Awakened by the Vampire
Holly Brookes
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty One
Chapter Twenty Two
Chapter Twenty Three
About the Author
This is a work of fiction. The events and characters described herein are imaginary and are not intended to refer to specific places or living persons.
Awakened by the Vampire
All rights reserved
Copyright © 2018 Holly Brookes
Cover by Lesia
This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
A huge thank you to my betas Jutta Stiller and Kerryn du Plessis.
Blurb
Her kidnapper. Her savior. Her sire.
Madison Stevens is kidnapped by her date, Liam Dalton, and confronted with the dark truth that vampires exist, and she is forever bonded to Liam at the cost of her humanity.
Liam is a respected member of the vampire Council, yet is willing to betray them to protect Madison. And reluctantly, he turns her to save her life, knowing that their love will instigate a prophecy that will end the existence of vampires.
Chapter One
Liam Dalton wanted her, felt a deep yearning to taste her, make her gasp with pleasure. It was an attraction that burned through his long dead body, awakening him, evoking the sensation of being alive for the first time in decades. Jesus.
He watched her stop at a booth to serve an elderly couple. After exchanging pleasant smiles, Madison left them and approached him, her expression evolving from cordial friendliness to surprise. The New York diner was small and hardly bustling with customers, yet none of that mattered. Only her. He couldn’t stay away, not until this little distraction was taken care of.
Their eyes met. Hers were a glacier blue, at first glance they appeared cold yet shone with warmth. Strands of her thick brown hair had escaped her ponytail and fell against the sharp angles of her cheekbones. She had a face that wasn’t what he’d call strikingly beautiful, but alluring. The diner’s standard dark red uniform clung tightly to her slim figure. The globes of her breasts were prominent, and he had to glance away before she caught him staring like a damn horny human.
Madison flashed a smile. “Liam! Back again? You’re becoming a regular.”
“Thanks to you. I’d like to know when you get off.”
A blush darkened her pale cheeks. “Oh, I…I’m taken. I can’t, I’m sorry.”
As he remembered from their earlier conversations. He wasn’t jealous that she had a man, only felt a deep certainty she would be his. Soon. She came to him every Monday and Tuesday when he made time to visit and ended up taking her break time to chat. He leaned over the table, noticing how she drank in the sight, her eyes widening, her tongue slipping out to wet her full lips tainted with dark red lipstick.
Like hell this wasn’t a mutual feeling.
“Would you like your usual, Liam?”
He smiled. “Cheeseburger and fries, sweetheart.”
Food was tasteless, a substance that no longer sustained him, but he’d endure it to sate his curiosity.
Madison nodded, gave a shaky smile, and went to collect the food. He stole a look at her pert ass as she left. Wanted to taste her lips, capture her tongue and feel her soften against him.
But that time would come. First, he needed to gain her trust. Then he’d learn if their chemistry was what he believed it to be: the beginning of the end of his kind.
As Madison stood before Liam, her heart thundered within her chest. He’d waited for her after her shift, watching over her with intense protectiveness. Mentioning that she already had someone was a lie. Well, up until a few hours ago, it was true. After she arrived home early yesterday, she discovered her ex Trevor had been sleeping with a colleague - she caught them both in her bed in the act and left without a word. The one moment in her life where she’d been rendered speechless.
Screw him. She had no intention of wallowing in despair and needed to abandon her reluctance. Why not allow herself to be distracted by Liam? They’d met three months ago and engaged in memorable conversations laced with simmering tension. They weren’t strangers, but she’d be lying again if she said it wasn’t awkward.
“Thanks for letting me walk you to your car,” Liam said.
“Your charm finally won me over,” she teased. “Sorry I lied about my ex, I just have a lot on my mind.”
“You deserve better.”
“I know. But we don’t all get what we deserve.”
He said nothing. The concern on his face showed it all, searing out of his gleaming green eyes. She hesitated, shaken by how he stirred such intense feelings within her. Warmth swelled between her thighs and her chest rose and fell with each breath.
He looked like he’d devour her any second.
Liam turned and led her down the sidewalk. “You must’ve had a long day.”
“You got that right. I’ll be taking longer shifts now that college is out of the picture.”
Thanks to losing the financial support from Trevor, it’d take longer than planned to secure tuition funds. Now she understood why he’d been eager to shower her with money – guilt over his cheating. And she’d been stupid enough to believe he loved and supported her. At twenty, she was just starting to find her place in the world, and now she’d lost it, had to reevaluate and recover.
She’d taken Trevor and his wealth for granted and with rose tinted glasses on, had imagined a future with him. His cheating utterly blindsided her yet she couldn’t shake the feeling she deserved it, that she truly wasn’t worthy of having it all. She’d come so close yet ideal happiness had been nothing but a façade. Whenever she reached that emotional pinnacle, something knocked her back down.
“You had a career in mind?” Liam asked, his soft voice making her shiver a little.
“Law. My mom’s a criminal defense lawyer, I intended to go for paralegal. She’s always been an inspiration.”
And how would her mother react once she learned of Trevor’s cheating? Disappointment, as usual, tarnished with the impression it was Madison’s fault. Her stomach churned. Buried amidst her newfound doubt was the concern she was pursuing law for her mom’s approval, and not her own. But what did she really want if not to follow that path?
“Impressive. I figured you were aiming for more than working tables,” he mused.
Their talks had been casual, mostly to avoid feeling any closer to him. That can change. She smiled. “Hmm. As long as the bills get paid, I’ll be okay. Do you work?”
“Occasionally, during evenings. I put myself on the line more than I should.”
“You’re a cop?”
“Far from it.” He paused. “If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you.”
She slowed to a stop. He stood at an ideal height, tall enough so he only had to tilt his head to kiss her. She bit her lip, intrigued by his elusiveness. “I love a good cliché.”<
br />
“Thought you might. Let’s walk some more, I’ll fill you in.”
“Sure.”
His response alerted her to his mysteriousness, but it didn’t suppress her desire. He emanated sensuality, the kind she’d get so immersed and sated by. He was a foil to the good girl pretense she’d reserved since high school, a temptation to the part of her that longed to cast aside the shackles of a repressive routine and indulge for just one moment.
Besides, they were on a busy street, and Liam wouldn’t risk trying anything, she had no doubt about that.
“Are you local?” She quirked her head. “I can’t place your accent.”
“I’ve been around, but have called New York my home for years.”
“Lucky. I haven’t traveled, but it’s on my bucket list.”
“Good to know.”
“Anything you want to do before you die?”
Something sparked in his eyes. “Well, for a start, I’d like to know more about you.”
Her breasts heaved against the confines of her bra. Heat flared across her skin, her body humming with the need to just touch him. Her desire had to be apparent, and from the way he smiled, how his eyes slowly lowered, lingering on her, he knew.
Liam tilted his head, his breath caressing her face. Even surrounded by people, the blaring horns from moving traffic, the taste of exhaust in her mouth, it all faded away. She swallowed heavily, staring at the finer details of his chiseled face. Not a hint of stubble along his hard jaw line, thick brows framing his intense green eyes. The wind caressed his dark, cropped hair. He was sexy in a melancholic way, and something about his eyes was slightly unsettling. Haunting. Mesmerizing.
She glanced away, catching sight of a familiar silver sedan. After reading the license plate, she flinched. Of all the coincidences…Trevor was nearby. She studied the flow of people, her gaze catching on a beige trench coat and tousled blond hair. Trevor was walking toward them, a few feet away. She noticed shock widening his brown eyes. He shot a glance at Liam, maybe piecing together that she was actually seeing someone.
Damn.
Liam ran a hand through his hair, oblivious. “You hungry? I’ll get you something.”
“Uh, yeah, I’d like that.”
He nodded at a food cart at the corner of the street. Hot dogs sounded amenable, and she acknowledged his choice with a brief smile. Liam backed away, but not before he briefly touched her arm. Even through clothing, an electric spark shot between them, a chemistry she sought to embrace.
He turned away and moments later, Trevor stepped in his place. “You didn’t reply to my messages. Rachel told me you ended your shift, thought I’d find you here.”
His voice hit hard and she winced, wanting to forget the pain he’d caused. No doubt her best friend Rachel was trying to do something she thought was right by setting this up. Rachel didn’t believe a person could be completely heartless and wanted them to make up for the sake of preserving the ‘high school sweetheart’ fallacy.
“I can’t give up on us,” Trevor admitted.
“Cheaters don’t deserve a second chance. You know I said that to my father.”
Pain creased his face. “I wanted to confess. I was just…so frustrated. Confused.”
“Sorry, I don’t care for your inner turmoil.”
Trevor trailed by her side. “Please don’t hate me. It’s been hard. This wasn’t a clear cut, black and white decision.”
“Oh, I don’t hate you. I’m past that. Besides, you have Sandra.”
He kept pace with her, giving a look that had once been theirs. “I don’t want her. I want you, and it took a moment of weakness to realize that. Can’t you forgive me?”
He grasped her arm and frustrated, she pulled away, entering a side alley in an attempt to maintain a sliver of privacy. How dare he confront her, begging for forgiveness. This isn’t the time.
“I don’t forgive and forget.”
“Baby, why throw us away?”
“Because I’ve met someone who knows what he wants and won’t make excuses!”
Trevor’s composure faltered. Their relationship would never be the same and she wouldn’t buy his lies again. Determination straightened her body, a resolve that once eluded her. She wouldn’t allow any man to control her future, not again.
“I’ll come get my stuff tonight,” she added. “After that, please don’t contact me, okay?”
Trevor smirked. “Whatever. Fine. Glad I interrupted your date.”
She hesitated, noticing that it was eerily quiet apart from the sound of distant footsteps coming from the street. Something moved past them, a flash of black within the shadows.
“Shit, we should leave,” Trevor warned. Stunned by who or what was moving around them, she didn’t object.
She followed another quick movement with her eyes and stared in disbelief, the figure seemed human but it moved with implausible speed. She backed away toward Trevor when the figure suddenly lunged forward, and Trevor crumpled to the ground.
Fuck.
A hand closed over her mouth and her muffled squeal was useless as she felt a sharpness in her neck, and surrendered to darkness.
Chapter Two
It was quiet. Madison didn’t want to open her eyes, but felt cool air at the back of her neck, a feeling that her body was suspended. Something cold and hard dug into her wrists bound above her and her feet barely touched the ground.
She drew in a shaky breath, her head throbbing with a dull pain. She wanted to stay within her confinements and never face what awaited - but helplessness wasn’t something she’d surrender to again.
Finally, she opened her eyes.
Darkness surrounded her, dimly abated by a light bulb hanging a few feet away, suspended by a thin chain. Oh, god. Her breathing quickened. The yellow light cut into shadows, revealing blank stone walls.
She stared in horror, panic holding her body still. Where the hell was she? She pulled at the chains holding her bound, and looked up at the solid metal confining her wrists. There was no hope of freeing herself.
Remembering Trevor, she swiveled to see if he was close. Her eyes caught on a figure in the corner near a door. The outline undeniably showed it was a male. He stepped into the light and her eyes widened as she stared at Liam. She tried to absorb his face, the fact that he stood there, looking up at her with narrowed eyes. Studying her.
Why are you doing this? What do you want from me? She shivered, not wanting to provoke him.
“Why…it was you in the alley?” she choked out, not wanting to believe that he’d abducted her. I’m his prisoner. As the cold reality hit, she pulled at her chains, thrashing around to keep him at a distance.
“Help! Someone help!” she screamed, her voice raw as it tore through her throat. Her wild gaze fell on Trevor suspended in the corner. “Trev! Wake up!”
Liam had hit him hard, she remembered seeing him fall. He might not awaken for hours. She’d partially fainted from shock, and whatever Liam had done to immobilize her. Her breaths came in hurried gulps as if the room closed in. She was rendered powerless to whatever he planned to do.
They could be miles from New York, out in the middle of nowhere, some abandoned building off the freeway. She lowered her head, struggling to fight back tears. Showing any sign of weakness could set him off. Madison blinked and raised her head, shooting him a defiant glare. No way in hell would she let him hurt her.
“I don’t intend on harming you,” he told her softly. “This had to be done.”
“If it’s what you had in mind for a kinky date, I refuse.”
He glanced at her wrists. “Sorry. Because of the circumstances, I have to keep you restrained in order to have a conversation.”
“Or we could just talk like normal people. But you’re obviously not.”
Fear made her babble, yet she didn’t care what she said. If he was going to kill her, he’d do it regardless.
A wisp of a smile crossed his face. “I can agree about my state o
f normality.”
Liam talked so evenly with an intimidating calmness. She needed to bide some time and act casual. There was always a motive and eventually, he had to confess. She couldn’t die without knowing.
Madison straightened. “Being kidnapped and chained up isn’t a fantasy of mine.”
“I can’t let you go. Not until you hear me out. I have an offer, a rare temptation. A chance for you to learn about something greater than the court of law, a concept that predates anything humanly possible.”
She swallowed nervously. Her gaze moved to Trevor. “What about him?”
He grinned. “Interesting. By now, most women would cry and beg.”
“Sorry to disappoint.”
“I’m no sadist. I don’t plan on hurting or killing you. Regulations have allowed this to pass.”
“Regulations? For a club of serial killers?”
He laughed, and it managed to send a flare of desire through her. She cursed her body for reacting to him. His looks were just a frontage, but damn him for being incredibly hot.
As he leaned in close, his breath caressed her skin. She involuntarily trembled with need, heat pulsing between her legs as his lips hovered an inch from hers.
“I couldn’t make sense of this attraction,” he breathed. “I need to know if you feel it.”
In this crazy situation, she still wanted his kiss, to give in. One look from him entranced her in a way she didn’t logically understand. Her body felt alive, yearning for his touch, her nipples pebbling beneath his gaze.
“I do feel it,” she admitted. A thought cut through her haze of desire—maybe playing along would get him to talk.
Liam stepped back and began pacing. She swung her legs, her heels an inch from touching the ground. The instability made it difficult to attempt a kick with her full weight behind it and injuring Liam wouldn’t be a wise decision. She stared at the thickness of his muscles beneath his dark shirt, a body that had obviously hit the gym and given him a strength she couldn’t fight against.
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