D.C. Akers's Blog, page 8

Haven Shorts – Chapter 4 – Episode 8 – A Stranger Magic

Chapter 4

Marcus Snider stood at the back of the small, litter-filled alleyway between Angelo’s Bakery and Coffman’s Sportswear smoking his last cigarette before going to school. The buildings were fairly new since the town square had recently been built, but the alleyway was still dark and dank. Large dumpsters were staggered from one another toward the rear of the stores.

Taking long measured drags, Marcus looked on from across the street as the school bells rang for both Junior High and Saginaw High School announcing that the last day of school had begun. The two campuses were across the street from one another.

Teenagers grouped in small cliques began to disband and file through the large metal doors, like oversized lab rats reacting to the bell.

Vernon Emerson and few of his band friends stopped at the crosswalk. They were standing in front of the bakery when they spotted Marcus in the alleyway. They were not fans of Marcus Snider, but no one really was. They were scared of him, just like every other student at Saginaw High was. Not because he was a big, overbearing athlete, hyped up on steroids, with a god complex. No, they were scared because he was crazy in the head, and capable of doing all the horrible things he was rumored to have done.

Vernon fiddled with his shirt and adjusted his collar, which suddenly felt tight on his neck. He was about to turn away when he noticed Marcus staring back at him. Built like a linebacker, Marcus was tall and muscular. He had greasy brown hair that was long and shaggy. His face was scarred with acne, and he had dark circles under his eyes.

“Um, hey Marcus, what’s going on?” Vernon asked, with a slight wave and an apprehensive smile.

Vernon was a tall, gangly kid. He had short black hair and wore thick black glasses that he was constantly pushing back up his nose. He had once seen Marcus fight after school. His opponent had been destroyed and Vernon wanted no part of that.

Marcus stared for a moment at the group. His eyes narrowed into small slits and he sucked on the end of his cigarette until the tip became a glowing orange.

With his lungs full, he pulled the cigarette from his mouth and blew a steady stream of gray smoke into the air.

“Does it matter?” he asked.

Vernon looked over at his friends anxiously, unsure how to reply when Mary Hemphill, a short redhead girl who was standing closest to Vernon whispered, “Let’s just go, Vernon. He’s a creep.”

Vernon looked at Mary and then back to Marcus, who flicked the lit cigarette in their direction.

He didn’t want to upset Marcus, and he certainly didn’t want Marcus to say anything that could embarrass him in front of his friends.

“Okay, sure …” he replied to Mary, then turned to Marcus and said, “Gotta go, we’re late, so see you later.”

Vernon turned just as the signal light changed indicating it was safe to cross. The small group quickly scurried across the street. They looked like a herd of frightened cattle running to safety.

Marcus grinned with satisfaction; he didn’t like Vernon, or any of his band friends for that matter. They were weak, spastic nerds that need to be stomped out like roaches as far as he was concerned.

Marcus dusted the cigarette ash off his black Punisher t-shirt and ran his hand through his hair. He started to walk toward the street light when he saw Sarah and Barry approaching the corner. Marcus grinned again and stepped back into the shadows.

“You go ahead and go. I need to wait for Sam. He didn’t make a lunch, and he’s going to need some money.”

Barry rolled his eyes, “What, why, Sarah? No, you need to walk in with your man on the last day of school. The two hottest people in school need to be seen together. It gives the dweebs something to aspire to over the summer,” he said, laughing at his own joke.

Sarah gave a half-hearted grin and replied, “You’ll be fine. I’m sure you’ll find someone to keep you company, just like you did Saturday night.”

Barry’s smile faded quickly and his cheeks flushed. He wasn’t sure if Sarah had heard what happened, or if she was just saying that to see if he would admit to something.

Sarah knew all about Saturday night, and even if she didn’t, the look on Barry’s face spoke a thousand words. None of which was good to hear.

“What does that mean?” Barry asked, playing along, as if he had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. But he knew the truth. He knew all too well what had happened at Mason Parker’s party. He had ended up kissing Brenda Jenson, whom, for the record, he thought wasn’t bad looking. In fact, she was the captain of the cheerleading squad. That automatically made her better looking in his book. Besides, she had always had a crush on Barry. But Sarah was his girlfriend now—at least she had been for the last year. Everyone thought that Sarah was hot, which was an understatement. Every guy wanted to be Sarah’s boyfriend, but she had chosen Barry. Although that had not happened until he made quarterback. It made Barry wonder if she was with him because she liked him, or because he was the quarterback of the varsity team. Sarah was known to have never dated anyone longer than a few months. But they had been together the entire school year, and Barry was proud of that record. No one in the history of Saginaw High had remotely come close to that with Sarah. Even though it took most of the previous summer of being nothing but nice and thoughtful to her—like inviting her to all the summer parties he had thrown, and stopping by just to see how her day was going. In the end it paid off and he was victorious. Sarah Dalcome had fallen victim to the Barry Rogers charm. So, if it happened to end today, he needed to be the one to end it. After all, he had a reputation to protect.

“It means I’ll be waiting for my brother like I said, that’s what it means,” Sarah said, her tone sharp and resolute.

The signal light changed again and the traffic came to a stop.

“You better go, Barry, your entourage is waiting.”

Barry looked up at the light and then across the street where his friends Matt, Jason, Aubrie, and Lisa were waving him on.

“Fine, whatever. Wait for your dork brother and his boyfriend,” he said smugly. Then he jogged across the street with his hand in the air, where he received a high-five from Matt and a pat on the back from Lisa.

**I will post one EPISODE each week, but there are 50 EPISODE, so this may take a while. If you just can’t wait, you can buy (Just .99) the complete book and the rest of the HAVEN series (More Coming Soon) at Amazon.

You can sign up for my newsletter, follow me on Twitter, or like my Facebook page. For more information, see my website dc-akers.com . Your support is appreciated. Thanks for reading!

FREE ON AMAZON.COM, Terra Vonnel and the Skulls of Aries

Terra Vonnel is now FREE on Amazon.com.

Also receive the FIRST Chapter of Haven: A Stranger Magic (Amazon Best Seller) as a BONUS!

Terra Vonnel – 41 Reviews, 4.7 Star Rating!

Terra Vonnel and the Skulls of Aries; a thrilling high-seas adventure seen

through the eyes of seventeen year old pirate Terra Vonnel, better known as the

Sea Vixen. The roguish, yet charming girl has finally found one of the legendary

Skulls of Aries, the greatest mystery known to man. With time running out she

must now steal the remaining Skull from her vicious vampire nemesis, Count

Dragos, and travel to Mount Aries to unlock the Gate of Monticule, which holds

the Orb of Time.

But what the Sea Vixen and her valiant crew do not know

is something waits for them in the shadows of Mount Aries- something so

unimaginable that no one has lived to tell about it. Full of excitement, the

Skulls of Aries is an epic, breathtaking voyage packed with suspense-filled

adventure, sword-clashing action, mystery and unforgettable

characters!

Terra Vonnel and the Skulls of Aries is the first story in

the Terra Vonnel Series. A Fantasy Fiction novella, the book is 11,000 words,

about 100 pages

NOW FREE on IBooks and ITunes, Terra Vonnel and the Skulls of Aires

Get Terra Vonnel and the Skulls of Aries on IBooks, ITunes, Kobo Books and Smashwords for FREE!  You will also receive the Amazon Best Seller  Haven: A Stranger Magic first chapter as a BONUS!

Terra Vonnel and the Skulls of Aries

Terra Vonnel and the Skulls of Aries; a thrilling high-seas adventure seen

through the eyes of seventeen year old pirate Terra Vonnel, better known as the

Sea Vixen. The roguish, yet charming girl has finally found one of the legendary

Skulls of Aries, the greatest mystery known to man. With time running out she

must now steal the remaining Skull from her vicious vampire nemesis, Count

Dragos, and travel to Mount Aries to unlock the Gate of Monticule, which holds

the Orb of Time.

But what the Sea Vixen and her valiant crew do not know

is something waits for them in the shadows of Mount Aries- something so

unimaginable that no one has lived to tell about it. Full of excitement, the

Skulls of Aries is an epic, breathtaking voyage packed with suspense-filled

adventure, sword-clashing action, mystery and unforgettable

characters!

Terra Vonnel and the Skulls of Aries is the first story in

the Terra Vonnel Series. A Fantasy Fiction novella, the book is 11,000 words,

about 100 pages

Haven: A Stranger Magic

Sam Dalcome thinks he is so completely average that no one ever notices him.

Until he discovers a mysterious stranger outside his home. Bewildered, he tries

to uncover the stranger’s intentions. But Sam is sidetracked when he and his

friend Travis discover a secret passageway deep in the town’s quarry that leads

to a hidden cavern. What they uncover next will not only change their lives

forever, but will uncover the first clue to a deadly Dalcome family secret. Sam

finds himself drawn into a world of mystery and magic he never knew existed,

which brings him closer to a destiny he never knew was possible.

HAVEN

SERIES: Known as a place of refuge, Haven is a sanctuary for those with

supernatural abilities. Decades of peace between the Witches, Vampires, Goblins,

Elves, and Orcs is coming to an end. Now the once tranquil world is shrouded in

deception and corruption. Dark secrets tear at the very fabric of their alliance

giving way to an evil that stirs in the shadows. Exhilarating and utterly

gripping, the HAVEN series is an action-packed journey full of suspense, magic,

mystery, and intrigue.

HAVEN: A Stranger Magic is the first

Novella in the HAVEN series by author D.C. Akers. This Novella contains 28,817

words, and about 172 pages in print form.

Terra Vonnel and the Skulls of Aries – Chapter 3

Persuading the Dead

 

Terra’s heart began to race. Anticipation fueled by excitement coursed through her veins. This is it, she told herself. This is finally it. She had found the remaining Skull of Aries.

Terra advanced on the box, holstering the Diablo and lowering the Vanquisher as she knelt to one knee. With one hand, she reached for the small silver latch and slowly lifted the lid. Her gaze fell to the contents, but to her surprise there was nothing there; the box appeared empty. She quickly raised the Vanquisher, shining its vivid blue flame into the opening of the small box, but there was still no sign of the silver skull, with its telltale horns and emerald eyes.

She could feel the rage beginning to boil inside. There was only one place the skull could be now, she thought: with Dragos.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something move, a shadow, somewhere behind her.

Terra spun quickly to see a flash of silver gleaming in the darkness as a sword came crashing down. Without even thinking, Terra raised the Vanquisher just in time. An explosion of blue sparks burst into the air as the sword came into contact with the Vanquisher. The grinding sound of metal against metal rang out; blades locked as they both tried to gain ground on one another. Terra gradually pushed herself up onto her feet, retrieved the Diablo from her holster, and fired a single round into the vampire’s face.

The vampire screamed in agony, dropping his sword and taking a step backwards. Terra quickly advanced, slashing at his sword arm, which flew from his body onto the floor. The vampire screamed again but struck back with its remaining arm. Before Terra could react, the vampire had grabbed hold of her throat, lifting her from her feet into the air.

Terra gasped for air, dropping the Diablo to the floor. The vampire was quick and extremely strong, and she barely had time to react. Taking only seconds to regain her composure, Terra swung the Vanquisher upwards. In a bright flash of light, the blue flame severed the vampire’s other arm.

Terra fell to the floor, landing on her back with the severed arm still attached to her throat. As the vampire staggered backwards, she rolled to the right, ripping the lifeless arm from her throat and slashing at the vampire’s legs. The blue flame streaked through the darkness, severing both of his legs.

The vampire stood motionless for a brief second before toppling over onto the cold wooden floor. Terra scrambled to her feet as the beast howled in agony. She stood above the limbless creature, watching his bleeding nubs flap aimlessly.

As he rolled from side to side Terra approached and shoved her boot to his throat. His one remaining eye, shrouded in a mess of blood and flesh, widened as he choked from the applied pressure.

“Where is Count Dragos?” she demanded.

When the vampire finally spoke she could not hear him due to the fighting that ensued outside the cabin. She slowly released the pressure as his garbled, blood-filled words came spewing out.

“I don’t know what you speak of,” the vampire said, gasping for air as he choked and gagged on his own blood.

She slowly moved the Vanquisher’s tip to his chest. The blue flame illuminated his ashen, bloodstained skin, and his violet eye danced with the flicker of the flame.

“Well then you won’t be needing this,” she said, gradually pressing the tip of the Vanquisher into his chest just above his heart. Wisps of smoke sifted through his clothes. A sizzling sound resonated around the room as the smell of burnt flesh filled the air.

He cowered as the pain surged through his body. As she felt his body throb beneath her boot the Sea Vixen smiled ever so slightly.

“AAAAhhh, he is below, down in the hull… amongst the cannons… AAAhhh…”

Her smile grew wider. One step closer, she thought. “You see? That wasn’t so hard. Where is the Skull of Aries?” she asked sternly, pushing the blade deeper into his chest.

“AAAAhhh… I don’t know, I don’t know!” he screamed. “He did not speak of the treasure. I don’t know, I tell you!”

Terra feigned a frown, tightened her grip on the handle of the Vanquisher, and said, “That is unfortunate… for you!”

She jabbed the Vanquisher deep into the vampire’s heart. Blue flames erupted around his body as he exploded into a cloud of ash.

Terra turned, wasting no time, and peered back through the doorway. There were at least six vampires left and only three of her men.

She needed to even the odds, and there was only one way to do that, she thought: Sea Ghouls. Not only were they excellent row men, but they were outstanding fighters as well. Impervious to pain and with a talent for feasting on the dead, the Sea Ghouls were extremely useful assets when in battle. Since they were fighting vampires, which were of the living dead, the odds were considerably in their favor.

Terra reached inside her shirt, grasped the Amulet of Demons, and uttered the incantation. The command she spoke was in Arabic. She had summonsed three of the Sea Ghouls to feast upon the vampires.

Like obedient dogs, the Sea Ghouls engaged the enemy within seconds. Leaping across the bows of both the Aspen and the Mont Delia, the Sea Ghouls attacked with swords drawn and a desire to feed. With the vampires distracted and her men safe, she quickly made her way to the hull below.

**I will post one Chapter each week, so this may take a while. If you just can’t wait, you can buy (Just 2.99) the complete book at Amazon.

You can sign up for my newsletter, follow me on Twitter, or like my Facebook page. For more information, see my website dc-akers.com . Your support is appreciated. Thanks for reading!

Haven Shorts – Chapter 3– Episode 7 – A Stranger Magic

Chapter 3 – Episode 7

Outside, the vivid bands of sunlight fractured the white, billowing clouds and greeted Sam like a warm embrace. Giddyup Lane, a quiet, middle-class neighborhood tucked away in the center of town, had been his home all his life. His house was a charming Cape Cod-style home nestled in the middle of the street that curved like a horseshoe.

The outside of the house was a dingy light gray trimmed in white, with a brown steeply pitched roof and three white gables. It had a white front door and two windows on each side. The house had plenty of charm.

The sweeping front porch had settled over time, and now leaned to the left. His father had built a swing for his mother years ago to enjoy the summer evenings together. The swing still hung from rafters with ropes instead of chains for a more natural look. Originally it had been painted white, but the color had now turned to a pale yellow. Sam thought it looked like a rotten banana with the chipping paint and dark patches of wood. But Barron the cat didn’t seem to mind, as he had deemed it his favorite spot in town.

The front lawn had definitely been neglected, but it was nothing a little water and a lawn mower wouldn’t fix. The flower beds needed attention too. Right now they were empty and waiting for the seasonal planting.

Even though it was still early in the morning, it was extremely hot and humid outside. Sam was used to this; Texas weather was unpredictable. It could be hot and sunny in the morning and cold with a chance of snow in the evening. To be honest, Sam liked the unpredictable. For him, unpredictable meant change, perhaps for the better.

Sitting on the front steps waiting for Sam, was Travis. This was a daily routine for the two of them. Travis waited for Sam each morning as Sam dragged himself out of bed and out of the house. Which was strange, because Travis was never early for anything. Compared to Travis, Sam had his game together, at least to the untrained eye.

Travis sat on the edge of the wooden steps jabbing a soda straw at an innocent spider. It was an unusual-looking spider, mostly black except for the three green stripes on its abdomen. Travis continued to prod as the spider tried desperately to scurry across the steps.

Sam watched for a moment as Travis entertained himself. It was like watching a small child play with dirt on a playground. Sam laughed to himself; Travis may be a teenager, but in his heart he was still a great big kid.

Sam and Travis had known each other for years, but they weren’t always close. At first, Sam had felt sorry for Travis when they met five years ago. Back then no one liked Travis, although sometimes it was understandable. He could be a giant pain in the rear, but you got use to him after a while. If you could get past his ADD he was actually fun to have around.

Back then the kids at school had picked on Travis and called him names. There were a few times Sam had stood up for Travis. Like the time Brent Holland thought he caught Travis staring at his girlfriend Tina. In reality, Travis was staring at Sarah, who had a locker next to Tina. Sam had intervened, telling Brent that Travis suffered from neck spasms. Travis played along knowing if he didn’t, Brent would beat them both up. They both turned and slowly walked away. Sam looked straight ahead hoping the plan would work. Travis inched along at his side with his neck still turned to the left. Over the years things had changed; people made less fun of Travis. As fate would have it, newer kids moved in who seemed to have much bigger problems. Like Missy Baker, who ate her hair when she got nervous.

Travis, for all intents and purposes, was a slob—a big ball of mess, walking around bumping into life. He had light brown hair that was never combed and stuck out in every direction. He was Sam’s height, but heavier. Travis also had an unusual sense of fashion; he wore clothes that looked like they belonged back in the seventies, lots of brown and orange. His shoes were torn, ragged, and sometimes did not match. He was not poor; he just didn’t care.

But, for the record, Travis occasionally tried. He wore cologne—Old Spice, Sam thought, because he smelled just like Travis’s grandfather. Without a doubt he was a fashion disaster and a reject from the seventies, but he was a loyal friend, and that was the most important thing to Sam.

“Hey, dude, ’bout time,” Travis said, looking up through his disheveled bangs. His eyes were a dark hazel and he had a small patch of freckles that fell to just below his eyes. His face was round with sporadic patches of hair on his cheeks he like to call his man beard. He would constantly brag to Sam that he was more mature because of his three whiskers as opposed to Sam’s girlish face which had zero.

“Morning, Trav, how long you been out here?”

“Umm, a few days, give or take.”

“Right, I’m not that late,” Sam said smiling.

“Since about seven-thirty, I guess. Hey, your mom said pack a lunch.”

Travis always chatted with Sam’s mom as she made her way out of the house and to her car.

“Why didn’t you just come in?”

“Well I was going to but Barry showed up, and well, you know …”

Travis didn’t want Barry to find out about his crush on Sarah. But Barry knew and he didn’t care; heck, he thought it was funny. Sam had overheard Barry mention it to Sarah one time and they both laughed about it. Travis had made a fool out of himself plenty of times in front of Sarah. Sarah thought Travis was grosser than Sam, and that’s pretty darn gross!

Sam always hated to see Travis interact with Sarah; it was sad, really. Travis would make a complete 180, from a confident wise crack to a bubbling idiot who couldn’t string three words together the moment she walked into the room.

Just then, the door flew open and his sister came dashing out of the house with a frown on her face and overdressed as usual. Sam hated to admit it, but Sarah was a striking girl. She had long, chestnut brown hair, and the same ice blue eyes and dark skin as Sam, but her skin was darker because she laid out in the sun so much. His mom said they got their dark features from the Italian side of the family they’d never met.

Sarah wore a black tank top and a black skirt with sandals, a matching purse, and a small backpack thrown over her right shoulder. Her smooth, shiny hair fell below her shoulders, and was gently layered around the face.

She walked briskly by the two boys with her nose held high, as if she smelt something foul. Barry, of course, was close behind, like a small lap dog that had lost his way.

“Come on, turds, you’re already late,” she groaned.

Travis stood at attention and straightened his wrinkled shirt, but never looked up.

“Hi Sarah,” he mumbled, staring at his warn sneakers as she passed by.

Like always, Sarah was crude and annoyed.

“Hello, Travis, and what did we say about talking to me?” she said coldly.

Travis scratched his head and muttered “Um, not to?”

“That’s right. Let’s keep working on that, shall we?”

Sarah rounded the corner of the white picket fence in the front yard and never looked back. Barry laughed and shook his head as he followed her.

Sam stood staring in disbelief; he could never see what Travis saw in his sister. She was mean, rude, and hated everyone except for herself. He wasn’t even sure she liked Barry.

Sam stood next to Travis looking disgusted. “I see you’ve set aside this moment to humiliate yourself again,” he said.

“Whatever, dude,” Travis said, watching Sarah and Barry walk off.

“Why do you do that to yourself?” Sam asked.

“Do what?” Travis replied.

“You know what.” Sam shook his head and stepped down onto the front lawn. “It’s like I’m watching the same car crash every morning with you and her. When are you ever going to learn?”

“Dude, she’ll come around. I practically have her right where I want her.” Travis patted his chest.

Sam rolled his eyes, “You’re joking, right? Please tell me you’re joking.”

“What?” Travis asked, throwing his hands up in a mock surrender.

“Ummm, that you’re not blind to my sister’s witch-like charm. That you actually see that she can’t stand anyone on this planet beside herself.”

“Like I said, I have her right where I want her. Have a little faith, buddy,” he said and gave Sam a wink.

“Well, if having her ticked off and annoyed is part of the plan I would say yeah, you got her right where you want her.”

“There was a smile this time. I saw it!” Travis said with a smile of his own, like he was proud of some great accomplishment.

“I think you’re confusing the smile with what people here on earth refer to as a sneer, genius!”

Looking a little more perplexed, Travis replied, “Whatever, dude. All I’m saying is the world’s round—I’ll get there!”

Sam looked at Travis and rolled his eyes again, “Quit stealing your comebacks from old movies, Spicoli”

“Who, me?” Travis said, smiling and placing his hand over his heart, as if he were offended.

“Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Jeff Spicoli. Hello? I know movies too, dork!”

This time it was Travis who rolled his eyes and sighed, “Yeah whatever, it fits. Can we get off of me now and on to the situation at hand please?” then pointed to his stomach. “I’m hungry. I need food, dude. You got anything to eat?” His smile was fading into a more serious frown.

But Sam found it hard to just let the Sarah thing go. It didn’t even bother Travis. He was oblivious to rejection and hatred when it came to Sarah. Sam felt himself becoming more frustrated by the minute. But who knows, perhaps Travis was right, perhaps it was best to change the subject. Besides, if Travis wanted to get his ego crushed by Broadzilla, who was Sam to stand in the way of progress?

“No there’s nothing to eat. Barry was here; what do you think?”

“Dude I’m starving! Can we make something real quick?”

“No Trav. What am I, your mother? You should’ve eaten before you left your house!”

“Come on, Samster!”

“Nooo, Travis! And stop calling me that!” he said as he turned and walked around the front gate.

“Oh man, we’re already late, what’s the big deal?” Travis asked and mumbled something else Sam could not make out.

Travis picked his backpack up and swung it over his shoulder.

“It’s the last day of school! Hey, wait up!”

**I will post one EPISODE each week, but there are 50 EPISODE, so this may take a while. If you just can’t wait, you can buy (Just .99) the complete book and the rest of the HAVEN series (More Coming Soon) at Amazon.

You can sign up for my newsletter, follow me on Twitter, or like my Facebook page. For more information, see my website dc-akers.com . Your support is appreciated. Thanks for reading!

Terra Vonnel and the Skulls of Aries – Chapter 2

Battle Ready

 

The Aspen moved alongside the Mont Delia, its bow just a few feet away now. Terra leaped from the quarterdeck and onto the main deck as the Aspen’s forward hull pitched high into the air, crashing through another enormous wave.

Terra braced herself as she made her way across the deck to a small hatch. She yanked open the wooden door and jumped inside. The hull was dark. To each side of the hull sat fifteen Sea Ghouls rowing effortlessly, compelled by some form of mystical trance.

A small lantern hung from a rafter in the back of the room. There in a corner was a large desk bolted to the hull, and seated behind it was a thin, wiry man.

“Come for your weapons, have you, Vixen?” said Tink, the master gunner responsible for the ship’s guns and ammunition.

“Ah, you are so perceptive, Tink!” she replied with a grin. “Yes, and I’ll be hunting vampires!”

Tink returned the smile. He had one tooth, which gleamed of gold, surrounded by a face that resembled a withered pumpkin. His filthy gray hair hung past his shoulders. He wore a dirty gray shirt and black trousers that had also seen better days. Tink was not known to be a neat man, but he was renowned for his knowledge of weapons–magical weapons. Terra knew this early on, which was the reason he was part of her crew.

“Vampires… well then, you’ll be needing this!”

Tink stood and shuffled back to the large red chest closest to him. It was one of many that lined the back of the hull. Wrenching open the lid, he quickly withdrew the silver sword known as the Vanquisher.

The legendary weapon, crafted originally as a slashing sword, was ideal for close-quarters combat. The blade was 30 inches in length, with a two-point serrated edge on one side that emitted a mystical light blue glow when unsheathed.  When in battle, or in a time of distress, the sword would ignite a brilliant blue flame so intense that it could penetrate almost anything. The blade itself was forged from an unknown metal, with a light blue illumines engraving, written in the ancient Nitra language, that translated to, Vanquish thy enemy.  Its silver handle was fashioned into the likeness of a serpent, and the cast metal pommel featured the Nitra symbol for life–the body of a dove with a sapphire jewel for the head.  But the most intriguing feature was its guard, a six-horned dragon with sapphire eyes and central sapphire stone arranged in the image of Kingus, the Goblin God of Retribution.

“And my revolver, too,” she said, grabbing the sword from him.

Tink grinned again. He knew the precise gun. He reached back into the chest and retrieved the Diablo 9 Shooter. The revolver held nine bullets, firing three rounds simultaneously, with a nickel-plated barrel and an ornate dragonhead handle carved by one of the famed Dragon Lords of old.

Terra took the leather holster, strapped it to her leg, and tightened the belt. The gun fit snugly against her thigh like an old, familiar friend.

“Good hunting, Vixen!” he said with a wink.

“Thanks, Tink. I‘ll need it!” she replied as she made her way back up the ladder, to the hatch, and onto the deck.

The Aspen rocked in unison with the Mont Delia as she slid up alongside her. A loud CRASH rang out as the bows collided. Terra untied a thick rope attached to the Aspen’s main topsail. She twirled it around her hand and ran for the side of the ship. With her lunge, the rope pulled tight, swinging Terra over the edge and onto the main deck of the Mont Delia.

A loud voice rang out behind her as five seamen from the Aspen followed after her. “Attack!”

Terra landed on the deck, tucking and rolling till she got to her feet running. Quickly she unsheathed the Vanquisher, which ignited into a dazzling blue flame as the vampire seamen engaged.

White fanged and with gleaming violet eyes, they charged with swords in the air screaming like crazed beasts.

Terra fell to her knees, sliding past the first attacker while slashing through his midsection as the rest of her seamen engaged the enemy from behind her.

She got to her feet and sprinted to the captain’s quarters near the rear of the ship. The deck was slippery, and her line of sight was limited due to the immense storm, but she made it.

Standing in front of Count Dragos’s quarters, she kicked open the large, dilapidated door and dashed inside. With the Vanquisher in one hand illuminating the way and the Diablo in the other, she searched the room for Dragos.

The blue glow that emitted from the Vanquisher quivered as she moved it carefully across the room, scanning every inch of the cabin and revealing a small bed, a cabinet of clothes, and a desk, with scattered maps littering the premises. It was then she noticed it in the farthest corner of the cabin–a green box trimmed in silver. It was the same green box she had stolen from the cleric in Pelegosto.

**I will post one Chapter each week, so this may take a while. If you just can’t wait, you can buy (Just 2.99) the complete book at Amazon.

You can sign up for my newsletter, follow me on Twitter, or like my Facebook page. For more information, see my website dc-akers.com . Your support is appreciated. Thanks for reading!

Haven Shorts – Chapter 3– Episode 6 – A Stranger Magic

Chapter 3 – Episode 6

The grandfather clock chimed eight times as Sam made it down the stairs and into the kitchen. He would be late again. Dressed in a black vintage KISS t-shirt, faded blue jeans, and black tennis shoes he felt ready to take on the day. The once enormous mound of bed head had been transformed into a more socially acceptable hair style. His black hair was short with textured layers and was styled forward in a sweeping manner that framed his face.

Sam had found the five candy wrappers from last night. They were now in his pants pocket for safekeeping. He needed to figure out a way to ask Travis about them without mentioning the vanishing stranger.

Sam’s mother had already left for work, no doubt working another double shift at the diner. She had been doing this for months on end, anything to keep them afloat. Her busy schedule had taken its toll on her now. She was tired and distant most of the time. Sam hated the fact that she had to work so hard, and he wished he could help out. Sam needed a job now, not in three years. Sixteen seemed so far off, but what choice did he have? It was hard being the only man in the house when you were still too young to get a job.

The morning sun filled the small kitchen. Earthy neutral colors bathed the walls, counter tops and floor. Cabinets stained in a deep chocolate lined the perimeter, rendering the room as cozy and inviting. The kitchen color pallet had been his mom’s idea, but his father had done all the work, according to his mother.

Sam’s stomach growled; he felt like he had not eaten in years, and as usual Barry had left him nothing to eat. Barry Rogers, Sarah’s boyfriend, graced the Daclomes with his presence every morning to walk with Sarah and Sam to school, and to eat what he considered to be any leftover breakfast.

Barry stood at the kitchen counter inhaling a piece of buttered toast. A cup of orange juice sat next to him. He had short brown hair, and dark brown eyes which looked like giant brown beetles. He was a big jock, and was not particularly smart, which was perfect for Sarah, Sam surmised.

As always Barry wore his typical jock attire. It consisted of a blue football jersey with the number seven, designer jeans, and Nike sneakers.

Sarah was busy behind the counter putting together her lunch and chastising Barry for smacking his food while he chewed it. Sam couldn’t agree with Sarah more. Barry resembled a cow chewing grass, with a slow, agonizing gnawing that let out a loud SMACK as his jaw came full circle.

Sam stood motionless for a moment, transfixed at the lip-smacking football player Sarah called her boyfriend.

Talk about your lack of options. I hope she doesn’t marry Mr. Knucklehead and taint the gene pool, he thought.

Sam’s staring came to an abrupt halt when Sarah caught him gawking at her boyfriend.

“You know, Barry,” she said loud enough to break Sam’s concentration. “I’m a huge fan of Garfield, I mean HUGE!” Sarah met Sam’s gaze and the corners of her mouth curled up into a devilish smirk.

Barry didn’t say a word, because talking and drinking orange juice at the same time can be quite challenging.

Sam remained quiet; getting into a heated debate as to whether or not he had on Garfield boxers might not be the best idea. Without saying a word, Sam moved Barry’s backpack off his school books that lay on the table and placed the bag on the floor next to Barry.

“Hey, morning, dude,” Barry finally mumbled with half a piece of toast hanging from his mouth.

“Morning, Barry, how’s my breakfast? Good, I hope?” Sam laid the sarcasm on a little thick, but Barry’s head was pretty thick, too. There was absolutely no chance Mr. Football noticed his tone. It’s not like all the lights were on. It was like using a Jedi mind trick—it only works on the weak-minded.

“Um, yeah, not bad,” he replied smacking his lips and pouring himself another cup of orange juice.

“Good, glad to hear it. Hey Sarah, why don’t you get Barry here some more toast? He’s getting a little low.”

Sarah’s eyes narrowed into tiny slits. Sam liked to refer to this face as the Look of Death.

“You know, a guy like you with such a low IQ should have a low voice, too.” she countered.

Sam returned her glare with a kind smile and a wink for extra measure. He grabbed his books and headed for the front door yelling, “Come on Sarah, you’re going to make me late again!”

**I will post one EPISODE each week, but there are 50 EPISODE, so this may take a while. If you just can’t wait, you can buy (Just .99) the complete book and the rest of the HAVEN series (More Coming Soon) at Amazon.

You can sign up for my newsletter, follow me on Twitter, or like my Facebook page. For more information, see my website dc-akers.com . Your support is appreciated. Thanks for reading!

Terra Vonnel and the Skulls of Aries – Chapter 1

Chasing the Dead

Silver clouds billowed across the sky as the winds and rain ruthlessly pounded the famous ship, making the chase ever more treacherous. The massive ocean swells lashed the bow of the galley class ship known as the Aspen. The ship itself was daunting, with its charcoal black finish and red and black sails. But what lie at the root of the Aspen’s notoriety had nothing to do with the ship itself and everything to do with her captain.

Terra Vonnel, a pirate and master thief, stood at the edge of the quarterdeck, her long, black hair tautly secured by a scarlet bandana. Dressed in her signature white shirt, red sash, black boots and trousers, Terra Vonnel embodied to the letter her nickname: the Sea Vixen.

Just seventeen years of age, Terra had won her shipmates’ respect through countless life-threatening adventures, fighting side by side with her crew. Despite her young age, she was an old soul at heart.

“Faster, Coven, faster!” she yelled, her bright green eyes fluttering against the rain.

Coven Breckrill was the ship’s sailing master. In charge of ship navigation, he was the highest paid and most devoted crewmember.

As the Aspen sped through the turbulent sea with its mystical green flames licking its bow, it moved into striking distance. Powered by wraithlike fiends known as Sea Ghouls, the phantom creatures heaving the massive wooden oars, the Aspen accelerated into the squalling wind.

Won in a card game from a gypsy in Tortuga, the Sea Ghouls were her most valued asset to date. With the demonic creatures manning its oars, the Aspen was capable of reaching speeds of over 180 knots. It could outrun, out chase, and outflank any vessel on the high seas.

Tonight the Sea Vixen’s target was the Mont Delia, a dank brigantine class ship from the Mediterranean that possessed one of the twin Skulls of Aries.

Terra, who had stolen the first skull from a cleric in Pelegosto, now headed to Port Royal to seek out the other when word came that Count Dragos and his men had gotten there first.

Dragos, a Sicilian vampire and vicious pirate, had arrived a day earlier in Port Royal. He made his way through the village, slaughtering hundreds, until finding Petre Bendella, the cleric’s older brother. With little effort Dragos killed Petre, draining him of his blood, and stole the Skull of Aries. Now with only one skull remaining, Dragos departed Port Royal and headed toward Pelegosto.

Unknown to Dragos, the Aspen had been waiting cloaked in a blanket of fog, poised to make its move. With its lightning speed, the Mont Delia was no match for the Aspen.

Terra Vonnel waited patiently as the Aspen quickly approached its target. She needed the remaining skull. Without it, the other was useless, but together she would possess a power so unimaginable that even the Gods of the Sea would worship her!

The Skulls of Aries were magical gate keys. When used in unison they would unlock the Gates of Monticule, the last obstacle that stood between her and the Orb of Time.  Once she possessed the Orb, she would be its guardian and free to travel back in time, rendering her meager form of transportation a moot point. She and she alone would have the power of the Gods, and from that point on she would travel like one!

      For Terra, the plan was clear: Steal the Twin Skulls, enter the Gates, steal the Orb, and travel back in time. Her first objective would be July 24, 1715, seven days before the Spanish Plate Fleet, led by the flagship El Capitana, sank in the Florida hurricane. There on July 24 she would steal the 14 million pieces of eight and assorted treasure before it sank, making her, in one fell swoop, the richest and most powerful woman in the world!

**I will post one Chapter each week, so this may take a while. If you just can’t wait, you can buy (Just 2.99) the complete book at Amazon.

You can sign up for my newsletter, follow me on Twitter, or like my Facebook page. For more information, see my website dc-akers.com . Your support is appreciated. Thanks for reading!

Haven Shorts – Chapter 2 – Episode 5 – A Stranger Magic

Chapter 2 – Episode 5

Sam stood up slowly. He was still tired. He glanced up and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.

Hello there, Mr. Average, he thought with a yawn and a stretch.

There was no other way to put it—he felt so ordinary. He wasn’t tall, he wasn’t short; he was just average size. His face was thin and his ears were small. He had a short nose and full lips, like his mother. He wasn’t sure what features he had of his father’s, but whatever they were he hoped they hadn’t shown up yet. Because if this was all there would ever be, Sam felt cheated. He stared at himself in disgust. His light blue eyes were probably the only feature that stood out whatsoever. They were an ice blue, just like his mother’s and sister’s. People commented on them all the time.

“Wow, your eyes are cool!” or, “Wicked eyes dude!” they said. Once a girl even told him, “You have the most amazing eyes!” which was kind of cool.

At least that’s what he thought she had said. Her name was Mary Bartlett and it was sixth grade during lunch. They were standing in line when she turned around and told him. Although, it was hard to tell exactly what she said, because she had half a roll in her mouth. But Sam was quite sure that’s what she said through the spray of bread crumbs.

Today was the last day of eighth grade and Sam would finish out the year looking like crap. He had circles under his eyes from lack of sleep, his normally olive-colored skin was unusually pale—like the living dead kind of pale—and he had the worst case of bed head. He had bed head every morning, but today it was particularly bad. He had large lumps on every side of his head making his short, straight hair look curly. It also made him look ten inches taller. It was like a bomb went off inside his hair.

Sam stood there slumped over with his oversized Garfield boxers and giant hair thinking to himself, Nothing like giving the ladies something to remember you by. The words “epic fail” came to mind.

Quickly, he straightened his back, puffed out his chest, and flexed his arms in the mirror.

“Welcome to the gun show!” he said as he tried to flex his skinny muscle-free arms. Sam was checking to see if by some sort of miracle his arms had sprouted muscles since the last time he had checked. They hadn’t.

Just then he heard a snort from the hallway.

“Oh yeah, well I want my money back!” Sarah said, letting out a giggle.

Sam whipped his head around so fast he thought it would spin off his body. The blood rushed to his face. Embarrassed and still in his underwear, he panicked.

“GET OUT!” he yelled.

Sarah did not move.

“You are so gross!” she continued, standing in the hallway and fully dressed. Sam was furious. He was about to go Ninja on her, he could feel it.

“Mom, Sam’s being gross again!” she yelled out. Then she gave him the irritatingly mischievous grin he hated so much.

Okay, that was it! Therapy was too expensive. But a good blow to the head was cheap! Sam reached for the closest object he could find, which was an empty video game case lying on the floor, and hurled it at her. The plastic case whirled through the air like a boomerang, finally striking the side of the door frame next to her.

Sarah didn’t move or flinch a single muscle. She watched unimpressed as the plastic case fell to the ground and looked back at her brother.

“And that’s why you don’t play baseball, loser!”

Sam thought his head was going to explode with rage.

“I … I …”

He was trying desperately to think of something hurtful, yet clever enough to leave his sister speechless, but all that came out was, “… think you’re stupid!”

Sarah rolled her eyes, folded her arms, and leaned into the frame of the door.

“You know, dork, you should never enter a battle of wits unarmed, just sayin’.”

Then she sighed while looking down at her nails, as if she were bored.

Sam clutched both of his fists, trying to control his temper.

“Look,” she said calmly, “I can see you’re a little overwhelmed right now trying to think and all, so I’m going to play nice and throw you bone.”

She blew on her nails and looked up at her brother.

“We have new neighbors. They moved in yesterday while you were with your girlfriend, Travis.”

Livid, Sam stared into her eyes. She hated Travis, despite the fact he had a crush on her, and for whatever reason, was always nice to her.

“So?” Sam said, becoming more frustrated by the moment. “So” and “stupid” were all he had in his arsenal of comebacks at the moment.

Sarah grinned, “Sooo, they have a daughter about your age.”

Why in the world would she be telling him this? She had never talked to him about girls before, and why was The Grin back?

“So, I don’t care!” he said abruptly, even though he knew he sounded like a child. There was a moment of silence between them, where the two of them just stared at one another—Sam with his big hair and bad boxers, and Sarah with that stupid grin on her face.

Sarah’s grin turned into a smile. “Well you should care, because she’s staring at you right now through her window! And guess what? You’re still wearing your boxers!”

At first, Sam wasn’t sure he had heard her right. Did she say she was staring at him? Like right now?

In that split-second Sam’s world went silent and everything closed in around him. He froze in place as the ill feeling of humiliation began to slowly creep its way in. His mind was confused again.

Please, he told himself, let her be lying to me just one last time!

Sam slowly turned to face his side bedroom window and glanced across the breezeway to the other house. There, staring back at him through the adjacent window was a very pretty girl. She had long black hair, magnificent green eyes, and she was dressed in a purple shirt with faded blue jeans.

Sam could feel the blood drain from his face. He wanted to duck, run, or do anything instead of just stand there, but it was too late for any of that.

He stared back like a complete idiot at this beautiful girl with his big hair, skinny body, and his stupid, giant, what-was-he-thinking Garfield boxers on.

There was another brief moment of silence until Sarah cleared her throat and stood up straight.

“Now that, my little minion, was priceless,” she said.

Still unable to move, Sam stared back at the girl, not knowing what to do. Then, as if nothing had ever happened, the girl smiled, reached for the blinds on the window and slid them shut.

Sarah turned, flinging her hair around her shoulders like she always did when she felt she had proven her point, and walked briskly down the hallway. It wasn’t long before he heard his mother’s voice again.

“Sam, don’t throw things at your sister, and get down here and eat your breakfast!”

Sam sat back down on his bed and put his face in his hands in utter defeat.

I hate my life.

**I will post one EPISODE each week, but there are 50 EPISODE, so this may take a while. If you just can’t wait, you can buy (Just .99) the complete book and the rest of the HAVEN series (More Coming Soon) at Amazon.

You can sign up for my newsletter, follow me on Twitter, or like my Facebook page. For more information, see my website dc-akers.com . Your support is appreciated. Thanks for reading!

Haven: A Stranger Magic and Some Exciting News!

Haven: A Stranger Magic and Some Exciting News! From my Front Line Editor, she is the best!