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Soul Possessed
Katlyn Duncan
Life after LifeNow Maggie has been given the chance of her after-life to become a Guard, nothing will stand in her way. Not even the undeniable attraction she feels for her trainer and past love—Jackson. But when the battle between Shadowed and Guard begins again which side will she choose?When her boss, Felix, partners Jackson and Maggie up with Ally and Cooper to investigate terrifying Shadowed activity in a small New England town, she doesn’t think it could get any worse. Jackson and Cooper barely tolerate each other and this time, Maggie isn’t just proving her loyalty to the Guard during one mission…she has a side mission too. One so secret and so dangerous she can’t tell a soul…Praise for Katlyn Duncan‘I loved every page of SOUL POSSESSED. … I’m truly blown away by this series and can’t wait for book three to hit my Kindle. ONE of the best I’ve read this year!’ – Dark Novella'The plot was original and I did not see some things coming. The writing was spectacular… There was the perfect amount of angst, tension, and passion all blended together.’ – Tween 2 Teen Books'Soul Possessed takes this story to a whole new level. In this book, the stakes have been raised, extra layers have been added to a story that will keep you glued to its pages…’ – Realm of the Shappired DragonThe Life After series:1. Soul Taken2. Soul Possessed3. Soul Betrayed
Life after Life
Now Maggie has been given the chance of her after-life to become a Guard, nothing will stand in her way. Not even the undeniable attraction she feels for her trainer and past love—Jackson. But when the battle between Shadowed and Guard begins again which side will she choose?
When her boss, Felix, partners Jackson and Maggie up with Ally and Cooper to investigate terrifying Shadowed activity, she doesn’t think it could get any worse. Jackson and Cooper barely tolerate each other and this time, Maggie isn’t just proving her loyalty to the Guard during one mission…she has a side mission too. One so secret and so dangerous she can’t tell a soul…
Praise for KATLYN DUNCAN (#uac40c2e2-bd94-51c1-8a82-99bf72c74aac)
‘Katlyn Duncan’s YA debut, Soul Taken, is a thrilling ride that will leave you breathless for the next page, and curious to find the true soul we nurture within.’ Jennifer Murgia, Author of the Angel Star series and Between These Lines
‘Wow! Talk about a completely unique concept with tons of new ideas, roles, and characters that took me on an exhilarating adventure.’ 4.5 stars from I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews
‘I really loved this book. From the first page I was totally hooked and couldn’t put it down until I was finished.’ Dark Faerie Tales
‘Soul Taken is a BRILLIANT read!…This is one of those books to look out for.’ 5 stars from A Diary of a Book Addict
‘It is a quick read and leaves you excited for the next installment of the series…Can’t wait to read more from this debut author!’ 5 stars from Allie Kacmar*
‘I loved the book, such a fast read. I felt like I knew each character personally…Then mix in the excitement of the souls being taken, it really makes you think.’ 5 stars from Joanne*
‘Soul Taken is a tasty morsel indeed.’ 5 stars from Nicky Peacock*
*Reader reviews
Also by Katlyn Duncan (#uac40c2e2-bd94-51c1-8a82-99bf72c74aac)
Soul Taken
Soul Possessed
Katlyn Duncan
Copyright (#ulink_a9e08c24-63bb-5228-825e-40ea83602ead)
HQ
An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF
First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2013
Copyright © Katlyn Duncan 2013
Katlyn Duncan asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.
E-book Edition © October 2013 ISBN: 9781472044556
Version date: 2018-10-30
Katlyn Duncan
has been reading and writing since before she can remember; her earliest memories involve dragging her mom to the store to get the latest Goosebumps book. She earned two science degrees and currently works in the medical field. She spends her free time writing, reading, and renovating her Victorian “fixer upper” in southern New England with her husband.
To Mr. Foley. Thank you for showing me that reading is an escape.
Contents
Cover (#u65d5572f-c060-56e5-a988-b7ae66339e27)
Blurb (#u0226179c-2f14-5f88-bb00-9d45c61bb8d5)
Praise
Book List
Title Page (#uc689116f-5577-5ab7-98c8-2785fc77151c)
Copyright (#uc8fe07ac-93bd-5ff5-9f2f-025f660e539f)
Author Bio (#ua3f631bf-6575-5ba1-80cc-38e5ddd168b3)
Dedication (#u052568a4-13ba-5f39-b502-e05a84ce897a)
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Endpages (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher
Chapter One (#uac40c2e2-bd94-51c1-8a82-99bf72c74aac)
It wasn’t the first time I went back there. Back to the night I destroyed the soul of my grandson, David. Part of the family I didn’t remember. The visions used to be more frequent and, I suppose, I had to be thankful for that. Jackson was always there to wake me up.
And like every other time, I fell into the vision not remembering how I got there. The sharp rock walls closed in around me as the insatiable need to feed awoke, twisting its silky fingers around every fiber of my soul.
Then, I saw the man that brought me there.
David.
His name brought forth a barrage of images and new memories, ones I’d experienced through his daughter after he trapped me in her body. He had taken Ally’s soul knowing that because of our familial link her body would accept mine in her absence. He wanted my power to be awakened on her eighteenth birthday through her transformation, and as much as I had tried to stop it, my power had been awoken after he insisted on hurting the only friends I had.
I looked down at my hand. The orange essence rolled off my fingers in waves, reaching toward him. His soul touched the essence and his body stiffened. His terror surged through me, his grin unmoving as if he wanted me to take him. And it didn’t argue. I didn’t argue. The essence lurched forward, finding the connection to his soul. The insurmountable power within him tasted divine as if my very existence was for this purpose.
I leaned forward, closing my hands, pulling more of his soul into me. His bright green eyes dimmed and his ashen face went slack as I withdrew the last of his soul from his body. Even when there was nothing left to take, I kept my hands close to his body. David’s form fell limp across the cave floor and didn’t stir. My essence burned bright, breaking the bond between his body and mine. Heat flowed through me, and with it more strength than I had ever felt in a hundred years. Even though I couldn’t imagine feeling stronger, the essence sought out its next meal.
Something moved behind me. I sensed the soul and, with the promise of more, the essence pulsed with excitement.
The soul neared, its hand dropping on my shoulder. Its life force called to me. I leaned in to the touch. That was the more I’d been looking for. Suddenly, an unexpected weight in my hand grabbed my attention. My hands tightened around the hilt of a broadsword. I lifted it slightly; the lightness of the weapon surprised me. That could be useful in subduing my new target. Something tugged at my memory but the essence was overwhelming, begging my soul to turn around and feed. I whirled around, brandishing the sword between us.
My assailant held a similar weapon, but he kept it pointed at the ground. The essence hesitated and so did I. Why wasn’t he fighting back? I raised my sword. He may have been significantly taller, but I had the advantage of David’s strength inside of me.
“Mags.” His gravely voice struck me as a hint of a memory bubbled to the surface at the nickname.
I narrowed my eyes, trying to place him. My essence didn’t budge but it waited there on the surface, hesitating. I lifted my gaze to his light blue eyes, almost hidden behind the dark tresses unevenly masking his eyebrows and the tips of his ears.
He moved his arms to the side. “Put down the sword.”
The rock face shimmered around us, but I blinked until it stopped moving. I lifted my sword to him and my essence surged forward, weaving around my sword toward the dark-haired boy. His eyes widened, but he didn’t fight back. I tested him by flicking my hand to the side, almost nicking his black shirt with the blade.
He jumped back, “Snap out of it.”
David’s soul-strength rolled around inside me, urging me forward. I brought down my sword, but he blocked it. I tried again, but he blocked me. Over and over we did this, my essence getting closer to him with each strike.
Grinning, I accessed the power within me and leapt forward, bringing my sword down closer to him this time. He moved back, but I anticipated his reaction and continued to invade his space, not giving him an advantage for one second. As much as I wanted his soul he wasn’t interested in hurting me, only blocking me. Frustration turned to annoyance until I shifted my position, backing him against the stone wall with enough strength to startle him. His sword dropped to the ground leaving his chest wide open. If I could touch him, I’d be able to take him.
I paused too long and before I knew it he side-stepped me and went for his sword.
“You aren’t in the caves, Mags!”
Don’t lose focus.
I flicked my wrist and brought the tip of my sword close to him. He leapt back and this time he purposefully dropped the sword, putting his hands out in front of him.
“Look at me!”
I did. His blazing blue eyes were pleading. The air around him shifted. I blinked again, but this time the walls continued to move and shift. The rock crumbled around us and started to shimmer like the afternoon sun over the ocean. I lost focus and succumbed to the cave crashing down around us. I looked down at my hands, dropping my weapon. The essence pulsed and disappeared just as the rock did.
My new surroundings were of a water’s edge. Small waves lazily lapped against the shore. In the distance, the sun had almost set behind a plush mountain ridge. Every shade of purple cascading across a cloudless sky.
I was in the After. Jackson was right. I’d been inside of another vision.
I stepped back from Jackson, realizing that I could have hurt him. I shoved my hands into my pockets and closed my eyes, trying to calm my jittering soul.
