Eternal Service

by Regina Morris

  Eternal Service

  Title Page

  Vampires Exist Among Us

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  About the Author

  Other Books by Regina Morris

  Acknowledgements

  United Service Chapter One (Book #2 of the Colony Series)

  Other Books by Silkhaven Publishing, LLC

  Eternal Service

  By Regina Morris

  Smashwords Edition

  Silkhaven Publishing, LLC

  Silkhaven Publishing, LLC

  ISBN: 978–0–9888222–0–7

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2013900069

  Copyright (c) 2012, Regina Morris.

  (V5) March 15, 2014

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without the written permission of Regina Morris with the exception in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Printed in the United States of America.

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, places and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are fictitiously used. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Silkhaven Publishing, LLC does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third–party Web sites or their content.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of Silkhaven Publishing, LLC is illegal and punishable by law. To obtain a copy of this novel, please purchase only through authorized electronic or print editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

  Adult content within. Sex, nudity, violence, and language. Suggested audience is 18+ years of age.

  Vampires exist among us.

  They can be our neighbor, best friend, our child’s teacher …

  They alter their aged appearance based upon the amount of blood they consume. They move to a new area, drink a lot of blood, and appear young. Slowly they limit their intake of blood and age, right in front of our unsuspecting eyes. After decades, they fake their death, move, and do it over and over again.

  Most live quiet lives in an effort to blend in.

  Some however want power and control.

  The Colony is an elite group of vampires sworn to protect the President of the United States from these rogue vampires.

  ~ One Page Teaser ~

  Raymond smiled at Alex. It was a beautiful smile, not fake or forced. You can always tell when a smile is real. His black colored eyes held the smile, not just his luscious, full lips. Alex noticed his hair remained a bit damp, probably due to a last minute shower on his way over. His hair parted on the side tonight, and a curl of bangs hung lopsided onto his forehead. It gave him a Superman appearance. She always did like Superman.

  Alex knew her pulse sped up as she took in the visual strip tease in her mind. She thought back to their earlier conversation. Humans and vampires could have sex together. Sex. She swallowed hard. She hadn’t thought of having sex with a man in a long time. Her heart sped up even faster. She wondered if he could hear the beats. If he did, he didn’t show any reaction. He just sat sipping his wine, looking sexy as hell.

  Her hands still held her wineglass, so she took a gulp of wine hoping to squelch the heat she felt within her. Instead, the drink fueled the flame. Would sex with a vampire be different than with a human? If there were a difference, she was betting it would be better. The sexual relationships she had in the past, if she could remember that far back, were moderately satisfying. Definitely not romance novel, page turning, steamy … but satisfying.

  Blinking a few times, she realized she was staring at his crotch. Could she be more obvious? She knew in her heart that she was going to take this promotion. She couldn’t start a romance with a team member, it wasn’t professional. She wasn’t that type of woman. Plus, there was no guarantee that he was interested in her such a way. He had treated her with nothing but respect.

  Then again, she couldn't deny her overwhelming attraction to him. His dark raven hair, soulful teal colored eyes, strong muscular jaw ... they beckoned her. She bit her lip imagining the vampire shirtless, or even better, nude.

  “Alex?” Raymond asked.

  Alex looked up, making eye contact. “What?”

  “Are you okay? You’ve been quiet for several minutes.”

  Reviews (Amazon & Goodreads)

  **** “I will say that I love, love, love this author's style and would put her up there with Lynsay Sands.” – Candy G.

  ***** “I loved every minute of this book and what’s even better is that there are more to come!! ... Definitely a 5 Star book and a must read!” – The Sub Club Books

  ***** “This story was really a great adventure and romance all rolled into one. I recommend this first of the series and intend to read the rest of the series as they are released.” – Janice H.

  ***** “I love the new twist that Regina has used with the vampires in this story. It is unique and very refreshing. I love all the characters and am looking forward to learning more about each one as the series progresses.” - D. Thomas

  ***** “I absolutely loved this book! She pulls you in and captivates you with her characters! I highly recommend this book! Total awesomeness!” Laura L.

  **** “Eternal Service was a wonderful paranormal romance. Regina Morris knows how to draw you into a story and keep you begging for more.” – Book Maven

  **** “Regina Morris creates a world of vampires that is fascinating.” – T&K Book Reviews

  **** “Hilarious! I can't wait for the 2nd book in the series...” – Twinsie Talk Reviews

  ***** “Amazing book!” Salli B.

  ***** “I loved the twist the author had on her vampire world. ... Very unique!” – Pennie B.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Raymond recoiled from the sight of the woman’s blood on his
hands as he struggled to keep the exhausted blood–soaked forger pinned to the cold hard ground. “You son of a bitch,” he scowled. The crisp dried leaves crunched beneath his prey. “That woman had a life. She had a family who cared for her – and you killed her like she was nothing.”

  The subdued forger shrugged, unwilling to make eye contact. “Collateral damage. Nothing more.”

  The cool night breeze blew the scent of the woman’s blood into Raymond’s face, causing him to grimace. He shook his head in disgust. The secluded spot where he held the forger down intensified the darkness of the evening, but he could still easily make out the faces of his men.

  One of the shadows separated from the darkness. Agent Ben knelt down next to Raymond, his dark skin and stocky, muscular build contrasting sharply with Raymond’s tall, marble–like perfection. Ben callously crushed the forger’s hands as he digitally scanned his fingerprints.

  “Aargh! Son of a bitch! Look, I’ll make a deal with you if you let me go.”

  “You don’t know who hired you, so you have nothing to bargain with,” Raymond said dismissively as he watched Ben finish his task and pocket the scanner. Next, Raymond glanced over at his son, Sterling, who was checking the vampire’s belongings.

  “I’ve got everything I need,” Sterling mumbled as he tossed the backpack to the ground.

  Raymond pulled a dagger from his boot. He wondered if the forger would show any remorse or fear now while facing his own death, but none came. Sterling moved to hold the captive’s feet down in preparation for the end.

  “I can pay you. I can get you gems, gold, blood … whatever you want.”

  Raymond didn’t bother to acknowledge the forger’s bribes. Instead, he showed him the cold steel blade as his answer.

  “C’mon, everybody’s got a price. What do you say?”

  “You breached the perimeter of the White House in an effort to kill the President,” Raymond accused.

  “I did a job, but I wasn’t sent to kill anybody.”

  Raymond studied at the man in disgust. “Tell that to the guards you attacked and the pregnant woman you killed as you fled.”

  The forger’s eyes widened, as if thinking of anything to say to save his life. After a moment, he finally blurted out, “I tried to plant bugs. I also had to deliver documents. That’s all!”

  “Name the target.” Raymond growled.

  An answer squeaked out, “The President.”

  “What about the documents?” Sterling asked.

  The forger eyes darted over to Sterling. “The drop didn’t take place. No one showed up at the appointed time.”

  “Perhaps you were expendable,” Ben chimed in. He glanced over to Raymond. “Or, the documents were no longer of use.”

  “The documents are fine,” the forger barked out with pride.

  Raymond looked over to the backpack. “We’ll be taking those fine documents off your hands.” Moving the dagger so the blade reflected the dim moonlight, he added, “There’s also a price to pay for the lives you took.” Raymond plunged the dagger into the vampire’s heart. Instantly, Raymond’s knees sank into the dirt as the vampire disappeared beneath him. A cloud of dust scattered across Raymond’s fatigues and the once shiny blade now lay stained in a dusty mound on the ground. The last remains of the captive.

  Ben knelt down beside Raymond, “We’ll have to list him as an enemy killed in action,” he said as he collected what was left of the EKIA for DNA.

  “We need to inform the Director and Homeland Security about this breach,” Raymond said as he stood and shook the dust from his pants.

  Nodding, Sterling took out his phone, “Dixon, we need to meet. McGregor’s Pub. Give us an hour.”

  *******

  McGregor’s pub sat on the outskirts of the suburbs – the type of place with a back lawn as a parking lot, beer (not Appletinis) filling the taps , and a bartender always ready for you to bend his ear. The lit neon beer signs shined through the window and glass door, so Raymond led the team in.

  They strode past the long bar counter, with its many empty stools sitting in a row. The few tables in the place were clustered together. Booths and pool tables took up all the room in the way back. The older place remained kept up, at least to the point where you could sit down and not worry about sticking to the chairs. They found Dixon sitting in his usual back corner booth drinking a beer.

  “Dixon, good you could make it here so fast,” Raymond said as they approached the older man.

  The waitress eyed the three handsome men as soon as they entered, and bustled to the booth to take their order. As she approached, she eyed each one as though sizing them up. Each stood well over six feet in height, and offered her various flavors to choose from. Raymond, towering over the others and striking with his dark hair and pale, flawless skin, sat down next to Dixon. The other two men squeezed their large frames into the other side of the booth. The shorter of the two, with his long blond locks and playboy appearance managing to look like he was lounging even in the small space, seemed to have tempted the waitress, as did the cocoa brown skinned and powerfully built muscles of the other. Of course, each one was her senior by over a century, but that was undetectable. “You boys want something?” She winked over at Ben as her chosen favorite. Obviously, nothing was wrong with a little brown sugar in her sugar bowl tonight.

  Raymond searched deep into her eyes and willed the human to obey him. “Quickly finish closing. We’ll lock up when we’re done here.” As he compelled the waitress, Ben rose with his usual military precision to contend with the bartender. At a stern glance from his father, Sterling slouched over to each of the few patrons in the place. The pub cleared within minutes. The men helped themselves to drinks and gathered around their table.

  “OK, I’m guessing this has to do with what happened earlier tonight on the south lawn of the White House,” Dixon said, scratching the gray whiskers of his five o’clock shadow. He then added, “The guards are fine. The hospital released them a short while ago. Naturally, the media frenzy is still going on. The incident has been classified as a random attack with the assailant having been captured. We used a classified, random picture to represent him to the media, and they seemed to have accepted it.”

  “Has the President been briefed about the event?” asked Raymond.

  “Yes. He was unaware of the breach at the time. He is still safely tucked away in the residence quarters, probably asleep by now.” Dixon raised an eyebrow. “Nobody suspects anything, but am I correct in assuming the man was a vampire?”

  “Yes.” Raymond nodded towards Ben. “Show him.”

  Ben shrugged the backpack off his massive shoulders and handed the satchel over to Dixon, who opened the bag and studied its contents.

  “These forged documents are damn good copies of the invite to the President’s state dinner.” He continued to scan the bag. “And, four security passes and paperwork as well. Christ,” Dixon cursed.

  “The forger is an EKIA. He gave us quite a chase. He planned to ditch us in a park outside the city, but we got him.” Raymond sighed. “He also took a pregnant woman hostage at the start of the chase. She didn’t survive. By now, her body has been discovered.” Raymond glanced across the table with saddened eyes at his team members. The pain of the loss hung in the air.

  “There was no way to save her.” Ben then shifted gears, pointing to the forged documents. “With the dinner still days away, there’s time to get new passes made.”

  Dixon didn’t comment on the death. They all knew she’d become another unsolved murder, just like all the others. “I’m sure you did what you could.” Dixon studied the evidence in his hand. “At least these passes contain pictures. Should be good for some facial recognition software … might get a hit in the FBI, CIA or police databases. Obviously the people on the IDs will try to infiltrate the state dinner next week. The President is in grave danger.” Setting the IDs aside, he asked, “Any idea what might be on the memory cards?”

  “Prob
ably backups of these documents,” Sterling tossed out.

  “If we’re lucky, possibly Intel about the leader. This vamp was a good forger, and he may have given us a good chase, but he wasn’t the brains behind the operation,” Ben added.

  Sterling pointed his gloved finger at the backpack, “I didn’t sense anything off the docs or the tech stuff, but I got a reading off the backpack. The forger seemed to be a loner and did this job only for the money. He didn’t know and didn’t care about any bigger plan.”

  The team was well aware of Sterling’s ability to acquire information from inanimate objects, and Dixon was no exception. He brushed his fingertips against the fabric of the bag. “We’ll need to find out who hired him. I’ll make sure the Director of Homeland Security gets access to these findings, including that the assault was committed by a vampire.”

  “We’ll provide what information we can from the tech pieces,” Raymond offered. “With the forger now dead, whoever hired him may suspect immortals to have taken him out, since humans couldn’t have dispatched him so easily. If the leader is also a vampire, they’ll be taking their game up a notch when this vampire fails once again to show up with the passes. We’ll need to be more careful.”

  Dixon nodded. “Right.” He shifted in his seat and drained his beer.

  Raymond carefully observed his old friend. “So what’s bugging you tonight? I can feel your thought patterns, and I can tell you’re anxious about something.”

  “Yeah, I’ve wanted to talk with you boys about something for a while now.” Dixon took a deep breath. “I’m going to retire. I’ve pushed off retirement as much as I could, but the years are getting to me now. It’s time to hand the reigns over to the next Director for you boys.”