Snippet Sunday: February 14, 2016

Welcome to Snippet Sunday on Darkling Dreams!

Where writers come together to share a few sentences (8-10) of their current project — whether it’s a recently released novel, a WIP (work in progress), or an older manuscript that’s being revived. Intended to hook readers, gather feedback and build an author’s fan base, Snippet Sunday is the FB group that does all three.

Happy Valentine’s Day, peeps! Sorry to say you aren’t getting a lovey dovey snippet from me, I don’t do romance. You’re getting the opposite of chocolate and roses and a perfect night, you’re getting a nightmare. ;)

I am going to continue on with the first book in the Dark Heir Chronicles yet, Fated to Darkness. Next month I believe I might switch to something different for March, and then flip back to this in April as motivation for Camp NaNo. I think. Unless I end up rolling with this through April — which is a long time — then switch in between the two Camp months to something else.

Previously on Sunday Snippets: Four year old Heather had been kidnapped from her home by a woman clad in black and whisked off to another realm where she found her kidnapper wanted her to be her Heir. But not just any Heir. After being locked up and put through a ritual that has changed her and her life forever — though she does not yet know it — she has found herself in a small bare essential room with a tiny bathroom, and her new mentor has instructed her to clean herself up and be ready in ten minutes. Having talked of what Ciara finally wants of her, she is now left in her first lesson under her mentor.

Picking up right where I left off from last week’s snippet as Heather still tries to grasp the concept of magic.

(Some sentences may have been creatively edited and punctuated to try to fit the ten sentence limit. I’m over, again. Can we just agree that my snippets will always be a little longer but not too long?)

–*–

“S-Stop!” she cried desperately, her voice cracking under the pain as she squirmed against it.

She didn’t let up though, only intensifying it until it felt like molten lava was being poured over her skin. Heather screamed more, her legs giving out on her now as she attempted to curl up against it, tears streaming down her face. It left her hanging in Ciara’s grasp by her wrist, her hand still held palm up.

“Call it up,” she snapped coldly, not caring for the child’s pain.

Heather just cried and screamed. “P-Please,” she spluttered, “I’ll do a-anything!”

Ciara let go of her wrist and she dropped heavily to the ground. However, the pain didn’t stop, the curse still thrumming through her at full force. She curled up on the ground, shaking under the intense pain and starting to see black spots, unable to bear it.

The Dark One smiled and sneered all at once. She begged too easily, that would need to be changed, but it showed she could break her and mold her if she was careful enough. She knew just how to do it too.

“I’m waiting,” she said smugly, looking down on the small child.

But still, Heather wasn’t trying to call it up. Her mind too focused on pain like she had never felt before. She didn’t know what the woman wanted her to do, or at least how to do it. She was only four, she didn’t understand. She didn’t understand why she had taken her, what was happening to her, and why she couldn’t go home.

The constant crying and pleading finally had Ciara fed up. She kicked her sharply in the ribs, making Heather roll away and scream at the sudden sharp crack that followed. That coupled with the pain from the curse started to make Heather terrified for her life, begging even more.

“Call it up,” Ciara repeated, firmer now as she continued to curse her even further so that Heather felt like there were needles piercing through her as well.

Heather just continued to scream and plead, and each one only made Ciara amp up the pain and add another curse until Heather could no longer take it.

“Call it up!” she snapped for what seemed like the thousandth time, becoming impatient, but she knew it was coming. She could feel it.

–*–

Dun dun dunnn. Just what exactly is coming though?

This story is not yet on Wattpad because it is my baby that I hope to publish one day, and if no one will publish me, I am self publishing. But it’s also not on Wattpad because it’s in first draft phases yet. So there will be no “if you wish to read more…”

However! If you wish to read anything else that I do have finished, you can hop on over to my profile on Wattpad and check out what I have to offer. I love to hear any and all feedback on my work as well. Comments are greatly appreciated, as are the reads.

And if you’re looking for some other great snippets of fellow authors,

hop on over to Facebook and check out Snippet Sunday!