Hunting the Undead: The Hell Chronicles

By Tina Glasneck

In the chilling realm where 'Resident Evil' collides with 'Thor,' brace yourself for a nightmarish descent into madness—Hunting the Undead, a bone-chilling masterpiece by USA Today bestselling author Tina Glasneck

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Meet Suzy Raven, a paranormal investigator teetering on the precipice of terror. In a dystopian world ruled by the ironclad grip of Dark Elves, where divine wars among gods and goddesses unfurl and magic is a tightly controlled force, Suzy's life takes a nightmarish turn when she's framed for a trio of grisly murders.

 

Trapped within the sinister confines of a brutal prison, hope seems a distant memory. Until a lifeline emerges—a spine-tingling offer from her lawyer. To earn her freedom, Suzy must brave a single night within the legendary MacGregor estate—an accursed place steeped in malevolent legend.

 

What awaits within those haunted halls defies comprehension—ghastly horrors and maleficent specters lurk at every shadowed corner. Yet, Suzy's quest for vindication forces her to confront the terrifying truth: monsters are real, and they hunger for her soul.

 

As Suzy races against the clock to survive this unholy trial and clear her name, her fate hangs in the balance. Will she emerge from the abyss with her sanity intact, or will the darkness consume her?

 

Readers and critics alike declare, 'Delightfully spooky and scary...' 'Raven is an exceptional lead...' 'Fast-paced and action-packed...'

 

Dare you face your deepest fears in this nightmarish odyssey?"

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tina Glasneck
• Release date: Sep 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386969600

Tina Glasneck

Tina Glasnck is a USA Today bestselling author of fantasy starring Norse gods, like Loki, Thor, Odin and Freyja, mythology, dragons, and magic. One day she hopes to travel to Asgard and see what all the fuss is about.

Book preview

Hunting the Undead

Hunting the Undead

A Hell Chronicles Story

Tina Glasneck

Vie La Publishing House, LLC

In all things there is a time of great change.

This is dedicated to you.

May you dream in color, connect to magic in the darkness of dream’s truths, and discover your power.

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

Newsletter

Hellbent: An Excerpt

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Also by Tina Glasneck

About the Author

Blurb

Survive the night. Stay alive. 'Resident Evil' meets 'Thor' in Hunting the Undead!

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Some girls have all the luck, but for Suzy Raven, a paranormal investigator for the local police department, luck just ran out.

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In her dystopian world, the Dark Elves rule with an iron fist. All the while, Gods and Goddesses from various pantheons vie for power, and magic is strictly controlled. Convicted of murdering three humans, Suzy counts down the days until she'd be released from the cruel prison.

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Without any witnesses to clear her name, and with supposed innocent blood on her hands, she was supposed to rot in that cell. But then her lawyer found a way out—an opportunity.

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She'll only have to spend the night in the old MacGregor estate—a haunted place of brutal evil. But why fear something imaginary when there was plenty to fear in reality?

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How can she say no... If Suzy can survive the night, she can walk away scot-free. This is the best thing that she could hope for. Right? After all, monsters can't be real...

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What are readers saying about HUNTING THE UNDEAD?

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It’s delightfully spooky and scary in all the right places... Kanyon, Review

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Raven is just a fantastic lead female. She is strong, caring, intelligent, and protective. This story from start to finish is so very intriguing. It will hook you and not let you go. Darcy, Review

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It’s a fast-paced, action-filled story set in an exciting new world that has a lot of potential for more. Nan, Review

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HUNTING THE UNDEAD is set in the dystopian world of the Hell Chronicles series.

HUNTING THE UNDEAD © 2018 Tina Glasneck

First edition previously published as WHEN THE DEVIL TAKES HOLD.

All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

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Edition: 2018ANG1108-01-indiv

Updated backmatter2022

Chapter 1

The dead couldn’t hide from me.

I moved with ease through the rainy streets, following the source of the stench. The light breeze carried the copper scents of the city. I sifted through the city’s smells: garbage, urine, and, blood while patrolling my area. The rain would mask the odors for most, but not for me. It was probably the talent that had gotten me accepted into the academy—my acute sense of smell.

There were a number of undead that sought to call this city—my city—home.

I checked my watch. Only two hours until my shift was over. It wasn’t easy to think about things to do after work, but somehow despite the apocalypse, I’d found someone who captured my attention. Thinking about him, I smiled a little bit. Last night, our third date, Frank made me believe that a brighter future awaited us.

Maybe it was the attractive, post-apocalyptic cop uniform that attracted me to him; there was something about a shiny badge. Or, perhaps it was his perfect black mane. I loved its silkiness. The way he moved and made me his.

The tracker in my ear beeped. Are you okay? Jade, my communication’s officer, asked in my ear. Your vitals are fine, but your heart rate has spiked. Are you in trouble?

Jade at the super-secret Office of Supernatural Wights & Grimness, called SWAG for short (Supernatural Wild Ass Guesses), was my eyes and ears, my connection to things that the pantheons needed to be taken care of in this world. My job was simple: capture the undead and return them. So far, it was easy-peasy.

I knew what I had been thinking of, and it wasn’t about hunting the undead. Sorry, I was thinking about my plans for tonight.

Oh, Officer Frank, huh? Jade teased.

She was the one who had introduced us. I knew they were friends, so I tried to keep those personal details tucked close to my chest.

Ah, Frank, I gushed. He really is a keeper.

I told you. You should have taken me up on my introducing you two months ago.

What can I say? I like to drag my feet, I lied. It was easier to lie about why I kept people at arm’s length than to open up and admit I had issues.

We all had issues.

A loud buzzing resounded, breaking our conversation. My bio smart contact lenses turned on. A computer in my lenses, controlled by my gestures, could zoom in, transmit video to my communication’s officer, and scan individuals to compare with the facial recognition database for subjects and species.

What’s the summoning, Jade? I asked.

The wraiths were just sent back through the portal and transferred to Kara’s possession, Jade commented. Kara was the Valkyrie soldier who acted almost like a liaison. Each pantheon had one, someone who us lowly people on Earth could talk to since the gods practically ignored us.

Rumors swirled that the gods were busy throwing us all away, refusing to deal with us. I wasn’t so sure. With all the magic here now, why would they abandon us? Maybe we needed to walk through the fire to find faith?

Was your big guy still tied up with eating goats to later reincarnate, or drinking tons of mead? Is it too obvious I’m talking about Thor? You and your Thor lust. I think you might want to give it a rest.

I mentioned Thor because he was the one god everyone knew. He was the equivalent of a superstar; the one everyone wanted to meet. Even now, if I were to head over to one of the shanty towns, I’d find someone who claimed to see his hammer, or be him.

If I mentioned one of his lesser-known brother’s I’d lose my Norse card. I tried not to laugh at that. I did once date Thor’s cousin, though, she admitted. Yep, that didn’t work out, either.

Why?

He didn’t quite know how to use his hammer. Jade’s laughter boomed in my ear, making me chuckle. She was a great distraction in a world that required my solitude and compliance. I just had to follow the rules: never leave a body behind, never leave a witness aware, and never harm a human. This secret organization frowned on attention, and if trouble came your way, you’d be left to your own devices to figure it out. Talk about a fair-weather friend. Most thought I was just a rental cop anyway, since no official badge rested on my chest. I didn’t mind it. It was good to be underestimated.

Your sister, Quinn, has been on the move, Jade said. Raven, don’t you think you should give her a call?

Messing with Quinn was always a bad idea. Like chicken pox, she always left a mark.

"Adoptive sister." My voice dripped irritation, all gaiety gone. Quinn was my least favorite topic. She was toxicity wrapped in plastic grins, a bad penny that I could never get rid of.

Still family.

I tried not to roll my eyes. Jade could afford to say that. Family still surrounded her, while Quinn was all I had left. Her and memories from a house of horrors that raised us both.

I shuddered. Not the same thing.

I focused on breathing. I needed to change the topic. Thoughts of Quinn made it hard to inhale, instead it felt as if an invisible weight was sitting on my chest.

Sure, sure. Well, Midgard is pretty quiet tonight. I’m almost done patrolling the block, Jade