Chapter1
Aaliya
Somehow it never alters; it just plays over and over behind my eyes, haunting every conscious fragment of my mind.
I’m always running, running for my life. I gulp in deep lungfuls of cold air. My bare feet pound on the forest floor, ignoring the sharp undergrowth that stabs at me. I knew I had to live through this. Nothing else mattered.
As long as I could dodge the bullets and outrun whatever breed of dog were three steps behind my heels.
Above me the moon was almost sympathetic, but its sympathy could not save me, and neither could the strong beat of the owl’s tawny wings. I’m always terrified with an ache in my chest that makes my lungs burn. I was lost. Still, my arms pumped by my sides, my feet crashed through damp undergrowth.
A bullet whizzed past my ear. I could hear the dog’s laboured breathing and snarling right behind me, the echo of their paws smashing on the twigs and the dead leaves beneath them. I burst through the trees, chest heaving.
I skid to a halt, breathless with every muscle and bone screaming in agony. Then I’m tumbling... the ground rushing up to meet me.
Dark. Complete darkness...
Blink. Blinding light that glares down at me; that hates my existence. I try to turn away, but I can’t. Throbbing pain explodes behind my eyes, blurry shapes and colours dance idly, then steal my shaky, hollow breaths. I squint up from where I’m slumped against a cold, hard wall.
He’s across the room, tubby with evil beady eyes that refuse to look any place other than me, huddled pathetically in a corner. My skin crawls as he steps closer, his mouth moving to form words that I don’t hear.
They mean nothing.
After all, I’m too busy dying.
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Our Blood Is Tainted
FantasyHer mother named her Aaliya, after the great Vampire and Werewolf Queens of old. That itself is bad enough. Cue the murder of her mother, absence of her paranormal father, the full moon Eclipse that threatens to take her brothers humanity, her upsid...
