Ascension (eBook)

Hannah Rials (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2016 | 1. Auflage
250 Seiten
Aletha Press (Verlag)
978-1-936426-01-0 (ISBN)

Infos

Life is supposed to be perfect after Cheyenne Lane's Ascension ceremony, but it turns out awakening her vampire half only complicates things more. Burdened with a patronizing family and constant surveillance by the Vampire Council, Cheyenne welcomes a summer vacation to the magical city of New Orleans. But Cheyenne quickly realizes that she can't escape her problems, no matter where she goes. After seventeen years of fearing exposing her secret to humans, Cheyenne's world is rocked when she starts to fall for a witch named Eli. When he shows Cheyenne how complex the world really is, she must accept that everything she thought she knew about being a Deuxsang is a lie. As if all this isn't problem enough, Cheyenne finds herself the pawn of a conspiracy hatched by those who should be protecting her. Her whole life Cheyenne is told what to believe and who to trust. Now, she's forced to choose for herself who and what is right. No matter which choice she makes, it will cost her everything.

Textauszug

Prologue

Every young girl has that one day that she’s been looking forward to since forever. For some, it’s her first kiss, her first cell phone, or her sweet sixteen party. For me, it’s my Ascension, and it’s happening tonight!

The Ascension is only the single most important thing that ever happens to a Deuxsang. That’s what I am, a hybrid of human and vampire. Get it? The French for two-blooded? Until now, my vampire blood has been dormant. But tonight, on my thirteenth birthday, I’ll go through a ceremony that will awaken my vampire side. After I ascend, I’ll be able to flit, which is basically flying super fast, if only six inches off the ground. Throughout puberty I’ll develop one of the four mental powers that vampires have, and I’ll become stronger than any human. I can’t even begin to describe how amazing my life will be.

My family has a special dress that every girl wears at her ceremony, and now I’m wearing it—crisp white, too much taffeta, a high collar, and a crimson sash around the waist. The taffeta is kind of itchy, but I can forget about that since I can’t stop thinking about the fact that my mom let me wear make up. I was sure she’d say no last minute, but here I am, looking like a china doll—face painted as pale as the moon, eyes lined in black, and lips coated scarlet. For the first time in my life, I feel beautiful, like I’m coming into my own.

Slowly, my family arrives—my sister, aunts, uncles, cousins, Gramps, Nana, Grandpa, Grandma. They’re all here for me, for my day. My sister Kara offers me an uncomfortable hug and a stiff smile, but her uptightness is easy to ignore. My cousins surround me. The younger ones are asking me if I’m nervous, and the older ones brush them off saying, “It’s no big deal.” The buzz of life in the room excites me.

Everyone chats easily while we wait for the sun to go down. Mom and Dad quiz me one last time on the material I need to know for my pre-ceremony interview. Nana makes sure I look perfect, adjusting the sash, wiping at my make up. I can’t take my eyes away from the window, watching as the sun sinks below the trees and the sky turns darker and darker.

We all stop as four sharp knocks echo through the living room. Dad crosses swiftly to open the door for the Council representatives assigned to our family, bowing to them as they pass. The lead vampire is an extremely terrifying man. His dark eyes are set deeply in his skull, casting shadows over his face. Two women with striking blonde hair and crimson eyes follow him. They are tailed by three more men who could be triplets—same black hair, beady eyes, and meaty features. All of them wear identical, crisp, black suits. I’ve seen these vampires several times over the past thirteen years, but they still make me uneasy—especially the leader. He looks at us like we’re hamsters in a cage.

Without a word to anyone in the family, the vampires follow Dad into the dining room and promptly shut the doors. This always happens. Dad, being the alpha of our family, has to give them the status report on all of us.

A few minutes later Dad reappears with a broad, proud smile on his face. My mom squeezes my hand and kisses my forehead. My turn. Dad takes my hand and leads me into the dining room where four of the six vampires are seated. I take in everything—the black tablecloth, the golden chalice filled to the brim with fresh cow’s blood, the drawn curtains, and the files resting in front of each vampire. I turn around and meet the eyes of two of the men, arms crossed over their chests.

I feel the vampires’ eyes on me and try to stand taller. The leader flicks his hand—Dad’s signal to leave. He squeezes my hand one last time, and then the two vampires follow him out and close the doors.

For a moment, the four just stare at me. Then the leader opens his mouth. “Cheyenne Marie Lane, daughter of Samuel and Lisa Lane, sister of Kara Lane.” His voice is booming, intoning the phrase as a question. I’ve been trained for this, but some big part of my brain is panicking. So I just nod. All four narrow their eyes.

“Let us begin the interview. Cheyenne Lane, what are you?”

I close my eyes, calm my breathing, slow my heart. “I am Deuxsang. In my veins runs the blood of humanity and of the superior race.” I clasp my hands behind my back to hide the trembling.

“What must you hide from humans?”

“My mental ability, sir. Before my eighteenth birthday, I will discover whether I am a dream-walker, an illusionist, a compeller, or an inflictor. Also, my need to drink blood. I will drink only after sunset, and only the blood given to me by the Council.”

“What separates you from the superior race?”

“I blend in with humans. I walk in the day and eat human food. I will never bite a human or consume human blood. The vampires are my protectors. I owe them my allegiance and obedience.”

“Finally, what is the Ascension ceremony?” The leader asks, his empty eyes having a curious glint to them.

“It is the process through which I will surrender my humanity to release the vampire within me and fully embrace the two bloods running through my veins. From now on I will subjugate my humanity in favor of my vampire nature.”

“I believe that’s enough questions.” The leader stands, and the others follow. “It is time to the begin the ceremony. Cheyenne Lane, please step forward.”

I walk up to the table, trying to quash the fear screaming in my head. This is my moment. This is what I’ve been waiting for.

“The Deuxsang came into being through an accident of nature. Humans can never know of their existence. The Deuxsang live under the protection of the vampires. They live under oath of silence. Do you, Cheyenne Lane, now swear to keep the secret of your people?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you, Cheyenne Lane, pledge loyalty to the vampires?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Very well. It is time to embrace your dual nature.”

I try to still myself as the leader walks around the table to stand in front of me. The second woman, the one who tries to smile, carries the chalice. The scent of the blood is overwhelming. I take my last necessary breath as the leader grabs my shoulders with beautiful, timeless hands. I’m ready. I’m not scared. This is my time. My moment. I am ascending.

Then his fangs pierce into the skin between my shoulder and neck. My eyes blast open as a head splitting shriek erupts. I can see the confusion in the vampires’ eyes. I know this is wrong. Why is this wrong? Why does it hurt? I try to pull myself away from his bite, but the more I struggle, the stronger the pain becomes.

I gag as his fangs slip out of my neck. Simultaneously we fall to the floor, convulsing. One of the women rushes to him, steadies him, pulls him to his feet. No one comes to help me. I’m shaking so hard I can’t even scream. I’m trapped inside my body.

“What are you saying, Mirnov?” I hear one of the females asking over my screams. “You think she’s like him?”

I want to pull at my dress. The neck is choking me. The taffeta is making my sweaty skin itchy, but my arms feel useless. They just lay numb at my sides.

“I think she might be. She definitely tastes different. Her blood is—intense. Go ahead. Try her. Just be careful.”

Through my tear-filled eyes, I see the first woman bend down beside me. I try to push myself away, but my body is betraying me. My insides are on fire, and everything else is numbing pain. I feel her lift my arm, and another round of screams erupt as her fangs suck the blood from my wrist. I squeeze my eyes shut as she pulls away. Before I can even think, two more sets of fangs bite my shoulder and my bicep. I can’t do anything. Tears fall down my face. I want to scream. I want to die.

“Good God, Mirnov, you’re right. You must tell the chairman immediately.”

When they’ve had their fill of me, Mirnov scoops me up in his arms and holds my head up. He takes the chalice and puts it to my lips.

“Cheyenne Lane, take your first drink of life.” He holds the chalice to me, but I can’t move. I try, thinking maybe it will help. It has to. Nothing could be worse than this. When I remain still as a corpse, one of the women opens my mouth and pours the entire chalice of blood down my throat.

Suddenly my body is on fire. I thrash, gag, scream, cry. Why is this happening? Daddy said it would be easy! Daddy…where’s Daddy?

I throw myself toward the door, but a blinding pain shoots all the way through my body. I scream, nearly choke, as some invisible force wraps itself around my heart. I hurl my arm over my chest, clawing at the spot where my heart is struggling to beat. My eyes go blind. White noise fills my ears. I can’t even hear my own screams. I can only feel the string, pulling tighter and tighter on my heart.

Why is this happening? This was supposed to be easy— no pain, Rove told me. Dad told me. Everyone told me. And why so many bites? Why is my dad not here? Why hasn’t he stopped them from doing this...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 30.9.2016
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Fantasy
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Science Fiction
• ISBN-10: 1-936426-01-3 / 1936426013
• ISBN-13: 978-1-936426-01-0 / 9781936426010