King of the Damned (Echoes of Eternity #1)

Prologue

Kaius

1000 Years Ago

Monster. Abomination. Demon.

Those words swirl within my mind as I clutch my mother’s lifeless body to my chest.

I weep for her, the agony nearly too much to bear.

I’ll never love again.

Of that, I am certain.

I gave my heart so willingly.

Trusted so thoroughly.

I loved Yekaterina unconditionally, and it cost me everything.

More than everything.

My life, my family, my soul.

I was warned, and that’s the part that leaves a bitter taste in my bloodstained mouth.

It is known that the Ten Priestesses have a deceitful nature.

They prey on men like me.

They prey on their selfish desires, those same selfish desires that I foolishly shared with her.

Yekaterina cursed me, and it cost both of us our lives.

It even cost the life of my innocent mother.

But souls live on, and as the witch’s lifeless body turns to ash, the silver dagger I stabbed into her heart clatters to the ground.

I feel her cold, black aura wrap around my spine, and I stiffen as her demonic voice enters my head, to tell me I will have but one chance to release her soul back into the world and break this wretched curse.

I vow at this moment that I will stop at nothing to end this immortal burden, stealing back my human life from the clutches of Yekaterina’s wickedness.

But I will not bear this alone.

I will create an army of my own.

Worshippers of Yekaterina will become my slaves.

The most cunning among Avrusa will become my allies.

I am Kaius Voroninov, King of Bloodlust, Betrayal, and the Damned, and all will share in this eternal torment with me.