Evanesce

The Darkness Series – Book 2

By Cassia Brightmore

Synopsis:

If your soul has been plunged into the dark depths of despair, how hard would you fight to claw your way back to the surface? Can the life you lost be restored, or is it destined to be forever phased out of existence? Fated to dissolve into a distant memory.
The Black Market—a ferocious, starving beast. An endless sinkhole of precious valuables; the playground for blood-thirsty power seekers. Only one thing feeds its hunger like no other…human life.
A sinister criminal ring has descended on the small town of Norton Springs, instilling fear in the residents. A vicious wave of disappearances coupled with the gut-wrenching horror of infants being ripped from the arms of their helpless mothers has the town quaking in terror.
When Gabe Thornton strolls back into his hometown, his main goal is to claim the one woman that has always denied her feelings for him—Nora Jacobs. The last thing he expects is to be thrust into a storm of devastation and chaos. Will his strength be enough to save them from the dark souls that threaten to destroy their chance at happiness?
Broken futures. Shattered dreams. Mind-numbing loss. When your heart has been ripped away from you—how do you find the will to go on?
No one is safe. Everything you thought you knew is about to change in this second installment in The Darkness Series.
Warning: Due to adult content and graphic situations, this book is intended for readers 18 and up.

Buy: Amazon / B & N / ITunes / Kobo

Excerpt

Gripping Red’s hand tight, the two ran up the stairs, Brooke wincing each time one of the boards squeaked under the pressure of their weight. At the top, the door was open, a fact that had Brooke’s heart jumping up her throat like it was on a damn trampoline. Peering out, she ensured there was no one in sight before tugging Red forward. A few steps into the carpeted foyer, the sound of voices drifted towards them. Panicking, she pulled Red into what she thought was an empty room and shut the door.
Panting, she leaned against the door, trying to catch her breath.
“We have to hide here, Red. I’ll check if it’s safe in a few minutes.” When there was no reply from Red, Brooke turned her head, searching. “Red?” The other woman stood frozen, unmoving in the middle of the room.
“What are you—ahh…” Brooke stepped up beside Red, concerned why she was non-verbal. The room was not empty as she had expected. It wasn’t empty at all and the scene before them was a terrifying one.
Cots. Rows and rows of cots and each one was occupied with a tiny infant. Some were sleeping, wrapped in thin blankets. Others were squirming, having come loose from their bundle. A few were wailing, a loud sound that would make any dog in the surrounding area sit up and take notice. How Brooke didn’t hear them, was beyond her. The adrenaline was a roar in her ears, blocking out everything except listening for footsteps of anyone that might be approaching. A quick count revealed twenty-four cots. Twenty-four babies either stolen are birthed by a mother that was likely a prisoner in the same house of horrors she was trying to escape from.
Covering her mouth, Brooke suppressed a scream of disgust. Children. Helpless infants all lined up and ready to be sold by the indescribable monster, Marcus. An auction straight from a mother’s worst nightmare.
“Red,” she tried to get her attention. “Red,” she said with more force. When that still didn’t work, she reached out and lightly shook her. The haunted, empty look in her eyes when Red finally acknowledged her, broke Brooke’s heart into a million tiny pieces.
“My sons. My daughters…” she moved towards the cots. “I—I have to find them. I—I—I didn’t get to—to hold them,” she stammered, peering over the cots at the tiny faces. Her heartbreak was written all over her face as she searched from cot to cot for her children.
Not being able to stand seeing her torment, Brooke rushed to her side, trying to tug her away. “Red, I don’t think they are here now. These…these are infants. As in just born, and you—” Red’s head whipped around to pin Brooke with furious eyes.
“Shut up. You know nothin’. My children are here. They are here.” Tears sprang to Brooke’s eyes at the utter despair in Red’s voice.
“I really wish they were, God, Red. But I promise you, we will make these bastards pay. We will find your children and make sure they can never do this to any other woman,” Brooke’s promise was fierce and true. She would shut this operation down, even if it killed her to do it.

Tina’s Review

** Provided by author via promotion in Exchange for an Honest Review **
Judging a Book by it’s Cover:
The cover is very dark in coloration as well as content, although it is rather murky, it sort of sets the mood to the story inside. The synopsis does a fairly good job at depicting the dark and disturbing world that Ms. Brightmore plunges her readers into.
Looking Deeper:
Third-person POV, from various characters’ perspectives; not clearly defined therefore you are several sentences in before realizing that the POV has shifted to another person. It makes for some necessary backtracking. WARNING: Ms. Brightmore once again fearlessly immerses her readers into a dark abyss of chaos, depravity, and some psychotically twisted, sick content. It is guaranteed to offend and trigger those sensitive to rape, abduction, sex slavery, human trafficking, trafficking, abuse.
There are two simultaneous story lines happening here…. One of Brooke and her fight to survive her abduction and subsequent horrors, the other of Nora and Gabe. There’s really no way to rate *a* lead male or female in that respect. The characters are well-developed and the interaction is fantastic. The dialogue gets a little tiresome when one character addresses the other by name every time they open their mouth to speak, but other than that, the context was great. I have to say, I was rather put off by how “animated” Nora’s pussy is…. first referred to as a dog on a leash, then an Olympian vaulter? That’s just a little disturbing and comically absurd. While the main conflicts are resolved, Ms. Brightmore throws yet another volley of curveballs at you, leaving you gaping at the final page and wondering…. what the ever-loving f—!?! The conclusion is not quite solid, there is unfinished business and loose ends – it felt abrupt and unfinished. Overall, fans of Malevolent will most likely love this. If they thought book 1 was a brain-screw… just wait. This one is pure insanity.

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