Delarossa (The Hadley Caro Series Book 1)

by R M Taylor

  With no family left that she wasn’t estranged from, Lucy relied on her best friends Althea, Susana and Toni to fill the gap where her family should have been. Lucy wasn’t even 2 years old when her mother left. Her mother was a dragon shifter too and the assumption was that she couldn’t cope being a mother and was dissatisfied with her life. Dragon shifter babies were challenging to raise, imagine the terrible twos when the toddler could burn your ass with fire and then fly away laughing.

  So, no-one had any idea where her mother was, and her father had been so distraught he slowly lost himself to alcohol in the years afterwards, he wouldn’t even answer basic questions about her mother usually, he simply ignored the question and remained silent. Lucy had practically raised herself living alongside her aunt and uncle from the age of 15, when it became obvious her dad couldn’t look after himself let alone her. They were not particularly loving people and they obviously resented the obligation. Well, right back at ya, she thought, she wasn’t exactly thrilled to be dumped on them either, they were narrow minded and prejudiced towards other shifters.

  The fact that her father, a tiger, mated a dragon was abhorrent to them. They only tolerated her because they were afraid of her, she could easily turn them to ash or even eat them if she wanted, not that she would. If she had taken after her father and been born a tiger, they would have been much more eager to accept and help her. Cold indifference was their reaction to her instead. Not negligent enough to show up on the radar of social services, but just negligent enough to leave Lucy with some hefty emotional scars.

  So, when she turned 18 and finished with compulsory school, she moved in with her friend Susana’s family as their lodger. She learned more from them about what a family should be than anything else she had been taught through anyone else. Living in a loving home with a lovingly dysfunctional, normal, supportive family had only highlighted just how lacking her own childhood had been. When you have had a lot of negative experiences the feelings tend to get buried in a place that is painful to excavate later. They’re good like that, and since feelings tend to be slippery and unpredictable when ignored, they liked to creep back in when you least expected it to present themselves and demand immediate attention. Sometimes Lucy thought that everyone should have compulsory therapy from an early age, teach it in schools, it may reduce the number of damaged adults in the world.

  When she was approached with an offer to train as a judicial detector a few months after her father’s funeral she took it and moved into her first apartment on her own. The training usually took 2 years but with Lucy it took a year, due to her natural aptitude she excelled so quickly that they accelerated her training. After training she landed her first proper job as a screener for new secret service agents. A massively coveted position, and Lucy had been the very first newly qualified detector to be hired, ever. They usually insisted on at least a few year’s experience first, but her scores were off the charts, and with so many references from her teachers, they happily made an exception for her.

  She met Connor at 24, so after working in a high paid, high stress job for 3 years where she felt important and proud of herself, she decided a year after they got together that she would leave and be an insurance detection officer. Connor refused to move in together until she had changed jobs, so it was a sticking point, the job or the relationship. At the time the decision to leave was right, and she had been happy a while, but now with hindsight it was a bad move. The danger and long hours were worth it, and the new relationship buzz tapers off eventually, she should have stayed. She hoped this would not be held against her too much when she started applying for jobs. She suspected that government roles would be out, since she had been out the loop for a while.

  Lucy was lost in thought as she watched the world go by in the taxi. She was 10 minutes late, but nearly to her destination. The cafe they were meeting at was a favourite of Althea’s, Cafe Lelo, a cute little cafe designed to be reminiscent of French cafes in Paris. After paying the cabbie Lucy left the taxi and walked to a crossing further down. She could see the cafe and Althea through the tall French window tapping her watch and smiling at her. Althea was 28 that year and still looked young enough to pass for a teenager. With curly light blonde hair kept up high in a ponytail and green eyes, a buxom curvy body, and kind and cheery disposition, Althea was exactly what she looked like- a bubbly, naturally kind, friendly person.

  Althea worked as a primary school teacher and suited her job perfectly. How she hadn’t had her own children, yet Lucy did not know as she was a mother hen through and through. Althea was a very loving person and was demonstrative with her affection. She was an unashamed hugger. She had also known pain in the past, and had a lot of empathy for others, damaged people could relate to other damaged people. Lucy had kept the full amount of her inheritance from Althea and gave only the basics of the situation. Not out of fear Althea would react negatively or otherwise badly, but because Lucy’s was naturally predisposed to secrecy due to her job, and now due to her family history there were apparently people that would like to see her out of the picture. Old enemies of her family line that held resentment for things that happened far in the past, or distant relatives that might resent her inheriting her grandmother’s legacy.

  She really had no idea, her grandmother was apparently an old sage, very wise and knowledgeable and respected in the shifter community in Europe. A gifted Seer, she was powerful, and Lucy obviously took after her, judging by the gifts they seemed to have in common. Lucy was the last in the line of Delarossa Dragons, a heritage rich and powerful and at its weakest now due to a war between clans. It was very sad, and she was angry that her father did not allow her to know this side of her identity. Her mother’s family were like dragon royalty, or they were, and now there were only a dozen distant older relatives in her family, a half dozen in Europe, the rest across North America and a few cousins several times removed in Australia. Most didn’t even go by the Delarossa name anymore. So, when it came to the estate, Lucy was the only direct blood descendant, despite never meeting her grandmother.

  Chapter 9

  Lucy entered the cafe and turned towards the table Althea occupied while the doorbell jingled. She held the door open for someone leaving and then walked over to the table. After removing her coat and bag she placed them on a spare seat at the table and grabbed a menu from the centre stand as she sat down.

  “Sorry again, I slept in, I had really bizarre dreams” Lucy said.

  “No probs, I’m starving though need to order asap, my stomach is eating itself!” Althea said over the top of her own menu.

  “Cool, I haven’t eaten either, I think I’m going to embrace the Frenchness and get some croissants” Lucy loved croissants, plus it was one of the few things on the menu that were straightforward, everything else looked dressed up with green stuff, toasted sandwiches with torn spinach this and sliced sugar drop tomatoes, diced mushroom that, all sounded very posh and pretentious to Lucy.

  “I’m gonna have a Belgian waffle” Althea beamed, anything Belgian was always good to her. Agreeing on drinks and breakfasts, Lucy went up to order for them. Bringing the lattes back she said “So, tell me everything I’ve missed since I saw you last then”

  “Well, I told you most of it last night, but the newest goss is my new boyfriend” Althea beamed a cheeky smile and gave her a wink.

  “He’s 28 too, he’s so nice Luce, really funny and kind, like I told you he’s a shifter too, so you can imagine my mother! She has us practically married with kids already” Althea laughed nervously and sipped her drink. It was not like Althea to skimp on details and something didn’t sit right with Lucy.

  “Arrr I’m happy for you Allie, it’s about time you got a nice one! The last two have been awful, I can’t believe Sam still wants you back, he needs to give up it’s been 6 months since he cheated on you you’re blatantly not going back to him” Lucy laughed but she could sense Althea’s reaction, she was nodding but hiding something. Lucy really hope
d she wouldn’t get back with her ex, Sam was still too immature. Whether she admitted it to herself or not, Althea was ready for more than a casual relationship, her hope for something special shouted loud and clear, Lucy could sense she almost felt desperate, which was a surprise, Lucy didn’t realise Althea was in that place, she had always been so carefree and relaxed about relationships. After chatting for 10 minutes Althea changed the subject to seemingly safer territory just as their food arrived. Lucy was very tempted to open her senses and see if Althea was hiding something, but she hated doing that, sometimes knowing more hurt more.

  “So how is the house? As nice as expected? Ooh does it have a pool??”

  “It doesn’t have a pool, but it does have a hot tub on the second-floor balcony at the rear of the house. The master bedroom is on the second floor and occupies the right side of that level. It’s massive, huge bedroom with the nicest bed, and super posh bathroom, big art deco glass doors leading to the balcony, the full works, it’s lovely. I’ve never lived somewhere so nice, it’s amazing!” Lucy smiled wide and felt proud and sad all at once.

  “It’s awful Allie but I don’t miss him like I thought I would, I expected to feel a bigger hole in my life, I know it’s only been 24 hours since I left but I only feel sad, nothing else” Althea said.

  “Luce, it was obviously the right thing to do. I’m not surprised it was such a relief in the end. You were right to let each other go, some people aren’t good for each other and that’s ok. We just need to find Mr Right for you now. Or, Mr Right now….” Althea winked at the innuendo prompting a laugh from Lucy.

  “We need a girlie night out to check out the locals, are there any decent clubs around here? There’s one not that far away from my neighbourhood if you fancy? I passed it when I first drove up, should be just a quick train ride away” Lucy remembered the slick outer signage and lighting, the word “Pulse” highlighted over the doorway.

  “Oooh let’s have a look, what’s your address?” asked Althea as she pulled her phone out.

  Lucy gave her the address and waited while Althea checked her map. Honestly a night out ending in some naughty sexy time sounded great, it had been about Christmas or new year the last time she had been with Connor, and that had been a drunken half-hearted encounter leaving them both dissatisfied. No wonder she was having erotic dreams about sexy dangerous vampires.

  “The place is called Pulse, and I think it’s a vampire run bar, I’m ok with that if you don’t tell my mother, I may be fully grown but she would defo pitch a fit if she found out I was socialising around vampires” Althea laughed but Lucy could hear the seriousness in her tone.

  “No probs, and sure I’ve never been to a vampire bar, why not? We’re not in the dark ages now for goodness sake, shifters and vamps can be friends, right?” Lucy smiled at Althea’s facial expression. Her eyebrows had shot right up, but she was laughing.

  “I guess we’ll find out, won’t we? The prejudice must stop somewhere, my family are so anti vampire it’s ridiculous. In fact, anything that’s non-shifter to be honest. I’m up for it, technically me and the new beau haven’t agreed we’re exclusive so maybe a bit of bitey fun will be good, you only live, once right?” Althea made a shocked face and covered her mouth with her hand in mock horror.

  She had met so few vampires, so she had no idea how similar or dissimilar they were to others. Shifters were straightforward, however depending on the species there were distinct cultural variances but generally not so different it caused any problems. Vampires though, she knew too little about to even prepare for meeting them, she knew the bare basics and that was it really. Lucy laughed at Althea, but nervous flutters began in her belly as her thoughts flew back to the sexy vampire from the dream last night. She hoped they were all as yummy as that, she could do with a hot vampire to “distract” her.

  Chapter 10

  Aris was staring at the pattern on the blackout curtains covering the window. It was a familiar pattern, the same as many bedrooms in the building. Aris cared little about flashy interior design and had happily deferred to the designer who had refurbished the building a few years back for the decor in his apartment. He liked stylish decor, just not enough to want a say in specific pieces. He had always liked items with a bit of history behind them. Not particularly an antique hunter, but he liked fine craftsmanship and solid wood furniture. Furniture that had character rather than modern trendy stuff. Except for half a dozen pieces he had picked up over time, his bed was the only item he had any input in, he liked a large bed, and decent quality bedding and mattress. He spent thousands on it and had no regrets. Anyone would agree with him; the bed was epic and the most comfortable he had ever slept in. Despite its luxury and opulence, his dreams had been restless and when he woke a while ago he gave up trying to sleep again. Even the finest bed ever could not keep him asleep.

  The woman had gotten under his skin, and he couldn’t understand why. It was 4pm, and the sun would be going down in a while, his brothers and sisters would wake, and the day would begin as usual. Vampires did not die in the sun, not immediately anyway. They would burn badly, but it would take a little while. It wasn’t like in the films where the sun causes spontaneous combustion and before you knew it the vamp was flaming dust. It was more like an extreme intolerance of the sun, resulting in deep burns that would take a while to heal, even with their quick healing ability. But if a vampire needed to get somewhere during the day, if it was a quick trip, with copious sunscreen and hats, sunglasses etc, you could get away with it. Even sunset was fine, uncomfortable but not life threatening. Not that any of them would really need to go out during the day, their human concierge would usually deal with things needing done during the day. Still, vampires stuck to residing in temperate areas where the summer months were more tolerable.

  Movement began in the building, the sound of apartment doors opening and closing, showers starting, toilets flushing. Yes, vampires used toilets, any being that consumed food of one kind or another would produce waste. His coven, The Hadley Caro Coven, resided in a 30-storey tower block on the westside, with views of the lake and park on one side. Named “The Hadley Building”, the building was commissioned to be built by the coven leader, Lina Hadley, when the coven was formed in 1910. After a nasty fall out with her old coven leader, Lina was forced to found her own. Lina was from one of the oldest vampire families in the world and was never short of cash. Even before the Astor’s, Vanderbilt’s and Rockefellers of the world, her family had made millions hundreds of years ago, in traditional industries like iron and steel, import and export of luxury good and property. They owned vast areas of land in Europe, in places like Monaco, London, Geneva, places where the cost per square metre of living space was astronomical.

  The Hadley Building was beautiful, one of the few art nouveau inspired tower buildings still in existence, and no expense was spared in its construction. Each floor had deluxe apartments, with as few as two and as many as 8 bedrooms in each, depending on the number of occupants. The smaller apartments with two bedrooms were higher up, nearer the coven leader’s level. It made sense since the single or couples in the coven tended to be younger and more prone to impulsive behaviour, proximity to the coven council and the leader discouraged this somewhat.

  The apartments were as lavish as the building and over time renovated to preserve and honour the original design while updating with the most up to date technology available. The top two floors were occupied by the coven leader and her council. There were around 80 vampires residing in the building at any one time, and a dozen or so shifters, so there was plenty of space going. They were large for a coven, numbers usually stood around 30-40 on average. Aris should have been in the council by now, he was one of the enforcers as well as a regional mediator between covens due to the sheer number of languages he spoke. He had numerous sources of income and they brought in massive revenue, on top of that he was good friends with all the council members. His skills, income and relationships should have guarant
eed his seat on the council.

  They all sought his advice, he, Will, Lina and her mate Dante were the real driving force of the leadership. However, no vampires with children were allowed on the council. Young vampires needed a huge amount of support and parenting, and their coven encouraged only part time ventures when their children were young. Money was no issue for the basics, so no-one had to work. Raising a child right was considered the most important job any parent had as far as his coven was concerned. Since Aris had one daughter, he was technically exempt, but this didn’t stop him sitting in on all the meetings. His daughter was only half vampire, turned vampires like him made human babies still, but Isobel was a born vampire, so their child was a halfling.

  Turned vampires retained their human DNA in their gametes, their sperm and eggs, so their offspring would always be half human. Only two born vampires from the original vampire lines could have pure vampire babies since their offspring carried the original vampire DNA. Two turned vampires would simply have a normal human child. Akin to cell gene therapy, turned vampires had vampire DNA integrated into their existing cells, but it did not affect the offspring since it did not get carried on when their bodies made their gametes, their sperm or eggs. The science behind it was complicated, and not shared with outsiders, even shifter or fae communities, who were classed as super naturals, or Others. The hierarchy in their culture was complex, vampires from two pure parents were considered superior to turned vampires, but offspring of a turned and pure vampire was considered superior to a pure and human mating. Which was ridiculous since it equated to the same thing.