The Orcus Games: Blood Moon (The Orcus Games Novella Trilogy #1)

By Louise Herman

Guilty until you survive all zones...The Orcus Games is ready to put you on trial...

The lives of a witch and wizard couple, a new vampire and a rogue Lycan intertwine in three magical tales of love, loss and revenge.

The Craft - When witch and wizard couple, Heather and Phoenix make that fatal mistake on that, ‘Blood Moon’ night, they never thought they would be forced to working with a loner Lycan but...is he the only one who saw the, ‘accidental’ fatal act?

The Clan – Ardan would do anything for his wife and daughter but he could not protect them from the new blood thirsty life that was about to be bestowed onto them but what happens when he risks his immortal life for them?

The Pack – Caleb was always the Lycan that wanted more! With constant schemes and risky deals, to increase the potential of a better lifestyle, he thought his latest underground deal was the perfect idea, until he loses more than just his money...

The first book in the prequel to the, ‘Split Blood’ series, this novella is a mind-blowing magical tale of belonging, sacrifice and revenge...The Orcus Games: Blood Moon will drag you, kicking and screaming, on this deadly journey with the ill-fated prisoners.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Louise Herman
• Release date: Feb 3, 2013
• ISBN: 9780957296947

Louise Herman

Louise Herman is a North London Fantasy author obsessed with pear drops sweets and 80s Fantasy films.In between reading James Herbert novels and drinking too much coffee, she writes Young Adult Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance novels.Louise Herman has currently written five YA Fantasy books to date (December 2015); The Orcus Games Prequel Trilogy and The Split Blood series, which take the reader on a journey of magic, mystery, obsession and forbidden love with seductively dark consequences.For more information, please go to: www.louisehermanauthor.com

Book preview

THE ORCUS GAMES: BLOOD MOON

___________________________________________________________

CONTENTS

~ Chapter One ~

The Scena – 5

~ Chapter Two ~

Love Bite – 19

~ Chapter Three ~

Buried Secrets – 34

~ Chapter Four ~

The Enchanting Extortion – 47

~ Chapter Five ~

Stay in the Shadows – 60

~ Chapter Six ~

Caged Love – 72

~ Chapter Seven ~

Witch Bound – 84

~ Chapter Eight ~

No Turning Back – 91

THE ORCUS GAMES: BLOOD MOON

By Louise Herman

eBook Edition

Copyright @ 2012 Louise Herman

http://www.louisehermanauthor.com/

Published by Mystical Media Publications

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-9572969-4-7

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Books by Louise Herman

~ The Orcus Games Trilogy ~

The Orcus Games: Blood Moon

The Orcus Games: Mistress V

The Orcus Games: New Awakening

~ The Split Blood Series ~

Split Blood: The Ancient Codex – Part One

Split Blood: Rise of the Wolf

THE ORCUS GAMES: BLOOD MOON

Louise Herman

CHAPTER ONE

THE SCENA

~ THE CRAFT ~

Looking at my husband, as he ran his hands through his dark brown cropped hair and helped the other wizards prepare for the Blood Moon ceremony’ I could not believe how lucky I was.

Many of my fellow witches were unhappy with their arranged marriages and even more discontented with the lack of attraction they felt towards their husbands. But not me. From the moment my mother introduced me to Phoenix, I knew he would be the love of my life.

Following the final stage of our marriage, it was only a few months until I was pregnant with my first daughter, and the coven blessed us with another child the following year.

With my family complete and our coven going from strength to strength, nothing could affect my happiness.

Heather, I need you to make more bread. We’re going to run out, with the other coven now coming too! Phoenix shouted over to me as I dashed to the kitchen to get started before time ticked on any further.

The kitchen was a buzz of activity. The other witches had managed to get there first and had taken up all the available surface space with their stacks of family recipe books, chopped meats and sweet, devilish desserts.

Can I use this area? I need to make more bread, I asked one of the younger witches.

She looked at me with a deadly glare.

I need this space. Go make your bricks somewhere else! she snapped. I merely stood there in shock.

I gritted my teeth and stood my ground.

Move your items over before I move them for you… I growled. All movement in the kitchen came to a standstill; everyone turned to look at the commotion.

After a few minutes of a stand-off, she wafted back her long blonde hair and accepted defeat.

As I moved my items in to my newly acquired bench space, an older woman with bushy red hair whispered,

Don’t worry about Venus. She’s just having marital problems. Not one to gossip, I smiled and nodded, before getting on with making my magical herb-encrusted bread loaves.

The smells of rabbit and heart stew danced around the room, battling with those of sweet, sticky pastries and homemade brews, as the witches became competitive - each wanted her creation to be complimented upon at the feast.

Observing my competition, I went to the pantry to refill my flour and was confronted by whispers from within.

I put my ear to the thin, wooden door and listened.

Just put a little in there. No one will know until it’s too late… a husky voice said as there was some shuffling. All went silent.

Fearing they were about to make their exit and I would be caught out, I ran round the corner and watched as Venus and an older, dark haired woman exited the cupboard, full of mischief.

Waiting until they were out of sight, I crept in and started my investigation. There was nothing unusual to be seen.

Feeling deflated, I went back to my work station and continued to make my show-stopping bread.

******

The courtyard was ablaze with beautiful, floating coloured lanterns, radiating rich reds, oranges, blues and yellows around the richly decorated camp.

Streamers of glittering silver lights sparkled above the camp, creating a scene suitable for any festivity.

Phoenix stood behind me and wrapped his fair, brawny arms around my slender body.

It looks beautiful, doesn’t it? he asked as he kissed my neck and gazed up at the moonlit sky.

I nodded, rendered speechless by the new décor.

Where are the girls? I asked, snapping out of my trance.

Don’t worry - they were getting bored so I’ve got them to paint some pictures for the night with Celine. He looked into my icy blue eyes and chuckled at my over-protective nature.

Celine was one of the coven’s babysitters and was very good at her role; unable to have children of her own, she dedicated her life to helping other witches look after their offspring. Her husband had been killed five years ago while protecting the coven against a vampire attack. With her small stature, curly dark brown hair, moss green eyes and ample figure, the children automatically bonded with her maternal personality.

As I thought about how I would cope without Celine’s help, I realised that time was ticking on, so I ran to the house to get ready for