Salvation's Kiss

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Salvation's Kiss - book excerpt

Prologue

There is no denying it. Hearing it is the year 224 can be quite confusing, especially if you don’t know the real truth of history. But I am not talking B.C. or A.D. No, I am talking O.D. or Óla Dei, meaning ‘all seen’. It’s also, quite aptly, the abbreviation used for an overdose, which is something we all experienced a few hundred years ago, an overdose of the unseen. Our world forever changed, but you won’t find that in your history books.

Before our year counter reset, your time ended, or at least it did for us. You continued on, unaware of what actually happened, and if my tales make it out of this region, then no doubt they will be passed over as fable, but this is our truth, this world is our truth.

As with most ends, it came as a complete force of devastation. The Doomsday clock leapt to midnight and the world as we knew it ended. But it wasn’t missiles flying or chemicals assailing the sky, it was those who had existed unseen amongst us since the beginning, stepping into the light and making themselves known. These creatures, beings thought only to be spun from the minds of fablers like myself, had grown weary of living in the shadows, hiding their true nature, and Mankind fell to them in the blink of an eye and a new order was forced upon us.

But things changed too quickly, and the devastation was too great. That was when the Perennials came. Remember the story of how man obtained fire? Remember the gods of old? That was actually the Perennials. Invoking their powerful magics, these beings sacrificed themselves to rewrite history, turning back the clock for many minds and reaching into the great source of all to ensure no one your side would remember the truth.

They took it upon themselves to banish our land, remove it from sight and history, and seal within it as many of the creatures from your myths and legends as they could gather. Certain people in your history have worked alongside them, hunting these beings and directing their fate accordingly, sometimes relocating them to the island of Mython.

The problem is, Mython is a big island, and those of us here still have tales and books detailing the true history in all its horrific glory. Having seen how creatures had ravished the land, suffice to say our beginning was not an era of peace and harmony.

While the world outside had forgotten we had ever existed and moved into their new century, we eventually, through wars, rebellions and negotiations, found our own balance of sorts; one that is maintained by the most powerful of each race, those with Elder blood coursing through their veins.

Our country is divided into territories, each with its own elected leader who reports issues of note to the council, a collection of thirteen species predominately consisting of Elder bloodlines from the main preternatural lines such as shifter, fey, vampire, magical innate, elementals, celestials and so on. Humans were of course included, but we elect our own representatives just as any clan without such a sovereign did. The only missing faction is the Perennial, because none exist any more, at least none that we are aware of. After creating order, in our world and yours, it is said they invoked the last of their magic to seal our land from discovery.

Over two hundred years have passed since the wars died down and an uneasy truce was formed. The balance appears to be working. Now, life has returned to normal, or at least a manner of normal only possible here. Humans and preternatural are sharing space and resources, and the council are doing what is needed to maintain peace.

As I mentioned before, I am a fabler and it is my calling to tell the tales of our people. My name is Kathryn Jayne, and the tale here is just one of the many lives that call to me. Hopefully, what limited powers I have will guide it to your hands. Be it fiction in your eyes or not, these stories must be told.

Chapter 1

Good riddance, Conrad thought, snapping his visor down as he tore down the street on his bike without casting a backwards glance towards his old academy.

Six months ago, if his mother had told him she was taking an assignment in a different territory, he would stayed here and completed his discipline. But now, he would welcome a fresh start, a fresh academy where no one looked at him with vehement hatred. Where no one knew what he was.

Everything had been going fine. He and Rei had been happy, or at least he thought they had been. Sure, he had known she was a banshee; in fact, that had been part of the allure that drew him towards her in the first place. He had accepted her without question, without hesitation, and she had hung on his arm savouring every party invite and social escalation that came with being his girlfriend. Maybe that was all he had been to her, a way to rise through the social ranks, but if that was the case, why did she have to ruin him?

‘Horrific, unlovable, monstrous.’ The words echoed through his mind as he drove past the park where they used to walk hand in hand. He hadn’t realised she didn’t know what he was, that it would have made such a difference. That day, when she asked to see his other-self, she had destroyed him.

His friends, even those he had known for over twenty years, turned against him in the blink of an eye, joining in with her vicious slander, shunning and shaming him, until everyone kept their distance.

The last six months had been hell. A fresh start was exactly what he needed, and he certainly wouldn’t make the same mistake again. He would finish his discipline, maybe even make a friend or two, but he knew now no one would ever fully accept him and his internal harmony had forever been disrupted.

He revved the bike, taking the corner too fast. Breathe, he reminded himself. It’s over now. But he knew that wasn’t true. He had once been proud of his heritage, of who and what he was. Now, where that pride had once been there was only shame.

* * *

Rain poured from the sky, obscuring almost everything from view. Small islands of visibility, cast by the amber shades of streetlights, created the illusion of falling silver as the fat, speeding droplets streaked past. With the recent string of abductions, even drivers thought better than to be out alone at this time of night, especially in such a torrential downpour.

Ashley breathed warmth into her hands, her breath misting as it escaped her darkening lips in an attempt to blow the sodden rusty strands of hair from her face. Spring was only a few months away, but even with thoughts of summer’s heat, the rain still penetrated her thin uniform with icy precision, despite the protection of her not-so-waterproof jacket.

The forty-minute walk home after her shift was exhausting, especially after spending the day in lectures, but there was little choice. Not if she wanted to pay the bills. Her brother helped where he could, but, as one of those selected to venture beyond the barrier and keep order, to keep the unseen in their place, relocate them here, or dispatch them, he had more than enough to contend with. After their parents’ death he rarely returned, and yet in some ways they had grown closer, still finding time to correspond across the distance between his assignments.

When Ashley had been adopted at the age of six, her new brother, Alex, had always seemed to be frustrated at her about one thing or another. She was always in the wrong place or touching the wrong things. It was only when he held her close as she sobbed at their parents’ graves that she realised how much he actually cared… that the constant ribbing and tormenting was nothing more than a healthy sibling relationship.

Their life insurance had just cleared the remaining mortgage on their three bedroom home, which had been left to the pair of them. Alex insisted they kept the property, that she lived there and saw to its upkeep in his absence. It was a small house, but big enough to hold a lifetime of memories and for a single person to rattle around in, lost to the dark thoughts of the past.

Small slivers of light, escaping from between drawn curtains, began to appear as she left the rain-obscured park she often cut through. Her pace quickened, her sodden shoes squeaking with every step as the water, already soaked into the soles, squelched between her numb toes.

The screeching protest of the rusty gate, marking the end of her journey, berated her for not having managed to treat it yet. It was one of the many small jobs she could do herself, but lately, between her classes and the extra shifts at the care home, free time had become something of a distant memory.

Stifling a yawn, she thrust her trembling hand into the pocket of her saturated jacket, the sodden tissues and receipts within it yet another reminder of a job left undone as she probed for the small key ring. Alex had given her a set of keys to call her own after finding a key chain and earrings that almost matched the tree of life pendant she always wore.

The platinum pendant had once belonged to her birth mother and this, along with a small case, had been the sum of her belongings on the fateful day when she had let go of her mother’s hand and lost her forever.

She hadn’t meant to let go. They had been returning to their seats, but the crowds of people filtering in and out of the train had knocked them apart. She had fought her way through, back towards their seats, but her mother was not there.

The police had searched for her, but as she didn’t know her mother’s name, or their address, or even their destination, there was little that could be done. No matter how hard they looked, they found no record of Ashley, not even her birth. It had been raining like this on that day. The growling of thunder as it rumbled across the sky always brought these memories back.

Key in hand, she opened the door, pulling the handle towards her slightly as she wiggled the key in the stiff lock. Another job for the list. Inside was no warmer than out, but at least it was dry. Shutting the door, she kicked the bottom panel to force the swollen wood back into place before securing the bolts and shedding her shoes.

A quick glance at her watch revealed it to be a little after midnight. The nursing home, knowing she needed all the extra hours she could get, often requested her to stay to help the night shift until eleven when any of their regulars called in sick.

Peeling her wet coat from her bare arms, she reminded herself to visit the sick carer. With the most recent outbreak of what the government were calling Pyrexia Blight, or PB for short, many people were becoming sick. But Ashley knew there was more to this disease than the factions admitted. They had to call it something, but she knew its true source and it was unlikely to be disclosed, not unless mass panic was the intention. Even she hadn’t shared the truth with anyone outside her circle.

Flicking the radiators onto timer, the boiler rattled into life, groaning in protest at being made to work. The sodden clothes clung to her stinging skin as she peeled them off, placing them inside the washing machine before grabbing a towel from the laundry basket to wrap around herself. With a slight sigh, she picked the basket up, propping it on her hip as she navigated the narrow staircase. The protesting of her limbs as she made the climb only served to confirm she was too exhausted to put it away; if it was upstairs, at least it was a little closer.

The warmth from the shower soon turned her pale skin red as it returned heat to her frigid body. Exhausted, she relished in the soft sensation as her pyjamas teased her flesh with their whisper-soft touch. With a dry towel placed across her pillow, she huddled into bed, not even bothering to comb her rust-coloured locks as she surrendered herself to the warmth of the blankets before taking a look at the picture pinned to her wall.

A few more weeks and the bicycle would be hers. Granted, it wouldn’t be the flashy one she looked upon to remind herself why she was saving her extra pennies, but Ethel Huston—the owner of the second-hand and curio store—had been taking payments on the one now reserved in the back for months.

No sooner had her head touched the pillow when a small vibration at her wrist startled her. Her heavy eyelids raised as her gaze turned to her watch, a smile lifting her tired features as she saw a message from Tess, asking if she was home safe. Sending a quick reply, she looked to the slimline watch again. It was easily the most expensive thing she owned, a gift from the very person who had just checked up on her. With thoughts of her closest friend, her eyes finally succumbed to the tired weight of another full day and she drifted into a restful sleep.

* * *

The lunch hall was crowded, as usual. Small tables were shoved aside and pulled together to segregate people into their cliques and clans, while the sounds of rumbustious laughter and the latest gossip and trends mingled with the undertones of study. Ashley had entered through the alcove, spying Tess seated in their regular corner as the heavenly aroma of freshly cooked delights assailed her senses, reminding her it was only a few more days until she could once more stock her cupboards.

Living on a shoestring budget was hard, but every saving, no matter how small, brought her closer to the bike. She could live a few more months on dried noodles and canned food, especially if it meant she would find herself with some free time again.

Weaving her way through the mob of lingering students and gathering lunch crowds, she found herself once more savouring the delicious aromas, inhaling deeply as if doing so would sate her burning hunger. With a smile, she dropped into the seat opposite her fair-haired friend with a heavy sigh.

“Late night?” Ashley asked, watching as Tess’s perfectly manicured nails glistened as she raised her hand to stifle a yawn, all too aware that her own tiredness was evident from the dark circles beneath her satin-grey eyes, circles no amount of makeup seemed to hide.

“Someone has to make sure you get home safe.” Tess grinned, taking a sip from her hot drink. “How was class?”

“Honestly? If I have to hear Mister Baker talk about the clan divides for much longer, I won’t need to worry about not sleeping. Seriously, the man could make dragons’ rising sound dull. I mean, he must have slept through the whole thing.” Ashley cleared her throat, adopting the nasally, monotone speech of the only teacher on campus who insisted on being addressed as Mister. “While it is important to consider the effect the clans have on legal jurisdictions, we must also keep in mind the emergence and recognition of the preternaturals’ called for a new order to be established. One which protected everyone.”

“Oh, come on, you do him a discredit, there’s no way he sounded that interesting.” Tess laughed, flicking her silky hair behind her shoulder. Ashley, feeling self-conscious about the pillow-dried, tangled birds-nest she was trying to pass off as a messy bun, adjusted her scrunchy slightly before blowing the loose strands from her eyes.

“Honestly, we grew up listening to this. The clans came about before we were born and the government became nothing more than a collaboration of Elder blood leaders, vampires, shifters, celestials, mages, and whatever. We probably know the ins and outs better than he does. After all, it is all we’ve known.”

“Speaking of our glorious leaders.” Tess lowered her voice, her vision scanning the surroundings for eavesdroppers. Surprise lit her features when she saw Jack. Standing, she lifted her arm, beckoning him over. With a quick, awkward wave, which turned into him pushing his hand through his light-brown hair, he made his way towards them, his freckled face breaking into a smile. “Did you hear the latest? Another person’s gone missing. There’s talk among the lecturers about handing out panic alarms.”

“Same as the others?” Jack questioned. Every time anyone seemed to look at their device these days, they were greeted by another image of a grinning face, the happiness of the victim now a distant memory while the abduction notice pleaded for anyone with information to contact the Blue Coats. Often this held a promise of a small reward for any information which helped with their ongoing investigations. Following each new abduction, another message would circulate from Overton Academy containing the territory’s guidelines on staying safe.

“Yeah, Papa says their chip was disabled at the point of abduction,” she confirmed. Tess’s father was ushering the field of technological advancements into a new era, and was often called upon for assistance when things took an unprecedented turn, such as tamper-proof chips suddenly failing. Over the last few decades it became required to be able to identify people, species, and track movements to ensure compliance to the new preternaturals laws. It was as much for protection as it was a deterrent. Normally, when someone went missing they could be located within minutes.

The chips contained all of a person’s data, from blood type and inoculations, to location tracking and personal details. They were even used to provide secure access to personal accounts and emails, ensuring hacking data and identity theft became a thing of the past.

There had been much protest at first, but now it had become a natural part of society, especially after being readily embraced by the students and trend setters due to the scan and pay functions reducing the need to carry currency, and the cross-compatibility meaning anything they needed was at their fingertips. Forgotten assignments saved on the home network could be accessed as easily as lecture schedules. All they needed to do was pick up and access any device. Ashley found herself unconsciously rubbing her wrist, where even now the faint scar from the implant she received at the time of adoption was visible.

“How’s that even possible? Didn’t you say your dad thought they were hack-proof?”

“That’s why he’s been working late. They are trying to ascertain what it would take for the tracker to be corrupted. That’s just between us though, okay?” she whispered, leaning in towards them.

“You know it,” Ashley and Jack agreed in unison.

“Speaking of secrets,” Jack began, his gaze flicking to Ashley, “I hear our territory’s PB affliction rate is far below the prediction. Do you really think they don’t know what’s causing it? I mean, we can’t be the only ones who’ve figured it out, right?” Jack hooked a chair with his foot, pulling it out to join them sitting. “I understand why they can’t announce the reasons, it would cause unrest among the population, but I hear it’s got pretty bad in other places.”

“They might not know,” Ashley intervened. “The Atelís don’t really cause much harm and, aside from some flu-like symptoms for the first week or so, they go on as normal. It’s when they’re awakened they’ll see a problem, and one thing our chips don’t do is update our blood status. They may genuinely believe it’s a virus.

“Besides, it’s not like I can just go to someone and say, ‘Hey did you know PB is actually caused by the vampires expanding their sleeper ranks?’ I have no way of explaining how I know. The factions could be unaware that it is even happening, and there’s no way to know if it is a rogue clan or a precision movement.”

“But you can see it.”

“I still can’t explain how, I just…” Ashley shuddered, her gaze panning across the cafeteria until her eyes rested on a blond-haired young man who was casting his lecherous gaze in their direction. “Want to place a bet?” Ashley asked—loud enough for those around to overhear—while rubbing her arms in an attempt to dispel the goose pimples which had chased across her flesh when her eyes had met with the distant figure’s.

“Him?” Jack announced, nodding his head towards the place her eyes strayed to. With an exhausted sigh, she nodded, pushing herself to stand. “I’ve got a five if you’re successful,” he offered, producing the note.

With a nod of acceptance, she smartened her appearance and sauntered, as best she could on weary limbs, towards the crowd. She hated this part, but it was necessary. She didn’t care what people said about her behind her back. None of them realised what it was like to be her.

When she saw the young man again, his gaze followed her every move, his eyes raking her from hips to lips, pausing there as she drew her tongue seductively across them. As their eyes met he stood wordlessly, invading her space. With a glance back towards her friends, she noticed Will had joined them and was watching her intently with a dark expression. Turning her gaze away quickly, she grabbed the man’s collar, pulling him down to meet her lips in a sultry kiss that was met by the sound of wolf whistles from his friends.

Heat rippled from her core, turning the cool metal of her necklace warm, as he became consumed by the kiss. Releasing him, she placed her hand on his chest, easing him away as the all too familiar look of confusion washed over his features. Before a word could be spoken, she had once more vanished into the cafeteria crowd and knew neither he, nor those in proximity to him, would recall what she looked like.

Lowering herself back into her seat, she turned her gaze towards the soft glow of the lighting above, aware that the pale shade would highlight her washed-out pallor even more than it had before, when she had been merely tired. Jack, in a flamboyant gesture designed to attract the attention of those who had just witnessed her act, presented the note. She snatched it from him unceremoniously, tucking it in her pocket, knowing he would get it back later, and the near silence around them returned to normal volume.

“Alright, you win again,” he acknowledged. Ashley flashed him a smile before resting her head on her arms as fatigue caught up with her. Jack glanced across towards the figure, no doubt recalling the time when her lips had met his in such a way. For some reason, he was the one person who remembered what she had done. Perhaps it was because they were already friends, but there were times when she believed it may have been because of something more.

“You finished for the day?” Will asked, when she hadn’t moved after a few moments.

“No, we’ve still got Cryptobiology. Then I’ve a few hours before my next shift.”

“When was your last day off?” Will questioned, nudging his plate of chips closer towards her. She felt the unmistakable caress of Tess’s touch on her back, and lifted her head, glancing at her watch. With a weary smile, her fingers sneaked out, grabbing one of the hot sticks of temptation from almost beneath her nose.

Book Details

AUTHOR NAME: Kathryn Jayne

BOOK TITLE: Salvation's Kiss (Tales Of Mython Book 1)

GENRE: Romance

PAGE COUNT: 260

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