by Thomas, Ally
“Because both of our mothers are witches?” Dante blurted out.
“Both of your mothers are goddesses,” she corrected. “Yes, and those Gods and Goddesses reign supreme over Heaven, Hell, and Earth.”
Dante joined me on the bench, clearly shaken. “I need to sit down for a minute,” he mumbled.
“Great things are in store for you, my boy, for both of you.” She chuckled softly, and then louder with a laughter of hers I had long forgotten. It was a quiet sound that lodged in the back of her throat at first and grew in volume when she knew she risked all by vocalizing a defiant response in front of my father, but she did it just the same. The sweetest of threats. “Yes, you have the right to seek revenge on the one who caused harm to your mother. It is written. No one is allowed to mess with a goddess, in this realm or others.”
Dante took my hand in his. He was shaking or I was, or we both were. The news of our ancestry was overwhelming. It left me motionless. I simply clung to Dante’s hand, keeping my body steadfast to his side.
“What do you want to do, Elana?” Dante asked me.
My mother interrupted without anyone asking her, a personality trait that reminded me of my stepmother. “I can inform you that you will be allowed to seek revenge for the deaths of your family members. There are more than just your aunt and sister unfortunately. If you are strong enough, my dear, then you will have your revenge. Dante can be your champion or you can do it together. It doesn’t matter by the rules.”
I watched stunned as I saw Dante’s features grew still. My mother, the Moon Goddess, was giving us permission to kill Dante’s father, Lucifer. No one was asking Dante what he wanted to do. Good or evil, the man was still his father.
“If I avenge my family, I’ll destroy yours, Dante. I don’t know that I can do that,” I announced, looking in his direction while I knew my mother still listened. “There has to be something we can do to prevent a war.”
Dante spoke up as he held my hand. “I agree. There has to be some compromise we can reach.”
My mother laughed at us which I found really odd, only adding to my suspicions. “I see love has found you as well. Love, love, isn’t it grand, my dearies?” She walked over to me, reached out, and wiped my face. A stinging sensation flooded the right side of my face and I screamed falling backwards.
I heard Dante yell, “Elana!”
I managed to stand up and I saw what I had suspected all along I would see. The woman before us claiming to be my mother was actually my wicked stepmother. She had embraced the dark side as well. Her white chiffon dress morphed into a shiny black color and her amber eyes blazed a fiery red. Her blonde hair filled in with the colors of black and ashen gray.
When she opened her mouth, it was filled with rows of fangs.
Dante clamped down on my hand, jostling me slightly. “We have to move, Elana. Move.”
“You bitch,” I screamed at her. “What have you done? So help me if you’ve killed my father?”
My wicked stepmother howled with laughter, a high piercing sound that set my teeth on edge. “Oh he’s dead alright. Along with all your family.”
“No!” I stepped towards her, but Dante pulled me closer to him. He slipped a small object in the palm of my hand. “Drink this, quick!”
“What a sight you too misfits are? Lucifer was right, Dante. You make a weak-ass demon. Maybe I’ll start my own collection of skulls like your father, starting with yours.”
Raising her hands out, the monstrous woman roared at us. Balls of fire surfaced on the palms of her hands and she took aim at us.
Before I could respond, Dante snatched me out of harm’s way. “Run,” he yelled. “Run and drink that potion now!”
I didn’t look back at my wicked stepmother as I raced behind Dante. She was still there and I felt the fire bombs hitting all around us. Even as small as they were, about the size of an orange, their force was brutal. Opening my hand, I saw the small blue bottle of magical potion and I quickly remembered Dante had used it to turn into a cloud of smoke. I kept running, seeing that Dante was making his way to the end of the pier.
He arrives moments before I did. He grabbed my hand. “We’ll drink this together. Okay? On three.”
“Where are we going?” I screamed, frightened I’d never see him again and end up in some awful place like home. I knew, after seeing my stepmother, that the Garden had been burned to a crisp.
“Call Orlando’s name. Say it over and over,” Dante demanded. “Okay?” He flipped the cork out of my glass bottle, flipped the one for his, hit his bottle to mine and then slammed the contents down his throat.
My eyes widened and I giggled. He was no demon, I thought. He was my white knight!
“Drink, Elana!”
I drank the contents of the potion down and felt the syrupy sweetness lodge at the back of my throat. I thought of pomegranates or cherries.
Dante pulled his arms and buried his hand in my hair, at the base of my skull. “Orlando,” he said. “Say it with me.” He rocked me in his arms and the motion calmed me.
I prayed we were out of harm’s way, but I had no idea now where we were headed. As long as it’s not here, I thought. I returned Dante’s embrace and closed my eyes just as a saw a mist of blue smoke rising around us.
###
The Moon Journals (Part 2) is coming soon.
About the Author
Amazon bestselling author Ally Thomas loves writing paranormal books that showcase vampires, werewolves, zombies, witches, and any furry monsters who go bump in the night. Her Vampire from Hell series has been on the Top 100 list in Fantasy at Amazon since 2011.
Ally lives in the south with her husband and unproductive furry co-workers including two cats and a dog. She is currently working on the next installment of her popular paranormal fantasy series, the Vampire from Hell as well as exploring her passion for vampire romance. Learn more at www.allythomas.com.
Contact the Author
Ally's blog - http://www.allythomas.wordpress.com
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Twitter - http://twitter.com/alleyalex
The Vampire from Hell Book Page on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/thevampirefromhellbyallythomas
Books by Ally Thomas
All books are provided in ebook and paperback. Go to http://amazon.com/author/allythomas for more information.
The Vampire from Hell (Part 1) - The Beginning
According to Rayea, the oldest daughter of Satan, the origin of vampires started in Hell, and it started with her. Rayea isn't daddy's little girl, even if he is the most powerful fallen angel around. He wants her to take an active role in the family business. But she's not interested in his schemes for world domination. Instead she wants to spend her time shopping on the Internet, rescuing humans from a horrific eternity, and practicing martial arts with her seven foot hellhound. Then one day everything changes. . (Both the ebook and paperback versions have excerpts from Parts 2 and 3, so the reader can experience the Vampire from Hell series in this sampler offering.)
The Vampire from Hell (Part 2) - A Vampire among Angels
Living a life with an overbearing father can be a challenge. For Rayea whose father is the fallen angel, Lucifer, it's been torture. In the second installment of the Vampire from Hell series, Rayea finds peace when she visits the House of G. There she hopes for a new beginning among Blick's angelic friends, only to discover a vampire from Hell may not be welcome.
The Vampire from Hell (Part 3) – A Vampire on Vacation
In the third part of the Vampire from Hell series, Rayea travels to Earth hoping to meet her online friends, leave her disturbing past with her father behind her, and embark on a new future without her meddling family.
The Vampire from Hell Returns (The Vampire from Hell - Part 4)
Blood of the gods has brought a new dimension to Rayea’s life as the vampire from Hell. In the fourth installment of the Vampire from Hell series, Rayea juggles her new
responsibilities and starting a relationship with her best friend, Blick. Additionally, Rayea realizes her sordid past with her family is catching up with her, and she’s going to have to deal with it once and for all. When two of her friends go missing, she knows she must begin a search to find them. And the first place she has to look? Hell.
Fanged Love - The Prequel
In one night Grace realizes her lover is destined to ultimately be her greatest enemy. Following Nathan into a world of bloodletting and vampirism was a bad idea and she wants out. Grace plans to escape the clutches of her controlling boyfriend as she learns he is selling her to the top buyer, a woman he met on the internet called the new Medusa. Grace’s plan quickly changes when the Angel of Death shows up, telling her she has sent for him. Will Grace seek salvation in the arms of this stunningly, handsome man known as Demetri? A few characters you have met in the Vampire from Hell series appear in this new series.
Excerpt from “The Vampire from Hell (Part 1) – The Beginning”
Prologue
It's almost sunset and I have decided to stop at a coffee shop and try to get an internet connection on my laptop. No, I don't drink coffee. I just like the smell of it. I'm more concerned with getting my thoughts written down before I go hunting tonight. I think it's time the world knows.
To start with, I should tell you that I'm a daughter of Satan, and I'm a vampire. But I'm not your average, run-of-the-mill vampire. It's kind of complicated. Please don't let any of that alarm you. I'm on your side.
Currently, Father and I aren't speaking. Why? He'd soon kill me as to look at me. No, I'm not his favorite child. I'm the one who likes humans, the rebel, the loner, the deserter. And I suspect after I start publishing my story on this blog - what I'm about to tell you now - he's going to be pissed. And that's okay. I'm not going to run anymore. I'm tired of being afraid of Lucifer, my father who thinks torture is an acceptable form of motivation. Those days are over. So sit back, relax, and let me tell you about how I became the first, and to my knowledge, the only vampire from Hell.
The Beginning
As I unlocked my office door, I felt a presence behind me. I turned around slowly. A tall figure emerged from the shadows and I flinched. I cursed myself for the frightened reaction I made.
Gazing down at me with shining gold eyes, my seven-foot hellhound touched my shoulder with his long paw.
Because I couldn’t understand Blick’s low canine mutter, I had grown accustomed to his speaking telepathically to me. On occasion, it allowed us to communicate without others overhearing us. His thoughts leaping into my mind were an extension of my own, and I rarely objected to having them flow through my head.
“Did I scare you?”
“No,” I lied. “I couldn’t sleep, so I wanted to get an early start on those reports.” I entered the office, waiting for him to duck his head in through the opening. To a passerby, it looked as though I was talking to myself in front of my animal companion, but I didn’t care. Blick knew I typically answered him by speaking aloud.
“Thanks again for your help at the processing center last night. Can you get the reports done today?”
“I think so.” I deposited my satchel on the desk and rubbed my shoulder.
“Did I hurt you?”
“No, I reinjured it the other day. It’ll be okay.”
Irritated with my response, Blick grabbed my arm and pulled up the sleeve of my black leather jacket, pointing at fresh bruises.
I winced in pain and stared at the floor.
Gently, he gathered me up in his arms and held me.
I wept, recalling the earlier session with my father. His way of discipline often involved torture. In the organization, Father enjoyed a “hands-on” approach. When anyone did something he disapproved of or he felt he could improve their skills, he’d perform the customary routine. For his daughters, he called it “loving his children.” As demons, he wanted us to be strong and fearless. I was very familiar with the process because, unlike my sister, Stephanie, I rarely did anything right, and to make matters worse, I wasn’t a strong demon.
Blick reminded me with his embrace how he wished to protect me. I knew the beatings were becoming more frequent, but I felt powerless to stop them.
I regained my composure while Blick wiped away my tears and patted me on the head like I was his little pet, instead of his being mine. Having a seven-foot hellhound fussing over me - literally - was wonderful. I was lucky to have him on my side.
When Blick had been a young pup, he had followed me home from the river one day. I kept him hidden from everyone until he started walking upright and grew too big for me to hide. When Father found out I had him, reluctantly he had agreed that I could keep the “mutt” as long as I kept him out of his way.
“Will you be careful, Rayea?” Blick touched his cold, wet nose to mine.
I nodded, giving him a little return bump.
“Promise me if anything happens, you’ll text me, okay? I may not be a demon, but I’m pretty scrappy for a hellhound. I’ll take on your father any day of the week!” Looking down at me, he growled. His shiny white canine teeth sparkled. He retrieved the iPhone from my satchel and shoved it in my jeans pocket.
***
Fan of Mankind
"What are you wearing?"
Startled for the second time today, I whirled around in my ergonomic chair to see Stephanie, standing in the door frame of my office glaring at me. “What do you mean?” I replied.
“Father will kill you if he sees that,” she said.
“Oh?” I asked, opening several more bogus reports on my computer. I continued typing at a feverish pace. The paperwork for the new arrivals had to be all there, even if the new arrivals were not. With Blick’s help, I had been secretly returning humans, suitable for a second chance, to the upper levels of Earth.
“Does your T-shirt say what I think it says?”
I grinned at the computer screen in response to my sister’s comment. I read the slogan aloud, “I'm a fan of mankind.” The shirt did not compliment my black hair or pale skin, nor was it very appropriate for work, but I had chosen it to celebrate my upcoming vacation and the recent rescue mission.
Stephanie was more right than she realized. I was taking a risk, wearing a pro-human shirt and secretly setting humans free from a horrific eternity. I looked away from my work, focusing my attention on Stephanie and returned her glare. “Even in Hell, we need to keep our sense of humor, sis.” I added a hissing ‘S’ sound to the word to mock her speech patterns.
Even though it was relatively warm in our climate, I had brought my black leather jacket to wear over the new T-shirt if I had to leave my office. I wore long sleeves as often as I could to hide the scars and bruises. I hated being reminded of them. I owned many items that irritated my sister, and this one just made her list. It didn’t surprise me that she commented on my shirt, just as it didn’t surprise me that she never asked me about my injuries. Being a passive aggressive sort, I enjoyed offending her.
“I still don’t know why he’s letting you go on vacation. To the upper levels of Earth of all places? I deserve time away from here, not you. I wouldn’t go up there though. I’d pick somewhere more fun like Mars or Neptune. I hear Saturn is beautiful this time of year. Hey, did you get those reports done? They have to be processed today, you know.”
“Yes, I’m almost finished actually.” I hit the Enter key on my computer to submit the last fake report. “There, I’m done,” I said and held up my hands in a victory symbol.
“You’re such an idiot.” She said as she wandered around my office, grimacing at the movie posters lining the walls. “You know, maybe I should tell Father where you got your new shirt, shopping on the internet all the time? These movie posters are ridiculous.”
I kept my cool. I knew Stephanie was looking for a fight. But she wasn’t going to push my buttons today. I was feeling elated with setting another group of humans free and visions of my upcoming vacation. “If yo
u want anything from there, you know I can get it. Everything to do with shipping and distribution comes through me.”
“What would I want from Earth? Come on!” She stormed around my office, waving her hands, her voice shrilled. “Yes, I think I’ll bring Father in here while you’re on vacation and show him your laptop, and iPhone, and your posters, and your books, all of this stupid ‘fan of mankind’ crap. What do you think about that?” She hit each item with emphasis as she pranced around. Then she picked up a vase I had recently bought on eBay. It had the symbol of the sun on it, representing the Egyptian god Ra with a blue background that I imagined was the same color as the oceans on Earth.
“Stephanie,” I warned.
The vase shattered in her hands.
I thought of a four letter word starting with “C.” It stayed lodged in my brain, radiating like a red neon sign in front of my eyes. I bit my lip, so I wouldn’t say it as I watched her continue her rant. I swallowed down the insult. “You’re reaching supersonic levels with that shrieking, sis. You promised you wouldn’t say anything to Father.”
Pointing an accusing finger at me, she said, “As long as you keep processing my paperwork, I won’t. But face it, ‘sis,’” she hissed the word sarcastically. “You’re a daughter of Lucifer, same as me. Learning everything you can about humans, buying their trinkets, it won’t change the fact that you aren’t human. I bet you even pretend to be human on the internet. What is it you play on again? MindLook? Twizzler? It’s pathetic. Father’s not going to put you in charge of his next project if you can’t get on board and play the game. No wonder you have all those cuts and bruises from your training sessions. He wants you to be strong, like me.” Annoyed with the dust clinging to her hands from the broken pottery, she slapped at her pants leg.
