Royal Blood – The Knights

By Jennifer Leach

Ever since the car accident that killed her parents, Charlotte Davenport has managed to live a normal life like any other girl her age. Raised by her uncle with her best friend, Vicky Reed, always by her side, Charlotte is quite content. However, when young women start being viciously murdered in her area, Charlotte soon realises that perhaps life isn't so normal after all.

With the help of Nicholas Rinaldi, the most popular, desired, mysterious and ever-so-handsome vampire prince, Charlotte soon realises that she was born into a family with a dark hidden secret. Strange events and mysteries are solved when she is invited to the famous Rinaldi Ball where the secrets to her ancestry begin to unravel. Charlotte finds she is part of something darker and more sinister in this world. But who is murdering these young women and why? And what does it have to do with Charlotte?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Mar 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9781398417137

Jennifer Leach

Jennifer was born and raised in Leeds and has always had the urge to write books but just never had the time or the chance. At the age of twenty-seven, while suffering from a chest infection, she took the opportunity to write her first book Royal Blood – The Knights.

Book preview

About the Author

Jennifer Leach was born and raised in Leeds and has always had an urge to write books but just never had the time or the chance. At the age of twenty-seven, while suffering with a chest infection, she took the opportunity to write her first book Royal Blood – The Knights.

Dedication

To L. J Smith, my favourite author. Thank you for being such an amazing writer. Truly an inspiration to myself and others.

Copyright Information ©

Jennifer Leach 2022

The right of Jennifer Leach to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781398417120 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781398417137 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2022

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

Acknowledgement

A massive thank you to Austin Macauley Publishers for giving me the opportunity to publish my work and making a long-time dream come true.

Prologue

The young girl was tossed to the floor like an unwanted ragdoll. Her clover green eyes, once full of life, were now empty. Her rose pink lips were now a mixture of blue and purple. The pair of puncture marks on her neck was deep, red, and angry.

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, James never took his eyes off the dead girl who lay lifeless at his feet. Closing his eyes, James ran his tongue over his teeth to remove the remnants. At the same time, savouring the taste of the warm coppery fluid. The blood coursed through his veins with a rush; it had been a very long time since he had felt this excited.

Standing tall, James’s body glowed silver with revival in the moonlight. Kicking the girl out of his path, smirking as her bones cracked, he walked towards the window. Solemnly, his sharp emerald eyes just stared up into the navy night sky. The moon was full and ripe tonight.

Chapter One

Charlotte! Vicky Reed shouted as she wrestled her mousy brown hair into a ponytail. Hurry up!

Charlotte Davenport, second-year English Literature student, smiled with amusement at her own reflection in the mirror, as she brushed her mahogany brown hair. Coming!

Vicky popped her head into the doorway, staring with fake seriousness at her best friend and housemate. If we’re late, she said, I’m blaming you. Charlotte just continued to brush her hair, still smiling. Vicky then stood fully in the doorway; folding her arms, her hazel eyes observed Charlotte more closely. Pencil skirt and tight-fit jumper? You’re looking very pretty today.

Do I?

Vicky nodded slowly, then shrugged it off and went back into the hallway. I’m going to start the car. See you in a minute.

In a minute. Charlotte responded while checking her makeup. Satisfied with the result, she let her dark chocolate eyes skim over the clothes chosen for today. A black pencil skirt with a high-necked cream jumper that clung tightly to her waist. Not normally the usual college attire, but today was a different day. Although, she didn’t quite know why. A tiny bit of lipstick, Charlotte thought to herself, and done. Charlotte didn’t wear a lot of makeup. With thick dark hair and dark eyes to match, beige creamy skin, she didn’t need it, yet she still turned a few heads.

Nodding with approval, Charlotte put her lipstick away in her bag and headed into the hallway and towards the front door. Handbag in hand, she opened the door and stepped out into a grey dreary morning, the usual sky blue Vauxhall Corsa waited at the edge of the curb, a very impatient Vicky Reed tapping at the wheel. After locking the front door, Charlotte opened the car door, threw her bag into the back and got settled into the passenger seat.

Ready? Vicky asked.

Charlotte smiled innocently at her friend. Whenever you are.

Vicky scoffed and shook her head; turning the key, the engine came to life and Vicky drove the car out of Salisbury Grove and onto the main road. Blaming you, she muttered.

For what?

If we’re late again! You do realise it is a Friday night and I would like to be home at a reasonable hour today without a lecture.

Like that will ever happen, Charlotte muttered.

True, Vicky replied, checking both left and right, before pulling out. As the car pulled onto the main road, up ahead, you could already see the tall silver office buildings of Leeds City Centre.

Nicholas Rinaldi stared down at the blonde-haired girl, who laid so still and calm beneath him on the bed. Rose Calvert’s large hazel eyes, which were a perfect mix of green and brown, glittered up at him with adoration. Her rose pink lips curled at the ends in a small, loving, satisfied smile. Behind it, her own teeth had lengthened slightly with excitement. Her thick wavy locks were sprayed over the bed sheets like water. The two marks on her neck were red and fresh.

Nicholas was still tense, his muscles were hard and could be seen through his black turtleneck jumper. His pair of canines long and poised, was stained with Rose’s blood. Nicholas lifted a large hand from the side of Rose’s head, and used the back of it to wipe his mouth, never once blinking or taking his eyes away from the beauty beneath him. Rose had been coming to his room more often these days, willingly offering herself, without expecting anything in return. Although, Nicholas and everybody else knew what she wanted. It was the same routine, Rose would enter his room, have some small conversation, lay on the bed and Nicholas would take what he wanted. Even though they both knew he didn’t need it. Nicholas Rinaldi was a rare breed of his kind; unlike so many, he did not need to feed on a regular basis. That made him a royal.

Sensing his muscles