Caressed by Shadows (Rulers of Darkness Book 4) Read online

  Sonya’s fangs burned and hunger knotted he stomach. Her body tensed as she resisted the urge to launch herself at him. She felt the demon within her stir. Her eyes turned black, her fangs sharpened.

  “Falcon, you are certain,” she asked, her voice cracked, her throat suddenly.

  “Yes.”

  “But I could take too much. I could weaken you. Or I could fall into a feeding craze.”

  “And if you go off the deep end, I can handle you.”

  She smiled. “Using my words against me,” she said with a smile.

  He raised his hand to her, wrist turned upward. “Will you accept my offer?”

  Sonya bit her bottom lip. Indecision twisted her thoughts. She wanted to scream yes, but she knew they should not go through with this. He was right, his blood would heal and strength her. But to know his taste and to never be able to drink from him again, that would be torture. Then again, her days were numbered by the curse. Besides, it wasn’t as if she had to worry about draining him or fall victim to the bloodlust. Falcon could handle her.

  “Yes, but not like this,” she said.

  Sonya patted the mattress and Falcon joined her, keeping a respectful distance. He extended his right arm and she cradled his thick wrist in her hands.

  Unable to make eye contact with him, she focused on the strong steady yet slow pulse beneath his tanned sin. She felt the tremor of painful anticipation rock his frame. Se shivered in response.

  Sonya struck fast, her fangs cleanly slicing through his flesh. Falcon groaned and her eyes rolled back as his blood filled her mouth. He tasted better than she could have ever dreamed. Power was thick in his blood. Strength unlike any she had ever known fueled her. She felt her wound knit back together.

  Her eyelids grew heavy, dropping until they finally closed from sheer pleasure. Good lord, nothing had even been so sweet, do delicious. More. She needed more.

  Books by Amanda J. Greene

  Rulers of Darkness Series

  Caressed by Moonlight

  Caressed by Night

  Caressed by a Crimson Moon

  Under Realm Assassins Novella Series

  A Bewitching Christmas

  Caressed

  by

  Shadows

  Amanda J. Greene

  Publisher Amanda J. Greene

  Copyright © 2014 by Amanda J. Greene

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be transmitted or reproduced by any means. This book is fiction. Characters, events, places, names, and etc. are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to any actual persons (living or dead), businesses, or locals is completely coincidental.

  Cover art by Kim Killion

  www.amandajgreene.blogspot.com

  ISBN – Not Yet Assigned

  Dear Tracy,

  You’re laugh, smile, sense of humor, charismatic, and fun loving attitude will be severely missed. I remember the first time we went to visit family in Tahoe. You and Robert were so crazy, jumping off a second story balcony wearing nothing but your boxers and landing in about five feet of snow.

  We had some great times over the years. Just like you said I was your favorite cousin-in-law, you were mine as well.

  I hope you know Robert and I love you and that you will forever be in our thoughts and in our heart.

  Love always,

  Amanda

  Acknowledgements

  I would like to thank all of my readers who were anxiously awaiting the release of the fourth installment in the Rulers of Darkness series.

  I also need to thank my friend and family for their support, especially helping towards the end.

  Glossary of Terms

  Binding Ceremony: Takes place between a vampire and their mate through the exchange of blood. Their blood will mix and they both must consume the combined blood at the same time. They will bear the mark of their binding, a scar.

  Black Knights: The protectors of the vampire royalty and nobility and the enforcers of vampiric law.

  Bleeder: A human slave kept by a vampire for the use of feeding. This practice is outlawed, though it remains in use within the Outcast Society.

  Death Curse: A spell cast by the Shaman upon any vampire that becomes ruler of a Clan. This curse was created to limit the power and reign of the monarchs. It begins by attacking what remains of the vampire’s conscious (often times the king reports seeing the faces of those he has slain, thereby attacking their mind), hallucinations set in and the vampire begins to descend into madness. Next, the curse singles out the vampire’s emotions (they become overcome by grief, shame, loneliness, despair, etc.). While the curse twists their minds and emotions, an illness consumes the body. Death is always welcome in the end. The average reigning term of a monarch is 200 years. This has helped cut the numbers of the older, stronger, vampires.

  Fathers: Cassius, Uro, and Imbrasus. These three of the four purebloods shared their blood with humans, thereby creating fledglings. They also formed the vampire clans. Fathers can also be addressed as Sire. (Dimitri is a leader of a clan, though he has never created fledglings and is addressed as Sire.) Began to change humans to vampires when civilizations became strong.

  Fledglings: Humans that have been changed into vampires. A vampire’s strength is determined by four (4) factors. How hard the victim fought to hold on to their mortal life.

  The stronger the will to live the stronger the demon will be within them upon transformation.

  How strong the vampire is that is attempting to turn the human. The Purebloods possess the most strength, while their direct fledglings are the second strongest and so on and so forth. As the blood continues to be shared with humans, the vampire curse becomes more and more diluted. Example: the vampires that are made by the 16th generation will not be nearly as strong as those made by the 2nd, no matter what.

  The more blood a vampire shares with their victim, the more poison (the curse) the human consumes. With more poison in the system, the transition is easier, though there is still no guarantee that the human will survive the transition.

  The passage of time. As years turn into decades and decades into centuries, the demon within (the vampire) grows stronger and some develop extra senses: mind reading, mind control, teleportation, and visions of the future.

  Mate: A vampire monarch’s lover. The Shaman, with his ability to see far into the future, knew that one day a ruler would come into power (one for each vampire clan) that would want to bring peace into the world of darkness. In order to save these rulers of the Death Curse, the Shaman created their mates. If the vampire finds their mate, they will never fall victim to the Death Curse. Though, there is no guarantee that the vampire will find their mate and if they do not, they will parish.

  Mylonas Clan: The very first vampire Clan to be formed. Created by Cassius, their territory consists of Southern Europe, every country that lines the coast of the Mediterranean. Reigning monarch: Dorian Vlakhos

  Outcaste Society: Made up of vampires who have been banished from their Clans or were changed into vampires illegally (without the blessing or the approval of the King). Generally they are the weaker of the vampire race, with few exceptions. Their territory consists of the United States, with some small factions scattered about Canada and South America. To protect themselves from the Red Order, they form groups, banding together. The two largest groups within the Outcast Society are led by Gabriel Erhard and Boras Werner (competitive factions). Also known as bastards, blood-bastards, or filthy-blood.

  Pureblood: The original vampires cursed by the Shaw: Cassius, Uro, Imbrasus and Dimitri. The proper
way to address a Pureblood is Sire.

  Rightful Ruler: The intended monarch chosen by Fate to rule a vampire clan. They will bring about peace and be granted a mate through the spell created by the Shaman.

  Second: Also known as heirs. They are chosen by the current reigning vampire ruler to be their successor.

  Shaman: Leader of the Shaw. He is all-knowing and his magical abilities are limitless. He is continuously reincarnated; this helps his powers grow and insures that his knowledge of the past continues on. The Shaman can choose to retire, meaning he selects a fellow member of the tribe, generally from his direct bloodline, to pass on his strength and knowledge. Once he relinquishes his power and memories, he is free of the reincarnation cycle and will live out his life to finally pass on to the next realm.

  Shape-shifters: A species that appear human but can take the form of an animal. Also known as Weres. They separate themselves by animal type and live in packs/tribes. Africa, Asia South America, and some parts of North America are split up amongst the different factions. Generally live in small groups and amongst people. They share much of their territory with the Outcast Society. War is popular within their communities and peace is always short lived. One cannot be changed into a Shape-shifter. They can breed with humans, producing Half-Breeds.

  Shaw Priestess: Gifted witches who show great promise for strength. They are trained by Shaman and are highly respected within their otherworldly community. They are Seers, able to look into the future. They are assistance to Shaman and are members of his bloodline. Priestesses are pure of blood, meaning their blood, if given to a human, can grant immortality.

  Shaw Witches: A peaceful tribe of witches possessing great magical power.

  Soul Shattering: When a human is on the verge of death and receives vampire blood, the transition from human to vampire begins. The blood is poisonous to a human; it eats away at the soul and conscious until the next full moon. Once the full moon rises, the transition begins; excruciating pain claims the victim as their body begins to morph into that of a vampire. At this point, the soul is weak and splinters under the pressure. In most cases, the soul dies and the human does not survive the transition. If the soul does not die, it is forever shattered – in pieces. The human will awake a vampire possessing little humanity. They retain their memories and some of their emotions, though their conscious is almost non-existent. However, there is a way around Soul Shattering. When the human is being given the vampire’s blood, the vampire can press their hand over the human’s heart, thereby creating a shield around the soul, protecting it from the poison. A vampire is stronger if they possess their whole soul.

  The Red Order: Witches, who have very little magical power but possess great physical strength, they are the hunters of vampires. Also known as the Red Order Hunters.

  Transition: The process by which a human is transformed into a vampire. The human must be near death from blood loss and receive a vampire’s blood. Upon the next full moon, the change from human to vampire takes place. It is an agonizing event and most do not survive. Males dominate the vampire race because, for one reason or another, female’s bodies do not absorb the vampire’s poisonous blood well and often die when the blood first enters their system.

  Validus Clan: Created by Imbrasus. They claim Eastern Europe, beginning with the Czech Republic and advancing East, with the exception of Russia. Reigning monarch: Hadrian Lucretius.

  Voidukas Clan: The smallest of the vampire clans, created by Uro. Their territory consists of: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Denmark, and Switzerland. Reigning monarch: Sonya Rebane.

  Volkov Clan: Formed by the pureblood Dimitri. Territory belonging to this clan is Northern Europe and Russia. He created this Clan to give refuge to vampires over the years trying to escape persecution, slavery, and tyrannical rulers of their own Clans. Reigning monarch: Dimitri Arsov.

  Prologue

  Tallinn, Estonia

  A Month Ago

  The humans knew nothing of the world they lived in, blissfully ignorant of the creatures that surrounded them: vampires, shape-shifters and witches. Each appeared to be nodifferent than their mortal counter parts. Falcon was one of those creatures, a vampire. His lungs expanded, filling with useless oxygen and his heart beat with a steady pulse that heated his flesh and colored his cheeks. Oh, yes, his kind could blend in seamlessly amongst their prey, their victims easily seduced by their otherworldly allure.

  Falcon stood before the windows of the hotel’s small yet respectable library watching the people of Tallinn rushed by in waves five stories below.

  They did not know that every full moon shifters took the shape of their animal spirits, some seemingly normal humans morphed into jaguars, others into bears, eagles, or lions. The list went on and on, every shifter was a predator.

  Then there were the witches. A sect of the realm of darkness separated into two factions, the powerful and peaceful Shaw and the bloodthirsty Red Order, hunters bent on ridding the world of vampires.

  The sunlight beat through the glass, blanketing him in its warmth. He absently rubbed the surface of the medallion he wore around his neck, its magic protecting him from the deadly rays of the sun. Only exceptionally strong and gifted vampires could withstand the light, the rest perished—burning and quickly turning to ash.

  Clueless, simple mortals, he thought. They believed monsters like him only existed in books and movies.

  A smile tugged at his lips as he thought back to the time he believed vampires were nothing but stories fabricated to frighten children. It was so long ago.

  His smile widened as amusement sparked within him. He wondered how people would react if they had known that on this wonderful, bright, warm day while the sun reigned brilliantly in the sky, the vampire monarchs and the Red Order Councilmen had met to discuss a pointless subject. Peace.

  Silvie, the Shaw high priestess, had invited the Council and every ruler of darkness, all four chieftains of the vampire clans, to their neutral territory in Estonia. She had hoped to end the war between the Mylonas clan and the Red Order hunters, a blood feud that spanned two centuries.

  Dorian Vlakhos, Chieftain of the Mylonas clan, had been willing to negotiate an armistice while the Red Order remained divided on their decision.

  Falcon had sat beside his king; Hadrian of the Validus clan, during the meeting, listening intently to the discussion knowing full well nothing would come of it. The priestess had to be crazy to think a war such as this could simply end with a good chat and a treaty.

  He, like the other vampires present, was a warrior to the bone. Death and war had been their sole occupation for centuries. They knew the game well, understood how the game was played. The war between the Mylonas and the Red Order would end with complete destruction, but not of the vampires as the hunters hoped.

  The Red Order was a breath away from complete annihilation. After nearly two centuries of constant war, their numbers were scarce. Those who remained sought refuge underground. Their women grossly out numbered their men and were used like brood mares, guarded and locked away for safekeeping. Their children were trained and at the tender age of fourteen were dubbed soldiers, then sent off to fight the vampires. It wasn’t likely their race would survive the next century if an agreement could not be made.

  Falcon’s heart ached for the children. They deserved to live in peace, not forced to face the demons of the night. If only the Red Order Councilmen could work past their prejudice and forsake their hate, peace could be possible. Until then, Falcon would pray every night for those children and for a solution to this madness.

  He rubbed his brow. His head was beginning to ache. Though his charm shielded him, it could only do so much. After hours of standing like a statue before the window, his eyes were starting to burn.

  Yet he remained, watching the humans scurry across the street. They went about their lives without a worry or even a second thought to the kinds of battles taking place around them. It was moments such as this when
he realized how jaded and disillusioned he had become over his eight hundred plus years of living.

  Once, he had been just like them and yes, there were times he wished things had turned out differently for him. But, he would always be indebted to Hadrian, for he had granted him a new life. Hadrian had changed him. He had given him strength and purpose. As the other Validus vampires had searched the battlefield for worthy humans to turn into fledglings, they had ignored him. But Hadrian, who had no intentions of ever turning a human, paused by his side. He had lifted him from the mud. His black as night gaze peered directly into his soul as Falcon struggled for every breath, fighting the gray specter of death. He had seen something within Falcon worth saving.

  Falcon shook his head. To this day he had been unable to discern why Hadrian had changed him or why he had welcomed him into his clan as if he were a long lost brother. He had accepted him when no one else ever had. Hadrian trained him, taught him how to harness his powers. It was because of Hadrian’s diligent and detailed training that Falcon quickly rose through the vampire warrior ranks and became a Black Knight, an elite warrior. He became one of the personal guard of his clan’s chieftains and protector of the noble houses. He had been a knight in life and now in death. Falcon had wanted nothing more than to serve his maker, his king, his friend – Hadrian. That is until he met her.

  He cursed. He couldn’t go even fifteen minutes without thinking of her or envisioning her the last time they had met. Sonya’s hair cascaded down her back in delicate spirals, her golden eyes glowing with desire, her luscious lips parted as she gasped in pleasure. He stood between her thighs, her red silk dress bunched about her waist, her breasts bare for him.

  Falcon violently shoved the mental image aside. Thoughts of her only brought pain and misery; the toxic combination poisoned his heart and burned his soul.