The Book of Abbadon - Chapter 23: Pray for The Otherlands

In the wake of the apocalypse, betrayal doesn't just stab you in the back—it bites. Zorvax learned this the hard way. Abandoned by those he trusted, he didn't just become another number in the legion of the undead. No, his fate was far more peculiar.“I thought death was the end... I was wrong,” Zorvax mutters, his voice a gravelly echo of his former self. He's a zombie, but with a twist—he's got his human mind intact. Trapped in a decaying body with an insatiable hunger, Zorvax finds himself in a gruesome predicament that's just the beginning of his ordeal.Enter the 'Zombolution System,' a mysterious power he awakens that's as cryptic as it is potent. “They wanted a monster? I'll show them the true meaning of terror,”Zorvax boasts, with a smirk only a sentient zombie could muster. This dark gift is his ticket to ascend beyond a mere walking corpse, promising to unlock abilities that could crown him the emperor of the undead.As Zorvax hones his newfound skills, the line between man and monster blurs. Will his human intellect triumph, or will the beast within claim the throne? “This world has no place for the weak,” he arrogantly declares, ready to challenge fate itself.

Warning: Matured content.Maya DeLuca was born as a result of adultery. She is the fruit of the shameful love affair her married mother had. Her mother passed away shortly after giving birth, leaving Maya to bear the consequences of her mother's sins.Right from birth, Maya was loathed by everyone in her family, especially her stepfather, her late mother’s husband. Maya is the evidence of his wife's betrayal; hence, she is a thorn in his flesh. He abused her, punishing her for her mother’s betrayal.Maya is a junior chef at a five-restaurant and also works as a waitress at her Stepfather’s gentlemen's club to pay off the debt she owes him.Maya's Life becomes more complicated when she gets entangled with a handsome billionaire, Dalton Black, as he hires her as his personal chef.Maya obliviously captivated Dalton's heart as love blossomed between them.However, in order to fight for her love for Dalton Black, Maya must face the nefarious plans devised by Dalton Black's enemies and those who wish to break them apart.Maya is Dalton's only desire, the light in his grimy world. He would do anything to be with her forever, even though she is a weapon that his enemies plan to use against him.

A conversation with a handsome stranger leaves Ariane chained in a cellar with a strange affliction. She soon discovers that the darkness of the nineteenth century’s Deep South hides many dangers. Mages, wolf shifters and the humans who hunt them play a risky game where to stumble is to die, all under the amused gaze of the apex predators of the supernatural world: vampires.

It is never healthy to attract the gaze of the aristocracy of the night. It takes much to survive in this merciless world, but Ariane will not let that deter her. The southern belle has a bite, and she is willing to learn and to grow in this hostile new world. She will use whatever means necessary to reclaim her freedom, be it guile, charm, or those intriguing new instincts that make blood so delectable.

This is a story of vampires as I believe they should be, with their strengths and weaknesses, with their remnants of humanity and the beast inside. Updates every Friday. Mind the tags.

Cover by Antti Hakosaari: https://www.artstation.com/haco

Special thanks to Svensonsen for getting me started, as well as Omi Nya, Hesketh, Rhaegar, Yaksher, Selkie and Raven for proofreading my stuff. Thanks to my patrons and you dear readers, for the support. I could not do it without you.

Journey is on Amazon, both in ebooks and audio. here is a link to the first one:

https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B08DK6G8Y8

The story probably exists in your local marketplace as well of I can tempt you.

I became the childhood friend of the protagonist in a novel. The childhood friend who died from taking drugs.