Revenge Seeker: Vital Impetus, #2

By VK Tritschler

Her Grandfather took her father's life, and now Jess wants revenge.

 

Heir to a multi-verse kingdom Jess should be the most powerful woman in the world, able to keep her loved ones safe and bring peace to the realms. But with her newfound powers, came newfound dangers.

 

Jess is determined to protect the people she loves. To keep her sister, mother and boyfriend Peter safe, she sends them away, where her enemies can't find them. When, Peter's parents find out she's the offspring of their mortal enemy, they are determined to keep them apart forever.

 

Going alone is perilous, and it's hard to tell the difference between friend and foe. Determined to bring down her maniacal Grandfather, Jess is just beginning to realize the depth of her ties to those around her and the strength they bring to her.

 

Will she become the great protector or is she more like her Grandfather than she wants to admit?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
• Release date: Feb 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9781953335906

Book preview

Revenge Seeker

Vital Impetus- Book 2

VK Tritschler

The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, places, or events is coincidental and not intended by the author.

IF YOU PURCHASE THIS book without a cover you should be aware that this book may have been stolen property and reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher. In such case the author has not received any payment for this stripped book.

REVENGE SEEKER

Vital Impetus- Book 2

Copyright © 2021 VK Tritschler

All rights reserved.

ISBN: (EBOOK) 978-1-953335-90-6

(print) 978-1-953335-91-3

Inkspell Publishing

207 Moonglow Circle #101

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

EDITED BY RIE LANGDON

Cover Art By Fantasia Frog Designs

THIS BOOK, OR PARTS thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission. The copying, scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions, and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

Dedication

Even if you travel through a million universes, your heart will still find its way home. Let love guide you and you're never truly alone.

Chapter 1

LOOKING UPWARD AT THE flickering lights of the Australian evening sky, Jess counted the stars one by one, just as she did when she was a small child. There was something special about knowing that these stars were the ones from her own universe, and not another Realm she had accidentally jumped into as she tried to learn and control her newfound powers. Nearby, she could hear the soft scuffle of the night’s inhabitants moving around, their claws scratching at the sandy floor and their teeth clicking and chattering occasionally as they nibbled on their food. Her sister Tracey, spread out in her sleeping bag on the opposite side of the now-lifeless fireplace, was snoring. Jess found the rise and fall of her chest rhythmic and soothing.

She saw the passing flash of a shooting star and closed her eyes to make a wish. Letting out her breath, she completed her thought. Wishing was a pointless waste of time. Her father would never come back. He was dead, killed by the same men who were hunting her now.

In the aftermath, Jess had run away with Peter Noir, her childhood friend and now boyfriend. They’d been on the run for two years, but it felt like a lot longer. At first, as they made their way from Realm to Realm, avoiding her grandfather’s guards had been difficult. These were trained forces, bent on finding their targets. Every time Jess and Pete, as she called him, got away and were able to relax, momentarily, men had turned up and attacked them again. Battle after battle had worn them down until exhaustion crept in. But they’d finally managed to find Jess’s mother and sister, far out in the desert on Earth, the planet they had long since thought they would never find their way back to. They’d gone into the Australian hinterland with meagre supplies, enough to hide for a time. The landscape included thick, dense forests, and hard-to-reach caves and streams, which offered shelter and protection long enough for her to regroup after her father’s death.

The numbers of soldiers eventually dwindled as they struggled to find leads and clues as to where the small group might have been hiding. The four of them had been careful to cover their tracks, and Jess’s mother had been instrumental in advising Jess that jumping made tracing easier. The guards had devices for tracking when someone left a Realm, especially in a place like Earth, where jumping was uncommon. If Jess, Pete, and her family stayed in place, the Aligheri machinery the guards would normally use to find someone became redundant, because Earth was a Noir world and gave the Aligheri incorrect readings.

Pete had been insistent on staying with them for most of the journey, despite her repeated requests for him to go back to his family, and resume living under their protection. He was from the Nori royal family and had a privileged upbringing, and she could see the strain in his face at the continual movement and relocation their escape required—not to mention the toll his association with her escape from his family’s own Realm had placed on his shoulders. Her family had been used to this nomadic lifestyle, as her parents had used it to escape her grandfather’s forces her whole life. This detail she had only found out after her eighteenth birthday, when she’d woken up in another universe for the first time. Staring at the glittering orbs, she was reminded that these were not the stars he’d grown up admiring, nor was this the world attached to his childhood memories. For him, this place was nothing more than a dangerous and meagre existence. She would have to talk to Pete again about going home. It was time for him to see his family, and relax.

Rolling onto her side, she watched Pete groan and move in his sleep. Through the dim light, she could make out the lines on his cheeks where his dimples sat, and the small indentation of a scar from a scuffle they’d had with guards, a year back. She was going to miss him terribly, but this was no way for him to live. He snorted and rolled away, leaving her to stare at the dark, broad form of his back. She moved and caught the flash of another star as it flew across the sky. Then another. Wow, she thought with a gasp. It was a meteor shower. In awe, she watched the bright glows sparkle and streak across her vision. Perhaps it was a sign. Her father had told her that in ancient times, meteor showers were a sign of something bad coming. She swallowed down the rising lump in her throat as she imagined him lying there beside her, relaying the tales. Reaching out to grab a handful of the special herbs her mother had prepared to stop them from accidentally passing through universes in their sleep, Jess bit into the bitter concoction and felt the sweet warmth of it swirl and drop in her throat.

She would make her grandfather pay for killing her father. This sky-lit night wasn’t a warning, she told herself; it was a promise. Even glorious stars could fall. And as her eyes grew heavy and she drifted to sleep, in another faraway Realm, a falling star floated down from the heavens as another child watched.

JESS AWOKE TO THE RUSTLE of boots on the ground next to her. Squinting in the bright desert air, she made out the large, dark shadow of Pete as he moved around, resetting the campfire. Noticing her movements, he turned and looked down, his eyes softening on her form.

Morning. He smiled, reaching down to place another broken log onto the pile in front of them. Sleep well?

Mm, she murmured, rubbing her eyes and sitting up. The bed rolls for her mother and sister lay bare. What’s happening? Do we need to move again?

No, not today. Jess could see the dark shadowing of stubble around his chin and the red streaks of dirt across his cheek from the soil he had been sleeping beside. Today is your birthday. Your mum and sister just went to get you some presents, to make a day of it.

Really? Jess couldn’t believe that she was turning twenty that day. It felt like a lifetime ago she had learned she was from the royal bloodline of Aligheri, and also a Vigor that could move between universes and control the flow of energy in worlds. She smiled.

She sat up, pulling her legs free from the sleeping bag and curling them under her knees. So what did you get me, then? She threw him a cheeky grin, and watched the curl of his lips at the corners.

Now that would be telling, wouldn’t it? He chuckled, giving her a wink.

Her heart constricted. He was the most handsome man she had ever met. With his sea blue eyes and broad shoulders, he was everything she had ever dreamed of in a boyfriend. If only things were different and they could date like normal people.. She let a sigh escape her lips.

What’s up, buttercup? He reached down and smoothed a stray hair from her face. You feeling old?

No. She nibbled on her lips and wrapped her arms around her knees. Do you ever wish that you were just a normal person? You know? Going on dates, getting a job, having kids and stuff.

His eyebrow arched. Kids, huh? A warmth flooded her cheeks.

Well, you know what I mean. She kicked a foot forward, knocking some dirt into the edge of the fire pit. Maybe not right now, but like, sometime, I think I would like kids.

He reached out his hands for her own and then pulled her up and into the hard width of his chest. The smoky musk of him made her want to snuggle closer as she stared into his eyes and felt the familiar tug of yearning uncoil in her belly.

With you, I would want a million kids, he purred, the low gravel in his voice enticing her lips to brush against his own.

Morning, love. Her mother’s voice broke through the haze of growing heat between the two lovers, and they pulled apart.

Morning, Mum. Jess gave Pete a small smile before she dropped down next to the fire and began rearranging the wood.

Happy birthday! Tracey emerged from some bushes and rushed over to wrap her arms around her neck, giving her a tight squeeze.

Steady on, Trace! Jess gurgled as she tried to untangle herself.

But it’s your birthday! You should be excited.

Jess smiled at her. You’re just excited because this year you turn eighteen and you get to jump around between worlds yourself.

Maybe. Tracey gave her a wink, her blue eyes sparkling. But that’s not the only reason this year’s important. Isn’t this the year you are going to take me to meet the mer-people? You said that when we were both of age to go, that you would show me some places you visited. And I love fish...

Did you seriously say that? Pete arched an eyebrow at Jess. She could feel the blush rising in her cheeks.

Guards had chased her all day. I needed to give her something positive to focus on as a distraction.

Her mother’s tongue clicked in her cheek. You could have promised her a holiday in Bali or something.

No! Tracey gave a beaming smile and crossed her arms over her chest. She promised me a world jump this year, and I want to see some fish-people.

Mer-people. Jess sighed. And yes, I promised. But it’s still a few months until your birthday, so you are going to have to wait.

Fine. Tracey smiled in triumph.

Jess. Pete pulled her aside, his lips tight. You shouldn’t promise her things you can’t deliver. You have barely figured out how to travel through yourself, yet alone how to take someone with you. And if I recall, your first encounter with the mer-people wasn’t exactly a friendly one.

What? Jess shrugged. They didn’t hurt me. They just told me off for trying to get some fish for breakfast. Now I know better, I’m sure that we will get along just fine.

Uh huh. Pete gave her a lopsided grin. You tell yourself that.

So let’s get on with the presents! Tracey was bubbly and bright as she nipped over to the far side of the camp and drew paper-wrapped objects from within in her bag. Mine first!

Steady on, Trace. Her mother smiled. We haven’t even had our breakfast yet.

But I just know that she is going to love my gift. I spent ages making it.

Being a drifter meant they didn’t have a lot of money, and the gifts they got for each other were normally handmade. But Tracey was a talented artist, and Jess was excited to see what she had produced.

As the red glow of the morning extended along the horizon, the happy pack of campers bustled together some breakfast on the fire, and Jess settled in to open the bright-coloured papers that enclosed her gifts. Tracey was right: Jess had loved her gift the most. A beautiful hand-painted shell necklace with small interwoven beads now lay around Jess’s throat, the delicate handiwork a showcase of her sister’s talent. Pete had modified her father’s blade, using a careful blend of leather and wood, to make the handle easier and more comfortable to hold. And her mother had given her a fresh pair of boots, carefully moulded from kangaroo skins. They wrapped around her feet and made her feel as if she was walking on soft pillows. Sighing, she took a sip of the hot chocolate they had brewed for her.

Thanks for the fabulous gifts, she said, easing back into the comfortable moss-covered log they used as a chair. It’s already been a great day.

I have one more gift for you, love. Her mother reached down into her pocket and pulled out a small, round coin-shaped object, which she pressed into her hand. I know that running from your grandfather for this long has been tough on you, and on Pete. And I also know that you would love to learn a little more about your history and where we are from. So I have arranged a trip for you both today. A secret one. A chance for you both to get away and leave your worries behind for a bit.

Pete’s eyes narrowed as he looked down at the glittering object in Jess’s palm.

Is that a Court coin? He gasped.

Yes. Jess’s mother swallowed hard, her eyes not moving from her daughter’s. I know that your father, rest his soul, would have wanted you to have this.

Jess turned the coin over in her fingers, feeling its weight and cool touch. It sparkled and shone in the bright morning air.

Today, an old and very trusted friend of mine is coming to get you. She will take you back to the Court to celebrate the Solstice Day. It’s a day of great significance in our world. During this ceremony, people dress up as wild and colourful re-enactments of places and worlds they have visited, as an homage to them. It’s the only day I could think of that you could sneak the both of you into the Court undetected and meet with other ancestors and friends of ours safely. People will ignore Pete’s darkness and your light, assuming that it is clever costuming for the festival. It’s the one time of year that you can finally explore your heritage. And your grandfather would never expect you to visit the Courts. He is far too consumed with trying to hunt you down here. It’s safer than us moving camp for the night.

Are you joking? Pete’s eyes hardened and two bright patches of red circled his cheeks. You want to send Jess into the middle of the snake pit for a...what? Holiday?

Her mother’s mouth twitched. No. She folded