The Series that Just Plain Sucks: The Complete Trilogy

by Charissa Dufour

  Josh felt the pressure begin to build behind his eyes again, but he wouldn’t cry. He had done enough of that over the past couple months, as had many others.

  Despite her quirky ways and loud mouth, Ashley Hawn had been well-loved.

  And just as he had professed to her that night, Josh’s feelings for her had been genuine. The others, though, had settled back into their pre-Sedgrave state of mind. Or at least nearly the same state of mind. Josh’s grief turned briefly into a contented smile. While Nik’s passion for Ashley had dissipated, he had rediscovered the woman of his past; Nik and Emma were happily reunited, and Josh was happy for their joy. They deserved no less.

  To his astonishment, Mikhail had found a friend in Josh himself. Despite the disparity of age, the primus often visited Josh in his room, escaping the demands of his post. Initially, Josh found these interruptions annoying as he worked to finish Ashley’s last book, but now, as he sat staring at the final page, he wanted nothing more than to be interrupted.

  As if the fates had heard his wish, Josh heard a knock on his door.

  “Enter,” he said, knowing it wasn’t his primus. Mikhail didn’t knock.

  Josh turned to see Jordan enter. After Ashley’s death, Jordan had turned to Josh. He refused to be a donor to Nik, leaving Josh the obvious choice. Together, the two men had mourned their dear friend.

  “What can I do for you?” Josh asked.

  “Mikhail sent me to find you. They have a new recruit in the holding cell.”

  Josh let out a deep sigh as he saved his document and climbed to his feet. “Thank you, Jordan. It would be best if you stay clear. No heartbeats.”

  Jordan nodded, heading down to the human’s level as Josh made his way to where they held new vampires. He trotted down the narrow stairs, which led to this lonely room. These steps were the only way in or out of the holding cell, making it more secure but harder to get to.

  Josh swung the door open, surprised to find the new recruit already awake from their sleeping death. Josh stopped in his tracks and stared. The new recruit was pacing the length of the cell. As Josh entered, the new vampire turned away, showing him the cascades of her dark red curls.

  Josh’s breath caught in his chest as the red-headed recruit turned to face him…

  Thank you for reading my super silly story.

  Whether you liked it or not, please consider taking the time to write a review.

  Honest reviews help readers make informed choices and help authors improve their art.

  Thank you.

  Follow Charissa Dufour at

  http://amzn.to/1MgXCtB

  https://www.facebook.com/Charissadufourauthor

  https://twitter.com/CharissaDufour

  Works by Charissa Dufour

  The Series that Just Plain Sucks

  Life Sucks (Prequel short story) http://amzn.to/1ZidLIU

  Sucked In (Book 1) http://amzn.to/1OoIwGV

  Sucked Away (Book 2) http://amzn.to/1Zie1Yr

  That Sucked (Book 3) http://amzn.to/1MgUxdg

  Suck It Up (A little something extra. Can be read at any time in the series) http://amzn.to/1OoIAGJ

  The Dothan Chronicles

  Bought (Prequel short story) http://amzn.to/1MgUNcd

  Torn (Book 1) http://amzn.to/1ZieI3Y

  Lost (Book 2) http://amzn.to/1OoIL4X

  Alone (Book 3) http://amzn.to/1MgUQVl

  The Void Series

  Cornered Magic (Book 1) http://amzn.to/1YuBDrn

  Misguided Allies (Book 2) Coming February 2016

  The Echoes of Sol Series

  Trust and Treachery (Book 1) http://amzn.to/1OoTN6l

  Preview of Cornered Magic

  Chapter One

  Sam slowly opened her bedroom door, pausing to listen for any signs of life within her family’s tiny apartment. By mostly-mutual consent, the family avoided contact with her, and she them. They left for their work in the Reservation before she left her room, and any time they had to be in the apartment with her she stayed to her room.

  As a Void, Sam couldn’t expect any better.

  Voids were a rare nuisance to the fae community, even now that they were forced to live within the tall walls of the Reservations dotted throughout the United States, like all the other mystical entities. While other fae had a certain power or gifting, a Void had nothing but the ability to drain another mystic of their power and therefore, no one, even her family, want to be near her.

  Sam scratched at her tattoo. It always itched when she thought about her gift. The tattoo, along with the power of the mage who had crafted it, helped Sam control her powers. She had gotten the tattoo at the young age of thirteen, but it was too little and too late. The work of her gift had already ostracized her with the mystical community. She was alone—except for her two friends, the only people to look past what she could not always control.

  Trying hard not to think about her life, Sam scarfed down a bowl of stale cereal, washed her dishes, and left the apartment.

  The Gollet family lived in what had originally been built as a parking garage. When it became illegal for mystics to live outside the Reservations in the year 2000, the population sky rocketed, and the garage had been retrofitted to house the increasing population. Even now, thirty-one years later, Sam could smell the leaked oil which still stained the concrete. Each floor was designed with a central courtyard surrounded by tiny apartments.

  Sam shut the door to her family’s home and turned, stopping in her tracks. Lee Rose stood in the courtyard, his brown eyes trained on her. Sam took a deep breath, willing her heart to slow down.

  Though the population of the Illinois Reservation was too large for Sam to know everyone, everyone knew Lee Rose, the top enforcer for the leader of the vampire community.

  While most vampires appeared somewhat stuck in the era they had been turned, Lee was pure American emo-band guitarist. His layered hair was streaked with highlights and his slim figure was clad in a tight-fitting black button-up shirt, the collar stylishly popped.

  Despite his chosen style of dress, Sam knew he was one of the most dangerous mystics in the Res.

  Sam chose to ignore him, hoping he would do the same. She had no idea what he was doing in a housing complex that was not his own while the sun streamed down outside. If she could just make it to spiral driveways attached to the corners of the parking garage, she would be safe.

  “Sa-am,” Lee called before she could take more than a few steps, drawing her name out into two syllables.

  She stopped and turned to look at him. It didn’t surprise her that he knew her name. As the only Void in the Res even the toddlers knew who she was. Of course, her looks didn’t help her quest for anonymity. Unlike most fae, Sam didn’t look entirely human. Her hair was white, not blonde but white, and her eyes—while slightly shaped liked the human Asian population—were nearly as devoid of color as her hair. The effect had always unnerved the humans she met through her touring duties.

  “Yes, Lee,” she said softly, not wanting the other fae on her level to overhear her talking with a vampire—an action that would only further ostracize her from her people.

  “You’re a Void, right?” he asked, matching her pitch as he crossed the courtyard, dodging the various children’s toys left out.

  Sam rolled her eyes in an effort to hide her fear. She didn’t like his proximity.

  “Everyone knows that,” she said when she realized he was still waiting for a response.

  “And you can take power from others?”

  Tired of being afraid, Sam decided to be angry instead.

  “Would you like a demonstration?” she asked as her power rose to the surface.

  Her tattoo itched again and Sam fought to keep her powers in check. If she wasn’t in constant control she could drain Lee until he passed out. While tempting, it wouldn’t do any good in restoring her in the eyes of her family or her people.

  Lee’s smiled, his eyes remaining dark and threatening. The combination brough
t Sam’s heartbeat back into triple digits. In an effort to hide her fear, she leaned toward the vampire, allowing her powers to taste his strength.

  Taking a vampire’s mystical speed and strength always left her hungry and angry. Each type of mystic had a different affect on her. Werewolves left her edgy and hyperactive. A fae’s power, while giving her their gift, left her feeling sick, as though her body fought against the idea of her attacking one of her own. A mage… well that was a whole different story. Beyond the differences between each species of mystics, each individual had their own taste. While she might forget someone’s face or name, she never forgot their power-flavor.

  Lee’s power seemed to feed her anger, as though he was angry now as he confronted her in her own home.

  She watched with satisfaction as his shoulders drooped and he eyes fluttered shut for a second. He was feeling the effects of her theft and, to her disgust, she enjoyed his weakness.

  Lee opened his eyes, his smile vanishing as he realized what was happening to him.

  “Point taken,” he replied. “And here I thought you had to touch the victim.”

  Sam cringed inwardly. She didn’t like to hear the word “victim” in association to what she had done, not that she could argue with it. It was accurate.

  “Touching them allows me to take more faster. Why are you asking?”

  Lee’s smile reappeared, his eyes glowing. “I have a favor to ask of you.”

  Sam rolled her eyes. Like she would be doing the vampires any favors. “I don’t have time for this. I have to get to work.”

  “Oh, yes. You give tours for the executives and rich tourists that come barging into our homes.”

  Sam wasn’t stupid. She heard the threat in his voice. Most of the mystics didn’t like to see humans prowling around their home, such as it was. Sam argued they would get a tour whether she did it or not. At least this way she brought in a few extra tokens to help support her family. Tokens were how the U.S. government controlled the economy within the Res. Of course, they had no control over the free trading taking place between the families.

  “I do as I’m told,” she replied. “Now, if you will excuse me.”

  Sam turned to slip past him when she felt his hand grasp her arm. She looked down at his hand, which squeezed into the leather of her jacket.

  Again she worked to control her powers. The contact between them only made her want more. Power and strength were addictive, and if she wasn’t careful she would become what all the mystics feared—an out of control Void.

  Still, she needed to show him she wasn’t willing to be pushed around. Sam carefully released her hold over her gift, allowing Lee’s power to leak into her, coating her skin and making the hair on the back of her neck stand to attention.

  Lee’s grip loosened.

  Sam jerked her arm free and marched away. As she reached the spiral driveway that led down to the lower levels of the parking garage she glanced back, happy to see Lee leaning against the wall.

  “Don’t think it’s that easy,” she heard him say as she started her way downward.

  Sam began to fret as she walked past the various pots of growing vegetables. The fae who lived in the parking garage used the spiral driveways to hold their potted gardens. Her own mother, Miranda, grew a tomato plant and a precious cucumber plant. The family seldom enjoyed the cucumbers she grew. They were too valuable in the realm of trading.

  A few of the local women were out watering their plants. They skirted to the sides, giving Sam a wide berth.

  To Sam’s astonishment, she found her mother standing at the base of the spiral. Sam frowned down at her.

  Over the hundreds of generations since the fae had come to the human realm the fae bloodline had been diluted as the fae married humans. With the industrial revolution, the fae had lost most of their power and their ability to conceive. The result was even more marriages between humans and the fae to continue the race. Still, there were a few full-blooded fae left, and Sam’s parents were among them.

  Despite this honor, Sam had somehow come out as a half-fae. Though her parents insisted it was a fluke—the result of previous generations diluting the gene pool—but Sam thought otherwise. Sam simply couldn’t shake the notion that her mother had had an affair twenty years ago. Her father’s obvious dislike gave the theory further support.

  “Mom,” she said a she moved to pass her mother.

  “Sam, can we talk?”

  “What’s up?” Sam asked, trying to shake off her recent encounter with Lee.

  “Well, I just wondered how things were going with Chad?”

  Sam frowned. Her mother had stayed behind to ask her how her dating life was going?

  “Fine,” Sam replied, sounding suspicious even to her own ears.

  “Think you two’ll get married?”

  Sam felt her brows come down into a deeper frown. “What? I don’t know, Mom.”

  Her mother scratched the back of her neck. “I just thought… you might be happier in your own home.”

  Sam ground her teeth together. She knew what her mom really wanted. She wanted her Void of a daughter out of her house. Within the Reservation, a person didn’t get their own apartment until they were married, no matter how old they were. Sam’s brother was still living at home at the age of twenty-nine.

  “Sorry my presence bothers you so much,” she said she tried to start walking again.

  Her mother’s hand snaked out and caught Sam’s leather coat, right where Lee had just grabbed her. “That’s not what I mean. Please know what I’m about to say is not meant in hatred. I love you, Samantha. I do, and therefore I want what is best for you. That fact is you are a Void, and most mystics don’t like to be around you.”

  Sam ground her teeth together again, her jaw aching with the pressure.

  “And yet you have a found a man who wants to date you. A man who is well connected, who has surprisingly good jobs. You’re not going to get a better offer. And if you got married, you could move out… away from your father.”

  Sam stopped gnawing on her own teeth to stare at her mother. Miranda had never spoken against her husband before. In fact, in all the times her father Dave had verbally abused Sam her mother had remained silent.

  “Just think about it, Samantha,” her mother said as she released her daughter’s arm.

  Before either of them could say anything, her father appeared.

  “What’s going on here?” he asked.

  “Just talking,” her mother said calmly.

  Her father’s eyes narrowed as he looked down at his wife. “What could you have to talk about?”

  “Can’t I give her a bit o’ advice?” her mother asked.

  “Guess so. After all, she is your daughter,” murmured Dave before taking his wife’s wrist. “We need to get to work. When’ll you be home, girl?”

  Sam swallowed the lump in her throat. After all these years, her father’s habits shouldn’t have bothered her, but they did.

  “I have a tour for the admin this morning. After that I’m going to see Amber.”

  Her father nodded. “Fine. We’ll see you after dinner.”

  It wasn’t a reminder to be home before dinner. Her father’s statement was a reminder to stay away until the family had finished their meal. Sam used her best poker face and nodded in return. Dave tugged on his wife’s arm, leading her away from their daughter.

  Sam rubbed her thumb against the bridge of her nose, trying to ease the tension forming. Today had been a perfect repeat of a conversation she had had with her father a hundred times. Why, then, was she so upset?

  Sam tried to shake off her emotions and turned toward the street. At this rate, she was going to be late for her tour.

  She had barely made it onto the street before someone else called to her. Sam turned to see her best friend, Amber, waving. She stopped to let the shorter-legged woman catch up.

  “Good morning,” Amber said brightly.

  “Morning.”

&nbs
p; Despite Sam’s efforts, Amber liked almost everyone. As an empath she felt their emotions, giving her a glimpse into the various things people tried to keep to themselves. When someone was mean, she felt the pain of past experience. When someone was rude, she felt their need to defend themselves from future hurt. In nearly every way possible, Amber was the exact opposite from her friend.

  “What’s got your nickers in a twist?” asked Amber before laughing at her own joke.

  “Nothing,” Sam grumbled.

  “You giving a tour today too?”

  “Yep.”

  “Umm… when you’re done, would you go with me to Becky’s?”

  Sam rolled her eyes. She wasn’t in the mood to wander into vampire territory, especially after her confrontation with Lee. As an adult without parents, Becky lived in the tiny studio apartments that had been built in the streets of the only neighborhood with actual houses. The studio apartments were reserved for anyone who was single. This meant a lot of vampires lived in Becky’s neighborhood—for some reason, vampires tended not to get married.

  “Why?” Sam asked.

  “I haven’t seen her in days. We were supposed to meet up yesterday, but she never showed.”

  Sam sighed, her head bobbing up and down on its own accord.

  She hadn’t even made it to work and her day was already falling apart. What else could go wrong?

  “Thanks,” Amber said brightly, most likely in an effort to drag her friend out of the dumps.

  As an empath, Amber always knew when Sam was grumpy—which was often—and most of the time her friend’s efforts only made her grumpier. Still, Amber was one of the few people who actually trusted Sam to not drain her of power.

  Amber gave Sam’s shoulder a pat before wandering away.

  Sam continued down the packed street toward the small, two-story brick building placed beside the main entrance to the Res.

  The Res had originally been designed for car traffic, with six one-way streets—hence the parking garage—but when the population increased cars were forbidden. Now the narrow streets had barely enough space for the abundance of foot traffic.