~C~ is for Camille

~C~ is for Camille from Lost Haven by Sabrina A. Fish

Today's fantasy character comes from my very first published work, Shine 7: Lost Haven, which is an urban fantasy available in e-book on Amazon. William Bernhardt's Shine project is an ongoing serialized novel with multiple contributing authors. So please, show some love and check out my contribution. If you like it enough, I hope you'll read the entire series.

In the near future, a few young women manifest extraordinary abilities called "Shine." Each girl's ability is different. Some develop extraordinary mental abilities. Some become physically strong. Others have powers that defy description. But the world does not embrace these Shines. It fears them. 

Camille’s life hasn't been the same since her parents' traumatic murder-suicide. In the aftermath, an intruder breaks into her home. Camille discovers a mysterious thumb drive hidden in her father’s office and realizes the unwanted changes in her life are just beginning. Caught in a spider's web of politics and conspiracy, betrayal and abduction, Camille is about to discover that the world is changing and hiding is not an option. Not even for Shines. 

~Excerpt~

Camille gasped in jagged breaths as she pushed through the crowd of laughing people. An angry male voice yelled her name. She moved faster. Loud music, bright flashing lights, and the smell of sweat and garbage swirled around her. Carnies called for her to try her luck to win one of the giant stuffed prizes hanging above their game stalls, but she ignored them to search for the corridor of food carts. She rounded the corner, encountering smells of sweet fried funnel cakes, sizzling turkey legs, and grilled sweet corn on the cob. Her stomach churned, the smells failing to entice like they normally would.

She was supposed to meet her best friend, Jenni, at the sarsaparilla stand. Each September, they enjoyed coming to Oklahoma’s State Fair. The first thing they always did was buy the little mini milk jug of iced root beer. Knowing the stand was usually located at the center of the main corridor of food vendors, Camille searched for the correct way to run. Unsure, but knowing she needed to keep moving, she lunged to the right only to have two large hairy arms wrap around her from behind.

Her ex-boyfriend, Gary, spun her around and brought his mouth down on hers before she could call out for help. Holding her against his heavily muscled chest, Gary pulled her into the shadows as a group of teenage males whistled and called for them to get a room. His large hand held her head still while his other arm pinned her arms to her sides. She kicked at his shins, but he forced his tongue into her mouth. Realizing she would tire long before he would, she went limp.

He groaned in triumph. Ignoring the bile threatening to come up, she bit down on his tongue as hard as she could while bringing her knee up into his crotch. He jerked his head back, releasing her as he cried out and crumpled to the ground.

She glared at him. “It’s over, Gary. Touch me again, and I’ll file a VPO against your ass.”

She backed out of the shadows into the crowded, brightly lit avenue between the food carts. He straightened to his full six-feet-one-inch height and smiled at her. The cold possessiveness in his pale blue eyes raked over her body. She shivered. Had she ever found that possessiveness attractive?

They’d dated for a year until her parents’ deaths four months ago. With her parent’s no longer in the picture, he’d stopped pretending to be the kind, considerate man she’d been attracted to. He’d begun to use her grief against her, undermining her confidence in herself until she’d believed she was nothing without him. Then he’d put his hands on her. She’d actually believed him when he’d said it was her fault. If Jenni hadn’t stepped in, she’d have married and given him total control of her life. She shuddered. She’d been so naïve.

Gary followed her into the lighted corridor. “No one will believe you. You belong to me, Camille. There’s no where you can go. If you try to run, I’ll find you.”

She squeezed her shaking hands into fists. Her breath rushed in and out of her lungs as the truth of his words threatened to choke her. Pressure tightened in her chest. She stepped back as he moved closer. People gave them wary glances, sensing the thick tension between them.

“No. I belong only to myself. We’re done. Leave me alone.”

“Why do you fight the inevitable? You know I’ll care for you better than you ever could. You’ll have everything you could ever want.” He held his hand out to her. “Come, Camille. Stop being ridiculous. Let me take you home, where you belong.”

~End Excerpt~

Find the rest of Camille's story on Amazon