RED TIDE RISING
by Allie Gail
Ages 18+. Contains strong language, explicit sex and elements of horror.
This book is the final installment in the Immortal Touch trilogy.
*****
What good is immortality when every moment is agony?
The vampire Ash has returned from his watery grave, proving that death
is merely a minor inconvenience. Picking up where he left off? That might not
be as easy. Because someone else is vying for Sami's attention - the last
person he ever would have expected.
Fulfilling her desire for immortality seems the surest route to winning
her favor. But for Sami, this gift will come at a terrible price. One simple
lie of omission is all it takes to send her spiraling into a terminal state of
madness. And as the last remnants of her sanity slip away, Ash can no longer
deny that her maniacal behavior is putting them all at risk. His perfect angel
has become a perfect liability.
But can he find it in his heart to destroy her?
Almost
simultaneously they blinked, the two heads bobbing about in disoriented
confusion as they struggled to assimilate. Straightening, Ash took a step back
and spread his arms open with a haughty smile.
“Ladies
and gentlemen, welcome to the freakshow! I am your host and master of
ceremonies. Tickets are nonrefundable and the rules here are simple. There are
only two, so please give me your undivided attention as I will not, I repeat,
will not be going over these instructions twice. Listen up, here we go. Rule
number one. Do. Not. Scream. First motherfucker in here that wigs out on me
gets their gray matter painted all over the walls. Unless you want this place
redecorated with your brains, I suggest you take ol’ Sparky’s advice here and –
how’d you put it? Oh, yeah. Keep. It. Down.
“Rule
number two. I am in charge here. In case you illiterate hillbilly dumbasses
don’t know what that means, I’ll clarify. You will do what I say, when I say
it, without asking why. These rules are non-negotiable and subject to change at
any time, without any warning, in accordance with my whim. Do we have any
questions from the audience?”
Sami
watched, enthralled, as the startled couple exchanged panicky looks. Once again
almost synchronously, their bulging eyes returned to the gun being waved around
in front of their faces. Neither of them seemed to know what to do.
The woman
was the first to hazard a question. Bringing a shaking hand to her chest, she
coughed twice before saying in a croaky voice, “P-please…I need a Xanax. I
think I’m having a panic attack.”
“A panic
attack? Really?” Asher’s free hand flew to his mouth in exaggerated dismay.
“Oh, my. Now that is unfortunate. Regrettably, management won’t allow us to
stop the ride and let you off once it’s started. However, we will have some
nice parting gifts for you. May I have your name, please?”
“My…name?”
Her cheeks grew even more wan if that was possible. She looked dangerously
close to face-planting into the floor.
“Yes.
Your name. What people call you. Comes above the street address on your mail.
Generally the first line on your birth certificate. Any of that ring a bell?”
“Brandy,”
she whispered before coughing again.
“What was
that you were asking for, Brandy? A Xanax?”
“Yes…please.
They’re in…in my purse. Over there.”
“My dear,
you don’t need medication. What you need is a transfusion. Request denied.
Next?”
At her
side, Kemper seemed to suddenly spring to life. “What’s going on here?” he
snapped indignantly. “Who are you people?”
“I
apologize, but due to union rules we are only permitted to answer one question
at a time. Kindly select just one.”
Not only
baffled but clearly getting pissed off, Kemper gritted his teeth so that his
lower lip protruded in a way that reminded Sami of Slingblade. “I said…who ARE
you people?”
“Oh!
That’s right! You don’t even know how to address me yet, do you? Please pardon
the oversight. Let me introduce myself. I am known as Alpha to the fortunate,
Grim Reaper to the unfortunate, and Total Prick to everyone else. You can
simply call me Sir. To my left is my lovely assistant Samara. Take a bow,
gorgeous.”
Smiling
brightly, she gave a dainty little curtsey. “How do you do?”
Allie fell in love with books from the moment she
was issued her very first Sally, Dick and Jane reader. Born and raised in
Alabama, she now resides in the sunny panhandle of Florida with her own
blue-eyed Prince Charming and two fat, obnoxious cats. When she’s not busy
obsessing over the lexicon of her latest project, she can usually be found
watching B-movie horror (the cheesier, the better!), reading or playing online
computer games while indulging her unhealthy Pepsi addiction.
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