Howling Moon 10/11 Snippet

For the second Monday in a row I’m coming to you with a snippet from my debut novel Howling Moon!! At least for the month of October every Monday will feature snippet’s from Howling Moon! Remember to click on the follow link on the right hand side of the blog to follow for future updates. And you can find Howling Moon on Kindle here:

https://www.amazon.com/Howling-Moon-Beginning-Steven-Watson-ebook/dp/B074LZRW48

And Goodreads here:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36256689-howling-moon-the-beginning

And not to keep you waiting, here is the next piece from Howling Moon. Hope you enjoy. 🙂

Spoilers ahead for the seventh chapter!!

Emily lay on the couch with the blanket pulled tight around her. Since Troy had left, she’d done nothing except stare out the window, though she could see little between the thick maroon curtains. An hour before dark she began to worry if Ashley would make it back.

She’d always acted as if she didn’t need anyone, but right now, all she wanted was for Ashley to walk through the door. She imagined the other woman’s voice in every sound that came from outside. The dream from the night before kept flashing in her mind every time she shut her eyes. The pain triggered by Troy’s touch kept worsening but worse was the feeling in her chest. She wondered if this was what a panic attack felt like.

The buzz of her cell phone on the kitchen counter broke through her worry. She tossed the covers aside and leaped up. It had to be Ashley calling.

She’d only taken a couple of steps from the couch before she doubled over in pain, an intense hunger deep in her stomach. She collapsed to her hands and knees. It wasn’t her side that hurt so much, but hunger. An intense feeling, she realized she’d been feeling all day. She stifled a scream as she fell to her side, hands tightly across her abdomen. The pain went deeper than just hunger. Her insides seemed to shift—readjusting within her—bringing an unsettling fear.

Her heart beat three times faster and then her muscles began to spasm forcing her from her side to her back. Her hips lifted from the floor and what felt like sharp pieces of glass cut through every muscle along her torso. She dropped her hips back to the floor rolling over onto her stomach. Every part of her screamed in agony all the way to her throat and jaws. She wheezed two breaths before she began to choke. Her fingernails dug into the hardwood, breaking as she tried to pull herself forward. Her jaw muscles throbbed, each tooth felt like needles were being stuck through her gums. She rose from the floor and vomited a mix of brandy and food. Coughing through her tight chest, she threw up again. This time only a white foamy substance escaped as her arms buckled beneath her. She curled up in a ball and drifted out of consciousness.