Let It Bleed: Atonia, #1

By Jennifer Oneal Gunn

Once upon a time, in an alternate reality, a world was broken by natural disasters. There was something magically trapped in the bowels of the earth that was released when the seal was broken. A creature of magical rage waiting to change the world and rule forever. Atonia destroyed the landscape and most of the remaining humans in its world.

One day, this entity of hellacious proportion spied a sliver of light, jagged as glass and bright as white light, in the middle of its hellscape. Upon further inspection, Atonia commanded its servant to go explore and do the damage it couldn't fully do in the other world.

Enter Montague Redgrave. Servant of the most evil thing imaginable in the world as Monty knew it. Monty was about to learn about what Atonia could really do and he was going to help.

In the new world, Monty meets opposition. He sees magic he never knew existed. Pink lightning? Red-eyed demons? What kind of insane world was this?

The Loughlins and the Darrow/O'Connell clans were a family of famous magical people in this world. They used their gifts in the past to either lay ghosts to rest or eradicate demons. Now, Jake was leading his family on a mission and Monty was their target because he came and broke their world.

Will Jake and Holly, with the help of their family, win against this otherworldly intruder?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jennifer Oneal Gunn
• Release date: May 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223581703

Jennifer Oneal Gunn

Jennifer Oneal Gunn Was Born January 2, 1979 In Carthage, Missouri, To Parents Who Would End Up The Parents Of Three Children. At An Early Age, She Started Learning And Knowing Her Imagination. It Was Evident, There Was Always Something Inside Her, Waiting To Get Out. Today, A Single Mother Of Two, Jennifer Writes In A Plethora Of Different Genres; From Nightmare-Inducing Horror To Feminine Poetry. She's Studied The Art Of Writing Since She Was Fourteen. She Also Uses Her Passion For Reading In Her Career As A Freelance Editor, Formatter, And Cover Art Designer. Recently, Jennifer Has Also Given Way To Her Artistic Side. She Illustrates Children’s Books Sometimes, Too. Her Titles Include Mystik Legends, Devil's In The Details- Reboot, Fire, Ice & Blood-The Story Of Jake And Holly Book 1(Revenging The Evil Series), The Heart Of A Woman (Poetry), Squishy Face And The Moon (Children’s) And Some Free Reads On Her Website.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

††††

ATONIA

2016

––––––––

A red-eyed crow stood on the top flank of the roof of the dark tower. In his line of vision, he saw a glittering, glowing light cut into the air above the sand. The howling furnace winds stop. The invisible entity that is Atonia is silent with curiosity. A cool breeze erupts from this crack in the world. Maniacal laughter filled the hot air. Montague Redgrave stared at the black wall of the tall, hidden tower he lived in. The wind outside—hotter than any furnace he knew—howled through the sandy landscape, almost screaming with rage. Sand hit the sides of the black stone tower and fell to the ground outside, tiny pieces of glass.

Atonia—known to many as Hell or No Man’s Land—was a world fit for no one to live, yet some had survived the doomsday scenario that befell the land four years earlier. This was a land flung into the past by some unseen powerful entity, also named Atonia. A curse of the ancients brought out of its sealed away place in the northern part of what used to be the United States of America. It didn’t take long for Atonia to use its power to claim the world for its own. A wasted land full of sinkholes, sandstorms, and ruins of former societies. No governments, no oceans, no greenery and laughter in the park in summer anymore. Only blistering sunlight and sand with dead things interspersed among piles of sand-filled debris remained. The old world was gone and with it, went all things one used to know about the world.

The old magic had returned. Things long lost came alive in those few people who were left alive. Atonia chose Monty to imbue with power because he was an ancestor of one of the four sky clans in existence since the earth was formed millions of years ago. He had his own clairvoyant nature that went with a few other not so nice abilities. Atonia gave him the tools to be a killer at its will. He also had a dragon that came back to life after being sealed away in a statue for a few centuries. The dragon helped him kill people because she was bonded to him. She had no choice.

Outside his hidden dark tower was a village of dunes where the people who served him and Atonia lived. He gathered them and made them his servants. When they disobeyed, they died. He also paid a price when they disobeyed him. Atonia didn’t like losing control of its unwilling subjects. It would invade Monty’s mind and hurt him, smashing his brain a little at a time, causing extreme agony. This little trick kept him in line.

One day, Monty—a slim young man with dark hair hanging in his cat eyes—stood by the long narrow window in the dark tower facing dunes made of sand, staring at the tops of the sand huts as the blistering sun wavered through the desert.

Monty narrowed those strange eyes as the middle of his skull felt like it was splitting. His master’s voice pounded in his brain. He clutched at the long, dark mess of hair on his head with agony.

Montague Redgrave! I have a special mission for you, the voice of Atonia hissed. I will open a rift in the veil between this world and another. You will go into this other world and kill them all. I will give you the skills you will need when you need them.

Do I have to? Monty whined from the pain in his head.

Yes! Atonia hissed louder. You must learn to obey my every command without fail!

Monty shuddered with pain and sighed as a single tear fell down his cheek. He narrowed his eyes. I won’t fail you, master.

You will pay if you do. Atonia paused, then continued speaking, echoing. I will summon you when the rift is open and it’s time to start your mission. Until then, stay.

The awful hissing voice faded from Monty’s mind as he sneered, watching the scorching breeze blow sand off the tops of the hut houses in the distance.

†††

A Few Days Later

It’s time! the voice shouted in Monty’s head, nearly shattering his skull suddenly.

He screamed and held onto the sides of his head with his hands, slumped over his desk in agony.

It’s time. Get moving. Right now! Atonia hissed.

I’m going. I’m going. Jesus fucking Christ! Monty screamed as he ran out the door and down the stairs of the tower.

Atonia tweaked his skull a bit and Monty nearly fell down the stairs as he was blinded by the pain.

I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scream at you, master. Please. Please have mercy!

Atonia relented. Go straight into the dunes. The rift is shimmering and light. You’ll see it easily. Just walk through it. The rest will come to you when you get where you’re going. One more thing. Time moves quicker over there, so don’t dillydally with what you perceive to be the future. It isn’t. That realm isn’t the same exactly, just parallel.

Yes, master. Monty walked out of the tower and turned toward the dune houses. He walked until he saw the simmering light and the opening in the middle. He tilted his head, looking at it. Damn. That is freaky...

Monty walked up to the rift, sighed and walked through, disappearing.

†††

CALIFORNIA

2020

Montague Redgrave walked along the lonely road at sunrise. He narrowed his yellow cat eyes and saw the ocean ebbing on the horizon, smelling the salty air. Palm trees blew on the light breeze.

This wasn’t where he came from, but it looked like his world he once knew. Before the earthquake that set Atonia free, his world was green too.

He walked along the lonely road once again—his footprints scorching asphalt—toward Death Valley, where he had come out of Hell to start the journey of misery that lie ahead. Time for thinking had passed. It was time for doing. The monster inside his head said so, as it always did.

This strange place, nearly identical to the old version of his home world, wouldn’t see it coming and he would kill billions because Atonia willed it.

This thing must be a jealous world destroyer to even worry about any other world than ours.

I can, so I will, boy! Go now! Before I destroy you too! Atonia shouted in Monty’s head.

Okay. Okay. I’m on my way, Master. Monty held his head as he trudged closer to Death Valley.

Once he arrived where he started, he walked forward and shadows emitted from his feet, falling and crawling slowly. Soon, they spread outward, covering the ground in all directions before him. Monty felt Atonia’s power as the shadows spread wider and wider. Sinister. Rage.

A few moments later, Monty heard screaming and metal grating metal as cars smashed into each other. He smiled to himself.

It has begun.

†††

Death Valley, CA

Simmering light moved in the desert as Monty walked barefoot in the sand. A dark shadow passed over the road at high noon, crawling, spreading itself wide, slowly engulfing the world; plunging it into darkness. He walked from desert to cityscape, releasing more shadows, filling up the day, quickly turning day into night. He looked up into the sky. As clocks on walls chimed 12:00 PM, death approached, spreading its spindly fingers wide, touching them all.

An old newspaper hit Monty on the foot gently as he walked through a deserted alleyway through a Southern California town in the middle of the day. The sun beat down on his black curls as he walked. He kneeled down and picked up the paper, reading the date. A slight shock ran through him.

The year 2020? Curious... he said aloud to no one. He looked around with his cat eyes. It looked like his world used to look before Atonia. There were buildings and people. Less dangerous. Not for long, kiddies. I came to deliver you into the hands of evil...

Keep walking, idiot! Atonia said in Monty’s mind.

Yes, master. Monty breathed heavily and walked on, bringing with him a swift end to anyone within miles. Death was spread with every step he took.

1

––––––––

JOPLIN, MISSOURI

A Subdivision

––––––––

The roses planted along the inside of the white picket fence were brown and dead from the hot summer. All the leaves were gone and the stalks were thorny and dry. The grass was burned yellow in the small dooryard. The little cottage was neatly kept but the summer heat had dried out the ground in parts of the entire town, not just Rosa Lopez’s yard. Rosa’s white house with blue shutters—as cute as it was—seemed strangely barren among the other houses in her particular neighborhood. The grass in the yard next to hers was green and thriving. She didn’t have the money to water the yard after dark like others around her. All her money went to expenses so she couldn’t hire someone to keep the yard up too. She was an immigrant who came to the US alone and worked late shifts as a nurse at the hospital. By the time Rosa got home at night, she was exhausted.

After five years in the neighborhood, Rosa knew most of her neighbors and liked them. She made friends easily enough and had a few ladies she would have a drink with once in a while after they all got off work at night.

The house next to her had been vacant until that summer. A man moved in one day and while she was sleeping on her day off, she awoke to horrible noises coming from the house. She hadn’t seen the man carrying any construction materials to the house but she was asleep or gone most of the time. After hearing the banging and other miscellaneous racket for a week, Rosa got up the nerve to go over and speak with the new neighbor. She fastened her robe around her body and tied her hair up out of her face, then swung the front door to her house open, walking out onto the sidewalk, looking up at the sun. She shielded her eyes as she walked to the other house and up to the door to ring the bell.

A tall, handsome man answered. Hello?

Hola. My name is Rosa. I’m your neighbor. She pointed to her house. I came to ask if you could please keep it down over here. I work from the middle of the day into the evening and I sleep during the day on my days off. I work twelve-hour shifts, so if you would please—

I’m so sorry. My name is Travis, by the way. Travis Birch. I just moved in this last weekend. You must have been working.

I was. It was a busy weekend, Rosa said.

What do you do? Travis asked.

I’m an ER nurse, Rosa said, smiling lightly.

Interesting. Travis smiled. He stuck out his hand to shake hers. I’m new to this area and haven’t met many people yet.

Rosa shook his hand. Nice to meet you.

How long have you lived here? Travis asked.

Five years. I came from Mexico. A lot more opportunities here than back home. Rosa smiled. I came here and fell in love with the area. Not too big, not too small. Pleasant area.

I agree. There are nice shade trees. It’s hot as hell today, though. I could do without that. Travis laughed.

Yes. Summer here does remind me a lot of home. Like a fiery furnace with the door open. Rosa laughed, squinting her eyes against the sun. Well, I’m sweating so I’m going to go ahead and go now. Have a nice day, Travis. It was nice to meet you.

It was nice to meet you too, Rosa. And I will try to keep it down from now on, Travis said as he was about to turn back into the house.

Gracias. Rosa nodded and turned to walk away.

Travis nodded back at her and ducked back into the house, breathing in the manufactured cool air.

†††

Travis turned in the foyer and returned to the kitchen, where he was eating dinner. It was now cold. He frowned at the plate and scraped it down the garbage disposal. He turned on the water and the machine for a moment.

Damn it. She’s going to find out about us if I don’t do something to stop you. Isn’t she? Travis said.

It’s likely.

He shook his head like he was trying to dislodge something from his brain. You can’t-you can’t just keep talking...I can’t...I can’t...

I have an idea. Why don’t we just kill her and be done with it?

We can’t! Travis whined. "We can’t!"

Then perhaps we do other stuff with her... the voice inside Travis’s head laughed. She is pretty cute. Completely our type.

Just stop it. Shut the hell up right this minute. I’m not doing anything! Travis bellowed.

We’ll see. The voice laughed maniacally.

In his mind’s eye, Travis saw the photo album he kept of photos and stats—his trophies taken from victims of the past. A dizzying calm swept over him as he saw their faces—each one—eyes closed, displayed as if sleeping before him. He pictured Rosa ‘sleeping’ with her hair splayed on the pillow and her eyes shut forever. A slow smile crept its way onto his face.

†††

Rosa walked back into her house and closed the door. She walked to the window nearest Travis’s house and looked out. She saw his shadow and smiled, then turned into the living room and up the stairs to her bedroom. She flicked on the light and found her pajamas. She sighed as she was changing out of her scrubs and into the soft cotton gown.

Rosa grabbed the book off the table beside the bed and opened it to the last page she was reading. She started—like she always does—at the beginning of the page so she can remember where she left off. She bit her lip when she reached the bottom of the page and a juicy scene in the ‘bodice ripper’ romance novel.

Rosa glanced at the clock and it read 12 PM. She set the book on the table again and turned out the light, then turned over in her bed. Only about five hours left to sleep, she thought. She closed her eyes and waited. The next thing she knew, the alarm was going off and the crickets of nightfall were chirping, waking Rosa. She rose off the bed and stretched, then went into the bathroom.

When she came out again, Rosa was clean, dressed, and ready for the evening. She smiled when she pulled the car out of the driveway and drove off.

†††

Travis awoke with a pounding headache and a fuzzy memory. One thing he remembered was going out after ten last night. He kept sticking out his tongue, which felt like fuzzy leather. He rolled out of his bed, still wearing the jeans and t-shirt