by J. L. McCoy
The Original Sin (Book #3 in the Skye Morrison Vampire Series)
Title Page
Prologue
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
About the Author
The Original Sin
SMASHWORDS EDITION
Copyright © 2012 by J.L. McCoy
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Cover layout by Omar Rodriguez V [email protected]
Interior layout by Katie Salidas [email protected]
Editing by Sandra Kruchko [email protected]
Acknowledgements
First and foremost, I have to acknowledge and thank YOU, the reader. Thank you for taking a chance on my books and for supporting Independent authors like me. We don’t do it for the money; we do it for the pure passion for the story/writing. I could not- WE could not- follow our dreams without your support. Thank you so much for it! It really does mean a lot to me.
To my followers on Facebook: An extra special thanks go out to you dolls. You guys have been completely amazing and beyond supportive during the past year. I’ve released three books in 2012 and you’ve all stood by me, cheered me on, cheered me up, and gave me the drive to finish book 3, The Original Sin, in record time. Your comments, wall posts, likes and emails are so appreciated and I’ve grown to adore you all. I really look forward to getting online every day and interacting with you by sharing our lives and stories. I feel like I really got to know some of you. You all make me laugh, smile, and I feel beyond blessed to know such truly wonderful, beautiful souls. Thank you, my lovelies!
To my fellow Indie authors and Bloggers: I was very blessed to meet and work several of you this past year. I was kind of lost when I published my first book and your outpouring of advice and support means more to me than you will ever know. I look up to so many of you and I am genuinely grateful for the acquaintances and friends I’ve made during this learning process and publishing journey. I especially want to thank author Katie Salidas and author Dicey Grenor for answering my questions, helping me get the word out about my books by posting info on their FB wall and blog, and for just being really awesome, down-to-earth people. I started out as a fan of your work and through mine, you ladies have become like friends. Thank you! And to the bloggers who hosted me on their pages for Author Spotlights, Limelights, Author of the Week, ect., you guys have my undying gratitude and thanks. Y’all were so amazing and such fun to work with! I appreciated you taking the time to put together all those fabulous giveaways, for helping me get the word out about my work, and most of all for being so selfless. It’s truly inspiring and I am in awe of you. Each week you give up so much of your time to support authors and Indie authors. I think you are genuinely marvelous people.
To my beta readers Angel Herrera, Nicole Broadhurst-Carierre, Anita Smith-Shields, and Eva Lee Phillips-Friedman: There isn’t much I can say that you haven’t heard a thousand times before, but I’ll try. I love each of you immensely and I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support. You give up time with your kids, time with your husbands, and some of you even answer crazy midnight calls from me to deal with my questions. I literally could not do this without you. You guys are my rock, my “girls”, and you are incredibly special to me. Xo
To my cover models Kellie Albanese and Rick Friedman: Thank you for giving up part of your day to follow me around a cemetery and smile while we sweated our toches’ off in that horrible summer heat. You guys were troopers and a lot of fun. Love you!
To my magic workers:
Sandra Kruchko, Editor: You, my love, are a complete blessing to me! You swooped into my life like Wonder Woman and saved me. Thank you for being so amazing; for somehow knowing exactly what I mean when even I don’t, for knowing what I need or what is missing, and for being a true friend. You are just a miracle worker, a brilliant soul, a kindred spirit and I feel so damn lucky that I walked into The Canary Roost the same night you did. This is totally cheesy, but It’s completely true...You, professionally, complete me Sandy. Lol!
Omar Rodriguez V., Cover Artist: Omar, it has been a real joy working with you on this cover! You are so proficient, timely, sweet, and your artwork is unparalleled. You know exactly what I’m looking for and you deliver it every time, exactly on time. You’ve spoiled me! I’ll never use anyone else for my covers from now on. I’m so glad we get to work together Omar and I’m very excited for the future!
Katie Salidas, eBook formatter (and fellow Indie Author): Thank you for your advice and for helping me during my journey, and thank you for being so wonderful and trustworthy. (Also, a huge thanks for your book “Go Publish Yourself”! It was immensely helpful!) I’m sometimes in a panic when I get to this stage of publishing because normally my eBook release date is a mere 3-5 days away from the date I hand my files over to you, but I learned very quickly that I don’t have to worry anymore once you come into the picture. You are so professional, prompt, and caring and my book comes out perfect every time I get it back. Everything is done on time and done right. I know my book is in the best hands when you are working on it. Thank you for all that you do!
Massive thanks go out to my incredible and super supportive husband Kenny. You, my love, are my very breath. You are my best friend, my confidant, my strength, my heart and the very best part of me. My love and respect for you is beyond measure. I’ve never in my life met another man like you. You are so sweet, so patient, and the very definition of what a true man is. Thank you for making my life so complete. Xxo
Last, but certainly not least, I have to thank my mother Eva Lee Phillips-Friedman. I literally could not write this series without you. You are the other half of my brain some days. You have the best ideas and advise and if I’m ever stuck, all I have to do is call you and you’ll sit there and help me work through the issue. My books are better, Skye’s story is better, everything is better when you are involved Mama. I think I’m a very blessed girl. In you I get a best friend, a partner-in-crime, and a terrific mother. You’ve always been my rock, you never gave up on me and you loved me unconditionally even when I didn’t make it easy. You stuck by me, always believed in me, and I can’t thank you enough for everything you do. Also, thank you for reading to me when I was a child (even all those billboard signs I was constantly asking you to read for me.) You, Aunt Joy and Meme fostered my love of books from a very early age and you introduced me to my absolute favorite hobby. I got to discover worlds, see mythical creatures, read about Pokey Little Puppies and help the knight in shining armor save the damsel
in distress, all from my bed at night. Thank you for caring enough. Thank you for loving me enough. Thank you for all the booboos you kissed, visits to the doctor, and for taking all those grey hairs I gave you like a champ. LOL! I love you, Mama. More than words can convey… (And I’m still sorry about the carpet..lol!)
If I’ve left anyone out, I sincerely apologize. All mistakes herein are mine and mine alone.
Formatting Services:
Katie Salidas at Rising Sign Books offers eBook /Print book formatting and Manuscript Critiquing.
For more information, please visit her website at: http://www.risingsignbooks.net/p/services.html
Editing Services:
Sandra Kruchko offers editing services at competitive prices.
Email her for more information at: [email protected]
Computer Artist:
Omar Rodriguez V. offers a wide variety of services from photo touch-ups to CD covers to book covers.
Visit him on Facebook to see his work: http://www.facebook.com/OmarRodriguezV.Art
Or email him at: [email protected]
Dicey Grenor writes Erotic Urban Fantasy/Taboo
Visit her at http://diceygrenorbooks.com
Or Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DiceyGrenor
Katie Salidas writes Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy/Erotica.
Visit her at http://www.katiesalidas.com/
Or Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/katiesalidas
The Original Sin
By: J.L. McCoy
This book is dedicated to my original rock, my forever partner-in-crime, my best friend, my mother Eva Lee.
Prologue
Six weeks ago, I graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Ancient History and Classical Civilization. My student loans were expensive and my current job as a waitress/bartender at Drop Kick Dan’s bar wasn’t going to help me pay them off any time soon. So, I did the only thing I could do; I went looking for a better paying job.
As luck would have it, or not depending on whom you asked, I ran into a club owner one afternoon at a local coffee house. After a brief conversation, he invited me to interview for the Executive Assistant position at his new downtown club, The Mausoleum. One successful job interview later, I was hired.
My life changed forever the night I found out my new boss, Archer Rhys and hard core crush, Jameson Doyle, were vampires. My world as I knew it hasn’t been the same since.
I’ve endured my fair share of ups and downs since then. I’ve had a few intense arguments with my boss, who happens to be the ongoing object of my sexual fantasies. I started dating Jameson after a ridiculous misunderstanding on my part regarding Archer, but I was happy with him nonetheless. Jameson and I had a fantastic sex life and a great friendship.
One morning, as Jameson was cooking me breakfast, there was a knock on the door from my neighbor and best friend Nikki St. James telling us that our cars had been bashed to bits in my driveway. My crazy, psycho ex-boyfriend Jesse Prescott was the perpetrator, but I didn’t have to worry about him ever doing something like that again because I found his severed head in the front seat of my car. Talk about disturbing.
Archer and Jameson thought it best that I stayed with them until the murderous bastard was caught and I reluctantly agreed.
Life in Archer’s house was anything but easy. Aoife, my vampire co-worker who happened to be Archer’s possessive ex-wife, was none too pleased to have me staying there. Her cattiness boiled over soon after my arrival leading to a pretty intense showdown between her, Archer and me.
I came out of it alive, thanks to Archer telling her I was dating Jameson, but the cattiness continued on as normal, though somewhat subdued. Dating Jameson was my saving grace so I didn’t have to worry about her slitting my throat in my sleep now.
One day, as I wrapped up a delicious lunch with Dean “Dic” Cruz, the new friend I made opening night at the club and owner of Tricky Dic’s Hookah Bar, Archer called me and became furious when he found out who I was with. Unbeknownst to me, Dean was a werewolf and the Alpha of Central Texas’ Kaxaw pack.
The news had been shocking and but it was nothing compared to listening to Archer and Dean argue. I learned very quickly that werewolves and vampires had a longstanding feud between them and subsequently hated each other.
In my anger I walked away from the overprotective Archer and antagonistic Dean. On my way to retrieve the car that Archer had leant me, a mysterious man approached me. I soon learned that he was no ordinary man. He quickly captured my mind, ranted about how God didn’t exist and some crap about exacting revenge, and then sliced my forearm open and nearly bled me out in the street.
I awoke in a basement and found that my arms had been chained to a pipe in the ceiling. I was held for days against my will as the man, who I learned was named Amun, played a sick game of Hide and Seek with Archer and the chosen army of An Dílis, a.k.a The Faithful. Amun happened to be the father of all vampires and he was hell-bent on destroying Archer and his family because of something Archer’s maker Cináed had done to him over a thousand years prior.
During my captivity, I was nearly drained of all my blood when Martin, Amun’s sick pseudo-sidekick, fed from me. Between Amun and Martin, I was tortured, slapped around, had my bones broken, almost died from blood loss, had a large chunk of hair and scalp ripped out, and had been nearly raped.
Thankfully Archer, Dean, and members of the army of The Faithful picked up my trail and tracked me down to the East Austin house that Amun was keeping me in. A huge battle ensued and I was finally rescued. To my immense delight, I was the one who got to kill Martin. We almost lost a few people during the intense battle, but thankfully I was able to contribute some of my blood to them after Jameson healed me. Sadly, Amun was able to get away.
An Dílis is working hard to track him down and kill him so that he can’t hurt me or anyone else again. I promised Jameson that I would continue to live at Archer’s until that day came.
Life here in Archer’s lakeside mansion isn’t all bad, now that I’ve gotten used to it. I definitely feel a lot safer that’s for sure. I’m surrounded by hot guys, my gorgeous boyfriend Jameson, my uber crush Archer, and my good friend Trey. What more would a girl who’s hiding from a sick, sadistic killer and the sire of all vampires need?
Chapter One
“He is definitely delicious in bed,” I unabashedly confided as I readjusted my sunglasses on my nose and laid back on the lounger.
I was having an enjoyable dream about hot summer days, swimming pools, and cold margaritas. Trey, Nikki and I were lounging out by Archer’s massive pool in our finest swimwear, girl-talking, when abruptly the scenery started to morph and my pleasant company faded away.
I suddenly found myself back in the bleakly lit, dank basement where Amun took me when he kidnapped me just a few weeks ago. My heart pounded rapidly in my chest as I fearfully absorbed my surroundings. The room was just as I remembered it; my chains were tight, cold and unforgiving around my wrists and the drops of water from the metal spigot in the wall dripped slowly, a counterpoint to my wildly beating heart.
I tugged on my confines in a desperate attempt to free myself. As before I was chained to the ceiling, my arms splayed apart. Please, no…not again, I silently whimpered as I tugged harder.
Sadly, these dreams were nothing new to me. I’d been having them almost nightly since my abduction. In the dreams I had, I was always alone; Amun and Martin were blissfully absent, thank God.
I silently willed myself to remain calm as I took a few deep breaths. I knew from experience that these dreams never lasted long.
Only a few minutes had passed when I heard the telltale creak of the basement door opening. My eyes immediately flew to the stairs and I watched in horror as Amun, the father of all vampires and my former torturer, slowly descended.
Panic stricken I began to cry. “You’re not real,” I stumbled aloud in between sobs as I frantically jerked on the c
old confines of my chains. Fear coursed through me as he came closer, a look of absolute calm on his face.
“I assure you child, I am very real,” he spoke quietly as he came to a stop in front of me.
I shut my eyes tightly and shook my head. Please God, just let me wake up. Please.
“What did I tell you about your god, Skye?” he gently admonished as I bravely opened my eyes, meeting his. He slowly lifted one hand and wiped the tears from my left cheek. “He does not exist.”
“My God is real, it’s you that isn’t. This is just a dream…a really fucked up one I’ll admit, but a dream nonetheless. I’ll wake up soon and you’ll just be a distant memory,” I breathed fearfully.
He seemed to ignore my words as he reached up his hand and thoughtfully lifted a long lock of my bright auburn hair. He tilted his head as he studied me and then delicately trailed one of his fingers across my clavicle and down my shoulder. I shivered in revulsion and tried to pull away unsuccessfully.
“This ensemble is inappropriate,” he said of my neon yellow bikini, eyeing it with distaste.
I looked down at my chest and watched in amazement as I was suddenly in a flowing, white Grecian-style dress. Amun adjusted the gathered fabric at my left shoulder and smoothed the lightweight linen down my hip. He slowly lifted his hand to touch my hair again and this time it disappeared from its usual resting place and swept itself into an up-do.
I watched warily as Amun took a step back and admired his handiwork. “You look stunning,” he said matter-of-factly. “A look fit for a queen.”
“I am not your queen,” my brow furrowed as I whispered. His respectful treatment confused me. This was drastically different from our real time spent together in this same basement a few weeks ago. I couldn’t figure out what my subconscious was trying to do. The real Amun would never be this nice to me.