Excerpt from Bloodlines Part 3: Silver

Hey y'all! It's only been a year or so right? Well I finally started writing again and will hopefully have part 3 done before Thanksgiving. My hope is by Halloween but let's not get too excited ;) . Here's a little look into what to expect from chapter 1 of Silver. Thanks! You guys are the best!

Ch. 1

            The Earth was coated in a blanket of fire.  Someone stood off in the distance, but they were too dark to see clearly. I couldn’t breathe.  Dirt, smoke, and ash overwhelmed the air.  I decided to get closer to this person.  If I could stop them… stop them from destroying everything in their path…

            Long wooden stakes emerged from the rubble and reached out towards the sky.  I felt rain tickle my forehead, but when I went to wipe it off, my hand was stained red. Blood.

            Bodies were skewered on the stakes.  Even so, my legs forced me to keep moving.  I was so close to the person now.  Any moment I’d be able to make out their face. 

            “Kaya…”

            One of the dead bodies was my mother.  Her eyes were filled with so much pain, and the stake went straight through her stomach.  Finally my body refused to proceed.  The stake next to my mom’s was my father’s, and the next one was Ricky… and Amanda… Dr. Jacobs…

            “Kaya.”

            I whirled around and saw Gavin.  He wasn’t smirking anymore. In fact, he was crying.  He looked at me with hurt and betrayal.  It was too much for me to bear.

            “What have you done?” he asked desperately.

            A smaller wooden stake went through Gavin’s body, right where his heart was.  Someone had stabbed him from behind!

            “Gavin!” I screamed.

            It was too late.  His body dissolved into ashes and he blew away with the wind.  Behind where he once stood was the figure; the one I knew was causing all of this.

            “Who are you!” I demanded.

            The face looked up at me, and it felt like I’d seen a ghost.  This face was mine.  I was staring at myself.  Only this version of me had large fangs and a deadly smile.

*****

            I woke up with a cold sweat on my neck.  Another dream.  Ricky was still asleep on the cot next to mine and so was Amanda.  I could see the break of dawn seeping through our tent.  It was the early morning, and I could hear the Lupercalie waking up as well.

            It’d only been three days since being kidnapped by Rex and his men, but I still hadn’t seen Gavin.  The first two days I was in the care of Dr. Jacobs.  Enduring Vegas with Al, the psycho vampire who locked me up, left me a little wacky.  Dr. Jacobs didn’t say much, especially when I asked about Gavin.  I wondered if that was because Rex’s guards were always close by and the doctor didn’t want to get in trouble.

            The hunters had been surprisingly kind and hospitable considering the first night they attacked us.  We were all pretty shaken still, but Ricky and Amanda were finally getting comfortable. Waffle had plenty of other canine friends to trot with, so he was at ease or just indifferent.  The hunters had an assortment of guard dogs in a kennel where they kept Waffle.

            It was a secure place, and for the first time, I felt like we would actually be safe, all except Gavin.  On the one hand, my family was safe with Rex and the Lupercalie, but that was at the expense of Gavin’s life.  If only there was a way to convince the hunters to see things my way.

            I changed into my new clothes the hunters provided.  They didn’t have many women at the camp, so the black suit didn’t fit my body perfectly, but I had to admit, I looked badass.

            All of the hunters had the same black uniform.  It was heavier than it looked, but that was because it had to be the thickness to prevent sharp teeth penetrating the skin.  It looked like a bulky morph suit with pads on the knees and elbows, almost like you would if skating.  Everything felt safe around here, for humans.

            I knew eventually I would have to comply with answering all of Rex’s questions.  Dr. Jacobs told me the first night he did a check up on me that Rex was going easy because I was injured. Before I answered any questions I wanted to see the doctor for advice.

            Like the universe was reading my mind, Dr. Jacobs startled me by popping his head into our tent.  Without a word he handed me a small crumpled up piece of paper and left abruptly.  Frazzled, I unwrapped his poorly executed note and read:

            Kaya

            We haven’t been able to talk much, but trust me it’s for everyone’s safety. The night I left Ghaor, your friend Gavin gave me your book on vampires written by the hunters. He believes you could be tangled up in the vampire’s plots.  If this is true, I’d keep it on the down low, at least until we know the hunters can be trusted. If they ask about Drake, just say he had a fixation with you and that is all you know.

            Meet me during supper in my office. We need to talk in private.

            Well about time, I thought. Hopefully it was about Gavin.  I wasn’t with him in Vegas and we were finally a team again, and like that he was taken away.  No one will tell me if he’s even alive, or in pain, or fed…

            I knew he wouldn’t have been fed. That’s why I had to find him and fast.

            Ricky and Amanda finally woke up and changed into their black suits as well. Amanda wasn’t too concerned with the need to fight monsters, so she went to help out in the kitchen with some of the cooks. Ricky shared my concerns for Gavin’s safety, but I helped distract him by taking him to training. Rex offered lessons to us, once he could tell I was getting restless. Amanda refused on the spot but Ricky was excited to go with me. 

            Rex had to report somewhere back in Vegas that morning for damage control.  I guess the “zapping”, or whatever that bright light was, at the casino along with the ten or so people injured and dying from the level two vampires didn’t go by unnoticed. Today, Rex insisted that I take Ricky to the beginner recruit sessions.

            I didn’t really think Rex saw us as valuable additions, but until he decided what to do with us, we were to make ourselves less helpless.  It seemed like a well enough plan.  I didn’t mind letting Ricky learn some basics.  In the end though, I knew it was mostly a distraction.  My mind was still on Gavin.

            Our class was small, possibly fifteen or so including Ricky and I.  We stood out in an open area outside of the tents, far enough away in the open desert to not cause a ruckus. For miles I saw nothing but dirt and rock, maybe cacti.  The sun was most unpleasant, but I laughed at the subtleness of it all. This wasn’t exactly a vampire paradise, and I’m sure the hunters enjoyed that fact.

            “Everyone!” Rex conducted the beginner’s class, “This is Kaya and Ricky, and they will be joining training today.”

            It was more embarrassing than playing the name-game in elementary school. I delivered a half-ass wave before returning my eyes to the dirt by my feet. The hunters training with us all nodded in unison like robots.

            “We have another visitor who will be training you all today. His father is a great ally to me, so give him your full attention. Karch!”

            My body froze.  This couldn’t be a coincidence could it? 

Book Two Spoiler

Here's a little sneak peek my darlings.  Book two spoiler! 

Intro

            Amanda’s hands were shaking, and a great sadness filled her heart.  I just called and told her the news about my parents falling to the illness in Ghaor, Idaho.  Amanda and I were good friends all through high school, being on the activities committee together.  It was already sad enough that many of their friends from school died, like Rose, but now my parents too?

            She looked outside her dorm room window, looking out at the lights from the Vegas strip not too far away.  This called for an escape plan; Amanda needed to get her mind off of things.  Grabbing her phone, she called up some friends from her designing class.  What she needed was a girl’s night out.

            “Honey that’s terrible,” Amanda’s friend said. 

            This friend was covered in creative body art.  Compared to her, Amanda looked like a sheltered farm girl.  Amanda’s hair had always been in a blonde bob, giving her tiny figure a lollipop look.  Since moving to Nevada for school she’d gotten used to seeing unique and more outgoing people.  Her friend’s name was Missy, and they took a clothing design class together at the college.

            They met at a cute little bar in town.  Amanda didn’t feel like dressing up too much, but in honor of me, she wore the scarf that I gave her before she moved to Nevada.  I was on a family trip in Florida a couple years ago and bought a teal fringed scarf.  It did look great with Amanda’s complexion, enhancing her blue eyes.

            “I just feel horrible for my friend,” Amanda vented, “And she has a little brother too! Oh gosh I can’t even imagine what they’re going through right now!”

            Missy nodded sympathetically, “How about your parents?”

            Amanda sighed.  What about her parents indeed?  Luckily they moved slightly north of Ghaor right after she went away to college, but that was still too close for comfort.  They called occasionally, but they always seemed ok.

            “I think they’re safe for now.  I just don’t understand how nowhere else has ever heard of this disease!  It’s like Ghaor fell off the face of the earth!”

            Missy scoffed, “No kidding, it’s like a conspiracy.  I’m tellin ya, the government is going to be behind this.”

            “You think so?”

            “Probably.”

            Missy waved down the bartender.  She herself was twenty-one, but Amanda was still nineteen.  Missy had friends that worked at this little joint, so she could sneak a drink every now and then.

            “Something fruity?” Missy asked Amanda.

            “Yes please,” Amanda smiled.

            They got their drinks and sipped away.  Amanda wasn’t much of a drinker, but in situations like these or just for social gatherings she would allow herself one.  Missy would have at least three by the end of the night; luckily neither of them was driving. 

            “I wish she would just move out here with me,” Amanda said, “Doesn’t seem like the illness is spreading out of Ghaor.  She needs to be away from that place.”

            “Yeah before she’s quarantined,” Missy said.

            Amanda gasped and glared at her friend, “Don’t say such things!  I might have a stroke!”

            Missy apologized.

            “Maybe you should have her come down for a visit?  Unless she’s tainted, I don’t want to be getting sick down here,” she grunted.

            Amanda thought on it.  What was this illness anyway!  It was a miracle Ghaor was still standing after all the deaths.  In such a small town, how did no one else know that Ghaor was slowly disappearing?  Amanda and Missy talked for a while longer, letting the alcohol numb their senses, Missy more so than her.  Missy was a block away in a different apartment complex and Amanda was a street down from her.  Amanda thanked Missy for meeting up with her and asked if she wanted an escort home.

            Missy waved her hand lazily, “Oh I’m fine.  I’ll see you in class. Call if you need anything!”

            Amanda walked to her apartment.  The stars were all hidden in the night sky due to the intense light pollution.  The weirdest part about moving to Nevada was the city.  Amanda grew up in a small town with the same people and no noise.  Now she was only a few minutes away from the Las Vegas strip that illuminated everywhere.  It was also strange how she felt safe being out at night compared to in Ghaor.  For some reason people started hiding in their homes at night after graduation day.   She remembered grad night with Kaya, and how they wandered about finding things to do to celebrate but everywhere started closing early.  They were forced to have a scary movie sleep over instead.

            She really did miss me, especially with all the nonsense going on.  It was Sin City, but at least she didn’t feel like the plague would destroy half of town.  Amanda tried to not think about poor Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell, and focused on the sidewalk.  Suddenly, she bumped into someone.  The person felt like a boulder and Amanda almost fell backwards.

            “My apologize miss!” a young man’s voice spoke.

            Amanda looked up and saw a scrumptious looking man.  His hair was blond and styled with care, his eyes were gray like mist, and he was quite tall.  He looked very eccentric.  His clothing wasn’t shy at all.  He wore a baggy white-buttoned shirt that reminded Amanda of a pirate, dark pants with boots, and a long red scarf.  Must be an artist, Amanda thought dreamily.

            “No, I’m sorry I wasn’t even looking!” Amanda said excitedly.

            The man smiled and held out his hand, “My name is Algernon.  At work people call me Al, for short.”

            “Algernon,” Amanda giggled, “Don’t hear a name like that every day.  I’m Amanda.”

            “Definitely not.  Amanda?  Well that’s beautiful.  Your name most certainly exceeds mine.”

            Amanda blushed.  She did get hit on a lot our here, but this man in particular was just gorgeous to look at.  It was like drawing a character out of a fantasy book.

            “Where do you work?” she asked.

            Al pointed far out toward the strip with all the lights and building.

            “I have an underground club.  It’s actually quite lovely, not totally trashy.  You should stop by sometime!  We’re the only bar that serves blood.”

            Amanda’s face dropped.  Al looked confused and then put his hands up laughing.

            “No, no, my dear!  I’m sorry I forget not everyone knows about it.  My colleagues and I invented a new drink that seems to be pretty popular, but the color is red, so we found the name blood suitable.”

            “Oh!” Amanda stifled a laugh, “Blonde moment…”

            Al grinned brilliantly and looked at her with greedy interest.  Amanda loved this run-in with a gorgeous stranger.  She’d never seen him before but then again she lived in the city area now, you ran into new people everyday!

            “So,” she started, “How old could you possibly be?  If you own your own club.”

            Al gave a sly smile, “How old do I look?”

            “Honestly… pretty young!  Like a student!”

            It was true, there was a mature and wise depth about him and his mannerisms, but his features were very youthful.  Couldn’t be too much older than Amanda herself.

            “I’m twenty-five,” Al said.

            “Wow!”

            Al turned shyly, “Yes well I got the club from my brother so… I guess you could say I cheated, or got lucky!  You should come by sometime with your friends!  If you give me your number I’ll get you all in free.”

            Amanda gave her number to him without question.  She didn’t want to break the news that she was underage just yet in hopes it wouldn’t make her less appealing.  Al explained that he was a student at the same college she was and was interested in psychology.  Crazy, Amanda hadn’t seen him at campus, but she brushed that off. 

            “Need an escort home?” Al offered, “I’m afraid I distracted you.”

            Amanda realized it was getting late.

            “Oh it’s fine!  I was having a rough day and needed a night out with my friend.”

            Al cocked his beautiful blonde head to the side with a sincere look in his eyes. 

            “Rough day huh?  I’m so sorry to hear that.  Care if I pry?”

            Amanda decided to let Al walk her to her dorms.  It wasn’t far after all. He was a stranger but he also went to her school so it didn’t bother her at all that she didn’t know him.  Amanda filled him in on how back home in Idaho many people were getting sick and dying, and how my parents just passed.

            “This is her scarf actually… She let me have it before I moved here to make me remember her,” Amanda smiled.

            She fiddled with the scarf as they walked, and Al was quiet for a moment.  He’d been a chatterbox until now and Amanda worried that she scared him with the death stories.  Al’s face looked strange.  He was staring at the scarf with curiosity, but also desire; like a shark spotting something swimming frantically in the water.

            “May I?” Al asked.

            He extended a hand out casually to her.  Amanda was confused, but slowly unwound her scarf and let him hold it.  When their hands touched she almost recoiled.  Al’s hands were chilly, and it was fairly warm in Nevada.  He held the teal cloth in his hands tenderly like it was something precious.  Amanda wondered if maybe he was more eccentric than she presumed.

            “It’s lovely, what was your friend’s name?” Al said.

            “Kaya.  I wish her and her brother would just leave Idaho for good…”

            Al patted her shoulder warmly.

            “She sounds like a strong girl.  I’m sure everything will work out for them in the end.  Just invite them to Vegas!”

            Amanda laughed.  She’d already thought about that.  An environment like Las Vegas wasn’t exactly the best idea for Ricky especially after the death of his parents, but seeing me again might be what they all needed.  Amanda would make a trip to Idaho, but she wasn’t keen on the idea of visiting the disease ridden small town.  Maybe Kaya could come down for a visit to get away from the sorrow and pain, Amanda thought.  At the same time, Amanda didn’t want to impose after my parent’s just died.

            Al and Amanda arrived at the dorms.  She was on the second floor, so they went up a flight of stairs.  Al handed her back my scarf and held onto her hand for a few seconds, making Amanda feel tingly all over.  She thanked him and opened her door revealing her tiny but homey living space.  Amanda only had one roommate, Sue.  Sue was a tiny and shy girl with social issues, but she was clean and friendly and quiet.  That was perfectly fine with Amanda.  Sue was already asleep in her room, and Amanda turned around facing Al.  Amanda envisioned a romantic movie night commencing.

            “Would you like to come in for a bit?” she offered.

            Al stood in the doorway quiet again.  He chuckled, like he remembered a good joke from earlier or something.  His smile stayed sweet, but Amanda wondered what was so funny.

            “Not right now, thank you, but I would love to see you again. Soon?”

            Amanda was disappointed, but it was their first time meeting, and he did get her number and walked her home.

            “Ok!  Call me sometime.  Thank you for walking with me.”

            She shut the door and rolled her eyes.  Sometimes she seemed desperate even to herself.  He was too cute that she couldn’t help it!  It still bothered her that he smiled like that though, like she said something stupid.  He was probably toying with her, so much for chivalry.  Amanda huffed and resumed to her usual nightly rituals.  Sue was sound asleep, so Amanda tried to shower quietly to not disturb her. 

            Amanda wrapped her fluffy warm bathrobe around her and stared into her small fogged up mirror.  She felt a sudden cool breeze, and something moved from behind her.  When she turned around there was nothing, but she could’ve sworn that there was someone or something moving in the reflection.  Amanda brushed it off; she should stop watching horror movies with killing shower scenes.

 When she went back into her living room she felt something strange.  It felt like someone was watching her.  Amanda tried to tell herself she was only being paranoid, but that’s when she noticed her curtains blowing in the wind. The window was closed when she arrived home, but now it was open!

            Feeling panic rise, she quickly slammed the window shut.  Maybe the wind just pushed it open?  That feeling was still there though, like someone was watching the inside of her apartment.  It’s possible Sue woke up while she was showering and wandered around.  It wouldn’t hurt to check.  Amanda went to Sue’s bedroom door and tapped on it lightly.

            “Sue?” she whispered, “Sue are you awake?”

            There was no response.  In fact Amanda couldn’t hear anything at all.  Sue had a delicate snore when she slept, so where was it?  Amanda decided to open the door and peek inside.  Her heart stopped and a scream was erupting from the pit of her stomach.  Sue was sprawled onto her bed over the covers in her dark blue nightshirt, with ruby red blood soaking her neck, face, and pillow. 

            Amanda screamed bloody murder and stumbled backwards.  She felt her back press against another body.  Before she could run or see who it was, a hand covered her mouth and the other held a death grip across her arms and chest.  The next thing she felt were teeth sinking into her neck.  Teeth?  Who was this?

A breeze woke Amanda up from her trance.  She sat up feeling panic all over again.  Why was she so frightened?  What happened?  The living room window was open again.  She was lying on the carpet in her bathrobe.  There was a throbbing pain in her neck, but when Amanda ran her hand across the spot there was nothing there.  Something scared her, but she couldn’t remember what it was! The only thing she could think of was this strong desire to...

 Kaya needs to be here in Vegas… Kaya needed to be here in Vegas… Kaya needed to be here in Vegas her brain roared.  For some reason that was the only way this fear would go away. Call Kaya… Call Kaya.

            Sue’s door was ajar.  Amanda crawled towards it and saw a flashback; blood everywhere on Sue’s face. Now though, all she saw was Sue on her bed, pale and quiet like a ghost.  Amanda slowly approached her motionless roommate and felt Sue’s pulse.  Her hands were shaking, but she could tell already that Sue was dead.  Amanda instantly thought off all her friends in Ghaor and how they died looking fairly similar.  No way, no way could this be the same thing that killed Sue?

            Amanda whimpered, and ran to her phone.  Before she called the police, she dialed my number.  My message machine answered.

            “Kaya!  Please call me back soon as you get this.  My roommate is…she… Kaya she’s dead!  She was fine when I left the apartment, but she looks pale and a lot like Mr. Wright when he died from the illness… I know you’re going through a lot right now… but Kaya I need you!  I need to see you!” Amanda sobbed, “I don’t want to die! I don’t want you or Ricky to die!”

           

..................................................................................................................

           

           

           Well the secret is out.  Book two (if you hadn't already guessed from the promo book title) Kaya and friends are going to be taking a visit to... 

Nevada! Good guess ya'll.  Sin City (book 2) is changing it up quite a bit!  No this is not going to be a parody of The Hangover.
Book 2 is digging up characters that you didn't get a whole lot of action in book 1.  The nifty part about having so many small characters is that you can totally mess with you plot whenever you want!  Poor Amanda... We all thought she was safe and away from the drama in Idaho.  Well we'll see shall we?

I am looking forward to it!  You know how sometimes when you watch the first episode of a new season and you're kind of like eh... not sure bout this. THEN the next few episodes you warm up to it and BAM! Solid fan.

I'm not hinting or anything ;)
BUT I did enjoy writing book two much more than the first!  Can't wait for the future series!

ReVamped

I cannot tell you how nervous I was to click the "Publish Your EBook" link.  Holy cow! In all honesty it is much easier than having to be rejected by several publishers and be forced to hand over gobs of money with an unlikely chance you'll receive half that money back after selling... But you know what, that's what it's going to take someday!  Don't write for the money... Write because you love writing.

Yes I do plan on making some of my books hard copies.  For now, while I'm still getting my feet wet, I'm going to be blowing up Amazon with my series of EBooks!

This series I've concocted is something unique with a well known theme. Ironic you say? Yes the supernatural stories have invaded the teen/young adult section for years now!  Like a plague! That got me to thinking... Taylor why on earth would writing a book on vampires be a good idea?  It's like white noise ever since Twilight came out. (No offense, met Stephanie she's a doll).

That's where many of us are wrong.  Vampire stories have been around since FOREVER.  They even start from the medieval period.  While we're digging up old graves, let's give a hand to Bram Stoker's Dracula.  Granted that was only in 1897, but what a way to bring vampires into literature.

The thing about Vampire stories... they never die.  Sometimes you'll be seeing what's new at Barnes & Noble or checking out what your friends are into and you just want to scream, "have we not beaten this subject to death!" Fact is, no you haven't.  Even once the hype has calmed down a bit, somehow it will ALWAYS be revamped.

Vampires are immortal beings, and so is their tale.  You can't kill them, and sadly you never will. Why? Because you love it.  Yes, even when it seems "too main stream", people like this stuff.  Everyone's infected by the dark and seductive nature of Vampire books.

Is it overdone? Yes.  Is it all your kids are ever reading or watching now days? Probably.  If I haven't turned you off already, just wait until I tell you what my book is about.

Vampires!

My series is in first person, narrated by Kaya, our poor main character thrown into chaos starting from the get-go.  I can't tell you how much fun it is to write these characters.  Their relationships with one another have a sarcastic, playful, and almost realistic vibe to them.

I write each book relatively short.  I'm talking you could finish one in a day or two.  That's just how I like them!  They keep you interested the whole way through.  It's fast paced, and it will leave you excited for the next one to come out.

This is my vision anyway.  It's been an amazing experience being able to publish something that's mine.  I had a lot of help from friends and family along the way!  LOVE YOU ALL!

Give the series a try... It can't kill you ;)