Cover design by: Mae I Design & Photography
When the disease spread through the world, people had no choice but to go into hiding. The Colony is hidden deep underground, far away from the vampires—humans that were transformed by the disease. The vampires are hideous, starving, and they will kill any human they come across.
Seventeen-year-old Kayla is a Bellator, a warrior that protects The Colony. In order to survive, there are three rules she must follow:
Rule #1—Never go out after dark.
Rule #2—Always carry a weapon.
Rule #3—No matter what, never EVER get bit.
But what happens when the rules Kayla has always lived by can no longer apply?
The Highers run The Colony and accept nothing less than perfection. One slip up can mean death. Kayla has always worked hard to follow the rules and strive for perfection. But during a moment of weakness, she lets her imperfections show. Her punishment is worse than death. She is chosen for The Gathering and is thrown out into a world full of starving vampires.
No one has ever survived The Gathering, at least that’s what Kayla’s been told. But when she runs into a group who insist they were once part of The Gathering, Kayla discovers the Highers have been keeping secrets. Secrets that could lead to a cure.
Chapter 1
The sky is black, the streets are full of cries, and my clothes are drenched with either rain or blood…maybe both. I’ve broken a rule and the consequences could be disastrous.
Rule #1—Never go out after dark.
The sky is thick with smoke that rises from the fires constantly burn within the city walls. The broken buildings, lost in the dirt of disease, tower the sides of the debris-covered roads. Abandoned cars thick with rust and fragmented glass wedge the streets. I leap over the hood of one and swing a sharp right, dipping down into the underground tunnels, away from the dead city, away from them. But a hand grabs the collar of my shirt and I’m yanked backward.
My weapon slips from my fingers and clanks to the ground.
Another rule broke.
Rule #2—Always carry a weapon.
The monster snarls, fangs gleaming, drool dripping from its rotting lips. I squirm from its grip and dodge to the right, but another one appears, just as hungry. I’m cornered. I inch back, my back pressing against the concrete walls soaked with filthy water, which seeps deep into my clothes. This is the closest I’ve ever been to one. My amazing speed and quickness makes it hard for them to catch me. Tonight, I’m off though. Tonight I’m worried about Maci.
It’s as dark as death, but I can still make out the blood dripping from the monsters eyes and the gaping wounds mapping its flesh. Its fangs tremble for my neck, desperate to devour—needing to feed. I search the ground for my weapon—I need my weapon.
But it seizes me by the shoulders and digs its fleshless fingers into my arms. My skin starts to give. If it breaks, I’ll be infected. I should be afraid—I should fear for my life. But I don’t.
I kick the monster between the legs, but it doesn’t faze … maybe it’s not male? Male or not, I’ve pissed it off. It tips its head back and growls. Then its arms springs forward and it clutches my throat. Blood pours from its eyes like rain from the sky. I ram my elbow into its chest, hard. But it barely budges. It’s a strong one.
They all are.
And humans are weak.
It dips its nose toward my neck and takes a deep whiff, like I’m a top grade sirloin steak. I whack it in the chest and kick it in the shin, refusing to give up. Finally, it loses balance and stumbles backwards. Not missing a beat, I skittered around it and swerve around the other one. Then I run.
But a few steps and I fall, my nose cracking against the concrete. I roll over and the monster hovers above me. The more blood that drips from its eyes, the hungrier it is. And this one’s eyes are like pouring water like a rainstorm. It assesses me over, death staring me in the eyes. Yet am I not afraid. I should be terrified, but I never am.
The monster’s lips part. “No!” It cries.
My blood freezes. I’ve never heard one speak. I didn’t think they could speak.
It turns from me and wanders back down the tunnel, the other one following closely behind.
I stay on the ground, my jaw slack with shock. Because vampires never EVER leave humans alive.
Darkness Falls (Darkness Falls Series, Book 1) will be release March 17, 2012.