Dark Ascension by J.D. Brown

Author:J.D. Brown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: vampire, vampire series for adults, urban fantasy for adults, shapeshifters, dark fantasy, urban fantasy
Publisher: NightMare Publishing
Published: 2018-07-15T16:00:00+00:00

VALAFAR

Death was dark and smelled like dog breath. A dull ache throbbed in my throat, and my chest burned slightly, but at least I could breathe. Why would I need to breathe if I’m dead?

Something hot and slimy licked my face. My eyelids blinked open to hazy shapes and the pain intensified. I sucked in a sharp breath. Big mistake. My lungs wanted the air, but my throat was so raw, it was like sucking shards of glass through a straw, only the straw was my windpipe. I coughed in reaction, but that hurt worse.

“Bloody hell,” I croaked.

A dog whimpered. I squeezed my eyes shut and rubbed them with my palms while taking small, shallow breathes. When I opened my eyes again, the room came into focus. Rutty, wooden walls rose from a dirt floor. Cobwebs and grime formed a green-tinged film over a lone window. The bed I lay on was a simple twin-sized frame with an itchy cot that smelled of mold. Brown blotches stained the yellow lining. I’d woken up in worse conditions before. Still, I pushed away from the bed and sat upright, worried about lice or cockroaches or worse.

A glass of clean, clear water sat on the windowsill. My tongue sat heavy in my mouth, my throat parched. I didn’t go to it, though, because Lilith stood in the corner watching. I lowered my gaze and sighed.

Not dead then.

Though there was still a chance she poisoned the water.

Mum took a step toward me, and then lowered a bony hand to Lupa’s head. The wolf cowered low to the floor, then seemed to think better of it. She lifted to rub against Mum’s leg. Lilith ran her fingers over the dog’s tawny coat and grinned.

“Welcome back.”

I looked away. My esophagus ached for the water, but I refused to give her the satisfaction. I checked my hands, suddenly remembering that I had been stabbed. Dry blood stained my left palm, but the wound had already scabbed. It would be fully healed by the time I got a chance to shower.

I wish I’d died instead.

“Well,” said Lilith, sounding bored. “I hope yer ready to get back to work. Find Shénshèng. Make sure we get to her before Ema does. Oh, an’ one more thing...” She reached into her cloak pocket and then tossed something at me. I flinched out of the way, but it was just the ring. The fake philosopher’s stone. It landed on the cot. “Fix yer mistake.”

Lilith turned with a dramatic flair of her cloak and then left the room. Lupa glanced at me then trotted after her mistress.

I pocketed the ring, stood, and then grabbed the glass of water. It seemed safe to assume she wouldn’t poison me when she had just given orders to protect her precious plans. I chugged the liquid. It was a Godsend against my raw throat, cool and soothing, but the pain only stopped for that fleeting moment. Once the water was gone, the throbbing burn returned with a vengeance, demanding more.

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