The Vanishing

The Vanishing Rogue Hollow Octavia Jensen and Kady Ash Published by Flower Bone Publishing, 2023. This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental. THE VANISHING First edition. June 12, 2023. Copyright © 2023 Octavia Jensen and Kady Ash. Written by Octavia Jensen and Kady Ash. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Table of Contents Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Content Advisory Glossary Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Chapter Twenty-Five Chapter Twenty-Six Chapter Twenty-Seven Chapter Twenty-Eight Chapter Twenty-Nine Chapter Thirty Chapter Thirty-One Chapter Thirty-Two Chapter Thirty-Three Chapter Thirty-Four Chapter Thirty-Five Chapter Thirty-Six Chapter Thirty-Seven Chapter Thirty-Eight Chapter Thirty-Nine Chapter Forty Chapter Forty-One Chapter Forty-Two Preview of The Nightmare Chapter Two: Suren AUTHORS’ NOTE ALSO BY OCTAVIA JENSEN ALSO BY KADY ASH VISIT THE AUTHORS ON SOCIAL MEDIA For all of you who love a good old-fashioned paranormal academy romance series, but want it to be smuttier. Like, a lot smuttier. We got you. Also to everyone who never felt like you belonged. You’re in good company, and you belong here. Welcome to Rogue Hollow Academy. Content Advisory This book contains adult themes such as explicit language, explicit sex, and graphic violence. Additional triggers include, in no particular order: mentions of coerced prostitution, mentions of homelessness, mentions of/implied past childhood sexual abuse, dubious consent that at times may border non-consent, magical coercion, some bullying, the idea that someone claimed by a supernatural being is nothing more than property, themes of self-loathing, anxiety and depression, and references to the violent death of a sibling. Please note that this is the first book in a five book series that will progressively get darker, and it does end on a cliffhanger. The kinks included are, again in no particular order: public displays, bloodsucking for pleasure including a drug-like venom, claiming, praise, humiliation/degradation, somnophilia including instances where the FMC passes out and the MMC doesn’t stop, brief sharing, rough face-fucking, unsafe sex, knotting, sex between a human FMC and a fully-shifted werewolf (please read that again so you’re not surprised when it happens, you’ve been warned), bondage, marking, pain play, and two guys obsessed with eating pussy. Other tropes/themes include: morally grey (read: morally bankrupt) characters, fated mates, OTT J/P men, body positivity (nakedness is not taboo in this world and casual sex is encouraged for magic replenishment), enemies with benefits, reverse grumpy/sunshine with one couple and grumpy/grumpy with the other, an alphahole and a golden retriever, big “who did this to you” energy, big “touch her and die” energy, and instalust. There is also quite a bit of lying/intentional withholding of information that could fall under the umbrella of miscommunication, and a bit of a love triangle that isn’t much of a triangle if you pay attention. So that’s it. Lastly, we’ll point out that if you’re one of Octavia Jensen’s normal readers and you’re expecting a fun, sexy paranormal romance... just know you may be disappointed. This isn’t a light-hearted read with a sprinkling of angst, it’s a dump truck of darkness in every sense of the word compared to her normal books. Take the warnings on this page seriously. For Kady Ash’s normal readers, buckle up and enjoy the ride. This’ll be pretty on par with what you’ve come to expect, especially as the series continues. Please be kind to yourselves. Glossary *SPOILERS AHEAD* FORMS Æsir – Associated with power, poetry, storms, war, ruling, and strength. Vanir – Associated with beauty, the earth, fertility, the seasons, prosperity, and peace. MYTHICS Witches – Particularly gifted with magic, potions, crystals, etc depending on their Order. Vampires – Blood drinking beings who can have a variety of special abilities, most of which enhance their ability to find a food source. Werewolves – Shifters who are so in tune with the wolves inside them that the transition from one to the other is flawless and happens in the blink of an eye. While shifted, they are roughly twice the size of a normal wolf. Perytons – Shifters who can transform into creatures with the body of a stag and the wings of an eagle. They’re comparable in size to the wolves, though less prone to violence, and can speak to both deer and birds while in their shifted forms. Goblins – Stunning, tall creatures who look like humans, but with almost too-perfect features. They’re often seen with their long blonde hair done in braids and adorned with jewels. They’re typically harmless tricksters, but some have darker powers. Sirens – Sirens are the most versatile group. Some of their Mythic can shift, some are particularly strong swimmers, and some have the gift of Song which can be used to control those around them. ORDERS Witches Disaster - The disasters run the gamut of weather related powers: earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, lightning, wind, wildfires, etc. They need a veik to dampen their powers while they’re at RHA as their power can be so unpredictable. Green - These magical workers are all about nature, healing, and nurturing. They draw their power from the earth, using plants, flowers, and herbs as a primary source of spell ingredients. Crystal - Crystal witches are deeply connected to the vibration and power of crystals, gems, rocks, and stones. Kitchen – These witches possess surface-level Elemental manipulation skills, but find their true strength lies in the energy surrounding food, sustenance and the act of cooking. Elementals – Elementals possess the ability to manipulate the elements around them, such as water, air, earth, and fire. Most witches can do at least some level of Elemental magic, though true Elemental witches can master one or more areas of element magic. Seers – Though rare, Seers have a variety of abilities that include intense