Cherished: Helena Hawthorn Series

By May Freighter

Being a human amidst vampires is hard. 
Being the woman of a Councilman is harder.

Perri has known that vampires existed long before she admitted it out loud. While suffering the loss of the man who treated her like a daughter and trying to build a relationship with Hans, she is quickly entangled in a plot that may destroy the European Vampire Council from within. 
Hans' world is falling apart. Lucious and Helena are unreachable, his men are questioning his every move, and he must contain his feelings for Perri to avoid putting her in danger. When he chose to become a Councilman, he never expected that the European delegates would openly declare their defiance. He must find strength within him to protect those close to him. As it stands, his life is not the only one at stake. 

*This novella is a spin-off that tells a story of Perri and Hans from Helena Hawthorn Series.
** This is book #4.5 of the series.
*** This novella is Young Adult Urban Fantasy in genre.

• Language: English
• Publisher: May Freighter
• Release date: Oct 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386221944

May Freighter

May Freighter is an internationally bestselling author from Dublin, Ireland. She writes Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, and Sci-Fi mysteries that will keep you entertained, mystified, and hopefully craving more. Her only pets are cacti. They're the only things that survived. It may be too dangerous to entrust her with an animal while she's engrossed in writing. ​ On sunny, rainy, and overcast days, she spends her time with her fictional friends, putting them through dangerous adventures while wishing them the best of luck. Her hobbies are photography, drawing, and plotting different ways of characters' demise.  ***** HELENA HAWTHORN SERIES:  - Alexander: Memoirs (Prequel) - Russian Roulette - Demon Gates - Crumbling Control - Desired (Spin-off Novella) - Alexander: Monochrome Interview - Fated Origins  - Cherished (Spin-off Novella) - Dark Affiliations (Release date: 2018) ***** ANNALISE STORM CHRONICLES: - Case: 0  - Case: 1 - Case: 2 - (Release date: 2018)

Book preview

May Freighter

Cherished

Helena Hawthorn Series Spin-Off Novella

Copyright © 2017 by May Freighter

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

May Freighter asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

May Freighter has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.

First edition

This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy

Find out more at reedsy.com

Publisher Logo

Contents

Foreword

Alone

Doubts

Acting Strong

Worry

Hiding His Weakness

A Close Call

Protection of the Heart

Levile’s Childe

Trust

Unforgivable

Behind the Bond

Spirit Guardian

Meeting the Alpha

Cherished

About the Author

Also by May Freighter

Foreword

NOTE: This book is written in U.K. English.

Some spelling may be different to the U.S.

This spin-off novella can be read as a standalone and as part of the Helena Hawthorn Series. The story takes place after book 4 (Fated Origins).

This book is YA (Young Adult Urban Fantasy).

For more information on the series, please visit the author’s website.

Alone

HANS

A position on the Vampire Council brought with it a lot of pain and suffering to those who were entrusted with a seat of power. Hans was no different. Everything he used to enjoy doing had been limited to giving orders that would benefit the vampire kind and maintain some form of balance in Europe. Regardless of his desperate wish to fill his sire’s shoes, he could never become Vincent. His sire was two thousand years old when he perished in the fight against the demons at the Demon Gate. To this day, the Council’s hounds were searching the streets for the stray demons that escaped through the portal. Their presence was, indeed, visible by the number of dead humans piling up in the quiet communities across England.

Hans buried his hands in his short brown hair and sighed. He was sitting behind his desk at the new Council building. After the revival of the original vampire—Arthemis—more humans had been killed for no reason other than feeding someone’s ego. Hans was glad that the Royals had used the homeless for such a deed, and the mortals did not have enough time to take note of the existence of vampires. Hiding in the shadows had been the only way of life they knew. Being thrust into an open view of humanity who had great weapons of destruction, his kind would perish too quickly. As a Councilman, he cared for his people and had to stick to the original rules that the First Council had transcribed on the ancient scrolls.

A knock on the door forced him to leave his brooding state of mind and drew his attention to the person on the other side. He twisted the ring that was on his wedding finger, knowing that it was Perri by the pitter-patter of her heart. She waited for him to permit her entry.

He rushed to the door and opened it for her. Is something wrong? I thought you were in the middle of unpacking your belongings.

She smiled at him, drawing his eyes to the bright smile she wore that could light up any room. In the time that they had been away from Scotland to deal with Master Vincent’s funeral and the Council’s restructuring, her blonde hair had grown long enough to reach past her shoulders.

I don’t have many belongings, Master Hans, she replied.

Hans frowned at the title she used. He instructed her to use it in the event they were not alone. Being called that in private had somehow given him a terrible aftertaste in his mouth. They were eternally spirit-bound by a restless ghost who roamed their castle near Aberdeen. Since then, he came to realise how important she was to him. Her existence was like that of a moon in the night sky—needed to light his path. She brought life to the saddest moments. Even when Master Vincent had passed away, she was the one who held him together with her cheer and warmth.

Her expression became serious. She reached up to touch his face, and he stepped back.

There is no one here, she whispered, her voice coming out hurt. Her face told him that his dismissal of her touch caused her great pain.

Contrary to the relationship Lucious and Helena had, where both of them were part of the same soul, he and Perri were different beings. She was the pure, bright, loving human woman he had come to believe he did not deserve, and he was the darkness that fed on the blood of mortals and spent his days negotiating with unshakeable tyrants—the European delegates—about the territorial division and vampire law enforcement by the hounds. Two days ago, Lucious and Helena left to investigate the recent vampire deaths in Italy, and Hans was left to man the entire Council by himself. It was a task too great, even for someone who had observed Master Vincent as a Councilman for over four hundred years.

Don’t you want me to be here? Would you prefer it if I returned home?

Hans took hold of her hands and lifted them to his lips, kissing the back of them. I apologise for my behaviour earlier. I worry about you being here and yet I cannot bear to be apart from you for long. It is selfish of me to keep you trapped in this Council building while Lucious and I attempt to restore the Council’s power and reach.

She shook her head. It’s not selfish at all. I want to be with you. You are my…husband.

He let go of her hands and retreated to his desk where he slid into his leather office chair. I still believe it would be best to seek a way to break the spirit-bond. We do not know the dangers it may bring with it. And if either of us dies, the other will forever be unable to love another.

I am prepared for that! she countered, striding to him. She placed her hands on his shoulders and leant in, her brown eyes burning with sincerity. I don’t think I would ever be able to love another man. You are the only one I need. Unless it’s you who wants to be free of me…

Hans pulled her down and seated her on his lap. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and listened to her excited heartbeat that thudded in her chest. Do not ever for a moment think that I would want to abandon you. My duties take precedence, that’s all.

She combed his hair with her fingers and kissed him on the forehead. I know. That’s why I haven’t complained and do as you tell me.

He wound his arms around her waist and kissed her soft lips, allowing her to take control with uncertainty. For now, such a small form of affection would have to satisfy him. He feared to dirty her. She was at the young age of twenty-two. She could decide to leave him or change her mind at any second. If she so wished and chose a different path to becoming the woman of a Councilman, he would need to give up and support her decision. The life she was trying