by Ashley Nemer
BLOOD PURPLE
Book One of the Blood Series
Ashley Nemer
BLOOD PURPLE
Book One of the Blood Series
Copyright © 2013 by Ashley Nemer
Cover design: Tracey Weston
Book Design: Ashley Nemer
Editor: Katia Vodin
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced except small excerpts for review purposes without the expressed written consent of the author. This includes any reproductions by forms including but not limited to electronic and mechanical.
All characters inside this book are works of fiction from the author and any resemblance to a real person is purely coincidental.
ISBN-13: 978-0615798486
ISBN-10: 0615798489
A product of the
Art of Safkhet
Published July 2013
Authors Note
Thank you all for purchasing Blood Purple. My world is something that means a lot to me, and to share it with you brings me more pleasure than you could know. This book came to formation with the help of a few individuals. Their love, support and input helped create these amazing characters. Thank you for everything! Tony, you are my rock. Laura, you have always helped support me, and I’m thankful you are my sister. Ann, you were always there to give me guidance and medical knowledge; without you I don’t know that Nikole would have been able to survive, haha. Teri, it’s because of you this dream came to life and though you I found my inspiration. Aunt Pam, you were the best cheerleader I could have. You five made everything possible. I want to say a special thanks to Mahmound Sanjak who helped with the authenticity of the Arabic Script in this novel. You all are truly amazing!
Dedication
This book is dedicated to the men in my family. Each of them has helped shape part of me and who I have become. Specifically, this book is to my loving father and amazing husband, two men whom I could never live without.
Table of Contents
IN THE BEGINNING
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Glossary of Terms, Characters, and Historical Events or Locations
arabic translations
used inside of the text
Abb- The formal use of the word 'father'
Baba - The informal use of the word 'dad'
Omm - The formal use of the word 'mother'
Mama - The informal use of the word 'mom'
Gedi – Grandfather
Siti – Grandmother
Ebn' – Son
Bent- Daughter
Hafeeda –Granddaughter
Hafeed -Grandson
Akh – Brother
Okht – Sister
Amm – Uncle
Amma - Aunt
Bent Amm – Niece on Father Side
Ebn' Amm - Nephew on Fathers Side
Bent Amma - Niece on Mothers Side
Ebn' Amma - Nephew on Mothers Side
Bent Amty - Female cousin from fathers side
Eben Amty - Male cousin from fathers side
Shebeen – Godfather
Shebeena-Godmother
IN THE BEGINNING
Everyone assumed the war in the Middle East was fought over oil and power, but only one of those assumptions is correct. Behind every powerful figure there is someone pulling the strings, someone forcing a hidden agenda. The Middle East is no different. That is where everything started. Long before the monarchs of Europe and the pharaohs of Egypt, Christ and Moses, there lived the Algula.
The Algula are a vampire race that went undetected by humans for thousands of years. Created by Gods they were built to be bigger and stronger than humans, however they were not indestructible. The Algula experienced unnaturally long lifespans but were not immortal beings. When they went up against each other in battle they were as vulnerable as humans are against one another. Most of the Algula Ghul warriors didn’t live to see old age, rather they died in battle.
Their king was powerful and knew no equal. Being the strongest meant no one would challenge him or question his rule. These were the times of calmness, when humans were safe. Hashim, the destroyer of evil, ruled his people with a firm hand and harsh punishment. He kept the peace of his subjects while keeping the humans oblivious to their existence and power.
He was married to Queen Afaf, whose name meant “one who is pure and loving.” The Algula cherished their royal family; their service to their people was unquestioned and unfaltering. Queen Afaf bore King Hashim twins, an ebn` and a bent. Fertility wasn't something the Algula had luck with. It was dangerous for them; the survival rate for a mother and her young was about thirty percent. Some believed having twins was a sign from the Gods, agreeing with the way the Algula were living their lives.
There was a prophecy once told, that the end of their existence would come from two powers at war, the animal and the hunter. Some Algula historians say the two powers were related, others say they were nemeses. No one knows for sure, the translation having been lost with the generational transfer of stories and the loss of their dialect.
Hashim’s ebn’, Haydar, had the spirit of a lion; it was somewhat fitting that his name meant “King of the forest and ruler of all.” He was headstrong and ruthless, with no self-control. Haydar was careless with his actions and that was what worried Hashim the most about turning his people over to him. He was afraid if he left his ebn’ in control, wars would start out of jealousy and greed. Haydar’s quick temper got him into fights with those he was around on a daily basis. Hashim tried teaching him to hold his tongue, but the lessons never took, always ending in a fight.
Hashim’s bent, Ikram, was known for her generosity and hospitality. She was always sacrificing for the Algula people and made sure they had what they needed for survival. King Hashim elected to pass the throne to her and thus the start of the royal rivalry. Ikram and Haydar would forever be enemies and so would their descendants. While the human population based their history on the two rival houses of Ishmael and Isaac, the Algula based theirs on Ikram and Haydar. Everyone had to pick a side; they just prayed they picked the right one.
King Hashim ruled the Algula for 4,500 years, during this time there were few wars. The humans continued to fight among each other, but the Algula allowed them to live in relative peace, free from their influences. On the night of King Hashim’s death, Ikram was crowned Queen and given Hashim's people to protect and lead. Feeling slighted, Haydar vanished into the night, not caring what happened to his family. While the change of power occurred, the humans were experiencing a rush of Maronites into the present country of Lebanon. After the revolutions started in the Middle East, it is said that Haydar escaped to England. The remaining Algula stayed in the mountains, away from the influx of humans.
Present day Zahle, Lebanon
is where King Hashim's body was laid to rest. Queen Ikram showed hospitality toward these human Maronites and decided they could help the Algula progress. The peace of the two races lasted just over 100 years, flourishing until around 636 A.D. The humans had a war among themselves. The Muslims and Christians fought to the death, killing each other and destroying the land. Word got back to Queen Ikram that her akh, Haydar, and his generals were behind the wars, pressuring the humans to fight by corrupting their weak minds and natures, turning them against one another. Queen Ikram sent her Ghul mercenaries out in search of her twin. Their orders were to bring him back alive.
They pursued all possible sightings, looking for Haydar for nearly 1000 years; he was always one step ahead. His keen vision of war helped him lead the humans to numerous victories, taking over different cities and invading country after country. He enjoyed leaving blood baths in his wake. Haydar stayed away from the mountains, knowing his okht and her loyal subjects took refuge there. He wanted to handle her personally.
Queen Ikram married Tamman, an Algula male known to be of great strength. Their first-born, an ebn’ they called Zayn, was known for his mesmerizing beauty and his tenacity. As the first born, he would take his omm’s place on the throne one day. Queen Ikram and King Tamman bore a second child, Nikole, who was known for her desire to fight for her subjects and ensuring the honorable are always victorious. Their children were always getting into the Algula's affairs from a young age, trying to learn how to one day lead. The two wanted to rule together, splitting the responsibility and the power. Zayn and Nikole knew each had value and strengths the other might be deficient in. They agreed to always work together and combine forces, therefore, their best traits would always lead their people.
In 1777, Zahle, the town in Lebanon in which the royal family resided, fell to an invasion. Haydar's men led by his children, stormed through the mountaintops, killing Queen Ikram and King Tamman in their home. Haydar licked their blood from his hands and relished in their screams. Zayn managed to save Nikole. They fled the country searching for a safe heaven. The Algula people were in shambles with no one to lead them. While escaping, Zayn learned from a Spanish sailor about The New World and the Colonies. Zayn made his people leave the Middle East with him and travel to the New World. He hoped this would be a good place to start over and rebuild what they had left of their honor.
Their father's emir, Nasir, the commander, traveled with them. He maintained ties to the Algula community while protecting the royal heirs. They lived like nomads for a while, not wanting to place roots for fear of being discovered before they were ready to reclaim their lineage. In 1861, Haydar found them staying in the American colonies. They had formed a union with the Americans and were helping New England with the industrial revolution. Haydar moved his forces into the state of Georgia and enlisted the help of its leaders.
In an attempt to capture his amm, Zayn rode with General Sherman during the fall of 1864. He was there the night they burned Atlanta to the ground. Haydar swore he would destroy his bent amma and eben amma along with the pathetic humans whom they were helping. Zayn’s alliance with the humans turned out to be stronger than anticipated while they fought a very bloody war. Eventually the North prevailed and slowly the rest of the Algula migrated to The New World. After proving himself a leader during the battle, Zayn ascended the throne to rule in his omm’s place in the spring of 1890. He took over command of the troops as they established their homes in the mountain ranges like they once did in their homeland. As North America developed, Zayn and Nikole settled in the Rocky Mountains, starting to lay down ties to the community and to each other.
The Algula population still fights among one another. Haydar uses his following to disseminate drugs and create violence near Algula compounds in an attempt to make Zayn and his people flee Colorado. These tactics used reminiscent of what took place in Zahle so many years ago.
PROLOGUE
Zahle, Lebanon 500 A.D.
“Afaf, please go get Ikram. I need to perform the ceremony before…” King Hashim started to cough up blood while speaking. “…before I die.”
Queen Afaf took her husband’s hand and brought it to her lips. She placed a soft kiss on his rough skin before rising to get their bent. The king knew his minutes were numbered and that he must declare his successor. His bent’s heart was pure as gold, her will strong as nails. She never wanted anything more than she earned and never took from others. His ebn’, Haydar, however, was power hungry and aggressive. Haydar would bleed the people dry if it meant more money and power for him. His greedy appetite was never sated.
“Abb, abb.” He heard his beautiful bent as she came running through the threshold of the room. Ikram, his pride and joy, held everything he could have wanted in a successor. Her eyes turned the purest shade of green as she let her emotion work up. She was always generous with her love and righteous in her decisions. She was the best child an abb could have. Hashim placed his hand on her face, wiping the tears away. Her beautiful brown hair was shimmering in the light, “Ikram, my bent, it’s time, we must perform the crowning.”
She blinked away the tears that formed in her eyes. As she shook her head she said, “No, you can’t die, not yet. We still need you and there is so much to do.”
“I raised you right; you are ready to take on this responsibility. You are the best heir I could have asked for. The people love you and you love them. You will be a great ruler, far better than I.”
Queen Afaf walked into the room a few moments later; she was carrying something Ikram didn’t recognize. It was a red cloth package that she handed to King Hashim who placed it in his lap. “Ikram, it’s time. Please kneel before me.”
She stood, straightened her dress, wiped the tears from her eyes, and looked to her omm. Queen Afaf beamed proudly at her bent and gave her an approving nod. She realized this would be the last time she was a princess. She was going to be taking on the responsibility of the world.
Ikram bowed her head and dropped her right knee to the ground. She placed her right hand on her left knee and her left hand across her heart.
“Do you, Ikram Khaled, promise to Honor, Protect, and Serve the Algula people to the best of your ability?”
“I do, your highness.”
“Do you, Ikram Khaled, promise to be loyal to them above all others?
“I do, your highness.”
“Do you, Ikram Khaled, promise to rule with integrity and respect, for yourself and those around you?”
“I do, your highness.”
King Hashim removed the red cloth and took the crown out. It was decorated with diamonds and emeralds. The green was the same shade as her eyes. He held the crown above her head and said, “By the power I hold, I turn over my rights as King. I willingly give it to you, Ikram, my bent.” He placed the crown on her head. She looked up at him. She took his hand and brought it to her lips, kissing his royal crest one last time.
“Thank you, abb,” Ikram whispered.
“Queen Ikram, I know you will do me proud.”
She slowly began to stand while her abb laid back in his bed and coughed some more. Afaf, now the Queen Omm, came and sat on the bed next to him. She placed their hands together and softly started to sing to him a calming melody. The two women stayed there, stroking their king’s arms, loving him during his final moments.
Breaking the serenity of the moment, the bedchamber doors burst open. The peaceful serenity the women had created turned ice cold. Haydar looked at his family, his okht wearing the crown.
“Her, you gave it to her!” he shouted. “How could you not even tell me? This is wrong. You, cheated me out of my throne. She is NOT the heir… I AM!”
“Haydar, please calm down. Your baba is dying and he needs his family, all of his family, here to see him off,” the Queen Omm told her ebn’. Haydar walked to the bed and stared his abb in the eyes. “I hate you and I hate everything you are. You let the idiot humans control us. WE are the stronger race and WE deserv
e to rule this world. I hope you burn!” The women gasped, “HAYDAR!” at the same time. Hashim raised his hands to silence everyone.
“Haydar, my ebn’, I know you feel slighted, and I know you are hurting. The Crown and all of its responsibilities belongs to your okht; she is your queen now. It’s that attitude you possess right there; it’s the reason you could never be a successful leader of our people. You are selfish and greedy. Now, I expect you to honor my dying declaration. You will fight for your okht, and you will be a loyal subject. You are the Prince, and that’s what princes do.”
Haydar gazed at the three of them in the room. His eyes turned crystalline violet in color, and anger flushed his face red. Standing, he looked to his okht. “Ikram, I denounce you. You are not my Queen, you are not my okht… you are nothing. From this moment on, we are enemies, and I will not rest until I am the rightful ruler.” Haydar turns his back to his family and stormed out. Afaf wiped away the tears rolling down her cheeks. She felt her heart breaking.
“Ikram, you must be strong, you must be cunning, and you must never let him become ruler.” Hashim choked out his last words while slowly passing on. Afaf and Ikram lay on his chest, both crying. Abb, husband…king, gone from this world, leaving their house divided.
CHAPTER ONE
PRESENT DAY
She sat back in the booth, watching the groups of people as they came and went. This was what she enjoyed, observing the different behaviors. The whole concept fascinated her. No one ever acted the same as their neighbor. The best part of this night was that it was the eve before her test. She’d finally convinced her akh, King Zayn, that she was able to fight in their military alongside him. He’d always had this foolish notion that she would be hurt, killed, or worse, captured. He worried too much. She was a warrior by blood and training, come tomorrow she would prove that to him.
