Sinfully Departed

By Isabelle Arocho

IN CELESTIN CITY...

Zoe’s a tough as nails cop by day and vampire hunter by night. Lucas is the master vampire who always gets what he wants. It goes against everything she believes in but with no other choice she’s forced to work with this sinister member of the undead to protect her loved ones.

Vampires are being targeted by a fanatic wanting to expose the undead race to the public and this crazed person might just get what they want. Lucas returns home to Celestin to help and enlists Detective Zoe Langston to aid him, whether she likes it or not.

Take a trip with Zoe as she's forced to figure out what exactly is happening in her city and what's going on in her heart when her childhood nemesis returns as a sexy werewolf. There’s nonstop danger and drama happening in town and as luck would have it, this heroine is caught right in the middle.

Revised on (8-16-12)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Isabelle Arocho
• Release date: Aug 7, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476491202

Isabelle Arocho

Hello everyone, as a self-published author I like to talk to you in my own words so here we go, here's my story:I used to avoid everything pertaining to reading and writing in school because it was never my strong suit. But then something happened when I was fourteen years old, and I found I had a deep passion for telling stories. As far back as I can remember, I would always create stories in my head and call them my made up movies. These are the movies I make into books today.I shied away from telling anyone about my passion for telling stories and kept it to myself for a long time. I learned from reading book after book how to write a proper novel and found the confidence to share my work, first on online communities and now with the world.In 2012 I have decided to take the leap into self-publishing. I write and edit all my work myself, no excuses, but if you see any mistakes I apologize.A little bit more about me...My name is Isabelle Arocho, I’m of Hispanic descent. I grew up in Perth Amboy NJ and now live somewhere in the sticks of FL. I am a woman, sister, daughter. I have a passion for rock music, tons of TV shows, and of course reading when I’m not trying to create my own masterpiece.I write all types of genres including mystery, fantasy, suspense, romance, paranormal, and cop procedurals. I'm always striving to get better and I hope you enjoy my work enough to stick with me on this journey. I have hundreds of characters in my head always in a scene crawling to get free onto paper. I'm grateful for writing because without it I'd just be a crazy nut who talks to herself.I have a few books out now in both Ebook and paperback format. I’m working on several different of ideas to be released soon in all those genres I mentioned above. Visit my personal website, isabellearocho.com, for more information.PS: Don't forget to review and let me know what you thought about the book you read. I love hearing from you and it helps to know what you think.

Book preview

SINFULLY DEPARTED

By

Isabelle Arocho

Copyright © 2012 ISABELLE AROCHO

All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s mind and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organization, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

License Notes, Smashwords Edition

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or edited in anyway. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Novels by Isabelle Arocho

DECEPTIONS

BLOOD SINS

SINFULLY DEPARTED

Visit isabellearocho.com for purchase information

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I took this major step into publishing after my brother nagged me for months. I dedicate this to my brother Adam for that push. I also dedicate this to my mother and father, Ruth and Roberto, and lastly my older brother, Aaron. Everyone should have a guy like him in their life. Also, this is for all those lovely people online who told me I didn’t suck. I appreciate that more than you know.

Chapter 1

I sat high up in my favorite tree centered at the local graveyard. I’ve patrolled that area of the city almost every night for the last nine years. My best friend showed me how to hunt the evils that roamed the dark moonlit streets of our home town. I took to it easily; I liked making a difference and ridding the town of another vampire. Every hunter had a bad past with what they hunted, and my past with vampires still gave me nightmares.

I’d wait until a vampire came by looking for a place to feed and/or ditch a body then I’d strike; axe to the head and burn the body if time allowed.

The particular vampire who came by tonight had me cowering on my tree branch. I couldn’t kill him and trying would only result in my own death. Lucas was one of the most powerful vamps in the world; a master vampire. Since his arrival to town last month he’d taken a special interest in me. I had no idea what he wanted, which only added to the fear factor. I know you’re up there. He taunted.

The other times we met—twice now—he found me in that same graveyard and cornered me, tonight I was lucky enough to be hidden. Once and for all; what do you want from me? Why do you keep following me here?

You’ve killed many of my kind.

You could’ve killed me for that two nights ago.

I don’t want to kill you, Zoe. He stood easily near the center of the yard, his hand buried causally in his pants pocket.

I reached around my back and grabbed my axe from the make shift holder. How do you know my name? the fear gripped me inside and out, nearly snuffing out every bit of air from my lungs.

I know all about you Zoe Langston; detective with the Celestin Police Department, adopted by the Langston family when you were just days old. I know they gave you back when you were eight years old because of the vampire stories you told. No one believed you. The vampire stated all his facts memorized and true.

Shut up. I hissed.

Sore subject? Hmm, I apologize. I like to learn everything I can about a person before I consider them for employment.

My head spun. What? He was finally getting to the point but the more I learned, part of me wished I hadn’t asked. I wanted to run, except I knew Lucas wasn’t letting me go easily tonight, getting away seemed impossible.

Come out from the tree.

No, hell no. I don’t care what you want. Leave me alone, vampire. I swallowed back hard on the lump of fear lodged in my throat. I never dealt with vampires before unless we were fighting and it always ended with them meeting a truth death.

I don’t give up that easily, nor am I easy to get rid of. Lucas walked over to the gate where a visitors bench was placed and sat down, seeming like he had all the time in the world. He moved with the definition of grace, his body did not seem real as he moved across the grass like he was floating. He was intriguing of course, but that didn’t change the monster that he was, the evil he was responsible for.

I tried to think; I was stuck in a tree with a very old powerful vampire waiting for me to make the slightest move. He’d be able to hear any little sound and grab me seeing as he was twice as fast.

The way I saw it; I was doomed.

With both my jobs I faced death a lot, and with that I often thought of my own. I always envisioned I’d die in a battle, a blaze of glory of some sort, but never stuck and scared shitless in a tree. I couldn’t call for help because I didn’t know anyone equipped to take on a master vampire.

Your fear is strong, Zoe. Lucas spoke softly, interrupting my thoughts while he dragged out my name seductively.

Often my fear turned to anger. Fuck you.

Chuckling he said, I wouldn’t be opposed to that idea.

The idea left me dizzy, this vamp was nuts if even a little predictable with his come on. I had a crazy vampire on my hands and that made it all the scarier. He made everything sexual and it made my skin crawl. The myth wasn’t true; not all vampires were sexy and seductive except that…Lucas was. He broke all the molds of vamps I encountered over the years. I had to, needed to, get him out of my life.

I waited in silence. I couldn’t play into his game any more. My body grew painfully numb sitting on that high branch for hours. As the sky started to lighten he stood, adjusted his long coat, and walked away. He said nothing, leaving like it was the simplest thing in the world. But I knew in my heart that wasn’t the end of him finding me all alone.

Paranoid, I didn’t move for another hour later. I sat there unmoving until someone began calling my name.

Zoe? It was Chase; my best friend and mentor. We met when I was twelve and he was fifteen. It was hard to believe that was fourteen years ago, it seemed like just yesterday he was saving me from a kid triple my size plummeting me into the ground.

He taught me everything I knew, making me into a hunter in his own image. His drive to fight vampires stemmed from the fact he had fallen in love young, they had a child at eighteen and a few months after giving birth she was killed by a vampire. Chase was soon obsessed with learning everything he could about the undead and other supernatural beings that shared our city. I helped him everyway I could but it wasn’t until I was also eighteen and legal that he let me start going against vampires by myself.

Hold on. There was no good way to leave the tree after sitting there for hours. I jumped and landed right on my ass. Chase extended his hand and helped me up. Damn it, that hurt. I rubbed my backside to ease the pain of the fall. The numbness pricking me was horrible.

You’ve been up there all this time? What happened? he looked me over for any evidence that might answer his questions.

A vamp happened, a master one named Lucas. He’s pretty much stalking me. It was the first time I voiced my situation with Lucas. I had no chance in hell of fixing it myself, and as much as I would rather keep my friends out of it, Chase was all I had.

Lucas, the third most powerful vampire Lucas? What does he want with you? Chase was worried and didn’t like the situation anymore than I did. He was a book of information concerning anything supernatural; it was no surprise he knew who Lucas was.

I’m too chicken to find out. He popped up here the last three nights and last night he mentioned using me as an employee. I stayed hidden up there, I motioned to the tree. until he left at sunrise. Axe in hand, we started walking back to my car. I kept a look out for anyone following us. Lucas probably had dozens of human servants ready to do his dirty dealings during the day.

I let Chase drive since I was too tired and didn’t trust myself on the road. Should you be going home with a master stalker on your ass? he asked.

He hasn’t shown up there. I’m careful not to be followed when I go home. Lucas wasn’t the only person or vampire that might want me dead. I really need to get some sleep but before that I have to call my boss for a later shift. The thought of a vampire in my home sent a shiver down my back. If you couldn’t feel safe at home, where else was there? What can I expect from him?

Chase learned and studied everything supernatural. Whereas I focused exclusively on vampires, fueled by the grudge I held after they helped ruin my life as a child. Chase knew of all the latest lures and smallest details. Lucas was spotted back in town last month after spending a few years in Europe.

Back in town? Does he come to Celestin a lot? I really didn’t like the sound of that.

It became his home town after he was turned. His sire was born here. While she left centuries ago, Lucas took a liking and built his home base here. The mansion on the hill is rumored to be the master’s lair. He could be back because he felt it was just time for a visit or something else brought him back. Chase told the truth as best he could, whether it bothered me or not. His motto was it was better to be upset with the facts, than blind to the danger.

Not me, I did not bring a master vampire back to town. I’ve killed a couple of vamps but this is crazy. He should want revenge and to have me for dinner, literally. I hated being confused. Nothing Lucas told me gave any clue as to what his plan might be. What job would a vamp want a hunter for?

Let’s hope that doesn’t happen. Please try to avoid being alone with him. Chase didn’t do worrying well. He liked facts and results, not emotion.

I’ll be careful, I promise. See you later. I let him use my car for the rest of the day, his was always at the shop. My bones cried out for the softness of my beautiful full size bed. I was asleep before I could undress or completely lie down properly. Not even Lucas and the fear he arose inside of me was enough to keep me awake.

My blissful sleep didn’t last very long. Looking at the clock, I saw it was only two hours later when I heard someone walking inside my apartment. Stupidly, I left my axe by the door. I carefully went to my bedroom closet to grab my biggest knife. No one had a key to my apartment or would come by that early. All the facts screamed danger was lurking close by, too close. So much for home being safe.

I stepped out of my room and listened for the steps again. Earlier the steps seemed to come from the living room.

Is that the best you have, a knife? A male voice taunted with a chuckle. That would annoy most creatures, not kill them. I knew that voice, yet, I couldn’t believe my ears or deny something was wrong with the way the guy was in my home. Who breaks in? He had to be a threat.

Why don’t you come out and we test that theory? it all happened rather quickly, he was too fast and soon we were fighting hand to hand. I didn’t plan to die in my house either and fought back as much as I could. After managing to kick me in the chest, my knife went flying and my attacker pinned me to the floor.

Making a tsking sound, he shook his head. This is sad. You don’t have what it takes to take on a master vampire.

Get off of me! I stared up at him and continued to doubt myself. I knew him but something was off about his appearance and all around presence. Jake had blue eyes. The man above me had grey eyes, therefore he couldn’t be Chase’s little brother. No way.

He smiled. I’ve been waiting for you to catch on, it’s only been six years.

Six years ago Jake was lanky with blue eyes and never as fast as you.

Things change when you’re turned, werewolf not vampire. He quickly clarified before I could farther freak out. Chase told me about your problem with Lucas. Chase’s only downfall always had been telling his brother too much.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. No one told me Jake was back in town or what he became either. We were never friends, not really, instead we were more like allies through hunting and our connection to Chase. We used to fight like cats and dogs and after he left town I never heard from him again. I wasn’t someone he would’ve considered calling. He was still sitting on top of me. I felt like I was lost in the twilight zone.

What the hell is going on? I asked.

Jake went on to explain what happened to cause his turn.

The night