Forbidden Soul (Book 2 of the Soul Reader Series)

By Natasha Duncan-Drake

This is the second book in the Soul Reader Series. This series is a selection of free short stories and bargain price novella length books.

John's life used to be on the risky side, but it had been simple. Allowing vampires to suck his blood had never been safe, but now there is Michael and having a vampire who actually cares about him is complicated. It's even more complicated because Michael is urging him to reconnect with the family he hasn't seen in over five years. The fact his recent past also doesn't want to die quietly is making his life less than easy and it's about to become deadly.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wittegen Press
• Release date: Jan 22, 2012
• ISBN: 9781908333261

Natasha Duncan-Drake

Natasha is a British author with Wittegen Press and has been publishing genre fiction since 2011. Her work includes everything from horror to young adult fantasy and she has never met a genre she didn’t like. A prolific producer of short stories and novels alike, Natasha currently has over twenty five titles in her back catalogue with further releases always imminent.Natasha has been writing since she was a young girl ever since she read The Hobbit at Primary School. She is a big fan of science fiction, fantasy and horror in all their forms and is a big advocate of fanfiction as a great tool for writers to polish their skills in a welcoming and supportive community.Before establishing Wittegen Press with her twin sister, Sophie Duncan, Natasha was a database and systems consultant. She combines these skills with her writing to create and manage her career in the bold new eBook market.

Book preview

Forbidden Soul

by

Tasha D-Drake

Smashwords Edition

The Soul Reader Series #2

This publication is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organisations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of either the author or the publisher.

Wittegen Press

http://www.wittegenpress.com/

Copyright © 2011 by Tasha D-Drake

http://www.wittegenpress.com/tashaddrake

Cover art by Natasha Duncan-Drake

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook 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 reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

ISBN 978-1-908333-26-1

Dedication

Thank you to Soph and Rob for all their help and support.

~*~

Contents

Forbidden Soul

Afterword

~*~

Forbidden Soul

The phone was staring at him and laughing, he was sure. It had been since Michael had handed it to him twenty minutes previously and it wasn't stopping. Even the obnoxiously green sofa he was sitting on could not distract him.

He'd been with Michael three weeks, but it felt more like he'd been there three months. He was more comfortable around the vampire than he had been round anyone for a very long time. The power that lived inside of him and with which he had killed more of Michael's kind than he cared to remember, seemed calmer and more under his control since he had judged Michael. In moments where he allowed himself flights of fancy he almost believed he and Michael were somehow destined to be together. Shortly thereafter he tended to laugh at himself for being a sentimental idiot; his previous employers had believed he was a tool of destiny, himself, not so much.

So far, agreeing to stay with Michael had been mostly personal stuff, shopping, trying out Michael's recipes (some were truly hideous) and lots of sex. John was very much in favour of the last part. Michael had also come through on other fronts as well; the fictitious past his lover had promised to arrange to explain his disappearance was sorted and so things were about to become a lot more complicated. There was a very faint trail that people could follow for John Elly, the name Michael's contact had made up for him, which made it time to start coming out of the shadows.

Of course the people he had to start with were his family. He did not intend to lie to those closest to him and he could have rung them as soon as he had agreed to stay, but he had put it off. He had justified it to himself that it was just in case someone took notice who wasn't supposed to before everything was ready, but, if he was honest, it wasn't just that. Now that his false identity was ready there was no reason for him not to call except the real reason: cold, hard fear.

It won't dial itself, Michael's voice pulled him out of the staring match he was having with the phone.

I know, he said, but didn't reach for it.

Michael had left him to it at his request, but now his lover walked over and sat down next to him on the sofa. He found himself pulled against Michael's chest as the vampire leant back against the cushions.

You don't have to do it today, Michael told him, stroking fingers gently through his hair.

It would have been easy just to relax and agree, but John knew himself better than that.

Then I'll just be more afraid tomorrow, he admitted quietly.

Michael kissed the side of his head and held him a little bit tighter.

It was painfully ridiculous, but the idea of contacting his family was infinitely more terrifying than any of the dangerous situations he had been in while killing vampires. Over the past couple of weeks he had been allowing himself to rekindle parts of his personality that had been long buried. These atrophied pieces, along with the fact that the situation was so personal, had him all mixed up.

You have nothing to be afraid of, Michael assured him.

I'm a whore and an addict, he said, trying to pull out of his lover's arms as all his fears welled up at once.

Michael refused to let him go, petting his hair and kissing the top of his head, trying to soothe him.

You're not a whore and your addiction is not your fault, Michael said, tone gentle and understanding. Your family love you, they have never given up hope, not for nearly six years. They want you back.

John laughed then, a derisive, hard sound.

They have no idea what they'll be getting.

All they'll care about is that it's you.

He tried to believe that, he really did, but there were so many doubts in his head. There was a loud voice at the back of his mind telling him that he could stay hidden, stay anonymous and just be Michael's boy toy. It would be so much easier.

It took me precisely ten minutes to fall in love with you, Michael said and brought his world to a grinding halt.

When he tried to sit up this time, Michael let him and he turned to look at his lover. They had been living together for nineteen days and John knew Michael cared about him, he could even admit he cared for Michael, but no one had mentioned the L word. John didn't think he was overly loveable and in his screwed up world love was a very abstract concept.

You ... but ...

Michael placed a hand on each side of John's face and then urged John towards him so they were only millimetres apart.

I am a writer, I'm supposed to be intense and emotional, Michael said, kissing him on the nose, and the only reason I didn't tell you before is I didn't want to frighten you away. The moment I set eyes on you I knew I was in trouble and then in the shower, the way you spoke to me. After that I was already planning on snatching you from the agency or something equally as ridiculous and then you turned out to be even more extraordinary.

I nearly killed you, he pointed out.

But you didn't, Michael told him, smiling at him, and I have never been happier than with you here.

John did not know how to reply. Love was not something that had played a part in