Announcing the title of the second book in the Twin Soul Novels series, sequel to Lilith. Fateless is full of heartache, bloodshed, relationship issues and love. Here is the opening chapter, hope you enjoy it.
Excerpt of Fateless!
With a gasping breath, I stared at my sleep tousled reflection in the vanity mirror across the room, my breathing hitched and shallow. The eyes staring back were not the green I was born with but the black of shadows belonging to the demon soul existing deep
within me. They were wide and confused. I had not dreamed of my home in York, nor my parents, for many years. There could be only one explanation for it.
Raum was playing with my memories again.
A sound had woken me, a rustle or thud, I was not sure, but my over active instincts refused calm until I knew for sure nothing was in the room with me. Sat amongst the rumpled duvet on my bed, I searched the floor for an unworldly enemy. I took in the outlines of every piece of furniture; the wardrobe, vanity table and bedside drawers. The four post bed loomed high above, the drapes tied back with velvet straps. I even checked for slithering creatures on the carpet and boogie men hiding behind the open door of the en suite.
Eventually my heart returned to its regular rhythm, having found nothing threatening.
I pulled on a long shirt and crept to the bedroom door, opening it carefully to avoid creaks. The living area stretched out ominously in the gloom of the early hours of morning. Rain battered against the windows, behind the heavy purple curtains. I was ready to believe the rain had been the cause of the noises that had roused me, until Lilith shook off sleep and raised her helpful head to offer sharper hearing and clearer vision.
The sounds were inside the apartment, somewhere behind the sparse furnishings of the living area. Taking another step in to the room, the kitchen and breakfast bar came in to focus along with a strange glow, the distortion of air and flickering shadows. Heavy
breathing rattled wetly; growls and snarls travelled through the room to run up my spine.
Shit, I cursed.
Another eventful night, Lilith said apathetically.
Moving further in to the room, I sent out a trickle of power, feeling for anything foreign. In the dark corners and rippling murkiness, Shadow demons skittered from place to place. The little gossips were always listening, always watching and moving between worlds. Their tense chittering was barely audible; I doubted a full blooded human would hear it. The strange language they shared was
impossible to decipher without a little demonic help. I didn’t enjoy having them running around my apartment freely but they worked for Rowan, they were here on his command to help keep us safe. Shadow demons were great early warning alarms when the bad guys came knocking. I could already feel their nervous energy, telling me they were not happy.
Neither was I.
Another pained growl echoed through the gloom, accelerating the beat of my heart. I moved past the sofa and saw a dark figure crouched on the tiled floor in front of the fridge. Through the wavering air, I could see the flicker of something human, then it shuddered and became a monster. A demon. Oily black feathers covered a deformed body. Crow-like black eyes searched frantically for something I could not see. Cracked, dry lips snarled as taloned hands screeched against the floor. The sound sent shivers running from the back of my jaw to the tips of my bare toes, raising goosebumps along the way.
“Calum?” I whispered.
The demon turned towards me and for a second it was human, the young man I knew. It didn’t last long. The demon enfolding his human soul took over. Spittle dripped from his mouth. Sharpened teeth grew until his lips could no longer hold them back and they were forced to curl over, splitting them open. Blood ran in rivulets down his chin to stain the glossy feathers covering his chest and stomach.
“Raum,” I said his name firmly.
Crow eyes found mine and narrowed. His head was free of feathers; leaving raw looking skin exposed to the cold weather of the human world. He stood in a fluid movement, gripping the granite breakfast bar with sharp talons, gouging chunks out of the counter with a sickening screech that sent my nerves ringing.
"You must stop this and relinquish your hold on Calum. You know it won’t last.”
“Yet, here I am. Here I have been all night.”
I held out my hand, gesturing to the sore state of his head. “And look what it’s doing to you. It’s damaging your true form. Calum will never stop challenging you, trust me.”
“Trust is a human concept.”
“Either way, I speak the truth. Your time in control of the young boy becomes shorter and shorter as the days pass.”
"He relies on you to call on his humanity,” said Raum with a flashing glint of malice in those black eyes.“I kill you and he will have nothing to hold on to in this world. He will be mine.”
"Don’t be so sure.”
Even though I poured confidence in to my voice I still took a step backwards. I was unarmed. The only thing between us was a sofa. If it came to a fight I needed enough of a head start to get to a gun. Wounding him would be enough to call Calum back; I had done it before....if I could make it to the bedroom in time.
Lilith appeared in my mind, her voluptuous body naked and throbbing with power. Firm breasts gave way to a slim waist and heavy hips, golden hair cascaded over one shoulder and large blue eyes consumed most of her face. She was both beautiful and terrifying; a Goddess from your most pleasurable dreams and your worst nightmares.
I didn’t realise, until I heard Raum’s sharp intake of breath, that she had called enough power to become visible. His eyes, though angry, were heated and distracted.
Lilith, what are you doing?
You need to bring him under control, she said.
I refuse to have sex with Calum.
She rolled our eyes, Raum is not Calum.
I gave her impatient thoughts. Raum exists within Calum’s body. I won’t force this on him.
I doubt he would mind.
No, Lilith.
within me. They were wide and confused. I had not dreamed of my home in York, nor my parents, for many years. There could be only one explanation for it.
Raum was playing with my memories again.
A sound had woken me, a rustle or thud, I was not sure, but my over active instincts refused calm until I knew for sure nothing was in the room with me. Sat amongst the rumpled duvet on my bed, I searched the floor for an unworldly enemy. I took in the outlines of every piece of furniture; the wardrobe, vanity table and bedside drawers. The four post bed loomed high above, the drapes tied back with velvet straps. I even checked for slithering creatures on the carpet and boogie men hiding behind the open door of the en suite.
Eventually my heart returned to its regular rhythm, having found nothing threatening.
I pulled on a long shirt and crept to the bedroom door, opening it carefully to avoid creaks. The living area stretched out ominously in the gloom of the early hours of morning. Rain battered against the windows, behind the heavy purple curtains. I was ready to believe the rain had been the cause of the noises that had roused me, until Lilith shook off sleep and raised her helpful head to offer sharper hearing and clearer vision.
The sounds were inside the apartment, somewhere behind the sparse furnishings of the living area. Taking another step in to the room, the kitchen and breakfast bar came in to focus along with a strange glow, the distortion of air and flickering shadows. Heavy
breathing rattled wetly; growls and snarls travelled through the room to run up my spine.
Shit, I cursed.
Another eventful night, Lilith said apathetically.
Moving further in to the room, I sent out a trickle of power, feeling for anything foreign. In the dark corners and rippling murkiness, Shadow demons skittered from place to place. The little gossips were always listening, always watching and moving between worlds. Their tense chittering was barely audible; I doubted a full blooded human would hear it. The strange language they shared was
impossible to decipher without a little demonic help. I didn’t enjoy having them running around my apartment freely but they worked for Rowan, they were here on his command to help keep us safe. Shadow demons were great early warning alarms when the bad guys came knocking. I could already feel their nervous energy, telling me they were not happy.
Neither was I.
Another pained growl echoed through the gloom, accelerating the beat of my heart. I moved past the sofa and saw a dark figure crouched on the tiled floor in front of the fridge. Through the wavering air, I could see the flicker of something human, then it shuddered and became a monster. A demon. Oily black feathers covered a deformed body. Crow-like black eyes searched frantically for something I could not see. Cracked, dry lips snarled as taloned hands screeched against the floor. The sound sent shivers running from the back of my jaw to the tips of my bare toes, raising goosebumps along the way.
“Calum?” I whispered.
The demon turned towards me and for a second it was human, the young man I knew. It didn’t last long. The demon enfolding his human soul took over. Spittle dripped from his mouth. Sharpened teeth grew until his lips could no longer hold them back and they were forced to curl over, splitting them open. Blood ran in rivulets down his chin to stain the glossy feathers covering his chest and stomach.
“Raum,” I said his name firmly.
Crow eyes found mine and narrowed. His head was free of feathers; leaving raw looking skin exposed to the cold weather of the human world. He stood in a fluid movement, gripping the granite breakfast bar with sharp talons, gouging chunks out of the counter with a sickening screech that sent my nerves ringing.
"You must stop this and relinquish your hold on Calum. You know it won’t last.”
“Yet, here I am. Here I have been all night.”
I held out my hand, gesturing to the sore state of his head. “And look what it’s doing to you. It’s damaging your true form. Calum will never stop challenging you, trust me.”
“Trust is a human concept.”
“Either way, I speak the truth. Your time in control of the young boy becomes shorter and shorter as the days pass.”
"He relies on you to call on his humanity,” said Raum with a flashing glint of malice in those black eyes.“I kill you and he will have nothing to hold on to in this world. He will be mine.”
"Don’t be so sure.”
Even though I poured confidence in to my voice I still took a step backwards. I was unarmed. The only thing between us was a sofa. If it came to a fight I needed enough of a head start to get to a gun. Wounding him would be enough to call Calum back; I had done it before....if I could make it to the bedroom in time.
Lilith appeared in my mind, her voluptuous body naked and throbbing with power. Firm breasts gave way to a slim waist and heavy hips, golden hair cascaded over one shoulder and large blue eyes consumed most of her face. She was both beautiful and terrifying; a Goddess from your most pleasurable dreams and your worst nightmares.
I didn’t realise, until I heard Raum’s sharp intake of breath, that she had called enough power to become visible. His eyes, though angry, were heated and distracted.
Lilith, what are you doing?
You need to bring him under control, she said.
I refuse to have sex with Calum.
She rolled our eyes, Raum is not Calum.
I gave her impatient thoughts. Raum exists within Calum’s body. I won’t force this on him.
I doubt he would mind.
No, Lilith.