Mesmerized

Linda.”

    “Dr. Mallard wanted me to give you a call and schedule an appointment for tomorrow morning, first thing.”

    “Oh, God, what’s wrong now?” Sofia exclaimed and balled up her free hand into a fist until her nails bit into flesh.

    “The specialist he flew in from Zurich arrives tonight. He’s apparently really interested in meeting you.”

    “Really? I’d love to come in. What time do you open?”

    “Seven. I’ll schedule you for seven-fifteen so Dr. Mallard can get his first cup of coffee,” Linda said.

    “That’s awesome, Linda. Thank you so much for calling!”

    “No problem. We’ll see you tomorrow at seven-fifteen.”

    Hopeful, Sofia crumpled up the paper with Dr. Bylun’s information. If Dr. Mallard’s international guest was that anxious to see her, he must know what was going on! She sipped her cocoa, cheered by the thought of soon knowing what was wrong with her.

    The sound of screeching tires and a scream drew the patrons from the coffee shop to the window. Sofia stuffed Dr. Bylun’s paper into her empty cup, tossed it, and joined the onlookers lining the street. Somewhere a few blocks away, an ambulance wailed. A drunk man staggered from a dark blue BMW. She walked up the street to a better vantage point, curious to see what he hit. 

    She froze at the sight straight out of her vision—the little boy, Cody, spread-eagled in the street near the storm drain. His mother was hysterical, screaming at once at the driver and her dead son. Coldness seeped through her as she watched the familiar scene before her. In the distance, she heard her cell phone ring. It ceased and began to ring again. As if in a dream, she pulled it free and answered.

    “Ms. Fast?” The deep baritone voice pierced her thoughts. “This is Damian Bylun. You left a message with my receptionist?”

    Her world was beginning to spin as she realized her vision had come true. Her legs felt weak, and she sat heavily on the curb, struggling to control her breathing so she didn’t pass out.

    God, what’s wrong with me? I saw him die …

    “Pardon?”

    Realizing she clenched the phone in her hand, she locked the screen and sat staring at the asphalt. Someone touched her, and visions flared across her mind. A pretty brunette, mugged in a back alley, raped and killed.

    “Hey, are you all right?” someone else asked. As the man took her arm to help her stand, his haggard face appeared in yet another vision. An older man with dementia left to rot and finally die in an old folks’ home.

“Get away from me!” she cried, tearing her arm away. She fled, staggering as she bumped into more people and more visions flashed. She ran until the cold air burned her lungs and the people were far behind her. She retreated to her apartment, breathing raggedly, with cold tears stiffening her cheeks.

She closed and locked the door behind her. She froze when she saw the disaster that was her apartment. Everything was overturned or shredded, from the furniture to the bookshelves to the TV lying on its face. The windows were open and the apartment cold.

    Her headache was now a migraine, and she shielded her eyes against the light from the street that filtered past her honeycomb blinds. She all but staggered into her bathroom. She wrenched open the medicine cabinet for the most powerful of the drugs Dr. Mallard prescribed for her and slammed the cabinet shut.

    Her eyes were fully silver, swirling and glowing in the dark bathroom.

    “What is wrong with me?” she screamed, slamming her fists against the mirror.

    Her blood spattered on the wall, and buzzing filled her ears. She sank to the floor. Her phone began to ring again as she slid into a dead faint.
     
    Damian’s Oracle is available from:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Damians-Oracle-War-Gods-ebook/dp/B004JN0KHM/

    Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/damians-oracle-lizzy-ford/1029664032

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/damians-oracle/id416014301?mt=11

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/35499

    The War of Gods series

    Damian’s Oracle (October 2011)

    Damian’s Assassin (November 2011)

    Damian’s Immortal (02 December 2011)

    The Grey God (May 2012)
     
    About Lizzy Ford

Lizzy Ford is the hyper-prolific author of the "Rhyn Trilogy" and "War of Gods" series, both launched in 2011, as well as multiple single title young adult fantasy and paranormal romances. Lizzy's books have reached into the bestseller lists on