VEILED Complete Boxed Set

by Victoria Knight

  Their faces finally met again and they kissed with that same fervor. Saul was on top of her, slightly to the side as not to crush her with his weight.

  “I thought about this all day,” Nikki said, not realizing until the words were out of her mouth just how uncharacteristic of her it was to say something so clichéd.

  “I tried not to,” Saul said, kissing along her jaw line, then atop her shoulder. She felt his teeth graze her skin; chills erupted everywhere.

  “How’d that work out for you?” she murmured.

  “Not so good,” Saul chuckled as his face traveled lower. He barely even paid her breasts any attention as his lips were on her navel, then her hip, then to the center of her body. He toyed with her for only a moment and then positioned himself, his head slowly drifting between her legs. She braced herself, gripped his hair with her fingers, and waited. She knew that with just the feel of his breath on her down there, she was going to lose it.

  But she never got the chance to find out. At that moment, the entire cabin felt as if it had been hit by a mountain. Nikki’s first thought was: if this is an earthquake, it’s some very shitty timing.

  And then, for the second time that day, Nikki heard shattering glass. She screamed and sat up, realizing that Saul was already on his feet. He had moved so fast that she hadn’t even seen it.

  “What is it, S—” she said. She was unable to finish her question as her eyes fell on the shape that had come through the window.

  It was a man, only not really. Nikki screamed as she stared into Leibald’s twisted face for the second time that day. Except this time she was utterly defenseless, naked, and had nowhere to run.

  Well, Nikki thought in a moment of hysterical panic, This is a fucking embarrassing way to die.

  Then she had no more time to think at all.

  END OF BOOK I

  VEILED - BOOK TWO

  DARKNESS RISING

  Copyright © Laudanum House, LLC.

  All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed "Attention: Permission Coordinator," at the address below.

  Laudanum House Publishing

  323 Belle Ct.

  Site 107

  Grayslake, IL 60030

  Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  END OF BOOK I

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  END OF BOOK II

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  END OF BOOK IV

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  END OF BOOK V

  VEILED - BOOK SIX

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  CHAPTER ONE

  1

  Saul Benton did not often have a cause to think of what he was – to examine his existence as a Vampire, compare it to the human guise his kind wore as a businessman does a suit. It is only proper that he would be Human amongst humans, and Vampire when with his own kind. There was no thought involved in his transformation from one to the other, no pause to consider or regret either state of being. Saul was either Human, or he was Not, and that was all there was to it.

  A very unpleasant, very unwelcomed intrusion on his Human Time with one Nikki Galimore had him rethinking that either-or-existence, and not in a way he enjoyed. The sound of breaking glass seemed to fracture something in Saul’s mind, flip a switch he had not been aware was there. The pleasure of Nikki’s body, the softness of the moment they had been sharing ceased to exist as a different, stronger need ignited within him.

  Intruder, his mind hissed.

  “Leibald,” Saul snapped out loud, recognizing the twisted face of the man – no, the vampire – that had dared invade his home. The Change overcame him, almost against his will. Nikki should not see you like this, a part of him thought; the rest of him was too far gone to care, bloodlust guiding his every motion.

  Beside him Nikki screamed, eyes wide with terror.

  “That’s him,” she whimpered, “The thing that attacked me today. It’s—”

  Leibald lunged for the bed – for Nikki – but Saul was far too fast to allow the other anywhere near his mate. He threw out an arm and caught Leibald under the chin. Leibald went cart wheeling and smashed into the wall.

  “Leibald,” Saul snarled. “What in the hell are you doing here?” Even as he spoke, Saul could feel his body going cold as the beast he truly was came to the surface—the same beast that had slaughtered Deke Goode’s cows a few nights ago in its need for blood. His incisors were sprouting to their true length, roughly around three inches each. He felt the muscles in his jaw adjusting, strengthening, ready to tear and shred.

  Leibald wasted no time in explaining himself. He leaped at Saul and the two collided in a heap of frigid flesh. The walls shuddered with their fight, denting where a thick body was slammed into the plaster. Nikki huddled in a corner, screaming mindlessly. Like Saul, she had forgotten about her nudity – unlike Saul, her mind was awash with fear instead of anger.

  Saul was very aware of Nikki’s eyes on him as he fought with Leibald. Even as he fought, his mind was busy putting pieces of all that had occurred together – trying to understand why Leibald was in his home, why a member of any other vampire clans would be in Red Creek. The fact that Nikki was seeing his True Form for the first time was also a concern; he had not wanted her to see him like this. Not ever, but especially not the very first time he transformed in front of her. This angered him more than anything else.

  With that thought in mind, Saul landed a solid blow against Leibald’s face and then grabbed him by the neck. Leibald was much older than Saul and it showed in the way he fought. The older vampire was already winded, whereas Saul had yet to even really get his pulse racing.

  “Explain yourself,” Saul growled, squeezing a large hand around Leibald’s throat.

  “I missed your family,” Leibald sneered. “I never came to pay my respects when your father was so ceremoniously murdered.”

  Saul let out a roar that was not completely human and threw Leibald through the open bedroom door. Leibald went sailing through the air all the way down the short hall; he finally stopped as he crashed into the kitchen table.

  Saul quickly went to Nikki’s side and placed an arm around her. “Stay here,” he said. He tried his best to hide his face from her as he spoke. Still, she looked him directly in the eyes and nodded.

  Saul sprinted out of the bedroom, still naked, chasing after Leibald. When he got into the kitchen, Leibald was already on his feet. He had raised one of the kitchen chairs over his head and pelted it hard at Saul. Saul ducked, but not in time. The wooden chair caught him in his right shoulder and the right side of his face. He stumbled back only a single step and then went on, unfazed by the blow.

  Leibald squatted on his haunches and launched himself at Saul agai
n, not unlike an angry dog. Saul caught him easily and slammed him hard to the floor.

  “You’re too old,” Saul sneered. “What were you thinking, coming to take me on?”

  “I wasn’t,” Leibald said, fighting against Saul’s grip. “It’s just all part of the plan.”

  “What plan?” Saul asked.

  His answer came in the form of Leibald’s talon-like fingers slashing across his face. The attack surprised Saul more than it pained him but it was still enough for Leibald to regain his feet. He grabbed Saul’s long hair, whipping it around his fist in a quick movement. He then yanked back hard and drove Saul’s head into the kitchen wall.

  Leibald followed this with a few hard blows to the ribs. Leibald might be old, but he was strong as any other of their kind. The blows to his ribs hurt, but not enough to slow him. Saul removed himself from the wall and threw a hard punch of his own, connecting squarely with Leibald’s chest.

  The older vampire let out a gasp as he was sent flying into the living room. Saul followed , landing on top of Leibald and pummeling him with hard right hands. He then bared his fangs, indicating that it was time for the kill.

  “Now wait, you stupid angry creature,” Leibald said. “Think about why I would come here. You’d kill me without getting answers? Has sex distorted your mind that much? Also…I don’t think The Guard would take your killing me too kindly. That’s forbidden, in case you have forgotten.”

  “Then talk,” Saul said. He wrapped an arm around Leibald’s neck and yanked him to his feet. In the stranglehold, Leibald grunted.

  “A little hard to talk like this,” he said.

  “Try,” Saul growled.

  “Your little lady friend might want to hear this too,” Leibald said. He said it loud enough so that Nikki could hear him from the other room. “She might want to know why her friend had to die.”

  Saul tightened his grip and delivered a brutal punch to Leibald’s back. “Shut up.”

  “I thought you wanted me to talk,” Leibald said.

  Frustrated, Saul lifted Leibald from the floor and threw him hard into the living room wall just above the couch. The wall was smashed in, leaving a large hole above the couch. Leibald fell from the wall and crumpled onto the couch. Realizing that the fight was over and it was now time to talk, he remained on the couch, arching his back from the pain.

  Nikki came walking slowly into the living room. She had a sheet draped around her, which she held close to her chest. She had taken Leibald’s bait; the tears in her eyes negated the fury on her face.

  “My friend?” she asked. “You mean Jason?”

  “I didn’t get his name, dear,” Leibald said. “I was too busy tearing out his throat.”

  She dropped the sheet and went running towards him, fists raised. Saul stepped in between them and held her close to him. Even in this terrible situation, he was very aware of their naked flesh pressed together.

  “That’s what he wants,” Saul said.

  “Who are you?” Nikki screamed. “Just who the fuck are you?”

  “A long story,” Leibald said.

  “He’s from another tribe,” Saul said, sensing that Leibald was only buying time for himself, trying to get under their skin. “His name is Leibald, from the Greely clan. They are all supposed to be in Greece, waiting for their turn to feed.”

  “Yes, the rest of them are in Greece,” Leibald said. “All twelve members of my family. We are the third largest among the remaining clans.”

  “Why are you here?” Saul asked.

  Still grimacing from the beating he had just taken, Leibald managed a smile. “None of your business. But you will find out soon enough.”

  “The Guard will have your head for your actions,” Saul said with a sneer.

  “To hell with The Guard,” Leibald replied. “Her little friend,” he said, pointing to Nikki, “was not the only one. Tell me, have either of you seen Lester Dobbs around anywhere? Also, I believe there will be a man reported missing tomorrow. A poor fisherman who met an untimely end.”

  “Why?” Nikki screamed.

  Leibald shrugged, grinning. “It’s called ‘framing’ I believe. The Guard will piece it all together. Jason Eastman had footage of one of our kind. Lester Dobbs was trying to start fights. These could be seen as threats to our kind. So why wouldn’t a blood-hungry vampire eliminate them? As for the fisherman…well, I guess the taste for blood was just too much to deny. Poor Saul just couldn’t resist it once the bloodlust kicked in.”

  Saul felt rage like he had never experienced boiling inside of him. He knew that he could kill Leibald without much of a struggle. But that would bring The Guard down on him harder than ever. Not only that, but he’d also have the entire Greely clan wanting his head. There were some powerful beings within that clan and if they wanted him dead, they’d get their way soon enough. Saul couldn’t help but think that this had been Leibald’s hope all along.

  “The Guard won’t let you purposefully get another vampire in trouble,” Saul said. “And I think you know that.

  “Ah, again with The Guard. Ask yourself this question…do you think they weren't aware that members from two different clans were in the same location? I’m afraid someone has been feeding you lies, Saul.”

  Saul didn’t fully understand Leibald’s intentions, nor did he know if all - or any – of what he had told them was true. Saul certainly recognized that if he linked all of the pieces together, there was easily some odd conspiracy lurking in Leibald’s intentions. But why would The Guard allow Leibald to so boldly appear in Red Creek, kill humans, and then make this failed confrontation?

  It was all too much to take in so quickly. Knowing of nothing else to do, Saul stepped up to Leibald so that their noses were nearly touching. Saul was glad to see that there was some fear in his enemy’s eyes but he also saw a faint confidence there as well.

  “Get out of my home,” Saul said. “And then get out of my town.”

  “Or what?” Leibald said, leering.

  “Well, it seems that you’ll either have me dead or confronted by The Guard soon enough. So that means I have little to lose. That being the case, the thought of killing you is becoming more and more attractive.”

  Leibald considered this for a moment before giving a defeated nod. “Fine, fine. But don’t say you weren’t warned. And one other thing, I—”

  In a movement that was too fast for even Saul to properly block, Leibald dashed across the living room, headed directly towards Nikki. The single step backwards that she managed to take before her body froze in fear may have saved her life. Saul reached out to stop Leibald and just barely managed to grab his left shoulder. He was unable to stop the collision, though; Nikki cried out and fell to the floor.

  By the time Saul stopped Leibald’s momentum and threw him to the floor, Nikki was screaming.

  Saul drew his foot up and fiercely stomped down on Leibald’s chest. A great cracking sound filled the living room – at least four ribs broke, caving the man’s chest inward. Saul left Leibald writhing in pain and hurried to Nikki’s side. He was alarmed at once when he saw the blood running down her neck.

  He tried helping her to her feet but Nikki slumped over and fell again. Saul caught her before she hit the floor, his eyes studying the wound on her neck. He bit her, Saul thought. He bit her and now she’ll be one of the Greelys...this is very bad…

  But as he wiped her blood away with his hand—fighting every primal urge within him not to lick it up—he saw that the wound was small. Leibald had not gotten to her fast enough, Saul had stopped him just in time; although her skin was punctured, there appeared to be no real penetration. She might survive with her humanity intact.

  Enraged, Saul wheeled back around to Leibald only to see him leaving through the front door. Every muscle in Saul’s body demanded that he give chase, but he was more concerned with Nikki for the moment. He could see in her eyes that she was beginning to fade—like she was incredibly tired and simply couldn’t keep her
eyes open any longer.

  With Leibald gone -Saul could smell him, scurrying further and further away into the woods- Saul was able to concentrate and get a proper look at the wound on Nikki’s neck. The fact that any blood had been drawn at all was a bad sign, but the wound was a superficial one. Typically, when a vampire sank its teeth into flesh, it left a swollen sort of pink halo around the wound. There was nothing of the sort here and that gave Saul hope.

  Still, as Nikki’s eyes finally closed, Saul began to feel despair rise up in him. It was something he had not felt since his father died and he did not like the fact that it was reclaiming him so easily.

  With a heavy heart, he lifted Nikki to his chest and carried her into the bedroom.

  2

  Three hours passed.

  Saul was pleased that he could see no telltale signs of a transformation. Still, Leibald’s small bite had done something. Nikki was feverish and would not wake up, no matter what Saul tried. This gave him nothing to do other than pace his ruined cabin and wait to see what would happen.

  He surveyed the damage that he and Leibald had caused during their skirmish. The repairs would be significant; there was a huge hole in his bedroom wall, as well as over the couch in the living room. Two chairs had been broken and the kitchen table now had a crack running down its center.

  He would swap his attention from the carnage and then back to Nikki, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking at her face. With her eyes closed, she was beautiful. Awake and with her peculiar energy, she was enticing, sure. She had a very sexy sort of confidence and nonchalance about her than most humans didn’t possess. But asleep, she was like some wholly new creature—a girl that was nearly a woman and in need of protection no matter how much her waking self might argue.