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Sacrifice of a Virgin

by

Renee Charles

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Sacrifice of a Virgin

COPYRIGHT © 2015 by Renee Charles

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: info@thewildrosepress.com

Cover Art by Debbie Taylor

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewilderroses.com

Publishing History

First Scarlet Rose Edition, 2015

Digital ISBN 978-1-62830-830-3

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

For my husband, who brings out the brave in me.

PRAISE FOR AUTHOR

Renee Charles

ONLY LOVE SURVIVES

Warning: this is kick butt book! Take romance, add a pinch of apocalypse, a dash of misunderstanding, family, debts to society, oh, and a horde of flesh eating zombies, and you get the reading pleasure that is Only Love Survives. What a story!!!!

~Cara, Smile Sombody Loves You

~*~

I'm literally breathless! This book rocked! Loved it, recommend it if you like zombies, romance, and great written sex!! This is the first book I've read that left me emotional. I want more!!

~Cherly Hodges, Amazon

CHANGES IN AUTUMN

I loved this short story. I found the humor delicious, the characters deep enough, and the descriptions wonderful.

~Tash, Confessions from Romaholics

Sacrifice of a Virgin

Ages ago, in a land full of magical creatures who harbor dark desires…

She stood blindfolded with her hands tied above her head. A breeze pulled at the strands of hair that fell loose from her braid. They tickled her cheek and caressed her naked shoulder where her shift had slipped, leaving tender flesh exposed to the evening air. Rena would do anything for the love of her family. That love gave her the courage to wait, without a scream, struggle, or fear, stiff as the timber to which she’d been lashed—a sacrifice to the Dragon.

The cold of the moss underfoot crept up her calves, and she shifted her weight from one bare foot to the other. The warmth of the sun disappeared from her skin indicating it had slipped behind the distant trees. The time had come.

Rena tried not to tremble. One deep breath…then another…and another. The sound of the night sky changed and carried with it a noise much like that of a sail filling with the sea air.

Wings. Her heart raced. The echo of her pounding heart competed with the whoosh of those wings beating against the wind.

Fighting the urge to scream, Rena dug her heels into the ground and pictured the faces of each of her beloved sisters. By the time the next lottery came, they would be married and no longer a suitable sacrifice.

A flurry of dust and debris accompanied the creature’s landing. Rena turned her face away. It suddenly became difficult to breathe. Her resolve waivered, and she took a step back, forgetting there was nowhere to go. The wood post bit into her flesh through the thin sheath she wore. Rena sucked in her breath and held it, awaiting the painful rip of talons as they shredded her flesh and swept her broken body into the night.

Terror