A Vampire Trilogy: Tides of the Undead: Book Ii

By N. E. Tovell

Newlyweds Galian and Delbeth McDermot are the willing participants of an arranged vampire marriage to fulfill an ancient Celtic Prophesy. Moving to Ireland, they take their destined place as harbingers of a new world order.

Delbeth knows that Galian is the only vampire willing to tolerate her willful ways and unique Faerie gifts, but neither suspects that their enemies lurk in the shadows, preparing to destroy their fated existence.

Accustomed to the constant threats from the Croatian Tribunal, Delbeth is unaware that she has endangered Galianuntil he informs her that he will also be killed if she is captured. Cedric, their trusted bodyguard, has his work cut out for him, but even more surprising are the long-held secrets Galian reveals to Delbeth as their plane soars through the clouds to their new home.

Hours later, Delbeth finds herself in a strange house, in a strange woods, in a strange country, facing a plot more sinister than neither she nor Galian ever imagined.

As Delbeth and Galian prepare to bring new leadership and hope to a world facing the terrifying possibility of extinction, both are left wondering if they can even trust one another.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Nov 16, 2011
• ISBN: 9781462061488

N. E. Tovell

N.E. TOVELL is an assistant professor of English at a private university in Louisville, Kentucky. A native of Chicago, Illinois, she is a graduate of Southern Illinois University, and began teaching school in Evansville, Indiana where she was later elected City Clerk. This is the second book in a planned trilogy.

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A Vampire Trilogy:

Tides of the Undead

Book II

N. E. Tovell

iUniverse, Inc.

Bloomington

A Vampire Trilogy: Tides of the Undead

Book II

Copyright © 2011 by N. E. Tovell

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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ISBN: 978-1-4620-5974-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4620-6148-8 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4620-5975-1 (dj)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011918824

Printed in the United States of America

iUniverse rev. date: 10/31/2011

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Epilogue

Dedication

To all my writing and literature students, who have forced me to hone my craft and given me a wealth of material from which to expound, you are truly loved and appreciated. To all my readers and editors, who have labored through the antics of my characters, you have taught me the value of encouragement.

Acknowledgments

Without my wonderful editors, Tides would never have popped, so thank you. I also appreciate all my friends who have contributed to the final project, especially Karen Boston, who can detect and correct subtleties; Mary Payton, who worries about my soul but loves me anyway; and Jonna Lily, who with Mel Kuhbander make up my staff and see possibilities I have never dreamed of.

My world turns with my fellow faculty members who have given me many resources with little in return, especially Terry Kibiloski, who is our idea man (really?); Richard Routt, who memorizes movie lines and can pick out a lasting phrase; John Goebel, who digests world politics and world economics with enthusiasm and irony; Emily Spendlove, who guides me on all things Irish; and Ruth Justice, who is the fourth leg that keeps us balanced.

Of course, my family members lovingly appear on the pages in snippets, especially my adult children—Waid, Wendy, and Warren—as well as the mates they have chosen and the children they have blessed us with. Their steadfast integrity grounds me in all things human, and all things possible.

Chapter 1

When Galian slipped under the covers of our bed the night before we were leaving for Ireland, I hesitated about letting him put his arms around me. He would know immediately that I was sad about leaving my family as soon as he embraced me. Facing the wall, I scooted over to the side of the bed, but he would have none of that. With one very quick movement, he hooked me around the waist and locked me into the curve of his hips. He was already aroused, so I just breathed in and waited for him to comment.

I know how to make you feel better, he whispered in my ear as soon as he took my emotional temperature. Then he proceeded to nibble my neck and move down to my shoulder.

I know you do, Galian. I tried not to sound breathless, but he had already heard my heartbeat speeding up. I turned to face him and put my arms around his neck.

No matter how I feel tonight, no matter how much I will miss my family, I would miss you ten times more.

I know, Dil. You’re crazy about me. His slight smile revealed the bottom of his white teeth, which clicked as his fangs lowered.

And you’re horny, I pushed myself against his hips in acknowledgement.

And you’re in trouble, he cooed into my ear as he brought my hips up to him and continued moving his mouth down to my breasts.

He was right; I forgot all about missing my family as my body heat throbbed next to his cool frame. My human side always gave me away, but it was my faerie side that excited him—and it was my vampire side that kept up with him. And it was that side that engaged my fangs in response to his roaming mouth.

Now I have you, he said with apparent self-satisfaction.

And he did.

The next morning, I still had to make it through our farewells. My whole family stood before us as we prepared to drive to the airport and begin our trip to Galian’s home in Ireland.

I knew I would miss my Viking vampire father’s protection. For eighteen years, the Vampire Tribunal’s efforts to capture, study, or execute me because I was a vampire blend had been thwarted by my father outsmarting them, and Kristian Sitric was just as intimidating physically as he was smart. I always felt like a small child when he held me in his mammoth arms and whispered his protection in some ancient language.

Although my father looked about thirty-five, he was almost a thousand years old. Consequently, he was a much-respected vampire in our world. So respected, in fact, that he’d become Vampire Governor of North America when the Croatian Vampire Tribunal ceded to an elected form of government five years ago to avoid a vampire rebellion.

Because he didn’t look old enough to be my father, I usually called him Kristian, using his first name to protect his immortal state, but sometimes I slipped up and called him Dad. He didn’t seem to mind.

I would also miss my mother’s half-faerie and half-human tenderness. If Kristian was harsh in his intolerance of my willfulness to acquire more freedom, she tempered his understanding of the shared human and fae need to be independent. My father openly admired my mother’s beauty and grace—and for good reason. Her long, sable hair fell gently down her back, and her brown, doe eyes reminded me of Bambi’s mother. It was not unusual for my father to greet her by swooping her to the floor and kissing her passionately—no matter who was around—and their affection often embarrassed me growing up. But when I complained, they just laughed.

It was more difficult to remember my mother’s first name, Daireann, because Kristian usually just called her my love. Knowing my father, he probably thought that was a modern form of endearment. Immortality often requires us to be circumspect, so as far as the world knew, both Kristian and Daireann, as well as the other members of the Sitric coven, were my brothers and sisters.

I would also miss my mother’s twin sister, Sabia, whom I referred to as my faerie godmother. She has the fae gift of second sight, and she has visioned my future and advised that I should leave for Ireland with Galian to be under his Celtic-area protection headed up by Governor Brian McDermot, Galian’s vampire father. Sabia has been my second mother all my life, and while I was growing up, Kristian put her in charge of dressing me because he trusted her to be unrelenting in her sense of modesty. He was right. If she couldn’t buy what she deemed appropriate for a young lady, she made it, and it took me a long time—too long—to be able to choose my own wardrobe beyond school or sport uniforms. Tears slipped from Sabia’s eyes as I hugged her, and she looked up at Galian and whispered softly, Remember, I’ll know how you treat her.

Galian smiled, but I knew how serious her warning was. My aunt Sabia was almost as intense about my protection as Kristian. Truly, her vision was pervasive. Everyone in the family took advice from my aunt, because her predictions were usually accurate. She warned me that the Tribunal had renewed their efforts to capture blended vampires like me, which made it safer in Ireland because her faerie father (my faerie grandfather) could offer me further protection. As Kristian’s executive assistant, Sabia had undoubtedly alerted him about what course to take, as she usually did. My vampire brain knew I was making the right choice, but my human side hesitated—that part of me hated good-byes.

Physically, I favored Sabia more than my mother. I had her reddish-blonde, naturally curly hair and hazel eyes. However, I was built more like my mother, who was slim but curvaceous. Sabia was just slim in a boyish way. Her feminine, fae charm made her a popular figure in the vampire world, but she was an expert at warding off vampire advances. As she always warned me, fae blood is a vampire favorite.

Without a doubt, I would miss my grandparents, Julien and Elisabeth, because they had taught me how to use my gifts wisely and because they were our medical team. I had worked with them at the local hospital during the fatal flu epidemic that had just decimated the population of my hometown in Door County, Wisconsin, last summer. The vampire half of my DNA kept me safe from the disease, so I was able to work at the hospital without worry, but the effort almost broke my human heart. I could lift the numerous bodies easily, and dispose of them in the necessary acid bath. I could also comfort the dying by showing them images of getting well or going to parties, but I was greatly saddened when my best human friend, Lauren, died, and again when my principal, Sister Mary, passed. I would go home every evening and put the death dates on their yearbook pictures until I couldn’t even stand to open the book. Last year’s class would just have to remain on the shelf until my human heart healed.

My grandfather, Julien, had converted my old bedroom into a surgery center when we found out my mother was going to have my little brother, because he knew she might need a C-section when she delivered him. Vampire blends are usually born with a vampire covering that only fangs can tear to release the child. At least that’s what Julien told us, but in all honesty, he only knew of about two successful blended births, so we prepared for the unexpected.

My grandmother, Elisabeth, had been turned by Julien when she was dying of bulbar polio. He always told me it was the most selfish thing he has ever done, but Elisabeth didn’t seem to mind; she loved us all. However, even Kristian won’t cross her when she gives him her look. Her short body and red hair prompted my grandfather to make jokes about her Irish temper—only I don’t really think they were jokes. She was a little bit like Sister Mary that way. No one ever crossed Sister while she was our principal, and no one crossed Elisabeth either.

Most of all, I would miss my new little brother, Conor, because he was half vampire like me. I was amazed at how much faster he was growing than a human child—at just two months, he was already crawling and talking. Even then I knew Conor was going to be tall and blond like our father, because he was big for a baby—already twenty-five pounds! However, Conor was quick to smile, which Kristian was not.

After hugging all the adults, I went over and picked up Conor to kiss him good-bye. He spoke with almost perfect pronunciation after he hugged me, "I love you, Dil. I don’t want you to leave." Conor captured my heart when he said things like that. In addition, he had adopted Galian’s charming Irish brogue—now whenever he said Del, he pronounced it Dil, the way Galian did. I chuckled.

Tell Mom and Dad to bring you on an airplane to visit me, Conor, or I will be very sad not seeing you. My tears started to slip out as I hugged him, and I sniffed as I gave him a final kiss and handed him to my mother.

Vampires don’t cry, Delbeth, Conor scolded me.

I glared at my father. Gee, I wonder where he heard that.

Kristian came over to us almost smiling. "Unfortunately, Delbeth never mastered that vampire trait, Conor, my father said with some disdain. He took me in his huge arms and kissed the top of my blonde hair, squeezing me in a bear hug adding, But she’s just a girl, Conor, so what can we expect?" He was holding me too tightly for me to let loose with a smack, and his chest rocked with laughter as I struggled to get free.

Settle down, Delbeth. I was just teasing you.

I stopped struggling, so he took me by the shoulders, lifted me up, and placed me in front of my husband.

Here’s your little spitfire—with my blessing—Galian. I wish I could have done more for you about her temper and stubbornness, but I failed.

It helps if you don’t provoke her, Kristian. Always my defender. Galian put his arm around me, and I felt better, but the tears spilled over.

What fun is there in that? my father snorted. Oh, come here, girl.

With that, my father took me from Galian and held me close to his chest, whispering something in another language—something I knew from my childhood. I’m going to miss your little waterfalls if the truth be known. It’s a part of who you are that we all love.

He always did that to me. First, I would be furious with him, and then he had me crying. I just kept my face in his shirt and got it all wet. He patted me on the head until I calmed down.

Now who is going to ruin my shirts for me when you’re away?

I sniffed and wiped my nose.

I’ll miss you too, Dad. Although I didn’t usually call Kristian Dad, because he looked too young and it didn’t fit, he wasn’t my age, and he was my dad. Immortality is an odd thing sometimes. I tiptoed up to his cheek and kissed him. I love you.

I thought I saw his lip quiver as he nodded his approval, but his glance quickly switched to Galian, and he was vampire serious, Let me know if you need me, Galian. You know how much I enjoy a good fight!

A shiver went up the back of my neck as I thought, Well, what is that about? My dad is a typical Viking vampire: the call to battle resonates deeply in his DNA, but we weren’t planning any battles—or were we? I glanced at Galian who seemed to understand what Kristian meant, but something told me not to press them. They shook hands forcefully before we loaded into the van.

As we drove south toward Green Bay, we passed through all the little fishing towns that sprouted from small inlets that were now vacant. The tourists filled the towns during the summers, but this year, the blood virus that began last spring kept them away while it rampaged through the local population. I wondered sadly how long it would take to restore my lovely Door County to its pre-virus popularity. Last summer, I had missed all the artists and intellectuals who usually came to our peninsula for the season. Writers used to have workshops, actors would put on plays in the outdoor theatre, and winery shops would display the local art and food.

Door County was known for its cherry and apple orchards, but both went to seed this fall without a harvest, as did most of the crops. By now, the small Swedish bakeries would usually have had fresh cherry pies, apple cobblers, and cardamom coffee cakes, but all the shop windows were dark this morning with signs staring out at passers-by, telling them that the shops were closed.

I usually loved the autumn in Door County. The bounty and labor of the residents yielded not only the wonderful scents of pastries, which warmed the cool air around the bakeries, but residents would hurry each evening to the popular fish boils, featuring whitefish from Green Bay or Lake Michigan. Children would squeal as the fires were lit during the boil, and everyone knew that the tender fish would soon follow, served with a generous portion of melted butter, potatoes, and coleslaw. And after that, pie!

However, this year there were no children squealing—no warm fruit pies or cardamom coffee cakes. There were no fishermen, no artists, no actors, no new bottles of wine. The peninsula was quiet on this chilly morning as the waves broke against the stone beaches, and we made our way south without speaking.

Galian’s bodyguard, Cedric, was traveling with us, and he seemed to pick up on my mood—he was unusually quiet. Cedric and I had become friends during our early weeks in Door County when he was driving me back and forth to school until I graduated. Almost 200 years ago when Galian was turned, Cedric was put in charge of his transition. It was obvious that Cedric had suffered some kind of transformational damage when he was turned because he wasn’t as quick as most vampires. When Galian no longer needed a transition helper, he appointed Cedric to the position of bodyguard, which gave the McDermots a reason to continue their caretaker role. By now, Cedric had been under the McDermots’ care for five hundred years. Fortunately, he was a gentle giant who was very agreeable, unless someone threatened us. He had no moral hesitation when it came to dispatching an enemy, and I was glad he considered me under his safekeeping.

I learned that a fortunate result of Cedric’s impaired turning was that he had never developed a human-bloodlust or a need for sleep. He usually only drained small animals for sustenance, but the plentiful deer here in Wisconsin were his favorite food. Inadvertently, Cedric had become an ascetic vampire like those in my coven. Because we didn’t drink human blood, we could walk in the human world undetected during the day. Of course, a vampire blend can do that anyway, and I had never really known a regular, bloodlust vampire very well who was not an ascetic until I met Galian.

My faerie grandfather, Sean, gave Galian the gift of daywalking for my sake when we were wed. My husband usually drank the newly distributed, cloned, human blood popular among regular vampires. Kristian probably would prefer to see Galian become ascetic like us, but I doubted that my husband would give up human blood easily, so I didn’t push for it.

Because we had just travelled from Ireland six months ago, I wasn’t looking forward to another long, overnight flight across the Atlantic, but being with Galian would make it easier. Sitting next to him always made me feel better, because our blood bond let me feel his affection whenever he was close by.

As I was mulling over our less-than-desirable trip, we turned into the Green Bay airport and headed for a hangar at one end of the field. When we got to a private airstrip near the hangar, I saw a small jet waiting for us and gasped. No way.

This is ours? I asked as Galian led me out of the car to the airstrip. Is this the surprise you promised me?

Yes. You like? Galian beamed as he held me around the waist, surveying the beautiful plane before us.

Can we afford this, Galian? He’d said he was doing well in his cloned blood business, but I had no idea it merited this. Galian had begun a cloned blood distribution in Ireland for vampires when Brian and Brigit purchased the clone formula from scientists in Germany, and Heineman’s began producing and bottling the blood. After they test marketed it in Dublin, Galian purchased exclusive rights to the distribution, and the subsequent availability of the cloned blood enabled most vampires there to stop feeding from humans for sustenance—and generally ignore the human race entirely. When he brought the distribution to the States, he’d expanded the use and arranged for it to become the major supply for blood transfusions—at least until the US government outlawed cloned blood because of initial concerns that it was the source of the deadly virus raging throughout the country. It wasn’t the source, but the damage was done. After seeing a way to secure a lucrative business, the Chinese formulated a cheaper blood by cloning pig DNA rather than human, and it contained a swine virus which infected all their blood supply. Now, with all cloned blood banned, in the U.S., blood was at an all-time shortage, and vampires were once again feeding on humans.

"Actually, we cannot afford not to have the jet, Dil. Remember how I told you that we could be doing business all over the world? Well, now we can. I figure it will probably pay for itself within a year. Galian pulled me close to him as we crossed the tarmac to the plane, giving me a smile and a light kiss on the forehead. Wait until you see inside, Dil. We’ll have plenty of room to stretch out on this trip."

I felt the implication of stretch out and giggled. Blood bonds are a part of a wedding union for vampires, and ours was especially strong because I am part fae, which means I have … shall we say … enhanced sensuality. Evidently, whatever I felt, Galian could also feel when he held me. He referred to my gift as providing a unique sexual experience. I could only imagine.

When Galian took hold of me, however, I felt something new. I stopped at the foot of the plane’s stairway and faced him. There’s something else, my dazzling vampire. What aren’t you telling me?

Galian rolled his eyes, but I was determined to get an answer. I held fast.

Sometimes our blood bond is annoying, he mumbled.

"I’ve noticed … Tell me, Galian."

He studied my face for a minute and then said simply, If we need to escape from the Tribunal, I want to have a plane available to do so.

Well, I wasn’t expecting that!

The Tribunal is the executive vampire governing body, and because they have been a threat to me my entire life, my father negotiated a vampire union between Galian and me in hopes of keeping the Tribunal from simply taking me and using my fae gifts to their advantage as their prisoner. When that failed to appease the members’ pursuit, Galian offered to give them a percentage of his European blood business in exchange for ending their continual threat.

They accepted his offer, and we figured I was out of danger, but now it occurred to me that my aunt Sabia might have visioned a new threat and warned Galian. What did Sabia see, Galian? How much danger am I in?

I don’t think the Tribunal will move on us directly, Dil. They know that our payments to them are dependent on your safety, but there are others who will do their bidding.

Do you mean Sebrius? Sebrius was assigned to the Tribunal as their chief enforcement officer. He was a huge vampire from South America who did whatever dirty work the Tribunal desired.

"No, it isn’t Sebrius—that would be too obvious. The Tribunal would not want to be implicated in our murders.

"Our murders, Galian? Why are you in danger?"

We are one now, lass. No one would leave me alive after capturing or killing you.

"Oh no, Galian! I’ve endangered you?"

I don’t know why I hadn’t