The Complete Hidden Evil Trilogy: 3 Novels and 4 Shorts of Frightening Horror (PLUS Book I of the Portal Arcane Trilogy)
Page 20
He walked past the chair and simple chest of drawers that looked the same as they had on all of his previous visits. Never a balloon, card, or basket. He stood at the foot of the bed, staring at the sheets, secured at the corners by the orderly on shift the night before. Ravna felt the moisture from his mouth escape and his bowels shook with an unnatural rumble. He spun around, half-expecting to be attacked as he was in the cavern, in what felt like another lifetime.
Nothing.
The room was completely silent. And empty. Ravna took a step toward the door, his heart racing as he anticipated the lockdown of the floor or possibly the entire facility until the staff could find Drew. He turned to the right and noticed that the door to the small closet was open. Ravna could not remember ever seeing the door open. He moved closer and saw three hangers on the closet rod, dangling in the air. It was the contrast of red on white that caught his attention. A roughly sketched doorway had been painted on the wall of the closet in finger-strokes of blood. Inside the doorway was a name.
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Demons Within: Unholy Fire (Book 2 of The Hidden Evil Trilogy), available now.
Acknowledgements
Thank you, dear reader, for taking this journey with me. If you enjoyed the book please leave a review on Amazon. It can be brief (20 words) and written in a few minutes. Authors depend on reviews from readers like you. And if you really enjoy my work, send me an email at jthorn.writer@gmail.com and I will reply with a free copy of a J. Thorn title of your choosing.
In addition, visit http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/JThorn_ where I will personalize and autograph your digital book for free. Please do not hesitate to get in touch. I respond personally to every message. My phone number is 216.245.8476 or if you appreciate creativity on the dial pad, 216.24J.THRN. Seriously, that’s my phone number. Call and leave me a voicemail with your name and number and I promise to call you back. Did a scene in the book trouble you? Call me. Did you love the book and want to shower me with praise? Call me. Do you want advice on writing or publishing your own book? Call me. Do you want to order a large pepperoni with mushrooms and cheese? Can’t help you there. I want you to have the best reading experience possible because we all have limited time on this planet. If you weren’t completely satisfied with my book, or if you loved it, or if you simply want help; please call me. I would love to hear from you.
Do you love horror and dark fantasy? Do you wish you could tell authors the kind of story you want to read? Do you want to be part of an exclusive group? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you have to check this out:
http://jthornwriter.blogspot.com/p/the-keepers.html
In addition, I would like to thank several readers that were gracious enough to read and review Preta's Realm, including but not limited to, Stefan Yates, Elizabeth, Bernadette Davies, and Mammayeo. I thank you all.
Other works from J. Thorn
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If you enjoyed this title, you'll love J. Thorn's new twist on a classic theme. Find out why readers that enjoy the edgy horror of Stephen King are discovering The Hidden Evil.
Praise for The Hidden Evil Trilogy...
"Best one yet - chilling, horrific. There were aspects of this story that reminded me somewhat of The Shining...a sort of creeping horror that was very effective."
K. Sozaeva, Amazon Vine Voice, Top 500 Reviewer
"...grabs you by the throat and does not let go. Incredibly graphic it had me screwing my face up in horror at many of the scenes, yet eagerly clicking for the next page just to see what would happen next."
Bernadette Davies, Amazon reviewer
"...Preta's Realm is a fine example of character building done right. Mr. Thorn does an excellent job of crafting the characters and making sure that you can identify with them. He does a better job than some of the heavy hitters in the horror realm, actually."
Bryan Hall, Author of Containment Room Seven
Preta's Realm: The Haunting (Book 1 of The Hidden Evil Trilogy)
Drew works hard, pays his taxes, and loves his family. But when a visit from the spirit of his deceased grandfather coincides with the violent murder of two co-workers, Drew falls into a desperate spiral of delusion and betrayal until he finally faces the demons of the past, which threaten to drag him deeper into Preta's Realm.
Demons Within: Unholy Fire (Book 2 of The Hidden Evil Trilogy)
Ravna thought his ordeal with the hungry ghost was over. However, when a road trip takes him on an unexpected detour, Preta resurfaces, threatening to tear apart Ravna and his new love. Ravna must again battle the hidden evil, though he now faces a choice that could destroy everything, including the Demons Within.
Eternal: Blood Curse (Book 3 of The Hidden Evil Trilogy)
Doug believes Ravna has the power to defeat the hungry ghost once and for all. But he soon realizes that the final battle with the malevolent creature has yet to begin. Doug must combine forces with another Hunter in a race against demons and apparitions, hoping he isn't already too late. If they cannot close the portal in time, Gaki will call forth the hidden evil and the darkness shall be Eternal.
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If you enjoyed this title, you'll love Reversion: The Inevitable Horror (The Portal Arcane Series - Book I). Find out why readers that enjoy the creeping doom of Stephen King's Langoliers are diving into the engaging world of the Portal Arcane series.
Praise for the Portal Arcane Series...
"This is a great start for what promises to be an engaging, intense series."
Scott Nicholson, Author of the #1 Amazon Best Selling Horror Novel, The Home
"It's all about the journey, about the creeping horror of individual moments, the long wait, the brief moments of terror, and then more waiting. It was... a fascinating read, and I will definitely be interested in following this series.."
K. Sozaeva, Amazon Vine Voice, Top 500 Reviewer
Reversion: The Inevitable Horror (The Portal Arcane Series - Book I)
With a noose around his neck, Samuel arrives in a forest littered with caution tape and artifacts of the deceased. He struggles to regain his memory while fending off a pack of wolves and the mysterious visitors who seem to know more about this dying world than he does. Major, Kole, and Mara, new companions also trapped in the strange locality, realize they must outrun the ominous cloud eating away at reality. As their world collapses upon itself, Samuel must find a way to escape the Reversion.
The Law of Three: A New Wasteland (The Portal Arcane Series - Book II)
The Reversion plucks Samuel from a dying world and drops him into another, a decaying desert wasteland of darkness and peril. As his memories return, Samuel finds himself in another cycle of destruction, and he leads newcomers Jack and Lindsay towards redemption in the mountain stronghold of the mysterious one known as Deva. Finally, as the locality collapses behind him, Samuel realizes his only escape from the Reversion will be putting his faith in The Law of Three.
The Portal Arcane Series - Book III - COMING IN EARLY 2014
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If you enjoyed this title, you'll love The Seventh Seal. Find out why The Seventh Seal, is a best-selling, post-apocalyptic, dark fantasy thriller that has placed in the Amazon Kindle Top 100 Paid Best Seller lists in four different genre categories!
The Seventh Seal
John Burgoyne awakens from a Halloween party, with a hangover and a dead cell phone, on the first day of the End of Days. He's desperate, on the run, and fighting for his life. After a violent coup, the Father, the figurehead of the Holy Covenant and the commander of a new military order, pursues John through the post-apocalyptic wreckage of Cleveland, Ohio, in search of the hidden knowledge he believes John holds. Burgoyne escapes and aligns with the resistance until Father orchestrates a final showdown.
In the words of author Vicki Keire, author of Worlds Burn Through...
"...an edge-of-your seat apocalyptic adventure full of twists and turns. I couldn't put it down!"
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&
nbsp; If you enjoyed The Seventh Seal, you have to read the novella sequel, Man's Ruin.
Man's Ruin - A Dark Fantasy Novella (The Seventh Seal Sequel #1)
A band of revolutionaries fights for survival in the urban decay of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, thirty years after the First Cleansing brought an end to civilization. Their enigmatic and seasoned patriarch, John Burgoyne, protects the clan until a man on horseback delivers an ominous message. John decides to lead his tribe on a grueling march down the treacherous highway stretching from Pittsburgh to Cleveland, unaware of the forces aligning against them. When the clan faces a major decision on the road, John will be forced to do whatever is necessary to ensure their survival.
In the words of reviewer, Gordie, on Amazon.com...
"I started this in the morning and had it finished by lunchtime as I could not put it down..."
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If you like tight and fast-paced short stories, you'll love J. Thorn's horror and dark fantasy collection, Voices from Beyond: Volume 1 as well as The Hunt, Lost Track, and Tunnel.
About the Author
Embrace the entire spectrum of human emotion – especially its dark realms – for a more meaningful story. Welcome to J. Thorn’s world, where the ultimate escape from reality is the horror novel.
J. Thorn is a Top 100 Horror Author (Amazon Rank 2013). He is a supporting member of the Horror Writers Association, a member of the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers, and a writer for disinformation.com.
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Official Website
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Demons Within: Unholy Fire
(Book 2 of The Hidden Evil Trilogy)
By J. Thorn
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Acknowledgments
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Demons Within: Unholy Fire
(Book 2 of The Hidden Evil Trilogy)
First Edition
Copyright © 2013 by J. Thorn
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, places, and dialogue are drawn from the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Edited by:
Talia Leduc
Katy Sozaeva
Laurie Love
For more information:
http://www.jthorn.net
jthorn.writer@gmail.com
Dedicated to the firefighters and first responders that put their lives on the line to save ours.
Table of Contents
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Acknowledgments
Other Works
About the Author
Copyright
Episode 1
Thursday, September 5th
Ravna felt the blood drop from the tip of his nose and widen the dark stain on his jeans. His hands tingled, though his fingers had gone numb a long time ago. He opened his left eye—no longer attempting to see through the swelling of the right one—and poked his tongue through the spaces where his teeth used to be, the cold, raw nerves awakening him like smelling salts.
Ravna had forgotten how many days it had been. The passing of time dissipated in the musky air of the basement, and the shadows no longer mattered. He was incapable of avoiding them.
“Gaki,” he said, the sound muffled through a split lip. “C’mon down, you motherfucker!” The plea fell along with the distant drip of water from a leaky pipe.
He flexed his right leg until a cramp bit his calf. The pain raced upward and infected his thigh as well. He gritted his teeth, waiting for his muscles to unclench. His leg vibrated, and he thought it would never stop shaking. He looked at his hands and wished he could grab his leg with them, straighten or flex it, anything to dispel the cramp.
He screamed and tilted his head backward as the pain slowly subsided like filthy water down a slow drain. The persistent drip from the severed copper pipe hit him in the cheek, and Ravna turned his head to the side so that the water would land in his mouth. He wondered if the demon had given him this lifeline involuntarily, out of some shred of forgotten humanity, or whether the water was provided to keep him alive for more heinous acts. The chill on his tongue brought Ravna a moment’s respite before the blood ran down the back of his throat, launching a series of gags that threatened to empty his stomach of what little remained.
Ravna let the water strike his closed eye, feeling it run down the side of his face, mingling with the blood from his nose. Not having it set this time, he thought, sinking into a brief moment of delirium. The crooked nose and scar tissue will give me character, like an old boxer. He thought of Muhammad Ali and smiled before reality destroyed his romantic daydream.
Ravna looked left, noticing that the thin, white line underneath the door remained unchanged. Daylight, or maybe he left the kitchen light on.
He needed a mental activity, a challenge to keep the pain at bay. That ray of light coming from beneath the locked door had not changed, but he knew several days had passed. His mind floated away from the basement, his thoughts traveling to the outside world. He imagined thousands of folks sitting in traffic on their way to work, meeting for a midmorning coffee in the break room, or enjoying their favorite music on headphones while walking through the park. Ravna quickly erased those mental images. He knew that they were like a mirage to a man in the desert—an illusion, not his reality.
“I’ve had enough, you son of a bitch! Come and finish this!”
Ravna’s outbursts went unchallenged. He could not feel Gaki’s presence, but the creature had surprised him before, and he would not be caught with his guard down again.
“I can smell your stink,” Ravna said in hopes of provoking a response that would betray the creature’s location, “your filthy flesh.”
No response.
Ravna felt the eyesight in his good eye begin to narrow. Despite his best attempts at staying hydrated and mentally focused, he knew his body was losing the fight. The cuts, the wounds, the broken bones, they were breaking his spirit from the inside out.
He yanked on the bindings holding his wrists in his lap. As they had the previous hundred times Ravna tested them, they held strong. He pointed his left foot, which brought another wave of muscle cramps that emptied his bladder and sent his torso into convulsions. Bracing himself, Ravna considered the idea of death. It might spare him from the physical pain and from Gaki’s mental torture.
Ravna dropped his head, heaving as the leg cramps subsided, leaving a dull ache much like the one in his heart. He smiled as his mind folded inward, replacing the pain of the situation with the warmth of recent memory. Ravna would not fight the illusion. He did not have much fight left at all.
Tuesday, September 3rd
“Got your phone?”
Karen winked at Ravna and held the piece of shiny plastic up with her right hand. “Got yours?”
He feigned surprise, and then pulled it from his back pocket with the flair of a Vegas magician.
“How long?” she asked.
“Six hours, give or take.”
Karen pushed a lock of dark hair over one ear and bit her lip. Ravna watched and waited, not wanting to let his eyes drift from her face.
“AC, cat, mail stoppage?”
“Check, check, and check,” Ravna replied.
She smiled and looked down as a portrait flashed on her phone. Ravna frowned, knowing what would come next.
“Hon, I have to take this. Just a second, okay?”
Ravna nodded and knew he now had additional time t
o recheck the level of washer fluid in the car, as well as the transmission fluid, oil, and brake fluid. He would most likely have time to perform an entire tune-up if he so desired.
“Hey, Tools,” Karen said as the phone came to her ear and she strolled toward the kitchen.
He watched her hips sway beneath the bikini bottom, a mere scrap of fabric over her well-rounded backside. The agency would do its best to delay their trip. Ravna only had to put Karen inside the vehicle and start moving seventy-five miles per hour down the highway and that tether would stretch thin. He didn’t think he could break it, but over the next five days and four nights, he would try. Karen turned the corner of the kitchen nook and walked down the hallway. He lost sight of her, her sauntering rhythm no longer holding his sexual fantasies captive.
The sand, the sun, and no “quick trips” to the office, he thought. I won’t be seeing much of that bathing suit unless it’s crumpled up on the floor.
Ravna gathered the rest of his toiletries and tossed them into the duffel bag that sat on the couch. He went through the mental checklist again, even though he knew leaving the apartment did not require a long one. When he told Mrs. Hanratty in 4C that they would be taking a late-season trip to Virginia Beach, she had thought he was nuts.