Shadows of Blood: Book Two of Night Feast, a vampire novel

By Yvonne Bruton

Shadows of Blood, the second book in the Night Feast trilogy
After being killed by the vampire Lia, Elena Hudson is raised from her cremated ashes, back to her form as a human, teenage girl. However, she has been given the power and the task of destroying Lia forever. With the help of Dalia Jackson she plans to kill her enemy while she is in a vulnerable position, but they do not predict that Jay will thwart Elena's attempt to kill his vampire lover.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Yvonne Bruton
• Release date: Jul 27, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465717009

Yvonne Bruton

I enjoy writing French language novels and paranormal novels

Book preview

Shadows of Blood

A Night Feast Novel

Yvonne Bruton

Copyright 2011 Yvonne Bruton

Smashwords Edition

Other books in this series:

Night Feast

Review of Night Feast:

This is classic vampire lit. It is really addictive, well written, and the main storyline and all the sub-plots linked together really well. All the main characters are interesting, and I particularly like the parts about Lia's Russian father and her English aristocratic mother, and how they became vampires. Lia is a great main character and the romance between her and Jay is a great part of this book. I liked the fact that there is a lot going on, absolutely no boring bits. The end did not disappoint, far from it, which means the story is set to continue. I will be getting the next one.

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Chapter one

Jay Patterson felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise, as he looked straight into the eyes of a living, breathing Elena Hudson. Everyone was convinced that she was dead, her body had been found and identified, and her parents had had her cremated. The guilt that he had felt for not seeing her home, on the night of her disappearance had been real, suffocating and all consuming. Jay had felt at a great loss, until Lia had come into his life. He was suddenly aware of her cold hand in his, and he spoke with a voice, that he could barely recognise.

Elena, how, we thought that.....what happened, where have you been?

Elena Hudson smiled. Coming back from the dead had been so much fun so far. She had loved seeing the frightened tortured looks, on her parents faces. It had thrilled her to see them tremble, at the sight of her return from the grave. Now it was the vampire's turn to endure the same experience. Elena continued to fix her eyes on the impossibly beautiful face, of the girl that had drank all of her blood, and killed her. There was no sign of the confident sneer, that she remembered, when Lia had taken her off in the woods. However, now that she was once again faced with her vampirical murderess, she imagined that she could feel the touch of her soft lips on her neck, before she had plunged her sharp pointed teeth into her skin. At last she spoke, but decided to keep the vampire's secret, for now.

I've been in Canada she said, lying convincingly.

Canada, really, you're kidding, what were you doing there? asked Jay, he had about a million questions, but he was beginning to regain his composure. After very recently discovering that his sweet and beautiful girlfriend was a vampire, and from another century, Elena Hudson being in Canada for all this time, was small potatoes in comparison.

Do you remember Megan Barnes? Elena had got her story all planned out.

Jay nodded his head slowly as he recalled her. Yeah, I remember her, she used to live in Appleton?

Yes that's right, well she moved to Quebec with her mom and dad, and I went to stay with her said Elena, she was still watching Lia, who was now blinking rapidly.

But why didn't you tell anybody where you were? said Jay, we all thought you were....

Dead? said Elena, and Lia flinched as she said the word. Yeah I know, but I'm not, as you can see here I am.

Elena's statement sounded very sinister to Lia's ears. She felt, for the very first time in her existence, threatened and confused. She had procured the blood from that girl's body, with the advanced skill of an experience member of her kind. When she had captured Elena during that night in the woods, she had seemed like such an ordinary, human being, Lia was sure that her senses would have told her, that she had the ability to bring herself back to life. There was something wrong. She must be dead, she is dead, Lia had seen her, through her mind, wondering aimlessly around the spirit world, bemoaning her fate to some of the vampire's other dead victims.

Who's your friend Jay, aren't you going to introduce us? Elena interrupted her thoughts with her inquiry. It irked her when Jay lovingly took Lia's hand, and pulled her closer to him.

This is Lia, she's my girlfriend he said proudly, and Elena could not fail to miss the look of pure tenderness in his eyes.

This is the girl I told you about, Elena Hudson, the girl who went missing?

I gathered that, hello Elena said Lia graciously, but she was no fool, she knew that the other girl was a dangerous enemy, she knew that Elena knew who she was and what she was, she also knew that, this human, that she thought she had killed, was bidding her time.

Hello Lia, you're not from around here are you, where do you come from? Elena knew all about Lia. She knew that she had come through a portal from the 19th century, and she knew of course, that she was a supernatural being. However, she was not aware that Jay was in on all the details, so she was goading Lia, trying to make her sweat.

Westport said Jay quickly, she lives in Westport, now come on Elena, you haven't explained what happened yet. Do the cops know that you're back?

Why don't I tell you over coffee said Elena, then she added slyly, do you like coffee Lia?

Lia shook her head, and all three teenagers went into the kitchen. Jay warmed up some milk for Lia, and made two cups of coffee for himself and for Elena. He told her everything about how he had met Lia at the college dance, but had been on a sort of date with Amberlee Robinson, and how she had also disappeared. He went on to explain how, he had been held in police custody, on suspicion of being involved with both their disappearances.

It must have been awful for you said Elena and she truly sympathised. But Jay Amberlee Robinson, what were you thinking?

I know, I know but it's a long story and I'm more interested in what was going on with you Elena. Jay was feeling a lot more relaxed now. The cloud of suspicion that was still hanging over him, with regards to Elena Hudson's disappearance , would now be quashed. He could get on with his life, with Lia.

Right, okay, well I had been planning to leave for a while, because my parents were driving me crazy. I couldn't go to Stephanie's place in California though, because she would have told them where I was lied Elena, glancing at Lia as she spoke.

But you let them think that you were dead Elena, that was kinda mean wasn't it? And they found a body and everything. The perplexity was obvious in Jay's tone.

Well I don't know anything about any dead body, and as for my parents, have you met them, have you any idea what it was like for me, living with them?

I guess I can understand why you would want to teach them a lesson said Jay ruefully, but they are your folks.

Oh well, I'm back now replied Elena and then she looked straight at Lia and said and things are going to be different. She finished the remainder of her coffee and remembered how much she had missed its taste.

I better go and see the cops and let everyone know that I'm back, I'll catch you guys later. Then, much to Lia's relief, Elena was gone.

It didn't make any sense, nothing made any sense. Lia had left Elena's bloodless body without life, without hope, without a future. The vampire knew that human beings had their skills, and that they could be really cunning and smart. But this? Her father had warned her, he had told her that there were certain warm bloods, that would do anything, or be anything to ensure their own survival. It seemed impossible to her, that Elena Hudson had any special, supernatural gifts. There had not been anything in her natural smell, to suggest such a thing. But she was back, she had somehow raised herself from the dead. She either had some unknown power, or she had been helped. Lia felt that she had no one to talk to for advice. She couldn't tell Jay, because he would then discover that she really was a cold bloodied killer, and had all the time been responsible for him being charged in connection with, not only Elena's, but also Amberlee Robinson's disappearance. She couldn't speak about it with her father, because then she would have to disclose the fact that she had killed in the 21st century, and disobeyed him. The fact that Elena had come back to life, and was clearly not a vampire, would do nothing to appease his anger. Lia was also intelligent enough to know that her victim's return would unsettle her family, and other people of their persuasion. The vampire had not missed Elena's knowing looks and covert implications, while she had drank her coffee, and told half of her 'missing' story to Jay. It was blatantly obvious that she was out to get her. Lia suddenly had a feeling of the hunter becoming the hunted. This was clearly not a sensation that a powerful vampire was accustomed too. She knew that, at all cost, she must somehow determine Elena Hudson's secret power.

Lia, are you okay? asked Jay softly. Lia had been lost in her disturbing thoughts for some time now, and he had noticed her quietness, and the hint of fear in her eyes. She turned to him and stroked his cheek, she would never give him up.

I'm fine Jay, I was just thinking, it's really strange how things have turned out I mean, not with Amberlee Robinson, we knew that she would turn up, but Elena Hudson, doesn't it seem strange to you?

Yeah, yeah, I feel like I'm in the twilight zone or something, it really weird, I'd been having dreams about her and apparently so had the guy who found her body, I overheard his wife telling my mom.

Telling her what? asked Lia with great interest, she thought that she may be able to get some clue, from Eddy McCann's dream.

Hold on, let me think, yeah Marybeth McCann told my mom that Eddy was having nightmares about Elena, and he would wake up screaming she's alive. Hey do you think he knew all the time?

I have no idea Jay answered Lia quietly, pondering the motives of the subconscious mind.

Evelyn and Elijah Hudson were wondering if they had imagined that their dead daughter, had reformed her ashes into her previous body, and had appeared in their house, without explaining her absence. The bottle of brandy which they kept for medicinal purposes only, had been drained dry by both of them, in an attempt to gain a clear picture, of what had actually happened. They decided that the tiring and disappointing trip to California, was the cause of their minds playing this very cruel trick. As far as they were concerned, their youngest daughter was dead, she was never coming back. However, when Elijah decided to bolt the front door, Elena appeared again as large as life.

You're dead, they found your body, you were identified by your dental records. Her mother was trembling so much that she had to hold on to the back of a chair, for support.

We cremated you, you can't be here, you're gone said her father, they both stood as far away from their daughter as they could. Elena laughed out loud. It was so cool to see her pathologically strict, religious freak parents, in such a state. Her laughter did nothing to defuse the tension of fear and disbelief, that was in the air.

Nice to see you too, mom, dad, got anything to eat? Then Elena went into the kitchen to make herself a sandwich. The senior Hudsons cautiously followed her.

Elena we need to kn... She interrupted her mother.

Okay, okay, I'll tell you what's going on. I ran away. From you, because you were driving me crazy. I have been in Canada, with a friend for all this time, and now I'm back, so get over it.

Evelyn and Elijah were shocked by Elena's off hand attitude. She had never spoken to them like that before, she would never have dared. They could see that she was different, cocky, not trying to please, and thoroughly enjoying their obvious discomfort. She felt her whole body tingle, as her senses devoured their fear. Her parents had started to consider that she had indeed been planning to run away, for long time. They thought of her purse, that the police had found when they searched the woods, and surmised that she must have dropped it there on purpose, knowing that its contents, her make-up, would infuriate them. However, each asked themselves how it was possible that an experienced forensic team, could get it so wrong. Why was it that the dental records, of the body that was found, was able to identify it as belonging to Elena? The police had given Elena's underwear to Evelyn, at her request. They definitely belonged to her, because Evelyn would often search her room and her drawers, whenever she had been out of the house, at Claremont college. Nothing was clear, nothing added up.

Well who on God's earth were you staying with, when you were in Canada? ventured Elijah.

That's not important said Elena, and the tone of her voice warned her father not to push it. Then she thought of Orthè, and the images that he had revealed to her in his special pond. She told her now speechless parents, that it had been a very eventful day, and she was going to get an early night. Then she remembered a conversation that she'd had, with another spirit, during the time that she was dead.

I'd like a word with you, mom, in private, come to my room she commanded. Evelyn still felt very afraid. For the first time ever, she was scared of her own daughter. So without raising any objections, she followed Elena up the stairs and into her bedroom, leaving a very bewildered Elijah in the kitchen. Elena made sure that the door was firmly closed. This conversation was for her mother's ears only, and it was a discussion that she had been dying to have. She sat down on her neatly made bed, her room was just as she'd left it.

I've been hearing some very interesting things about you, mom. I know your dirty, little secret, I know that the man downstairs is not my real father.

All Evelyn Ellison had ever wanted to do was get married and have children. She wanted to meet a nice, young man, who was loving and caring and was a good provider. She had been a good girl, never giving her parents any cause for concern, she attended church on Sundays without fail, and she always said her prayers before meals and at bedtime. But, to her great shame, Evelyn had a secret desire that she could discuss with no one. She hoped and prayed that when God looked into her mind and her heart, that He forgave her, and looked the other way. Ever since hitting puberty, Evelyn Ellison had developed a wanton desire for the sins of the flesh. No matter how hard she tried to focus on all things pure and wholesome, her mind would always revert back to her craving for a sensual, physical union. She had been raised to believe, the sexual act was only for the conception of children, and try as she would, she had found it impossible to suppress her desire, to commit the act for sheer pleasure. Elijah had been a member of the congregation, of the church that she had attended. So when they had started to go out on dates, her parents couldn't have been more pleased with her choice. Much to Evelyn's dismay, he had been the perfect gentleman, whenever they had been alone together. He had not responded even once, to her subtle suggestions of wanting more than just a kiss on the cheek. She hadn't been able to tell if he was purposely ignoring her advances, or if he had just been plain dumb. Nevertheless, she had readily accepted his offer of marriage, and had looked forward to wearing a wedding band on the appropriate finger. It had been a very small and sedate wedding. The ceremony had been held in their regular church, and Evelyn had been pleased to be married, in the eyes of the Lord. She had promised to honour and obey her new husband. She had agreed to it emphatically, knowing that she would always be willing to satisfy his every need. Evelyn had also been eager to bless their happy union with children. She had envisaged a relentless passion between them, and assumed that they would have many offspring. Unfortunately her wedding night had turned out to be a huge disappointment. Elijah had been shy and clumsy, and he had clearly thought that his new wife should have been less willing. He had been horrified when he had finally seen, the built up anticipation on his young bride's face, and how she had swiftly removed her clothes, without coyness or even a hint of embarrassment. Their act of love had proved to be short, but not sweet, and Elijah had raised himself from the marital bed, and gone to take a shower. They had both been twenty four years old when they were married. And it had taken them seven long years to conceive their first child. There was nothing wrong with either