Chronicles of Nick - Infinity!

[delphine]

Sherrilyn plans ten on them, it say on her side.

Here´s a preview to the first one, Infinity:

"The world of the Dark-Hunters is unlike anything you've every seen before. It's dark. It's gritty. It's dangerous...

And it's a whole lot of fun.

My name is Nick Gautier and this is the story of my life.

First off, get the name right. It's pronounced Go-shay not Go-tee-ay or Goat-chay (that has an extra H in it and as my mom says we're so poor we couldn't afford the extra letter). I'm not some fancy French fashion designer. I'm just a regular kid... well as regular as someone with a stripper for a mother and a career felon for a father can be.

But as my mom so often says friends are what God gives us to make up for the families we're born into. And my mother, in spite of her occupation is a lady and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise. Consider this your notice. You respect Cherise Gautier or I'll learn you better.

My kingdom is the French Quarter and here I reign as prince. Everyone knows me and if they're anyone, I know them. From the gallery owners, artists, restaurateurs and Voodoo priestesses to the psychics littered throughout. All are counted among my friends.

Now I'm not doing bad for a kid whose education is from the backstreets and alleys. I sweep floors in the doll store along with a few other unmentionable jobs my mom would kill me over if she knew about. I even work as a guide on the "Undead of New Orleans" tours. Everyone who visits the Quarter either takes one or runs into one of these tours passing on the street. You know them. "And on this spot something spooky happened" or some other load of bull. Heck, I make most of it up each night just to keep from being bored.

I mean really, demons? Werewolves? Gods and goddesses on the streets (other than those being portrayed on the Mardi Gras floats)? Vampires? Who believes that crap?

The only blood-suckers I ever saw were lawyers and big butt mosquitoes (if you've ever been to New Orleans, then you know about the B-52 bombers I'm talking about). Besides now that Anne Rice has moved out of town she took the lot of that with her. We're a vamp-free zone.

And then one night, I decided that even though I'd done a lot of bad things in my life, I wasn't about to shake down a couple of tourists no matter how much money they had and I didn't. So instead of beating on some innocents, the guys I hung with beat on me.

They'd have killed me, too, had it not been for this mysterious dude who came out of nowhere and struck them down so fast all I could see was a black blur. The next thing I know, I'm in the hospital getting stitched up, getting an earful from my mom over the bill, and this guy is gone.

Two nights later, I find the guy to thank him, but before I get the chance, this weird doorway opens and out steps something I'd never seen before.

The Dark-Hunter called them Daimons, but I call them scary as all get out. Soul-sucking demons, they're controlled by a ruthless goddess who has been trapped in a realm she despises. Now it's a game of cat-and-mouse between the goddess Apollymi and the Dark-Hunter Acheron.

The winner takes the world.

And I am right smack dab in the middle of this war.

Trust me being undead isn't for amateurs and it's not playtime with the paranormal. All the scary things that go bump in the night are real and you should pray you never come into contact with them in their true forms. They exist and are all around us. From the butcher and baker on St. Anne, to the little old doll maker on Royal, to the captain of my football team who happens to be a werewolf. In fact, your favorite restaurant could very well be run by an entire family of shape-shifters. And who knew the girl I had a crush on comes from a long line of people who watch over the vampire slayers?

How do I know?

No, I'm not one of the undead or the many other forms of paranormal life who live and work in the Quarter. I just work for them now.

And I love every minute of it."

[delphine]

And this is what Nick has to say:

Freewill.

Some have called it the greatest gift bestowed on humanity. It is our ability to control what happens to us and exactly how it happens. The law of causality. We are the masters of our fate and no one can foist their will on us unless we allow it.

Others say freewill is a myth. We have a preordained destiny and no matter what we do or how hard we fight it, life will happen to us exactly as it's meant to happen. We are nothing but pawns to a higher power that our meager brains can't even begin to understand or comprehend.

My best bud, Acheron, once explained it to me like this. Destiny is a freight train rolling along on a set course that only the conductor knows. When we get to the railroad crossing sign in our car, we can choose to stop and wait for the train to pass us by, or try to pull out in front of it and beat that bad boy across.

Our freewill.

If we choose to rush ahead, the car we're in might stall on the tracks. We can then choose to try and start the car or wait for the train to plow into us. Or we can get out to run and fight the destiny of the train slamming into us and killing us where we stand. By choosing to run, our foot could get caught in the tracks or we could slip and fall.

We could even say to ourselves, "there's no way I'm dumb enough to fight the train" and hang back to safely wait. Then the next thing we know, a truck rams us from behind, throwing us straight into the train's path.

If it is our destiny to be hit by the train, we will be hit by the train. The only thing we can change is how the train turns us into hamburger.

I personally, don’t believe in this Existentialistic crap. I say I control my destiny and my life.

No nothing controls me.

I am what I became because of one creature and had things been done differently, my life would have been a whole other enchilada. I would not be where I am and I would have had a life worth living.

But no, by keeping a deep secret, my best friend betrayed me and turned me into the darkness I have become. Our fates were intertwined by a freak accident and I curse the day I ever embraced Acheron as my friend.

I am Nick Gautier.

And this is my life and how things should have been...

[delphine]

A short summary:

At 14, Nick Gautier is an average kid who runs with the wrong crowd. But on the night he decides to go straight and refuses to mug an innocent tourist, his crew turns on him and just as he thinks his life is over... a new one begins.

Kyrian of Thrace isn't just a vampire slayer, he's a Dark-Hunter and he introduces Nick to a world that he never imagined.

With new enemies who make his old ones look like wimps, Nick must either measure up or get sized for a body bag. It's kill or be killed and this kid who was born on the wrong side finds a strength inside him that he never knew existed.

Now if he can only find someone to help battle the demons that don't reside inside him.

[delphine]

Coming February 2nd 2010.

[Cynthiax3]

It sounds interesting.

[lilybud202cr]

I can't wait. But, I want Nick and Ash to make up....it makes me so sad. I cry all the time when I read about them in the books

[Cynthiax3]

They really do need to makeup. I loved their relationship before the bad times.

[lilybud202cr]

Yeah they were cool together. And just think about how much cooler it could be now that ya know Nick is a Dark Hunter

[delphine]

Well, he´s much more than a Dark Hunter ... Being a Malachai, he, by theory is one the baddest guys walking this earth and has the same ability as Ash to end the world ... so, making up, it´ll be tough. And I´m curious about what´s going to happen with Thorn, whom appears to be Lucifer´s son, sending demons back.

I just recall Sherrilyn telling that the series has four circles. The first one was with Acheron, the second started with Jaden, the third will be Savitar, the fourth person was then not introduced. MAybe it´s Thorn?

[delphine]

Girls, Sherrilyn gave the first chapter of Infinity. So here it comes:

“I am a socially awkward mandork.”

“Nicholas Ambrosius Gautier! You watch your language!”

Nick sighed at his mother’s sharp tone as he stood in their tiny kitchen looking down at the bright orange Hawaiian shirt. The color and style were bad enough, the fact it was covered in l-a-r-g-e pink, gray and white trout (or were they salmon?) was even worse. “Mom, I can’t wear this to school. It’s...” he paused to think real hard of a word that wouldn’t get him grounded for life– “hideous. If anyone sees me in this, I’ll be an outcast relegated to the loser corner of the cafeteria.”

As always, she scoffed at his protest. “Oh shush. There’s nothing wrong with that shirt. Wanda told me at the Goodwill store that it came in from one of those big mansions down in the Garden District. That shirt belonged to the son of a fine upstanding man and since that’s what I’m raising you to be...”

Nick ground his teeth. “I’d rather be a delinquent no one picks on.”

She let out a deep sound of aggravation as she paused while flipping bacon. “No one’s going to pick on you, Nicky. The school has a strict no bullying policy.”

Yeah, right. That wasn’t worth the “contract” paper it was written on. Especially since the bullies were illiterate idiots who couldn’t read it anyway.

Jeez! Why wouldn’t she listen to him? It wasn’t like he wasn’t the one going into the lion’s den everyday and having to traverse the brutality of high school land mines. Honestly, he was sick of it and there was nothing he could do.

He was a massive loser dork and no one at school ever let him forget that. Not the teachers, the principal and especially not the other students.

Why can’t I flash forward and bypass this whole high school nightmare?

Because his mom wouldn’t let him. Only hoodlums dropped out of school and she didn’t work as hard as she did to raise up another piece of scum– it was a harped on litany permanently carved into his brain.

And at the end of the day, he loved his mom and appreciated everything she did for him. Except for this whole, do what I say, Nicky. I’m not listening to you because I know better thing, she did all the time.

He wasn’t stupid and he wasn’t a troublemaker. She had no idea what he went through at school and every time he tried to explain it, she refused to listen. It was so frustrating...

Gah, can’t I catch swine flu or something? Just for the next four years until he was able to graduate and move on to a life that didn’t include constant humiliation?

Sighing, he looked down at the piece of crap shirt he wanted to burn.

Okay fine. He’d do what he always did whenever his mom made him look like flaming moron.

He’d own it.

I don’t want to own this. I look like epically stupid.

Man-up, Nick. You can take it. You’ve taken a lot worse.

Yeah, all right. Fine. Let them laugh. He couldn’t stop that anyway. If it wasn’t the shirt, they’d humiliate him over something else. Like Aunt Menyara always said, no one could make him feel inferior unless he allowed them to.

Problem was, he allowed it a lot more than he wanted to.

His mom set a chipped blue plate on the side of the rusted out stove. “Sit down, baby, and eat something. I was reading in a magazine that someone left at the club that kids score much higher on tests and do a lot better in school whenever they have breakfast.” She smiled and held the package of bacon up for him to see. “And look. It’s not expired this time.”

He laughed at something that really wasn’t funny. One of the guys who came into his mom’s club was a local grocer who would give them meat sometimes when it expired since all the guy did was throw it out anyway.

As long as we eat it quick, it won’t make us sick.

Another litany he hated.

Picking up the crispy bacon, he glanced around the tiny condo they called home. It was one of four that had been carved out of an old rundown house. Made up of three small rooms, the kitchen/living room, his mom’s bedroom and the bathroom. It wasn’t much, but it was theirs and his mom was proud of it so he tried to be proud too.

Most days.

He winced as he looked at his corner where his mom had strung up dark blue blankets to make a room for him on his last birthday. His clothes were kept in an old laundry basket on the floor set next to his mattress that was covered with Star Wars sheets he’d had since he was nine– another present his mom had picked up at a yard sale.

“One day, Mom, I’m going to buy us a really nice house.” With really nice stuff in it.

She smiled, but her eyes said she didn’t believe a word he spoke. “I know you will, baby. Now eat up and get to school. I don’t want you dropping out like me.” She paused as a hurt look flitted across her face. “You can see exactly what that gets you.”

Guilt cut through him. He was the reason his mom had dropped out of school. As soon as her parents had learned she was pregnant, they’d offered her one choice.

Give up the baby or give up her nice home in Kenner, her education and her family.

For reasons he still didn’t understand, she’d chosen him.

It was something Nick never let himself forget. But one day he was going to get all that back for her. She deserved it and for her, he’d wear this god-awful shirt.

Even if it got him killed...

And he’d smile through the pain of it until Stone and his crew kicked his teeth in.

Nick ate his bacon in silence. Maybe Stone wouldn’t be in school today. He could get malaria or the plague, or rabies or something.

Yeah, may the smarmy freak get a pox on his privates.

That thought actually made him smile as he shoved the grainy powdered eggs in his mouth and swallowed them. He forced himself not to shiver at the taste. But it was all they could afford.

He glanced at the clock on the wall and jerked. “Gotta go. I’m going to be late.”

She grabbed him for a bear hug.

Nick grimaced. “Stop sexually harassing me, Mom. I gotta go before I get another tardy.”

She popped him on the butt cheek before she let go. “Sexually harassing you. Boy, you don’t have any idea.” She ruffled his hair as he bent over to pick up his backpack.

Nick put both arms through and hit the door running. He launched himself from the dilapidated porch and sprinted down the street to where the streetcar stopped.

“Please don’t be gone...”

Otherwise he’d be doomed to another “Nick? What are we going to do with you, you white trash dirt?” lecture from Mr. Peters. The old man hated his guts and the fact that Nick was a scholarship kid at his snotty over privileged school seriously ticked Peters off. He’d like nothing better than to kick him out so that Nick wouldn’t “corrupt” the kids from the good families.

Nick’s lip curled as he tried not to think about the way those decent people looked at him like he was nothing. More than half their dads were regulars at the club where his mom worked, yet they were called decent while he and his mom were considered trash.

The hypocrisy of that didn’t sit well with him. But it was what it was. He couldn’t change anyone’s mind but his own.

Nick put his head down and ran full speed as he saw the streetcar stopped at his station.

Oh man...

He picked up speed and he broke out into a dead run. He hit the platform and leapt for the streetcar. He’d caught it just in time.

Panting, he shrugged his backpack off as he greeted the driver. “Morning Mr. Clemmons.”

The elderly African American man smiled at him. He was one of Nick’s favorite drivers. “Morning, Mr. Gautier. Your mom made you late again?”

“You know it.” He dug his money out of his pocket and quickly paid before taking a seat. Winded and sweating, he leaned back and let out a deep breath, grateful he wasn’t going to be late.

Unfortunately, he was still sweating when he reached school.

Suck it up, Nick. You made it on time. It’s all good.

Holding his head high in spite of the snickers and comments about his shirt, he walked across the yard and through the doors like he owned them. It was the best he could do.

“Ew! He’s dripping wet. Is he too poor to own a towel?”

“Looks like he went fishing in the Pontchartrain and came up with that godawful shirt instead of a real fish.”

“That’s cause he couldn’t miss it. I’ll bet it even glows in the dark.”

“I bet there’s a naked hobo somewhere wanting to know who stole his clothes. Gah, how long has he owned those shoes anyway? I think my dad wore a pair like that in the eighties.”

Nick turned a deaf ear to them and focused on the fact that they really were stupid. None of them would be here if their parents weren’t loaded. He was the scholarship kid. They probably couldn’t have even spelled their names right on the exam he’d aced to get in.

That was what mattered most.

His bravado lasted until he reached his locker where Stone and crew were loitering.

Great, just great.

Stone Blakemoor was the kind of creep who gave jocks a bad name. They weren’t all like that and he knew it. Nick had several friends who were on the football team– starters no less, not seat warmers like Stone.

Still, when you thought of an arrogant jock-rock, Stone was aptly named. It was definitely a self-fulfilling moniker his parents had labeled him with.

Stone snorted as Nick stopped beside his group. “Hey Gautier? I saw your mom naked last night– shaking her butt in my dad’s face so that he’d put a dollar in her G-string. He got a good feel of her too. Said she’s got a nice set of-“

Before he could think better of it, Nick swiped him upside the head with his backpack as hard as he could.

“Fight!” Someone shouted while Nick wrapped Stone in a headlock.

A crowd gathered round, chanting, “fight, fight, fight.”

Somehow Stone escaped his hold and hit him so hard in the sternum, it took the breath from him. Dang, he was a lot stronger than he looked. He hit like a jackhammer.

Furious, Nick started for him only to find one of the teachers suddenly between them.

Ms. Pantall.

The sight of her petite form calmed him instantly. He wasn’t about to hit an innocent person, especially not a woman. She narrowed her eyes at him and pointed down the hall. “To the office, Gautier. Now!”

Cursing under his breath, Nick picked his backpack up from the tiled beige floor and glared at Stone who at least had a busted lip.

So much for not getting into trouble.

But what was he supposed to do? Let the weasel scum insult his mom?

Disgusted, he entered the office and sat in the corner chair outside the principal’s door. Stone and three friends came in right behind him and sat down on the opposite side.

Ms. Pantall left them to go talk to Mr. Peters.

As soon as she was gone, Stone tossed a wadded up piece of paper at him. “Where did you get that shirt, Gautier? Goodwill or did you find it in a Dumpster? Nah, I bet you rolled a hobo for it.”

Nick refused to rise to the bait this time. Besides he could handle insults directed at him. It was the ones against his mother than raised him to fighting mad.

And this was why most private schools had uniforms, but Stone didn’t want to wear one and since his father all but owned the school...

Nick got to be mocked for the clothes his mom thought were respectable. Why don’t you ever listen to me, Mom? Just once...

“What? No smart comeback?”

Nick flipped him off...

At the same exact moment Peters came out and saw him.

Lady Luck is definitely on vacation today...

“Gautier,” he growled. “Get in here. Now!”

With a heavy sigh, Nick got up and went inside the office he knew as well as his own home. Peters stayed outside, no doubt talking to Stone while he was forced to wait. He took the chair to the right and sat there, staring at the pictures of Peters’s wife and kids. They had a nice house with a yard and in one photo, his daughters played with a white puppy.

Nick stared at them. What would it be like to live that way? He’d always wanted a dog, but since they could barely afford to feed themselves, a pooch was out of the question. Not to mention their landlord would die if they had one in their rented condo even though there wasn’t much more damage a dog could do to the rundown shack.

After a few minutes, Peters came in and went to his desk. Without a word, he picked up the phone.

Nick panicked. “What are you doing?”

“I’m calling your mother.”

Terror ripped through him. “Please, Mr. Peters, don’t do that. She had to work a double shift last night and tonight too. She’s only going to get about four hours of sleep today and I don’t want to worry her about nothing.” Not to mention, she’d cream his butt royally for this.

He dialed the number anyway.

Nick ground his teeth as anger and fear whipped through his entire being.

“Miss Gautier?” Could there be anymore loathing in his tone? “I wanted to let you know that Nick is being expelled from school for the rest of the week.”

His stomach hit the floor. His mom was going to kill him when he got home. Why couldn’t Peters just shoot him and put him out of his misery?

Peters glared mercilessly at him. “No, he was fighting again, and I’m sick of his thinking he can come in here and attack decent people anytime he feels like it for no apparent reason. He has to learn to control his temper. Honestly, I’m tempted to call the police. In my opinion, he should be sent to public school where they can handle troubled kids like him. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. He doesn’t belong here.”

Nick died a little with every word. Kids like him...

He zoned out so that he wouldn’t have to hear the rest of Peters’ tirade about how worthless he was. He already knew the truth in his heart. The last thing he needed was someone else voicing it.

After a few minutes, Peters hung up the phone.

Nick gave him a sullen stare. “I didn’t start it.”

Peters curled his lip. “That’s not what the others say. Who am I supposed to believe, Gautier? A hoodlum like you or four honor students?”

He was supposed to believe the one telling the truth which happened to be the hoodlum. “He insulted my mother.”

“That’s no excuse for violence.”

That went down his spine like a shredder. The sanctimonious pig– Nick couldn’t let that go unanswered. “Really? Well you know, Mr. Peters, I saw your mom naked last night and for an old broad, she has really nice–“

”How dare you!” he shouted, coming to his feet to grab Nick up by his shirt. “You foul-mouthed little-“

”I thought you said insulting your mom was no excuse for violence.”

Peters trembled as rage mottled his skin. His grip tightened and a vein throbbed in his temple. “My mother isn’t a Bourbon Street stripper. She’s a good, God-fearing woman.” He shoved Nick away from him. “Get your things and get out.”

God-fearing, huh? Strange how Nick and his mom went to mass every Sunday and at least twice during the week and the only time he ever saw Peters or his mom there was on holidays.

Yeah...

Hypocrite to the core. He despised people like Peters.

Nick scooped his backpack up from the floor and left. There was a security guard waiting outside the office for him to escort him to his locker. Just like a criminal.

Might as well get used to it. Some things ran in the blood. At least he’s not handcuffing me.

Yet.

Hanging his head low, he tried not to look at anyone as the other students sniggered and whispered about him.

“That’s what happens when you come from trash.”

“I hope they don’t let him back in.”

“Serves him right.”

Nick ground in his teeth in anger as he neared his locker and reached for the combination lock.

Brynna Addams was pulling her books out, two doors down. Tall with dark brown hair, she was very pretty and one of the few people who hung with Stone and crew that Nick could stand.

She paused to look at them with a frown that only deepened when she saw the guard with him. “What’s up, Nick?”

“Got expelled.” He paused before he swallowed his pride. Again. “Could I ask a favor?”

She didn’t hesitate. “Sure.”

“Could you get my assignments so that I don’t fall behind?”

“Absolutely. You want me to email them to you?”

And I stupidly thought I couldn’t feel any worse. “Don’t have a computer at home.”

Her cheeks darkened. “Sorry. Um, where do you need me to take them?”

Nick was grateful she was decent- unlike the rest of the jerks she ran with. “I’ll come by your house after school and get it.”

She wrote down her address while he pulled all of his books out. “I’ll be home about four.”

“Thanks, Brynna. I really appreciate it.” He tucked the paper in his back pocket, then allowed the security guard to escort him off campus.

Heartsick over having to face his mother, he made his way back home to their side of the ghetto and dreaded every step that took him closer to his door.

Inside their crappy house, his mother was waiting on him with a stern frown on her face. Dressed in a threadbare pink robe, she looked about as tired and ticked off as he’d ever seen her.

He dropped his backpack to the floor. “You should be asleep, Mom.”

Her eyes cut him to the quick and made him feel even lower than Peters had. “How can I sleep when my boy’s been thrown out of school for fighting? You of all people know how hard it is for me to keep you there. What I have to do to pay for your books and lunches. Why would you be so stupid as to throw this chance away? What were you thinking?”

Nick didn’t say anything because the truth would kill her and he didn’t want her to feel as bad as he did when there was nothing she could do about it.

I’m the man of the family. It was all he knew.

Take care of your mom, boy, or you’ll answer to me. You lip off to her and I’ll cut out your tongue. You make her cry and I’ll kill you myself. His father was pretty worthless, but the one thing about him was that he made good on his threats. And since he’d already killed twelve people, Nick figured he wouldn’t think twice about killing him either since the man had no great love of him.

So he kept his anger locked in and refused to say anything.

“Don’t you get sullen on me. I’m sick of that look on your face. Tell me why you attacked that kid. Now.”

Nick clenched his teeth tight.

“Answer me, Nick, or so help me, I’ll spank you even at your age.”

He had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at her ludicrous threat. Even at fourteen, he was more than a head taller than his tiny mother and he had a good forty pounds on her. “He made fun of me.”

“And for that you’d jeopardize your entire future? What were you thinking? He laughed at you. So what? Believe me, that’s not the worst thing that will ever happen to you. You have to grow up, Nicky and stop acting like a baby. Just because someone mocks you is no reason to fight. Now is it?”

No. He swallowed attacks against him all the time. What he wouldn’t suffer were attacks against his mom. “I’m sorry.”

She held her hand up. “Don’t even go there. You’re not sorry. I can see it in your eyes. I am so disappointed in you. I thought I’d taught you better, but apparently you’re determined to grow up into a no account criminal just like your daddy, in spite of everything I do to keep you straight. Now go to your room until I calm down. You can stay there for the rest of the day.”

“I’m supposed to work this afternoon. Ms. Liza needs me to help move her stock around in the storeroom.”

She growled. “Fine. You can go, but then it’s straight home. You hear me? I don’t want you wasting time with any of those hoodlums you call friends.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Nick headed to his “room” and pulled the blankets closed. Sick and tired of it all, he sat down on the mattress and leaned his head back against the wall where he saw the pieces of the ceiling that were discolored and peeling up.

And then he heard it...

The sound of his mother’s tears coming through the wall of her bedroom. God, how he hated that sound.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” he whispered, wishing he’d killed Stone where the creep stood.

One day... one day he was going to get out of this hellhole. Even if he had to kill someone to do it.

[Cynthiax3]

I might have to get that one. It really does sound interesting.

[delphine]

That´s a note from SK concerning the CON:

Several readers have now commented on the Swine Flu reference. This is not a new disease. We've had H1N1 outbreaks every decade of my life and I erroneously assumed everyone would remember the Swine Flu outbreaks of the 70's, 80's and 90's - the latter one occurring right when Nick would have been in high school. The biggest swine flu outbreak of all occurred in 1918 and I assumed everyone who read the Twilight series would remember it as that outbreak is what caused Edward to be a vampire Apparently, I was wrong and a lot of people think that Swine Flu is a new illness. I have corrected the excerpt in the book to say:

Gah, can’t I catch swine flu or something? Just for the next four years until he was able to graduate and move on to a life that didn’t include constant humiliation? It’d killed over a million people in 1918. Was it too much to ask that it incapacitate him for a few years?

Also there's a bit of confusion about how things are happening. I posted the prologue earlier that shows the entire Chronicles of Nick is an alternate reality where the current Nick is attempting to rewrite his history and prevent himself from becoming a Dark-Hunter and his mother from dying. By doing this, he will alter himself in the Dark-Hunter series and there will be several major surprises

Hugs!

No, isn´t that interesting ... nick tries to rewrite his history. Looking forward to that surprises ;D

[delphine]

From Sherrilyn:

Here's a small scene from Infinity. I LOVE NICK, BUBBA and Mark. And just wait until you guys meet Caleb...


“I’m positive. Believe me, I know my zombies.”

Nick scoffed. Is it just me or is that like saying I know my elves and fairies? If it wasn’t for the fact Bubba might kill him, he’d say that out loud.

“I still think we ought to disinfect the bites. Just in case it’s some military designed bio weapon.”

“Disinfect what? What did I miss?”

Nick turned to see Mark entering the store. Yawning and scratching, he joined them from the door that led to Bubba’s upstairs apartment where he’d been asleep on Bubba’s couch.

Nick sighed in agitation. “See what you miss by sleeping late? Me and Bubba got bitten by zombies. I say they’re contagious. This morning only one of the kids in my school had it. Now, I just got attacked by three more. It’s spreading and it’s going to infect us all. We need to do something. Call out the National Guard or the CBC or something.”

Bubba scowled at him. “The CBC? Is that one of those new anime people?”

Nick rolled his eyes. “No. It’s that place where they talk about diseases and quarantine people when they’re contagious.”

“Bubba, Nick means the CDC in Atlanta.”

Bubba made a sound of disgust that originated in the back of his throat.

Mark, who was barely a head taller than Nick, was still dressed in his zombie hunting ghillie suit. Fluffs of Spanish Moss jutted out from all the places where he’d tucked it in his clothes so that he’d blend with the bayou. His face was streaked with camouflage paint and he wore yellow colored contact lenses that had a rim of red around them.

Zombie eyes.

Also for camouflage.

But that wasn’t the worst of it. As he stopped next to Nick, there was an odor so foul it took his breath.

Nick covered his nose to keep from being sick over it. “What is that smell?” It was like three day old cat vomit mixed with rotten asparagus.

Mark scowled at him as if he was crazy for even asking. “Duck urine. It keeps the zombies from thinking I’m human.”

Nick snorted. “Yeah well it keeps me from thinking you’re sane.”

“Give it up, Mark. The boy don’t know nothing about surviving. He actually kept me from shooting zombies who were in the store trying to eat him.”

Mark cuffed Nick on the back of his head. “Are you out of your mind, kid?”

“Ow!” Nick rubbed the back of his head where they kept slapping him. If they didn’t stop, he was going to get brain damage. “And no. I was keeping Bubba from committing a felony. No offense, but ‘he’s a zombie, Your Honor, don’t electrocute me’ isn’t a viable excuse. Believe me, I know. My dad’s doing three life sentences cause he killed, and I quote, ‘a crap load of demons who were trying to kill me and if I hadn’t killed them, Your Honor, they’d have taken over the city and enslaved all you petty and pathetic humans.’ The court’s not real understanding of that reasoning. They wouldn’t even let my dad plead insanity because of it. So trust me, ‘zombies needed killing’ isn’t a legit defense.”

Mark shook his head. “Well it ought to be.”

“Hey, Bubba? You in here or are you dead?”

Nick cringed as he heard the newcomers.

Bubba handed the gun to Mark and whispered to the two of them. “It’s Officer Davis. Don’t say anything.”

[delphine]

A good one:

TOTD: from Infinity... "Neither a victim, nor bully be."



Now, isn´t that one of the best mottos ever?!

[delphine]

Infinity – Summary

At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity.

Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead.

But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he’s next on the menu.

As if starting high school isn’t hard enough…now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?