I held onto that sliver of joy, that beacon of hope.
I stubbornly gritted my teeth, but even that slight movement made the skin over my face stretch tight enough to almost tear. I willed myself to relax as I tried to process why I was in so much pain, where I was, how I had gotten here, and…who I even was? A singular thought finally struck me like an echo of the faintest of whispers, giving me something to latch onto.
Hunger.
I let out a crackling gasp of relief at finally grasping an independent answer of some kind, but I was unable to draw enough moisture onto my tongue to properly swallow. Understanding that I was hungry had seemed to alleviate a fraction of my pain. The answer to at least one question distracted me long enough to allow me to think. And despite my hunger, I felt something tantalizingly delicious slowly coursing down my throat, desperately attempting to alleviate my starvation.
Even though my memory was still enshrouded in fog, I was entirely certain that it was incredibly dangerous for me to feel this hungry. This…thirsty. Dangerous for both myself and anyone nearby. I tried to remember why it was so dangerous but the reason eluded me. Instead, an answer to a different question emerged from my mind like a specter from the mist—and I felt myself begin to smile as a modicum of strength slowly took root deep within me.
“Sorin…” I croaked. My voice echoed, letting me know that I was in an enclosed space of some kind. “My name is Sorin Ambrogio. And I need…” I trailed off uncertainly, unable to finish my own thought.
“Blood,” a man’s deep voice answered from only a few paces away. “You need more blood.”
I hissed instinctively, snapping my eyes open for the first time since waking. I had completely forgotten to check my surroundings, too consumed with my own pain to bother with my other senses. I had been asleep so long that even the air seemed to burn my eyes like smoke, forcing me to blink rapidly. No, the air was filled with pungent, aromatic smoke, but not like the smoke from the fires in my—
I shuddered involuntarily, blocking out the thought for some unknown reason.
Beneath the pungent smoke, the air was musty and damp. Through it all, I smelled the delicious, coppery scent of hot, powerful blood.
I had been resting atop a raised stone plinth—almost like a table—in a depthless, shadowy cavern. I appreciated the darkness because any light would have likely blinded me in my current state. I couldn’t see the man who had spoken, but the area was filled with silhouettes of what appeared to be tables, crates, and other shapes that could easily conceal him. I focused on my hearing and almost instantly noticed a seductively familiar, beating sound.
A noise as delightful as a child’s first belly-laugh…
A beautiful woman’s sigh as she locked eyes with you for the first time.
The gentle crackling of a fireplace on a brisk, snowy night.
Thump-thump.
Thump-thump.
Thump-thump.
The sound became everything and my vision slowly began to sharpen, the room brightening into shades of gray. My pain didn’t disappear, but it was swiftly muted as I tracked the sound.
I inhaled deeply, my eyes riveting on a far wall as my nostrils flared, pinpointing the source of the savory perfume and the seductive beating sound. I didn’t recall sitting up, but I realized that I was suddenly leaning forward and that the room was continuing to brighten into paler shades of gray, burning away the last of the remaining shadows—despite the fact that there was no actual light. And it grew clearer as I focused on the seductive sound.
Until I finally spotted a man leaning against the far wall. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump… I licked my lips ravenously, setting my hands on the cool stone table as I prepared to set my feet on the ground.
Food…
The man calmly lifted his hand and a sharp clicking sound suddenly echoed from the walls. The room abruptly flooded with light so bright and unexpected that it felt like my eyes had exploded. Worse, what seemed like a trio of radiant stars was not more than a span from my face—so close that I could feel the direct heat from their flare. I recoiled with a snarl, momentarily forgetting all about food as I shielded my eyes with a hand and prepared to defend myself. I leaned away from the bright lights, wondering why I couldn’t smell smoke from the flickering flames. I squinted, watching the man’s feet for any indication of movement.
Half a minute went by as my vision slowly began to adjust, and the man didn’t even shift his weight—almost as if he was granting me time enough to grow accustomed to the sudden light. Which…didn’t make any sense. Hadn’t it been an attack? I hesitantly lowered my hand from my face, reassessing the situation and my surroundings.
I stared in wonder as I realized that the orbs were not made of flame, but rather what seemed to be pure light affixed to polished metal stands. Looking directly at them hurt, so I studied them sidelong, making sure to also keep the man in my peripheral vision. He had to be a sorcerer of some kind. Who else could wield pure light without fire?
“Easy, Sorin,” the man murmured in a calming baritone. “I can’t see as well as you in the dark, but it looked like you were about to do something unnecessarily stupid. Let me turn them down a little.”
He didn’t wait for my reply, but the room slowly dimmed after another clicking sound.
I tried to get a better look at the stranger—wondering where he had come from, where he had taken me, and who he was. One thing was obvious—he knew magic. “Where did you learn this sorcery?” I rasped, gesturing at the orbs of light.
“Um. Hobby Lobby.”
“I’ve never heard of him,” I hissed, coughing as a result of my parched throat.
“I’m not even remotely surprised by that,” he said dryly. He extended his other hand and I gasped to see an impossibility—a transparent bag as clear as new glass. And it was flexible, swinging back and forth like a bulging coin purse or a clear water-skin. My momentary wonder at the magical material evaporated as I recognized the crimson liquid inside the bag.
Blood.
He lobbed it at me underhanded without a word of warning. I hissed as I desperately—and with exceeding caution—caught it from the air lest it fall and break open. I gasped as the clear bag of blood settled into my palms and, before I consciously realized it, I tore off the corner with my fangs, pressed it to my lips, and squeezed the bag in one explosive, violent gesture. The ruby fluid gushed into my mouth and over my face, dousing my almost forgotten pain as swiftly as a bucket of water thrown on hot coals.
I felt my eyes roll back into my skull and my body shuddered as I lost my balance and fell from the stone table. I landed on my back but I was too overwhelmed to care as I stretched out my arms and legs. I groaned in rapture, licking at my lips like a wild animal. The ruby nectar was a living serpent of molten oil as it slithered down into my stomach, nurturing and healing me almost instantly. It was the most wonderful sensation I could imagine—almost enough to make me weep.
Like a desert rain, my parched tongue and throat absorbed the blood so quickly and completely that I couldn’t even savor the heady flavor. This wasn’t a joyful feast; this was survival, a necessity. My body guzzled it, instantly using the liquid to repair the damage, pain, and the cloud of fog that had enshrouded me.
I realized that I was laughing. The sound echoed into the vast stone space like rolling thunder.
Because I had remembered something else.
The world’s First Vampire was back.
And he was still very hungry.
Get the full book ONLINE! http://www.shaynesilvers.com/l/738833
Check out Shayne’s other books. He’s written a few without Cameron helping him. Some of them are marginally decent—easily a 4 out of 10.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
From Cameron:
I’d like to thank Shayne, for paving the way in style. Kori, for an introduction that would change my life. My three wonderful sisters, for showing me what a strong, independent woman looks and sounds like. And, above all, my parents, for—literally—everything.
From Shayne (the self-proclaimed prettiest one):
Team Temple and the Den of Freaks on Facebook have become family to me. I couldn’t do it without die-hard readers like them.
I would also like to thank you, the reader. I hope you enjoyed reading MOONSHINE as much as we enjoyed writing it. Be sure to check out the two crossover series in the TempleVerse: The Nate Temple Series and the Feathers and Fire Series.
And last, but definitely not least, I thank my wife, Lexy. Without your support, none of this would have been possible.
ABOUT CAMERON O’CONNELL
Cameron O’Connell is a Jack-of-All-Trades and Master of Some.
He writes The Phantom Queen Diaries, a series in The TempleVerse, about Quinn MacKenna, a mouthy black magic arms dealer trading favors in Boston. All she wants? A round-trip ticket to the Fae realm…and maybe a drink on the house.
A former member of the United States military, a professional model, and English teacher, Cameron finds time to write in the mornings after his first cup of coffee…and in the evenings after his thirty-seventh. Follow him, and the TempleVerse founder, Shayne Silvers, online for all sorts of insider tips, giveaways, and new release updates!
Get Down with Cameron Online
ABOUT SHAYNE SILVERS
Shayne is a man of mystery and power, whose power is exceeded only by his mystery…
He currently writes the Amazon Bestselling Nate Temple Series, which features a foul-mouthed wizard from St. Louis. He rides a bloodthirsty unicorn, drinks with Achilles, and is pals with the Four Horsemen.
He also writes the Amazon Bestselling Feathers and Fire Series—a second series in the TempleVerse. The story follows a rookie spell-slinger named Callie Penrose who works for the Vatican in Kansas City. Her problem? Hell seems to know more about her past than she does.
He coauthors The Phantom Queen Diaries—a third series set in The TempleVerse—with Cameron O’Connell. The story follows Quinn MacKenna, a mouthy black magic arms dealer in Boston. All she wants? A round-trip ticket to the Fae realm…and maybe a drink on the house.
He also writes the Shade of Devil Series, which tells the story of Sorin Ambrogio—the world’s FIRST vampire. He was put into a magical slumber by a Native American Medicine Man when the Americas were first discovered by Europeans. Sorin wakes up after five-hundred years to learn that his protégé, Dracula, stole his reputation and that no one has ever even heard of Sorin Ambrogio. The streets of New York City will run with blood as Sorin reclaims his legend.
Shayne holds two high-ranking black belts, and can be found writing in a coffee shop, cackling madly into his computer screen while pounding shots of espresso. He’s hard at work on the newest books in the TempleVerse—You can find updates on new releases or chronological reading order on the next page, his website, or any of his social media accounts. Follow him online for all sorts of groovy goodies, giveaways, and new release updates:
Get Down with Shayne Online
www.shaynesilvers.com
[email protected]
BOOKS BY THE AUTHORS
CHRONOLOGY: All stories in the TempleVerse are shown in chronological order on the following page
PHANTOM QUEEN DIARIES
(Set in the TempleVerse)
by Cameron O’Connell & Shayne Silvers
COLLINS (Prequel novella #0 in the ‘LAST CALL’ anthology)
WHISKEY GINGER
COSMOPOLITAN
MOTHERLUCKER (Novella #2.5 in the ‘LAST CALL’ anthology)
OLD FASHIONED
DARK AND STORMY
MOSCOW MULE
WITCHES BREW
SALTY DOG
SEA BREEZE
HURRICANE
BRIMSTONE KISS
MOONSHINE
NATE TEMPLE SERIES
(Main series in the TempleVerse)
by Shayne Silvers
FAIRY TALE - FREE prequel novella #0 for my subscribers
OBSIDIAN SON
BLOOD DEBTS
GRIMM
SILVER TONGUE
BEAST MASTER
BEERLYMPIAN (Novella #5.5 in the ‘LAST CALL’ anthology)
TINY GODS
DADDY DUTY (Novella #6.5)
WILD SIDE
WAR HAMMER
NINE SOULS
HORSEMAN
LEGEND
KNIGHTMARE
ASCENSION
CARNAGE
FEATHERS AND FIRE SERIES
(Also set in the TempleVerse)
by Shayne Silvers
UNCHAINED
RAGE
WHISPERS
ANGEL’S ROAR
MOTHERLUCKER (Novella #4.5 in the ‘LAST CALL’ anthology)
SINNER
BLACK SHEEP
GODLESS
ANGHELLIC
TRINITY (coming 2020…)
CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER: TEMPLEVERSE
FAIRY TALE (TEMPLE PREQUEL)
OBSIDIAN SON (TEMPLE 1)
BLOOD DEBTS (TEMPLE 2)
GRIMM (TEMPLE 3)
SILVER TONGUE (TEMPLE 4)
BEAST MASTER (TEMPLE 5)
BEERLYMPIAN (TEMPLE 5.5)
TINY GODS (TEMPLE 6)
DADDY DUTY (TEMPLE NOVELLA 6.5)
UNCHAINED (FEATHERS…1)
RAGE (FEATHERS…2)
WILD SIDE (TEMPLE 7)
WAR HAMMER (TEMPLE 8)
WHISPERS (FEATHERS…3)
COLLINS (PHANTOM 0)
WHISKEY GINGER (PHANTOM…1)
NINE SOULS (TEMPLE 9)
COSMOPOLITAN (PHANTOM…2)
ANGEL’S ROAR (FEATHERS…4)
MOTHERLUCKER (FEATHERS 4.5, PHANTOM 2.5)
OLD FASHIONED (PHANTOM…3)
HORSEMAN (TEMPLE 10)
DARK AND STORMY (PHANTOM…4)
MOSCOW MULE (PHANTOM…5)
SINNER (FEATHERS…5)
WITCHES BREW (PHANTOM…6)
LEGEND (TEMPLE…11)
SALTY DOG (PHANTOM…7)
BLACK SHEEP (FEATHERS…6)
GODLESS (FEATHERS…7)
KNIGHTMARE (TEMPLE 12)
ASCENSION (TEMPLE 13)
SEA BREEZE (PHANTOM…8)
HURRICANE (PHANTOM…9)
BRIMSTONE KISS (PHANTOM…10)
ANGHELLIC (FEATHERS…8)
CARNAGE (TEMPLE 14)
MOONSHINE (PHANTOM…11)
SHADE OF DEVIL SERIES
(Not part of the TempleVerse)
by Shayne Silvers
DEVIL’S DREAM
DEVIL’S CRY
DEVIL’S BLOOD
DEVIL’S DUE (coming 2020…)
Moonshine: Phantom Queen Book 11—A Temple Verse Series (The Phantom Queen Diaries) Page 29
