C.L. Carr's Blog

Monday, October 28, 2013

Homecoming Opening Chapters!!

I am a little behind where I had planned to be, but as promised here are the opening chapters to Homecoming. Please fill free to check them out and share them it with your friends!


The Lone Wolf Saga:
Book Two
 
Published by Christopher L Carr
Copyright 2013 Christopher L Carr

 

Intro


 

 

Journeys have an interesting habit. Many times the intentions of our journeys are not clear, and even when they are, the reward is often not what we hoped for. Our wonderings and meanderings only further fuel the disappointment and confusion of our journey. Then as we stumble along a beacon of light, so to speak, shows us the way. Not everyone follows the sign, but those who do, more often than not, find themselves coming full circle, back at the beginning, back at their homecoming…

 

 

Chapter 1


 

 

Artirius and Balic made their way through the cavern. It was damp and chilly; a place that seemed calm as death. It was a fitting reminder of the travels the northern barbarian and southern dwarf had endured. Having traveled the underground roadways they each arrived at Derril’s Point, a dwarven mine of note. While there they aided in the fight against the besieged, killing many to protect the mine. They also saw many of their dwarven allies die.

Against their will they had snuck out of the mine away to the north, hoping to find safe passage to Artirius’s homeland, but instead found the pass blocked by a landslide. Undeterred, the group traveled through the woods in hopes of finding their way around the mountains. Instead they found themselves captives to Willam Elred, king of the Northern Wood. The great wizard Tressnou, who had been traveling with Artirius and Balic, saved the life of the King at a feast. This turned things around for the group. Artirius and Balic were granted access to a mountain pass which would lead them to Valtenberg.  Tressnou stayed behind in an attempt to quell another war.

Hoping to be in the city only one night and continue on their way in the morning, they were yet again followed by trouble. Aided by the vampire Alexi, Artirius rescued Balic, only to encounter Karloff an old and powerful vampire. It seemed that the combined efforts of Alexi and Artirius would not be enough to defeat the elder vampire. As a last resort the barbarian succumbed to his deep wellspring of rage, and with it defeated Karloff. Artirius allowed Alexi to finish off his centuries old foe.

As was expected, Artirius’s rage drained him, and for some time he had to rest. Once he and Balic had recovered enough strength to travel, Alexi showed them yet another secret passage.  This one lead to a cavern which would allow them to continue north in search of their true goal, Atriel. Atriel had been calling to Artirius, in his dreams, for some time.  Along the way, evidence to why was made clear. Galmatros, king among demons, had set his eyes on Norta Masa. Fighting had begun to spread across the land as old conflicts were renewed or enflamed by Galmatros’s influence. More over the vampires had been stirred to his cause and had quietly organized in Valtenberg. These though, were only part of his plans.

His agent, Pyr, offered Artirius safety from all harm, under the condition he turned back and returned to the Untamed Isles. Pyr had possessed the body of a dark elf, or drow, that practiced the dark discipline of Necromancy. Upon Artirius’s refusal, Pyr left his host, to seek a more powerful vessel with which he could destroy Atriel.  Tressnou dealt with the confused drow, left in Pyr’s wake.  The drow was wounded terribly and was forced to flee.

With all this evidence and the many unresolved questions, Artirius and his companions resolved to head north.  If the demon king feared Artirius, then he could not turn back. Not now, not when he was so close to answers he had sought his entire life.

As they reached the mouth of the cavern, it grew colder, and the waning light of day became visible. The autumn scents were strong here, as trees and other plants were making their preparations for the winter to come.  Some forest creatures were scurrying about, oblivious to anything other than their own gatherings and bickering.

Balic tightened his cloak, “Bah, to be underground again, where it is always a decent temperature.”

Artirius looked down at the dwarf.  Being a barbarian, and not only that but one of mingled magic blood, Artirius was close to two feet taller than the dwarf. His dark blond hair waved a bit in the breeze. His blue eyes sparkled. He could not disagree more with Balic’s opinion.  He had spent many years in hot and often damp places. As they neared his northern homeland, Artirius realized he had missed it.

The barbarian smirked, “With all that hair on your face, you are cold?”

Balic looked up. His face was still swollen and bruised from his stay in the catacombs under Valtenberg. Even so a clear and cheerful smile protruded from beneath his heavy beard, “One may be surprised as to how little these beards help sometimes.” Balic paused, grinning a bit less, “I cannot wait for a peaceful night my friend, and a warm bed I do not have to fear being torn from, or leaving quickly the next day.”

Artirius nodded, “Agreed,” looking around he motioned to the east, “I believe Alexi wanted us to head that way. From what he said we should only be a few hours from where we can rest. The sun should hold that long.”

Balic nodded and let Artirius lead the way. It would be easy for the barbarian to clear a path, as his size and strength made him ideal for things of that nature. It did not take long to beat through the brush and come upon a trodden path. It was not overly wide, but the two were able to walk side by side. The ground beneath them was well packed. Some leaves, having already begun to fall, lined much of it in what resembled a long parade, of reds, yellows, oranges and browns.

Travel from that point on was peaceful and quick. Time seemed to move by swiftly. The two did not talk much, at least not nearly as much as they had on the mountain pass. The events of the last few days had taxed them both, and much was on their minds.

They crossed over a small crick, covered by a modest wooden bridge. The water looked so tempting that both travelers stopped for a drink. There was little like cold refreshing water this time of year, and that coming down from the mountains was the best of all. After a short pause, Artirius and Balic continued on their way.

A short while later, as dusk set its hand on the day, the road in the woods crested at the top of a hill. Below them the wonderfully peaceful sight of the abbey came into view. Safety and sanctuary for the night. As if on cue the peaceful silence of the setting sun was interrupted by crashing in the woods from the direction they had come.

A heavily cloaked and hooded figure burst into the road in front of them. Lifting his head and removing his hood Alexi revealed his face. It was marked with vicious burns.

Seeming out of breath the vampire looked at them with concern, “They know, and they are coming.”

The barbarian and dwarf were surprised to see Alexi. The hansom vampire, marked with his burn, stood before them in what could only be described as shock and fear. He seemed to pant. As a vampire who did not tire, his emotions must have driven the action. His eyes danced about nervously.

Artirius looked to Balic, who returned the gesture. They were both concerned. The barbarian spoke, “So I take it all is not well in Valtenberg?”

A cool breeze blew down from the mountains; the remaining leaves on the trees waving limply in the wind.  Alexi looked back toward the cavern, toward the passage made by his ancestor, toward his home, “They came, even in the daylight, they came. They sought answers to Karloff’s demise. They were not satisfied.”

Balic motioned to Alexi’s face, “Can we assume they gave you those burns, lad?”

Alexi was a little surprised, then as he thought through events he realized what Balic was talking about, “I must have been caught in the fire, my face is burned?” Artirius and Balic nodded, “I still cannot believe they came…” though he was undead and could not feel the pain on his face, or any physical pain for that matter, he seemed to grimace as he touched his face.

Artirius moved closer and placed a hand on Alexi’s shoulder, “We need to know what happened, so we know what to expect. Tell us, since we left, what have you dealt with?”

Alexi blinked a few times, and seemed to calm himself. As he regained focus, he recalled the events at his home, “Forgive me, I have not been caught that off guard for some time. I shouldn’t even be here now; I should not be more than a pile of ash. Shortly after you left I received a visit from a mule, a human servant to one of the elder vampires. He inquired as to the loss of connection, the death, of Karloff. It caused much confusion, even some pain, in the ranks.”

Alexi paused and motioned to the others to walk with him, as he headed toward the abby.  The sun was at their backs, and he was heavily cloaked, so there was no worry of being harmed for the vampire. As they walked, Alexi continued, “The mule received my report, that I had been over powered by you, and that you killed Karloff in your escape. Of course my part in the rescue of Balic came up, to which I was forced to lie about as well. I told them Karloff, in secret, had asked for me to arrange things. He wanted me to gain your trust, by all costs, even if it meant some lesser sacrifices, a younger vampire or two would really not hurt. So your orchestrated escape,” he motioned to Balic, “and my coming to your aid before that,” he now motioned to Artirius, “was made out to all be Karloff’s doing.”

Alexi stopped a few hundred feet from the abbey. To their right, nestled by the crick they had crossed a short time ago, was a small cemetery. For a few seconds he simply stared at a tombstone near the edge of the water. Not taking his eyes off the stone, he continued, “The mule seemed satisfied enough and left. A short while passed, I had expected more mules from the various houses to come and talk with me. So when a knock came to my door, I suspected nothing unusual. I was wrong.

“It was his master, the one who turned Karloff. He was most displeased. To come out in broad daylight, even cloaked, is not something one his age would do. The older vampires are, the harder the sun is on their bodies. Nevertheless, Lorick came. He brought with him his two eldest. They had been his sons while he lived.”

Alexi blinked and looked about the cemetery, it seemed well kept. A cool wind came down from the mountains, billowing their clothing and hair. It was mixed with the scents of the forest, crisp and clean. Alexi smirked. He could not smell these things or feel the breeze, but only see the waving of the trees, and hear the rustling sounds of the leaves. He continued, “No matter what I showed him or told him, he would not waver. He did not believe me, not in the least. As his patience reached its limit, he begun to pry harder and harder, searching for holes in my story.  Finally, when he had reached his limit, he threatened me. Knowing that I was in real danger I carefully maneuvered to a hidden container of holy water. We had been in the study area, near the kitchen examining the battle site.

“They noticed as I reached for it, and though they were fast, I was able to throw the water in their faces. It is one of the only things we can actually feel, and it hurts quite badly. As strong as they were I knew it would not last long, so I threw every candle in the room to the floor, and tossed tapestries on them as fast as I could. I made sure to even cover the area around the door, and I sealed it with the latch from the other side. As I ran through the halls, I knocked over everything that could burn with any candle I might find. I made it all the way to the cellar, to the passage, when I heard them coming. As I grabbed a torch, to light the wooden ceiling beams, they rounded the corner leading to the cells. They were all covered in pocks and burns from the holy water. When they saw me, one of them heaved something burning at me.

“I was struck squarely, and dazed. They were only feet away when I managed to slip into the passageway. With all my strength I struck the wall, and I ran. Behind me I heard it collapse as they cursed and screamed. I stopped and turned, torch still in my hand, in time to see one of their fists plow through the mass. I did not hesitate. I struck the walls again and again, over and over, backing slowly away. I put a more than a dozen feet of debris in the way, but I have no idea how long that will hold them. In my escape, I must have been burnt.” Alexi touched his face

Artirius looked at Balic, the two seeming to talk without words, and understanding each other’s thoughts well. Artirius was the one to break the silence, “We need to find a safe place for the night then. Will the abbey do?”

Alexi turned to face them, “I cannot stay at the abbey, but it would be ideal for you. I suspect they may look there, but they could not enter. There is a building around the back of the abbey I can enter, as it was never sanctified.”

Artirius and Balic looked at Alexi inquisitively. He saw their confusion, “I was here when this place was built, many years ago,” he turned, as did the others to face it. “You see,” he motioned to a large circular wall, made all in white stone. The front had a large wooden door, while the opposite end seemed to end at the main door to the abbey. He continued, “That walled area is a small courtyard, which is meant as a greeting area, and a small garden is located there. Now this section,” he now motioned to the main body of the abbey. It was also constructed of the white stone, with three large stain glass windows on the side they could see, though they were described by Alexi, to be on the other side as well. The roof was made of a dark stone, and a short bell tower could be seen at the far end, opposite of the main door. Again Alexi explained the building, “Here is where worship would be done. There is a library underneath in the basement, as well as a small catacomb and the kitchen. The main floor has a few living quarters for the priests that live here.

“Now, connected to the rear of the abbey, is another walled garden. All of those portions of this place were sanctified during this buildings construction. The blessings protecting it from evil and the unholy are great. They could not even throw anything through the windows, in an attempt to get in or harm those inside. A century after this abbey was built a friar had another living quarter added to the rear garden. They did not properly bless it, and the fact that they began to brew beer did not help secure any divine protection. I have kept in touch with a few here and have stayed in that portion of the abbey from time to time over the past two hundred years. If needed, they would mask my presence with various blessings and spells to prevent evil from prying.”

“Hmm,” Balic huffed, “To think, that many loopholes in the working of a deity. Some things are blessed, some things are not. Sometimes the undead are allowed and sometimes they are not. It is all too much for me sometimes. Nevertheless, I heard mention of beer, so I know where I will be heading,” and off he strolled to the rear of the structure.

Alexi looked to Artirius with a questioning glance to which Artirius responded, “For the short while I have known him,” and he raised his hands and shrugged his shoulders. Even with the threat of the world being torn asunder, Balic always had time for a bit of cheer and merrymaking.

 

 

Chapter 2


 

 

The portly abbot and dwarf laughed hard as they patted each other on the back, beer sloshing over the edge of each of their mugs. In the corner a few friars sang and played songs on pipes, make shift drums and stringed instruments. The scene was a lively one to behold.

There had been a bit of confusion and chaos when Balic burst in the back doors yelling greetings to all those present. Alexi knew most of the holy men, and he quickly apologized and introduced the new comers. It did not take Balic long to acquire a drink, and many new friends. They kept the details surrounding their arrival subdued, though it was obvious an air of unease wafted about the large dining hall.

Some of the men were talking quietly, occasionally glancing in the direction of Artirius and Balic. Alexi had ventured further into the living quarters, looking for a friend, he had told them. So for the mean time, they sat, drank a little, and were merry.

It was roughly half an hour before the vampire returned, followed by an elderly man. The room went quiet as he entered, it was clear he held a position of respect. Alexi motioned for Artirius and Balic to follow them. So the pair rose, and made their way to the hallway. The older man was bald and slightly stooped over. His face and skin were wrinkled and weathered from many years of life. His long slender hands were wrapped around a worn walking staff, which he used with every step. The rest of his frame was obscured by his white dress robe. It was not ornate, just a simple white robe with a hood on the back and a plain white sash around the waist. He did not wear the hood. His eyes were a soft bluish color. They looked tired and sad, even though his face held a smile.

They neared what seemed to be the entrance to the rear courtyard of the abbey.  They stopped a few feet from it, and entered the last chamber on the right.  The elderly man waited for them all to enter, and then closed the door behind them.  It was a sparsely decorated place, which seemed fitting for the man they were with. There were a few shelves lining the left wall, full of scrolls and tomes.  In front of them was a small fireplace with a pair of chairs  on either side of the fireplace and a bench in front of it.  On the right wall, in the corner, was tucked a small bed with a stand next to it.  At the foot of the bed, was a chest, beaten and worn from years of use.  In the far corner was an armoire, not ornate in anyway, but fitting the décor it was heavily used the stain uneven and splotchy in places. Along the last wall, nearest the outside hall, were two small book cases and a desk.  All worn and tired, like the elderly man.  There was only one thing that stood out. On the desk, near the quill and ink well, was a chest the size of a man’s fist.  It looked to be made of solid gold, and had small innately carved legs, and an elaborate design along the edges. On the top was a diamond filed to a fine tip at the top.

The group sat around the fire, filling up the seats. They were quiet a few moments watching the logs burn, splitting and cracking, slowly disintegrating into nothingness.  Even for all the destruction that it represented, it was peaceful, for though it burned and destroyed it was not evil, but fair.  It gave them warmth and comfort.

The old man slowly turned to Alexi, “Johan,” came the deep voice slowly, “you have not introduced me to our guests.”

Alexi nodded, “As I am sure you know, this man is Artirius, a barbarian heading back to his homeland in the north.  The dwarf is Balic, his companion and friend.” He motioned toward the old man, “This is Benolovito, the High Priest of the abbey.”

The old man smiled and nodded, “Forgive an old man his formalities, but some things should always be done, even if I know who I speak to. Yes, Johan told me who you were. I am sure he still goes by that name, oh, Alexi I believe. I call him Johan, his true name. In either event, he has told me about most of your plight.”

Artirius looked into the deep pools of the man’s eyes.  They showed much sorrow and experience, and also much compassion.

The priest eyed the bodies of Artirius and Balic, “May I?” he gestured toward them both.  They gave each other a sideways glance, and nodded in acknowledgement.  Benolovito moved toward them. He held his hands first over Artirius’s body. Slowly he moved them, as if he searched for something. With a smile and a nod, his hands began to glow slightly. His touch was warm and soothing. In only a few moments he lifted his hands from Artirius. “Better?” he questioned.

To Artirius’s amazement, there was no tightness or pain from the injuries he had suffered at the hand of Karloff. It was as if they had simply been wiped away.  Benolovito then turned his attention to Balic’s wounds.  He had hid his discomfort well, fore as soon as the priest concluded, a great sigh of relief came from the dwarf.

Benolovito smiled, “I am rather skilled at this sort of mending. Healing one at a distance is much harder and takes far more energy, but it can be done as well. You both feel normal?”

The two nodded, still surprised at the skill of the priest.

“It is good to know I am still able to help those in need.”

Artirius tilted his head in the direction of the priest, “We thank you, priest, but it seems you know of us where we know nothing of you.”

The elderly man smiled, “This is true, so perhaps we should remedy that…” for the next few hours they talked and talked. They became more accustomed to one another and learned tales of old.  Benolovito and Alexi had met long ago, in the priest’s early twenties. Alexi had already been aiding in the slaying of undead things, vampires and the like. Alexi revealed his true identity, and his purpose.  From that point on Benolovito listened to his tutelage, read from scripts, tomes, and scrolls Alexi knew of.  He even acquired the fine box sitting on his desk, The Cache of Souls, as it was known.  It had been nearing a century. Benelovito’s service to his god above had given him a much longer life than many men could ever dream to live, let alone be able to move. Without the aid of Alexi, many teachings would have been forgotten. His aid had revived the spirit of the holy men in the area.

“As for the vampires in Valtenberg, we knew of them already.  As they begun to funnel in, many practitioners of the holy arts fled through this abbey, to the north. Families in the town of Finbrook, took them in. Some that tried to stay and deal with the encroaching evil…I have not heard from,” Benolovito looked from face to face in the room. “We have done what we can to keep them in that town, though it has been trying, and rather unsuccessful.”

As the elder priest finished the sentence, a knock came at his door.

“Enter,” came is reply.

A troubled priest entered the room, he was a small skinny thing, bald and plain. His robes did not help him seem bulkier, but frailer.  He stammered, “The three, they are coming.”

Benolovito bobbed his head, and motioned for the man to leave. As the door closed he stood and moved to look at parchments on his desk. While he did he spoke, “We have certain wards we maintain that alert us to undead in the area. They went off when Alexi first crossed them, now we know that Lorick  and his sons approach.” He sighed then lifted his head, “Please, wait here. I will return shortly after I see they are shooed away. It is best they do not know you are here.”

The priest moved quickly to the door, closing and latching it from outside.  The action surprised Alexi. He moved to open the door, but was even further caught off guard. The priest had sealed him in. At first he was confused. Then in sudden realization, he turned to the desk. The cache was gone.

Wide eyed he looked at Artirius and yelled, “Stop him! Whatever it takes, don’t let him do it!”

Artirius attempted to question Alexi, but was cut short, “Hurry I don’t have time to explain, just go!”

With a nod, Artirius moved quickly to the door. The lock did little to hold him back, as his shoulder crashed into the door, splintering wood in an explosion of debris. A shocked friar was so surprised he could do nothing, but stand and stare.

Artirius simply looked down at him flatly. The friar understood the meaning and pointed toward the abbey, “He went that way,” he stammered.

Artirius trotted off, Balic close behind.  The double doors leading to the rear courtyard were not locked. Benolovito most likely assumed they would stay in the room.  The rear courtyard was roughly fifty feel long and sixty feet wide, matching the width of the abbey. It was lit by torches leaving bouncing shadows to play about the area before them.  Bushes and other plants, all in neat lined rows with benches and paths made of stone were before them, but there was no high priest.  In a few bounds Artirius was at a single door on the left portion of the abbey’s rear wall.  Balic scuffled up “Bah, can you go any faster? I am having trouble going this slow,” he smiled.

Artirius could not help but smirk. He turned to the heavy wooden door, inlayed with metal plating, and turned the brass knob. The found themselves in a small room situated next to the pulpit. It was quiet. The room they were in seemed to store tomes and various scrolls, and other religious relics used to worship.  The same white washed stone that was used to make the building made up the walls and even the shelves. A red carpet covered the floor leading to the assembly area; where they saw Benolovito standing before his congregation.

Artirius and Balic slowly padded out of the room and toward the pulpit. As they exited the storage room, and the pews opened to their left, they noticed no one sat there. Benolovito was alone. It was only the three of them.

The high priest looked over some script for a moment, scribbling a few notes down on a page nearby. He read over his page, one last time, and slowly closed the ragged tome he had before him. With the same smile he greeted them with, he now looked upon his guests, “He asked you to stop me, I expect?” a questioning eyebrow was raised.

Artirius nodded; Balic gave an assertive grunt.

Benolovito moved around the pulpit and down a few small steps to the center of the pews. The red carpet before him was an ominous path, foreboding in nature. Artirius and Balic followed.

It was a slow walk to the front of the abbey. Benolovito stopped to take an occasional glance at a stained glass window, or to arrange something out of place in the pews.

When they arrived at the door to the front courtyard, Balic gently grabbed the priest’s arm, “What is this about then? What do you plan to do?”

Benolovito looked up toward the ceiling, as if seeking guidance. He reached into the folds of his robes and removed The Cache of Souls. He stared at it in his hand. A small tear trickled down his cheek and his smile seemed to grow, as if he had resolved his decision. He returned the box to the folds of his robe.

“I could make the deed sound sweeter or braver, but I will not waste the words on it,” he turned to face and looked into each of their eyes, “I plan to use The Cache of Souls to kill the three, though when I do, it will kill me.”

Artirius and Balic looked at one another then back to the old man. Artirius questioned him, “Surely there must be another way?”

Benolovito shook his head, “I fear not. Combined they could most likely kill even you Artirius, and they are too cunning, crafty, and cruel to fight us openly. They would pick us off one by one whenever we left the protection of this place.”

Balic pleaded, “Could we not leave, find a way out of this? Is there no escape for us?”

Benolovito again shook his head, “There are no secret passages in the cellar, or magic to take us away. We have no stable with horses, or any other means of travel, and again, if we leave the protection of this place, they will wait and stalk us like prey, one by one.”

He looked at the doors, “What’s more, they need to learn to fear us, and know we will do whatever it takes to end them. They must not think that the holy order is helpless. Though it is not what it once was, it will still be a plague to their kind. What I do now, must be done.”

In a comforting tone the priest looked again at his guests, “Do not mourn for me. I have lived well over a century, fueled by my faith and devotion. I am tired, and what better way for an old man to die, than to help save the world?” he let the last statement hang in the air questioningly.

Artirius nodded. Balic shook his head in frustration, but could not help but acknowledge what had been said.

Benolovito patted them both on their shoulders, “It will be all right, I promise. Now if you care to, you can join me in the courtyard, off to the side where you cannot be seen.”

The barbarian and dwarf nodded and pushed open the abbey door. The front courtyard mirrored the rear, and would have been a lovely place to sit, relax, and meditate. The heavy main doors were sealed before them. Solemn steps lead them there. A gentle motion of Benolovito and the pair moved away from clear view, though they were still able to see some of the front entrance.

“They are here,” the priest said, as much to Artirius and Balic, as to himself. With that he pulled open the doors.

Before the courtyard doors, torch light flickered on the vampires. They were all clad in dark colors, blacks and maroons, with shined boots gleaming in the torch light. Their pale faces were a dramatic contrast to their apparel. Each had deep red eyes nearing on black. One son had messed up black hair, the other orangish red to his shoulders. Lorick was blonde slicked back with heavy cream and wax.

There was a pause as the two parties stared each other down. Benolovito held his ground, holding his staff.  The others were flat and expressionless.

The priest shook his head apologetically, “I should invite guests in, please. How rude of me,” he gestured for them to enter.

His voice was cool and flat, though with undertones of icy death. Lorick responded, “Cute, coy gestures do not amuse me priest. You know who I am, and I am sure you know what I seek. Three of them. Now where would they be?”

“Hmm I am not sure,” Benolovito responded with a slight smile. Leaning forward on his staff, I suppose you have no intention to leave peacefully either?”

Lorick eyed the building before him, “It is rather disgustingly holy. I am not sure I can stand it, but we both know I cannot touch this place, even with all my great strength. So, you know I will have no choice but to kill anyone who steps out of there. Of that you most certainly have my word.”

Benolovito stood taller, straighter, “What if I do not allow you?”

A smirk came across the vampires’ faces. Lorick seemed to smirk even wider as he said, “By all the silly gods you may pray to, what makes you think you can stop me?” His eyes narrowed and his grin became more like the face of a rabid animal as his fangs were now revealed.

The high priest dropped his staff before himself, and folded his arms into his robes. As he did, he grimaced slightly. Then he stepped forward over the threshold of the courtyard.

Standing eye to eye with the vampire, Benolovito did not move, not even a shake. “Bold,” Lorick snapped his teeth, curling his lips into a snarl, “As much as I appreciate that quality, it appears you will be the first to die.” With a quick snap of his neck, Lorick sunk his teeth into the priest.

Lorick gasped, and fell back to the ground. Blood covered his mouth. Before anyone could react, Benolovito revealed the cache. He had impaled his hand with the diamond tip. As he held it before them it flung open, a flood of golden white light blindingly erupted. Artirius and Balic were forced to cover their eyes. They could make out agonizing screams and heard what sounded like fire bursting into life in front of them. The smells of burning flesh and bone prevailed the air as waves of energy swirled about them. Then with a sudden finality it ceased as the lid to the cache snapped shut.

It took a moment for Artirius and Balic to take in their surroundings. The shock of the experience was overwhelming. As they surveyed the area, all of which seemed unchanged, they heard a violent yell from the living quarter in the back, and heard the door wretched from its hinges. Mere second later Alexi was standing in the epicenter of explosion. Where the vampires had stood, there was nothing, not even ash.  They had simply been removed from existence, no trace at all to be found.  Where Benolovito had been, there were only his robes and The Cache of Souls. It was no longer shiny, gold, or ornate, but now looked like a blackened wood. The only thing that remained the same was the diamond tip.

Alexi huffed hard, and howled with rage. He struck the ground hard with his fist and removed a fist sized stone. With all his vampire might, all his raw rage and emotions of pain and sorrow, he turned and threw the stone at a tree some fifty yards away. The rock blew through the tree, coming to a stop only after it punctured the bark on the opposite side. A dark fist size hole, three feet deep now scarred the tree.

Alexi turned back to the robes. He fell to the knees pounding the ground and wept, for Benolovito was no more.

 

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Checking In

Hi there all. It has been awhile since I last checked in. I wanted to let everyone know I was still working on the next book in the series and am glad to hear back from some of the readers! As of now 3500 total copies of the book have been purchased or downloaded. Thanks everyone out there for your support. Please fill free to post comments here or on the Facebook page, I love hearing from you all.

(I might be putting out a couple of the chapters to the next story within the next week. Make sure to keep an eye out! :)  )

Sunday, July 14, 2013

1600 + Units downloaded or purchased

Well its mid July and I just went through the numbers for The Lone Wolf, and am very pleased with where it is at. Looks like combined print sales and digital downloads are now over 1600, without being able to look at the numbers from ibooks. I am very happy. Thank you for continuing your interest and telling your friends and family about it. I have some great fans.

Happy Sunday

Happy Sunday everyone. Hope everyone's week has been good. Decided to take it easy on writing today and spend some time just relaxing, we all need that from time to time. I hope all my readers do that too! Nothing like kicking back and enjoying the little things in life!

Friday, July 12, 2013

Getting things moved around

Almost done with some reconstruction here. Hope the new layout is to everyone's liking. Let us know what we can do to make the fan page better, your comments are welcome.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Just cheking in with everyone.

Just reading a book and working on a story while eating chips and salsa and typing. I must have extra hands! Homecoming, the follow up to The Lone Wolf (https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/289277) is moving right along. I also am taking some time to do a little reading, enjoying a friends book right now (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17407163-the-unseen-promise) pretty good so far, can't wait for more!