Tag: Urban Fantasy

Viper Returns

Staring into the hazel brown eyes of the woman who used to fuck the man you are in love with is not fun. Had it not been for the fact that Michael is damn near comatose, I am certain that this encounter would have led to a fight to the death. Tall, lean, with a thick head of naturally curly raven hair that hung loosely past her shoulders; full cherry red lips, high cheek bones set atop a perfectly symmetrical face-yeah, I will give Michael his props. She is taller than me by almost a foot, and as she glared at me with hatred oozing from her pores, I knew this is a bad idea… Scotland is a long ways from here, and the last thing I want to do is travel abroad with a bitter bitch.

“Where is he?” She demanded, pushing past me, barely giving me time to step to the side.

“Let’s make one thing clear bitch,” I say through clenched teeth. “The only reason why you were called is because I do not know how to heal him.”

She stops mid-step and turns to face me, her expression unreadable.

“It figures vampire,” she says coolly. “What knowledge would you possess on healing Vampire Hunters? We kill your kind and have proven ourselves to be effective at doing it.”

“Yeah, well for you to be so effective I don’t see too many of you around-“

–“I don’t think it is best that you accompany us to Scotland,” she snaps coldly.

“I didn’t ask you to come here to think.”

She glares at me. “Just because you walk in the sun does not mean you cannot be killed,” she threatened, her tone menacing and filled with murderous promise.

“I have killed werewolves, vampires older than me, and monsters among men,” I warn inching closer to her, “which means I will have no problem killing you. I am trying to get this man to Scotland so he could receive the help that he needs. Now if I am willing to risk my own survival with full understanding that I will be surrounded by very old and experienced Vampire Hunters that should tell your silly ass something. “

We glare at each other in a heated stand- off that extended past just a few minutes, and it was her who decided to stand down.

“Just watch your step vampire,” she threatens, and returned her attention to Michael, whose coloring had turned to a ghastly white. “So he was bitten by a werewolf AND a vampire?” She quizzed, pulling the sheet back and examining the wound.

“No. He was bitten by a werewolf/vampire hybrid,” I say, feeling slightly annoyed at having to re-explain what had transpired prior to her arrival.

“That cannot be…” she said quietly.

“Well it is. Even vampires are experimenting in the scientific communities now.”

She replaces the covers over him. “I don’t know how we are going to be able to transport him by plane to Scotland. He is gravely ill, and one look from the flight attendants and he will be asked to leave.”

“And not to mention that he is a wanted suspect for a series of what humans refers to as murders in Florida. He would never make it past the TSA,” I add shaking my head.

“And how the hell did he end up a wanted man ? He is the most honorable man I know and he wouldn’t dream of getting caught up in the likes of …” She scans me up and down. “…in the likes of your world.”

She has one more time to cross me with another slick ass comment before this whole thing becomes a wrap. “Clearly you don’t know him as well as you wished you did,” I snap. “And if he is so honorable then why the hell haven’t you seen him in how many centuries?”

She glowers at me, before focusing her gaze on Michael. Her eyes soften at the sight of him in such a vulnerable state.

“Because we were both young and reckless at the time…and incredibly foolish. I always knew that I would come back to him at some point…”

Irritated doesn’t even begin to cover the desire to rip her head off of her shoulders. I glare at her, fangs lengthening by the second.

“Well I hate to break it to you,” I say lethally. “But he is taken.”

“By you?” She scoffs in disbelief. “What possible future could he have with you?”

“One that he clearly didn’t want with you, otherwise we wouldn’t be in this position now would we?”

Game over. She says nothing more and looks longingly at Michael before reaching into a small sack that he held tied around her waist, pulling out a handful of herbs and then gently placing them on top of the wound. Her expression was incredibly pained, and from what I could gather full of regret. I suppose in her mind Michael was the one that got away, but what she fails to understand is that the feeling is not mutual. He grimaces, and his eyes flicker open in surprise of her appearance, and then he returns back to a peaceful sleep.

“That should help draw out some of the pain,” she says softly.

“What is that?” I ask curiously.

“Hunters Bane. It is an herb that is grown in the lands of Scotland, Ireland and even in certain parts of Africa. We use it to help us heal faster.”

We watch as he sighs in relief even in his sleep, and I wonder if perhaps keeping him here would serve all of our interests. I may not have to travel all the way to Scotland after all, especially if I can locate enough Hunters Bane from one of these off the market herb stores that offer holistic alternatives that give humans a false sense of hope in the art of healing.

“We have to get him out of here,” I say out loud. “As much as I would like to keep him comfortable in this hotel room, we just raided the lair of one of the most notoriously feared vampires the world has seen, and I expect there to be an army after me.”

Rowena shoots me a quick look before returning her gaze to Michael.

“He can come with me. I have plenty of places to shelter him. Considering the fact that you are responsible for this man’s current condition, transporting him to Scotland would probably kill him. I can contact his parents and the rest of the elders and have them meet me-“

“You have got to be out of your goddamn mind if you think I am going to allow you to take him anywhere alone,” I growl between clenched fangs.

“Tread carefully vampire,” Rowena whispers with a hint of poison. “It is because of you that he is even in this predicament-“

“And it will be because of me that he lives. You are here because of me. You would have never known he was in need of help had I not reached out to you-“

Suddenly, there is a crash just beyond the hallway. Both of us key in, our sense on high alert, and I detect the disgustingly potent smell equivalent to that of a wet dog: werewolf.

She looks at me, her green eyes littered with distrust.

“We have to get out of here,” I say. “Now.”

“How are we going to transport him without us being seen?” She asks, her gaze dancing between myself and Michael.

“I can transport him through vapor. You just have to tell me where to go,” I say moving quickly towards the bed where I bundle him into the blankets.

“And where does that leave me?” She demands.

“You’re a huntress,” I say, gently lifting possibly one of the largest men in the history of the world into my arms. His pain filled groans tug at my heart, threatening my concentration. “I am sure you can handle yourself just fine. Now, where did you park?”

I can taste the shift in the electricity that saturates the air. Familiar howls, and snarls from shifting werewolves are approximately ten feet away from the hotel room in which we stand.

“Listen,” I say firmly. “We don’t have time for bullshit. We have to leave now. Where the fuck did you park so I-we can get this man to safety!”

“I am parked underground in the black Lexus truck,” she says quickly.

“Take the window. It’s about a thirty foot vertical drop. Once you hit the ground, there is a side door which leads to the underground parking structure. Meet you there in 20 seconds.” With that I dematerialize with Michael in tow.

“More like 15,” I hear Rowena whisper as she rushes to the window and takes a sprawling leap.

Traveling through the vapor, I see how we managed to leave just in time, because as soon as Rowena makes it out of the window, the double latched door goes flying off the hinges and in comes three massive wolves, fresh from transition with fangs dripping with frothy white saliva. The news of Lucas’ Barnes death clearly travels fast, and with that in mind, I move Michael and I through the airwaves and materialize in front of Rowena’s truck just as she came running into the parking structure. She unlocked the door and started hit the ignition button that is on her key chain, and I gently ease Michael into the backseat, strapping him in. Rowena is already in the front seat, and there is a brief moment in her gaze where I can tell she is debating on pulling off without me or not, however I am not about to give this bitch one second of wishful thinking because I am strapped in the passenger seat before she can complete the thought. She scowls but hits the accelerator and we speed out of the underground garage and onto the busy streets of New Orleans.

 

 

Viper Book 2 Teaser 2

In the Light of Darkness: The Grey Chronicles of Dawn

He was not supposed to love me. As a matter of fact he is not supposed to protect me. He was supposed to murder me as was ordered by the Queen years ago. I am supposed to be dead-a thousand times over and yet here I stand ready to fight another day. I have fought. I have died. I have killed. But, I have yet to be extinguished. He lives and therefore I am. And yet, we run. We will continue running until her entire line has been exterminated and I am finally free. I cannot help what I am nor did I ask to be born and still, she hates me.

They say stay in the light!

I say run from it.

They say reject the darkness.

I say embrace it.

The Queen of light has tasted the bitter sweet nectar of vengeance and she loves it. She is the hunter and I am her prey. But in all stories, there is a beginning and an end; there is good, there is bad, there is wicked and there is kind…but there is a special brand of evil that deceives even its own self…an evil that has convinced itself that the light that it bears makes it inherently and unquestionably good.

There is black. There is white. And then…

There is me.

She is coming for me. She is the blizzard that blots out all shades of color; destroying everything in its path, freezing it to its core and stripping away everything encoded in its DNA until there is no sight, no sound, no warmth…just the hum of the freezing cold and the soul of the barren.

Beware the light. There is safety in the shadows…

 

Prologue

In the beginning there was oblivion: an absence of light, sound, and life. Darkness was the companion of the Infinity, the beginning and end, the creator and destroyer of worlds…The Supreme Being. And then, from the darkness, a small spark of light grew and The Infinity watched with amusement as this tiny form began to take shape, separating the darkness and separating itself from the oblivion until The Infinity found himself the center of opposing forms which vied for his attention. The two forces warred with each other, competing for the attention and approval of The Infinity until finally they were separated and each given a certain portion of time to hold the attention of The Infinity. The Infinity called one Day and the other, Night and bestowed upon each their own gifts so as to amuse themselves whenever one or the other were not in His presence. And then, one day The Infinity expanded the darkness further beyond the realms of oblivion, and decorated it with solid forms of varying circular and three dimensional shapes that could not be seen through such a thick blanket of darkness. And so, The Infinity took from the Light and scattered across the darkness countless numbers of dusts of white hot heat that shown brightly whenever Light disappeared to entertain The Infinity.

And then, the Light became sentient as did the darkness, both sides peeling themselves from the backdrop of what no longer what they’d been. Both left their imprint in the skies and beyond while The Infinity watched with idle curiosity with full knowledge of all of the limitless possibilities that intertwined with the fates of The Light and The Dark and the next level of creation He had yet to call forth from His essence. And while the newly developed life forms of archaic knowledge evolved into powerful beings capable of their own creation, The Infinity created Man, sculpting them in His image and likeness and granting them dominion over the newly formed world-their own kingdom to rule while He would watch over them. He assigned the newly sentient beings a single responsibility: to watch and to protect these humans, for other beings formed as a byproduct of His creations and sought to destroy everything He created.

For centuries, the Light and the Dark guarded the humans with vigilance until one fateful day, the strongest of the Darkness, a being by the name of Han violated the Law of the Higher Realm by appearing during the Day in the human world, causing a solar eclipse as he watched the barbaric atrocities that humans committed against the other. He frowned in disgust as he witnessed armies of mindless, human males seize a smaller village of peoples, one by one and decided that he would not act as a Watcher for mankind. His black eyes blazed with indignation and prideful fury of being subjected to a keeper of men who were not worthy to rule a kingdom of their own. He concluded humans did not deserved to rule; but to be ruled.

The solar eclipse signaled the Light of the breach and therefore triggered a series of irrevocable events that lead to the separation and creation of the two houses: House of Light and the House of Dark. From the House of Light, the strongest of the beings was elected to rule as King and upon his election he selected his Queen-another powerful being of Light and the strongest of the female class. From the House of Dark, Han emerged as the sole ruler without the benefit of a Queen to rule by his side. The House of Light banished the House of Dark from entrance into the human world, prompting a millennia long war between the two houses. The House of Light claiming victory, and forgetting the values from which they originally stood and took form in the presence of humans across the globe and became “gods” in the eyes of men.

Furious and not willing to succumb to defeat, the Han and his armies of darkness infiltrated the human realm, destroying everything in its wake. He ordered the capture and execution of beings of Light, and a bounty for the capture of the King of Light. Millions of humans died by the order of Han’s decree, and with their new found kingdom on the brink of extinction, the Queen of Light called forth a great flood washing away all traces of Darkness, but unfortunately nearly wiping out the entire human population.

Angered by the ambitions of His creations, and disgusted by their constant warfare, The Infinity commanded that both houses cease their warfare and demanded that they form a truce. The House of Darkness scoffed at the idea of a truce with his greatest enemy, but even he understood there was no other choice to be made. And so, the House of Light and the House of Dark signed the first peace treaty in the history of the realms that would last for only but a few centuries.

Peace could never be eternal when chaos remained king.

The House of Light returned to their thrones high above the human realm, and the Queen of Light surprised her court the birth of the first heir to the kingdom, a son whom they named Orion and the first of a line of powerful Light Beings. The news of his birth reached the ears of Hans, who went into a jealous rage within the Dark realm of which he ruled. With no queen or any female counterpart to couple with, he could never replenish the ranks of the his armies. And besides the replenishing of fallen men, he suffered a loneliness and a yearning for the tender touch of a beauty that would carve her heart with his name. And despite his hatred for the House of Light, he could not deny that the Queen was a beauty that could not be explained in any language by any tongue. Fair and delicate features with eyes that blazed with valiance and golden truth, lips blushed with rose with a natural fullness that when pulled back even into a hateful grin could bring a man or being to his knees. Her hair cascaded in a river of gold to the center of her back. There’d been many a time when he considered kidnapping her for his own pleasure, and now that she’d blessed her king with a son was too much.

Disguising himself as a mortal, he infiltrated the earth realm unguarded and fell into the heart and bed of a human woman, after enticing her with every charm at his disposal and within months she gave birth to the first of his many descendants. Unbeknownst to the House of Light, he courted hundreds of women, but only selecting 13 of what he considered to be the most desirable and it was not until the Legend of the 13 Concubines reached the ears of the House of Light that the treaty was broken and war continued. From these 13 Concubines came the 29 of his descendants: humans with all of the powers of darkness, combined with the infallible human spirit who would later become known as The Greys. The Queen, horrified by the abominations that were plaguing her human subjects, conferred with her husband, who decided not to destroy the new race of humans that were being bred in their midst. Infuriated with her husband’s decree of diplomacy, she sought the skillset of a well-known and rogue assassin from the House of Dark, and with the promise of a seat in her kingdom, under the blinding secrecy of the light, the King of the House of Light was murdered, and the assassin forced to take the blame was executed by the now adult son of the Queen. Without a King, the House of Light became strictly matriarchal by her edict, and so began the call for the House of Light to seek and destroy any and every human reported with supernatural powers and abilities to preserve the kingdom that the Queen had grown to love.

But the Greys fought back and they fought hard against the Warriors of Light to the delight of the King of Dark, Han. Next to his pure blood warriors the Greys proved to be formidable against the House of Light, equaling in their numbers of casualties. But then, The Infinity moved His Hand against the House of Dark and imprisoned Han and his armies in a hole of impenetrable darkness, leaving his children, The Greys alone and without his defense. With Han incapacitated, The House of Light swept through the human populations, eradicating the Greys by the thousands until they no longer bred and no longer thrived…with the exception of a small clan that learned to live in secrecy. They successfully hid from the Queen and her Warriors throughout the centuries until one fateful day when the first female Grey was born in decades. Having been born of a pure blood Dark father and a half blood mother from the House of Light, she is destined to reunite the Houses by freeing her ancestral father according to prophecy.

The Queen watched and waited and once the news of her birth was sung across the dimensions she dispatched her warriors to locate the child and extinguish it. Han sat quietly in the surrounding and impenetrable darkness and smiled, “It has begun.”

 

Available May 22, 2016

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A Review of Siren’s Call

A Review of Siren’s Call

It has been a while since I posted any thing that was not related to my own books, and I figured writing my review of a recently purchased novel would be great way to welcome my come back into the blogging world. Being an independent author is difficult in itself. Just the idea alone of taking on multiple roles (not even including the title “author”) is a sobering experience. It is a reality that even I face, and when I stepped out onto the scene after several unsuccessful attempts at getting published, I realized that this is not a journey any of us should take alone. I support any and every indie author to the fullest, doing any and everything in my power to promote their work. Every little bit of exposure counts, and I had heard great reviews about Jessica Cage’s book, Siren’s Call-hell, it was even granted an award by the Reader’s Favorite- and so I ordered it from her, she personalized the autograph AND sent me a bookmark. I began my journey into Syrinada’s world of mermaids yesterday and my journey came to an end today. Here are my thoughts:

According to Wikipedia, a siren  “In Greek mythology, the Sirens (Greek singular: Σειρήν Seirēn; Greek plural: Σειρῆνες Seirēnes) were dangerous yet beautiful creatures, who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island”.

The main character, or heroine is awakened to a new sense of being with powers that she must learn to control. After an unfortunate turn of  events, she discovers she is a siren;that her mother was a siren and her father is a warlock. Due to her mixed breeding, there are two sides of a war that are after her. She is unique to her kind, a variable and highly unpredictable and the one responsible for guiding her through this journey is the ever present, ever watchful, super attractive Malachai. Malachi is what one would consider a “merman” and his family (for undisclosed reasons) were given the duty of watching over her until the time came when she would discover who and what she is. His family are sworn to protect her and as the story unfolds, she will definitely need his help.

There is a particular twist in the novel, which involves Malachi’s older, wiser, and confident brother Demetrius, and I suppose that there will be a lot more of him in the pending sequel. Now, there is a lot to be desired throughout the course of the book. I wanted more from Syrinada. I wanted to eat what she ate, hear what she heard, see what she saw, and feel what she felt. I wanted more strength. I wanted more conflict between her desires, her thoughts and her pain. I wanted to feel every ounce of betrayal, every nuance of gradual acceptance into the world that was thrust upon her. However, aside from that there are elements from the book that I am more than happy to explore and one of the elements being female sexuality.

Upon her awakening, not only are her senses heightened, and she possesses supernatural abilities that I predict will aid her in her continued quest into self discovery, she blossoms from a shy, almost demure girl into a woman with needs-no, scratch that, demands. Throughout the ages, women have been trained to believe that embracing their own sexual thirsts and quenching them would render them as “used”, “unwanted”, “dirty”, and a plethora of other negative labels that women are still being plagued with today. Syrinada embraces her newfound “awakening”, and although she does experience some feelings of shame, she quickly understands and accepts that being “sexual” is a part of who and what she is. She demands to be pleasured and the men she commands all too happily oblige.

I can appreciate the fact that this book is a straight no chaser type of read. I am not one for the slow building of a scene. I can appreciate detail to some degree but not to the point where I am bored out of my mind. The thing that I liked most about the story is the fact that it is original and with each chapter I am motivated by the sheer fact that the plot is interesting. I kept asking myself, “Well damn what the hell is going to happen next?” and before I knew it, I was finishing the last few pages of the book.

In conclusion, I can see Siren’s Call in development for a CW production. I like the concept. I like the authenticity of it. Now granted, I can be a bit of a hard nut to crack when reading a new book. I have a very short list of favorite authors and that is because I have been spoiled beyond repair by the likes of L.A. Banks, J.R. Ward, and Karen Marie Moning. But I will say that I will be purchasing book two of the Siren Series to see where Syrinada will end up and which brother will she choose. I will also suggest if witches and mermaids tickle your fancy, well this is the book for you.

Remember to support indie authors. And for all of you writers out there both published and unpublished, let us support each other in good will and never forget that there is room on a book shelf for more than one book. 1795597_532084253567230_7038278173835978212_n

Sin: Daughter of the Grim Reaper (Excerpt)

Sin: Daughter of the Grim Reaper (Excerpt)

Chapter 4

I awake to the familiar smells and sounds of sulfur erupting from the gaseous pits of home sweet home: Hell. I force my eyes to open and there standing beside me in dazzling white robing is the messenger angel Gabriel. Like the rest of his brethren he is surrounded by a blinding gold light, and he extends a glowing hand to help me to my feet. He lifts me with no effort on his part, and once I am steady on my feet, he gazes at me with hopeful eyes. I find his stare to be unnerving, his colorless eyes examining me with a quiet uncertainty.

“Your father has been removed from his duties,” he said sadly. I look at him, the memory of my father’s final words turning my stomach into a tangle of knots.

“Forever?” I ask hoping that there is still some time left for me to find the seal.

His gaze remains focused on mine. “No. Until the seal is found he will remain under heavy guard…but if the seal is not returned in time before it is broken, then…he will be held responsible.”

“Where is he being detained?” I at least needed to know that he was…ok. For all of the misery and extreme punishments he has subjected me to one would think that I would be kicking my heels with joy. And, to a certain extent a part of me did feel slightly vindicated that he may receive a taste of his own brutal medicine, but at the end of the day he was still my father…and he trusted me.

“I cannot reveal that information to you for reasons I am sure you would understand.”

“So why are you here?” Without thinking I summon my father’s Scythe into my possession. Gabriel looks at me alarmed by my sudden offensive act.

“I ask that you do not react in such haste; such actions could further instigate harsher consequences for both you and your father.”

“I have no intentions on threatening you Gabriel,” I say softly. “I just want to know why you are down in the more…baser levels.”

Gabriel studies me once more, his expression changing from alarmed to thoughtful. “You are more like your father than you know,” he says finally after a brief pause. “No one foresaw that he would transfer his powers unto you, a half mortal. But now that he has done it, there are a few things you should know.”

“I’m listening,” I say shifting my weight onto my right foot where I could lean onto the Scythe for support.

“You are to only claim the humans without the mark, and your powers are not meant for you to act on revenge. To do otherwise would result in a punishment worse than what your father may experience. You are the gatekeeper of the afterlife: humans that are allowed entrance into the Heavens will be escorted by one of my brothers. You are never to intervene. Humans that are not allowed entry will be escorted by you to the lower realms where…the fallen will claim ownership….”

He continues on in a speech about what I can and cannot do for what seems like an eternity. Most of the stuff I already knew courtesy of Grim, some of it would take a few practice lessons for me to get it. But what I do not think Gabriel understands is that my new promotion is temporary. I am finding that seal and proving my father’s innocence.

“And last but not least,” He says turning to leave from whatever path he took to get here. “I do not believe your father had something to do with the seal’s disappearance. I believe that my brothers are guided only by their reverence for human life that they see him for what he is not. Grim may be a lot of things that oppose what most of us are designed to do, but ambition is not his motivation. He is nothing like the unnamed one and it saddens me that he is being blamed for such an atrocity.”

“I will find that seal and the human responsible for it,” I declare, now more determined than ever.

“I know you will. That is why I came down to speak to you. But I must leave you be Sin of Sin. Send for me and I shall assist you in any manner that I can…” And with that, he disappeared into a ball of light and was gone.

So even the angels are divided, I think to myself still staring in the direction where the angel had stood. It was then that I realized my father had given me his powers to better aid me in my quest and not so much to prevent a cosmic meltdown. As the Angel of Death, I am now more connected to humanity than ever. I gaze down at my hands, stretching out my palms and I could sense the very vibrations of life right underneath my fingertips. In my mind’s eye I witness human after human whose lives were on the brink of coming to an end ranging from the last few moments of breath after months of battling a terminal illness; the moment their heads make impact through the windshield in a fatal collision; the brush of fear as the really unlucky humans fall victim to a murderous predator and their cries are blotted out by a gun, or a knife, or the overpowering grip of a pair of hands wrapped around their throats choking the life out of them.

So this is why dear old dad is always so damn cranky.

I extend my left arm, summoning the legendary Scythe into my grip. Thank goodness wearing that black hooded robe is not a requirement because I still remain in the leather outfit I purchased. I made a mental note to take Grim shopping as soon as this mess was resolved. He needed a different look, other than his current dreadful appearance. I take one last look at my surroundings. Hellfire, brimstone, lava pits, demons materializing from the physical world in search of a soul to torment; fallen angels lurking about, perhaps on their way to meet with their boss…speaking of boss, now that I am the Angel of Death where are my underlings? Father had a legion of soldiers at his beck and call and here I stand in the middle of Hell alone…. Shouldn’t there have been some sort of ceremony to recognize my promotion? Strange…very strange.

Father mentioned something about being some sort of conspiracy against him, and in Hell, there is always a conspiracy for a power grab. Coups are performed on an almost constant basis, alliances are always formed and agreements made. Everyone down here works for someone, with the exception of my father. He is a sort of free agent, and now that I think of it, that makes him more of a threat than anyone. Someone down here has conspired to remove Grim permanently from his position and used a human to see it through. The question is who? There are millions of demons and most of them work for the Beast. Furthermore, they do not act unless told and I doubt that the Beast has any real interest in destroying Grim considering the fact that he has a war to plan and Grim’s purpose is more beneficial to his cause than not. So that must mean it had to be one or some of Grim’s own soldiers who were responsible.

First things first: find the human. I could terrorize the entire realm and would still find myself unsuccessful. And then I have an idea. Using the Scythe, I send out a telepathic call to every last one of my father’s soldiers to my presence. Instinctively I knew that the one or ones responsible would not make an appearance. They would be somewhere in the earth realm hiding until the time came for the seal to be broken, when my father would meet his end. The caverns vibrated a deep rumbling, creating deep splinters in its wake. Sounds of souls being tormented escalated to a deafening level; cries begging for the Almighty to come and set them free of their eternal torture. Within seconds the first few hundred of my father’s soldiers, now fully under my command are standing in front of me. Some of them sported the black winged/dark angel appearance, while others resembled gargoyles with their clawed hands and feet, stony expressions and grey scaly skin and wings like that of a bat instead of a bird. In just a few minutes I had almost an entire legion standing before me, ready for my command.

All of them stared at me in surprise, and as I mentally counted present heads, I noticed that a good fifty or so were absent-and those that were absent had been my father’s best men. As a matter of fact, those that were missing had accompanied me on several recon missions…just as I thought. They stared at me with curiosity, desperate for answers. As I surveyed these entities, I sensed the vibration of jealousy coming from a few of them, and I knew that if I did not establish myself now as the Angel of Death, I would have to deal with a possible mutiny, and Grim was no longer available for me to run to for obedience issues. I take a deep cleansing breath before speaking.

“As you all may know, Grim has been temporarily removed from his position,” I begin slowly, making eye contact with every one of the warriors that stood in front of me. “For now I will resume as the Angel of Death, fulfilling my father’s duties which is why I felt the need to call this impromptu meeting.” I wait for a response, and when there is none I continue. “Someone or, someones have stolen the Seal of the Apocalypse and somehow my father is being held responsible. When I discover just who the culprits are,” I say, my eyes blazing with rage so dark my unnaturally emerald green eyes turned completely black. “…not only will I skin them alive personally, they will die a second death. Most of you know that I survived the Abaddon Pits, and inside those pits lay a creature that has yet to be unleased onto the earth for a reason. His name is the Devourer and not only does he eat your physical body…he eats your soul. And one more thing,” I add staring beyond the legions and into the deeper pits that made Hell what it was. “I know that this may come as a shock to a lot of you. Some of you even feel that I am not qualified to assume such a prestigious position considering that I am or was half mortal. And I know that some of you feel slighted by Grim after eons of unquestionable allegiance…yet here I stand being given all of the powers of darkness at my disposal… Here is what I present to you: either you stand with me as you had my father or you stand against me and betray my father. You could try to form an alliance with the Unnamed One, but we all know how that goes…betray my father and you die, plain and simple. Have I made myself clear?”

*******Coming Soon***

Bad Ass Chicks Exclusive Interview: Niko

With Kayti Nika Raet’s third book in the Outsider Chronicles now available for us readers to enjoy, Niko was gracious enough to take some time out from hunting Slithers to give us a little more insight on who she is. Niko is incredibly busy, and just getting her to sit down and take a breather was a bit difficult for both of us due to her having to save her world and all, but I am extremely grateful to her for sitting down with me. Check out the interview below and then go get your copy of Monster today.

What is it like having to step up and fulfill that parental role for your younger siblings?

It was tough at first, especially since Shawn was so young. I made a lot of mistakes, but I tried my best to keep everyone safe and happy.

What motivates you to keep going?

My brother Jared and the hope that if I do everything right, maybe, by the end of it all, everyone I care about will still be with me.

If I happen to run across a Slither what would increase my chances of survival?

Nothing. Unless you were born with the ability, unless you’re strong enough, and fast enough to beat them, there’s nothing you can do but hide and hope they don’t find you.

Do you think your world would ever change?

I hope it can. But I don’t think so.

If you could go back in time, what would be the one thing you would change?

Shawn would still be alive…But sometimes I wonder if that would mean that everything that has changed since his death would remain the same, if the Grey-men would still be oppressed, if the cities would still have their hold over Outsiders. If certain people would still be here.

What is the one thing readers haven’t figured out about you yet?

That’s a hard question.

I’m pretty straight forward. What I let you see is what you get. People who open themselves up get hurt, and I’ve been  hurt enough.

What can we expect in your next book?

Everything starts to come together. Some people get what they deserve, some people don’t. There’s an ending but I’m not sure if it wiil be a happy one.

Thank you once again Niko for stopping by and giving us a little more insight on who you are. You are truly one BAD ASS CHICK and I wish you the best of luck in- wait a minute. What the hell is that? *sees something moving behind my desk* Is that a Slither?

Sorry you guys, but uh, I need to get the hell out of here before I end up on the menu. Niko and her bat has left the building and oh hell no…!

*Stay tuned on Wednesday for the next character in the Bad Ass Chicks series (if I survive). Click on the link below for more on Niko and her creator Kayti Nika Raet*

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http://kaytinikaraet.com/the-outsider-chronicles/

Other links:

Website: kaytinikaraet.com
Blog: writebitches.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaytinikaraetbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KNRwrites
Pinterest: pinterest.com/kaytinikaraet/
 Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1fb2cR7
 Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1IDVehs
 Book Links:
 Niko: http://amzn.to/1u5sFAe
Harm: http://amzn.to/1s9Nbz0
 Outsider:  http://amzn.to/1w3tP3H
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1uWYEpr

Bad Ass Chicks Blog 1

Bad Ass Chicks Blog 1

Bad Ass Chicks

July 1, 2015

So today is the day we kick off the series and I am so fortunate to shed the light on the talented, super cool author Kayti Nika Raet and her Bad Ass Chick: Niko. Niko is from Kayti’s book series The Outsider Chronicles, and if you haven’t gotten wind of that awesome series, well now is the time to change your life. Here is an excerpt from Niko’s recent exploits in the book Monster:

As they ran toward the flare Niko realized that though it was ingenious Roosevelt’s idea wasn’t completely foolproof. The flares only told the approximate location of the Slither not how many there were.

Once she rounded the corner she would have no idea if she was going to encounter one Slither or twenty-six, if she was going to encounter a regular Slither, or the eerily intelligent, talking ones.

She had no idea what to expect when she rounded the corner but it definitely wasn’t what she actually saw.

There was nothing.

The street was empty.

There were no Slithers.

Ari stumbled to a halt. “What?”

“There aren’t any Slithers here.” Alice said, swiveling her head left and right. “Are you sure you’re not lost, Arianne?”

“She’s not lost.” Niko cut in before Ari could say anything.

They were in the right spot, the flare had originated from a place only a few meters away; they could even smell the smoke and taste the bitterness on their tongue.

They were in the right spot, there just weren’t any Slithers. Niko moved until her back was against a house and she could get a better view of the street.

All was quiet. Everyone was safely tucked inside their homes which were balanced on several concrete blocks to keep them from touching the acid. A few of the homes had a thin light slipping out from underneath their doors, the light was either provided by solar powered lamps or glow sticks. She hoped to one day bring electricity into the slums but for now, they were concentrating on bringing water to every home.

Alice and Ari stood beside her, their eyes panning the street warily, Roosevelt was somewhere on the roof above them.

“It’s probably a false alarm,” Ari said. She was whispering as though she wasn’t completely sure of her theory. “Someone was scared and set one off by accident.”

“Or someone was an idiot,” Alice said, sounding less forgiving.

Ari grunted as though she agreed with her but couldn’t bear to say it aloud.

“Sh.” Niko said. Something wasn’t right.

The houses were balanced on blocks to keep them off the ground. It left about a foot and a half of space beneath the house. It wasn’t much but it was just enough to hide a Slither.

They were dealing with a smart one.

Niko lurched away from the wall. “It’s under the house. Move!”

Didn’t that give you chills? Anyone that manages to survive in a dystopian society gets two thumbs up from me, but to survive in a dystopian society where Slithers have taken over the damn place and to do it with a baseball bat deserves a red carpet, a bottle of wine and tons of praise. I love Niko’s character and I cannot wait for more.  Here are some more fun facts about Niko:

NIKO

One can live for several weeks without food but only a few days without water, a fact seventeen year old Niko is only too aware of as she struggles to provide for her two younger brothers in a post- apocalyptic landscape where the rain burns like acid, food grows increasingly scarce and any Slither that crosses her path is laid low before it can sink its teeth into her.

Then one night everything she’d ever worked for and loved is consumed by a raging fire, leaving her with one brother missing, the other dead and herself gravely injured.

She’s rescued by the Rose Circle, a rogue group of Slither hunters. They sneak her into Amaryllis City, a decadent metropolis where those able to pay the exorbitant entrance fee live a life of relative ease.

But for Niko, Amaryllis City is not the haven she grew up believing it would be and her unique abilities as a Slither hunter make her a particularly visible target to a city with hopes of experimentation, replication and other nasty bits.

All Niko ever wanted to do was find her baby brother, but that’s proving to be harder than expected.

I know you want more on Niko and Ms. Kayti so here are the links to contact them:

Website: kaytinikaraet.com Blog: writebitches.wordpress.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaytinikaraetbooks Twitter: https://twitter.com/KNRwrites Pinterest: pinterest.com/kaytinikaraet/  Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1fb2cR7  Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1IDVehs  Book Links:  Niko: http://amzn.to/1u5sFAe Harm: http://amzn.to/1s9Nbz0  Outsider:  http://amzn.to/1w3tP3H Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1uWYEpr

I want to take this opportunity to say thanks to Kayti for sharing Niko with us. A black chick with a bat is bad ass to me lol…stay tuned for more Bad Ass Chicks next week. And just a reminder, if you are an author looking to share your Bad Ass Chick of a character, you have until the 10th to email me with questions and your info at septembershope@gmail.com.

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Arian’s Tale: My WIP

Arian’s Tale: My WIP

Arian’s Tale is the retelling of the Little Mermaid, but instead of a mermaid falling head over heels for a human male, this story is a reversal of the story taking place in a modern setting. Arian’s Tale is the first of a series that I have entitled The Retelling, which will involve my versions of famous fairytales including Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty and Little Red Riding Hood. Arian’s Tale is still in the infancy stages but I am shooting for a September release date. And for those of you who are new to my blogs, check out Viper which will be available July 1, 2015.

Chapter 1

Arian

Arian sat by his father’s side in front of a mass gathering of mermaids vying for his approval. It was time for him to step up to the plate and begin training as co-ruler, since he is King Triton’s only son, and Atlantea’s future king. The throne upon which he sat had been constructed by Atlantea’s finest coral, and adorned with jewels found in the abandoned and sunken ships left behind by humans: jewels ranging from rubies, sapphires and diamonds, encrusted up his throne as an indicator of his power. Any other merman or tritone would have loved to be in his fins: to be considered the most eligible merman in the seas with all of the powers that came with it, and a harem of mermaids at his beck and call should have had him itching for a chance at the trident. But it didn’t. Sitting in front of a bunch of eerily beautiful yet superficial females with heavenly voices; but possessed personalities equivalent to that of a sand box just didn’t do anything for him. He wanted to get away; disappear into much more shallow waters, and practice taking human form so that he may walk among his two legged counterparts.

He smoothed his long, raven dark hair back even though the subtle movements in the water caused it to continue its drift with the current. His tail, a scaly and iridescent green that extended beyond his waist stretched out over seven feet into a pair of fins that spread out in opposing directions measuring two feet across, flinched anxiously as his father prepared to welcome the crowd of at least fifty of Atlantea’s best females. All of them ranging in size and color, these were Atlantea’s most desired mermaids, each one a prize among her clansman, and not one of them stood out to him. He wondered if there were truly such a thing as true love; and if so, did he not meet the requirements for such a wonder?

His father, King Triton is a merman of legend. A god among gods to his kind and the son of Poseidon. Under Triton’s rule, their kind have remained safely hidden underneath the waves of the sea, and it had been centuries since the war with Man, and as long as the Tritone people remained under his care, there would be peace. Arian understood this and desired to maintain and uphold his father’s laws; but he simply did not care for his moment. Triton rose to his full nine foot height, his golden tail shimmering against the current, displaying his role as king. Twenty feet across from them sat the potential brides awaiting their chance at finally being introduced to the one and only Arian, Atlantea’s future king. His thickly muscled chest flexed without his doing, his blonde hair billowing in the current, his emerald green eyes ablaze with hope and excitement for his son’s future, and without glancing in Arian’s direction, he smiled warmly at his private guests before finally speaking.

“It is my pleasure to be in the presence of such exquisite beauty,” he began. “I would like to welcome all of you on behalf of myself and my son Arian. Hopefully tonight he will choose his bride so that he may begin his training by the next full moon; and then it is within even greater hope that we could expect an heir by the next Great Tide to celebrate the continuation of my legacy. Your families have been assured that all of you will receive a private escort home to ensure a safe passage back to your seas.” He paused a moment to take in the view of smiling and hopeful faces before continuing. “Again, welcome to my palace!”

The mermaids gazed around in wonder and amazement at the exquisite architecture that had been Atlantea’s charm for eons. Hidden far below the deepest depths of the ocean, in the Mariana trench, the kingdom of Atlantea stood proudly. Crafted by none other than Poseidon himself, the entire city had been built from the ocean’s finest of coral, and stone straight from the underwater volcanoes-Obsidian. Atlantea was a complex networking of pyramid structures outlined with the finest of precious metals. The palace itself was a monolithic structure that defined Atlantea: completely made from glass, it shown in the distance as a giant prism, with various portions of the glass palace tinted in varying hues of green, purple and blue. Atlantea was a gem; the ocean’s best kept secret, and for any mermaid to come as an invite is without a doubt the highest honor. The city emitted its own natural light, courtesy of the powers of the King Tridon. All members of his royal line possessed those sacred abilities, otherwise the mer-people of the city would have had to manage to survive in much more shallow waters.

Each of the fifty or so invited guests, eyed their beautiful surroundings with hope in their hearts that they too could somehow become a part of Atlantea’s majesty. Beautiful floral arrangements of coral, sea anemones, lined the 2500 sq. foot main room along with the hallways; pearls strewn together in a whimsical decoration across the glass ceilings like white diamonds against the backdrop of vast and mysterious ocean. Several huge merman, almost as thickly built as the king that they served guarded the entryway, armed with specially made swords, and 10 foot tall spears that they held tied across their backs, and their bluish-green tails swishing about at the ready, the people that inhabited Atlantea had lived very protected lives since its construction. The mermaid guests that sat about anxiously for their introductions to Arian understood that if unsuccessful they were to return to their own parts of the ocean where they belonged and had to pay tribute to King Triton. Atlantea’s residents were all natural born and those that weren’t had to request the king’s clearance to relocate into its protective walls. And so for all of the lovely mermaids in attendance, becoming queen was the only option.

An older merman, the King’s advisor swam out from behind a curtain of kale and introduced himself to the female guests. “Good day ladies,” he began, smoothing away his paling red hair back away from his narrow face. “My name is Dash and I will be sort of like a consultant to the king and the prince in making his decision. Arian has expressed his interest for the time being-“ he said turning to face Arian, his expression smug and condescending. “-in only choosing his main wife. Perhaps later on in the future he would be open to selecting a second wife to guarantee the arrival of an heir by the next Great Tide. Now, I will need for you ladies to follow me down the hallways where all of you will wait to be called individually. It is only when you are called will you have the opportunity to demonstrate to the king and his son your uniqueness and why you should be Atlantea’s future queen. Follow me…” Dash turned quickly and without much warning disappeared down the corridor. After a brief moment of hesitation, the mermaids followed the trail of disappearing bubbles Dash had left behind to a smaller room in the center of the palace, bypassing a variety of sea shelled décor of a multitude of pastel colors. Perched high above their heads on the mantels of proud pillars sat massive clam shells; their jaws open and wide and in the center balls of white light helped to illuminate the palace. The mermaids giggled excitedly amongst one another, for none of them had ever experienced such splendor. Once inside the single room where all fifty of them sat in seats made of coral, sand stone, and lined with rare emerald, Dash disappeared back into the main room where both Arian and his father waited anxiously. As Arian surveyed the expectant faces of both his advisor and his father, he realized that this was going to be a long night.

Coming July 1, 2015: Viper

Coming July 1, 2015: Viper

Turned into a vampire at the age of 19 and forced into a life of darkness and violence , she is the reason why the gangsters, the murderers, and drug dealers fear the night…Working as a hired assassin for drug dealer turned record label founder, Rio Mendez, Viper is on a high stakes mission to bring down one of the biggest music industry moguls in the world-Lucas Barnes, the man responsible for turning her into a vampire and murdering her entire family right before her eyes twenty years ago. Relying on her wit and will power and with the help of some unlikely friends, Viper must uncover some hard truths before facing the entity that stripped away everything that she once loved.

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“I have more than nine lives you son of a bitch. I am coming for you.”-Viper

Another Excerpt of Viper ( 3 More Chapters to go)

Another Excerpt of Viper ( 3 More Chapters to go)

We make it to the inside of my warehouse successfully. However, I am drained to the point of exhaustion, leaving Michael responsible for loading her into her tank. She had started to wake up and slowly begun to uncoil herself, when Michael without any real effort tossed her over into the Olympic sized pool, large enough to make Shamu and his friends happy. I peered over into the glass and she seemed a bit confused as she thrashed about and swam in circles, and when she neared the glass, staring at me through the Plexiglass with idle curiosity. Her large black eyes staring straight through me before she opened her mouth to introduce me to a wide set of knifes for teeth. Forty feet of raw muscle is now swimming around in my holding pool. I am not worried about her slithering out, for with push of a button I can seal the top of the pool off.

I remain stretched out on the concrete flooring of the warehouse: 20,000 sq. feet of what used to be a metal processing plant. It cost me damn near a million dollars to renovate this place to my liking: a double level dungeon of pain and suffering and a habitat for my snake babies. Michael stands over me, surveying my version of paradise. “What the hell Viper? How many snakes do you have in here?” In row after row of snake tanks, varying in size and shape and placed on shelves specifically built for that purpose. “I don’t know…like 200 maybe?” I mumble, my brain trying to calculate exactly how many I have in my collection. “What the fuck did I get myself in to?” “Let’s see, I own a couple of King Cobras, a few water Moccasin’s also known as Cotton Mouths, uh.. a dozen diamond backs, a Boom Slang-which was quite difficult to acquire…a spitting cobra, I think three Taipan’s…about five or six Bush Master’s, ten Black Mambas’…” I continue to name what I could remember in my collection all to Michael’s dismay.

There is still a lot of daylight left surprisingly, and I have completely worn myself out. Too tired to feed or do much of anything else I pass out right in the middle of my warehouse. I awake to the vibration of my phone a few hours later. Damien had done his job and now I owed him. Michael has 300 years’ experience in warfare, bloodshed, and mayhem. But I can hope that his stomach is strong enough for what is about to take place next.

Michael offers me his vein and I accept it-from his wrist of course- and I do not take long to take what I need. He is always watching me with a quiet yearning, and as I can take him I can taste it in his blood. His blood is powerful, rich and laced with something that fuels every cell in my being. Flashes of memories from a past too distant for record, and in the mix of all of that, I see his face. I cannot wait for this conversation, to know about more about the man who kneels before me, offering me than just his vein, but his life. I owe him more than what he desires, and when all of this is said and done, I can rebuild a life that I had dedicated to darkness, into something guarded by the sun-with him…maybe. I seal his wound and close off all thoughts of a happy ending with Michael. I have work to do.

The sun has set, and after a few silent moments of both of us engaged in our own thoughts, there is a loud bang on the metal door, and of course screams of terror. I can recognize those screams anywhere. It’s Rio’s bitch ass, and he is not happy. I quickly slipped on a pair of black denim that I had brought along for the trip before opening the heavy door. In comes Damien, his mouth dripping with blood and flesh, dragging a very panicked Rio. His arms were tightly bound behind his back, as were his feet. Blood dripped from a huge gash on his forehead, his mouth swollen and his face bruised. His eyes widened when I came into view. “Hello there Rio,” I say calmly. “Long time no see. Did you like the renovations I made to your house?” “You stupid bitch! That is why I ordered you dead-“-“And you see how far that has gotten you. I am still here. So how have you been? Heard from C-Dollas?” He gasped at the realization that it is I whom was responsible. “You’re a muthafuckin’ psycho you know that?” “And you are a lying bitch of a man,” I say without emotion. Damien dumped him in the middle of the concrete floor, directly in front of the holding pool where Rosa swam around anxiously. She approached the side of the glass facing us, staring at Rio whose face grew paler by the minute. “What the fuck is that?” He stammered. “Oh,” I say casually piling my braids into a big bun. “I know how much you miss your homelands in Brazil, so I thought I would bring a little bit of that luster to you…That is Rosa. She is the legendary anaconda of the Amazon that is in fact the largest ever discovered. And guess what? She is all mine.” I smile, flashing my perfect pearly whites and Rio screams again in terror. “You are a sick bitch!” “Yes I am,” I declare proudly. “And you should have known better than to fuck with me Rio. How could you? You have been lying to me for twenty years! I trusted you-you of all people I trusted after everything that happened to me. I trusted you, I did all of your dirty work without question, often times with minimum pay…I killed your enemies, protected you…I am the reason why the streets feared you…and all this time you were under the thumb of the one vampire you pretended to hate so much.” “Vipe-Viper it wasn’t like that,” he stuttererd, struggling against the rope that held him tied. “It wasn’t like that…-“ “Well what was it like? Because your little friend C-Dollas told me everything-“ “C-Dollas was lying!” “Now, the man was many things, especially a liar, but I can smell a lie a million miles away. He didn’t lie. But even as death stares you straight in the face you still lie.” I turn to Damien whom was nervously pulling at what remaining skin he had on his hands and asked him to grab a chair from the back of the warehouse. Michael had disappeared and I could not blame him. This is going to be a long night.

When Rio is strapped in the leather office recliner, facing the holding pool where Rosa remained submerged in, it was time for some unanswered questions. “Rio, you are going to die in some shape or form tonight, “ I say standing in front of him and gazing deep into his eyes. His bald head had become glazed over in sweat, and the purple robe that Damien had drug him in apparently was his only article of clothing. Rio must have been entertaining a female guest when Damien burst in on him. What a surprise. “But how you die, depends on your level of truthfulness. Understand?” He nodded as a single tear slid down his cheek. “Now, let’s begin. I know that you have been working for Lucas for as long as I have been working with you, which means when we met you knew all there was to know about me before I told you. I know all about the Immortal Gene, what it means and now that it is activated, a part of me wishes to use you as a messenger to Lucas….” His eyes widened in surprise at the mention of the gene being activated. “How?” He asks, squirming in his seat. “Not going to tell you, but trust me I have done the research.” I continue. “Why did you leave town when I brought Kevin back after the attack in Miami?” Before he opens his mouth to answer I answer for him, slowly putting together the pieces. “Wait, let me guess: you were supposed to bring Kevin and I on a silver platter to Lucas. But you ended up having to hand only Kevin over, right?” He nods. He is telling the truth, good. “That was the whole purpose of my stint in Miami.” He nods again. “That night when we” (referring to Damien, Michael and myself), “attacked the hotel I had a brief encounter with Kevin and your sorry ass turned him into a werewolf. Why?” Rio took several deep breaths before answering. “Why Rio? If Kevin was supposed to be made vampire to act as Lucas’ second in command and you are under Lucas’ wing, why did you turn him into the one thing that vampires hate?” When he didn’t answer, I beckoned for Damien to come and the zombie-vamp’s eyes lit with excitement. Rio, in a fit of terror, spilled the beans on everything. “Lucas is trying to create a new breed of vampires. Since he couldn’t access the Immortal Gene he went with another option-werewolves. Kevin is to be the first of the experiments being done. He wants the ability to walk in the sun. Vampires can’t turn into werewolves if bitten, but if vampire saliva enters the blood stream of a werewolf, something happens-“ “What happens?” I demand, having some sort of a clue. I instantly remember the white werewolf with the blood dripping from its fangs. “They become vampire wolves, with all of the perks and abilities of both species, including the ability to walk in the sun. He is creating a serum that fuses both to inject in himself.” Now everything made sense. “And with you, C-Dollas, and whatever Lucas had going on with your record labels, it was all a plan to recruit new guinea pigs for this experiment. How successful has he been so far?’ “Viper please, let me walk away,” he pleaded. I can’t stand the sight of traitorous men who think it is fair that they beg for their lives when they have ruined the lives of many. “Let’s not do this Rio. You and I both know that cannot happen. You betrayed me, tried to have me killed in the Everglades by two werewolves, and you sent someone to my house-“ –“I didn’t send anyone to your house! I thought you were dead!” Well if he didn’t send someone, who the fuck did? “Since you won’t tell me how far he is in to his research, tell me this: where does Lucas lay his head?” “Why the fuck do you think I would know something like that?” “Because you know everything about everyone. Every mission you sent me on, you knew the victim’s address, telephone numbers, work numbers, the wife’s cell phone number, where their kids if they had any went to school, how much was in their bank accounts, and even the side bitches they were fucking when their wives or girlfriends were getting their hair and nails done! Don’t fucking play with me Rio! Where does Lucas Barnes lay his head?!” Without thinking I punch Rio hard in the jaw, cracking the bone and snapping his head back.

His head bobbles around in a daze, his mouth swelling even more. Michael appears out of nowhere looking like a million bucks as always and I really could do without his presence right now. Rio mumbles something unintelligible and I grab him by the shoulders and force him to look at me. “Rio, tell me where Lucas’ lair is.” “Lucas…Louisiana,” he struggles to spit out from a useless jaw.  Louisiana! That makes sense. The fucker has a soft spot for the state and that is where my adoptive family’s originates and where all of this bullshit started. “Where in Louisiana?” I demand. “He has a mansion, near the swamps and the mausoleum. That is all I know.” I know exactly where that is. My father used to visit Louisiana quite often  and he often spoke of one his private client’s estates-the mansion, and now I know which client and why.

I take once last look at Rio, and regret ever thinking for one second that he was my friend-or something close enough to it.  His head slumps to the side, his mouth agape and drooling uncontrollably. “You have two options,” I say stooping down to his eye level. “Option number one: I feed you to Ms. Rosa over there. She is starving and let’s just say she had a rough travel.” He struggled against the rope in a desperate attempt to escape, and Damien and I look on in amused delight. “Option number two,” I continue, “You have already met Damien.” I point to Damien, whom is standing next to me with a huge toothy grin, fangs fully extended and dripping with saliva. “Damien has been quite lonely for some time now since his maker met his unfortunate demise, and upon meeting you at the Hotel in Miami, Damien has taken an extreme liking to you.”  Rio takes one look at Damien and releases an ear piercing scream. “Well that is no way to treat someone who has a crush on you,” I scold making it clear that I am enjoying every second of this. “Viper please!” He begins to sob. Huge drops of tears stream down his faces as he begin praying in his foreign tongue. “Prayer is not going to save you Rio. So what will it be? You can spend the rest of your life as his bitch –“ I say pointing to Damien whom is rubbing his hands together greedily. “Or you can find yourself in Rosa’s starving belly. Now what will it be?” Rio continued to sob, and I almost felt bad for him. Almost. “You have ten seconds Rio otherwise I will decide for you…10, 9…” “You said you would give me the mate of my choosing and I choose him!” Damien exclaimed excitedly. Fuck it. I will have to find Rosa something else to eat before I send her back home. “Well, Rio consider this your lucky night. You will not find yourself in the pit of Rosa’s stomach, although personally that would have been my first choice. However, do not get too excited. When I turn you and you don’t transition into a zombie-vamp as Damien had become, you will still find yourself as Rosa’s date and Damien will be out of luck.” I turn to face Damien whom is prancing around with joy. “I cannot wait to taste your sweet dick in my mouth,” he coos, forcing Rio to dry heave over the side of where he was strapped. “Seriously Damien, I do not need to know about your plans. Whatever goes on between you two love birds is none of my business.” “Well before you turn him,” Damien said stroking himself through his torn scrubs. Michael frowns with disgust. “Fuck dude, take that shit elsewhere.” Rio fights against the robe to no avail. “You know what?” I say stretching. “I will leave you two alone. Hopefully, Damien doesn’t forget about how badly he wants you as a mate and kills you in the process.” I motion for Michael to follow me. “No! Wait!! Viper!! Nooooo!” Rio shrieks; his eye wide with terror as Damien continues to pleasure himself in front of him. Michael pushes the metal door, holding it open for me to walk through like the gentleman he is. I don’t even bother to face Rio. I simply call out behind me, “It won’t hurt so much if you actually allow yourself to enjoy it.” With that, Michael closes the door behind us, and thankfully my warehouse is sound proof. I had grown tired of listening to Rio scream.