Today’s snippet theme is Near Death Experience. Below is a scene from a book that I wrote with authors Aliyah Burke and Taige Crenshaw for our free read site called Satin Notes. Enjoy.
An snippet from Magnetism…
Prologue
Kira Winters didn’t need the scent of blood to know she was dying. She was so numb and cold. She had no idea how long she had been laying on the ledge on the side of the cliff. Time had lost all meaning. All she knew was pain. The pain of stupidity. The agony of loss.
Challen, her newly-found twin brother, was dead. Dead because of her. The sight of him falling, then being swallowed up by the fog, was constantly replaying in her mind. The day had been bright and beautiful. They had decided to go for a hike along the Velen Cliffs, one of the highest points in Savoy Valley. The view from the cliffs was one of exquisite beauty. Challen had been teasing her. The memory of his laughing face made her eyes sting.
Oh God. I wasted so much time.
Regret filled her. When Challen had come to her, claiming to be a brother she had never known of, she had welcomed him. Yet she hadn’t made time to spend with him. She had been busy working on the expansion of her business. Besides, she figured they had all the time in the world. She had been without family, at least family by blood, and figured they would find time eventually. Her friends, who she thought of as her true family, had accepted him also.
Challen had not given up on spending time with her. He had kept coming around for months and helping wherever he could. He gained her respect for his unwavering refusal to give up. Then she learned to accept him for his kindness and strength. Six months after she had met him, she’d finally let him talk her into a day together away from her restaurant. After that first time, she’d made more time to get to know her brother. They had started to explore more of Savoy Valley, places she loved and some she hadn’t known.
Although Challen had recently moved to Savoy Valley, and she had lived there for almost three years, he knew more places then she did. The hike to Velen Cliffs—“a bonding expedition” as Challen called it–was their latest adventure. When they had reached the bluff, Challen had put his arm around her shoulders while she had looked out at the sheer beauty of the ocean and cliffs.
A sound was the only warning before all hell had come down upon them. Suddenly, Challen had spun to face the open area behind them. Kira didn’t want to believe what she had seen. David, the man she had thought loved her, was leading a group of animals. Yes, they had to be animals. There was no such thing as shape-shifters. There couldn’t be. But then, why had their attackers looked like they did? Some appeared to be half-man and part animal. Their top halves were those of human men, but the bottom parts looked like snakes, wolves, and tigers. Her mind could not believe it. Pacing beside them was actual snakes, wolves and tigers. All of them had hissed and growled, fangs dripping. They had rushed Kira and Challen, claws extended to rip out whatever they could reach.
David had flashed his killer grin at her as he picked up Challen, who had stepped in front of Kira to protect her. David tossed him away like he was a useless toy. Trying to help her brother, Kira had stumbled to the edge of the cliff to reach for him.
“Heller will p–“ Challen screamed. Leaning over the edge, she had grabbed for him even though she knew it was too late. She had watched his pale grey eyes as he fell and was engulfed by the fog. She had no time to even process it as something dragged her from the edge. Turning, she had looked down to see one of the things holding her ankle. It fell on her, ripping her flesh. The agony of the first cut had made her mind block out the pain. David just stood there and watched as the other animals joined in, tearing at her piece by piece.
Blood had poured from everywhere. How could a human body lose so much and survive? The day passed into night as they tortured her in unimaginable ways. Each time she thought she would die, they would back off, then come back to start all over again. The day that had started with such promise was now a living hell. Challen had screamed it as he fell, and she was living it, replaying each moment as they bled her of life. The sun went up, then down again as she lay there waiting for the end. She had heard their whispered plan to take her with them. The thought stalled the breath in her body. She couldn’t take it. Determination filled her.
Using her last strength, she had gathered herself to wait. When they came to drag her away with them, Kira fought and ran, jumping off the cliff, knowing she would die.
But the death she had prayed for didn’t come. She had landed on this ledge. As her thoughts returned to the present, Kira didn’t know if she should be grateful to be alive or cursing that she wasn’t dead. She knew they would find her; it was only a matter of time. Opening her eyes, Kira watched as the night faded and the sun lit the sky. Staring at the sun, she prayed again for death. Hoped it would find her before they did. Her breath started to hiccup and go shallow. A small smile curved her lips, making her face ache. She lay there, waiting for death to take her.
Then a sound came from above. Kira stilled, fearing she had imagined it. It came again. It was her name. Someone was calling her name. She was silent, in case it was them. Her name came again, and then a voice she knew as well as her own called.
“Ria!”
Tears burned her eyes, making her vision blur.
She didn’t even think she could answer, but she tried. “Here.”
It came out in barely a whisper. Frustration welled in her, and tears fell faster, stinging her cut face.
Taking a deep breath, she ignored the pain racing through her and tried again.
“Here.” Louder this time.
Then again. “Here!” she yelled, with an effort that hurt her throat.
Weak, she lay there waiting. But she pushed away the need for death, hoping they had heard.
Suddenly, she felt gentle hands on her, but the pain still burned. Biting her lip to still the screams, she felt herself being lifted up and up. Hands grabbed her. A roar of agony ripped the air. Kira didn’t realize it was coming from her. Blackness started to overtake her. The last thing she saw before she lost consciousness was the worried and anguished faces of her best friends, Mika Kendrick and Zanna Mattis.
As she slipped into oblivion, Kira’s last thought was of survival, so she could take vengeance for the hell she had been forced to live, and for the death of the man she had finally accepted as her brother.
I will find them and make them pay.
Copyright © 2008 Aliyah Burke, McKenna Jeffries and Taige Crenshaw.
All Rights Reserved, Satin Notes.
Check out the rest of Magnetism and more free reads at Satin Notes - http://satinnotes.com
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