UNDER A BLOOD MOON
Carrigan Richards
COPYRIGHT
Text copyright © 2014 Carrigan Richards
All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes. If you are reading this book and you have not purchased it or won it in an author/publisher contest, this book has been pirated. Please delete and support the author by purchasing the ebook from one of its many distributors.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, any place, events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and story lines are created from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Cover art and design by Laura Gordon (BookCoverMachine.wordpress.com).
DEDICATION
In memory of my grandfather, whose enthusiasm and encouragement will stay with me forever.
Table of Contents
UNDER A BLOOD MOON
COPYRIGHT
DEDICATION
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 TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CHAPTER FORTY
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
PLAYLIST
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ALSO BY CARRIGAN RICHARDS
PROLOGUE
The woman proudly smiled at the six frightened children assembled before her. They were so innocent now and unaware of just how powerful they would soon become.
“Can you believe they are already seven years old?” the woman asked her brother.
“No. They are lucky to be in such a peaceful time.” He smiled. “Shall we get started?”
“Yes.”
They had led the three boys and three girls into the conservatory, a large room with a globed glass ceiling. A purple velvet rug with a black pentacle design lay over the hardwood floor. Thousands of candles illuminated the room and the beautiful faces of the children. The woman gestured for each of them to stand on the black circle around the pentagram. As soon as all six of the children stepped onto the circle, it glowed.
“You are all special,” her brother said. “We have brought you here to bind you together as a group. In ten years, you will come back to us, and you will accept your powers.”
Savina made sure she spoke clearly. “To become part of this Circle, you must agree to this. You must invoke your powers.” She glanced at Colden. “Now, before we begin, we need to gather blood from you all.” She reached inside her robe and pulled out a small knife. A few of the children gasped, and Savina frowned. She instructed the frightened children to lift their arms. She dragged the blade across their skin and let the blood drip into a glass goblet that Colden held.
Then, her fingers lightly smoothed over the cut on their arms until the wounds vanished.
Savina pricked Colden’s finger with the knife, let a few drops of blood into the goblet, and then healed it. She did the same with her finger. Savina took a sip of the warm blood and the metallic taste burst inside her mouth. The warmth of it filled her body and she felt connected to each of the children. Then, she passed the goblet to Colden.
“We belong together in this Circle. Just remember, you are sisters.” She looked at the girls. “And you are brothers.” She turned to the boys. “As you take a sip of the blood, let it fill you with warmth and comfort. This blood binds us together.”
“Each of you is strong.” Colden told them. “But your powers will not manifest until you are sixteen or seventeen. And in ten years, you will all meet here. May the Circle be open and remain unbroken. Do not speak a word to anyone about this. You must not break your promise.”
After everyone drank from the goblet, Savina instructed them to hold hands. Then, she tilted her head and concentrated on the glass ceiling. She felt the power from each of the children emanating around the circle. Savina focused the powers of the children, and exhibited each one of their unique ability above in the glass ceiling. She watched as it slowly displayed a beautiful starry night with a full moon. Then, the bright reddish-orange hue of the sun shone through, dissolving the image of the moon. Its corona flickered on the sides. The sun faded as water splashed across the ceiling, like the ocean crashing onto the shore. A fierce hurricane wind took over and then the hypnotic flames of fire burst to life. Finally, an image of the Earth rotated in the glass until it vanished, and the empty night sky encompassed the ceiling.
Savina gasped.
Colden turned to her with a wary look.
She knew they were powerful but had had no inkling that they were the Elemental ones. There is no reason to worry. She mind-spoke to Colden. Corbin is dead and no one will be looking for them.
That we know. We must watch and protect them until they return here.
Savina nodded. It was dangerous living among the mortals, but she knew what would happen if the Elementals fell into the wrong hands.
CHAPTER ONE
BREATHING TRICKS
Ten Years Later
Ava Hannigan loved basking in the sun as she floated on top of the cool water. It relaxed her on the hot and humid day. She held her breath so she wouldn’t sink and closed her eyes. The awful music Gillian just had to play was muffled since her ears were underwater. She leisurely moved from one end of the pool to the other. When she reached the deep end, she pulled upright and dipped her head under, cooling her face.
She heaved her body out of the water and walked past Gillian Madison and Melissa Rollins, her best friends, as they sun-bathed in pool chairs.
A rust-colored wooden fence attached to both sides of Melissa’s house and enclosed them and the in-ground pool. Dogwoods, spaced out evenly for privacy, lined the fence. However, the nearest neighbor resided about a mile away across the vast field. Willow trees lazily danced in the wind in the backyard. Ava could hear a few cows moo in the distance, but couldn’t see them.
“Can you please change the song, G?” Melissa groaned as she flipped onto her backside. Her tanned, long body glinted under the sun from the oil. She lifted the large square sunglasses from the top of her head and rested them on her straight, pointed nose, covering her green eyes. Her blond ponytail snaked its way down past her shoulders. Ava envied Melissa’s tanned skin, for the tiniest bit of sun without protection made her burn—it was the Irish in her. Her skin could never tan.
“I like this song.” Gillian contin
ued to sing along off-key in her soft voice. She wore her red polka-dotted bikini since she lost five pounds, but she wanted to lose fifteen more so she could be Ava and Melissa’s slender size. Ava thought the top was a little too snug, as if at any moment Gillian would pop out of it. Her black curls sprayed on the pool chair around her head. Her small pig-like nose, as Melissa used to call it, looked upward at the sky above her thick, full lips. A Seventeen magazine lay within reach beside her. Her blue eyes matched the pool water, and her olive skin darkened under the sun, without burning.
“Of course you would like that song because you like only what’s popular.”
“It’s a catchy song.”
“It’s dumb,” Melissa argued.
“No it isn’t,” Gillian said.
“Oh come on, her voice is nasally and she can’t carry a tune to save her life. Or was that you trying to sing over her?”
Gillian sighed and picked up her magazine.
Ava rolled her eyes at their stupid bickering. It annoyed her so much that sometimes she wished she wasn’t even there. She liked hanging out with her best friends, obviously, since they’d been friends since they were seven, but lately she had been enjoying time with Peter. They’d become good friends over the summer, but she found herself missing him a little since he left two weeks ago to visit his family in Boston.
Ava wanted to send him a text message, but didn’t want to bother him. Instead, she applied another coat of sunblock to her skin.
“I can’t believe our summer ends next week.” Gillian wrapped a black curl around her finger.
“Seriously. Two more years.” Melissa grabbed a cigarette from her pack and lit it. “What a summer.”
Ava shook her head. Melissa the stubborn chain-smoker. “I agree,” she mumbled, though she was actually glad that school started on Monday because it gave her a chance to see Peter again.
“When does Peter come back, Ava?” Gillian asked as if she had just listened to her thoughts.
Ava shot a look at her, wondering why she would ask that in front of Melissa, since Melissa wasn’t exactly privy to her and Peter hanging out.
“Peter? Peter McNabb?” Melissa inquired.
“Yes.” Melissa would find out sooner or later.
She cocked an eyebrow and dumped ashes in an ashtray. “Are we talking about that scrawny kid with brown hair? The one who works at Foodland?”
“He’s not scrawny.”
“Compared to Lance and Thomas, he is.”
“I think he’s cute,” Gillian said.
Melissa took a drag from her cigarette and exhaled. “Did you hang out with him over the summer?”
“Sometimes.”
“Why were you hanging with him?”
“Well, you all were at some sort of sports camp or traveling. I had a lot of free time.”
“True. What did you do?”
“We just watched baseball with Dad and saw some movies. He worked a lot. So it wasn’t every night.” It was the truth, but what Ava kept to herself was that they had hung out just about his every off day.
Melissa stubbed out her cigarette. “Boring. How am I the last to know these things?”
Gillian looked away from Melissa’s narrowing green eyes.
“Does Thomas know?”
“Yeah. It’s not like we’re dating or anything. We’re just friends.”
“And Thomas is okay with that? How much does he actually know?”
“Exactly what I told you.”
“So there’s more?”
“Lay off, Melissa,” Gillian said.
Ava sighed. “No there’s not more. Please don’t read into this like you do everything else.”
“All right.” She held up her arms. “He is kinda cute, though. Too bad you’re attached.”
Ava silently agreed.
“Give it time, though. Thomas will start to get annoyed. Especially the more you hang out with this guy.”
“I’m sure we’ll fall into the same routine as we always do when school starts.” Unfortunately, Ava knew too well just how Thomas would react if he knew she started to prefer Peter’s company to his.
“So did anything happen during the summer?”
“No. Why do you assume that?”
“You didn’t notice anything…unusual?”
“Like what?”
Melissa pursed her lips. “Just something odd.”
“No,” she said slowly. “Why? Did you?”
Melissa and Gillian exchanged looks.
“What?” Ava asked.
Melissa shook her head. “Nothing.”
“What are we doing tonight?” Gillian changed the subject.
“Probably the same thing we always do,” Ava answered, still suspicious of them.
Melissa stood from her pool chair. “Do you two want anything to drink?”
“Water,” Ava replied. What were they hiding from her?
“Diet Coke for me,” Gillian requested and picked up her magazine.
Melissa walked through the sliding glass door to the one-story house, leaving it open.
“What’s going on? And why did you have to mention Peter?” Ava asked Gillian.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was a secret.”
“It’s not. But you know how she blows things way out of proportion.” Ava walked to the edge of the pool. “And you know Melissa will start putting ideas in Thomas’s head.”
“I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad at me.”
“I’m not mad, but Thomas overreacts.”
“I know,” she said and returned to her magazine.
Ava stared at the water glittering in the sun. She turned around to say something to Gillian, but as she did, arms grabbed Ava and pulled her into the pool.
Melissa always pulled these pranks, but when Ava looked, there was nothing but water. Ava felt arms and hands grasping her, but couldn’t see anyone. She struggled to swim to the top but something still held her down. What was holding her down? She kicked and punched the invisible force. Her lungs burned. She needed to breathe.
She didn’t know how much longer she could hold her breath. And then, she let go and inhaled.
She stiffened when air entered her nose instead of water. Was she dreaming? Of course. But the dream did not end. Ava continued sinking. Lungs aching for more air, she inhaled once more. She breathed in air again. Melissa appeared next to her in the water, clutched her arm, and pulled her toward the surface. Gillian helped Melissa drag her out of the water and onto the poolside.
“What did you do, Melissa?” Gillian shrieked.
“Ava?” Melissa screamed. “Ava, are you okay?”
Speechless, Ava studied Melissa.
“Ava!” She shook her. “I was totally joking around. I’m sorry.”
“I-I’m fine.”
Melissa let out a sigh of relief. “Why did you stop moving? Did you run out of air?”
“I. Just breathed. Underwater.” As she said the words, they still made no sense.
“I knew it. That’s so awesome,” Melissa squealed. Her frightened face relaxed, and she smiled.
“You could’ve killed her, Mel,” Gillian shouted.
“Whatever. Savina would have healed her.”
“Yeah, she heals. Not bring people back from the dead.”
Ava sat up. “Did you just make yourself,” she paused. “Invisible?”
She nodded. “I knew your ability had developed. Ours have too.” She acted as if she were a little kid telling her mom she could open her eyes underwater. “I’ve been waiting for this for ten years.”
Ava looked to the water and watched it lap against the wall. She’d been dreading this day all summer ever since she got close to Peter. She’d turned sixteen almost a year ago, and had hoped it would never happen and that she would always be a normal girl. Her dad told her about it the day she came back from the Blackhart Manor. He sat her down and explained that she was an Enchanter with incredible powers that would develop around the a
ge of sixteen. Of course, to her seven-year-old mind the thought was baffling yet curious. But over the years, she had read and heard stories about the wars and the Cimmerians who served Corbin Havok.
“Whatcha thinkin’, Ava?” Melissa asked.
“Nothing. What can you do?” She looked up at Gillian.
A few small curls lifted with the wind around Gillian’s baby face. Her dark eyebrows furrowed, and she bit her lip.
Melissa suddenly slapped her own face and then glared back at Gillian who meekly smiled.
“I can manipulate minds.”
Ava’s mouth hung open.
“You’re not supposed to use it on us,” Melissa reminded her.
“Come on. Ava had to see it for herself. I realized it one night when I asked my mom if Jeremy could stay over because the weather was so bad and I didn’t want him going home in it. She and Dad were so relentless, and then I was able to change her mind. It was so bizarre, because for several minutes they kept saying no, but then I was being silly I guess thinking that if I stared at her long enough and made her think what I was thinking, she’d give in. And she did.”
“Whoa.” Ava knew Gillian’s parents were strict and didn’t allow her to do much of anything, let alone allow her boyfriend to stay over one night.
“What she doesn’t know is that Jeremy was the one who created the violent winds that night.” Gillian giggled. “But what’s even more bizarre is that I’ve tried it again on my mom, but something is blocking me. It’s like something’s pushing at my mind when I try it against my mom.”
“Wow,” Ava said. She couldn’t fathom the words they were speaking. They could actually do these things.
Melissa clapped her hands. “Maybe you should try it on some people at school. Now that I think of it, this year is going to be the best yet.”
“What? You can’t do that,” Ava said.
“Why not? It’s not like we’re actually going to get to use our powers. There hasn’t been a war in forever. Corbin’s dead. Everyone knows that. Why not have some fun with our powers?”
“And do you remember what started those wars? Because Corbin used his powers on humans and killed them.”
Under A Blood Moon (Elemental Enchanters) Page 1
