Table of Contents
CHAPTER 0 – MY FIRST DEATH
CHAPTER 1 – REVEALED BY FIRE
CHAPTER 2 – THE MARK
CHAPTER 3 – VAMPIRES, WEREWOLVES, AND WIZARDS, OH MY!
CHAPTER 4 – ANCIENT POLITICS
CHAPTER 5 – THE TRUE SACRIFICE
CHAPTER 6 – THE VAMPIRE
CHAPTER 7 – FIRE MAGIC
CHAPTER 8 – FANGS
CHAPTER 9 – FORGED BY FIRE
CHAPTER 10 – FATE-PAIRING
CHAPTER 11 – THE GIFT
CHAPTER 12 – THE FEAR
CHAPTER 13 – A NEW WORLD
CHAPTER 14 – KISS LIKE FIRE
CHAPTER 15 – WITH A HEAVY HEART
CHAPTER 16 – PAINTED HISTORY
CHAPTER 17 – SEER OF THE STORM
CHAPTER 18 – BARE YOUR SOUL
CHAPTER 19 – SHE’S HERE
CHAPTER 20 – SEND ME A SIGN
CHAPTER 21 – THE SCENT OF THE SEA
CHAPTER 22 – THE END OF THE WAR
CHAPTER 23 – STING OF THE SUN
CHAPTER 24 – FOLLOW THE WOLF
CHAPTER 25 – SUPERNATURAL NATURE
CHAPTER 26 – ANYTHING FOR FAMILY
CHAPTER 27 – BETWEEN LOVE AND FIRE
CHAPTER 28 – MY FINAL DEATH
CHAPTER 29 – NYMINIA
BOOK II CHAPTER 0 – A WORLD AT WAR
Dracendium Publishing
2716 Elliot Ave, Apt 301,
Seattle, WA, 98121,USA
Of Flesh and Fire - Book 1
By Tuesday Cross
Copyright © 2017 Tuesday Cross. All rights reserved
Dracendium - Edition 1 - 2017
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, and events in this book are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarities to persons living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.
All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law.
For permission requests, bulk orders or sales please contact:
Dracendium Publishing
www.dracendium.com
[email protected]
Cover Artwork by Tuesday Cross
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 0 – MY FIRST DEATH
CHAPTER 1 – REVEALED BY FIRE
CHAPTER 2 – THE MARK
CHAPTER 3 – VAMPIRES, WEREWOLVES, AND WIZARDS, OH MY!
CHAPTER 4 – ANCIENT POLITICS
CHAPTER 5 – THE TRUE SACRIFICE
CHAPTER 6 – THE VAMPIRE
CHAPTER 7 – FIRE MAGIC
CHAPTER 8 – FANGS
CHAPTER 9 – FORGED BY FIRE
CHAPTER 10 – FATE-PAIRING
CHAPTER 11 – THE GIFT
CHAPTER 12 – THE FEAR
CHAPTER 13 – A NEW WORLD
CHAPTER 14 – KISS LIKE FIRE
CHAPTER 15 – WITH A HEAVY HEART
CHAPTER 16 – PAINTED HISTORY
CHAPTER 17 – SEER OF THE STORM
CHAPTER 18 – BARE YOUR SOUL
CHAPTER 19 – SHE’S HERE
CHAPTER 20 – SEND ME A SIGN
CHAPTER 21 – THE SCENT OF THE SEA
CHAPTER 22 – THE END OF THE WAR
CHAPTER 23 – STING OF THE SUN
CHAPTER 24 – FOLLOW THE WOLF
CHAPTER 25 – SUPERNATURAL NATURE
CHAPTER 26 – ANYTHING FOR FAMILY
CHAPTER 27 – BETWEEN LOVE AND FIRE
CHAPTER 28 – MY FINAL DEATH
CHAPTER 29 – NYMINIA
BOOK II CHAPTER 0 – A WORLD AT WAR
CHAPTER 0
MY FIRST DEATH
I lay there, trying my hardest not to choke. The heavy scent of smoke invaded my body, coating my lungs, stifling me. All around me were the sounds of screaming, sobbing, and fire– my body shivered involuntarily. I shifted my focus back to breathing, trying to quiet my body’s urge to stand up and run. I won’t be able to do anything if fear gets the better of me. Anger flashed hot in my stomach. After everything I’ve done to get my life back, here it is. Ending. The beam overhead groaned like some sort of wounded animal, making me flinch. Clenching my eyes shut, I dove into my memories. Any event of my past was better than what was about to become my last.
I’m six years old, sitting in Ms. Carla’s tidy sun-bleached office. I lightly swing my legs back and forth, listening to the rhythmic ba-bump, ba-bump as my heels bounce off the base of the bench. Behind me, through the door, I can just make out the whispers of my foster parents. They don’t say it outright, but I can tell. They don’t like me. Ms.Carla, lovely as always, encourages them to keep trying. Keep up with the counseling. Every child needs a forever-home after all, and who said adoption was going to be easy?
I’m twelve years old, running through the woods. My foster brother is laughing, but we’re not having fun. I’m frightened because I know how this game ends. Doubling back I head for my secret hiding spot, and while crossing over the rocks I make a stupid mistake. Trying to jump too fast, my shoelace snags on a fallen branch. I try to catch myself, but tumble heavily into the deep crevasse beneath my destination. If I hadn’t had been so afraid, I wouldn’t have rushed. I spent hours fuming and nursing a sprained arm before the fire department found me. Shortly afterwards my foster ‘parents’ shut me in my room as punishment for wasting everyone’s time.
I’m seventeen, crouched in the dusty attic, pouring over my collection of contraband. Wonder Woman and Supergirl– I soaked up the adventures depicted on the black and white pages. My name had been repeated, growing steadily louder and louder for the last five minutes. The heavy footsteps of the man I was supposed to call father reverberated below. It was only a matter of time before he thought to check the attic, and found me and my treasures. Sighing, I carefully tucked three favorites into the bag by my feet. The footsteps halted directly beneath the attic door, but it didn’t matter. I was out the window, down the lattice, and into the night– like the monsters I was leaving behind had never existed at all.
And now I’m here. What a stupid situation. I shouldn’t have come to this town. I shouldn’t have stayed here so long. I’m an idiot for thinking I could make a life here. I opened my eyes and stared into the flames, defiant. If my life’s about to end, I’m going to watch it go.
Finally, the groaning beam cracked and gave-way.
Delivering me to the darkness.
CHAPTER 1
REVEALED BY FIRE
MILDRED MIDWOOD
Dusk came and went, and a dewy midnight settled like a blanket over the grounds of Rowling-Burroughs University. In the Eastern Quarter of the Historic wing, Headmistress Mildred Midwood sat stiffly behind her desk. Her brown eyes focused on the map spread out before her. Her face was calm, but she drummed her nails against the wood of her desk. A light knock at the door pulled her out of concentration, and Midwood’s eyes shot up to meet a gentle gaze she knew well.
“Professor Starling, it’s late you know,” Midwood said quietly.
“Mildred, there’s another fire,” he replied.
“Where?”
“In the village, at a home for young women.”
Midwood’s nostrils flared. She knew exactly which home Starling referred to.
“And you’re here about it in the middle of the night because–”
“It’s happening as we speak,” Starli
ng answered.
Midwood stood and turned, disappearing into the air with a loud crack, leaving only the smell of burning ozone behind.
Midwood reappeared in the shadows, a safe distance from the frantic scene unfolding before her. Even from her position across the street, Midwood felt the searing heat clawing her face. Looking left and right, Midwood observed nothing else out of the ordinary. Silent cars stood sentinel along the street and a cool breeze played through the leaves of the trees.
Everything was as it should be, except for the structure in front of her. It was burning at temperatures so obscene that the flames were a ghostly blue-white. The brave men of Vernon Village’s Fire Department worked diligently, but the fire carried on, unaffected.
Thank the gods this street had been evacuated. The fewer witnesses, the better.
Spreading her arms out by her sides, palms facing the blaze, Midwood hummed low and deep. The sound reverberated through her sternum, growing louder until it matched the cracking and whipping of the flames. A soft grey light emanated from her palms as Midwood took slow steps into the middle of the damp street. One by one the men of VVFD ceased their work, whispering amongst themselves. Midwood did not see them. In fact, she could not see them. Her eyes were rendered useless as her inner eye focused on the fire, seeking its source. It was as if the flames were alive, eluding her efforts to snuff them out.
Fire magic. The thought chilled Midwood to her core, and she redoubled her efforts to douse the flames. Midwood advanced to the sidewalk in front of the building, the ghastly blue flames illuminating her ebony skin. The men of VVFD remained glued to the spot, unable to tear their eyes away. Midwood clasped her hands violently together in front of her heart, snuffing out the raging blaze– the force of her efforts knocking her to the ground.
Stunned, the firefighters looked to the structure, and back to her. A tall, bear of a man came forward to help her to her feet. Midwood was not a frightening woman to behold, yet she saw a glimmer of fear in his eyes as he hoisted her up.
“Chief Johnston, thank you,” Midwood said, brushing off her skirt.
“Well Headmistress, it’s you we ought to thank,” he mumbled.
It was obvious to Midwood that as usual Johnston was polite, but not out of respect.
Whispers from the men rose in the background. (These lot only get involved when something’s wrong) - (I don’t like it, we shouldn’t have to owe them anything.) - (How do we know that she didn’t set the fire to begin with?) She shrugged off their words. If her suspicions were correct, then the current situation was much more important than normal vs supernatural politics.
“If you don’t mind, Chief, I need to inspect the ashes.”
“Ma’am! We’ve been fighting this fire for hours, and the whole time it’s been burning hotter than the bloody sun. You’re not going to find anything in there.”
“All the same, I would like to have a look around.”
“It’s not safe.”
“Chief.” Midwood looked him square in the eye. “I’ll be fine.”
Johnston huffed and stood out of the way, gesturing towards the smoldering remains. Midwood nodded politely, hiked up her skirt, and made her way inside.
The stench of smoke enveloped her as she waded through the destruction. It pained her to know how many people must have died, their bones turned to dust. As she made her way to the center of the cinders, Midwood couldn’t shake the feeling of dread which had taken root within her. She thought back to the orphanage she inspected after it burnt, and then the hostel. No survivors. Someone is targeting these places. but they wouldn’t continue if they had already found what they were looking for… If I’m right. Stopping for a moment to release her skirt from a piece of twisted steel, something caught Midwood’s eye. Laying under the ashen remains of a structural beam, as if asleep, was a young woman. Her skin smooth and milky white, untouched by the violence.
The gods have mercy! Bending down, Midwood gathered the naked form in her arms, lifting her up with the strength of a much younger woman. Blocked from the sight of Chief Johnston and his men, Midwood turned on the spot, disappearing with her precious cargo into the heavy night air.
CHAPTER 2
THE MARK
MILDRED MIDWOOD
Midwood paced back and forth at the end of the starkly lit corridor, hands clasped tightly behind her back. Looking up, she stopped only when she caught sight of Professor Starling approaching.
“Hello Mildred.”
“Professor, thank you for coming.” Midwood’s eyes darted behind Starling, down the long hallway.
“No one followed me, and as you requested, I have sealed off this wing.”
Midwood gave a small sigh of relief.
“You’re positive you can trust the Chief and his men not to kick up a stink?” Starling asked.
“I saved them a lot of trouble by dousing that fire. They will be uncomfortable, of course, but no one saw me leave with her. Our agreement with the authorities stands, we’ll have no trouble.” The words poured out of Midwood’s mouth as she wrung her hands together. Her eyes flicking to the door in front of them, and back to Starling.
“Mildred, may I see the girl?” he asked, brow furrowed.
“In a moment.” Midwood shifted from foot to foot.
“Ahh…” Starling raised his eyebrows.
Midwood shot him a glance and pursed her lips. “Yes, I called him.”
As if on cue, the door in front of them burst open unceremoniously. There stood Doctor Farsky, his rose-gold hair slicked back into submission and a wide smile across his young, angular face.
“It’s amazing!” he said, the volume of his voice causing Starling to flinch. “Besides being unconscious, she appears to be a specimen of perfect health.”
Midwood swore she saw Farsky lick his lips. He’s a strange man, but it comes with being a genius I suppose.
“Wait until you see her appearance, please come in.” Farsky disappeared into the dimly lit room.
Exchanging glances, Midwood and Starling followed.
The doctor strode to the side of the bed where a young woman lay swathed in a grey hospital gown, unconscious. The pale light of the room robbed her skin of what color it had, giving her an even more alien appearance. Sweeping his arm over the her as if presenting to a crowd, Farsky’s voice cracked with excitement.
“Look at her hair! It’s white as snow, definitely not bleached. And here–” he opened one of her eyes, shining a pocket light across her pupil “–you can see, her eyes are brilliant violet!”
Clearing his throat, Starling’s soft voice fell across the room. “Yes, her looks are uncanny. But where is the proof?”
The doctor’s eyes glistened as his smile grew wider. “Indeed, Professor, her appearance alone does not serve as confirmation. This on the other hand…” Farsky tugged down the top of the girl’s gown. He revealed a symbol, roughly an inch in diameter, just below her left collarbone. At first glance, one could have mistaken the orange lines of the mark for a tattoo. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that what was orange one moment, was red the next, the colors twisting and melding as if a fire boiled just beneath the surface. Midwood gasped.
“Yes, this proves otherwise.” Farsky chuckled.
After a few moments of silence dominated by the cheerful smile on the doctor’s face, Midwood finally found her voice. “The True Mark.”
“Correct! Here, in the flesh. Quite literally.”
“So, It’s real,” Starling murmured.
“Of course it’s real. You’re the history professor, you should know.” Farsky sighed. “To think after all this time, we would be the ones to discover the True Sacrifice.”
Midwood shuddered. May the gods have mercy on us.
“Doctor, you do understand how serious this is, don’t you?” Starling narrowed his eyes.
“Yes, Professor, of course I do.” Farsky snorted. “It’s now our duty to keep her safe.”
Returning his gaze t
o the young woman, Farsky’s expression softened. Reaching out slowly, he brushed his fingertips across the symbol on the girl’s chest. He let out a cry and stumbled backwards, clutching burnt fingers. Midwood and Starling took quick steps back as the girl awoke.
Her stark white hair fell in loose curls down the pillow as she moved her head side to side, confusion shadowed her heart shaped face. “Where am I?” Her eyelids fluttered as consciousness reanimated her body. Finally, her unearthly violet eyes hit upon Midwood and her colleagues. Shoving herself into a seated position, she spoke again, “Who are you? What’s going on?”
“Dear, perhaps you should lay back down for a little while?” Midwood said as she approached slowly.
The girl pushed herself farther back against the wall.
“She wants to know what’s going on, Headmistress,” Farsky spoke. “Allow me to explain.” He stepped forward and produced an awkward half bow. “It is so good to see you awake Miss...” Farsky let the silence hang in the air for a moment, before he smiled softly. “You have recently been rescued from a tragic accident.”
The girl’s gaze darted to the floor.
“And have been brought to this, charming, hospital in Vernon Village. My name is Doctor Farsky, and I am the head of Magical Medical Research at Rowling-Burroughs University.”
The girl looked up, her gaze a mixture of pain and disbelief.
“This is my colleague, Mildred Midwood. Elemental Mage and Headmistress of the University.”
Midwood tilted her head in confirmation, and smiled kindly.
“And in the corner here is Professor Starling, Head Earth Mage and Professor of Medieval Magic.”
“Magic? Are you joking?” the girl spoke with anger in her voice.
“You mean, you have no idea?” Midwood said. How could this girl have survived something like that fire, and not have consciously saved herself?
“No idea? What are you even talking about?” The girl glared around the room.
“You have no knowledge of magic?” Midwood clarified.
“Knowledge of magic? Ma’m, Headmistress, or whatever, I don’t understand.”
Midwood shot a look at Farsky whose smile was so large it looked as if his face might split in two.
Of Flesh and Fire - Book I: Everything Will Burn Page 1
