Dark Heat

By Elizabeth Baillie

Novella. Word count-23,820.
An unexpected visitor comes to Tai's doorstep. A young girl gives him a key. He has no idea why she left it with him.
A series of events leads him to old enemies and a shape shifting witch named Brandy that seeks help from him. A powerful demon, Drake wants the key that she gave Tai. It unlocks a powerful door to Hell.
Tai won't give it up and soon starts to have strong feelings towards Brandy and wants to protect her. Drake and Brandy at one time were lovers. Now she is running from him.
How far will Tai go to protect her and the rest of the world from the demon realm that Drake wants to unleash?

• Language: English
• Publisher: VJKBooks
• Release date: Feb 9, 2014
• ISBN: 9780991923403

Elizabeth Baillie

Elizabeth Baillie is an erotic romance author who likes to write in paranormal and writes contemporary under the name E. Baillie. She does straight and bi/m/m erotic romances.

Book preview

Dark Heat

Dark Heat

(Series One)

BY

Elizabeth Baillie

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Dark Heat by Elizabeth Baillie

Copyright © 2014 Elizabeth Baillie

Smashwords Edition

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any print or electronic form.

VJKBooks

First Editions February/2014

ISBN 978-0-9919234-0-3

Cover design by Vera Soroka

Cover Photo by Emilia Ungur

Chapter 1

The knock made him look up from his book. He didn’t get up right away, instead he waited a moment. The knock came again, this time louder. He rolled his eyes thinking what idiot would come to his door wanting him to answer it.

He quietly closed the book and sat it down carefully next to him, letting his hand rest on it. Another impatient knock finally pulled him off the couch. He stepped outside the study and looked down the hallway. The knock came again with a rapid tap, tap, tap. Now they found the damn door knocker. He shook his head and in a blur was in front of the door. Tia reached out letting his hand fall down on the handle. He opened the door but his eyes looked at nothing.

Looking down there was a little girl about the age of eight or nine. She was dressed in a floral dress with a pale pink sash that tied in the back. Her long dark haired locks hung down past her shoulders. A butterfly barrette adorned her right side framing a delicate face.

It was her eyes that made him shiver, so much so that he took a step back. Big brown iridescent eyes that looked magical stared up at him.

Silence separated them before he shook his head.

He kneeled down and smiled at her.

What can I do for you little girl?

She looked right at him never blinking. Her large brown eyes stayed focussed on his face.

Are you selling something? he asked.

She stood there, still not blinking. He straightened up, took another step back inside the house.

She stepped closer.

Silence once again occupied the space between them.

Tai watched her place her tiny hand into the pocket in front of her dress. She pulled out an old skeletal key. She held it out, waiting for him to take it.

He held out his hand and she dropped the key into his palm. It felt heavy and cold.

She turned around and skipped down the stairs.

But before taking off she looked at him. Her tiny rose colored lips smiled at him.

You’ll come out and play with me later. Her voice was barely above a whisper but yet it echoed inside his head.

Her big brown eyes took one more look at the exterior of the house.

I like your house, she said.

As she turned away, Tai watched her skip down the laneway. He stood there confused. He wondered how she got past the gatekeeper, Sam. He was a very old vampire and looked like he was deaf but in fact he was as sharp as any well aged vampire. Nothing got past him. How did she reach the door knocker?

Tai looked down at the old key. What am I supposed to do with this?

He laid the key in the bowl, the same place where he threw his car keys, on a small table by the front entrance. The key slid down clanging up against his car keys.

Later that night he got ready for his hunt. He didn’t go out last night so his thirst for blood was building. Tai could feel the aggression inside him as his pulse took on a faster beat.

He skipped up the stairs to his bowl to where his car keys were. When he looked down in the bowl the only thing there was the skeletal key. He knew his car keys had been there. He looked on the floor and beside the bowl, nothing. Where did they go?

As he looked down at the key a funny feeling went through him making him back away from the bowl. What the little girl had said came back into his head.

He decided he didn’t need his car anyway.

Out into the night he went, on foot.

Chapter two

As he walked down the laneway, Tai shoved his hands in his pockets. The thought of the misplaced keys bugged him and so did that little girl. Would she be back for the key? If so, he’d ask her questions and expect answers.

The night air smelled sweet with coolness to it. The stars were bright above him and the moon was almost full. Its ghostly white light lit up the dark corners of his yard. The main gates came into focus. Tai picked up Sam’s scent. Sam’s scent put him in mind of a well aged scotch, refined and smooth yet had the clout to knock you over.

Sam greeted him. Hello sir, I see you are walking this fine night instead of using your car?

Tai grinned as he observed the old vampire. As always he stood tall and lankly dressed in his three piece Victorian suit that was the color of ash. A stark white shirt almost as bright as the moon peeked through the dark suit. Yeah, have to get some exercise sometimes.

By the look on Sam’s blank face, Sam didn’t get the little joke he made. He cleared his throat. I somehow misplaced the keys to my car so I decided to go out on foot.

Sam nodded as if that was a more suitable explanation. By the way Sam, earlier in the day did you happen to see a little girl?

Sam’s pale silver eyes looked at him, a little girl?

Yes, a little girl about the age of eight or nine in a floral dress tied with a pale pink ribbon. Long dark brown hair with a butterfly barrette in her hair?

Sam was taken back. I never saw such a girl. I’m sure I would have picked up the little human’s scent.

Tai insides tightened. He never thought of that. She wasn’t human. He sighed and shook his head. Oh well, it’s okay. She looked harmless.

Would you like me to check the yard sir?

Tai now wished he hadn’t brought it up. Tai knew how Sam was very proud of his gate keeping abilities. No one got past him. He shook his head. No more than you usually do. Thanks Sam.

Tai quickly went past the old vampire before Sam insisted on going with him. He could feel Sam’s gaze on him watching him closely. Prickles crept up his neck. In a blur he disappeared shaking off Sam.

Tai stood in the shadows and watched for movement in the park. The hunger within him growled like an angry wolf. He should have fed the night before. It would be a ruthless night.

The park at night took on a different life. This