Blood of the Ancient Gods: The Beginning Read online

  Shakuita Johnson

  Blood of the Ancient Gods

  A Prequel Novel

  By Shakuita Johnson

  Copyright © 2015 by Shakuita Johnson

  eBook Edition, License Notes

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite e-book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  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, locations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior express, written consent of the author.

  **This book is intended for mature audiences only. It is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18.**

  Cover design by: Ethereal Ealain

  Editing by: LJ & CB Creative Images and Services

  Formatting by: Shakuita Johnson

  Published by: Shakuita Johnson

  Synopsis

  A war is brewing…which side will you end up on?

  Prayers are no longer sustaining their life and they’ve been issued a challenge. In an effort to survive, the gods and goddesses of Domus have banned together to create the ultimate hybrids with their blood. Loki has been tasked with finding the perfect three humans to sacrifice, with the help of Eris, to their cause.

  Hecate, Fenrir, and Oberon will be the conduits of power so the human vessels can forever be changed. They will then have their own personal armies of fighters and worshippers to help restore the god powers they’re slowly losing. Once the three distinct hybrid protégés are converted, it’s up to them to give the gift to other humans to build up their species.

  With war on the horizon and not much time before the first battle, the Blood of the Ancient Gods must succeed in producing the ultimate supernatural killers with the ability to properly lead their races. And all before Thanatos and his daughter Psyche figure out what the other gods are planning.

  **NOTE: This is the prequel short story to the beginning of the trilogy Blood of the Ancients Gods, which will consist of Blood of the Sacrificed, Blood of the Forgotten, and Blood of the Stolen**

  Table of Contents

  Introductions

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

  Call To Action

  Acknowledgments

  Other Works by This Author

  About the Author

  Introductions

  Eris - Goddess of Chaos

  Loki - God of Mischief

  Phanes - God of Life

  Hecate - Goddess of Witchcraft

  Fenrir - God of Wolves

  Oberon - God of Dragons

  Thanatos - God of Death

  Erebus - God of Shadow, Mist, and Darkness

  Janus - God of the Future

  Psyche - Goddess of Souls

  Furies - female deities of vengeance

  Mu Ksi Psi - Fraternity

  Psi Zeta Phi - Sorority

  Domus - home to the gods/goddesses

  Sucolupus - vampire/werewolf hybrid

  Nymphacris - elf/fairy hybrid

  Pristis-Incantatrix - witch/dragon hybrid

  Prologue

  THURSDAY

  "It's been decided then?" Loki asked.

  The dark-haired, blue-eyed devil was the God of Mischief and enjoyed his job very well. Loki was always up to this or that but he also had his moments of seriousness. Like now for instance. Changes were afoot and it was all hands on deck.

  "Yes, six supernaturals residing in three different bodies. Two in each body," Eris replied.

  Eris, with her long blonde hair and golden eyes that saw everything, was the Goddess of Chaos and as such got along with Loki without issue. They were always getting into trouble and causing havoc, but lately things had started to slow down. They weren't as powerful as they once were. The gods were old and mostly set in their ways but they were aware of modern speech and utilized it sometimes in conversation.

  "I see. How will it be done?" Loki asked.

  "Everything that's human about them will be stripped away and in its place only the monsters will remain."

  "Have the girls been chosen?"

  "Not yet. That’s where you come in. You will find the three humans best suited for the task."

  "Am I to know what creatures we will be creating? Which ones would be paired together? That way I can find proper candidates the first time."

  "Of course. Come, we must find Hecate, Fenrir, and Oberon. They will be the ones infusing the humans with the powers they deem appropriate."

  Eris and Loki searched Domus, the mythical home for most of the gods, for the three gods that would be performing the rituals on the human vessels. They would have the necessary details that Loki would need to find the perfect humans for the procedure. Picking the wrong ones could prove fatal and waste precious valuable time. Time that they were no longer sure they had left. The gods were weak, they’d likely only be able to preform the ritual once, so it was best things were done right the first time. There probably wouldn't be a second chance to correct any errors. Eris and Loki chatted quietly during their search about day-to-day operations of the remaining gods. Everyone was on edge and had every right to be. Their powers were fading more each day and soon there would be nothing left of them but memories. It was a problem they were desperately trying to avoid. This plan with the human vessels may just be the key. The sooner they found them, the better.

  Hecate looked up from her vanity when Fenrir and Oberon entered her room. Did they not know how to knock? They were the rudest gods she knew.

  "Is there a reason you two have barged into my chambers? I could have been naked for all you knew," Hecate, the Goddess of Witchcraft, demanded.

  "We had an arranged meeting time so why would we knock? You're not making any sense," Fenrir, the God of Wolves, growled.

  Fenrir was always growling, perhaps it was the beast in him and Oberon was no better.

  "Exactly," Oberon, the God of Dragons, huffed. "You should have been waiting expectantly for our arrival."

  "The both of you should be checked for brain injuries," Hecate said.

  She turned back to face her mirror and continued to brush her black hair. The red tips made her hair look as if it were on fire and back in her hay day it served well in scaring the natives. The purple eyes also helped with that particular scheme. Those were certainly the days, back when she was worshiped freely and often. Now, it was a wonder she had the strength to get out of bed in the mornings. Many of the gods had faded because no one prayed to them any longer. It was only the handful of witches that kept her going. It was the same for Fenrir and Oberon. People's obsession with wolves and dragons were the only reason they hadn't faded out as well. Before she could dwell too heavily on these travesties, and her rapidly failing strength, Fenrir's voice broke into her thoughts.

  "So what are
we going to do about our worshipper problems?" Fenrir asked, getting right to the point of the meeting.

  Hecate took in his glowing yellow eyes and gruff but handsome appearance. It was easy to mistake him for one of the wolves he loved so much. Anyone looking at him would be hard pressed not to fall to their knees and submit to his every command. Centuries ago he held the command of legions. Now, only the wolves followed him, but there were no battles to be fought. He was graying every year that his worshippers died. He wasn't as young and vibrant as he once was but he was still just as handsome. It would only take new prayers reaching his ears to bring him back to his old self again.

  "I believe I may have an idea. It will not only supply us with more worshippers but it will help us to defeat those gods who wish harm upon us," Hecate said.

  "Are you to tell us this plan, witch?" Oberon asked.

  Hecate could see the smoke trails streaming from his nose when he spoke. Just like a dragon. He was constantly growling or roaring one thing or another. He was spending too much time in his human form, but it was getting harder and harder to change with all the technological advances of the modern world they now lived in. He could no longer fly high above the skies without notice or care. A few decades ago he'd tried and was nearly shot out of the sky. Now he was some odd mix between a dragon and a man, with his black tipped claws on human hands, and fangs longer than even Fenrir's, his reptilian green eyes sometimes glittered gold on his stunning human face.

  "We will build up an army of supernaturals that will also serve as our worshippers. We can infuse them with the blood of two paranormal beings as well as our own to bond them to us. We will use human vessels to build up our ranks. They will give their gift to others they deem worthy of it by a simple transfer of their blood to the mortal. I will mix the blood of elves and fairies with mine and call my creation the Nymphacris," Hecate stated.

  Hecate watched the faces of Fenrir and Oberon as they thought over what she'd just told them. She could see the wheels turning in their heads and hoped they saw the genius behind her suggestions. It was the only way to guarantee they would have the strength to fight alongside their creations, by also ensuring they were worshipped by those sharing their blood.

  "Interesting concept. I believe I can mix my blood with those of vampire and werewolf to create the Sucolupus," Fenrir said.

  "And if I mix my blood with witches and dragons, I can create the Pristis-Incantatrix. And before you object about the witches, you didn't pick them and not much can be mixed with the blood of a dragon. Also the dragons won't be able to shift to full dragons but smaller variations of them and the witch blood will help. Lastly, the human vessels we use will have to be very strong to handle such powers in their mortal bodies," Oberon said.

  "I wasn't going to object to the witches, as I will still get power from them regardless. Now, it’s decided then. Eris should be arriving shortly with Loki so we can let him know what we’ll need him to be on the lookout for in our vessels. We will only get one shot at this. Our powers are but a fraction of what they used to be and not a very big fraction at that. It will take just about all our strength to pull off this feat and it must go smoothly. There can be no mistakes," Hecate said.

  Their meeting was interrupted by a light knock on the door and the entrance of Eris and Loki.

  "Good, we were just talking about you two," Fenrir said.

  "Yes, do come in. We don't have much time and we need to get this done as quickly as possible," Oberon said.

  "What do you know so far of our plans, Loki?" Hecate asked.

  "Just that you want to create some sort of super soldiers but I'm confused on how it will benefit all of us gods and not just you three," Loki said.

  "I don't know why you're worried. There is always someone spreading mischief and chaos around," Hecate said.

  "True, but they aren't praying and worshipping Eris or me," Loki said.

  "We will ensure your survival for your assistance in this matter," Oberon promised.

  "Can we get that in writing?" Eris asked.

  "Don't you trust us?" Fenrir asked.

  "Not even a little bit," Eris said sweetly.

  "Fine, we will negotiate a contract but for now we need to discuss what we’re looking for," Hecate said.

  "I'm all ears and while I'm out looking for the perfect vessels, the three of you can draft a contract. I'll look over it as will Eris and then I will tell you whom I've found. Sound fair?" Loki asked.

  Hecate huddled in a small circle with Fenrir and Oberon and they discussed Loki and Eris's terms. They seemed reasonable for now so they were in agreement.

  "We agree. Now can we get on with it? We are running out of time," Hecate said.

  "I'm ready when you are. I need to know what you're looking for in each of your vessels so I can procure the right ones," Loki said.

  "Yes, of course. I will start with my vessel. She must be slim and slight but also strong of will. Exceptionally beautiful and full of light and have features that could be confused with either elves or fairies. She must have an airy feel about her. I don't know how else to explain it. The vessels must inspire loyalty and cunning," Hecate said.

  "I think that is enough information for me to go by. Who's next?" Loki asked.

  "My vessel must also be a female and one that has a darkness in her that most of the world would never know just by looking at her. She must be mysterious, quick, and lithe in build. The air around her must be charged and dangerous. Pretty much the opposite of what Hecate wants in a vessel," Fenrir said.

  "Okay, Oberon it's your turn and then I'll be off."

  "My vessel must have the art of seduction down but also the eyes of a predator. She will be thick-skinned and vibrant but also capable of great violence when pushed. She needs to be a natural-born leader or as Fenrir says an alpha of the pack. She needs to be able to relinquish control and follow another best suited for the task when needed," Oberon said.

  Loki thought over all the descriptions he was given and decided the best place to narrow down the search was to go to one of the human libraries and look into older news articles. A teen or young college student would be the best choice as they were more likely to survive the transformation to an entirely new being. He would have to tread carefully in his search so he wouldn't draw too much attention to himself. He didn't want girls who were surrounded by the masses.

  The more they blended in instead of stood out would be a plus. There were a lot of pretty girls that didn't have a harem of people following their every moves. If he was being honest with himself, he was surprised the older gods trusted him with this task instead of going out and finding these vessels themselves. They did, after all, have enough power to teleport to earth and glamour their appearances. However, he wasn't that sure about Oberon who was more beast than man. No point in questioning it, he was picked and he'd do the job to the best of his abilities.

  "I will return as soon as possible. No less than a day or two. I know the perfect place to start," Loki said.

  He teleported out as soon as the words left his mouth to what the humans referred to as The United States of America in the center of the state of Maryland. Now to find a proper library and begin what could possibly be a longer search then he expected.

  Chapter 1

  FRIDAY

  Tala Reynolds, recent high school graduate, had been dreaming of this day since she'd been placed in foster care. Freedom. It was only a few more hours away. Soon Veronica Lacey, Lilia Evans, and herself would be freshmen at Minerva University. Those two were the sisters of her heart and had helped her endure the loss of her parents and living in the system. They'd been drawn together like magnets when they were placed in the same home their freshman year of high school. The bond between them was instantaneous. They had saved every spare penny they’d earned between them for the last three years, from babysitting, tutoring, and part-time jobs to help with school expenses.

  Managing to get a few scholarships and grants had allo
wed ten percent of their savings to pay for the plane tickets from the east coast to the Midwest where their school resided. The rest was for them to live on. They would need to find new jobs in order to afford a small place after their first year of college was over. They couldn't stay on campus during the summer months between the next academic school year. For that matter, they'd have to find a place during the holiday break as well. The campus was closed during the break and since they weren't attending summer classes they couldn't stay in the dorms. Veronica and Lilia were the closest thing to family she had; their tragic pasts bound them even tighter.

  Tala looked over at the sisters of her heart and felt a protective streak she couldn't explain. They were all she had and she couldn’t imagine a world without them in it. Veronica was headstrong and kind, even if at times she was extremely bossy. She had natural blonde hair that many girls had envied. Her eyes were a mix of hazel and green and her skin was flawless and fair. Tala could have easily seen her on magazine covers in another life. Then there was the baby of their makeshift family, Lilia. Lilia was the nicest person she'd ever known, always with a kind word or gesture. She tried to help everyone all the time. She was slight of build and lithe and reminded Tala of a bird. She had light brown hair and chocolate colored eyes on a pixie-like face. Her cheeks seemed to always have blush on them even when they didn’t. She looked like a perfect porcelain doll.

  When Tala stood next to her sisters she felt outclassed; but they assured her she was just as beautiful as they were. They envied her dark looks and the fact that she didn't burn easily in the sun. They joked that Tala looked exotic compared to them with her raven hair, grey eyes, and high cheekbones. It always managed to make her smile, since Tala was looking more and more like her mother each day. Three girls that couldn't look any more different were very much the same. Introducing themselves as sisters often confused others, but they didn't care. Blood didn't always make one family. The sudden stop of the cab propelled Tala back to the present. They had finally made it.