Vampire's Bargain Book Three

By Odette C. Bell

Nothing stays the same. In several short weeks, Jeanette’s life has changed irreparably.
Soon, it will change more. As she’s thrust head – and heart – first into the secrets of the school, she must struggle to keep her friends safe. But Tyler keeps morphing from the monster she once knew into a man she must protect, no matter what.
All protection comes at a cost, and it’s a price Jeanette will pay with blood, sweat, tears, and talismans.
....
Vampire’s Bargain follows a revenge-driven witch and the vampire pulling her strings fighting to bring down a corrupt magical council. If you love your urban fantasies with action, heart, and a splash of romance, grab Vampire’s Bargain Book Three today and soar free with an Odette C. Bell series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Odette C. Bell
• Release date: Apr 14, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005646226

Book preview

Chapter 1

Jeanette would have stayed there on the floor, staring up at Tyler forever.

Watching him ignited things inside her.

She’d never had a cause larger than her. Sure, she’d stopped vampires. But she hadn’t stopped them in a coordinated fashion. She’d saved one victim at a time. But the look in Tyler’s eyes told her if she just followed, and if she just trusted him, they could save everyone.

She expected him to move, to do something, you know – other than just pausing there, staring down at her, his face slack with both force and fear.

And finally he did do something – he reached down, and he grabbed up her right wrist.

Jeanette flinched despite the fact he’d only touched it with a light grip.

He hissed. This is going to hurt, Jeanette. And even then, I won’t be able to remove the entire familiar mark. But this will stop him from grabbing you on school grounds. You got that?

She sat. She had to do it slowly, and that was to give Tyler the opportunity to scoot back to give her some room. But he didn’t. So as she sat, she came right up against his face.

A few more centimeters, and their noses would touch.

It meant there was no way to get away from that look in his eyes.

Good, because it could protect her from the pain that rose through her like fire a second later.

Tyler started to burn the vampire mark off. To do that, he had to use his own vampire force, and it smashed against Regis’s magic like two tidal waves out in the ocean.

Jeanette’s eyes almost rolled into the back of her head, but she managed to hold on.

Just a little longer, Tyler promised.

Jeanette kept staring at him, and he kept watching her in turn.

She swore there was another world behind his eyes. One she caught a glimpse of. One that was so much better than the one she lived in right now.

If only she could find a way to clamber inside, it would keep her safe from all the horrors waiting in her future.

But nothing can protect us from our destinies.

Just a little longer. This bit will really hurt, he warned in a gruff tone.

That it did.

Had Jeanette just swallowed pure fire? Had someone poured acid down her throat?

It was too hard to tell. Her mind rapidly couldn’t think of experiences similar to this. It could only deal with the pain, second by second, as if time was being stretched and used as a noose to strangle her.

She crumpled forward. She couldn’t stare at Tyler anymore.

So he brought his other hand around, and he locked it on her shoulder.

That one tender touch did the rest. It carried her through the pain until finally it was over.

Tyler yanked his hand back and grabbed her other shoulder before she could fall backward.

She lost control of her arms. They felt floppy like limbs that had been pulled from their joints.

You can’t black out. Not here. We have to get out before the principal comes back, he muttered.

He looped an arm under hers and pulled her to her feet.

What… were you even doing here? How did you…?

You’re my familiar. I felt when you disappeared, he hissed.

I… shouldn’t have taken the door. But it was the only way to get away from the ministry. Silas— she whispered.

He became as rigid as a plank.

Jeanette might be on the edge of blacking out here, but she could still remember what had happened to her. And specifically what hadn’t. She’d only just gotten away from the ministry.

But the ministry would still be after her now.

She slid one eye open. She stared at Tyler’s sallow cheeks. What’s going on, Tyler? Regis… he told me I practice talismans properly or something. That I’m a true witch….

Regis is a liar. He wishes to take over the school. Then he will feed on all the power of the students. It will allow him to manifest properly again.

Regis is a liar, she agreed. But he wasn’t lying about this, was he? She stared down at one of her limp hands. Then she closed her eyes and remembered how easily he’d destroyed her talismans. With a shudder, she stared at Tyler again.

For his part, he hadn’t removed his gaze from her once, even though he was desperately pulling her toward the door. Just as they reached it, he stopped and hissed. Crap, the principal is on his way. We have to practice wall magic. I’m not strong enough on my own. Jeanette, you have to—

It felt like hell to pull herself from his grip, but it had to be done.

Her mind shouldn’t function right, but she could tell that if Tyler was this scared, then there was a real possibility the principal was on his way.

Jeanette still hadn’t met the guy. It would not be a great look to meet him under these circumstances. While it sounded as if there was a lot that Tyler could bounce back from, breaking into his uncle’s office and destroying it would be a bridge too far.

Tyler didn’t let her pull away completely, just enough that she locked a hand on the wall. She concentrated. This wall is way too strong—

He leaned down and touched her wrist. He suddenly pumped magic through her familiar mark.

The words died on Jeanette’s lips. A lot of things withered and died in Jeanette. Not in a bad way. All those walls she used to keep herself separate from other people, all the reasons she gave herself for not connecting – they were extinguished, never to return again.

Then she had to remind herself that she really had to concentrate right now.

He’s almost here, Tyler hissed.

Jeanette used Tyler’s magic. She broke through the wall spell. Why Tyler wasn’t doing this part, she didn’t know. The school seemed to respond to him like he was its master. But maybe that wouldn’t be the case up here in the principal’s office.

Everything felt different here. The energy of the school was a lot denser. Which meant it was a lot harder to push through the wall. The matter up here obviously reminded itself it was the matter, and it did not allow people to just walk through it willy-nilly.

Jeanette was desperate right now. With one last adrenaline blast of fear, she finally shoved a hand through the wall. It was just as the door started to swing open.

Tyler hunkered close. And together, they rammed through.

It was just before the principal could glimpse them.

Jeanette was so surprised that she managed to push through the wall spell that she paused there. Tyler had no intention of letting her remain still for long.

Guiding her forward, they ran through the bricks and mortar.

She thought they would head to the hall outside of this room, but he didn’t let that happen.

He seemed to know his way around. They started traveling down through the wall then across, then down again. The whole while, while he kept a hand on hers, he didn’t say a word. Not until they finally pushed into a room.

It took her a second to realize they were out, then another second to realize this wasn’t her room.… Which meant it was his.

She stared at it, knowing what she should expect. As the undisputed king of the school, this should be the fanciest room in Broadside, right? And it should certainly be fancier than hers. But it was smaller.

… Had Tyler given her a better room?

And was that even the most important question she could ask right now?

Tyler yanked his hand off hers, but it wasn’t like she’d turned into a hot coal. He staggered down to his knees, clenched his palm against his forehead, and breathed hard. I didn’t think we’d get out of there. Crap. If you hadn’t managed to overcome Regis’s power when you had….

Jeanette had an imagination too. She could fill in the gaps.

She would’ve done something horrible.

She was only staring at him over her shoulder, but now she got the gumption to turn fully.

So what now? She’d learned about Regis. She’d also found out that she was a witch like no other. So, seriously, what now?

She could think it, but she couldn’t ask it. She had to wait until Tyler gathered the strength to push to his feet. He shook, and though she wanted to reach a hand out to stabilize him, she didn’t want to distract him from answering.

He soon settled his teeth into a hard line. I know you have questions, Jeanette.

So are you going to answer them?

That depends.

On what?

Do you really want to hear all the answers?

I…. This is where she had to say yes. But the second her lips paused, was the second they would not move again.

Did she honestly want to know the truth? What if it had something to do with her family? What if that vamp hadn’t just been greedy? What if he’d been going after her specifically? Could she really deal with the truth?

She knew she looked pathetic. She had to straighten up. She had to keep going back to the fact that Tyler needed a competent soldier, not somebody who was swayed by their increasingly chaotic feelings every second. But she couldn’t make herself do something she was incapable of.

So she just watched him, her fragility opening up further over her face just like one of Regis’s doors. This wouldn’t lead down to hell. Just uncertainty.

Do you really want to know the truth? he demanded.

Jeanette turned away from him. She walked over to the window. It was small. Seriously, her room was much bigger and better.

The king of the school should have better lodgings. But he didn’t need them, did he?

All Tyler had was his cause.

… And Jeanette couldn’t detract from it.

She closed her eyes. Tell me.

Fine. You’re probably the only true talismans witch in this generation. People have been looking for you. You know… how your family was killed? He swallowed between every word.

This was it. It was coming. There was no getting out of its way now. It was barreling towards Jeanette like a train.

And the truth would not be kind.

It took her a long time to take a breath. Yeah, Tyler, I know how my family was killed. It was because of me, wasn’t it?

I think your dad knew what you are. He tried to keep it quiet while at the same time celebrating your skills, knowing that you needed to trust talismans, knowing that you had to learn how to use them to have a chance against vamps.

My dad… knew? Tears started to race down her cheeks. They weren’t angry and hard. They were cold and lost, almost as if they were searching for a new home. But Jeanette had lost her home years ago. The vamp who killed them was from my school—

Don’t ask me how, but he found out the truth. Somehow before the ministry did. And… as cold as this sounds, it’s better that he found out the truth first and not them. If they had figured out what you were, Jeanette….

Her cheeks twitched. You think… it was good that my family was killed?

That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that if Silas had figured out where you were, you wouldn’t be here today. Jeanette, you’d be in his clutches. And by now, you’d be dead.

My family—

You’ve seen Silas, haven’t you? You’ve looked into his eyes, haven’t you? Tyler’s strength dwindled, departing to be replaced by his terrifying shuddering pupils.

He’d know Silas well. Jeanette suddenly wondered how many times he’d gone into that memory book and replayed that horrifying recollection?

Yes, Tyler. I’ve seen Silas.

He would’ve killed your family. Probably right in front of you to break you.

They were killed in front of me anyway. And it….

Didn’t break you, Jeanette. None of this is your fault.

How can it not be my fault? That vamp was after my powers.

Your father was right. You had to learn how to use your powers. The fact that you are a strong talismans witch is the only reason you’re not dead right now.

I might not be dead today, Tyler, but Regis and Silas are after me. How long do you think I can stay out of their grips? Jeanette never usually spoke like this. Nor did she ever feel this kind of horror.

But it was too much. It was sinking into her stomach, tearing her shoulders down, and making her feel as if she would be buried under the earth forevermore. You could get all of the fancy digging equipment you liked. Tyler could use all the strength he wanted. But Jeanette would never rise again.

She belonged there down in the dirt with her family.

She should have been killed back then.

She suddenly rocked forward, but she didn’t lose her balance. Instead she pressed her hot cheeks against the cold window, and she cupped her face in her hands.

Tyler made a move like he was gonna come over and comfort her, but at the last moment, he backed out.

Maybe he quite rightly thought that someone like him could offer no comfort. Because someone like him couldn’t even comfort themselves.

He gripped his chin instead, and she heard the sound of his fingers pushing in and in and in. Keep going, and he’d rip out his jaw. He clearly didn’t care. Look, Jeanette, I’m not good with words. I can’t put your pain into perspective. But I can tell you this. Regis isn’t going to stop. Neither will Silas. You’re right. They are both after you now. But there is no guarantee that they will find you again. Did you listen to what I told you back there in the principal’s office? You’re stronger than Regis. And one day, you’ll be stronger than Silas, too.

She hiccuped through laughter. It was so very unstable. If I’m stronger, then why can’t I just click my fingers, turn around, and end both of those vampires? Why are they gonna continue to haunt me, no matter what I do, Tyler? Ah, that’s right. Because I’m not stronger. Because they hold all the cards. Because they’re vampires, and I’m just—

You’re just a what? His voice hardened like diamonds. A human? I’m half human, too. And I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. It’s the human side of me that is so much stronger than the vampire side. If I were just a full vampire, I would’ve died years ago, Jeanette. Instead, I pushed on. Because we humans, he slapped his chest with a resounding thump, have a secret weapon.

What’s that? Utter weakness?

Dogged determination. My mother, his voice shook like someone had crippled it, "never actually thought she’d win. That wasn’t the point. Holding on for as long as she could and doing