Haunted by Darkness
by Raven M. Williams and Jena Baxter
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Paranormal Fantasy, Fairytales
Publisher: Raven Williams
Date of Publication: 12/5/16
ISBN: 978-1540861559
ASIN: B01MSVY7Z8
Number of pages: 494
Word Count: 110818
Cover Artist: Raven Williams
Book Description:
These are not your childhood tales!
Haunted by Darkness is a collection of eight Dark Fantasy Tales and Legends from the minds of Jena Baxter and Raven Williams. Experience the Darkness as you step further away from the Light.
Raven's Tales
Fall into Darkness, A Realm Jumper Chronicles Origins Story:
The darkness within brings a great downfall.
Rise of the Dark Witch, A Realm Jumper Chronicles Origins Story: Sometimes a person is beyond redemption.
Witch Hunter's Rise, A Witch Hunter's Society Origins Story: When darkness falls, death awaits.
Witch Hunter Ordained, A Witch Hunter's Society Origins Story: Will his dark deeds end when vengeance is had?
Jena's Tales
Belshazzar: The Gods rest in eternal sleep while their appointed Guardian for men and supernatural creatures is going mad.
Eyes of the Gods: A lonely phoenix returns to his home in Misty Haven to die, until he hears a song that cuts to the heart of his being.
Children of the Moon: Tormented by dreams and exhausted, Raven is sent to live with her aunt where she is lulled into a dreamless sleep by a haunting melody.
Hunted: Cursed by the Queen of Fairies and hunted by men, Darla must find true love or remain a deer forever.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/pMHuG2qMQwU
Chapter
1
Victorian London
Lucien closed
his eyes and tucked his violin under his chin, placed the bow to strings and
began to play. Long notes with a bittersweet edge embodied the atmosphere, like
a ship floating, lost, its crew and sails forever lost at sea.
A door slammed
in the background, and something heavy pounded the floor. Lucien's eyebrows
knitted in frustration, as a discordant note sliced through the illusion he
created. He placed the instrument on an end table, and stormed out of the
library, into the parlor.
His brother,
Edward, stood near the entry, loosening his cravat. He nodded.
"Lucien."
"What are
you doing slamming into the house like a herd of elephants?"
The material
slid off Edward's neck, and his lips curled into a pout. "Annabelle has
decided to marry Merrill Brighton," he said, with a huff. "That
leaves me starting over, or marrying Winnifred Camden."
Lucien didn't
think Winnifred was so bad. She had a few love handles, but that just added to
her personality somehow. His brother on the other hand, wanted someone with
riches and popularity. Lucien frowned and shifted. "What does that have to
do with your conduct? Please settle the affairs of your love life without
tearing down the house? Even Winnifred won't want a man with a poor
disposition."
"Easy for
you to say. Ladies hang on your every word." He smiled, "Or should I
say note?" He sat at the piano, and ran his hands over the keys. Soft
sounds poured into the room like a whisper.
Lucien sighed,
and pulled his coat from the rack. While he loved his brother's piano, he
wanted to play violin and he couldn't do it with the other music in the
background. "I'm going for a walk."
"Shouldn't
be out alone tonight," Edward said. "The moon is full, and it's
children will roam seeking their next meal, as the night wears on."
Lucien scoffed.
"Fairytales written to frighten children. Don't be absurd."
Edward laughed,
and the door slammed shut behind Lucien. Not that he was angry, he understood
Edward's frustration. A gentleman needed to find a woman of wealth to settle
with in order to live in comfort, unless he had a fortune of his own. Lucien
didn't worry about such things. He would rather spend his time making music.
Everyone fell into the hands of destiny anyway, the cards would fall where they
wanted, changing the course of a man's life, and shaping his future in ways he
never dreamed. A pleasant chill climbed up his back. Where would his music take
him? Would he be able to perform in great halls, or be forced to settle with a
woman, warming a bed and creating babies for her comfort?
The moon hovered
bright over the city, and sparkles of light danced on the surface of the
Themes. Lucien stopped to watch, breathing in the cool night air. His favorite
kind of evening after a warm, summer day. Frustration rolled off his shoulders
in waves. He began to relax and continued on his way.
footsteps
shuffled behind him. He stopped and glanced back. Nothing but the moon and it's
shadows disturbed the darkness of night. A bird screeched overhead, and he
jumped, as he resumed his walk. The footsteps resumed when he continued
walking. When he stopped again, they did too. Could there be something to the
moon children myth? Goosebumps covered his skin as he turned and squinted to
see better, but there was still only darkness. He took a deep breath and
shrugged the tension out of his shoulders. He was being foolish.
The shuffling
stopped when he turned toward the city, and soon he wondered if it had been the
work of an over-active imagination. His anger giving rise to the absurd. His
shoulders dropped, and he relaxed, as new threads of music filled his mind. He
hummed them as he walked, until the shadow of a man came into view up the lane.
Lucien tensed, was someone waiting for him? He turned left at the corner, but
moments later, the silhouette stood waiting once more. He turned again.
It had to be
someone else. No one could move that fast. How many people were out this
evening? Maybe it had something to do with the moon. His brother's words echoed
in his mind. He turned again, and shuddered when he saw the silhouette of the
man waiting.
Lucien's heart
raced. He spun and jogged back the way he came. In seconds, the silhouette
blocked him, but this time it was closer. His chest tightened as the man moved
toward him, his stride like a feral cat. For a moment, all Lucien could do was
stare.
Lucien broke the
spell, spun around and ran. The chest he crashed into was solid as cement.
Muscled arms encompassed him. He kicked his feet and twisted, but the man's
grip tightened.
"Don'
worry," a smooth voice crooned.
Lucien
shuddered.
"We'll be
done in just a few minutes."
About the Author Raven Williams
A prolific writer, Raven began her career in 2010 with a blog and non-fiction, then moving to fiction in 2014, when she began Elven-Jumper, the first book in the Realm.
Jumper Chronicles. She now has 30 books to her name, spanning the Realm Jumper Chronicles, Raven’s Twisted Classics, and the Demon Stones Saga, as well as her non-fiction, with more planned.
When Raven is not writing, she is creating art in the form of abstract paintings, fractal designs, and jewelry pieces that tie into her stories. She is also a caregiver for a disabled family member and two cats. She physically resides in the Northwest Florida Panhandle, but spends most of her time mentally in her Mystic Realms.
Will you join her?
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaveMWilliams
About the Author Jena Baxter
A prolific writer, Jena Baxter creates characters with depth and stories filled with action, emotion, and a little bit of romance. She loves building fantastical worlds and cultures.
Living in Northern California with her husband, Jena enjoys soapmaking, her pets, and writer's conferences. She also reads for a screenwriting contest on an annual basis.
Website: www.jenabaxter.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenabaxterbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenaBaxterBooks
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