Authors: Cyndi Goodgame
Son of Ra
l
Book Tw
o
l
Marked Like Me Series
o
Cyndi Goodgame
Also by Cyndi Goodgame
(Fey Court Trilogy)
Deception Book One
Tainted Book Two
Betrayal Book Three
Guardian (Companion to Deception)
Mary Never Had a Lamb, She Was the Lamb (Twisted Paranormal Nursery Rhymes)
(Goblin’s Kiss Series)
Denial Book One
Yield Book Two
(Marked Like Me Series)
Orion Book One
Scorpion Book Three
Daughter of Anat Book Four
Shadow Queen Book Five
Protector (Companion Novella to Marked Like Me)
(Under Cover Series)
Under Cover Book One
© November 2012 Cyndi Goodgame
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without prior written permission of the publisher. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Acknowledgements go to the various authors of classic fiction who wrote so eloquently that their words have become easy to quote in today’s written word. Without inspriration from you, one cannot hope to write their own ideas. Thanks goes to all those who made this book come together. You know who you are!
ISBN: 1481018426 ASIN: B00A9LOZB0
[1. Supernatural-Fiction. 2. Vampires. 3. Valkyries. 4. Werewolves. 5. Hunters. 6. Gods and Goddesses. 7. Constellations 8.. High School-Fiction]
Email Cyndi at
[email protected]
You can reach Cyndi on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/scgoodgame
You can reach Cyndi at her website/blog at
http://goodgamebooks.wordpress.com
Follow Cyndi Goodgame on
www.goodreads.com
where she blogs weekly and reads as much as she writes.
Follow Cyndi on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cyndigoodgameauthor
Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/scgoodgame
/
Google+:
http://gplus.to/cyndigoodgame
Summary:
Anastacia is on the precipice of a larger scheme than she could ever have imagined. The Hunter school proved she wasn’t just on a single mission to save her brother alone, but being led to a faction war that isn’t under
her
control.
Or is it?
Lord Cross of the Vampire faction is her savior on the night of her eighteenth birthday party where it has been announced that she will be taken or killed by the same enemy who kidnapped her brother. The same Lord Cross that is rumored to be a callus evil man.
But feelings change.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Madeleine L’Engle, Sir Walter Scott, E.B. White, Charlotte Bronte, William Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Yoda, Socrates, George Washington, Lewis Carrol, Thomas Edison, Henry David Thoreau, T.H. White, and Abraham Lincoln. Without the contributions and guidance of the great writers from the classics in my youth, I’d have never been privy to their wisdom in the trials and tribulations that life brings about.
Prologue
The futures we predict never ever turn out the way we planned…entirely.
Chapter One
…if I could be absolutely certain…
Calum was my official superhero. I’d never have been here without him. This birthday party was going south in a hurry.
I felt the anger of many getting closer and then I saw my father. He was here! His hands clasped together, he turned and I saw who was behind him. Szar!
“What is going on? We saved him to have him brought by my own father. I just called him. He was safe at the court!”
“Just stay still till we get a feel for what and who is here,” Calum hissed.
I caught movement coming from both sides. I saw deep voice coming from the left and several eerie characters going right. A tall man, my age, pale and dark haired came towards me. He was a Vampire. He made my stomach twist up in knots emitting the signal of recognition. I
should
have never let him go.
Common sense told me what and where to find more. I looked to my left. Yep! Weres!
We stood there in a circle fashion surrounded by so many nonHunters. Weapons in every direction waiting to be drawn, some already. Swords, daggers, spears, bows, knives, slingshots, and I even caught sight of a whip device with little spikes covering it on one of the Were bodyguard dudes.
Calum whispered to my ear, “How many can you take?”
“If I'm hidden, many. If they move in stealth mode and attack from behind, then it is just sparring to me. I can take maybe two, no more than three at a time.” He nodded grimly. “Calum, I’m not that versatile.”
“Even if our lives depended on it?”
Well, put that way! I found Maze in the crowd handing Liz and several others various weapons. Lee, the same. My friends should not have to do this. I was reconsidering the stupid plan I thought would be just dandy, but now staring in the face of danger it seemed the absolute worst I’ve ever concocted. It seemed Maze hadn't kept the attack a secret. Not enough were screaming.
“We are here to sacrifice the virgin princess. She will take her brother’s place or they will both die,” a voice from the dark spoke.
Liar! The part about my being a virgin was thankfully true but hardly needed to be news for public display. I caught sight of Szar being hustled through the crowd. My father was off to the side, a forlorn look of dread across his face. I saw Dr. Green and Dr. Quinn both glued to a far corner and watching. Borgon, deep voice from the warehouse, and two others were now standing too close to me staring me down like I’m an animal. They want me to take his place, right! They want all of us dead so they can stop the prophecy and take our courts. This thought just slammed me in the face. The three men standing here. One, Borgon, who I know now is a defected Hunter. The other two with him were either Hunter humans and I was fast ruling out human, or some other mix. They both had the features of a Hunter and if I am not mistaken, Elf. I have only read about them. They all stared at me with a fire in their eyes like I might witch out on them and turn them to frogs.
How in the world am I going to save us all?
Calum moved to cover me. “And you too Hunter, your crown awaits but you’ll never see it.”
“Crown?” several shouted. Apparently we were all thinking the same.
Calum spoke to the rogue Hunter standing beside Borgon who’d just spoken, “What do you mean?”
“You should ask him?” the younger looking rogue pointed to Dr. Green. Next thing I know, Calum was interrogating his father and finding out that Dr. Green himself was the rightful heir next in line for the Hunter court in front of all so that it was out in the open. I didn’t get it. Calum knew this. Was he stalling?
I was preoccupied with the wrong parts of the crowd moving closer to me with every passing minute. I eyed my tall dark and Vamp dude in the shadowy sidelines where he was unnoticed by all but me. I could feel him. It was the same Vamp I’d tied up, I was sure of it. He was only five feet away from me now. My mouth quivered unexpectedly wondering just how close he could get. If he was a Vampire, he could run to his Vampire leader, Lord of evil, guy named Cross. Our factions could never be in unity if his cruelty led the way. No, I may not have witnessed such cruelty, but the girls at court spoke of it often in their gossip. They said he doesn’t tolerate rogues and wayward souls of his kind. I didn’t know their crimes, but from the rumors, he doesn’t always either.
Dr. Green lost all color in his face. I saw his eyes scan Calum’s hand and then sweep over to my ring that was tucked safely inside my top knowing I had it safe.
“Fathers shouldn’t keep secrets, then again only a father who was true perhaps would tell the truth unless he is protecting something important to him,” Borgon sneered.
Freaking riddles!
“What is he talking about?” Calum asked Dr. Green.
Finally he spoke looking at the ground at first, “I am not your father. I was told your father died before you were born and your mother came to me one night desperate for somewhere to go. They would have killed her and you if I hadn’t hidden you. I’ve helped to keep you protected all these years. That is until they found what they wanted involving the two of you. I just wanted you to be the one beside her so you could rule.” Dr. Green motioned to me.
“If you were found, then she would be sought out. They found her four years ago. They found you this last Fall. The information was fed to them by none other than our own.” His eyes shot to Lee. “Now it’s all in motion.”
Lee ratted me out all those years ago. Did he know? I searched the crowd for his face. I couldn’t tell if he was in shock from the truth being told or the announcement of his treason. I let out a slow hiss holding back my need to avenge myself.
“You’re coming with me my little Kissa,” the dark haired vamp signaled the other Vampire goons and Were goons to move away. Vamps did. Were’s didn’t. One in particular looked like he was fighting him to get to me.
They headed my way. I tightened my stance. Calum was beside me and moved in closer. I can’t fight like this. He’ll have to step forward. By now the crowd of Hunter students were most likely in a stunned silent at what was taking place. I’m sure it all appeared to be a staged performance except every Hunter in the place will have their Hunter spidy sense on guard. Not all of us are Hunters.
A pain shot through me. Goon one was advancing and grabbing my arm. With surprise, I lopped him off a chunk of arm flesh in one fell swoop and doubled around side-kicking the other goon into the table. Calum was on the move now taking out several Vamp goons coming at us. It was like watching a group of rabid dogs lose their directional skills and being slaughtered.
Head Vamp dude stepped closer to me. The corner of my eye caught Lee carting off a goon and lugging a now bad leg towards me now. Even Lee’s best shot slingshot were missing a few targets. He nailed another goon and fell against me on the table. I haven’t even managed to fight much from all the defending me business, and I wasn’t sure I wanted Lee defending me now.
Calum was moving so fast he was nearly a blur in my eyes. Anyone else would be shredded by now. The Were Calum was fighting was like smoke. He moved in and out without a hair out of place while Calum showed signs of sweat forming on his brow, though clearly not tiring in any way.
With Lee covering me like toothpaste, I watched as Calum swung the final blow down into the Were chest and it stilled. When will I get to fight? And who are the good guys and who are the bad? I can’t tell anymore from the way they were moving. My abilities were all built around stealth and surprise, not brawling.
I heard my father telling and turned to see his face was red and aimed to the Vamp dude whom hovered to close. I decided to make my own moves regardless of who was ordering who. Years back, I received a gift for my birthday I still carried, but had never used. I countered Lee and struck the ground with my wonderful sharp little star given to me by my supposed friend of four years ago. Guess that was a lie too. I danced with him sideways, enjoyed his face at seeing the very item strike him, and hooked left wrapping my blade into a Vamp goon crawling towards me on the leg.
His blood ran black against the night flames dripping from my #4 blade that struck the ground and I wiped it away on the grass.
With two knives now, I waited patiently for the two opposite warriors, one Were, one Vamp menacing upon me with their razor sharp teeth and extended clawed hands. They kept their backs to me more than a set offense. Cold and calculative, every bit a threat. Except, they didn’t look like they wanted to attack me, but attack the rest. I thought it was strange.
Blood was running down my cheek from the previous hit. With a snarled gargling laugh the Were renegade running amuck tried to grab me around the middle but crumbled in my blade dead while I swept my feet out landing the Vamp goon writhing beside me with a blade in his arm. I pulled it out quick not willing to sacrifice another blade. I heard a gasp from my still standing Were dude who watched me. He was in shock that I killed his Were friend. Only two had died so far, and that was by Calum and me. I didn’t know myself.