Souls of the Reaper Read online

  “Of course they do. They worked hard for this win. So did you.”

  “I’m happy enough.”

  “I think I can make you happier.” He brushed a thumb down her cheek. “Would you come to my place, when this is over?”

  She looked away from his direct gaze, weighing her options. Though she wasn’t sure if she was ready for such a commitment, for opening herself up romantically to another, Lacey decided she was tired of being alone. “Yeah, I think I’d like that.”

  Marcell patted her on the back. “I’m a patient man.” He said. “I can wait a few hours.”

  She smiled at him again, then rejoined the group. Joe passed a whiskey shot her direction, and she joined in the revelry. Marcell excused himself shortly after, and a few minutes later, Jaidon said he was catching a cab to his hotel. Lacey wondered if he was going to a hotel because Marcell asked him to, or if he had simply chosen to stay at one while he was down for the trial. I’ll be royally pissed if Marcell told him he needed to stay out of the house because he had a woman coming over! Jaidon doesn’t miss much; it wouldn’t take long for him to put two and two together. But, she pushed that thought from her mind and turned her attention to Colton and Joe, who were half-heartedly arguing over the Stars’ chances as hockey season came into full swing, and Kazz, who looked on uncomprehending. Lacey was surprised to find herself admitting that she wouldn’t change a single thing about her team.

  Immortal Species

  Immortal Species List

  Souls of the Reaper

  A brief explanation of species introduced in this book, or prior books.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Angel--This species of Immortal doesn’t represent “angels of God”, and are often untroubled by the religious connotation of the name given them by humans. They are closer to Elves in Old World mythology. Humans can’t see their wings, but can often perceive their aura, a shimmer like a mirage on hot desert pavement. They have a deeply spiritual connection with the Earth and all its creatures, and are generally found in occupations of medicine, pharmaceuticals, or animal services. Physically, they are usually tall and slim, with wide blue eyes and either blond or nearly white hair. Paul Kelso of the SPCA is an Angel.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Reaper--This species originated with survivors of the Black Plague, and now each potential Reaper is born with a distinctive hourglass-shaped birthmark somewhere on their bodies. Reapers are especially long-lived (though not completely Immortal), and a Reaper will choose their replacement when their own time is near. They are often thin and gaunt with pale skin and can be found in medical professions. They get their energy/nourishment from “harvesting” souls and releasing them into the afterlife.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Shadow Human--This is a species of Immortal created when a rogue Reaper steals their souls before their body is scheduled to die. The suspect stole many souls, some of whom were not able to return to their bodies. These Immortals are human in all respects, except that they don’t have any conscience, no sense of right or wrong, and they’re only out for number one. They were rounded up and sent to mental institutions, where they will live out the rest of their natural life until their body dies.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Shifter--They can turn into an animal at will. Each shifter has only one animal he/she can become. Often, their animal has an influence on their personality and chosen career. They are similar to Wolves but have far fewer anger issues. Their usual appearance is quite indistinguishable from human.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Skinwalker--A Skinwalker can take on the physical appearance of anyone it has come into contact with (called “copying”), and when it does, it sheds its old skin like a snake, leaving behind bits of skin and clear goo. It does have a base appearance it is born with, a mixture of its two parents. Usually bearded, if male, and typically have longer, darker body hair than humans.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Vampire--Vampires are created by being bitten by another Vampire, and the virus dubbed vampirococcus is introduced into their bloodstream. This can also be caused by feeding or injecting virus-infected blood into the system of a human. They tend to like speed and lavish things. They can be out in daylight/sunlight, though it burns the skin like poison ivy. You can find them in almost any profession except those involving human health care. They are forced into “vegetarianism” by the Undead Oath and get their blood from manufacturers who process meat for human consumption.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Werewolf--Wolves are either bitten by another Wolf, introducing a toxin into their system via the host’s saliva. Or they are born to two Wolf parents. They can only turn during the full moon. Wolves tend to have anger management issues and are forced by the Undead Oath to take classes to control their tempers. They can eat the same food as a human but prefers their meat raw. Also must consume animal hearts for sustenance. They prefer to live and work with others of their kind and have a pack mentality, and a type of racial memory as well.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Zombie--certain humans carry the zombie gene, and can pass it on to their offspring, often not knowing they have it. The gene only activates if a human carrying the gene dies before their natural time (from an accident, a crime, etc.). Once the gene is active, it causes a normal skin fungus to run rampant in their bodies. Then, they will turn after being buried and force their way from their coffins. Humans carrying the gene who die of natural causes will not rise again.

  Turn the page for a Sneak Peek at Blood Lust (Undead Unit 3), coming soon!

  Prologue

  The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living. ~~Cicero

  Dimly, the man began to gain awareness of his surroundings. His brain was in a fog; at the moment, he had no idea who he was, much less where he was. Nothing seemed immediately apparent, except for the fact that he was alone. How he knew with such certainty that he was alone remained a mystery. He felt as if he were waking from a long, enforced sleep.

  He was prone on a hard surface, his cheek pressed against the coolness. He began to notice a sharp coppery smell, a scent that, for some reason, tightened his throat with a sense of anticipation. The room seemed cool to him, at least he assumed it was; the wood, which he now realized made up a floor, felt no different in temperature than his bare skin. At least, he knew he was indoors. But indoors where? His perception didn’t seem to extend much beyond a small radius of the area in which he was lying.

  Slowly, he regained the ability to focus his eyes, and he could see by a dim light that he was in a small bedroom, laying with his back to a bed and a tangle of white-hot sheets spilling over onto the floor. He was momentarily confused as to why he would be on the floor rather than in the bed; it looked to be a far more comfortable option. But when he tried to get to his feet, he discovered that he was unable to move.

  That fact didn’t bother him; he was perfectly content to lie where he was rather than make another attempt to get up. But the strange scent permeating the room somehow caused a craving in him, and his entire body clenched with need. He saw one arm stretched out beside him, palm up, pale skin against mahogany wood, fingers curved slightly upward. Distantly, he studied his first finger, as if through the eyes of a stranger. He concentrated as best he could with the clouds of fog flitting in and out of his mind.

  He strained in silence, diverting all his will to the first joint of the finger, and was rewarded by a slight movement in the hand. So, he was not paralyzed, after all, but he didn’t understand why he couldn’t move. Sensations were finally beginning to creep in; he realized he was stiff from having been on such a hard surface for what must have been a long passage of time. Slowly, he worked the finger until his entire hand began to move, then worked up the arm until he was able to bend the elbow. Eventually, he was able to discover that his other arm was stretched out behind him in a manner that was becoming more than mildly uncomfortable.

  He was finally able to
get all his limbs back in working order, and he carefully sat up, taking in the room with a glance. The lights, sensing his motion, rose up to a level slightly above dim, and he was able to clearly focus his eyes. Nothing seemed familiar to him, and yet, he did not have the feeling of being in a strange place. Besides the rumpled bed, there was a small wooden night table, upon which sat a heavily-decorated lamp, and he recognized that it was this that provided the small amount of light in the room.

  There were dark-colored draperies along one wall, behind which he assumed would be a window. Next to a closed door was a tall chest of drawers, and next to that was a pair of smaller doors; these, he knew, should lead to a closet, though at the moment, his mind was so muddled that he wasn’t sure of what use a closet would be. The room itself was paneled in dark oak, a color matching the deep tones of the draperies as well as the thick comforter hanging off the foot of the bed in a rumpled heap.

  His clothing felt stiff, and he glanced down at himself, taking in the deep red stains fading to brown that spread like a river all along the front of him. He was curiously detached; for a moment the implications of the colored stain did not reach through the haze in his mind. When the fog finally lifted, and he began to think rationally again, his blood, had it been possible, would have run cold as ice. It was in that moment Marcell Dilorenzo knew he was in serious trouble. He was a Vampire covered in human blood with no memory of what might have happened.

  About the Author

  Markie Madden was born August 19, 1975, in Midland, Texas. She grew up in the small town of Flushing, Michigan. While in high school, she took creative writing and was a photographer for the school newspaper. In 1993, she won the National Quill and Scroll Society award for best photo in a high school paper. She began writing her first novel, Once Upon a Western Way, while still attending school.

  Markie is now married with two daughters, three rescue dogs, and her horse, Athena, who is featured on the cover of her horse care guide, Keeping a Backyard Horse. She tried many times over the years to publish her novel, first on her own, and then hiring a literary agent, all without success. In early 2012, after getting her first smart phone and e-reader application, Nook, she discovered the world of self-publishing through a website called Smashwords. She finally published Once Upon a Western Way through this distributor in April, 2012.

  In the late spring of 2013, Markie came down with a mysterious illness, which was ultimately diagnosed as leukemia (AML specifically). She underwent a rigorous treatment of chemotherapy, during which, at one point, her life was endangered. While she was hospitalized, an old high school friend who is also a published author reconnected with her. Since cancer and the treatment of cancer forced her out of the traditional workforce, Markie turned her attention back to the world of writing.

  By December of 2014, Markie was the successful publisher of three books, her first published work, Once Upon a Western Way, now available in print as well as e-format, as well as a self-help guide to horse care, Keeping a Backyard Horse, available in print and e-format, and her cancer memoir, My Butterfly Cancer, available in print, e-format, and audio-book. Her other two will soon be available in audio-book format as well. Markie has founded Metamorph Publishing, in order to publish her own books, and she is now working with two other independent authors as well.

  In 2015, Markie enrolled in the world-wide National Novel Writing Month, a challenge to writers everywhere to write a 50,000-word novel in just 30 days, the month of November. On November 25, 2015, she crossed the threshold, exceeding her word count goal of 50,000 words. She is a winner of National Novel Writing Month. Her novel, Souls of the Reaper, will be available in March of 2016.

  Currently, Markie lives in the small town of Fisk, Missouri, with her family, her dogs, and her horse. She is still writing and is working on a crime/paranormal series called The Undead Unit Series. Book one of the series, Fang and Claw, is now available. The second book of the series, Souls of the Reaper, is expected out March 2016, and book number three, Blood Lust, is due to be released in the fall of 2016. You can find her at her website: https://metamorphpublishing.com.

  Online

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  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Amazon Author Page: http://geni.us/3ZSX

  Google Play/Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/author?id=Markie+Madden

  Amazon Kindle

  My Butterfly Cancer

  Once Upon a Western Way

  Keeping a Backyard Horse

  Fang and Claw

  Mismatched Tales (The Mixed Genre Box Set)

  Amazon Paperbacks

  My Butterfly Cancer

  Once Upon a Western Way

  Keeping a Backyard Horse

  Amazon Audiobooks

  My Butterfly Cancer

  Once Upon a Western Way

  Keeping a Backyard Horse

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  ITunes (E-books)

  My Butterfly Cancer

  Once Upon a Western Way

  Keeping a Backyard Horse

  Fang and Claw (Undead Unit 1)

  Souls of the Reaper (Undead Unit 2)

  Mismatched Tales (The Mixed Genre Box Set)

  December Awethology Light (An Anthology)

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Audible Audiobooks

  My Butterfly Cancer

  Once Upon a Western Way

  Keeping a Backyard Horse

  iTunes Audiobooks

  My Butterfly Cancer

  Once Upon a Western Way

  Keeping a Backyard Horse

  Amazon Audiobooks

  My Butterfly Cancer

  Once Upon a Western Way

  Keeping a Backyard Horse

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Barnes and Noble

  My Butterfly Cancer

  Once Upon a Western Way

  Keeping a Backyard Horse

  Fang and Claw (Undead Unit 1)

  Nook

  My Butterfly Cancer

 
; Once Upon a Western Way

  Keeping a Backyard Horse

  Fang and Claw (Undead Unit 1)

  Souls of the Reaper (Undead Unit 2)

  Mismatched Tales (The Mixed Genre Box Set)

  December Awethology Light (An Anthology)

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  CreateSpace

  My Butterfly Cancer

  Once Upon a Western Way

  Keeping a Backyard Horse

  Fang and Claw (Undead Unit 1)

  Souls of the Reaper (Undead Unit 2)

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Signed Paperback Copies on eBay

  My Butterfly Cancer

  Keeping a Backyard Horse

  Once Upon a Western Way

  Fang and Claw

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Goodreads

  My Butterfly Cancer

  Once Upon a Western Way

  Keeping a Backyard Horse

  Fang and Claw (Undead Unit 1)

  Souls of the Reaper (Undead Unit 2)

  Mismatched Tales (The Mixed Genre Box Set)

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Google Books

  My Butterfly Cancer

  Once Upon a Western Way

  Keeping a Backyard Horse

  Fang and Claw (Undead Unit 1)

  Souls of the Reaper (Undead Unit 2)

  Mismatched Tales (The Mixed Genre Box Set)

  Google Play

  My Butterfly Cancer

  Once Upon a Western Way

  Keeping a Backyard Horse