Bite of Story Thursday

I'm still working in In-between story NIGHT CHILDREN: DARK LOSS and it's not ready for a sneak peek so here is something that is with the reviewers; NIGHT CHILDREN: DARK CHANGES. It's Book Two in the main Annabelle series. As always, this is from the rough draft so it does not reflect the final product. Enjoy!

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Night Children: Dark Changes
Chapter Twenty-Two
Rescuers

“You want to do what?  This is not going to end well.”  Rachael sat on a large rock, looking out to the dark ocean.  She threw a small stone ten feet into the approaching waves.

The two of them decided to go for a walk and found their path led to the southern shore.  Roland came to love these quiet moments between them.  He felt safe in a pocket of time where Reginald and the other Bloody-Buccaneers couldn’t find them.  He would allow his heart to briefly peer above the dark clouds that always swallowed him every time he remembered his sister’s voice.

Sitting beside Rach, he threw his own stone just a tad farther.  “I can’t continue to let him get away with this.  It’s wrong and you know it.”

“But what you’re suggesting is madness.”  She turned to him.  He saw fear in her once brave eyes.  “Can’t you see that?  Reginald will catch you and kill you.  He has all sorts of ways, believe me.”

“You said I’m his new favorite.”

“So?  Don’t you get it?  He’ll kill you simply to set an example.  No one is immune.”  A bitter expression took over her face as she returned her gaze to the sea.

“Only if he catches me,” she rolled her eyes at his comment.  “But that’s something I’ll deal with.  I can’t let them do this.  I was human, too.  Those are people, Rach.  If there is one thing I learned from my parents, my adoptive mother Eliza and my sister it’s that people matter.  They should be treated decently.  What good is power if we just sit on our hands and let the Kalinago be sacrificed?”

She gave him a blank look but he didn’t care.  The more he talked about those poor souls the more he simply knew they had to be rescued.  If he had to die in the process, well at least Eliza and Annabelle would’ve been proud.

He stood up on the large rock and held out his hand.  “Come.  Let me show you something.”

Bite of Story Thursday

Night Children: Dark Birth

Chapter Thirteen : The Shopkeeper

Eliza spoke up in an almost hypnotic tone, “Try to focus.  Look him in the eyes and focus your will.  Push your desires over his.” 

Annabelle did just that.  She took a deep breath and looked deeply into his hate filled eyes.  She repeated, “I would like to buy this doll.  Please.”

The storeowner blinked and nodded his head.  He rang up the doll and told her the price.  Annabelle placed some currency on the counter and then walked towards Eliza with a broad smile on her face. 

Roland stepped forward and pointed behind the man, “Can I have that ball, sir?” 

“What’s going on?  How did that girl get that doll?  Who are you urchins?” 

Roland tried to focus. “The ball, sir.  Give it to me.”  His face scrunched up with concentration.  Annabelle suppressed a giggle, but when the storeowner ignored him and stormed over to yank the doll out of her hands, she blanched.

“Give me that, you stupid urchin!” He raised his arm to hit her but in a blur Roland grabbed his arm.  The storekeeper’s eyes widened with shock.

“Roland, stop!”  Before he could bite down on the man’s arm, Annabelle pushed her brother back.  Roland’s body smashed into a display of dishes.

As he stood up and brushed the broken plates off, Eliza scolded him. “We don’t feed on mortals, remember?” 

“He couldn’t hurt me,” Annabelle chimed in.

“My dishes!  How can you urchins move so--” Eliza silenced the storekeeper with a stern glance. 

The minute Eliza’s eyes locked with Roland’s, his defiance melted to shame.  “I’m sorry.  I thought he was going to hurt her.” 

Annabelle hugged him. “Thank you for caring enough to try and save me.” 

The firmness in Eliza’s voice grabbed their attention. “Roland, next time control your temper and focus.  He cannot harm us.  He has no wooden stake or any other weapon.  To properly mesmerize someone you must push your thoughts over theirs.  Push your will.  Now try it.” 

“Mister Shopkeeper, it’s not nice to bully others.  You should be more polite.” 

The man mumbled the word, “Polite.” 

“Now please go fetch that red ball.  Yes.  Thank you.”  Roland placed the money on the counter and continued with his practice.  “Now forget you ever saw us and... leave.  Yes!  Leave town.” 

“Roland, wait.  You can’t just tell him to--” 

Annabelle’s voice must’ve broken the trance because the shopkeeper’s eyes opened wide with terror.  Eliza spoke up quickly.  “The trance I put him under has completely broken.  He can see us for what we truly--” 

“You’re vampires!” His face white with fear, he shouted, “Vampires are in my shop!  I’m going to die!  Help!” 

 

 

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For more check out Dark Birth at your local online store. Links to Dark Birth on the web can be found on the Store Page on this blog or you could just go here, Dark Birth on Amazon.

Bite of Story Thursday

Night Children: Dark Threats

Chapter Four: 1899
How To Catch An Invisible Man

The new-fallen snow glittered under the bright moon like the unseen stars above.  The Foresight Coven House had a large front yard, showcasing the snow’s white beauty 

The white blanket seemed magical.  It almost felt to Annabelle like the snow wasn’t normal.

She ignored the silly thought and relaxed on the porch swing.  A new book rested on her lap while Charlotte snuggled under her arm. 

“Next year I’ll finally turn nine.”  The child vampire said with glee.  “I’ve been eight for a hundred years and I can’t wait to be older.”  She tried to make her voice deeper when she said ‘older’ but failed.  Ann suppressed a smile.

Memories flooded Annabelle’s head.  She remembered the night she woke after living a hundred years as an eleven-year-old.  Her body hurt and she had to relearn some abilities, but it was glorious to finally age.  Sure, others would still treat her as a child, but she was slowly catching up.

As long as Annabelle could remember, people were amazed at how mature she behaved.  Working with her father in his bookbinding business at a young age helped her mature a little faster. 

People assumed she was ignorant, so she simply worked around that obstacle.  Now, after two hundred years of people looking down on her, she couldn’t imagine anything else.  It simply meant more opportunities to prove them wrong.

She watched Charlotte beam with enough excitement to light the world.  This little one will have the same life as Annabelle, resetting expectations with everyone she meets.

Charlotte continued, “Selina said she’ll start letting me help with their pranks but Samuel said I’ll still be too young.”

Her soft voice began to whine, “I don’t want to wait another hundred years Annabelle.  Can’t you tell them I’m old enough?”

“I’m sorry but the last thing I want is another vampire prankster sneaking around.” 

Charlotte’s pale face scrunched up into a frown.  Her cherub cheeks dropped a little, her tiny mouth curled up and her big eyes pooled like a forlorn puppy.  With her blonde hair in ringlets framing her angelic face, Charlotte resembled a sad porcelain doll.  “Aw but I’d be good.  I promise not to nail your coffin shut like they did to Roland.”

Annabelle couldn’t stop a laugh from escaping.  “That was pretty funny.  Listen, I’ll consider it, all right?”

The child’s eyes lit up like the moon.  “Hurray!  I can’t wait to tell the others.”  She flew out of Ann’s arms and five feet into the air.  A light giggle escaped her lips as she sped through the front door, almost clipping Roland’s ear.

“Hey!  Why’s she in such a hurry?”  He crossed to the wooden banister and leaned back against it.

“She wants to start pranking once she Advances.”

He rolled his eyes.  “Oh no.  Not another one.  The twins have been tricking me for two hundred years.  I can’t take another one of them.”

She laughed.  “The big bad vampire pirate is afraid of a couple of children?”

“Evil children.  Last week they filled my cape with molasses.  Molasses, Annabelle!”

 

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For more check out Dark Threats at your local online store. Links to Dark Threats on the web can be found on the Store Page on this blog or you could just go here, Dark Threats on Amazon.

Bite of Story Thursday

I'm currently working on a short story called Night Children: Dark Loss. It's far from ready for even a sneek peek, so instead I thought I'd share a bit from Book Two in the Dark Beginings Saga. As always, this is from the rough draft so it does not reflect the final product. Enjoy!

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Night Children: Dark Changes
Chapter Five, A Peace Forever Shattered

Eliza saw it first.  The out of place shape caused her to stop her bat form short.  Lying in the middle of the main road, where anyone could stumble across it, was the body of a dead man.

“Who’s that?” She asked.

“I don’t... wait.  He looks familiar.”  Annabelle glided down to the ground.  Eliza followed.  They were in their human shapes when Eliza knelt down to examine the cadaver.

It was a young man in his early twenties.  His skin pale as a sheet, two small holes scared his neck.  “It’s Jonathan Jorgan.” Annabelle said.  “He’s one of Henry’s friends.  His grandfather settled the town.” 

The sound of many horses thundered through her ears.  Fear caused Annabelle’s legs to freeze in place.  Several angry men arrived in wagons and on horseback.  Henry Dunston, enraged like never before, leaped out of the first wagon and ran to his friend.  The men yelled and jeered as they surrounded the vampires.

Annabelle grabbed Eliza’s arm for safety.  She was scared out of her wits.  She chanced a look towards the forest behind the men.  Annabelle could not believe the hate and fear in their eyes. 

“Henry?  Why are you--”

He cut her off.  “They did this!”  Henry jumped to his feet and pointed at Annabelle and Eliza.  Spit flew from his red face as he shouted, “That’s Eliza Pratchet.  She’s a vampire.” 

The men gasped.  Every nerve in Annabelle’s body demanded escape, but the shock of Henry’s betrayal rooted her to the spot.  

Eliza’s strong look spoke volumes.  She wanted Annabelle to flee to safety.  Annabelle returned her look and squeezed her hand.  She’d never leave her adoptive mother. 

Henry continued, “Remember those Foresight children that were killed by wolves years ago?  She turned them into vampires.  That’s one of them.”  Angry shouts echoed through the night, running a shiver up Annabelle’s spine.  “She killed my brother Thomas and tricked me into keeping quiet.”  He pointed at Annabelle.

“No, Servo killed Tom.  I saved him by turning...” It was the worse thing she could say.  The ever growing crowd jeered her.  “Henry, please.  You promised.” 

“You tricked me.  You corrupted Thomas.”  Henry turned back towards the angry mob.  “She spent her first night as a vampire planning ways to change by brother and sister.  They snuck into our room and put a spell on Polly and Thomas.”

“That’s a lie.” Annabelle shouted it out as tears clouded her vision. 

“She mesmerized my brother, made him want to be... that.”  He gestured at them like they were diseased creatures.  “I don’t know how Polly and I escaped her notice, but she killed him.”

Furious jeers erupted from the crowd.  Eliza pulled at Annabelle’s arm but she held her ground.  There must be some way to convince them he was wrong.  She had to know why Henry was doing this.

“Now he’s a monster, just like them.”

“It’s not true,” she blinked away the tears.  “Tom wanted to be like us.”

“She admits it,” Henry roared and the mob shouted.  The deafening sound hurt her ears.  “Now look what they have done.”

“No, we didn’t do this.  We don’t know who--”

“Don’t listen to her lies.  Now they’ve killed Johnny.  This has to stop,” Henry roared from the top of his lungs as he grabbed tightly to her left arm.  “Get them.  Don’t let them escape.” 

By this time, the crowd had filled the street.  They moved as one, crushing into Eliza and Annabelle.  They pulled at the girls’ hair, bruised their bodies, kicked and hit them.

Savage pain raked her body from all sides at once.  Instinctively, she scratched and hit back and some men fell to the ground.  Others screamed as her sharp nails dug into their flesh.  It barely made a difference because more attackers replaced the fallen.

Bite of Story Thursday

Night Children: Dark Birth

Chapter Two: Rumors

Henry looked around as if to check that no one was eavesdropping.  He gestured for the others to follow him further into the shadowed space behind a stack of crates.  Away from prying eyes, he seemed confident enough to continue his story. 

“Her name is Eliza Pratchet.  She and her husband moved here years ago.  Legend says they were never normal folk.  Their cabin’s always been boarded up.  The curtains are drawn and no one ever comes to the door.  Several people tried to visit them when they first arrived, but no one ever answered.” 

“They moved in, but you could never see them?” Roland asked. “Are you sure they actually lived there?” 

“Well, that’s the thing.  As time went on, people weren’t sure what was going on.  They said maybe the Pratchets never settled in.  Maybe they died before they could move in.  No one knew.  The town had a meeting and the people decided they were going to take down the cabin, but the night before they were to do it, she appeared, white as a ghost and...well, different than normal folk.  She said she and her husband still lived there and demanded they be left alone.  Now she comes to town once in awhile to buy goods but everyone stays clear of her.” 

“That’s spooky,” Roland said. 

Annabelle’s curiosity was piqued again.  “How does that make her a witch?  I mean, just because they only see her at night, and she wanted to be left alone doesn’t give her supernatural powers.  And what about her husband?” 

“They say she killed him because no one has seen him in--” 

Annabelle interrupted him. “That’s what they say but that doesn’t mean it’s true.” 

Henry stumbled for answer.  “Her husband disappeared and no one’s seen him.  People don’t vanish.  She had to have done something.” 

“Well that’s not entirely true, Henry.  His ghost walks the woods,” Tom said.

Annabelle and Roland looked at each other. She saw disbelief in her brother’s eyes and wondered if this was all a game.  She hoped with all her heart that it was. 

Henry continued, “The story is she killed him and burned his body for firewood.” 

Annabelle’s stomach turned. 

“What’s worse...” Henry continued. 

“There’s worse?”  Roland said. 

“Yes.  There are the bodies.” 

“Bodies?” 

“The townspeople figure she’s been making sacrifices.” 

A shiver prickled down Annabelle’s spine despite her intention not to believe any of this.

“We can’t prove the bodies were from her,” Thomas interrupted. 

“Each of them, animal or human, was found in the woods drained of all their blood.” 

Annabelle couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  A frightening thought crossed her mind, but she dismissed it.  She had been reading her book of monsters too often.  There was no way such a thing could be true. 

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For more check out Dark Birth at your local online store. Links to Dark Birth on the web can be found on the Store Page on this blog or you could just go here, Dark Birth on Amazon.

Bite of Story Thursday

Night Children: Dark Threats

Chapter Two: 1692 Witch Attack

On a warm night when crickets echoed and fireflies danced along the dirt path, Annabelle and her brother Roland walked their human friends Thomas and Polly Dunston home.

Annabelle loved these quiet nights.  Most evenings she would hunt the forest for animals, searching for blood to quench her eternal thirst. 

Once a week she and Roland would wake their friends and run in the forest and play.  It reminded her of when she was human, before her parents died and she became a vampire.

She watched Thomas laugh with Roland.  The blood pumped through Tom’s veins, an invitation she swore to never take.

Vampire life wasn’t the best.  Annabelle could handle never seeing the light of a beautiful day again but her meals were awful. 

While most eleven-year old girls slept peacefully at night, she stalked the woods near their colonial town, hunting for blood among the wildlife. 

She couldn’t believe that only a few months ago she played in the streets of London, a human girl without a care in the world. 

Little Polly shivered a bit as she chanced several frightened looks into the imposing forest that surrounded them.  “Are you sure it’s safe out here?  You said there were lots of monsters in the woods.”

Before Annabelle could respond, Thomas puffed out his chest and said, “You’re fine.  We’ll protect you.  No monster would dare hurt you with your big brother around.  What?  Why is everyone laughing?”

Roland shook his head.  “Yeah, big brave Thomas Dunston.  Monster killer.  I suppose you’ll throw rocks at them?”

“It could happen.”  Tom’s face flushed pink. 

“Actually I don’t think it will.  With the magic barrier up, all Dominic’s servants are trapped outside.” Annabelle explained as they continued down the path.

“Not all of them.”  Roland corrected.  “What about those two witches?  Their cabin is inside the barrier.  They’ve already caused us problems.  They could be hiding just beyond those trees.” 

He pointed ahead into the thick forest.  Polly and Thomas’ eyes grew wide.

Annabelle threw her brother a sharp look.  It didn’t stop him from laughing.  “Stop scaring them.  With all the trouble going on in Salem, those witches wouldn’t dare show their faces.”

She put her arm around Polly and gave her a squeeze.  “You’ll be fine.  If they did try to get us, Roland and I will protect you.”

Thomas threw a stone into the glowing bugs, scattering them.  He turned to Roland, “I still don’t think it was very fair to float above the trees when we’re playing hide and seek.” 

Roland shrugged. “It’s what I do.” 

“You mean cheat?” 

“I wasn’t cheating.  I’m a vampire.  Why can’t I use my abilities to work for me in the game?  It’s the same as you and Polly running or climbing a tree.” 

“No, it’s not.  When you fly, you can look down and see us.  That gives you an unfair advantage.” 

“I can’t believe this.  Annabelle, what do you think?” 

She shared a smile with Polly while they walked behind the boys.  “You were cheating.” 

“What?”  Roland spun around, holding a stick to his chest while rolling his glowing eyes.  “Ouch!  By my own sister, betrayed.” 

Polly giggled.  “I wish Ma and Pa could join us on nights like this.” 

“You know we can’t reveal ourselves to anybody else.” Annabelle reminded her.

“But they’re different.  They’d keep your secret.” 

“Maybe so, but what if Dominic captured them to get to us?” 

Roland tossed his stick at another batch of fireflies, “He’d do that anyway.  I don’t know if anyone is safe.” 

“People have started to notice the strange shapes in the forest beyond where you said the barrier is,” Tom added.  “They hear the noises Dominic’s monsters are making.  They don’t know what it is, but we know they’re out there, waiting.”

Polly slumped her shoulders, scuffing her feet as she walked.  “I understand.” 

A twig snapped ahead in the darkened wood.  Annabelle and Roland stopped in their tracks and stiffened.  Two heartbeats pounded nearby and Annabelle silently chastised herself for not listening closer to the surrounding woods.

“Smell that?” she whispered to her brother.

“Yeah,” Roland agreed.  “The breeze was blowing the other way before, hiding their scent.  It’s them.”

Two familiar women hid just ahead.  Menace oozed off of them.

“Who?” Tom peered into the dark wood fearfully.

“The witches, Tom,” Ann explained.  “I need you two to run as fast as you can.”

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For more check out Dark Threats at your local online store. Links to Dark Threats on the web can be found on the Store Page on this blog or you could just go here, Dark Threats on Amazon.

Bite of Story Thursday

Here's another look into what I'm currently working on. This is from the rough draft so it does not reflect the final product. Enjoy!

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Myths
Chapter Seven: Ogres

Eli let an arrow fly.  The shaft tore into an ogre’s left shoulder, which caused it to bellow out in rage.  “Forget the powder and find something useful!”  He dodged the beast’s massive club, adorned with five inch spikes for better effect, and fired two more arrows at the ogre’s back.

“But it is useful.  If I could just find it...”  Mark knelt on the rough ground with his pouch open and both his arms inside up to his elbows.  “Maybe it’s in the bookcase behind the Inner-Outer spell book?”

Another ogre almost clobbered Mark with her club but Frunz knocked it aside with his quarterstaff.  “Mark, get up and help!” Frunz pleaded.  He used the staff as a third leg and leaped upward.  He kicked the attacking ogre in the chest with his hooves.  “I’m the coward, remember?  I’m not supposed to be the one fighting.”

“You’re doing a fine job,” Flitty remarked.  She zipped around the third ogre which caused the she-beast to follow the fairy with her head.  Dizzy, the ogre stopped to hold her head in place.  Flitty fired a pixie-bolt in the beast’s face.

Eli managed to scramble up various broken statues, and then spring onto the top of a broken wall.  He fired a net arrow.  Strong spikes unfolded from four corners of the expanding net.  Each one bore into the wall, trapping the ogre.  “One down.”

After a shout of inhuman rage, the ogre ripped the net open and charged the wall that Eli stood on. 

Eli somersaulted over the creature as it shattered the free standing wall.  “Guess not.” Eli said as he landed on a smaller stone wall.

Lyndi’s mouth formed a thin smile.  She pushed against one of the she-ogres, her hands clasped with the beast.  Each one tried to push the other to the ground.

“Fall,” the ogre demanded.  “Why won’t food fall?”

“I was wondering the same thing,” Lyndi replied through gritted teeth.

Flitty buzzed around them and suggested, “You could beat her in an instant if you simply did you know what.”

“Quiet,” Lyndi hissed.  “I’m as strong enough in this form.  I won’t do ‘you know what’ because of a stupid ogre.”

“Food calls Untha stupid?” the ogre growled.  “Untha not stupid.  Food stupid.” 

Bite of Story Thursday

Night Children: Dark Birth

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Three Bite Rule

The jet-black carriage raced down the darkened road.  The horses pulled it with ease as two of its occupants watched the quickly moving scenery.  Eliza’s red eyes peered into the night and Annabelle mused at how strange the two of them must’ve looked. 

Thomas said, “I just want to thank you both, again.  Henry can be a pain, but he’s my brother.”

“Think nothing of it.  He’s a friend of ours.  The children were right.  We shouldn’t leave him to those monsters.”

“You’re amazing, Eliza.  If I was a vampire and someone said I didn’t have a soul I wouldn’t risk everything to save him... oops.”

Eliza’s head snapped towards Tom’s direction.  Annabelle’s mouth fell open as she asked in shock, “What?”

“I’m sorry.  I need to keep my mouth shut.”  Tom sighed.  “Henry thinks when you become a vampire you lose your soul to the devil.” 

Annabelle’s blood boiled. “How dare he?  My brother and I have always treated him with the utmost respect.  What have we ever done to him?” 

Eliza spoke up with her usual calm voice.  “Now, Ann, don’t be too upset with him.  This is the same paranoia we’ve heard throughout the ages.  Besides, I cannot say I blame the mortals for fearing us and making up stories.” 

“But Eliza, it’s wrong!”  She stood up and paced, moving her hands to emphasize her points.  The carriage rocked as it rumbled on its way over the gravely road, but Annabelle had no problem keeping her balance.  “Of course I have a soul!  I’m still the same person I was before I became a vampire.  How can you defend him for saying such lies?” 

Eliza wasn’t reproachful or angry when she replied, “You have known less than a handful of vampires in your short life.  Most are evil, or at least indifferent.  True, there are good ones out there, like my troupe of gypsies, but there are many more rotten ones as well.  The mortals have gained a deep fear because of the atrocities these bad vampires perform.” 

Calm followed by shame washed away the anger.  Annabelle promptly regained her seat.  “I’m sorry I was upset.  It really bothers me when people say things they know nothing about.  I can see what you mean about the bad vampires, but why say we have no souls?” 

“First of all, it’s ignorance.  See, most people do not even know what a soul is.”

“What is a soul?”  Thomas asked. 

“A soul is the combination of your body and your spirit.” 

“Spirit?” 

“Yes.  Here, let me show you.”  Eliza pulled out her white satin gloves from a pocket in her cloak and held one up.  “See my hand?  This represents my spirit.  Your spirit is the ‘you’ inside.  Your dreams, likes, dislikes, everything that makes you who you are.  See this empty glove?  This is my body.  This represents the physical part of you.  When we were born our spirit went into our body.”  She put the glove on and then moved her fingers inside it.  “When we die, and I mean really die for good, our spirit comes out of our body.”  She removed the glove and placed it down on her lap.

“Our body goes into the grave and our spirit goes to a sort of Spirit Realm.  Many religions teach one day our spirit and body will be reunited.  The soul is the name for your body and spirit when they are together.” 

“So vampires have spirits like everyone else.”  Tom reasoned. 

“Of course.”  Eliza sat back and put away her gloves.  “As for the devil, I’ve never met such a thing.  I do not believe vampires owe their existence to the devil.” 

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For more check out Dark Birth at your local online store. Links to Dark Birth on the web can be found on the Store Page on this blog or you could just go here, Dark Birth on Amazon.

Bite of Story Thursday

Night Children: Dark Threats

Chapter Seven: Present Day, Job Interview Part 4

“Wow.  Was Jack right?  Did you really work for President Roosevelt?”  Scott leaned forward with excitement.

“Yes.  A number of us were drafted into special service on December seventh of ’41 but that’s a story for another night.”

“What about all those people who saw you?  How come no one’s ever mentioned axis werewolves and allies vampires before?”

Annabelle smiled, “We mesmerized them.  Their memories were hazy.  They knew there was an attack from axis spies, but nothing more.”

He leaned back and gazed up at the sky.  “You’ve seen and done so much.  It’s a miracle you’ve survived it all.”

Annabelle calmly stroked the dog’s shaggy fur.  “That’s why it’s so important for you to write my story.  People must know what really happened in history, so they’re prepared for what’s coming.  Dominic has a powerful army at his disposal.”

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For more check out Dark Threats at your local online store. Links to Dark Threats on the web can be found on the Store Page on this blog or you could just go here, Dark Threats on Amazon.

Bite of Story Thursday

Here is a sneak peek at my current work in progress, Myths. This is from the rough draft so it does not reflect the final product. Enjoy!

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Myths
Chapter Ten :  Big House On The Prairie

Celeste joined him by the glass.  “They don’t teach us much about them in school.  They’re called the Nephilim but most races in Farnalla call them simply giants.  They always keep to themselves and remain neutral in the wars.  The Verbena Forest is the only place in Farnalla big enough to hide them.  Who knows what their correct size is or even how many kinds of giants there are?”

Eli spied a raggedy doll on the bed.  It resembled a girl but had to be at least eight feet tall.  As bedrooms go, the child’s room seemed simple.  She didn’t have a lot of toys or books.

He turned back to take in their prison.  A simple wooden box surrounded them.  Bits of torn up bushes and some tree limbs lay scattered around the box.  A few large rocks were strewn throughout, which some of his friends sat upon.  Tiny holes allowed for air but their circumference was much too small for Flitty to escape through.

His eyes caught on a few sinister objects.  A couple dead locusts were piled in a corner and a minotaur skeleton lay in the opposite corner with some leaves on top.

Celeste explained, “We figured that’s her last ‘toy’.  I covered it up out of respect.”

Heilgar’s primal scream startled everyone.  He charged the glass but when his body hit it, he simply bounced back into a bush. 

“Aw Heilgar,” Flitty said.  “That trick never works.”

The dwarf stood up and gave her a fiendish look, “I don’t care.  You’ll never catch me becoming a pile of bones in a child’s bug box.”

Bite of Story Thursday

Night Children: Dark Birth

Chapter Thirteen: The Shopkeeper

The firmness in Eliza’s voice grabbed their attention. “Roland, next time control your temper and focus.  He cannot harm us.  He has no wooden stake or any other weapon.  To properly mesmerize someone you must push your thoughts over theirs.  Push your will.  Now try it.” 

“Mister Shopkeeper, it’s not nice to bully others.  You should be more polite.” 

The man mumbled the word, “Polite.” 

“Now please go fetch that red ball.  Yes.  Thank you.”  Roland placed the money on the counter and continued with his practice.  “Now forget you ever saw us and... leave.  Yes!  Leave town.” 

“Roland, wait.  You can’t just tell him to--” 

Annabelle’s voice must’ve broken the trance because the shopkeeper’s eyes opened wide with terror.  Eliza spoke up quickly.  “The trance I put him under has completely broken.  He can see us for what we truly--” 

“You’re vampires!” His face white with fear, he shouted, “Vampires are in my shop!  I’m going to die!  Help!” 

Eliza blocked his exit and tried to mesmerize him.  “He’s too upset.  We must flee.” 

“Can we mesmerize him while he’s unconscious?” Annabelle asked quickly.

“What?” 

“Can we mesmerize him when he’s unconscious?”  A frantic fear turned her stomach upside down as the shopkeeper’s voice got louder and louder.  She rapidly glanced out the shop windows.  Someone had to hear him.

“Yes!” 

“Good.”  Annabelle sped around the shop so fast the shopkeeper blinked.  She picked up the wooden stool and hit him over the head with it.  He dropped to the ground with a heavy thud. 

“Is he dead?”  Roland asked while looking over his body. 

 

 

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For more check out Dark Birth at your local online store. Links to Dark Birth on the web can be found on the Store Page on this blog or you could just go here, Dark Birth on Amazon.

Bite of Story Thursday

Night Children: Dark Threats

Chapter Eight: Present Day, Hyde and Seek

Annabelle’s cold fist smashed through the zombie’s ribcage.  With her other arm she wacked off the creature’s head, sending it spiraling into a tombstone.  If she were human, these things would scare her, but she hasn’t been human for a long time.

Her brother Roland, laughed as he ripped a zombie apart and began to move at top speed around the graveyard, smacking the undead with a firmly held corpse.  His weapon of choice crumbled in his pale hands.  “Darn.  These things just don’t hold up like they used to.”

She smiled as she slashed a zombie in two with her nails.  “Whoever reanimated this horde didn’t take their time with the spell.”

Annabelle looked across the misty graveyard.  Gross bodies continued to shuffle from their graves.  Grey fingers clawed to the surface, revealing more decrepit enemies to fight.  So far none had escaped the sacred grounds of the cemetery, but with the sheer amount of undead, she knew it wouldn’t be long.

“And why zombies?” Roland asked as he unsheathed his silver cutlass.  “It’s so last week.  Why couldn’t it be living skeletons or mummies?”  He began to slash away at the horde, the moonlight reflecting off his sword.

Annabelle took to the air, hovering just out of the grasp of an undead man in a tux.  Half his rotten flesh seemed to fall off on its own.  “Could be worse.  They could be gremlins.”  She brushed off pieces of shredded corpse from her clothes.

“Ugh!  Please not those again.”  Roland flew into a mass of petrified bodies and began to slice them to shreds.  His blood-red eyes flickered and a wicked grin stole across his pale face. 

Annabelle continued to hover ten feet above the graves.  She focused on anything unusual. 

“You’re enjoying yourself.  Not a bad way to do our ‘sibling night’ patrol.”  He smiled as he continued to destroy more zombies.

“Still,” she continued from eight feet above, her red jacket flapped in the cool night breeze, “Something’s not right.  Zombies are normally weak, but these are pathetic.”

“Are you going to hang up there all night while I do all the work?”  His black jeans and sweatshirt began to turn grey with zombie remains.  “I’m working up a thirst.  We haven’t even gone hunting for breakfast yet.”

“You and your stomach.  I’m sure we’ll find a plump cat or dog to feed on soon enough.  Do you smell that?  There’s a hint of magic in the air.  I think one of our enemies left some kind of voodoo trinket somewhere in the graveyard.  If I could just spot it...” 

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For more check out Dark Threats at your local online store. Links to Dark Threats on the web can be found on the Store Page on this blog or you could just go here, Dark Threats on Amazon.

Bite of Story Thursday

Here is a sneak peek at my current work in progress, Myths. This is from the rough draft so it does not reflect the final product. Enjoy!

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Myths
Chapter Eleven : Deadlands

After once again throwing his axe into a mass of goblins, Heilgar simply raised his arm expectantly.  Eli hadn’t seen him pick it up the last time he threw it so the elf was surprised to see the shiny silver weapon tear through the crowd like it had a mind of its own until it flew into its master’s waiting hand.

“How’d you do that?” Eli asked as he pushed the retrieval button on his quiver.  Five arrows shot back to him.  In one fluid movement, Eli grabbed the shafts in midair, aimed and shot them at new targets.  “I had to have a recovery spell put on my quiver, you too?”

“Something similar,” the dwarf replied as he cut through more attackers.  “We have a dwarf shaman in our city that knows a trick or two.”

Eli pulled an arrow with a particular tip and let it fly into a mound of oncoming monsters.  It erupted into a burst of flame.  The creatures screamed as fire engulfed them.  He could feel Celeste’s disapproval in his head but this was war. 

He pushed down any guilt that tried to crawl to the surface.  “Huh,” he said to the dwarf, “I thought dwarves hated magic.  Maybe they can hold their own in a fight after all.”

“What?” Heilgar’s hairy mouth dropped and he almost missed an oncoming goblin.  “How dare you question my nations’ battle skills?  We don’t need magic like you scrawny, hairless sticks do.  We only use it on rare occasions because any helpful weapon is still a weapon.”  He hit a goblin on the head with the hilt of his axe.

“Fair enough,” Eli responded with a smile.  “Let’s put it to a test.”  He downed another group of goblins on his right.  “I have no clue how many I’ve taken out so far but how about we keep score from this point.  That was five... no six to your one.”

Heilgar spun around, slicing multiple goblins that tried to surround him.  “I’d never engage in such foolishness.  And now I’m at seven.”