Pure Requiem - Aja James Page 0,72
hate that I stuttered, so I take a breath and swallow back the bile. I can’t let her win.
I won’t!
She kneads my organs painfully, pulling, squeezing, as if she’s extremely frustrated with them. Might want to hack them off with a dull knife, but doesn’t, because she needs them—me—for her depravities.
“No matter how I try, how many humans I inject your seed into, how many test tubes I fill, no offspring germinates from these useless tools,” she mutters with something like ire.
“How am I supposed to create more dragons if your seed doesn’t take root?”
Dragons.
Buzzing echoes of words come back to me through a long, dark tunnel.
Make up your mind, little cousin. There can only be one.
That pesky, disgusting insect landing on Benjamin…
Benjamin.
I close my eyes lest I give myself away with the terror I know she’ll see in them.
She doesn’t know about Benjamin. If she did, she would have gone after him a long time ago.
She can’t ever know about Benjamin!
I take a deep breath and open my eyes again, my mind razor sharp and crystal clear.
“So you brought me back here to do more experiments? Am I to understand you tried to make some human genes ‘take’ in me?”
A malicious, sociopathic smile spreads her crimson lips.
“Bravo, little Creature, you’re finally catching on.”
“Well, don’t just stand there,” I goad. “Get a move on. I’m not surprised my blanks don’t make babies in human females. I’m defective that way. Probably has to do with dying a few times. I’m probably like the walking dead.”
Her mouth turns down, as if she’s soured by the idea that one avenue of experimentation most likely leads to a dead end.
“But you should continue to experiment with me. If I have all those other ingredients in me, it shouldn’t be rocket science to get some wimpy little human genes in me too, right?”
I relax my body and close my eyes.
Have at it, bitch.
And once you make me into a dragon, I’ll be powerful enough to take you out. If I die in the process, well, at least you’ll never know that I have a son. Benjamin will come and hunt you dead to avenge his secret papa.
Maybe.
“You would endure the experiments willingly?” she muses in consideration. “Why?”
To one day destroy you, whoever the fuck you are!
“Because I want to be as powerful as you,” I answer instead. “I’ve never had power in my entire existence. I want to know what it feels like.”
“Don’t think you’ll ever escape my control, Creature,” she threatens. “Even if I succeed in making you into a dragon, you will be my dragon. I know how to turn you to my will.”
And I know that the process is not foolproof.
I may be an abomination. I may be a monster.
But I am my own monster.
Game on, bitch.
Author’s Note:
Dear Reader,
I am often inspired by songs from what I imagine to be each novel’s soundtrack. For this novella, I took it further by weaving in lyrics from the songs that inspire me into the book itself, mostly in the chapter titles.
I hope you love these songs as much as I do. They really helped me tell the story.
And special thanks to Cecile Smits for recommending “Under Your Scars” by Godsmack. It’s perfect for Ishtar and Tal!
XOXO
Aja
“Under Your Scars” – Godsmack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng7QrYgdItQ
“Colors” – OneRepublic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3pTNJ37y0c
“Let’s Hurt Tonight” – OneRepublic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wGN7D03Nho
“The Sound of Silence” – Disturbed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Dg-g7t2l4
Other Books in the Pure/ Dark Ones series:
Book 1, Pure Healing
Book 2, Dark Longing
Book 3, Dark Desires
Book 4, Dark Pleasures
Book 5, Pure Rapture
Book 6, Dark Redemption
Book 6.5, Pure Awakening
Book 7, Pure Ecstasy
Book 8, Dark Obsession
Book 8.5, Pure Providence
Book 9, Pure Magnetism
Book 10, Pure Surrender
Book 10.5, Pure Darkness
Book 11, Dark Possession
Book 12, Pure Destiny
Glossary of Characters
Alend Ramses: The reigning Dark King of the New England vampire hive, formerly one of the Chosen. Gift(s): unknown. Weapon of choice: scimitar.
The Chosen: The Dark King’s personal guards and advisors.
Maximus Justus Copernicus: The Commander. Leader of the Chosen. Known Gift(s): ability to transform into a giant white tiger.
Ariel Kyles: Maximus’s Mate. Known Gift(s): ability to transform into a giant black panther.
Rhys Evans: Call sign to be designated. Previously Goya’s right hand. Now a member of the Chosen. Known Gift(s): ability to transform into a giant Golden Eagle.
Ryu Takamura: The Assassin. Executes special, often covert missions for the King. Known Gift(s): ability to turn to shadow. Weapon of choice: Ninja blade or ninjaken.
Devlin Sinclair: The Hunter. Hunts down and eliminates vampire rogues. Ensures security of the New England hive’s borders. Known Gift(s): photographic memory. Weapon of