Monday Morsel: Reality Unravelling - An Excerpt from Stalking the Demon

Alloran led the way into the stairwell and down, summoning a globe of light to illuminate the way. Halfway down, the steps stopped as if they had never been. Alloran cast the light into the depths and peered down. The edges of the break were clean. These stairs had just vanished.

They backtracked to the last level, and wound their way along the halls. An eerie silence blanketed the citadel, and Dek glanced uneasily at each door and corridor they passed. Alloran’s neck prickled. 

The ruin wrought by the planar quake lay at every turn–floors broken and shattered, segments of walls missing or misaligned, smashed stones and collapsed ceilings. Almost it was like walking through the ruins of the square after the first-circle demon, but without the bodies. 

Want a copy of Stalking the Demon before the release date? Sign-up for the ebook advance review copy in the form below (or at this link).

Don't forget, Monday Morsels come from a draft that is pre-editing and as such won't be perfect. If you like what you read, and are so inclined, show your support by leaving a comment. Stalking the Demon is expected to be released 31 October 2014. If you'd like to sample more of my writing, check out the free short stories available on this site. 

If this is your first visit to Monday Morsels, find others in the series by clicking on the ‘Monday morsel’ tag, or go to the first installment for Stalking the Demon.

More about Stalking the Demon:

Alloran lost his hand to thwart his renegade friend–but the world is still going to hell.

Six months after Ladanyon's defeat, Gisayne is fading away from a baffling illness. Alloran is desperate for a cure, but he has a secret–the seven circles of hell are unstable. His worst fear is that the terrible mirror spell cast upon Gisayne has wrought some connection between her and the demon dimensions.

As everything Alloran loves races toward destruction, he does the unthinkable and refuses to obey the council of wizards. The only people who can help him are the two research assistants assigned by the council–but he knows he can't trust them.

All the answers are locked away in the last place anyone wants to go: hell.

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to check out my previous posts if you haven't already. If you're finding yourself here often, you might like to join as a member, sign up to the blog through RSS or email, or sign-up to my newsletter. Check out my July Newsletter if you missed it. 

Don't forget to share the love and spread the word on Twitter, Facebook or StumbleUpon (or other social networking site of your choice) if you know other people who might also enjoy this. 

Thanks for stopping by and visiting!

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Monday Morsel: Prison of Onyx - An Excerpt from Stalking the Demon

Release date is now set firm at 22 September! Barring some dreadful disaster (like being eaten by a dragon) I'm committed to that date. 

* * * 

Frowning, Dek struck a spark from the flint and steel and lit the candle wick from a small clump of tinder. He released the burnt-out tinder a fraction of a moment before it scorched his fingers. The burning mote fell and went out. Dek passed the candle through the bars.

The flame wavered then steadied. Alloran tipped the candle slightly, to allow the fire to lick over the nearest streak of onyx. The tides of the inter-dimensional energies became apparent to him, but they washed over his skin like a soap bubble on water. He drank in the energy, but it was hard, slow work. Perspiration beaded on his brow, while hot wax dripped on his fingers.

His breath hissed through his teeth. Don’t think about the pain. Instead, he drew in more energy, dragging at the thin stream like an addict at the dying fumes of his last piece of opium. 

Thanks for dropping by! Don't forget, this draft is pre-edits and as such won't be perfect. If you like what you read, and are so inclined, show your support by leaving a comment. Stalking the Demon is eto be released on 22 September 2014. If you'd like to sample more of my writing, check out the free short stories available on this site.

If this is your first visit to Monday Morsels, find others in the series by clicking on the ‘Monday morsel’ tag, or go to the first installment for Stalking the Demon.

More about Stalking the Demon:

Alloran lost his hand to thwart his renegade friend–but the world is still going to hell.

Six months after Ladanyon's defeat, Gisayne is fading away from a baffling illness. Alloran is desperate for a cure, but he has a secret–the seven circles of hell are unstable. His worst fear is that the terrible mirror spell cast upon Gisayne has wrought some connection between her and the demon dimensions.

As everything Alloran loves races toward destruction, he does the unthinkable and refuses to obey the council of wizards. The only people who can help him are the two research assistants assigned by the council–but he knows he can't trust them.

All the answers are locked away in the last place anyone wants to go: hell.

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to check out my previous posts if you haven't already. If you're finding yourself here often, you might like to join as a member, sign up to the blog through RSS or email, or sign-up to my newsletter. Check out my July Newsletter if you missed it.

Don't forget to share the love and spread the word on Twitter, Facebook or StumbleUpon (or other social networking site of your choice) if you know other people who might also enjoy this.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting!

Monday Morsel: A Wizard’s Folly - An Excerpt from Stalking the Demon

 Above, visible through the glass set in the dome, the sky lit with sudden purple thunder. Could a sound be purple? And yet the entire sky flashed a deep violet as a soundless impact rocked the citadel. The floor tilted beneath their feet, spilling the councillors to the floor in a smattering of indignant shouts and yells.

Alloran grabbed at the council table for support. Another jolt of the earth beneath his feet instead smacked his head hard against the carved timber. Dazed and clutching at his forehead, another huge shaking of the ground sent him staggering across the floor towards a row of seats. He crashed into them and collapsed, clinging to the timber with his one hand. As his fingers closed around the polished length, parts of it simply ceased to exist, and his momentum carried him backwards into the marble tier. His head cracked against stone.

The room swam before his eyes, dividing into two sets of images in which sword wizards and sorceresses whirled and danced in a desperate attempt to stay on their feet. Harlden screamed somewhere in the background, the words incomprehensible through the ringing in Alloran’s ears. The constant shaking of the citadel vibrated him across the floor, and Harlden crawled on all fours.

Behind the lord wizard, a lean black shape sprang from the hell-gate. A sword wizard knelt nearby, his hands braced with flat palms against the marble floor. Before he even had time to reach for a weapon, the demon tore his throat out. Blood sprayed across the white marble.

Thanks for dropping by! Don't forget, this draft is pre-edits and as such won't be perfect. If you like what you read, and are so inclined, show your support by leaving a comment. Stalking the Demon is expected to be released late August. If you'd like to sample more of my writing, check out the free short stories available on this site.


If this is your first visit to Monday Morsels, find others in the series by clicking on the ‘Monday morsel’ tag, or go to the first installment for Stalking the Demon.

More about Stalking the Demon:

Alloran lost his hand to thwart his renegade friend–but the world is still going to hell.

Six months after Ladanyon's defeat, Gisayne is fading away from a baffling illness. Alloran is desperate for a cure, but he has a secret–the seven circles of hell are unstable. His worst fear is that the terrible mirror spell cast upon Gisayne has wrought some connection between her and the demon dimensions.

As everything Alloran loves races toward destruction, he does the unthinkable and refuses to obey the council of wizards. The only people who can help him are the two research assistants assigned by the council–but he knows he can't trust them.

All the answers are locked away in the last place anyone wants to go: hell.

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to check out my previous posts if you haven't already. If you're finding yourself here often, you might like to join as a member, sign up to the blog through RSS or email, or sign-up to my newsletter. Check out my July Newsletter if you missed it.


Don't forget to share the love and spread the word on Twitter, Facebook or StumbleUpon (or other social networking site of your choice) if you know other people who might also enjoy this.


Thanks for stopping by and visiting!

Monday Morsel: Fear of Silence - An Excerpt from 'Stalking the Demon'

 Stalking the Demon is with the editor! Hurrah! I’m pitching for a late August release date.

* * *

‘Father has c-c-called for another vote on silencing you, in l-l-light of your refusal to cooperate. The lord wizard has h-h-held it over until after the gate opening, but Father seems c-c-confident Harlden, Seraphine and Merildwin will vote in his favour this t-t-time.’ Dalvor turned his head away, but the red staining his cheeks was still visible.


Alloran’s whole body went rigid, and he slammed his hand against the bars. The clang of the metal echoed through the confines of the oubliette. Silenced. To forever be unable to feel the interdimensional energies and make magic with them. The sudden flood of emotion left him numb and unable to respond.
 

Thanks for dropping by! Don't forget, this draft is pre-edits and as such won't be perfect. If you like what you read, and are so inclined, show your support by leaving a comment. Stalking the Demon is expected to be released late August. If you'd like to sample more of my writing, check out the free short stories available on this site.


If this is your first visit to Monday Morsels, find others in the series by clicking on the ‘Monday morsel’ tag, or go to the first installment for Stalking the Demon.

More about Stalking the Demon:

Alloran lost his hand to thwart his renegade friend–but the world is still going to hell.

Six months after Ladanyon's defeat, Gisayne is fading away from a baffling illness. Alloran is desperate for a cure, but he has a secret–the seven circles of hell are unstable. His worst fear is that the terrible mirror spell cast upon Gisayne has wrought some connection between her and the demon dimensions.

As everything Alloran loves races toward destruction, he does the unthinkable and refuses to obey the council of wizards. The only people who can help him are the two research assistants assigned by the council–but he knows he can't trust them.

All the answers are locked away in the last place anyone wants to go: hell.

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to check out my previous posts if you haven't already. If you're finding yourself here often, you might like to join as a member, sign up to the blog through RSS or email, or sign-up to my newsletter. Check out my July Newsletter if you missed it.


Don't forget to share the love and spread the word on Twitter, Facebook or StumbleUpon (or other social networking site of your choice) if you know other people who might also enjoy this.


Thanks for stopping by and visiting!

Monday Morsel: Hellcat In the Dark - An Excerpt from 'Stalking the Demon'

Stalking the Demon has been coming back from beta readers and I'm working on incorporating their feedback - next step, off to the editor!

* * *

The laboratory was dark when Alloran returned. With sunrise only an hour off, Ashraque had finally gone in search of her bed. She was dedicated, if nothing else. The same couldn’t be said for Dalvor though – had he even looked at the interdimensional problem?

He pushed the door shut until the latch clicked. The windowless room was blacker than graphite. Indigo sparks ignited on his fingers. But no… Light would wake him all the way up, and maybe a few more hours sleep was better. The magic died.

A hiss issued from the depths of the room, like steam escaping a pot. Had Ashraque left some experiment unsupervised? 

The glow of two red cat eyes opened in the shadows.

* * *

Thanks for dropping by! Don't forget, this is the fourth draft, and as such won't be perfect. If you like what you read, and are so inclined, show your support by leaving a comment. Stalking the Demon is expected to be released in August. If you'd like to sample more of my writing, check out the free short stories available on this site.


If this is your first visit to Monday Morsels, find others in the series by clicking on the ‘Monday morsel’ tag, or go to the first installment for Stalking the Demon.

More about Stalking the Demon:

Alloran lost his hand to thwart his renegade friend–but the world is still going to hell.

Six months after Ladanyon's defeat, Gisayne is fading away from a baffling illness. Alloran is desperate for a cure, but he has a secret–the seven circles of hell are unstable. His worst fear is that the terrible mirror spell cast upon Gisayne has wrought some connection between her and the demon dimensions.

As everything Alloran loves races toward destruction, he does the unthinkable and refuses to obey the council of wizards. The only people who can help him are the two research assistants assigned by the council–but he knows he can't trust them.

The answers are locked away in the last place anyone wants to go: hell.

But someone must.

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to check out my previous posts if you haven't already. If you're finding yourself here often, you might like to join as a member, sign up to the blog through RSS or email, or sign-up to my newsletter. Check out my July Newsletter if you missed it.

Don't forget to share the love and spread the word on Twitter, Facebook or StumbleUpon (or other social networking site of your choice) if you know other people who might also enjoy this.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting!