The Road of Darkness
Author
Zoe Ambler
Author Bio
Zoe Ambler hails from Enterprise, Alabama. She has traveled the world but always finds her way back home. Her hobbies include sketching, playing violin (badly), collecting oddities and office supplies. Zoe is often found spoiling her fat cat, obsessing over coffee at Dakota Coffee Works and the coming zombie apocalypse.
Description
Addison, just out of her teens in early seventeenth century Louisiana, is the victim of a vampire attack. She is turned. Unlike most, she embraces it rather than fight it. Over her long years, she watches mortal man and their ways, fascinated with the evolution of their conflicts. Moving from country to country, war to war, immersed in the bloodshed and destruction. The road of darkness is a bitter one. From a deal gone bad with the Voodoo demi-god Baron Samedi to encounters with other supernatural beings. Time brings her heartbreaking loss of would-be love and few triumphs. The darkness grows. At the peak of her self destruction in a war torn desert she meets a Slayer bent on saving her rather than destroy her. What will it take to change the mind, heart and darkness of a former belle of the ball turned beast?
Book excerpt
Addison’s reflective eyes then turned to the home itself. Step by step she made her way up the front steps, onto the porch, and then into the house.
She scented the air with her keen nose. Neeta was burning incense. Addison followed the smell, coming to the old woman’s room. Caroline sat huddled against the wall as Neeta seemed to be doing some hex or ward. Addison walked over and knocked all the materials away in a nonplussed fashion.
She got down on her hands and knees, reaching out and touching her mother’s leg in a gentle way with a bloodied hand. “Mama…” She whispered with longing and heartbreak in her voice. Tears made little rivers through the blood staining her face.
“Ya leave de woman be Addison…” Neeta said, holding a crucifix. She then looked to Caroline, who looked as if she were ready to take her daughter up into her arms and comfort her. “Dun ya be doin’ dat, Mrs. Jaspers. Dat ain’t de girl ya knew…dis t’ing…she walks between life and death…” Neeta whispered out.
Addison looked to the old black woman. She hissed at her, before turning to face her more direct. “Fix it then…make me back to what I’m supposed to be…” She hissed at the old woman. “Dere ain’t no fixin’ ya…” Neeta said in a soft tone.
Addison’s mother was inching away. The foul stench coming off Addison was making her want to retch. Addison noticed, her eyes turning back to her mother. “Hold me Mama…make everything all better…” Addison implored. She moved to her mother, resting her head on Caroline’s chest, her slender arms wrapping around her mother’s waist.
She could hear the erratic beat of her mother’s heart, the pumping blood. She could smell the fear, and taste the heady natural chemical of adrenaline. “You get away from me…you…monster…” Caroline uttered out in disgust.
Addison closed her eyes. Rage rolled through her though she tried to push it back. A hand reached up, caressing her mother’s face in a gentle way, before moving through the woman’s hair. She grabbed it roughly; the woman screaming. Addison brought her mouth down onto her mother’s throat, silencing her. She drank in all the fear and adrenaline coursing through the woman’s system. The woman struggled, but soon, her heart gave way. She was never healthy throughout her life.
“Look what ya do…ya kill everyt’ing dat meant somet’ing to ya.” Came Neeta’s soft voice from the corner.
Addison straightened, laying her mother back on the floor. Addison began brushing the woman’s hair from her face in a loving gesture, crossing her hands neat and prim over her belly.
She then turned to Neeta. “You…You will live…” She hissed. “You will tell me what this thing is that I’ve become…” She ordered though tears still fell from her eyes.
Addison looked around the small room. Neeta still huddled in the corner. Addison stood, moving to her mother’s body, lifting her mother’s limp body…
