend,” he said with a sideways smile. The guy looked like an attorney but he was too young to have already finished university. He was wearing black dress pants and a crisply ironed gray dress shirt—which was not tucked in. There was a nasty scar above his right upper lip like the actor Dermot Mulroney. He had the look and the sound of a person of northern European descent. “Do you like what you see?” He took a step away from the door.
“Excuse me?” Blushing, I looked away. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
How dare he assume I was checking him out…? Okay, maybe I was...a little.
“In Helsinki,” my arrogant companion said, “The architecture is contemporary mixed in with Old World. I suppose it is no surprise New York would have a different skyline and architectural influence than a city in Finland.”
“Naturally,” I replied. I swallowed the lump in my throat and attempted to tear my gaze away from the concrete rooftop.
“NYC is the epitome of all things American, don’t you agree?” he asked.
“There is no place quite like it,” I said weakly.
“Where else can you mix in Broadway plays, supermodels, and Saturday Night Live?” He smiled.
“Let me guess,” I took a relieved breath. “You’re Leevi?”
He grinned. “My name is, Leevi.” Leevi walked out onto the patio with a smooth— almost regal—grace. Grace was an odd characteristic to see in a guy. Even when Kane played hockey it probably wasn't graceful. He was limber and fit—just not graceful.
Why am I comparing them?
Leevi sat in one of Paul’s patio chairs. He seemed oblivious to how cold the chair’s waterproof fabric must feel.
“You, fine lady, must be Miss Owens,” he said gallantly. Fine lady? Miss Owens? Dude, take it down a notch or two. “Really, please call me Teddy,” I insisted. “Also, don’t address me as lady and it sounds weird if you call me Miss anything. How old are you anyway, twenty?”
Leevi laughed. “As you wish, Teddy Owens.” He looked down at his hands. “I’m twenty—a good guess.” Though Leevi did have a Scandinavian accent, he spoke very good English.
Stepping away from the rail, I stood uncomfortably for a moment with my hands in my pockets and shoulders to my ears.
“Leevi, you’re late tonight—and that’s rude.”
Leevi shrugged. “I was held up.” He looked down as his palm opened and closed.
“I heard,” I said, annoyed.
“If you heard, then why ask?” There was a smirking tone to his voice.
“Dude, I don’t think it’s too much to ask for an explanation about what happened,” I pointed out. I was beginning to suspect Leevi could have a bit of an attitude. I hoped Paul didn't think we were going to be best buds.
“Dude?” Leevi asked. He stood, then pushed the patio chair out of the way.
“A guy from back home liked to call everyone ‘Dude’,” I explained. “It’s catchy—you should try it sometime.”
Leevi shook his head. “I think not. Though, I’m a fan of Michelangelo from the Ninja Turtles.”
“Let me guess, you’re too cool to say dude?” I laughed. “Come on, say cowabunga dude,” I urged. “Like Michelangelo would.”
“No ... dude,” Leevi said. His expression suggested he had just eaten a rotten sardine.
“Alright, you win,” I laughed again. “When you said dude it just didn't sound right.” I imagined the taste of rotten sardine and stuck out my tongue in distaste. It was Kane’s trademark—and it was best kept that way anyway.
“I didn't realize we were in a competition?” Leevi met my gaze and I noticed his gray irises were shining bright in the city lights, leaving a silver line in the circle closest to the pupil. This guy was cute—like cute in a way that was totally different than anyone I had ever met. I couldn’t even think of a celebrity to compare him to. “You’re feeling sick?” Leevi asked. He looked at me with his sideways grin. Once again—cute—I had always liked a sideways grin.
“I’m fine,” I said, looking away.
“I understand.” He grinned widely and put a hand to his chest. “You find me startlingly attractive.” Honestly, I’d never met anyone so high on himself.
“Full of ourselves, are we?” I asked. Unimpressed, I glared at Leevi. To do so I had to look up at him, as he was also quite tall.
“I prefer to describe myself as confident.” Leevi’s smile was toothy and when he smiled, it was impossible to ignore how his eyes closed slightly and his scar tugged on the side of his upper lip. “You certainly have confidence in spades,” I noted, folding my arms stubbornly across my chest. “Why don’t you spill and tell me what happened tonight?”
“Can I give you a piece of advice, Teddy?” Leevi asked smoothly.
“Possibly...” I said with hesitation. “What kind of advice?” “Get used to not being told everything you want to know.
Secrecy is the way of the A.O.G. There are many things I still don’t know—and both my parents have been involved for what feels like forever.”
“Are your parents with you here in New York?” I tried to ignore how bossy and arrogant Leevi sounded.
Leevi turned his back on me and then headed inside, holding the door open for me. “My mother is back in Helsinki.”
“It’s probably none of my business, but—” I said, following after him.
“Then I would suggest you don’t ask,” he said smugly.
Barnes & Noble and Smashwords coming soon!
My name is L. A. Cadieux, I’m a YA/New Adult writer and social media-aholic born in Lac La Biche, Alberta, living in Calgary, Canada. Since childhood I've been mesmerized by stories of fairy tales, knights, Greek and Roman mythology and comic book heroes. Naturally, I wanted to create my own worlds/characters and set off on a long quest to write fantasy novels. Creative, yet business minded, I went on to earn a Degree in Management from the University of Alberta Augustana, specializing in Business Economics.
I'm a Project Manager by day and by night I work on my stories. After shelving some of my earlier manuscripts I decided to focus on ONE LIFE, the first in a series of Teddy Owens Stories.
As a proud mom of two – I spend my days and nights multi-tasking.
Random facts: Tim Hortons coffee and ketchup chips are my vices. I’m also a fan of the HBO and CW Networks. My favourite book is Jane Austen’s PRIDE & PREJUDICE.
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