Order of blood

By Laurie Bowler

Hervidor Tellis is intent on the revenge and humiliation of the Gulons, one in particular; Abram. For centuries the Gulons have patrolled and ruled the lands around his home, taking the lives and the food from the vampire race and leaving them without choice.
Nessy aka Marinette, Abram’s daughter holds Hervidor’s attentions as he makes the daring plan a reality, taking her heart and enforcing the vampire race and the strength of his race, being the king the survival lay heavily upon him and so did their survival against the Gulons.

The Gulons ruled by Abram, the greatest pack leader that ever existed, holds the chance to diminish the vampire race to nothing but dust, but then finds his daughter the sole captivating feature in the vampire kings world. Racing to head him off before he can humiliate and kill his daughter for his own revengeful sinister lust, will he find Nessy in time to be able to save her life and the save the future of the Gulon race?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Laurie Bowler
• Release date: Aug 29, 2011
• ISBN: 9781466095755

Laurie Bowler

Laurie Bowler is a bestselling fantasy author residing in Hampshire, a county in the United Kingdom, where she started writing fantasy fiction in late November 2009.    After reading hundreds of fantasy novels, Laurie knew she wanted to write within that genre. She set her mind to writing her first novel, 'Vanquished', which was then quickly followed by the award-winning Moon Rising series.  Laurie attended college and has gained qualifications in Creative Writing, Music and Health and Social Care. She is still undertaking as many academic courses as possible to improve her knowledge.  Laurie lives with her daughter, fiance and a houseful of pets, including eight cats and three dogs, to name just a few. Her new novel Mythical and its sequel, The Battle of Evov, have both been an immense adventure and creativity of her mind. 

Book preview

Order

Of

Blood

By

Laurie Bowler

Copyright © 2011 Laurie Bowler

Published by Laurie Bowler

License Notes

All rights reserved by the author. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a 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

Order of Blood

Chapter One

The air was crisp and ice lay in patterns on the ground. Snow was not too far away and neither were the ultimate destined plans for the one that Hervidor Tellis stood in the shadows watching.

She was perfect, her hair, her face and her eyes; everything about her screamed perfection. Little did Marinette know she was being hunted; stalked to become the queen of the underworld and rule at the side of Hervidor.

His mind screamed to take her, to make her his mate, his queen, her heritage would play the biggest role in the plans that he held for her, her father, Abram the leader of the Gulons, the detested cats that hunted and destroyed his kind.

I knew one day you’d pay, Hervidor whispered into the darkness of the shadows when Abram’s silhouette came into view at the window of the house they resided, One day, for the pain and atrocity you have caused to my kind in these parts, one day I told you that you would pay but you will never guess the highest price. he sneered.

His mind was creating the courting moments he would expel to Marinette, or Nessy as she preferred to be called, Abram had no idea who or what he was, he’d only received calling cards from the king of the vampires and nothing more.

There were few that knew of his status inside the Gulon settlements, and it had to remain that way. Many times the vampires had gotten the upper hand on the wretched cats, and had caused bigger atrocities back to them, and a high number of feline body counts; but they’d been merciless with their attacks of late, and now it was their turn to pay.

Hervidor slipped away, deeper into the shadows when he realised the Gulons were out on patrol, although being the king he could cover his scent it did not bode well for his coven if his scent was detected by them and should they come searching for him, they would be fought and then killed.

Hervidor raced away, his feet kicking up the dirt and the ice that lay on the ground, his dark clothes giving him added extra coverage from detection, he sniffed the air, drawing in deep breaths and spat on the ground in disgust as the stench of the Gulon grew stronger to his position.

Hervidor continued to run, swiftly dodging the Gulons as he spotted them in between the trees, and his rapid pace was hard for them to see, and his scent coverage that he sprayed at every turn was a distraction to their kind, one they couldn’t define or track with accuracy.

Centuries ago, the Gulons had been born their own heritage was the attack and kill vampires, their objective was to defeat all vampires and rid the world of them and defend the lives of the humans which did not bode well for the vampires survival.

Vampires solely existed on the blood of the humans to survive, their life source was the giving of the second life to the vampires, and with the Gulons constantly at every vampire’s heels it was difficult to maintain any kind of balance. Hervidor knew his coven were awaiting for his return, the year was 1710 and times were hard for mortals but by vampire code they could come willingly enough and give themselves to the vampires to feed, or they could be taken with as much ferociousness as the vampires deemed necessary in order to survive.

The Tellis coven house was based across the town, towards the very edge of the village where it was rare to be detected as anything other than a quaint family home, none of the coven had displayed anything other than a family portrait to others outside of the house but inside it was a cruel destiny awaiting for humans.

Your back, Scarlet breathed. I was waiting my love,

Hervidor nearly groaned when he spotted her, she was speaking from so far away, vampire had many traits they could use and one was the ability to speak without detection from anyone around, in particular humans and the Gulons.

You need not wait any longer, Hervidor spoke equally as quietly barely moving his lips against the coldness of the weather. I am here. Where is my meal?

She chuckled with delight, there was nothing she liked more than to feed her husband’s every whim, and that included his appetite. Scarlet Tellis had no idea, no notion that her husband wished her dead, her time being the queen of the underworld had come to an end, and she bored him, to the point where every night he stood over her body as she rested, with a sword in hand ready to lop her head clean off and have her buried, but he had no replacement until Nessy turned appeared and fascinated his mind and his lifeless body.

Your meal awaits you, she snarled. As I have, my love. Where have you been today? You have been gone and it’s past sundown,

Do not question me my lady, he hissed planting himself directly in front of her, angered by her approach and her constant ramble of questions, he held her slim pale throat between his large hands and pinned her against the wall. You have no right to question the king. Be kind as to have my meal sent to my room, then leave me be. I have plans to begin and something special to bring to the family.

Scarlet instantly backed away, and realised her place inside the coven, although her status was meant to be of the highest, only the king is able to question others, never can the queen despite the bonds of love immortals shared with each other.

Hervidor released her, dropping her unceremoniously to the ground and storming away, leaving her fuming and hissing in sinister intent behind him, while he stormed through the darkness of the oddly furnished house towards his quarters which were located through the bottom stairway and to the east section of the house, the one where the escape route should they be attacked, was clearly laid out.

Deep inside the house the others belonging to the Tellis coven gorged themselves on their meals, hunting all day and brining to the knees the humans they’d captured. Screams of horror erupted through the house, and echoes down the hollow hallways, Hervidor sneered with delight, so many precious lives the Gulons tried to save and so many his covens ravaged night after night to feed their hunger.

Inside his darkened room, his eyes streamed red as the hunger boiled to the powerful point of no return; slowly he walked to the window to await with impatience as Scarlet collected his meal.

The scuttling of footsteps and the smell of a human reached his nostrils, along with the rapid frightened pounding of the heartbeat that echoed inside his room. Being a vampire he was able to hear heartbeats for miles around, sometimes he closed off his hearing and others when he felt the darkness and the power of his thirst rising, he ordered a hunt, and it was then the Tellis coven went out on a rampage for blood.

The rapid knocking at the door, along with the small whimper of the human from outside snapped his head around as he waited standing by the window, unfeeling and remote from the human emotions, as Scarlet stepped into his room dragging without ceremony, a small scrappy thin female behind her.

The female had been bound tightly, with her hands clasped behind her back to prevent her escape, her hair hung limply down her back, and she was covered with grime and filth, Hervidor sniffed the air and he knew without a doubt, that Scarlet had summoned and captured this chit from the slaves quarters across the other side of the village.

What is this? he demanded, rearing at her with menace and vicious intent. I ask for a meal Scarlet, and I get a scrap. Where is the meal I have asked for?

He watched and waited for her response, embarrassed and put out by his reproach she backed away with some fright, many times he’d crossed passions with her, and had to impede his powerful status onto her immortal second life.

Well? he hissed, stepping towards her with menace.

I-I, she began backing away until her back was against the wall. I captured what I could my love. The child is not all bad,

He frowned, and waited with clear red eyes for her to continue.

So you have tasted my meal? he sneered, seething with anger at her audacity to bring him scraps and then to taste his meal which meant she offered him, seconds to their first initial taste.

All of us tasted her, she reared back at him, forcing him to step away. Since the Gulons have taken control and banish us from hunting at every placement we attempt, there are only scraps remaining. We have all taken weak mortals to survive, but she has enough inside of her to sustain you,

Scarlet pointed towards the child, and ordered her to bow down and kneel on bended knees on the cold hard floor.

While the child remained scared, her small frightened eyes captured Hervidor’s and she beseeched him silently for his help, hoping that he would come to her aid, not realising that he was the King.

Leave us now! he shunted Scarlet out the door, slamming the door closed, causing the echo of the powerful slam to sound throughout the house.

Nothing was right, the entire race of vampires was in jeopardy unless he saved his race and brought forward the Gulon leader’s daughter as his wife, Scarlet must die and soon, he smiled with the vengeance of his plan and then stood in front of the small child holding out his hand for her to take.

She stood in front of him, trembling with fear, her blood smelt pure enough even from a distance to Hervidor, and her eyes rapidly screened the room.

There is no way to escape child, he smoothly interrupted her search. Do you know who we are?

The child slowly nodded, she’d heard of vampires, the blood eaters and soul takers that had been hunting humans for centuries.

I do, she swallowed nervously, knowing it was his mealtime.

Then you know of your fate tonight?

Again, she nodded, this time a little more emphatically, tonight she would die and tomorrow she wouldn’t be missed by anyone since her family had been taken into slavery when her father failed to comply with laws.

It can be painful or I can be a gentleman and make sure you don’t feel as much pain, he offered softly, mesmerising her with the powerful gleam he held in his eyes, she couldn’t look away and stood fascinated by the power of him, his stature and his kindness for a vampire drew her closer to him.

I shall come willingly to you, she whispered trembling. Please be so kind as not to hurt me, and I shall not scream neither will I try to run from you.

Satisfied he’d drew her into his spell, the spell the vampires wove was as old as time, weaving their web of lies and deceit, and drawing in their prey with kindness, magnetic passionate looks and soft words, it had always worked and drew them in ready for a meal.

What’s your name child? Hervidor asked while stalking her silently and enjoying her trembling with fright, and the way she still chewed her bottom lip.

Shakily she brushed aside her hair, and revealed her neck. As the moon shifted outside the window and brought with it a fair glow into the room, she looked inviting, almost the point where Hervidor was not able to control himself.

My name is Crissy, she spoke quietly while offering her life to him. Take me now before I am no longer brave enough to withstand the ultimate pain of dying. May my soul rest in peace.

No sooner had the words left her mouth that Hervidor pounced on her, taking the room to cover the dividing distance in a few strides. Baring his teeth, while she looked suddenly fearless at him, knowing in her soul she would go to the rightful place, her grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her head backwards.

Roaring with anticipation at the taste of her youthful blood, untainted and clean, he bared his teeth allowing his fang teeth to be shown, shocking her but he held her steady and bit down hard into the skin of her neck.

Hervidor bit down hard enough to cause her to scream with the pain, he held her steady pulling her closer while he cruelly drank her blood, tasting every drop that she had, slurping her blood in gulps to fulfill his need to feed. It was only when her body became limp in his arms that he sensed that she was dying, and knew if he drank the last drop he would bring death onto himself. Releasing her before the final part of her life as she drifted away, he watched her in his arms, and the her breathing slowed, small shallow breaths, causing the wonder of her small human life to surprise him, since being turned him he’d forgotten the mortal state, and the pathetic human body with all its precious intensity.

Blood still dripped from her onto the floor, congealing itself with the last of her precious drops, beneath his feet a puddle was forming, and his lips covered with the sweet red tasting morsels he’d drank, his shirt was splashed with red drops the same as his eyes which now glowed red with the hunger that was still striking through him.

Finally, she breathed her last breath as Hervidor still held her tiny and now frail dead body, he abruptly released her to the ground, and watched as her wretched body flowed a few small puddles of blood on the floor, and her body crashed with a tremendous sound.

Scarlet, he said into the room knowing she would hear him regardless of where she was located in the house. Come and clean this mess up and get rid of this waste.

Still flaming with hunger, and thirsty almost out of control, and to the end of his own self regard, he scooped up Crissy’s body and launched it across the room in sheer anger.

The violation of the Gulons against his kind had now placed in jeopardy not only the survival of his coven but the survival of the race, and in its entirety it was not going to the end; Hervidor was strong enough, cunning and willing enough to sacrifice his own life in