Kings of Carrion
Page 28
“I’m an Alpha! Mutations don’t stand a chance against me!” Cadmus shouts, swinging his stick at Valdys, who dodges it this time.
“I’mma Awpha, too!” Cyrus flicks his much smaller stick at Valdys, who falls dramatically to the ground, howling as if in pain. The boys abandon their sticks and climb atop of him, laughing and screaming, as Valdys tickles them.
With a chuckle, I lift my gaze past them, and notice the figure again, standing beneath the tree, where he smiles back at me.
I wave at him.
He waves back.
And without having to close my eyes, or say the word, he disappears.
This scene was inspired by the following songs from my playlist: “Emerge Part I” by Ruelle and “Qi” by PHILDEL
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I hope you enjoyed this story.
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I am planning one more book set in this world.
In the meantime, keep scrolling to check out my other stories.
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Thank you for reading.
Acknowledgments
Though I’ve written dark and sad books in the past, this one put me in an emotional paralysis afterward. The biggest writing hangover I’ve ever had. It swallowed me up and left me exhausted and wrecked by the end. Thankfully, there were a number of people who kept me sane (and fed) during the process:
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To my husband and children - thank you for giving me a reason and a means of pursuing this dream. I love you infinity.
My mom, dad and siblings, as always, you’re my rock and cheerleaders. I guess that would make you my rocking cheerleaders. Thank you for believing in me and encouraging me.
To my editor and friend, Julie Belfield. If I did a search through my email, you’d probably show up, at least, ten thousand times out of the fifty thousand some messages I’ve not bothered to delete. I’ve appreciated your support and unwavering dedication when it comes to making these books shine. I’m so glad to have stumbled upon you all those years back, when we were only just dreaming of publishing books someday.
My beta readers: Terri R., Lana K., Diane D. and Naomi … I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your willingness to dive into this hellish manuscript early on. As dark and brutal as this world may be, it’s worse when you have to weed through crappy grammar and underdeveloped scenes, but you braved through it, and I’m so grateful for all of you.
If I look like I have it all together, it’s because Diane Dykes does a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff. Thank you for being amazing and allowing me to focus on the writing.
Many thanks to my insanely talented cover designer, Sarah Hansen, who brilliantly captured the darkness and innocence of these stories with gorgeous covers.
Enormous thanks to Pam Godwin, the Queen of Dark Romance, who gave me a much-appreciated boost of confidence with her humbling remarks for these books.
Extra special thanks to the Vigilante Vixens who have given me a virtual home where I can be myself. Thank you for lifting me up and having my back. I love you guys!
To the bloggers, some of whom, had never read a dystopian/post-apocalyptic novel prior to these books, thank you for taking a chance on them. I’ve appreciated the love you’ve shown for these stories and your willingness to share that love with other readers.
And finally, to my readers—I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to follow my long-time dream of writing, made possible by each and every one of you. Thank you for picking up my books, writing your reviews, recommending, and asking for more.
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It would mean the world to me if you could take a moment to share your thoughts about this story ❤️
Other Books By Keri Lake
VIGILANTES SERIES
RICOCHET
BACKFIRE
INTREPID
BALLISTIC
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JUNIPER UNRAVELING SERIES
JUNIPER UNRAVELING
CALICO DESCENDING
KINGS OF CARRION
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SONS OF WRATH SERIES
SOUL AVENGED
SOUL RESURRECTED
SOUL ENSLAVED
SOUL REDEEMED
THE FALLEN (A SONS OF WRATH SPINOFF)
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THE SANDMAN DUET
NOCTURNES & NIGHTMARES
REQUIEM & REVERIE
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STANDALONES
RIPPLE EFFECT
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About the Author
Keri Lake is a dark romance writer who specializes in demon wrangling, vengeance dealing and wicked twists. Her stories are gritty, with antiheroes that walk the line of good and bad, and feisty heroines who bring them to their knees. When not penning books, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughters, and their rebellious Labrador (who doesn’t retrieve a damn thing). She runs on strong coffee and alternative music, loves a good red wine, and has a slight addiction to dark chocolate.
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