Idiot.
It was my own reflection, staring back at me with wide eyes from a large, age-spotted mirror. I sighed, irritated at almost giving myself a heart attack. I was about to turn away when I saw a movement in the mirror. I watched open-mouthed as black shapes moved across my bare arms and chest. I crept closer to the mirror. They were runes, flitting across my skin as if there was an invisible hand writing them—a constant stream of symbols and icons appearing and then vanishing again a moment later.
Was the change happening? Had the physical side effects of becoming an Oracle begun?
The lamp trembled in my hand. I looked down at my skin, and saw nothing. It was completely clear, devoid of the runes. When I glanced back up at the mirror, they were still there.
It’s just your imagination.
I moved away from the mirror. I was tired, exhausted. My mind was playing tricks on me—having way too much fun in this creepy house. I made my way through the main hallway, heading toward the Druid’s room. Once again, I caught sight of myself in the reflection of a glass cabinet. The runes were still there—in my reflection at least. I moved to peer closer, checking it wasn’t just the grime on the glass surface that was making me think there were runes appearing.
It wasn’t.
As I stared, dumbstruck, my blood running cold, I thought I could see the runes seeping black blood. It reminded me of Draven earlier, when he’d carved them into his skin, but the tar-like substance that appeared to trickle down my arm was nothing like I’d ever seen before…
What is happening to me?
Phoenix
I’m dreaming.
I was back in the desert. It was cold, the middle of the night, with five different glowing spheres shining down above me like moons. The landscape was deserted, and there was no sandstorm behind me this time.
I knew the Daughters were coming. I wanted to wake up. It was almost like I could see myself from above—the real me yelling at my apparition to get out of there, to run, hide. They were coming.
Sand started to blow ferociously over the dried, cracked earth. I heard the sound of female laughter, low and cruel—the same way they had laughed at Draven when they took out his eyes.
They appeared suddenly, their limbs golden and toned, their white linen dresses moving provocatively in the breeze and their hair whipping up with the blasts of sand like shining cloaks.
“What do you want?” I asked them, my mouth as dry as the desert beneath me. The red-headed Daughter stepped forward, her golden chains and jewelry jangling as she moved. Her masked face was level with mine—close enough that I could see her violet eyes boring into my soul.
“You must wake her,” she whispered. “You must, or all will be lost.”
“I—I can’t,” I stuttered. “I don’t know how.”
The Daughter shook her head. Her fingers reached upward and she slid them gently down the side of my face. A soft hushing sound escaped her mouth, as if she was reassuring a small child.
“It will take one life to start another,” she whispered again. “One life to be sacrificed—yours, Phoenix.”
“No, that can’t be,” I gasped, my whole body tensing for the blow I suspected was about to come. Could they kill me here, in a dream? Did they have that much power, or was this just a nightmare, one I would soon wake up from?
“A gift,” the redhead soothed, producing a dagger out of thin air. It was crude, an ancient-looking weapon with the blade chiseled from stone and twine wrapped around the handle. She held it toward me, flat out on her palm.
“Take it,” she urged me. “Take it, and cut yourself on the full moon. Let your blood flow onto the soil beneath the magnolia tree so the roots can drink it, and the Last Daughter will be reborn.”
Hardly knowing what I was doing, I took the knife from her hand, holding it in my own. The stone was warm, and the edges were sharp despite its appearance.
“Your life will have not been in vain, seer,” she told me.
I nodded slowly. Perhaps the Daughters were right. What was one sacrifice to save the lives of so many others? If I could give this one gift to the Last Daughter, perhaps my life would have been worthwhile, short as it was.
“She will thank you for it,” the redhead whispered.
“Then it’s worth it,” I conceded, nodding in agreement as I stared into her violet eyes.
I woke with a start. I could feel perspiration dripping down my back, my hair stuck to the nape of my neck. The dream had been so vivid and real that it took me a while to understand that I was back in the bedroom at the plantation house—safe, with my friends and sister around me.
Shaking my head with annoyance, I realized I’d forgotten to open the bedroom windows. No wonder I was having weird dreams. I was probably delirious with heat. I shifted on the bed, about to rise off it, when something heavy shifted against my leg. I felt around in the darkness, drawing back instantly as I cut my finger on something sharp. Wincing, I felt around for the object again, and my fingers touched twine, and then carved stone. It was a knife. With a shaking hand, I held it up to the moonlight.
The gift from the Daughters.
Ready for the next part of the journey?
Hearts will tangle
Romance will ignite…
Dear Shaddict,
Thank you for reading A House of Mysteries.
The next book, ASOV 44, is called A Tangle of Hearts, and it releases May 21st, 2017!
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Bella xxx
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Read more by Bella Forrest
THE SECRET OF SPELLSHADOW MANOR
The Secret of Spellshadow Manor (Book 1)
The Breaker (Book 2)
THE GENDER GAME
The Gender Game (Book 1)
The Gender Secret (Book 2)
The Gender Lie (Book 3)
The Gender War (Book 4)
The Gender Fall (Book 5)
The Gender Plan (Book 6)
A SHADE OF VAMPIRE SERIES
Series 1: Derek & Sofia’s story
A Shade of Vampire (Book 1)
A Shade of Blood (Book 2)
A Castle of Sand (Book 3)
A Shadow of Light (Book 4)
A Blaze of Sun (Book 5)
A Gate of Night (Book 6)
A Break of Day (Book 7)
Series 2: Rose & Caleb’s story
A Shade of Novak (Book 8)
A Bond of Blood (Book 9)
A Spell of Time (Book 10)
A Chase of Prey (Book 11)
A Shade of Doubt (Book 12)
A Turn of Tides (Book 13)
A Dawn of Strength (Book 14)
A Fall of Secrets (Book 15)
An End of Night (Book 16)
Series 3: The Shade continues with a new hero…
A Wind of Change (Book 17)
A Trail of Echoes (Book 18)
A Soldier of Shadows (Book 19)
A Hero of Realms (Book 20)
A Vial of Life (Book 21)
A Fork of Paths (Book 22)
A
Flight of Souls (Book 23)
A Bridge of Stars (Book 24)
Series 4: A Clan of Novaks
A Clan of Novaks (Book 25)
A World of New (Book 26)
A Web of Lies (Book 27)
A Touch of Truth (Book 28)
An Hour of Need (Book 29)
A Game of Risk (Book 30)
A Twist of Fates (Book 31)
A Day of Glory (Book 32)
Series 5: A Dawn of Guardians
A Dawn of Guardians (Book 33)
A Sword of Chance (Book 34)
A Race of Trials (Book 35)
A King of Shadow (Book 36)
An Empire of Stones (Book 37)
A Power of Old (Book 38)
A Rip of Realms (Book 39)
A Throne of Fire (Book 40)
A Tide of War (Book 41)
Series 6: A Gift of Three
A Gift of Three (Book 42)
A House of Mysteries (Book 43)
A Tangle of Hearts (Book 44)
A SHADE OF DRAGON TRILOGY
A Shade of Dragon 1
A Shade of Dragon 2
A Shade of Dragon 3
A SHADE OF KIEV TRILOGY
A Shade of Kiev 1
A Shade of Kiev 2
A Shade of Kiev 3
DETECTIVE ERIN BOND (Adult thriller/mystery)
Lights, Camera, Gone
Write, Edit, Kill
BEAUTIFUL MONSTER DUOLOGY
Beautiful Monster 1
Beautiful Monster 2
For an updated list of Bella’s books, please visit her website: www.bellaforrest.net
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A Shade of Vampire 43 Page 18