League of Vampires Box Set: Books 1- 3: League of Vampires Box Sets, #1

By Rye Brewer

Three complete books filled with witches, vampires, fae, shades, and sexy characters in swoonworthy romances and nail-biting action.

Redemption

A vampire slayer by necessity.
Anissa Garnet is a vampire. She's also a slayer. Anissa is no stranger to taking out the enemies of her clan leader. Her assignment is simple. Jonah Bourke is not to attend the League of Vampires. Ever. It should have been an easy kill. It should have been one and done. It would have been, if Jonah Bourke hadn't saved her life.
An assignment like no other.
Vampire clan leader Jonah Bourke is that one. He didn't plan to be a hero. He didn't want to save the life of the slayer that was sent to kill him. Maybe he wouldn't have, if he'd known.
Too late now.
Anissa just compounded his problems. Not that he didn't have plenty: A rebellious twin who wants to claim leadership of their clan and a litany of supernaturals that want him dead.
So what's a vampire to do when he saves the life of the vampire girl sent to kill him?

Sanctuary

A half-blood by birth.
Anissa Garnet is half-fae, half-vampire. And she's not the daughter of just any fae, she's the daughter of Gregor, the leader of the fae. Except now she's made the mistake of walking away from her fae kind.
As if that wasn't bad enough, she left her mother's kind—vampires—behind.
Now this half-breed has gone rogue, but she hasn't done it alone.

Vampire clan leader no more.
Jonah Bourke not only stepped down from being a clan leader, he also left behind his entire clan, the one he was destined to rule. All to merge his fate with Anissa, the slayer that had been sent to kill him.

New Alliances, old foes.
The Sanctum provides more than sanctuary. It provides answers, which sometimes leads to more questions, and then even more threats.

Absolution

Ancient enemies, newfound coalitions.
Anissa's not about to take Jonah's decision to face his enemies alone. This former slayer isn't your average sit on the sidelines kind of girl.

New heroes, not so new archenemies.
Fane wants forgiveness and allegiance, but not at the cost of the ones he loves most. Certainly, not at the expense of a new soul that is joining his cadre.

Needs rarely line up with wants.
Philippa's feelings for Vance won't be the end of her, but will they be the end of a loved one?

• Language: English
• Publisher: RBP
• Release date: Feb 19, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393822899

Book preview

League of Vampires Box Set

League of Vampires Box Set

Books 1-3

Rye Brewer

Contents

Redemption

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

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Sanctuary

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

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Epilogue

Absolution

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

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Excerpt: Retribution

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Afterword

Redemption

A vampire slayer by necessity.

Anissa Garnet is a vampire. She’s also a slayer. Anissa is no stranger to taking out the enemies of her clan leader. Her assignment is simple. Jonah Bourke is not to attend the League of Vampires. Ever. It should have been an easy kill. It should have been one and done. It would have been, if Jonah Bourke hadn’t saved her life.

An assignment like no other.

Vampire clan leader Jonah Bourke is that one. He didn’t plan to be a hero. He didn’t want to save the life of the slayer that was sent to kill him. Maybe he wouldn’t have, if he’d known.

Too late now.

Anissa just compounded his problems. Not that he didn’t have plenty: A rebellious twin who wants to claim leadership of their clan and a litany of supernaturals that want him dead.

So what’s a vampire to do when he saves the life of the vampire girl sent to kill him?

Cover Art by

www.mirellasantana.deviantart.com

with Model Mirish – Deviant Art

V.1.2018

1

Anissa

How much longer will I have to be Marcus’s instrument of death?

Marcus Carver, head of the Carver clan. And my chief tormentor. Who was I to complain? I signed up for this gig, didn’t I? Not that I had much of a choice, as far as I was concerned.

It was safe to say I was tiring of that role as I walked down the long, lushly carpeted halls at a brisk pace. Before me strode the two black-clad men sent to fetch me. I did what I could to affect an air of insolence, to prove I didn’t care what Marcus wanted that was important enough to interrupt my studies. He placed a great deal of importance on my education—almost as much as he did on my other activities.

I always had the feeling he didn’t care about my school work, only pretending to because he knew it mattered to me. His way of tormenting me. One of many. He would never forgive me for daring to question him, even as he used my skills. Marcus wasn’t one to forgive and forget.

The hall was so long—miles, maybe, it seemed. Though that didn’t make much difference to me or the pair in front of me. From the outside, to the human eye, the mansion looked like many others along the outskirts of New York City in the fancier neighborhoods. I’d seen many of them while traveling under the cover of darkness, set far back from the road behind fences and gates and emerald-green lawns.

An old enchantment, older than the ruling clans of our territory, made the mansion virtually undetectable in its differences from the sprawling homes around it. In fact, in comparison, the Carver clan’s residence appeared much more modest than the others. But that was only on the outside, and only through the unskilled eyes of a human.

I was glad to live in a time when vampires and humans lived side-by-side. Well, maybe not entirely side-by-side, not totally, and not peacefully, but we allowed each other to exist without much interference.

I’d been raised on stories of humans hunting those of my kind with stakes and holy water and garlic and any number of other tools, many of which made no difference to an actual vampire. Lore had blown things out of proportion, but even though the myths were just that, those earlier days had been dark and dangerous for those of my kind.

What did work? What did kill us? Pretty simple. Very few creatures, if any, could continue existing once their head had been removed and they’d been set on fire. I didn’t need to go to school to learn that.

What else? A blow straight to the heart with a weapon infused with silver would do it. Removing our hearts would do it, too.

But back to my home… The home shared by all members of my clan appeared normal to an outsider, the inside was something far different. It was more like a small city with sections designated for each family within the clan. I could spend an entire day going from level to level, exploring the many rooms and libraries and kitchens and private apartments.

A great ballroom extended along the top floor of the main wing, where we would all gather for parties and meetings. At least, we did before the fire. After that, it had been a long time since happiness had touched our clan.

I told myself to stop thinking about things which didn’t matter. I needed all of my faculties in full working order before meeting with Marcus. There was only one member of my clan whose wit matched mine, and it was his. Sometimes I felt like he was glad to finally have someone of his intelligence to spar with.

I wondered what he wanted. I mean, I knew the gist of it. A kill, I figured. But what more specifically? That I didn’t know.

Not like the guards would tell me if they could. Only Marcus and I knew what I did for him. My side job as he called it sometimes. He loved using words and terms he’d learned in the human world. He thought it made him smarter than the rest of us. As if many of us didn’t venture into the human world. Though that said, most vampires didn’t pay much attention to the ins and outs of human life.

The guard to my right pounded one ham-sized fist against the heavy wooden door leading to Marcus’s chamber. I steeled myself, stiffening my back, trying to make myself appear taller than I really was. The fact was, my lack of height made me good at what I did. I could slip in and out of crowds. I was more agile. Cat-like. It came in handy.

Come. Marcus’s tone was haughty, though distant because of the thickness of the door to his private quarters.

I allowed myself just one eye roll before Mr. Right Guard—yeah, I don’t know his name, and don’t want to—opened the door.

He stepped back to allow my entrance into Marcus’s opulent suite of rooms. Who Marcus thought he was, or was trying to be, I didn’t know. Sure, he was the leader of our clan and probably the strongest of all Carver vampires. He was also completely full of himself and his greatness. One day, somebody would take him down a peg or two. I hoped I was there to see it when it happened.

Be even better if I were there to make it happen.

Anissa. There was pleasure in his voice, a voice that seemed to caress me as I approached.

I repressed a shudder.

More than once I’d wondered exactly how much enjoyment he got from the position he had me in—over a barrel, between a rock and a hard place. He had control over me, no doubt, but he liked it. It was obvious. There used to be a time I thought Marcus wanted to make me his consort. There may have been a time I might have given that consideration, but that was a long, long time ago, before I figured him out.

Marcus. I stood a dozen feet from the massive, ornately-carved wooden chair in which he perched.

Like a throne. Just another example of how stuck on himself he was. Clasping my hands behind my back, I stood at ease. He waited until we were alone to speak again. The door closed with a soft click.

How are you? His nearly purple eyes assessed me.

Fine, thank you. I gritted my teeth, wanting to yell at him to get it over with so I could get out of his presence. He made the hair on the back of my neck stand at full attention.

I’m glad to hear it. How is your sister? His smile was less than sincere.

I forced myself not to wince. She’s fine as well.

You should know. You’re the one keeping her in chains.

I reminded myself to guard my mind since Marcus was adept at gauging the emotions of those around him. Not so much reading, as it was intuiting. Funny, but he’d never seemed to read mine. And I could tell he tried. Nearly everything he thought was broadcast on his lean, handsome face.

Maybe I was the one who could intuit better than he. Though I had no idea why I ever would. I wasn’t nearly as old and powerful as he. Of course, you couldn’t tell, not by looking at us with human eyes. He wasn’t an old man when he was turned, but younger, in his prime. But with vampire eyes, the aura of his age glowed stronger than mine, or any of the others.

He pursed his full lips, eyes narrowing beneath full, golden brows. I’m glad to hear it. She’s my most special guest.

Not a guest, I said, before biting back the rest of my words. It wouldn’t do my sister any favors if I mouthed off to him. He held far too much power for me to go off on an enraged tantrum. Though God—no, I don’t believe—knew I so desperately wanted to carve his heart out with one of my silver-plated daggers.

The glance he gave me was one of an adult cajoling a child.

I clenched my jaw. I wouldn’t do it. No, I wouldn’t react. I tried to talk myself out of it because I knew my sister would suffer the consequences.

Finally, it seemed he tired of waiting for me to react and he spoke. No, not a guest. But much more comfortable than she was at first, wouldn’t you say? And if it weren’t for my generosity and your creativity, she would be just as uncomfortable as before. Correct?

Correct. I sighed softly, and my shoulders relaxed, mostly in defeat, because he had me there.

Let’s get down to business, since I’m a busy man, and you’re about to be busy, too. He stood, unfolding his tall body from his throne—or, rather, his chair. I have a job for you.

Of course, he didn’t request my presence very often.

When I didn’t reply—what was there to say, after all?—he continued. As you know, the annual league meeting takes place next week.

League of Vampires.

I nodded. Everybody knew. Even some humans. After all, they’d been the ones to demand we form a league after the Great War.

Vampires existed in clans. Many of them. We’d never had one structure to rule us all, to keep watch, determine rules, make pacts, treaties. None of that. Never.

But the humans had insisted. And we had complied. Had we not, the humans would have stepped in and eradicated us as they had tried to for generations. Our fighting had disrupted their way of life, and if they couldn’t trust us, they would destroy us.

He cleared his throat, pulling me out of my contemplations. As leader of the clan, I’m expected to attend. He swiped his hands together as if removing dust or dirt.

Of course, I murmured.

What you may not know is how important this league gathering is for our clan. He paced back and forth in front of a pair of tall windows which allowed muted sunlight to stream into the room.

Another myth—vampires would burst into flames when in sunlight and evaporate away as ash. No. Not exactly the case. It’s a bit of a mystery as to the specifics. I could be burned by it, but I didn’t burst into spontaneous flames.

No vampire did. In the direct sunlight, some would burn slowly and in an excruciating way until gone.

My sister Sara, she was one of the ones who burned severely. I’m talking, she might die real fast. We’ve never tested it to the full extreme. All we needed to verify her vulnerability was to put her pinkie finger in the direct rays of the sun. The smell was horrific. The third-degree burns were awful. To this day, she was self-conscious about that pinkie finger and kept it tucked in whenever possible. I’d have thought it would have healed fully, without a scar. But then again, I wasn’t that familiar with injuries caused by the sun.

Theory has it, it’s directly related to our ancestors. So, depending on which bloodline you’re descended from, with it comes the immunity—or lack thereof—to the sun.

Needless to say, all vampires take precautions to avoid direct sunlight. Some take more precautions than others.

Marcus’s forehead creased as he paced, the leather pants he wore creaking ever so slightly. Another one of his little quirks, his love of leather. He had the physical beauty all vampires possessed, and the power he’d acquired over the centuries had given him an extra bit of swagger and confidence. He had an effect on most young vampires—I knew plenty of girl vampires roughly my age who had a crush on him or had just gotten over one. As I once may have had.

Because they don’t know him the way I do now.

He paused the pacing and turned toward me with a flourish. I received the agenda for next week’s meeting just this morning. Much is the same as every year—reinforcing regulations, ensuring our laws are still sound. Times change, after all. Blah, blah, blah. Sometimes even the most reasonable law needs amendment. Then, one item caught my eye. He snapped his fingers. Renewal of the pact between our clan and the Bourkes.

I was beginning to understand his concern, though I still wasn’t sure what I had to do with any of it. The Bourkes were our biggest rival, the clan closest to ours in terms of territory holdings, size, and strength. The pact between us detailed the lands we controlled and the rules of our peaceful coexistence. After all, it had been the fire set by members of the Bourke clan that had finally forced the humans to step in and end our war.

A fire that had proved devastating to the clan I’d belonged to. The same fire which had killed my mother and stepfather. There was little love lost between the Bourke and the Carver clans, but my hatred was fierce. They’d orphaned Sara and me, forcing us to do whatever we could to survive. Pushing us to the outskirts of the clan, where we’d been treated as outsiders. Forcing Sara to break the law. Putting her in jeopardy then forcing me to make the deal which made me Marcus’s slayer.

Or as I hate to be reminded, Marcus’s bitch.

For the pact to be renewed, Marcus explained, the heads of both clans must report to the league. If either of us doesn’t appear, the pact automatically goes in favor of the leader who does. The petition to take over the other clan’s territory will go through. If I’m not there, I lose all this. A hand wave to indicate our surroundings. If their clan doesn’t appear—a wicked gleam lit his eyes on fire—we get what’s theirs. Greed was evident in his tone.

I see. And this involves me how? I had a feeling I knew all too well, but I wanted him to clarify for me—without his need for incessant talking, which really got to be a bit much after long.

He smiled, white teeth gleaming, canines just slightly longer than those of a human. There was no happiness in his smile. If I’d had a beating heart and warm blood, it would have gone cold from his expression.

Jonah Bourke cannot make it to the League of Vampires meeting.

I nodded, accepting my task. Got it.

He didn’t need to elaborate. I knew what he wanted. I’d been performing such tasks for what seemed an eternity but was probably closer to two-and-a-half years. Ever since the day I’d thrown myself on his mercy.

I might not like Jonah Bourke, but I respect him, Marcus explained. He’s a strong leader. His clan looks to him for everything. Without him, his clan will dissolve into pandemonium. We’ll take over the territory they currently claim, not to mention taking over the clan. I have no doubt we’ll get back what they took from us. So many of our members cut down by their cruelty. His eyes flicked up and down, over me. Your parents, if I remember correctly.

You know they killed my parents, I muttered through clenched teeth. He didn’t need to overstate his case. They did not even leave us with bodies to bury.

I only bring it up to remind you what’s at stake here. I want what’s best for the clan. He stepped closer to me, and I felt colder than normal. His hands rested lightly on my shoulders.

I knew those hands could tighten into steel claws at a moment’s notice if I made him angry. I’d seen him do terrible things to those who had dared go against him. It was how he maintained power in the clan.

I understand.

It wasn’t the first time he’d given me this sort of job. There was more at stake for him, however. I couldn’t underestimate that.

Do you know what you need to know about him? he asked, removing his hands.

I could breathe easier when he wasn’t touching me, and easier still when he took a few steps back.

Fading sunlight glinted off his thick, wavy, golden hair, his proud profile. A shame someone so physically beautiful had to be so repulsive to me.

I know about the Bourkes, I said, keeping it simple. I do my homework. Not like I wanted to stick around and be briefed on this matter. Not by him. I’d sooner slurp the blood of dead rats.

My stomach churned at the thought.

Marcus chuckled. As long as it doesn’t interfere with your actual studies. Can’t have your instructors knowing what you do for me at night. It’s still our little secret, right?

Was he really worried I’d tell someone? That I’d risk my sister’s wellbeing just to share the dirty deeds I did for him?

I nodded, the bile rising up my throat. I barely managed to say one word. Right.

2

Anissa

It was a relief to be away from Marcus, out of his suite and back on the way to my own section of the mansion. He’d pulled me out of class to speak with me—a stupid move, really, seeing as how our meetings were supposed to be secret. None of the others would dare question him, though, so it didn’t matter.

Now me… well, not many would bother me with questions, either. My list of friends was short. That came from being ostracized.

The walk back was long, and I moved more slowly than usual to absorb what he’d told me.

I have to assassinate the head of the Bourke clan.

I had no idea how many of Marcus’s enemies had met my blade, but I would never forget the first one. I’d been terrified, full of doubt. I’d hated myself. I’d hated being in a position to act as his personal slayer. I’d almost ruined the entire job, too, making too much noise when I crept up on a werewolf who’d dared insult him.

He’d tried to shift into his werewolf form, and would have torn me to ribbons if I hadn’t been fast enough to slice his throat and pierce his heart with my thin, silver blade. Silver wasn’t only effective against werewolves—one part of the myths that was the truth—but it also seared the flesh of a vampire.

Except mine.

I’d never had a problem with it, but I don’t advertise that fact. I’d learned the hard way that sometimes friends can become enemies in the blink of an eye, so why tell them your strengths or weaknesses?

Since my first assignment, I’d taken many victims. I guess victims wasn’t really a good word, we were not talking about good guys or angels.

Yeah, I believed in angels. I know, odd for someone who doesn’t believe in God. How can I believe in God when my kind were deities on earth, or as close as it got to deities?

It had gotten easier to kill with time. Much easier. I did what I had to do. When I was honest with myself, I had to admit to a sense of pride in how good I’d gotten. I was the best—undetectable, unstoppable. When I maintained my concentration on my assignment—which I always had—I had a laser-beamed focus when it came to the side job, because my sister was at stake.

I slid in and out of the darkness like a shadow. My targets never saw me coming. When I spent my energies on improving my skills, it made my job easier. I didn’t have to think about what I was actually doing when I concentrated on technique.

What was that about?

I whirled to the left, caught off guard.

Raze, my best friend, fell into step beside me, coming off the corridor to the left. Some focus I had. I wondered how quickly he could have gotten the jump on me.

Well, he repeated, what was that about?

I needed to redirect his question and divert his concern. He might be my best friend, but even he didn’t know the things I did at Marcus’s command. Raze thought I had a secret boyfriend outside the clan—it was the theory he had come up with to explain my mysterious comings and goings. I let him believe what he wanted to believe as long as it didn’t get me into trouble.

He wanted to talk about Sara. That was enough to put any questions to rest.

Raze knew better than to press me on my sister. Everybody did.

Oh. Well, you didn’t miss much. Mulroney was as boring as ever.

Mulroney, our astronomy instructor.

Marcus and some of the other elders, those who hadn’t died or run off after the fire, had explained, and it made sense, that it was important for young beings like us to have a working knowledge of the stars, the elements, the history of the human world as well as that of our own ancestors. We used that knowledge to navigate the world when we traveled away from our clans.

We also learned current events and made it a point to stay on top of trends in everything from music to fashion. It helped us survive in a world that wasn’t always welcoming. Even though the humans lived peaceably alongside us, in every society there were always factions seeking to break down what they didn’t understand. The better we blended in, the better for our kind.

What are your plans for the weekend? I asked as we walked the halls, getting around the topic of my disappearance from class.

Oh, I don’t know. I was going to stay in and read for a while tonight then go out with the family tomorrow to feed.

My heart, or what there was of it, twisted in a pang of jealousy whenever Raze mentioned his family. His jade-green eyes looked down at the floor when I glanced over, and if his pale skin could have colored with embarrassment, it would have. I knew he understood my feelings about not having a family. Except for my sister. A family of one, plus me.

That’s great, I said. So no parties? You don’t want to go out with Isabel—Izzy to her friends—and her crew?

He wrinkled his nose. You know I don’t like that new group she hangs out with. They’re all, I don’t know…

Stupid? I asked with a laugh.

He laughed, too, probably relieved I had said it out loud.

I’m sorry, but if I can’t carry on a conversation, I’d rather stay home.

You’re a snob, I teased. You need to lighten up and act your age.

A hundred and three? he teased back.

Yes. A hundred and three, not five hundred or a thousand. You know what I mean.

There were times when I thought his emotional development had slowed to a crawl the way his physical development had.

If you would lighten up, you’d have a lot more friends and probably a ton of girlfriends. I mock-punched him in the arm.

Oh, shut up.

We reached the hall which led to his family’s section of the mansion. I glanced at him critically, taking in his tall, strong frame and thick, spiky black hair. He was cute. He’d be popular if he would just loosen up. Actually, he’d be hot. He had it in the looks department.

Well, I guess I’ll see ya when I see ya. I mean, you didn’t say anything about having plans…

I knew what he was getting at. He wanted to see if we could hang out. I would have to disappoint him.

Sorry. I have somewhere I need to be. I gave a small shrug.

He scowled, but just for a second. Okay. Then maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.

Yeah, sure. I gave him my best carefree smile and wondered if he bought it or if he saw my true emotions about my task at hand. I spun around and headed down a hall away from his quarters.

I was happy to be away from him since I hated lying and was never very good at it. I got the feeling he liked me a little, too, which made things awkward. He’d probably be relieved if he knew I didn’t have a secret boyfriend or even a crush. There was no way to set his mind at ease, not when he gave me the perfect cover story.

And he would never tell, since he wasn’t sure if I was breaking one of our canons, the laws of our clans. He’d never tell because he knew the punishment for the breaking of canons. My sister suffered punishment every day because she’d broken the law.

Night was falling, meaning it would be time to go on the hunt. Once I got to my little room at the end of the east wing, far from the happy little clusters of rooms lived in by families, I changed into black jeans, flat-soled boots, and a black tank, then covered up with a black hoodie. I needed the hood to hide my nearly white hair—it tended to stand out in the darkness, and I needed to blend in.

I grimaced at my reflection in the mirror. Sara’s hair was nothing like mine, hers was a deep, rich chestnut brown like her father’s. She hadn’t been allowed to cut it, of course. She wasn’t allowed to have any visitors within reach of her.

I thought about her as I prepared to track Jonah Bourke. I wouldn’t take him tonight—I didn’t know enough about his habits yet. I’d be screwed if I tried to take him while he had a dozen vampires hanging around. I’m good, but not that good.

I’d probably need two or three nights of observation to finally go in for the kill. Two or three nights of stalking. That’s what I wanted to do with my weekend. I wiped the scowl I could feel on my face when I remembered why I did this, and why my sister did what she did that got her punished. At least I was free to do what I wanted most nights.

My sister was the only thing that kept me doing this on whenever I wished I could live a normal life. I should be hanging out with Raze, or going out with Izzy and the gang she’d fallen into after she’d started dating Jeremy Booth. He was best friends with Will Carver, Marcus’s son, and that entire group of pals was both the most and least popular of the little factions in our clan.

She swore up and down Jeremy was different. I wanted to believe her. I also wanted to stay far away from Will. He reminded me of his father, and that made me think of Marcus. And I didn’t like thinking of Marcus.

I’d always heard the Bourkes liked to hang out together at a restaurant in Midtown. A vampire restaurant, one where those of our kind could choose from a wide selection of blood. Sort of like those wine bars I heard humans talking about—the places that had many kinds of wine. Why humans would go to a place to drink wine—and not just wine, but different varieties of it—boggled me. Probably because I was way too young to appreciate wine back when I had been turned.

We were all turned between the ages of thirteen and fifteen. That was one of the league’s canons. It was better to turn a vampire at a young age, but after puberty. Something to do with aging. Their rules, so who was I to question?

I decided to take the train because it was best when traveling through the human world at a reasonable time of night. I could have used my speed to run into the city—it had been a long time since I’d gone for a good, leg-stretching run—but there was too much chance of being spotted.

Night had just fallen, so there would be plenty of humans on the way home from jobs and or on their way out. I wouldn’t be noticed with so many others on the train.

I took a seat by the window, settling in for the short ride to the city. I liked taking the train. I got to enjoy watching scenery speed by without using any effort. And the sight of the city lights getting closer the longer I rode was always interesting. There were so many humans there. Their blood scents merged, and were overpowering. Not tempting. Not usually. I didn’t go out when I hungered. The lust for blood was not to be underestimated.

Humans didn’t know anything about my world, and I knew little about theirs. How could I remember much about being a human? It had been decades.

No matter how hard our instructors worked to teach us about humans and their habits, their thoughts, their rituals, it wasn’t enough. I didn’t know what it was like to be one of them.

A man sat next to me, and I pulled the hood closer around my face. I didn’t like being looked at by them, especially not the way the stranger had been watching me. With my slight build, human men thought they could take advantage of me. I’d only lashed out at them once. Only once, when it had felt like an emergency. That man had escaped with a broken arm. He was lucky.

I could smell his desire. It hung around him in a thick cloud. I felt sorry for any woman who crossed his path that night. It would be so easy to leave him helpless and bleeding. But we were more civilized. We had to be. Feeding on random humans would break the pact we’d made.

Did I miss feeding? Did I miss the feel of a human’s heartbeat pulsing their life-giving essence into my body? I won’t lie. There was something so primal and pleasurable about it.

But in the interest of the wellbeing of my kind, I can refrain. Some didn’t refrain. I know they didn’t, but they hadn’t been caught yet. Typically, the league finds out and they send Hunters to find them. The Hunters usually discover that those who feed on humans are rogue and clanless vampires. Or maybe they lie and say that to the humans so we can keep the peace.

It was a relief to get off the train and away from the man. His smell hung on my clothes. I wished I could shudder it off. It would be replaced with other human scents soon enough.

I dodged and weaved through the crowds, up and down the sidewalk, floating through them like a black cloud. They didn’t notice me, too busy enjoying their night. I knew where I’d find The Bank, one of Manhattan’s hottest underground vampire eateries. And, sure enough, I did find it.

It was only a few blocks from where I’d gotten off the train, and, even though it wasn’t very late, the restaurant was already packed.

I waited outside, in the dark alley between the restaurant and an apartment building. It wasn’t as easy to fool those of my kind as it was to slip past humans, but I was good at fading into the darkness. Another reason I worked so well as Marcus’s slayer. Even other vampires tended to look through me when I wanted them to.

I waited roughly an hour before I saw them. I had seen Jonah only once, years earlier. Back when he had first come into power in his clan. His father had been the head of the Bourke clan for as long as I could remember. Then, one day and for seemingly no reason, his parents had disappeared. Rumors flew for a long time. Marcus had been for taking control of the clan, naturally. The rest of the league had gone against him and placed Jonah in power. Those were dark days.

There.

I narrowed my eyes, squinting in his direction. That had to be him. I couldn’t get a good look at him just then, but I recognized the auburn hair of the Bourke family right off. Jonah and his siblings. I didn’t know much about them, but I knew they traveled in a pack. How would I get through them to get to him?

They stayed for over two hours and were all happy and glutted when they left. I followed at a safe distance as they visited club after club over a period of hours, until they reached the glass apartment building their clan inhabited. Like the Carver mansion, the building was occupied only by members of the Bourke clan. I couldn’t get to him in there—the security would be ultra-tight.

Still, I heard a girl with long, wavy hair—his sister—talking about going back to hear live music at the restaurant the following night. That would have to be my chance. If the rest of the group was busy listening to music, they might not notice me luring their brother away.

3

Jonah

W hat is it about The Bank that always draws you in? I asked, relaxing in the shared living room of the suite my brothers and sister and I shared. We each had our own bedroom and bathroom surrounding the living room, dining room, and kitchen. Not that we needed a kitchen or even a dining room. We almost never ate —fed—in.

I like the atmosphere, Philippa said, just like she always did. She shook her head, a wave of hair cascading around her. It’s a fun place.

With a great selection, Scott added with a grin.

Of blood and chicks, Philippa could always read Scott like a book.

Then again, so could I.

True and true, he confirmed with a laugh. What can I say? I like what I like.

If you had hormones, I would recommend a suppressant, Philippa muttered, shaking her head. I loved listening to them go back and forth like that, even when I had a lot on my mind.

Gage could sense I was preoccupied. I could tell from the expression on his face. Something about being my twin, I guessed.

What’s up with you tonight? he asked, frowning.

I can’t stop thinking about the league meeting next week.

Uh-oh, Scott said. He’s got a bad feeling about something.

I threw a pillow at him, and his hand shot out to grab it. It would take more effort than that to catch him off-guard.

Are my gut feelings ever wrong? I looked around the room.

None of them could disagree.

What are you thinking? Philippa asked, finally serious. She slid into a leather chair, crossing her long, lean legs.

I sat across from her, near where Scott and Gage had stretched out when we got in.

I don’t like knowing the pact with the Carvers is almost up. I don’t like having to deal with Marcus Carver. I don’t trust him.

Who does? I heard his own clan doesn’t. He rules with fear. Scott shrugged. For once, he was serious.

What would Dad have done? Philippa asked.

He would have run away. Oh, wait. He already did that. Gage looked disgusted, as he usually did when talking about our father.

You know I hate it when you say things like that, Philippa reminded him. They must have had a reason. They waited until you and Jonah were old enough to rule the clan.

They wouldn’t have left if something hadn’t happened to them, Scott murmured.

I knew he was as sick of talking about it as any of us. As the youngest, it had bothered him the most when our parents had disappeared. He was never one to wear his sadness on his sleeve, but I could tell it affected him.

Dad would have faced Marcus, I decided. He would have let him know how strong the clan is. He would have kept the pact going and rallied for our clan in front of the league.

That’s right. Hell, didn’t we show them that when we burned half of them to a crisp? Scott asked.

I winced when I thought about the fire. It had only been fifty human years, and yet, the memory was as fresh as if a week had passed. I could still smell the smoke and the burning flesh. I could hear the screams.

Some said my parents fled in the aftermath of the fire, unable to deal with what they’d done. Others said it was because of another faction inside our clan—the faction that had set the blaze, a faction outside my father’s rule.

They said my parents fled because they knew they couldn’t control those who’d set the fire. Some thought they might already be dead, that they might have been dead for years. I didn’t know. I couldn’t afford to spend much time thinking about it, either. Not when my clan’s future rested on my shoulders.

I knew Marcus would again petition for more territory, more rule, as he’d want us to be punished for that fire. He’d want us to bear the penalty for our predecessors’ sins. Even though it wasn’t even our parents that were involved in it.

Gage made a sound of disgust. Running. He scoffed. "When we were old enough to take over." He threw Philippa’s words back at her because, technically, he didn’t rule.

And he wanted to. This I knew.

No matter how I tried to get Gage to come around, it was a waste of time. He’d never agree that, as the oldest, I was the natural ruler of the Bourke clan. Sure, it might have been only eight minutes, but I could make those eight minutes count when I wanted to.

Whenever anybody gently reminded him he wasn’t oldest, he’d counter by reminding them he’d been changed from human to vampire a few minutes before I had—in his eyes, this made him older and more qualified to rule.

I didn’t feel like splitting hairs with him. In fact, on a night when I’d spent most of the time concerned about a league meeting instead of having fun, he could have the job if he wanted it. I didn’t think he had the slightest clue what it really meant to be the leader of a clan. He only wanted the power. Typical younger brother.

I studied my siblings then shook my head. I have no choice but to deal with Marcus, and I will. That’s not the point. I just don’t trust him. He wants the clan. He wants vengeance.

Vengeance for something we didn’t have any part in, Philippa muttered, swinging one of her legs back and forth.

It doesn’t matter. His memory is long. I got up, stretching. It had been good to feed. I felt sharper, more on top of things. I would need to feed just before the league meeting, for certain. Just to be sure I had my head together.

I stepped out on the balcony, looking out over the city. So much busy-ness. Like a heartbeat pulsing, always pulsing, throbbing with life and vitality. I wished sometimes I could go down and feed like my parents had, like prior generations used to. The thrill of the hunt. We missed that in our more civilized days.

At the same time, though, it was a relief not to worry about vampire hunters with stakes and other useless weapons. We didn’t have to hide who we were. Still, there was no gain without a loss.

Gage will come around, Philippa said, standing behind me.

When? He’s had almost fifty years. Fifty years to become accustomed to my being leader.

I looked into the distant sky, the stars that occasionally peeked through. If I tried hard enough, I could remember my early days as a vampire. The turn of the twentieth century. So much hope, so much promise. So much fresh blood. If I took a deep enough breath, I could almost smell it.

And that’s like the blink of an eye to us, Philippa reminded me. Sometimes, I think he’s still fifteen. Always wanting to step out of his big brother’s shadow.

I’m tired of him making me feel like I should apologize for being older. The elder members of the clan named me as ruler. Not him. What could I do?

Nothing. And he’ll figure that out one day. She stood beside me, and a gust of wind whipped our hair back. Sometimes I miss the hunt. Tonight would have been perfect, you know? Do you ever miss it?

Sometimes, I admitted.

Another thing I missed was sleep. I hadn’t slept in over a hundred years. I could rest, recharge, but I couldn’t sleep. There was something about closing my eyes and drifting away that I wished I could feel again. Sometimes, it even got boring, being awake all the time. Yet another reason hunting was the perfect pastime. Some vampires from clans closer to the woods hunted animals. One day, I would have to visit friends and join them because it had been way too long.

It had been too long since anything exciting happened, I decided. That was the problem. I went through life in a kind of sedated daze. I lived in luxury. I drank blood whenever I felt like it. I had a group of wise, trusted advisors. I had everything. I wanted more.

It was still on my mind when we went back to The Bank on Saturday night. Philippa was happy to be the life of the party, as always. People saw her auburn hair and knew they were in for a good time. Between her and Scott, they kept our friends roaring with laughter all night. They made a good pair on the dance floor, too, getting up not long after we arrived to jitterbug along with the jazz band playing onstage.

I couldn’t shake the feeling something was wrong. Maybe I smelled it in the air or felt the energy—either way, I needed to step outside once I’d fed.

Fed. I say fed these days, but it has a different meaning than in the old days. These days when my kind say fed, it’s like saying we drank blood from a glass, or a bag if we were in a hurry. Sort of like humans drank milk from a plastic jug when they were in too much of a hurry or too lazy to get a glass. Basically, fed today doesn’t mean the same as fed meant in yesteryears.

Anyway, I couldn’t lose the sensation something was not quite right. I picked it up in the air, somehow. It might even have been the good rich blood I’d just dined on. I felt sharper than usual.

The night air was cool and damp. I sucked in a deep breath, filling my lungs, expanding my chest, then another. There were still plenty of vampires flocking into The Bank, so I stepped aside, closer to the alley, waiting the crowd out.

That was when I heard it. Just the faintest whisper of a sound. Directly behind me. I spun on my heel, ready to attack whatever it was without thinking I might have been outsized or outnumbered. I was plenty strong on my own—one of the strongest in the clan, not to mention my tall, thick frame. And I had the advantage of being just a half step ahead of my attacker.

Only I wasn’t the one under attack. Three hulking figures overpowered one small, slender one. I knew it wasn’t my business, and I should back away and let issues take care of themselves, but I was never one to turn away from an unfair fight. Especially when it looked like a small girl was involved. The person was hooded, so I guess it could have been a boy, but, somehow, I didn’t think so. The person didn’t move like a guy.

Hey! I threw myself into the center of the group, knocking the three attackers off-balance.

One of them took a swing at me, and, under the single light shining in the otherwise dark alley, I realized what I was looking at. A werewolf. I scanned all of them. Yep, all of the attackers were werewolves. They had the large build, the shaggy hair, and reddish eyes of werewolves. And I had stepped right into a fight with them.

I ducked before the werewolf, bigger but much slower, could make contact with me. He staggered back. Meanwhile, the other two werewolves tried to drag their silent prey away, farther down the alley.

Stop!

What am I doing?

I couldn’t help it. I hated to see something smaller and weaker being taken advantage of. There was no time to get help. I was her help. Me.

One of them raised their hand, and I saw the fingers curved into what looked like claws. He was going to kill his captive.

No! I threw myself at him, stopping him just in time.

His hold on his captive loosened, and I grabbed for the dark hoodie she wore. I pulled it to me, kicking out at the third werewolf. I looked down, taking in the white hair and golden eyes of the creature I had saved.

A girl. Definitely a girl.

And…

One of my kind.

I could feel it.

Something else I could feel—my arms encircled by what felt like bands of steel. One of the werewolves had taken hold of me.

We only wanted her, but I guess we’ll take you, too, if you want.

I looked down at the other vampire, her eyes wide. I hoped her life was worth it because I had just put mine in danger for her sake. But I was up for a fight. No worries on that score.

4

Anissa

How did I miss hearing those stinking werewolves sneaking up behind me? Were my senses dulling? No. I’d been too busy zeroing in on my prey. Jonah Bourke. The prey who saved my life. Some slayer I turned out to be.

But what did three werewolves want with me? I couldn’t understand. They dragged Jonah and me through a series of dank, putrid alleyways, far away from prying eyes. I couldn’t have called out for help. The last thing I wanted was for the Bourke siblings or their clan to find one of the Carver clan in their midst.

So, I’d given up, not putting up a fight. It pretty much screwed Jonah Bourke over, and he had the bruises and blood to show it.

They’d overpowered him since I didn’t help. Three werewolves took him down. That seemed a bit odd—I’d have thought with what little I’d seen of his fighting skills he’d have fared better. It gave me pause, made me wonder if there was some magic involved, but I pushed that thought aside quickly. I had more important things to worry about now.

Like, where were they taking us. And why? Why not just kill us where they’d found us?

The farther we got from the restaurant and the rest of civilization, the more certain I was they never intended to let us go. Well, Jonah would die that night, after all. Just not by my hand. And Marcus would still get what he wanted.

So, why did the idea of him dying bother me?

I gave a sideways glance to him. Broad shouldered, dark-red hair. Not cartoon red, but the red that was close to brown and had bronze glints that caught the moonlight. Auburn, that’s what it was.

Under other circumstances, I’d have thought he was hot. As it was, all I could afford to think was he needed to not be alive.

And now again, that thought saddened me.

After a few minutes of being dragged through stinking, vile alleys that seemed to get narrower at every turn, we ended up at a stairway leading down to what looked like the basement of an old warehouse. Just the kind of place three filthy werewolves would hole up. Werewolves weren’t exactly respected in my world. They were pretty much the lowest of the low, except in rare cases. What they wanted with me, I had no idea.

Here. The one holding me tossed me to the ground like I was nothing once we got inside.

I skidded to a stop, hitting a stack of filthy mattresses. A handful of fat roaches skittered out from beneath them, and I fought to keep myself from screaming. Funny thing. A vampire slayer terrified of roaches. In New York, roach capital of the world. The irony of it.

Jonah’s captor threw him, too, only Jonah managed to stay on his feet. With his muscular body, he wasn’t that easy to toss. His power could easily match any one of theirs. Just not three of them, not these three, for some reason.

I was pretty sure, sort of, that I could have taken them, if I’d had the advantage of surprise, and if I’d had my weapons out.

I scanned the room, seeing with my preternatural eyes, even in the dark. Wooden posts supported a sagging roof of the floor above us. Bundles of rotting fabric, no longer useful. Maybe an old textile factory? It made sense. We were just outside the garment district. It smelled like something had died down here. Maybe something had. Did the werewolves live there? How was it possible? They were disgusting beings, so perhaps they did live here.

I could tell from the look on Jonah’s handsome face he felt the same way.

Jonah brushed a strand of hair back from his broad forehead. What’s this all about? Why did you bring us here?

We brought you here because you got in the way, the largest of the werewolves growled.

The sound of his voice made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

You weren’t part of the plan, pretty vampire boy, he added.

Pretty, huh? You got a crush or something? That’s not how I roll. To my total horror, Jonah winked. Like he was trying to get a rise out of the werewolf standing in front of him.

Was he insane? Sure, he could have taken one of them. But three?

Watch yourself. Remember who’s in charge here. The werewolf turned to me. This one was the one we were supposed to take. We only need her.

I knew what that meant, but I held my tongue and my wince. I’d gotten good at that. I could tell from the look on Jonah’s face he wasn’t quite computing. They wanted to kill him. It was obvious they had no idea who they were dealing with—murdering the head of a clan as powerful as the Bourkes would bring a world of hurt down on their heads, on the heads of all werewolves in the area. I hoped Jonah would keep his mouth shut long enough to give me a chance to get us out of there.

Why do you care whether he lives or dies? You’re supposed to kill him, anyway.

My words weighed heavy in my head. Sure, it would make life easier. But he had saved me. He didn’t have to save me.

And there was something else about him. I watched him from my spot on the floor, while he leaned against an old wooden post. Our captors talked among themselves. Jonah didn’t take his eyes from them, and I didn’t take my eyes from him.

I couldn’t.

He was gorgeous. Handsomer than any vampire or human I’d ever seen. A fine, strong profile, a chiseled jaw. Sapphire eyes with a hint of gold around the outside. I’d noticed them back in the alley. I’d almost drowned in them, even though I was close to certain death at the moment. I didn’t want to see them rip him to pieces. It would be such a waste.

The werewolves did their best to keep their voices down, but they must not have known it didn’t matter. Vampire hearing was like our sight, super sensitive. We learned early how to tune in and out—I knew I would’ve gone crazy if I’d spent my entire life hearing everything happening for blocks around me. A day at the mansion would have killed me. I tuned in now, needing to hear what they were planning. I couldn’t tell from Jonah’s blank expression whether he was listening or not.

We were only supposed to get her, one of them said, his voice more of a growl.

What happens if we show up with two? another one asked.

No way. This came from the leader. We have to get rid of him. He needs to go.

And where do you think we could put him?

I know I’m hungry.

The leader frowned at them both, poking his cohorts in the chest with a clawed finger of warning. We don’t have time. If we could store him here until we get back, though…

That’s not a bad idea…

So, they were going to leave Jonah and take me wherever I was supposed to go then come back and eat him. Again, this would make my life easier. Well, maybe not easier. I still had to get away from them. I was beginning to understand the smell down there. They did a lot of feeding, but not a lot of cleaning up after themselves. I decided not to look too far into the darkness for fear of what, or who, I would see, and what state of half-eaten they might be.

All right, girl. Up. We have to get you going. There’s no time to waste.

Where to? I took my time about getting up. My weapons were stored in a pocket inside my boots, safe and secure. I only needed the chance to reach in and grab them. I could take all three werewolves out before they had the chance to blink an eye. I felt pretty sure about that. I only had to get in the right position.

I