Ariadne's Vampire: After Dark Series, #3

By Megan Slayer

Ariadne defied her father for love, only to be abandoned. She married for what she thought was love, only to have Dionysus leave her for another woman. Even Aphrodite won't smile on her because Aphrodite wants Dionysus. Ari can't seem to win. What's a goddess to do if she wants love?

Find a vampire.

Caden, a vampire and creature of the night, gave up on love long ago. Draining victims, sex and sleep are his orders for each evening…until he's tasked with tracking Ariadne. He doesn't expect the goddess to call to his wounded soul in ways he thought long since dead.

Can a vampire and goddess go the distance or will their happy ending die with the dawn?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Megan Slayer
• Release date: Nov 30, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386411819

Megan Slayer

Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com. When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice.

Book preview

Ariadne’s Vampire

By Megan Slayer

An After Dark novella

Ariadne’s Vampire

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Copyright© 2018 Megan Slayer

Edited by NG

Cover Art by WZDesigns

Copyright: 2018, All Rights Reserved

Warning: All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work, in whole or part, by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, is illegal and forbidden. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in art in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Characters, settings, names, and occurrences are a product of the author’s imagination and bear no resemblance to any actual person, living or dead, places or settings, and/or occurrences. Any incidences of resemblance are purely coincidental.

Dedication

Faeries and goddesses are everywhere. You have to keep looking.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

About the Author

Want more Faeries, Vampires and Goddesses?

Ariadne defied her father for love, only to be abandoned. She married for what she thought was love, only to have Dionysus leave her for another woman. Even Aphrodite won’t smile on her because Aphrodite wants Dionysus. Ari can’t seem to win. What’s a goddess to do if she wants love?

Find a vampire.

Caden, a vampire and creature of the night, gave up on love long ago. Draining victims, sex and sleep are his orders for each evening...until he’s tasked with tracking Ariadne. He doesn’t expect the goddess to call to his wounded soul in ways he thought long since dead.

Can a vampire and goddess go the distance or will their happy ending die with the dawn?

Chapter One

Z eus, I am in so much trouble. Ari pulled to a stop in front of the bus station. Being at the grubby place full of run down vehicles and dirt wasn’t her idea of luxury, but the bus would get her out of town. Hades, she couldn’t remember where she was, but she knew where she wanted to go—Eriewood. According to her sources, Eriewood was the best place to hide in plain sight. She didn’t want to hide, but she didn’t want her past to find her, either.

She parked the car in the parking lot. Her friend, Maura, an enchantress, claimed she’d make the vehicle disappear. Fine. Ari left the car and hoped she wouldn’t poof, too. At least, not yet. Once she was on the bus and on her way to Eriewood, she’d relax.

She abandoned the vehicle with the keys under the seat, then ran across the parking lot. The terminal wasn’t huge and with the numerous windows, she could keep an eye out for anything strange. A sickening feeling started low in her belly. She forced her attention to the main doors and tried to ignore the scent of urine around her. Who really needed to pee in public? She shuddered and strode up to the counter. No going back now—not that she had anywhere to call home at the moment. Zeus, her life was already too complicated.

When she approached the counter, the cashier grinned. Where to?

A dark-haired man appeared in Ari’s peripheral vision. Instead of looking at him, she focused on the cashier.

Where to? The woman behind the glass tipped her head. Ma’am?

Drat. Eriewood, Ohio. Sorry. She stole a glance at the man with the dark hair, but he wasn’t in the same place. Was him being there a figment of her imagination? Nah. If she was being followed, Dio wouldn’t send a handsome man. He’d send the creepiest, scariest guy he knew.

Is everything okay? The attendant asked. She lowered her voice. Are you being followed? Are you in danger?

I’m not. Although if she kept acting twitchy, she’d give herself away. Thank you. I’m visiting family and in a hurry to get there. My father isn’t well. Not a total lie. Her father was ill...he’d lost his battle with death many years ago but because Hades hadn’t wanted another god in the underworld, he’d sent Minos back to Olympus...but the attendant didn’t need to know that. She handed over the money for the ticket. Zeus, she wished the forty bucks weren’t her last few dollars in the world.

I see. The cashier pushed the ticket across the counter. Your baggage needs to be dropped off at the handlers’ counter for search. You’re required to produce your purse or any carry-ons for the same reason. Here’s the ticket for your bag.

Thank you. All she had were her wallet and her phone and she probably should destroy the stupid smart device. If she knew her ex, he could’ve installed some sort of tracking software to keep tabs on her. Ari clutched the ticket and tag, then headed to the outdoor waiting area. Time to destroy her perfectly good phone.

Ari smashed the device on the concrete, then stepped on the cracking remains. Sorry, old girl. It’s been fun. She shattered the glass and broke the internal mechanisms to pieces. If Dio was watching her, he’d lost his connection.

She sat on the bench against the brick wall and surveyed the crowd. The wind whipped through her hair. Of all the times to leave her makeup at Maura’s...she should’ve grabbed an elastic band for her hair.

She spotted the dark-haired man again. What the Hades? Okay, so he was cute. No, try handsome. Probably kissed well and had a strong presence about him. He’d probably be good in bed, too. The hair-pulling, ass-smacking hot time she craved. But she had no time for commitments. For all she knew, he could be there to kill her.

Maura had claimed Eriewood was a haven for paranormals and the non-paras who lived there wouldn’t bother her. Still, she couldn’t be too careful or too drooly over a guy she’d only seen for a few seconds. She was a goddess, damn it, and deserved better than to be on the run and scared.

An older woman with bright pink streaks in her piled-high coif sat beside her on the bench. Nice place.

Uh-huh. Wherever she was...this place wasn’t nice. If the town had been such a great destination, she wouldn’t be on the run.

Where are you going? the older woman asked.

Home. Not really, but the lady didn’t need the truth. Would she even know where Olympus was?

Nice. The woman dropped her voice to a whisper and the world around the seemed to freeze. She smiled. Ari.

Ari tensed. What’s going on? Her heart hammered. She didn’t want to go back to Hades or Dio. Naxon wasn’t looking too great, either. Even Olympus wasn’t her true home. Nowhere was. She scooted away from the woman.

Ariadne, you can’t hide from me. The lady grasped Ari’s hand. I’ll find you.

Who are you and no the fuck you won’t. What the Hades? Ari left her seat and yanked her hand free. She didn’t care if she sounded current or even coherent. She backed up. Fuck, she’d gotten herself into a damn brick-walled corner.

Ari. The woman frowned. Maura told me everything. I’m Hestia. I know it’s been millennia, but you must remember me.

Hestia? No. She’d left that life ages ago. No one named their kid Hestia—not in forever. Besides, she never should’ve trusted Maura. The damn fool probably fell for Dio’s charm. I’m sorry. You have the wrong person. Why wasn’t anyone around her moving? Shit. What had Dio done?

Honey, you don’t have to be afraid. I’m here to help you. Maura couldn’t get you to Eriewood, but I can. Hestia stepped up to Ari. Her appearance changed. Instead of looking like a dowdy older woman, her hair color brightened, she stood taller and her drab traveling suit transformed into a pair of jeans and tunic. Wings sprouted from her back. Now do you remember me?

Oh, Zeus. She sagged into the wall. She hadn’t seen the faeries or anyone else paranormal besides Dio and his gang in too many years. The wings were the key. Hestia had been a friend of her family and was still one of the oldest paranormals around. Probably one of the most powerful, too. Hestia. I’m sorry.

You’ve been on the run for too long. Hestia tugged Ari into her embrace and hugged her. Child, you need a break.

I do. Tears burned behind her eyes. She wasn’t a crier, but for a split-second, she felt safe. What are you doing here? Dio will see you.

Your father sent me.

She should’ve guessed her father would come through. She’d been on the outs with her family ever since helping yet another ex, but her father hadn’t seemed to give up on her—not completely. He didn’t hate her, but he hadn’t welcomed her back to Olympus. She’d have to accept her past if that was going to happen and she refused to go back to Dionysus. Not Dio? You’re not going to kill me? She swallowed a scream. Thinking about her past wasn’t her idea of a hot time. Hades, her past was bad and she never wanted to revisit it. Ever.

"If you will trust me, I’ll get you to Eriewood. I can’t keep you completely safe,