Cursed By FuriesA Tale of Vikings, Elves, and Gods
The Cursed Elves
Book One
Diedra Drake
Genre: Mythic Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Apache Creek Publishing
Date of Publication: September 03, 2019
ISBN: 9781088922415
ASIN: B07WD29D3P
Number of pages: 402
Word Count: 107,500
Cover Artist: Apache Creek Publishing
Tagline: What if the myths were all real?
Book Description:
1000 years ago the Elves nearly destroyed their species through war. As punishment, their ancestors cursed them and trapped them on the Earthly plane.
Priscilla Forester is a 500-year-old Cursed Elf, with abilities far different from most. She knows there is some secret about her origins, but has given up thinking she will ever discover the truth.
However, Fate was only waiting for the right moment to reveal its secrets. As Priscilla and her lovers battle against warring Elf Houses, her true nature begins to emerge, and it is more than anyone had bargained for.
EXCERPT
1 (598 words)
Mitchell parked
in the lot, careful to stay out of the immediate line of sight while Raymond
filled up his tank.
He replaced the
pump nozzle before entering the store to get his chips and pay for the gas.
Another car pulled up, and the driver also went inside. A few more minutes
passed, and Mitchell started to grow concerned.
Raymond didn’t
normally dawdle, and there weren’t so many cars around that there should be a
big line. Maybe the clerk was having problems with his register or…
A shot rang out.
Then another.
Mitchell’s heart
sank and fear surged through him as he nearly tore the door off getting out of
the car. He was inside the store in a blink and took stock of the situation in
seconds. Raymond lay on the floor bleeding from his side, the red pool growing
quickly. The clerk's body hung slumped over the register counter, blood pouring
out from his chest.
The shooter’s
eyes darted back and forth between the two victims, his breathing chaotic as he
rubbed his fingers through his hair and pressed his palms to his temples. His
eyes wide as he stared at the bodies and the blood. He didn't immediately
realize anyone else was standing there. When he finally noticed Mitchell, it
was but a moment before the shooter’s neck was broken and he collapsed next to
where his gun had fallen.
Mitchell dashed
to the automotive aisle and returned with a pack of terry cloth rags and duct
tape. He ripped open Raymond’s shirt, tore one of the cotton rags out of the
bundle, and started mercilessly packing the wound. Raymond screamed in agony
for a few seconds, then his body became limp as he lost consciousness.
“Sorry Ray, it’s
better this way," Mitchell mumbled as an apology.
He put his
fingers underneath the bleeding side of Raymond’s body and felt around looking
for an exit wound. Sure enough, the bullet had gone entirely through. With one
hand Mitchell shifted Raymond onto his side, then shoved another piece of rag
into the exit wound. When he rolled him back over, he noticed the fabric on the
front was completely saturated and blood was pouring out of the injury again.
“Dammit.
Something’s bleeding inside." He took a shaky breath. “Shit!”
He wiped off as
much blood as he could to dry the skin, folded a piece of cloth like a bandage,
and duct taped it over the opening in his flesh. He repeated the process on the
back.
Mitchell looked
around and realized he needed to lock down the scene. He stood and flipped the
sign on the front entrance to 'Closed,' then hit the nearby light switches so
the interior went dark.
He returned to
Raymond, lifted him effortlessly, and carefully carried him outside to where
he’d left his vehicle in the parking lot. He managed to open the passenger door
and put him in the seat, then reclined it back to keep his body at an angle. As
he was about to close him in, he noted the seat belt. With a last-minute idea,
Mitchell ripped it from the wall of the car and started sliding it under
Raymond.
Raymond regained
consciousness for a moment, took one look at Mitchell, and began yelling in
terror while pulling away.
Mitchell sighed
as he realized his fangs had been out because of all the blood and stress.
Another mistake. His superiors were going to kill him. He tightened the belt
over the wound like a tourniquet, and the sudden pain made Raymond pass out
again.
About the Author:
Diedra Drake is a life-long student of mythology and history, with a particular interest in the ways that different cultures tell the same stories using name variations. She is competent in classical Latin, and enjoys reading the classics – particularly Homer, Plutarch, and Shakespeare. For relaxation, Diedra loves to crack open a new historical romance novel or binge a new series on streaming. After a couple of decades being a business owner in the technology industry, she decided to explore her other interests through the creation of a mythic fantasy romance world. She lives in Central Texas with her family, which includes a small cat colony and a couple of dogs, and tries to ensure she gets a daily serving of ice cream for continual inspiration.
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