Burn Notice

By Susan Harris

When you play with fire, you’re bound to get burned.

Secrets have a funny way of sucker punching you when you least expect it and Ryan has been dealt a devastating blow. When circumstances beyond her control leave her with nowhere to turn, Ryan must put her trust in a race that vampires have hunted for centuries but that’s not easy for a girl who has been betrayed by her own kind.

Ryan is used to going it alone, but those she calls family won’t let her try and solve her problems by herself. Living within the Sanguine Court has always been about navigating the politics that come with being a royal vampire, but now, the stakes have never been higher.

There is a fine line between love and hate, live and death and one wrong move could blow up in their faces.

Vampires are back in this brand new “entertaining series" that's sure to "leave [readers] thirsting for more” (Kirkus Reviews). Fans of the Sanguine Crown series by Susan Harris won't have to hide their cravings any longer. Burn Notice by Susan Harris is the exciting continuation of the new young adult vampire series that pays homage to the classics, while breathing fresh and revitalized life back into the genre.

“Finally, a new series for fans of Vampire Academy to sink their teeth into.” -Melanie’s Muses

Future installments in The Sanguine Crown series by Susan Harris include:

Chaos Theory (Now Available)

Butterfly Effect (Now Available)

Wicked Game (Now Available)

Burn Notice (April 20, 2021)

Fight Song (2022)

• Language: English
• Publisher: CTP Publishing
• Release date: Apr 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781634224062

Susan Harris

Susan Harris is a writer from Cork in Ireland. An avid reader, she quickly grew to love books in the supernatural/fantasy genre. When she is not writing or reading, she loves music, oriental cultures, tattoos, anything Disney and psychology. If she wasn't a writer she would love to be a FBI profiler or a PA for Dave Grohl or Jared Leto.Susan Harris is the author of Shattered Memories.

Book preview

Prologue

Nickolai

My fist hit the side of Kristoph’s jaw, and he staggered back, dropping the gun as Jack raced forward, kicking the weapon away and out of our reach. The guard stood horrified at the slain body of my father, and as I glanced down at Anatoly, I struggled to find any emotion to equate being remorseful for his death.

By Eve, by Eve, by Eve, she killed him… Ryan killed the king! Nattie wailed, and I spun on her with a snarl.

I will kill you for your deceit and for murdering the king, Natalya. I took a step toward her when a hand landed on my shoulder. I peered over my shoulder to see my mother standing beside me, taking in the scene.

People were crying. The guard watched us as Kris comforted Nattie. He glanced at me, and there was a smile in his eyes. Had we all been so blind to not see how Anatoly had twisted Kris’s mind, how Nattie had done so too? My little brother was now a tool in a much bigger conspiracy, and the girl that I loved, who had sworn she would not run from me anymore, had only run because I had asked it of her.

I was beginning to think that Ryan was right. Had we always been cursed from the start?

Take the king’s body to his suite and lay him out for Doctor St. Clair to examine him. Who wishes to tell me what has happened this eve?

I waited as Jack glared at me, and I willed him to understand that I needed Kris to speak first, for our mother to see through his lies before she issued a Burn Notice for my girlfriend.

Kristoph untangled himself from Nattie, who threw herself at her father—well, Boris, who apparently wasn’t her father, but I would keep that sliver of information to myself until I needed to share.

Mother, I came home and Ryan was arguing with father. Her eyes were wild, and she accused him of all kinds of things. She claimed father was going to murder you. Then she drove her sai into his heart, and none of us had any power to stop her; she was like a vampire possessed.

My mother inclined her head, telling Kris to take Nattie inside. The entire house was gathered on the lawn as my father’s traitorous body was carried inside the house he had tried to crumble. I glanced toward the wall, unsure if Ryan had gotten away clear and wondering if she had been hit or not when Kris had fired his gun.

My mother swept her hair off her face, lifting her gaze to mine as she pointed to myself, Edison, Atticus and Jack. You four, come with me.

We traipsed after her as my mother led us to the meeting room, ushered us inside, and then shut the door behind her. We all stood around waiting to see what she would do or say, my stomach in knots. My heart was pounding, and I was sure everyone in the room could hear the rapid beat of it betraying my calm exterior.

My mother went to the bar and poured herself a whiskey, drained her glass and then lifted her gaze to take in those standing in the room.

We have maybe twenty minutes before someone comes looking for me. Now, who is going to tell me what really happened?

Relief flooded my veins as I told my mother what had happened, how Anatoly had been behind the raids, how he had killed Ryan’s parents because he was jealous of Imogen. How he was in contact with Maxim and wanted to take the throne. I told her that Natalya was Maxim’s daughter and that while Kris had not been the one to stab Anatoly, he was no less guilty.

As she gave us her back for a moment, we all looked at one another, and I could see that everyone was itching to go after Ryan but none of us could do so.

When my mother turned back toward us, I could see the resolve in her eyes as she let loose a sigh and said, I need you all to heed my words and listen very carefully, for this might be the most privacy we have for a while. I do not believe that Ryan killed Anatoly, but we need everyone outside of this room to believe that we do and Nico’s pleas are going unheard.

And then as my mother rolled her shoulders, blinked away tears and regarded us, I knew in that moment what it really meant to be queen or king more than ever. She clasped her hands together, looking as regal as ever while she proclaimed, So, this is what we will do!

1

"I don’t believe you. Tell me again."

His laughter filled the silence as Anatoly confessed his sins. I drove a blade through your mother’s heart as your father watched. Then I ran him through like a pig. Even when I knew they were dead, I stabbed them over and over again just because I could!

Anatoly’s words had been playing on repeat every time I lapsed in and out of consciousness. I heard hushed voices warning of spiking a fever, of having to restrain me. I was powerless to stop or react, but as I blinked open my eyes, my head and thigh aching, I knew three things.

I was finally getting better.

I was deep within the dhampir hideaway. The irony of hiding among the dhampirs (offspring that were created by either human/ or vampire/dhampir relationships), and them protecting me despite their desolate history with Court kind, was not lost on me.

And something small and sticky was tapping on my forehead.

Vampire!

Bright blue eyes stared at me with excitement. The little dhampir Chloe, whom I had met when I first stumbled upon Darragh and his crew, was grinning at me. Her auburn hair was braided to the side, a smear of ketchup on her chin as she tapped my forehead again.

Hello, little Chloe, I said as I sat up, my free hand holding the little girl in place as I felt the tug of the steel chain cuffed to my hand. I was getting really tired of being chained.

I felt tired but energized, so I must have had some blood, as Chloe scooted off the bed and bounced up and down. Vampire, come and play!

I yanked swiftly on the chain, and it gave way easily, but as I swung my legs off the bed to stand, I felt the sharp burn in my thigh where I had been shot. I glanced down at the bandage that was gently wrapped around my thigh, could smell the antiseptic, so it must have only been changed recently.

As Chloe waited impatiently for me to go play, I took in the room, small, around the size of a cell. There was nothing I could use as a weapon unless I took apart the bed. However, these people had helped me, so I wasn’t gonna go out and be all combative and shit.

I was still dressed in the same tee I had worn that night but gone were my leggings. In their place was a loose pair of shorts that were pulled in at the waist. My feet were bare, and my weapons were nowhere to be seen. While I was able to break the chain, the cuff was a little harder.

My stomach rumbled loudly, and Chloe looked up at me. Rumbly?

I peered down at her, a little confused, as the toddler pointed to the picture of Winnie-the-Pooh on her tee, and I finally got it as she said, Rumbly in your tummy.

Scooping her up into my arms, I tapped her on the nose. Yup, Ryan has a rumbly in her tummy.

Ryan?

I pointed to her and said her name, then to myself and repeated my name, as I walked over to the steel door and found it locked. Now, I could have opened it if I really wanted to show off, but seeing Chloe in my arms again might just give the human guard on the other side a heart attack.

Knocking twice on the door, I stepped back to allow room for them to step in. The guard opened the door, took one look at me being free, and then his eyes widened as he spotted Chloe in my arms.

I think someone might have escaped her parents. I made to hand the little girl off to the human, but the scamp wouldn’t be removed, and I didn’t have it in me to be any more forceful. I kinda needed at least one friend on the inside.

Shrugging my shoulders, I sighed. So, looks like you have two choices. One, I take Chloe back to her parents, or two, you bring one of them to us so they can see I’m not going to hurt her.

The man looked like he couldn’t decide what would be worse, leaving Chloe alone with me or having me walk around their compound. Panic flooded his eyes, and I could tell he wasn’t used to making decisions himself.

Shifting Chloe to the other side, I held up my still-cuffed hand. Listen. I’m not going to hurt her or you. I’m not going to try and scope out your home and report back to the vampires. I’m kinda persona non grata at the moment, so who would I tell? I can wait until you have someone else come watch us, if you like. I just don’t want her parents to worry.

It’s okay, Mark. I’ll stay with her.

Emer stepped into view, carrying a plate of sandwiches that had my tummy rumbling again. Chloe giggled at the sound as Emer stepped inside. She tried to take Chloe from me, but the little girl was stuck to me like an octopus. I tickled her chin, and she giggled some more. Emer studied us as if she half expected me to snack on the little girl instead of the sandwiches.

I sat down on the edge of the bed, Chloe still in my arms, as Emer handed me the plate. I grabbed a sandwich and tucked in, inhaling the food without coming up for air. Emer watched me in amusement as I scoffed what was on the plate.

Lifting my gaze, I offered Emer a smile. Thanks.

How do you eat like that and stay like that? Emer asked as she waved her hands over my person.

Constant life-threatening situations? I mused as Emer laughed with me. Chloe joined in, but thankfully, the little girl had no clue what we were on about.

Emer leaned against the steel wall as I tickled Chloe some more, the sound of her laughter echoing through the room, and when her mother entered, relief on her face, the sight of her daughter laughing easing some of the tension.

Momma!

Chloe waved at her mother, yet she made no attempt to move. The woman froze as if she was utterly terrified of what I would do, and that, that stung me like it shouldn’t. I tousled her hair and stood, walking to where her mother stood to hand her off.

She’s always slipping into places that we have no idea how she did it. The woman’s voice was quiet, as if she were trying to explain it to herself instead of me.

I used to do that too. We used to play hide-and-seek, and I would hide for so long that the entire court would go looking for me. They never managed to find me until I pounced. My parents would be the calmest in the court, knowing that I would show up when I was hungry or got tired.

I had wanted to reassure her that her kid was normal, and I couldn’t mask the sadness in my tone as I tapped Chloe on the nose. Time to go give momma a hug so she doesn’t worry.

Chloe let me hand her off, tapping me on the nose. Your momma worry?

Her bright blue eyes studied mine as I huffed out a breath, unsure of how to answer. I glanced at her mother and raised a brow. Her mother’s eyes suddenly filled with realization, and she nodded.

I’m sure she did. But I have lots of mother hens who worry about me all the time even if my mom can’t anymore. Give your momma an extra squeeze and try not to scare her anymore.

Chloe waved at me enthusiastically as her mother carried her out. There was a hushed silence for just a couple of seconds before Emer said, My mom died a couple of years ago. Cancer.

I’m sorry.

I never considered that royal vampires had lives… like they lost parents and loved others, that they were… I dunno, human?… but that’s the wrong way to put it.

I understood what she meant, because to them, we were monsters. We were the reason they had to hide like they did. Turning to face Emer, I smiled. I get it. I sometimes wonder if I’d rather have been born human because their lives seem so simple. But I am who I am, and you are who you are.

Emer returned my smile, then inclined her head. Darragh asked me to check on you, so I think we should go and have a chat with him.

He mind me roaming around in his domain?

We’ll soon find out.

Emer stepped out the door, and I walked outside, halting in surprise on the little balcony that overlooked the dhampir city, the wondrous sight before me. The tunnels stretched for miles , as far as I could see, in the community under the abandoned train station on the outskirts of the Cork City. Houses made of shipping containers, some stacked on top of one another, ran all along the walls. People milled about like it was a busy city street, vendors and little stalls set up like shops.

I inhaled a breath, catching the scent of humans, of vampires, of dhampirs. All three species living together in perfect harmony. This was how things should be. This was why we were dying.

Come on, Emer said as she jogged down the stairs, pushing her glasses up her nose as I followed after her. The moment we reached the ground, the entire place seemed to grind to a halt as we walked by. Some were open in their disgust; some smelled of genuine fear. Others simply shielded their children, ducking inside their homes until we had passed. I guess they were scared that I would report back to the court and they would have to leave this somewhat peaceful existence.

We walked deeper and deeper into the tunnels. I kept my eyes forward, afraid that they would think I was scoping out their homes as I passed. Every person who dared meet my eyes held this terrified expression that made me feel like I was the worst in the world. My thigh protested in agony as I walked, yet I did not want to show any weakness.

Finally, we came to a large shipping container that was separate from the others, that had a glass panel on the door, and I could see Darragh sitting behind his desk. He looked the same as the last time I had seen him, however his oxygen tank was off to the side, and he appeared healthier, judging by his face.". I spied a dehumidifier on the desk, and as Darragh glanced up, his brown eyes widened, and then he inclined his head.

I returned the gesture as Emer slid open the doors and ushered me inside. A man, a vampire, came in from the side, paused when he saw me, swallowed hard and then pressed his lips to Darragh’s cheek before he excused himself. Emer scurried out after him, leaving me alone with the leader of this little collection of creatures.

How are you feeling?

I’m alive. That’s all that matters. Thank you for helping me.

Darragh nodded yet chose not to elaborate on my thanks as I asked, How long was I out?

The dhampir leaned back in his chair. Three days. You had lost an awful amount of blood by the time we got you inside. We had to call in one of our human surgeons, who removed the bullet. I had not known that vampires could spike a fever, but you were pretty delirious while you fought the infection.

I thought back to when I had gone after Maxim, ended up delirious on a rooftop because my wound had gotten infected. Seemed like even Ryan Callan wasn’t immune to her body’s needs.

Yeah, sorry if I said anything that made you uncomfortable. I won’t lie and say I don’t have a habit of getting injured, but this habit of getting fevers is new.

Darragh chuckled softly, and I braced myself for a coughing fit, thankful when it didn’t happen. He must have seen my eyes wander to the tank, because he smiled. Your donations have allowed us to source medication so the old lungs don’t react as much as they did in the wintertime.

I tipped my imaginary hat, and he laughed again. Rose has been asking for updates on a daily basis. You worried the old woman.

She should be used to it by now. I’ll just gather my stuff, and I’ll leave you guys in peace.

Darragh leaned forward and folded his arms on the table. The queen has issued an edict for your arrest. According to my sources, she and the crown prince are not on speaking terms. She has assumed control over the guard, and everyone is forbidden from reaching out to you.

My heart sank, not because the queen had believed the lies that I had murdered Anatoly but because she had not believed her son. I wondered what Nickolai was doing right now, what Jack and Atticus were doing. Did they believe that I had killed Anatoly?

Did you do it?

Darragh’s question shouldn’t have taken me by surprise, yet it did. I barely knew this man, however, I wanted him to know that I was innocent.

No. I’m just a pawn in a very long game.

Darragh regarded me for a moment before he nodded. Then you are welcome to stay as long as you need.

I narrowed my gaze as I ran my palms down my knees. Why?

Don’t get me wrong, Ryan. I like you. I think you are a good person. But my people mean everything to me. Yet you, by all accounts, have the crown prince’s affections. That means you have influence. If there comes a time when we need a vampire to speak up for us, then who better than the future consort of the king?

I rolled my eyes, even if I was grateful that Darragh hadn’t come out and said, well, you could well be queen, so I scratch your back, etc.

Seems like everyone wanted me to be bloody queen.

If I get the chance to help, I began as I got to my feet, then I absolutely will. Things need to change, and Nickolai has already changed so much. Just days ago, my uncle and his boyfriend were married by the queen.

That made Darragh quirk his brows. I would not have expected that.

Neither would I, but Nickolai is different.

I think he has to be, in order to have your affection.

I allowed a lopsided smile to tug at my lips as I asked Darragh for some clothes and my sai. Darragh pressed a buzzer on the counter as he said, Stay for a few days. Regain your strength. Kallum vouched for you with some of the humans, so that was how we were able to replenish the blood you lost. I think it would be a good idea to have the people get to know that not all royal vampires are assholes.

Most are. I’m special.

Darragh chuckled, shaking his head. If you are worried about your family, Rose has been keeping them updated. When I lifted a brow, Darragh smirked. All they know is that you are safe and with friends.

The door behind me slid open, and a tall Asian man came in, his eyes watching me with open curiosity as he handed me some clothing, with my sai resting on top of the pile. The blades had been cleaned to perfection. No stain of the king’s blood remained. I took the bundle, then bowed at the waist at the man without lowering my gaze because, while I might offer respect, I didn’t know he wasn’t a threat. I shouldn’t have worried, since the man returned my gesture with a grin.

Good blades. I cleaned them myself. They serve you well? His accent was one hundred percent Irish, more northwest than Cork, the thickness in his words making me smile.

As well as they did my mother. Thank you for taking care of such treasured possessions.

The man bowed again before exiting. I watched him leave as Darragh mused softly behind me. Alan is our martial arts enthusiast. He teaches all the able-bodied children self-defense. I think, if you had died from your wounds, then he would have kept those blades for himself.

I have a spare set at home. If I don’t end up executed for the death of the king, then I’ll have Rose bring them by. Not as nice as these, but I’d never part with this set willingly.

Darragh got to his feet, walked to a filing cabinet and then pulled out a flip phone before handing it to me. Call someone and let them know that you are okay. This is untraceable, so no worries there. We have a twenty-first party tonight, so why not stay with us tonight and tomorrow, then decide what you need to do.

Trying to make me see why you guys are awesome?

Something like that. I think if they see you be normal, then you won’t be such a frightening thing. Curiosity will get them killed.

I glanced over