The Complete Vampire Project Series: (Books 1 - 5)

by Jonathan Yanez

  The swords the vampire soldiers from New Hope had been given were simple, single-handed weapons that were neither as long as Ashley’s nor as heavy. When Ashley’s weapon struck theirs, the weight of her superior blade knocked their own either out of their hands or back onto them.

  On one occasion, Sloan witnessed Ashley bring her heavy weapon down onto a vampire soldier who tried to block the weapon with his own. The two blades erupted into a shower of sparks before Ashley’s sword bore down on the vampire, sending both of their weapons into his body.

  Blood was so prevalent as Sloan fought, that the final transformation into her new identity begun to twist her desires. Sloan was drenched in red from her brow to her boots. A yearning nothing like she had ever experienced before overcame her to drink the wonderful, red liquid that oozed out of her enemies’ wounds.

  Sloan shook her head in vain, trying to ignore the need. Hunger like she had never known twisted at her stomach. Sloan parried a blow from behind and, moving to her right, she lopped off the arm of an oncoming swing. She was moving so fast, she had no time to plan her next strike; there was only time to react.

  No matter how fast she moved, there was no escaping the urge to satisfy herself on the abundant amount of blood that soaked the battlefield. Hunger turned into thirst, and thirst turned into need. Sloan honestly thought that if she didn’t drink some of the blood soon, she would die.

  Unable to stave off the desire any longer, Sloan gave into the thirst. Grabbing one of the soldiers by the neck, she swung him around and sunk her fangs into the thick part. Immediately, the soldier went slack. The red hue Sloan saw through deepened to a dark crimson as the gloriousness of hot liquid soaked her throat. Her stomach was soon satisfied with the wonderful feeling of being filled.

  What’s more, Sloan felt a burst of energy. She’d been beginning to tire, but with the introduction of the blood, Sloan felt like she could take on the queen’s entire army. It wasn’t until she had drained the unlucky soldier dry that she realized the battle had come to a standstill.

  Ashley was backed up against the side of The Shifter. She was surrounded by a group of mage sword-wielding vampires. She didn’t look like she was wounded, but her sword was sagging in her tired arms, sweat dripping off her brow.

  Kade was bleeding from a dozen different wounds, also surrounded by a group of vampires in the center of the street. The superior speed of the vampires compared to the shifter was proving to be too much for him to handle.

  Sloan sunk to her knees, the horror of what she had done finally sinking in. Despite their best actions, only a fraction of the vampire soldiers from New Hope had been dispatched. Captain Hunt stood in front of a defeated Sloan with his contingent of soldiers encircling her.

  “Surrender. You must realize now you are not the hero in this story.” Captain Hunt sneered down at her. “Your friends are wounded and exhausted. If you refuse to surrender for yourself, then do so for them.”

  A rush of wings sounded overhead. A howl Sloan had heard before ripped the temporary calm in half.

  One moment, it looked as though the soldiers from New Hope had managed a victory; the next, their smiles were torn from their faces in a flurry of teeth and claws. Aareth dropped from the sky directly on the top of those soldiers surrounding Ashley. Kimberly landed on top of Captain Hunt, folding him in on himself.

  All around, the battle raged on. Everyone besides Sloan was caught in the madness war brought. She still slumped on her knees, the withered face of the soldier she had sucked dry directly in front of her. What was she now? There was no other word for it than “monster.”

  Kade limped his way to her side. A muzzle brushed past her face as he tried to wrestle her from her daze.

  Seeing the shifter distracted, a vampire soldier, gripping a white mage sword, leapt in to deal a killing stroke to Kade.

  Sloan caught the woman’s wrist in her hand. With a simple twist, she tore the woman’s arm from the rest of her body. She brought her own red sword up and through her head. If she was a monster, then she would have to deal with that later. In the meantime, no one else she cared for would die.

  Once Aareth and Kimberly had entered the fight, also bringing about the end of Captain Hunt, the tide of the battle tipped in the opposite direction. Aareth’s hide was so thick, he could wade into the vampire ranks, slashing out with maw and paw. The only weapons able to pierce his hide were the mage swords, and there weren’t many of those left.

  Kimberly was fresh and, using her wings, fists, legs, and tail, was a maelstrom of punishment. Sloan felt like a goddess incarnate. All around the main street of Term, vampire soldiers fell under her blade. Invigorated by the human blood, she was invincible. In minutes, those soldiers who could still run retreated into the dark.

  Sloan flicked off her mage sword. The weapon dropped from her hand. Her eyes took in Aareth transitioning back to his stark naked human form and embracing Ashley. Kimberly pressed a hand to a wound on her arm and wrapped it with the cloak off a fallen soldier.

  Kade turned back to his normal human form. He was bleeding profusely from a cut over his right eye, his lip, and somewhere on his shoulder. Instead of trying to attend to his own wounds, he came to Sloan and wrapped her in a hug.

  “Don’t,” Sloan said as hot tears splashed down her cheeks. “You saw what I did. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You won’t,” Kade whispered into her ear. He hugged her tighter. “I’m here. Whatever’s happening to you, you’re not alone.”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” Sloan sputtered. “I don’t know what happened. I—”

  Kade pulled away, briefly pressing his lips to hers. He held her face in his hands, using his thumbs to brush away her tears. “It’s going to be okay. We’re going to find out what’s happening to you. I promise.”

  Sloan didn’t want to say more, even if she had the words to do so. Instead, she embraced Kade. Whatever the future had in store for her, whatever she was, would have to wait. For now, it was enough to know her friends were safe and she was in the arms of someone she cared for and who cared for her in return.

  End Book Three

  Epilogue

  Abigail

  “Again, and like you mean it this time.”

  Sweat poured down past Abigail’s eyes. Her chest heaved at a furious pace. Her lungs burned with the fire of exertion. The worst part was there was a small bit of her that actually liked pushing her body to its breaking point.

  She lifted herself off the ground. Her hands clenched the pair of twin training swords she had been using over the last few weeks. Deep notches riddled the wooden blades, speaking volumes to her level of commitment.

  “Freeing your sister will be difficult, but not impossible.” Saber looked over at Abigail with his one good eye. “The New Order takes care of its own, but if you plan on living long enough to see this conflict through to the end, you’ll need to be much better than you are now.”

  Abigail tightened the grip on each of her swords. She maneuvered around her teacher, looking for an opening. There was no training mat to fall on if she was stricken down. The pair practiced on the hard rooftop of a four-story building on the outskirts of New Hope. It was the highest point for blocks in every direction, ensuring they were safe from prying eyes.

  “What makes you think The New Order will be any different from the old one?” Abigail continued to circle her instructor. “I thought they were just a group of the city elite who wanted to keep the wealth in New Hope. They don’t care about what happens to me or my sister.”

  “You’re wrong.” Saber’s voice was deep. It sounded like a rumbling carriage was always traveling through his lungs. “The Order was disbanded once our leader, Oliver Livingston, fled the city. Those who did remain understand the queen’s true endgame now. And we have no desire to see our city torn apart by war. Now, are you going to attack me, girl, or are we going to talk each other to death?”

  Abigail rushed forward, her head down, bo
th arms splayed out behind her with her swords.

  I’m coming, Elizabeth, Abigail thought. I just need to be a little bit stronger, but I’m coming.

  Leah

  “What Commander Steel has become will be more than enough for Sloan.” Leah lounged in a plush leather chair in her sister’s private chambers. “It’s not her, or our failed undead experiment that bothers me any more. It’s Aareth Emerson. If we only had a sample of his blood—ugh, what I could do with a section of his bone marrow. We could create wolf soldiers; hybrids, even.”

  Queen Eleanor Eckert looked at her sister through the mirror that sat on her dresser. It was late. The light in her room came from the many mage-powered lanterns in her luxurious living quarters. She brushed her white hair with long, even strokes from her silver hairbrush.

  “I understand where your desire for this blood comes from, but Aareth Emerson was the only one bitten by the Burrow Den wolf before it was killed.” Eleanor shrugged, her mind already looking for an alternate answer. “Perhaps you can recreate the project on your own?”

  “There are too many variables to consider.” Leah prepared what she was about to say next by laying out a compliment. “But, dear sister, you’re wise enough to remember that Aareth Emerson was not the only one bitten by the Burrow Den wolf.”

  Leah looked on as realization struck her sister. The queen turned in her seat. Her face had gone a shade paler in the space of a few seconds since the words had left Leah’s mouth. “Leah, no. The cost was too great the first time we raised someone from the dead. Aareth’s wife was a failed experiment, anyway.”

  “But she was not a sorcerer like he was.” Leah rose from her seat. She went to Eleanor, placing both hands on her sister’s shoulders. “Marcus Walker was also bitten by the Burrow Den wolf. Once I raise him, his resilience as a sorcerer should bring him back, with his heart intact and his memories whole.”

  “He’ll refuse to help us.” Eleanor looked at Leah once more through the reflection of the mirror. “And the cost that is demanded when someone is brought back from the grave … Leah, I don’t—”

  “Shh…” Leah kissed the top of her sister’s head. “You let me worry about the details.”

  A Special Note For You

  Hey You,

  Good to see you again. Thanks for taking the time to read my work, and even finding the time to read this author note. I woke up today just after 3 AM to write. I know, crazy right? My brain just turned on and wouldn’t let me go back to sleep, so I thought, heck, instead of just lying in bed awake, I could do something productive and write this author note to you.

  I’ve just completed House of Spells, and I’m so excited to see where the story is going. Initially, I was thinking of writing a five-book series, but with all the amazing feedback from readers like you, I’ve been throwing around the idea of seven books. I promise not to drag the story on if it’s not there, but we’ll see what happens.

  Since I don’t outline and just write by the seat of my pants, it’s been fun seeing the characters develop. Sloan in book three is already so different than the Sloan we met in book one. That can be said for a lot of characters, but she holds a special place in my heart because I’m putting her through so much! Poor kid, right?

  If you can take a minute to leave a review, Elwood and I would be forever grateful.

  This whole author thing only works because you are willing to read and support my work. I have a few options for you to stay in touch below.

  1) I have a private group on Facebook I created for all of us to hang out. There are over two hundred likeminded readers who enjoy everything you do. We’re there just sharing cool new books, movies and the occasional meme. Join The Pack here https://www.facebook.com/groups/1944447962437071/

  2) I know some readers don’t like using Facebook and/or would rather just receive an email with info when new books are out. I totally get that. If you’d like to be part of The Pack via our newsletter, you can go to www.jonathan-yanez.com and join the ranks.

  See you on the other side,

  Jonathan

  Burning Blades

  Book Four of the Vampire Project Series

  “Your past doesn’t dictate who you choose to be today.”

  -Aareth Emerson

  To all the members in my pack. I’m here because of you.

  Chapter One

  Leah

  “Make sure you’re turning more than you are killing. After the events in Term, it’s clear that my dear sister’s pet will not be going quietly.”

  The body Commander Steel held in his hands was more of a husk than a human form. The man’s skin had gone from a healthy pink to a sickly grey in a matter of minutes. He stopped struggling as soon as Commander Steel sank his razor sharp teeth into him.

  “Where’re you getting all of these people anyway?” Commander Steel, the man who had once been known as the mercenary “The Scar,” threw the body he had been feeding on off to the side. Red lines flowed down his lips like tiny rivers. Small crimson drops fell from his chin to the stone floor beneath. “I can’t imagine people are lining up to become my next snack.”

  “Haven’t you heard?” Leah drummed her fingers together in front of her with a devious grin. “My sister has completed her mage-powered locomotive to every city in the Outland now besides Azra. I have vampire soldiers scouring the outlying villages and smaller towns now for our victims. But remember, we need our vampire army to—”

  “Yes, you’ve reminded me a dozen times now.” Commander Steel rolled his eyes and took a long breath. “I was experimented on to do your bidding. I’m to bite once, and only once, those soldiers we deem strong enough to join The Legion. Don’t worry, I’m turning most of them. I’m only indulging in a snack or two, or three, each day.”

  Leah Nobel nodded slowly. Things were going according to plan, despite the events in Term where most of their standing vampire soldiers had been slaughtered by former Captain Sloan and her band of misfits. When one was given unlimited funding, it made any setback no more than a bump in the road. The experiments to Commander Steel had gone better than planned. He was not only stronger and faster, but he was also now able to turn other ordinary humans into vampires with a single bite.

  Moreover, those he had turned were also able to do the same to other victims. Even now the standing army inside New Hope was more vampire than human. Soon, they would have thousands of the creatures at their disposal, willing to conquer the Outland and its many smaller cities.

  And these new vampires were different. They were as fast and as strong as Sloan. Even physically, they had changed. When they fought, their entire mouths now became lined with sharp teeth, not just with their canines like before. Their hands also became their weapons; talon-like nails sprouted out of the ends of their fingers on command.

  “What about those inside the city who are starting to ask questions?” Commander Steel asked as he sat down on one of the many cushioned seats in the room. Although Leah Noble worked in the underbelly of the palace, it didn’t mean she couldn’t make it comfortable. The room they stood in was one of her own design—hard stone floor and walls with rich tapestries on the walls, and comfortable furniture.

  “Our soldiers will obey or find themselves forced to obey.” Leah’s eyes gravitated to one of her favorite paintings: the picture of three young girls on a red hilltop. The artist had captured her and her sister perfectly—strong, determined, destined for greatness … or at least two of them were. “The populace is also beginning to ask questions about our vampire soldiers. A ragtag group of vigilantes calling themselves The New Order has begun to stir the pot. But they’re human; they’re nothing.”

  “I can take a look into it for you if you’d like.” Commander Steel slouched in his chair. His grey-and-black uniform emblazoned with the queen’s symbol of two swords crossed behind a black bat sat wrinkled on the cloth. “It’s been getting kind of boring around here, what with all of your experiments on me finished. Now I’m just biting
people left and right.”

  “That is unnecessary. You’re needed here to grow our ranks. I have another asset looking into this New Order business. I trust she’ll be fine.”

  “She?”

  “That’s what I said.” Leah turned her gaze from the picture to the Commander. She found him handsome despite the scar that ran down the right side of his face. “And soon, you two will be joined by another.”

  “By ‘she,’ are you talking about that redheaded child?” Commander Steel couldn’t help a smile cross his lips. “This isn’t a game for kids to be playing at.”

  Leah felt a surge of anger push to the surface. It was a feeling she was surprised to experience when someone talked about Elizabeth Ahab. She had grown protective of the girl in the near month she had been training her.

  “Don’t concern yourself with the goings-on of witches.” Leah squinted at the Commander with a furrowed brow. “She is capable of more than you know.”

  Commander Steel shrugged. “You’re the boss. So what about this other asset you’re talking about? Another dive into the lab to experiment on the vampire elixir?”

  Leah shook her head. She hadn’t planned on inviting the commander to witness her latest experiment. Now, she thought it might be a good opportunity for him to see her actual power. It would make him think twice if he ever decided to go rogue and disobey her.