About The Herd by Russell Bell
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, never to return. As she stands and enters the Temple , Susan is confident that she’ll receive her brand. She’s devoted her life to the Akharu. They have to let her stay.
They have to…
Ryan, Susan’s fifteen-year-old brother, kneels behind her. He only mouths the prayers. The Akharu have already taken his older brother Trevor and now they may take his sister as well. He knows the danger in his thoughts, but he doesn’t care.
I want revenge…
This is the Kingdom of Larkspur, where the blood-thirsty Akharu rule from their marble palace high on the hill. Below them are the Blessed, the humans favored by the Akharu. They can be found in their huge mansions, living life as they please. The rest of the humans are confined to the Closure, where they exist only to serve the Blessed and feed the Akharu.
They are the Herd.
Susan’s worst fears come true as she becomes one of the Unworthy. Taken from the Closure, she finds herself in the Akharu palace as a “playmate” to the sadistic Princess Sifa. How long until the Princess tires of her? Susan knows she has to escape, but can she summon the strength to defy those who were once her Gods?
In his quest for vengeance, Ryan delves into the underworld of the Closure. As he searches for anyone he can trust among the thieves and rebels, Ryan discovers powers he never knew he had. What do these powers mean? Can he use them to save the Herd or is he becoming one of the Gods he hates?
The Herd, is an exciting 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.
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Author Bio:
I was an international drama teacher for many years, teaching in Mumbai India and in Dubai, UAE. Living in these different countries sparked in me 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 taught me that nothing beats an exciting story. I now live in San Jose, Costa Rica with my wife, two children, and two dogs.