The Sciell (Book 1 of the Merging Worlds Series

By Auden Johnson

An energy that grants certain people special abilities. They mold darkness and shadow into weapons, barriers, nearly anything they could imagine.

Shade Harrellite and Vayle Slaughter live in a hidden village for darkness beings. Life isn’t great but their sibling bond is their light. They need that bond when villagers begin acting violent. Residents are sneaking into human cities and returning with fresh flesh. Someone behind the scenes is changing Raesul and letting these new monsters loose on the world.

As their village falls apart, Shade and Vayle unravel the twisted truths behind their pasts and powers. Maybe Raesul’s destruction will show them their true selves. Darkness is changing. The world will suffer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Auden Johnson
• Release date: Jun 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215528242

Auden Johnson

As a kid, Auden created her own books by folding several construction papers in half and stapling them down the middle, adding her own illustrations. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get away from writing. She holds a B.A. in English, an M.S. in Library and Information Science, an M.S. in Publishing Digital and Print and she studied Creative Writing in England. She is an Author and Social Media Consultant for Aubey LLC and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. She’s written several short stories and novellas as well as two novels in her Merging Worlds Series. Look out for Book 3 of the Merging Worlds series coming soon. She’s also written a world building guide. Find her books at aubeyllc.com

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Copyright © 2023 by Auden Johnson

Previously published in 2014

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

This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Aubey LLC.

Designed by Auden Johnson

Manufactured in the United States of America

Aubey LLC

P.O. Box 31011

Washington, DC 20030

An energy that grants certain people special abilities. They mold darkness and shadow into weapons, barriers, nearly anything they could imagine.

Shade Harrellite and Vayle Slaughter live in a hidden village for darkness beings. Life isn’t great but their sibling bond is their light. They need that bond when villagers begin acting violent. Residents are sneaking into human cities and returning with fresh flesh. Someone behind the scenes is changing Raesul and letting these new monsters loose on the world.

As their village falls apart, Shade and Vayle unravel the twisted truths behind their pasts and powers. Maybe Raesul’s destruction will show them their true selves. Darkness is changing. The world will suffer.

The hunger became a living thing. Its skin of needles stabbed her stomach, her chest. It climbed up her throat and threw itself around her head, screaming for satisfaction. It didn’t care about rules or what her race thought was unbecoming. The hunger took over. Shade Harrellite let it.

Her side vision helped her dodge humans, mailboxes and street lamps. The moon over De’Ray was full tonight. She couldn’t feel it. Shade had gotten used to the hole it left. She slipped away from the main road and settled in the middle of a dark, narrow street. She leaned against the brick wall with her eyes closed, reveling in the Bria around. It was nearly dead to her.

For years, Shade had been rejecting her power to maintain a form she hated. She felt its pain at first, but was cold to it. The hurt turned to anger and, now, disdain. Beneath all that, love still existed.  

The wind blew cologne into her nose. The sound of sharp and determined heels followed soon after. She opened her eyes to the moon, then directed them to the streets on either side. No one passed her for more than ten minutes. No one noticed her.

It was safe.  

Shade willed her sleeping power to reach into Darkness’ body to find the Bria it possessed. She didn’t feel anything. Her head pounded. Ample power existed in both physical and mental Darkness. She needed to feel it.

Shade rocked her neck from side to side. The crack released her irritation. This human form was useless.  

She moved into the moon’s immense arms. It took pity on her lost soul. Its touch awakened her Lifeblood. Her revived power reached through the Darkness and drew out the Energy, the Bria. Her head stopped pounding. Humans— their rules, their food, their lives— were knives sawing into her neck.

A tingle started at her head and stimulated the rest of her body. She moved into the shadows. Lifeblood embraced her insides with delicious arms.

The moan refused to submit to her will. She suppressed a shiver as her power’s benign fingers coaxed her organs, muscles and bones into transformation. It weaved its body into her skin. Shade bit her tongue. It didn’t stop the whimper.

The now active Lifeblood forced her hair out of its solid form into thousands of long, wild, black shadow strings. She knew the gray of her eyes became wispy black clouds.

Urine battered her now sensitive nose. Shade smelled everything in the waste container nearby. The scent of rotten milk, moldy boxes and the dozens of humans the items once belonged to blinded her. Thousands of sounds assaulted her ears at once.   

Shade regained enough control to block out horns from the domestic convys, the sound of these vehicles’ wheels riding over the pavement and humans’ mundane conversations. The street tram’s screeching breaks nearly killed her.

She inhaled light’s death and closed her eyes to hone her overactive senses.  

Now came the hardest part. 

She commanded her Lifeblood to extract more Bria from the Darkness.

She needed to drown her human side, if only for a moment.

The Energy and the moon’s arms entwined. They mated within and produced a power that burst and became her. It flowed through skin and organs. Giving her flesh to the Darkness, her body collapsed into a sceadu- a form that could taste the night. She would’ve stayed in the musty deserted street to burrow in the rush of relief and strength from her released form and her ability to hear, smell and see everything if her stomach hadn’t given her an enraged jolt.

She released a small measure of Bria to become a little solid. Shade wanted the prey to sense her presence. She wanted to smell its fear, wanted to see the look on its face when it knew someone or something followed it, ready to attack.

The passing human’s casual strut turned into a stiffened walk.

The arms remained close to the body as if afraid they’d be severed if they strayed too far. The head was upright, the eyes wide and darting towards dark corners.

Its pace quickened. Shade returned to the shadows.

Those secrets residing in everyone’s hearts and minds held magnificent Energy. Humans were too inept to see it as anything but evil.

All Darkness produced a boundless supply of power. Shade felt this Bria and extract it. The human mind wasn’t the only source. Shade grabbed hold of it anyway. Seeing images of others’ Darkness was nothing compared to what humans were going through, now that Shade had pulled to the surface what they had suppressed. Mental Darkness opened its power to her in exchange for the strength to wreak havoc on its wardens.

Shade no longer had physical features, but she saw, heard and smelled as though she did. Her insides whined. Her skin of Darkness tightened. Shade ignored her body’s protests. Her vision sharpened as her meal moved farther away. She wouldn’t let it go. Nothing mattered now. Her nose tracked it. She’d wait until it believed it was out of danger.

A Del’Praeli sceadued to her like a berated puppy. When he became flesh, he stood over her like a weary parent.

Hello Shade, Vayle said.

Shade commanded her Lifeblood to expel enough Bria to become like Vayle, but even this form was difficult to hold. Like all Del’Praeli, except her, Vayle Slaughter could pass for human naturally.

Large eyes and an oval-shaped face were set against fair, golden skin. Vayle was skinny despite his sometimes frightening strength. His pale blue hair was loose, spilling over his shoulders, nearly hiding his face. Shade had known him since she was seven. She never saw him wear his hair any other way.

What do you want? Each word pulled with it a chunk of her breath.

Your body isn’t equipped to hold the full Del’Praeli. You will exhaust your Lifeblood.

How she wanted to care. The hunger was more important.

Iniquity will punish you if they find out, Vayle continued.

I don’t care.

Hunger brutalized her stomach. That, combined with the torment of her unnatural form, made the world swim.

I don’t want you to get hurt. If you want something to eat, I’ll take you home.

No, I need it now.

Vayle’s bright green eyes roamed her body.

The street blurred then sharpened. It spun at a nauseating speed before becoming blackness. Shade’s vision cleared. The street flipped again.

She needed to resume the hunt.

The prey didn’t smell like other humans. It had a sharp tinge to it. She knew this smell. Didn’t matter. It was still food.

Why are you here? she asked.

I see you’re determined to continue sitting in this particular pool of stupid. Vayle’s defeated voice sliced through her hunger.

Why was he here? Vayle smelled like her apartment. No wonder he was a special kind of angry. Every year, on the same day, Vayle took her home to meet with Iniquity. Shade had left her packed apartment not two hours ago and forgot about it.

Do we have to go now?

No, you can finish here. His voice was calm.

Shade couldn’t fight the elated feeling. He’d given her permission to hunt. Those eyes no longer looked at her as if she disgusted him.

She glanced at the moon.

I missed you, Shade.

Vayle’s scent vanished. He could hide his scent when he sceadued, something she’d never accomplish.

Shade told her Lifeblood to draw in more Bria. It’s cry broke her heart. Shade needed the power. The Lifeblood obeyed her. She gave her flesh to Darkness and resumed her hunt.

Feeling the moon and the power waltz within, tracking the sweet aroma of her food, Shade reveled in every minute of it. She slid along corners far from the reach of street lamps. She glided across brick walls, only detaching when light blocked her path.

Her prey sat alone at the Waterfront.

The cluster of trees permitted only a little moonlight to shine through. The usual crowded pathway overlooking the water was now populated by rodents in search of food. The murky river allowed the imagination to wonder what creatures could survive under that water.

Her meal’s shadow spilled onto the walkway. It sat on a bench, playing with its hair. Shade released a measure of Energy. She took on the form of a full Del’Praeli— human only in appearance— and stayed behind a large tree, where she had a view of its back.

The prey watched the City of Carice on the other side of the river. Shade didn’t glance at the structures. The sight would distract her. The scent of other humans was far enough away. They wouldn’t hear it if it had time to scream.

Her nose itched with the smell of the prey’s Darkness. Its heart held a big, and probably damaging, secret.

Shade crept from her hiding place. The wind blew. Something was wrong. She moved around the trees’ roots. The bark cut into her right hand. Shade’s stomach rolled.

Her blood smelled like a half-breed.

Damn. She couldn’t feast on this thing. Creatures like this one had a malicious odor, a scent other humans didn’t notice. Shade had been too distracted by her transformation to notice. But, this one’s scent wasn’t as strong.

Hundreds of these creatures lived the De’Ray area.

They didn’t seem to know they weren’t human. These things recognized others with the same smell. Their postures eased as though the scent of their kin made their muscles relax. As soon as they passed each other, they regained their natural gait.

She had studied them. She still didn’t know what they were. A human scent was beneath an odor that made her weakened Del’Praeli side squirm. Maybe they were like her— part human, part something else.

Vayle peered over her shoulder. Shade’s skin squirmed at his closeness.

What do you want? she demanded.

He could’ve at least announced his presence.

I was going to try again at stopping you. Its scent is a little off-putting, isn’t it?

Compared to the garbage I had to suffer through, this female smells wonderful.

The hunger reared on its hind legs and kicked Shade’s gut. The world turned into distorted shapes and colors.

Why would you do this to me? Vayle’s sigh was hollowed and drawn out.

Vayle walked to the former prey. He wore a small travel bag. Where had he gotten it?

His footsteps were heavy. He came around the bench and tapped its shoulder.

Shade couldn’t force her Lifeblood any longer. She was a half-breed again. She couldn’t concentrate in her weakened state to hear what Vayle and the former-prey were talking about.

Her Del’Praeli side attacked her human half for dominance.

Shade heard and felt the clawing and gnashing of teeth. Her human side enjoyed its reign and didn’t want it to end. She was far too used to this and had learned to see the world outside the pain.

The human slid down the bench and patted it. Vayle, smiling, accepted the invitation. He slipped his arm around the human and ran his finger up and down its coated arm.

Shade didn’t need her eyes to know where his other hand disappeared to.

Her stomach tried to claw out of her throat. Shade turned away. Vayle was about to do something he despised because she was starving. She needed to stop him.

The wind brought a low moan. She needed to eat.

Silence, then the charming scent of blood. Vayle’s lips parted from the female’s.

The human sagged backwards like a discarded puppet. Vayle would never taint his Lifeblood by using it to kill a human. Shade didn’t want to know what other power he used to end the human’s life.

He beckoned her to join him. Shade didn’t move. The elegant smell of its blood couldn’t remove the memory of its kin’s scent.

Vayle opened its neck with a pocketknife he’d probably liberated from another human. More blood spilled. It smelled luscious. Vayle draped it over his shoulder and walked to her, placing it at her feet.

Shade licked her lips then dipped her finger into its blood. She put it to her nose then her mouth.

Damn.

It became her blood. Shade closed her eyes and savored. Vayle kneeled on the grass and dug his sharp teeth into the arm. The sight of him pulling off the flesh aroused the monster inside. Shade followed, no longer worried about the smell.

It had been so long.

She broke off one of its fingers and peeled the skin to relish the moment. Shade smiled and feasted on the rest of the fingers. Vayle spit the piece of flesh from his mouth and leaned on the nearby tree. Shade recognized the mixture of disgust and deep sadness on his face. She couldn’t bring herself to care. Hunger was a fierce monster. Vayle never took his now silver eyes off her.

The moon smiled. Shade stretched her hand and willed it to reach out. She felt Vayle shift and shove a package in her direction.

It was a small box covered in dark paper. Shade turned the package. He never gave her gifts without a reason.

She ripped off the paper, revealing a book.

On the cover was the same winged symbol marking her back. She’d always wondered what it meant.

Vayle smiled. Shade traced the symbol.

The small book was heavy. Shade opened it. Her keen, out of practice, eyes saw everything and therefore nothing. No matter how she moved, she ended up seeing everything around her and insignificant details about the paper, everything but the tiny print. She put the book in her coat pocket.

The wind blew, throwing the smell of blood into her face. It was too much to ignore. Shade unzipped its coat. She lifted the light blue pull-over and dug her teeth into the female’s stomach.

It was so good. Too good to waste. Shade’s sharpened teeth and nails worked together to remove flesh. The bones were clean sooner than she would’ve liked. She searched the scattered remains hoping to find a little meat. Sadly, there wasn’t any. Her stomach cooed as it turned over the satiating contents.

Logic reached down and agitated her full stomach. Contentment turned to nausea. She held her breath to keep her food from revolting. Iniquity hadn’t wanted her to live with humans for this reason.

Vayle’s cold, wet hand gripped her chin and pulled her face into the light. Shade tried not to cringe. She couldn’t look into those eyes. He said nothing as he turned her head.

Why would you do this to me?

She was in trouble. They couldn’t do a thing about it.

With one hand resting on his thigh, Vayle leaned toward her, shook his coat sleeve over his hand and wiped her face.

Shade picked up one of the black bones lying near Vayle’s leg and sniffed it. She jumped. Vayle poked her eye with his sleeve. The contemptible smell seeping from those creatures came from their bones.

It had to have been soaked in every noxious, sordid material known to man and beast to create a smell so repugnant even the grass crawled from it. Shade dropped the bone and wiped her hand on her pants. Why couldn’t humans smell this? The black bones rotted as though years passed. They became ash- infecting the area, devouring the grass and blood. What kind of creature was this?

The buildings across the river looked more like children’s toys than actual structures made of steel. They always soothed her. An irritatingly uncontrollable feeling of sadness tangled with other foul sentimental emotions. De’Ray had been enjoyable for a human city. She’d miss it. The vastness never made her feel alone.

Vayle grabbed her hands to wipe the blood off with his other dry sleeve. She slid them from his grip. He hadn’t cleaned his face.

He rose, stretched, then turned and leaned his neck from one side to the other. He strolled to the edge of the walkway and climbed over the rail. More humans caught her nose. Shade scanned the area, but only their scent touched her senses. This smell was strange. It was something she’d never met. The humans weren’t too far away. She could sneak over and find out what they were doing. Vayle called her name. She knew that tone.

The tall structure in the distance held a shopping complex and a host of offices. It wanted to sleep. The lights from people too attached to their jobs stopped its search for tranquility. Darkness wanted to give the building its desire. Shade wished her eyes could travel the distance and penetrate steel and glass to destroy those lights and the idiots hindering the Darkness.

Three men and two women moved near her. Shade hid behind the city’s sad excuse for nature in this industrial area.

Clouds of white smoke poured from the humans’ mouths. This smell was unlike any tobacco she was familiar with.

Vayle called her name again. Irritation strained his usually calming voice.

Shade rose and wiped the butt of her pants, then walked to the rail and climbed over. The humans’ senses wouldn’t detect them.

Vayle was crouched on a large rock on the other side. He cupped his hands, filled them with water and scrubbed the blood from his face. The water’s stench would destroy the unwanted smell of flesh and blood. Shade crouched on the rock beside him and washed her hands. She leaned her knee against Vayle’s for balance. He grabbed the back of her coat, helping her balance.

Shade would be happy when her Del’Praeli and human side stopped fighting.

Vayle shifted to one side and pulled the knife out of his pocket. He cleaned the blade off on his pants then dropped the knife into the water. As he watched it sink, he let a terrifying grin turn his face hysterical with glee. Shade slid out of his hand. The grin vanished as soon as the knife did. She got the point and didn’t care for his way of making it.

He grabbed the back of her coat. Shade leapt away, almost falling into the water.

I get it, all right.

He didn’t say anything. The subject dropped.

Vayle grabbed her hands between the ends of his sleeve and rubbed. Shade snatched them away before he could finish drying them.

He removed the travel bag from his back and placed it in front of him. Opening it, Vayle pulled out a pair of pants and a shirt.

Change your clothes. You’re covered in blood. Don’t stand in the light, the humans will see you.

He pulled out a button-up. One of his shirts.

They changed in silence.

Come on, little Sie, we have to go. Vayle walked to the rail.

Sounds and smells thrashed into Shade’s head.

She tried to shake away the headache. It only made it worse.

She shot to her feet. The world spun. Vayle placed his hand on her back and led her across the rocks. He climbed over the rail then reached back to help her. Shade slapped away his offer. She stepped forward. Her foot didn’t land where she wanted it to. Her body moved backwards. Vayle slapped his hand around her wrist, pulling her upright. Annoyance creasing his face. He hauled her over the rail.

...

Shade’s Lifeblood gathered enough Bria to turn her hair and eyes solid so she could walk the streets in her human form. She couldn’t sceadu. Vayle wasn’t feeling kindly enough toward her to lend her his power. Fortunately, he had little say in the matter. Her Lifeblood would recover faster if he willingly fed it.

Darkness wanted De’Ray even if it was for a couple of hours, but humans were afraid of corners they couldn’t see. Darkness wasn’t evil— those who used it without considering its feelings were.

Have the humans been treating you well? Vayle asked.

They treat me no better, no worse.

Why, then, do you keep returning?

Shade stuffed her hands in her pockets and traced the engraved symbol on the book.

I don’t understand you, Little Sie. Why do you wish to live with them? They’re vermin. They know nothing about loyalty or friendship.

How is that different from Raesul?

Vayle stopped. His face went through a drastic and unpleasant change in expression. Shade stepped away, bumping into someone. The male looked at Vayle and walked away with his head down.

I’m sorry— I didn’t mean it, Shade stammered.

Yes, you did, or you wouldn’t have said it.

You know I didn’t mean it.

Come Shade. He walked away.

Shade followed. Too bad these fancy buildings couldn’t tell her proper things to say to Vayle.

Humans cast shadows in the lit windows.

It all seemed pointless.

The air whispered words she didn’t understand. The Darkness transformed at the word’s encouragement. It became cold and vicious, attacking anyone it reached. It slid into eye sockets, ears, noses and mouths. Shade sensed what was happening. Darkness grabbed the vile things humans did; misdeeds others inflicted on them, and pulled the memories and emotions to the surface.

The wind changed directions. The words were gone. The Darkness she knew returned. She liked the debased version. Humans deserved the torment of reliving the worst days of their lives. The Darkness had reminded them of traits they despised.

The air held a powerful scent that burned her nose. A being with a frightening amount of control over Bria was nearby. It didn’t smell like a Del’Praeli. The creature posed no threat to them. She wouldn’t bother Vayle about it.

He noticed, but didn’t say anything as he led the way to Grandma Sadie Tahylur’s house. Eventually, the busy streets and tall buildings led to quiet immense homes.

...

Grandma’s house was a massive, unnecessary thing. She lived alone and rarely had more than one guest. The empty spaces inside were full of junk. She had a porch, too. Another waste, since she never used it. Vayle knocked on her painted red door.

Hello Sadie, Vayle said as the door opened.

Grandma beamed.

How lovely it is to see you, my dear, she said and stepped back to let them in.

Drop the act. Shade shielded her eyes from the hall light.

Grandma’s smile died.

This young Deltorus Praeli seems used to others treating him like his soul is made of Lifeblood. I thought I should humor him.

Vayle rolled his eyes.

Why did Grandma like to call their race by its full name?. Besides, Del’Praeli sounded less pretentious than Deltorus Praeli.

She gave Shade a quick peck on the cheek, then turned again to Vayle. Grandma was a little taller than him, with poise that denied her age. Her long, brilliant white hair was loose and ran past her shoulders. Shade didn’t resemble Grandma. She assumed the title of granddaughter was to explain her sudden appearance. The only similarity in their features was their brown skin color. Grandma’s had a strange red undertone.

She wore an awful billowing flower print dress, which brightened her already glowing eyes. Shade had never seen any human with eyes as green as hers. They were more vivid than Vayle’s. She didn’t smell human, though.

They just didn’t know what she was. Whenever asked, Grandma circled the question until Shade got annoyed and gave up.

Shade released the clamp holding her in the human form and felt her hair change.

You seem upset, Grandma said to Vayle.

Your darling granddaughter said something stupid to me.

My…something is changing the Darkness in this Territory and Vayle’s upset because Shade said something stupid.

Yes. Vayle folded his arms.

You know Shade can’t control her mouth sometimes.

"She needs to learn before her words get her killed. Why would we care if this Darkness and its