by A. J. Locke
Table of Contents
Acclaim for A.J. Locke
Look for these titles from A.J. Locke
Copyright Warning
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 ~
~ Also by A. J. Locke ~
More Fantasy from Etopia Press
Acclaim for A.J. Locke
For Affairs of the Dead
“The best thing about a well paced book is that feeling that you can't put the book down, and I definitely got that feeling from reading this book. Anyone looking for something new in the urban fantasy genre should definitely check this book out…”
—Urban Fantasy Reviews
“This story is hysterical. I laughed out loud, and I don’t do that very often. I loved the sarcastic, rule bending-to-the-point-of-breaking, tough talking, softie Selene. She is my kind of heroine.”
—Books, Books, and More Books
“This was a really fun read, I love books about ghosts and the paranormal… A.J. has a great writing style that kept me glued from beginning to end.”
—Stitch, Read, Cook
“From the first page this story grips you. Selene, Micah, and Ethan are great characters. An on-the-edge-of-your-seat read that will have you impatiently waiting for book two!”
—Faerie Tale Books
“This urban fantasy is a fast-paced, fun and sexy read. There were many twists and turns that kept me hooked from beginning to end in this laugh-out-loud page turner. I look forward to reading more from A. J. Locke.”
—Who’s Reviews
“The humor and sarcasm that runs rampant throughout this novel is fantastic. Our heroine is a very likable character… The world-building was done well; not too much or too little, and it all makes sense in the end. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.”
—Sapphyria’s Book Blog
“This book really put me through the wringer. But in a good way. Locke's world building is amazing. This woman is a great storyteller.”
—Offbeat Vagabond
Look for these titles from A.J. Locke
Now Available
The Reanimation Files
Affairs of the Dead (Book One)
Requiem for the Living (Book Two)
The Ravaging In Between (Book Three)
A Torment of Savages (Book Four)
Black Widow Witch
A Torment of
Savages
The Reanimation Files Book Four
A. J. Locke
Copyright Warning
EBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared, or given away. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is a crime punishable by law. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded to or downloaded from file sharing sites, or distributed in any other way via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/).
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real in any way. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Published By
Etopia Press
1643 Warwick Ave., #124
Warwick, RI 02889
http://www.etopiapress.com
A Torment of Savages
Copyright © 2016 by A. J. Locke
ISBN: 978-1-944138-47-9
All Rights Are 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.
First Etopia Press electronic publication: May 2016
CHAPTER ONE
“Selene Vanream is a hero who saved countless lives from slaughter. She made the ultimate sacrifice by being willing to end her life in order to stop a raving murderer. Selene has strength, valor, and the ability to bring order where others would bring nothing but darkness and chaos.
“I disagree.
“Selene Vanream is a woman who acts without thinking and too often finds herself tangled up in bloody, murderous problems. And while something can be said about her role in resolving those problems, one might say that if it weren’t for her careless antics, none of these things would have happened in the first place. She is a woman of low morals who saw fit to have an affair with her married boss for months, thinking nothing of the man’s wife. Her sordid affair eventually led to the complete destruction of Andrew McNabb, body and soul. And I mean that literally. Andrew McNabb is not resting in peace, for there is no body to lay to rest, and no soul to send to peace. Because of Selene Vanream.
“Selene’s evolution of power, gained from being bound to a ghost, paved the way for more death and destruction than this city has ever seen. Her irresponsible attitude toward protecting those around her from her dangerous power caused Renton Morse to gain control of something he never should have been able to take control of. Above all, Selene thinks only about herself, and only seeks to help when there is no choice but to plunge into the mess she made. Innocent people have suffered, the streets stained with their blood, and countless ghosts have been denied the eternal peace we all strive for at the end of our lives.
“All because of a woman who has power and abused it, and because of the network of people around her who saw fit not to lock her up the moment she became a danger to herself and those around her. She is not a hero; she is a terrorist masquerading as a martyr.
“She should be exposed, she should be stopped. And if I have anything to do with it, she will be brought down and given the punishment she deserves.”
I slowly lowered the tablet I’d been reading from and looked up at the faces around me. Closest to me were Micah and Ethan, whose wide eyes and shocked expressions mirrored those of the dozen or so people, our friends, who stood around the small bar table I was sitting at. It was so quiet I half expected to hear crickets chirping. Micah’s hands were rigid around the platter he held with a cake that had looked rather appetizing a few moments ago. Ethan was standing there with a noisemaker in his mouth and a handful of confetti in his hand.
“Well,” I said, sweeping my eyes around and forcing a smile to my lips. “Happy Birthday to me.”
CHAPTER TWO
I woke to the usual feeling of relief I’d been waking up to for the past few months, since it meant another day had passed and Garrus remained in the In Between and hadn’t slipped through the open necromancer circle. If that ghost took one step on this side, I’d have no more mornings to wake up to. I also woke up because m
y phone was ringing. Well, it was vibrating against the end table loudly enough to rouse me. I cracked an eye open and watched my phone move toward the edge of the table. I considered letting it fall to the floor, but then I’d have to reach further to retrieve it. I grabbed it, flipped onto my back, and answered.
“Hey,” Micah said. “How are you doing?”
“Did last night really happen?” I threw my forearm over my eyes to block out the sunlight that was invading my window.
“It did…”
“Then I’m fine. And by fine I mean not fine.”
“I’m sorry, Selene. I wish I was there right now.”
“Me too.” And I meant it. Micah and I had been in therapy for the past three months or so. It was mid-March, the eighteenth to be exact. Therapy was a rollercoaster of good days, okay days, and very bad days, but we were making progress. However, our therapist suggested refraining from too much physical intimacy as it could wind up muddling the waters further. Deal with our demons first, then deal with the physical side of things. At the end of the day we could do whatever we wanted, but we both saw merit in the therapist’s point of view.
“I did everything I could to track down who wrote that article but I couldn’t.”
“I think it’s pretty obvious who,” I said. “It could be none other than Jacob McNabb, my biggest hater.”
“He is the most likely candidate,” Micah agreed. “But I found no trail that led back to him. Are you going to confront him?”
“The last time I confronted him with no evidence to back it up I had to run out of there in embarrassment,” I said. “So I don’t think I’ll be doing that again.”
“He needs to be stopped.” Micah’s voice was hard, and I was sure he was imagining stopping Jacob with his fists.
“Well, if I can prove he wrote it and is slandering my name, that would be step one.”
“Maybe Carlos can help?” Micah suggested. “Trace where the article originated?”
“Good idea,” I said. “I’ll go see him about it.”
Micah sighed. “I’m sorry for making you read it last night. When the e-mail showed up, I thought it was something good about you based on the title. I should have read it first.”
“I don’t even know why I kept reading it once I realized how horrible it was. It was like I just couldn’t stop. But I guess it made for a memorable end to my birthday celebration. Our friends will be talking about it for…well, ever. Selene’s humiliating entrance into her twenty-sixth year.”
“Sorry,” Micah said. “Don’t let it get you down.”
“It’s hardly the worst attack I’ve faced. I’ll be fine, my bruised ego will heal. I guess it just brought up some of the guilt I feel over all the things that happened last year. The truth as the public knows it isn’t quite the truth as we know it.”
“Nothing that happened was your fault, Selene.”
“I know, I know, we’ve talked it to death in therapy already. Like I said, I’ll be fine.”
“What’s the rest of your week looking like?”
I knew he was asking because he wanted to make sure I’d have sufficient distraction so I wouldn’t wallow. As if I was the wallowing sort.
“Well, today I’ve got a case to tackle, then training with Magda. As for tomorrow, I think there was something going on, now what was it hmm…”
“A date with a tall, dark, and handsome man perhaps?”
“Oh yeah, Idris Elba did call to confirm we were still on for tomorrow night.”
“Ouch.”
I could hear the smile in his voice.
“I’m looking forward to this more than I can say,” I said. “We’re long overdue for a bona fide date night.”
“I’m excited,” Micah said. “Even if it is therapy-mandated.”
“Hey, I’m just happy about the sleepover ban possibly being lifted.” Our therapist was ready for us to try dating again. We’d had a lot of awkwardness and reservations to get through, along with all the hurt and anger we harbored toward each other, but she finally felt like enough of it had been dealt with for us to spend time together and work on rebuilding our emotional connection outside of therapy. The fact that we were both excited about it showcased our progress. A couple months ago I wouldn’t have been ready to do this.
“You’ll be at the Paranormal Control Center all day?” I asked.
“Mostly. I will also be going over to a couple hospitals to oversee their rune therapy implementation.”
“Things have really come along with that.”
“It has.” He sounded proud. “A lot of people are benefitting from it.”
“Glad to hear it. I’ll see you later then. And while you’re at the PCC see if you can talk Tielle into giving me a nice big office. Corner preferably.”
Micah laughed. “I wouldn’t push it; even I don’t have four walls to call my own.”
“A girl can dream. Talk to you later.” We hung up and I headed out to the living room where Luna gave me her usual flying tackle greeting. She had abandoned my room some time ago, likely when she heard Ethan and Kyo moving around. The ghost and former ghost were sitting on the sofa watching TV. I stopped short when I saw what they were watching.
“Sailor Moon? Seriously?” Ethan and Kyo turned to me at the same time, looking completely unashamed at their choice in shows.
“It’s a new series,” Ethan said. “Any true Sailor Moon fan has to at least check it out. You wouldn’t know.”
“I was a tween in the late nineties, I know all about Sailor Moon,” I scoffed. “Only difference is I moved on.” I raised an eyebrow at Kyo.
“They wear short skirts and have magical powers,” he said with a shrug. “Good enough for me.”
“You do know it’s your culture that produces this sort of thing, right?”
“I know,” he said with a grin. “We’re amazing.” He got up and hop-floated over the back of the sofa, following me into the kitchen. “You okay?” he asked, smile fading. He had heard the story of last night’s uplifting article after I’d come home. Ethan came over as well, looking concerned now that he’d remembered what happened. Nothing made that dude forget all things major and minor like anime.
“As okay as I can be with an article that pretty much shits all over me,” I said. I opened the microwave to find a delightful plate of pancakes that Ethan had made. “Micah and I strongly suspect that Jacob is behind it, because, well, he has more motive than anyone else.” I grabbed the syrup, took my plate over the counter, and sat on one of the stools.
“Maybe you can talk to him about it?” Ethan had grabbed an apple and flopped back onto the couch. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Kyo’s subtle, wistful looks at our food. It hadn’t been the first time I’d seen him give a sad look over something his ghostliness prevented him from partaking in.
“Not without proof.” I said. “Which Carlos may be able to help me with.” I shrugged. “It is what it is right now. I’m not going to dwell on it.” I poured syrup onto my pancakes and dug in. “Thanks for breakfast,” I said around a mouthful. “It’s gonna be good fuel for the day ahead.”
“What are you tackling today?” Kyo asked. He was standing next to me but his eyes were back on the television. Sailor Moon was transforming. I rolled my eyes.
“I have to investigate a dead witch suspected of creating and distributing tainted energy runes,” I said. “Supposedly she’s been taking energy from people with extremely unstable emotions and selling the runes in the Underground. Using tainted energy just spreads the taint. It could lead to a whole bunched of crazed Leech Baby junkies roving around or cause ghosts working with Underground necromancers to turn into beasties prematurely.”
“Dead witch?” Kyo turned to me with a spark on interest in his expression. “Mind if I tag along?”
“Why, do you think she’s got your body hidden under her bed?”
“Don’t be silly, I am just deeply interested in the affairs of the modern dead witch. I would like
to help you.”
“I’ll bet,” I said dryly. Kyo grinned, and I wondered, not for the first time these past few months, when he would start being serious about searching for his body. Not that I was all gung-ho about tackling that challenge. I was waiting to take direction from him, but so far he hadn’t offered one and tossed out phrases like “in time” or “won’t be long now,” when I asked him. I would have thought he’d be on this with much fervor, but he seemed content to hang around Ethan and I, wander the city at night, and endure quick exits or a trip inside a rune whenever Micah was around. I still had not told Micah about Kyo. And I felt bad about it.
I finished up breakfast and washed my dishes, which was enough of a rarity to illicit sarcastic comments from Ethan and Kyo. I flipped them the bird then went to freshen up with Luna at my heels. She had surprisingly not begged me for pancakes. Ethan must have already filled her up.
Twenty minutes later, I came back out in jeans, booties, and a flannel shirt layered under a sweater. I wished March had us in milder weather, but winter was still having its way, and when I checked the weather app on my phone I’d seen that it was barely forty degrees out. Warmer weather couldn’t come soon enough.
