Haedyn’s
Choice
The
Haedyn Chronicles
Book
1
Jennifer
L. Oliver
Genre:
Dark fantasy
Publisher:
Small Escapes Publishing, LLC
ASIN:
B00CPCCSRY
Number
of pages: 212 pages
Word
Count: 54,000
Cover
Artist: Jennifer L. Oliver
There’s
always a choice.
Haedyn
chooses to survive. As the last Unnamed, a species mistakenly created
from angels and demons, she is an abomination to both the human and
supernatural worlds. If survival means being the favorite servant of
the demon Azazel, it’s a choice she can live with. Until she meets
Lex.
Book
Description:
Former
investigative reporter, Lex Carter knows more than the average human
- he saw his brother murdered by vampires. Now he’s dedicated his
life to learning everything there is to know about monsters, how to
kill them, and what happens to their victims. But when he’s
kidnapped by a super-human albino who claims she's protecting him, he
realizes that not all supernatural creatures are monsters and there
may be one that's worth saving.
Together,
they just might be able to discover the truth about Haedyn’s past
and free her from Azazel’s bonds. But will she still choose to
survive when it means risking the souls of those she loves?
Available
at Amazon
Excerpt
Chapter 1
The
concrete cell reeked with a mixture of rotten trash, burning flesh,
and the sweet tanginess of blood. Haedyn twitched her nose. No matter
how often she had to deal with it, she'd never get used to that
smell. It was horrible.
Dirt
crunched and rolled under the soles of her boots as she circled the
silver chair in the middle of the room. Its occupant was furious,
snapping and snarling at her. Not that she blamed him. Being captured
by a demon's minion wouldn't rate high on her list of fun, either.
The
prisoner struggled against his restraints. "My Alpha’s
gonna kill you. Just wait," he growled, pupils wide with the
animosity of a trapped animal. "He’ll come here and rip
through that white skin of yours like it's a sheet of paper, then
hang your head on the wall like a trophy.”
She
rolled her eyes and ignored his aggression. Werewolves had the worst
tempers, especially when they were wounded or trapped. This one was
both. Plus, he’d been drugged and was unable to change to his more
powerful wolf form. Yeah, he was beyond pissed.
She
sighed and continued circling. He'd wear himself out eventually. The
anger and vile comments were all part of the process. Then the next
phase would begin, full of tears and begging. That's when she'd break
him, make him tell her where to find the human. But for now, she'd
play the game until he was ready.
“Where's
the human?”
"I
ain't telling you." He spat on the floor at her feet.
"Tell
me where the human is and I'll set you free."
The
werewolf narrowed his yellow eyes. "You won't set me free. You
think I don't know who you are? You're that demon Azazel's little... You don't set no one free. You kill 'em."
Haedyn
clenched her jaw. The werewolf was right; he wasn't going to leave
here alive. She needed that information and there was only one way he
was going to tell her. Poor sap. He just forced her hand.
She
circled the chair again. This was the part of the job she hated.
Inflicting pain. Killing. Every time she heard them scream, made them
bleed, she swore a piece of her insides turned to dust.
It
was the price she paid for serving a demon. But she didn't have a
choice. Either she did what was expected of her or she faced
punishment from her master.
Demons
didn’t give second chances, and Azazel was no different. Disobeying
his orders meant death. And even if she was stupid enough to go up
against him, she had no one to turn to for help.
She
was the last Unnamed. A mistake created by the demons and angels,
which is why they killed off the rest of her kind. Humans mistakenly
called her “albino” and kept their distance once they saw her
deep red eyes. The supernatural world thought she was an abomination.
If they weren't scared ... of her, then they wanted to kill her.
She
didn't fit in and she was all alone. Which is why she made the
decision fourteen years ago to do whatever she had to in order to
survive. Serving Azazel was the only choice she had.
Besides,
what else would she do? She was evil, part demon. And like Azazel
said the night he found her at the orphanage, she had a gift for
death. One which he had honed. Now, she was his best interrogator,
his best assassin.
Haedyn
looked again at the werewolf. He shifted and squirmed, pulling at his
shackles. Drops of blood beaded along his forehead. She smelled the
panic and the fear mixed in with his sweat. Then she met his eyes.
For a brief moment, a part of her screamed to let him go. She quickly
pushed the impulse away.
Discipline.
She had to maintain discipline. Compassion was a weakness. How many
times had Azazel pounded that into her during their sessions?
Fourteen years of intense training and still she had to remind
herself.
She
closed her eyes, burying the whispers of empathy deep inside. A
stillness settled within her. Then she re-emerged as the
cold-hearted, unemotional assassin Azazel had molded her into.
This
is what she was trained to be. This is what she was trained to do.
Save them. Deliver them. It's what kept her alive, and that’s all
that mattered.
Playlist
for book
During
her many years of working at a daily newspaper, Jennifer L. Oliver
honed her writing skills in secret. As an avid reader, she enjoys
books that give her an entertaining and temporary escape from the
ruckus of everyday life. Now, she hopes to bring the same enjoyment
to others through her own work.
Jennifer
is the author of The Haedyn Chronicles, and other dark urban fantasy
and paranormal thrillers. She is also a freelance proofreader and
always looking for the opportunity to help other authors reach their
publishing dreams.
Although
she was born and raised in North Carolina, she now lives on Florida's
gulf coast with her husband, two cats, and a Royal Bahamian Potcake
dog who is more than half her size and thinks the world revolves
around treats. When she's not writing, you can find her playing in
the flower garden, giggling with her granddaughter, and enjoying time
with her family and friends.
Tour giveaway
5 ebook copies of the short story, Lenore’s Secret winner’s choice of eformat
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you for featuring Haedyn's Choice today!!
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy the personal information about the authors.
ReplyDeleteI liked reading about how you worked for a newspaper and wrote in your spare time.
ReplyDelete