Darkness (The Brookehaven Vampires, Book 2)

By Joann I. Martin Sowles

Darkness: The Brookehaven Vampires, Book 2

Not long ago, Laney Alexander was living a carefree life, until she was thrown into a world full of creatures only the imagination thought possible. Now, after surviving a terrifying night, Laney and Oliver are hiding out at Julz’s place, but Julz is not happy to have visitors in her home, and emotions run high.

Laney is pushed to her limit as she watches Carter fight for his life and her relationship with Oliver becomes strained when she discovers secrets about Julz that could tear them apart.

As Laney reaches her boiling point, disaster strikes again and life as she knows it is shattered. Laney must come to terms with what has unfolded, but will she lose her way and let the darkness consume her, or will she find her light in Oliver?

Secrets will be revealed. Hearts will be broken. Lives will be lost. Darkness will fall.

*Mature Content Warning* 18+
The Brookehaven Vampires series contains mature themes, including sexual content, violence, strong language, and alcohol use. It is intended for a mature audience.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Joann I. Martin Sowles
• Release date: Oct 28, 2011
• ISBN: 9780984486755

Joann I. Martin Sowles

Joann I. Martin Sowles is the self-published author of The Brookehaven Vampires series. She prefers fantasy to reality, loves anything purple, and is a devoted Mickey Mouse fan.She can spend hours talking about her favorite books, music, movies, and TV shows with anyone willing to listen.When she’s not consumed by her writing, Joann is busy spending time with her family or avoiding housework.To find out more about Joann and the Brookehaven Vampires, visit her website at:www.brookehavenvampires.com

Book preview

THE BROOKEHAVEN VAMPIRES SERIES

Laney

Darkness

Tainted Blood

Zane, The Guardian Angel – book 3.5

Cursed

Betrayed

The Brookehaven Vampires

Book Two

Brookehaven Publishing

Rocklin, California

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

Copyright © 2011 by Joann Sowles All rights reserved.

Brookehaven Publishing

P.O. Box 352

Rocklin, CA 95677

[e-mail]

Moon image © Bigstock/David Woods

Smashwords Version

LCCN 2011909084

ISBN 978-0-9844867-5-5

No part of this book may be used or reproduced, distributed, stored in a database or retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the author and publisher.

The scanning, uploading, and distributing of this book via internet or any other means without permission from the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

For my parents, Jeffrey & Georgette Martin.

I love you both so much!

1. Vampire Wars

2. Dragon Mark

3. Wolf Bite

4. Cheesy Treasures

5. Grocery Shopping with a Vampire

6. Return of the Gothic Princess

7. Fists Full of Amethyst

8. The Death of Us

9. Memories

10. The Great and Almost Disastrous Hallway Incident

11. Purple-Haired Demon on the Loose

12. Bubblegum Ice Cream

13. Improvements

14. Lockdown

15. Isaac

16. The Past

17. Blood Pops

18. Starry Night

19. Awkwardness

20. Dinner with Lilly

21. Requesting Forgiveness

22. Strawberries

23. Gone

24. A Surreal Nightmare

25. Stages of Grief

26. Uncomfortable Details

27. The Funeral

28. Fairies

29. Lilly’s

30. A Gift

31. Comfort in the Arms of a Friend

32. Kisses in the Sunshine

33. Going Home

34. Kiera’s Return

35. Life As We Knew It

36. Alone at Last

37. Chicken Suit

38. Chicken Wings

39. Holy Man Candy!

40. Moving On

41. Baseball

42. Peppermint Goodness

43. Pink Flamingos and Weenie Dogs

44. She’s All Yours

45. Smells Like Crazy

46. The Morning After

47. The Porcelain God

48. An Irritable Vampire

49. Full Moon

50. Making Amends

51. Holy Crap!

52. The Biggest Surprise of All

As I said in my previous message, keep what you learn to yourself. Several did not take my warning seriously the last time it was issued . . . They have been silenced.

Remember your place and do not waste my time. It is irritating and tedious to track down offenders. I will not be so pleasant in the future.

Oh, and for those of you who’ve been wondering, I’ve gotten what I came for. Now it’s just a matter of holding onto what is mine . . .

Chapter 1

When we arrived at Julz’s place, there was no one home, not even the dog.

Something was mentioned about them going to a nearby town called Paradise, and from what I gathered, it was anything but. I also gathered they were visiting the grave of a family member. However, I only caught bits and pieces of the conversation between Oliver and Felix on the ride to the gothic princess’s house. I was so exhausted, I faded in and out the entire drive. One minute we were speeding onto the highway and the next minute we were pulling into Julz’s driveway next to that well-loved Toyota truck.

Inside, I sat quietly at the dark wood dining table and my body ached. I felt filthy, with more than just dirt covering my clothes.

While I sat there, Felix scramble some eggs and Oliver made two trips to the SUV to bring in the bags that had been packed for us. I was happy and relieved when Oliver headed down the hall with my backpack, which contained my purse and my laptop. He also had my pillow and my favorite fleece blanket.

When he was finished dropping off our things in one of the bedrooms, Oliver joined me at the table. He set a stainless steel water bottle on the table and smiled wearily. I forced myself to smile back.

A moment later, Felix placed two plates on the table, both containing scrambled eggs, toast, and a side of diced cantaloupe. He placed one in front of me and the other was for himself.

Felix, in all his massive glory, was seated opposite me on the long side of the table, and Oliver was seated at the end, sipping blood from a stainless steel water bottle and eyeing both of us while we quietly ate.

Oliver had once told me eggs were on the list of foods he couldn’t have and that he couldn’t eat or tolerate anything that came from an animal, so I found it interesting Felix was able to stomach them. I worked up the nerve to ask Felix about it, and not without a bit of apprehension, of course. The man was huge, powerful, intimidating, and if that wasn’t enough, a vampire too. But it was just a question about eggs, so I told myself I was being silly for being nervous.

I steadied myself with a deep breath. How is it you’re able to eat foods other than fruits and vegetables if you’re a vampire? I questioned, my voice quavering.

His beautiful sky blue eyes lifted from his plate to meet mine. He straightened in his chair, which creaked under his weight, placed his fork on the edge of his plate, lifted his napkin from his lap, and neatly dabbed the corners of his mouth. He swallowed the last bite and grinned with his lips together, causing his eyes to sparkle and that sweet dimple of his to form. He placed the napkin back in his lap and kept his eyes on mine.

I had stopped eating while I waited for his response. I’d also, uncontrollably and unconsciously, raised both eyebrows in response to his table manners.

Because, my dear Delaney, I am a pureblood vampire. We are the original humans of this world, he boomed, his voice reverberating off the kitchen walls.

My eyes felt like they were going to bulge out of my head. Did I just hear him correctly?

He appeared amused by my reaction and continued, Originally, there were only vampires in this world. We lived peacefully and respectfully among one another for many years. That is until a subspecies of vampire was born to one of the royal families. This child did not possess any vampire traits: no fangs, no blood desire, no longevity, or any of the other traits vampires naturally possess. This child was the first of many. As the children came of age, they were sent to a village to live together peacefully within a walled community that was created especially for them. For many years it was successful, but their numbers grew and their village became crowded. Eventually, they turned on us and that was the beginning of the original Vampire Wars.

What the hell?

Oliver snickered, bringing me back from my shock. My mouth was hanging open and my eyes were fixed on Felix. I quickly closed my mouth and focused my attention on Oliver. Even filthy, covered in dried blood, and his hair all out of sorts, he was still gorgeous.

Oliver’s emerald eyes held mine for a moment, and that hint of a half-smile that made my knees go weak appeared, causing my heart rate to quicken. Leaning casually back in his chair, he tipped his head back and finished the contents of the water bottle. He placed the empty bottle on the table with a metal on wood clunk. Then his eyes met mine again.

You ready for a shower? he asked and I had a moment of panic because I thought he meant the two of us together, but it faded quickly when he added, Felix and I will be right out back if you need me. He nodded toward the back door. Your bags are in my bedroom, the one down the hall, on the right. There are towels in the bathroom cabinet.

They both rose from their seats almost simultaneously. Felix headed to the sink with his empty plate and Oliver came over to me. He brushed my hair behind my ear. His cool fingers gently tipped my chin and he came closer, pressing his lips to my forehead. I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensations his touch caused. We had survived the night, and the comfort of being near him made every ounce of me relax.

He was at the back door when I opened my eyes. Felix was holding it open, waiting for him. Oliver flashed me a quick smile before disappearing into the backyard and then Felix closed the door behind them.

I sat there for a moment in the silence of Julz’s house, pondering the new information Felix had given me. I was too exhausted to fully comprehend what I’d just learned, so I pushed it aside to deal with later. I took a deep breath, let it out in a rather loud exhale, and then finished what was left on my plate.

I rinsed my plate in the sink, and not being sure if I should put it in the dishwasher, I followed Felix’s lead and placed it on the same side of the sink where his plate rested. I peeked out the kitchen window before heading off for my much-needed shower.

There was a patio table just outside the back door. It was a round and wrought iron with four matching chairs. Felix and Oliver appeared to be having an intense conversation. Their arms crossed on the table, both leaning toward the other. A sharp laugh escaped me when I noticed that Felix was perched awkwardly in one of the seats. He was so big that he didn’t fit between the arms of the chair.

I headed down the hall, still chuckling to myself. I took a right at the end of the hallway and found an open door directly in front of me that was obviously the laundry room. It looked like it led into the garage. There was a closed door on my left and straight across from that door was Oliver’s room.

I pushed open the door to his room and retrieved my bags. There were two of them: the one I’d originally packed to stay at Oliver’s, and a second one that had been packed for me. I was curious to know what that one held.

Leaving my shoes in Oliver’s room, I padded back down the hall to the bathroom near the opening of the hallway. I dropped my bags and closed the door.

It was interesting, what that extra bag contained. It was mostly winter clothes: long-sleeved shirts, a hooded sweatshirt, tank tops, jeans, jammies, one dressy outfit, and some socks. I found it odd that there weren’t any extra underwear or bras. Did those items make Felix feel like he was crossing a line?

What I found super odd was that the bag contained a box of tampons. Tampons weren’t a line-crosser but undergarments were? Could he tell I was due to start soon? Eww! I didn’t want to know!

I dug through the bag I’d packed and pulled out the bathroom items I needed and my black velour pants and jacket, a dark red tank top, a fresh pair of socks, panties, and a clean bra.

I started the shower and tested the water temperature. It wasn’t ready yet. While waiting for the water to warm, I found a fluffy towel neatly folded in the white bathroom cabinet that went all the way up the wall beside the sink. I hung it over the curtain rod and tested the water again. Still too chilly.

As I waited a bit longer for the water to warm, I took in the bathroom that I’d only been in once before. The walls were pale blue. There were two lime-green shag rugs on the slate floor. One was in front of the shower, and the other was in front of the sink. The shower curtain was fabric, not the stinky plastic kind, and it was covered in frogs, lily pads, turtles, and dragonflies in a rainbow of colors over a light blue background. The curtain hooks were silver, just like the fixtures.

I checked the water again and it was perfect. I shrugged out of Oliver’s filthy black hoodie and laid it across my bags. Then I stripped naked and stepped into the shower.

The tub was covered in non-skid stickers, a mixture of yellow ducks and green frogs. I pictured Oliver peeling and sticking them to the tub while a happy Hayden excitedly awaited her new tub-mates to be applied. But, for all I knew, they came with the house.

While I showered, I replayed the past several days in my mind. It had been a rollercoaster of events and emotions. I was sure I was exhausted because no way would a well-rested, sane person be calm and okay with all I’d just been through.

Perhaps I am crazy . . . Maybe being low on blood and sleep will do that to you?

Or, maybe, just maybe, the loony bins of the world are full of vampire-lovin’ people, and all they really need is a good night’s sleep and a blood transfusion.

Suddenly, a panicked thought struck me. Did I lock the bathroom door?

I hurried to finish my shower, scrubbing my hair for a second time because I wanted no residue of the previous night left on me. I rinsed and then let the conditioner sit in my hair while I quickly shaved my legs and armpits. And a little too quickly, I should add, because I ended up nicking the outside of my right knee. It wasn’t bad, but I had a small fear nearby vampires would smell it and come rushing in for a snack. No thanks!

I moved on, rinsed my hair and the rest of me, turned off the water, threw the towel around me, and bounded out of the shower to the bathroom door, which, sure enough, I had not locked. I clicked the lock into place and sighed a breath of relief. I really didn’t want to have a naked encounter with anyone. Not right then anyway.

After drying off and wrapping the towel on my head, I discovered a full-length mirror on the back of the door beneath someone’s pink robe. It was safe to say it was Hayden’s. Julz didn’t seem like much of a pink person.

I examined my battered, naked body. The lights were bright in the bathroom, a little too bright, making it easy to see all imperfections. The bruise across my back from our car accident was yellowing already, which was good, but I had new ones that were a deep purple. They were scattered over my body, mostly small, and thankfully not too many.

But there was one that really stood out. It was on my forearm where Oliver had grabbed me. I knew he was going to feel terrible and I decided I wouldn’t point it out. I’d hide it under long sleeves until it was gone.

I drew closer to the mirror, searching for a mark on my neck. Nothing. I couldn’t find a thing and I found that unbelievable. I turned every which way, trying to discover even a hint of something from the vampire bite, but still nothing. Vampire spit really was magical!

Just for the hell of it, I tried to find my pupils. The light was so bright; I could actually see the tiny black dots centered in the deep, dark solid brown. Hmm, maybe there’s some vamp line in me, somewhere. I blink at my reflection and then finished getting ready.

While getting dressed, I decided I needed a different tank top. I’d recently seen enough red to last me a lifetime. I dug through the bag Felix had packed and retrieved a black tank that was covered in multicolored stars. It would do.

I found a blow dryer under the sink, and after brushing out my long, thick hair, I took some extra time to dry it. My hair, which naturally curled into large ringlets at the bottom, was hard to dry completely, so I left it a little damp, hoping it would dry quickly on its own.

Once I was finished getting ready for the day, I gathered my stuff and headed back down the hall.

Chapter 2

With my arms loaded with dirty clothes, a wet towel, my bags, and my jacket, I stood in front of Oliver’s bedroom door. It suddenly hit me that it was the same room where I’d seen the encounter between Julz and him.

The door was open only a crack, just as it had been that day. I had a moment of anxiety as I slowly nudged it open with my foot. I was afraid I’d see what I’d seen before, and I was pretty sure that would be the last straw for me. Thankfully, that’s not what the open door revealed.

Shirtless, and facing the window with his back to me, was my beautiful vampire. He was fastening the button on his jeans, and the band of his underpants, which I’d missed seeing by just a fraction of a second, stuck out a tiny bit from the pants.

I quietly set my stuff on the floor in front of the closet and crossed the room to him. He had yet to acknowledge I was there.

He had a dark T-shirt in his hands, and when he lifted his arms to pull it over his head, I noticed something on his left side. I was right behind him, and his body tensed as I lightly traced the large tattoo of a dragon in the infinity shape. It was sideways, resembling the number eight, and it was rather large, running from the middle of his rib cage to just above his sexy, protruding hipbone.

The tattoo was nearly solid black with the dragon’s head facing up and the tail coming close to the dragon’s face. I noticed a set of numbers and letters curving around the outside of the tattoo and something flashed in my mind. I’d seen this tattoo before, but not on him.

I took a step back and he spun around. His eyes held mine for a quick moment before he dropped his shirt and had me in his arms, kissing me.

My body melted against his as I kissed him back. I ran my fingers into the back of his damp hair. He’d obviously taken a shower in a second bathroom, which I assumed was behind one of the other closed doors.

A moment later, I placed my hands on his firm, naked chest and pushed away from him, catching an eyeful of my vampire boyfriend’s incredible body. He released his grip and eyed me curiously.

I had been wrong before about his body not being so chiseled it would make you self-conscious. He was fit, toned, and seriously chiseled. I felt insecurities surfacing I didn’t even know I had.

I swallowed hard and tried to focus, but every bare inch of his skin called to me, begging me to touch it, to kiss it, and possibly even bite it.

I took another step back, closed my eyes tight, and shook my head. It didn’t help. I took a deep breath, but that didn’t help either because his bonding scent was strong. Frustrated, I exhaled and opened my eyes.

What’s that from? I questioned, pointing to his side.

He gave his side a quick glance and then said, It’s my identifying mark from the coven. We each have one. He took a step closer and reached for my hand. Are you okay? He dipped his head so his amazing green eyes were level with mine.

I-I’m fine, I said, trying to keep my voice normal. I wanted to ask more about the tattoo, but everything about him was making my head cloudy. The only thought that was clear was that I wanted the rest of his clothes gone, and mine. I, uh, I . . . think I’m just really tired. I feel like I could sleep for a week. An awkward laugh escaped me while I desperately tried keeping my eyes on his, avoiding making any eye contact with his chest, afraid it would call to me again.

Only if I can hold you while you do, he said with a sensual tone, which did not help my fight at all. He moved closer.

Only if you keep your shirt off. I shook my head again, desperate to keep my senses. My eyes met his and he was moving closer. I was frozen, unable to move or think, as if he suddenly had some sort of weird spell on me. His gaze feel on my lips, and every part of me wanted every part of him in that moment. But his kiss didn’t make contact. Instead, is eyes shifted and he gently grasped my arm. He lifted my bruised forearm and frowned at it. Then a look of concern took over his expression.

How did this happen? he asked, his eyes moving from my arm to my face. A sudden and very strong burst of his scent hit me.

I made an apologetic face. I hadn’t wanted him to see my the bruise.

I did that, didn’t I? he questioned, his eyes narrowing on mine.

I nodded slightly.

Oh, Laney. I am so sorry! He pulled me to the bed and sat us on the edge. He held my bruised arm in his hands and kissed it lightly, repeatedly telling me he was sorry.

I’m fine, Oliver. You’re making too big a deal of this. I tried freeing myself from his grasp but he wasn’t having it.

Anything else? Any other marks on you? he asked as he examined what little bare skin I had showing.

I’m fine, really. I smiled, still doing my best to avoid his gorgeous, naked upper half.

He stared at me for a long moment and then gave me a crooked grin and released my arm. I’m not sure I believe you, he said, still grinning crookedly. He kissed my forehead, rose from the bed, and retrieved his T-shirt from the floor. He slipped it over his head and returned to my side on the edge of the full-size bed.

I thought there was something I wanted to ask him, but all I could think about was what the rest of him might look like naked, and how badly I wanted to see that.

Oliver took my hand in his and held it gently, absently stroking the back of it with his thumb while he seemed to space off.

We need to figure out a few things, he said.

Yeah, like how fast can I get that shirt off you again . . . ? I smiled, mostly in response to my thought, and I said, Like what? I forced myself to push the naked thoughts of him aside.

His eyes focused on mine and I felt myself falling deep into those pools of green. Well, he began, are you okay staying here with me for a few days? I’m not sure how we’re going to deal with what happened back in town yet, but I know the campus will be closed for at least a week.

Of course. I held my smile, but at least a week was kind of a long time to be stuck in a room with him. I knew there was no way I was going to be able to keep my hands to myself. Maybe after a good night’s sleep I’ll be able to control my impulses. I was impressed with myself so far. You know, these last five minutes. . . .

I’ll do what I can to keep Julz on her best behavior. He smiled slightly, but my mood plummeted at the mention of her name.

Well, at least I know what gets my hormones in check.

What are we going to do about my car? I asked.

I’ll get to it. We’ve got to get the town secure before I can worry about that. He looked past me and began spacing off again while absently rubbing the back of my hand once more.

Out of nervousness, I began randomly talking to fill the silence. So, I was checking myself over in the mirror and couldn’t find even a hint of a mark from that nasty bite from last night. It seemed like so much longer ago. You do have magical spit, I joked.

He chuckled lightly and kept rubbing my hand with his thumb. Yeah, it’s my super power, he joked back, his eyes meeting mine for a quick second. Then, in all seriousness, he said, And let’s not share that incident with anyone, okay? His eyes met mine again but with complete seriousness this time.

Not quite understanding, I nodded agreement and his smile returned.

Quietly, I asked, Why were you able to feed from me last night? The first time I was bleeding near you, you about jumped through a wall.

He chuckled again. I’m not sure. I had just fed and it was pure vampire blood. Maybe that had something to do with it. His sparkling emerald eyes lifted to meet mine again. It just seemed right, he added, his voice suddenly sensual.

It wasn’t just his voice or the look in his eyes that made certain areas of my body tingle, it was the way he said it.

I needed to distract myself and regain control, but before I could say anything else, he spoke again. There was no venom in your system. He stared off again and I wasn’t even sure he was speaking to me.

What? I questioned quietly.

He blinked a couple of times and focused on me. When he bit you last night, he didn’t release any venom into your system. There wasn’t a trace of it in your blood. I’ve heard of it before, that there’s a way to bite without releasing venom, but I heard it was really hard to do. That guy didn’t seem like the type to have that kind of control . . .  he trailed off and his eyes were suddenly vacant, like he’d spaced off, again.

I waited for a few minutes to see if he’d continue. He didn’t. So, I began very gently, was that the first time you’ve killed someone?

He focused on me, slowly processing what I’d said, and then he stared down at our hands. He shook his head slightly. Sadly, no. It was not, he answered quietly.

Oh, was all I had for a response. I didn’t think I wanted to know any of those details from his past. What about Kiera and the others? Wasn’t Felix supposed to go get them? I asked, changing the subject. I hadn’t put much thought into my friends since we’d left them at the Pancake House the previous night. I felt more at ease about their safety in the daylight. However, I did wonder about werewolves for a brief moment. I was curious if they came out only at night and if the moon needed to be full for them to change. But those questions weren’t going to get answered, not then, anyway.

He’s on his way to get them now.

Ahh, so we’re alone . . .

He shot me a quick smirk and my cheeks warmed. He knew where my thoughts were going and he wasted no time. Lifting my hand to his lips, he gently kissed the back of it. I smiled slightly as my body started to hum with anticipation.

He released my hand and brushed my hair out of his way so he could lightly kiss my bare shoulder. His cool lips worked their way up my neck and to my ear, where he softly whispered he loved me. I didn’t get a chance to respond, because in a split second, his lips found mine. His arm slipped around me and

Reviews for Darkness (The Brookehaven Vampires, Book 2)

[larissabookgirl_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

After surviving the most frighting and dangerous night of her life she now finds herself housebound in a home that is not her own with vampires and not all of them are friendly. If she thought his family were a problem before she had never tried to live them. But hers is not the only life in danger.As death and destruction rain down around her she is realizing more and more just how little she knows about the boy she has fallen for and his deadly world she is now a part of. But more and more she is realizing she doesn't care, she loves him and is ready to be with him. Forever.Darkness overshadows her world as the deeper she falls for her vampire the more she wants him. Although there is grief, betrayal and a drunken night of stupidity there is also lust and desire as this star crossed couple can't seem to keep their hands of each other. If you are a fan of Laney, then Darkness is for you.

[bookswithbite · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Since reading the first book, I knew I wanted to read the second. It was good, but some of the plot twist failed to grab me.Plot: This plot pretty much follows the same formula as the first with some slight differences. It’s enjoyable with lots of drama and secrets. It definitely has appeal but some areas lack for me…like the love.Love: UGH! What can I say other than it read like an very dramatic novella. The main character Laney is super whiny and always complaining about something. And Oliver, don’t get me started on him. He lied over and over and Laney just kept on acting surprised. Like, really chick?! I can read him like the back of my hand. He is no good. There are just several things that upsetted me.Ending: The ending ends well with of course lots to go on for the next book. I might pick up the next in hopes that things will change with Laney and Oliver.Overall, this is good. It totally didn’t capture me the way the first book did, but its okay. Darkness is good.