The Van Wilden Chronicles Box Set Books 1-3

by Jessica Gleave

“Very impressive, dear,” said Vivienne.

  Brutus barked his approval. Oscar smiled down at the dog and scratched him behind the ears. “Yes, it will certainly turn the tide in our favor. We should have the end of this mission wrapped up within a week or so.”

  “Maybe we should start taking more on now?” Morgana leaned forward.

  “We’ve only cut off the right arm, not the head. Stick to the original strategy for now. We’ll amp up our game once their numbers have dwindled significantly. Remember, they are residing in town, and we don’t want to draw the humans’ attention.” He took a sip of whiskey. “The last thing we want is The Council sending in the team trained to deal with that type of situation.” Though he thought it would be nice to see his youngest son, Hector, again.

  “Fine. But I still say that’s a boring way to do it.” Morgana sat back.

  Oscar’s lips twitched. “Very well, we’ll continue our efforts tomorrow. Drink to regain your strength and rest up.”

  “Aye, I might sit this one out.” Alastor placed an arm around Ava’s shoulders. “Ava’s got her interview tomorrow in Summerville.”

  “I can drive myself up if you’re needed here,” she said to him.

  “Nay, lass, it ain’t safe for ye.”

  “He’s right, you know,” Oscar said. “It’s not safe to be out there on your own, especially with the death of Svetlana. Who knows how they will retaliate after they discover her ashes.”

  Ava opened her mouth but closed it again as Oscar leveled her with his stare. The Primus Vampyr Elder stare even caused Alastor to sit up straighter and Gareth to shy away. That stare had been something he’d been perfecting for years.

  “Well, if that’s settled, we’ll reconvene tomorrow night.”

  The rest of them nodded and all went their different ways.

  “You seem to be in a better mood, dear,” said Vivienne.

  Oscar patted her arm, giving her a grim smile. “Just taking it all one day at a time.”

  ***

  “I’m exhausted.” Morgana sank on the edge of her bed. “That’s the worst part about this job. The long night hours.”

  “I hear ya. Who knew picking off vampires could be so draining?” Gareth sat beside her, bending down to take off his shoes.

  Morgana craned her neck, trying to massage the kinks out.

  “Here, let me.” Gareth’s fingers replaced hers. She groaned, her eyes closing at his firm touch. “Your hands feel so good.”

  Gareth chuckled. “Too bad we’re not alone at my place, then I could really show you ways my hands can make you feel good,” he murmured into her ear.

  Morgana’s eyes flew open, and she twisted her torso to face him, giggling. “I still don’t understand why you won’t touch me when we’re here?”

  Gareth’s hands stilled, embarrassment filling their bond.

  Morgana covered her mouth as the giggles erupted. She fell on to the mattress holding her stomach.

  Gareth looked away. “Well, it’s kind of fucking awkward having them around. I don’t exactly want them hearing how I make their daughter scream my name.”

  Morgana sat up and wiped away the tears that had formed, clearing her throat. “But we’re all adults here, Gareth. They know we are mates and will be having sex.”

  “I know, but one is my boss, and the other one trains me. Vampire hearing sucks.”

  Morgana grinned.

  Gareth leaned over to her smiling. “Stupid, I know.”

  Morgana chuckled. “Very stupid.”

  He shrugged. “I still have my nineteenth-century morals and values ingrained in me.”

  Morgana’s eyes twinkled. “You’re cute, do you know that? I’m too tired to do that, anyway.”

  Gareth chuckled. “You know it would be nice if we could live somewhere on our own.”

  She reached up and touched his face. “Maybe when this mission is over and after we take a break, we’ll get assigned together because of our bond, and then we can do that.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  Morgana opened her mouth to continue, but a yawn escaped.

  Gareth grinned. “We’ll talk more about it later. Right now, let’s get some sleep.”

  Morgana nodded, her head falling onto the pillow.

  ***

  “My Lord.” One of the human spies Ragnorok had sent out came running into the sitting room—Tiffini with three i’s. Humans were becoming deplorable with name choices for their spawn.

  “What is it?” he said with resignation. After Nasir’s reports, he needed a drink.

  “It’s Svetlana.”

  ***

  Ragnorok followed the young human and Cedric to the edge of the forest staring at the object before him. Ragnorok stood over the body as it was engulfed in flames and turned to ash, her presence fading into nothing.

  His Svetlana.

  He never told her he held a special place in his heart for his creationling. So proud of her he was of the vampire she’d become and how she trained his armies. Now her life was no more.

  A roar erupted from his mouth.

  There was no taint in the air of their presence, but he knew it was them who had killed her. Whether it was the half-breed, her betrayer of a mother, or the Primus Elder himself, this death had their mark all over it.

  He hissed at the pile of ashes before retreating to the town lair. “Gather everyone,” he barked. “We’re moving.”

  “Again?” Cedric asked.

  “Yesss,” he hissed. “Just do what I say.”

  It was time to put his modified plans into motion.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Morgana didn’t even remember falling asleep. She stirred from her slumber to see sunlight streaming through the window. She opened her eyes when she couldn’t feel Gareth next to her. Looking down at herself, she was still wearing her leather pants and shirt. Gareth must have pulled her shoes off for her. Reaching for her phone, Morgana saw it was ten o’clock. He must have let her sleep in, and that brought a smile to her face. Reaching out, she felt his presence at the campaign office.

  Her brow furrowed. That’s odd—what was he doing there?

  She turned to his pillow and found a note in his scrawl. Morgana sat up to read it.

  Morning, sleeping beauty,

  You probably can tell where I am. Helping your old man clean out the office.

  Apparently, Phyllis is AWOL.

  Love you,

  Gareth

  Morgana frowned at the note and grabbed her phone. She quickly dialed her father. He answered on the third ring.

  “Good morning, dear.”

  “Morning. Do you think Phyllis has been taken? Is that why she’s missing?”

  Oscar sighed. “I think Gareth may have exaggerated the situation. No, she’s not missing as far as I’m aware. She emailed in her resignation letter with a forwarding address. She moved to another town looking to build her career.”

  “Oh, good.” Morgana placed a hand on her heart.

  “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were worried about my ex-campaign manager?”

  Morgana laughed dryly. “No, more worried she’d see us when we finally confronted Ragnorok, and she’d find out we’re vampires. The last thing I want to deal with is her screeching.”

  Oscar chuckled. “Ah, true. What are your plans for today?”

  “Well, I thought we could head out to see if we can do some more recon on the town lair, see if we can take them out in one go. It’s slow-going picking them off one by one.”

  “Yes, it has been tedious. I may have been wrong to think that would be the better strategy. Well, Gareth and I’ll be detained for a while longer here. Alastor is still with Ava for her job interview in Summerville, and your mother is on a grocery run. It seems our supplies are running much lower now that our coven has grown.”

  Morgana could picture her father looking at Gareth as he said this. Gareth and Alastor were often raiding the Van Wilden’s blood supply. She could
hear Gareth’s incoherent mumbling in the background.

  She chuckled. “Do you want me to wait, then?”

  Oscar hesitated before answering. Now that the Forest Clan knew of her weakness to silver, it wasn’t the ideal situation for Morgana to go out on her own. But they both knew she liked her independence. “No. I think if you’re just observing, then you will be fine to go on your own. Just keep far enough away in case they try to use silver on you.”

  “Fair enough. I’ll report back later.”

  “Good, then we’ll all head out tonight to eradicate more of them.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  “Be safe, my dear.”

  Morgana snorted. “Always.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ava couldn’t mask the grin on her face the entire time she sat across from the two interviewers—Editor in Chief, Jeffrey Roads, and the newspaper’s HR Manager, Anissa Poe. She’d tried to remain as professional as she could, but her heart was thumping like a racehorse gunning for first place even as the interview was drawing toward the end.

  “What do you think about the concept that the press is dying?” Jeffrey leaned forward resting his elbows on the conference table. His hazel eyes, more gray than green, reflected in his irises, scrutinizing her. Signs of middle age were prevalent in the editor—short gray hair, sprinkled with flecks of white, framed shallow wrinkles lining his skin. Having recently turned fifty, he’d been the editor of the paper for as long as Ava could remember.

  “I don’t think the press itself is dying. People still read news stories, they just access them through their phones. Print media production is down, but I don’t think it will ever truly go away. People still like the feel of paper in their hands while they read and drink their morning coffee. Besides, how else will people line their pets’ cages if we don’t supply it to them?”

  Jeffrey and Anissa exchanged looks before chuckling. “You’ve got a sense of humor to you. I like that.” Jeffrey pointed his finger at her.

  “Well, I think we’ve got all we need from you to wrap up this interview,” Anissa said, raising her perfectly arched dark brown eyebrow. Her burnt amber eyes had been watching Ava closely through the entire interview. “Unless you have any more questions, Ava?”

  “No, I think I’ve asked all my questions already.” Ava smiled.

  Jeffrey chuckled again. “You certainly do take the initiative to ask questions when needed.”

  “Thanks, Ava, we’ll be in touch.” Anissa extended her mocha-skinned hand, giving her a warm smile.

  Ava shook her hand, then Jeffrey’s, and walked out of the interview room, pleased with the way it had gone.

  Anticipation escalated within her as she passed the other writers in their cubicles plucking furiously at their keyboards. One of these spaces could soon be hers.

  Outside, leaning against her car, Alastor waited.

  “How did it go, love?” He pulled her into his strong arms.

  Ava pulled back to gaze into his eyes. “Really well. I think I’ll get it.”

  “Of course, ye will. Never doubted it for a second.”

  Ava grinned before kissing him.

  Small vibrations radiating from his pocket pulled them apart. He frowned and pulled out his phone. His frown deepened when he read the message. “Sorry, lass, to cut the celebrations short, but we need to head back.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Morgana went off on her own.”

  Ava’s eyes widened. “She knows not to. Why didn’t the others stop her?” She hurried as best as she could in her patent pumps around to the passenger side.

  “They said she was just making a scouting trip. But ye know the lass, she seems to attract fights.”

  “Yes, she does.”

  “I’ll need to drop ye off at home before I stop by the Van Wildens.”

  “Of course.” Ava had barely buckled herself in before Alastor was peeling away from the curb.

  ***

  Ragnorok watched the two lovers embrace outside of the newspaper building. He usually didn’t recruit this far away from the lair, but a hunch had told him to go to Summerville.

  He was far enough away that his presence wouldn’t be felt by the Irish Daywalker. But that was the beauty of exceptional vampire sight. He could still see them as clearly as if standing only a few feet away.

  The blonde human was the right age.

  And she kept herself healthy, judging from her trim figure, though he much preferred a woman with curves. Angelique had ample bosoms.

  The thought of his creator spiked his anger.

  How much of a blow and payback would it be to the Daywalker if he took his mate?

  When Ragnorok had arrived in Oak Wood Hills, he had been happy to leave the two local vampires who had resided in town long before he arrived, alone—even thought of recruiting them. But they had taken up with his enemy. His original plans had only included vengeance against the Van Wildens, but now they included the Irish Daywalker by association.

  Ragnorok smiled and decided to rush back to Oak Wood Hills. He would take her from there in the presence of the Daywalker.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Morgana crouched patiently on top of the building—the same one she and Gareth had scouted from the night before. Something appeared to be wrong, though. Last night there were plenty of vampires around. Now there was no one. Maybe she was here at the wrong time of the day? The Forest Clan were Night Dwellers after all. But she waited until she saw, or rather felt, a vampire emerging from the forest, creeping toward the town-lair house. He was young, barely an adult, she guessed—short, messy dark hair fell down around his pale-skinned forehead and into his eyes. He flicked his head to the side, clearing his line of sight. Ragnorok was recruiting those emo humans now?

  But what struck her was the fact he was coming from the forest.

  She sat and waited as he entered the town lair, and then re-emerged soon after carrying a young human girl.

  What was he doing with her?

  Either she was dead or being turned. Morgana strained her ears to hear a heartbeat.

  Nothing.

  She watched the vampire head back into the forest. Every now and then, brown eyes which bordered on being black flicked in every direction.

  Morgana raced through the woods after him. He was quick, but she was faster.

  The Forest vampire stopped suddenly, and Morgana had just enough time to jump behind a large tree trunk as he looked around. She peered around the tree trunk and saw him jump fifty feet into the air. Morgana decided this was as good a time as any to blow her position, and she raced over to the spot where the vampire had disappeared. She looked up at the forest canopy above her. Taking a deep breath and preparing the muscles in her legs, she settled into a slight crouching stance then jumped up to the tree canopy to follow the Forest vampire.

  Nearing the top of the canopy, she grabbed a branch, swinging herself around to land gracefully as a cat atop the branch. She quickly scanned the scene. The vampire was nowhere in sight. She closed her eyes to concentrate on picking up the vampire’s scent. He was some ways ahead, northwest of her position. She turned and leaped from branch to branch following the scent.

  Eventually, she caught up with him and saw the vampire stop as he reached a clearing where other vampires were milling around.

  “Where does Ragnorok want them?” he asked another young male vampire.

  The other vampire motioned with his head. “Over there, back by the others.” The vampire sniffed the air. He looked up at the canopy, his eyes locking with hers where she was perched on the tree branch. She gave him a sly smile.

  “Shit, she's here.” He backed away, the others flanking him.

  The vampire she had followed turned his head toward her.

  Morgana smiled and dropped down to the ground behind them. “I guess you weren't expecting me.”

  A cruel laugh sounded behind her, making her skin erupt with goosebumps—that cold, menacing pre
sence so familiar to her now. “On the contrary, my dear, we’ve been waiting for you.”

  “Ragnorok.” She lifted her chin, staring him down. “Ready to die today?”

  Ragnorok smiled. “Not me, you.” He snapped his fingers, and vampires began emerging from the trees. They surrounded her like pack animals circling their prey. She counted only ten of them. She almost rolled her eyes. Morgana smiled, stretching out her neck and loosening up her limbs. She was looking forward to a good group slaughter. It had been a while since she fought on her own. Nowadays, she was always fighting alongside Gareth and Alastor. She liked their company, but there was nothing more satisfying than a solo battle and a long moment of triumphant solace while turning them all to ash afterward. And her father had never said she couldn't kill them if they ambushed her.

  Each of her hands each wrapped around a stake, pulling them from the leather holster belted around her waist. Without looking, she threw a stake behind her, catching a vampire in the throat. He made a gurgling noise as blood bubbled out of his mouth. She threw the other stake directly into his heart.

  She turned back and cocked her chin toward Ragnorok whose mouth gaped open. “No, I don't think I’ll be the one dying today,” she said.

  Snarls and grunts filled the air as the others began to advance on her.

  She ducked one vampire, flinging her leg out to kick another. Her heart raced, and a wide grin spread across her face. Finally, some fun.

  She drew out two more stakes as the vampire to her right lunged at her. She ducked, stabbing the vampire as he flew overhead. The next vampire was on her back within seconds, a third came in from the front. She smiled to herself. She hadn’t had a good group fight on her own for a while now. Well, it had to have been at least two or three weeks.

  She punched the vampire in front and threw a roundhouse kick to the other. The vampire at her back grasped her around the neck. She flipped the stake backward, goring him in the stomach. He released her, and she turned, withdrew the wooden weapon, and staked him straight through the heart.