Title: The Aqua Secret
Author: LL Hunter
Author: LL Hunter
Series: The Aqua Saga #1
Genre: YA Dystopian/ Sci-fi
Release Date: March 31st 2014
Blurb:
The year is 2042 and the world has been consumed by water.
Those who survived the great floods of 2012 clung to the debris of the Old World from which they rebuilt their lives.
Pym Maddox thought life was good living on the floating city called Aqua. Harboring secret feelings for her best friend, the smoldering Rush Rodgers, was the least of her problems. Rush is the son of her father’s second in command, a boy whom her father approved of – or so she thought. After her people are moved onto her father’s navy vessel, a motion which is only the start of the torrent of secrets that begin to unravel. Pym’s search for answers lead her and Rush to a secret underwater lab that just might hold the answers to everything.
Pym soon discovers that the world she grew up in is not what it seems, and her father may hold the key to unlocking the biggest secret of all – the reason Pym and Rush have a mysterious connection to the water.
Secrets and water have one thing in common: they get distorted on the surface.
EXCERPT:
“Pym!”
I heard my name and knew it must
be Rush. He was coming after me, so I swam
faster. His voice was closer now.
“Pym!” Then came the persistent banging.
“Pym, wake up!” Now I knew I wasn’t dreaming.
Ignoring my lack of clothes, I groaned and slid out of the bunk I was in,
landing on the cold, metal floor. How
did I get here? Where am I? I didn’t have time to deliberate
over the situation, because the person on the other side of the door kept
banging. I hurried over to the door because the banging had gotten more
persistent by the second.
“Coming. Hold your
horses!” I
unlocked the bolt across the door and yanked
it open. Rush tumbles in with fist raised to knock again.
“Rush? What are you doing here? You shouldn’t
be here! My father will kill you.” I looked him over. He was in his pajamas as
well. “What happen to our code?”
“Can I talk to you?”
“Sure, but in the morning.” I tried to shut
the door in his face but his hand stopped it.
“Please. I have to speak to you now.”
“Fine.” I exhaled. “Come in before anyone
sees you.” I grabbed his shirt and pulled him inside. He forgot about the lip
all the watertight doors have and tripped over it, crashing into me, and
sending us both tumbling backwards. He landed on top of
me, and I couldn’t breathe. He raised his head and looked at me with those
incredible blue eyes I love. My breath caught in my throat as something stirred
inside me. Something I had been denying for years. His dark hair hung over
those blue sapphires dashingly, driving me crazy. I pushed away the sudden urge
to lean up and kiss him.
“You’re crushing me,” I gasped.
“Oh, sorry.” He uses the floor on either side
of us to push himself up, and once he’s to his feet, he offered his hand for
me.
“Thank you.” I take it and his strong arm
pulled me up. It was then that I felt naked and vulnerable as his teenage eyes
took in my long bare legs, my very short boy-leg shorts, and my black training
t-shirt.
“Nice PJ’s.”
“Thanks.” I attempted to hide my flushed
cheeks when I shoved his chest. “Now say what you have to say before I throw
you out.”
He exhaled and looked up at my face. “I just
want to say that I... I had a bad dream, and I can’t sleep.”
“A dream about what?” I said as I sat down on
the lower bunk bed.
“I dreamt that Aqua was sinking.”
I stare at him in disbelief. “Sinking?
Impossible.”
“It could happen, you know. If one of the
other militias decides to set missiles on us.”
“Rush, my dad has made it clear there are no
other militias. There are no other communities but ours.”
“That is where you’re wrong.”
I stood up and began pacing. “No, it’s not
true. My father has told me
that...”
“Your father is lying to you. Your
father has been lying to all of us.” “Rush,
that is a dangerous
accusation you’re making.”
“I don’t care. I
know what I saw.” My eyes widen. “What you saw?
What are you talking about?”
“I was out on
patrol with my father
this morning when I saw something in the
distance.”
“It could be a mirage. You know how the ocean
plays tricks on you.”
“No, I know it’s another community. My dad
even hinted at it.”
“What?”
“He knows something. I asked him what it
could be, and he changed the subject as if he didn’t want me to know. I’m
telling you, Pym, we’re not the only survivors.”
I sat back down beside him. “Okay,
let’s say it’s true. We can’t really go
telling our parents about it. They’ll call us foolish children and brush us
aside, or even worse, believe us and go killing them.”
“We don’t even know what they’re like, the
others,” Rush said.
“Exactly.”
“Which is the reason we should go and
investigate. We could swim over there and...”
“Are you insane?” I gripped his arm, nails
biting into his flesh.
“Yes, I am. Insane is my middle name,” he
grinned. I wacked him.
“I’m serious, Rush. Our parents would never
allow it and...”
“And they aren’t going to know. It’ll be our
little secret.” He moved closer and placed a finger on my lips. In that moment,
I was very aware of how close we were. Our thighs touched, and so
did our gazes. Years of crushing on him,
loving him, boiled down to this very moment. I wanted to lean forward and kiss
him so bad. I don’t know why a second later I changed the subject and moved
back.
“Where are we? We aren’t in my room or
yours.”
“I know. We’re in your father’s vessel.”
“What? Why?” I knew this was serious. We
never fled to the ship. It was only used on patrol missions.
“Someone triggered the alarm. I don’t know
who, but I was on my way to my room when I found your Mom standing outside with
you. You fainted, Pym.”
“Fainted?” This was so weird. I never
fainted.
“Yeah. I carried you onto the ship.” “Where
were you?”
“Out on patrol, like I said.”
“Oh.” I looked down at my hands, looping my
thumbs round and round each other. “So that’s why you weren’t at lunch.”
“I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you, but my
father pulled me away. He didn’t give me time to explain. Why? Were you worried
about me?” He moved closer and smiled. I looked up at him and shoved him.
“You’re such a loser.”
He shoved me back. “You’re the loser.” He
stood. “Anyway, I’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow. Okay? Get some sleep.”
“Hey, I was already sleeping. You woke me up
because you couldn’t
sleep.”
“Funny. Sweet dreams. Okay?”
“You, too.” I smiled at him and slipped back
into bed as he let himself
out. I could’ve sworn I saw him wink on the
way out.
L.L. Hunter is the author of over 20 published works, including The Legend of the Archangel Series and The Garden of Eden. She has studied everything from veterinary nursing, forensic science, and dramatic arts, but has always known her true calling was to be an author.
She has been writing since her teens - everything from fan fiction, to song lyrics, to plays and musicals. When not working on her next paranormal romance, she can be found at home in Australia, reading somewhere comfortable with one or both of her “fur babies.” Follow her on Facebook, Twitter @llhunterbooks, and her blog - http://llhunter.blogspot.com.au.
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