The Coven [My Immortal Trilogy Book 1]

by Ava McKnight

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  Atlantic Bridge

  www.atlanticbridge.net

  Copyright ©2006 by Ava McKnight

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  NOTICE: This work is copyrighted. It is licensed only for use by the original purchaser. Making copies of this work or distributing it to any unauthorized person by any means, including without limit email, floppy disk, file transfer, paper print out, or any other method constitutes a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines or imprisonment.

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  Published by Liquid Silver Books, Imprint of Atlantic Bridge Publishing, 10509 Sedgegrass Dr, Indianapolis, Indiana. Copyright 2006, Ava McKnight. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the authors.

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

  Prologue

  The time for war is upon us.

  Darius's soft voice barely penetrated the throbbing inside Rynon's head. The Enlightened One spoke telepathically, as was his custom.

  Rynon glanced up from the ancient scrolls in his vast library and cast a wary look at Darius. His mentor and leader stood at the tall windows, watching the rain fall on the lush garden below.

  "You believe the prophecy will hold true? That the daughter of Palomus will unwittingly spark the war and that she will also provide the weapon to end it?"

  The Enlightened One nodded. Do you not feel it?

  Rynon sat back in his tall leather chair and drew in a long breath. For twelve years, they had kept Palomus's child safe. For several years after that, she had fallen into the hands of the enemy. Now was the time to reclaim her. To bring her back into the coven so that she could fulfill her destiny and help Darius and Rynon defeat the Novus Semino, the new breed. A vampire coven that had come into power over the past century. A powerful lot which threatened the existence of the Enlightened One and all of the vampires that comprised his coven, including Rynon.

  "We have maintained peace all this time,” Rynon said in a quiet voice. “But I feel the power building within the Novus Semino. They will challenge us soon."

  And if they should win...

  "It will change the world."

  Rynon stood. He paced the hardwood floor behind his antique desk. The lamp that sat on the corner cast a soft yellowish glow before him. The only other source of light came from the lightning that periodically illuminated the room. In the distance, thunder rumbled, low and ominous.

  We cannot afford to overlook the opportunity presented to us. The Enlightened One was silent for a moment before adding: Why do you fight the obvious? Why do you not except what is fact?

  "She's not strong enough to help us. She's too young and naive."

  A soft laugh echoed in Rynon's head. You are young, as well. Too young to be so jaded.

  Rynon's gaze lifted from his booted feet and landed on Darius. “After three hundred years, I think I can be considered a good judge of character, jaded or not. And I say she is not ready to help us fight this war."

  That matters not. You must bring her into the coven. You must prepare her for what is to come. This war is inevitable. It will be unlike anything her people have experienced before. This will be a war between species. A war for world dominance, based on the conversion of assets. The most powerful and valuable of the humans will be turned, the rest will die.

  "Survival of the fittest.” Even Rynon heard the cynicism in his tone.

  He did not loathe the human race as the Novus Semino did. In truth, many of them served a valuable purpose to the vampires that went far beyond the supply of blood. After all, modern technology allowed the covens to not only store mass quantities of human and animal blood for future consumption, but also to manufacture it in a synthetic form. Although the humans were no longer a sole source of sustenance, they still were integral to the vampires’ existence. They helped to maintain a civilized, present-day society and also helped the immortals to envision a future far beyond their old-world scope. Rynon did not wish for the extinction of the humans. In fact, he'd become friends, and lovers even, with some of them. To the humans, he was known as Ryan Donovan. Real estate tycoon and billionaire playboy.

  You must do what you can to prepare her for what is to come, Darius repeated.

  "I will do what is required of me. Though I do not think she will be the asset you believe her to be. She is not a fighter."

  You will make her one.

  Lightning speared the night sky, and flashes of purple tinged with gold filled the room. Rynon let out a soft chuckle. Leave it to the Enlightened One to command the elements so they served his purpose on cue.

  "Of course I will do what you ask of me."

  You must. Darius turned back to the window. The time for war is upon us.

  Chapter One

  "Looks like you're being snaked, kid. And not in a good way."

  Catalina Bellasario glanced up from her laptop and eyed Max Drexler. His devious grin suggested he had the inside track on information she wouldn't like hearing. He dropped the morning paper on the cafeteria table she sat at. Cat eyed the photo plastered across the society page and cringed. Real estate mogul Ryan Donovan smiled back at her. Hanging on Donovan's arm, and likely his every word, was Michelle Eaton. AKA, The Competition.

  Damn it.

  Cat shoved the paper away and reached for her latte. She seethed for only a moment, finding the optimism to rise above the flicker of dismay the photo caused her. Screw Michelle Eaton. She was a flash-in-the-pan. A woman who'd made a name for herself in the real estate world simply because of her family money. So she knew all the right people, went to all the right parties ... and likely went down on all the right men. Cat had something Michelle Eaton didn't ... talent.

  Well, okay, she also had Seth Hilliard, the most amazing boss and mentor she could possibly hope for. Seth was a force to be reckoned with in Chicago, and Cat was a better person for knowing him. Not to mention a phenomenally successful vice president of his acquisitions division because of his mentoring.

  Feeling confident she wasn't being “snaked,” Cat flashed Max a don't-fuck-with-me smile. “Everyone in Chicago knows Donovan and Eaton used to be an item. It doesn't mean they're in cahoots over the Lake Shore Drive property."

  "Her daddy wants that land."

  "So does Seth."

  Max speared her with a look. “And you really think you're going to get it for him?"

  Cat tamped down her frustration. Max Drexler was Hilliard's chief legal counsel and a stodgy old bastard who loved to push her buttons. Why, Cat had no idea. He just had the insatiable desire to piss all over her otherwise good day. “I've entered into an exclusive sales agreement with Donovan."

  "Is that what you kids are calling it these days?” Max chuckled, sounding supremely confident.

  The arrogant asshole snatched up the paper and tucked it under his arm. He clucked his tongue and turned on the heels of his wing-tipped shoes before strutting off, likely believing he'd just delivered earth-shattering news. In some ways, he had. And he'd planted a serious enough seed of doubt that it made Cat uncertain about her worthiness in Seth's organization.

  If Donovan and Eaton were back together, Cat knew she could kiss the Lake Shore Drive property goodbye, along with her much-deserved seat at Seth Hilliard's executive conference table.

  "Shit,” Cat said as she smacked h
er hand on the table.

  She stared at the screen on her laptop. She'd been surfing the Internet, as was her routine during her crack-of-dawn breakfast at the cafeteria housed in the professional building Seth owned and operated his billion-dollar business out of. As usual, she was looking at prestigious Chicago condos. Her own personal acquisition.

  Which would continue to remain an unrealized dream without the Donovan deal.

  After closing the web browser, she shut down the computer and lowered the lid, the soft click of the latch echoing almost gloomily in the quiet room.

  Damn that Michelle Eaton.

  Her involvement with Ryan had just put a halt to Cat's grandiose plans. Her dream of home ownership still lingered just out of her reach.

  How the hell was she going to reel it in?

  Chapter Two

  Someone, in their infinite wisdom, once declared that desperate times called for desperate measures. Well, these were certainly desperate times. Cat had not risen to the top of the ranks within Hilliard Investments without kicking some serious ass along the way. And she wasn't about to let anyone steal her thunder. Especially not that ultra-skinny, bleach-blonde daddy's girl, Michelle Eaton, who only scored prestigious properties because she threw her family name around like a two-ton wrecking ball.

  No. Cat had devoted the past two years to finding an “in” with Donovan. And just two short weeks ago, they'd sealed the Lake Shore Drive deal over martinis at fetish night at the ultra-hip Spy Bar. The rim of Ryan's glass had clinked against hers at precisely one-thirteen a.m., approximately six hours after entering into negotiations over a five-course meal and several bottles of Meritage, at three-hundred dollars a bottle, at the Four Seasons. Cat had blown four months’ expense allowance on the extravagant dinner, but it had been worth every penny. Ryan had agreed to sell his prime piece of real estate to Seth.

  Cat's coup was the key to the executive washroom; the ultimate acquisition that would garner her a much-deserved executive wing office. With a window.

  It was a reward Cat longed for. She was young, smart, and ambitious. She hadn't used her looks or her long legs to get ahead in the corporate world. She'd worked hard. Damn hard. She'd paid her dues ten times over, and now she was ready to reap the reward for her diligence and persistence. Nothing would stand in her way.

  Except, maybe, Michelle Eaton.

  Damn it.

  Cat knew she had to be willing to do whatever was necessary to beat Michelle and keep the Donovan transaction intact. She'd invested too much time and too much of her life in becoming a success in this cutthroat business to drop the ball now. She had a lot on the line: her career, her reputation, her entire future. She could no longer afford to cross her fingers and “hope” her deals panned out.

  She frowned. Why did it always seem that she took one step forward and twenty steps back? She'd never had to resort to using her feminine wiles to secure a deal, but with Michelle flaunting hers every chance she got, what choice did Cat have in the matter?

  Her mother would have pearls of wisdom to impart at this moment, if she were alive. She'd say something about Cat's integrity and intelligence. Share some sort of inspirational and uplifting message.

  Unfortunately, Cat's parents had passed away in a tragic car accident when she was six. She'd done the foster home thing for twelve long years. Though each of the half-dozen foster homes she'd lived in had been nice, the families caring and giving, her childhood had still been a dreadful experience. She'd never really belonged anywhere, had no real family of her own. Cat had always felt alone, and a little bit lost.

  Until Seth had taken her under his wing.

  Cat had always dreamed of being a successful businesswoman. Through hard work and diligent studying, in addition to her high IQ, she had landed a full-ride scholarship to Stanford. School and then work had consumed her life since her parents’ funerals. Cat had an insatiable need to make something of her life—to become someone. It was a ridiculous notion, she knew, but Cat wanted to make her parents proud even though they were no longer with her. She'd do anything to succeed, but maybe that wasn't enough.

  Her consternation deepened as she left the office at nine-fifteen p.m. Another long day. She rode the elevator to the lowest level and stalked through the parking garage to her brand new Lexus. It was the only real extravagance she'd allowed herself. The rest of her money was stashed away in investments that yielded prime rates, waiting for the day when she could liquidate them and turn them into a dream come true.

  Her first home.

  Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon without the Donovan acquisition. Cat let out a long sigh as she eased the car out of her reserved space. She exited the garage and drove down Michigan Avenue. She worked her way to Lake Shore Drive and pulled alongside the road as she approached the property Seth had waxed poetic about for as long as she'd known him. The enormous lot faced Lake Michigan and Navy Pier and housed a small apartment complex. It was a cherry ripe for the picking. Cat knew she had to deliver it to Seth. Not just for her own personal satisfaction and professional advancement, but for Seth. He'd done so much for her. Invested so much of his time in her, imparted so much wisdom and knowledge. She wouldn't have made it this far without him.

  Annoyed anew over the hint of canoodling going on between Ryan Donovan and Michelle Eaton, Cat pulled away from the curb and made a sharp U-turn. Donovan was hosting a party at his estate tonight. He'd invited Cat, though she'd politely declined, trying to maintain her professionalism following the late night and all those martinis at the Spy Bar.

  But desperate times really did call for desperate measures.

  She drove to Ryan's ridiculously expensive mansion outside of the city and let the valet help her out of her car. She hadn't given much thought to the fact that she'd just come from work when the hare-brained idea to crash Donovan's party struck her. She whipped off her suit jacket and tossed it toward the passenger's seat. She hoped she could get away with the ivory-colored satin blouse and snug-fitting black skirt at a semi-formal affair.

  As she ascended the steps to the entrance of Ryan's home, she yanked the pencil from her bun and let her long dark-brown hair fall around her shoulders. She fluffed the thick, straight strands with her fingers before extracting her lipstick case from her purse. She did a quick touch-up before she walked through the tall, double glass-and-black-wrought-iron creation that was Ryan's front door. The heels of her trendy Jimmy Choo shoes clicked on the polished marble floor. Soft music drifted on the warm night air. Laughter and lively conversation came from the back patio.

  Cat was ushered through the enormous living room by the house staff. Past the opened doors, across the patio and along the cobblestone pathway to the vast grounds. Pristine white tents were erected over food stations and the champagne bar. The tall trees along the perimeter were decorated with sparkling twinkle lights. A twelve-piece band played and couples danced to the jazzy tune on the hardwood dance floor that had been installed in front of the two-tiered stage.

  Cat scanned the elegantly dressed crowd, thankful she'd at least worn pearls, once her mother's most prized possession. She tucked her designer bag under her arm and worked her way through the throng of people, hoping to find Ryan Donovan.

  Unfortunately, he seemed to be as elusive as the Lake Shore Drive property.

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  "You live a charmed existence, my friend,” Braedan told Ryan. The two men stood in the garden, just on the outskirts of the lively party. “Your minx has arrived. Despite her adamant refusal of your gracious invitation. Not to mention her immunity to your considerable charms."

  Ryan did not have to turn toward the house to know Catalina Bellasario had joined the party. He could sense her presence. He could feel her all around him. The sensations she evoked were both disturbing and welcome at the same time. Ryan did not like having his libido commanded in such a way, particularly by a woman as naïve and pious as this one. Yet, he had to admit that there was something
evocative and stirring about her presence. Something intoxicating about the way his body and his senses responded to her.

  When he had first met Cat two years ago, he had told himself the reaction he had to her was simple appreciation of the fact that she was Palomus’ daughter. That alone made her royalty within the coven, and worthy of his respect. But Ryan knew better now. It wasn't just respect he felt for her. She stirred his passion, called to his deepest, darkest desires.

  She was beautiful in an exotic, compelling way, with bronze skin and vibrant green eyes that were intelligent yet seductive. Her long, lush, dark brown hair fell over her shoulder in a shimmering cascade. He was certain the strands would feel like silk against his skin.

  And her body ... Jesus. He'd get hard if he spent too much time thinking about her luscious body.

  Cat was of average height, but there was nothing average about her gorgeous, curvy physique. Her shapely legs, slim waist and large breasts were the stuff erotic fantasies were made of. But there was also something incredibly alluring about her contradictory persona, her ultra-professional, yet undeniably sensual being.

  Still, he had his reservations about the bewitching Catalina Bellasario.

  "She's more tenacious than you gave her credit for,” Braedan, the lieutenant of Ryan's vast army of vampires, said. “You may have misjudged this one, Ryan."

  "I doubt it.” He swallowed down a swig of champagne. Then another. A scowl had settled on his lips that even the expensive wine couldn't chase away. Damn it. Why had she come here tonight, after she'd insisted she couldn't possibly make it? Too much work, she'd claimed. And then there was that ridiculous sentiment about wanting to maintain her professionalism.

  Ryan recalled how annoyed he'd been when she'd turned him down. He wasn't used to women refusing him. But she'd done it so easily, with no regret, no remorse.

  So why the hell was she here now?

  "Bad news, pal,” Braedan said in a wicked tone. “You're about to become a distant memory."