Novels by E.C Blackwood

Alaric stood in front of the half-open door, staring at Ross, the junior who he had seen on his first day back. Ross didn’t look as nervous as a couple of his classmates did when they stood close to him or had to talk to him on his first day back, and Alaric couldn’t help but wonder why. “Why are you here?” Alaric questioned. “I got a piece of information that would so much interest you,” he replied enthusiastically, and Alaric nodded his head, urging him to go on, which is exactly what he did. “On news of your arrival, which is beginning to spread like wildfire, the federal council has made their move. A couple of the important figures would arrive pretty soon, it might be tomorrow evening or maybe the day after tomorrow. I can’t tell the exact time,” Ross added just like a subordinate would read a report to those above him. It was a habit he had grown with. The professors of the academy even know him for those acts, after all, it was one of his unique traits in the academy. Al

In one of the buildings that belonged to the Beastmaster, a middle-aged woman could be seen swinging a sword while staring absentmindedly at a blank space, she was seated in front of the porch. She felt the presence of someone approaching her, one of the only two people she had ever talked to since she stepped out of Vincent’s house. Jenna settled on the space beside her. “I have news for you,” she began, but before she could go on, she got interrupted by Bella, who was yet to spare her a glance. “Before you share any news, I want you to know that I will be leaving at the crack of dawn to start the search for my son.” Jenna sighed. “Well, the news I am about to share with you is concerning your son in the first place.” Those words sparked a reaction from Bella, who jolted and turned to face her with eyes a fraction wider than their usual size. “What is it? Has he been found?” “There’s information that he has been found, and the last place he was seen was the Holy Mountain Academ

In one of the buildings that belonged to the Beastmaster, a middle-aged woman could be seen swinging a sword while staring absentmindedly at a blank space, she was seated in front of the porch. She felt the presence of someone approaching her, one of the only two people she had ever talked to since she stepped out of Vincent’s house. Jenna settled on the space beside her. “I have news for you,” she began, but before she could go on, she got interrupted by Bella, who was yet to spare her a glance. “Before you share any news, I want you to know that I will be leaving at the crack of dawn to start the search for my son.” Jenna sighed. “Well, the news I am about to share with you is concerning your son in the first place.” Those words sparked a reaction from Bella, who jolted and turned to face her with eyes a fraction wider than their usual size. “What is it? Has he been found?” “There’s information that he has been found, and the last place he was seen was the Holy Moun

Damien slammed his hand on the table and leaned forward. “I don’t understand what you are telling me right now. All I want to know is why are you alone right now and without the head of that demonic bastard?” Orca, who was standing in front of the council members, turned to stare at Damien dead in his eyes. “If you want that lad dead, then do it yourself, don’t send anyone else. Do it yourself.” He tore his gaze off Damien and returned it to the rest of the members of the council. “There is a saying that apart from what one has to impact into the meeting and planning for the betterment of humanity in all areas, one has to be crazily strong to join the council, am I right?” He got a nod from the beastmaster as a response, and then he continued. “Then, you should be able to do what I and my team were unable to accomplish,” he said to Damien, who was clenching his teeth listening to him. Orca wasn’t done talking though. “I want you to know that you will fare better against h

“Let’s start with the most important topic to both of us,” Headmaster Thorne began the moment he and Alaric entered his office. Alaric settled on the chair across from the headmaster while waiting for what the most important topic was, because in that case, he was lost. The headmaster let out a sigh as he settled on his chair, and then he dragged the chair forward with his ass, placing his elbow on the table. He intertwined his fingers and placed his chin on them, his gaze fixed on Alaric. “First things first, how’re you doing?” “Fine,” Alaric answered briefly. “How was your time in the prison realm?” Alaric shrugged. “It was mixed, sometimes good, sometimes bad.” “How long did your time in there feel to you?” “It was long enough.” “Then, the main topic. Subject 49, how did you kill him?” There was a heavy look of curiosity in the headmaster’s eyes. “I blacked out.” Alaric’s answer was frustratingly brief, the headmaster heaved another sigh and relaxed back o

Alaric's entrance back into the school had stunned a lot of the students, some were simply stunned by seeing him walk back into the school, while others, a small number of them, were pissed that he was back and they didn’t bother to hide their displeasure. But one thing that was common in the reaction of all the students was that they all kept their distance, none of them could move close to him. The aura he was emanating was one that made their hair stand on end, their instincts were all screaming at them to take their distance. Josh met him in the hallway leading to the headmaster’s office, he stopped a few meters from him with his hands folded on his chest as he studied Alaric. None of them spoke for a couple of minutes, but Josh grimaced at intervals, his facial expression contorted into that of pain at intervals, while Alaric’s expression was surprisingly calm. Kira could tell what was going on between the both of them. They were having a fight in their head, and each of t

Eliana The apartment in Paris smells so much like flowers and the rain that’s been tapping the windows since morning, soft enough that you can ignore it if you want to. Victor is sitting on the other end of the sofa with his legs stretched out, a beautiful blue mug between his palms and steam wafting up and fogging his glasses for a second before he leans back. He takes his coffee black now, no sugar, and I take mine with too much milk, the way I did when we first moved here and I pretended it was because I liked it and not because French coffee kicked harder than I expected. “Careful, it’s hot,” he says without looking up, because he knows I’m going to sip too fast anyway. I do, and it burns the tip of my tongue, and I make a face, and he smiles into his mug, that small, private one he only does when he thinks I’m not watching. Our life is beautiful together. It’s quiet for a minute, the good kind of quiet where neither of us needs to disturb it. Then I hear steps running i

Damian Weeks later, we were all seated in a courtroom. It smelled like old wood and coffee gone cold, and I sat three rows back with my hands clasped too tight in my lap, my thumb pressing into the knuckle of my index finger until it hurt. Because, if I didn’t do something with my hands I’d start drumming them on the bench and Ruth would shoot me a look from the prosecutor’s table. Beside me was Mila, Victor, Eliana and all the others patiently waiting for Eliot’s downfall. Eliot stood in a suit that cost more than my car, his shoulders straight, his jaw set like he still thought he could talk his way out of it and an hour later when the judge read, “guilty on all counts offense including, laundering, possession of drugs with intent,” he didn’t flinch. He just turned his head, found me in the crowd and held my gaze for a second too long before the officers took his elbows. He had a look that said “you won this round,”and I hated that it still got under my skin but he was hop

Damian The sun was even hotter than when we left and I couldn’t feel my throat dry up as Ramirez pulled in, the car rolling past the rows of marked police cars and my knee finally still because there was nothing left to bounce for. My eyes locked on the entrance just as Martins car quickly drove in from the other side, Victor already out before the engine even stopped. His shoulders were low but his face was unreadable the way it gets when he’s empty-handed and pissed about it. We met on the steps, the heat pressing against my back, his eyes flicking over the evidence bag Ramirez was carrying which contained the bricks of hard drugs sealed in plastic and the cash still banded. I saw his jaw tighten once,the only sign I got to tell that his trip was also fruitless. “No?” I asked, even though I knew. “No sir,” he replied, his voice flat and his hands shoved deep in his pockets. “Preston knew we were coming, I don’t know how but his house was cold. No cars, no Rostella or even m

Victor Officer Martins drove with both hands in the fastest way possible, never tapping the wheel and never even checking the rearview more than once every block. It was the kind of steady that makes me trust a person even if I didn’t get to know them. I sat beside him in the passengers seat and while he drove, I kept my eyes fixed on the street signs. I wasn’t used to being in the passengers seat so despite all the chaos I was enjoying the view. My right hand stayed resting on my knee only because I needed something to stop it from curling into a fist every time I thought about the possibility of Eliot successfully leaving the country. What if we’re too late? What if he had our plans all figured out before we even began? These thoughts clung to me like a plague that would kill me. Preston’s place was tucked off in a private estate, the house behind a high hedge and a driveway that curved like it was trying to hide the house, and I already knew the shape of this stop

Damian The driver drove with his left hand on the wheel and his right thumb tapping the gear shift every time we hit a red light, the car speeding through the streets faster than I expected. I felt my knee bouncing against the door and making a soft thud until I caught myself doing it and planted both feet flat on the floor, forcing my breathing to slow. I kept my eyes on the road, but my mind kept wandering back to Xavier’s voice on the phone and I wondered if he had managed to get home safely. I hated that I was thinking about that instead of trying to remember the layout of Eliot’s house, but I couldn’t help myself. “Crestwood estate, third gate on the left,” I said when we turned onto the private road, my voice coming out tighter than I wanted and my fingers curling around the strap of my seatbelt. I was tensed, there was nothing I could do to even feel better. The driver nodded and pulled up to the mighty iron gate before turning on the siren and the flashing lights.

Damian Officer Ruth didn’t waste a second before she pressed her thumb against the intercom on the wall, her voice getting firmer with each word like our lives depended on that very moment and honestly it did. “All available units, when I say all I mean all, to front hall. Now!” She ordered, her eyes never leaving the folders splayed across the table. The sound echoed down the corridor, and I felt my stomach tighten, my fingers drumming once against the edge of the table before I forced them to stay still, trying not to look as tensed as I felt. I used to be known as the war god but it seemed like I’d fallen short of the name. I watched as she stood up and gathered the file into her arm with a quick, practiced motion, and then she jerked her chin toward the door. “You two, come with me we’ve got no time to waste.” She said and Victor and I followed immediately, my boots squeaking faintly against the floor carpet. Victor was moving in that quiet and deliberate way he always do