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Mouth of Madness: Preternatural Chronicles Book 4
A powerful ally has gone insane and threatens to expose supernaturals to the entire world, damning the innocent and the guilty in equal measure.
For John Cook, the day all hell broke loose started like any other—sipping on a fresh, steaming mug of joe. Well, the blood might have actually come from a guy named Joe, technically speaking.
But figuratively speaking, John got caught with his pants down.
Because somewhere in a distant room illuminated by hellfire, a fierce enemy learned a terrible truth. Armed with the Spear of Destiny and power bestowed directly from Lucifer himself, a man is finally set to achieve his long-awaited revenge.
And the most powerful demon lord in existence has been summoned from the pits of Hell and given a target. Asmodeus will not stop until his master’s bidding is fulfilled, and a soul is claimed.
And a military force, armed with deadly silver rounds, has set a trap.
The clock is ticking, and it’s not the timer for John’s microwave burrito…
Tick-tock. Tick-tock, John Cook. The foundations of civilization are crumbling, and the only way to hold it up is to sacrifice a few pawns…
Even if those pawns are some of his closest friends.
Enter the Mouth of Madness and join John as he faces a truly impossible quest. Hopefully, he puts his pants on, first, but no promises.
For John Cook, the day all hell broke loose started like any other—sipping on a fresh, steaming mug of joe. Well, the blood might have actually come from a guy named Joe, technically speaking.
But figuratively speaking, John got caught with his pants down.
Because somewhere in a distant room illuminated by hellfire, a fierce enemy learned a terrible truth. Armed with the Spear of Destiny and power bestowed directly from Lucifer himself, a man is finally set to achieve his long-awaited revenge.
And the most powerful demon lord in existence has been summoned from the pits of Hell and given a target. Asmodeus will not stop until his master’s bidding is fulfilled, and a soul is claimed.
And a military force, armed with deadly silver rounds, has set a trap.
The clock is ticking, and it’s not the timer for John’s microwave burrito…
Tick-tock. Tick-tock, John Cook. The foundations of civilization are crumbling, and the only way to hold it up is to sacrifice a few pawns…
Even if those pawns are some of his closest friends.
Enter the Mouth of Madness and join John as he faces a truly impossible quest. Hopefully, he puts his pants on, first, but no promises.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 24, 2023
161 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Hunter Blain
32 books202 followersMy name is Hunter, and I’m a wordaholic. I’m also about to break the fourth wall…of your mindhole. Because there is a true story behind this…well…story.
It begins with two best friends who grew up together, breaking rules and raising hell as they shaped each other’s personalities into the shameless assholes they are today. Well, at least for one of them, but I’ll get to that in a moment. These two boys—let’s call them Hunter and John—were all but inseparable. John excelled at creating music powerful enough to make angels weep and being the funniest asshole in Texas while Hunter dabbled—poorly, I might add—in his humble writings. Because they were self-declared brothers from other mothers, John respected Hunter’s humble writings as much as I—I mean Hunter (stupid third person perspective)—respected John’s musical magic. John’s tunes could have changed the world, one day…
One fine day, after reading one of Hunter’s horrifically detailed short stories about a serial killer, John asked Hunter to write a story about him.
“Hell yeah, dude! What do you want to be?” Hunter asked, brimming with honor and biting back a very manly squee.
“A vampire,” John responded with a mischievous gleam in his eye. “But not one of those sparkly ones. A true bad ass!”
“Done!” Hunter crowed with a smile and an accompanying high five.
“No, dude. Promise. Promise you’ll write and finish a book about me. You are the most prolific writer of our generation!” John said. (Something like that. I might be paraphrasing a little, but you get the gist of it). “I would consider it an honor to live on for eternity with your words as my life’s blood.”
Hunter agreed, never to realize the weight of that promise until one Sunday morning when John’s mother called, crying incoherently.
John…had died.
Hunter was left in a cold world without his best friend and doppelgänger. Hunter still thinks about that moment to this day. How the morning light crept through the bedroom window while Hunter stared at the ceiling, noticing how the popcorn texture created cruel, jagged shadows. How everything started to blur as his chest was crushed beneath the weight of what he was hearing, each word stacking heavily upon the other until only fitful, ragged gasps of air could escape his throat. Only fiery tears existed, especially after the horrific realization that Hunter now had to make some of the hardest phone calls of his life to the circle of friends who orbited around John’s solar pull.
Their star was no more, leaving their universe a colder and darker place.
John not only left Hunter, but a friend named Valenta as well. There was also Nathanial and Depweg. The friends were each stricken numb with the loss of such a beloved flare of life. But…
When the three found out that Hunter was keeping his promise to write the greatest story ever told—starring their dear friend, John—they demanded to be a part of the adventure. Each of them immediately knew what type of supernatural character they wanted to play in this urban fantasy eulogy. It would be a funeral pyre of words, and their fictional personas would be John’s pallbearers.
So please, as you read the following pages, feel free to laugh. Laugh at the situations John is placed in and his dickish dialogue to those around him, because John is 100% in this story without alteration (albeit he is a vampire). Laugh and let his memory live on inside the theater of your mind. Like he does in ours.
Thank you, sincerely, from the bottom of my beating heart, for giving my best friend the chance to live again. You are part of this magical ritual, and that would make him the happiest man in the…well, wherever the hell he is.
It begins with two best friends who grew up together, breaking rules and raising hell as they shaped each other’s personalities into the shameless assholes they are today. Well, at least for one of them, but I’ll get to that in a moment. These two boys—let’s call them Hunter and John—were all but inseparable. John excelled at creating music powerful enough to make angels weep and being the funniest asshole in Texas while Hunter dabbled—poorly, I might add—in his humble writings. Because they were self-declared brothers from other mothers, John respected Hunter’s humble writings as much as I—I mean Hunter (stupid third person perspective)—respected John’s musical magic. John’s tunes could have changed the world, one day…
One fine day, after reading one of Hunter’s horrifically detailed short stories about a serial killer, John asked Hunter to write a story about him.
“Hell yeah, dude! What do you want to be?” Hunter asked, brimming with honor and biting back a very manly squee.
“A vampire,” John responded with a mischievous gleam in his eye. “But not one of those sparkly ones. A true bad ass!”
“Done!” Hunter crowed with a smile and an accompanying high five.
“No, dude. Promise. Promise you’ll write and finish a book about me. You are the most prolific writer of our generation!” John said. (Something like that. I might be paraphrasing a little, but you get the gist of it). “I would consider it an honor to live on for eternity with your words as my life’s blood.”
Hunter agreed, never to realize the weight of that promise until one Sunday morning when John’s mother called, crying incoherently.
John…had died.
Hunter was left in a cold world without his best friend and doppelgänger. Hunter still thinks about that moment to this day. How the morning light crept through the bedroom window while Hunter stared at the ceiling, noticing how the popcorn texture created cruel, jagged shadows. How everything started to blur as his chest was crushed beneath the weight of what he was hearing, each word stacking heavily upon the other until only fitful, ragged gasps of air could escape his throat. Only fiery tears existed, especially after the horrific realization that Hunter now had to make some of the hardest phone calls of his life to the circle of friends who orbited around John’s solar pull.
Their star was no more, leaving their universe a colder and darker place.
John not only left Hunter, but a friend named Valenta as well. There was also Nathanial and Depweg. The friends were each stricken numb with the loss of such a beloved flare of life. But…
When the three found out that Hunter was keeping his promise to write the greatest story ever told—starring their dear friend, John—they demanded to be a part of the adventure. Each of them immediately knew what type of supernatural character they wanted to play in this urban fantasy eulogy. It would be a funeral pyre of words, and their fictional personas would be John’s pallbearers.
So please, as you read the following pages, feel free to laugh. Laugh at the situations John is placed in and his dickish dialogue to those around him, because John is 100% in this story without alteration (albeit he is a vampire). Laugh and let his memory live on inside the theater of your mind. Like he does in ours.
Thank you, sincerely, from the bottom of my beating heart, for giving my best friend the chance to live again. You are part of this magical ritual, and that would make him the happiest man in the…well, wherever the hell he is.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 12, 2024
wow
I never saw this one coming. So many twists I don’t know how John can keep up with everything. Outstanding writing and a great story that will definitely keep you guessing. I am so excited to see where all the trailers will go and I hope it eventually ends in at least one HEA. Happy reading All.
I never saw this one coming. So many twists I don’t know how John can keep up with everything. Outstanding writing and a great story that will definitely keep you guessing. I am so excited to see where all the trailers will go and I hope it eventually ends in at least one HEA. Happy reading All.
October 19, 2024
Love Bites
Blain’s Preternatural Chronicles just keep getting better with each book. If it involves vampires, I’m in. I highly recommend this series!
Blain’s Preternatural Chronicles just keep getting better with each book. If it involves vampires, I’m in. I highly recommend this series!
December 16, 2024
Hunter claims to be a "wordaholic". That's awesome! Keep'em coming! Great humour, unexpected twists and loyal friendship are some of the features of these Chronicles! John is Dead pool mixed with Batman! Only this Abomination can do this!
September 10, 2025
Good read
Whaaaaa? Another cliffhanger? I really like these characters and the on again/off again conflicts. It’s clear all these events are taking readers to a grand conclusion with cataclysmic results, that will either surprise or disappoint. I’ll let you know.
Whaaaaa? Another cliffhanger? I really like these characters and the on again/off again conflicts. It’s clear all these events are taking readers to a grand conclusion with cataclysmic results, that will either surprise or disappoint. I’ll let you know.
December 17, 2024
Twists and turns
This installment in the Preternatural Chronicles series was packed with so much.
The players have all shown up, but some of the players have changed sides.
This installment in the Preternatural Chronicles series was packed with so much.
The players have all shown up, but some of the players have changed sides.
May 26, 2025
Seriously good fun .
August 8, 2025
great read and story
Great read and story. John goes about with a fun attitude always quoting from movies. Worth the time to read.
Great read and story. John goes about with a fun attitude always quoting from movies. Worth the time to read.
September 2, 2025
Awesome!
Another great arc sees many legends become truth while a chance at true love is crushed under duty to ones people.
Now hopefully they don’t lose anyone else!🤞
Another great arc sees many legends become truth while a chance at true love is crushed under duty to ones people.
Now hopefully they don’t lose anyone else!🤞
January 31, 2026
Love the humor in this series, as well as all the action.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews