by Rachel Jonas
The Vampire’s Mark
Book Four: Crimson Mist
a series written by
Rachel Jonas
The Vampire’s Mark 4: Crimson Mist
Copyright © 2020, Rachel Jonas
Cover art by Spellbinding Designs
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including, but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior written permission from Rachel Jonas (R.C. Jonas).
This e-book is licensed for personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Table of Contents
THE VAMPIRE’S MARK 4: CRIMSON MIST
DEDICATION
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
Epilogue
MORE FROM RACHEL
SOUNDTRACK
THE VAMPIRE’S MARK 4: CRIMSON MIST
SYNOPSIS
A dangerous outsider with his own agenda. An impossible mission to save humanity from their vampiric rulers. One girl who won’t give up until it’s done.
This is on me. All of it. I let my guard down after falling for the princes and, ultimately, lost sight of what this world truly is.
Cold. Cruel. Perilous.
For humans, anyway.
Being taken in the middle of the night was just the rude awakening I needed to bring reality crashing back down. Although, the old me would’ve seen the ambush coming from a mile away.
Would’ve seen him coming from a mile away.
Trapped and unable to reach the princes or my team, hopelessness hunts me down like a pack of hellhounds. Making matters worse, I’m at the mercy of the one who’s appeared in my nightmares since first laying eyes on him.
Face-to-face for the second time, I’m reminded of our mutual hatred. Only, now that the blood bond has taken effect, is it still mutual? I get the sense that something’s changed. Something that has me questioning why the rage and fury I remember him wielding so powerfully are almost nonexistent now.
What am I missing? Who is Aaric really? And why have I been brought here?
I want answers he’s unwilling to give, but according to him, some things are better witnessed than explained.
Well, looks like I’ll be following the devil down the rabbit hole. This can only end well, right?
P.S. That was definitely sarcasm.
***
THE VAMPIRE’S MARK is an action-packed, paranormal romance involving vampire royalty and the humans who fear them. This series is an upper YA/NA crossover perfect for fans of Bella Forrest’s “A Shade of Vampire”, E.M. Knight’s “The Vampire’s Gift”, and Sarah J. Maas’s “A Court of Thorns and Roses”.
DEDICATION
This series is lovingly dedicated to the memory of the late John Gallegos, and his soulmate, my friend, Ashley Gallegos. Thank you for inspiring the world with your real-life love story, unrivaled even by fiction. Rest in paradise, John.
Love hotheaded dragons and ferocious wolf shifters?
Check out these two completed series, set in the same supernatural world. Both sets FREE with Kindle Unlimited.
THE LOST ROYALS SAGA
DRAGON FIRE ACADEMY
Come hang out in “The Shifter Lounge” on Facebook! We chat, recommend YA Paranormal Romances, and engage in other random acts of nerdiness. Once we’re fully up and running, there will be tons of giveaways, exclusive ARC offers from me, and guest appearances by some of your favorite YA authors!
For all feedback or inquiries:
[email protected]
Chapter One
Oblivion
“Death awaits, all things shall end,
The sands of time prove no man’s friend.
Fret, resist with all thine might,
Still the Reaper gleans at night.
Soulless rulers place their bid,
Tears and weakness soothe their Id.
When the bell doth toll for thee,
God rest your soul, sleep in peace.”
A passage from ‘Red Prose: A Collection of Cautionary Children’s Folksongs’
Origin: Postbellum North America
Year of publication: Unknown
Author: Unknown
Status: Banned from publication and distribution
***
Julian
“You took her where?”
I felt my temperature soar with every second that passed, having just heard the most ridiculous words leave Silas’ mouth.
“She knows the layout of the Tine Facility,” he explained, as if that were a valid excuse for endangering her life. “She’s breached their security several times before tonight.”
Fury seeped into my gaze when I finally glanced up toward Silas.
The idea that he’d take Corina on this … mission without so much as a word of warning to Levi and I, so we would have at least had some sort of idea of their whereabouts, was incomprehensible.
“Not only did you put her wellbeing in jeopardy, but mine and Levi’s as well. Have you forgotten that our lives are linked?” I pointed out. “What were you thinking? Or is that it? You weren’t thinking?”
Silas lowered his gaze then, seeming to only now consider the full scale of how royally he screwed up tonight.
“I just … we needed the blood sample,” he stated boldly. “If I couldn’t get my hands on that, this would have all been a lost cause anyway. Perhaps I was so hyper-focused on that aspect, I took risks I shouldn’t have.”
There was a sense of humility in his tone that I didn’t miss. However, having him see the error of his ways after the fact wouldn’t do any of us much good.
“She’s uninjured?” I asked harshly, casting a cold glare Silas’ way.
“She’s fine. There weren’t any close calls. No chance we were seen,” he answered.
He’d gotten lucky. I couldn’t guarantee I wouldn’t have forgotten he was my brother if his response had been different.
Frustrated, I unbuttoned the jacket to my tux and began to pace. There hadn’t even been time to change out of it after escorting Mother to the cocktail party in my father’s absence, before being met in the foyer by Si with this insane confession.
How could he have been so reckless, knowing how vulnerable Corina still was for now? If anyone should have made her safety a priority, it was the three of us.
Levi sat in the armchair, staring at the fire that blazed. Seeing him deep in thought, I could only imagine he was equally as angered by what we’d just been told.
Three hard knocks at the front door echoed throughout the house, disrupting the silence. At the sound of it, my heart leapt once inside my chest. Levi and I shared a gaze. Perhaps thinking the same thought. No one dared to step foot on palace grounds uninvited at this time of night. Unless there was some sort of emergency.
Without a word, I moved toward the sound of a second urgent knock, preparing myself for whatever bad news I feared awaited me. Levi and Silas followed closely behind.
The front door swung open quietly as we reached the foyer. Elle had beaten us there by mere seconds. Peering out beyond the threshold, my security detail stood stoically, having just escorted a handful of sentinels onto the property. Rain pelted their jackets as the storm behind them seemed to intensify.
Right away, I had a sense of this visit being nothing like I expected.
“Evening, gentlemen,” I forced out, clearing my throat right after. It felt like a stone rested in the pit of my stomach.
The one who led the pack nodded once as rainwater dripped from the brim of his cap. “Good evening, Your Highness. We’d like to speak with you regarding an urgent matter.”
My eyes darted from one’s suspicious gaze to another, and that strange feeling within me grew stronger. It would have been polite to invite them to come in out of the rain, but I couldn’t speak the words.
“We’re aware of the late hour. Which is why we don’t intend to keep you long,” the man reiterated.
There was a particular tone in which I was accustomed to being addressed by the public, and that tone was absent now. It was as though these men believed their authority in whatever this matter was outranked my own.
In fact, the impromptu visit had quickly taken on an air of hostility. Perhaps sensing the same, my guards each placed one hand on their holsters as they eyed the sentinels with suspicion.
“Your Highness, should we escort them back to their vehicles?” Collin asked boldly.
Being the most trusted among my detail, it didn’t surprise me that he read my rigid posture. However, the question earned him a scornful glare from the only officer who’d spoken thus far.
“That won’t be necessary,” I replied, hoping to diffuse the tension. “I’m certain these men can state their business peaceably.”
The five who didn’t belong stared with mistrust deepening the lines in their foreheads.
“Very well. Let’s get right down to it, then,” the officer declared. “We’ve come to seize and deliver one by the name of Mistress Corina.”
“Deliver her?” Levi piped. “Into whose custody?”
“We are neither obligated nor permitted to disclose such information,” the man answered. “However, what I can state is that the one who has issued the charge prefers that this matter be handled as amicably as possible.”
Meaning, the choice was ours. Either we could do this the easy way, or the hard way. I glanced toward my brothers, feeling my chest restricting with rage.
“Like hell!” Levi scoffed. “I can assure you, if Corina is ripped from this house it will be anything but amicable.”
“Pardon me,” Silas cut in after stepping forward, “but might I ask your names, gentlemen?” His gaze settled on each of the officers.
“Certainly,” the one who seemed to be in charge offered. “This is Major General Hughes, Colonels Blanchette and Finnigan, First Lieutenant Burns, Lieutenant Colonel Garvey, and myself—General Woodson.”
There was silence among my brothers, Elle, and I. Possibly because it dawned on us at once that the men who stood before us weren’t mere errand boys. These were high-ranking officers someone had called upon to seize our mate. Yet, we still had no insight into who that someone was, nor the motive that fueled this mandate.
On palace grounds, my guards outranked sentinels. However, besides Percival himself, only my father outranked the five at my doorstep.
Needless to say, our beloved presiding emperor wouldn’t lift a finger to act on Corina’s behalf. Not even if my life depended on it, I feared.
The rims of my nostrils flared when a thought occurred to me. Silas insisted he and Corina had been careful on their ‘mission’, but who’s to say they hadn’t been spotted? For all we knew, word had spread quickly, as high up in the ranks as Dr. Percival, and he spearheaded this ambush himself.
The haze of frustration quickly cleared, allowing room for rational thought to return. If this were about the Tine Facility break-in, Silas would have been apprehended as well.
This had nothing to do with the heist, and I hadn’t decided whether that brought me relief, or if it terrified me more.
“Would you mind repeating your orders?” Silas continued. “I’m afraid there’s been some sort of mistake.”
“Our instructions are to retrieve Mistress Corina from this residence,” General Woodson repeated. “She’s to be delivered into custody immediately.”
“On what grounds?” Levi pressed, unable to hide the emotion that bled through his tone. Mostly anger.
“That information has not been disclosed,” General Woodson informed us. “We simply have our orders, so if you’ll please excuse us—”
Without warning, he stepped forward brazenly, forcing his way inside. After ordering four of his comrades to detain us at the door, he stormed up the steps toward the second floor. One by one, the bedroom doors were pushed open.
Elle’s gaze flitted toward me as she struggled against the officer’s tight grasp, and I practically read her thoughts. She was depending on me to do something to stop this, depending on me to save her friend, my mate.
“Get Percival on the phone,” I called out. “He’s agreed to personally oversee the blood bond and he’ll, no doubt, object to having Mistress Corina seized before that bond has been completed.”
Ignoring my words, General Woodson continued his search, finally approaching the right door.
Or should I say the wrong door?
I breathed wildly as he burst into the Blue Suite. My brothers’ and Elle’s gazes were all locked there as well, staring in disbelief as he stormed into Corina’s space and, from the sound of it, turned the room upside down as he searched.
“I can smell her,” he seethed, still out of sight as he moved about overturning furniture, her personal belongings, and whatever else happened to be in his way.
After a few more heart-wrenching minutes, General Woodson stepped out again, and judging by the look on his face, he wasn’t happy.
“Her scent is confined to that room,” he grumbled to his constituents. “There’s no trail leading out of that space, so she must’ve fled through the open window,” he reasoned. “Search the grounds. Question every guard on the property. Starting with the two posted beneath her bedroom.”
When the others didn’t move swiftly enough, a stern look prompted our quick release as the other officers retreated to follow orders.
There was no missing the fury in General Woodson’s stare. He came here with a goal in mind and didn’t look like the type who knew how to take a loss gracefully.
Especially now, when the one who outsmarted him was not only a woman, but a human woman.
“We aren’t leaving here until we have answers,” he seethed, stepping forward to address me. “However, if she isn’t found, and I discover that you had anything to do with her escaping tonight, I’ll personally see to it that you’re burned at the stake in the middle of this kingdom’s square.” He passed a look toward Levi and Silas as well, adding, “All of you.”
With that, he retreated outdoors with the other officers and Elle made quick work of closing and locking the door behind him. Panic filled us all as we shared a look, and then sprinted up the stairs, all headed toward the same destination.
The Blue Suite.
Brightly lit, the space felt ominous after having been ransacked by General
Woodson during his search. The mattress had been lifted and propped against a wall, while the bedding had been carelessly strewn across the floor. An array of hairbrushes, perfume bottles, and colorful envelopes addressed by hand to Corina littered the rug where they’d been tossed, and warm wax from a tipping candle dripped onto the vanity.
Elle gazed around as she took slow steps inside, peering around the space as if Corina would suddenly manifest out of thin air. Only, we all knew she was gone. According to General Woodson, she’d likely fled through the open window, but … how could she have done that without my guards noticing?
They’d been placed there as a means of protection. Not like before, where their charge had been to ensure she didn’t attempt to run away. I rushed toward the window to listen as they were questioned by two of the officers.
“We’ve been on duty all night,” one guard said nervously, clearly intimidated by the officers’ rank.
“And you saw nothing?” Lieutenant Colonel Garvey questioned.
My guard was eager to shake his head to confirm. “No, sir.”
Garvey stared him down a moment before backing off.
Leaning my head further out the window, I surveyed the side of the house. With only smooth brick lining the entire exterior wall outside Corina’s room, there was no chance that she, as a human, could have scaled it. Things weren’t quite adding up.
“What are you thinking?” Elle asked, concern heavy in her tone. She knew me well enough to read my expression.
A heavy sigh left my mouth before speaking. Mostly I was just trying to make sense of it all.
“Something isn’t right,” I shared. “She’s clearly not here, but there’s no way she escaped.”
Levi leveled a look on me. “What are you saying?”
I had an answer, but it didn’t even make sense to me. “I think … maybe she was already gone,” I shared. “Before the officers showed up.”