The Rose Trilogy Box Set

by Tish Thawer

  After three hours of shadow hopping, we found Christian still unconscious at the base of a tree outside of the Mammoth caves just as William had indicated.

  "Do you think we should try to scan him?" Dax asked.

  "Honestly...I have no idea. I can't deny that I'm nervous to use my scanning ability after what happened to me with Terrance, and with Rose being a demon turned hybrid...truth be told, I'm a little scared to try."

  "I don't blame you, sweetheart. Let's just get him home so we can keep him safe and watch over him until, whatever this is, passes. I won't risk you being hurt."

  With that settled, Dax gently lifted Christian into his arms, while I gathered the backpack that was lying at his feet. It would be slow going as we headed back to The Rising Pit, but at least I knew everyone in my clan was safe for the moment.

  * * * * *

  (Loni)

  Tonight we took our time as we made our way back over to the meeting facility. There was a wedding reception taking place and after questioning a few of the guests, we quickly deduced that no one present had any connection to the demons we were looking for.

  "This is bullshit. I don't care what Evie says, we just need to run over to their house and see what the hell's going on," I snapped.

  "As much as I hate disobeying Evie, she didn't use her Sire command to truly keep us at bay, so I think you're right. Because this," he pointed towards the building, "is a complete waste of time."

  I was glad my husband saw things my way, but after sprinting across town to Meredith and Jeremy's brownstone, I was now in an even worse mood than before. There was a "For Sale" sign in the front yard and the place was completely empty.

  "I don't fucking believe this!" I shouted. Screw being quiet; there was no danger here, since no one was around. "This is ridiculous. First Jeremy moves from Seela and we almost lose him then. Then, Meredith moves her meetings and we're left scrambling. And NOW, we try to track them down at their actual home and it's a fucking ghost town. What the hell are we supposed to do?" I blew out a frustrated breath and plopped down on a grassy knoll in the park.

  "First things first, Loni. Let's return to the apartment. I'll call Evie again and let her know what we found out. She'll be upset that we went against her wishes, but once she realizes the importance of what we found, she shouldn't be too hard on us."

  After wallowing in my pity party for a few more seconds, I jumped up and walked hand in hand with my husband through the streets of Masen. Renard phoned Evie once we returned to our temporary home, and just as expected, she was upset but understood. We were all frustrated by Meredith's disappearing act, but Evie told us to stay put until she had time to do a little more digging on her end.

  "So, babe, do you want to go see a movie or something? Or we could check out the twentieth floor like I wanted," I asked.

  "I know you want to see what was up there, but it's not like we've been threatened since being here, and honestly, I'm just not up for any more drama tonight. Can we just go see a movie and enjoy ourselves until Evie has some news for us?"

  The moment he pulled me close and placed a kiss on my lips, I forgot all about the blur we'd seen on our first night. "You got it sugar, that sounds great."

  I changed out of my secret mission clothes, sliding into my skinny jeans, converse sneaker wedges, and a black tank-top that was a little dressier than my previous attire. There was no need to rush at this point, it was barely after eight p.m. and we'd already eaten from the blood bags before we'd left the apartment initially. So, with no pressing business we headed out to enjoy the rest of our evening.

  * * * * *

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  On Edge

  (Meredith)

  After spending the day rearranging furniture and finally unpacking the last few boxes from our move, I'd showered and was ready to spend the evening with my wonderful fiancé. I had already slipped Jeremy some of my blood in his morning coffee as usual, so I hoped that I could make plans for tonight without any hindrance from our mind bond going wonky again.

  "Darling, what would you say if we headed out for a drink and the movie we missed last night?"

  "Sounds perfect. Let me just grab my jacket."

  Good. I already knew that a glass or two of sparkling cider wasn't going to quench my thirst, so I'd just have to excuse myself during the movie to "use the restroom" and find myself someone who would.

  As we locked up our apartment and walked toward the elevator, Jeremy's cell phone started to buzz. After a quick look at the text he nodded his head and smiled.

  "What's that about, dear?"

  "The clients I met last night liked my proposal and want to expand the campaign a bit. They asked if I could meet them at O'Connors again to get the rest of their ideas down before they leave town tomorrow morning. Do you mind if I take care of a little business tonight before our movie?"

  "Not at all."

  I loved seeing my future husband be so successful in his work, but it was the fact that this gave me the perfect opportunity to excuse myself from their meeting and find someone to drain, that had me agreeing to the interruption of our date night without any hesitation.

  I couldn't deny that my thirst was becoming a problem. One that had me on edge. I kept thinking back to my grandmother's words, "...I can tell that you are changing, and I'm afraid that what you've started will not be good for our race." I didn't see how becoming an immortal could be a bad thing, but the closer I got to immortality, the more out of control I felt.

  I continued to contemplate the best way to maintain the course I'd set for myself and my race, without losing myself in the process. But every time I'd start to think about cutting back on the amount of blood I was consuming, the physical reaction I experienced was a big indicator it simply wasn't an option.

  After parking the car, Jeremy and I walked down the street and around the corner to the restaurant. The warm breeze blowing the scents of the city in my direction had me craving the taste of blood even more so than at Lupé's the previous night. While we waited in the lobby of O'Connors, I scanned the crowd to see whose neck I would be feeding from tonight. The hostess might have moved to the top of my list if she hadn't rushed Jeremy and me to a table almost immediately.

  "Would you like to order a drink while we wait?" Jeremy asked as he pulled out my chair.

  "Actually, if you could order me a glass of sparkling cider and have it placed at the bar, I would appreciate it. I'm going to excuse myself to the restroom and allow you to conduct your meeting in peace." I leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Just come find me when you're done."

  The quick wink he gave me and the sensuous smile that layered his handsome features had me excited for the rest of our evening.

  I made my way to the restroom, slipped on my gloves, and claimed the largest stall at the end of the row. I hid inside with the door unlocked, anxiously awaiting my next meal. Luckily it didn't take long until a middle-aged woman strolled into my grasp. I snapped her neck before she even realized I was there. The taste of her blood was so appealing, I knew I'd never be able to go back to not drinking straight from the vein. God, I sound just like a fucking vampire.

  After I swallowed the last drop, I laid her body on the tiled floor of the restroom, taking a moment to smear some of her blood on the toilet. I hoped it simply looked like she'd fallen and broke her neck.

  I removed my gloves and placed them in my purse. Then, making certain I was alone, I washed my hands and exited the restroom. It had only taken two minutes to drain my victim and as I took a seat at the bar, my glass of cider was placed in front of me. I took a sip and closed my eyes as the smooth flavor blended with the blood still coating my throat. I had never done drugs as a kid, but I was pretty sure this was what being high felt like.

  I continued to sip my drink while glancing at the menu the bartender had slid in my direction. An amused giggle boiled to the surface, which I quickly coughed away. I found the idea of eating solid food hilarious at this point, b
ut my humor faded when I thought about how difficult this was going to become. How would I explain to my fiancé that I no longer wanted to eat? I supposed I could always order a plate and fake my way through a meal like a toddler trying to push his peas around the dish, but sooner or later, he was going to notice that I wasn't consuming regular nourishment.

  Relishing the last drop of my blood-tinged cider, I set the empty glass back onto the bar. I glanced at my watch then turned to look over my shoulder towards Jeremy's table. My smile fell and my eyes flared red when I focused on his clients. They were the same two vampires who had invaded our apartment.

  * * * * *

  (Rose)

  "Rose? Can you hear me?"

  A strange voice pierced the dark. I turned in its direction and tilted my head. There was a figure in the distance.

  "Rose. It's me, honey. It's Christian. Can you tell me where you are?"

  I frowned as I tried to place this person; place his voice. I knew he should be familiar to me, but I couldn't find the connection. He started crying and a flicker inside my chest flared. I looked down and saw a strange golden cord attached to my heart. It spanned the distance between us and connected me to this man...this stranger.

  My anger boiled to the surface. I had no control over what was happening to me and it now looked like someone else was trying to control me as well. No! I reached down and grasp the glowing rope and pulled. The man flew through the air screaming, but then fell to the ground the instant the cord snapped in two.

  * * * * *

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  My Purpose

  (Loraine)

  I materialized on a strange realm. A realm I didn't recognize. But it only took seconds to understand my purpose here.

  Christian was lying on the ground and Rose was hovering in midair, opposite him. My beautiful daughter was now a frightening beast and her hands were still wrapped around her end of their ethereal cord. I looked down and saw their bond snapped in two, lying at my feet. I quickly picked up both ends and felt the surge of energy flow through me. Christian floated into the air, dangling from his end, and Rose was held in place by hers.

  I wouldn't let go and if this was the end for me, I was okay with that. I closed my eyes and held on tight. I was now the astral bridge between my daughter and her consort. Christian may be the one person who could save my daughter, but it was clear that I had to save their bond in order for him to even have a chance.

  We hovered in this empty space, frozen in stasis, until a jostling on Christian's end grabbed my attention. I opened my eyes and could thankfully now see past this dreamscape as if I was looking through a cloud. I watched as Evie showered Christian with concern and care, while Dax lifted him into his arms. As they began to walk away, I felt a pull as if we were all being forced to float along behind them. I glanced in Rose's direction and noticed the movement had caused her to stir as well.

  * * * * *

  (Rose)

  I was locked into a paralyzed state the moment the white woman held the glowing cord in her hands. The energy that linked me to that man surged from him, through her, and straight into me. An odd sensation flowed from the woman; a strange connection that washed over me; a connection that was penetrating deeper into my being with every passing second. I couldn't understand it and that made me want to rip these people to shreds.

  I was stuck on this astral plane but could also feel the connection to my true body. I realized I was flying through space; flying somewhere this woman was leading me. I assumed this was how I had flown and killed without realizing it before; my mind was stuck in this dream-state while my physical body was fully functioning in the real world.

  With my mind a flurry of dazed confusion, I shook my head and confirmed that once we got to wherever I was being forced to go––and my mind and body were joined again––I was going to destroy everyone in my path. The images of death and destruction I'd dreamt about were now the same picture I was planning to paint.

  * * * * *

  (Evie)

  I continued to cry as Dax placed Christian on his bed. He hadn't woken once during our journey home, and I was at a complete loss as to what we should do next. I debated calling Balam again, but thought it was highly unlikely he'd have any advice regarding our current situation. When he'd explained the story of Ixtab to me, his final words had been, "Good luck, my child. I fear you are facing a very difficult time." What an understatement.

  Dax wrapped his arms around me and asked, "What should we do, Evie? I feel so useless. Are you sure you don't want me to try to scan his thoughts? Even if I'm knocked unconscious, you can always link to me and guide me back the same way I did for you."

  I spun around in his arms and looked up at him through my tear-filled eyes. "No, Dax. I won't risk it. We have no idea what's causing Christian's condition, so that solution may not even work. No. We just have to wait until he comes out of it on his own."

  I turned back towards Christian and simply stared at my first vampire son, hoping for nothing less than a miracle. We stood over him for what seemed like only minutes when a scream pierced the air. In reality, an hour had actually passed while we stood vigilant and it was now just past three a.m. as Dax and I raced from Christian's room and flew up the stair into The Rising Pit. Luckily it was Monday and the club was closed, so there were no patrons to slow us down.

  "What's happened?" I demanded.

  "There's something scary as all shit out there. It's got big wings and is hovering in mid-air, just out front of the club," Tori replied.

  I walked to the entrance, already dreading what I was about to see, and peered out the small round window in the front door. The image that greeted me had me sinking to the floor and shaking my head in denial.

  Dax flew to my side and threw the lock. "My god, Evie, what is it?"

  "I know what's happening to Christian. He's dying, and we are all next."

  * * * * *

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Live or Die

  (Meredith)

  Staring down these vampires in the middle of a restaurant was the worst case scenario. Especially since this time my fight or flight response was definitely leaning towards the fight side of things. I was ready to tear this place apart to get those assholes away from Jeremy. Luckily they saw me before he did and immediately brought their meeting to an end. One shook Jeremy's hand, while the other gave him a pat on the back, then shot me a smug smile. Oh, these guys are going to pay!

  As I watched them slink out the exit, I realized that I didn't recognize either of them as being part of Evie's clan, which meant that someone else was onto me. Shit!

  I thought of chasing after them and getting some answers, but as I watched Jeremy stroll through the crowd to reach me, I knew this fight would have to wait. I wouldn't risk destroying the life I was building with him by jumping the gun with one rash move. I truly loved this man and would live and die for him, therefore I had to plan my attack with the utmost care. But now that I'd been located yet again, I knew I couldn't avoid it any longer. I'd have to call Raúl and have him boost the rest of the army's intake of straight blood. I needed them stronger and faster and I needed it now.

  "Meredith, are you all right?" Jeremy's question snapped me out of my internal strategizing.

  "Yes, I'm fine. How did your meeting go?" It was going to be imperative to get any information Jeremy had on these two vampires, and then...let the hunt begin.

  * * * * *

  (Christian)

  The surprise I felt when I came to left me shocked and confused. I was still stuck in whatever unconscious state I'd encountered Rose in, but was now being held in place as Loraine hovered between the two of us, holding our broken ethereal cord in each of her hands.

  Rose was hovering in midair on the opposite end of the glowing rope. Realizing there was no escape from the strange embrace we were all locked in, I took this time to really look at her; to try to find some semblance of the woman I loved hiding beneath this beast.
Her hair was dark as coal and she had long, jagged fangs. Her wings were large and rough, with what looked like a stringy gray and black film dangling from the ends. She looked gaunt and bone thin, like she was wasting away, or possibly becoming something more animal than human.