Myths & Magic: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Collection

by Kerry Adrienne

  Just in time for him to bring his fist up to slam into my throat. I fell backwards, the breath driven from my lungs, confusion taking over me.

  He shouldn't have been able to move! What had gone wrong?

  I dragged air into my burning lungs and chanted again, the words coming out in a rough rasp. He'd done a number on my throat with his enhanced strength and I had no doubt that I wouldn't speak right for weeks.

  I dialed up the intensity of the spell. It must not have worked because he was a vampire and this was a spell I hadn't tried on the wolves, it was too dangerous. I must not have calculated correctly for the healing nature of the supernatural creatures.

  My folly in not getting up came back to bite me in the ass when he landed a kick to my ribs, interrupting the spell and leaving me gasping in pain. I grunted and rolled to the side, still chanting. I wasn't going to give up, wasn't going to drop the spell until the man was dead.

  I came up in a crouch, watching the vampire across from me.

  "Dirty fucking blood mage," he said. "I'm going to kill you and take your head back to the King."

  Good. Kill me, don't capture me. No, wait. How about you just die?

  I narrowed my eyes as I watched him, my lips never ceasing to move. I wanted to kill him with my magic, prove myself as a blood mage, but I wasn't above falling back on the tried and true stake on my forearm if it became necessary.

  No matter what, I was going to kill him.

  A small whimper sounded behind me, distracting me. The spell died on my lips as I whirled to face Lisa—she shouldn't have been able to make a sound. What had I done wrong?

  Then I saw the look of excruciating pain on her face, her lips twisted open in a wordless scream, the sweat on her forehead, and the unnatural red color of her skin.

  Horror rushed over me in waves.

  "No, no, no!"

  I'd gotten it so wrong. I'd locked onto the wrong biorhythm. I shook my head, rushing over to her. I dropped the spell, relinquished my hold on her body, and she sagged to the ground.

  Unconscious.

  Right? She had to be unconscious. That was all it was. Right?

  "Please, don't be dead. Please, please, please, don't be dead," I said, my voice cracking. I groped blindly for her neck, tears clouding my vision as I tried to find her pulse.

  Nothing.

  I threw my knife to the side and brushed the tears out of my eyes so that I could see better. Still, I couldn't find her pulse.

  The vampire behind me fully forgotten, I pressed my ear to her chest. It did not rise or fall—she wasn't breathing and there was no heartbeat.

  I sent my magic flooding into her, looking for her heart, determined to fight nature and bring her back.

  I forced her heart to beat once, but it wouldn't pick up the rhythm. I tried again. Thump. Then nothing.

  "No!"

  The sobs broke out of me now, tearing out of my throat as I screamed my rage and pain into the night. This couldn't be happening, I wouldn't let it happen.

  Wave after wave of pain crashed over me, and I felt myself losing control. Felt the magic building within me as I tried to grasp it.

  It blasted out of me violently, crashing through the alley in a rush to find a target, any target.

  To make someone hurt in the same way that I hurt.

  Oh God, what had I done?

  Chapter 19

  Nina

  I sat curled in the corner of my room, staring down at the raw skin on my hands. I had tried time after time to scrub them clean, but it was as if Lisa's blood was actually on my hands. I couldn't feel clean again.

  I had killed her—and the vampire. When my magic had rushed out of me once the realization of what I'd done had set in, it had killed the vampire in one violent sweep.

  This was of no consolation to me. I couldn't believe that this had happened.

  I rocked back and forth, clutching my knees to my chest as tears blurred my vision again.

  I killed her. I killed her. She's dead because of me.

  The thoughts kept running through my mind like a broken record. I couldn't come to terms with what had happened, my heart was breaking into a thousand and pieces and oh God, I couldn't breathe.

  I didn't deserve to breathe.

  "No, no, no," I sobbed over and over again. It was the only word I could get out of my mouth.

  Every time I closed my eyes, I kept seeing her face as she tried to scream, indescribable pain etched into every inch of her face.

  I had done that to her. I had killed her.

  I was a murderer.

  A knock sounded at my door and I froze, my eyes snapping over to stare at it.

  Someone was there. On the other side of the door.

  Instinct told me to reach out and find the biorhythm to detect who it was, but I refused. I was never going to use my magic ever again. I was an abomination and I deserved to die, but even if the wolves let me live, I was never going to use my magic again.

  I wasn't going to kill another person.

  Vampire or not, I wasn't going to do it again.

  "Open the door, Nina."

  Conall. It was his voice on the other side of the door.

  I knew that I had to go to it and open up. He'd given a command, not a request, and he was King in this mansion.

  But I couldn't do it. I couldn't face him after what I'd done. Couldn't bear to see the look of disgust and horror on his face when he condemned me for losing control. He was going to throw me out of the mansion, and rightly so.

  I didn't deserve death, I realized. I deserved to go back to the cages, to be punished for the rest of my life.

  Yes. I would accept the banishment he was no doubt here to give me.

  Don't be ridiculous. He's here to have you executed.

  But that wasn't good enough! Death was too kind.

  "Nina." His voice held a note of warning now, and I knew that I was pissing him off by not opening the door. I just couldn't bring myself to move, it was as if my limbs were frozen by the same spell I'd used on Lisa.

  No, I couldn't do it. I couldn't face him.

  I watched in horror as I heard the sound of a key entering the lock and a moment later the knob turned and the door swung open.

  My eyes fell to the floor. I wouldn't look at him.

  He hates me.

  All I had wanted was to make him proud, and instead I had murdered one of his kin. What was he going to do to me?

  I heard his footsteps moving closer to me, but still I didn't dare to raise my eyes.

  Go ahead and say it. Just tell me what my punishment is. Exile or execution? Just tell me!

  "Congratulations."

  My eyes snapped up to his, my mouth dropped open in disbelief. "What?"

  "Your first kill. You successfully completed your mission. Congratulations," he said. His voice was cold, devoid of emotion.

  A shudder ran through me as I shook my head. "But, but...I killed..."

  I couldn't bring myself to say her name. I was unworthy.

  He crouched in front of me and I averted my eyes immediately. He reached out and touched my chin, lifting my head up.

  Still, I looked sharply out of the corner of my eye at the bed in the room. I wouldn't look at him. He couldn't make me.

  "Look at me, Nina," he said, his voice harsh.

  Reluctantly, I lifted my eyes.

  "In order to do this, to be a part of this world and not become a victim—in order to survive, you have to Harden your heart, mind, and soul. All that matters in our world is the mission. All that matters is survival. You did a good job."

  My eyebrows knitted together, but I couldn't find the words to give voice to my confusion.

  Why wasn't he punishing me?

  He cocked his head to the side, some emotion filling his eyes that I did not recognize. "I've got big plans for you, Nina. You're going to go places here."

  Then he pressed a kiss to my forehead. "I'm proud of you."

  Shock took over
and I couldn't have said anything even if I'd wanted to.

  But it didn't matter—he was gone.

  I was left with my confusion and pain.

  Chapter 20

  Grayson

  I let her get away.

  It was all I could think about as I walked up the steps of my castle.

  The woman—the hunter—had jumped off the building. Immediately, I'd looked over the edge to see that she'd caught herself on a ladder, but I hadn't pursued her.

  I'd been too busy mulling over my actions and trying to make sense of them.

  Logic dictated that I should have killed her, but instead I'd allowed myself to indulge in the pleasures of the flesh. She'd awakened a hunger in me that had been dormant for years now.

  It wasn't that women didn't interest me, but rather that no particular woman interested me enough. When I'd first reached my prime I'd been insatiable, giving over to a hunger I'd only just been introduced to, but once I'd outgrown that I'd realized that there wasn't a female on the Earth that I had enough in common with to truly desire.

  That had been okay with me. I'd known that I had time to find one, and that my mate was out there somewhere.

  And then the hunter came.

  No. Violently, I shook my head. I couldn't think about her. Even the thought of her, the memory of her scent, sent desire rushing to my loins and the need to hunt her down and make her mine returned.

  How had I managed not to go after her?

  I didn't know what had restrained me. Perhaps it had been the look of horror on her face when she'd realized what had transpired between us. I was an evolved man, and I wouldn't ever force myself on a woman.

  The memory of her hips shifting against mine as she melted against me, the sound of her moans as my tongue lavished her throat...She had been willing.

  And then she'd fled. That had been more than enough of an indication that she hadn't wanted to continue the experience.

  I shook my head to clear the thoughts as I walked through the hall.

  She wasn't for me. She was forbidden fruit.

  Not that mating between vampires and humans was forbidden, far from it, but a hunter? No, that could not be borne. My father would murder me rather than see such a thing happen.

  "Prince!"

  Leopold, one of the council members, came rushing to me, a look of distress on his face.

  Instantly I composed myself so that he would not see the conflicting emotions on my face. No need for impertinent questions. He fell into pace beside me as I kept going.

  "What is it?"

  He hadn't heard of my indiscretion, had he? Not even my friends had known what I'd been up to. It was impossible.

  "Sir..." He cleared his throat. "There's been a terrible accident."

  I froze mid-step, turning my head to look at him. "What has happened?"

  He cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable.

  "Out with it, man. What has happened?"

  "It's your father, my Prince. I'm so sorry."

  What? What did he mean?

  I frowned. "What are you talking about?"

  He wet his lips, swallowing nervously. "There's been a horrible accident. The King is gone."

  My blood froze.

  No, this couldn't be.

  I had been cavorting with a hunter and my father was dead?

  Instinct told me to let loose my rage, at myself and at the universe, but centuries of training held my composure for me. I couldn't react. I wasn't allowed to react.

  Brutally, I shoved all thoughts to the back of my mind. The hunter mattered not now. I must never think of her again.

  The responsibilities of my people now weighed on me, and I couldn't let them down.

  I am not ready for this.

  "My liege." He knelt before me, one fist over his heart. "You are King."

  The End

  Continue the Ruled by Blood Series in book one, Blood Huntress!

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  About the Author

  I write urban fantasy novels for new adults. I read just about everything--fantasy, science fiction, dystopian, historical fiction, and much more. I'm also an avid LARPer. Don't know what that is? Shoot me a message and I'll gab your ear off about it. I love to talk with fans, so don't be shy--be forewarned, though, I can rant a good bit.

  I grew up in Wilson, North Carolina. It's a small town about an hour east of Raleigh, and I spent most of my time finding adventure, filling up notebooks with every story that came to my head, and being reprimanded by teacher's for reading in class. My first fiction novel came out in January of 2017, and I release about every two months; so sign up for the newsletter to stay on top of things!

  Feel free to send me an email or reach out over social media with any questions you might have, or just to chat!

  Read More from Izzy Shows

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  Savage Dawn

  M.H. Soars

  Savage Dawn © 2017 Michelle Hercules

  * * *

  All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Savage Dawn

  How do you win a war against an enemy you can't touch?

  When a group of Arcadian explorers found clues leading to an ancient portal, they believed it would shed light on their past. None of them could have foreseen that their search for knowledge would unleash a powerful and ruthless enemy that sought to destroy everything in its path.

  Stranded in a foreign country without means of communication, soul mates Samiah and Malachiax must find a way home. They embark on the most important journey of their lives, traveling through the harsh Arcadian desert where any mistake can be deadly. But the stakes are too high and there is no turning back.

  Prologue

  Mora – Present day

  Samiah woke with a start, the scream that invaded her dreams still ringing in her ears. Outside, the world seemed to have taken a golden tint, and looking at the clock next to her, she knew dawn was still far away. She leaned on her elbows and blinked a few times, trying to dispel the fogginess in her brain, until her nose registered the acrid smell of smoke.

  Tandrum’s wrath! The camp was on fire.

  She scrambled out of her sleeping bag and reached for her boots first, keenly aware she might not have time to change clothes. Heat and thick smoke had already seeped through the tent canvas, slowly suffocating Samiah and her mate.

  She turned to him and shook his shoulder hard. “Mal, wake up.”

  His eyes flew open, and when he focused on her face, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

  “Sami? What’s the matter?”

  Can’t he smell the smoke? Samiah let out a curse. She regretted now making him take Ariana's concoction for pain earlier. It had a lethargic effect, and she needed him sharp.

  "Mal, come on. We gotta move!" She helped him up and he swayed on the spot. "Where are your boots?"

  "Uh, I don’t know.”

  She heard another scream outside as she looked frantically for Mal’s shoes. She was tempted to let him go barefoot when she spotted the pair under his bag. She roughly shoved his feet into
the mud-caked syno leather boots, not bothering to tie the laces. Once they ran outside, the graveness of the situation smacked Samiah in the face, leaving her light-headed and gripped by sheer horror. Fire had enveloped most of the tents. Gigantic flames curled and stretched upward, towering over them like a ruthless god of death.

  Why is no one attempting to stop it? She wondered where the elementals in their party were. Her teammates Aron and Ariana would have been able to control the damage.

  There was no time to dwell on questions. Samiah grabbed Mal's hand and tried to find her team members, but it proved virtually impossible to see anything through the choking fog. They managed to reach the center of the camp where everyone had congregated mere hours before, celebrating the group’s discovery.

  Samiah stopped in her tracks when she finally came across survivors. She couldn’t believe her eyes, though. Every person in front of them was engaged in some sort of animalistic fight, snarling and clawing at their opponent. Samiah watched in dismay as a mob dragged and viciously beat to death a Jackur girl. The violence was so gratuitous and vile that it froze her on the spot.

  "We have to do something," Malachiax said.

  Yes, but what? Samiah thought. The two of them wouldn't stand a chance.

  She turned once she felt someone at her back. Professor Shix, Samiah’s mentor, was coming their way. In her happiness to see a familiar face, she failed to notice the pointy trowel in his hand. He raised his arm menacingly and Malachiax moved in a blur, placing himself in front of her and using his body as a shield. He tried to block the attack by raising his hands, but he wasn’t fast enough and the trowel pierced his shoulder.