by G. K. DeRosa
Dark Oblivion
The Vampire Prophecy Book 3
G.K. DeRosa
J.N. Colon
Copyright © 2018 G.K. DeRosa LLC
All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system known or hereafter invented, without written permission from the publisher, G.K. DeRosa LLC.
Editor: Partner in Prose
Cover Designer: Sanja Gombar www.fantasybookcoverdesign.com
Published in 2018 by G.K. DeRosa LLC
Palm Beach, Florida
www.gkderosa.com
Created with Vellum
For our wonderful readers who allow us to do what we love.
~ G.K. DeRosa & J.N. Colon
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Epilogue
Sneak Peek of Wings & Destruction by G.K. DeRosa
Sneak Peek of Voodoo Unleashed by J.N. Colon
Also by G.K. DeRosa
Also by J.N. Colon
Acknowledgments
About G.K. DeRosa
About J.N. Colon
Chapter 1
Solaris
I glanced up at the shimmering golden crown nestled among dark waves of unruly hair, and a smile split my lips. Kaige looked damned good as a king. Warm fingers wrapped around mine, cocooning me from the wild chants of the crowd. Thousands of nobles and taranoi gathered in the arena, eager to get a first look at their new king, but for me it was only the two of us in our own private bubble.
The blood bond pulsed, hot and fiery, our emotions tangled in an intricate dance. My thundering heart drowned out the roar of the audience, their faces blurring in the periphery. Heat ignited in my core as Kaige’s thumb rubbed circles across my sensitive palm. I wanted it to be just the two of us. I needed more than his fingers wrapped around me.
Now.
I tilted my head up to face him, licking my lip, and his smoky navy eyes pierced mine as a smirk curled his sexy lips. A low growl reverberated in his throat, and I knew he wanted the same.
An angry shout tore through the arena, jerking my attention from Kaige to the pack of taranoi stalking toward the stage. I’d been so preoccupied with my handsome king that I’d completely missed the uproar breaking out in the crowd. A mob of dirty, irate peasants barreled through the line of royal guards as more screams rang out.
A guard appeared on either side of Kaige, shoving me out of the way. I tripped over the long layers of my elegant full skirt, and his fingers slipped out of my grasp as I staggered forward.
“Solaris!” Kaige shouted for me, but more soldiers encircled him, dragging him off the stage. His head bobbed up and down and disappeared in a sea of black-uniformed broad shoulders.
“Kaige!”
The rest of the royal family headed in the same direction, a wall of royal guards surrounding them. Zabrina spun around, her bright eyes flicking toward me as she clasped her arms around a huge guard’s neck. “Solaris, this way!” she cried, waving me forward. I picked up the train of my unwieldy gown and hurried after them, pushing my way through the cluster of soldiers who fought off taranoi. A few, wielding clubs and axes, had already made it onto the stage.
I raced to the far end of the platform, but my high heels and cumbersome dress dragged me down. My heart plummeted as the last soldier escorting the royal family heaved a thick door closed behind him.
“No!” I leapt forward, my heel catching the lace of my dress, and tumbled to the floor. I hit the wooden platform with a smack, all the air forced out of my lungs. I sucked in a breath and pushed myself up to my hands and knees as more taranoi swarmed the stage. The stench of unwashed bodies swirled all around me.
I lifted my head to the crack of splintering wood crashing across the stage. Kaige burst through the doorway through which the royal guards had just disappeared, his eyes a swirling silver blaze. “Solaris.”
He darted toward me, the golden crown tipping forward to rest just above his furrowed brow. He yanked me into his arms and squeezed. “Are you all right? I’m so sorry.”
“I’m fine. Let’s just get out of here.”
He pulled me into his side, shielding me from the advancing taranoi.
We took a step, and a flash of silver whizzed by my periphery. Kaige halted, his body lurching backward. I spun to face him, and my heart stopped.
The shiny hilt of a sword protruded from the center of his chest, blood soaking his fine white shirt. I gasped as Kaige crumpled to the ground.
“No!” I screamed, sliding to the floor next to him. “Guards! Someone help the king!” I cried out in vain as hordes of taranoi blanketed the stage, easily outnumbering the remaining guards.
Swords clanged, metal against metal, shouts erupted, and chaos ensued all around us.
“Kaige, please, no.” I cupped his cheek as droplets of blood dribbled from his mouth.
“Solaris…,” he murmured, his breath ragged.
Tears flooded my vision as a thick lump lodged in my throat. “Don’t you dare leave me, Kaige.”
“I-I’m sorry—”
“No!” I jolted awake, a scream exploding from my lips. My heart jackhammered against my ribs, my cheeks wet with tears. “Kaige?” I sat up and rubbed my eyes as darkness surrounded me.
Oh my god. I sucked in a breath as the walls of Gavin’s grandpa’s shed slowly took shape. It was just a dream. A horrible nightmare.
A sour, acidic taste coated my tongue. My stomach roiled, and I clapped a hand over my mouth and jumped to my feet. I raced out the door and lurched forward as bile spewed from my mouth.
I braced my hands on my knees as my stomach heaved, my shirt stuck to my body from the cold sweat lining my skin. It was the fifth time I’d puked tonight. I spat into the grass and straightened, my head spinning. Holding onto the outer wall of the shed, I crept back inside.
I slouched down on the floor, wrapping a blanket around myself as flashes of the vivid nightmare pummeled my vision. Kaige dying. I pressed my lips together and shook my head. It was just a dream. Kaige was fine. I’d know it if something had happened to him.
I rubbed my chest, fear swirling through the bond. He was there; I could feel him as clearly as this scratchy blanket against my skin. I raked my hands over my face, pushing my moist hair back. The stench of puke lingered in my nose, setting off another wave of nausea.
Beads of sweat lined my forehead, but a chill raced up my spine. Kaige might be all right, but I was far from it. I flicked on the flashlight and shined the light on the half-empty vial on the floor. Dark, muddy brown liquid.
Poison.
There was no doubt in my mind. Xander had won; he’d snuck the
Mortiphen in my bag without anyone noticing, and now I was going to die.
My throat tightened. I’d never see Kaige again.
I couldn’t save my dad. He’d die in one of those disgusting cells, his blood drained.
I wouldn’t get the chance to tell Isla her sister was alive.
No. I clenched my fists, ignoring the bout of queasiness. I couldn’t let Xander win.
If only I could figure out how to contact Kaige—at least I’d get to say my goodbyes and make him promise to save my dad and the others.
Maybe there was a way. I squeezed my eyes shut and focused on Kaige, his warm navy eyes, the feel of his silky hair through my fingers, the sound of his deep voice when he whispered in my ear. I slowed my breathing and opened my mind, filling it with thoughts of Kaige. The bond thrummed, matching the rhythm of my heart.
Kaige.
The scene before me distorted, the edges blurring until the shed completely fell away. My eyes widened as dim lights and a control panel coalesced in my mind’s eye. Panic lanced through my chest, a sharp pain making me buckle over. But it wasn’t my pain.
Big hands tightened around a silver yoke, the knuckles turning white. I knew those hands. They’d laced through my fingers, stroked my hair, and caressed my skin until I was senseless with pleasure.
Kaige. He was coming for me.
The view inside the cockpit twisted, and the dark starry sky peeking through the canopy tilted until it was upside down. My hands shot out to stop myself from turning with it. A wave of dizziness crashed over me, and my world faded to black.
Loud pounding jerked me from a fitful sleep. Opening my eyes, I pushed aside the ghastly images of blood, emaciated bodies, and death that had riddled my nightmares. I squeezed my palms against my temples, willing the pain to stop.
Only a narrow crack of light streamed through the small window, the sun not even up yet. Acid churned in my belly as I pushed myself to my feet, the nasty taste of bile still on my tongue.
The pounding at the door intensified, echoing in my throbbing skull. “I’m coming, Gavin.” Why he was here before dawn was beyond me. My mind was hazy as I shuffled to the door and cracked it open.
Blazing silver irises met mine. Kaige barreled through the door, wrapping me in his arms. “You’re okay,” he rasped out.
The blood bond sang with excitement as I buried my nose in his firm chest, reveling in his woodsy scent. “You’re okay,” I echoed. I still hadn’t gotten the grisly image of the sword impaling his chest out of my mind. I curled my fingers into his shirt, running my hands over his back to make sure he was whole.
“I’m never letting you out of my sight again.” He threaded his fingers through my hair, breathing me in.
“Fine by me.”
Chapter 2
Kaige
Solaris felt so fragile in my arms. Too fragile. Her body shook with weakness, and her skin was feverish. The bond hummed to life, happy we were together, but the weight of her sickness began to dull the zing firing through my veins.
I pulled back to stare into her ashen face. Those eyes that usually held so much life were no longer their vibrant moss-green shade. They were faded as if a harsh sun had sucked the nutrients out.
The sun wasn’t responsible for this. It was the poison from my own brother.
My heart crashed against my ribs, and I dropped Solaris’s arms. My gaze darted around the cramped shed, searching for the sabotaged bottle of Garridan’s elixir. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it wasn’t Mortiphen. It could be some other poison. Any other poison.
“Kaige?” Solaris’s voice was a wispy shadow of itself.
I ignored her confusion and zipped over the piles of gardening tools, snatching the half-empty bottle of thick, muddy liquid that I was looking for. The bitter, rancid scent curled up my nose as I tore the cork off. A cement fist punched my gut, stealing the breath from my lungs. The small cabin spun.
Oh gods. The nightmare playing through my mind in the moment that the heavy crown was laid upon my head at the coronation became a reality. “Mortiphen.” The cursed word crossed my numb lips, hitting the air like a crack of thunder.
A tiny hand rested on my shoulder. “It’ll be all right, Kaige.”
I whipped around, glaring at Solaris as my fangs lengthened. “Nothing is all right. Nothing will ever be all right again.” The tainted bottle was still clutched in my trembling fist, tiny fissures beginning to spread through the glass. “You were poisoned!” I dropped the vial, shattering it. My gaze was transfixed by the viscous substance oozing over the wooden planks, imagining that was what the poison was doing through my human’s insides.
It was slowly but surely killing her.
How could Xander do this to me?
“We still have time, Kaige.” Her fingers reached up, soothingly stroking my cheeks. “Maybe there’s a cure. We’ll find it.”
My gaze turned pensive as I pictured the plethora of items in the alchemists’ storeroom beneath the apothecary. “Yes, there has to be something,” I mumbled. There was currently no known cure for the sickness Mortiphen caused in humans, but that didn’t mean a remedy couldn’t be crafted. It had been over a century since the poison was anywhere near humans. There had to be something.
I’d find a way to save Solaris if it was the last thing I did.
And it very well could be if she didn’t make it.
I gave her a quick nod. “I’ll take you to Draconis.” I’d compel an alchemist to treat her. Surely they could do something to keep the disease at bay until a cure was formulated.
Solaris’s feet stuck to the ground. “Um, no.”
I blinked. “You need to be treated, and an alchemist is better than any doctor in Imera.”
That stubborn set to her jaw showed through the weakness her body was drowning in. “I can’t leave without saving my father first.”
A low rumble vibrated through my chest. “Are you insane?” I’d asked her that question many times before, and I already knew the answer.
Yes. Solaris Levant was one hundred percent certifiable.
My nostrils flared, and I stepped closer, the tips of my boots touching her tiny toes. “We’re leaving. I’ll throw you over my shoulder if I have to.”
She rolled her eyes and motioned toward a window to point out a sliver of light peeking through the curtain. “The sun is coming up, and I doubt your spiffy jet has UV protectant windows. I know you won’t burst into flames, but getting a suntan wouldn’t be fun for you.”
A long string of curses tumbled through my mind. Solaris was correct, and that smug smile on her face was like an annoying flick right between my eyes. “And what do you think is going to happen when the sun goes down?”
She crossed her arms against her chest and shook her blonde locks behind her shoulders. “You’re going to help me rescue my father from that evil S.O.B. Turstan.”
I glared down at the tiny little human before me. Solaris was on the verge of death, and she still hadn’t lost her reckless tendencies. It was as irritating as it was endearing.
Her expression softened, and her hand caressed mine, sending pops of electricity zipping across my skin. “I have a few days, right?”
Her words hit me square in the chest, and I momentarily lost the ability to speak. I nodded.
“With help from Gavin and your awesome compulsion skills, we can have my dad out in one day.”
I didn’t understand why she would risk so much to save her father. Where was he when Turstan captured her and threatened to turn her into a blood slave? Where was he when she was running for her life through the streets of Imera while being shot at?
Malcolm Levant was a high-ranking Equality Agent. If he didn’t know it outright, he had to at least hold some inclination about the terrible things that were happening in that hospital wing. And if he knew anything about his daughter, he should have been prepared for her impulsive actions.
Instead, Gavin was the one who always ran to her aid.
I cr
acked my neck, knowing he’d been with her not long ago. His scent lingered.
“Fine,” I growled after a long pause during which Solaris did nothing but stare up at me with wide, pleading eyes. “I’ll give you one day, and then I’m dragging you to Draconis.” I’d compel her if I had to.
A whoosh of air exited her lips, and her shoulders drooped in relief. The mask of strength she was hiding behind began to crumble.
A sharp sting sliced my heart. “Come here.” My arms wrapped around her, and she nearly disappeared in my embrace. Her heart pounded unsteadily against me.
“Are you the king now?” she asked. “Please tell me you didn’t leave before your coronation. We need—”
“I’m king.” I’d gladly give it up to save her. My father would be happy if I handed the crown back to him.
Her fingers curled in the ends of my shirt as she turned her nose into my chest, breathing me in. “What about your blood?”
“Hmm?” I mumbled, lost in the feel of her in my arms.
“Would drinking your blood help?”
A line formed between my brows. It wasn’t a cure—life wasn’t that easy—but maybe it could soothe her. “Possibly.” I pulled back, my gaze settling on her pale face. “We can try.”
Solaris nodded.
My veins pulsed with life, begging to be opened for her. It didn’t matter if she were sick or healthy—my body responded to the mere thought of sharing blood with her.