Amare: Bloodlines , livre ebook

Troubador Publishing Ltd - J Gaines

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157 pages

English

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A sequel to Amare: Bloodstreams.Another innocent has been murdered in cold blood. A friend who Amias swore to protect has been cut down by the same man who killed his brother, and it's only a matter of time before more victims are slain. As Kaden continues his bloody crusade to wipe out all who refuse to join him, Amias must fight against every instinct that screams inside of him for revenge. At a time in which he's never felt more alone, Amias is asked to become the leader his people need him to be. His superhuman abilities have given him strength he never believed he could control, but deep inside he knows the terrible truth, that even he is no match for Kaden. Amias stands on the brink of a war he never wanted to be a part of, now a symbol of hope that he never wanted to be. Kaden has taken everything from him, and now as he amasses more followers to his deadly army, Amias and the altr must rise and fight, or be destroyed forever.

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Children's

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Publié par	Troubador Publishing Ltd
Date de parution	22 mars 2019
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781838598891
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	1 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0000€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

Copyright © 2019 J Gaines

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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Matador® is an imprint of Troubador Publishing Ltd

This one’s for Norah… but with Emilie, Silva and Jesse in my thoughts as always. I hope you all find and become what you might be.

Thanks again to Theo and James for all of your precious time.
Theo, you inspire me every day.

Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”
Lao Tzu

Prologue
I’m dead.
It was cold, but as he ran he could feel his t-shirt, wet with sweat, clinging to his back. He stopped and placed his hands on his knees, sucking in large gulps of air. His fitness wasn’t what it used to be. He coughed loudly, spat onto the road and winced. He’d never been one for running longer distances – give him a short sprint anytime, he wasn’t built for this kind of exercise. He looked down at the puddle of saliva between his muddy trainers: lucky he’d managed to slip them on before making his escape. A sudden noise caused him to spin around, and he saw a cat skulking through the shadows and disappearing over a fence. He swallowed nervously as he peered down the dark street.
Where are you, Amias?
He continued running for another twenty minutes before he was forced to stop again. Now his breathing was even more laboured. He wiped his wet brow with his palm, and with his other hand, he pulled his phone from his pocket. It lit up to show an irreparably damaged screen. He cursed out loud, shaking his head and looking back in the direction he’d come from. Maybe I’ve lost them? He’d used all his training and every trick he knew to do so. A small smug satisfaction crept into his mind. If he’d lost them, he hadn’t managed to elude just anyone; he’d escaped the most dangerous man he’d ever heard of.
Please help me, Amias!
The thought of Kaden hunting him propelled him into movement again, and he trotted along the road, keeping to the middle. At the entrance to the park he stopped, trying to decide on the best path to take. His best option was through the park; this would get him where he needed to go more quickly, and he’d have a much clearer view of anyone approaching him – but he was scared. He stood silently for a moment, considering the choices, before launching himself through the gate. I can do this; don’t be a coward. I’m going to make it .
As he ran, his mind turned over the same thought. How did they find me ? He’d not told anyone where his apartment was, and he’d been careful always to enter from the rear entrance. He ran past a church and suddenly remembered his last conversation with Amias. He’d offered him sanctuary, but he knew that with the offer came an expectation that he’d need to revisit a part of his life he’d tried to forget. He didn’t agree with what Kaden was doing, but he didn’t want to be part of trying to stop him. Goddamn it. Why can’t I just be left alone . He started to run faster .
He’ll be here soon.
He was almost halfway through the park when he stopped again; he was getting tired and he felt weak. His heavy frame and large muscles were working in a way they weren’t used to, and he was struggling to take in enough oxygen to keep them going. He looked around, hungrily sucking in huge breaths. As he looked down the winding path he’d just taken, he thought he saw a person standing in the distance, watching him. His heart began to beat even faster as he tried to focus on what they were wearing, but they were gone, leaving him wondering if he was imagining things.
Was it him?
He left the path and sprinted across the park towards the exit with renewed energy. His feet and legs were wet from the dew by the time he reached a steep hill. The hairs on the back of his neck and arms rose as he realised he was being hunted. When he reached the top of the hill, he turned and saw the dark figure standing at the bottom, looking up at him. In the darkness, he couldn’t make out who it was, but he knew they’d come for him. I still have a chance, I’m up here and they’re not . He could feel the adrenaline in his body preparing him for what was to come. Looking down the other side of the hill, he saw another person – and he watched in terror as they began to climb the slope.
There was one more chance before he’d resign himself to fighting his way free. He put his head down and ran along the top of the hill, sensing that the two people climbing the steep slope had also quickened their pace. This was what he was built for; nobody could catch him in a sprint, especially when he had the advantage of a headstart. He saw the flat peak of the hill begin to slope downwards; bushes and trees sprang from the darkness in front of him, and his eyes widened as he felt freedom lying within his grasp. He’d reached the slope and was almost free when, unexpectedly, his legs buckled underneath him. He grunted in pain as his torso and head slammed heavily against the ground. He rolled along the wet grass, twisting his body instinctively. As he looked up, he saw the tall figure of Kaden standing in front of him. Kaden’s hair was swept back neatly, and in one hand he carried a sheathed Japanese Katana sword. In the other, Reuben knew, he carried his death.
I need your help now.
“This has been fun, Reuben, but now it’s time to stop.”
Reuben scrambled to his feet and readied himself as best as he could. Two other unknown men joined them on the summit of the hill and flanked Kaden. Escape was out of the question now, and so was fighting his way free.
“Why are you doing this, Kaden? You must know I’ve turned Amias down?” Reuben panted, trying to catch his breath and considering the cold black eyes of his pursuer.
“I did hear that, Reuben,” replied Kaden nonchalantly.
“Then why are you here?”
Kaden ignored his question and turned to the two men. One of them laughed cruelly and stepped forward as the other watched silently. The man moved towards Reuben, but then sidestepped and danced erratically around him. Reuben watched cautiously and saw that he wore a strange necklace that fell to below his chest. The man noticed his interest and laughed. “Do you like my necklace, Reuben?” He moved closer and hooked his thumbs under it, shaking it as he moved closer. Reuben turned his head in horror, repulsed as an assortment of body parts shook in unison.
The man laughed again. “Don’t worry, Reuben, I don’t wear it all of the time… only when I’m hunting,” he added with a wicked smile. “They’re my trophies!”
“You must forgive my friend’s manners, Reuben,” Kaden said with a laugh. “He’s a little wild and sometimes forgets to introduce himself. This is Andre.”
The man shot out a hand and held it in front of him. Reuben ignored it and looked around him desperately, clinging to a small hope that help could still arrive. He wondered what Amias was truly capable of, and if somehow he could hear his thoughts and his silent cry for help. He held his fists up protectively, glancing up at the stars which suddenly seemed to fill the clear night sky.
I need you, Amias…
The man named Andre crouched suddenly and let out a long whistle through a hideous grin. “He wants to fight, boss. Shall I fight him?”
Kaden threw Andre the sword and he caught it, spinning and unsheathing it in one movement. Suddenly Reuben found it even harder to breathe and he dropped to his knees, clasping his throat. He felt a strange, warm sensation spreading across his fingers and he looked at Andre in surprise. As he fell to the ground, he had time for one final thought before his eyes closed forever.
He didn’t come…

Chapter 1
The music became deafening as Amias made his way through the thick crowds. A beat began, and cheers arose from the people who surrounded him as a guitar tore across their excitement. A low, melodic voice floated from the stage, repeating words that he couldn’t make out. He concentrated on keeping pace with the man in front of him who was making his way quickly through the crowd. Was he aware of Amias’s presence? Certainly he was acting strangely and was in a rush. A nam