Hell House Books 1-3: The First Three Hell House Novellas in One Box Set

by Christle Gray

  “I’m all right. Just give me a minute.” I sucked a few good rounds of air into my lungs, which did wonders to clear my head. “You sure you’re back at a hundred percent?”

  With a grim expression, Liam made his way over to the door. He placed his hand on the knob and closed his eyes, obviously feeling the magic that sealed us within. After a few moments of consideration, he tugged. The door not only opened, but came right off its hinges. He dropped it and stared at me.

  “One hundred and ten, so it seems.”

  I guess so.

  Chapter Five

  “We should get out of here.” Liam and I stood outside of the supply closet that had served as our prison. I glanced down at myself, noticing for the first time the blood that covered the left side of my dress, long streaks trailing down my skirt. Crap. A glance over at Liam revealed more of the same. His jacket and shirt were ruined, a large hole in the left shoulder leading to a trail of blood down his chest and waistband of his pants. “Lord and Lady.”

  Liam had been doing a pretty good job of ignoring me, but my comment caught his attention. “What?”

  I held my hands up and gestured between us. “We look like accident victims, that’s what.” I scratched at my arm, a swipe of dried blood making my skin itch. “We need to clean up.”

  Liam screwed up his face like he couldn’t believe I was suggesting something so ludicrous. “You go ahead. I have to take care of something, and I’ll meet you back in the gym.”

  He started to walk away, but I snatched the sleeve of his jacket and yanked him back. Hard. “The last time you said that, you ended up with a metal rod shoved into your shoulder. So, hell to the no, mister!”

  I had just saved his sorry butt. I wasn’t about to let him out of my sight for a second. His stunned expression at my forcefulness allowed me enough time to drag him back into the supply room, where I’d noticed a utility sink in the far corner. More clean rags and a load of hot water later, we appeared a little more normal. As normal as a fairy and a vampire covered in blood could appear, anyway.

  At least I’d cleaned the majority of blood off my skin. My dress was another story. It was a lost cause. I peered down at my feet and wiped a spot off my shoe. The fabulous and expensive heels appeared to be unharmed. Silver lining girl, that’s me.

  Liam seemed to be lost in thought as I threw the soiled rags in the trash and followed him from the room. I didn’t know what had made him get so quiet all of a sudden, but it was annoying the heck out of me. Maybe he was ashamed because he had drunk blood from me. Or perhaps he was embarrassed at what had happened afterward. My cheeks heated as I remembered how brazenly I’d kissed him while perched on his lap. Maybe he was trying to figure out how to tell me he’d changed his mind about wanting to date me. Or maybe he thought I tasted nasty! He’d said before that drinking blood made him want to throw up.

  All of these thoughts chugged around inside my head until I didn’t know what end was up. At this rate, I’d be insane before the next nightfall. I guessed I should find out what’s what.

  “Are you mad at me?”

  Liam’s head swiveled sharply in my direction from where he stared down the hallway. “What? Why would you think that?”

  “You’ve been awfully quiet since you…well…you know.”

  “Had to drink your blood?”

  I winced at his bluntness. “Yeah. Did I do something wrong? You thanked me for saving you. If you’re sorry about what happened afterward, I understand.” I stared at the floor for a moment, the toe of my shoe tracing a crack in the floor as foolishness swept over me. I tried to give him an excuse, and lifting my head to look him in the eye again was harder than expected.

  He stared at me like I’d sprouted wings. I even snuck a glance at my back to check. “I’m not mad at you, Sora. I’m mad at me.”

  “Okaaayyyy.” I drew the word out, still not understanding.

  Liam sighed and took my hand, placing it over his heart. “I am supposed to be the man, here. I am supposed to protect you, and instead, you had to save me.” I started to launch a protest, but he silenced me with a finger to my lips. “And as for what happened afterward, I don’t regret that one bit.” His eyes flashed dark burgundy at me, bathing me in heat as he removed his finger from my lips.

  I’m pretty sure my blush reached my toes. “Is it supposed to be like that, when you drink blood?”

  “The doctor in Venice told me and my dad that when a vampire drinks from a living donor, endorphins kick in to make the experience pleasurable for both of them. Since I don’t drink directly from people, I’d never experienced that before.” If at all possible, it looked like a blush tinged Liam’s cheeks, too.

  So, I’d taken his vampire virginity, it seems. I’m such a harlot. “Did you like it?” I think I held my breath while I waited for him to answer.

  He raised my hand from where he’d placed on his chest to his mouth and kissed my knuckles. “Very much.” He leaned forward and touched his lips to the tip of my nose. “You are delicious.”

  Ok, normally, I’m pretty sure that a vampire telling you that you’re delicious is cause for much alarm. But me being the freak that I am, I just grinned like an idiot and suppressed the urge to giggle uncontrollably. Man, Zoe and I are going to have one hell of a conversation after this date!

  Liam returned my smile, then released my hand and stepped back. “But you really need to go back to the gym so I can take care of some unfinished business.”

  I stuck out my bottom lip in a pout and added a glare for good measure. “But I can help you. We’ve already seen that it’s not safe for you alone.”

  “That was before I’d had your blood—fairy blood. I’m much stronger, now.”

  “Strong enough to defeat Gareth?”

  Well, that question brought him up short. Every muscle in his body tensed rigid like a cat about to pounce. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  I rolled my eyes and propped my hands on my hips. “Don’t give me that load of bull. You muttered that name when you were sitting with a silver rod sticking out of your shoulder, remember? Is he the one who hurt you?”

  Liam’s jaw clenched so tightly, I was surprised I didn’t hear his teeth grind. “He isn’t the one who hurt me, but he’s the reason I was hurt.”

  Impatience made me step closer with a sigh. Liam’s eyes were tinged with red again. “I think you need to fill me in on what’s going on.”

  “I don’t want you involved in this, Sora.”

  I swear, the boy had me mad enough to shake him. “I’m covered in your blood, and even let you drink mine so you wouldn’t die. And, I’m falling in love with you, you jerk, so I’m already involved!” Liam’s eyes grew wide as saucers as I clapped both my hands over my mouth. Sheesh, I really wished I had a working brain-to-mouth censor.

  “You’re what?” He tried to keep his voice stern, but the corners of his mouth twitched.

  I inhaled deeply as my hands returned to my sides in tight fists. Though my insides were a wreck, I did my best to keep a calm exterior. Foot, meet mouth. I’m sure you two already know each other. “Just tell me who Gareth is and why he wants you dead.”

  Liam’s expression hardened again as he ran a hand through his already tousled black hair. “He is dangerous, an abomination, and I don’t want you around him in any way whatsoever.”

  I unfurled my clenched fingers as I exhaled a breath of relief. Perhaps Liam would forget all about my little outburst. I mean, this was our first date. Declaring love would send him running away as fast as his vampire speed would carry him. But there was that little comment he made earlier… I pushed that thought away. This situation needed my focus. The other stuff, I could deal with later.

  A memory of a blond haired stranger shot to the forefront of my brain. “He’s the guy from the gymnasium earlier, the Spike wannabe with the female Mini-Me?”

  Liam blinked at me and almost smiled again. “Yes.”

  “And he hates you bec
ause…” I trailed off, hoping Liam would fill in the blank.

  “Because I won’t join his nest of killers.”

  “Nest?” I wrinkled my nose in confusion. “What, is he a giant bird or something?”

  “No, he’s a vampire. Like me.” Liam locked his gaze with mine, all humor gone in his expression. “Gareth heads a group of paranormals—most of them vampires—that’s driven by bloodlust and power. He’s been trying to get me to join him ever since I was turned.”

  A brief memory bobbed to the surface of my mind. “Wait. Is he behind the group that’s been terrorizing the town recently? And join him in what? Hunting in the night, making more evil minions to take over the world?” I really, really tried not to giggle, but a few small ones might have escaped. Hey, a teenage vampire psycho just seemed funny to me, all right?

  “Yes. Yes. And, yes.” The finality in his voice kind of sobered me up.

  The tip of my tongue traced the edge of the stud in my lip while I pondered this information. Leave it to one angry vampire teen to make things difficult for the rest of us paranormals. Fitting into mortal society was difficult enough without having to deal with the fear and paranoia on a constant basis. One step forward, two giant bloody steps back. “So rather than let you alone and go about his evil business, he would see you dead instead?”

  Liam nodded. “Apparently so.”

  “But this doesn’t make sense. This Gareth guy, he’s a vampire, so he obviously has more than human strength. Why just wound you and let you die slowly? Why not end it all at once?”

  Wariness seeped into Liam’s dark gaze. “Gee, thanks.”

  “I didn’t mean it that way.” I rolled my eyes for emphasis. “I’m just trying to make sense of this fiasco.”

  Liam pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “I know. But remember, I said that Gareth himself didn’t hurt me. The rod was coated in pure silver, which is toxic to vampires. He couldn’t touch it. His partner did the dirty work.”

  “Oh.” So, he had confirmed my earlier deduction of silver being vampire poison. This detail I’d need to commit to memory for possible future use. But still, the whole situation didn’t make any sense to me. If Gareth was such a bad ass, why wouldn’t he take care of Liam himself? Why drag things out and involve others? Wouldn’t a self-professed psycho want the glory himself?

  I sighed and turned on my heel, remembering my purse on the floor of the supply closet. “I think we both should just leave before anything else horrible happens.” I crouched and scooped up my scattered makeup, along with what was left of my broken cell phone, and tucked the items into my clutch. “I just don’t understand why he’d want you left in a closet, bleeding. He had to know that I would come looking for you. And why push me inside and lock me in there with you? It’s almost as if…” An icy shiver marched boldly down my spine as a realization hit me full force. I turned slowly around, my gut clenched as warning bells clanged inside my head.

  The psycho vamp in question leered at me, his sharp fangs glinting in what light there was in the hallway. Gareth had one arm around Liam’s shoulders. A wooden handled blade rested dangerously close to my date’s neck, the polished silver catching the reflection of Gareth’s creepy sneer. “It’s as if perhaps I wanted you locked in a room with a vampire needing a lot of blood?” Gareth tilted his bleach-blond head to one side.

  I nodded absently. Fear slithered around inside me and grabbed my voice in a chokehold so that I couldn’t speak. I know. But it was bound to happen sometime.

  Gareth laughed, a sharp sound that echoed off the white walls and empty corridors. “You’ve got a smart one here, Liam. I wasn’t expecting you to go for a chick with brains. So unlike you.”

  Liam scowled. His muscles coiled tight with angry tension. “Let her be, Gareth. She has nothing to do with your problems with me.”

  “But she does!” Gareth squeezed Liam’s shoulders tighter, the knuckles around the knife turning white. “You think you’re so much better than me with your transfusions and injections, going out on dates like you’re just a mortal teenager. But the truth is, you’re just a monster like me. Sleeping, perhaps, but still capable of the same violent actions you belittle me for.”

  “I’m nothing like you. I didn’t ask to be turned, and I value this life more than ever, now.” Liam winced as the blade touched his skin. I’m pretty sure I even heard a sizzle and saw a wisp of smoke. Lord and Lady.

  Gareth laughed that mirthless laugh again. “Always high and mighty, aren’t you, Liam? But I was going to show you your true nature.” Gareth’s eyes flashed bright red as he glanced in my direction. “You are supposed to be dead. A sacrifice for the greater good.”

  My mouth popped open for a second before I regained control and snapped it shut. I’m a sacrifice? What the hell? My lips tightened and my gaze sharpened as I made every effort to hold myself in check against the tide of anger and fear that swirled inside me, quickly becoming a cyclone. Control would be my friend in this situation, giving me time to gather my wits.

  “Liam, here, was supposed to be wounded so badly his bloodlust would override his reason and the survival instinct would take over, draining you dry. The realization that he could take the life of someone he cared about would have driven him straight to me.”

  I stared at Liam as he remained a statue in Gareth’s arms. A muscle twitched in his jaw before he was finally able to meet my gaze. The guilt inside the dark depths practically took my breath away, confirming that he had already suspected this as Gareth’s motive. “I could never hurt Sora.” His voice had lowered with quiet control.

  A loud sigh left Gareth’s lips. “It would seem so. I hadn’t banked on you being so strong, given how you never drink from the living. You’ve neutered yourself, surviving on bagged blood. It’s sad, really.”

  The sound of Gareth’s voice grated through me like nails on a chalkboard. Fear still gripped me, but anger bobbed to the surface enough that I finally found my voice. “You know, I find it funny that a big bad vampire needs a knife. I thought you were supposed to be all powerful?”

  Gareth’s smile faded, and his eyes blazed red at me again as he narrowed them into slits. “You need to tell your tart to keep her trap shut, lest I show her how real vampires deal with mouthy mortals.”

  I snorted, my mouth ignoring my brain’s attempts to intercede. “Puh-lease. You think that bleaching your hair and donning a trench coat makes you scary? You look like a sad reject that spent too many hours in front of the television during a Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathon.” Since Gareth didn’t seem to realize what I was, I figured I had some leeway for a few good insults. If I rattled him enough, maybe Liam could get away.

  It seemed to work, because Gareth’s grip on Liam’s shoulders loosened ever so slightly. But enough that I could tell, and Liam could, too. “This isn’t a TV show, little girl, this is real! So, mind your mouth.”

  “Make me.” My heart was hammering in my chest so loudly, I was sure everyone in the room could hear it. But I refused to show one ounce of weakness. It just wasn’t my style. I braced myself, poised for attack.

  Gareth growled as he pushed Liam to the side and lunged for me. I raised my hands and let go with a blast of magic straight to the vampire’s chest. The force pushed him backward into the opposite wall. Anyone else would have been knocked out or at least floored for a bit. But Gareth snapped right back onto his feet, still brandishing the knife. “A damn fairy. Should have realized when you didn’t die. And when you were able to break the magic seal on the door.”

  “I broke the seal.” Liam’s voice came from my left. I could see him in my periphery, facing Gareth in a fighting stance.

  Gareth’s gaze bounced between us for a few beats before he smiled widely. “So you did drink from her. Then it appears all the rumors about fairy blood are true.” He eyed me up and down with a hungry look that made my stomach lurch. “I’m going to have so much fun draining you, my tasty fairy.”


  A feral growl erupted from Liam as he lunged toward Gareth. I raised my hands for another magical blast, but ended up knocked on my backside as a dark blue stream of light hit my chest instead. Flames of pain burned all through my body as I glanced up to see what fresh hell had entered our little skirmish.

  The petite bottle blond from earlier stared me down, a sneer to end all sneers plastered across her face. Blue lightning sparked from her fingertips as I struggled to my feet.

  Crap.

  Chapter Six

  “So, I guess talking this out like civilized people is right out the window at this point, huh?” My attempt at a joke to lighten the situation fell on deaf ears as the crazed disciple of Gareth continued to glare at me, her hands crackling with dark blue electricity. She was a tiny thing, barely five feet tall by my estimation, but her magic sure packed a wallop. I rubbed my chest as the pain of her blue blast still throbbed inside me.

  “The time for talking is over, fairy. The time for dying is at hand.”

  I had to cough into my hand to stifle a laugh. “Seriously? Melodramatic, much? You must have been watching television with your buddy Gareth recently.”

  She narrowed her eyes to tiny little slits that sent daggers of hate my way. Man, my mouth is out to get me tonight. “I told Gareth he should let me kill you and leave you for Liam. How sad it would have been for him to have to feed on his dead lover to survive.”

  “Um, first of all, gross. Second of all, kiss my fairy butt!” Opting for the element of surprise, I barreled forward, straight into Blondie’s gut. With a loud oomph, she staggered backward, lurching into the hallway with me right behind. She landed on her leather-clad backside, skidding backward into the wall where her head hit with a loud thud. I stumbled forward, getting tangled in the fabric of my skirt as I lost my balance. The sound of tearing fabric and various items of makeup clattering out of my purse accompanied my trip to the hard floor. Danielle is going to kill me for ruining this dress.