A Crown of Blood and Bone
Sloane Murphy
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Translations
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Also by Sloane Murphy
Other Works from Hudson Indie Ink
A Crown of Blood and Bone
The Shadow Walkers Saga #1
Copyright © 2020 Sloane Murphy
Published by Hudson Indie Ink
www.hudsonindieink.com
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referred to in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorised, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Crown of Blood and Bone/Sloane Murphy – 1st ed.
ISBN-13 - 978-1-913769-10-9
There is no light without shadow, just as there is no happiness without pain.
- Isabel Allende
One
Then
I look down into his piercing bright blue eyes and I wonder how we managed to get to this point. After everything we’ve been through, to end up here, him in my arms and me praying to a God I don’t believe in that this isn’t the end of our story.
There have been so many moments throughout history that could’ve killed either of us. Where we could’ve killed each other. But we survived it all. The rise and fall of empires. Wars of the world. The breakdown of the world we once knew.
Not once, during even one moment of our past, did I think I’d be the one hoping beyond all hope he’d survive. That he wouldn’t leave me. Especially not like this. When he’s given so much for me. Something I never would have thought possible.
I scream as I lift him onto my shoulders, his groans of pain matched by mine. I will save him. If it’s the last thing I ever do.
Because a Dracul saved me. My immortal enemy. In more ways than I ever knew I needed saving.
Two
Now
Colt, I am not having this conversation again.” I sigh and blow my hair out of my face as I struggle with my bags up the stairs to my apartment. The summer heat stifling and making my hair stick to my face.
“Remy come on. You cannot be serious about marrying that douchebag. He couldn’t be more wrong for you if you’d picked up a total stranger off the street, blindfolded!” he shouts down the phone. Colt might be my favorite brother, the one I’m closest to, but he’s also been gone since his disappearing act twenty-one months ago, just after his birthday. His disappearing act which kind of broke me, because I didn’t hear from him for six months, and then I broke all over again when my bestie, Creek went to join him traveling the fucking world thirteen months ago and ghosted me too.
“You get to have an opinion when you’ve spent some decent time with him, and are actually present in my life, Colt. Even then, your opinion doesn’t necessarily weigh in on the decisions I make about my life. Because it’s exactly that,” I tell him as I fumble with my keys to open my front door.
“Fuck!” I screech as I trip forward over my cat, Sushi, and try not to drop my bags. My phone flies, and I huff again.
“Fucking cat,” I moan at him, and place the bags on my counter before going and grabbing my phone from its hiding place under my sofa. He wraps himself around my feet, meowing at me to feed him like the little dictator he is.
“Fall over the cat again, Remy?” Colt laughs when I finally pick my phone back up and I roll my eyes at him.
“Fuck you, Colt. Just because I’m clumsy doesn’t mean you get to make fun of me from a million miles away.” I tear open a packet of cat food from the grocery bags and put it down for Sushi, then refill his water.
“Aw, come on sis, you know I love you just the way you are. You’re my favorite sister.”
“I’m your only sister, dickhead.” I laugh. “Are you coming home anytime soon?”
“That’s actually why I’m calling… Creek and I land in two days, fancy grabbing us from the airport?” I can hear the cheesy grin in his voice, and even if he did disappear on me, I can’t deny him.
“You’re home for my birthday?”
“Of course, we wouldn’t miss your twenty-first for anything.”
“Well, considering I haven’t heard from Creek for thirteen months, I didn’t really know if he’d be around, and you left before my last birthday. I didn’t expect you to be about for this one.” I hate how whiney I sound, but Colt and Creek were the two people I was closest to in the entire world, and then they just both upped and left one day with almost no explanation.
“He’s been going through some stuff, I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it when we’re home. He’s missed you a lot, you should cut him a little slack.” He sighs.
“Maybe, or maybe he can learn what it’s like to be ghosted with no reason or explanation. Your bromance is strong, I’m sure you’ll dry his tears.” I put away the rest of my groceries, and then pop the leftover mac and cheese from last night in the microwave. I grab a can of Pepsi Max, my ultimate weakness, and drop down onto my couch.
“You and I both know that’s not how it’s going down, Remy. So, you’ll get us from the airport?”
“I will, as long as you both promise not to talk shit about Jack on the drive home. It’s three hours to the airport, I can’t deal with the bullshit for that long.”
“Fine… but you really need to dump the douchebag. I know Creek made his opinion clear before he left, and from what Dad and Bauer said, the guy’s a real tool.”
“Seriously Colt? Give me a break. You met him once, for about ten seconds before you disappeared halfway across the world. Maybe when you spend some time with him, you’ll see what I see. You’ll see how much he loves me.”
“That man loves numbers and facts. He’s a fucking robot.”
“There is nothing wrong with wanting to be sure about things, Colt! We can’t all be as spontaneous as you. Some of us want to make calculated decisions. Like mine to move to pre-med next year instead of dance. It’s a better life choice. I’m still going to dance, but just for fun.” I wince, knowing that he’s not g
oing to like what I just told him, but better to break the news when he’s on the phone. I hear a crash as he drops his phone and a spatter of cursing before the fumbling noise of him picking the phone back up.
“Baby sister, you have danced your entire life. One year engaged to the biggest douchebag on earth—because who the fuck proposes on the anniversary of your Mom’s death, by the way—one year, and your entire fucking plan has changed. This is bullshit and you know it!” he shouts, and I hear Creek in the background. My heart stutters at the sound of his voice, and I shake my head. Stupid traitorous heart. That door closed a long time ago, and it’s never going to open again. I love Jack, and he loves me. He’d never leave me the way my family have.
“A lot can change in twenty-one months Colt. You’ve been gone a long time. Maybe you don’t know me as well as you used to. I’m going to go, I have a big night planned, and I need to sort shit out.”
“Don’t lie to me, Remy. You have a night with the new episodes of Chicago. I’m still addicted and it’s all your fault, so I know exactly what your night consists of.” I stick my tongue out at him even though he can’t see it.
“Fine, I have a date with the boys in blue, but still I’m done having this argument. Text me the details of your flight and I’ll get you both from the airport. Okay?”
“Okay, but this isn’t over Remy.”
“If you say so, Colt.” I sigh and grab the mac and cheese as the microwave beeps at me.
“I love you baby sis. Always have, always will. I know you don’t believe me yet, but I have your best interests at heart, and that guy isn’t right for you. I’ll text you later.”
“Love you too,” I say and hang up the phone.
“Babe, look at this place, imagine waking up on your twenty-first birthday with this view. We should celebrate every chance we get. Life is all about the memories, right?” Jack thrusts his iPad screen in front of my face as I’m trying to put on my mascara, and I swallow the sigh that threatens as I smile at him. He’s been so excited about making sure I have the best birthday, and I love him for it, but birthdays are not my favorite thing.
“It looks amazing, like paradise,” I admit as I look at the sea cottage. I’ve never even been on a plane, but this place really does look like paradise, even if it is a day’s flight away.
“What better way to celebrate, than just you and me, and our own piece of paradise, away from everyone and everything,” he says as he wraps his arms around my waist and kisses my neck. I sigh contentedly and sink into his embrace, shaking off the stress of starting a new year at college.
“It will be the perfect break before the chaos begins. My residency. The wedding planning. It’s exactly what we need.” He kisses me again and squeezes me.
“My treat for your birthday,” he tags on the end, and I try not to roll my eyes. Jack is a trust fund baby, and growing up the way I did, it makes me a little uncomfortable when he throws his money around, but this is my birthday I suppose, and he’s right, time is precious, we should make all the memories we can.
“Plus, the anniversary of when we got together is the day after your birthday, we could try and make a proper vacation out of it. Think of all the things we could knock off your bucket list. Sky diving, swimming with turtles, cave diving, zip lining through the jungle. We could have so much fun before adulting and life becomes a heavy reality for us both.” “It sounds like heaven, but remember we’ll need to have dinner with my family too. Colt and Creek are coming back.”
“How could I forget.” He releases me and turns me to face him, the frown on his face hurts my heart. “Your dad and brothers hate me; I can’t wait for us to move away from your odd ball family after the wedding. Don’t even get me started on your so-called best friend.”
“Hey, they’re not that bad,” I counter, but we’ve had this conversation more times than I can count. My family aren’t exactly the Brady bunch, but they’re good people. “And they don’t hate you, they’re just very protective of me. I’m the baby of the family, it’s just the way they are.”
“If you say so babe, but I don’t want our kids growing up the way you did, with the weird survival bullshit. Its bat shit crazy.” I smile at him, I know he’s not a fan of my family, but I don’t want to argue with him, not today.
“I know you don’t, it’s part of why we’re moving, remember. Now, let’s look at this trip some more before I have to get to work, and you should get to the hospital too, you don’t want to be late for rounds.”
“I’ve got time, how about we celebrate today being a great day again?” I laugh as he picks me up, my legs wrap around his waist instinctively as he lowers his lips to mine. He kisses me until I’m breathless and I forget about anything but him.
“I don’t think I’ll ever have enough of you,” he whispers into my ear, before he rolls us so that I’m straddling him. I kiss him again, and as I feel him harden beneath me, I groan. My phone rings and he grumbles, “I swear if that is your fucking brother. Cock block,” as he sets me back on the floor. I dig my cell out of my pocket and see my favorite person’s name on the screen.
“Fallon, you okay?” I answer the call with a smile and Jack rolls his eyes. It’s not just my family he’s not a fan of, he’s not a fan of my “kooky” friends either.
“Bitch, that is not how you answer the phone. Is that asshat fiancé staring you down while you’re on the phone again? That shit is toxic.” I sigh at her words, the cavern between Jack and the people I love is great. I really wish they could see the side of him that I get to see, the loving guy who wants to look after me, take me away for my birthday to make me smile. All they seem to see is a controlling, rich dickhead, I just don’t get it.
“I’m great thanks Fallon, wonderful of you to ask.”
“Oh, don’t even. You know I love you; he just rubs me wrong, there is something about him that screams bad juju. Anyway, I was calling because I heard that fine ass brother of yours is heading back to town for your birthday. You want me to come with you to get him?”
“How did you… In fact, I don’t want to know the answer to that. Your obsession with Colt still gives me the heebie jeebies.”
“Girl, it isn’t an obsession, it is straight up lust. Have you seen that boy lately?”
“No, he hasn’t been around for nearly two years remember?”
“You need to get over that fire, he left because it was what he needed to do. You’ll understand eventually. Same with your boy, Creek.” I roll my eyes and Jack signals to let me know he’s going to go. He looks angry, but I just blow him a kiss with a wave as he leaves. That’s a problem for future Remy.
“Is there a reason you called, other than to talk about dick bag one and two?”
“Nope, you know I’m firmly team Creek. The boy lost his mind when you got engaged, and you didn’t even notice, I’m not surprised he left.”
“Don’t start, Fallon. Creek and I were never like that and you know it. We were the three musketeers. He didn’t even say goodbye, and you were as worried as I was.”
“No, I wasn’t. I knew he was going; you just couldn’t see past your worry and then anger. But if he’s coming back, maybe you two can finally work through all your issues and fall madly in love.”
“My life is not some sitcom, Fallon. I love Jack. Just because Creek is coming home, that doesn’t change anything. We’re friends, or at least, we were”
“Yeah you keep telling yourself that girl. I’m telling you I’ll voodoo Jack’s ass if he doesn’t sort his shit out, clear the path for my boy, Creek.” I roll my eyes at her. This is one thing we’ve never seen eye to eye on, especially because she knows I crushed on Creek for a while when we were teenagers, but it was just a stupid crush.
“We both know your voodoo is all in your head. Anyway, to answer your first question, no I don’t need you to come with me, I can handle those two idiots. I’ve got to run, I’m due at the bar in thirty, Shelly called in sick again.”
“Okay, if
you say so. My voodoo is as real as you and I. I’ll let you stay in denial about Creek for now, but one day, you’re going to see just how right I am.”
“Uh-huh, if you say so. I love you. Speak later.” “Love you too, in-denial girl.”
The airport arrivals area is so freaking busy that for once I’m thankful for my height. I’m not exactly supermodel tall but being five-foot seven means I don’t have to jump up and down to look for these two bozos. I wait what feels like forever, and the arrivals lounge empties when I start to think that I’ve been punked and Colt gave me the wrong flight details. I check the time on my cell again and search back through my messages from Colt to find the flight details.
Nope.
This is the flight number he gave me. What the actual fuck.
I turn to go and sit down and settle in for the long haul when voices shout from behind me.
“You leaving already short stack?” I turn around as I’m lifted off the floor and spun around. I can’t help the squeal that escapes my lips. “I missed you so much little sister!”
“Put me down you giant oaf, you’ll drop me!” I tell him. He puts me back down and I take a step back wondering who the fuck this is and where the hell is my brother. Behind him I spot Creek and my jaw hits the god damn floor.
A Crown of Blood and Bone: Paranormal Romance (The Shadow Walkers Saga Book 1) Page 1
