Comfort of the Dark Mother
FEATURED IN: The Crow’s Quill – Issue 2: Vampyres from Quill & Crow Publishing House
- Publication date: October 2021
- Editors: Cassandra L. Thompson, KM Weiland, William Bartlett
ABOUT COMFORT OF THE DARK MOTHER
An aging vampire Queen fights to preserve her legacy just as her brood plans to subvert her rule.
PUBLICATION DETAILS
Blood-draining tales of vampyres. 8 short stories teeming with tension and terror.
CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS
- Rebecca Jones-Howe
- Hansen Adcock
- Stephen Black
- Alice Callisto
- Mary Rajotte
- Lucas Mann
- Kristin Cleaveland
- Spyder Collins
- Cassandra L. Thompson
AN EXCERPT
© MARY RAJOTTE
In a labyrinthine hive concealed underground, we slumber well past daylight. At dusk, we awaken. My offspring, to feed, and I, their Dark Mother, to command them.
Our nest is a subterranean network of honeycombed alcoves, natural coffins affixed by the worker drones to the cavern ceiling. When the moon rises, I emerge to my waiting brood, peeling away the protective membrane of veined skin across my cell and sloughing off viscous amber jelly that clings to me in ribbons.
Dozens of taloned fingers trail along the back of my legs and grasp at my face. Clinging to me, my scions collapse to their knees, their starkly angular cheekbones underscoring obsidian eyes. With their heads bowed, they shudder under my gaze, awaiting my instruction.
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