The Jewel of Darkness
Page 1
Celestial Jewels 2
The Jewel of Darkness
Brandon Thorpe and Sabrina Rivers-Thorpe have enjoyed six months of wedded bliss, but Sabrina’s been keeping a secret. Her transformation into a vampire created a magical disturbance in the Underworld. Now, Death is coming for what’s his.
But is Death the only thing stalking Sabrina? Brandon and Hadrian, Sabrina’s father, bring in Delilah, a demon, to act as detective and magical keeper. But Sabrina’s bloodlines are unique, and magic responds to her in unpredictable ways. Has Brandon’s efforts to keep her safe just made her a bigger, more valuable target? Is she even a vampire at all?
To what depths will Sabrina have to go to satisfy Death’s demands? Can she do it using her own powers? Can Brandon find a way to keep the Underworld from claiming Sabrina for its own? Can they even survive, if he doesn’t? What if Death isn’t the only one looking to do her harm? In the darkness, can a single jewel save them all?
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Vampires/Werewolves
Length: 50,093 words
THE JEWEL OF DARKNESS
Celestial Jewels 2
J. Annas Walker
EROTIC ROMANCE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance
THE JEWEL OF DARKNESS
Copyright © 2013 by J. Annas Walker
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62740-496-9
First E-book Publication: September 2013
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
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DEDICATION
I’d like to thank my cousin, Suzie. Through one of the most heartbreaking tragedies a mother can face, she still found it in her heart to encourage me and to read my book. I’m ever grateful to her for all the things she has done to cheer me on and for being honest with me about my work. I don’t know what I would do without her. Suzie, you’re the best!
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
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
Epilogue
About the Author
THE JEWEL OF DARKNESS
Celestial Jewels 2
J. ANNAS WALKER
Copyright © 2013
Chapter 1
Sabrina turned her face up to the hot spray. It felt good to push the water through her long, black hair. When finished, she gave the knobs a firm twist and reached out for the towel. The soft pile of fluffy fabric drank up the droplets as she stepped out of the shower. She used it as a wrap, tucking the edge in at the front to hold it up over her breasts. A second towel found its way around her head, twisted about her hair.
She padded over to the sink. Steam fogged the mirror over the marble vanity, allowing her to see an outline but no details. She started to wipe the surface clear but thought better of it. Instead she grabbed her toothbrush and the paste.
A quick dip through the trickle of water left on in the sink wet the brush enough to use. The mint-flavored gel foamed quickly. Sabrina made sure to carefully work the bristles around her fangs.
She pulled the towel from her hair and dropped it on the floor. Tilting her head to the side, she placed her lips under the faucet to pull water into her mouth. She rinsed out the paste twice and turned off the tap.
Before she could stand up, a hand reached through the mirror, grabbing a fistful of her hair. Sabrina screamed and braced herself against the sink. The hand tried to drag her through the rippling, silvered surface of the mirror.
A low voice growled, “You will be mine.”
“No! Brandon, help me!” Sabrina screamed.
Two strong hands squeezed her shoulders and shook her hard. That was not right. He needed to pull her to safety, not shake her up and down.
“Sabrina! Sabrina, wake up! Come on honey, wake up,” he said.
Brandon’s voice broke through her terror. She opened her eyes to see the serious look he wore. Tears slid down the sides of her face. She glanced around the room to make sure of her surroundings.
“It was just a dream. You’re safe at home and with me,” he cooed gently.
He rolled to one side and took her with him, cuddling her like a frightened child. Kissing her forehead, he took an edge of the sheet and wiped away her tears. Strong arms encircled her like a cage, pressing the side of her head to his chest.
Sabrina listened for a heartbeat, but only silence filled the space. She sniffed back a sob and closed her eyes. Inhaling deeply, she took in his honey-amber scent and relaxed. The fear subsided as she found comfort in her husband’s embrace.
A knock on the door interrupted the peace Brandon brought her. From the weight of the rap, she knew it was her f
ather. He joined them for breakfast most evenings. Tonight, he came early.
“Is everything okay? Those had better be screams of pleasure I heard,” Hadrian said through the closed door. There was a hint of jest to his tone, but Sabrina felt certain there was also a thinly veiled threat.
Before he chose to become a vampire, Hadrian ruled the known world as a Roman emperor. For him, old habits did not die hard. They never died at all.
“Yes, sir,” Brandon called back. He nuzzled Sabrina’s cheek and kissed her again. “Do you want to tell me about it?”
“It was so real. My scalp is still prickling from where the hand had my hair,” she replied.
“What were you doing this time?”
“Brushing my teeth. I leaned in to rinse, and someone grabbed me. I didn’t see anything but a wrist. The mirror steamed up. I screamed for you, and then, I woke up,” she answered, fighting back more tears.
She pulled herself free and sat up. In the dresser’s mirror, she saw pink streaks on her face. Her hair tumbled around her, covering her naked breasts.
Sabrina asked, “Will it ever end?” She spoke more to her mirror self but said the thought aloud.
Brandon sat up with her, placing one arm around her. The other hand rested on her nearest shoulder. He rested his forehead against the side of her head.
“You’ve been through a lot. It’s only been six months. Give it some time,” he whispered.
“Time,” she said. “I have plenty of that now, don’t I?”
She pushed him back on the bed and straddled him. His bare flesh felt good between her thighs. Lifting her arms to stretch, she brushed her hair back from her body, revealing her breasts. The feel of the thick, blue-black curls brushing her nipples caused them to tighten.
Brandon grinned, flashing his fangs. “Oh, if your father wasn’t waiting, what wouldn’t I like to do to you right now?” He traced his fingers along the tops of her thighs to her waist. Palming her hips, he pressed her against his hardening dick.
Sabrina giggled.
Hadrian’s gruff, impatient voice called back through the closed door, “Well, he is waiting, and he doesn’t want to know the answer to that question.”
Sabrina covered her mouth with both hands to suppress another giggle. If it had been possible, she might have blushed. She only met her father six months ago. Although married, she still became embarrassed at the thought of his hearing her and Brandon.
Brandon pulled her hands free. “Don’t hide those beautiful fangs. We’re at home and can do anything we want to with each other. There’s nothing shameful in a man wanting his wife.”
“You’re right, but I suppose we should get dressed. Let’s go eat,” she agreed.
She bounded out of bed, scooping up her robe off the floor as she did. She glanced back to find Brandon leaned against the headboard. Staring for a moment, she took in the sight and thought how lucky she was to have him.
His dark brown eyes looked at her appraisingly. A wide smile spread across his face. The tip of his tongue toyed with his fang points. Thickly corded arms folded behind his head made him seem casual and laid-back. Broad shoulders and a sculpted chest tapered down to washboard abs and a narrow waist. A sheet of white silk hid everything else.
Her nipples hardened into peaks just seeing him, knowing he belonged to her. She bit at her bottom lip and dropped the robe. She wanted to climb back onto the bed and stay there with him for the rest of the night.
A heavy pounding on the door jarred her from her thoughts. “I’m waiting!” Hadrian bellowed.
“And not very patiently,” Brandon muttered. He reached over the edge of the bed to retrieve his black, silk pants from the floor.
“I heard that,” Hadrian added.
Sabrina hurried into her robe and tied the sash. She took two quick strides to the door. She gave her hair a tousle, making it more of a rumpled mess than it already was. She pouted her lower lip and tugged the door open.
“Oh, Dad. And I was having fun,” she said in a disappointed tone.
Hadrian stood there, hands on his hips, looking down at his daughter. Up close, he seemed even taller than usual. His very square shoulders made his white, button down shirt appear box-like at the top. His thick, curly black hair fell down his back tied up in its usual braid. A neatly trimmed, matching, curly, black beard covered his jaw and chin. Below his crooked and slightly hooked nose, his thin lips formed a frown. His bright brown eyes squinted down at her. He held the look of displeasure only for a moment before giving in to her with a wide, fanged smile.
“Mea Dulcis, you are your mother’s child. I will give you that. I could never stay angry with her, either.” He pulled her in for a hug.
Sabrina nearly cried and hugged him back. She grew up thinking she had been orphaned. Her Aunt Eleanor refused to speak about her father and maintained her mother was dead until six months ago.
Mercenaries sent by Lucifer, God of Light, to take Midnight’s Jewel chased them from their century-old hiding place in the Platt Balsam Mountains of North Carolina. Eleanor ran to the closest safe haven, Brandon’s penthouse apartment in Atlanta. It turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to Sabrina, and Eleanor’s worst nightmare. Sabrina fell in love and found her father at the same time. Her mother, Aradia, Goddess of Midnight, remained in exile, but at least Sabrina knew she was no orphan.
Brandon walked up behind her. “Good evening, sir.”
“Brandon, my boy,” Hadrian greeted him. He let go of Sabrina and walked back down the hall toward the dining room.
The table was laid out with all the trappings of their meal. Fresh flowers sat in the center of the table. Fine china cups on saucers waited by each of the three place settings. One of the staff placed a warm carafe in front of Hadrian as he sat at the head of the table.
Hadrian filled his cup and then Sabrina’s. He moved the carafe to Brandon’s place and motioned for them to take their seats. He closed his eyes and inhaled. Satisfied, he sipped.
Brandon sat and motioned for his morning papers. He thumbed through the headlines before pouring the thick, red, copper-scented liquid into his cup. He paid no attention to the contents before drinking.
Sabrina watched him as she tipped her cup, spilling the warm, viscous fluid into her mouth. Warmth and life spread through her as the blood flowed down. Everything about the world seemed louder, sharper, more focused. She was hungrier than she realized. She downed the rest of the cup like a shot of whiskey and reached for the carafe.
Brandon folded down one corner of his newspaper and raised an eyebrow. He asked, “Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m just really thirsty this morning. That’s all,” she said truthfully.
After the second cup, she sat back, feeling a little slushy inside. She hated the way drinking too much in too short a time made her feel, but tonight the need outweighed the consequences. This evening marked the third time in as many weeks she’d overfed. For a moment, she wondered if vampires could get eating disorders.
Lost to her thought, she tuned out Brandon and Hadrian talking business. She knew they ran the Atlanta underworld like a Don and his underboss. Only this Don ruled the entire vampiric underworld with numerous underbosses scattered across the globe. This Don just so happened to be her father and Atlanta’s underboss her husband. She knew everything and yet looked the other way.
A servant with white, cotton gloves carried a wide silver serving tray from the kitchen to the living room. The small, dark-colored woman tucked the massive piece under one arm like a book. The flat, highly polished surface acted like a mirror. She stopped to speak to Brandon, holding the tray still long enough for Sabrina to see herself.
A dark swirl of mist seemed to float under the surface. The mass formed into a cloaked figure, stretching one hand out in her direction. An unspoken whisper echoed in her ears.
“You will be mine,” the low, harsh voice said.
Sabrina pushed back from the table hard enough to slam her c
hair into the wall as she stood. At the same time, she threw the cup at the tray, shattering it. Blood left over in the bottom of the cup coated the surface, and the figure faded.
The maid screamed and threw the tray up in the air. She ran from the room shouting in Spanish. Other voices shouted back as she made her way back to the kitchen. The word Diablo passed between them several times.
“No! I won’t!” Sabrina shouted at the place the figure once occupied. She covered her face with both hands and broke down into tears. Was she hallucinating? Going crazy?
Firm hands and strong arms surrounded her from both sides. She felt small and vulnerable like this and wanted to shrug them off. However, they made her feel safe and loved. Right now, she needed the security having them near gave her. She recognized Brandon’s kiss on her forehead and leaned into him.
“What happened? What was that about?” Hadrian asked, still holding her from the other side.
“I don’t know,” Brandon answered. He kissed her again. “This has never happened while she was awake.”
“What haven’t you two been telling me?” Hadrian demanded. He let go of Sabrina and pushed her chair back under the table.
Sabrina turned to see his scowl looking back. She dreaded confessing. She told Brandon about the recent dreams but not everything, not the things from before.
As far as Brandon knew, the dreams started about a month ago. In truth, a version of them started the night she turned vampire. She convinced herself everything would be all right, but things only grew worse.
“Dad, I don’t want you to be angry with Brandon. I’m the one who insisted we not say anything,” Sabrina started. She walked to the living room and sat down on the overstuffed leather couch. “You’re going to want to sit down for this. You, too, Brandon. Since I’m confessing, I might as well tell both of you at the same time.”