by Abigail Owen
HYACINTH
BOOK # 2 OF THE SVATURA SERIES
BY ABIGAIL OWEN
Copyright © 2013 by Abigail Owen
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
ISBN 978-0-9882272-1-7
[email protected]
DEDICATION
To Elayne:
Thank you for all your help and putting up with my insanity.
To my returning readers:
Thank you for giving a brand new author a chance and for all the support and encouragement you’ve given me since the release of Blue Violet. Hyacinth is for you!
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT BLUE VIOLET!
“This urban fantasy has everything that good urban fantasy needs to have--whether for adults or teens: a sacrificial, powerful Warrior protagonist who gets into trouble because of personal integrity…, a loyal cadre of friends… who look out for each other, strong villains who provide plenty of conflict for the protagonist, and excellent fantasy world-building.”
-Kate McMurry, Amazon Top 500 Reviewer
“Young and old alike will enjoy the magic, and the yearning of a special love shines a light all its own. If you are a believer watch for this series to continue and learn more about the Svatura and their lives and abilities as they find the strength to move forward.”
-Leslie Wright, TicToc Blog
“…Owen paints a supernatural world with one of the strongest heroines I have ever read.”
- Adriana Garcia, She’s Got Books On Her Mind Blog
“Enthralling. That's all I have to say for Blue Violet. Abigail Owen bring us into a new magical urban world that feel truly believable. Simply amazing.”
-Neysa Kristanti, B.O.O.K.L.I.F.E. Blog
“'Blue Violet' is the type of book that makes me want to press pause on the world (wink wink!!), snuggle in a blanket and read it from start to finish.”
-Kirsty Vizard, All In One Place Blog
“I grew really attached to all the characters, and I love all of them… Honestly, I just loved this book. I suggest you guys and gals check it out. It was a fast read. I read it in a day because I was so hooked into the story.”
-Cara Crabtree, Love, Peace, & Books Blog
“Ellie is a heroine, leading her people, teaching them, and risking everything to save them from destruction. I admire Ellie. She is exactly the kind of young woman that can inspire teen readers to be self-confident and brave.”
-K. Cunning, Amazon Top 500 Reviewer
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
All flowers have a meaning. In the Victorian era, people used flowers as symbols to express their feelings.
hyacinth: dedicated to Apollo, loveliness, sorrow
Chapter 1
Selene jerked awake and clutched the sweat-soaked bed sheets in her hands. Her breath came in panting bursts, and her heart refused to slow its furious pounding. A low, animalistic groan sounded from deep within. Moonlight slanted across her bed in pale streamers, illuminating the darkness around her. But Selene could only see the images that filled her mind in terror-filled flashes.
The nightmare had started the same as all the others….
She was in her wolf form. It always felt different to be wolf rather than human. Her eyesight was enhanced. Her hearing was more sensitive, attuned to the sounds of the night. And her point of view was lower to the ground.
In this dream she’d been watching a house from the deep shadows of the woods. It was nighttime, and with the lights on inside the house, she had easy views of the inhabitant – a middle-aged woman who appeared to be alone. The urge to hurt that woman had overwhelmed her, and she barely contained a snarl of aggression.
What is happening to me? Confusion swept through Selene. Her urge made absolutely no sense. She’d never deliberately harmed another being in her life.
And then she’d started to move, as though her body had a will of its own. She wasn’t in control. The need to kill was dictating her actions now. Selene prowled over to a small patio that extended from the back of the house. She stopped within feet of the structure and crouched low in a pool of moonlight. Her white form blended in perfectly, rendering her almost invisible.
And there she waited. But Selene had no idea what she was waiting for exactly. It was as though her dream-self had been here before… stalked this woman… and knew something was about to happen….
Selene didn’t recognize where she was. She was sure she’d never been to this place when she was awake. What was she doing here? Panic was starting to set in. She could feel it in the thumping of her heart. The adrenaline kicked in hard. Or maybe it wasn’t panic. Maybe it was anticipation for the kill. Her thoughts were all tangled up. What was wrong with her?
The fur on her back bristled, and Selene realized that a moment of no return was fast approaching. Her keen hearing picked up the soft tread of the woman inside the house, and then she heard the click of the door handle. Her muscles coiled more tightly, ready to pounce. The door opened, a ray of light from inside just missing the spot where Selene was hidden, and the woman stepped out onto the patio.
Selene felt her body spring into the air.
No! No! No! She tried to hold herself back, make herself stop. But it was no use.
Screams pierced this night air, hurting Selene’s ears, as she slammed into the woman. Then Selene sank her sharp teeth right into the back of the woman’s neck. Bones crunched under the pressure of her jaws and the sharp, metallic taste of blood surged into her mouth. The woman continued her screeching, thrashing around hysterically under Selene’s deadly grasp. With a guttural growl, Selene clamped down harder and then shook the woman like a rag doll. She felt the satisfying crack when the woman’s neck snapped.
And then, just as suddenly as the nightmare had started, darkness consumed her and she woke up in her bedroom.
Selene let out a small whimper as the sound of screams rang in her head. She clamped her hands over her ears to try to silence the echoes of the nameless woman’s high-pitched and terror-filled shrieks, and the terrible sound of her neck as it cracked in her jaws. But it was useless.
With a gasp, Selene lifted a trembling hand to her mouth. No blood. Thank goodness. It was just another nightmare… although knowing that didn’t help much in the dead of the night.
&nb
sp; Usually it was Selene who determined what dreams she entered. She could walk in and out of the minds of any person she chose while they slept. But somehow she wasn’t in control of entering this one. Or of her actions while she was in it. It felt more as if she’d been physically yanked into the dream. That alone was cause for alarm. What if someone was controlling her? Or, even worse, what if she were actually killing people while she dreamt?
But what terrified her most was the fact that this wasn’t the first time she’d had these nightmares. They’d started coming more frequently lately.
And the victim’s faces were never the same.
Chapter 2
Selene searched the archives in the enormous room that was stacked to the roof with ancient, dust-covered books—a history of her people. She searched in a desperate hope of finding some answers, and she always came to this room when she was upset.
The castle had been in her family since they’d had it built in 1208 A.D. It had been over eight-hundred years since that time, and she found comfort in the history this room represented. And she could use some comfort now. She hadn’t been sleeping so well lately, and her heavy makeup barely disguised the dark circles under her eyes.
No one knew about her ability to enter dreams—no one except for Griffin and Ellie. Not even Selene’s brother, Gideon, had discovered her secret. Her people, the Vyusher, a tribe of metamorphs who shifted into wolves, had been led by her brother Gideon before his fortunate demise. They had killed off most of Griffin and Ellie’s family almost a century ago. Their tribe was called the Darane Svatura, a gypsy term referring to magic and mythology. Before the Vyusher massacred them, the Svatura had been the largest assemblage of people with extraordinary abilities in existence. Only Griffin and his twin sister Ellie had survived the attack against their clan. Selene used to visit Griffin in his dreams. But that was before he knew who she was.
Well, he knows now, she reminded herself. I’ve managed to stay away from him this past year. Nothing’s changed.
Although that wasn’t entirely true… the nightmares were new. And after the one last night, she craved the feeling of security that wrapped around her whenever she was near him, even if it were just in her mind.
“My Lady?”
Selene silently groaned at the interruption. Pushing aside her thoughts, she turned to face Oren, who stood respectfully in the doorway. Her face a perfect mask of serenity, she folded her hands primly in her lap.
“Is it time?”
“They are ready for you,” he confirmed. His gaze did not leave Selene’s face as he searched for some clue as to why she’d requested the High Council of the Vyusher to be assembled.
But Selene had long ago mastered the art of concealing her feelings. She’d had to. Her evil brother had given her no choice. Even Oren, who was like a father to her, didn’t know her true feelings most of the time.
Oren studied the young woman he’d raised. How our people look at her and see a cold, emotionless figurehead is beyond me… regardless of the detached façade she shows us all. How do they miss the fact that it’s not coldness, but fragility? Perhaps they can’t see past her beauty.
Selene was lovely, with her long silvery hair and her wide dove-grey eyes. By right of blood, she’d inherited the burden of leading the Vyusher, a people who possessed extraordinary powers. Her people were made even more incredible by the fact that they were linked by a shared ability to morph into massive timber wolves.
Selene nodded in response to Oren’s summons and rose gracefully from the ancient oak table. He led her from her room and through a series of hallways to the chamber where the Council had gathered. The Vyusher lived in an immense medieval castle currently located in an isolated region of northern Canada. This had been her people’s home for centuries, moving with them from place to place. They were lucky that one of their more talented members had the ability to move entire buildings anywhere they wanted. The castle had originally been built in Austria. Selene’s gaze took in the familiar cold, dark hallways as she followed dutifully behind her surrogate father.
As they neared a pair of massive double doors, a large male hand reached for her elbow, gently slowing her to a halt. She turned to face Desmond O’Moore, the son of a high-ranking Vyusher. About her age, he stood several inches over six feet, lean and muscled.
“Desmond,” she acknowledged.
“Princess.” He gave her a mocking little bow. He knew how much she hated people pandering to her. “So when are you going to call me Dez?”
Selene ignored the question. She always called him by his full name. Using his nickname felt too… personal. But her insistence on formality only amused him, and now he teased her every chance he got.
She kept walking. “What can I do for you?”
He offered her his arm, and she accepted. “I don’t suppose I can change your mind?” he asked, falling into step beside her.
“About what exactly?” Selene gave him a cool glance.
“About what you’re about to ask the Council.” He nodded toward the massive double doors down the hallway.
A frown puckered Selene’s brow. How could he possibly know? She’d spoken to no one about her plans, and Desmond did not possess any telepathic abilities. At least none of which she was aware.
“I must go.” She released his arm and turned toward where Oren stood patiently waiting.
“Princess?”
Selene gave him one last glance over her shoulder.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” He winked and then strolled back down the hall, whistling an off-key tune.
Selene’s lips twitched in amusement. Dismissing Desmond from her mind, she turned back to Oren, serious once more. He opened the doors with a flourish and announced her arrival to the assembled Council members.
Selene glided silently through the doors into a large round chamber, once the original Great Hall of the ancient castle but since modernized for more practical purposes. Before her, assembled in a ring around the chamber, stood the decision makers of her pack. Some were in their wolf form, but most appeared as humans. Now that Gideon was gone, Selene had noticed that more and more of the pack preferred their human form for day-to-day activities. She’d also noticed that the Council, without Gideon’s influence directing them, had a great deal of difficulty in making decisions. Although that wasn’t why she’d gathered them today.
Damn you, Maddox! Selene mentally castigated one of the lead wolves who’d abandoned them when Gideon had died. His departure had cast a shadow of doubt on her rule of the Vyusher. Now she was forced to take a step that part of her questioned, part of her wanted—an internal battle of wills she suspected would rage long after the decision had been finalized. Regardless of right or wrong, she’d have to handle this moment with delicacy and tact—traits she secretly feared she didn’t possess.
“My Lords and Ladies,” she spoke in her mellifluous voice, commanding their attention. “I have gathered you here to put forth a request of a personal nature….”
Selene paused and looked around, careful to make brief eye contact with each person in the room.
“My request is to leave the pack for a period of time,” she announced.
A loud murmur buzzed through the assembled group. Selene stood calm and still, waiting for the mumblings to quiet. “I have felt for some time that my presence is a cause for concern,” she continued. “As we all continue to regain our true memories and realize the extent of what Gideon did to us, my relation to my brother makes it difficult for our people to trust me. And that directly impacts their ability to trust you. After a great deal of thought, I know in my heart that this is the right thing to do for the pack. So I ask you to allow me to go.”
The quiet emotion in her final plea caused many of the Council members to pay closer attention. Their princess never showed visible emotion. The fact that she allowed herself to do so on this occasion indicated the seriousness of her petition. The assembled Council members regarded each other.
“Where would you go?” Oren asked. Selene’s heart ached at the sadness in his eyes. She hadn’t shared this decision with him beforehand. She couldn’t. It would’ve been too difficult.
“I thought maybe I’d go to college. It’s an opportunity I’ve never been granted, as well as a plausible explanation for an absence of a decent interval. When I complete my coursework, then we can discuss the possibility of my return.”
“Princess…” Xavier, the head of the Council, rose from his seat and moved forward. “If you would step out for a moment, we will discuss your request.”
“Of course.” Selene projected a calm she wasn’t feeling as she turned and left the room. Once outside in the hallway, she refused to allow herself to pace as she waited for the Council’s decision. Instead she stood silently, her hands folded gracefully in front of her, back straight, head held high. Her serene countenance gave absolutely no sign of the internal turmoil that was rolling through her.
The reasons she’d given the Council for wanting to leave were legitimate; however, she deliberately failed to mention the most important reason – the nightmares. She knew deep down that something was off about the dreams.
The doors slowly opened, and she was ushered back in to the room. She hid her anxiety behind a cool expression. The importance of the Council’s decision weighed heavily on her.
Chapter 3
“Hey, Griff!” Without knocking, Ellie barged into her brother’s room and plunked herself on his bed.
Griffin briefly paused, stuffing his laptop into his backpack to look at her. One would never guess they were twins. Ellie was pixie-like with long black hair and striking violet-blue eyes. Griffin, on the other hand, was tall with golden hair and tawny, almost leonine eyes. As children, their mother had nicknamed them Artemis and Apollo after the mythological gods who’d embodied the moon and the sun. Although Ellie definitely had the sunnier personality. Especially lately.
