Moonlight Springs Eternal: Seasons Change Book 3 of 4

By Derek A. Schneider

When the great black werewolf, Glass and the red witch, Tristessa find a way to plunge the country into eternal darkness, it’s up to Jack Writeman, Harold Robinson and the witch Medellia to find the source of their power and destroy it before the werewolves overrun humanity. It all leads to a pulse pounding climax beneath a full moon.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Derek A. Schneider
• Release date: Jul 23, 2010

Derek A. Schneider

Derek A. Schneider is the creator of the eerie thriller The 9 Ghosts of Samen's Bane and the action packed Seasons Change Vampire Series which includes Avenging Autumn, The Wintermen and Moonlight Springs Eternal. He makes his home in Indianapolis, IN with his wife and five kids. Recent work includes the thriller, The Goat.

Book preview

Moonlight Springs Eternal

Seasons Change: Book 3 of 4

By Derek A. Schneider

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2008 Derek A. Schneider. All rights reserved

License Notes: This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

ISBN: 1442119179

1.

The Lost Grimoire

April, 2007

Soma awoke to the sound of whinnying horses and a strong smell that was a mixture of hay and manure. Her head was aching and what had led to her being there, flat on her ass with her hands bound to a stable post above her, was still a little fuzzy. A solitary kerosene lamp hung above the door, casting shadows in every corner of the barn. In one of these corners, Soma caught movement in her peripheral vision. Yellow eyes peered out of the darkness at her and she suddenly began to remember the situation she was caught in.

The door to the barn slowly creaked open and through it walked the red nightmare that was Tristessa. A strong night breeze followed the witch inside, whipping her crimson robes and bright, red hair around her with dramatic effect. She closed the door and stared down at Soma with a clear expression of hatred on her face.

Hello, Soma, Tristessa hissed. Though she didn’t move from her spot by the door, Soma could feel the witch’s power radiate across the barn. I’ve already had a very tiring day so I’m going to make this brief. There will be no second chances and I will not ask you twice. Where is my book?

Soma tried her best to stare back at Tristessa with defiance but felt her strength falter against the terrifying determination in the witches perfect, smooth features. She looked away and stared blankly at the barn door.

I find your silence to be most disappointing, Tristessa stated. She placed a pale white hand on the barn door and pushed it open a crack. Leaning out the door, she whispered something inaudible.

Now, Soma’s breathing came in short, quick burst with the anticipation of what would soon be coming in the door. She knew the old witch was twisted beyond all imagination, she had seen her exhibit her sick sense of punishment before, though this would be the first time it was directed at her.

The young witch tried to quiet her own breathing and listen for any sound from outside. She heard nothing but the soft, cool wind blowing through the trees. Still, the crimson witch stood, holding the heavy barn door open with no sign of strain on her face.

Then she saw it. A small garden spider, no more than an inch long, came crawling clumsily through the open door. Soma was not afraid of spiders. As a matter of fact she was rather fond of them, as was any respectable witch.

Suddenly, another spider (this one slightly larger) tumbled around the corner and followed the first toward her. Then came another and another and soon there were hundreds of them scuttling across the dirt floor of the barn.

Tristessa spared a malicious smile at the young witch. Then, with her right hand still holding the door ajar, she held up her left hand as if reaching for something beyond her arms length. Soma felt pressure on her knees, just before some unseen force spread them wide open and pulled her dress up. It wasn’t until then that she noticed her panties were missing. They must have removed them while she was unconscious.

Now, Soma knew what was coming and was sure if she let it get to her she would break and give away the secret she was so closely guarding. Being fully aware of Tristessa’s fondness for mind games, she kept reassuring herself that the spiders weren’t real. They were nothing more than a nasty trick pulled by a sick individual.

The first of the spiders reached her and she was vaguely aware of its searching legs touching the soft mound between her thighs.

Again, she told herself it wasn’t really there.

Now the second one was exploring the area greedily and Soma was sure she could feel their busy legs tugging at the place where few men had been.

No, it’s all an illusion, she was sure of it.

The rest of the spiders were now reaching their destination, and Soma could feel them beginning to crawl up inside her. She let out a strangled cry at the probing legs that were now exploring the most private area of her body.

They’re not real! They’re not real!

But they were real, and that realization had suddenly hit her like an iron skillet to the face. There were real life spiders crawling inside her vagina. With nothing else to do to distract her from the horror of it all she began to count them. There were four of them in there now. Why? Why was she counting them? There was number seven. Wouldn’t it be easier to just tell them what they wanted to hear? Fifteen. Just tell them, a voice shouted in her head and now she could feel hundreds of legs moving, exploring inside of her. Tell them! Tell them! Tell them!

ENOUGH! Soma shouted. I GAVE THE BOOK TO MY SISTER. MEDELLIA HAS THE BOOK, ALONG WITH THE NEW GIRL. THEY LEFT THE COMPOUND HOURS AGO, YOU’LL NEVER FIND THEM.

Tristessa’s eyes grew large with rage. We shall see just how well they can outrun a werewolf.

Soma watched in agony and horror as Glass, possibly the most feared werewolf in the world, stepped from the shadowy corner. His black fur bristled as if electrified and he awaited the command of his mistress.

Find them, Tristessa ordered, and bring back my book. She looked back at Soma. You can do what you want with her, as long as you’re quick about it.

With that the red witch walked out of the barn. Glass walked slowly over to Soma. He sniffed her hair briefly and listened to the delicious pleas and cries for mercy. He had always been rather fond of Soma, so her mercy was granted and the last thing the witch saw in her life was the massive teeth of the great, black werewolf.

The air in the Canadian wilderness still has quite the nip to it, even with the coming of spring. As Medellia burst through a rough patch of undergrowth with Leslie Burton following closely behind, she made note of how sickly cold the sweat on her brow made her feel. Moving through the woods was made even more difficult by the large, heavy book that she had stuffed under her arm, the lost grimoire that was the key to all of Tristessa’s plans.

Can we please stop and catch our breath? Leslie asked.

Medellia looked around nervously and said; Just for a moment, we need to stay on the move.

It was obvious the new girl was scared and she had only learned she was a witch three months ago so she wouldn’t be much help if trouble came, but without her they would not have gotten away with the book. She only hoped Soma was alright.

Both witches took a seat on a nearby tree that had been uprooted and turned over who knows how many years ago. Medellia pulled the heavy book from beneath her robes and ran her hand over the ancient surface. The fact that the grimoire had survived for so long was a true testament of the magic that had bound it. The thick cover that surrounded the dog eared pages was made from the hide of some long dead reptile and the emblem on the cover was unfamiliar but evoked warm feelings within Medellia that she was unable to describe.

How old is it? Leslie inquired.

I don’t know exactly, Medellia replied. Well over two thousand years though.

And it’s been lost nearly all that time?

Yes. How Tristessa came to find it I’ll never know. Medellia stood and shoved the book back under her robes. Come on, let’s get moving again.

The girls took only three steps before they were stopped in their tracks. From very close behind them came a low, deep sound that resembled the agonizing moans of a long, lost spirit more than the howl of a werewolf. Medellia knew better.

What the fuck was that? Leslie asked.

It’s Glass, Medellia replied in a panicked voice. Run!

Medellia took off down the hill, leaving Leslie behind. While she was fond of the girl, she wasn’t about to give Glass any more time than he needed to catch up. Besides, the book was the most important thing, and if she could prevent it from falling back into the hands of Tristessa and her twisted horde of followers, then she would do what it takes.

The further down the hill she got, the thicker the underbrush seemed to grow and with the blooming branches of the trees above, moonlight was scarce to nonexistent over the forest ground. Finally, she held her free hand out in front of her (her other was still busy trying to keep hold of the heavy book under her robes) and an invisible force rushed forward, ripping through the greenery on the ground creating a narrow path for the two witches to follow. It was a spell that had once taken great preparation and focus to achieve when she was young, now it was nothing more than a wave of a hand and a quick thought, as easy as opening a door or pushing a button.

They were moving at a much faster pace now and Medellia could hear the younger witch’s heavy breathing right behind her. She was relieved to know Leslie was keeping up.

From behind them came the low, eerie sound of the howl that only the werewolf known as Glass could emit. He was much closer now and Medellia knew they couldn’t out run him. She began to rack her brain frantically for another option.

Again she forced the plant life in front of her aside, making the path a little longer. From close behind she could have sworn she heard the huge, black werewolf moving fast through the trees. Their time was growing short and running didn’t appear to be the answer.

Meddellia stopped and glanced around the area, desperate for any other escape route. When she looked back along the path she had created through the shrubbery, her heart stopped at the sight of Glass barreling down the path at full speed. Leslie screamed and took off down the hill while Medellia stood her ground and stared the werewolf down.

At ten yards away, Glass leapt through the air at Medellia with claws out and ready to rip into the witch’s flesh. Medellia quickly waved her hand and the plants around the werewolf came to life, reaching out and wrapping around the arms and legs of the beast and pulling him to the ground.

Medellia turned and continued down the hill, knowing full well the werewolf was too powerful to be held down for long. Leslie Burton was nowhere in sight and Medellia didn’t blame her for running off the way she did. Any werewolf was frightening to behold but Glass was off the charts scary.

Another inhuman howl pierced the air, but this one was full of hot rage. Glass would soon be on her trail again.

She came to an area where the trees grew close together and decided it would be an ideal place to hide. She climbed up three trees that were so close together that they seemed to share the same roots. Then she cast a spell that bent the branches and vines up to hide her.

Only seconds passed before she saw Glass emerge from a thick mound of bushes from the west. He began to stalk casually through the area and sniff busily at the air. Medellia suddenly realized hiding may have been a worse idea than running.

The werewolf changed to his human form. Standing at nearly seven feet tall with a bald head, dark chocolate skin and biceps as big as basketballs, he was nearly as imposing as the monster that he could become.

I know your nearby, Medellia, Glass said. His voice was the low rumble of thunder. It may be comforting for you to know; your sister, Soma died quickly.

Medellia took in a sharp breath at the shock of this news.

Of course, the werewolf continued, that was after Tristessa tortured her by sending an army of spiders right up her pussy. No mind tricks this time, I saw them with my own eyes.

Tears began to flow down Medellia’s cheeks, and she tried to hold back any sound of her crying that may give away her hiding place. She used