Sacrifice Me: The Complete Season One (47 page)

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Authors: Sarra Cannon

BOOK: Sacrifice Me: The Complete Season One

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“I will. You're one of the strongest witches
I've ever seen,” he said, his lips curling into a half-smile.
“I think you and Harper will be good friends. You two seem to
have a lot in common.”

I could tell just from the way he said her name
that he loved her very much. From all I knew of her, I felt honored
to even be mentioned in the same sentence as her.

He did a quick check of my wounds, changing a
bandage on my back and laying his hands on the spot where the dagger
had cut deepest. A cold chill spread through the wound like ice,
relieving some of the pain.

“Better?” he asked.

“Wow.” I took a deep breath, feeling
an immediate improvement. “Yes, thank you.”

“Good,” he said. “I'll come back
every day to check on you for the next few days. I'm going to let the
others know you're awake. I'm sure Mary Anne is dying to come visit.”

Over the weeks that followed, Rend's once-quiet
and secluded house became a social hub. We had visitors from Venom
and Peachville nearly every day. Azure even came to sit with me from
time to time. I could tell something had changed between her and
Rend. She still ribbed me and joked, but some of the
mean-spiritedness I'd felt from her when we first met was gone now.
As if she'd come to accept our relationship, even if she didn't like
it.

Some of Rend's friends from the Brotherhood
stopped by to see how I was doing. Mostly, though, the vampires came
to see Rend. They never spoke of their fear of the Brotherhood's
punishment around me. I knew Rend didn't want me worrying about it,
but it was always there between us.

The Brotherhood consisted of hundreds, if not
thousands, of vampires across the world. Some had been there at the
Devil's side that night, ready to watch me die. Eventually, the main
council of the Brotherhood of Darkness would hold the eleven vampires
who had fought against the Devil accountable for their actions.

They had killed many of their own kind, including
one of the original founders.

When I asked Rend about Solomon's stone, he told
me Silas had taken it from my mother's body and disappeared. No one
had heard from him since, but he'd been given orders to destroy it.
They were all still waiting for Silas to return and confirm that the
stone had been either hidden or destroyed.

I was anxious for his return for an entirely
different reason.

My whole life, I never dreamed I might have a
sibling. The idea of a half-brother—even a vampire one—excited
me. I had so many questions I wanted to ask him about our father and
about their life in the Shadow World before they came to live here in
mine.

I hoped he would come back before the Brotherhood
made their decision about how to punish those who had stood with
Rend.

And I hoped the Brotherhood would see the truth of
what happened. The justice in it. I couldn't bear it if they
sentenced Rend to death for what he'd done to protect me. Strangely,
Rend didn't seem worried about it. He said, after all we'd survived
so far together, he didn't plan on going anywhere anytime soon.

While Rend met with his fellow vampires, Mary Anne
and I sat together for hours every day talking about what her life
was like before she was sent to Shadowford. She told me stories about
my real mother, Mary Kathryn. Mary Anne remembered her as a very sad,
but beautiful woman who mostly kept to herself. She said Mary Kathryn
had no children of her own, but that her eyes always lit up when a
new baby was born and she'd offer to hold them for hours upon hours,
rocking them in an old rocking chair in the Mother Crow's house.

I prayed she was still alive and that the
invitation she'd sent to me had not gotten her in trouble. Was she
still living with the other crows? Or had she broken free of them
when the coven split up?

There were so many questions still left
unanswered.

In the evenings, Rend never left my side. He held
me close, my head resting against his strong chest. We kissed and
talked late into the night, until I fell asleep in his arms, always
waking up still wrapped in his warmth.

As my body healed, I yearned to make love to him
again, but he refused, saying it was too dangerous. He'd tasted the
power of blood again and until he'd learned to control the thirst
again, he didn't want to put my life in danger.

Sometimes, when the nightmares got to be too much
and I couldn't get back to sleep, I would sneak away and climb up the
stairs to the hall of doorways.

I'd make my way down the long, narrow hallway
until I found the door with the crow's wing etched deep into the
wood. I would run my finger along its outline and wonder what secrets
were hidden behind that door.

What evils.

Someday, I promised myself, when my strength had
returned, I would go through that door. I would find my mother. I
would find out more about who I really was and where I had come from.

And someday, I would face the Mother Crow herself
and make her pay for all she'd stolen from me.

Someday soon.

This is the end of Season 1 of Sacrifice Me

But the story isn’t over!
Season 2 is coming later this year.
Be sure to join my mailing list to get news on all my upcoming releases.
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EMERALD DARKNESS,
the first book in the new Demons series.
Coming soon!

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A Note from Sarra

You made it! You’ve reached the end of Season 1 of Sacrifice Me! When
I started this serial, I had no idea what to expect in terms of reader
reaction, sales, and the process of putting out shorter releases really fast.
You have overwhelmed me with your support of this serial, and I cannot express
to you how much it means that you’ve followed me through this far. Every
review, comment and share has meant the world to me!! Thank you so much!

I am looking forward to writing more of Franki and Rend’s story.
There is SO MUCH more to tell. Make sure you’re signed up for my mailing
list or following me on social media to get up-to-date news on Season Two.

I would really appreciate it if you would take the time to leave an honest
review at the site where you bought this book. Reviews are so important,
especially to indie authors, as they help other readers find the books
they'll enjoy the most.

If you would like to learn more about my upcoming new releases and fun
giveaways, please sign up for my mailing list
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I only send out emails when I have a big announcement or a new release, so
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For more day-to-day connections, please come say hi and follow me on my
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