Book Excerpt
He
shouldered into the room, letting the door crash into the wall, not bothering
to stop. His senses were sharp, even in the dim light. A flash of lightning
beyond the balcony revealed everything in an instant and seared it into the
backs of his eyes. Adelaide sat huddled against the headboard of the large
four-poster bed, blankets pulled to her chin, her mouth reverberating with an infinite
shriek of terror.
Alexander turned to the shape coming in
from the balcony. In the gloom, it was hard to distinguish; it seemed to be
made of blackness. Burning yellow eyes stared back like small embers, giving
away its location. It crept on all fours, but seemed capable of walking
upright; it had the look of a shrunken and stooped humanoid. Its flesh was gray
and pocked. Something akin to smoke drifted off it, as if it were a smoldering
coal.
Sachihiro and Jaydan stumbled into the
room as the creature broke for the bed. Alexander moved to intercept it, but
Sachihiro was quicker. Alexander stumbled to his knees as the burly man shot
past in a streak of bare skin and lute. The creature screeched as it leapt for
Adelaide. Sachihiro did the same, connecting with it in midair. They went to
the floor in a twisted heap of man and shadow.
Alexander found his footing and
scrambled to help Sachihiro. He had managed to turn over and straddled the
squirming creature. Long claws of black mist raked at the musician’s
barreled chest. Sachihiro yelled with primal rage and set to smashing the
thing’s head into the floor. Alexander slid towards the creature’s head and
grabbed its arms. It felt solid enough, but the mottled skin was colder than
anything he had felt before. He wrenched, stretching the arms until a sharp pop
burst from its shoulder joints. Another pair of heavy punches from Sachihiro
silenced the thing and it went limp.
“More!”
Jaydan yelled, and the room lit up with magic fire brighter than the lightning.
Alexander
spun upright to see Jaydan hurling thin spouts of flame at two more creatures
that had entered the room. A third crawled onto the balcony and joined in a
collective charge. They rushed at Alexander and Sachihiro. Adelaide continued
to shriek behind them, her terror rising above the thunder that shook the room
without reprieve.
Alexander lunged forward to meet the
foe. One was knocked off course by a burst of magic that impacted its side. The
other two jumped at that instant, hitting Alexander solidly in the chest.
Neither equaled even half his size, but the collective force took him off his
feet. He landed on the fallen creature with a sickening crunch. Sachihiro tore
one of the creatures free and tossed it across the room.
Alexander’s
field of vision vanished as a mouthful of wicked teeth opened before him. He
twisted and brought his forearm into the creature’s throat. It snapped its jaw
shut, just missing the tip of Alexander’s nose. Its breath frosted the warm air
and its eyes flared.
About the Book
Title: The Girl With Red Hair
Author: Michael J. Sanford
Genre: Fantasy
She was just a lost girl when they found her.
The circumstances are odd, that much is true. But she’s just a child. She needs protecting. She needs guardians.
Before long, strange magic manifests from the small girl, equally awe inspiring as it is terrifying.
Before long, strange magic manifests from the small girl, equally awe inspiring as it is terrifying.
Does she control the fire and light?
Or do they control her?
Or do they control her?
Shadows are rising from Alfuria, the very world beneath their feet. Sometimes they call, wishing for an unending embrace.
Dragons have risen as well, from myth
and legend, stalking land and sky. The roar of such beasts shakes even
the most resolute warrior.
Shadows, gods, dragons, and the girl with red hair. What is real and what is merely illusion?
Adelaide is undoubtedly important.
That may be the only certainty.
Author Bio
Michael
has always been a prisoner to his imagination. His childhood was spent
running through the forest, pretending to be a gallant warrior saving
the countryside from certain destruction. Or he was a ferocious beast
terrorizing the very same countryside. There is always a story spinning
through his mind. As an adult, writing has become the only way to keep
his head from exploding.
He lives in upstate New York with his
loving wife and two cats. If he’s not writing, he’s likely reading,
weightlifting, or forcing his players into difficult situations from
behind his Dungeon Master’s screen. He is a storyteller first and a
writer second.
Links
Twitter: @mjsauthor
Buy on Amazon
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