Table of Contents
Description
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
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
Author Biography
End Credits
VAMPYRE RESCUER
World of Kurbridor 3
Marion Webb-De Sisto
He’s a charismatic vampyre who can capture a woman’s attention and love.
A woman named Delia, living on the magical world of Kurbridor, is attacked by two vampires on her way home from work. She’s rescued by a tall, mysterious stranger who has followed her secretly for over a week. He’s Herres, a vampyre, and she feels an instant attraction to him, but thinks he’s only interested in taking her life-force essence. That is how vampyres feed.
Herres assures her she’s wrong, saying he is genuinely attracted to her, but will she continue to think he’s a dark vampyre who is only intent on taking her essence?
Reader Advisory: Can the heroine trust a vampyre who says she is his? Is she his prey or the love of his life?
VAMPYRE RESCUER
World of Kurbridor 3
MARION WEBB-DE SISTO
WWW.LUMINOSITYPUBLISHING.COM
LUMINOSITY PUBLISHING LLP
VAMPYRE RESCUER
World of Kurbridor 3
Copyright © January 2015 Marion Webb-De Sisto
ISBN: 978-1-910397-50-3
Cover Art by Poppy Designs
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this literary work may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without the written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Dedication
To Joe, my hero.
Chapter One
Delia Hariel stepped outside the bookstore’s front door and drew in a deep breath. The thought of having to go along the dark and narrow walkway alone concerned her, but she would do it because she needed to get home. It would take about ten minutes to reach the wide and brightly lit avenue that led to her apartment building. Once she was on that walkway, there would be plenty of activity and light to give her a sense of safety. Here, there was only the occasional lamp that spewed out a sickly yellow beam on the surrounding area.
She heard Mr. Branly, her employer, click the locks and slide the bolt of the front door. He would go upstairs to his small apartment and be safe, giving no thought about what could happen to her. He’d waited until late afternoon to say he wanted her to stay after closing time, so that they could begin stocktaking. Delia knew if she refused, he would fire her. This was the only job she’d ever had that wasn’t terminated once her employer discovered that being part angel, she wasn’t fully human. Because she was bi-species, other humans disliked her, while shifters and faery folk didn’t seem to bother them. The fact that she was not one-hundred-percent human made them view her as suspicious and untrustworthy. Demons and vampyres were avoided whenever possible, but even they were not considered to be as low as anyone whose bloodline was a mixture of two of the life forms that populated this world of Kurbridor.
As soon as Delia knew she would have to stay late, she used the bookstore’s voicer to arrange for a transporter to pick her up at nine chimes—the time Mr. Branly said they would stop the evening’s stocktaking. She was told it would be close to ten before the needed vehicle could arrive because the transporters were already booked solid for most of the night. Delia explained the situation to her employer and was disappointed when he said she would have to wait outside the bookstore for her ride home. He wanted to go upstairs to have his supper, and wasn’t prepared to allow her to remain inside without his presence while she waited for her ride.
Now, she stood outside and was glad she’d canceled the transporter. To stay here for almost an hour in the gloom would be more frightening than going along this walkway. The bookstore’s lights were off and there was very little illumination reaching her from the apartment’s lamps, because Mr. Branly had drawn his drapes. It was definitely better to walk toward the busy avenue, rather than stay close to the front door, imagining who or what might pounce on her from the darkness. Recently, there was talk about vampires coming from Terra to Kurbridor in order to prey on those who possessed the kind of blood they liked. Their preference was humans, but they were happy to feed on other life forms. These offspring of vampyres were somewhat different from their creators; their food of choice was blood, not life-force essence.
Delia began hurrying along the walkway. She told herself to think of something pleasant rather than vampires. Her footsteps echoed in the silence, sounding louder than usual, and she had the vague sense there was someone behind her. She reached the first lamp, but was determined not to turn and look back. No one is following me, she assured herself as she peered into the waiting darkness for the faint glow of the next lamp. It was barely visible, but her relief at seeing it was dashed by the fleeting glimpse of two shadows moving beneath the eerie light. Was her imagination playing tricks on her? Had two people appeared for a moment under the lamp? Delia had no choice other than to continue along the narrow walkway. She hoped the two apparitions were individuals, who like her, were trying to move out of this dark walkway as quickly as possible.
On either side of her were the backs of tall, ramshackle buildings that had once been offices, but now lay mostly empty. Occasionally, when she walked to or from work in daylight, she glimpsed a human face at a window, or heard a door slam, but she never saw anyone entering or leaving via the backdoor of one of these buildings. Delia presumed the inhabitants were the poor who lived on scraps and what they could steal from stores and people. If any of them attempted to come outside and rob her, she would use her angelic power and slam them against the walkway. She only used one or another of her special powers when a situation demanded it, and she wanted this night not to be one of those times.
Delia reached the next lamp and heard movement ahead. A young man moved out of the shadow and into the sickly light. Roughly her height in stature, he had a shock of blond hair and displayed a facial expression that didn’t seem to be threatening.
“Excuse me. I wonder if you could help us. We’re looking for the avenue that has several clubs and bars on it. I think we’re lost.”
“You must mean Drammer Avenue. Keep going along this walkway and you’ll come to it.”
The man came closer to Delia, and she became aware of someone else who stepped into the light behind him. This one was taller, broader, and he grinned at her.
Were those fangs that protruded onto his lower lip?
The blond guy grabbed her right wrist, and observed, “Ah, so it is true. You are part angel and just what we want.”
His tight grip felt stronger than he looked, but that wouldn’t be a problem. Delia was also much stronger than she appeared. She called on her angelic strength and attempted to fling him to the ground—nothing happened.
Why can’t I break his hold on me?
The other man moved close and said, “Don’t bother trying to use your powers. Now that Egan is touching you, they’re useless.” His hand gripped her other wrist and pulled it up to his mouth. He licked the prominent vein.
>
“No, no, it’s my turn first with this one.” The blond man’s mouth opened and large fangs extended from his upper jaw. He bit down hard on her wrist and made a loud sucking noise.
Delia tried to pull free from both of them, but she was unable to move. Her muscles seemed to be frozen. The second man slammed his fangs into her other wrist and sucked the emerging blood with equal force. She cried out from the pain and sheer horror of their action. These two were vampires, not men. They must have seen her when she passed under the other lamp and waited for her to reach them. How could she stop their vile blood taking?
The first vampire lifted his head and smiled at Delia. “Your blood is delicious. We’re going to drain you dry.” He brought his face near hers for a moment, and then his mouth opened wide and moved toward her neck. Even as his fangs touched her skin, they froze at the sound of a deep and commanding voice that came from behind her.
“Desist! Release her. This one is mine.”
Both vampires immediately did as they were ordered. They stepped back and looked at the ground. The second vampire inclined his head. “Apologies, sire, we didn’t know this was your hunting ground. I believe she will please you.”
Delia had no idea who stood behind her, but apparently the vampires did. She used her angelic perception and could sense someone of great strength and seemingly ancient. Was she being rescued or facing a worse fate? She knew the vampires would kill her if she couldn’t use her angelic power to stop them before they took all her blood. That was a terrifying thought, yet what would someone, who had command over vampires, do to her? She shuddered, feeling certain this person was a greater adversary.
Two arms appeared on top of hers and large, finely-boned hands touched her bleeding wrists. An icy-cold shot of energy speared her wounds, followed by a pleasant warming sensation. Looking at her wrists, she could see all trace of the bite marks and their damage gone.
The mysterious voice ordered, “Be gone from here and do not return.”
With acknowledging bows of their heads the two vampires vanished. Delia realized her muscles worked now, so she started to turn around to see who was behind her, but a vise-like grip on her shoulders compelled her to turn back
“Do not look at me. Keep walking to where you were going and I shall be behind you. No others will dare to attack you.”
Delia didn’t like being told what to do, yet she felt cautious because this person had said she was his. She figured it was better to start walking again, toward Drammer Avenue, where she might have the opportunity of getting away from her rescuer, if she could call him that. They continued on while he kept one hand on her shoulder. Even through the material of her coat, she could feel his powerful energy making her obey him. It wasn’t unpleasant, in fact, it was almost sensual, and she realized she liked it.
They arrived at the end of the dark walkway and were suddenly bombarded with bright lights and noisy activity. Humans, shifters, and demons spilled out of clubs and bars laughing and shouting at each other before entering other similar facilities. Several Enforcement demgels were moving within the crowds as a reminder that they were the law and would immediately punish an offender.
“You are safe now.” The hand was removed from her shoulder.
Delia turned around, but although she stood in the light, he remained in shadow. She could vaguely see him. He was very tall, wearing an ankle-length coat, which had a wide collar turned up, so that it shielded part of his face. The only feature she could see were his eyes, which shone a surprising purple color in the dark. What was he? She felt certain he wasn’t human.
Trying to ignore his strangeness, she offered, “Thank you for rescuing me. Those vampires had somehow disarmed my powers, so I was completely at their mercy.”
“You should never walk in the dark alone. Our world of Kurbridor has many dangers.” His voice sounded sharp and reprimanding.
“I usually don’t do that, but circumstances tonight forced me to walk and not take a transporter. Anyway, thanks again for saving me from an unpleasant experience.”
“I accept your gratitude, Delia, but maybe you’re due a worse experience from me. Keep in mind you now owe me.” He chuckled low and menacingly, inclined his head and moved back out of sight.
She walked through the crowds and wondered how he knew her name. Her roommate, Callie, would want to hear all the details of what happened. She was a female lycan and held a fascination for gathering pieces of information on the different species that populated this world. Callie might know what her rescuer was, but tonight she would be at the Kobard Club. While waiting on tables, she’d also be looking for the right lycan to make her inner wolf howl.
Delia’s apartment building was on the corner of Drammer Avenue and the equally busy Pertlan Walkway. She reached it, unlocked the entrance door, climbed one flight of stairs and went to her own front door. After pressing the combination of numbers on the pad at the side, the door opened and she went inside. The apartment was empty because it was too early for Callie to come home. Delia would have to wait before sharing the night’s adventure.
She hung up her coat and bag and went into the kitchen. As someone part angel, she didn’t need food every day as humans did, but she was more than ready for a drink. Delia lifted a half-empty bottle of white wine from the cold cupboard, took down a glass and poured a generous helping. The human side of her needed something to make her feel calm. Then, with glass in hand, she went into the living room, switched on the TVision set and sat down in an armchair. She used the remote to flip through the channels until she found an old movie that was from Terra. It was a comedy and might take her mind off the two vampires and the weird stranger. She sipped the wine and watched the movie until she dozed.
The wall clock announcing eleven chimes woke her. Delia switched off the TVision set, got up and headed for the bathroom. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she went into the hallway and was about to go into her bedroom when the front door opened. It was Callie and she was alone.
“You’re back early. Were there no handsome lycans at the club tonight?”
Callie hung up her coat and shook her head. She untied her hair and finger-combed the long, raven black curls. “The few hunky ones already had a female with them. It was really quiet so the manager sent me home.” She sighed. “I might have to move to another city to find the right lycan for me. Anyway, what were you doing tonight? You weren’t home when I left for work.”
Delia ignored her remark about moving. Her roommate often said something like that when she felt down about not finding a lycan with whom she could have some fun.
They moved to the living room and sat on the couch.
Delia explained, “My boss insisted I stay and help him make a start on stocktaking. I didn’t leave the store until nine chimes.”
“He made you do stocktaking? That’s ridiculous, he only sells books.”
“Well, apparently he does a thorough check on every book in the store once a year. We’ll do it again, each night after closing until we’re done. That’s why I was late coming home, but I have to tell you what happened on my way here.”
Delia gave a detailed account of why she had to walk home, of being attacked by vampires, and how a mysterious stranger had rescued her.
Callie asked, “What did he look like?”
“I couldn’t see him clearly, but he was much taller than me and had glowing eyes. There was a sense of great strength and age coming from him.”
“And he said you were his?”
“Yes. He was really odd, and I’m sure he wasn’t human.”
“You’re probably right. I’ll bet he was a vampyre, you know, a forerunner of those we call vampires. You said the vampire called him sire. That tells me he must be a member of the Vampyre Council. They revere the members and always obey them.”
“What is the Vampyre Council?”
“I know very little about it other than it’s a bunch of vampyres who meet now and then. It’s a sec
ret organization that rules vampyres and vampires, as well.”
“Then I guess I was lucky it was a council member who happened to be on that walkway.”
“Wow, Delia, it sounds as though a vampyre has got his eye on you.” Callie looked thoughtful, and then asked, “By any chance, did he wear a very long coat with the collar turned up?”
“Yes, that’s how he dressed. Why?”
“There was a strange guy standing outside this building when I came in. He seemed to be looking right up at our windows. I couldn’t see his face because of the upturned collar, but he had shoulder-length hair, which I think was black. I felt his eyes on me as I went through the front entrance. It felt as though he looked right into me and knew exactly who and what I am. Come to think of it, a vampyre can do that with merely a touch or a stare. I’ll bet he was your rescuer. He’s obviously keeping an eye on you. Maybe he fancies you?”
“Yes, maybe he thinks I’d be a tasty meal.”
“No, they don’t feast on blood; they take your life-force essence.”
“That’s what I’ve heard, but I’m not sure what the essence is.”
“I guess it’s that illusive something that keeps us alive as opposed to being dead. Or maybe it’s the soul, but whatever it is they don’t always take the whole thing. I’ve also read that sometimes the process is a real turn on for the giver and the vampyres can do it as foreplay to some wild sex. Ooh, Delia, you might be able to give me further information on vampyres when you get to know him.”
“I’ve no intention of getting to know him. I’ve been told vampyres were birthed from demons, and being part angel myself, I want nothing to do with any creatures from Abbadon. There was also something about him that was scary.”
“We lycans call that dimension Hell, and we’re not as judgmental as angels and humans. Most of the demons here on Kurbridor aren’t evil. They look different from us, but so do the faery folk.”
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