Succubus:
Shadows of the Beast
T.W.
Mordrake
Genre:
Paranormal and Urban Fantasy
Publisher:
Nocturnal Trinity
Date
of Publication: May 16th, 2015
ASIN:
B00WV6L28A
Number
of pages: 475 pages
Word
Count: 138,000 words
Cover
Artist: Ravenborn
Book
Description:
Entering
the real world after college often educates one to the true horrors
of the harsh obstacles life has to offer. For Kailey Yates the
discoveries are far more terrifying and dangerous. Two days before
she graduated with a degree in investigative journalism, her brother
Vincent is found dead in his swimming pool with a syringe stuck in
his arm. His death is ruled as a suicide, but Kailey doesn't buy it.
She
suspects Vincent's new wife Cassie is the one who actually killed
him. Her suspicions are drawn from his rapid health deterioration
during his short six month marriage. During one of her last Skype
conversations she had with Vincent, Kailey's roommate Raven witnesses
their conversation and immediately senses that Vincent is being
soul-drained by a succubus. Since Raven is a witch, Kailey has no
doubt about her friend's perception and concludes that Cassie must be
the demon responsible.
Kailey
leaves Boston and flies to Seattle for her brother's funeral. While
there she investigates the circumstance surrounding his death. She
uncovers dark information that leads her to Nocturnal Trinity, a
nightclub in the heart of Seattle. And worse, the underground club is
run by a powerful alliance of vampires, demons, and witches that wish
to protect Cassie at all costs, which includes killing Kailey or
anyone else if necessary.
Warning:
Adults 18+ due to adult theme/scene.
Available
at Amazon
Excerpt:
Chapter One
Kailey
Yates knew that her brother Vincent would never have killed himself
had it not been for his new wife, Cassie. And yet, Kailey stood at
Vincent’s graveside while the workers prepared to lower her
brother’s casket into the cold ground, his final resting place.
The
gray overcast Seattle sky with its chilly swirling mists set the mood
for the burial and the gloom that also possessed her broken heart.
The towering leafless oaks in the cemetery were sinister skeletons
forewarning that the dangerous kiss of winter’s death would soon
settle over them, harsher than ever before.
One
never escaped death, but sometimes death came too early with an
unfairness that made Kailey want to scream at the heavens from her
inner rage and loss. After all, her brother had been a successful
attorney in his early thirties and destined to become the first in
their family that had graduated from college to live a prosperous
lifestyle. He was never a man who entertained suicidal thoughts.
The
workers and his ritzy friends from the Langston Law Firm had come out
in great number. She estimated no less than one hundred people had
arrived. Never had she seen so many expensive suits and vehicles.
Coming from a modest middleclass family, she never imagined she or
her brother would rub elbows with the upper class of society, but he
had been adamant that they would be wealthy and worked painstakingly
to get them there.
While
the priest gave the eulogy, the men and women stood stoically silent,
their eyes staring at Vincent’s casket. The priest finished
speaking and led the audience in a proper prayer, praying that
Vincent’s soul found forgiveness and mercy for leaving this world
by suicide.
How
fitting, Kailey thought, wringing her hands. Blame the innocent for
what the murderer did.
While
the others respectfully closed their eyes, she gazed around, trying
to see Cassie, but the two men standing in front of her sister-in-law
blocked Kailey’s view. Moments after the priest finished his
lengthy ill-placed prayer, the wealthy people mingled to hug, shake
hands, and chat.
The
slight breeze swirled Kailey’s long reddish-brown curls, forcing
her to pull her hair back and letting it fall onto her back and
shoulders. Her jaw suddenly tightened, hiding the wrinkles that
deepened into cute dimples whenever she smiled. Her hazel eyes
suddenly blazed with anger and vengeance.
Across
the grave Cassie stood dressed in a form-fitting black skirt that
accentuated her perfect curves and perhaps distastefully revealed
more leg than what was suitable at a funeral for one’s husband.
Her tight long-sleeved jacket cut off at her midriff, revealing her
well-defined abs. She wore black-netted hose and velvety black high
heels. Hell, streetwalkers wore more clothes in this cold weather.
Cassie
hid her pale face behind a white handkerchief and sobbed. Kailey
understood how a man might be immediately drawn to Cassie’s
exquisite beauty. Her slender oval face with high cheekbones gave
her a regal presence even at this dismal funeral. She carried
herself with the utmost grace, in spite of her poor choice of attire,
but she also had a seductively dark energy radiating from her.
When
Cassie’s dark eyes met Kailey’s, Cassie lowered her hands and
meekly folded the handkerchief. Her tearless eyes weren’t even
slightly tinged red. A bit of amusement curled Cassie’s pouty
lips. An odd flicker of recognition blazed in her eyes and hinted
slight detestation, even though they had never met in person. Kailey
felt the resentment and didn’t understand why, unless Cassie had
somehow figured out that Kailey suspected her of murdering Vincent,
which Kailey did. Perhaps Cassie read it in her eyes. Or worse,
perhaps this she-devil could read Kailey’s thoughts.
Moments
later, Cassie broke their connection and returned to her fake sobs,
wiping at her eyes with the cloth in a way that demanded pity from
the solemn onlookers.
One
of Vincent’s former attorney friends wore a gray pinstriped suit
and overcoat. He approached Cassie to console her. He was trim with
brown hair, a firm jaw, and offered a tender smile as he spoke to the
widow. She buried her face against the man’s chest. Obviously
surprised by her approach, he gently patted her back from an awkward
distance, but Cassie aggressively wrapped her arms around him. To
lessen his discomfort in the situation, he finally leaned in closer
and embraced her.
She
nuzzled against his chest, reached beneath his jacket, and clung to
him. Her body shook with what people nearby might consider being
violent heaving sobs. He rested his chin atop her head and
whispered. His hands gently rubbed her back, and she seemed to calm
at his touch and gentle words. She stopped sobbing and became less
broken.
Don’t
you see that those tears aren’t real? A slight breeze rustled
Kailey’s long flowing brown hair. Instead of remorse for her
brother’s death, she felt a growing resentment toward his widow. A
bitter taste came to the back of her throat, and she fought the
rising gag reflex from seeing this woman’s blatant slutty behavior
and utter disrespect for her husband. What did Vincent ever see in
you?
Kailey
also battled the growing urge to march across the cemetery and rattle
the woman with several jabs to Cassie’s face and swift punches to
her stomach.
Another
place. Another time.
Kailey’s
sister-in-law, even now, wore little makeup. Her lipstick was a
bright red hue, which made her pale reflection appear even lighter.
Her raven hair was neatly styled with silver pins and sprigs of
Lady’s Breath. Her pretend tears had not smudged the dark mascara
around her eyes, and with her ashen complexion she resembled a corpse
better than her brother probably had at his viewing. To others, even
the hundred or more attending the funeral, she appeared stately,
reserved, and the perfect widow.
Well
played, Kailey thought. You’ve fooled them, but not me.
Cassie
was a cold parasite that had preyed upon Vincent, seduced him into
marrying her, and then taken his life to possess his wealth and
million-dollar estate. Kailey couldn’t act on her suspicions
alone. She needed proof. The coroner had ruled her brother’s
death as a suicide, but she believed it was not. Relevant details
had never been disclosed to her, and she wanted answers.
Vincent
had been murdered. Cassie had killed him, made it look like a
suicide, and Kailey was determined to prove it.
About
the Author:
T.W.
Mordrake writes Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, and Fantasy. A
lover of all things mystical, T.W. explores the strange, unusual, and
haunted places in the U.S., which lends to the underlying charm for
writing about the paranormal creatures that lurk in the dark shadows
of night.
@TWMordrake
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