Excerpt Chapter 2
The crescent moon hung high in the dark sky as Lilah roamed the deserted streets of her neighborhood. Logic told her she shouldn’t be out alone at this hour, but she didn’t care. She’d always loved the mystery of the night. Even as a child, she slipped outside and gazed at the stars when she felt sad. They gave her hope that life offered more than what she knew. Besides, she needed to clear her head, and the fresh air on this warm summer night calmed her.
With worries about an uncertain future preoccupying her mind, she didn’t pay attention to her surroundings until a shiver ran through her body. She didn’t recognize the street she walked on, and her instincts told her she wasn’t alone. Someone—or something—was lurking in the shadows, watching her every move.
It’s not human. It was a silly thought or maybe wishful thinking. Most of the books, movies, and TV shows she devoured featured vampires and other things that go bump in the night. Meeting someone, or rather something, right out of her favorite works of fiction excited her.
Or maybe the prospect of something supernatural lying in wait comforted her more than the idea of a serial killer or rapist stalking her. Either way, she stopped to look around in hopes of finding a way out of a potentially dangerous situation.
Old-looking town houses lined the narrow, cobbled street. They were dark. Their inhabitants were asleep or not at home. The only light came from a single streetlamp behind her, about two meters from where she stood. Only her breathing interrupted the silence.
She took a few more steps before pausing again. Apart from her feet echoing on the cobblestones, there was no sound. Nothing hinted at anyone walking nearby, following her, or breathing in her vicinity. And yet, the goose bumps on her skin convinced her otherwise.
She preferred finding out about her pursuer sooner rather than later. As she couldn’t achieve anything by staying quiet, she summoned up her courage to speak. “Stop hiding yourself. I know you’re there…I can’t see or hear you…But I can feel you watching me.” With a whisper, she added the word “vampire.”
A chuckle coming from behind her broke the silence. She squealed, and when she turned around, a tall, young man with shoulder-length, chocolate-brown hair, pale skin, and a long, dark leather coat was standing below the streetlight. He hadn’t been there when she’d checked her surroundings earlier, and there had been no footsteps indicating anyone had walked up to her.
“Interesting,” he said. “I didn’t expect you to notice me. How did you recognize me for what I am without even seeing me?” He spoke softly, as if not to frighten her.
How indeed? She did not have a rational explanation.
“Call it a gut feeling or a verbalization of my deepest hopes.” Her heartbeat thrummed in her ears. Was she actually talking to a vampire?
“Your deepest hopes? Why do I, a vampire, instill hope instead of fear in you?”
“I’ve prayed for something more than a mundane life. Meeting a vampire is not an everyday experience, so I’m thrilled.” And possibly screwed, depending on what he wanted from her.
The vampire smiled, revealing his fangs. “Even if meeting me is the last experience you’ll ever have? Aren’t you afraid to die?”
She’d never contemplated her death. The possibility of her life ending in an instant stole her breath. But wasn’t a short, exciting life worth much more than a long and boring existence? Didn’t meeting with a vampire top everything she could hope for, in a world which often felt meaningless?
“I’m more afraid of living without ever feeling alive.” Despite her words, her voice trembled.
“So you’ll give me your blood and your life?”
“I don’t mind donating some blood, but my life is a different matter. If it’s up to me, I’d prefer to keep it.” She gulped. Did she have a choice? “Death by vampire doesn’t sound too bad, though. There are worse or more boring ways to die. And when you talk about taking my life, does it mean I’ll die for good, or will your bite turn me into a vampire as well?”
He answered with a dry laugh. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, girl, but a simple bite won’t turn you. We’d be out of food in no time if every human we bit became a vampire. No, we can choose to turn a human, but it’s not a choice taken lightly. I won’t condemn anyone to this miserable life.”
“You’ve got a sad view of your life.”
“You’re one to talk. Your life doesn’t seem to fascinate you either.”
“It didn’t until today,” she admitted. “You’ve shown me something fascinating. The existence of vampires and a world beyond the one I know as a human is giving me hope for a more interesting tomorrow.”
The vampire vanished from where he stood, only to appear right behind her. “What a pity there won’t be another tomorrow for you.”
The Book Junkie Reads . . .Reckless Dreams Interview with . . . Elli Morgan . . .
Have you found yourself bonding with any particular character(s)? If so, which one(s)?
I feel very close to Lilah. She is a lot like me from a few years ago, only much more courageous and a lot less cautious. But I can relate to her perspective and her wishes.
Can you share your next creative project(s)? If yes, can you give a few details?
My current writing project is another stand-alone set in the same world as “The Waxing Moon”.
I already hinted at this project in the epilogue of Lilah and Cain’s story. We get to meet both of them again—but this time only as secondary characters.
The working title is “The Shadowed Moon.”
What are some of your writing/publishing goals for this year?
The year is almost over, but let’s see… My debut just got released, so I already achieved my publishing goal. My writing goal would be to finish self-editing my WIP and send it to beta readers.
If you could have dinner/dinner party with 7 fictional character, who would they be?
I’d hope for some fun dinner conversations, so let’s see:
Cat and Bones from the Night Huntress Series
Castiel and Gabriel from Supernatural
Lucifer and Mazikeen from Lucifer
Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds (I wonder how he’ll rationalize sitting among these creatures that shouldn’t exist)
If you could spend one-week with 5 fictional character, who would they be and where would you spend that time?
The first three are easy because they’re my favorite vampires: Lestat from Interview with the vampire, Spike from Buffy / Angel, and Klaus from The Originals. For the fourth character, I choose the anime crush I had as a teenager: Sesshomaru from Inuyasha. My final choice is Neal Caffrey from White Collar.
Now, the where is almost negligible. For the sake of the vampires, I’d go with a fancy old mansion where many of the rooms don’t get touched by the sun. Add some expensive artwork for Neal and enough space for Sesshomaru to leave his servants, and we’ll be just fine.
Where would you spend one full year, if you could go ANYWhere, money is not a concern? What would you do with this time?
Definitely Victoria, Canada. I lived there for about half a year in 2016 and loved it. The area has so much to offer: mountains, the sea, and temperate rainforests. The city itself is beautiful as well, with breathtaking parks, historical buildings, and flowers decorating the streets. There is always something going on, like parades, markets, or salsa dancing.
I wish I could just live there again, go on hikes, take part in events, and spent my time playing with goats at the petting zoo. A break from day-to-day life.
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Great excerpt, thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great book.
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