Dark Incidence

By AG Liam

Dani is determined to change. Trodden down by her abusive stepdad, neglectful mother, and nonexistent social life, Dani decides to leave it all behind—she flees into the night and finds herself in a dark, and strangely wondrous, new world. A world unknown to most humans.

However, destiny is an unpredictable force. Through a peculiar turn of events, she unknowingly gets entangled in a brutal war waging between two factions of vampires.

The Ruemisuds are a technologically advanced, elite vampire society that wants absolute control. They will stop at nothing to get it, including experimenting on unsuspecting humans and decimating the Rhowels, a clandestine, rebel clan of vampires. This clan possesses a key to survival that the Ruemisuds desperately want, and they will protect it until the bitter end.

Dani's riveting journey has just begun in this beautiful tale of love, hate, betrayal, and, above all, survival. The war is escalating quickly and Dani is determined to survive. Who will help her? Who will win the war?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AG Liam
• Release date: Mar 25, 2014
• ISBN: 9781494978051

AG Liam

A.G. grew up in a gloomy and quaint suburb near London, England, and now lives in sunny southern California with her family. She has been an avid horror and paranormal fan since she can remember, reading Goosebumps when she was a child, to watching twilight zone as a teenager with her grandpa.She earned her B.A. in psychology, but decided to follow her passion of storytelling instead. Dark Incidence is her first full length novel, a unique vampire science fiction told through the eyes of two siblings. A.G. also has directed numerous shorts and written children’s books.Her favorite pastime is watching paranormal and horror movies, painting landscapes and seascapes, and reading fiction novels. She can never turn down an invite to eat something home cooked.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Wha—what was that? I think as I look back.

Damn. Stop trippin’, Matt, I mutter the words to myself and keep walking. The wind picks up unpredictably, and the street signs flutter. Dogs howl in the distance, and dry leaves fly past me—it’s just another miserable day in this town.

The sky is glowing purple-red, and the moon resembles a dinner plate. I look up at the streaky clouds and wish I were in Hawaii instead of here. Gorgeous women, clear blue water—I could have been on a beach sipping fruity drinks and watching the women walk by in their bikinis. Damn! I sort of regret not taking my parents’ offer to go on vacation with them. Then again, who the heck wants to go on vacation with their parents anyway?

I shrug off my thoughts and keep walking with my hands tucked into the pockets of my black leather jacket. Suddenly, I hear someone stumble behind me and scrape their shoes on the sidewalk. The harsh scratch of rubber hitting the concrete sends shivers down my spine; it has always bugged me.

I turn back, annoyed. What the . . . Dani? I instantly get a tingling feeling that travels through my body and arouses me. My mood changes from cold to warm as I look upon Dani Cooper’s pretty face. I stand up straight and take my hands out of my pockets. What’s up, girl?

Uh . . . hey, Matt. Dani looks distraught. I get a sense that this isn’t the time to flirt.

Everything OK? Want me to walk you home? I can’t tell what’s going on behind Dani’s big, sexy green eyes. She doesn’t have on any makeup, but I still can’t take my eyes off her.

J-just . . . come on. Trust me on this. Let’s . . . hide. Dani’s voice starts to sound more urgent. She quickly and forcefully grabs my biceps to pull me forward.

"Oh, shit. Run . . . Run . . . OK? Just run. Run!" Dani tries to keep her voice low, but boy, she means business.

As we run, I catch a whiff of her. The sweet scent I always remembered on Dani is gone. She smells of a wet junkyard, like rust, moss, and mud. I snap back to reality and realize this is not a joke. We hold each other’s hands tightly as we begin to pick up speed. I really want to know what the hell is going on.

Is someone following us? I whisper to her, but she doesn’t respond. We keep running.

I have been mugged before. It was an awful experience, so I’m not about to let anything happen to Dani. I reach for my pocketknife. It’s always in my right pocket, next to my cell phone.

Someone bangs against the mailbox behind us. I feel a knot in my throat as my adrenaline kicks in. My heart starts to race, pounding in my chest. We sprint as fast as we can with our hands clutched together. Dani keeps glancing back to make sure we aren’t being followed. She then looks at me with a sly half-smile. Only the left side of her lip stretches and reveals a little bit of her teeth. I recall that used to turn me on at school every time I saw it as she walked past me . . . and it still does. My left shoe becomes untied and I clumsily trip. I totally feel stupid and awkward.

I look at Dani and she gives me a concerned look. She then continues to look back and to the sides. We both look at Bushing Park up ahead and nod in agreement.

There might be a place to hide there. Let’s chill in Bushing for a bit, I suggest, breathing heavily.

OK, but you have to listen to me, please! This thing wants to kill you! Dani blurts out hastily.

"What? Are you serious? I stop on a dime. Dani, what the hell? What’s going on?" I smoked a little pot earlier, but my high is wearing off. My cloudy mind becomes alert. I finally notice Dani’s clothes are stained and she is a mess. A light goes off in my head. Dani is in some serious trouble, and so am I. Dammit. What are we going to do?

I should’ve taken that martial arts class that I’ve been meaning to take for some time now. How am I going to protect her? Dammit. I can’t stop cursing at myself. We continue to run side by side, staying low and trying not to make any noise.

Dani notices I’m out of breath and starts to slow down until she comes to a halt under a tree. I’m badly in need of a break from all the running. How the heck does this girl have so much stamina and energy? She’s hardly tired.

Matt, there’s this thing—it’s coming for you because you are human! She grabs my arm tighter and ready to take off again.

What! Because I’m human? What the heck are you then? I barely deliver those words as I exhale heavily. This is absurd. She must be high or something. I throw Dani’s grip away and point at her with authority. You need to calm the hell down! I’m calling 9-1-1! I reach for my cell phone but Dani forcibly holds my hand to not let me pull it out.

She grabs my face with her hands and pulls my face close to hers. Matt, please trust me! Just hide with me for a bit. I can explain everything!

A deep rumbling sweeps through the park, like one of those cars with heavy bass. Is someone driving their low-rider into the park? That can’t be right. I try to make sense of my surroundings as I begin to hear clashing metal on metal clanking near the kids’ playground. It sounds like chain mail going across the monkey bars. Shit. Dani might be onto something.

I can hear rapid huffs and puffs of air. The last time I heard deep breathing like that was when we had a giant bull at my family’s ranch. Whatever this thing is that’s out there, I can tell it’s very large. With Dani leading the way, we run toward the men’s restrooms.

The smell of the bathroom will mask your smell, Dani whispers as we run in.

What do you mean, my smell? I feel as though I‘m being hunted. I draw my knife out of my pocket. It’s a four-inch tactical. I have used it only once before during a marijuana deal gone wrong. It somehow got me out of that situation. I have faith in this blade. I’m ready to stab whatever is coming for us.

Nobody is in the men’s restroom; it’s empty. Come to think of it, not a single soul is at the park tonight. It must be the unusually cold and windy weather. Dani is right. The odor of urine is strong and pungent. I almost throw up after taking a deep breath. Dani pulls me into a stall and then closes the door.

"Matt, this thing out there . . . I think it’s from another world." Dani catches her breath and tries to lay down some sanity.

"What world? What is this, a paranormal movie?" I can’t comprehend what she is trying to say. In my defense, I have never seen a ghost or had any eerie feelings to make me believe in the supernatural. I think of myself as a realist.

Like a world of vampires, she explains without hesitation. They do exist. This thing is dangerous. I can’t do anything to stop it.

I immediately whisper back, Vampires? You can’t be serious. I need the truth, please. Please—we don’t have time for this shit!

Dani opens her mouth. Her jaw opens wide in an unnatural way that reveals all of her teeth. Her fangs begin to grow longer and sharper. They glimmer and sparkle like diamonds. Her tongue is a deep, dark red with a spongy texture, like red velvet cake. Her breath strangely smells dank, yet inviting. I can’t believe what I am seeing. My head starts to spin out of sheer disbelief. My vision begins to twinkle. Dani then confesses, I’m a vampire, Matt. Just look at me.

"Unbelievable, I say as I examine Dani closer. Her skin doesn’t look as soft as before, yet it’s still smooth. My brain finally begins to register what my eyes are seeing. My heart sinks further down in my chest. I was somewhat scared and paranoid a few minutes ago, but now I am petrified. I grab Dani’s left hand just to feel her skin. It feels like leather, like a couch. It doesn’t feel human at all. There are no pores on her face. The mole on her cheek is gone. The irises of her eyes are enlarged and have changed colors from beautiful, attractive green to a frightening, deep black with flecks of glass in them that glow from within. I shudder from horrible disbelief. Oh my God! No way!"

I can’t help admiring Dani’s beautiful face. Nothing feels right anymore. I get a sudden feeling of nausea from the stench of urine, the confined space, and the vampire standing across from me. I need to get out of here before I throw up on her. I need fresh air.

Forget this, I’m fine! I struggle to open the bathroom stall door and finally manage to get out.

Matt, no! Please don’t leave. Just stay here with me! Dani throws her body onto mine in an attempt to calm me down.

Don’t touch me. I angrily push her off of me and walk out with my knife ready to go.

I take three steps outside the restroom and look all around me. It is pitch black out there, except for one little fluorescent light bulb above the restroom door that illuminates where I stand. I can’t see much except for silky grass waving and dancing in the wind underneath the moonlight and trees casting sinister shadows. I reluctantly take another step forward and grasp my knife as tightly as I can.

Oomph! Ahh . . . w-what! I get knocked down from behind and fall to the ground. I lie flat on my stomach; my chin pressed against the concrete. Something is on my back. I feel as though a tree branch has fallen on me, crushing my bones. I can barely utter a word. The stress increases and causes excruciating pain to travel from my shoulders down to my hips. As my body tenses, I clench my teeth from the horrific sensation. It feels like a sharp pitchfork is piercing my flesh, like my dad carving the turkey on Thanksgiving Day. I can see my knife that has fallen on the ground in front of me. My mind yearns to reach for it, but my body is frozen and unable to move.

I have come close to losing my life before, usually in stupid fights and by hanging out with irresponsible people. Hell, I’m one of those irresponsible people. However, I have always been able to get myself out of trouble somehow. Tonight, it all seems so different. Tonight must be the night when my luck finally runs out.

I hear the snarling on top of me getting louder and turning into a disturbing growl. I shiver as I realize that it’s not a tree branch that has accidentally fallen on me. Rather, it’s something purposefully on top of me, attacking me. I try to push it off and get up, but I get pummeled back down. I try moving my arms, my feet, but there is no use—my whole body is pinned down by this thing that’s very much alive and feasting on me. It’s consuming me as it drains my blood. I feel dizzy, probably from the excessive blood loss.

I’m helpless, feeling too weak to move. I know I don’t have the slightest chance of surviving this attack. I’m acutely aware of my body and my surroundings, yet I lie there feeling my life slowly drifting away as I’m unable to move a muscle. I draw in a big breath and hold it in, giving up on everything, no longer having the will to fight back or even figure out a way of escape. I close my eyes, accepting my fate. My thoughts wander off into blankness as everything fades to black.

CHAPTER 01: The Plan

Dani

Tonight is the night; it has to be. I can’t go on like this anymore. I’m determined to leave this miserable house and try to survive on my own.

I have to escape this torture. I know my mom will be devastated, but I have to do something before I go crazy. I’m seventeen years old and capable of taking care of myself, despite what my mom thinks. I guess most moms worry about their children, regardless of how independent they are.

In my case, I didn’t have a choice. I had to grow up fast. My mom wasn’t usually herself. She went in and out of depression, leaving me alone to fend for myself, even when I was just a kid.

Maybe I could go to Darper, Michigan, where my Grandma lives. She’ll take me in. I’m sure I’ll like it better there than here. I can’t call Grandma now, as my evil stepdad won’t let me or my mom contact her. I don’t even know her number, but I’m sure I’ll be able to find it in a phone book once I’m there. Figuring out where Grandma lives shouldn’t be that hard. I’ve saved a little money here and there doing errands for neighbors and babysitting once in a while. It should last me a couple of weeks till I get to Darper. At least, I hope it does.

As I sit in my chair by my desk, I think of all the lucky kids at my school with their cell phones and laptops who state how interesting and fabulous their lives are on social networks as they brag, compete, and try to outdo each other. I shake my head; I’d be jealous if I cared enough.

Then a thought pops into my head, and I think of a photo of Matt Ramo. I saw him earlier in school today. He’s on our high school basketball team. They won a game this week. I went to watch him play. While at midcourt, he suddenly stopped running and looked directly up at me as if he knew I was there. I tensed and held my breath in surprise. Then he went back to playing his game. He scored the last second buzzer-beater that resulted in our school winning the game.

I sigh as I imagine him with his dark brown hair, his mesmerizing gray eyes, and his sly smile. He can be very goofy at times, which I adore about him; I love his jovial personality. He has an attractive, muscular body, and his fine looks would make any girl lust after him. All I ever want is for him to notice me and maybe even think I’m pretty. Yeah, right—only in my dreams would that ever be true! Why on earth would Matt think I’m pretty when he has gorgeous, outgoing, easy girls practically throwing themselves at him? Although, I get the feeling he wants to talk to me. Sometimes, I’ve seen him stop and look at me as I walk through the school corridors on my way to class. It’s like he’s waiting for me to approach him, but I always walk past him briskly so he can’t stop me. I’m too shy, too insecure, and too self-conscious. I’ve felt him watching me, though, as I’ve kept walking away from him.

I’ve had the longest crush on Matt Ramo—ever since eighth grade. I only wish he didn’t hang out with a particularly wretched crowd, and especially with the mean girls in their group. All they do is backbite and pick on others they don’t like. Such immature girls! I can’t stand them!

I walk up to my dressing table mirror and study my reflection. I look so glum, unhappy, and tired. The skin underneath my green eyes looks puffy from lack of sleep. Lately, I haven’t been able to get a good night’s sleep. I’ve been planning my escape in my head and trying to figure out where I will go and how I will survive on my own. I try to talk myself out of leaving, but I just can’t take it here anymore. I have to get out of this forsaken place. School sucks, as does my so-called family and—most of all—my horrendous stepdad. I hate my life. I’ve had enough.

I continue to study my appearance in the mirror. I’m wearing a white tank top and black sweatpants. I’ve always had a nice curvy body, although I hardly work out. I could use a little toning up, though. People at school can’t really see my figure, as all I wear are loose-fitting clothes. I prefer to hide behind my dark, baggy hoodies and sweatshirts. My skin is somewhat pale. I do need to tan more. I always look so tired and sad, too, and my hair is usually messy with flyaways, but I don’t bother fixing it most of the time. I don’t care how I look to others or what they may think of me. The only person’s thoughts I care about are Matt’s, but he is so far out of my league that there’s no point in me even trying to impress him.

In truth, I try to look somewhat decent when I can. Sometimes I even put on a little eyeliner, lip gloss, and mascara, but they still don’t do me any good. I end up looking a little Goth at times. Right now my lips look dry, red, and a little chapped from the cold season of fall, so I apply some lip balm. A painfully embarrassing memory of my horrible day earlier in school comes to mind, but I shake it off. I comb my long, dark brown hair, flinging it in a quick ponytail and head downstairs.

We live in a midsize, two-story house in Everitte, Oregon. Everitte used to be a town of hardworking people. Now, it seems, everybody is part of a tech startup or something trendy. In the last few years, Everitte went from being another broke town on the interstate to a hub of high-tech small companies. People are doing all right, driving fancy cars and upgrading their houses. However, there are pockets of this town that are still unchanged, abandoned, and broken.

We live in an older suburb that’s mostly occupied by blue-collar working families. Our house is small but cozy. It used to belong to my grandma. She grew up in it, then she got married and raised my mother here. After my grandpa passed away, my grandma didn’t want to live in this house anymore. She left it to my mom and decided to move to Michigan.

My mom got lucky that way. The house was paid off, and all she had to do was take care of the property taxes and, of course, the utilities. Due to the recession, though, she got laid off from her job. We survived on her unemployment checks and welfare till Stan, my mom’s annoying husband, started paying some of the bills. It is an older house and my mom hasn’t done much to it. She’s left the house looking pretty much the same as it did when my grandma used to live here, with old-fashioned furniture and outdated wallpaper.

Once downstairs, I help my mom set the table then go back upstairs to put a hoodie on. It’s always frigid in our house. I come back down only to hear Stan and my mom arguing again. I just stand on the landing and listen.

What kind of gourmet food is this today? Stan is clearly being sarcastic.

It’s your favorite, my mom answers. Steak!

Well, first of all, it’s overcooked. Why would you cook steak on the stove? Just grill it next time, OK? It’s fine for now, I guess. When are you going to learn to do steak right?

I tried to turn the grill on, but I think it ran out of propane, I hear my mom say. I’ll get some next time, I promise. I’m sorry. My mom backs down and apologizes.

Sharon, honey, you are one incompetent wife! How hard can it be to cook up a meal or two? Stan laughs in ridicule.

I pretend I didn’t hear anything and go straight to the dining table, where I plop myself on a chair and wait to eat dinner.

Stan walks around the kitchen in search of snacks. Predictably, he goes straight to the fridge, pops open a bottle of beer, and takes a big gulp. He burps loudly and then sits down at the head of the table. Our table is a small rectangle and nutmeg in color. It seats four people. Stan usually sits at the head of the table and I am next to him on the right. My mom sits at the foot of the small table, and opposite me is a vacant seat. She still lays out an extra plate for Paul, my big brother who died two years ago. The day we got the news about him was the saddest day of my life. It’s taken me a long time to accept his death, but I still don’t think I’m really over it.

Stan sneers at the plate set out for Paul. I look at him and wonder why he’s always so angry at everyone and everything. Stan has gained a great deal of weight over the last few years. He has a large potbelly and a massive double chin. It’s probably all that beer he drinks every day. Without a doubt, he is an alcoholic. He is of average height and is heavyset. He has small, deep hazel-brown eyes with dark circles under them. He slicks his light brown hair back with some gross-smelling pomade. He always has a grumpy and bitter look on his face.

Mom brings out the pan-fried steak and mashed potatoes, and then goes back to the kitchen for the rest of the dishes. I can smell the warm butter melting on the potatoes. She fetches the bread and green beans, and then sits down at the end of the table facing Stan.

I wish so badly that Paul was here; I miss him so much. Mom starts to say grace, but instead of waiting for her to finish, Stan cuts his steak and shoves it into his mouth, completely ignoring her.

Dani, dear, how is the food? My mom attempts to start a small conversation.

It’s great, Mom, I begin to say.

It sucks! Dani, you don’t have to sugarcoat it. This dinner is garbage! Stan rudely interrupts me and then takes another long swig of his beer.

He does this very frequently. He always jabs my mom with insults that eat away at her one little put-down at a time. It’s another matter when he’s drunk and angry. He takes his anger out on my mom and turns on me if I try to stop him. Mom, of course, follows his every rule and stands by him like