Haedyn’s Choice
The Haedyn Chronicles
Book 1
Jennifer L. Oliver
Genre: Dark fantasy
Publisher: Small Escapes Publishing, LLC
ASIN: B00CPCCSRY
Number of pages: 212 pages
Word Count: 54,000
Cover Artist: Jennifer L. Oliver
Book Description:
There’s always a choice.
Haedyn chooses to survive. As the last Unnamed, a species mistakenly created from angels and demons, she is an abomination to both the human and supernatural worlds. If survival means being the favorite servant of the demon Azazel, it’s a choice she can live with. Until she meets Lex.
Former investigative reporter, Lex Carter knows more than the average human - he saw his brother murdered by vampires. Now he’s dedicated his life to learning everything there is to know about monsters, how to kill them, and what happens to their victims. But when he’s kidnapped by a super-human albino who claims she's protecting him, he realizes that not all supernatural creatures are monsters and there may be one that's worth saving.
Together, they just might be able to discover the truth about Haedyn’s past and free her from Azazel’s bonds. But will she still choose to survive when it means risking the souls of those she loves?
Available at Amazon
Excerpt
Chapter 1
The concrete
cell reeked with a mixture of rotten trash, burning flesh, and the sweet
tanginess of blood. Haedyn twitched her nose. No matter how often she had to
deal with it, she'd never get used to that smell. It was horrible.
Dirt crunched and
rolled under the soles of her boots as she circled the silver chair in the
middle of the room. Its occupant was furious, snapping and snarling at her. Not
that she blamed him. Being captured by a demon's minion wouldn't rate high on
her list of fun, either.
The prisoner
struggled against his restraints. “Bitch. My Alpha’s gonna kill you. Just
wait," he growled, pupils wide with the animosity of a trapped animal.
"He’ll come here and rip through that white skin of yours like it's a
sheet of paper, then hang your head on the wall like a trophy.”
She rolled her
eyes and ignored his aggression. Werewolves had the worst tempers, especially
when they were wounded or trapped. This one was both. Plus, he’d been drugged
and was unable to change to his more powerful wolf form. Yeah, he was beyond
pissed.
She sighed and
continued circling. He'd wear himself out eventually. The anger and vile
comments were all part of the process. Then the next phase would begin, full of
tears and begging. That's when she'd break him, make him tell her where to find
the human. But for now, she'd play the game until he was ready.
“Where's the
human?”
"I ain't
telling you shit." He spat on the floor at her feet.
"Tell me
where the human is and I'll set you free."
The werewolf
narrowed his yellow eyes. "You won't set me free. You think I don't know
who you are? You're that demon Azazel's little bitch. You don't set no one
free. You kill 'em."
Haedyn clenched
her jaw. The werewolf was right; he wasn't going to leave here alive. She
needed that information and there was only one way he was going to tell her.
Poor sap. He just forced her hand.
She circled the
chair again. This was the part of the job she hated. Inflicting pain. Killing.
Every time she heard them scream, made them bleed, she swore a piece of her
insides turned to dust.
It was the price
she paid for serving a demon. But she didn't have a choice. Either she did what
was expected of her or she faced punishment from her master.
Demons didn’t
give second chances, and Azazel was no different. Disobeying his orders meant
death. And even if she was stupid enough to go up against him, she had no one
to turn to for help.
She was the last
Unnamed. A mistake created by the demons and angels, which is why they killed
off the rest of her kind. Humans mistakenly called her “albino” and kept their
distance once they saw her deep red eyes. The supernatural world thought she
was an abomination. If they weren't scared shitless of her, then they wanted to
kill her.
She didn't fit
in and she was all alone. Which is why she made the decision fourteen years ago
to do whatever she had to in order to survive. Serving Azazel was the only
choice she had.
Besides, what
else would she do? She was evil, part demon. And like Azazel said the night he
found her at the orphanage, she had a gift for death. One which he had honed.
Now, she was his best interrogator, his best assassin.
Haedyn looked
again at the werewolf. He shifted and squirmed, pulling at his shackles. Drops
of blood beaded along his forehead. She smelled the panic and the fear mixed in
with his sweat. Then she met his eyes. For a brief moment, a part of her
screamed to let him go. She quickly pushed the impulse away.
Discipline. She
had to maintain discipline. Compassion was a weakness. How many times had
Azazel pounded that into her during their sessions? Fourteen years of intense
training and still she had to remind herself.
She closed her
eyes, burying the whispers of empathy deep inside. A stillness settled within
her. Then she re-emerged as the cold-hearted, unemotional assassin Azazel had
molded her into.
This is what she
was trained to be. This is what she was trained to do. Save them. Deliver them.
It's what kept her alive, and that’s all that mattered.
About the Author:
During her many years of working at a daily newspaper, Jennifer L. Oliver honed her writing skills in secret. As an avid reader, she enjoys books that give her an entertaining and temporary escape from the ruckus of everyday life. Now, she hopes to bring the same enjoyment to others through her own work.
Jennifer is the author of The Haedyn Chronicles, and other dark urban fantasy and paranormal thrillers. She is also a freelance proofreader and always looking for the opportunity to help other authors reach their publishing dreams.
Although she was born and raised in North Carolina, she now lives on Florida's gulf coast with her husband, two cats, and a Royal Bahamian Potcake dog who is more than half her size and thinks the world revolves around treats. When she's not writing, you can find her playing in the flower garden, giggling with her granddaughter, and enjoying time with her family and friends.
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