A single nervous voice called out from somewhere in the sidelines. “Beg your pardon, your highness… but what should we do with the prisoner?”
Barely acknowledging the Forsaken's presence, Katherine dismissed them with yet another wave of her hand, as if his life meant nothing to her. “Put him with the rest and execute them all in the morning.” She didn't really appreciate being addressed as ‘your highness’, as it was an outdated term, but she found it acceptable under the circumstances due to it being intended as a form of respect.
Katherine gave Morgana her full attention as the man was dragged kicking and screaming out of the throne room, the other guards filing out behind them. “Tell me, witch… What have you learned?”
Morgana’s face remained hidden beneath her hood and layers of unkempt hair as she spoke, her words still spoken with a hushed whisper. “Your offspring were easy to find, my mistress. It seems that they did not inherit your ability of masking their intent.”
Katherine knew that the blood witch was almost as cold and calculating as she was, but she wasn't one for sarcasm. It was quite an honour to be shown respect by someone who was a powerful force in her own right. “Inexperience is the downfall of most of our kind and it seems that my children are no exception to the rule. So where can I find them?”
The witch raised her head until her dark eyes made contact with Katherine’s. Any lesser vampire would have felt dread when met with such a gaze, but not her. “They are on the move, my queen, but I can still lead you to them. It seems that they caused quite the disturbance within the city of Miami.”
“Interesting.” The grin left Katherine’s face, her expression turning to one of deadpan sincerity. This was business, not pleasure, and it was time that her demeanor reflected as much. “All three of them are together? Alice, Matthew and Samuel too?”
Katherine's question was answered by a single nod of Morgana’s head, allowing her to continue her train of thought unhindered. “Well that will make things simpler... Call Vincent back from his hunt. Tell him that once he has aided our cause, I shall dedicate more resources to helping him find his brother and that miserable excuse for royalty that he protects.”
“By your will, my lady.” Morgana bowed her head, moving her arms out to her side as she bent her knees in a polite curtsey. The motion gave Katherine a glimpse of the glowing red runes that had been tattooed across the pale skin of her skeletal forearms. Ancient runes with meanings that had been lost in the sands of time.
The strange woman turned to leave, her robe trailing behind her as she moved with an unnatural grace that would seem quite alien to the uninitiated. As she drifted out of the room through the golden doors that opened for her without a single touch, Katherine silently wondered how loyal her subject actually was. 'Act as though you trust them, but do not believe their lies.’ The wise words of her maker echoed through her mind, yet his own failure to abide by that rule had resulted in his demise at her hand and she had since vowed never to become the victim of someone else's deception.
So Morgana claimed to know where her children were, but Katherine couldn't risk going after them herself. If she were lured away from her responsibilities, then the witch would likely seize the opportunity to take the throne for herself. After all, she had once tried to overthrow Renita Marquette without success and it was only a matter of time before she craved the seat of power once more. For that reason, others would have to go in Katherine’s stead, which is why she sent for Vincent, one of the most skilled hunters that she knew and one without any ambitions beyond his station.
It was likely that Alice would sense Vincent’s approach before it happened, but Katherine had faith that her visions wouldn't save them. The wolf had a knack for tracking that was unsurpassed by anyone else and he rarely ever travelled alone. Wherever he went, whatever was left of his pack would follow. They had been almost completely wiped out in the war for the throne, but those that remained were still loyal to a fault. Each and every one of them had given in to the beast inside of them, an act that made them crave little more than blood, survival and their freedom to roam. It had also converted them into useful tools that Katherine wouldn't hesitate to wield.
With Vincent and his pack on the prowl, assisted by Morgana’s blood magic, there was no place that Alice, Matty and Sam could run to or hide. Katherine knew that they would all soon be within her grasp and that Alice’s abilities would once again be hers to command. Perhaps it would be wise to keep the other two alive as well, or at least one of them to act as leverage. After all, Alice was a kind and loving girl who couldn't bear to hear the tortured cries of those she loved, which meant that it was a weakness that could be easily exploited.
Sitting alone with her thoughts, Katherine couldn't help but smile to herself. It was a sly, despicable smile, full of delight as she could finally see all the pieces coming together. She had played the long game, and the end was almost in sight. After hundreds of years, everything that she had worked for was almost hers for the taking. What she didn't possess already would soon be hers and there was little that anyone could do to stop her. With her immense wealth of power and her massive reserve of resources, the world would be Katherine's to devour… And she was ravenous.
A Thank You From The Author
I truly appreciate anyone who has taken the time to read through my book, so thank you for doing so. I put a great deal of time and effort in to this novel, so I hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
This is the second novel in a series of books that tell the tale of Alice Delaney and other characters who cross her path. For details of upcoming novels, please keep an eye on The Beast Inside Facebook page at:
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Thank you once again for reading The Beast Inside: Blood of the Forsaken!
The Beast Inside: Blood of the Forsaken
The Second Book in The Beast Inside Series
An Urban Fantasy Novel by David Horrocks
Alice Delaney decided to leave her troubles in Birchfield behind. As she moved on with her life, her best friend's body was buried in the ground and left there to decay. However, the dead don't always stay dead, and digging himself out of his own grave is just the beginning for Samuel Mitchell.
With no idea of what he has become, Sam sets off to find answers, armed with nothing but the clothes on his back and an endless thirst for blood. Unfortunately for him, fate has other plans for the country boy who is way out of his depth in the big city, and things get even worse when a pair of hunters pick up his trail.
Through his strange experiences and relationships both old and new, will Sam manage to survive or will he become yet another victim of the night?
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