Ha!
I cannot BELIEVE they've let me use that title!
Ladies and gentlemen, the collection I've been promising you, the book that scoops up all those little short stories and provides you with some brand new ones, has been unleashed. There won't be a Spoiler Zone post because it's not one of the "book" books, but even so, try to limit the amount you give away about the endings.
Of the new stories included, I'm finding it hard to pick a favourite. The Horror Writers' Halloween Ball is the most out-and-out comedy of the lot, but Across A Dark Plain is a WESTERN, for god's sake, and it was SO much fun changing my writing style slightly to convey that mood.
But I think Get Thee Behind Me, Bubba Moon is probably my favourite. Much like The End of the World (which is also collected here), it's told from the point of view of an outsider, in this case a middle-aged American man. I didn't mean it to be quite so long, but it grew from a short story to a novella before I knew what was happening. The tone of this one is different, too — until a certain pair of intrepid detectives wander in with their bickering and their jokes...
Anyway, I hope you like it. I hope you ALSO like the sample chapter from The Dying of the Light. It is VERY well written, if I do say so myself.
Oh, and speaking of TDOTL, tomorrow I shall be revealing an awesomely cool limited edition alternative cover.
And it ROCKS.
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«Oldest ‹Older 1401 – 1600 of 4344 Newer› Newest»*the song 'lonely' starts playing at the bar*
*feels tears pricking eyes*
Oh, Silente
*the song 'lonely' starts playing at the bar*
*feels tears pricking eyes*
Oh, Silente
Just remember that... Just because you're a vampire, doesn't mean you're a monster. A species is just a designation. It doesn't change who you are. Just because your father hunted down vampires, doesn't mean that he hunted down every vampire. He would have only hunted down the bad ones. There are bad humans, too. And bad people in my race.
*just nods again*
*staring at nothing*
Zanida: *makes it by Silente, and is eyeing Leri*
Just because you're a vampire, doesn't mean you're a bad person. Just because you drink blood to survive, doesn't mean you have to kill.
Just because you're faster and stronger than any human, doesn't mean you'll have to use the abilities.
Just because you change into a vampire form, doesn't mean you can't control it.
*points shotgun at Zanida*
Please... Just don't...
*again nods*
*the words are just falling onto numb ears*
*the void inside her is twisting, growing*
I don't mind that you are a vampire. You are still you. A person.
*nods again*
*cold*
*numb*
*dances vigorously in bar, drunk*
*feels convulsion*
*-A change already?-*
*Runs outside*
*A parting in the cloud reveals a full moon*
Oh god, I have to hide!
*Goes into a shed out back*
*Takes off clothes*
Help
Well, now that you know the truth, I might as well tell you the name of the person I'm looking for.
Zanida: I don't mind either.
*looks at Viv, eyes empty and devoid of emotion*
*the void inside her has pretty much claimed her*
*hugs her tightly*
*says quietly*
Get the blind boy.
*Images of the two begind to pour into her mind. All his knowledge and experience involving her floods through the connection* maybe you can guess
I know who you're looking for. And I know I'm not quite her. The girl in you memories is different. Get the blind boy. We'll see if we can get her back for you.
Aro: *walks down, and can finally see* What do you want me to do?
*looks up at Aro*
Fix me.
Aro: Alright. *enters Silente's mind, and begins to work on finding her memories*
*briefly wonders whether she'll remember when she forgot her memories*
*kind of starts worrying about whether Silente may be violent towards her*
(Okay. Let me give you a brief description of what's going to happen. You're going to have to bring her back memory by memory. You might want to tie Silente down because every memory is going to be new and painful to her. And not many of them are nice.)
I'll get the chains
(my awesome sista says hiya)
Zanida: *uses the Tesseract to freeze Silente, all except her head*
Aro: *works memory, by memory*
(Tell her a random crazy Vampire says hi. And that I can seeeee her.)
*each memory brings a new emption over hee face*
*first heart break and despair*
*loneliness to anger to determination and pain*
*fury to fear to hunger to fear again*
*scream as her face twists into a mask of pure agony*
*the memories keep flowing through the connection*
(she says awesome
Ive got to go now, tomoz Ill still be in my wolf form in the shed behind the barr. Let me know what I missed
byii)
*memories of torture, of running from place to place, of finding friends chained to the floor by James and left for the beast*
*memories of hatred, of great sadness and grief at finding her grandma with a stake stabbed through hee human heart*
*running from land to land and then of her work*
*countless assassinations, robberies, murders*
*all clear and vivid in her mind as the days they happened*
(bye Flick)
(These are really bad)
(This isn't even half of it)
*countless family members, dead on her door step*
*the memory of her first turn, of her dead father, killed by her, of her mother, casting her aside, no longer hee daughter*
*her mother's head, chained up in the town centre*
*towns with pitchforks*
*houses burned down before her eyes*
*each and every person close to her dying, slowly, painfully*
*and James, everywhere, every moment of pain*
*squeezes Silente's frozen hand, more for his benefit than hers*
(Can we skip the malente part?-Viv)
(Sorry, that was unprofessional of him. Please proceed.)
*the loneliness the hunger the torture the tears*
*everything that shaped her, molded her into the person she was*
*pain, red hot and burning*
*her insane period, ripping people apart while still in her human form, ripping guts free, murdering their families before them*
*learning about sigils, and carving them to her body*
*blogland, just a little flitter compared to what she has experienced*
*and finally, her twelfth birthday, the day she was bitten* *James, stepping out of an alley way and into her path* *his eyes glimmering, his teeth diving* *the pain in her neck as his ripped into it* *amd then, perhaps worse, the rest of it. The moments when he had taken liberty of his control over her. When he had defiled her, and that horrid smile while her took away something he had no right to go near*
I am going to kill him.
*gasps, head swimming with feeling*
*grips tight with her hands*
I am going to find a necromancer who will bring him back enough for him to feel pain and then I will drip molten metal on him, drop by drop. I will put metal under his skin and make it move in the most painful ways possible. I will put needles into his lungs. And then, when he wants to die...I won't let him. Only when he thinks he has a chance at living will I finally end it.
(is it bad that that's still not even half of hee memories.)
*blinks and coughs*
*strains against the ice, cracking it slowly*
*sags, panting*
(Why did you kill him so quickly?)
*takes a knife and starts breaking the ice off of her*
(Well. That's the thing...
She made a deal with him. She didn't kill him so much as a reflection. That's why she didnt let anyone look closely at the head)
*smiles weakly at Viv*
Hey.
Aro: *grits teeth*
(Sorry, am back. My dog is barking.)
(Where is he!? Viv is going to gut him and do everything he said earlier)
Hey.
*not sure whether to smile or cry*
*looks at Aro*
Thanks Aro...sorry. That probably wasn't nice...
Wait. SHIT! YOU'RE A SANCTUARY OPERATIVE! AH THAT'S NOT GOOD!
*smashes thn ice quickly*
*is worried Aro's going to arrest her*
Aro: I'm not on duty. I am not going to arrest you.
Is it... Done?
(No idea. The deal was, they'd fake his death. He wouldn't be hunted down and killed by her friends and...well he'd have to work harder at staying hidden which meant he wouldn't try to kill her that much)
Thank you Aro, so much.
*hesitantly goes to hug Silente*
Oh. Okay then Aro...thanks. Sorry you had to see that.
*turns to Viv*
*crosses the distance between them easily and hugs him tightly*
(Viv is going to have Jag find him then torture him.)
Aro: You're welcome, I can see! *skips hone actually happy*
Alexis: Aro!!! *hugs tightly*
(Charming. Just so you know, James is laughing hysterically at your reaction and threats)
*grips Silente tightly, lifting her off the ground as tears stream down his cheeks*
Who is James?
(Tell James that Jag can kill a Faceless one with his bare hands. That might shut him up.)
*laughs happily*
Hey there. Miss me?
*grins*
*whispers hoarsely*
You don't even know. You don't even know.
*looks at Silente* ... Do you remember anything from after the skydiving discussion?
(Nope. He's just laughing hysterically. He has a message "yes. But I'm not a faceless on now am I. Plus, he has to find me first.")
(Okay Viv. You need to ded for once.)
*looks at Leri*
Vaguely. Clear enough to remember what. happened..
Thank you.
*goes back to hugging Viv*
Sorry.
(How about the fact that Jag has some of James' blood in a vial?)
*can't even talk anymore*
Wait... Are you saying thank you to me?
(And now he's just kinda raised one eyebrow at that fact. And saying 'does he really?')
Yes Leri, I am. Thank you.
... Why? I thought you'd be mad...
... Everyone else didn't like it...
I dedicate this things to three things.
1) Frisbees- they make everything fun
2) Dedications- even when I am left out they are still touching and beautiful
3) Silente- if we hadn't been able to bring her back Viv would have left Blogland forever.
Because you tried to protect me. Even though everyone disagreed you tried to protect me.
*this page
(See, this is why I don't ded! I fail at this)
... Oh. Ok. You're welcome, I guess...? I just... Did what I thought was right...
How are you feeling?
(@ded part 1 Hear Hear! @ded part 2 omg yes it happened again! Dragona look I'm not the only one to ded to deds! @ded part 3 *blushes*)
I'm....slightly dizzy. *laughs* Which is a bit of an understatement. But I'm great. I'm...just great.
*smiles at Viv*
I'm back.
*smiles for the first time since she's been back*
Yes, you are.
... Are you sure you're great? Aren't you shaken up or anything?
*threads an arm around his waist*
*smiles, eyes twinkling*
(IM MELTING HOW HAS IT GOTTEN WARMER AT NIGHT?!)
Not really. I feel fine. Better than fine.
That's good. *nods*
*holds an arm out to Leri*
Hug?
*he's still trembling but trying to hide it*
*runs a hand through her hair*
Don't do that again please.
*hugs Silente*
I'm really not good at the whole fighting thing... I'm lucky my suit didn't get damaged...
It wasn't exactly voluntary.
*leans against him*
*closes her eyes happily*
Oh that's fine Leri.
*smiles*
I'm glad you're both okay. That makes me happy
Sorry. About the..er...back track. And the memories. I hope you're alright.
*presses his lips against her forehead*
I know. I shouldn't blame you. Thanks for coming back.
I have you back. How bad can I be
I hope no one will hate me for what I did... Maybe next time I should stick to sitting by the side rather than shooting at the nearest god... I didn't even shoot to kill... I don't want to kill anyone...
*tilts her head up and presses her lips to his*
*wraps her arms around his neck*
*holds her there, not wanting to ever let her go*
I hope you don't have nightmares....and I hope this hasn't changed the way you see me.
only a little
*smiles*
*parts her lips slightly*
*slides a hand into his hair*
(@Viv do you want to know her past in more detail? I can try write it up and email it you some time of you want...)
*finally stop trembling*
*closes his eyes, leaning into the kiss even more*
(Yes please. The same goes for Viv. Feel free to ask any questions about him.)
*holds him tightly against her*
*can hear his heart racing*
((Sorry watching Iron Man, I think Tony is my favorite Avenger if I couldn't pick Thor.-Zaffy))
(Kk. I'll type it up and send it tmz. Warning - It aint pretty.)
*strokes her neck at the hairline*
*shivers at the touch*
*leans into him, every part of her pressed against him*
(Ok, I'll keep that in mind)
*moves his other arm around her waist*
*enjoys the taste of her breath in his mouth*
*slides a hand beneath his shirt, feeling the muscles there*
*her other hand is in his hair still*
*takes the knives off her back so that he does not cut himself*
And to think you lot told me and Adra to get a room. *smirks* It's nice to know Matex has been tossed aside, at least. So much for the vampire's loyalty.
*takes her lips from his a moment so he can breathe and kisses his neck over the vein that lays there*
*brings her lips back to him again, crushing her mouth against his*
*breaks the kiss of and jumps away like she's been shocked blushing bright red and glaring at Alastair*
What the hell Alastair!
(Don't stop...that's what noses are for..)
*whirls around*
Hey mister plague incarnate. I think Zanida was looking for you. She's had developments. Go now. Shoo.
*grins broadly* Ruining the moment is one of my absolute favorite things to do, vampire. I couldn't help it if I wanted to.
Ugh. How long have you just been watching?!
*straps Silente's knives back on her*
Well?
Answer her.
Anyone who has a moment, could I have a few short quotes from your favorite books/movies/TV shows/anything with a story?
Oh, you needn't worry, I only just got here. Though if I wanted to watch the rest, I could simply draw it from your minds, anyway. Regardless, I'm only interested in interrupting. I hardly care for the affair itself.
I'm surprised you care for anything.
(@Fabi 'We're all stories in the end'-DW. 'Until the end' - SP. Erm..... 'Tides do what tides do, they turn'-SP. 'Embrace your inner lunatic, fun time guaranteed'-SP I think that's my most memorable quotes. Oh the DW one is Matt Smith.)
*glares at Alastair*
You. Are a sad little man.
I care for Adra, and I care for pain. I care to remain in control of myself. And I imagine that's about everything.
@Alistair: I wonder if you even care for the one who loves you or if you are just playing her.
*smirks back at her* You're a pathetic excuse for a monster.
*looks at Viv*
Maybe you should stop there! Believe me he seriously does love Adra and questioning that will just get us both hurt
You may wonder all you like, Vivanus, so long as she doesn't.
(Thanks Silente! [hugs])
(It's kind of funny watching you lot and Alastair. If only you could go back into the past and see last summer. I'd love to see your reactions.)
(He cares for Adra...! [ships Aladra] [disappears])
Rather be a pathetic excuse for a monster than...well than you really. I mean, granted there are some things about you I envy but many I don't.
*takes Silente's hand*
Fine. He knows the truth. Let's leave.
*smiles at the vampire's response to Vivanus* Well, the vampire has one thing right.
*takes Vivs hand*
Let's.
*turns her back on Alastair, careful this time not to flick her hair in his face,and walks off with Viv*
((Indeed, Moss. I'm so tempted to go through it all again, but the way things are now... It isn't likely.
Be grateful that I do love Adra, Vivanus, or your life in this roleplay would likely be a good deal more unpleasant.))
*walks with Silente*
Hey Viv?
Yes ma'am?
Zanida: *sneaks up behind Alastair and jumps on him, attempting to pin his arms* Hello.
*appears in front of Alastair*
Please don't question Alastairs loyalty again. It's not a smart thing to do. And knowing him the sick bastard would target me not you as punishment. Not that I can't take it, i'd just rather not see you in pain because of me.
I'll try. He makes me so mad though. I dislike anyone who can't get hurt in some way.
((I'm attempting to fix the problem of Alastair.-Loki))
((Thanks))
I know. Although he can get hurt. He has one big weakness. But its better to just leave him be. I mean, hurting him isn't killing him and would just cause him to go ballistic.
*she'll jump right through him* Hello. I heard you were looking for me. Are you feeling any different?
And Loki, how lovely to see you again. I read your last round of insults, in case you were wondering, and although I'm impressed that you came up with anything other than "pathetic" or "mewling quim", I am even more astounded by the fact that you can't seem to insult me without flattering me. Power that could match yours, and legendary fierceness, aren't exactly belittling qualities to paint me with.
A weakness?
Duh. Adra. Hurt her and it hurts him.
*shrugs*
That's kind of obvious.
Zanida: *lands on feet, very graceful* Well....I have been actually. I feel like crap, and I'm getting weird moments ot my heart racing.
I care not what you feel.
I don't think of love as an exploitable weakness.
*nods*
It's not a nice thing to exploit. But its always there.
*is silent a moment, reliving the past*
*shakes her head*
Yeah.
I have to leave Sil. Sorry.
(I'll actually be on email though)
Bye then Darling.
(I'll probably be hitting the hey now, sorry.)
Be more specific, Zanida.
And there goes the lack of intelligence again. At what point did I mention my emotions?
*kisses goodbye*
*Rolls in and cuddles her love*
-*Adra walks up to him and wraps her arms around his waist*
((You lot hurt Adra, I bring the worst of my villains here and set him on you. Is that understood?))
((Besides, Adra is keeping him somewhat sane. You won't want to fight him after getting rid of/messing with his soft spot.))
Zanida: Loki, shut up. *looks up at Alastair* Feel my pulse. Its supoosed to be like yours. My heart is racing and I'm standing. I'm actually freezing, and the cold shouldn't bother me. I also have moments where I feel light headed, Loki said during training I blacked out.
((Psst Alice, I have to go eat in a few, you'll still be on..?-Zaf))
((*cuddles Adra*))
*turns to face her, kissing her hair* Hello, love.
Really? The whore came, I should have known.
((Aah food, I shall continue in a half hour.-Zaffy))
((Once again, Moss is correct. Do have care to listen to her this time around.
I'll likely be here, albiet distant, for the rest of your night, Zafira.))
I can hear your pulse, I've no need to feel it. *takes her wrist anyway, to heal her, then returns her to her previous state and lets it go* Interesting. Let me know if things continue to worsen.
...
Nevermind... *Goes*
*glares at Loki* Mind your tongue, God of mischief. I don't have to heal your sister. Or stand by while you attempt to take over. And you'd do well to trust me when I say that I can kill you.
Zanida: *watches Alastair, and nods* I will. Thank you, Alastair. And Loki, shut up for once in your life.
I care enough to want you to be alive. As for you, Cruciatus, take care of that whore of yours, she may not survive long. I do not take kindly to women like her.
*draws a knife from his coat that glows black at his touch, and throws it at Loki's chest- it'll burn through anything it touches*
*the knife hits him, and his image disappears* *is really several feet opposite the knife* Nice try.
Zanida: Alastair, please don't kill my brother.
*draws the knife back into his hand with air, and moves to grab Zanida's hair, pressing the blade against her neck* *her skin should start to burn upon contact* Then I'll kill you instead, shall I?
Zanida: *doesn't scream but he can hear her heart racing* Alastair...Loki is an idiot, don't kill him.
Or touch my sister. She did nothing, I'm not against killing people, but my sister does not make the list to kill.
*Adra is watching from a ways away*
Too late for that, Loki. You ought to have heeded my warning while you had the chance. *lightly scrapes his knife over her neck, to shave a thin layer of skin away*
Kill her, and you are going to be very sorry. How about I pay the little slut a visit?
Zanida: *kicks Alastair's shin, trying to get him to release his grip on herself*
*moves to slice a line across Zanida's face* Continue to insult her, and I'll kill you both.
*Watches tensely, worried for Alastair*
I only speak the truth, Alastair.
Zanida: *lets out a faint shriek and lets an ice shard form in her hand, and stabs backwards, at his stomach* *With the ice shard in her hand, Zanida's skin turns to the frost giant's color*
Don't test me.
*doesn't flinch at the stab, or bother to heal it* *makes a few more lines across Zanida's face*
Zanida: *grabs Alastair's hand, and makes ice incase it* Don't do this to me...
*draws dagger, and sends it at Alastair's eye* You won't hurt Zanida, you'll cut her face and call it a day. You're nothing more then a lovestruck fool.
*Steps a few steps forward, sensing that he's hurt, stumbling over a root- she's long since dropped her cane*
*blocks Loki's dagger with air* *the ice around his hand starts to melt as he raises his body temperature* *in the meantime, he pulls another, identical knife from his coat with shadows and aims it between her ribs*
I'm fine, love- do have care not to injure yourself, please.
But I- *Frowns gently* I..
Zanida: *this time screams, and draws my lance letting it catch on fire, and stabbing Alastair again* Stop!!!
*appears behind Alastair and sends a dagger at the back of his head
*dematerializes, and steps through Zanida, so the dagger would hit her instead of him, and her lance would miss* *rematerializes in front of her, and grabs the hilt of the knife buried in her ribs, dragging it across her torso*
Are you alright, my darling?
*Flinches, noticing what's happening*
Zanida: *barely noticex the dagger, used to Loki's daggers, but as the knife drags across her, she finally loses her mind* *grabs Alastair's face, and attempts to begin to incase his entire body in ice*
You touched my sister, and I hear thunder. I am not usually overly fond of what happens next, but today I am. *looks up at the sky* Heimdall, you could at least hurry and get the angry god of thunder.
*Whimpers slightly, and stumbles towards Alastair, shoving Loki away*
*lunges backwards, pulling the knife out* Three gods at once ought to be interesting.
Shall I bring you somewhere else, though, love? I'd hate for anything to happen to you...
*uses the Tesseract to freeze Adra*
Thor: *comes down from Asgard, and sends his hammer into Alastair's head*
Zanida: Well...*laughs* Alastair's going to die.
*She sends up her hand in Thor's direction, making him shoot backwards (by creatinine a gravitational repulse between him and her hand). Her eyes turn into a glare as her other hand tries to stop Mjölnir by doing the same as she did to Thor but between Alastiar's head and the hammer*
I wake up, and this is what happens? Geez... I think I'm going to be a pacifist. Can you all just... You know... Stop the fighting? Why are you fighting?!
*Her eyes widen, and she feels like she's going to cry*
Thor: Miss, what are you doing? *the hammer is unphased by Rose's attempts*
*moves time back to shove Adra away before the Tesseract can freeze her* *of course, that means it'll freeze him instead*
((I'm not sure exactly what it does, so you'll have to tell me.))
Don't you dare 'Miss' me Thor! This is utterly reckless! A king, a proper king, should know that killing people is bad, and stupid, and may have a major implications in the future. Alastair gets mad. Very mad.
*Her eyes narrow, and she touches his shoulder* Alastair, please... *She's beginning to cry more*
((All it will do is encase you in ice, you can easily escape as you're you, but normal people would have extreme difficulty escaping-Loki))
Zanida: Good god...a party
Thor: He just tried to kill Zanida, my wife. I have no wish for you to be hurt, this is matter between Alastair, Loki, Zanida, possibly Adra, and myself.
Zandia. Come on. You should know better. You should tell your husband to stop throwing his toy around and everyone can just go to the beach and have fun or something! The beach sounds very nice....
*starts to melt rather quickly, but it'll take a few minutes to half an hour, depending on how thick it is*
But Thor, my apologies, but if you hurt them, I hurt you. And Alastair kills everyone. I think that's how he says hello...
*She approaches Thor with a raised eyebrow. A pulse of blue energy tears from her chest and strikes him*
Thor: *moves away*
Zanida: I have the knife stuck in my torso, how am I at fault?
*walks over to Alastair, and makes a tiny hole, over Alice's heart, and pokes with the sceptre*
*She bats the sceptre away before Loki can make his move*
*She lets out a loud yell*
You are at fault, Zandia, because-
*She shakes her head, slowly*
Actually, screw being a pacifist. Team Loki.
*She walks off, her back to the fight*
I'm just going to butt out while you guys murder each other. The cemetery is that way.
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