Bite of the Vampire

By Terry Spear

Jasmine has the mission as a rogue vampire assassin to chase down a rogue in Wales. When she meets Stasio, she thinks he could provide a cover for her as her pseudo-boyfriend while she eliminates the rogue. But another assassin, who keeps stealing her missions, thwarts her. The next thing she knows, he claims Stasio is a rogue vampire! No way!
Stasio is a Welsh prince escaping the Dallas League of Vampires—with his three prince friends, and a witch, who his friend had turned and is now one of them—to return to their native Wales where they were also considered rogues. They’d tried to overthrow their League centuries earlier, lost their castles, and had fled. Surely, no one would ever think they would return. But then everything is turned upside down and Jasmine is stuck running as a rogue with Stasio and his friends.
But that’s not the end of it. When they arrive in Scotland to flee the peril, a group of Scottish vampires want to overthrow their own League and they want the princes to help them. Do they do it and risk it all? Will Jasmine leave them and find her own way? If they help them fight the vampire elders and lose like they did with their own League centuries ago, will they survive this time? These are the questions they have to answer before they get themselves even more over their heads than they already are and lose them this time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Terry Spear
• Release date: Feb 28, 2024
• ISBN: 9781633110922

Terry Spear

USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear has written over a hundred paranormal and medieval Highland romances. One of her bestselling titles, Heart of the Wolf was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. She is an award-winning author with 2 Paranormal Excellence Awards for Romantic Literature. A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry also creates award-winning teddy bears that have found homes all over the world, helps out with her grandchildren, and enjoys her two Havanese dogs. She lives in Spring, Texas.

Book preview

1

On the run again, Stasio, traveling with three other Welsh prince vampires on the flight destined for Wales, who had been friends before the Black Death had turned them, headed back to the bathroom on the plane for the fourth time this trip as streaks of lightning ripped across the sky and more turbulence lifted and dropped the plane. His friend Levka shook his head. Caitlin, a human witch, who had been turned by Levka to save her life, ran her hand over Levka’s dark hair, his dark brown eyes glancing at her before he gave her a small smile. They were together and would be forever, hopefully, if a vampire assassin didn’t terminate them beforehand.

Caitlin had used her magic to cloak their presence when they’d landed in Dallas where they were sure Vlad, the vampire who claimed she was his, and his thugs would end up. But Caitlin and her friends had gotten the only flight out to Dallas, the next one hours later. Petroski, a vampire assassin, had missed the Dallas flight also. That had given Caitlin and her party time to make the flight from Dallas, Texas to Cardiff, Wales. They’d had to stop in Atlanta, Georgia, then Amsterdam before they reached Wales, but they’d managed to slip away without getting stopped. She was worried, as they all had been, that Vlad or Petroski might have called on someone in Dallas to apprehend them when they arrived. Either they had, and they hadn’t located them because of her cloaking ability, or they hadn’t because pride wouldn’t allow them to ask for help. Now, thankfully, they were on the last leg of their journey, heading to Wales.

The problem was—not that it couldn’t be remedied—they’d lost their luggage by taking a flight to Dallas that they hadn’t planned on taking.

The airplane shook again, the turbulence awful, forcing everyone to remain in their seats with their seatbelts on—except for Stasio. Caitlin usually wasn’t bothered by thunderstorms, but this storm was bad, lightning flashing all around them, the rain driving against the windows, the droplets sliding across the glass. The pilot had already diverted them once, trying to move out of the storm’s path but it just seemed to extend forever.

Caitlin couldn’t believe she was on the run with the four vampire princes, returning to their own country after taking refuge in the States for centuries. It was mostly because Levka, the leader of the group, had turned her into one of their kind and hadn’t been authorized to do it. She had really cared for the wheelchair bound teen on the cruise when she’d first met him. She’d loved him and his friends who were always there to cheer her up like she’d tried to do for him. What a shock to learn they were all vampires and that he was finally able to heal from his injuries and was no longer confined to a wheelchair. It had been just as much of a shock to them to learn that she was a witch.

What is wrong with Stasio? Caitlin watched him return to the bathroom for the fifth time, his light blond hair hanging loose around his pale face. It had been sandier colored and pulled back in a tail, but he’d shortened it and lightened it to his natural color to give himself a little different appearance from what it had been to confuse anyone who might be coming after them.

He doesn’t like traveling by plane at the best of times. He can fly, but only when he’s in control of his flying, Levka said. The tumult doesn’t help.

It usually doesn’t bother me, but this time even I feel a little queasy. Caitlin moved the armrest up so she could snuggle with Levka. Do you think the Dallas League of Vampires will catch up to us?

Hopefully not, Levka said.

At one time, the four princes had owned motte-and-bailey castles. Caitlin knew it was depressing for them to think they would have to return home to live in something other than their own castles. She sure wished they could stay at one of them to make up for all the trouble of being on the run constantly. Not to mention, she would love to stay in a castle since she’d never been in one before. For now, they had to keep a low profile so that the Dallas League didn’t locate them. The problem was the princes were also in trouble in Wales. Though that had been decades ago. Not that the vampires living there would have forgotten. Decades, even centuries could pass, and some would still hold grudges.

Levka sighed. It depends on if they realize where we’ve left the States. Jurisdiction issues can be a problem at times. If a league in one place wants the renegade vampire or vampires enough, they’ll cross borders or oceans to go after them. They could just send word ahead and warn the local league. Or they could send someone from their own league. Best-case scenario? They drop it because we’re no longer in the States to cause problems for them.

Stasio said you were in some kind of trouble in Wales.

Centuries ago.

Centuries ago? Then maybe no one would remember. She had high hopes they wouldn’t because she wanted to settle down to a normal life, though she didn’t think that would ever be possible again. Her parents and sister had died in a shipwreck, and she’d been the only survivor. Living with her foster parents hadn’t been the problem. Her foster sister had been. Though the vampires had wiped their minds and none of them knew she even existed. Which she was glad for. But she was a newly turned vampire and that meant she had other kinds of problems. They didn’t have to feed very often. She needed to feed small amounts lots more.

Vampires would remember. Levka glanced through the onboard magazine.

What did you do?

He let out his breath. We sided with a rebel group who was trying to change some of the archaic rules of the old regime. We failed, which is why we lost our castles and ended up in America.

Did all the rebels leave Wales?

Yes. Well, those who were not outright killed.

Caitlin processed that information for a moment, not liking the scenario. She wished Levka had told her before they flew out here. Is the old regime still in charge? She had trouble thinking in terms of well, centuries. To her, that was the way distant past. But to them, they had lived through that time, suffered through the Black Death, were turned into the vampires, others died, some made it through the chaos intact as humans, while others were stronger and more powerful like vampires, another version of humans who were hunters of the rogue vampires. Though in the beginning, everyone had been trying to learn how to survive. Hunter leagues and vampire leagues had been formed to make the rules for them to live by so they didn’t all annihilate each other and the human population. But some rules were just archaic and needed to be changed.

Yes. But we’ll keep a low profile until we can make arrangements to find another suitable location to travel to. We know the place, well, such as it was eons ago. But it has been so long ago that we’ve been there, that it seemed a safe place to hide out for a time.

Caitlin sighed. I will do everything I can to help. Stasio said you each had your very own castle.

We did.

Too bad you still don’t own one. It would have been fun staying at one.

Levka slipped his arm around her shoulder and hugged her. I don’t see why we couldn’t. Stasio’s castle has been turned into a hotel. I doubt anyone will believe we would return there when we left so long ago and because we no longer own it.

What if they catch you there? Caitlin couldn’t lose her four companions. She might not have been with them for that long, but they really had grown on her.

It would not go well for us, I’m afraid.

What if we just hop on another flight when we land?

Levka shook his head. You need…nourishment.

She did. She hated this part of her new life. She didn’t feel hungry, ravenous for blood, like she thought she would. In fact, she felt she could live without any sustenance at all. Which would be a mistake. She wouldn’t die, according to Levka, just grow weaker. Are you all right? Caitlin asked Stasio as he made his way back to his seat across the aisle from them.

If I wasn’t flying in a plane during a wild storm, yes.

She thought he looked awfully pale.

We are staying at your castle, Stasio, Levka said telepathically to the group.

Redheaded Ruric nodded to Levka from the middle seat across the aisle, his green eyes widening a little. I take it you want me to make the reservations.

Ruric had the amazing ability to hack into computer systems and the other princes said he was either of Viking or Celtic heritage. She wasn’t sure, but she thought he was funny and good-natured.

Yes. And when we get settled, we need to have a run to the blood bank, Levka said.

I’ll go, Stasio said.

I’ll go with him, Arman said, his brown hair tied in a tail, his brown eyes dark.

To boldly go where no man has gone before, Ruric said, in the great words of Cpt. James T. Kirk.

Caitlin felt like the flight would never end, but for now, they seemed safe. What would happen when they arrived though? She could envision a league of vampires waiting at the airport, ready to kill them all. Her too, even though she hadn’t been in trouble in Wales like they had been, but she was with them, so she thought she would be terminated with the same prejudice.

When they arrived in Wales, they processed through customs, the officials eyeing them suspiciously since none of them had time to arrange to bring any luggage with them. They had been in too much of a rush to leave the States before a hunter with the league caught up with them. For years, Levka had tried to steer them all in the right direction, to keep him and his friends out of trouble, but this time, everything was his fault. Saving the female teens in Dallas from being brutalized by some male teens in the warehouse district of Dallas—all humans, saving Caitlin’s life by turning her—not that he wouldn’t have done it all over again—but that was the reason they were here now. Levka wished his friends hadn’t been caught up in the mess and now were also on the run.

At least there were no vampires waiting for them at the airport to take them into custody that they were aware of.

That’s something else we must do, Levka shared privately to his friends. Get some clothes and personal items.

Ruric said, I would shop for everyone, but I think everyone will want to do their own shopping.

I do, Caitlin said, her blue eyes narrowing as she gave Ruric a get real look. She said to Levka, So you fixed it so that my foster parents wouldn’t know that I existed.

Well, we couldn’t do it ourselves because we weren’t able to return home. But the Dallas League of Vampires would have made it their mission, just to ensure that no one reports you as a missing person. Of course, they’ll only do so with your foster parents and sister, no one else you might have known. Except for the school records custodian. But you see how one little change affects so many? You no longer exist as far as your family believes, yet all your teachers would wonder what had happened to you. Most likely, the League will say you transferred to another school. Then your teachers and the students you knew wouldn’t ever learn of it. That’s another reason the league will be angry with us for turning you without their permission. They had to fix everything to hide what we’d done.

Will we ever be able to return to the States? Even though she didn’t have a home there any longer, Levka suspected Caitlin still longed for the familiar.

We will, but we’ll have to settle someplace else for a while, Levka said.

You don’t work? Caitlin asked.

Years of investments. Independently wealthy. Levka smiled. That made it easier for them to move at will from place to place without any difficulty. Not to mention Ruric’s ability to hack into computer systems to get them free rents when they needed lodging or free tickets when they needed to hop on an airplane.

I didn’t finish high school. Caitlin sounded a little bit dismayed that she couldn’t finish her schooling.

You can do it online once we find a place to settle. Levka leaned his seat back and frowned at Caitlin, wondering if that was even possible for her to get her witch training in. You’re a witch. Do they even have online classes for witches and warlocks?

Yes. I had just never considered taking classes that way. I was enrolled in a regular school. My dad wasn’t a warlock, so he preferred that my sister and I went to regular schools. My mother loved him so much, she went along with it, but taught us what she knew after school and during the holidays.

Caitlin sounded sad and he knew it was because she’d lost her parents and sister in the boating accident. I’ll pay for your schooling. He would do anything to make her feel better about leaving her world and the changes she faced as a vampire on the run.

Thank you. Too bad you couldn’t buy your very own castle. She settled against him as if she was truly fine with being with him, with all of them, and her new way of life.

Maybe we can. We have the funds. We would just have to find one that is available. It would be nice to have a place of our own and just stay put for a while.

When we can settle down somewhere, I’ll see if I can find any courses on the internet. I’m probably pretty weird—I’m sure most students would be glad if they didn’t have to attend school any longer. But because of our predicament, and possible further trouble with assassins, I need to have the best witch’s arsenal I can—for protection and for fighting too.

He kissed the top of her head and patted her thigh. Have I told you how much I love you?

She smiled at him and kissed his mouth. I love you too.

Then they got quiet, and their attention shifted to Stasio as he headed back to the restroom.

Levka shook his head. "I’m glad I never get sick on a plane."

2

Stasio usually agreed with Levka’s plans, but going to Wales and staying at his old castle? That was a recipe for disaster. But maybe Stasio was feeling so negative about it because he was so sick. Sometimes, he could manage flying on an airplane, but not when the air was this turbulent.

He settled back in his seat and