Dark Princess: The Hunt

By M.K. Booker

As the second book in the Dark Princess trilogy, The Hunt continues to reveal the loves, hopes and aspirations of ancient peoples in worlds locked in a war for their very survival. As an imaginative and unique mythology that blends and inverts traditional Christian, Classical, Eastern, and Atlantian mythologies, it challenges us to see gods and monsters in a new light.

The Hunt picks up after Atlantis has been destroyed by the forces of Zeus and Godiva. Godiva will not be satisfied until she is sure Lilith, the daughter she hates, is also dead. The powerful Sajan, Godiva’s husband and Lilith’s father, who was presumed dead, awakens and returns.

On the side of good are Sajan, Godiva’s former lover, Lilith, her daughter, Hades, Cratos, Magenta, vampires, monks, and Atlantians. On the side of evil are Godiva, the archangels and Attila.

Godiva’s evil is unparalleled. She tortures and kills with impunity. She creates a sword to kill immortals, which she gives to Lucifer. She impregnates a virgin who is prophesised to give birth to a son who will destroy the world, and she experiments on animals to create weapons of mass destruction.

The only way to defeat Godiva is for Sajan to kill the baby boy. But can he overcome his conscience and do what he reviles?

Lilith is the planet’s other greatest hope: but will she fall victim to Lucifer’s sword—the only weapon that can kill her?

• Language: English
• Publisher: M.K. Booker
• Release date: Mar 12, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310331961

M.K. Booker

Maxine Booker lives in Southampton, England with her five children, two cats and one very large clumsy dog. Since she was old enough to hold a pencil and a bit of paper, Maxine has a huge passion for writing even though she suffers with dyslexia.She is currently working on book three in her ongoing Dark Princess Series - ‘Dark Princess – The End’, after having completing ‘Dark Princess – The Hunt’.

Book preview

Dark Princess – The Hunt

By

M.K. Booker

SMASHWORDS EDITION

*****

PUBLISHED BY:

M.K. Booker on Smashwords

Dark Princess – The Hunt

Copyright 2014 by M.K. Booker

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this eBook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favourite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

*****

This is for my father, Keith.

I hope you enjoy the story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

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Dark Princess – The Hunt

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

About M.K Booker

Other Titles by M.K Booker

Connect with M.K Booker

Chapter 1

‘What’s that?’

‘I’m not sure.’

‘Do you think—?’

‘Our liege would like it?’ Raphael finished Uriel’s sentence.

‘I think we’ve been together too long, bruv!’ Uriel laughed, punching his brother on the arm.

The angels laughed, as they landed on deserted seashore. Watching the waves washing over a golden rock that lay glistening in the sun, Uriel bent down to examine the stone. Without a doubt, it was conspicuously out of place on the seashore.

‘Do you think—?’

‘It came from that island?’

‘Yeah!’ the angels answered in unison.

‘Do you think, Raff?’

‘Yeah!’ his brother nodded in agreement.

Uriel and Raphael carefully lifted the heavy slab between them.

‘She will be pleased with this!’ they again spoke in unison.

The pair wanted to laugh but neither dared for fear of dropping the rock.

*****

‘No! No! No!’

‘Before I go, please listen! Lilith, it’s important!’

‘No! Why couldn’t you just leave me alone? I didn’t want to be saved!’ Lilith sobbed, sitting on the sand, watching the sun setting on the ocean that stretched out before her.

Pegasus lowered his head and touched her shoulder.

‘Lilith, it’s not your time.’ His voice was soft and sincere.

‘But it was Amor and Amber’s time?’ she spat at him.

Pegasus was silent.

‘I’m sorry!’ Lilith cried, realising how horrible she was being to the kind flying horse.

Exhausted, she wiped the tears from her face; all she wanted to do was close her eyes and never wake up.

‘Lilith, you must go on.’

She let out a huff of a laugh. ‘Go on? How can I go on? Look at me! I have nothing! There’s nothing left, Pegasus, I can’t go on!’ Tears streamed down her face, as she gazed out at the ocean. ‘Amor and Amber are somewhere out there. All I want is to be with them again!’

‘Lilith, I know it’s hard.’

‘Hard?’ she attempted a laugh.

‘Ok, Lilith. But you must go on!’

‘Why? So I can cause more pain and suffering?’

‘No, because the people are going to need you.’

‘What people, Pegasus?’

‘Lilith, it’s your destiny.’

Roaring with laughter, she again wiped the tears from her face. ‘Destiny? People? So what is my purpose?’ She had never heard anything so ridiculous. ‘Am I going to inflict more pain and suffering? Destroy their homes? Kill their children? Is that my destiny? If so, I don’t want it! I don’t want to be anything like her! I’m better off dead. I don’t want anything, apart from …’ Lilith felt herself calming down; memories of being with Amor and Amber softened her temper.

‘You’re going to be their saviour …’ Pegasus tried to reassure her.

‘Yeah, right …’ Lilith laughed, not believing him.

‘I need to go.’ Pegasus looked around cautiously.

‘Ok’, Lilith shrugged her shoulders, not caring in the least.

‘Listen, this is extremely important. You cannot use your powers unless it’s for healing. You are no longer protected. You cannot let her find you. Lilith. You are the only one who can stop her. You must head west from here until you come to the silver mountains. Atop the highest mountain is a monastery. It’s vital that you get there. A man called Gautama is expecting you. Remember, you can’t use your powers. Get yourself to the monastery. Lilith, are you listening?’

‘Yeah!’ she replied blankly, as she continued to gaze out at the ocean.

‘It was an honour to meet you’, Pegasus bowed.

As he unfolded his tremendous wings, Lilith silently contemplated the beautiful black horse. Flapping his wings gently, he suddenly shot off, high into the sky. How could she? How could she be so rude? This horse had saved her life! Not even a ‘Thank you!’ How dare he? Anger kindled inside her. How dare he save her? How dare he lay this on her? She was no saviour! Staring out across the immense ocean, she felt as if her soul were on fire.

*****

‘Everything! Everything! Everything has been destroyed! Nothing! Nothing left!’ Hades shook his head, as he paced the cave floor in front of Cerberus, who sat obediently beside Sajan.

‘I told him! I told him! I told him that we were under attack! But oh no! Did he listen to me? No! He’s mighty Zeus! He knows best!’ Hades ranted.

‘Are there any survivors?’ Sajan felt extremely weak.

Hades stopped and glared at Sajan, trying to restrain his rage. ‘I don’t know!’

‘I’m sorry; I’m in no position to help.’ Sajan looked down at his frail physique.

‘No, my friend, this is not your problem!’

‘I’m here. I will help, even if it is only to talk to someone.’

‘You’re very kind. But what I need now is to find out who attacked us. Who would do this? I also need to be out looking for any survivors. I need to be there for my people!’

‘And when you find your people, what will you do?’

‘I don’t know’, Hades spun round in circles, ‘I just don’t know! But I promise you this, my friend, I swear, I will not abandon you.’

‘I know you won’t, but what I’m getting at is that you don’t know who destroyed your spaceship? You don’t know if there are any survivors. You don’t even know who attacked you. You are in serious danger, my friend!’

‘I’m not afraid’, Hades answered proudly.

‘Maybe so, but your pride could get you killed’. Sajan gave him a warm smile.

Hades started to pace the cave floor frantically.

‘What if you found someone who was badly injured? Where would you take them?’

‘Here, of course!’ Hades stopped to think.

‘That’s good. So you’re going to rescue everyone and bring them here?’

‘There is plenty of room. The tunnel goes on for miles, leading to thousands of caverns where they will all be safe; they could even set up homes.’

‘So everyone is going to be kept in this one location, and you don’t even know who your enemy is?’ Sajan prompted.

‘I wonder if that evil woman was killed. I hope she died in the explosion!’ Hades went off on a tangent.

‘Woman?’ Sajan looked confused.

‘One of Zeus’s women. She was rotten to the core, but no one could see it except me. All they saw was a pretty—’

‘Blonde?’ Sajan interrupted.

‘Yes, they were all blonde’, Hades declared matter-of-factly.

‘What was her name?’ Sajan looked concerned.

‘Something like God, I don’t know!’ Hades shrugged his shoulders.

‘Godiva!’ Sajan answered for him, as he went into a coughing fit.

‘Yeah’, Hades replied, astounded that he knew and he started patting Sajan’s back to help get control of the cough.

Although panicked, Sajan regained his breath. ‘We need a protection spell, right now!’

‘What?’

‘Now!’ Sajan wheezed.

‘You can’t possibly know this God …’ Hades was alarmed at his friend’s reaction.

‘Yes, I do know her. She is the reason I was trapped under that boulder for all those centuries!’

Hades gasped. ‘You’re telling me she’s not human?’

‘I’m telling you that she is utterly insane! We need a protection spell!’

‘Yeah, but do you know how to do one?’ Hades was dumbfounded.

‘Sure do, but …’

‘But what?’

‘The last one I used one, it took all my strength. I’m still very weak. I might be like this for days, decades or even centuries. I’m not sure.’

‘So what do we do?’ Hades was already panicked.

‘I have an idea!’

*****

‘It’s not working!’ Godiva was frustrated, ‘Why isn’t it working?’

‘Are you sure you’re doing it right?’ Michael examined the pillar closely, checking carefully for any damage.

‘Of course, I am!’ Godiva spat, pushing him out of the way.

‘Perhaps, if you take a few breaths and relax …’

‘Relax? Are you saying I’m not relaxed?’ Godiva hissed.

‘It was only a suggestion, my liege.’ Michael gave her his best smile, hoping it would calm her temper.

To his surprise, Godiva inhaled two large breaths and then slowly exhaled, wriggling her shoulders.

‘I’m calm now’, she smiled sweetly, as she dipped a finger into the pool. ‘Lilith’, she spoke gently.

Godiva and Michael waited patiently, staring into the Eye.

‘Does the image appear instantly, or do we have to wait a few seconds?’ Michael questioned.

‘You’re not helping!’ Godiva inhaled two more breaths, trying her hardest to relax.

After a few more minutes, still nothing had happened.

‘Why isn’t it working?’ she shrieked, taking her finger out of the Eye. ‘It worked perfectly for me on that craft. Why isn’t it working now?’ Godiva raged, pacing around her throne room.

‘Do you think it might be a distance thing?’ Michael suggested.

‘A what?’ Godiva heaved. ‘Why can’t anything go right? Grrr!’

‘The Eye was on the planet and now it’s here. It might be a distance thing’, he shrugged.

‘But I don’t want it to be a distance thing! I want it to work here!’ Godiva spat, slumping into her throne.

Suddenly, her huge silver doors swung open. Michael instantly jumped in front of her, standing guard.

‘Who is it?’ Sensing no threat, she tried to peer around him.

‘What are you two doing?’ Michael was annoyed by the regretful intrusion.

‘Soz, bruv. We had no hands to knock’, Raphael nodded at the heavy rock he and Uriel were struggling to carry.

Michael relaxed, and Godiva stepped around him to watch her two imbecile angels blundering through her doors, carrying a large golden rock between them.

‘Sorry, my liege!’ they both hung their heads, as they walked over to her.

‘What have you got?’ Godiva was furious with them. How dare they enter without my permission. On the other hand, she was extremely curious as to what they had brought her.

Michael went over to give them a hand. ‘It’s heavy’, he sighed, eyeing the rock. He didn’t expect it to weigh that much.

‘Put it down there!’ Godiva pointed to the floor in front of her.

All three angels worked to lay it down carefully.

‘We think it came …’

‘… from that island’, Uriel finished Raphael’s sentence.

‘My liege’, the two of them spoke simultaneously.

Godiva knelt beside it, running her hands all over it. Each stroke sent vibrations up her arms and all through her body. She shivered with excitement. ‘This is special’, she enthused, tracing her hands rapidly over it. ‘This is good, so good’, ideas were already forming in her mind.

‘So ... er ... you don’t mind us …’ Uriel spoke gingerly.

‘… bringing it to you?’ Raphael added.

‘My liege?’ they both bowed their heads.

‘No! No! You did well!’ she beamed.

‘You can go now!’ she flicked her hands at them.

Uriel and Raphael felt pleased with themselves and they skipped off happily.

‘My liege’, Michael knelt beside her, watching her, as she closely examined every inch of the rock.

Her eyes were wild with excitement, but Godiva watched him just as intently. Michael seemed confused, as if it were only a piece of rock. ‘Don’t you feel its vibration?’ she asked, as she took his hands and placed them onto the rock.

‘Ummm no’, Michael looked at her, as though she were barking.

‘You wouldn’t!’ she threw his hands off and began to laugh.

‘Do you know what we have here?’ she exclaimed.

‘No?’

‘A weapon!’ she smirked.

‘Ok’, Michael couldn’t fathom what she meant. ‘So what about the Eye?’ he looked at the pillar.

‘Go put it somewhere safe on that disgusting planet. I will test your theory later’, she said, as she studied the rock. She had plans for this.

‘Get me Lucifer and Gabriel!’

Chapter 2

For weeks, Lilith sat in the same spot watching the sun rising and setting on the ocean. As mulled over Pegasus’s words in her mind, one thing kept churning to the top: I must not use me powers. If she did, she would be discovered. Her mother could have her wish and kill her. It would make sense? Yes, it made logical sense. No one would suffer any longer if she were dead. That one sacrifice would save hundreds of other lives. If she had given herself up at the age of three, Amor would still be alive, or maybe not; maybe he wouldn’t have even lived that long if he didn’t have their father’s blood. None of that mattered now. Atlantis was her home, her life and her heart, but she destroyed them! Maybe, if her mother had killed her when she was born, her father would still be alive today and so would Rex. She couldn’t carry on putting everyone at risk. As for going to that temple, putting more people in danger? Nope, it’s just a whole lot easier to just to go ahead and give up now. Maybe she would be reunited with Amor, Amber and her father. She could safely watch over Emrys like Zale’s mother does. The world would be a better place without her; no one needed to suffer any more or die for her. It was best this way.

‘Next sunset, I will join you!’ Lilith whispered to the ocean.

*****

‘She is looking for you!’

‘No, Lue, I can’t’, Gabriel was huddled up with a beautiful woman in his arms.

Lucifer glanced around the shabby stable where his brother was hiding out. ‘It wasn’t that hard to find you …’

‘I can’t leave her!’ Gabriel sheltered the frightened Aphrodite in his arms.

‘But if she knows she’s alive’, Lucifer was concerned for his brother’s safety.

‘I know that, but I can’t let anything happen to her!’ Gabriel held the woman tight.

‘Please, Lue!’ Aphrodite looked at him, begging with her eyes.

‘It’s not me …’ Lucifer began pacing, holding his head, not knowing what to do.

‘Lue, I can’t leave her’, Gabriel unfolded his wings and stood to his feet, leaving Aphrodite huddled in the corner. ‘It’s not safe for her’.

‘It’s not safe for either of you!’ Lucifer scoffed.

‘So how did you find us, Lue? You said it was easy, but I tried to cover my scent so no one could track me.’

‘You didn’t do a good job!’ Lucifer