Afterburn: Clavicula Nox Series 1

Prologue

Clavicula Nox - a rogue symbol, the trident symbol represents a dark male presence, Lucifer and the circle represents a woman, the union of these symbols brings forth unspeakable lust, passion and power in the known world.

If you see a girl bearing this symbol... Run... For she has lain with the devil himself and lived to tell the tale....

***

The crunch and groan of flesh hitting flesh was all that was heard of in the freezing, abandoned warehouse in St. Petersburg, Russia.

A few men loitered around the center of the warehouse, waiting for their turn to have a "talk" with their victim. One final slap rung out over the room as the middle-aged, balding man with the bulging stomach that threatened to break his snake skin leather belt, stood to full height breathing heavily as if the last slap was hurting him more than the bruised girl tied to the metal chair in front of him.

The man's breath came out raspy and he let out a coughing hack as he stumbled to a worn table and took a swig of something dark in an unlabeled bottle. His Russian accent was thick as he spoke broken English, "Talk now, eh?"

The girl's shoulders were sagged down as if in defeat and quaked as if she was crying. Her head was down and her long, dark brown hair covered her bare knees. She was completely naked except for her bra and panties. The other lackeys around the room licked their lips anxiously waiting for their turn to have a go at the girl. Their boss was being selfish and having all the fun tonight.

The man laughed and some of his drink spewed across the room as he let out a louder laugh, "Look at the scared little, how do those Americans say? Cry baby!"

The men laughed with him until a feminine laugh rang out from the quaking woman sitting in the chair. The men went silent and the boss stopped his drinking to stare at the beaten girl who lifted her head and straightened her shoulders so she could stare him in the face.

Her once clear, smooth pale skin was covered in bruises and her bottom lip was cut. Her arms were tied behind her back and her stomach had the tell tale sign of bruises forming near her ribs. Even though she should be visibly and physically in pain and agony over the last beating she received the girl laughed, maniacally, stunning her captors.

The boss yelled loudly in Russian thinking she did not speak his homeland language silencing her laughter, "What the fuck!"

The now angry man threw the bottle of liquid on the cement floor causing glass to fly everywhere, a piece cut into her leg. He strode forward and grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her.

The man grabbed the girls hair and pulled it back hard to reveal a dark scar embedded into the crux where her neck and shoulder blade met.

The man gasped and pulled back as if the scar had burned him causing him to yell to his comrades, "Lyutsifer!"

The woman chuckled darkly, the corners of her mouth lifted as she whispered, "That's so cute... You think you're scary. Sweetheart, I've seen scary... and you don't have his smile."

  ***  

The waitress approached with a cup and set it in front of her before looking at the TV that Sofia was gazing at seriously, "Silly gang fights. The police say the men were hung like meat in that old warehouse."

Sofia didn't say anything and instead looked down at the cup the waitress had left in front of her before proceeding to walk away to wait on her other tables.

Shaking her head in confusion Sofia finally looked up and spoke, "Hey? I didn't order this."

Frowning and gazing back down at the mug of hot chocolate with a chocolate stick placed carefully inside. My favorite drink...

"True. But I did." 

 The chilling, familiar voice reached her ears before he sat down in front of her, "Hello again, Sofia."

***  

Well???? I hope you enjoy this teaser of Afterburn Book 1!!!! Let me know what you think in the comments below and don't forget to vote!! ♥ Erin