Tales of the Blood Kissed

By Seleste deLaney

Every story has a beginning, and the legend of the Blood Kissed began long before Jocelyn was born. Discover how Jocelyn first became involved in the vampire world, how Max and Chad wound up as her dichotomous duo of protectors, and Remy's views on far too many things. You'll even get his version of how vampires came into being and why there is always a seat on the council for one known only as Remus.

Start this saga from the beginning, and remember, those who don't learn from the past are destined to repeat it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Seleste deLaney
• Release date: Dec 7, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311729743

Seleste deLaney

At a young age, Seleste deLaney discovered the trick to not being afraid of the monsters under the bed was to turn them into heroes. Since that time, she’s seen enough of human monsters that she prefers to escape to fictional worlds where even the worst demons have to play by the rules and the good guys might end up battered and bruised (or dead), but they always win. And really, isn’t that the way it should be?She resides in the Detroit area with all her favorite monsters (nice ones—some are furry and the others call her Mom) and is hard at work on her next book. In those rare moments when she isn’t battling terrorists, vampires, or rogue clockworks, she can be found all over the Internet, where she loves to interact with readers.

Book preview

Tales of the Blood Kissed

Seleste deLaney

Tales of the Blood Kissed

Copyright © 2010-2015 by Seleste deLaney

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Cover Art © 2015 by Skyla Dawn Cameron

SMASHWORDS EDITION

All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

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Your support of the author’s rights and livelihood is appreciated.

Dedication

To the readers who have been with me from the beginning:

Thank you for never letting me give up.

Author’s Note

Hello, readers! Thank you for joining me on this journey into the world of the Blood Kissed. For some of you, a lot of the stories in these pages are old news. There isn’t a whole lot I can say other than thank you for loving this world enough to buy them in their new format.

The people who know me best are aware I’m not very good at telling people what to do. I dislike that job and tend to avoid it whenever possible. Bear that in mind for a second, while I tell you what to do.

You see, the stories that follow can be a bit spoiler-y if read in the wrong order. If you don’t mind spoilers and being introduced to characters without the context of the novels, by all means, do what you want. I can’t stop you. (Honestly, I wouldn’t even try.) However, if you want to get the most out of your reading experience, I would suggest the following reading order:

1. Of Course I Try

2. The Cost of Love

3. What Have I Done?

4. The Ghost of Vampire Present

5. Kiss of Death (Blood Kissed #1—separate purchase)

6. Birth of the Vampires

7. Devil’s Bargain

8. Christmas in Chains

9. Kiss of Life (Blood Kissed #2—separate purchase)

10. Never Underestimate a Bored Vampire

11. Kiss of Eternity (Blood Kissed #3—separate purchase—coming fall 2016)

Note: The Remy Says posts can be read any time, though I would recommend after Kiss of Death, simply so you understand him as a character before diving into his commentary on...anything.

Seleste

PART ONE: The Story You Know...

Of Course I Try

The Cost of Love

What Have I Done?

The Ghost of Vampire Present

Of Course I Try

When I came to his house tonight, I’d come to say goodbye. I remember that, even as his hands cup my breasts, squeezing them tenderly and rolling my nipples between his fingers. By the time Max lowers his head and sucks one tightened bud into his mouth, I can’t recall why I wanted to leave.

Candles and patchouli incense burn in the room as my body writhes against sage sheets so soft they feel like silk. They aren’t, though. I know his silk sheets—they’re black. The low light and spicy scent play on my senses, intoxicating me until the room disappears.

All I know are his hands and mouth on my body. Rough and soft. Dry and wet. Cool and warm.

His lips cover mine, and I give myself to the kiss as he reaches down and tugs off my panties. I’m wearing the lace ones. I’d come to say goodbye wearing the black lace panties he loves. But by the time they’re gone, I don’t consider why I’d do something like that because Max’s mouth has left mine and traced a line down my abdomen.

I know I should fight this, but I can’t. I don’t want to. I want Max—for as long as he’ll have me.

Rough hands cup my ass as he wedges my legs apart with his shoulders. Then despite, or maybe because of, the little moans that betray me, his lips travel lower, trailing kisses down to the inside of my thigh. His breath tickles as he hovers there, reaching out his tongue to trace a shape on my skin. It’s a heart. I don’t know how I know, but I’m sure.

Please, Max— A little voice in my head screams that I should finish the sentence with stop, but I don’t. I can’t.

A deep chuckle vibrates against my clitoris, making a shiver run all the way to my toes. Then his magical tongue caresses the already sensitive nub, and I cry out. He sucks it into his mouth just to the line where pain and pleasure meet—treading but never crossing over it.

I’m helpless beneath him, a prisoner to my body’s yearnings. My back arches off the relative safety of the bed, and Max takes full advantage. With the ease of years of practice, his hands slide beneath me, pulling me closer to him as his tongue delves into me.


I can’t think anymore. I can only feel. The pressure of his hands on my ass. The silky motion of his tongue inside me. The rough grazing of his teeth.


My hands clutch at the soft, green sheets, and I ball them in my fists as pleasure rips through me. I’ve never experienced orgasms like this with anyone else. Only Max. Wave after wave of sensation as my muscles contract around his tongue. It’s never stopped moving, never stopped drawing me to my peak.

I cry out his name. The only word that matters. Max.


Soon enough, I can’t even feel. Then there is nothing.


When I wake in the morning, everything is hazy. I remember coming over, remember the sex. The incredible, mind-altering sex, but then I’m blank. It isn’t the first time.

There’s a note on the pillow next to me.


Jocelyn,


I’m glad you came back. You have no idea how much I missed you.

Love forever,


Max


Something clicks in my brain, and I realize it isn’t the first time I’ve read those words either.

***

I met Max the summer after I graduated from Western. My roommates, Kaitlyn and Carri, insisted we go on a taste-tour of all the local wineries before we went our separate ways. On the last day of our trip, storm clouds darkened the sky as we pulled into Fenn Valley. We had just enough time to look around outside before the heavens opened and rain poured down in buckets.

A lot of the older people on the tour turned their noses up at us as we wandered through the cellar, listening to Jim, a stout man with weathered skin and a kind smile, tell us about the winemaking process. We didn’t care about the dirty looks for our bedraggled appearance or about the lecture. We’d heard the talk at a dozen other places in the last three days. Plus, Kait, Carri, and I did a much better job of poking fun at each other than anyone else could ever manage with just a look.


So we stood in a tiny knot and giggled at other people. Like the woman who must have stepped in something outside and kept trying to scrape it off her shoe without anyone noticing. And the girl who kept pawing her boyfriend even as he was making eyes at Carri.

We were still laughing when I first noticed the guy standing away from the rest of the group. To be honest, he wasn’t really my type. Kait had long accused me of only being attracted to guys who looked like they were bucking for a job as district attorney: suit, neatly trimmed hair, and short, manicured nails. Basically clean-cut, boy-next-door good looking, with brains to match. This guy had long, dark hair that curled slightly where it met his shoulders. And he wore a beat-up leather jacket and jeans that were too ragged to be new, but not ragged enough to be trendy.

I almost turned away, ready to make him the next target of our snark, but then he caught my gaze. Even from across the darkened cellar, I could make out the deep blue of his eyes. Most blue eyes were pale, icy, but not his. I drank in his gaze, my heart beating faster with every second, and I didn’t look away until Carri grabbed my wrist and pulled me forward as the tour moved on to the tasting room.

Once we started drinking and laughing again, I forgot about the bad boy with the killer eyes and just focused on my girls. In the morning, Carri was off to Chicago, Kait to Jersey, and me—I didn’t know where I was going. I didn’t have anything lined up. At worst, I’d go home for a while. But I wasn’t worrying about it tonight. This last getaway was for us.

When we were done sampling the wines, I stepped over to Jim and said, We’d like to get a bottle of the merlot to take with us.

Jim smiled and opened his mouth to respond, but a voice came from behind me instead, deep and rich like melted chocolate.

You don’t want the merlot.

I turned and found myself inches from those impossibly blue eyes. After staring for several long seconds, I unstuck my tongue from the roof of my mouth. Why’s that?

Because the merlot isn’t their best. He leaned around me and flashed a dazzling smile at Jim. No offense.


Jim grunted from behind me. None taken.

I put my hands on my