by Candy Crum
Wrath
Time of Death Series Book 2
Candy Crum
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
IMPORTANT Author’s Notes!
OTHER WORK by A.M. Wray and her other pen name, Candy Crum.
*** CANDY CRUM ***
The Eternal Series (Action Paranormal Romance)
THESE BOOKS ARE BEING RE-RELEASED.
- Due to the connection with the universe in this series, the Eternal Series will be released with all new artwork. Follow closely, because I will be releasing information on the new Vampire Queen series as well – ALSO set in this universe!
- SEE THE AUTHOR’S NOTES FOR DETAILS! THIS IS HUGE!!!
The Eternal Gift Vol. 1 Link: http://a.co/dklFmeu
The Eternal Gift Vol. 2 (3/21/17) Pre-Order Link: http://a.co/3eKZSsG
Memoirs of an Egyptian Goddess Series
Khanae: The Eternally Damned (4/18/17)
Pre-Order now!
The Fated Series (YA Fantasy)
Rise from the Ashes
Time of Death Series (Paranormal Adult Thriller/Romance)
13:17
Wrath
Fury (Release date: 3/28/17)
- Pre-Order Link: http://a.co/89vfWgW
STANDALONE NOVELS (not in a series)
Lean on me (YA Dramatic Romance)
Into the Nether (Horror Short)
*** A.M. WRAY ***
Bending the Rules Series (NA Romance)
Rebound
Honor
Just… Friends
------ Bending the Rules Boxed Set (Book 1-3) (2/21/17)
STANDALONE NOVELS (not in a series)
This Means War (NA Romance)
Chapter One
Have you ever awoken from a dream that was very odd, but felt so real that it kind of influenced your whole day? Well, every day I awoke from normal dreams to find myself in a strange alternate universe where I’m a succubus, my father isn’t my father, but a very old incubus named Tristan is, my best friend is dead, my two new friends are a cop that knows what I am and a vampire named Cass, and I’m expected to feed on the life force of humans to survive. Basically, the opposite of whatever it is you have going on when you wake up.
A few weeks had passed since Will’s death, but there are some things I should probably go over before I continue. That night, when the four of us – Tristan, Cass, Andrews, and myself – left the warehouse, we came back to my parents’ house. It had become quite the safe zone. I just hoped that it stayed that way.
I’d called my mom on the way there to let her know that I was on my way home and to have some strong alcohol waiting. I told her that I’d explain once we got there. Truth was, I was exhausted. I’d fed a little, but it wasn’t nearly enough. It was like being awake for a week straight. A nap probably isn’t going to do much.
When I walked in, my mother ran to me and wrapped me in her arms. I was covered in brain matter and blood, but she didn’t care. She saw me, saw that I’d been in one hell of a situation, and hugged me when she saw that I was okay. It made me want to tear up with just how much my parents loved me.
They did whatever they had to in order to conceive me, which is where Tristan had come in, and they never looked at me like I was any different, even though they knew that one day I could be. When they realized that I was different, they still didn’t care. They’d known what they were getting into and they didn’t care what I turned out to be, as long as I was theirs to love. There could be no better example of what a parent should be. I hoped one day I’d get a chance to be as good of a parent as they’d been to me.
The door had opened again and Andrews walked in, followed by Cass. I wondered if he’d have to be invited in, but apparently, it didn’t work that way. The moment that Tristan entered, however, my mother’s arms fell and she stumbled back a step or two.
“Mom,” I’d said. “I’m sure you remember this guy. This is Tristan.”
My mother’s eyes may as well have glazed over when she saw him. I could see things in her expression that no person ever wants to see on their parents. I shivered. When I turned to Tristan, he looked at her like dinner, but he was smooth about it. I could tell that he’d liked her more than just a fun night. After all, he’d chosen her for a reason.
“Gross,” I said.
“What?” Tristan asked.
“Would the two of you stop looking at each other like that? She’s human. You have control over her, even if you don’t try. Not to mention, she had your child. Certainly, not losing any points with her there. So, just let it be. Stop looking at her like she’s dinner. You might be my ancient ass father, but I’ll kick your ass.”
Tristan smiled. “You’re protective of them. I like this. As you wish. I will honor your request. If she comes to me, however…”
“Hey!” I said. “She’s a happily married woman, and she’s had her tubes tied. She won’t. Well… I suppose if they like that kind of thing…”
I shivered again.
Tristan shook his head. “You are a creature that feeds on sex, yet you look down on others for their own desire?”
I rolled my eyes. “I know what I am. Doesn’t mean I’ve had enough time to adjust. Forgive me if I’m not as experienced as you are in the area. Most people don’t like to think about their parents getting laid.” I threw my hands in the air. “ANYWAY! Can we talk about something else? I’m dying over here. I’m covered in my best friend’s… everything.”
“Oh, my God,” my mom said, her hand covering her mouth. Tears filled her eyes. “Will?”
I nodded as her tears brought my own. My rage had settled with the disturbing conversation that I’d had with my parents. With that brought in sadness and realization. Will was dead. I’d never see or talk to him again. I would never get to tell him that I loved him and wanted to be with him.
“One of the drug lord’s asshats killed him. Right in front of my face.” My eyes drifted to the floor as the haunting image filled my mind again. “He shot him point blank in the back of the head. All of it exploded all over me.”
I wiped my wet cheeks and saw smeared blood on the back of my hand. I asked Cass, Andrews, and Tristan to fill in the gaps while I took a shower. I couldn’t handle the grit of dried blood, bone fragments, and brain matter clinging to my skin. It was even worse to know whose it was.
I went outside and hosed myself off. I stripped down to my bra and underwear and left the clothes outside. At that moment, I didn’t care who saw me like that. I wasn’t dressed any different than being at a pool.
After the shower from hell, where I stood and cried for twenty minutes before the water ran cold, and I remembered that I was in there for a purpose, I got out and dressed. My mother had food started and it gave me a chance to sit with Tristan and really get to know him. I caught him staring at me often with something that resembled wonder in his eyes. It was like I was a brand-new baby, and he’d just seen me born into the world.
“Why do you look at me like that?” I asked.
“Like what?” he asked.
“Like that. That goofy grin, the pink cheeks, the twinkle in your eye. You look at me like…” I paused, not knowing how to put it into words.
“Like a proud father?” he asked.
“Is that what it is?” I asked. “I fail to see how a demon bio-donor that has never bothered to find me in over two decades could possibly be proud to call himself that.”
“We are not demons.” He to
ok a drink of the ice water that my mother had sat out for him. “That being said, my hope was that you’d be raised to have human values and morals. I wanted you to be inherently good. The world has become a hideous mess of itself. Not only are the humans disgraces to their once noble kind, but the supernatural creatures are more violent and risky than ever. I always feel alone in this world in my opinions and thoughts, though I know there are others like me.
“Across the country, and even further into Egypt, there is a war waging between vampires, werewolves, and immortal humans. The queens of both the vampires and werewolves want nothing more than to keep the immortal queen from taking the throne and enslaving humanity. One day, I hope to join that fight. I want to fight on the side of the vampires to save the humans.
“It’s been brewing for nearly three thousand years, but now that the chosen one has come, the war will soon come, too. There is so much to teach you of this world. I’m one of the oldest living incubi. All of our offspring were raised by terrible people. Those that were greedy and wanted to have our offspring to potentially get something for themselves. I approached your mother because you were what she got out of the deal. You were the only thing that she wanted in return. That kind of human could only produce something pure and kind, even with my seed.”
“Do you plan to take an active role in my life, now?” I asked.
He nodded. “It’s up to me to teach you the way of the shadow world. You are young and kind. It would destroy you if your needs and desires got the best of you and you killed someone. I must make sure to teach you how to control that. I realize that Cass has already tried…” He looked over to Cass, who was taking a large bite out of some pancakes my mom had just sat down. Tristan glared at him across the table.
“What?” Cass said, his eyes wide. “I said I was sorry! I didn’t know until after!”
Tristan sighed. “I’ll deal with you later.”
“He really didn’t know,” I said. “It was after that I mentioned your name. You should have seen the way he almost shat his pants. It was quite comical, actually.”
“Hey!” Cass said. “I did not!”
Tristan glared at him again.
“Okay. Maybe it was,” Cass said, looking down into his plate and taking another bite.
Cass was strong and fearless. I’d seen what he could do, and I knew that wasn’t even a fraction of it. So, seeing him so terrified of Tristan kind of made me want to laugh. I couldn’t help it. It was pretty funny.
Tristan closed his eyes as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. “At least you had enough respect for me and foresight to be afraid once you found out. I cannot blame you, if you did not know. Do not allow it to happen again. You know the consequences if you do.”
“Trust me. You don’t have to worry about that.” Cass took another bite. Jesus, he could eat. It didn’t make sense.
“You’re a vampire. How the hell do you eat?” I asked.
“I’m not all the way dead. I died, but the vampire blood that I’d consumed revived me, but as something new. Kind of like you, minus the blood part. Actually, no. It’s not the same at all. You’re just weird. You were supposed to turn during puberty. I’m still all kinds of confused about you.”
“You’re not the only one,” I said.
“Anyway… Like a human, I have to eat if I want to change my body. I’m a bodybuilder. I don’t process food like humans, so I don’t get all the nutrients before it’s absorbed. It just burns off. I have to eat twice as much. I’m always eating something.”
I nodded. “So, basically, you’re Brad Pitt from Ocean’s Eleven.”
He laughed. “I guess you could say that.”
“Good to know.”
“Mia, what is your plan, now? That threat that you made.” Tristan took another drink. “The way you spoke, it seemed like you were bringing hell with you. As if you planned to start a war with the humans.”
I nodded. “Oh, I do.” I felt a very dark smile cross my face. “I wasn’t lying. I am going to destroy him. I’m going to take everything he’s built and burn it to the ground. I was an innocent girl. He shot and killed me, twice. How many other innocent girls has he killed? How many families? How many families has his drugs torn apart? How many people – kids even – have died from overdoses? He is a liar. A cheat. He’s the scum of the earth. You say the paranormal world has become even more violent? At least they have a primal urge driving them. Jay? His only urge is greed and the desire to destroy others. To control them. I’m going to show him what real control is. But… I need your help. I can’t do this without you, Tristan.”
“You speak with such conviction. It is my responsibility to teach you and help you, no matter the path you choose. Your choice, however, is to be an invisible warrior for the humans. I told you earlier tonight that you are everything that I could hope for you to be. I just want you to know that if you plan to do this any time soon, it will take a lot of dedication and hard work on your part. It will also require you to let go of your traditional thoughts about sex. You can’t use your powers without exhausting yourself. You’ll have to replenish your energy. You know what that means. Are you ready for this?”
It took a moment, but I knew the decision had to be made. I made a promise. A threat, really, but mainly a promise. I vowed to be the foot for the ass kicking in the name of all those Jay had affected in his reign as a sleazy drug lord. Tristan was right. I’d never be strong enough to do what I wanted to do if I didn’t accept who I was. That was the moment that I realized that being the type of succubus that Tristan wanted me to be wasn’t nearly as bad as the man that Jay was. That was the moment that I decided.
“Yes, Obi Wan. Teach me the ways of the succubus force.”
There was a heavy sigh from Cass at the end of the table. “You really know how to kill a buildup, don’t you?”
I flashed a sarcastic smile. “Stuff your face with more pancakes.”
He rolled his eyes in my direction. And that was how I officially began my journey.
Chapter Two
“Holy shit, Mia,” Cass said.
“What? Shut up. I’m trying, okay?” I said.
Cass sighed, his head dropping a bit as he shook it with exasperation.
“I don’t see you over here,” I said.
“Are you kidding me? That’s a joke, right? No offense, Samurai Jack, but I don’t feel like being decapitated today.”
I stood there, silent as I watched him watch me. Several moments passed before I spoke.
“Fuck you.”
“Damn it all,” Tristan shouted. “Can the two of you children stop fighting? Just for two seconds?”
“He started it,” I said, officially making myself sound like a two year old child.
“Just pick up the katana, Mia,” Tristan ordered.
I did as I was asked, lifting the long, balanced blade. It was impossibly sharp. Tristan wasn’t messing around. They were real katanas, and I’d already cut myself several times. No. Not on my own sword.
… Yes. Okay… Maybe it was on my own sword. Hush.
“Watch your opponent,” Tristan instructed. “You have to try to predict their movements. My movements. Watch my eyes. You will see when I’m ready.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. “I mean… I’m no Samurai Jack–” I turned to look at Cass before turning back to Tristan “–but are you sure that I watch your eyes and not your body? Seems like watching for you to flinch would be more beneficial than anything else.”
“One would assume, but no. You are a succubus. Your power lies in your eyes. If you want to defeat your opponent, you need to watch the desire in theirs. Whether it is for you, or for your blood, the eyes will tell you everything you need to know,” Tristan said.
I nodded before raising my katana once again. I focused on his eyes again, as he’d suggested. After several deep breaths while trying to calm my ever-thundering heart, I caught it. The tiniest narrow of his eyes.
I swung my blade. If you t
hink it was graceful, I assure you majestic it was not. I looked like a child swinging at a piñata as I closed my eyes and whipped it through the air in front of me. It was pathetic, but I still heard it. The shrill clashing of metal on metal.
My eyes opened in shock. I was about to smile and congratulate myself on a job well done when Tristan attacked again, this time, the sharp blade catching me in the shoulder. Had he been moving any faster, or any harder, the razor-like, incredibly powerful metal would have severed my arm completely.
I cried out, tears immediately rising and loud screams of agony threatening to as well. The bone had snapped, or had been cut through, which one I couldn’t not be certain. All I could see was copious amounts of blood pouring out of my partially severed arm. The skin on the interior side of my arm was all that connected the then lifeless limb.
“Fuck!” I screamed. “Tristan!” Tears began streaming down my face as my panic grew. “Hel me! Please! What do I do?!” I was sobbing like a bitch. I couldn’t breathe or think.
“Calm yourself,” he said.
“My arms about to fall off, you dick! Why did you do this?!”
“I said to calm yourself child. Relax. You closed your eyes. You did not bother to focus, like I told you. I began, and you closed your eyes and turned your head.” He sighed, softness lightening the expression on his face. “Please calm your mind. You can pull energy through your own body to heal yourself even faster.”
“Please show me,” I said, tears and sobs still coming.
I had hold of my arm, lifting it into a position that was as natural as I could manage. Every time the two sections touched, the bone rubbed together and it reminded me of my chest the day that I turned. I was a disgusting feeling.
“Focus your energy to your arm. Touch the energy like a tangible thing and make it do what you need for it to.”
I did as he instructed. He continued to give me instructions, but only some of it got through the mental onslaught of creative curse words I’d been inventing to describe the pain. It was like Steve Carell from The 40 Year Old Virgin was locked in my head, screaming obscenities.