I don't know about you, but I always appreciate reading snippets or excerpts from novels to get the feel of the writing style and the storyline. So, today I decided to provide a taste of Moon Blood, Book 2. Let me know what you think, won't you?
Here goes:
I sniffed the ground as Kane inhaled the air to follow the pack’s scent. Using our vampire speed, we were upon them in mere minutes. Twenty werewolves, sworn vampire enemies, surrounded them.
Thor, Chase, Gaspar, Fergus, and Joker stood, hind quarters together, circling and growling, as their attackers hovered around them.
Kane leaped over several of the predators and landed in the circle next to Thor. I followed.
“For what reason do you threaten these innocent wolves on private property?” He crouched low as he spoke.
I snarled and glared, circling my wolf uncles, who had all given up their kindred status along with their master Snow Blood and Nova, my parents.
The largest of the werewolves stepped closer and matched my master’s height. He shook his black coat, and his yellow eyes glowed. His words filled my thoughts. I am Alemain, leader of this pack. Why are you here? Where is the master vampire, Brogio? I call upon him to fight me to the death!
Kane straightened and laughed. He spoke aloud so that our wolf family could follow along. “Well, Alemain, behind the times, aren’t you?”
The werewolf edged another step. What do you mean, bloodsucker?
Kane’s brown eyes turned a threatening red as he spoke. “Brogio and his family have been granted their humanness by God, the Father.”
Alemain’s yellow eyes widened. You lie, scum of the earth.
I stepped to Kane’s side and showed my fangs. Saliva dripped from my jowls. I felt my body beginning to transform into my inner demon. I enlarged. My shaggy white hair turned black and evil. My claws and fangs extended.
“Mess with him or his family, and you will die.” Kane’s face contorted and widened. His fangs dropped, and his red eyes glowed at Alemain. “Neither my kindred wolf nor I will let harm come to them. They are no longer of concern to you. I am the first blood son and the oldest living vampire and sire to the kindred line.”
Then, YOU will die. Alemain leaped at Kane, who with his lightning-fast speed easily avoided him.
His attacker swirled, and his werewolf pack moved closer. I ran around the perimeter of their circle, reached out, and bit the front leg of one of them. While I hadn’t inherited Snow Blood’s daylight ability, I did get his toxic bite that rendered anyone I attacked dead in seconds. The werewolf began to shake, white foam pouring from his open mouth, and he collapsed, dead before he hit the ground.
The rest of the pack backed away as I ran the circle snarling. None of them were willing to chance my bite after my demonstration and my terrifying demeanor.
I turned just in time to see the pack leader take a swipe with his claws, barely missing Kane’s face. Kane flipped backward and taunted his opponent. “What’s the matter, Alemain? Can’t keep up?”
The pack leader leaped at Kane again, and this time, Kane stepped aside and delivered a crushing blow to the back of Alemain’s head. Stunned, the werewolf staggered but swirled and went for Kane’s left arm.
Kane leaped over him and left long, jagged claw marks from Alemain’s stomach to his shoulder. The werewolf roared in pain.
Kane, who had the ability to transform into any creature, grew to ten feet and morphed into the largest grizzly bear I could imagine. One large clawed paw swiped Alemain’s head, taking off half of it. The leader fell in the new-fallen Nova Scotia snow. Kane the bear then picked up the werewolf’s body and tore it in half, throwing each half into the surrounding trees. Our wolves’ mates quickly sprang from their hiding places and tore the rest of the body to pieces.
The bear and I both turned and crouched at the remaining werewolf pack. I leaped forward and snarled, and they scattered and ran.
I let go of my anger and transformed back into my own body as I watched the bear become my master. His body shrank to his normal six-foot-five. His claws and fangs receded, and his face slowly brought forth his strong jaw and nose and handsome visage. When he had become the bear, his clothes had been torn to shreds. He stood naked, his muscular body reflected in the moonlight.
He shot a glance at me. You could have been killed, Moon. Werewolf venom is poison to us. What were you thinking running so close to them?
Even though I felt grateful he communicated telepathically and didn’t chastise me in front of my wolf uncles, I snapped back, If I hadn’t, you would have been overrun by all of them. I sat back on my haunches and licked a paw.
He ran a hand through his long, dark-brown hair and sighed. You’re right. I need to realize you can take care of yourself.
Before I could respond, Joker smashed into my side and knocked me to the ground. His yapping at me and licking my face brought the rest of the pack over to lick and roll me around.
Thor jumped up and washed Kane’s face.
They are expressing their thanks. Kane smiled as he spoke.
The pack left me on the ground and knocked Kane down, giving his face and arms a thorough washing.
Kane laughed out loud and waved his arms to rub a head, a leg, or whatever he could grab.
Even though they are no longer kindred and can’t communicate with us telepathically, Kane can read all their thoughts, as well as my parents’. I have yet to develop that ability thoroughly, only getting glimpses of thoughts.
I stood up and waited for him to rise from the ground. He continued to give each of the wolves a thorough petting.
I looked at him pointedly. Perhaps we should stick around for a while to protect our family?
He stroked his chin as he always did when he contemplated. We must wait for James, anyway. But, when he arrives, if it’s the actual vampire leader of our line they want, we should lead them away from here. What better place than Italy? Besides, I don’t know how long it will be before the police connect me to the explosion and deaths in Los Angeles and track me here.
I snorted the snow out of my nose. I thought that’s why we sprinted here so that we didn’t leave a trail for the authorities. In an escape from predators who wished to use us for evil, Kane had destroyed them in an explosion. One of them had been a famous rocket company’s CEO.
Yes, but why take a chance? He turned to go and noticed the body of the werewolf I had killed.
The dead werewolf had transformed into his human form. Kane whirled around to Thor. “Can you and your pack ensure that this body is unidentifiable?”
With a nod of his head, Thor and the rest of the pack and their mates tore into the body.
Come on, let’s go back to the house.
I followed as the sounds of gnashing teeth, growling, and the ripping of flesh littered the air with utter decimation.
That's it for now! Stay tuned for another one later. But, want to read more inside the book? go to Amazon here.
Til Next Time,
Carol
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