A Bloody London Sunset (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 2)
Read A Bloody London Sunset (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 2) Online
Authors: Jaz Primo
RUTHERFORD LITERARY GROUP
www.rutherfordliterary.com
Novels by Jaz Primo
The Sunset Vampire Series
SUNRISE AT SUNSET
A BLOODY LONDON SUNSET
SUMMIT AT SUNSET
(Additional Titles Forthcoming)
* * * * *
You can find Jaz Primo online at the following locations:
Website:
www.jazprimo.com
Blog:
primovampires.blogspot.com
Facebook:
Jaz Primo
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Published by:
Rutherford Literary Group
1205 S. Air Depot, PMB #135
Midwest City, OK 73110-4807
Cover art by Albert Slark
Copyright 2011 by John Primo
ISBN 9780982861332 (eBook)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2011903363
First Rutherford Literary Group printing: May 2011
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
Printed in the U.S.A.
You can find Jaz Primo online at the following locations:
Website:
www.jazprimo.com
Blog:
primovampires.blogspot.com
Facebook:
Jaz Primo
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This novel is dedicated to loved ones lost far too soon, lessons learned both early and late, and the music-fueled muses who continue to inspire me.
All my love and appreciation to my wife, Lori, who continues to support, promote, and encourage my passion for writing. Sincere, heartfelt thanks to my family and friends, who continue to cheer me on and assuage my anxieties throughout the creative process. Special shout-outs to my mother, Phyllis, and my mother-in-law, Joyce, who turned out to be quite the Sunset vampire fans.
A huge thank you to Al Slark, who is arguably one of the most talented, gifted, and impressive cover artists in the publishing industry. Thanks to Lauren, Scott, and Kalli for bringing the striking figures of Katrina, Caleb, and Paige to life for the world to see. My appreciation to Brandon for the supplemental assistance and creativity regarding all things “webby and fonty.” Special thanks to my amazing editor, Julia, for her suggestions and meticulous ministrations in preparing my manuscript for the light of day.
As always, thank you to my dear friends Jimmy, Jessica, Teresa, Crystal, Victoria, Amie, Lisa, Shannon, and Nancy for their invaluable proofreading, input, support, and encouragement. The piers of my self-confidence are grounded in the bedrock of wonderful people who care about me.
Prologue: Caleb
Caleb Taylor’s heartbeat thundered in his ears as he raced down the hallway.
Have to help Katrina!
Speeding through the living area into the dining room and wielding the polished sword over his head with both hands, he closed on the unprotected back of the hideous-faced vampire, Chimalma, who was battling the woman he loved. Katrina’s eyes widened for an instant, enough for the disfigured female vampire to notice. Chimalma’s bared fangs and blazing hazel eyes targeted Caleb. She jerked her hand away from Katrina’s grip, throwing a dagger at Caleb as he charged.
The dagger hammered into Caleb’s upper chest with a force that caused him to topple backwards from the impact. Intense pain cascaded through his chest and shoulder, and the sword slipped from his hands and skittered across the floor towards Katrina. The red-haired vampire managed to grab the hilt as it nearly slid past her and whipped the blade upwards, plunging the sword into Chimalma’s heart. With a twist, she broke the sword tip off in the vampire’s chest. Chimalma sharply gasped and grabbed at one of the arrow bolts stuck in Katrina’s chest with her free hand, pressing it into her further, causing Katrina to scream in pain.
With one swift sweep of Katrina’s right arm, the broken blade swooshed upwards, neatly separating the vampire’s head from her shoulders. As Caleb lay on the floor in horror, Chimalma’s head rolled across the floor, spraying a mist of cascading blood in its path. The body slumped to the tiled floor with a squishy
thud
, and Chimalma’s head came to a stop against the far wall, shock reflected in her face.
Caleb gasped as he lurched into a sitting position in the darkness, covered in sweat. Katrina appeared at his bedside and placed her soft, warm palm against his face.
“Another nightmare, my love?” she asked softly with glowing green eyes.
He nodded.
That’s the problem with vampires
, he thought sourly.
Even when you kill them, they still manage to haunt you.
* * * *
Chapter 1: Domestic Life
It was a late-January Monday afternoon at Robert Fulton Community College in downtown Atlanta. Caleb gazed into the mirror mounted on his office door at a tired-looking face with pale blue eyes and sandy brown hair. He had lost a lot of sleep recently from recurring nightmares, though he was happy that the events of the previous month were behind him.
Stretching his legs in the chair behind his modest desk, he smirked at how his lean, muscular frame fit comfortably in the small pocket office. Only twenty-six years old, he was happy to be the newest history professor in the Social Sciences division. It was his second semester of employment, but he still felt like he had won the lottery at being freshly hired out of graduate school. Given the poor state of economy, perhaps in a manner of speaking he had.
Glass formed one side of his first-floor office, revealing the winter grounds of the campus. While the wind was cold and brisk outside, at least the sunny blue skies made the winter feel somewhat less depressing. Caleb had always enjoyed sunny days, but more and more he longed for night when the ultraviolet radiation was no longer a threat to those about whom he cared dearly.
His life partner, though the official title was “mate,” was a tall, red-haired vampire named Katrina Rawlings. At least, that was her name until the time again came to change identities and localities, yet another of the many issues with which eternal beings had to contend. Katrina, whom he had affectionately nicknamed Kat, was the love of his life. A rush of warmth and pride flowed through him merely at the thought of her and of all she meant to him.
He smiled appreciatively, pulling a silver chain from beneath his pressed blue dress shirt, and gazed at the sterling silver heart-shaped pendant engraved with the inscription,
Caleb belongs to Kat
. He warmly recalled how Katrina had given it to him as a Christmas gift. She had a matching pendant, though inscribed differently. When he had first viewed Katrina’s pendant, he had been shocked to see that hers was inscribed with
Caleb is mine
, which had caused him to gape incredulously as he re-read his pendant’s inscription to note the seemingly singular theme of the set. She had laughed while flipping her pendant over, revealing the additional inscription,
Kat belongs to Caleb
. He chuckled, recalling how much she had appreciated his initial shocked reaction to her little joke. However, he was relieved the pendulum swung both ways.
A knock sounded outside his open office door, and he turned to see a young, dark-haired student. He could not recall the young man’s name, but recognized his face as one of his morning history students. Slipping the pendant back inside his shirt, Caleb greeted his visitor with a welcoming smile. He recalled the recent memo from the campus president, Dr. Patrick Beaumont, emphasizing that improved student retention began with a positive, welcoming demeanor from all faculty and staff. While only the second week of the spring semester, the battle had already begun to advise students not to drop out from classes. And the faculty was charged with encouraging their students to that end. The economic conditions in Georgia were especially poor, and the state’s colleges were fighting for improved enrollment numbers to justify funding increases.
The student, Tim Dominguez, wanted some advice on how to handle some schedule change requests that involved moving from his morning section to one of Caleb’s two evening sections. Caleb momentarily thanked fate that he was teaching both of his evening classes on Tuesday and Thursday night, giving him ample evenings each week to enjoy activities with Katrina. After advising Tim, he leaned forwards in his chair to sort his notes for the next day’s classes. He failed to notice the light fading outside as the winter’s early sunset approached.
Setting his notes aside, he raised his arms over his head to stretch and yawn. Then his cell phone rang. The caller was a stately mannered, English vampire named Alton Rutherford, who was both a close friend of Katrina’s and her former mentor. Alton was not yet someone whom Caleb considered a close friend, but the vampire had earned his respect, admiration, and appreciation for all he had done for them in recent months. Additionally, he was advising Caleb on how to help Katrina through a tough emotional experience following her battle with Chimalma. He felt particularly fortunate to have survived that dangerous adventure in mid-December, just days prior to the Christmas holidays. Alton had been instrumental in helping with that challenge as well.
“Hi, Alton.”
“Hello, Caleb. I hope I haven’t called at an inopportune time,” the vampire countered in his crisp English accent, sounding entirely like a titled nobleman.
Caleb knew virtually nothing about Alton’s past, including how old the vampire might be. Alton had never actually indicated he was from royalty or noble birth, though it was not a stretch to think he might be. When they had first met, Caleb had referred to him as Sir Alton, to which the vampire corrected, “Just Alton.”
“Caleb?” Alton asked.
Caleb broke from his reverie. “Not at all, Alton,” he stammered. “It’s always a pleasure to hear from you.”
The vampire chuckled. “Very kind of you to say. I’m calling to find out how your recovery is coming along.
Caleb frowned. “I’ve been doing much better, actually. It’s just…”
“Yes?”
“Well, we’ve been getting along fine. It’s just that she’s stopped feeding from me for some reason.”
Silence.
“Really?”
“After the night she accidently attacked me, she stopped,” Caleb explained. His thoughts drifted back to when Katrina had been immersed in a series of aggressive and violent endeavors following the unexpected appearance of Chimalma in their lives last December. He shivered while recalling how he had been savagely bitten by Katrina as she experienced a disturbing nightmare. The resulting pain had been physical and emotional for both of them.
“And sex?” Alton asked.
“Well, that part’s okay, actually,” Caleb replied with a grin.
“I see. Well, bear in mind that your near-death experience prior to Christmas interrupted our original plans to curtail Katrina’s renewed desire for violent activities,” Alton explained.
“I’ve been thinking about that lately,” Caleb absently noted as his thoughts drifted to a past conversation. Alton had told him that Katrina previously spent large portions of her life pursuing violent activities, and the desire had been rekindled during their recent trials to stop Chimalma. He had explained that Katrina was an alpha vampire who was innately drawn to participate in violent, aggressive activities, marking her as one of her kind’s most dangerous predators. Having seen Katrina’s aggressions firsthand, he could only agree wholeheartedly with Alton’s assessment.
“Do you recall what I recommended?” the vampire asked.
“Of course,” Caleb replied. Alton had devised a two-phase process for him to help Katrina adjust to her violent feelings in a more positive manner. Phase one had been easy for him. It involved encouraging Katrina with less aggressive activities, such as more displays of affection, appreciation, and intimacy. He avoided arguments and confrontations with her and told her how much he needed and appreciated her. That had worked fabulously and was perfectly suited behavior for his peaceable, easy-going personality.
Phase two involved more physically challenging pursuits, and Alton had asked him to adopt an exercise regimen to improve both his muscular and cardio-vascular conditions. However, he had been partially debilitated during his recovery from nearly dying of injuries sustained in the final battle with Chimalma.
“Phase one worked well,” Caleb said as he shut the door to his office, preventing his voice from carrying out into the hallway. “In fact, my increased physical workouts haven’t raised Katrina’s suspicions at all. She associates it with my recovery from last December.”
“Excellent,” Alton remarked. “Are you ready to begin phase two?”
While Caleb understood that he was expected to engage in hunting-styled activities that Katrina might enjoy as much as the dangerous pursuits from her past, Alton had been rather vague regarding the details.
“Sure, I’m in pretty good shape, actually,” he replied, thinking of the improved diet and stamina-building activities that had increased his muscle tone and endurance.
Alton fell silent, but somehow Caleb imagined him smiling at that moment.
“Excellent. Shall we proceed?” Alton baited.
“Um, sure,” Caleb replied. “What exactly does that involve again?”
“Think of it as an aggressive form of hide and seek,” Alton suggested. “Approach it like a playful form of escape and evade.”
Caleb silently nodded his head. “Okay, I can do that. Any suggestions?”
“Certainly,” Alton continued. “Find terrain that poses a challenge for her. Preferably somewhere outdoors, such as a forest or national park. After some practice, you can vary the location and setting. Just try to avoid public places where the use of her vampire abilities might be noticed.”
Caleb considered that for a moment. “But wouldn’t a public place restrict her abilities and make it more challenging for her?”
“Hm,” Alton considered. “You have a point.”
Then Caleb frowned. “I don’t stand a chance without getting a head start,” he ventured. “But I could pre-stage somewhere and call her on the phone. I should also give her a time limit because, once her gaze falls upon on me, I’m as good as bagged.”
“Also excellent points,” Alton agreed. “You’re actually better at envisioning this than I gave you credit for, young man.”
Caleb beamed at the rare compliment. “Honestly, though, I don’t think humans stand much of a chance against pursuing vampires.”
“Caleb,” Alton mildly chastised, “it’s not as if anyone’s trying to harm you. This is all for Katrina’s amusement. Besides, you may learn to enjoy it over time. And she’s bound to be grateful for your efforts. There could be rewards forthcoming you haven’t even considered yet.”
Caleb slyly smirked at the suggestion. “That’s always nice.”
“Let me leave you with some final advice,” Alton interjected. “Remember that Katrina can see much further than you and in the dark. And since you’ll have to do this at night, you’ll be at a disadvantage. Most of all, don’t try to hide from her; keep moving. She can hear your heartbeat when she’s near you. She also has your scent imprinted, so she would locate you immediately if you tried bunkering. As your mate, Katrina has finely tuned and honed her senses to your body’s signature.”
After momentarily considering those final pieces of advice, he replied, “Thanks so much, Alton. I appreciate the helpful advice, and I’ll let you know how it goes.”
“Good luck,” Alton offered. “Oh, and by the way, I extended an invitation to Katrina for the two of you to come visit me in London during your spring break. I hope you’ll decide to take me up on that offer.”
“How could I possibly refuse? I’d be honored,” Caleb said. “I’ve never been out of the country before, and I’ve always wanted to see Europe.”
“Excellent,” Alton confirmed in a strangely satisfied tone. “I believe you’ll find it an interesting experience. Well, I must be going for now. Again, good luck on your new hunting venture. And do call me if you have questions or concerns.”
“Thanks, Alton,” Caleb said before hanging up. “Nice talking to you.”
He leaned back in his chair to mull over ideas regarding his hunting venture with Katrina.
Hide and Seek with a vampire?
The minutes passed as he lost track of time, and then lurched suddenly in his chair upon realizing it was getting late.
Katrina will be wondering about me.
The drive home to Katrina’s estate in Mableton, just outside of Atlanta, took less time than Caleb expected. He grinned while pulling through the regal-looking front security gate to the exclusive Pine Valley addition in his older model Honda.
Who would’ve thought I’d ever live someplace like this?
He proceeded down the central dark road that wound through the remote, heavily wooded area. Each property was at least five or more acres in area, and most of the homes were veritable mansions. Each estate was a reflection of an owner’s taste, resulting in diverse styles of architecture. However, most estates sat so far from the street that few were visible without entering the private driveways leading onto each property. In the case of Katrina’s estate, which had become his residence in December, a private wrought-iron gate blocked the entrance to the driveway.
After he activated a button on his remote control, the gate swung open, and Caleb proceeded up the lengthy driveway to the four-car garage. He still marveled at how expansive the six thousand square foot manor looked from the driveway. It was a beautiful place to live, sporting all of the modern technological conveniences, including a state-of-the-art security system.
As he pulled into the garage, he glanced to the right to see Katrina’s black Audi sports car parked inside. He longed to see her again after a long day at the college. Despite the months that had passed, he remained in awe at having been chosen as her mate.
She could have picked any man in the world, but she chose me.
Caleb glanced down for only an instant to place the car in park, but when he looked up again he saw Katrina already standing next to his car. She observed him with an endeared expression as he exited the vehicle, and he smiled brightly at her. He stopped while reaching into the back seat to retrieve his book bag to take in the magnificent vision of his mate.
My vampire.
Katrina wore designer jeans and a crew neck sweater. Her long red hair cascaded across her shoulders like a mantle, and the gaze from her deep green eyes seemed to penetrate directly into him.
She’s ravishing for someone who’s over five hundred years old
, he mused as he took a moment to appreciate her nearly six-foot, lean physique, and the way her skin looked almost milky in the light. Though pale skin was a telltale indicator of a vampire, it didn’t imply that she was a corpse. Vampires were definitely alive, breathing beings with blood flowing through their veins. Their inhuman characteristics set them aside: the ability to regenerate from wounds, retractable fangs, vast strength, amazing speed, and heightened senses of sight, smell, hearing, and touch.