What Kills Me by Wynne Channing

Her description in her bio is appropriate: “Well written by Wynne Channing.”

I was walking back to Sofia’s from the bakery and saw a man in the square.  He seemed to be eying me, but I was late and hurried on. Somehow I got lost and when I turned around, he was there. I explained what happened, described Sofia’s street and he took me there. I joked along the way, but he didn’t seem to get it. I do have a sarcastic wit. To repay him, I told him I would buy him a gelato and we agreed to meet at the pizzeria later. His name was Paolo.

I had come to Italy to go to the university and study art. I was living with my host, Sofia, and because I was so late, she instituted a 9:00 pm curfew and I was to meet Paolo at 9:15. Now what? I came up with the idea to leave a message for him at the pizzeria and meet him there at 3:30 Monday afternoon.

That night, as I lay in bed, I heard my name. I went to the window, looked out and Paolo was there. He talked me into climbing out the window and trespassing into the church. We stood by the collection box and he whispered in my ear, “I’m going to kill you.”

He turned toward the altar and I ran into the office. I saw a door, so I ran through it and down the stairs. The room was lit by candles that ringed a hole in the floor. Paolo kept backing me toward the hole, until someone yelled stop. I lost my balance and fell into the hole. It was so dark and I felt I was drowning. How I climbed out, I don’t know.

Uther explained, I was in his quarters in the church. He was the guardian of the sanctum. His niece, Lettie came into the room and asked me if I felt different. Why would I feel different? When I told Uther I had to go home, he said I couldn’t ever go home. He went on to explain that when I fell into the well, I had died. He said they were dead too. It was true. I had no pulse, no heartbeat. We were vampires.

When I saw myself in the mirror, my eyes were lit up as if on fire. Uther and Lettie told me I was a miracle. Never before had someone become a vampire without drinking someone’s blood. The well I fell into was full of vampire blood.

I didn’t think it could get any worse, until the General came. He called me an abomination and was taking me to the Empress. I had been thrown in the back of the truck, alone. I felt no pain and as I licked my lips I tasted blood. Soon I was cleaning  blood from my body, lapping it up like a cat.

We arrived at the castle. I was chained and had a  bag thrown over my head. I was made to kneel. When the bag was removed I saw hundreds of men and women surrounding me.  Paolo was brought in. The Empress called him Transporter. She condemned us both to death.

I didn’t know where we were, but I tried to find a way to escape.  As the sun moved around the room, I saw Paolo burn and turn to dust. Why didn’t I burn in the sun like Paolo? I amazed myself by climbing out of the tower. As I looked around, I saw nothing but rocks and water.

When I dove and began swimming, I realized I didn’t need to breathe. Apparently there were some benefits to being a vampire.  I woke up and found I had washed up on shore, so I began walking. As I walked,  I talked to myself. It was something I did all the time.

I was startled when someone answered me. I thought I was alone. He introduced himself as Noel and said he could remove my chains. He took me home and introduced me to the boys, Lucas and Jerome.  I didn’t want to, but felt I had to tell them my story.

They said they made weapons for the Aramatta, the Monarchy’s guards. They told me the guards would come here, looking for me. Noel said they would take care of me and meant it. We prepared to leave, but had waited too long.

They beheaded Jerome in seconds. Noel fought hard but was outnumbered. I saw the jar of fuel by the sink, rolled it across the floor and threw the lantern. I grabbed Lucas and ran out the door, as the cabin went up in flames.

We decided to hide for the day, then go to see Uther. He had to tell us what was going on, why they wanted me so bad. When we arrived at the church, Lettie told us Uther had gone to Romania to consult the Sacriva, the vampire scripture. It had foretold of her arrival.

She proceeded to tell them about the Ancients,  and the prediction. There were seven Ancients with super strength and great powers. They could walk in the sun, read your mind and predict the future.  When two Ancients fought and one was killed, any vampires created by the Ancients died, the entire blood line. The Monarchy imprisoned the ancients, dug a well and put all their blood in the well. It was called the Crucivium.

The prophesy became the Sacriva. It says, when the natural world is threatened by the vampire empire, a human girl will be born, a vampire by unholy means. She will restore order.

The Monarchy is afraid of me. They will hunt me down and kill me. I told Lucas to leave, but he put his hand out and I took it.

     4 STARS – Would Highly Recommend To Others

The cover is gorgeous and the title led me to learn more about the book.

When the General fought with Lucas, it made me picture Twilight, when Edward fought to save Bella in the church. I could picture them both, flying through the air and bouncing off the walls.

Wynne Channing created  Axelia with a sense of humor and a sarcastic wit. She would need it. The trials and tribulations she goes through to save her and Lucas, create a strong character. I was running and climbing with her, as I rooted for her and hoped she’d get what she needs and wants.

The story was unique and creative. Very different from the vampire novels I have read. It captured me from the beginning and I eagerly ate it up. The action was non-stop, keeping me reading to find out what would happen next.

I loved the ending and it left me wanting more, but you will have to read the book to find out for yourself. I am eagerly awaiting the next book.

Buy Links for What Kills Me

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | Kobo | iTunes | Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

About the top-rated, best-selling book (#1 in occult, October 2012): An ancient prophecy warns of a girl destined to cause the extinction of the vampire race. So when 17-year-old Axelia falls into a sacred well filled with blood and emerges a vampire, the immortal empire believes she is this legendary destroyer. Hunted by soldiers and mercenaries, Axelia and her reluctant ally, the vampire bladesmith Lucas, must battle to survive. How will she convince the empire that she is just an innocent teenager-turned bloodsucker and not a creature of destruction? And if she cannot, can a vampire who is afraid of bugs summon the courage to fight a nation of immortals?

About Wynne: Wynne Channing is a national newspaper reporter and award-winning young adult novelist. Wynne loves telling stories and as a journalist, she has interviewed everyone from Daniel Radcliffe and Hugh Jackman to the president of the Maldives and Duchess Sarah Ferguson. The closest she has come to interviewing a vampire is sitting down with True Blood‘s Alexander Skarsgard (he didn’t bite). She briefly considered calling her debut novel “Well” so then everyone would say: “Well written by Wynne Channing.”

Connect with Wynne

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Google+ | Pinterest |YouTube |Amazon Author Page

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 Giveaway

Wynne Channing has offered 3 ebooks for the giveaway. It is International and easy to enter, as always. Just answer the question – WHAT VAMPIRIC POWER WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE? – and leave your email.

Now comes my favorite time of any giveaway. Announcing the winners.

Drum roll, please!!

Emily Guido  /  Denise Z  /Melanie

Congratulations. Your comments were wonderful and very much appreciated. This was a fun giveaway and I hope you will all come back again.

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To get your copy of I Am Forever, or another Wynne Channing novel, click on the cover below.

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