For this week’s snippet I decided to share a little bit of what ‘The Rite’ is all about. Heather is a witch, but she hasn’t claimed her power yet because she hasn’t completed her family’s rite yet – and what it involves is a little bit more than lighting some candles and chanting some words. I hope you enjoy this evil snippet that shows you the darkness behind the beautiful Pritchett women, because the anthology ‘Dark Fantasies’ that just came out this past week has the new, darker, revised version of this story along with others from NYT Bestselling author Cari Silverwood, USA Today bestselling author Lee Savino, and bestselling author Charity Parkerson! Oh, and it’s only 99 cents. Come on, you know you want it.
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“Heather, talk to me. How are you?” Carol’s face was gentle. She was more like her mom than their sisters Marguerite or Fiona, but she was still a Pritchett and that meant the only right answer was a lie.
“I just said I’m fine.”
“That’s not what I mean and you know it, and if you want to have an attitude I can just as easily hang you upside down.” The snap in her aunt’s voice reminded her to be respectful. Pritchett women were unpredictable, even the nice ones.
“I’m going to do it. I don’t need another lecture, or another threat. I’m going to do it for you.” Heather perched on the edge of a chair in front of the desk and Carol sighed.
“It’s for all of us, Heather, and that includes you. I know you’ve always felt different, but you’re a Pritchett, and that comes with certain responsibilities. Completing the rite is just one of them.” She sounded like a kindly elementary school teacher, patient and gentle – except she was talking about murdering someone. An innocent man whose only crime was wanting to get laid.
“Right. And I’m going to do it, we don’t need to keep talking about it. Okay?” She wiped her hands on her jeans, realizing she should probably change and at least try and look decent before the speed-dating thing.
“Darling, it’s always quick. You know that right? Our benefactor is a Valkyrie, she takes them swiftly, like she has for millennia.” Carol waved her hand and a thick book came to her from the shelf, flipping it open to turn pages. Heather could see rows of neat handwriting in what looked like an accounting book. “Listen to this… car accident, died on impact. Heart attack. Brain aneurism. Heart attack. Heart attack. Car accident.”
“What –” Heather was staring at her aunt like she was crazy.
“It’s the record of how the sacrifices have been taken. All instantaneous, painless.” Carol said the words in that sweet, calm voice of hers, which was incredibly fucked up. She was reading from her family’s death ledger like it was a bedtime story. Since when had death ever been painless? That was just bullshit people told families so they didn’t torture themselves.
Death was death. Horrible and final.
“Great. Good to know. I need to leave and get ready.” Heather stood up and moved to the door, but it slammed shut in front of her, the door passing so close to her face that she felt the rush of air.
“Heather. You cannot back out on it this time.” Her aunt was serious, the threat of what Theresa had told her hanging over her head like the proverbial axe.
“I won’t,” Heather growled.
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Tell me, what would you do in Heather’s situation? Knowing you’d have to take a life to stay alive? Let’s just say, Heather’s situation is not an easy one and her plan doesn’t turn out like she plans. If you haven’t had a chance to read ‘The Rite’ yet then this box set is a really awesome opportunity, because for 99 cents not only do you get this devious, evil little story – but you also get FOUR MORE. 1-click away! Then enjoy these other hot snippets below!