Author Update (Feb 16)

WELL, as per tradition its the last Sunday of the month. Albeit a new tradition. And on the last Sunday of the month comes an author update. It occurred to me I should probably put the month in the title so I knew what it was… OOPS!

Anyway! This month, well its been its own different kind of special. Very roller coaster. Emotionally its been an up and down month. Of course a few may be aware that this month last year I was in the process of a rather brutal break up that pretty much broke my heart. So of course this year I have been quite reflective. Though it seems the heartbreak was worth it. It changed me for the better a  lot. I feel evermore determined and less willing to settle.

Of course I will probably expand more on the past year on my birthday as an as a whole another year older what has made me wiser kind of thing. But I will probably just be very happy for the day off of work.

I’ve been reading still this month of course! I’m still muddling through the GOT series. It’s pretty good… she says trying not to sound impressed. The techniques are quite interesting.

Oh and this month I decided to add a new thing to my ridiculously over crowded schedule… I am attempting to learn guitar. Though my fingers are still baby soft. I wonder if I will miss that when I learn it enough to be able to play? Probably. I need to practice more than the once or twice a week chance  I have done the last 3/4 weeks. I want to try to do something on learning maybe once a day even if its theory?

This month my assessor on my apprenticeship changed so will see how this goes. Not long left.

This week Someone asked how arappleby.com is doing readership wise, I did shrug I honestly don’t really look much at my stats. I probably should keep an eye on it. But I did have a quick look at my stats today and notifications on here. But I did see that I have a few new followers I would love to say a very big hello and thank you! And a big thank you to all those who read the site. I do appreciate you taking the time to have a look.

Other weird stuff this month?

Well I did have some social time this month. I went out for an evening with my bro Harry. We went to a local songwriters corner event at the local pub at the weekend… It was bloody interesting. It was more a social event for me so I played cards with Harry while we listened. There was a lot of learning going on for me as I watched from the corner of my eye. So I guess I didn’t really have the time “off” of working. It seems to be that I am constantly doing something. So anyway, I learned a lot about perception. How important it is to utilize the talent at your disposal and how important loving whatever you are doing has to be. I noticed that a few of the artists, there was little differentiation between songs, something I wasn’t the only one to notice. I learned a lot and I do appreciate it and the evening. I loved hanging out with Harry again for a while. It was a great catch up.

More weird stuff?

I feel even more proactive even though I often feel like I am being lazy or slacking off. Whether its that I am watching tv or reading; I seem to forget or neglect that I am still working because I am analyzing the presentation of the storylines and the tactics being used as well as just enjoying the stretching of the imagination. Now as I listen to music I seem to do once for enjoyment, again for lyrics, again for melody, again for song build up and structure. It’s all strange like I am playing with building blocks with my imagination trying to understand things. I think that learning bug is taking over.

I am so excited and its not for something specific. I just seem to be especially excited like I can feel something coming. It’s all good whatever it is. I am just very ready and excited… Just want to know what the feeling is for… Not that I don’t appreciate it.

 

May luck and adventure be on your side!

 

ARA xxx

Counting Corvids Chapter Eight Cheeky Extras

Ivy/ Red Headed demon

 

This is a high-upper level demon. In its ranks it is highly manipulative, generally a female species that thrives on attention of men. This demon has crimson red hair and a slightly pixie like appearance.

This demon is frankly a bit psychopathic, it kills the victims after attention and drama dries up by suffocating them using a creeping ivy that binds and swallows the victim whole.

In order to kill this demon you better have time, patience and power. Ideally to kill the demon it must be starved of direct attention and burned in a lake during a full moon.

Counting Corvids Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight “Poison Ivy”

 

Tucking in a pendant on a chain Hunter knocked at the door, Willow’s father, Eric opened the door looking at his daughter’s suitor. Willow came rushing down the stairs, in the hope of leaving quickly. “Willow you look beautiful”

“My daughter is.” Her mother tucked Willows collar down creating a fuss.

Finally out the door Hunter lead Willow to a beautiful little picnic area completely made stunning by the nature around them. After paying Willow a few compliments their date was rudely interrupted by a woman with bright red hair and a pixie like appearance, in a dress of what looked like ivy. “Oh, really not cool”
“What?”
“That is what is known commonly as the red headed demon, it feeds off of attention and suffocates its victims with ivy, its also called an ivy demon.”
“Charming, yup”

“So erm, you feel like running?”
“Sure, why not?” The two sprang up and headed into the thicket of trees watching the ivy demon who began to feast on a quake demon. They turned and disappeared further into the woods. “They only feast on those with powerful magic, normally, I suspect the Quake was a snack”

“How do you know all of this stuff?”
“It’s my job to know.”

*

“Ah good, Willow, Hunter I’ve got some news, Hunter you know how you said you were adopted? I found your mother, it turns out you were kidnapped as a baby and well erm, did you want me to set up a meeting?”

“Wow, Madi, your certainly something aren’t you, I’m not sure I’m ready for that yet”

“That’s cool, that’s cool. Sorry it must be hard for you, Willow, so erm, another thing I recently discovered, how comes you never told me you were the chosen one?”
“Wow, Madi, don’t beat around the bush do you, I didn’t say anything because well, because I don’t want to be,” Willow stared at her hands holding her cup of tea. “It’s a lot of pressure and responsibility to make the alliance everyone wants.”
“I am sure you will make the right choice” Hunter smiled taking her hand.

Willow looked away for a second, “its not like you don’t have to help you should look in the book.”

“What book?”

“The book of Hecate, the book that contains prophecies and answers sent to guide the chosen one.”
“I don’t have it”

“You should”

*
“What’s the cost?”

“Two upper level powers”

“Fine, just make sure you stop her from ever seeing him and hunter can never know.”
“Fine, your bounty will cover the hit but I am at risk”
“There’s another two powers in it for you, but Hunter must never meet his so called mother”
The bounty hunter disappeared leaving Gray standing on his own in the darkness.

 

Counting Corvids Chapter Seven Cheeky Extras

“Blood Promise”

 

A way of saving a non-magical being from attack that can only be performed on a non-magical being. As seen in the chapter. The mix of magic blood acts like a ward and a cure. Though this is not always fool proof and is very dangerous.

Wouldn’t recommend the use, it binds the person to the blood giver with the magic, it often transfers the magic into the person which can accelerate mental instability. But on some occasions it can have a great positive effect.

Oh also did I mention don’t try it, blood borne diseases and all that.

Counting Corvids Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven “Marfa”

 

The girls came round in a dark cave, no longer lit by the eerie ambiance of the vampires, the only light came from the small fire in the middle of the room. The echoes of the pouring rain outside filling the cave, sat on a rock was a man, he hadn’t noticed them come round till they sat up. “I used to come to these caves to escape my home, but you look as though you’ve served your torture here?”
“What happened?” The man helped Madi up Willow watched the firelight flicker and dance on his face as he helped Madi into a more comfortable seat before turning to help Willow up. He was thoroughly handsome, as he took her hand and her breath away.

He helped her onto his rock that he had sat on and began tending to a cut on Willows forehead. “I don’t know what happened, I found you in here, exactly as you were, I came in to escape the rain in my old haunt and there you were. It’s a stormy mess out there.”

“We need to be getting back, we’ll be missed” Madi’s voice of reason brought Willow to her senses. “She’s right, thank you but we have to get home” there was a crack of lightening that traveled through the depths of the cave illuminating them for a moment. The man tending Willows head couldn’t have looked older then mid to late twenties with blue green eyes and dark brown hair, he was nothing short of stunning.

“Give it a few minutes, hey, let the worst of the storm pass” Willow and Madi agreed.

“I’m Madi by the way and she’s Willow” hoping for some attention from the man “What beautiful names” he said clearly unable to take his eyes off of Willow. “I’m Hunter, so what brought you girls here.” Both chorused that they weren’t too sure.

After a while they had begun sharing a little information about themselves as the storm thundered on Hunter revealed he had been and had come back to the area to find out who he really was, after an hour or so the storm eased just as they had begun to feel like they had almost always known each other. Helping Willow home with her very sore head and aching body they walked through the lighter down pour. Walking by what was believed to be the Gourlay compound they saw a few people watching the building surveying how to get in perhaps, they keep their heads down and hurried Willow forward. Hunter left her and Madi talking, under a sheltered alcove while he went back. Curious the girls followed him, the two people turned towards Hunter, Madi and Willow this time choosing to run, Hunter caught up with the slowest and dragged him back.

A few minutes later he revealed himself as a demon, a Colter demon to be exact. He reveals the Marfa of their master, Gray, was to appear. Hunter explained that Gray was a high level demon who was vanquished hundreds of years ago, a Marfa was an escaped spirit of an upper level demon on the hunt for a new body. The Colter smirked as he said they and the new body waiting for their master.

Hunter, Madi and Willow followed the Colter to find where his master would return, borrowing an unlocked, abandoned chevvy, they chased down the Marfa to discover a nest of Colter demons holding a man to the ground, the Marfa entered his body and the Colters cheered. Willow coming up from behind knocked the possessed man out with a blow to the head as Madi and hunter fought the Colters off, throwing the limp form in the back seat.

Hunter got behind the wheel as Madi started barking at her “I’ve heard of Marfas, they can only inhabit mortal humans, without magic”
“Great what do I do?”
“Turn him over. Oh my God it’s Ollie, its Ollie.”
“What do I do?”

“Your closest, you’re going to have to do it”
“Do what?”

“Share blood, of the two of you, you must entwine your blood and his so your magical blood can course his veins”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes now do it” Willow managed to do it not before the ball of light reappeared and sped off in a new direction.

“Its close to midnight hopefully it won’t find a body in time, or we are very much screwed” Madi’s voice was weak and hollow. Minutes later they had pulled at Willows and lifted the limp form into the house.

“Hey Ollie, come on wake up”

“What did you do? Where are those things?” Willow knelt beside him, “they aren’t here, your safe we got you away from them”

“I’m not safe am I? Not when I’m around you Madi they told me they chose me because of you, what did you do?” Madi was in stunned silence by his sudden anger, she could find no answer. There was nothing Willow could say, she got up to allow them some privacy. Minutes later a furious Ollie was out the door when the girls went to find him they couldn’t see him anywhere.