Excerpts

Leisha could not have been any happier. Her life felt euphorically complete as she snuggled up to her new husband in their new hut. Her father had helped Tafari build it as a wedding gift. Not many in the village were so fortunate as to have their own home when so recently married. Leisha had felt like royalty when her father had told her what his gift to them would be. The place was small, with only one room, but it was much more than she had ever dreamed. She sighed as she thought of their wedding earlier in the evening. Since her father was the village shaman, he was able to marry them. It had been a simple ceremony, but the celebration afterward had lasted well into the night. She knew that her fellow villagers cared more for the drinking and dancing around bon fires than celebrating her marriage. She was not very loved amongst them, but she still had felt important as the guest of honor. She had, in fact, glowed with happiness. She laughed softly to herself as she realized she still glowed with that same feeling. She was free to love and be truly happy. Tafari [...] read more

Their numbers were now dwindling. After proving to be so strong and powerful after a thousand years of existence, the vampires were dealt a degrading blow of humility. They had all been trained warriors, with reflexes that could beat any predator that walked the earth. Until now. Leisha drew in a deep breath and ignored the smells of carnage, death, and smoke that filled her lungs. She shared a glance with Ellery, and knew they shared the same thought. The vampires had been too conceited and self-absorbed to see the reality. That reality was that the immortals could be just as fast, just as well-trained, and just as determined as the vampires had been. The only consolation the vampires had was that the immortals had suffered just as severely as they. Ptah repeated it every time he saw one of his vampires show a look of defeat. They walked together through the night to a nearby cave. They would sleep and recover there during the day and then return home to their lair the following evening. Their group being less than half of when they had arrived to battle. Leisha could not keep the image from her mind as she [...] read more