After the Rise: Book 1 by Jacqueline Druga

Author:Jacqueline Druga [Druga, Jacqueline]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Tags: Dystopia, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction
Amazon: B08FHTWZ46
Published: 2020-08-08T22:00:00+00:00

Even though it was only a couple days, I missed my little sister Sophie and I stepped into the bedroom. Seeing she was sound asleep, I walked to her bed. The thin cover had dropped halfway down and I reached for it.

My hand was translucent. I could see the blood pumping, but it did not look like blood, it was illuminated. Streaks of light pulsated through my veins. I reached for the covers and brought them to her shoulders.

Sophie groaned and rolled over, her eyes opened slightly.

“Vala?” she said groggily.

“Shh, Sophie, I miss you.”

“I miss you, too.”

“Go back to sleep. You are dreaming.” I leaned down to her and placed my lips gently to her forehead. Sophie rolled to her other side.

I stood completely, then went to check on my mother. I heard voices. I recognized my mother’s but not the other voice.

I walked the narrow hall that led to the living room. My mother sat in a chair and beside her, kneeling, was a woman. The woman had long, thick, curly auburn hair and a beautiful face. She smiled at my mother, then removed a tube from her arm.

She was taking my mother’s blood.

“You are very gentle, Nezil,” my mother said. “The woman last night was tough.”

“I have been doing this for a while.” She stood and smiled again. “I’ll make sure they get this.”

“Please tell Nito for me.”

“I will,” Nezil said. “She knows.”

In a flash of anger, I knew Nito was taking my mother’s blood. A tradeoff of some kind to keep my mother and sister safe. All because of me.

Nezil placed the tube in her satchel. She then pulled out a small velvet sack and placed it in my mother’s hand. “Nito says she placed extra in here to buy your little one the best dress when the dressmakers come to town.”

“Thank you. I will. Not much longer and I will not have to do this. Give Nito my thanks and please tell her, I will deliver Vala.”

No.

No.

I backed up. It was a dream. It had to be a dream. My mother was selling her blood to Nito with the promise of giving me to her?

There was no way. My mind was playing tricks. The dream was a nightmare. I spun, raced down the hall and out the back door.

Just as I stepped out into the cool night air, Nito appeared.

She stood before me with a wicked smile. “Wake up, Mare. I am coming for you soon.”

With a feeling of falling a hundred feet and a hard thump to my chest, I sprang awake and sat up, out of breath.

The sky was getting light. My fire had dwindled to a smolder and the beach was quiet.

The ocean had moved closer and the temperature had dropped. My body shook from the chill and from the dream.

Grabbing the blanket, I pulled it around my shoulders. I was awake now and falling back to sleep was not an option.

Something about the dream shook me to my core. I kept telling myself it was not real.

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