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Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Blog Tour- THE HERD by #RussellBell With An Excerpt & A #Giveaway!

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE HERD by Russell Bell Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: THE HERD: A dystopian vampire thriller for young adults

Author: Russell Bell

Pub. Date: August 27, 2024

Publisher: Morning View Press

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 269

Find it: Goodreadshttps://books2read.com/THE-HERD

Read for FREE with a Kindle Unlimited Membership!

Sixteen-year-old Susan kneels before the Temple steps whispering the sacred prayer…

We are the Herd, human servants to the immortal Akharu, Lords of the Night. The Akharu are our Kings. The Akharu are our Gods. We honor them with our hands. We worship them with our hearts. We nourish them with our blood.

She is preparing for the Branding, the sacred ceremony where the Akharu choose which humans will be allowed to stay in the Closure, and which will be taken away forever. As she enters the Temple , Susan is confident that she’ll receive her brand. She’s devoted her life to the Akharu.

But so did her older brother, Trevor. And he was taken.

Ryan, Susan’s fifteen-year-old brother, kneels behind her. He only mouths the prayers. The Akharu have already taken his older brother and now they may take his sister as well. He doesn't want his brand.

He wants revenge.

Will Susan receive her brand or will she find out what happens to the Unworthy?

As he seeks his revenge, Ryan discovers powers he doesn't understand. Will they help him against the Akharu? Or is he becoming one of them?

The Herd, is an fascinating new take on the vampire genre. It is an action-packed adventure that takes place in the feudal Kingdom of Larkspur, where horses and swords rule the day and the bloodthirsty Akharu reign at night.

 

READ THE REVIEWS!

"A SPELLBINDING STORYTELLER WITH FULLY DEVELOPED CHARACTERS!"

"THE HERD DREW ME IN IMMEDIATELY WITH ITS WORLD-BUILDING AND CHARACTERS I WANTED TO ROOT FOR!"

"I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!"

"ADDICTIVE!"

 

Excerpt:

Prologue

The child will bear the Mark of the Dawn

and wield the strength of the Sun.

Prophecy – The Disciples

Misty rays of light pierced the forest canopy, illuminating the dense brush below.  Christoph could hear the Beasts crashing through the branches. He squinted to see the lean  shadows breaking out in different directions. There would be no surprise today; the Beasts had  heard them coming.  

Christoph raised a single finger and two of his Shepherds silently broke off to the right.  He raised another finger, sending two more Shepherds off to the left. A nod to Yanelle, his  Second, sent her and the remaining two Shepherds to his flank. Christoph could feel their  excitement. They loved the chase. 

He sniffed at the air. He could smell the sweat. And the fear. This was a large family  group with several adult males. Christoph hadn’t come across a group this size in years. It made  the long trek from Larkspur worth it. Traders back in the Kingdom would pay his Band well. And maybe I'll finally find it. 

A quick glance at his Shepherds assured him they were ready. Christoph dropped his hand and, like feral dogs released from a pen, the Shepherds leapt after their prey. Christoph followed after them, vaulting easily over a fallen log, his black leather boots  landing solidly on the other side. He was the epitome of a Shepherd. His long, dark hair was  pulled back in a tight tail that hung freely down his back. He wore a black leather jacket that,  though marred by years of service in the Wild, still held its shimmer in the afternoon light. And  hanging from his waist were the distinctive weapons of the Shepherds: the bone-handled pistol holstered on his right and the broadsword sheathed on his left. The only exception was  Christoph’s thick beard. Facial hair was usually discouraged among the Shepherds, but Christoph  was a Captain and rank had its privilege. 

He chased two of the females, one carrying a child, its arms and legs wrapped tightly  around her body. Christoph was close enough to hear their labored breathing. Sweat drenched  their long, tangled hair. They couldn't run for much longer. 

Christoph was barely winded. He and his Shepherds could chase these Beasts for as long  as it took. They were the Blessed, gifted with the blood of their Lords. A vial hung around his  neck filled with the scarlet blood of the Akharu. A few drops each day gave him the speed and  strength to easily catch these helpless creatures. 

Looking to his left, he saw Yanelle gaining on a young male. The male was trying to  dodge between the trees, but Yanelle anticipated his every move. Christoph hoped she didn’t hurt  the Beast. Yanelle followed orders well, but she was sometimes overzealous in her pursuit of  prey. 

Glancing to his right, Christoph watched as another Beast was tackled and then quickly  subdued by Rederick, a younger recruit. Rederick was fresh from the Academy, a Blessed-born. 

Recruits didn't usually last long in Christoph's Band, but Rederick's instincts for the hunt were unmatched. 

Christoph was only a few feet behind the females. He couldn’t easily grab them both from  behind, though. He needed to surprise them. Reaching up for a branch, he lifted himself off the  ground and swung up over their heads. He shifted from branch to branch and quickly outpaced them. The Beasts heard movement and glanced around, trying to catch a glimpse of him. The one  without a child stumbled and almost went down, but the mother reached out for her. Christoph  admired her determination. She was near exhaustion, but was still committed to saving her  family. 

Christoph pushed off from a branch and landed a few feet in front of the Beasts. The childless one tried to stop, but her momentum brought her straight into Christoph’s arms. He  quickly wrapped the Beast in a tight embrace. 

The mother, however, was more alert and managed to move quickly to her right, putting a  tree between her and Christoph. Bundling his captured female under one arm, Christoph grabbed  the tree and swung around it, trapping the mother with his legs. 

She struggled and would have escaped, but Christoph wrenched the small Beast from her  back. The screams of her child stopped the mother from fighting. She collapsed to the forest  floor, beaten. 

Christoph knew the Beast would surrender for her child. The Beast was human and that’s  how humans behaved. Christoph knew this because he had once been human himself. # 

The Beasts were bound together in a line, oldest to youngest. There were five adult males,  seven adult females, and over a dozen young. The adults were gagged to avoid talking amongst themselves. Two of the males had resisted, and lay unmoving to one side, blood streaming from  gashes in their heads. 

Christoph knelt down beside one of them and felt for a pulse. His heart was beating  strong. He would live, at least long enough to be sold in Larkspur. What happened to them after  that wasn’t Christoph’s concern. He moved to the others and began his inspection. 

Father Sun hung low in the sky, draping the clearing in shadow. There was still enough  light, but Christoph had little time. He looked through the Beasts’ hair, raised their arms, and  pushed aside their loosely fitting tunics, scanning their exposed skin. He was quick and  methodical in his search, having done it thousands of times. 

He felt eyes glaring at him. The mother he had subdued earlier was staring at him, her  eyes filled with hatred. Christoph glanced to see that her ropes were securely tied. “I think this one likes you,” said a voice behind him. Christoph looked up as Rederick  approached the female Beast, leering at her. Christoph went back to his inspection, ignoring the  remark. 

“What are you looking for?” Rederick asked. 

Christoph lifted the arm of a thin male. 

“He’s inspecting the stock,” called out Dominic, a large, burly Shepherd who was tending to the first sparks of a fire. “No one negotiates a better price than the Captain, which means more  gold for all of us!” 

The other Shepherds cheered at this remark. Christoph continued his inspection, stepping over to the younger Beasts. Rederick remained where he was, watching him. “Is it true?” he asked. “That you were born like them?”

 

The cheers stopped abruptly and all eyes turned to the young recruit. Dominic slowly rose from the fire and stepped toward Rederick. Yanelle, who was brushing one of the tall, black  stallions near the edge of the clearing, stopped and watched. Christoph paused his inspection briefly, but then continued, without looking up. 

Rederick shifted slightly, looking around. “What? Someone in the barracks told me—” “Told you what?” Dominic said, taking another step. He towered over Rederick by more  than a head. 

“That he was...” Rederick stammered, suddenly very aware of Dominic’s massive size,  “…born in the Herd…a human.” 

Dominic placed a thick hand on the hilt of his sword. Rederick stiffened, but didn’t move. Everyone in the camp had now stopped what they were doing and were watching the  exchange, their eyes shifting between Rederick, Dominic, and the Captain. Only Christoph  seemed unconcerned. He finished his inspection and stood, stretching his arms wide. “I don’t care what you heard,” Dominic said. “The Captain drinks from the vial just like  you and me. Is that understood?” 

Rederick nodded, quickly. “Yes.” 

“Good,” Dominic said. “Now isn’t there something you should be doing?” Rederick  looked around at the other Shepherds still staring at him. He quickly stumbled across the clearing toward the horses. 

Christoph turned and gave Dominic a nod. The huge man smiled before returning to the fire. Loyalty and respect were the strength of Christoph’s Band. 

Christoph knew what they called him back in the barracks. He was known as the Herd  Captain. Recruits argued over which version of Christoph’s story was true. Had he been discovered in the Closure, fighting over a dozen men? Or had he been found in the Wild, a  slaughtered pack of wolves lying at his feet? Christoph never commented on the stories. The  Shepherds back in Larkspur could say what they wanted. Out here in the Wild, though, in his Band, no one questioned his past. Rederick would soon learn that or he would find himself back  in the Closure, watching over the Herd. 

The Father had dropped behind the trees, tinting the clouds in a bright red. Christoph called to Yanelle, “It’s time.” 

“Circle up, Shepherds!” she shouted, stepping away from the horses. Rederick followed  after her, carefully avoiding Christoph’s gaze. 

The other Shepherds stopped what they were doing and began to gather in the center of  the clearing. The few who had ventured out to set traps trickled in as the rest formed a circle.  They all bent to their knees. 

Christoph knelt beside Yanelle. Usually the Captain led prayer in their Band, but Yanelle  had begun training as a Vessel before joining the Shepherds. Christoph still found it hard to  imagine her dressed in the sacred white of the Vessels, leading prayers at one of the Akharu  Temples. Black leather and a broadsword seemed to suit her better. Yanelle’s devotion to the  Akharu, however, was without question. 

“Lift your vials,” Yanelle said as the last of the Shepherds knelt. 

All of the Shepherds unfastened the top button of their black leather vests and pulled out  the small glass vials that hung around their necks. They removed the stoppers and raised their  vials toward the clouds, the thick liquid almost black against the crimson sky. Yanelle closed her eyes and recited the Shepherd’s prayer:

 

We raise our vials in thanks to the Akharu, Lords of the night. 

We, your Shepherds, who watch over your Herd in the Closure 

and gather the lost Beasts in the wilderness, 

kneel in submission and humbly drink of your blood. 

 

“To you, Akharu!” the Shepherds all chanted in unison and tipped the vials to their  mouths. Some drank from the vials, but most just touched them to their mouths, leaving a red  teardrop on their lips. They then raised the vials once more. 

Yanelle continued: 

 

We gather these lost Beasts in your name, Akharu, 

and offer them into your protection. 

May their young add strength to your Herd, 

may their numbers add bounty to your kingdom, 

and may their blood nourish your eternal souls. 

 

“Akharu, we serve you!” the Shepherds chanted in unison and then again tipped the vials  to their mouths. On this second sip, more of the Shepherds drank from their vials. They were  careful, though, to leave enough of the scarlet liquid for the third and final prayer. They raised  their vials to the sky once more. 

Yanelle, her eyes still closed, tensed her body and extended her arms out to their fullest as  the final prayer burst from her lungs:

 

From eternal darkness, the Akharu emerged, 

Sent to cleanse the earth of all evil. 

A gift from our Father, the Sun,  

to our Mother, the Moon. 

Their strength has no limit, 

their knowledge has no bounds, 

and their lives will have no end. 

 

“Akharu, we worship you!” shouted the Shepherds in unison and then drained their vials.  Many licked their lips to make sure they caught each drop. 

Yanelle lowered her vial and bowed her head. Christoph could hear her whispers as she  recited more prayers. 

A tight knot grew in his stomach and he could taste bile in the back of his throat. He  quickly stood and slipped the vial back into his vest, his hands trembling. Slowly he stepped away from the circle and slipped into the lengthening shadows of the  trees. Once in the cool comfort of the forest, he pulled a flask from his vest and filled his mouth  with water, washing away the metallic taste that lingered on his tongue. His hands were still  shaking. He turned and stumbled further into the forest, taking small steps at first, but then  breaking into a run. 

He didn’t stop until the forest opened into a smaller clearing. Behind him he could still  hear the whinny of horses, and distant laughter, but he was far enough from the others that he  could imagine himself alone. Christoph slowly crumpled to the forest floor, sucking in a long,  deep breath. 

Maintain control. 

It was getting harder and harder with the passing years. The wall he had so carefully  constructed between who he was and who he needed to be was weakening. Christoph didn’t  know how much longer he could go on. 

He wasn’t the Shepherd Captain he pretended to be. He wore the black leather, but in his  heart he knew the truth. He was the son of Ian, born in the Herd, in the Kingdom of Manzanita.  As a child he had trained under the mighty Victor. He was a Warrior of the Dawn. 

Focusing on the breath escaping through his lips, Christoph remembered his training. He  could hear Victor’s words, “Find your Inner Sun.” Another pass of air through his nose and he  felt the spark ignite in his chest. Warmth spread slowly through his body. 

More air flowed through his nose and across his lips. Power coursed through his blood as  his Inner Sun burned. He felt his strength return, his resolve. 

With a final deep breath, Christoph stood, confident that he could return to the others and  continue his search. 

A soft cry broke the silence. Christoph tensed, scanning the clearing. Had one of his  Shepherds followed him? 

He heard the soft cry again. Christoph crept toward the sound, careful to make none  himself. The cry had come from a fallen log at the edge of the small clearing. He leaned down  and peered into the hollow log. Tiny pink feet wiggled restlessly in the cramped space. It was a newborn Beast. 

Christoph carefully pulled the tiny Beast out from the log, revealing two pale, grey eyes.  They looked up at him curiously. A tuft of orange hair was centered on the Beast’s head. He was male, no more that a few weeks old. His mother had covered him in bobcat fur before hiding him in the log. The baby stopped crying and smiled up at Christoph, letting out a soft gurgle. Christoph immediately inspected the baby as he had so many other Beasts, young and old.  He looked closely at the legs and under the arms. He removed the fur and examined the stomach  and back. He then scanned the head and behind the ears. 

There it was. The mark. 

Behind the left ear, Christoph saw a thin arch over a single line: the Sun breaking the  horizon. It was the Mark of the Dawn. So many times Christoph thought he had found the  symbol, only to be wrong. He had seen it in the smeared dirt on a young child’s back and in the jagged scars of an older male. But they were only his imagination. 

Christoph ran his thumb over the mark. It wasn’t dirt to be brushed off and it wasn’t a  scar. It was real. 

The child will bear the Mark of the Dawn. 

Christoph clutched the boy to his chest. The Prophecy was true. His search had finally  come to an end. He had found the marked child and now Christoph must do everything in his  power to protect it

A twig snapped behind him. Christoph tensed, shifting the child to one hand. He turned,  grasping the handle of his broadsword with the other. It was Yanelle. 

“Sir, I thought I heard a child,” she said, looking down at the bundle nestled in the crook  of his arm. 

Christoph scanned the clearing for more Shepherds, but saw none. 

“You found another Beast,” she said, stepping toward him. “One of the females must  have hidden it here. I admire you, sir. Always on the hunt.” She smiled at him, but her eyes held  a glimmer of suspicion. 

Christoph didn’t hesitate. Yanelle could never be allowed to see the mark. She may not  know the meaning of the faint symbol, but other Shepherds would. The Warriors of the Dawn  were not forgotten in the kingdoms. 

Christoph pulled his broadsword and thrust it toward Yanelle. He moved so quickly that  she was still smiling as the sword pierced her chest. She looked down at the sword and then back  up at Christoph, her eyes filled with confusion. They then sparked with anger before the life  finally left them. Yanelle’s head drooped to one side and her body went limp. Christoph  wrenched the sword free, letting Yanelle slide to the ground. 

He wiped his sword on the grass. The child, still lying in the crook of his arm, didn’t  make a sound. 

“I will always protect you,” he whispered down at the baby. The boy looked up at him  and smiled. 

 

 

Christoph stumbled into the dim clearing. Mother Moon had yet to rise. The Shepherds  were gathered around the fire, laughing at some insult one of them had said. “We were attacked,” Christoph exclaimed, dropping Yanelle’s body at the edge of the  fire’s light. The laughter stopped abruptly and the Shepherds stood, many of them reaching for  their weapons. 

“When? Where did they go?” Rederick asked, frantically scanning the darkness. Panic  was good. It would work in Christoph’s favor. 

“They were on foot. I couldn’t tell how many,” Christoph said. He limped over to the fire.  The cut he had given himself on his leg was bleeding more than he expected.  Dominic knelt down, inspecting Yanelle’s fatal wound. He looked up at Christoph. “Warriors of the Dawn?” 

Dominic had been among the Shepherds sent to the Kingdom of Manzanita years earlier  to fight against the Warriors. He had seen the destruction in the King Kronos’s Palace. He knew  what the Warriors were capable of. If only Dominic had known that Christoph had been one of  those Warriors he had been fighting. 

Christoph nodded and the clearing exploded with frenzied activity. Some Shepherds leapt  on their horses, while others doused the fire. Christoph quickly took control. “Rederick, Cynthia, and Thurman, gather the Beasts. You’ll return with them to  Larkspur,” Christoph barked. 

“But I want to help with—” Rederick began to protest. 

Christoph stopped him with a raised hand. “Don’t question my command.” Rederick sputtered, about to say something else, but Christoph had already turned to  Cynthia, who was pulling the Beasts to their feet. 

“Take Yanelle’s body back with you,” Christoph called to her. 

Cynthia nodded. “But you’re wounded. Let us help you.” 

“I’ll catch up with you,” he said waving her off. “Go!” 

Quickly, he turned to the other Shepherds, now mounted on their black steeds. “Dominic,  lead the hunt. I want the murderers found!” 

“It will be done,” Dominic said with intensity. 

Even in the dark, Christoph could see Dominic’s determination to avenge his fellow  Shepherd. The Shepherds raced out of the clearing, filling the night with the thunder of hooves.  They would probably ride for miles before they returned. Christoph would have more questions  to answer, but for now he needed the time. 

The child had to be hidden. 

Christoph watched Cynthia and Rederick lead the stumbling line of Beasts into the  darkness. Thurman followed, kicking at the Beasts that fell behind. 

Once he was alone, Christoph headed back to the small clearing. His wounded leg could  wait. He would have to circle around to beat the young Shepherds to Larkspur. The child was silent, still lying in the log. Christoph lifted him out carefully and reached  for his dagger. “I’m sorry, but the mark has to be removed.” 

The boy smiled up at him, unconcerned. 

Christoph knew where he would hide the boy. His brother, Steven, lived among the Herd  of Larkspur. Steven was also once a Warrior of the Dawn. He would care for the child.

 

 

About Russell Bell:

Russell was an international drama teacher for many years, teaching in Mumbai India and in Dubai, UAE. Living in these different countries sparked in jim a passion for religion and culture, eventually inspiring this dystopian world of the Akharu. And, of course, many years of teaching theater to young adults has taught him that nothing beats an exciting story. He now lives in San Jose, Costa Rica with his wife, two children, and two dogs.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 





Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE HERD, US Only.

Ends November 12th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

10/28/2024

Book Review Virginia Lee Blog

Excerpt/IG Post

10/29/2024

TX Girl Reads

Excerpt/IG Post

10/30/2024

thefashoionistfiles

Excerpt/IG Post

10/31/2024

Deal sharing aunt

Interview/IG Post

11/1/2024

Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's

Excerpt/IG Post

Week Two:

11/4/2024

Country Mamas With Kids

Review/IG Post

11/5/2024

@alexandriavwilliams_

IG Review/TikTok Post

11/6/2024

The Real World According to Sam

Review/IG Post

11/7/2024

Books With a Chance

Review/IG Post

11/8/2024

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer

Review/IG Post


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