Eternals Book 3: Deeds of Darkness: The Eternals, #3

By Vincent Roberts

The Eternals enter into their third installment of the series as a dark figure at the front door casts an ancient incantation on them. Eventually, Lucy wakes from a dark sleep and finds herself fourteen years into the future in Colorado. The most startling part for her isn't that they have moved into the future but the fact that she's somehow been transformed into a blood-guzzling vampire. Soon, Paulo, Paris and Emmitt find themselves in similar positions, trying to find their way back to each other.

As the years pass by, the Eternals discover that every other supernatural creature on earth has also been chhanged into something else through a domino effect. The Eternals are introduced to Changelings, werewolves, mermaids and even an alien race. Again, the Scarlett witches play an intricate role in helping the Eternals while also trying to recover their own family. 

When Lucy realizes she has the gift to help others, she forms committees to help the species unite with their own kind. Paris finds himself deep in the Himalayan mountains once again, living in the Lost City, where he is treated as a traitor and a lowly vampire. As one of the Eternals finally figures out who cast the ancient spell, they try to find a way to reverse it. The story weaves back and forth through each life, leaving only more fear and questions as time reveals itself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vincent Roberts
• Release date: Oct 22, 2017
• ISBN: 9781393814245

Book preview

1

Oh my god, it’s you! It’s you! It was you the entire time!

Paris stood frozen like a statue as a shock wave rushed through his body. It felt as if a bolt of lightning pounded into him. He stared at the small framed figure cloaked in black.

This stranger seemed oddly familiar to him but he found that his head was becoming muddled and his eyes were quickly losing their focus. He muttered, You were responsible for this. You were the one that was inside my head. It wasn’t the Raven Mocker at all.

Suddenly, the stranger raised a hand and fluttered it in the air. The all-pervading ringing in his ears took an excruciating hold over him once again.

The pitch was even higher and harsher than before as it resonated inside his mind and body. He put his hands over his ears and shuddered just before he dropped down onto his knees. His arms and legs began to rattle uncontrollably.

The others watched as his entire body began to bounce and convulse violently. He rolled around on the floor for several minutes before he eventually retracted into a rocking fetal position, fighting desperately to remain conscious.

Paulo knelt down on the floor beside him and said, Paris, it’s happening to you again. Are you alright? Can you hear me? Paris!

Lucy stood over Paulo and Paris and asked, Does this mean that Paris is right? It wasn’t the Raven Mocker or the witches causing this ringing? She looked to Selene for answers. Do you know who this person is?

Selene peered at the strange cloaked figure in the doorway but no one dared to get any closer than they already were. She could see, by the small stature and the hands that it was a female. Lucy asked again, Who is this person?

Paris couldn’t speak, couldn’t think, couldn’t even open his eyes as the pain in his head became more agonizing. His face turned a bright shade of red, his nose dripped blood, and saliva dribbled out and down the sides of his mouth.

Emmitt marched forward and challenged the woman, Stop doing this! Can’t you see you’re killing him?

Everyone could see that Paris was gradually losing awareness. Paulo shook him vigorously but got no response. He got on his feet and approached the stranger and asked, Who are you? We’ve done no harm to you? Why are you doing this to my friend?

The woman moved deeper into the room and gazed at Paris through her heavy black veil. She raised her hand again and watched as his pain intensified even greater than before. She moved closer to Paris but Selene demanded, That’s far enough. I don’t know what you are but you need to leave him alone!

The dark figure backed up a step but stayed silent. Everyone in the room was guarded and frightened of what might happen next. They didn’t know what other trickeries the cloaked woman was capable of carrying out.

For a split-second Paulo thought that he found the woman’s presence familiar. He asked, Wait, do I know you from somewhere else? Perhaps another place, another time? Does Selene know who you are?

The woman didn’t respond to the inquiries or demands. Instead, she backed up another step as each person in the room remained still with the exception of Paris, who was still weakly rolling around on the floor.

Emmitt, not sure of what to do, acted with a pure animal instinct and decided to rush toward the woman, attempting to remove her veil and reveal who she really was. He screamed as he lunged toward her.

In a flash, she raised her hand, discharging a wave of energy that hurled Emmitt across the room and crashed him into the furthest wall. Several large paintings fell off the wall and on top of him. He laid there on the floor barely moving with the wind knocked out of him. Peggy panicked and rushed over to help him.

The others watched in horror, seeing the exceptional power this woman had. Selene probed, Are you one of us? Are you an Eternal? Or are you something else? Are you a species we’ve never been in contact with before?

The cloaked figure waved her hand in the air and across the room. She whispered, By the light of the new moon the transformation will begin. It will be complete by the light of the full moon. Yearnings and necessities will be hindered and the life force the Eternals once required will no longer be obtainable in the same fashion. The true monster inside each one of you will reveal its horrible face...and the darkness will surround you, envelop you, control you. Everyone and everything will cease to be as planned.

The stranger backed up onto the front porch, paused for a moment as she raised her hand one more time. Then, she walked down the front stairs and away from the manor. Paulo stepped toward the door with intentions of following her. He watched as she walked down the street but Selene grabbed his upper arm and requested, Let her go, Paulo. We’ll fight that battle another day. For now, we should help Paris and Emmitt.

Lucy looked at everyone and questioned, What just happened? What did she mean? It seemed as if she was putting some kind of a curse on us.

Paulo responded, Whatever it is that she meant to do, I don’t feel any different than I did before. Do you?

Lucy waited for a moment as if she was examining her own body from the inside out. No, I don’t either.

Peggy finished moving the last painting that had fallen on Emmitt. He recovered quickly from the jolt while Selene and Paulo rushed to see Paris lying completely still on his back staring at the ceiling. His eyes were open and his breathing appeared normal. His nose wasn’t bleeding anymore. Paulo inquired, Paris, is the pain still present?

Paris sat up slowly and explained, No. Strangely, the ringing in my head is completely gone. I feel perfectly fine. It’s almost as if nothing ever happened.

Paulo and Lucy helped him to his feet. He brushed himself off and pushed his thick hair back with his fingers. Lucy asked, Do you have any clue who that woman was, Paris? It seemed as though she knew you.

She gave the impression that she was someone from my past, our past. I’m sure there’s a chance I might have known her. But which someone was she? There have been so many over the millennia. I’m sure you could only imagine just how many.

Lucy responded, No, I can’t.

Paris said, Just think of how many people a mortal relates to during their human life. Now multiply that times the thirty or forty lifetimes that I’ve existed.

She expressed, But there must be someone that made you think this woman was familiar. A face came to mind, didn’t it?

Paris smiled and remarked, My greatest wish is that any stranger I bump into would somehow be my sweet Esmerelda, but that has never happened and it never will be. The one true love of my life died on that snowy mountainside two thousand years ago because I was too stupid and reckless and didn’t plan for what we were going to face.

Well, who else was there that would want to inflict this much pain on you? Who, out there, hated you that much?

Paris snapped, I don’t know! There are too many names, too many faces. These women existed in every decade and century for thousands of years. I wouldn’t hazard a guess for fear that I would most likely be wrong.

Selene suggested, Perhaps you should go upstairs and rest, Paris. You know how these bouts can drain your energy.

Paris put his finger up to hush Selene. No, no, I’m fine. It didn’t last very long at all this time. I’ll go to the dining room and have a seat. I can rest there.

Before Peggy left the room, she mentioned, I think the best thing I can do right now is go to the kitchen and make a strong pot of coffee.

Selene, Paulo, Lucy and Emmitt shadowed behind Paris as he entered the dining room. Each one took a seat around the table. Paris inhaled and then let out a long breath. He asked, When I was on the floor, did she say anything? Did she do anything? Did she give any indication of why she was doing this to me?

Selene responded, She did say one thing. It was as if she was crafting an incantation or hex on us. I think she may have been a witch or something like a witch.

Selene searched her mind to remember the exact verse that was recited when Lucy interrupted by clearing her throat and then quoted the woman’s entire dialogue word for word, By the light of the new moon the transformation will begin. It will be complete by the light of the full moon. Yearnings and necessities will be hindered and the life force the Eternals once required will no longer be obtainable in the same fashion. The monster inside each one of you will reveal its horrible face and the darkness will surround you, envelop you, control you. Everyone and everything will cease to be as planned.

Selene was impressed by Lucy’s skills to remember. She questioned, But what does that mean, Paris? I’ve never heard an incantation like that before. Was she a witch or perhaps involved in the dark world of voodoo?

I’m not sure. It could have been just empty words uttered to scare us or, on the other hand, she could be some supernatural force we’ve never dealt with before.

Lucy deduced everything that occurred before she remarked, That seems to be highly unlikely since she came here and specifically targeted you, Paris.

Paulo looked at the others and agreed. He turned to Paris and asserted, Lucy has a very valid point. This cloaked figure wasn’t just performing some random act of magic or angry supernatural spell. It was meant to frighten us and to hurt you. But it doesn’t help us if we don’t know who she is and where she came from.

Paris was tired of discussing the cloaked woman. He took another deep breath and let it out before he stated, She’s gone for now and I feel fine. That’s good enough for me. Perhaps this was an isolated incident and she won’t return here again.

Nobody believed this would be an isolated incident.

Lucy suggested, I think it might be better if we waited to leave for Mobile, at least until we’re sure this woman isn’t coming back.

Paulo slapped his hand on the table and insisted, No, Lucy. This excursion to Mobile is something you said you have to do. You told me you’re having those strong feelings about that city and about Atlanta. It’s all you’ve thought about lately. I won’t have some brief incident with something that may not even be real put a halt to what we have planned.

Paris shook his head and whispered, He’s right, Lucy. We’ve dealt with many other beings in the past and we always come out on top, as we did with the Raven Mocker. This won’t be any different. The Eternals are the most powerful race on earth. You should go to Mobile and Atlanta and get those questions answered that you’ve been wrestling with.

Selene chimed in. Yes, Lucy, go. You being here won’t make any difference. We can take care of that woman if she returns. We’ve been dealing with these little surprise complications for thousands of years.

Lucy was convinced. She smiled and said, Alright, since everyone’s giving us their blessing, I suppose we can leave but we’ll wait for a few days.

Paulo stood up and clapped his hands once. Good, then it’s all settled. Today is Wednesday. We’ll leave Saturday morning just before sunrise.

Lucy questioned, Why so early, Paulo?

Atlanta is a five to six-hour ride from here. I’d rather get on the road early in the morning so we’re not spending the middle of our day in the wagon.

In the days following the mysterious incident, the Eternals were left speculating if anything would change in their lives as Paulo and Lucy prepared for the first leg of their excursion. Lucy packed the wagon while Paulo hitched up the horses. There was a long and tearful goodbye between Lucy and Selene. Lucy promised, We won’t be gone long.

Selene replied, We’re Eternals. What’s your idea of not long? Thirty, maybe forty years? Possibly even a hundred years.

Lucy laughed at Selene’s joke as she began to weep and hug her again. Lucy whispered, It won’t be that long. I promise you.

Paris and Paulo casually sauntered onto the front porch, taking their time in getting to the wagon. Paris grinned as he joked, They’ve been crying like that for over an hour. How much longer will it be before you leave?

All at once, Lucy had a peculiar feeling that ran throughout her entire body. It was a feeling of change and emptiness. She picked her head up and could see Selene standing in front of her, but there seemed to be a developing wall of darkness that rose up from the ground and around both women. Lucy could see the same was happening to Paulo and Paris. They appeared as perplexed and frightened as she did.

In a few moments, the wall mounted higher until Lucy was eventually encased in total murkiness. She called out to the others but didn’t hear a response. She tried to walk forward or move her arms but they wouldn’t budge.

Instantaneously, she felt fatigued and exhausted. She found she couldn’t control her own body as it fell towards the bottom of the darkness. Lucy closed her eyes and fell asleep.

2

Lucy opened her eyes and looked around at her new surroundings. She could tell she’d been asleep for a while but she wasn’t sure exactly how long that while was. She noticed that she was lying on what appeared to be a riverbank and the skies above her were gray. Her blue dress and white blouse were saturated with mud and her body felt cold, almost freezing. She saw that the ground was covered with a light layer of snow.

As Lucy tried to stand up slowly and could feel her legs struggling desperately to regain their strength. She took a few small steps away from the river and then, toward the pasture that she could see a few hundred feet in the distance. Still feeling muddled and fatigued, she cried out, Where am I? What’s happening to me? Paulo! Selene! Paris! Can anyone hear me? Is anyone out there?

There was no response as she stumbled awkwardly into the uneven pasture. The blustery winter winds thrashed around her cuttingly. She wrapped her damp shawl around her head and shoulders as she continued to walk.

She saw no one else as she moved from the snow-covered meadow into a thickly wooded timberland. She cried out again, each time the tone of her voice sounded more frantic than the time before. I don’t know where to find you! Paulo! Selene! Paris! Is anyone out there? Please, won’t someone answer me!

As she moved gradually through the thick trees, she tried to recall what had happened to her, how she ended up where she was. Lucy recalled being encased in some kind of blackness, a vacant nothingness, but she still didn’t know how long she’d been there. Lucy didn’t know what had taken place but she knew she felt different than she had before the event. She felt a hunger she’d never felt during her time as an Eternal, a deprivation that came from a different need. The hunger was more like a deep thirst.

The skies continued to get darker and more ominous as Lucy steadily made her way into a small town of twenty or thirty buildings. She crept down the main street where she heard music playing from a building marked Clancy’s Midnight Saloon. She passed a general store, a jail, a small diner and a hotel before she got to the saloon.

Inside, she saw women, painted in heavy makeup, dancing around the room wearing red and white, frilly costumes, revealing their legs and cleavage while dirty men in cowboy hats and boots whistled and groped them, shouting obscenities to get their attention.

Lucy backed away from the window when she noticed that the dashing bartender was staring out the front window at her. She put her head down and began to walk away. The bartender ran to the door of the saloon and called out to her, Miss, come back! Are you alright?

Lucy’s pace increased. She was fearful of being asked questions that she wouldn’t be able to answer. The bartender ran toward her and shouted, Please, miss! I’m not going to hurt you! You look like you’re in trouble! I just want to help you! Will you stop?

Lucy turned and smiled at the man as she replied, "Hello, sir. I’m fine. There’s no need for help.