Destiny (Experimental Heart Book 1) Read online

  DESTINY

  EXPERIMENTAL HEART | BOOK ONE

  SHANNON PEMRICK

  Third Edition

  Destiny Copyright © 2018 Shannon Pemrick

  Cover Illustration by Jackson Tjota

  Editing by Sandra Nguyen

  * * *

  ISBN 978-0-9984464-3-1 (paperback)

  ISBN 978-0-9984464-5-5 (hardcover)

  ISBN 978-0-9912213-2-5 (e-book)

  First edition © 2014

  * * *

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the author constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property.

  * * *

  https://www.shannonpemrick.com

  To Lora and Sammie

  Thank you for being a huge character inspiration and having faith in her and in me.

  * * *

  And

  * * *

  To Jim Derry

  Without you I would have never been able to bring Eira and Raikidan to life.

  Other Books in this Series

  Book 1 | Destiny

  Book 2 | Pieces

  Book 3 | Secrets

  Book 4 | Exposed

  Book 5 | Surrendered

  Book 6 | Reborn (coming soon)

  Contents

  Other Books in this Series

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Epilogue

  Leave a Review

  Pieces Preview Summary

  Chapter 1

  Glossary | Characters

  Glossary | Language

  Also by Shannon Pemrick

  About the Author

  Impenetrable walls made of stone and synthetic metal surrounded me on all sides. Cold and dampness clung to the air, adding to the oppression. I stared, with tired eyes, up at the small, barred window as I leaned against the wall of the cell, contemplating my options. Oh, that’s right. I had none.

  I was trapped with my comrades—my friends—in this cell, waiting for our judgment. They shouldn’t be here. This was my punishment, not theirs. If I hadn’t been so stupid, I wouldn’t have gotten them into this mess.

  I shouldn’t have allowed him to join us. I shouldn’t have trusted him. I shouldn’t have cared about him the way I did. It was all a bunch of lies, and those lies started the day I…

  Chapter One

  A failure… I was nothing but a failure. Nothing I did was right. Nothing I was could ever be perfect enough. Even now, I failed.

  The mid-day sun shone brilliantly over the peaks of the Larkian Mountain Range in the distance, filling Lumaraeon with warmth. Birds sang in unison with the crickets, while a stream babbled nearby. Mid-spring—a perfect time to explore the mountainous regions of Lumaraeon. I, however, was not here on a luxury hiking trip.

  My violet bangs hung over my eyes as I rested against a tall birch tree. I placed pressure on the deep gash on the left side of my abdomen, though the staining of my white tank top showed how futile my attempt was. What a predicament you’ve gotten yourself into this time, Eira. Former commander of Company 14 of the Dalatrend army, reduced to such a state by someone as insignificant as a Hunter. I’d been running for so long. Had I really let my guard down that much? Pathetic.

  He may be dead by my hands now, but I would soon follow. Death was coming, and I wasn’t afraid.

  I didn’t fear death. I never had. I had faced death every second since I was… born. I felt nothing about this situation. I felt nothing at all—ever. Well, that wasn’t true. I felt some emotions, mostly negative, such as anger, and right now, I experienced a lot of that. I was angry with myself, and angry with those who forced me into this situation. Yet there was no point in being angry. I would never be able to get the revenge I had once planned, and the physical pain I experienced was more powerful than that anger. To take my mind off the pain, I allowed my gaze to wander.

  A small bubbling stream pushed its way through the land in front of me. Small water bugs effortlessly cruised their way downstream while fish desperately tried to catch them. In the distance, a waterfall roared as it fed the river that spawned the stream before me. Squirrels chattered in the trees above me, and I chuckled as I listened to their angry squabble.

  Suddenly a loud roar pierced the air, sending a chill down my spine and putting me on full alert. I had never heard that type of noise before, but for some reason, it seemed… familiar. Everything went quiet, but for only a moment, and then life around me continued on as if nothing had happened.

  I looked down at my side when something touched my skin. Flies attempted to get into my wound. I tried my best to get rid of them, but nothing I did would keep them away. I eventually gave up and watched the grazing deer in the meadow across the stream for some time instead. It was peaceful, and it made me feel slightly odd—happiness—an emotion I wasn’t supposed to feel—a flaw in my… creation.

  Although the sensation was supposed to be forbidden to me, I didn’t push it away. I liked it. I was glad it was in a place like this—a place so peaceful and untouched by Zarda’s tyrannical clutches. I would leave this pitiful excuse of a land and possibly atone for my sins. No. Atonement for my bloodied past wasn’t possible.

  My head spun, the blood loss getting to me. A small amount of sadness picked in my chest. I wanted to live for a little while longer, to continue to feel free, but I couldn’t prolong it. My lifeline was not mine to control now.

  A gust of wind picked up and blew dust everywhere. It got into my wound and stung. I wanted to go to the stream and clean it, but couldn’t find the will or reason to do so. The ground trembled underneath me. I was alert again and quickly looked around. The trembling became more and more frequent, and soon I was able to hear large footsteps. With my bloodstained hand, I drew a dagger strapped to my leg and held it close to my body; I didn’t know why. I wouldn’t be able to protect myself in this state, and frankly, I didn’t want to.

  Maybe it was instinct that drove me. Maybe it was my training. Possibly it was both. In the end, it didn’t really matter. Although my body told me to fight, my mind won with logic as it told me to just give up, because there was no hope in the end for me anyway.

  A purple butterfly fluttered into view and I stared. I knew that wasn’t the source of the trembling, but the Violaceousidea butterfly, commonly known as the Amaranthine butterfly, was a rare species. It was so rarely seen that it was believed they were extinct, and any claimed sightings were just tales
to get people excited.

  The butterfly landed on my knee, and I just stared at it. It seemed so unaware of how easily I could crush it. Or maybe it could sense my weakened state and determined I wasn’t a threat. The ground shook again, but the butterfly didn’t move. A large black figure slowly came into my peripheral vision, pulling my attention away from the purple insect. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, only heard in the stories, and from—well—that didn’t matter. What did matter was the very large creature that stood before me.

  The large wings, long tail and horns, spined neck, and black scales were unmistakable. A black dragon stood before me, and its presence was unbelievable.

  Its sapphire eyes pierced through me. Although its presence was daunting, I couldn’t help but smile. If the stories were true and a dragon was really as fearsome as it was told to be, then it was finally my time to pass from this plane. I was at peace with that knowledge.

  The purple butterfly fluttered away suddenly, and I watched it go before addressing the dragon. “Are you here to take my life, Dragon?” At least it would be quick, or so I thought. The dragon just looked at me, unmoving. This was frustrating and confusing to say the least. “What’s wrong, Dragon? Afraid of me?”

  The dragon growled but still didn’t move.

  I snorted and rested my head back on the trunk of the tree. “No, of course you wouldn’t be. What reason would a dragon have to fear a human? Why would life be kind to me, now, when it’s always spit on me in the past?”

  I wanted death. The life I had lived, the things I had seen, it would make anyone want death. I grunted. “Listen to me. Begging for death like a wounded dog. Pathetic. I guess I really am a worthless bitch.”

  My body grew weaker, but I paid it no mind. Instead, I ran scenarios through my head. What would become of me once my breathing stopped? Hell came up in most. It’s where I belonged, after all.

  The end was coming, and there was no stopping it. Oddly enough, I couldn’t help but smile. “This is it, then. It’s… finally over…”

  Everything started to blur. The last thing I saw was the dragon’s head moving closer to me until it was level with my face.

  The dense forest was a blur. My feet carried me as quickly as they could, while my pursuer closed in. Pain raked my body, and everything around me spun. My body crashed into the ground, and instinct kicked in as I struggled to fight off my assailant. The warmth of sticky blood splashed over my skin, and then the spinning stopped, but there was nothing left to see. Only darkness.

  My eyes snapped open and darted around. The sun was low, signifying it was late. Am I dead? My head whirled, and then pain shot through my abdomen as I attempted to move. It didn’t hurt like it had before, but it was enough to convince me to remain still a while longer. No, I’m alive, but how?

  I remembered waiting for death and then I remembered the dragon. My eyes opened more with the realization. That dragon. Had I really seen him? I could have been delusional. Dragons were extinct, after all. Or that was the claim. You know a bit more truth than the gullible masses, Eira, don’t you?

  A shadow blocked my view of the sky, and I squinted to adjust my eyes to the lack of light. Leaning over me was a young man. I gasped with surprise and scrambled to a sitting position, trying to put some distance between us. He looked my age, late twenties. He was shirtless, exposing his muscular frame and tan skin. His hair was black with a red stripe in the middle, cut to a medium length, and he had a black soul patch with a matching goatee.

  He chuckled. “I was starting to think you hadn’t actually made it.”

  I continued to pull back, his friendliness making me uneasy. “Well, I did, thanks.”

  “You lost a lot of blood, but you should be fine now that the wound is closed, and you’ve had time to rest.”

  My brow furrowed, and I lifted my bloodstained shirt to find a long scar where my wound had been. How… I pinched my nose. Trying to understand made my head hurt, not that it wasn’t already, due to all the blood loss. Maybe I’m dead after all.

  I made an attempt to clear my head, so I could think, only to find myself looking directly into his eyes. They were a deep sapphire blue, and the way the sun reflected off them made them look like the precious azure gem. I am alive. Death couldn’t possibly allow me to look at something so… beautiful. Not with my dark, bloodstained past.

  I continued to hold his gaze, noting the careful way he watched me, reflecting my own caution. He also showed some interest in my presence, though I wasn’t sure why. Nothing special about me. Then it hit me. “You’re… you’re that dragon.”

  He half smiled. “I’m surprised you figured it out. Although you don’t appear to be surprised in the least.”

  He was right, but I wasn’t going to let him know that. “I was told stories of dragons and what they were capable of.”

  He didn’t respond, and his expression gave nothing away. That’s when I noticed he wasn’t only shirtless. I looked out at the river, my cheeks burning.

  “Something wrong?” he asked.

  “You’re not wearing pants,” I muttered through clenched teeth.

  “You would be correct. Do you have a problem with it?”

  “Yes,” I admitted. “Yes, I do.”

  He chuckled in response. This had to be my punishment, unless, of course, I had truly been born into hell and I could never escape.

  A long silence filled the air between us until I sighed and broke it. I had too many questions, which was uncharacteristic of me.

  “Why didn’t you leave me to die? Or kill me yourself?”

  He didn’t respond. I rested my chin on my hand. He should have just killed me.

  “Why would I kill you?” he asked.

  “Because.”

  “That’s not a real answer. Why do you believe I should have killed you?”

  I sighed. “Because it’s what I deserve.”

  “You don’t come across as the type who deserves such a fate.”

  “You don’t know me.” Getting a strange feeling my personal space was being invaded, I turned to face him, only to see him a few inches from my face.

  I jerked my head back in surprise. “Do you mind? You’re too close.”

  He didn’t move, nor did he budge when I tried to push his face away, so I resorted to scooting away a few inches.

  “You didn’t fear me when I found you, and you don’t appear to fear me now. The elves I’ve crossed paths with were far more cowardly, especially when facing death.”

  My lip curled. “I’m not an elf. And I don’t fear death.”

  His head tilted, a smirk firm on his lips. “The long ears say otherwise.”

  I scoffed. “I’m a nu-human. Nowhere close to an elf.”

  “Nu…human?”

  My brow furrowed. Is he serious? He looked at me expectantly. He is. I guess it’s possible a dragon wouldn’t know. “Nu-humans are genetically enhanced humans. Telling sign is our long ears. They far exceed the length of an elf. Everyone knows this. We’re more abundant than ordinary humans, and have existed for centuries.”

  “And what would be the purpose of genetic enhancement, as you call it?”

  “Don’t tell him anything,” a malevolent voice I knew all too well whispered.

  I eyed him. “Perfection, of course.”

  “Right.” He drew close to me again.

  What is his issue? “Do you have a problem or something?”

  “I’ve never been so close to a nu-human before. Do you?” he asked.

  “Do I what?” The inconsistency in his speech, and what he seemed to be thinking, was irritating to say the least.

  “Have a problem with me being this close?”

  “Yes. I don’t like others being so close to me.”

  “Interesting,” he mused. “Never thought a human would have a personal-space problem.”

  I stood up, wincing in pain, and faced the river, crossing my arms and keeping myself aware of his presence in case he trie
d to pull something. “Well, I do.”

  “Is there an explanation to go along with that?”

  “Don’t tell him,” the voice whispered.

  “I have nothing to tell you.”

  “Don’t be like that. I saved you, after all. I think I deserve some explanation.”

  “Don’t tell him anything.”

  “No one asked you to save me.”

  “Consider it my good deed for the year.”

  I almost laughed. That was a response I’d expect from myself, or even old comrades of mine. Funny how I’d find a dragon that fit part of that profile. “Very well, I’ll tell you something. But don’t say I didn’t try to spare you. I am artificially created. Grown in a lab for the sole purpose of being another’s lap dog. My training—assassination. Because of that, I prefer my space to only contain myself.”

  The dragon remained quiet for a moment. “So, what is a weapon like you doing all the way out here on your own?”

  “Keep quiet.”

  “Running.”

  “From what?”

  My gaze fell on the moving water. My past flashed before my eyes. The cruelty—the punishment. I lived in torment. “After everything I’d done under his orders, my creator deemed me imperfect and tried to destroy me. I chose to run instead of face my demise.”