The Vampire's Mark 3: Cold Heir (Reverse Harem Romance)

by Rachel Jonas

  The Vampire’s Mark

  Book Three: Cold Heir

  a series written by

  Rachel Jonas

  The Vampire’s Mark 3: Cold Heir

  Copyright © 2019, Rachel Jonas

  Cover design by Najla Qamber of Najla Qamber Designs

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including, but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior written permission from Rachel Jonas (R.C. Jonas).

  This e-book is licensed for personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  Table of Contents

  THE VAMPIRE’S MARK 3: COLD HEIR

  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

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  MORE FROM RACHEL

  SOUNDTRACK

  SYNOPSIS

  THE VAMPIRE’S MARK 3: COLD HEIR

  Corina agreed to the blood bond she forged with the Dynasty’s princes. However, when a wicked outcast learns of the ritual’s power, asking permission before staking his claim isn’t a concern.

  This covenant is unbreakable, regardless of who engages. Corina’s aware that it will gain strength every day, and the biggest challenge will be keeping the raw emotions it evokes in perspective.

  A challenge made more difficult when impulsive fantasies, involving her captor, suddenly rule her dreams.

  Julian, Levi, and Silas will always fight to protect their mate, but it’s possible they’ve underestimated Aaric—the madman himself—and the loyal army of roamers that stand behind him.

  In a world where nothing is as it seems, Corina must decide for herself who’s friend, who’s foe, and how hard she’s willing to fight to uncover the truth. But one burning question will haunt her until the answer is revealed.

  How, exactly, does Aaric intend to use this connection against her and the princes who have stolen her heart?

  ***

  THE VAMPIRE’S MARK is an action-packed, paranormal romance involving vampire royalty and the humans who fear them. This series is an upper YA/NA crossover perfect for fans of Bella Forrest’s “A Shade of Vampire”, E.M. Knight’s “The Vampire’s Gift”, and Sarah J. Maas’s “A Court of Thorns and Roses”.

  Love hotheaded dragons and ferocious wolf shifters?

  Then THE LOST ROYALS SAGA is perfect for you!

  Start the series for only $0.99, or FREE with Kindle Unlimited.

  Thank you for your purchase!

  Come hang out in “The Shifter Lounge” on Facebook! We chat, recommend YA Paranormal Romances, and engage in other random acts of nerdiness. Once we’re fully up and running, there will be tons of giveaways, exclusive ARC offers from me, and guest appearances by some of your favorite YA authors!

  For all feedback or inquiries:

  author.racheljonas@gmail.com

  Chapter One

  Thirst

  “On the wind, hunger howls;

  Dark intentions fill its tone.

  From the depth of Hades bowels;

  Greater evil never known.

  In the dark, a call doth beckon;

  Never quieting its groan.

  Steals the breath, life’s final second;

  As the foul beast seeks its bone.”

  A passage from ‘Red Prose: A Collection of Cautionary Children’s Folksongs’

  Origin: Postbellum North America

  Year of publication: Unknown

  Author: Unknown

  Status: Banned from publication and distribution

  ***

  Corina

  The sound of a fist pummeling someone’s face made a very distinct noise. Specifically, the revolting crack when the jaw was broken. Levi had shattered Tomas’ on impact, but it wouldn’t take long to heal. In no time, he’d be on his feet, and on our trail with the rest of Aaric’s men.

  This was the first thing that had gone right in weeks. However, I kept that to myself, for fear of jinxing this small bit of luck.

  Before peering up at me, Levi patted Tomas down until finding a set of keys in the pocket of his jeans.

  “Ready?”

  The concern in Levi’s gaze when he asked was stifling, but there was no time for hesitation. No time for weighing whether this was a good or bad idea. We had a chance to run, and we were taking it.

  “Let’s get out of here,” I said with a nod.

  The coolness of Levi’s palm pressed to mine, and I only felt confident in our plan. Mostly, because I was certain Aaric would think twice about pursuing us once we made it back onto palace grounds. However, we would be fair game until then. Hence the reason Levi and I needed to get moving.

  The hallways were dark and eerily quiet, considering I’d been to the other wing where hundreds congregated. The crumbling ceilings, and empty beds in the hospital’s open rooms, were yet another reminder of this place’s haunting history. We crept past what used to be a receptionists’ station, and stopped at a heavy, steel door.

  “It’s locked?” There was desperation in my tone when I asked, staring as Levi rattled the knob. It felt like someone would sneak up at any moment, so I turned to peer over my shoulder.

  “It is, but here’s hoping Tomas had the key to this one.”

  With Levi’s words, my heart raced double-time. It felt like ages passed as he tried one key after the other, and with each failed attempt, my life flashed before my eyes. It wasn’t hard to imagine the delight that would gleam in Aaric’s eyes if given the chance to tear my throat out with his teeth.

  There was a soft click and, suddenly, I could breathe.

  “Got it,” Levi whispered, taking my hand again as we continued forward.

  Debris crunched beneath our feet and it was terribly unnerving, making it impossible to move in silence. Considering what we were on a mission to do—escape the grasp of the most wicked man I’d ever known—we needed every advantage we could get.

  With missing steps and handrails, and with one gaping hole the size of a small car in one of the landings, descending the stairs got somewhat dodgy. Every step of the way, Levi kept me close, acting as my protector.

  It was different having someone present with me, someone on the scene to watch my back. There was less worry that I’d screw something up in my haste to leave, because Levi was, perhaps, even more determined to get me out of this alive than I was myself.

  The vestibule was massive, and I was admittedly afraid to cross it. There was a row of p
illars to hide behind, but with them several yards away, I still felt we’d be too exposed. Only, Levi didn’t have nearly as much doubt as I did, and it was his drive and confidence that propelled me forward.

  We moved swiftly across the aged tile, and into the shadow of the first pillar. It didn’t matter how hard I tried to steady my breaths, they were coming hard and fast. This never happened to me. Typically, I was level-headed and relatively at peace with my circumstances. However, on this particular night, I felt many emotions, but peace was not one of them. The only difference I could put my finger on, the one factor that set this experience apart, was Aaric.

  Yes, this time I was running from a devil I’d seen face-to-face. One who’d proven to be the embodiment of what humans had feared for centuries.

  His cruelty hovered above me like an ominous cloud. I’d never forget that soulless look in his eyes as he played Russian roulette with my life, wavering from one second to the next on whether to end or spare me. It wasn’t lost on me that the only reason I was still breathing was because Claiming me suited him more than killing me. At least it did. There was no telling what he’d do if he caught Levi and I trying to break free.

  “It’s chained,” Levi whispered, causing my heart to leap for a second time when I peered around him to confirm.

  What followed was the sound of Tomas’ keys jingling again, and I could only hope and pray no one was close enough to hear them. The metallic rattling seemed to grow louder by the second, and perspiration dampened my hairline.

  “What’s that?”

  No air left my lungs after I asked. In fact, I didn’t even blink, keeping my eyes trained on the far side of the decaying vestibule, where I could’ve sworn I’d just seen a shadow. Levi’s gaze darted that way, too. This time, there was a rustling sound.

  “It’s coming from outside,” Levi assured me, pointing toward the window missing several panes of glass. “Assuming I ever find the right key,” he sighed, “I’ll go out first to check that everything’s clear.”

  This announcement was accompanied by the clanking of a thick chain gently being laid to the ground. He’d gotten the padlock off, but it took a moment for reality to settle in with me. Freedom was in the air, and there was finally hope that we would soon be leaving this hellhole behind us. All we had to do now was make it to the next checkpoint without getting caught and killed.

  Horror movie-style creaking echoed through the open space as the hinges groaned. The sound bounced off the empty surfaces that surrounded us. It gave the impression that the brief racket we caused was coming from everywhere. As promised, Levi stepped out into the unknown ahead of me. When everything appeared to be clear, we crossed the threshold from bondage to freedom with cautious footsteps.

  Approximately two weeks had passed since I breathed fresh air, so I drew it in deeply. Only, there was no time to fully savor it.

  A ghastly growl tore through the darkness, too close for comfort. Things happened so quickly from there, I could hardly even make out the creature’s form before Levi lunged forward. With lightning-fast precision, he wrestled it down to the ground, locking its neck in the bend of his elbow.

  The hound sputtered for air as Levi squeezed tighter to crush its windpipe. The pressure was so great, it couldn’t even manage a howl, which meant it couldn’t call attention to us. Knowing Levi’s strength, the thing didn’t stand a chance.

  Watching it die a slow death, my nerves began to settle, thinking we were finally in the clear. However, the set of glowing, red eyes I stared into next suggested otherwise.

  There was no time to call out to Levi, no time to run. Then again, neither of those actions would have done me any good anyway. Once a hellhound had someone’s scent, the chances of getting away were a fraction of a percent. Their pursuit was relentless.

  Wind shot from my lungs when I was tackled to the ground, the back of my head stinging from the blow.

  “Corina!” Levi’s voice carried loudly in the wind, which told of his desperation, his lack of concern that a guard would hear us. He seemed to only be aware of the beast snapping its nasty teeth toward my throat.

  The hellhound’s bristly fur was gnarled in my fingers. Somehow, I managed to get a hold of it just behind its ears, and my weakening grip was the only thing keeping it from ending me. Several feet away, I was aware of the hound Levi restrained, aware that it was still trying to fight back, which meant I was on my own. If there were others on their way to check out the commotion, things were about to go from bad to worse.

  Think, Cori. You’ve been in tough spots before. Everyone and everything has a weakness.

  Getting focused took a moment, but I managed to concentrate less on fear, and more on my capabilities. No, I wasn’t immortal yet, but I was far from helpless. I’d never been this ‘friendly’ with a hellhound, but my father had gone over a few things with me just in case I ever found myself in this predicament. For instance, he taught me that their underbellies were incredibly vulnerable, so that’s where my attention shifted.

  The gap between the beast’s body and mine was enough to gain a small amount of momentum, enough to slam my knee into its gut. It yelped and flinched away, and I suddenly had a bit more of an advantage. Not much, but it was something.

  My grip was more secure now, but I could feel the hound’s strength returning as I guessed the pain had begun to subside. Being pinned to the ground like this was about the worst possible scenario, but this was my predicament.

  Snippets of conversations I had with my father came to me in flashes. His teachings were never far from my mind, and I had been grateful for this on several occasions, tonight being one of them. With so little time to think before acting, I lifted my leg, but not with intent to knee the hellhound this time. Actually, I was preserving all that energy, storing it in my muscles for the blow this thing had coming to it.

  Pulling my thigh toward my torso, I thrust upward, powering the sole of my foot toward its soft stomach. The yelp that echoed through the air was sure to call attention, but it went without saying that desperate times called for desperate measures. As the hound hobbled away, I knew the kick had been successful. It wasn’t dead by any means, or even close to it, but it was stunned. That allowed me time to back away, allowed time for Levi to finish off the first hound that lunged when we walked out the door.

  A gray blur breezed past, and the next sound was that of an abrupt whimper when my attacker met its end, having its head pummeled against a rock. Winded, I gazed up at Levi, acknowledging that our silent exit was a thing of the past.

  We needed to run.

  He offered his hand and I took it, following him as we quickly approached our next post—a low point on the cliff’s edge, where we stood with Blackthorn Sanitorium at our backs.

  In a matter of seconds, Aaric’s guards would find Tomas unconscious outside the open door of our cell—even if the commotion we caused hadn’t alerted them. However, what they wouldn’t know was that it had all been staged, a collusion that took place right under their noses.

  Tomas himself had been a key player, but so had fate. With Jax suddenly placed on a new assignment, his presence was scarce most evenings. That meant we were left in the care of his young protégé, and compromising Tomas had been far simpler than most would have imagined.

  Not even Levi fully understood how I’d gotten one of our captor’s henchmen to aid in our escape, but I found a way.

  My hunch about the purple band Tomas’ wore on his arm turned out to be right. I spotted it the first day we arrived, and it provided the exact leverage we needed. In exchange for him turning a blind eye, I made him a promise.

  One I fully intended to keep.

  In my line of work, the operation was all about subtle codes. One such code was the tying of a purple band around the bicep of a Drifter—someone deeply connected to an evacuee who’d been taken to one of our offshore encampments. These individuals often had very little information as to where their loved one had settled. The purple b
ands acted as a beacon, a discreet invitation for anyone within the cause to approach in secret, and possibly offer information. This system had made it possible for families to eventually reunite, or in the least, it allowed for written correspondence to be passed along within the network.

  Most Drifters I encountered were men, but never Ianites. Which meant, despite his dealings with Aaric and his hooligans, Tomas once had strong ties to a human who’d been freed.

  While on one of my daily, shepherded bathroom excursions, I convinced him to open up to me. We made an agreement, but it forced me to divulge a bit of my secret. For instance, I shared that the princes were unaware of my involvement with the underground network. I was also forced to admit that I recognized the symbol he wore, and that I had a means of communicating with those taken offshore.

  I couldn’t guarantee the safe delivery of a written letter, but I listened as the young guard poured out his heart. There was a girl. They met during his brief stint working security within a harvesting camp. She chose the name Elaine for herself, but was legally known as HIN-243947. Whenever Tomas spoke of her, there was an unmistakable glimmer in his eyes that told of his fondness for Elaine. It told of how deeply his feelings ran, told of his desperation.

  So, I seized the opportunity. The moment I was certain love finally triumphed over Tomas’ loyalty to Aaric, he divulged the simple message he wanted me to pass along.

  ‘Wait for me, Elaine. I’ll never give up.’

  The rest was history.

  With renewed hope, Tomas was beyond cooperative. In fact, the idea to let Levi hit him so it would appear he’d been overpowered was his. It was a means of ensuring he wouldn’t face dire consequences when the others realized we were gone.

  Yet, whatever the circumstances, what mattered most was that we were free, bathed in the silver glow of moonlight as a fresh breeze moved over our skin.

  “This should work. It seems to be the lowest ledge of the cliff—on this side of the island, at least.” I panted after coming to an abrupt stop. We’d run like our lives depended on it, because they did.