The announcement was made throughout the Immortal world; The Fae Princess had been in hiding, not dead as all had believed. And now, in one night of terror the forces of darkness had clashed once more in the eternal battle over her power. The rumors were spread, the facts exaggerated, until no one really knew what, or how it had happened. Some said that werewolves had broken through the very walls of the castle to tear down the dark lord's servants. Others claimed that the last standing member of the Black Ten, the most powerful vampires in the world, had been destroyed in the fight. The strangest claims revolved around the idea that a newly turned vampire had actually stopped the fight. In the end, no one could say exactly what had happened. Those who had been present would not speak of it, until now.
My name is Alexandra Rees.
I was a normal human being just like you.
Until the Immortal world spilled into my life.
Now it is time,
Allow me to tell you my story...
SHANNON A HINER lives in the mountains of Northern California where, she claims, there is a vampire city, a pack of werewolves, and plenty of faeries. She occupies a small parcel of land with her Great Pyrenees, Caius, and her horse, Reno. Writing comes most easily to her in the 100 degree Fahrenheit summers. When the weather cools she huddles next to a heater, wrapped in every blanket she can find. She does not travel without a pen and notebook.
Submerged In Darkness was written in the late 2004 and was her first book. Shannon started writing it as proof to her online community that not all vampire fictions had to be exactly the same. A few chapters in, she realized she was in trouble though. Instead of merely one-upping her friends, she had been caught by a story. When she finished, her friends online were calling for more. Then, some unsuspecting person put a new idea into her head. Publishing.
In this, her debut novel, Shannon launches us into The Immortal World, a series of books that have taken over her entire life since Submerged In Darkness first came into being. She promises there are many more stories to be told about The Immortal World.
Alex started and looked around suddenly. She had heard something. A…howl. Her eyes settled on the two doors in front of her. One was the door to the library. She looked to the other. Yes, it seemed like the sound had come from there. That was the cellar door. She remembered easily the day she had spent in there. Very slowly she pulled herself from the ground. Clutching the wall for support, Alex slowly walked toward the door. When she got there she rested her hand against it and flinched. The door was ice cold.
She listened for a moment, but no other noise came from behind the door. Shaking her head, she stepped away from it. The cold feeling on her hand from where she touched the door wouldn't leave. As she turned her back there was another howl. She spun back around, sure this time it had come from behind the door. She grasped the handle and pulled. It stuck. Licking her lips, she braced her feet and pulled again. It budged only an inch. She eyed the door and braced her back against the wall, using that inch to get her fingers behind it and push it away from her body.
A blast of icy air rushed her face. She would have sworn her eyelashes froze right away.
Why hadn't it been this cold last time? She thought. Or had it? She could hardly remember clearly. She knew she was frozen once she had been in her cell for a while, but she honestly didn't think it had been so cold when Liam first opened the door.
Swallowing the fear that welled up in her mind she took the first step. It wouldn't do to tremble all the way down the stairs, she'd just end up slipping and falling. Knowing her luck, she would end up breaking something important, like herself. She let the door close only enough that it wouldn't be obvious from the outside that it was open. She wanted to be sure it was open enough that she could get back out.
Easing herself down the steps carefully was the next move. She had to be quiet too. Whatever creature was housed down there she suspected would be in a cage, but she wanted to go unnoticed all the same. With each step the temperature seemed to lower even more. There was a curve up ahead. She thought she remembered it. The hall she was in ran perpendicular into another and dead ended. The cells were to the left.
No more animal sounds had greeted her since the last howl. Did it know she was here? Alex walked a little slower. She didn't want it to know she was here. Her breath steamed up in front of her face. When she finally heard a sound around the corner she halted. Something was moving, just a shift of weight…but chains dragged with it. A chained animal? Alex felt her shoulders stiffen. What was Damon keeping here?
She leaned around the corner as quietly as she possibly could. There was a startled sound, not a whimper and not a bark, actually, the creature sounded excited. Like a puppy dancing at the thought of a ball to play with. Her eyes finally raised to the correct cell.
She stared. As her brain tried to compile images and put together the proper explanation she could only stare. Thick brown fur. Searing bright eyes. Sharp claws. Sharper teeth. If Alex had been less terrified she would have screamed. It took a minute for the block in her brain to clear, but finally it had to. She was staring at a giant wolf. Six times the size of a normal wolf. It was easily seven feet long, not including the tail which could have added another three feet on to it. It's fur was a thick lustrous brown and all four feet had three inch razor sharp claws. It's eyes were sharp, piercing yellow-green and trained right at her. The teeth, Alex shuddered at the thought of being caught in them. They truly looked as if they could cut through stone.
It's ears were pricked forward in interest. Despite the obvious danger signs that showed all over the animal's physique, it looked genuinely like a happy puppy. Alex gaped at the creature from the beginning of the row of cells, wondering if she was the one he thought had the treat or if she was supposed to be the treat. When it made no threatening moves, on the contrary the wolf's tail was wagging, she moved forward. Gradually she made her way down the hall. She halted almost in front of the wolf's cell and gazed at the creature in wonder. He looked, happy. Weren't werewolves supposed to be roving homicidal maniacs? This one looked, well not harmless, but certainly not like a homicidal maniac. She stepped a little closer, bending down on her haunches so that she was closer to eye level with the creature. None of her senses were telling her to get away. Rather, the uninvited voice in the back of her head seemed rather joyous.
Ronnin.
Speak of the devil. Alex frowned. Ronnin, was that a name? The wolf swaggered up to the bars. His nose sniffed and then his mouth opened to let his tongue loll out. She stared into the wolf's eyes, they were truly mesmerizing. She stepped closer yet.
Suddenly, the wolf's head turned to look elsewhere. He growled. Alex stood to back up and then suddenly she was flying. Her head hit the ground hard this time. Stars danced before her eyes. She could hear snarls and growls and it sounded as if the wolf was trying desperately to escape from the cell. Alex wanted to get away, but she could barely move, her head was far too dizzy.
A sound interrupted her frenzied thought. One she had only heard once. In her dream the night before.
A hiss.
If the dream had been frightening, this was bone-chilling. The hiss was loud and feral, full of threat. Her eyes cleared enough that she saw the wolf shrink back in his cell. He growled in defiance but the other thing hissed again. Alex turned her head to where the hiss had come from. Her vision still swirled, at least that's what she told herself. It was her only excuse not to believe that the hissing thing was-