Christina Bauer - Baculum: Kick-ass epic fantasy and paranormal romance

Baculum

Book Four of the Angelbound Lincoln Series

Copyright

Dedication

For All Those Who Kick Ass, Take Names

and Read Books

Collected Works

Angelbound Lincoln

The Angelbound experience as told by Prince Lincoln

1. Duty Bound

2. Lincoln

3. Trickster

4. Baculum

5. Angelfire

6. Mordred

Angelbound Offspring

The next generation takes on Heaven, Hell, and everything in between

1. Maxon

2. Portia

3. Zinnia

4. Rhodes

5. Kaps

6. Mack

7. Huntress

Angelbound Origins

About a quasi (part demon and part human) girl who loves kicking butt in Purgatory's Arena

1. Angelbound

2. Scala

3. Acca

4. Thrax

5. The Dark Lands

6. The Brutal Time

7. Armageddon

8. Quasi Redux

9. Clockwork Igni

Fairy Tales of the Magicorum

Modern fairy tales with sass, action, and romance

1. Wolves and Roses

2. Moonlight and Midtown

3. Shifters and Glyphs

4. Slippers and Thieves

5. Bandits and Ball Gowns

6. Fire and Cinder

7. Fairies and Frosting

8. Towers and Tithes

9. Evil Queens and Goblin Kings

Dimension Drift

Dystopian adventures with science, snark, and hot aliens

1. Scythe

2. Umbra

3. Alien Minds

4. ECHO Academy

5. Justice

6. Slate

Pixieland Diaries

About sassy pixie Calla and her love-crush-nemesis, the elf prince Dare

1. Pixieland Diaries

2. Calla

3. Dare

4. Winter Prince

5. Ley Queen

Beholder

Where a medieval farm girl discovers necromancy and true love

1. Cursed

2. Concealed

3. Cherished

4. Crowned

5. Cradled

*This is a finished series.

Author Preface

Dear Readers,

Get ready for the Viking Games! BACULUM turned out to be such a trip and Im super excited to share it with you. Here are some key points to consider before you get started.

Point One. Theres A Dual Point of View

Myla and Lincoln's voices are back in this novel!!! The core conflict just wouldnt work unless readers got to know both their inner thoughts. Plus, its fun to write.

That said, the story is very much centered in Lincoln's world and his character arc, so get ready for a deeper view into the inner workings of our favorite Mister the Prince.

Point Two. This Takes Place Both Before And After ACCA

Please note that this book also takes place after the events of ACCA (Angelbound Origins Book #3). There are no spoilers here if you read out of order. I also wrote it so you can enjoy it as a stand alone. That said, to set this story up, I go back to Lincoln and Mylas past. When you read it, I hope it all makes sense.

Point Three. What Is My Problem?

At this point you may wonder: why do I write things out of sequence? Wasnt ACCA published a while ago?

Heres my honest answer: I have no idea.

This is just how my gift works. I know its different from everyone else, and sometimes Business-Me wants to take Author-Me out and kick my own ass, if that makes sense. But then I drink coffee and get back to writing. Self-distraction is a very useful skill.

Enough of my preamble, lets get to the Angelbound fun. I hope you enjoy BACULUM!

CB

BACULUM

Years Ago

Lincoln

Sixteenth Birthday

1:58 p.m.

11:59 p.m.

Midnight.

And my sixteenth birthday is officially here!

Some folks might celebrate with cake and presents. In my family, we hunt demons.

I know. Awesome.

Father and I march through Brazils largest vine forest, Mata de Cip. In every direction, long sheets of woody tendrils sway around us. Father and I are tracking a vitis, which is a snake-like demon. Theres no rain. Winds are low. A full moon casts everything in pale light.

Perfect conditions for a hunt.

Suddenly, an electric sense of alarm rips through my nervous system. Something watches us. and its close.

I picture things through my enemys eyes. The vitis would begin by spotting two figures in dark body armor. Next it would notice Fathers white hair and barrel chest. Id appear younger, leaner, and much easier to kill.

Most likely, the demon will attack me first.

Suddenly, a nearby vine drifts away from the breeze. My pulse speeds. Moving slowly, I angle my head for a better view. Sure enough, that lone tendril is covered in a grid of black dots. Only a vitis has skin like that.

Father sees the danger, same as I do. He raises his fist twice. Its a hand signal that means, Do you want me to attack?

I shake my head. No, Ive got his.

Battle energy spikes through me. The demons wiry arm slowly twists nearer. A few inches from my throat, it stops.

Up close, I can see how each dark point on the creatures skin holds a single needle. Thats definitely a vitis. Ive never fought these before, but I know their needles inject neurotoxins. If I get enough in my bloodstream, Ill be unconscious in seconds.

In other words, once the battle starts, I must take down this vitis and fast.