A Vampire’s Vow

by Kayleigh Sky

  “Of course, I will.”

  Jessa squeezed his neck. “Promise.”

  “I promise, blossom.” His heart fluttered with a sick dread when the image of Owen, thirteen years old and alone, floated into his mind’s eye. He crushed Jessa’s warm body to him and breathed in his scent. “I promise,” he said again.

  “You can’t promise that,” Mal snapped from beside him.

  “I can. That is my word.” He showed her his fangs, but being Mal she only glared at him.

  He swung Jessa by the arms and set him down. Dawn took Jessa’s hand. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  He nodded.

  Qudim was a brave king. And he was alive, though Abadi was not. He was Rune’s family. Rune pictured Owen again and turned to Josia. “Take care of my family.”

  She dipped her chin.

  “With my life, Prince.”

  They packed water and candy bars and strode down the hill.

  “If the tunnel’s closed, we’ll try the Grania Portal.”

  “I can go alone,” said Uriah.

  Rune shook his head. “We might need each other.”

  When Uriah held the bushes away from the cave, Rune hesitated a moment, searching the stillness for a sound. A breath of a whisper teased his consciousness. Imaginary. Or maybe only a breeze, but not him.

  Uriah frowned. “Prince?”

  “It’s nothing,” he said.

  The way through the tunnel was easier than before. Maybe it had widened, Rune wasn’t sure.

  When he slid out, his heart clenched at the sight of the castle. Half of it had fallen into piles of rubble. Uriah hissed behind him. Up front though, the corner of the castle with his room still stood. A strange impulse to run up to his studio and grab his drawings raced through him.

  Pushing it aside, he headed down to the lake. The water was still, the pier sunk beneath the surface, the boats washed ashore on the other side.

  “I guess we swim,” he said.

  The silence fell like a weight, only broken by the lap of water. One of the boats floated underneath them like a ghostly mirage.

  On the far shore, Uriah held up one hand, and Rune stopped. A few of the lamps still glowed, gray green on Uriah’s skin as he pulled a sack from inside his shirt, untied it, and removed a gun.

  “Who else is here but Ellowyn?” Rune asked.

  “Even Ellowyn are evil.”

  Rune sighed but nodded.

  The Celestine Library rose like a glittering giant above the wreckage. Across the plaza, the red flag still drooped by the train station, but the city was empty. Ghostly quiet.

  Qudim, striding through the gates from Doloria, froze Rune in place. Was he real?

  Uriah caught his breath, and Rune stirred himself, broke out of his daze, and rushed forward.

  Qudim seized his shoulders, lines gouging deep into his forehead. “Why did you come?”

  “For you. We had another quake.”

  “I felt it, but it wasn’t strong here. I wanted to make one last sweep.” He clapped a hand to the back of Rune’s neck and shook him. “We will make them pay for this. I swear it.”

  Rune said nothing to that, only waited until Qudim released him. “Is there anybody left?”

  “Only those who want to stay. They won’t come out. My enforcers are taking other tunnels. The aftershocks have been close to the surface, but it’s not safe here. We need to go.”

  Rune nodded and followed Qudim toward the lake.

  At the top of the steps, leading down to the shore, he stopped and turned back.

  Broken, stripped buildings faced him. Shattered carts and tumbled columns. Rocks, bodies, and Celestine Library. Three hundred feet tall and soaring toward a twinkling roof.

  The memory of voices and laughter and rattling carts filled his imagination. The aromas of moon lace tarts and meat pies and sugared mushrooms. The notes of a bi’lilo.

  His heart rose into his throat and choked him.

  “Rune.”

  It was all gone. Destroyed.

  Not me…

  He closed his eyes. Was that him, the voice of his fated?

  Me…

  You.

  He had nothing here to come back to anyway. Celestine was gone, and the hate growing in Qudim’s chest promised to drown human and vampire alike in blood.

  This was Rune’s vow, the one that had kept his wrist from Qudim’s fangs.

  I will save you.

  He would save them all. And with a last look on his home, he turned his back and strode away.

  Don’t go yet!

  Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed A Vampire’s Vow.

  * * *

  If you enjoyed this book, please continue reading for blurbs to my other stories.

  About the Author

  So… About me. I’ve never run a marathon or scaled Mt. Everest. I’ve never scuba dived or sky dived. I’ve surfed though. That was fun. I have six tattoos, and I really love ink. I also love all plants. Zinnias are one of my favorite flowers. If you’ve never see a zinnia, look it up. Very pretty. It’s an old-timey plant but super easy to grow. Anyway, the big thing I do is write m/m erotic romance. But as much as I love romance and sex, I really love going deep into the dark with my characters. What are their wounds? How can I peel them raw and drag them into the light? This leads to some fairly dark stories sometimes, but even the dark ones come with humor. I think the contradictions in people are ripe for hilarious scene setups. I need humor and light in my life, otherwise, I go into some pretty dark places myself. I live with only one cat now—I once had thirteen. That was crazy. I take up most of the things I research for my characters—photography, tarot, and jewelry making for example. I even bought a recorder once because Ori from Jesus Kid played one. I love that part of my job. I also love to walk and lift weights. I’m not a big fan of yoga—just throwing that out there. So far, all of my characters embody something of me, and all of my characters have given me something of them. But no matter what the struggle is from book to book, love always wins out. I'm strong on plot, strong on character, stronger on love. You can count on happily ever after from me every time. I write my stories to open hearts and uplift spirits. Love matters. It counts. And it's for everyone.

  * * *

  Peace.

  A Vampire’s Heart

  Vampires live.

  * * *

  And they hunger…

  * * *

  Otto Jones, a cop assigned to the seemingly random murder of a vampire, would rather hide out in the nearest bar than waste his time on a dead vamp. He hates the bloodthirsty demons. But when the king of the vampires commands him to work with one of the lesser princes and find the killer, he has no choice.

  Prince Jessamine Senera is ready to sacrifice his happiness in a loveless marriage for his family’s benefit… but not yet. He dreams of adventure, excitement, and true love. He lives on romance novels and detective stories and wishes he could drink synthetic blood like every other vampire. But he can’t. He needs human blood to survive and is hated by vampires and humans alike.

  As Otto and Jessa draw closer to an entity that doesn’t want to be discovered, Otto finds the heart he thought long dead opening to the romance-loving Jessa. No good can possibly come from falling in love with a vampire, but when a shadowy assailant attacks Jessa, Otto will descend into the darkest pit of the earth to rescue him.

  If you like vampires, mythical and urban settings, intense suspense, and happy ever after, then you’ll love this first book in the dark and mysterious Ellowyn Found trilogy!

  * * *

  A Vampire’s Heart is a stand-alone paranormal dystopian noir romance with a satisfying conclusion to the love story and a central mystery that weaves the trilogy together.

  * * *

  Get yours here.

  Backbone

  A universal vaccine eradicates all known viruses from the human population, but in the wake of this miracle, a deadly new virus suddenly surfaces. As the deat
h toll rises, people riot in panic and civilization collapses. Brey Jamieson, a convicted felon, is suddenly set loose in this violent new world. Desperate to reunite with his family, he sets out on a journey across the country but is captured by a brutal man who plans to sell him into slavery. Hank Kresnak is a cop in the new world. It is his job to preserve the law. But when he sees Brey, his belief in everything he has built his new life on begins to crumble. Memories of a dark and terrible time reawaken. He was the cop who arrested Brey, and with one look into Brey’s eyes, he knew his life would never be the same. He was a married man with two daughters, but he couldn’t forget a man he barely even knew. Now his wife and daughters are gone, and he must struggle to save the man of his dreams from a nightmare fate.

  * * *

  Get yours here.

  Pretty Human

  Seeking absolution for his past in a fiery death, a young space force pilot crashes his ship on a desert planet.

  * * *

  When Ellis Ligoria, King of Xol, witnesses a space ship hurtling to the planet’s surface, he rushes to the scene of the crash and joins the search party for survivors. As night descends, a strange compulsion leads him to the site of an underground city. Here he rescues a badly injured Jem. During his recovery, it is discovered that Jem is part Xolan. Not only that, but he’s a genetically submissive variation called a Xolani. Ellis has no desire to care for a Xolani but cannot resist his desire for Jem. Taking him under his protection, he brings him home to his family.

  * * *

  Desperately wanting this new life, Jem claims to be a solitary Vagabond, a loner without family or home. A man nobody wants or is looking for. Safe for the first time in his memory, Jem has hopes for a happy future. He is falling in love with Ellis and adores his new family. All he wants is to live a quiet life as Ellis’ consort, but as his secrets sink him deeper and deeper into a prison of lies, he knows that he can’t hide his true identity forever. Marrying Ellis is a dream come true, but he’ll never escape the brutal man he is running from.

  * * *

  Soon called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice, Jem must battle to stop a powerful monster bent on revenge.

  * * *

  Get yours here.

  Doll Baby

  Todd Rifkin has sworn off love forever—until he loses his heart to a badly scarred rent boy and stumbles into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a brutal stalker out for revenge.

  * * *

  Struggling to make enough money to buy a friend’s bar and grill to fulfill a promise, Todd Rifkin vows to let nothing stand in his way. Nothing, that is, until a friend’s call for help. Bailing his friend out of trouble might cost Todd his dream. Now he is scrambling to make up the loss and reluctantly takes on the job of errand boy for his boss’ spoiled ex-lover.

  * * *

  Bliss Busby has no memory of the attack that scarred his face. Scared and reclusive, he has no interest in Todd’s intrusion into his life. No interest, that is, until somebody starts scattering cinnamon hearts at his door. Now Todd is the only one standing between Bliss and a mysterious stalker.

  * * *

  Years ago, Todd lost the love of his life in a violent twist of fate. After a night with a knife-wielding maniac, Bliss lost everything. Thrown together by circumstance, Todd and Bliss must unite to battle a hidden force from the past. As Bliss struggles to remember the attack that wrecked his life, and Todd struggles to save him from an attacker that is closer than either of them realizes, their reluctant friendship becomes a passionate love that just might have the power to heal their wounded hearts.

  * * *

  If they live.

  * * *

  Get yours here.

  Trinkets

  On the run with a stolen teddy bear and a couple hundred dollars in cash, Alex’s life takes a strange turn when he crashes his car in a freak accident. Stranded in the desert with no water, he is rescued by a crow that leads him to the home of Lars and Lars’ five-year-old niece, Holly.

  * * *

  Lars is a man with secrets, and he’d just as soon Alex was on his way, but delays in the repair of Alex’s car compel him to offer Alex a place to stay in exchange for babysitting services. Alex accepts the offer and soon falls head over heels for Holly and the mysterious Crow.

  * * *

  Over the course of several weeks, Alex finds himself embracing a life he’d only dreamed of. A life of warmth and comfort—and a passion that almost makes him forget the past he’s running from. Almost.

  * * *

  As Lars and Alex fall in love, secrets about Lars and Holly, and a dark danger pursuing Alex, threaten to destroy their newfound family.

  * * *

  Alex was rescued once by the quirky crow he now lives with. Will Crow be able to save the treasure trove of a family he’s collected in Alex and Lars and Holly one more time?

  * * *

  Get yours here.

  Angel Dork

  Christmas is fast approaching, and eighteen-year-old Oliver is on his own for the first time. After aging out of foster care, he knows he’s lucky to have found a welcome in the couple who own the diner where he works. Of course, his life would be easier if a pack of bullies wasn’t out to get him, and if one of them wasn’t so gorgeous. It’s a terrible idea to crush on a guy like Liam.

  * * *

  At the ripe old age of twenty, Liam wears his cynicism like a second skin. He doesn’t trust anyone, and definitely shouldn’t care about weird little Oliver. But in Liam’s world of bullies, disapproving parents, and lonely Christmases, Oliver is somehow a beacon of light.

  * * *

  When Liam and Oliver are forced to work together on a class project over winter break, they’ll have to find common ground. And with the help of a kind-hearted couple, a down-on-her-luck kitten named Lola, a mysterious Santa Claus figure, and a snowstorm, Oliver and Liam might learn the true meaning of the season, too.

  * * *

  Get yours here.

  Jesus Kid

  Thirty years ago, an asteroid struck the Earth. Now killer plants hunt the last surviving humans.

  * * *

  Ori Scott is a young junkie running from his mother’s prophecy that he’d one day save the world from the killer plants. Her preaching made him a laughingstock and now he hides in his drugs. But he can’t hide the change in his veins. They are turning green, and the prophecy is dragging him into a dark struggle between invisible forces. Set up on bogus drug charges, Ori is taken to a secret facility where he becomes a test subject in experiments to discover an antidote to the alien plant’s sting.

  * * *

  Jack Doll is a cop with a vendetta against the plants that killed his best friend. All he has in the world now is his old friend’s lover, Rive. Together they form an unbreakable bond—or so he thought. Jack has never liked Rive’s friend, Ori, but he believes in Ori’s innocence and doesn’t understand Rive’s strange indifference to Ori’s conviction. Struggling with his suspicions, Jack can’t help digging into a mystery that draws him closer to Ori than ever before—and closer to somebody who has secrets to hide.

  * * *

  Alone and scared, Ori is grateful for Jack Doll’s friendship, and his longtime crush soon blossoms into love. But Ori has no plans to accept his fate. He wants to escape, and he doesn’t care if he takes the cure with him.

  * * *

  Get yours here.

  No Luck

  Careful what you wish for…

  * * *

  Close to landing a role in a sitcom he hopes will show his father he isn’t a failure, Vane Riley loses everything when his boyfriend dumps him and his father dies. With nowhere to turn, he heads home to regroup and help his sister, Rose, keep the family diner afloat. Trying to ease his grief with a guy in a bar seems like a good idea until the guy can’t get rid of him fast enough. The last thing Vane expects is for his one-night stand to appear at his dad’s funeral with a quirky tarot reader on his arm and a romantic history with Rose.

/>   * * *

  Doug Moore is a widower who isn’t ready to move on, but he can’t seem to get the clumsy guy he met the night before out of his thoughts. After helping Vane get back into the car he somehow locked himself out of, Doug figured he’d never see him again and can’t believe his lousy luck when Rose’s loser brother turns out to be the hookup he can’t stop thinking about. Doug is determined to keep his distance, but when Rose hires him to renovate the family home Vane is now living in, there’s not much chance of that happening.

  * * *

  Though Doug wants nothing more than to resist him, Vane ticks all his boxes. Clumsy, needy, sexy and… Oh yeah. Paranoid. Not for a minute does Doug believe somebody is out to hurt Vane despite the strange accidents that have befallen him since returning home, but Vane is sure somebody wants him dead.