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    Desperate Acts
    Desperate Acts
    Desperate Acts
    Ebook95 pages1 hour

    Desperate Acts

    By Kevin L. O'Brien

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    About this ebook

    In the Dreamlands, the Cats are probably the most powerful political, military, and social force extant. Even mighty rulers, such as King Kuranes of Celephais and Queen Elishat of Karchedon, bow to their will. They go where they want, do as they please, and answer to no one, except their Queen and her Council of Elders. They are quick to punish any wrong done to them, and their retribution is as brutal as it is swift and final. They fear little, and run from only the gravest of danger.

    So, when they summoned Medb hErenn to their council in the town of Ulthar, asking for her help, she understood that only sheer desperation would force them to call on outside aid, especially her own unique abilities, and that it likely involved great danger.

    The only thing she couldn't know was that it could destroy them all.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKevin L. O'Brien
    Release dateNov 17, 2013
    ISBN9781311607171
    Desperate Acts
    Author

    Kevin L. O'Brien

    Kevin L. O'Brien was born with a pen in his hand.Well, not quite, but he has been writing for as long as he can remember, at least since First Grade. Writing has always been his first, true love, but it hasn't always been his career. He worked for 15 years as a biomedical researcher, then for 3 years as a web designer. However, after 30 years of trying to be published in print with little success, he has decided to try his hand at self-publishing.He writes primarily speculative fiction -- fantasy, science fiction, horror, and their sub-genres -- but he also likes to try his hand at thrillers, suspense, mystery, and even westerns. However, his stories tend to have a fantasy element, no matter how subtle.Most of his stories involve the following three main characters:Medb hErenn (http://www.medbherenn.com/) -- One-time queen of Ireland, she is over 3500 years old. A warrior and a sorceress, she cannot be harmed by any weapon made by the hand of man.Eile and Sunny, Team Girl (http://www.teamgirlforever.com/) -- They are two adorable, vivacious, fun-loving young women whose motto is ONWARD TO ADVENTURE!!! Yet trouble follows them like a love-sick puppy wherever they go.Sir Differel Van Helsing (http://www.sir-differel.com/) -- The descendent of Abraham Van Helsing and King Arthur, she heads the Caerleon Order, the premier monster-hunting organization of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. She commands Dracula, the most powerful vampire extant, and the greatsword Caliburn, better known as Excalibur.He also writes a series of sword & sorcery stories set in an alternative universe known as the Lands of the Dreams of Men.Kevin lives in Denver with his family and 4 cats.For more information, see his website: http://www.kevinlobrien.com/

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      Book preview

      Desperate Acts - Kevin L. O'Brien

      Desperate Acts

      Kevin L. O'Brien

      Smashwords Edition

      +++

      Text Copyright 2013 by Kevin L. O'Brien

      Cover design and typography copyright 2013 by Kevin L. O'Brien

      Celtic Hand font distributed under a free use license by Typographer Mediengestaltung

      +++

      License Notes

      Thank you for downloading this ebook. It is licensed for your personal enjoyment and remains the copyrighted property of the author. This ebook may not be sold, reproduced, or copied, whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes, but it may be given away if no changes are made. If you enjoyed this book and would like to share it, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from Smashwords or their favorite online retailer, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support, and for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Please consider writing a review for this book on the retailer's website.

      If you see any misspellings or typographical errors, please notify Kevin L. O'Brien using one of his online social networks. Thank you.

      +++

      This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents, including those based on the real world, are either products of the imagination of Kevin L. O'Brien or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

      Because some ebook platforms do not support special characters, certain words may appear misspelled, but this was done deliberately to avoid the problem of the platforms deleting the characters. Also, the LRF platform used by older models of the Sony Reader does not permit the use of links to external URLs, whereas the PDB platform used by Palm reading devices does not support any form of linking whatsoever.

      +++

      Table of Contents

      Preface

      Desperate Acts

      About the Author

      Other Books by Kevin L. O'Brien

      Connect with Kevin L. O'Brien

      Sample Excerpts

      +++

      Preface

      In The Lions of Inganok, we discovered that the cats occasionally call on Medb hErenn's troubleshooting skills to help them with crises they cannot deal with themselves or which are too powerful for them alone. Considering how powerful the cats are as a political and social entity, they must be truly desperate to require her services.

      Back to TOC

      +++

      The clearing inside the grove in the garden surrounding the Temple of the Great Ones in the town of Ulthar was a familiar sight to the massive woman. A baker's dozen of smooth and polished marble pillars sat in a semi-circle just off-center; on top of each laid a cat, while within the concavity lounged a mob representing every known breed, including various mixed breeds.

      As soon as she entered the assembly, a male, apple-headed, sable-point Siamese stepped forward from the pillars and cried, Medb hErenn! You have been summoned before the Council of Elders for Her Most Serene Feline Majesty, the High Queen of All Cats Great and Small. Approach so that you may be interrogated. He spoke in the Sacred Tongue, which his people used for religious and civil ceremonies, but Medb had been initiated in the Central Mysteries of Bast long ago, and knew the language very well.

      The former queen made her way around the mob without protest. She had in fact been invited to render the Council a service, for which she would receive a handsome reward. She knew that the Herald's words were euphemisms meant to maintain an air of feline superiority over mere humans such as herself.

      Not that anything about her could be considered mere.

      Twelve of the pillars stood only three feet high, and on these rested the members of the Council. She stepped up to the leader, a huge, scarred, gray and blue tabby tom, with ragged ears and one missing eye. He rose to a sitting position as she came near.

      She gave him a polite nod. How may I serve this Council?

      His reply went straight to the point: We need you to raise a spirit.

      She narrowed her cold, emerald-green eyes. To what purpose, Cucath?

      It has information that we need.

      She turned her head towards the last pillar on her right. It stood twice the height of the others, and on top in a pose identical to that of an Egyptian statue sat a sleek, cream-furred, female cat with tan points. Medb was tall enough to look directly into her golden eyes, which stared back at her with a look of majestic calm. What sort of information?

      The Queen spoke in a low, sultry voice. That will be revealed when you have called it up before us.

      She turned to face her. You know as well as I, that it is extremely dangerous to call up a spirit ill-prepared and for no good purpose.

      You have the knowledge to accomplish it, and the power to protect yourself. And we shall aid you as necessary.

      Very well, where is the grave?

      There is no grave; this is not a human spirit.

      Then what is it?

      The banshee Cridedub.

      Shocked, she flinched and cried out without thinking: You must be mad!

      Neither the cat queen's expression nor her posture changed, but the assembled mob erupted into squalls and yowls of indignant protest, joined by a few council members. The tumult did not still until the Herald called out:

      Let there be silence!

      You may well be correct, the Queen said, but if so it is a madness born of desperation.

      It would have to be, to take such a gamble.

      We understand the risk.

      I doubt that.

      Then let us say that we are willing to take the risk, however much we have misjudged it.

      But I am not.

      The Cat Queen cocked her head to one side. So, you defy our command?

      She responded with a tight smile. "You forget, Selgach Mor, the bansidh is not a spirit of the dead. It is one of the Daoine Sidhe, masquerading as a ghost."

      The cat narrowed her eyes. On the contrary, the day I forget anything is the day I return to the Great Mother. She spoke with an edge to her voice.

      My point is, I refuse as much for your safety as for my own. To summon one of the Daoine Sidhe against its will is to court disaster.

      And my 'point', O Daughter of Cruacha, is that you have no choice.

      She sneered. Are you threatening me?

      The Queen's manner reflected one of perfect calm. Yes, I am: you will raise Cridedub before this assembly, or you will not leave this clearing alive.

      Alarmed, she took an involuntary step back. The Queen had never threatened her before, and while she had no doubt she could escape with her life, she also knew that the mob would do her considerable harm before she could get free, and that she would have to kill a considerable number to do it. That would make her a fugitive, forever on the run, fearful of feline justice, with no place to hide.

      Still, her first thought was to refuse, and she

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