Legacy of Blood

• Legacy of Blood
  
• Acknowledgements
  
• A Very Special ‘Thank You’
  
• Chapter One
  
• Chapter Two
  
• Chapter Three
  
• Chapter Four
  
• Chapter Five
  
• Chapter Six
  
• Chapter Seven
  
• Chapter Eight
  
• Chapter Nine
  
• Chapter Ten
  
• Chapter Eleven
  
• Chapter Twelve
  
• Chapter Thirteen
  
• Chapter Fourteen
  
• Chapter Fifteen
  
• Chapter Sixteen
  
• Chapter Seventeen
  
• Chapter Eighteen
  
• Chapter Nineteen
  
• Chapter Twenty
  
• Chapter Twenty-One
  
• Chapter Twenty-Two
  
• Chapter Twenty-Three
  
• Chapter Twenty-Four
  
• Chapter Twenty-Five
  
• Chapter Twenty-Six
  
• Chapter Twenty-Seven
  
• Skye’s story will continue.
  
• Legacy of Blood Music
  
• Character Index
  
• Translations
  
• About the Author
  

By: J.L. McCoy

EBOOK EDITION

Copyright © 2013 J.L. McCoy

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Cover by: Omar Rodriguez V.

Facebook. http://facebook.com/?_rdr#!/OmarRodriguezV.Art?__user=100000269444280

Flickr:
www.flickr.com/slave4britney

www.omarslave4britney.deviantart.com

Email:[email protected]

Editing by: Virginia Cantrell

Email:
[email protected]

Interior Formatting by: Katie Salidas/Rising Sign Books

http://www.risingsignbooks.net/p/services.html

Legacy of Blood was the hardest book I’ve written to date.  I hope I wrote Skye’s story with the integrity it deserves. 

To the readers and fans:  Thank you for taking a chance on me; for all the reviews, emails, Facebook posts, and for sticking with me.  You guys totally rock socks!  Xo!

To Virginia Cantrell and Jax Flanders:  3 people in the right place at the right time.  Lifelong friends made.  Thank you for giving up a little piece of your sanity to help me regain mine.  I don’t know what I’d do without you.  I adore you girls… <3

To V., Katie Salidas, and Omar Rodriguez V., my magic workers:  Thank you for all your hard work.  I quite literally could not do this without you guys. You blow me away…

To Trudy Powders and Lois Friend: Thanks for the cool Divine Power suggestions.

To Nicole Broadhurst-Carriere, Anita Smith-Shields, Angel Herrera, Virginia Cantrell, Jacqui Flanders, Ashley Marie Pitts, my alpha/beta support team:  You dropped everything once again to help me see this through. Thanks for the late nights and the wonderful advice. <3

To the reviewers/bloggers:  Thank you for reviewing the book, hosting me on your pages, and for overall being wonderful, wonderful people!  Your support of my work really means so much to me.  I have enjoyed every minute of getting to know you.

To Mama:  You are amazing… I can’t say it enough.  I love you.

To Kenny: 
Tá mo chroí istigh ionat.  A-chaoidh.
  Best 9 years of my life, baby.

To Daddy:  Every girl deserves a Daddy like you.  <3

To Kellie:  If you get any hotter, my book covers are going to explode!  Speaking of…BEST. COVER. EVER!  Love ya, Smelly.

If I have left anyone out, I sincerely apologize.  All mistakes herein are mine and mine alone.

I want to extend a very special thank you to the following people for their amazing support.  I appreciate the reviews you leave and the time you take to visit and participate on my Facebook page.  You guys are awesome!  Thank you from the bottom of my heart, dolls!  You mean the world to me!  Xo!

Brandy Roark Dorsch

Vanessa Andrade Cavazos

Jennifer Maynard

Sara Jane Murdoch

Cassie Hoffman

Virginia Cantrell

Jacqui Flanders

Valari Roberts

Yvonne Monagas

Victoria N.

Natalie Walker Idrogo

Amy Russell

Crystal Newman

This book is dedicated to V. and Jax.  There are simply not enough words…

Much to my chagrin I have no hunger for what I've been.

Obscene disregard for the moral love I've seen.

I haven't even begun, yet previous vitalities from here undone.

This pain can be no more than an indication

Infinite vexation will overcome this eternal exhilaration

Not discerning the displeasure of our gravity, forgetting our impressionable depravity.

The mystique of such unknown only caused the absorption of my mind to pique  

A fain devotion to an addiction only motivated me to incite affliction   

Descending from the heavenly luminous

My imminent fate can be no less numinous

~
 M. Michelle Fey

I slowly opened my eyes and saw I was lying in an endless field of scarlet paintbrush wildflowers.  I gasped at its beauty as I stood up and took in my surroundings.   Tall hills rolled in every direction and the sea of flowers summited them as well. 
Where am I?
  I turned slow circles where I stood, trying to gauge where I was, but I had never seen this place before; I had never seen a place as breathtaking as this in my entire life. 

I bent down and softly trailed my fingers over the dewy tops of the flowers as I slowly walked through them.  Water droplets kissed each petal and shined and shimmered like diamonds in the bright morning sun.

How did I get here?
  I thought back as hard as I could, trying to remember.  Slowly, memories of pain and blood flashed through my mind.  I remembered looking up at Archer from my place in his arms and I gasped audibly as I recalled my painful death.

“I’m dead,” I whispered to myself as I looked around at the wildflower field again.  It was so beautiful and could only mean one thing.  “I made it to heaven?”

“No, child,” Amun said behind me and I whipped around as I fearfully clutched my hands to my chest.  “Do not be afraid,
Damu
.  I mean you no harm.”

“I-Is this one of your dreams?” I asked unsteadily.  “Am I dreaming?”

“Something like that,” Amun nodded his head.  “You are evolving, my precious.”

I suddenly remembered the last few words Archer and Trey spoke before I slipped into unconsciousness. 

“Oh my God.  Her eyes.”

“She’s transforming.  She’s turning.”

“Her eyes are completely pitch black.  They look just like…him.”

Anger coursed through me as my hands fisted tightly down at my sides.  “What did you do to me?!” I roared.

“I granted you eternal life,
Damu
,” he said as he slowly stalked toward me, a look of absolute calm on his face.  “You should be grateful, not angry.”

“You stole my life from me and you expect me to be grateful for it?!” I seethed.  “Why?  Why!”

“My son, the only other one I have ever sired, is long dead,” he explained as he stepped up to me and stopped.  “It was time I sired another.”

“BUT WHY ME?!” I begged in a yell.  “Why couldn’t you just leave me alone?!”

“Child,” he tsked, growing impatient.  “I have given you a gift.  Soon you will rise and take your place beside me.  Rest in the fact that you will be at peace once your transformation is fully complete.  You will obey me in all affairs and do so gladly.  I am now your father,
Nisiqtu
, and soon I will be your husband.”

“Over my dead body,” I growled angrily as I started to back away.

“Too late,” he grinned as he thoughtfully tapped his index finger on his lips.

I turned and rushed through the endless field of flowers.  I didn’t know where I was going; I just knew I wanted to get as far away from him as possible.

“Precious,” Amun called affectionately in sing-song behind me.  “There is much to discuss.  Your transformation will soon be complete.  Do you not have questions for me?”

I froze and took a deep breath as I closed my eyes.  I did have questions; I had so many, many questions.  I swallowed hard, squared my shoulders, and turned around.  I marched back over with purpose and stopped a few feet from him.  He was smiling affectionately at me and it was really starting to piss me off.

“Stop looking at me like that,” I growled as I crossed my arms over my chest. 

“I cannot resist,” he shrugged, a sly smile playing at the corner of his mouth.  “You are breathtaking when you are angry.”

“I wish everyone would stop saying that,” I huffed as I threw my long red hair over my shoulder.  “Are you really going to answer my questions?” I asked, cocking one eyebrow.  “No games, just truth.”

“Of course, child.”

I took another deep breath and gathered my thoughts.  I was really angry at him, but I knew I needed to play it cool if I wanted to get the answers I desperately needed.

“How is this possible?” I asked, fighting off the sting of tears.  “How can I be turning into what you are?  What did you do to me and when did you do it?”

Amun deliberately took a few steps toward me and offered me his elbow.  “Walk with me.”  I fought the urge to recoil as I hesitantly threaded my arm with his.  We silently began strolling through the field; the only sound was Amun’s contented sigh.  I had just opened my mouth to question him again, when he finally spoke up.