Under the Rose: The Anthem Saga, #4

By Amanda Johnston

Jaicimus Teyrn has watched over Gwyneth Stone for years, keeping her safe from other vampires. Now, he's tired of hiding in the shadows of her life, and he wants to introduce himself.

Little does Jaicimus know that he and Gwyn, along with his friends, Malthius, and Billy Viridian, will be drawn into a new vampire war.

Ana Rose wants to take over the Kingdom of Limbo, and she'll go to any lengths to succeed. Jaicimus and his friends must find the first vampire to exist, hoping that he will help them keep Limbo and the world safe.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amanda Johnston
• Release date: Mar 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393261155

Book preview

The Anthem Saga

Left In the Dark

Original Sin

Heaven Can Wait

Copyright © 2020 by Amanda Johnston

s reserved.

Cover design by Amanda Johnston

Formatting by Stacie Hanson

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

PUBLISHED IN THE USA

First Edition: March 2020

Amanda Johnston

ISBN:  9798624714069

For anyone who still needs to believe in magic.

Not What Birmingham Is Used To

December 15th, 1998

It was a cold December night, and Jaicimus stood with his hands in his pockets in the dining room of a small, but comfortable house in the suburbs of Anthem. He had waited until all of the residents of the house had gone to sleep, then he let himself in through the back door, throwing his power out to undo the chain lock.

He cloaked himself so no one would see him, and he listened, as the girl he secretly had under his protection sang along with her radio. She didn't know that she had accidentally Called to him, nor that he even truly existed, but he had saved her from attracting the attention of those that might harm her, and now her happiness and security were his burden to bear.

At night she would write poetry, or she would draw, always listening to music, humming or singing along. Gwyneth Stone was fascinating to Jaicimus. She was just seventeen, and deeply in love with the dark. She loved vampire lore and ghost stories, and sometimes Jaicimus would steal a look at what she was reading, shaking his head at how incorrect it all was.

She liked rock music and horror movies, and for some reason she was mercilessly bullied at school. He could never understand exactly why the teenagers at Anthem Heights High School had decided that Gwyn should be the target of their hatred, but it took a toll on her.

The night that he answered her Call she had been sitting on the steps of her parents' house, her heart crying out for someone or something to take her away. She wished from the bottom of her soul for someone to make her life more than it was, as tears had streamed down her face. Luckily, for her, Jaicimus had been leaving a Halloween party at Emerald Manor when he'd  heard her Calling.

He could sense that there were other vampires nearby, aside from his two friends still drinking the night away with the royal family of Hell, and he could sense that the others had heard the girl, and they were thinking about answering. There was something about the hope in her Call that he couldn't resist, and before anyone else could claim her he sent power out from himself, answering her, proclaiming to all other vampires that she was his. Since then he had watched her from the shadows, hiding himself from her sight. He didn't want to interfere with her life, but he wanted to make sure that she was safe. He couldn't explain why that was; not to himself, or to his best friend, Malthius, who thought that he had lost his mind.

This particular evening, Gwyn had ridden her bicycle home in tears. Jaicimus had watched as she had thrown her bike to the ground, tossing her long chestnut hair over her shoulder, wiping the tears from her cheeks as she rushed past where he'd been sitting on the steps of her front porch, cloaked from her view. Gwyn had stomped up the stairs and into the house, as Jaicimus furrowed his brow with worry.

This wasn't the first time that he'd sneaked into her home to make sure that she would be alright, especially when she'd seemed particularly upset. Now he stood, listening to her sniffle, and he couldn't figure out why his heart felt like it was in a vice. An idea occurred to him, then, that maybe she just needed a little sign that she was being watched over, or just a little bit of magic to hang on to. He took his hands out of his pockets, stepping forward to lean around, peeking into her bedroom through the rainbow, beaded-curtain she had hung in the open doorway.

She sat on her bed, posters from movies she loved, and her Rise From the Ashes posters surrounding her, as she drew a rose with a black color pencil in her sketchbook. The tip of the pencil snapped off as she put too much pressure down on it, and she growled in frustration. "Damn it," she whispered, wiping tears from her face.

Jaicimus let out a breath, and her beaded-curtain jingled as the strands moved together. He watched her sigh heavily, and he drew his power in, dropping the cloaking he had on himself. Hey, Kitty Cat, she said, sounding a little confused, seeming to see the movement of his black shoe out of the corner of her eye.

She thought I was the cat? Jaicimus thought to himself, with a smirk. He watched as she raised her eyes up to meet his, a stunned expression on her face. She stared at him for a moment, and Jaicimus quirked up an eyebrow, a smirk on his face. Gwyn blinked heavily, and at that moment he put his cloaking up again, vanishing from her view. He backed away from the door as she jumped up, running to look into the dining room. Brave girl. Running after the ghost. I shouldn't be surprised.

Gwyn's rust-brown eyes were wide, tears welling up in them as she opened and closed her mouth a few times. Hello? Who's there? she whispered. A tear rolled down her cheek, but Jaicimus knew that these weren't tears of sadness or fear, but tears of wonder. "I saw you! Where are you? Come back."

Jaicimus was so tempted to come clean, and show himself to her, but he knew that she wasn't ready yet. He stood still and silent, watching as she backed into her room, her eyes searching all around her, until she sat down hard on her bed. Gwyn let out a shaky sigh, looking around her room one last time before switching off her light. Jaicimus moved towards the back door, quietly sneaking out of the house. He hurried across the backyard and into the alleyway, where Malthius waited with Jaicimus' 1968 Cougar.

Malthius stood up from where he'd been sitting on the hood, shaking his head. "You are in too deep with this, mate, he said disapprovingly in his soft English accent. You remember the last time that you were this absorbed with a Call?"

Jaicimus put his hand up with a sigh. "This is nothing like Bernadette, and you know that."

"Yet, Jaic. It's nothing like Bernadette, yet." Malthius walked around the car, opening the door then climbing into the passenger seat as Jaicimus got in on the driver side.

"I'm just making sure that she's safe. That is all, Jaicimus said, putting the key in the ignition, starting the car. Anthem is surrounded by other vampires, demons, devils, angels, and Hell knows what else. Worse are the teenage soul-eaters who want to suck all of the joy out of her."

"We've been here since that bloody party Halloween night. When will you be satisfied that she's safe enough for us to move on?" Malthius groaned as he rolled his window down.

Jaicimus turned the Cougar to head into the city, picking up speed as he drove onto Anthem City Bridge. He rolled his own window down before lighting a cigarette. We'll move on when I know that she's not in distress. I can't explain why I feel the need to see her happy, but I do. Soon, alright? Soon we'll head to the next city to see what trouble we can get into, but until then...Just bear with me, okay?

I've been baring with you for months, Jaicimus, Malthius said in annoyance.

I know, I know...Just...Come on, Mal? Jaicimus asked defensively.

Malthius pulled a flask from inside the pocket in his jacket, unscrewing the cap. Fine. Where are we going now?

The Inferno, Jaicimus answered, glancing over at his friend.

Malthius let out a snorting laugh. "You're determined to beat Billy Viridian at pool, but you never will."

"I will beat him. It's gonna happen," Jaicimus vowed.

"He's literally the son of the Devil, mate. The Angel of Death—The Pale Rider. The last time you came close to beating him he had flames in his eyes. He's got skills you don't have. Malthius turned his flask up, taking a quick swig of his whiskey. Billy is gonna kick your arse again tonight, and he's gonna win all the money that you have about your person. I am not footing the bill again, Jaic."

"Mal, I am not going to let some seventeen-year-old, Boy Wonder take my billiards king title, okay?" Jaicimus pressed his foot down hard on the gas pedal, and they rolled into the Mountainside District. Jaicimus took a long drag off of his cigarette as the wind blew through the dark waves of his hair.

"You're dreamin', mate, Malthius said with a scoff. You'll never beat Billy."

November 26th, 2007

Eight Years and Eleven Months Later

IT HAD BEEN YEARS SINCE she'd seen The Man In the Doorway, and from that day forward Gwyneth Stone chased after adventure. She settled to live in California for a while, hoping to be an actress, and when that didn't work out for her she went to Birmingham, Alabama to live with her aunt. Her father's sister had been the only family member still willing to speak to Gwyn after she'd taken off from Anthem without so much as a note saying where she was going.

At one point she had tried to start a rock band, and they'd gained some local notoriety, but they disbanded after a year. Gwyn had finally broken down, going to work in a call center, and though she was almost certain that the job was taking years off of her life, she managed to move into her own apartment. The place she rented was on the small side; the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom all seemed like afterthoughts. The living room was large, with sliding glass doors leading to a balcony that overlooked the Birmingham skyline, and Gwyn would sit in her Adirondack chair for hours, looking out over the city, thinking of home. She'd put her headphones on, blasting her favorite songs, as she sipped on whatever drink she had decided on for that night.

She often stayed up far too late in the evenings, only to drag herself out of bed the next morning to get ready for work, but tonight was an exception. She had a whole week of vacation saved up, and tonight was the beginning of it. No more customers screaming at her, and no more weird co-workers trying to convince her that all celebrities were lizard vampires. She was free, and she relished the feeling, even through her exhaustion from earlier in the day.

Gwyn drank down the last of her scotch as she stood up and stretched, taking her empty glass into the kitchen before dragging herself off to bed. She switched on the light, looking around her room carefully, not really expecting to see anyone, but the routine was comforting to her.

She settled into bed under her blankets, pulling them up to her chin as she laid there in the near dark of the room. In all of her twenty-six years she had never felt so uneasy. She felt almost like she had vertigo, but she was laying flat on her mattress, only four feet from the floor.

The blue glow of the television in her room, playing M*A*S*H reruns, was the only calm that she could find, and she rolled over onto her side, feeling her eyelids finally starting to close. Just as she was about to drift off to sleep she felt the slightest touch of cool lips against her forehead, and her eyes flew open. Gwyn sat up like a shot, her gaze darting around her room, but there was nothing out of the ordinary to see. She slumped back against her pillows, her heart thundering in her chest. Gwyn knew that her apartment wasn't haunted, but she was still hesitant to close her eyes again.

Just my imaginary friend, coming back to play, she said to herself in a sardonic tone. She scooted down further underneath her covers, feeling tempted to cover her face with them. A part of her thought that if she could hide herself within the blankets then whatever might be hiding in the shadows couldn't find her. Moments passed, with nothing happening but the hum of her box fans. and the shifting light from the muted television, but then her bedroom door began to creak as it opened slowly. Her head snapped over to look in its direction, seeing nothing but the dark, empty hallway beyond the door.

What—Is someone there? What do you want? Her questions were met with only silence, and she began to believe that it might just be a shift in the air in the house. She considered that she might have left the sliding glass door open, and it could have caused suction that opened the door.

Gwyn sighed, rolling her eyes at herself, thinking how weird she might seem if anybody could see her there, talking to no one. I'm just lonely, and my mind is pulling on childhood nightmares, that's all, she said, comforting herself with the sound of her own voice, throwing the covers off of her legs to go check the doors. It was just at that moment that the lamps in the living room both clicked on simultaneously by themselves. "Oh! What the Hell?" she gasped, reaching over to grab the baseball bat she kept next to her bed before creeping out into the hallway.

Tonight Trouble Finds You

Jaicimus held his hand over his mouth, fighting back laughter as he watched Gwyn creeping through her apartment with her baseball bat held high. Confusion settled on her features as she lowered her bat, walking over to check the sliding glass door to her balcony. At that moment her refrigerator made a whirring sound, and she jumped, spinning around quickly with her hand over her heart. Jaicimus almost lost his ability to keep his composure, but he bit down on his bottom lip, holding himself together.

She walked into her kitchen, grabbing a glass from a cabinet, getting some water from the refrigerator before making her way back to the door to her balcony. She seemed to double check that the door was shut and locked, shaking her head. This is a fun game, but time to end it, Jaicimus thought to himself. He pulled a random vampire novel from the shelf next to the door, sitting down on her couch, dropping the cloak so that she could see him.

He heard her startled gasp as his eyes moved over a particularly amusing passage in the book. "'His sparkling, green orbs gazed longingly into hers, then his eyes darted to her throat, just where her pulse thrummed out a rhythm that could only mean one thing—she wanted him to taste the love she had for him in her deep, crimson, life-giving blood.' Gwynnie, this is just pure trite. He laughed, looking up to see her startled expression. Hello, Sunshine," he said, smiling mischievously.

GWYN DROPPED HER GLASS of water and the baseball bat to the floor, retreating to press her back against the cold glass of the sliding door. That's not my favorite, she said flatly, her brain trying to sort out what was happening, afraid to blink. "The book, I mean—It's not the best. It's actually pretty poorly written, and kind of cringe-worthy, and I don't know why it was so popular, but I keep it for nostalgia. Are you...You're him."

You seem surprised to see me, he drawled. "You were just speaking to me a minute ago, weren't you?"

I thought I was talking to nobody. She took a few tentative steps forward, wincing when she stepped on the wet carpet with her bare feet.

The man put his hand over his heart as if he was offended. "Well, I'm somebody. Here I am." Gwen had finally moved close enough to him that she could touch him, reaching out her hand to poke him in the shoulder with her index finger.

I'm real, and I'm not going anywhere, he said, laughing. "I'm staying put, right here, until you get all of the answers to all of the questions in your pretty little head. No more hiding." He leaned back on the couch, propping his hands up behind his head. He smiled brightly, and she saw that his canine teeth were slightly longer than average human canine teeth. Gwyn shuddered a little, rubbing at her arms.

You're a vampire? she asked, slowly lowering herself to sit across from him on her coffee table.

He nodded, still smiling at her. Quick on the up-take. I knew you'd figure out what I am easily. My name is Jaicimus.

She frowned, considering the name he'd just told her. Jai...

Jay-ky-mus, he sounded out for her with a smirk. "My friends call me Jaic. Now, ask me what I want. What I'm here for. You know you want to." He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees as his green eyes met her gaze.

Gwyn felt her pulse pick up, and she swallowed hard. Your eyes are glowing.

You're twenty-six. Your birthday is in May, and you're a Gemini. Your favorite color is purple, except when it's green, and you hate cashews, he said with a shrug.

She raised her eyebrows, blinking at him in surprise. "It's alarming that you know that, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, you made a statement, and I thought that we were just saying things that were true. Yes, my eyes glow. All vampires' eyes glow. Ask me what I want." Jaicimus sighed, tilting his head.

Okay, then, she said, annoyance starting to take over the fear she had felt. "What do you want, Jaic?"

He pointed at her with a grin. There it is! Human emotions are so interesting. You go from fearful to angry so quickly! It's adorable. What I want is to be your friend. That's all.

Gwyn narrowed her eyes. You don't want to eat me?

If I wanted to kill you then I could have done that ten years ago, when you were seventeen and fresh and pure. You're all grown up now, and decidedly less virginal, he said, eyeing her up and down. "No, I never have wanted to eat you. Thinking of other things, though..."

Gwyn tried to fight down a shiver, taking a deep breath, wishing her pulse would steady itself. Why not?

"We just officially met," Jaicimus said, quirking up one corner of his lips.

Gwyn narrowed her eyes at him. What?

He laughed quietly, leaning his elbows on his knees."You want to know why I've chosen not to kill you? Wh—I—Well—" He held his hands out, looking around as if he was searching for the answer.

Gwyn shook her head, frowning in confusion. "You don't know why?"

Jaicimus sighed heavily. No, I don't know why. I just had a sense that I needed to keep you safe, he said as though he was admitting it reluctantly.

Safe from what? Safe from who? she asked with a frown.

You lived in Anthem City your whole life. You never suspected there was something wrong there? That place draws danger to it like a magnet. You lived in the suburbs when that big ozone storm came! And did you know that the Devil himself lives in a mansion on the top of a hill in Anthem? Jaicimus asked, raising his eyebrows.

Gwyn glared at him, knowing that he had to be kidding. I'm not that gullible.

Jaicimus scoffed, leaning back briefly. "I didn't believe it either, but I've seen him with my own eyes at a Halloween party. The night you Called, actually. Hell, I used to play pool regularly with his son, Billy. You listened to Rise from the Ashes when you were younger. All of those songs were based on real things."

"So, you're telling me that the Devil lives in my old hometown, and his son's name is Billy? That's such an ordinary name for the son of Satan," she said.

"His name sounds ordinary because he used to be ordinary, but...That's several novels worth of story, and I don't feel like going into it. Suffice to say, there are things that you needed to be shielded from because you were Calling so loudly for something or someone to find you, Jaicimus said, casting his eyes to the floor momentarily. You sounded so sad and hopeful. Most people who Call either want revenge or they want power.

You, though, Gwyn...You just wanted peace, and a sign that there was something out there beyond the droning, mundane existence that you thought you were careening towards. I felt all of that, and I just— He stopped talking abruptly, a look in his eyes as if he was pleading with her to understand. I didn't want anything to happen to you.

Gwyn sat looking at him silently. "Well, that's very kind of you, but I don't remember asking for a vampire. I do remember that Halloween had been miserable. My parents were still coming down off of their Starling, cult crap, and they forbade me to leave the house that night. I was lonely, and I just wanted to run away. I didn't know that I was making...A Call?"

He cut his eyes to the side before looking back at her. You Called accidentally. Your longing for adventure, and magic in the cool, night air was so strong. It was wistful, but dangerous. There were at least twenty more vampires in and around Anthem that night, and if they had answered you, then... He stared into her eyes, seeming unable to finish the sentence, but she knew what he was going to say.

If they had answered I might not be here, right now. I'd be dead, she assumed, her tone grim. What stopped them from coming for me anyway?

Once a Call has been answered, you're bound to that vampire. You belong to them, essentially. No other vampire can touch you, he said, studying his hands.

The fact that he basically had claimed her for his own sent a shiver down her spine. So there's a force field around me so that they can't touch me, or something?

No, it's more of an old world rule. One that we all take very seriously, Jaicimus said with a sigh. We have a lot of rules that we self-enforce. When someone breaks them we react swiftly, normally bloody battle ensues. We all do our best to avoid that.

So, there's no vampire king? Gwyn asked with a smile.

Jaicimus narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "There isn't, as far as I'm aware. There are legends, certainly, but there's no proof of any of it being true."

Gwyn was feeling a little more confident, although Jaicimus' presence was still making her heart thunder in her chest for some reason she couldn't place. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees to prop her chin on her hands. So where are you from? How old are you?

I don't know. I don't remember, Jaicimus said, raising his eyebrows as he held his hands out. "The first memory I have is my friend, Malthius, pulling me out of a well. There was an uprising in a village, and apparently I'd been chased, and attacked. That was in 1475. I knew my name, and I knew what I was, but anything before that is hazy—memories I can't reach, no matter how hard I try."

She tilted her head, feeling sorry for him. That's very sad. So, take 2007, subtract 1475, plus however old you were when you were changed into a vampire, and you'd have to be—

At least five hundred and fifty-one? Yes, Jaicimus smiled. How do you feel about a five-hundred and twenty-four year age difference?

I've always gotten along well with the elderly, Gwyn said, smirking.

Jaicimus arched an eyebrow, laughing mirthlessly. That's very cute, Gwynnie.

She stood up, moving around her coffee table to an open space in front of her television, pacing as she knit her fingers together in front of her. How does this 'being friends' thing work? she asked, turning towards him.

He rose to his feet, moving nearer to her, sticking his hands into the pockets of his jeans. You hang out with me. Let me show you around town.

I've lived here for three years, Jaic. I know my way around town, she said, holding her hands out in a shrug.

He stepped closer to her, taking one of her hands into his, her eyes darting to their joined hands, then turned her gaze to the floor. He laughed softly, bending down to catch her attention. "You turn pink when you're flustered, and it's just...just delightful. I know that you've lived here for three years because I've been here with you for three years."

You have? she asked, her voice quiet.

He nodded, stepping forward, getting still closer to her. I went with you to California, and then I came here with you. The only time I've been away is when I had to help with some disturbance in Borwood. That was five years ago, but I was right back to you as soon as I could be. Malthius didn't understand why I couldn't just leave you alone. Jaicimus took her other hand into his, casting his eyes downward as he knit their fingers together. "He's never answered a Call, so he doesn't know what it can be like. How it can ache..."

What is it like? she asked, trying to slow her breathing.

He kept his eyes on their joined hands, brushing his thumbs lightly over her skin.It's like a tether. Like a golden chain around my sternum, connected to you—my heart to yours. The feeling is overwhelming sometimes. It's excruciatingly painful to break from someone who Called, once you answer and claim them as your own, unless you end their life, or make them a vampire, themselves. I've seen it happen before, too, where a vampire has killed the one that Called to them, and they choose to die themselves. It's not something entered into lightly.

Gwyn looked up at him through her eyelashes. That sounds very intense.

It is, he said, his voice barely a whisper. Suddenly he let go of her hands as if she'd burned him. He moved away from her quickly, turning away to look out of the sliding door. You have a beautiful view of the city, Gwynnie.

Gwyn rubbed the tips of her fingers across her palms, trying to sooth the strange feeling of absence his swift retreat from her had left on her skin. "Why did you choose now to come forward? Why tonight?"

Boredom, I guess. Also, I thought that I could feel you giving up on me, he said quietly.

Gwyn crossed her arms over her chest. Giving up on you? How do you mean?

Jaicimus looked at her over his shoulder with a smirk. "Oh, I've seen all of the guys you've dated. They all had some particular things in common. They were all tall, they all had green eyes and dark hair. Lot of knock-off, goth boys trying to fill my place. I've seen you checking the shadows of alleyways, and cemeteries as you pass them, wondering if I would emerge from the darkness. I've watched you search crowded places, looking from face to face, to see if any of them could be me. Then one day you stopped. You stopped looking for me, and I don't know why, exactly, but it hurt."

Gwyn shrugged, taking a deep breath, stepping towards him. "You were intriguing and handsome—I was young and alone. Yes, you were fascinating, and I did want to know who you had been. I did want to see you again. I do want to see you again after tonight...Lately I've just been dragged down by reality. I decided to stop pining for an adventure, and a man that I wasn't even sure that I'd really seen. I thought that maybe it was time to live in the real world. Boring, blah, mundane. You know, if you'd have shown yourself years ago, I wouldn't have given up on you. So, that's your own fault."

He turned to face her, taking a deep breath, the pleading look in his eyes again. I'm aware of that. That's why I'm trying to rectify that now—why I want us to be friends.

"How are we supposed to be friends when you eat people? I'm a people. Seems contrary, she said, walking closer to him to pick up the glass and the bat that she had dropped. She set them on the dining room table, feeling his eyes following her movements. I'd be an accomplice to people-eating."

He held his hands out for a moment, then placed them on the back of one of her dining room chairs."Please, just give me a chance. I can't go back to hiding in the shadows. Not now, after I've talked to you, and touched you...What I mean is, now that you know that I'm real, and you've seen me I don't want to avoid you. I think I may have developed some kind of addiction to you."

Instantly he made a face like he'd eaten something incredibly sour. "For instance, if we were friends, you could have stopped me from saying something so pitiful out loud. Every single one of those terrible vampire-romance novels say the same thing, and there I go saying it. I'm disgusted with myself. I have become that vampire."

Gwyn looked at him with her eyes wide, her heart pounding. I—I don't know what to say.

"I just—I would miss you. I don't want to break the Call with you. As I've said, it's extremely painful, and I want to be able to make sure that you're safe. I just can't go on, never speaking to you. So being friends is the best answer I have for that," he explained, though he looked a little uncertain of himself.

Gwyn pulled out the other dining chair, sitting down hard, training her eyes on the table. You would miss me?

Jaicimus knelt