The Soul of A Vampire #3

By Rachel E. Rice

Sebastian’s only thought was to protect Zoey and their baby by sacrificing himself to Samantha and offering her what she has always wanted—the chance to marry him and become his queen. Sebastian thought this was a small price to pay for the life of Zoey and his baby. But where does that leave Zoey now that she’s pregnant?
When Zoey discovers that Sebastian will marry Samantha, all Zoey wanted was to see him one last time and then she would be satisfied, but it didn’t work out that way. Zoey decided that she would fight for him and so she devised a plan, but then all good plans of mice and men go astray and so did hers.
How can Zoey live with the knowledge that Sebastian has married a witch and the witch will never let her live long enough to give birth to a vampire baby?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rachel E. Rice
• Release date: May 5, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370842711

Rachel E. Rice

My name is Rachel E. Rice. I have been writing since I was a teen. I enjoy reading and writing romance fiction.You can contact me at: [e-mail]; I have written several novels and short stories. My short reads are: The Captain and the Virgin; The Captain's Lady and the Pirate; The Captain's Revenge: a Triangle of Love and Sex; and two novellas: Book 1 Seduced by an Earl and Book 2: The Naked Countess. A historical novella set in 1960: Tamika Jade: The case of the Girl with the Rose Tattoo.My contemporary novels are: The Obsession series, which begins with Book 1: Warm Bodies, Cold Hearts; Book 2 in the series is Naked Obsession. Book 3 : Burning Obsession.These following books are erotic romances. Book 1: The Incredible Mr. Black. Book 2: Temptation in Black, and Book 3: Submission To Black. All books are available and books 4 Black Tie Affair and 5 Mourning Becomes Black was published in 2016. Coming soon Book 6, Fade To Black will be available in Jan. 2017.Because I enjoy writing in different genres, my New Adult novel: Finding Summer, is available for purchase as well as another stand-alone edition: One Desire.My Werewolf Series Book 1: Insatiable: The Lone Werewolf finds a Mate, and Book 2: Insatiable: A Werewolf's Hunger is available where all e-books are sold. Book 3 of the Insatiable Series is available as well as seven more books in this series.When I'm not writing, I am watching movies and riding throughout the U.S meeting people.I have a degree in education and I reside in Texas.

Book preview

Chapter One-Zoey

I called out for Robbie and Ann as I held Sebastian in my arms. His eyes wavering up and down and his eyelids closing. He had stopped breathing. He had turned a sickly pale grey color. I gave him my wrist to suck the blood that would save his life.

At first he turned his head shaking it to the side refusing to accept what I offered him, but then I leaned down looking into his handsome face and said, I have something wonderful to tell you, if only you would try to stay alive. I need you now more than ever.

Sebastian watched at me. My eyes filled with passion and sadness realizing that I may never see him again. Tears pooled in my eyes and then one warm salty tear dropped down my cheek and landed on the corner of his mouth. He breathed hard and slowly raised his finger. He placed his finger on my tear stained cheek and stared at it. Then he looked up at me.

He said to me with a hoarse soft voice, You know I could never stand for you to cry. Even when you were a little girl you knew how to break my heart. Why are you doing this to me, Zoey? Let me go and then you can start your life again. I watched him and I was full with pain at the tenderness of his words and his failing gaze.

How can I? I sobbed. Samantha will surely kill me and our... I couldn’t tell him. Not like this. I had to get him to feed on me first because if he knew he would never do it. He shook his head side to side clenching his teeth. I leaned down and gave him one last kiss on his cold lips.

My lips touched his icy mouth but the kiss, blistering hot. My heated lips sliding over his mouth lightly and his painful lips quivered below mine with him moaning softly knowing this would be his last touch with life. His last kiss with me. His last chance to feel human. His last chance to regain his soul.  

And then to my surprise, he reached for my arm and placed it in his mouth. Yet he was too weak to use his teeth. It was then Robbie raced to my side and opened and extended his long claws. He pierced my skin, and when droplets of blood fell on Sebastian’s lips, it was as if Sebastian came alive. His eyes glowed and his breathing became strong. He held a satisfied smile on his lips as he continued to suck the blood of life. I could see his sparkling white teeth, which he rarely showed because of his constant sour expression.

He closed his eyes and began to feed on me. It was as if I was swirling around and my head became light. I felt dizzy.

I didn’t know then why he had been so unpleasant with me when he wasn’t making love to me, but I would soon discover the reason. 

I didn’t think this would happen, but it did. I thought he had control, but he didn’t stop feeding on my blood even when I thought he had gone too far. I tried to pull my wrist from his mouth as I felt myself become weak. Weak to the point where I was about to pass out.

Seeing that I was in danger, Robbie rushed to me. When Robbie tried to stop Sebastian, he turned his eyes up at him and flashed them like a rabid dog. His eyes blood red. My blood seeping and covering the corner of his lip as he looked up at me. I felt my body going cold. I was dying slowly and Robbie knew it.

Robbie stood over us ready to stop or fight Sebastian. I raised my right hand to stay Robbie for a moment.

But when I raised his head and placed in my lap, and I lowered my face to his and whispered in his ear, I’m pregnant, Sebastian. He stopped and his eyes flickered and opened. Just like that he looked up at me and calmed. His head resting in my lap with his eyes wide with guilt. His emotions showed remorse. The tense lines around his mouth relaxed. He finally recognized me as the person he loved and cared about. I smiled at him and he smiled back.

Before I said I was pregnant, I was just a warm body filled with his favorite meal, but now I was something more. Something to love and cherish.

Robbie reached down and hoisted a frail Sebastian into his arms. Samantha had done significant damage to Sebastian’s system.  What now? Robbie said.

We have to get Sebastian out of here, I said stumbling to stand, but I managed with Lauren’s help.

How can we do that without Samantha knowing? Terry asked.

We can’t, Lauren said. We have to take him down the stairs and through that hungry crowd of newly formed vampires. Sebastian may not be in trouble, but Zoey and Ryan maybe. I think Robbie can protect Ann and Sebastian, until Sebastian gains his energy which thanks to you it will be soon, Robbie said to me with a closed smile.

Terry appeared to be a little frighten but Lauren held her hand and whispered something in her ear which made her laugh. It must have done the trick. She was breathing in and out and she stood close to Lauren.

I was still weak but I didn’t want anyone to know especially Sebastian.  

Get behind me, Robbie cautioned Ann. If you’re not close, I may not be able to protect you. Stay near me no matter what occurs. Ann grabbed on to Robbie’s shirt as I staggered to open the door. Then my weakness overcame me. I stumbled and Lauren seeing me, rushed to grab me before I hit the floor, and gathered me up in his arms. Terry stood near him looking down at me.

Don’t worry, Lauren, I’ll protect you and Zoey.

Lauren glanced at Terry and said, That won’t be necessary, babe. I got this. I may look young, but I’m older than you and stronger. Terry smiled and tightened her hands around his muscular arms. I think that was the first time she had a man, well a vampire, to protect her. And she seem to like the idea.

Terry opened the door, Let’s go, she said to everyone. I’m not afraid of Samantha.

You should be. And it’s not just her we will have to worry about, Robbie said.

We stepped into the faded light and into a crowd of people standing and sitting on the stairs. We took a deep breath and started our decent down into a larger crowd. As we walked carefully some of the humans sitting on the steps, and some standing at the foot of the stairs turned to look at us. The newly formed vampires were busy feeding on the willing humans as they chatted and treated the humans as if they were a glass of fine wine, taking one sip, talking, and then taking another sip from their necks or wrists.

There was one young vampire in the corner with a woman’s legs wrapped around his neck as she sat patiently while the vampire fed from one leg and then the other. I had seen that before at the castle. When vampires finish feeding on ever part of their bodies, they would only be good to throw to the hungry humans waiting in the towers.

At this point I thought the young woman didn’t realize this or didn’t care. 

We saw a host of people waiting outside a room and being waved in one at a time as if they were being interviewed. And then they were met with sly smiles and taken by their vampire sponsors into rooms, where they would then turn the humans as they engaged in sexual intercourse as other’s watched the spectacle through glass doors.

All was going well as we stepped to the bottom of the stairs. No one seemed to care about our group. We looked like we belonged there. We had vampires and humans being escorted to the door.

I heard one vampire say to a human, Not enough action for them. They probably have something way more exciting than what’s going on here. I do find this too dull for my taste. I hear Samantha and Aare are wicked at the castle. I wished she had held the party there.

Then like a scary ghost, Samantha showed up out of nowhere at the foot of the stairs and stood in front of us. Robbie let out a loud breath through his teeth with Sebastian in his arms, and Ann close behind, and then Lauren carrying me and Terry following.

What do we have here? I see Sebastian is still alive. Her voice low and her nostrils flaring as her eyes narrowed. Maybe I will have to use fire next time. That will work, she said with a cold closed smile and then she held her head back and let out dark laughter which echoed throughout the room.

Her eyes fell on me. She walked around in a circle. Her black eyes never leaving me and Lauren. What do you think, Zoey? She looked around and Terry stood with her hands on her hips defiant. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting your friends." Her voice dark and playful.

Don’t worry, we won’t be staying long, Terry said. Samantha turned to the sound of Terry’s voice.

Who is your pet, Lauren? I give you to Sebastian and this is how you repay me.

I’m not his pet. I belong to Lauren, Terry said. She never looked at Terry. I didn’t know you liked older women. I thought you liked little boys?

If you don’t stop this, I will... Lauren said his eyes blazing. 

Is something wrong, Zoey? Lauren asked. I forgot about Ryan with all of this.

I heard Ryan’s voice calling out my name. In my panic to help Sebastian, I had forgotten to warn Ryan. Clearly it had been my fault to bring him here and him not knowing what I had brought him to. It was a hot mess indeed and one I saw no way out of.

How nice. I’ve got all of your friends under one roof and there is no way out for any of you, Samantha said looking up the stairs at the sound of Ryan calling out my name. Ryan saw me and rushed down the stairs two at a time.

What is she talking about, Zoey? Ryan said seeing all of us together, then stepping down from the last stairs and standing behind Lauren. What’s going on, Zoey? Are you hurt and why is Robbie carrying Sebastian, and that young boy, why is he carrying you around?

Put me down, Lauren. I think I can stand, I said and Lauren placed me on my feet.

Don’t tell me she didn’t say where she was bringing you, Samantha said looking at Ryan and moving around him touching his face. He pulled back.

I may be a human, but I’m not stupid. I have been tracking you for some time. But I wasn’t aware of how pernicious and wicked you are. You were the one who killed Zoey’s father, Ryan said. And I think you were responsible from a few other killings in Seattle. I’ve been reading about you for years. Some of those papers are older than me, Ryan said looking directly at Samantha.

I confess. I’m guilty Detective Cole. The problem is what are you going to do about it?

"There isn’t enough evidence