Cursed (Estrange Reality, #2) (English Edition)

By C VA

When Alma Del Aqua embarks on a campaign to rescuer her lover’s soul, she doesn’t know that her genetic ability makes her the only one with the ability to discover a treasure that will change her dystopian future by restoring her lover. But it all becomes horrifyingly real when she finds the treasure chest that contains Eulil’s body, one of the Originals, the vampires that came to Earth thousands of years ago and who are responsible for the creation of mankind. Suddenly, Eulil has become the only one protecting the Human race from extinction.

Alma uncovers the fact that her genetic gift is the keystone of something much more sinister: an international conspiracy, a genetic modification of the human race in order to eliminate all vampires remaining on Earth. With the help of her lover’s friend—Sasakawa—, can she unravel the mystery of her existence, and of her uncanny link with the man she loves?

Risking everything, she travels to another dimension and becomes a hostage to get the essence of the originals that can restore her lover, Estrange, and prevent the chain of events that might follow.

Can Alma save Estrange? Changing the present is risking her life to bring back his soul. If she succeeds, the man she loves—a vampire—could change the course of history and his race's destiny.

Regardless of Alma’s motives, does this secret organization working in the shadows, genetically modifying humans to hunt vampires, have the right to manipulate the entire world?

• Language: English
• Publisher: C VA
• Release date: Apr 10, 2014
• ISBN: 9782953921854

C VA

She began her career as a graphiste and she's still doing it when she conceive her book covers, but writing romance novels was her passion. She enjoys writing both YA and adult drama and steampunk romance infused with elements of magic and non-public scientific final research results, along with eerie SF novels. Carmen has two ongoing series, The Estrange Reality Series (vampire romance) and The Neural Network Series (SF & time travel romance, a comic book). All the titles are in french and are also available in english. When not behind her computer doing research for her novels out to come or writing, you can find her reading, usually something involving the eerie, supernatural or SF. She lives in France, Paris, with her two black & white mischievous cats. Carmen would love to hear from you! You can reach her at [e-mail].

Book preview

ESTRANGE

REALITY

BOOK II

CURSED

BY

CVA

Translated from French.

Translation revised by Jonathan Lambert.

Copyright © CVA, 2013

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English version.

***

ANY RESEMBLANCE

TO PERSONS LIVING OR DEAD IS ENTIRELY COINCIDENTAL.

***

To E.

Without him

this story would have been

irrevocably

lost

in

the twilight.

***

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

1ABYSS

2FACTS

3RECURRENCE

4LIFEBLOOD

5FAILURE

6SAIL

7REVIVAL

8METEMPSYCHOSIS

9SWITCH

10OVERTURN

11MEETING

12DOOM

13MEMORIES

14SASAKAWA

15TERM

16ATONEMENT

17TORMENTS

18PLEDGE

19DESOLATION

20DISMAY

NOTES

***

I do not know where I am

Standing in the dark

Tired of waiting

Waiting here patiently, hoping that

I’ll find my hunting.

***

PROLOGUE

Shivering and glancing at the crazy look of his companion, he staggered of horror when he saw his left hand plunge into the chest of the man who was lying there and come out with a still beating heart. At the same time, the claws of his right hand exerted more and more pressure, and with a wet ripping sound, tore the head from its body.

The head fell to the ground with a thud. It rolled, and every time the face appeared, its eyes seemed to observe the two men carefully. Then it stopped in the middle of the room.

He opened his backpack and took out a beautifully carved silver box, opened it, and laid the heart inside. Then he returned the box to the backpack.

Without paying attention to his companion, he approached the head which was lying in a pool of blood and grabbed it by the hair. He looked at it with a smile, turned it to the right and then to the left and then to his partner, who had a scared look on his face.

You see? It was not so complicated at the end! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Still laughing, he put the backpack on the ground at his feet, still holding the head, and pulled out another box. A silver plated box of rose tree wood carved with filigree, almost blackened by time. He jammed the head inside.

1

ABYSS

Maybe it will not be necessary. That is the best way to think about it, right? It was a male voice vaguely known to me.

Yes, please, said a feminine voice, I’m really scared.

The man laughed softly.

I heard a slight rubbing of fingers twisting a strand - I imagined the girl stroked her hair.

It was quite an interesting day for you, right? he continued jokingly.

The girl laughed with him. Her laughter was somewhat bitter. The footsteps went away and I found myself abandoned.

No! Come back! cried my distorted thinking.

My mind ran into madness and hallucination, obstructing my perception, and became the source of my distraught:

Water flowed over my face and I managed painfully to keep my eyes open, as it flowed endlessly, preventing me from seeing clearly. My arms were stretched forward, heavy and pulling me down to the ground like magnets. I wanted to throw off my burden because it weighed me down and paralyzed me. I made a move.

At that moment, a light breeze touched me. In a fleeting movement, some airborne material grazed my cheek and I saw something gray - a cold wet rough cloth. The wind grew stronger and the material whipped my face, hit me hard and stuck to my cheek.

The water continued to fall, dripping endlessly and overwhelming. My eyes struggled to stay open. I shook my head quickly, wanting to remove this thing which was now firmly attached, but I couldn’t manage it. I waved my head, growling, and the material left my cheek, hit my neck and slipped, frozen and ugly and so disgusting that I wanted to get rid of it with a quick motion. Stretching my neck to the right, I tilted my head and screamed. My mouth puckered, my eyes widened and my knees bent. I touched the bottom, bruised; I collapsed in pain and discovered what I was protecting in my arms. The blanket fell and a frail and lifeless body slid to the floor. Simultaneously, a huge wave appeared.

Lieutenant! How do we get out of this? said a distant voice.

I was floating between two waters, I was alone and my soul had left me.

What happened to him? asked the girl.

I should get up, maybe... to say that I’m here.

But I could not. How could I make them understand that I was okay? Apparently, I looked in worse shape than I thought and the man’s attention was focused on me while the girl was waiting.

My outstretched arms pushed the huge wave while still trying to protect my body, and from contact with water my hands burned, drops parted, and molecules formed heavy ribbons of steam. Sand rose up, attracted by the fluid of my palms, and when it met this hot and humid atmosphere, it began to align, establishing chemical connections that began to merge, glittering in their transparency, into thin splinters of glass.

The drops were gone.

The monotonous sound was furious. Its squeaky texture lacerated me while an intense scent overwhelmed me. From my wounded eyes, I saw a vortex whirling around me, faster and faster. Bursts of light seared me and I tried to protect my eyes with my arm. I lifted my arm, instinctively, but it did not react. I felt my other arm block it, preventing detachment from its grip, and forcing it to follow the graceful curve of what it sheltered. Without really understanding, my arms tightened, and I tried to understand the importance of this act.

Time stood still, the glass shards fell.

My body bowed, my back bent, my arms approached and bending my head my lips touched a particular texture, which was silky. I walked in sniffing, and the thing that stood between my arms got heavier.

My eyes opened and I was mesmerized, I discovered what I was trying to protect, what my arms kept preciously.

My gaze was penetrating, exploring beyond the form collapsed in my arms, and met the dull gray of dead eyes.

The shards of glass continued to fall, deafening me and creating stars illuminating the dark of my nightmare.

I don’t understand! said the girl, angry, coming and going constantly.

The sky was approaching, a diaphanous intangible blue. Cumulus clouds seemed transparent, almost ephemeral, like the nimbus of an angel.

Penetrating through the clouds, bright beams of light darted toward me.

The sun looked tiny through the ethereal clouds and I sighed, overwhelmed at the sight.

I closed my eyes. I inhaled the fresh air of early morning, smiling. I opened my eyes and reveled in this picture which I loved.

The shape of the sun grew, as I looked through parted eyelids, and I felt it coming. I narrowed my eyes, but the image did not slip away. Contrary to the Newtonian law, the sun grew in my eyes, and it was dangerously close to becoming more and more frightening every time I blinked, threatening to collapse on me. Its glare was a subtle copper, turning to bright gold, and at each millionth of a second that passed, I saw it advance and rotate. It was beginning to flatten out, looking less like a sphere, showing two sides with an image on each one: a head... and...

For once... Well! The man’s voice got lost in space and became a distant echo.

Stop walking, shouted the man who was next to me. Try to be calm!

I can’t, replied the girl. I don’t know what to do! I must find a way to heal him.

The coin flashed for just a second and fell into a dirty palm. The homeless man rushed to hide the coin in his pocket and threw himself flat on his stomach without looking at the pen that rolled dizzily on the sidewalk near his feet to catch an apple.

The man in the cloak continued his impassive walk, and stopped in front of the subway station, hiding in the shadow of the newsstands. He pretended to be interested in the magazines that were on display. A smile appeared on his face when the he heard the screech of brakes from a bus. He saw in the reflection of the glass pane an ambulance approaching. The doctor, followed by his assistant, put the injured person on a stretcher. The man in the cloak, with a pen in his hand, went down in the subway station as if nothing had happened.

What about him?

The voice sounded even closer - the girl was worried about my condition.

I don’t know, the man said, clearing his throat, but I know he will come back. If anyone has a reason for living, it’s him. It’s just that he has to become aware that you are alive, that’s all.

The man remained behind and trusted his instinct. He was apparently consumed by guilt and his apologies seemed inexhaustible. He wanted to know what she thought and she found he was a good listener.

I had a moment of tension when he asked her how she was. I waited breathlessly, as she hesitated.

Um...

I heard her say, as she twisted her hair constantly. Then she stopped while the man wondered if his question had confused her. Finally, she continued:

I did not feel any pain. I don’t feel at all for that matter. I wasn’t even aware I had a body. My mind was somewhere else, weightless, floating. I heard sounds, but they were unintelligible. It was as if they floated along with me. I was in a confined space. I don’t know where I was when I was assaulted by intense smells - especially fuel burning in an engine. A truck! I inhaled deeply. I had this sudden urge to breathe and discover each scent.

Yes, said a tired voice that came from inside the van, behind me to my right.

With the voice, a different smell reached me – one of sweat, meat and tobacco. My mind sprang forward, captivated by these emanations and I found myself in front of the source of this attraction. I was shocked to discover that I was in front of the face of a man. He did not see me and continued his call. Then I caught another scent, slightly different. They were two. One was driving the van; the other was sitting on the passenger seat.

Is it good? asked a voice at the other end; I heard that voice inside my head.

I had no idea how to interpret this phenomenon, but the voice continued without giving me time to think:

Did you?

Oh yes, sir! That’s it!

This voice also took the same path and the discussion was now taking place entirely inside my head. But I wasn’t imagining it, I could hear it. I began to wonder how I could find myself in the front of the van, looking at the two people, while being invisible to them. How did I get here?

Good! You know what you have to do...

Feeling came back to me in bits and pieces. I began to vaguely regain consciousness. A continuous buzzing, tingling and a feeling of collapse coursed through me, followed by a feeling of confinement. All the freedom of movement that I had before was gone. I became aware of every cell in my body and I heard a low hum coming from within. My skin began to heat up dangerously and my temperature increased with each heartbeat. My pulse quickened and my temples began to beat the rhythm of an infernal tambourine. My whole body was activated by a signal. I felt at once myself, as I lay, advancing, running to a specific destination at the same speed as the truck.

I opened my eyes painfully and the glow hurt me. Sunlight was passing through the rear windows of the van and I saw a ray of sun turning into something that looked like a rainbow in the sky, but its spectrum exceeded the seven known colors. I closed my eyes then I opened them, eager to ensure that all this beauty was real.

Yes, sir! uttered the voice, laughing at the end.

A feeling of panic startled me and a red veil fell and darkened my eyes. My heart suddenly stopped beating, my pulse was imperceptible and my body temperature began to descend.

The van stopped and suddenly the rear doors opened. I felt the sunlight hurting me - my closed eyelids apparently did not help, because I felt the white of my eyes burn and my pupils became incandescent. Unconsciously, I writhed in pain and a low moan came out of my chest. I wanted to protect my face with my arm but a cold hard thing prevented me. I was strapped to a stretcher, wrists and ankles bound with heavy metal handcuffs. At that time, the two men grabbed the stretcher and lifted it, swinging it from right to left.

Looks like she is still moving, one of them said huskily, pulling a cloth over my face and covering it completely.

Stop making your movie! We are finished! One deposit, and then... sort this out! the man replied in a weary voice.

Don’t you think she should be dead already? asked the other. You saw the accident... the bus rolled over her outright! Have you seen her move?

No.

Petals of white roses mingled with portraits a little further on the street... With a look to the right, I saw a homeless man, flat on his stomach, an apple in his hand... The green light of the traffic signal in front of the pedestrian crossing was reflected in the sunlight... The shadow of the bus crawled to the pedestrian crossing and occupied the narrow corridor in front of me and on which, strangely, nobody dared to come forward... Even though the light was green... The shadow advanced quickly, obscuring the narrow passage, and I hurried to get to the other side when... a cry, a squeaking, and the twilight occulted the light that I wanted to reach, on the other side...

Since when are you a doctor? groused the weary voice exhaling loudly near my face. You’re just my assistant.

Since I have this white coat, he answered with a hoarse laugh. Bah! What do I give a fuck?

Yes! Stop asking questions. They are always a headache to think about too!

They continued on their way swinging the stretcher roughly from side to side and knocked on a door.

Who is it? asked a female voice.

A delivery! For our chef!

Who is your leader? demanded the voice, troubled.

Sergeant Marcus.

Wait here! Do not move!

The phone rang twice and a hurry voice answered:

Yes!

I recognized the voice from before, from the telephone conversation inside the van.

Sergeant Marcus? the woman asked.

Yes, it’s me!

Apparently, there’s a delivery for you...

Good! Tell them to wait. I’m coming!

He is coming! the woman repeated as she replaced the handset. Put yourself on the right; do not stand in front of the door!

The bed sheet still stuck to my face, I dare open my eyes, but every other muscle refused to move. I was stuck in a cataleptic state of fear. I heard everything that moved in the hall where I was and I could even distinguish the beating of hearts, breath, breaths. Above all, there was smells! The smell of blood floating around me, but I did not linger on it! There was something that drew me. It was a faint smell, distant and sinuating. A fragrance that seemed familiar to me, but I could not define it. It was slightly sweet with deep floral notes of gently caffeinated bergamot, without being heavy, with a spicy touch of basil, finely measured by a woody scent of cedar. And finally, my nostrils were strangely warmed by the smell of benzoin. The mixture of scents reminded me of Pegasus spraying Olympus with a light rain before being transformed into a constellation.

I wanted to think more about the flavor, but footsteps approached, and a sickening mixture of sweat and garlic almost made me vomit. I concentrated and did all that was left in my power not to move.

A hand suddenly snatched the cloth under which I was hiding and the smell suffocated me.

Oh! exploded the voice of garlic scent. She is covered in blood!

You told us not to touch her, sir! replied the man with the weary voice.

She was still touched, said the second embodying his hoarse laugh.

What? cried their leader.

Well! When she was laid on the stretcher, he said quickly.

You’re stupid! his colleague muttered in disgust.

Good! That’s it! Follow me, scolded their leader who smelled of garlic.

The stretcher was lifted and I was ruthlessly brought to a staircase. My body slid all its weight downward while the handcuffs attached to my hands and feet and fixed to the stretcher hurt my skin. I felt their friction shredding me as they continually scraped against my wounds with each step down. But I did not feel a hint of pain.

They continued straight, after going down the stairs, and I heard the voice of their leader rising.

Open the door for me! I’ll take room number 3. I will do the questioning.

Room 3 is already taken, sir, replied another voice after a slight pause, as if to check availability. By you, too.

Well, I take number 4 then.

I heard a grinding sound - an iron gate. The atmosphere changed and a breath of fresh air gently lifted the corners of the sheet covering me. They descended twenty steps and after opening another iron door, they threw the stretcher on the floor and left. A key turned in the lock and they went away fast.

I waited alone during the longest hours I’ve ever experienced, listening to the sounds crawling around. With stubbornness, I tried to hold on to these sounds, I forced myself to capture details that could help me understand. I tried to detect a known odor, but it was impossible. I tried to move, to detach myself, to no avail. This anxiety, this fear blocking my muscles, apparently, I had not found a solution that would free me. Not yet at least.

After an endless wait, I heard a distant creak followed by the sound of footsteps which advanced towards me and stopped at the door. After lingering for a few seconds, the footsteps continued to the left, slamming hard on concrete slabs and then stopped for a short time, when the sound of a key in a lock was followed by an unpleasant squeaking door. The person did not stop after passing the door, and then a metallic popping noise broke the silence. The footsteps changed direction and walked towards me.

Let’s see what it is, said the voice, which I recognized as the man with garlic breath: Marcus. Um, apparently it did not go as expected. Should I reveal it to them? I’m impressed, but I’ll keep that to myself.

He took two steps. I heard a popping sound, and then something heavy fell and made him take a step back.

Damn! he whispered. Hey! Wake up! I know you can hear me, he continued, raising his voice slightly.

I heard a different creaking, a groan, and still that noise of a falling bag.

It’s better. Good. Look at me! Do not dare make a bad move! Otherwise, you see this? This will put you down before you even start, without even requiring me to make a move. This is good! Come with me now, he ordered.

He turned around and I heard the door.

In the hallway, approaching the room where I was, I distinguished two different steps: Marcus was followed by someone weakened and that person’s footsteps were swifter. He turned the key in the lock and the door opened.

Sit there, he ordered, and the footsteps, lame, passed near me and then stopped.

Like that, he said, as a slight click was heard, I will be safe. Although... I’m sure you’ll be more interested in something else in no time.

A new smell. The smell... there was something in this second flavor that bothered me slightly and burned my tongue, but there was also another one, undefined, which stopped me. I closed my eyes, concentrating on these puzzles.

Marcus approached me and suddenly snatched off the cloth which covered me. I heard a gasp behind Marcus who was laughing, happy.

Ah! You were not expecting this! Yes, this is her. Except she is no longer your friend, but your enemy! We’ll get her back on their feet. I also think she is ready!

He untied my feet and then my hands. I kept my eyes closed and I did not move. My instinct told me to jump on him by surprise, quickly, but I was afraid and I did nothing. The slap he gave me burned me with his hatred and I wanted to reply, but finally, due to fear, I did nothing. He picked me up and put me harshly on a chair, tying my hands behind my back. I let my head down, chin pressed against my chest and waited.

I hope it will not be long now, continued Marcus. Raise your head! He barked and another slap exploded up on my cheek.

No, don’t do it!

I raised my head and I opened my eyes, expecting to find before me, a face that I already hated. It was as I expected: a big, bloated face with light brown hair and small hazelnut eyes. His creepy look rested upon me and made me think of a reptile. He could have given me the creeps, to scare me, but I began to realize he did not deserve such an honor. I straightened my head and looked into his eyes. He was not the type to enjoy a challenge to his authority. I still risked a slap. So what?

Ha, ha, ha!

The slap he gave me was followed by his silly laugh.

You, you do not seem scared at all, he said, walking away.

A slight noise, a friction along the wall outside the room, distracted me from his question. I was sure there was someone out