by Kelly Blount
Table of Contents
Dedication
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 Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Other Books You May Enjoy from Limitless Publishing
GRISHMA
by Kelly Anne Blount
www.KellyAnneBlount.com
Grishma
Copyright © 2013 by Kelly Anne Blount. All rights reserved.
Limitless Publishing, LLC
Kailua, HI 96734
www.limitlesspublishing.com
First Print Edition: March 2013
ISBN-13: 978-0615782966
ISBN-10: 0615782965
Cover: Eden Crane Designs
Formatting: Streetlight Graphics
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.
Dedication
To Lee Roy, the love of my life, my parents, my mother and father-in-law, and all of my furry babies!
With your love and support, all things are possible!
Chapter One
THREATENING DARK CLOUDS ROLLED IN through the thick, muggy air. Ryder’s nostrils flared. A pungent smell permeated the area around him. His heart thumped faster in his chest and the hair on the back of his neck stood straight. He knew he was getting closer to his target.
Come out, come out, wherever you are, he thought with a sarcastic grin. He had been tracking his target for the past two years, and every time he got close to the foul beast it escaped, vanishing into thin air.
Ryder had spent the better half of six months tracking Grishma across most of Eastern Europe. He followed it into Asia, and now here, to Washington, where its horrendous dead fish stench led him.
He needed a new cover story. Europe was easy. All he had to do was say he was backpacking over a school holiday and people tended to leave him alone. America, however, was filled with a bunch of nosy, annoying little bureaucrats with nothing better to do than check every document, I.D., and piece of paper Ryder had on his person. He’d wound up having to spend thousands for forged paperwork that allowed him to pose as a foreign exchange student from Denmark. Somehow he managed to be placed with a wealthy family that seemed to mind their own business. A kid from Denmark wasn’t nearly as interesting to them as their expensive parties, fancy cars, and jewelry, and it made it easier for Ryder to get down to business.
If only they knew the real story, he thought, silently creeping through the woods. He wasn’t from Denmark. He wasn’t even from Earth!
Ryder winced as he thought about his home. He missed it desperately. Necoh was a majestic world filled with heavily wooded forests, an expansive underground network of caves, and dangerous, swirling bodies of water. Although many of the geographical features were comparable to those on Earth, the life forms on Necoh were much different. It wasn’t uncommon to see faeries flickering through his mother’s garden early in the morning or to run into a dwarf while exploring the complex cave system underground. The creatures on Necoh varied greatly. Some creatures, like the faeries, were harmless, while others, like the korbos, were greedy, deadly beings that often tortured their victims for days, forcing them to die a slow and painful death.
Thinking about home caused a flood of emotions and troubling memories. Ryder started to let out a sigh, but he caught himself. If he let his emotions get the better of him he would risk ruining months of hard work.
Ryder’s drive to find and destroy Grishma was a thirst that could not be quenched. He remembered it like it was yesterday, even though it was actually years ago. His mother and sister had gone into the nearby forest to pick wild lera berries for dinner. When they didn’t return by dusk, Ryder and his father armed themselves and ventured into the woods to look for them. As soon as they set foot in the heavy brush, Ryder knew something wasn’t right. A deafening silence echoed through the trees. No creatures stirred, no breeze rustled the leaves, and no signs of life were evident from any direction. It was as if all the living things in the forest were too frightened to make a sound.
Suddenly, they heard a rustling. Ryder’s father put his hand on the hilt of his sword and moved closer. Long, tangled hedges sprawled out in front of him. He crouched down to investigate, looking in and out and left to right through the brush. He stood and turned to look at Ryder.
“Nothing,” he said.
The bushes exploded outward and a gnarled beast slammed Ryder’s father to the ground. His father shrieked and the beast gnashed its hideous teeth. Ryder was temporarily frozen solid with fear and he couldn’t move a muscle.
The beast stood up, revealing itself to Ryder. The sight of this monstrosity was horrifying. His mountainous form towered over Ryder. Suddenly the trees in the forest didn’t seem so tall in comparison. It oozed evil from every pore and blood dripped from its twisted snout. It didn’t have fur like a bear. Instead, it had a thick, scaly hide tenting over a muscular frame. It was speckled green and brown, giving superb camouflage. That must be how Ryder’s father missed it sitting only inches away in the brush. Her razor sharp claws protruded several inches, each was uniquely serrated to do maximum damage and slice through flesh with minimal effort.
When facing Grishma, cover your ears or go mad! Ryder could hear his father’s words echoing through his head. He used to tell terrifying stories about a monster in the woods that resembled tarred skin and a never-ending stream of blood and gore from its jagged teeth. His words were wise, because when Ryder covered his ears, the beast let out such a high-pitched shriek that even behind his palms blood desperately wanted to pour out from his eardrums. Legend had it that the shriek could be heard for miles, and if taken at close range, it not only would render the victims deaf, but it would plunge them into insanity, trapped in their own mind. There was no cure, no hope, only insanity or death. Wherever Grishma stood, only death loomed.
The images from the worst night in Ryder’s life flashed through his mind. His father was at Grishma’s feet in a bloody, crumpled heap.
Ryder’s eyes went wide. He held up his knife, which seemed miniscule when compared to a beast like Grishma. He pointed toward Grishma and braced himself. Grishma roared and spat blood from her huge jaw, but Ryder held his ground. His hands trembled and he could barely see straight from the swirl of fear and adrenaline. Grishma’s speed surpassed anything Ryder had ever seen, and before he could process anything else, the beast was in front of him. He gritted his teeth and clamped his fingers around the small knife.
Ryder opened his eyes to darkness. His head throbbed and he tasted metal. He squeezed his eyes shut and prayed this was just a dream. When he found the courage to open his eyes, he found his worst nightmare had come true. He could see the bloody mass a few feet away was his father.
“Father!” he gasped. Scrambling over to him, Ryder pressed his father’s hand into his own. He surveyed the damage. Grishma had torn a deep gash out of his father’s shoulder and a deadly looking chunk was missing from his father’s leg as well. It shocked Ryder to feel his father’s hand twitch and apply the softest amount of pressure.
“Ryder,” he whispered. “I need you to be strong for me now.”
“Father, we have to get you to Gretchen. She can fix this,” Ryder said with a shaky voice.
“Son, it’s too late to fix. I’m not going to make it. Please, you must listen to me right now. Can you do that?”
Tears welled in Ryder’s eyes. He squeezed his father’s hand and nodded. “Yes, Father.”
“Ryder… The beast that attacked us tonight, Grishma, is an unrelenting monster that will never stop hunting our kind. I feared that one day it would find us… I’m so sorry, son. I failed you, all of you. The burden will fall on your shoulders to save your mother and sister.” He coughed. The end was near. “You must study the ancient scrolls. You have much to learn about our kind.”
“What scrolls? Father, what do you mean ‘our kind’?”
His father coughed and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He gasped for air. “Ryder, I haven’t much time. Just know that you must find and destroy Grishma. Otherwise you will never be able to save your mother and sister, and none of our kind will ever be safe.”
Before Ryder could ask another question, his father’s eyes began to roll into the back of his head. “Father, no! Please, don’t go!” Ryder sobbed. His father drew in one final gasp of air. “I love you, son.”
From that point on, Ryder dedicated every waking second of his life to finding that Grishma and avenging his fallen father. He had to do it alone, but his father didn’t leave him completely unprepared. He wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the sword his father had worn that night.
He had to learn everything his parents hid from him about Grishma. He needed to study the scrolls and memorize them before his quest. The information they contained was vast and daunting. His mother was a potion master. How did he miss that? He had always assumed she was making medicinal concoctions. His mother spent most of her days gathering herbs and teaching Brianna their names and uses. Brianna. She was just a baby compared to Ryder. Her eyes could melt the coldest heart. Ryder gripped the hilt of his sword tighter, losing some circulation in his fingertips when he thought of those beautiful eyes stained with tears and fear. If she was still alive, she probably didn’t smile anymore. But he couldn’t think of her dead. He needed to remember her alive so he could push through and successfully rescue her and his mother.
One step at a time, Ryder—don’t get too far ahead of yourself, he thought. A flash of light lit up the forest, followed instantly by a crack of thunder that made him jump. The boom made his insides rumble. He looked to the sky. Black clouds swirled overhead.
“Damn it,” he muttered. A torrential downpour would cover the rotten scent of Grishma and attempting to track it would become pointless. As he turned and began to walk back to the house, he felt a soft vibration against his thigh. When he reached into his pocket, the screen on his cell phone shone bright, making him squint. He was so used to the dark of the wilderness that its fluorescent screen felt like hot needles in his eyes. Half past six, it buzzed at him. “Ugh,” he sighed. It was getting late and he had to get back to the house to get ready for the last day of school.
Chapter Two
THE BELL RANG, SIGNALING THE end of another school year. Students laughed and shouted as they raced down the crowded hallways.
“See you tonight, ladies!” Brooklyn called to her friends.
“Sounds good, B!” they called back.
I can’t believe my third year of high school is actually over, thought Brooklyn with a sigh. The year had been pretty eventful, but not in a good way. Everything had been going great until winter break, when her mother announced that she and Brooklyn’s father were separating. The initial shock left Brooklyn and her brother Jax speechless. First she went numb. It didn’t take long for the aftermath to hit her right in the face. Her grades began to slip and her teachers reported that she was no longer her happy-go-lucky self. Sometimes, when she was alone, she would cry. Other times she would get so angry she felt as if steam would literally come out of her ears. Her brother seemed to take it better. He focused all of his sadness, anger, and frustration on the basketball court. Jax was Kennedy High School’s star point guard and he had been offered a full scholarship to play for the coveted Duke University basketball team in the fall.
Although she didn’t have basketball to rely on, Brooklyn did have two amazing friends, Taliyah and Parker, who were always there for her. They had been friends since kindergarten and their friendship had survived many ups and downs. Lately, they were inseparable, and tonight wasn’t any different. Thanks to their popular older siblings, the three had been invited to the party of the year at Jocelyn MacIntyre’s house. Simply attending the party would enhance their popularity status substantially. Everyone who was anyone at Kennedy would be there.
Jocelyn MacIntyre’s parents lived in a huge house with a massive pool and private tennis courts. The party would be catered by the best restaurant in town and The Wires were going to play live music all night. Best of all, there would be minimal parental supervision. Jocelyn had ‘the cool parents’ who usually ended up so bombed they weren’t capable of telling anyone what they could or couldn’t do.
Brooklyn had to admit, she was pretty stoked about attending the party. She had already spent hours picking out the perfect outfit and accessories. A simple green tank top, jean skirt, and black leggings accompanied by some cute gold earrings.
She sighed as she walked home. A warm breeze rustled the blossoms on the trees and Brooklyn enjoyed the time alone to think in the fresh air. By the time she got home, Jax and his best friend, Kai, were shooting hoops in the driveway.
“Hey B! Watch out!” shouted Jax a second too late. Before she could even look up, a basketball slammed into the side of her head. THUD! Brooklyn’s face immediately turned crimson. Although the basketball to the head hurt, she was more embarrassed Kai had seen it happen. He was literally perfect from head to toe. He had amazing aquamarine eyes with sandy blond hair and a smile that could take your breath away. Then there was his body, perfectly tanned, lean, and athletic. When Brooklyn thought about Kai, her stomach flipped and her knees turned to jelly. Unfortunately, Jax knew exactly how she felt about Kai and he teased her all the time.
As if on cue, he shouted, “Sorry B! I know how you like to look your best for Kai!” Brooklyn’s cheeks burned hotter and she raced through the open garage door.
Ugh! If it weren’t for this party I would disown him!
A few hours later, Brooklyn looked at herself in the mirror. She twirled one last time to make sure that her outfit and hair looked perfect.
Her mother passed by her daughter’s open door. “Sweetheart, you look beautiful!”
“Thanks, Mom,” Brooklyn replied as she slipped on a new pair of wedge heels.
“B! Let’s go!” shouted Jax from downstairs.
“Okay, okay, I’m coming,” Brooklyn called back. She carefully walked down the stairs. The last thing she needed was to trip and break her ankle.
“Now, you two have fun and don’t stay out too late!” their mother said.
“Don’t worry, Mom, we’ll be home before the sun rises!” said Jax with a smartass grin.
“Very funny,” said their mother. “You get home that late and you won’t have to worry about
curfew again, because you won’t see the free world until you set foot on the Duke campus!” she retorted playfully.
The ride to Jocelyn’s took less than fifteen minutes. Her house was nestled into a mountainside shrouded by a dense forest. When Jax and Brooklyn walked in, the party was already in full swing.
“Wow,” Brooklyn whispered. She had never been to Jocelyn’s house before or any house that was this big. Clearly the MacIntyres had gone all out for this event. Brooklyn could hear music from the backyard and the tables stacked with food in front of her were pretty impressive. They hadn’t even walked five feet when Jocelyn popped into view.
Jocelyn immediately wrapped her arms around Jax and purred, “Hey, Jax! It’s so nice to see you! Can I get you something to eat? Perhaps a drink?” She was obviously trying to flirt with Jax, but he was ignoring her over the top hints.
“Nah, thanks, we’re good,” replied Jax as he backed up and shrugged his way out of her grasp.
“Okay, well, please let me know if you need anything,” Jocelyn cooed as she batted her fake eyelashes at him. She turned, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder, and walked toward two more guests who had just arrived.
“Hey, B, you good?” Jax asked.
“Yeah, I think I see Parker and Taliyah over near the punch bowl. How cliché is a punch bowl at a high school party?” Brooklyn asked.
“It’s only cliché if someone wearing a leather jacket pours a flask of rum in it,” Jax replied with a smile.
Brooklyn walked over to her friends and grabbed a cup. “So fill me in, what have I missed?” she asked as she poured herself a glass of the sweet smelling red liquid from the punch bowl.
“Well,” replied Taliyah. “Kai is here and looking as good as ever.”
