by Khloe Wren
Table of Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Glossary of Italian Phrases
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Epilogue
About the Author
Also by Khloe Wren
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Sapphire Angel
Gemstone Vampires: Book 1
Khloe Wren
Published by Rogue Phoenix Press
Copyright 2014
ISBN: 978-1-62420-085-4
Electronic rights reserved by Rogue Phoenix Press, all other rights reserved by the author. The reproduction or other use of any part of this publication without the prior written consent of the rights holder is an infringement of the copyright law. This is a work of fiction. People and locations, even those with real names, have been fictionalized for the purposes of this story.
Dedication
To my husband, daughters and parents.
I can’t thank you enough for all your support.
Glossary of Italian Phrases
Acqua dea—water goddess
Bambino—baby
Bella piccola cosa—lovely little thing
Bene—good/fine
Buona sera il mio amore—good evening my love
Buonasera—good evening
Buongiorno—good morning
Dannazione—Damn
Demone—devil
Di moda—chic, trendy
Grande—oh that's good
Grazie—thank you
La sua Sposa Eterna—His Eternal Bride
Mannaggia/Dannazione—Damn it
Merda—Shit
Mia cara ragazza—my dear girl
Per favore—please
Rapidamente—quickly/rapidly
Si—yes
Si, il mio amore—yes, my love
Sposa Eterna—Eternal Bride
Stronzo—asshole/bitch/sod
Va bene—okay
Venire—come
Prologue
"Who do we have here?"
Angelo quietly muttered in his native Italian under his breath. He’d been sitting at this di moda bar called Frost Bites for a couple of hours now, trying to drown his sorrows. He’d spent the last seventy-five years travelling the globe, searching for the one thing missing from his life. A vampire would never be able to settle or find any peace until he found his Sposa Eterna, his Eternal Bride. Angelo had begun to think he was destined to not find his, until his travels had led him to South Yarra in Victoria, Australia.
He’d carefully selected a table in a back corner where it was dark enough to watch everyone coming and going in peace. He had a drink in front of him, a fancy icy beverage. As a vampire, the alcohol had little effect on him, but he could appreciate the sweetness of the novelty drink. Behind the bar they had a series of slushy machines—dozens of frozen cocktails ready to go. The bar was busy tonight, it had been a hot day in Melbourne and no doubt, everyone was now searching for a way to cool down before heading home.
He continued to watch the bella piccola cosa who had just walked up to the bar. He hadn’t been able to see her eyes yet but her naturally blond straight hair casually hung down to the small of her back. From the side he could see her high cheekbone and her perfectly straight nose. She was smiling, her naturally light pink lips curled up at the side. His body came to life as he watched her but he needed to be sure before he made his move. Once their eyes connected, he’d be sure it was her; in addition he also needed to check her age. The fact Australian laws allowed alcohol to be drunk at the age of eighteen didn’t help him in guessing her age. She didn’t look like she was much over twenty. An Eternal Bride could not be claimed until her twenty-third birthday.
She chatted happily with one of the staff behind the bar. He focused on his hearing, tuning out all the other voices until he only heard hers and the female bar tender.
"So which one will it be tonight?"
"Love Potion Number Nine. It’s my twenty-first birthday tomorrow and I want someone to help me celebrate it!"
"Generally speaking, you try to give the other person the love potion, you know?"
The bar tender chuckled as she turned around to get the drink.
Dannazione. If she was his, he would have to stand back and guard her for the next two years before he could claim her. She couldn’t meet him until after her twenty-third birthday. If she did, his enemies would be alerted to her presence. If the Nobles were to find her, they would try to 'save' her from him. Holding her hostage then using her as bait. There was no way a vampire would leave his Eternal Bride to be held captive, and in his effort to rescue her, he would surely be killed like so many before him had been.
He watched as she spun around to survey the bar while she sipped at her red drink. The flavored liquid wasn’t quite as red as blood but still, the sight of her drinking the red beverage left him sweating with need for her. He forced his gaze from her mouth up to her eyes and froze. He’d finally found her. La sua Sposa Eterna. Her clear sapphire blue irises shone brightly under the bar’s lights.
Angelo settled back into his seat and watched his Bride move around the bar, chatting to various people. She obviously came here often as she knew a lot of the patrons. He sat up straighter as a man approached her and wrapped an arm around her waist. She leaned back into him and giggled. Angelo’s nostrils flared as he fought the urge to bear his fangs. Using every ounce of his self-control, he white-knuckled the table in an attempt to contain his rage—it was that or he’d fly across the room and kill the human who dared touch his Bride. He took deep breathes to help calm himself and caught the male’s scent. Filled with lust and greed, he had no real feelings for her. He was not a threat. Angelo relaxed a little and continued to watch.
As she prepared to leave at the end of the night, that lustful male made another pass at her. Angelo’s entire being became tense with fury as she agreed to go on a date with him. After she left the bar, he discreetly followed her. He needed to know where she lived so he could find her again and guard her. It would take time to find someone he could trust to handle the duty during the day, but at night, he would make sure she was always safe.
~ * ~
Angelo paced in front of the darkened house.
Merda, she was gone.
For a month he’d been guarding her at night. Watching her, learning all about her. He’d also watched as she’d dated that lust filled human, unable to do anything about it while he felt his heart bleed because another was touching his Bride. But if he even touched her, she would become like a beacon to the Nobles. He wouldn’t risk her like that. But now she’d moved. During the daylight hours that bastard had come, packed her up and taken her away from him. How would he find her now? Where to start? He headed back to Chapel Street, back to where he’d first seen her. Surely, she would still return to her favorite nightspot...
Chapter One
Six years later...
Staring into her drink Darcy caught a glimpse of red and green mirrored in the ice, a reflection of the Christmas decorations. She looked around the bar briefly; her favorite nightspot had changed since she was here last. Gone were the bright colors and the frozen cocktail machines behind the bar. She was now surrounded by stylish dark timber, and deep red walls. Even though it was so different, she'd needed to return to where she’d been happy. She closed her eyes as she felt tears prick the backs of them.
Six years wasted.
Six long years she’d stayed with that pig of a man.
Thinking she loved him—that he loved her. Then today, Christmas Eve and their five-year anniversary of living together, she'd come home from work early. Wanting to surprise her lover with a daytime-quickie. She’d apparently rocked up a little late to the party, he was already enjoying one when she arrived.
She threw the drink down her throat in one gulp. The rich vanilla flavor of the Woodford Reserve Bourbon seared the whole way down to her gut. She waited for the burn to incinerate the memories of what had happened next. What it couldn’t do, was burn away the knowledge that here she sat, in her old watering hole—albeit with a new facelift—getting drunk alone, before she would head back to the cheap hotel where she was now residing. Nor did it do anything to ease the ache caused by the fact she would be spending Christmas Day in the same place...
Totally alone.
She raised her hand to order another drink and noticed the bar was starting to look a little blurry. Though, still not blurry enough for her liking.
"I think you have consumed enough bourbon for one night, do you not agree?"
A deep sensual and heavily accented voice sent tingles all over her body. The words, spoken by her ear were delivered with a deliciously warm breath.
She shivered as he placed his hands gently on her shoulders, "I have missed you piccola."
She quickly put the tremors which were currently racing through her body down to the amount of alcohol in her system. They could not be because of this man.
"How? I don’t know you."
"Si, but I know you. Six years ago, you would come to this place every Friday night. I would watch you, for months I observed you, followed you home to make sure you stayed safe. But that demone stole you from me. Stopped you coming here, made you change your home."
Darcy shivered again as the man caressed his cool fingers down her arms and up again.
"I would have followed, but you moved during the daylight. I arrived to check on you, but you were no longer there."
His voice sounded gravelly and heavy with pain. She frowned in confusion as to why her moving would have hurt him, until his actual words registered. Her lips pressed firmly together as irritation tightened her muscles.
He’d been stalking her!
"You—you spied on me? What the hell gave you the right, to… to stalk me? And what on earth has daylight got to do with anything?"
Darcy’s gut tightened as she began to suspect what was going on. Vampires were fairly commonplace in their world, and although she’d never knowingly met one, she’d heard plenty about them. Like the fact a male vampire would only ever take one woman—his Eternal Bride.
"Not spied, piccola. Guarded. I had to wait until you turned twenty-three before I could claim you. I would never risk exposing you to the Nobles before I could take you as my Sposa Eterna."
He ran the tip of his fang up her neck, confirming all her earlier thoughts and setting her body alight with arousal. No way in hell could she put that down to the alcohol.
"You will never be alone again. You are my Sposa Eterna; my Eternal Bride. Mine to love, cherish and protect forever and I will never let you go."
Darcy sighed as she leaned back into her vampire, comforted in the fact that at least he would never cheat on her. She was still tipsy enough to not bother worrying about anything else at the moment.
Except for one thing, "What’s your name?"
"Angelo" he all but purred in her ear.
She chuckled. It made sense. A dark sexy angel sent to save her.
"You find my name amusing, piccola?"
"No, not funny. Just ironic an angel is saving me. I'm Darcy, by the way."
"Bene, I understand. Will you let me save you, Darcy? Will you let me escort you home?"
She sighed heavily, "Back to La Cheap Hotel. My new home."
"Where is this hotel? I’ve not heard of it." Angelo’s heavily accented voice made her thoughts trip over themselves. She had to wait a moment before she could form an answer.
"It’s not its real name. I can’t remember what it’s called. It’s just a crappy little hotel. It was all I could afford when I left the house I was living in with that low life cheating son of a bitch earlier today."
She felt a tear leave the corner of her eye but before she could swipe it away, Angelo leaned in and kissed it away with his smooth cool lips.
"Your home is with me now. We shall go and collect your things and you will come stay with me."
Darcy swiveled around on her stool. Once her head stopped spinning, she moved to glare at Angelo. She couldn’t just move in with him! They’d only just met, and she wasn’t entirely sure she believed she was his Eternal Bride. Her intended glare of anger rapidly turned into a look of pure shock and awe. She raised her hands to his face, swiping her thumbs back and forth over the satiny smooth skin under his eyes. His beautiful sapphire blue irises were the exact same color as her own.
"Holy shit." She said quietly on a breath.
"Si, il mio amore. You are truly my Eternal Bride." His liquid smooth voice washed over her, easing some of her shock as it cleared the last of the alcohol haze from her mind.
Darcy had heard about the eye thing. Eternal Brides always had the same exact iris color as their vampire. She squeezed her lids closed and took a breath; she opened up and looked back into Angelo’s gaze as she spoke two words which would irrevocably change her life forever.
"Let’s go."
~ * ~
Angelo led Darcy out of the bar and down Chapel Street. They had just turned to walk down a side street when she suddenly stopped, causing him to nearly crash into her. He could hear the loud motor easily, revving before the turbo blow-off valve hissed its release. The sounds repeated, getting louder, before finally he saw the car responsible. A shiny well cared for vehicle rolled down the road, slowing as its driver saw everyone looking at his bambino.
Darcy sighed next to him and leaned into his arm.
"An electric blue Subaru WRX with gold mags. My dream car."
He watched her shake her head and step free from him as the vehicle continued down the road, "It will never be mine."
Angelo grinned as he followed her to the hotel. He could easily afford such a car and to see his Bride look this happy, it would be worth every cent.
Angelo’s smile vanished in an instant when they reached the grubby little stone building which housed what Darcy had aptly renamed La Cheap Hotel. It looked to be falling down. He would have thought the owners would have to pay people to stay there, rather than the other way around. The vampire friendly penthouse apartment he’d bought five years ago, when he knew he would be staying in Melbourne for a while, was much more suitable for his Bride to be living in. He was sure she’d be impressed with it, especially compared to this garish place.
It didn’t take long for him to help Darcy collect her few bags. She hadn’t unpacked yet so they were all ready to go. He carried the heaviest two of her three bags. He was saddened that this was all she had to her name, but knew he would correct that oversight soon enough. She would have all her heart’s desires for the rest of her life.
He strolled with Darcy to a taxi bay. After helping her in, he put the bags in the trunk and climbed in the other side. It didn’t take long for the vehicle to arrive at the Docklands, where his penthouse apartment was located. The taxi pulled up to the front doors of his building and he quickly paid the driver before making his way around the car to open the door for Darcy. She’d already opened it, but was still sitting in her seat, hand on the handle, mouth open slightly in what looked like shock.
"Venire, Darcy, let me show you your new home."
Without removing her gaze from the all the ritzy glamour of the apartment’s foyer, she slid her hand into his.
He pulled her from the car. Unable to resist, he tugged her into his embrace. Holding her tightly against himself, he breathed in deeply, relishing her delicious jasmine scent. He raised his head to watch the taxi driver take the bags from the boot and line them up on the
curb before he took off to find his next fare. After one last deep breath he moved away from Darcy and collected the bags. Walking behind her, he gently guided her through the doors into the foyer. The receptionist at the desk greeted him in the usual way with a buona notte together with a slight bow. Tonight it was a young man who was dressed impeccably in a dark charcoal suit with a blood red tie. The owners of the building thought it funny to include lots of dark red in and around the entire premises. All he cared about was that his apartment was equipped with a central windowless bedroom, and all external windows had complete block out shutters.
Angelo steered Darcy into an elevator. He then lowered the bags to enter his code and press the appropriate floor’s button. That done he faced Darcy again. She was still looking a little pale and wide-eyed. Taking her face between her hands, Angelo bent down toward her. Stopping short of kissing her, he was close enough to feel her warm breath heat his skin. After endless seconds Darcy pressed herself up, fusing their mouths together. As she opened her lips on a sigh Angelo delved in. A groan escaped him as her taste exploded across his senses. He felt Darcy’s delicate fingers tentatively press against his chest, as if she were unsure of what her reception would be. As if he would ever refuse the touch of his Bride.
As Angelo sensed they were approaching his floor, he reluctantly withdrew from her. He looked down at her, eyes closed and a slight flush to her cheeks, as she appeared to slowly come back to her senses.
"You, piccola, taste divine. But we must stop for a moment. We are nearly there."
Darcy nodded shyly as she lowered her face from his and stepped back from him.
Angelo felt her loss instantly, she was less than a foot from him but he felt as if she were miles away. He picked up the bags just as the door chimed and opened. He waited for Darcy to step past him before he moved out of the elevator. He led her to the right and stopped at the apartment's entrance. Putting down one of the bags he pressed his thumb against the security-sensor.
The door opened immediately and he ushered Darcy into the room. He placed her bags by the wall before he closed the door. He turned back toward where Darcy had been, but she was gone. He glanced quickly around and found her over by the glass wall, looking like a small child with her palms pressed up against the panel overlooking the pool and the view of the harbor and all its yachts.