B5: YA URBAN FANTASY: VITIUM

Title: VITIUM

Age Category: Young Adult

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Word Count: 73,000

Pitch: Seventeen-year-old Superbia has an arrangement with Death: if she survives working as his newest assassin, he’ll resurrect her brother. But failing even one mission will transform her from Death’s favorite hitwoman to his newest target.

First 250 Word of Manuscript:
As an Aspect of Death, I know exactly when I’m supposed to die. Down to the very second.

But standing at the top of the New York Times Building, I’m suddenly not so sure. Ambulance sirens below me whirl in my ears and a warm April breeze caresses my face. My lungs expand as I take in a breath. It feels strangely final.

*No*. I won’t die. And, to prove it to myself, I leap into the open air.

The rushing winds lash against me and rip my cheeks. My arms tense and I almost want to shield myself from the cool air.

But just as terror lances through me, so does adrenaline. Confidence surges beneath my skin.

“Look at the world, Dani! You run this shit!” I shout.

Screams from below interrupt my boasting. A kid points in my direction and yells for help. The people on the ground will probably be calling 911 soon. I have to act fast.

“*Ignore me*,” I command them.

My voice strains in the gusts of air blowing around my face. They can’t hear me down on the ground, but another Aspect perk is that they don’t need to. As long as I can see them, my commands work. And sure enough, people go back to what they’re doing—buying street meat from sidewalk vendors, laughing with friends, taking pictures.

*Good*. I swing my eyes to my left and see a stone ledge coming fast. Beyond it, inside his penthouse condo, my target’s waiting for me.