Devour

By Jill Cooper

Life in Gloucester Massachusetts will never be the same.
Raging storms, fierce winds, shadows shifting in the breeze. Storms are nothing new for the fishing hamlet.
But darkness has come to claim the hearts and minds of those that stand in it too long. When that happens, love will be ripped from man leaving only violence, despair, and gnashing teeth.
Except for two.
Roberta is a single mom, a waitress struggling to get through life after a rocky start tainted by murder and loss. Her heart yearns for Gabriel; a deputy living in the shadow of the chief. He's a battle weary soldier ready to settle down.

When the storm comes, when the murders start, it will be up to them to stop it before darkness isn't just an empty void.

Before it takes shape of a man.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jill Cooper
• Release date: May 26, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310940743

Jill Cooper

I could write this in the third person. I could tell you what I like, where I was born, and what my favorite things are. But instead, I'll say I don't want to write like everyone else. I don't want to craft stories you've read a thousand times before. I want my novels to be a cinematic experience, blending themes, genres, and situations unlike any you've ever read. I want to break the rules. I want you to break out in a cold sweat as you read my books out of fear, love, and excitement. I want my books to be an experience. When you finish, I want you to feel something. Good or bad. If you do, then I'll have succeeded. If not, I'll keep trying. She can be contacted at http://www.jillacooper.com and please like her to keep up to date: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jill-Cooper/319251368110396

Book preview

Devour

Jill Cooper

Copyright 2014

Smashwords Edition

Life in Gloucester Massachusetts will never be the same.

Raging storms, fierce winds, shadows shifting in the breeze. Storms are nothing new for the fishing hamlet but darkness has come to claim the hearts and minds of those that stand in it too long. When that happens, love will be ripped from man leaving only violence, despair, and gnashing teeth.

Except for two.

Roberta is a single mom and a waitress struggling to get through life after a rocky start tainted by murder and loss. Her heart yearns for Gabriel, a deputy living in the shadow of the chief. He's a battle weary soldier ready to settle down.

When the storm comes, when the murders start, it will be up to them to stop it before the darkness isn't just an empty void.

Copyright 2014, Jill Cooper

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without permission by the author. This is a work of fiction and any resemblance to a person living or dead is purely coincidental.

Cover Design: Najla Qamber Designs

Photography: Iona Neff

Other Books by Jill Cooper

YA Series Dream Slayer

The Dream Slayer: Book 1

Demon Royale: Book 2

The Uninvited: A Dream Slayer Novella

Dawning Apocalypse: Book 3

The Rewind Agency Series

15 Minutes

Adult Dystopian Series

Glistening Haven

Glistening Rebellion

Glistening Warfare

Romance

Devour

About this Book

Horror novels are a first love for me. They were some of the first novels I read growing up and my love for reading and writing comes from them. The influence of Stephen King on my writing is evident in everything I write. Some of my favorite things he does in his novels, I try to do with mine.

One of which is, no matter how incredible a plot, there has to be some truth in it. Some real issue about the human condition. That, in my opinion, is what raises Stephen King fiction above regular horror novels. The Shining was a great horror story but it was elevated by Jack Torrances former drinking and abuse of his son, even though he never meant for it to happen. These under-pinnings drive a story and I first was exposed to them by Stephen King.

The Stand is a favorite book of mine and one I read once a year. So I guess all I want to say is thank you to Stephen King for opening my eyes to a richness in fiction I may have not been exposed to otherwise.

This book isn’t a straight horror novel. Most great ones aren’t. This is a horror novel with a lot of romance with a small dose of women's lit and some humor. It’s about relationships, falling down, and picking yourself back up again.

I live 10 minutes from Gloucester and while I’ve taken some landmarks from the area, I’ve taken liberties with the town for the sake of the story. Sorry, Gloucester!

Love is a golden weapon in the darkness.

1

Roberta

Your father wants to see you.

I heard the words and I choked on my coffee. It sprayed out of my mouth, covering the counter. All I could think was ‘what a waste of coffee’. I quickly searched for a rag. Excuse me? My voice shook. I didn’t know what else to say.

I know, Ms. Blake, it’s been years since he’s asked to see you but he’s an old man now and if you could find it in your heart--.

To see the man that killed my mother? I blurted the words out and my eyes narrowed to match the anger brewing in my heart; the anger that would never defuse, leaving my emotions like a ticking time bomb.

He has something he needs to get off his chest. He can’t hurt you anymore, but if you could do this one thing and come to the prison. See him this one time—.

To make him feel better? I snorted and threw the sopping wet rag into the sink. My eyes surveyed the living room to make sure Danielle hadn’t made her entrance yet. When I was sure she was still safe in her room, I turned around, resting my back up against the counter.

He says he has something important to tell you. Give you a warning.

A warning? My heart dropped. You mean a threat, don’t you?

Personally, I think it’s an excuse just to get you here. The time hasn’t been kind to him. I don’t think he has much longer on this Earth. I wouldn’t want to live with that sort of regret, would you?

I didn’t say good-bye. I just hung up the phone and sighed, putting my hands on my hips. For once I wished the phone company had followed through with their threats and turned off my phone.

I tried to shake it off. I had no choice. There were things I needed to do. Like drop my daughter off at school, get to work, and forget that my dad wanted anything to do with me. I was a kid when he last tried to see me. So why couldn’t he leave well enough alone?

I threw together a sloppy sandwich consisting of ham and cheese. Then I slid it into the pink lunchbox on the cluttered counter. Come on Danielle! I yelled and took the last bite of my toast before rinsing off my plate. In the distance I heard the stomping of feet. Time to forget my problems and become mom.

But it was hard, damn hard.

Hard when you could barely remember your mom except for images of her blood stained night gown, lying on her bed, while your father screamed, swore, in ways you had never seen before. It was enough to drive a young girl mad.

A moment later, there Danielle was with swaying blond pigtails and a speckle of freckles across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. Cute as a button and her coloring was reminiscent of her dead father.

Life was nothing but hardship, pain and grief. I learned that early on.

We’re going to be late. I sighed and handed the pink, sparkling backpack over. Danielle grinned, showing off her missing front tooth and I melted at the sight. Her smile had a way of winning me over even when I was stressed out of my gourd.

I leaned over and kissed her forehead. Grab your jacket and let’s go, peanut.

Got it! Danielle went on running again for her room. One pink tutu over yellow leggings with bright purple rain boots wouldn’t have been my first choice for school, but little girls must be little girls. Rick bought her that tutu and even though it was frayed now, I didn’t have the heart to tell her to change.

I put my raincoat on over my blue waitress uniform. It wasn’t raining, but the morning air was always filled with dew when you lived by the ocean.

And In the fishing town of Gloucester, it was all by the ocean.

We left our small brownstone apartment and headed across the street to my beat up blue Cutlass. It never met a bump on the road it liked. The thing could creak and groan like an old man on its death bed, but hopefully the car still had some life in it. Danielle jumped in the backseat while I smiled at Mr. Harper walking down the sidewalk. Even early in the morning, downtown was hopping.

It was a good day for it too. There were a few clouds in the sky, but the sun was shining brightly and my spirits lifted as I turned on the old girl. The motor roared to life and barely made the tink tink noise I had been hearing the last several mornings.

You took good days where you could get them.

The radio buzzed to life with static and a hum. …in other news, the memorial service for Nathan Johnson starts tomorrow at 2PM over at the Miller Funeral Home on Essex…

My heart banged and I swatted at the dial, turning the damn thing off. How many times had I seen Nathan and his wife at the market? Now he was just another line of fisherman lost at sea.

Just like Rick.

How many fisherman were going to die before anyone took the risks seriously? Nobody wanted to talk about what was really going on. Fisherman out on boats at the wrong time of year. Fisherman disappearing without a trace and their boats so beat up, it was like they were chewed up by something with big teeth.

It didn’t make any sense. People thought I was a conspiracy theorist. Maybe it was true, but nothing would settle the rumble in my gut.

Danielle was quiet as we drove toward her school. Through the rear view mirror I saw her doodling in her notebook with one of her glitter crayons. Her lip twisted to the side while she concentrated, just like her dad. My heart panged with that memory, but memories of his smell and his whisper against my neck in the middle of the night left me so numb I barely felt the pain.

Drawing anything good?

She grinned. Just Daddy.

My fingers clenched the steering wheel. Almost a year and it seemed the only pictures she really ever drew were of her dead father. I knew she missed him, I just wished she would move on. The school psychologists said it would happen in time, I just wished that time was already there.

For both of us.

I must have spaced out because suddenly someone stepped out in front of the crosswalk. My teeth gritted together and I slammed on the breaks. Tense fingers gripped the steering wheel as the car came to a screeching halt. I lunged forward and then rocked back.

The old lady was pushing her walker and didn’t even bat an eye at me. Damn, old broad. I laid in on the horn and only then did she glance at me, but her face was unmoving, almost like stone.

Jesus, I muttered under my breath and threw a look back at Danielle. I was taken aback by how unaffected she was, just continuing to draw something in her notebook. You okay, baby?

Yeah. She whispered. I don’t want to be late.

Right. I sighed. School. My foot eased on the gas and we started again, passing by the quaint old brick buildings that made up our downtown. From old smoke shops, to antique stores and coffee shops, it was all here. It was quaint and made for the perfect stroll in those summer months.

When we arrived at the school, I pulled into the drop off lane. Bye, sweet pea. Danielle reached into the front and hugged me. I’ll pick you up at Kate’s once I get off work.

She nodded with a faint smile. I wondered what she thought of spending so much time with her babysitter; if she missed me being home all the time. Didn’t matter much, I couldn’t change how things were, but I worried about her. Missed her. Some days I was just treading water. Barely paying the bills, barely being her mother.

I sat there for so long, I missed Danielle making it safe inside and behind me someone wailed on their horn. Guess that’s what I deserved for honking at an eighty year old woman crossing the street. Okay, okay! I hissed and cranked the wheel.

Time to get to George’s Diner.

A small unassuming building a few blocks from the school was where I had worked since Rick died. It wasn’t exactly run down, but the shutters didn’t close all the way anymore. The screen door squeaked as I pried it open and the sweet smell of pancakes greeted me.

Morning, I said with as much cheer as I could muster and bustled to the back to hang up my coat. The cooks were busy sizzling bacon and doing prep for the lunch specials. When I got to the counter I eyed the clock and saw I was five minutes late.

Typical. What else was new.

George grumbled from inside the kitchen. A big bald man with more chins than pimples, and that was saying a lot.

Sorry, George. I gritted my teeth and grimaced as I waited for him to yell at me, or dock my pay.

Instead he just went. Hmmpf. Good help is hard to find these days.

If you want good help, dear, then maybe you should consider paying us more. Harriet said with a hearty chuckle. Dear old Harriet had been at the diner since it opened over thirty years ago. A sweet old woman with gray curls and a matching sweater over her waitress uniform, her bones creaked, but her spirit would never be dampened. That’s what she always said anyway. She was one of the two bright spots in my life since joining George’s Diner.

Lord knew George wasn’t one of them but he put up with me when he didn’t have to. So maybe I should have tried harder to get to work on time, but it seemed no matter what I did, nothing ever went right.

The door chimed and I glanced over, fluffing my red curls slightly. He was right on time.

With broad wide shoulders, Deputy Gabriel Manning could fill out a uniform in all the right places. His hair was sandy brown, and soft like an ocean’s wave. My heart skipped a beat in the way it had when I knew Gabriel growing up, but what girl hadn’t had a crush on him?

Deputy. I said with a smile as I poured a cup of coffee into a Styrofoam cup and attached a lid. Danish?

Not today. I have to watch the calories. Gabriel smiled and patted his perfectly flat stomach. Perfectly perfect was more like it. On more than one occasion I had imagined him without his shirt. It always made me feel guilty. I wasn’t ready to move on, and he just wasn’t my friend.

He was Rick’s friend too.

That added a whole host of complications and while I knew Gabriel should have been off limits, nobody told my heart that.

He took the coffee and his fingers swept across mine gently, and I knew he did it on purpose. It made me blush, but my heart sprouted wings. He had been working up to something for a while, but I never said anything. Always pretended I didn’t notice. My heart shouted at me through a bullhorn to say or do anything, but the guilt stopped me.

Guilt like I was betraying my dead soon-to-be-husband with his closest friend. Meanwhile Rick was somewhere at the bottom of Gloucester Harbor, still never found.

Busy day ahead? I asked and busied myself with wiping down the counter as the door chimed again. The early morning breakfast crowd was arriving, just on time.

"Oh, the usual. Ms. Davis will complain about loud noise coming from across the street at about 10AM. Then I might get to rescue a cat stuck in a tree. Oh, we do have to look into some