Wolf's Bane (Judith Post) in One Thousand Words

Judith Post is today's featured author on One Thousand Worlds. Judith lets us take a look at the first one thousand words of Wolf's Bane. What's more, she is also putting up 5 copies (mobi for kindle, or Epub) for prizes in a great giveaway.

Wolf's Bane-

Reece Rutherford’s brain can’t process what her eyes are seeing. A full moon shines on a boy whose body is contorting and changing, sprouting fur and growing fangs. She’s seen it in movies. Movies aren’t real life. But then the werewolf charges her. He pins her against her SUV, his paw pressing against her chest, and she knows she’s doomed until a winged man appears, as if from the sky, to save her. From that point on, her life is forever changed. The bloody scratches heal and a blood-red tattoo, in the shape of a hexagram, blazes in the flesh near her heart, revealing that she is a witch whose powers have just awakened. Fortunately she has Damian, a stoic but sexy gargoyle, who can help her grow into her new gifts and take on the rogue werewolves determined to destroy her. And maybe together, they can learn that there's no point going through everything alone. 

Chapter 1

            Reece pulled on jeans and a sweatshirt, raced to her SUV, and pushed down on the gas pedal.   It was after midnight.  Not much traffic.  She was making good time until she turned off Broadway onto 29th.  Here, it was slow going. 

            She chewed the inside of her cheek.  If Eugene so much as touched Joseph or Jenny, she'd punch him out.  She didn't give a damn what her mother said. 

            Acid churned in her stomach as she looked for a parking spot.  How bad was it?  Had Eugene pushed past Mom yet?  Was he threatening Joseph to hand over Jenny?  Joseph only called when things got ugly.  The pattern was beginning to repeat itself more and more often. 

            Row houses lined both sides of the street, and cars were parked in front of each of them.  She double parked and switched off her SUV.  No one could get through.  Too bad.  She ran toward her mother's brownstone. 

            Lights blazed in the front room, framing the family drama in the big, picture glass window.  Her mother clutched her bathrobe shut.  She stood in front of Eugene, trying to calm him.  Dressed in Ninja Turtle PJs, Joseph hid behind her.  He'd placed his sturdy, eight-year-old frame in front of his sister to form a second shield.   Reece's heart twisted at the sight of five-year-old Jenny, hugging her teddy bear to her chest and cringing in her footed, Cinderella pj's.  

            The idiot in question was, at this moment, flailing his arms around, yelling and menacing them all.  He was still in his work pants and buttoned shirt, but unsteady on his feet.  If they were lucky, he'd pass out.  Her hands balled into fists.  She'd like nothing more than to knock him on his ass.

            Her mother reached out to put an arm around him.  He leaned against her, and Reece hesitated, halfway up the walk.  If her mom could get him upstairs, to bed, without her interference, it would be better for everyone.

            A noise distracted her.  She glanced down the street and saw a woman sitting on the Patterson's darkened stoop.  The woman hugged herself, rocking her body up and down, mumbling to herself in a high-pitched voice.  Suddenly, her head snapped up.  She sniffed the air.  Her eyes met Reece's.  "No!"  She jumped to her feet, threw back her head...and howled. 

            Goosebumps rose on Reece's arms.   The howl spiraled upward-a primal, animal sound.

            "Save yourself!"  The woman disappeared into the narrow opening between houses. 

            Eugene bellowed.  Reece jerked her attention back to the window.  Eugene yanked away from her mother, stumbling toward Joseph.  Time to intervene.    

            Reece rushed through the front door without knocking.  Eugene whirled to face her.  "This is none of your business.  Go home."

            She held up her cell phone, in no mood to play games.  "Mom won't call to report you, but I will.  Go for a walk and cool down, or go upstairs and sleep it off."

            Drink made him belligerent.  He leaned forward.  "Or what?  What are you going to do, throw your weight around?"

            Oh, Lord, would she love to.  It was against all her training, though.  "I won't start a fight, but I sure as hell will finish one.  I'll even let you throw the first punch."  She enjoyed goading him.  It was wrong, wrong, wrong, but she loathed Eugene.

            He sneered.  "Just because you teach martial arts doesn't mean you can beat a grown man."

            "Then let's settle this, once and for all."  If he felt enough pain, maybe his attitude would change.  She raised her fists to protect her face and assumed a relaxed, defensive stance.  She couldn't hurt him too much.  Mom would get mad.  But she could teach him a lesson.  At five eight, he was the same height she was, but he was soft and flabby.  She was all muscle, honed and ready.  Her posture told him, Bring it on. 

Wolf's Bane is available on Kindle at: Amazon

 
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