I met the bastard’s gaze. At last I saw his defiance spark. I nodded. ‘You’re right: she’s not.’
I hurled the shotgun as far as I could over the common, before wrenching the slave ring off my finger and pressing hard on Mr Cain’s jaw. I forced his gob open, like he’d done to me so many times in the training room, before jamming the silver symbol of my slavery down his choking throat. See how he liked being forced to gag on something.
Then came the fangs.
Mr Cain tried to scramble back, but I pinned him down. His terror was delicious. He wanted to break me of my abstention?
All right then: wish granted.
I sank my fangs deep into Mr Cain’s leathery neck. He struggled but then, limb by limb, was paralysed. It was the same as my punishments with the tracker, when a path of fire would take me over. I drew back, staring deeply into my ex-Master’s peepers. I wanted Mr Cain to truly know what I was doing to him because he’d done it to me, Hartford and all those others. He was a poseable doll now in his own body…defenceless…like he’d trained us slaves to be.
When my fangs pierced Mr Cain’s throat, I feasted as it was meant to be, under the face of the wreathed moon.
And it was transcendent.
I could feel my right hand knitting and mending, even as I fed, shuddering with the richness of the blood. And the beauty of the kill.
That’s Blood Lifer justice.
When I tossed Mr Cain away, I saw Hartford and Donovan crowded around you. They must’ve heard the gunshot.
I stumbled to my new family, tears blurring them to ghosts. Then we Blood Lifers held onto each other - a circle of three - as you died…
SEPTEMBER 10
You enslaved me. But in the end, you saved me. You saved us all.
There’s no need to write anymore, however, because there’s no First Lifer to read it.
Except, family’s what you make it, right?
I came back tonight from my jaunt to the butchers to discover The Stones’ “In Another Land”, with its otherworldly harpsichord, blasting through the door and the boarded up windows of the squat.
I did a quick scan of the other 1930s council houses, which were huddled around our squat.
All quiet.
I shifted from one foot to the other. Responsibility: I’d never had it before and I hadn’t appreciated how heavy a coat it was.
But then again - I do like a blinding coat.
Sighing, I was just pushing inside, when Hartford swung into the doorway. He dragged me in after him. ‘Poor little bunny, why are you lurking alone outside?’
‘How’d you..?’
Hartford grinned - it was smashing every time I saw him light up like that. ‘For crying out loud, mac. Don’t you reckon I can recognise your blood anywhere? We’re family.’
I couldn’t help the blush. It’d been a long time since any one had been proud to recognise me as family. In a smart wool tweed suit and with his golden hair Brylcreemed over the crown of his head, Hartford now truly was as dashing as any movie idol.
‘The head of our little tribe returns,’ Donovan strutted up from the sofa, ‘don’t bogart the blood, man.’
I passed the blood to Donovan, who dished it out into our array of tatty, mismatched mugs. I noted that in my absence, they’d tidied up, lighting the stubs of candles and shoving the sunken sofa to one side to make an impromptu dancefloor.
Cleaning up, dancefloor, lighted candles, my favourite record..?
Bewildered, I realised this was all for me.
Overwhelmed, I ducked my nut.
Suddenly, there were arms around my middle, which were dead strong, dragging me close.
‘I’m gonna turn ya,’ you murmured into my lobe, your lips soft and tempting, ‘and scoop ya.’
‘No arguments from me, darlin’.’
You spun me round. Bloody hell, you were going to be one powerful Blood Lifer: tall, steely and prodigiously intelligent, you scared the goolies back into me. And I was your Author.
I’d hoped you wouldn’t be too changed by the transformation from First to Blood Life. Yet I hadn’t been able to watch you bleed out on that common next to your dad.
I couldn’t lose you.
In 150 years I’d never authored: no one’s soul had ever called to mine before, except for Kathy’s - and she’d said no. I’d watched Kathy die a natural death, after fifty years of love. It’d nearly destroyed me. I couldn’t go through it again. Now you could evolve alongside me: a life born of my fangs.
When you’d been lying out on the heather, I’d whispered to your still body that I’d rebirth you into a glorious second life, hoping you’d understand. I don’t know if you ever will. But I’ll never bloody regret it.
‘Hold on a tick,’ I pressed my palm gently against your chest, ‘I was thinking earlier about…when you were shot. You were trying to say something to me, but I couldn’t make out the words. I just couldn’t make them out.’
Your brows lifted. ‘You want to do this now?’
I nodded.
‘I’m your Sun Girl.’ Your murmured words almost made me stop breathing. ‘It’s like, who knows what they’ll think about, when they’re about to die? But it was this mantra in my head, and I wanted you to understand. To know before…’
I flushed. Then I grinned, suffused with warmth, as if you truly were the sodding sun.
You smiled back, tracing my cheek with your finger. ‘And for my Blood Lifer rechristening? My new name is Sun.’
This time when we kissed, for the first time it was as equals.
I was your Author - but rebel here - what did I care about outdated status? I set the rulebook alight, burnt to ash on the wind. You were mine and I was yours, bonded as close as it comes.
So we snogged each other and yeah - it was bloody cracking.
‘Attaboy!’ Hartford danced past me, spinning Donovan, who was resplendent in purple velvet. ‘You’re as goofy as me.’
‘Leave it out, helmethead.’
Hartford twirled Donovan, who let out a startled yelp. Never for a minute forget he’s a Long-lived. ‘When do we get down to necking, like these guys?’
Donovan grinned, tossing his dark mop of hair out of his peepers. ‘Right on.’
This was my family?
We needed a proper home, work, life… I don’t reckon any of us even had a true identity. Not anymore. We were no longer the Blood Lifers we were before the Cain Company got hold of us: we were something new. We’d adapted yet again.
And you? You were just born, fresh to this dark world. Donovan and Hartford already loved you.
Yet I didn’t have a scooby how to keep myself safe in this modern world, let alone my first ever misfit following.
Yeah, a family – this was my family.
You’re one of us now. The Lost.
So many months of scribbling in these creamy pages, opening this burgundy journal and smelling the aroma of Italian calf leather. Now it’s finished. You’re not my First Lifer Mistress, so there’s no need for a slave journal.
Light was never a slave. Shadow was the slave and he was never me. It was a fucked up First Lifer fantasy, which went up in flames.
I’m finally free. Now comes the fun bit: when I spend the rest of our lives showing you that you’re free as well.
It’s going to be bloody blinding.
****
Blood Shackles over too soon? If you enjoyed Rebel Vampires Volume 2, you’ll love the next book in the series, Rebel Vampires Volume 3: Blood Renegades.
Blood Renegades will be released spring 2017 in paperback and e-book. Prepare yourself for the secret world of the Blood Renegades. Read on for an exclusive excerpt.
EXCERPT
REBEL VAMPIRES 3: BLOOD RENEGADES
DAY 1
Betrayal. Death. Hope.
Isn’t that how all truly great stories start?
I don’t know if anyone will hear it. Governments silence their critics. Censor. Detain. Execute.
&nb
sp; Bollocks to them.
The Blood Life Council’s atrocities and war crimes--
Mr Blickle, please note: we are not at war.
Yet. We’re not at war – yet. And my name is Light.
Very well. Light. But we’re not holding this inquiry to debate the nature of the Council’s actions. Rather those of your terrorist group.
We prefer ‘freedom fighters’, sweetheart.
Really? Well, I prefer to be called Liberty.
Having a laugh, aren’t you?
You don’t think ‘Light’ has a shade of irony to it?
All right, Liberty, but I delivered my band of merry misfits out of slavery – one you wankers sold us into. So labels? They don’t figure. They never do.
But you do have a name? Your band of misfits?
Yeah – it’s called a family.
Captain told me you were cute. Renegades. That’s what you call yourselves.
Look, you want me to bear witness, I’ll bloody bear witness. I’m your prisoner here anyway with a stake pointy-like at my heart. And I’m all about survival. But just don’t figure on liking what you hear. No one does when it’s the flayed truth.
You want to be ready don’t you? You know what’s coming? In less than two weeks now. 13 days. Your trial.
Kangaroo court more like.
Closed court. But nothing’s decided. Yet. It rests on your testimony.
Then where’s my solicitor?
You’re a terrorist. You’ve forsaken your rights. Like you have your own species.
And the jury?
The material’s too sensitive--
Embarrassing. The word you’re grasping for, sweetheart, is embarrassing. For you and the rest of the Blood Life Council. So here’s a question--
I ask the questions, Mr Blickle.
Bit of respect here. Dead man talking. And who’s the judge again?
It won’t help you to know--
It’s Captain, right?
I’ll take your silence as a yes.
Bugger.
So, let’s say Captain doesn’t like what I have to say – and he won’t – what then? What happens in two weeks? Slap on the wrist? Trip to the naughty step? Bare bottom spanking across his lap until I bawl? Or..?
Execution. By fire. Most likely.
Figured. So that’s 13 more days until I go up Mr Bonfire for you nice people, yeah?
You don’t know…
Don’t play games. Not about this.
That’s outside my remit. I’m just here to take your statement.
It must be nice to be able to compartmentalize. Everything into nice, neat little boxes. Then you can go home happy each night with no dirt on your hands because all you’ve touched is paperwork.
Hitler’s lawyers were good at that too.
All right then, if I’m going out in flames – high in their glory – then Christ in heaven will you get my witness.
One you’ll never forget.
And even though I may only have two weeks to live, it’s a truth I’ll remember until my second death.
Sod it. Bring on the fire and ashes.
****
Want to find out what happens next in Rebel Vampires Volume 3: Blood Renegades?
Blood Renegades is released spring 2017. Then sit back and experience the secret world of the Blood Renegades…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ROSEMARY A JOHNS wrote her first fantasy novel at the age of ten, when she discovered the weird worlds inside her head were more exciting than double swimming. Teachers called her parents, concerned about the ‘strange fantasy and science fiction books’ she was avidly reading. Her parents were rather proud of that. Since then she’s studied history at Oxford University, run a theatre company (her critically acclaimed plays have been described as ‘uncomfortable, unsettling and uneasily true to life’) and worked with disability charities. When Rosemary’s not falling in love with the rebels fighting their way onto the page, she heads the Oxford writing group Dreaming Spires. She can also be found listening to Nirvana. At full volume. Or not found at all. When she’s dived into her secret world again.
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Reward yourself with another enthralling book by Rosemary A Johns. Rebel Vampires Volume 1: Blood Dragons is out now on Amazon. Rebel Vampires Volume 3: Blood Renegades is released spring 2017.
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ONE LAST THING…
When you turn the page, Kindle will give you the opportunity to rate this book and tell your friends about it on Facebook and Twitter. They’ll automatically post the cover of this book along with your thoughts on it. How great is that? Because you’ll be feeding me virtual chocolate (and I’m always grateful for that), and getting to use this cool technology. Your friends will know what you’re reading and if you recommend they read this book too, you can get a discussion going. Like a virtual book group. Chocolate and a book group? Sounds perfect. Plus add my eternal gratitude. Even better.
Many thanks,
Rosemary
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