by Marian Tee
UNCLAIMED (THE MASTER AND HIS SOUL SEER PET: BOOK 3)
BY: MARIAN TEE
About Unclaimed
This is a love story between an innocent girl and a jaded man, a pet and her Master, a soul seer who has yet to realize she’s meant to save the world…and a powerful vampire who has yet to understand his heart still beats.
18-year-old Zari Baltimore's worst nightmare has come true. She's become part of a love triangle, and she may likely be the one to have her heart broken. Again.
Her rival: Katarina, the new doctor at La Scala Legaturia, a training ground for strengthening bonds between pets like Zari and their Masters. Katarina - her Master's one true love, and the reason why he's unable to give Zari his heart.
Now, she has a choice to make: finish her schooling as a pet, knowing she can't ever own her Master's heart...or take her friend Rhapsody's offer to move to Chalys, permanently, and learn about becoming a soul seer instead.
She tells her Master about it, hoping he will stop her from leaving...but he doesn't.
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The Art of Forgiving a Greek Billionaire
The Art of Wedding a Greek Billionaire
The Art of Kissing a Greek Billionaire (FREE!)
Schoolteacher Velvet enters into a marriage of convenience but is too proud to tell her Greek billionaire husband it’s because she’s in love with him.
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24-year-old Willow is an ill-mannered junior editor.
27-year-old Stavros Manolis is a conservative Greek billionaire. They have nothing in common except…that one night they had with each other.
The Greek Billionaire and His Secretary (Prequel)
Dear Greek Billionaire
Love, Your Greek Billionaire
Forever and Ever, My Greek Billionaire
Warning: Love Moderately (BBW Billionaire New Adult College Romance)
Derek and Jaike have always hidden the truth about themselves. But when they meet – it’s not just explosive chemistry. One look, and it’s undeniable. Even if they’re too young, they know. He’s meant to be her Master, and she’s meant to be his Sub.
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Play With Me: A Sports Romance Series
All Lace Wyndham wants is to be an NBA coach.
All bad boy billionaire Silver March wants is HER.
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The Art of Claiming an Alpha: My Werewolf Bodyguard (Paranormal Romance)
Human-slash-pack-princess Calys is a toughie, but she still needs the help of the powerful, dominant, and gorgeous werewolf Alejandro Moretti to be an ‘alpha’. Unfortunately, he wants her body in exchange for her help.
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The Master and His Soul Seer Pet: New Adult College Vampire Romance
Life isn’t easy for 18-year-old Zari. As a soul seer, she sees visions of dead people as well as those who are about to die. As a human pet, she struggles to control her feelings for her Master, the powerful, gorgeous, and mysterious vampire Alexandru, who’s in love with someone else.
Beholden
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Unclaimed
UNCLAIMED (THE MASTER AND HIS SOUL SEER PET: BOOK 3)
BY: MARIAN TEE
Copyright 2015 by Streak Digital Publishing
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Prologue
Dear Miss Baltimore,
Thank you for your interest in Academie Nu Exista (ANEX).
For your reference, we would like to share with you the highlights of what would be your curriculum and the type of student life you would enjoy if you were to decide on pursuing a mid-year transfer to our school.
Personal adviser
Every student of ANEX is provided a personal adviser, who they are to meet once a week on a one-on-one basis. The school uses an extensive and thorough selection process to determine the ideal match. Generally speaking, however, we aim to provide students with personal advisers who are most skilled in nurturing their diverse talents and helping them harness their skills to reach their full potential.
Bespoke curriculum
Individuality is a characteristic we appreciate here in ANEX. As such, we make sure that courses are tailor-made to fit the needs of the student and/or the requirements of the student’s sponsor.
Student life
ANEX prides itself in providing the most luxurious accommodations for its students. To ensure students’ privacy, residential quarters are strictly awarded at a one-person-per-room basis. However, each dormitory is equipped with common areas to encourage a healthy social life. Recreational facilities in each dormitory include an infinity pool, a fitness center, a 50-seater cinema with its own popcorn and soda dispenser, a game area, and its own private ballroom for functions organized by any of the dormitory’s residents.
Self-governing and non-hierarchical
Last but not the least, ANEX is a self-governing unit as prescribed in Statute 341. As such, pre-existing non-filial relationships founded on legal agreements are temporarily put on hold once a student is enrolled in our school. This is to promote free thinking among our students and ensure that their learning and growth is not hampered by any concerns from their outside life.
We hope that this brief summary of what we offer meets your approval. If you are interested, guided tours for admi
ssion candidates are also offered on an appointment basis.
Be guided by your blood,
Academie Nu Exista
~~~~
Dear Lady Zari,
I trust this letter finds you well. On behalf of my pet, I would again like to express my sincerest thanks for your assistance in clearing her of all charges.
ANEX has already received my recommendation for your transfer and they only await your decision. Please note, however, that you are in no way obliged to take any action. I only wish you to take comfort from the fact that you are not without options.
Lastly, I give you my assurance that if you do choose to take advantage of this offer, I will take care of all the necessary arrangements, including your temporary or permanent release from your contract as pet to Lord Alexandru. As he is one of my subjects, he is blood-bound to bow to my command. As he is also my brother, I will endeavor to make him see that your decision, whatever it may be, must be respected.
Sincerely,
Lord Mihail Gheorghiu
Marquis di Sangre
Chapter One
ZARI
Where was he?
Ahead of me, the midnight moon painted a silvery path on the school’s vast courtyard while nocturnal birds sang a haunting lullaby from the towering trees they were perched on. They created an eerily beautiful atmosphere, but worry had made me blind and deaf to my surroundings.
“Five minutes before we leave,” Madame Lavinia announced with a clap of her hands. “So do get moving, girls!”
At her announcement, the other students of La Scala Legaturia shrieked. They rushed in every direction, excitement on their faces. I envied them. I wanted to be excited, too. Today was Ziua Excursi, an annual school celebration where students were whisked away on a supervised holiday. More importantly, Masters were encouraged to accompany their pets, and that was what I most looked forward—
There he was. I finally saw my Master, walking into the courtyard with his usual brisk grace.
Alexandru.
He was dressed completely in black. and so gorgeous it was almost painful to look at him.
I can feel you staring at me.
I almost jumped in surprise. The words I heard in my mind weren’t imaginary. My Master and I were able to talk this way, thanks to our blood bond.
When our eyes met, he said teasingly, Missed me, didn’t you?
I lifted my chin. You wish. Thank God we were talking like this. If I had to speak out loud, he would have known how he had rendered me breathless.
Suddenly, he was there, his preternatural speed enabling him to reach my side in a blink of an eye.
He smirked down at me. As always…you lie.
I turned away, not wanting him to see me smile. Another moment, and I had no reason to smile at all.
“Alexandru, wait.” The voice was familiar, too familiar.
I stiffened.
“Katarina.” His voice was stiff.
I closed my eyes.
Poor Master, I thought dully. Torn between his pet and his first love, and honor required him to stick with me.
“I know you said you won’t be working today, but this is important. We’ve received news about a sighting…”
I knew what that meant. And I knew what she was doing.
While the news about a demon sighting was sure to be true, I had no doubt it was also something she brought up now in order to prevent him from coming with me.
Forcing a smile, I turned around to face them. “Master, it’s all right.” I forced myself to keep smiling even though I hated seeing Katarina’s fingers on his sleeve. Like Alexandru, she was a skilled vampire hunter, and it gave the tall brunette a certain kind of confidence that made her appear extremely attractive.
Alexandru frowned. “What—”
I didn’t let him finish, curtsying instead as I murmured, “I will see you Monday, Master.” I hurried away.
Zari, wait.
I pretended I didn’t hear him.
When I reached the bus I was assigned to, I handed my consent form to the professor. Pets weren’t allowed to leave the campus without permission from their Masters.
“Your Master will follow soon?” the professor queried. “He knows we’re about to leave anytime now?”
“He knows, and no, he won’t be accompanying me.” I struggled to keep my voice even.
“I see.” The professor struggled to keep the pity from hers.
Unfortunately, we both failed.
It was clear in her expression that she, too, had caught sight of my Master, had seen he wasn’t alone, and had probably even understood why he wasn’t coming with me.
I managed a bright smile. “May I go up now, Professor?”
“Oh, yes, yes, please!” The professor was flustered as she waved me away.
As I took the first step leading to the coach’s passenger section, I heard it.
My Master’s voice.
Zari, let me—
It’s really okay, Master. And I don’t want to keep talking about it. This time, I closed the mental connection between us, which was like slamming the phone down on his ear.
I hate him. I love him. I hate him.
I threw myself into my assigned seat, fidgeting.
I wished I had brought even a single flower with me. I needed something to keep me hoping, and even a little bit of false floromancy could do. Fumbling inside my schoolbag, I pulled out a blank sheet of paper and started tearing it into pieces.
Papyrumancy should still work, right?
I took out another sheet of paper from my bag and began tearing it into pieces as well. He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me. He loves me not.
When the last strip would have ended on a negative, I stripped the last one into two.
He loves me.
I repeated the words to myself even though I knew it was a lie.
~~~~
We arrived at Key Moarte a little before dawn. There, I met up with my friend Rhapsody, who was part of another class. I didn’t have a hard time looking for her. It was just a matter of finding someone who looked like a life-size porcelain doll, thanks to her ebony hair, expressionless face, and exceptionally fair skin.
“Rhapsody!” I found her standing under one of the trees lining the boardwalk.
She returned my wave by moving her hand…once.
I frowned. “You okay?”
“New places make me uncomfortable,” was all she said. “I’ll get better in a bit. I just need to…acclimatize myself.”
Big words for an eighteen-year-old, but they were pretty much the usual for Rhapsody.
“Your Master is not with you?”
I glared at her.
“But did he not promise you—”
“Our school doctor needed a word with him about important stuff.” I couldn’t make myself say her name. “So I thought it was better if he just stayed behind rather than waste his time babysitting.”
“Ah.” My friend nodded knowingly. “You cut your nose to spite your face again, did you not?”
“Shut up.” I snatched the book she was holding and started flipping the pages. I needed something to distract me from the truth, needed something to—
The photo on the page caught my eye, and I swallowed at the sight of it.
Oh, drat. Here we go again. I really should be more careful about what I wished for. Most times, they came true, but in the most nightmarish forms.
“What is this?” Even though the photo was sickening, I forced myself to take a closer look.
The grainy image was of a broken, fire-scarred, wooden life-sized doll. It was missing one eye, and red paint had been smeared haphazardly on its lips, creating the illusion of a bloody, crazy smile.
It couldn’t be a voodoo doll, could it? We had studied about voodoo last week as part of our defense class. Although a pet’s main responsibility was to provide blood for her Master, LSL took pride in teaching its students various healing arts that enabled them to keep th
eir Masters alive in more than one way.
Rhapsody peered at the book over my shoulder and shook her head. “How can you not know that?”
I was even more stunned. “I should know about it?”
“It’s what this trip’s about.” She tapped on the page. “That’s Elsa, the most infamous haunted doll in Key Moarte.” She took the book from me. She’s our case study.”
Oh God, she was talking gibberish as far as I was concerned. Haunted dolls? Case studies? Where was I when all these had been tackled?
As if hearing my question, Rhapsody said matter-of-factly, “You were probably in your rebellious phase when Professor Martin discussed this.”
I winced at her term. Rebellious phase indeed. She made me sound like a seven-year-old kid throwing a tantrum. Then again, that was a good definition of how I had been last month, with the way I had acted out, and all because I had learned my Master already loved another woman.
I squeezed my eyes shut in mortification. “I’m so pathetic.”
Rhapsody hesitated then patted my hand awkwardly. “You’re being too hard on yourself, Lady Zari.”
I glanced at her gratefully even though I was pretty sure she was just practicing how to be empathetic, which was part of the practical exams for social graces. It was her weakest point, the only subject she got a lower grade than A for.
“You are anything but pathetic.”
I smiled at her. I really hope she’ll pass this year’s exams, I thought. She was trying so hard—
