The Ebon Peril

By M. Hadley

A lost tale from a Golden Age of jungle adventure featuring the classic characters ZEGRA THE JUNGLE EMPRESS, JUDY OF THE JUNGLE, and MARGA THE PANTHER WOMAN! An incredible threat to all jungle-born ravages kraals and spirits away innocent villagers! Will the trio prevail against this new menace hailing from Darkest Africa? Or will these lovely ladies succumb to an even more devious will?

• Language: English
• Publisher: M. Hadley
• Release date: May 31, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310980213

M. Hadley

Welcome to the M.HADLEY IMPRINT, the home of Himiko(BROKEN PRINCESS), Kensei Blue(INDIGO series), and the EBON series(THE EBON PERIL).

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The Ebon Peril

M. Hadley

Copyright © 2015 M. Hadley

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Table of Contents

The Ebon Peril

The Legend Of Xhango

Broken Princess

About The Author

The Ebon Peril

By M. Hadley

The Congo, Africa, 1930

It was known as the Dark Continent not because of the complexions of its native people or the absence of light. It was known as such because of its overwhelming mysteriousness, one of the last true exotic bastions before the juggernaut of western civilization. Of course, being the cradle of the human race enhanced Africa’s mythical status above all other extraordinary places; it was said that the biblical Garden of Eden originated there, and one of humankind’s oldest civilizations arose from Egypt. However, for every piece of knowledge uncovered by man, there were countless bits of information lost…or at some points hidden, rendered legend. For every majestic lion, mischievous chimpanzee, and vigilant zebra, there was the fabled okapi, the deadly Hyena Men, and the fierce Ethiopian Bull.

Of course, it has been proven that the okapi truly exists.

The Ebon Beast also existed, a novel myth stricken all too real by a devastating attack on the kraal of Zegra, the legendary Jungle Empress.

The flaxen-haired ruler raced into the sweltering jungle beyond her ravaged domain, her lean, muscular, alabaster legs practically outstripping its fastest animal. The moonless night only enhanced her terror, hindering her usual flawless movement through the tangled undergrowth. Familiar vines that served her as speedy transport broke easily in her hands. Branches snapped effortlessly under her weight, plunging her forcefully to the ground more than once. Her slender bare feet tripped over countless raised tree roots and liana, rendering her ankles masses of purple bruises.

But she continued raggedly into the darkness, a wounded gazelle fleeing an all-consuming terror.

It took several minutes before clarity overtook her blind scramble. She slowed to a controlled jog, fighting to regain her breath and maintain her impetus. She also battled the urge to reprimand herself for cowardice. No. She would not have helped her people by falling in battle against the grotesque thing. A key component of being a monarch was knowing when to retreat…and when to ask for assistance. The fiend was not a mere man-eating lion, a rogue crocodile, or even an intrusive white man for the matter. It was something much more wicked and powerful, an adversary to the natural order itself.

Suddenly, she realized no birdcalls or animal movement emanated from the surrounding vine-covered trees. Even the various chirping and buzzing of the night insects were null.

Zegra came to a complete stop and glanced about wildly, her cerulean eyes straining against the black.

The jungle was silent.

Suddenly, she felt the ground trembling beneath the soles of her feet. Her body tensed as she crouched slightly, jungle-homed muscles rippling across her slender physique, trepidation synched with bravado. Her hands seized the handle of her dagger, dangling faithfully from a scabbard at her waistline. However, she experienced the sensations before she could react. A thunderous snarl deafened her senses as something furry brushed past her, nearly knocking her over.

A lioness. A lioness had raced past in the darkness.

Before the beautiful Jungle Empress could regain her poise, she was roughly brushed aside once again, this time heralded by a loud, throaty snort. The hide of the animal was thick and rubbery. A rhinoceros…and judging by the sound of the grunt, it was a thoroughly frightened white one.

The realization throttled her as hard as the tree she slammed against.

She was caught in a mass animal stampede!!

She pressed against the tree as hard as she could, praying to the gods that she would not be trampled underfoot. The shadowy shapes of the animals were varied, their frightened squeals, roars, and caws a haunting symphony of concealed bedlam. They too sensed the intruder in their midst and were fleeing as far away as they could.

Of course the tree that sheltered Zegra would not last for long. An elephant’s terrified trumpeting signaled the end of its reign. As the timber crackled, the Jungle Empress leaped blindly to the side, hoping to clear its descent. However, as time seemingly slowed, suspending her in midair, something huge smacked into her, throwing her into space. Her body twirled, orientation useless within the black, and plummeted to the ground, the air snatched from within her.

Zegra coughed uncontrollably, grabbing hysterically at her cleavage. The ground quaked violently beneath her. Something with four heavy hooves drew nigh, preparing to unknowingly stomp her to death. But she could not care. Her consciousness was abandoning her.

The very last sensation she felt was a slender, slightly calloused human hand.

A female hand.

* * *

It was an unknown length of time before she experienced something anew. Completely engulfed in darkness, she could only watch helplessly as two glowing blue circles, floating side by side, slowly materialized before her. The luminescent spheres, resembling overgrown ghostly fireflies, began to project twin cones of sapphire light, dual sabers that sliced through the dark. Before she could move, the cones of light engulfed her, overwhelming her senses.

Cerulean eyes blinked and Zegra found herself back in her kraal, leaning exhaustedly against the doorframe of her royal hut while her realm burned. Her skimpy tiger-striped briefs were torn, and one shapely breast peeked candidly from the tattered remnants of her matching bra. She nursed her right arm with her left hand, the weak, trembling fingers of her right hand barely clutching her sweat soaked dagger handle. Her subjects…her poor,