Love From Death Book 1

Prologue

Love From Death

By

S.E. Benton

I wanted to dedicate this book to my friends and family who believed in my writing and stood by me during my time of struggling to bring this story to light. Through their love and support, was I able to pull my story together. I love you all and I hope you enjoy all that I have done. Thank you!

S.E. Benton

Prologue

Hushed whispers echoed through the harsh dark hall, crisping the early morning air to the touch as if craning to the moon itself to kiss the dark sky to release the subtle mist to waft past the young woman’s feet. Her rushed breathing breaking for a moment before returning to the immediate task at hand.

Brisk in her shaking hands, dropping many items of clothing from the opened suitcase. Her dark chocolate hair fraying around her reddened shoulders, concentrating only on a single goal repeating in her mind.

Leave Tonight

Words of encouragement mattered little over her caramel skin, pushing her worries and fears to the back of her mind, silently dashing to her small closet now showing less and less of any evidence she was there to begin with. Her shaded gray eyes brimming with unshed tears, unsure if where she would go and how she could even live on the outside from all she knew.

Small memories of what she wanted to be etched into her faint smile faded when the haunting memory of recent events caused the whispers in her mind to shout that she needed to leave at any cost.

Placing rashly of a small pile of clothing and bare materials in her suitcase, cold as her fingertips, she closed it nice and tight. Checking the sides for any bumps or any clothing that may be pushing out the seams of the crass container. The color of its charcoal origin was haunting to her now.

With little regard to the many items still scattered throughout her room, she paused a moment when she noticed a tinge of a small blade sitting on her dresser, the blade combing over attention, the dark coarse metal calling to her to keep it. She had resigned herself at first to reframe from using it ever again, but the pit slowly growing in her stomach begged to differ. The sheath lightly touching the blade as if wanting to let go.

Pushing aside her convictions of a past sworn promise, she gripped the leather handle, sheathing the blade before securing it to her stomach, lifting her blue run-down shirt over it.

Reaching the door finally, she did not look back as the weight of her world rested not in her tired hands, but what was growing within her. A tender loving child waiting to greet the world in a devastating life for only to be determined by their own choices. Yanking the wooden door free from its solid frame, she looked down the darken halls, checking for anyone that could possibly stop her from leaving.

Seeing that the way was clear, she took a single step out of her room, securing the door silently back in place. Switching the suitcase to her more dominat right hand, she placed her left hand over her abdomen, keeping the sweating body from collapsing from her overwhelming anxiety. The hall stretched for what seemed to her for miles before taking a swift left to another hall, running into Jonathan of all people.

“Julie? What are you doing up? It’s two in the morning.” Jonathan asked, his hands resting on his hips slightly.

Julie remained silent. Anyone else would have been sufficed to finding her leaving, but Jonathan was not one she counted on being on guard. His chiseled features did little to keep her emotions in check. Neither did his light tan arms almost dripping with faint scars painted an even worse image. Her hormones were becoming harder to control with his dark green eyes pushing for answers from her own.

When the silence continued for another minute, Julie could see the shift in Jonathan’s body language, keeping her tongue tied when she noticed those same eyes search down her arm to her suitcase.

“You’re leaving?” Jonathan asked. Julie nodded her head to answer him, her words not wanting to be released.

“Are you crazy? Why? Is it because of the council?” Jonathan asked. Julie shook her head, fighting the need to be silent, but she did not want him to misunderstand what was happening.

“I have to, Jon.” Julie said. Gripping tighter on the flimsy handle, controlling what little sanity she had left to talk to him.

“They will find you. You know that, right?” Jonathan asked. Julie nodded her head again.

“I don’t have a choice, Jon. They will do everything they can to control them. I don’t want that for them.” Julie said. Pushing back on her heel, Julie stepped past Jonathan, feeling a part of her cringe at walking away from her friend, not giving him everything she wanted to tell him.

“Take the south exit.” Jonathan said. Julie stopped in her tracks. Turning her head slightly to see that he refused to face her.

“The guards there have slacked off these past few years. It won’t be as hard as the others.” Jonathan stated. Julie smiled softly, keeping her heart from bursting from how much Jonathan did care for her.

“Thank you, Jonathan.” Julie said. She heard him sigh before turning around to face her.

His face composed and crossed to not let what little sadness she knew was there to fall to his feet. Even in her most desperate hour, he was still her friend. He shrugged his shoulders, rolling the pert sting of losing a friend fall to the floor.

“I guess this is why Eliza was insistent on me being on guard duty tonight.” Jonathan said. Julie nodded slowly, taking a step forward at first.

Jonathan raised a hand to her, stopping her from coming closer. At first, she was unsure why, until the joint call of laughter and light voices came from the hall behind him. Time to leave was running out and the heart felt goodbye they wanted was thrown to the wind.

“Go now. I’ll keep them occupied for a few minutes.” Jonathan said. A mischievous grin playing on his stubble, curved chin.

Julie nodded and took a step down the hall away from him, never minding the small tear falling from his eyes, watching her form fade into the shadow of the stone around them.

“Perks of being the leader.” Jonathan said to himself. The sound of their voices coming closer shut his sadness to another region of his mind as he would do what he could to give her what time he could for her.

Julie rushed each step faster as every turn, corner, and window nearly blurred in her vision. Her body instinctively knowing how many steps to take before making the next turn, what corner to stop at before checking the number of guards roaming the hallway.

Bracing herself for the worst if she had any other run ins from anyone else, to stop her or help her was no longer a concern, spotting the steep of the edge of the ridge kissing the saltwater resting just outside her reach. Pushing her body farther, holding the bag close to her form once again, before pushing the loose door out. Her eyes landing on the dark sky slowly laying way to the rise of the sun. Looking down at her swollen, tired feet, she spotted the stairs leading her to the final trial of her escape. The stairs winding down around it wanning to the crash of the foam sinking through the cracks as she took each step to her freedom.

Sounds of the birds flying around their well-hidden home was always a welcome to her early morning rise, but today were her cry to flee her home, breaking the seal upon her heart and hiding from the burning wound left on her body.

Leaving the stairs behind her as she landed on soft, sturdy sand, she allowed her eyes to scan the guarded perimeter, spotting the lack of men in the south entrance as Jonathan had said. Julie walked slowly to the men, noting their slumped over state in the given chairs provided signaled her that they were not awake.

The guards post usually held at least up to six guards, planking the clear entrance so that none could come through if anyone ever did. Julie remembers the men mentioning a raft tied to their pier if they ever needed to cross the river. She kept her cool, reeling from her cold shakes as her body screamed for her to stop for a mere second to recover.

She had no time.

Watching them closely, taking each step with care, seeing the small table between them covered in glasses of water and booklets counting the hours of their watch facing the ground. The foreboding snoring emitting from their mouths signaled her to pick up the pace in her silent brisk walk, letting her legs stretch past their post. The feel of the see-through wall graced her torn soul as if a piece of her was taken in compensation to her time and life devoting to the clan. The tear was painless, but the pinch of her heart pulled her head back slightly, causing her to drop her suitcase.

Fear rushed through her in full force, her ears catching the shouts and yells of the men behind her to stop. Grabbing her suitcase, Julie ran as fast as her body let her, weaving through the trees, pulling and pushing any lingering branches gripping her arms and legs, leaving small cuts of their own along the way. Each break could be felt under her fingertips. The crunch sound under her feet give way to her weight punctured the material tied to them.

Curling her toes as she reached the side of the river, cooling her sore, burning feet. Keeping her eyes focused on the other side of the bank, not allowing a single distracting thought cloud what was so close at hand. Crossing the river broke the very fear she had hanging over her. The fear of being caught, forced to stay and let them do whatever they wanted.

No! Julie thought. I will not let them have you! Placing her hand on the small part of her stomach. The life she had from before was gone now. The life she wanted for her child was all that mattered. She will do everything she can to make it happen. A warm feeling washed over her contrast to the freezing water hitting her exposed toes.

The courage welled within burst through her crippled soul, leaping forward into the cold water as the sound of the men behind her crumpled to the sand underneath her feet with each step she took. Keeping her suitcase above her head, wadded every step she took before she could no longer feel the bottom.

Out stretching her arms, keeping her body afloat before testing the ground below to be close enough to wade through once again, feeling the case bump against her face with each stroke she made. Gripping the handle loosely to push herself forward without losing everything else.

Hope restored as she felt the sand beneath her feet once again, one foot after the other, the feel of the water drip down her body as she made it to the bank. Droplets forming and running down her aching legs before shaking away the tired feeling crimsoning around her belly and neck, brandishing the marks of the temperature of the water resistance to her own body temperature.

Julie grasped her suitcase tight once again, each step brandishing the feel of her life fleeting with the muscles flagging her to stop. The view of the empty street was more than enough to calm the storm whirling within her.

Grasping at the brick walls as she limped along to where she knew Eliza was waiting for her. The familiar lighting of the corners darkening as each brace of the pain she felt crippled the fleeting courage had left. The moment of defeat slowly seeping into her mind before hearing a voice she was so overjoyed to hear.

“Julie! Julie! Over here.” Eliza said. Julie smiled faintly, dropping her heavy case, staggering into the empty road before falling to her knees.

The blurred sight of her black hair and tanned form was enough to bring Julie to tears of exhaustion. Her clothing was of one that would need to sneak out, a simple black shirt and tight black leggings to help in easy maneuvers if she needed to.

Eliza rushed to her side, gently holding her shoulders to give support before slinging one of her limp arms over her shoulder. Julie tried to bring her feet to move with her, but the scream of fire raged from all she had put them through.

“Warren! Come help me!” Eliza shouted. Careful to not arouse the sleeping villagers but gave enough attention for Warren to run over to them.

Warren was the only other person Julie trusted within the clan, enough to help her leave before she would have no choice in the matter. His pale skin and pert physique were more than enough for her to handle, but the feel of his arms crumbled what little objection she had in the matter. His dark green shirt dampened by her own wet clothes.

“Jesus, Julie. I told you we needed the raft.” Eliza stated. Julie shook her head, the pain pulsing to the side of her temples.

“No. They would have found it. I’m here. Is the car set?” Julie asked. Eliza followed the two, placing the suitcase in the back of the small car.

“She gonna be okay?” Warren asked. Eliza nodded her head. The sky blanketed in the crescent stars slowly running from the rising sun.

Eliza watched as Warren carefully placed Julie in the back seat, catching her head on the cushion before making sure her legs and arms were safely secured. Shutting the door, Warren turned back to Eliza, worry written all over his face.

“Are we sure about this?” Warren asked. Eliza nodded her head quickly. Her pursed lips pinching to a pale tinge before finally answering him.

“This was the only way for her to be safe. The council will do everything it can do to find her.” Eliza said. Warren shook his head, abstaining her statement.

“We don’t know that. Many of the children have grown into fine citizens. The clan would be stronger with her and the child.” Warren said. Eliza walked over to the driver seat, setting the destination and confirming the route.

“They were normal, Warren. This,” Eliza pointed to Julie, noting her unconscious form trembling from the water. “This is different. She needs to leave. If she stayed, the council would force the child away from her. This is her choice, Warren.” Eliza said.

The look of worry and concern melted away from Warren’s face when the memory of the unforgotten was one he did not wish onto anyone. Resolved in her words, Warren quickly climbed into the driver’s seat, buckling in for a long ride.

Eliza grabbed a small blanket out of the trunk. The mesh material not ideal for anything wet, but it was all she had for the moment. Placing the blanket over Julie’s form, she looked to her one last time, before closing the back seat door once again.

Eliza moved to the driver window, seeing Warren check all his gages and was ready to hit the road. A small smile played across her face before looking over her shoulder, seeing that the men were not far behind them, rushing to them, only to be trapped by a small circle dancing about on the ground.

The light hissing as the circle would lash at each man trying to free themselves from it. The look of complete wonder washed over Eliza’s face. She will never be up to parr of what Julie could do. Her planning was by far more than what she could have imagined.

Eliza smiled at the men toiling with the light as each movement was met with a harsh s***h to their feet or hands. Each man screaming for her to release them. Eliza turned back to Warren.

“Get going. You have a long drive ahead of you. A lot of back roads just to leave Ekklisia.” Eliza said. Warren nodded and placed the park into drive, speeding off into the remaining dark of the night.

Fliting through the trees and clouds, fluttered a small moth, screeching in the morning as the dawn of something terrible would come to pass with the departure of Julie. Eliza kept herself strong as the circle slowly disappeared, fleeting to the shadows as the car sped off down the road.

The men unable to keep pace, merely watched the vehicle launch itself to the road and within a few minutes, gone into the silent night.

“The council will want to speak with you, Eliza Pannder.” One of the men said. Eliza simply chuckled at them. The meekness of their tone changing when she smiled slyly at them.

“They will have to go through my husband if they want to talk to me. Unless they wish to oppose the rightful leader of the clan?” Eliza asked. The sight of the men backing away from her soothed her inner soul.

“We should return to Safe Haven.” One of the men stated. Eliza relinquished to their demands, the smile still playing across her lips.

“Best we go back to give the news.” Eliza said. The men waited as Eliza moved past them, keeping their distance before following in a slow pace.

Eliza remained silent, preparing what she would have to face for what she had done, but more worried about her friend than whatever the council would try to place upon her. The sun blossoming through as each step to Safe Haven felt as if an eternity had passed.

She would only hope that Julie would be safe and keep her child in the dark for as long as the gods would allow. Hard times were to come, and she would need all her strength to fight what most would believe to be a losing battle.

The law of their world was changing and even though she was sure if anyone could defy what they had in store, it was Julie. The question was, would her child have the same resolve? She would have to wait and see.