Forbidden Embrace

Forbidden Embrace

by

Charlotte Blackwell

World Castle Publishing

http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

World Castle Publishing

Pensacola, Florida

Copyright © Charlotte Blackwell 2011

ISBN: 9781937085674

Library of Congress Catalogue Number 2011931980

First Edition World Castle Publishing September 1, 2011

http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com

Licensing Notes

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews.

Cover Artist: Karen Fuller

Photo from Shutterstock

Editor: Rhonda Klassen

Dedication

To my wonderful family, friends, publisher and readers that have all supported and encouraged me through this process. Thank you and I love you all; because of your support I have found myself and what I truly love to do.

This is for all the vampire lovers of the world, because only a vampire can love you forever.

Chapter 1

Clubbing

A quick journal entry seems wise before leaving for the big New Year’s party at Club VC. It has been a very eventful week; I have been spotted by at least two of my estranged family members, and while doing a checkup on my family, I noticed Danika, the newest member of the family, conversing with a member of the Cerberus, making plans to celebrate the New Year at Club VC together. Young Danika still remains unaware of who she is dealing with, and it appears the family is unaware of her power to block others. This is how Danika is able to keep her secrets. This is only a little tidbit I learned at the club; I’m not even sure if she is aware of her power yet.

I’m concerned about Sophia seeing me in the park a little more than a week ago. I know that girl. She is as stubborn as a mule, and she will not give up on me. I need to be more careful now that Sophia is aware of my presence. I’m sure she has divulged the information to the family by now. I expect her to look for me.

It’s getting late–I should get ready and head for the club, in case Danika does go there. I want to keep an eye on her and keep her out of too much trouble. I have been attempting to disguise myself so Danika will not recognize me from pictures, and the Cerberus will not recognize me if they see me around.

***

Walking into the club, I look around for familiar faces–either Danika or the guy she has been meeting with. I find a few of the cult members I met during my previous visit here.

“
Hey, Caspian. It’s nice to see you back here,” greets Cyrus.

I look at the older
vampire
who had welcomed me nights earlier. “Hi, Cyrus. Thanks. It is good to be back. Please call me Cas. I feel so free here…no hiding,” I respond with little truth.

“
Are you up for a drink?” he points to the bar.

“
Sure. That’s why I’m here. I’m always up for a little fun.”

He leads me through the thick crowd of
vampires
dancing to the pounding tunes blaring from the speakers. Hundreds of rebellious
vampires
fill the club; some appear to be fresh out of the wastes. I notice cages occupied by very attractive young
vampires
, scantily dressed. Tight leather and small tops appear to be the ensemble of choice. I could never understand how women can walk in heels that high–they must be at least four inches–although it does make their legs look very nice, shapely and luxurious. Even in the eternal life women can be so vain; every little detail must be perfect. They have to look their best no matter the cost. I just assume it must hurt to walk in shoes like that all day long, let alone a hundred years or more. Many of the patrons are very interesting to look at, especially the ones with crazy hairstyles in an array of odd and unnatural colors. I start to think how much fun the club seems to be. Unfortunately, I know what type of
vampires
the owners are.

“
You wanna tap or shot?” Cyrus asks when we reach the bar.

I look at the bar and see a young woman lying there.
Vampires
walk up to her and bite her in various spots, enjoying a drink from the poor soul that is barely alive.

“
Let’s try a shot,” I respond, attempting to remain collected.

“
Hey buddy, two shots please!” Cyrus shouts.

The bartender turns to the back of the bar, where a man lies motionless except for the shallow movements of his chest. There is a type of intravenous needle in his carotid artery. The bartender grabs two shot glasses in one hand and holds them to the needle cap. He opens the cap and drains the man’s blood into the glasses, which he then hands to us. “Here you go boys. Enjoy.”

“
Cheers!” We clang glasses and take the shot.

I can’t help but wonder what happens to the ‘donors.’ “I have to ask, how on Earth do you get the donors, and what do you do with them once they are drained?”

“
We find transients, homeless people, addicts, and prostitutes. They are promised a good meal and a night of partying at a hot V.I.P club. Once we get them here, we clean them up and feed them. We use a sedative so they do not fight us. Some we Embrace, and others we throw back in the streets. The ones we Embrace become our cage dancers. This is our way of keeping control of them until they learn some discipline and won’t get themselves destroyed,” Cyrus explains. “You should go mingle with some of the others a little. We are always looking for new members that have eternal experience.”

“
Thank you, I will,” I reply before I begin to roam the club.

I continue to look around and inspect the place. I didn’t get to see much last time I was here; tonight is the time to familiarize myself. As I look up to the balconies above, I see Danika: the little brat. She is with the same
vampire
that has been trying so hard to recruit her. It looks as if the upstairs area is where the top cult members party. Even with my impeccable hearing, I can’t zone in on what they’re talking about over the crowd and music. I need to find a way to get invited upstairs. At least now I know where she is so I can keep an eye on her for my family’s sake.

***

Danika has been here for a while now, and I continue to mingle as I keep a watchful eye on her. I notice her walking down the stairs and decide to test my disguise, so I walk toward her and advertently collide with her, making it look like an accident. “Oh! Please excuse me.”

“
No worries. My name is Danika, this is my first time here,” she replies, proving she doesn’t recognize me.

“
Nice to meet you. I’m Cas.”

“
Well, Cas, I hope to see you again. It’s time for me to leave. I have a little travel ahead of me,” she explains.

“
I understand. Sunrise will be upon us soon. I think they’ll be clearing the place out soon. Have a great rest. Maybe we will run into one another again,” I say as we both leave the club.

It’s been difficult hiding from my family…thirty years on the run is too long, even when you have eternity. I can only hope they forgive me for draining and killing my girlfriend Ashley. I just couldn’t face them and had to leave. I didn’t deserve to be a part of their family; I had failed them all. But I’ve always kept a close eye on my estranged family and it is finally paying off. I’m hoping to prove to them that I can handle my bloodlust. If I can help protect them against the Cerberus, the rogue
vampire
cult heading to the area, they may forgive me and let me have another chance. Last year when my family, the Pierces’, moved back to Wenham, Massachusetts, they never expected to fight with some of the most dangerous of our kind, the Cerberus. The area is supernaturally charged; the magic from the area can attract evil of all kinds seeking more power. The rich magical history is leading the Cerberus directly here. Now if I can only help steer Danika, the newest
vampire
in the Pierce family, in the right direction, I will be able to move on to more important matters. Protecting and regaining my place in the Pierce family is the only thing that matters to me since Ashley’s death.

Chapter 2

Worry

I just knew it! I knew Danika would be trouble! This is going to be bad for each and every one of us. I wonder if anyone went missing from the News Year’s party? We were all having so much fun getting to know more of the town’s people, and now this. If she kills some innocent party guest, we’ll all be affected. If she leaves them alive and is unable to compel them properly, we’ll be discovered. I’m going to beat the crap out of that little brat,
I think as I pace the room in frustration.

“
We will find her and deal with the ramifications of her actions. Then we’ll deal with the Cerberus. I don’t want anyone to jump to conclusions.” Elijah looks directly at me with his eyebrows raised, knowing that I have already done so.

“
I agree, a member of our family is missing and danger is heading this way. We’ll feed and then go look for Danika. At this point we don’t know what has happened; all we know is that she’s missing,” Isaac points out.

It’s nearly four in the morning, and we still don’t know where Danika is. Florence prepares something for us to eat before we go and try to find her. None of us enjoy the meal Florence prepared, as we’re all too worried about what is to come. We decide it’s best just to go now and search for Danika, but at that same moment we notice her walking up the drive towards the house.

Opening the front door, my rage takes over. “Are you freaking kidding me? You take off without telling anyone and just walk up the drive like nothing even happened?!” I scream.