The Jewel of Darkness
Brandon Thorpe and Sabrina
Rivers-Thorpe have enjoyed six months of wedded bliss, but Sabrina’s been
keeping a secret. Her transformation into a vampire created a magical
disturbance in the Underworld. Now, Death is coming for what’s his.
But is Death the only thing
stalking Sabrina? Brandon and Hadrian, Sabrina’s father, bring in Delilah, a
demon, to act as detective and magical keeper. But Sabrina’s bloodlines are
unique, and magic responds to her in unpredictable ways. Has Brandon’s efforts
to keep her safe just made her a bigger, more valuable target? Is she even a
vampire at all?
To what depths will Sabrina have
to go to satisfy Death’s demands? Can she do it using her own powers? Can
Brandon find a way to keep the Underworld from claiming Sabrina for its own?
Can they even survive, if he doesn’t? What if Death isn’t the only one looking
to do her harm? In the darkness, can a single jewel save them all?
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STORY
EXCERPT
Sabrina turned her face up to the hot
spray. It felt good to push the water through her long, black hair. When
finished, she gave the knobs a firm twist and reached out for the towel. The
soft pile of fluffy fabric drank up the droplets as she stepped out of the
shower. She used it as a wrap, tucking the edge in at the front to hold it up
over her breasts. A second towel found its way around her head, twisted about
her hair.
She padded over to the sink. Steam fogged
the mirror over the marble vanity, allowing her to see an outline but no
details. She started to wipe the surface clear but thought better of it.
Instead she grabbed her toothbrush and the paste.
A quick dip through the trickle of water
left on in the sink wet the brush enough to use. The mint-flavored gel foamed
quickly. Sabrina made sure to carefully work the bristles around her fangs.
She pulled the towel from her hair and
dropped it on the floor. Tilting her head to the side, she placed her lips under
the faucet to pull water into her mouth. She rinsed out the paste twice and
turned off the tap.
Before she could stand up, a hand reached
through the mirror, grabbing a fistful of her hair. Sabrina screamed and braced
herself against the sink. The hand tried to drag her through the rippling,
silvered surface of the mirror.
A low voice growled, “You will be mine.”
“No! Brandon, help me!” Sabrina screamed.
Two strong hands squeezed her shoulders and
shook her hard. That was not right. He needed to pull her to safety, not shake
her up and down.
“Sabrina! Sabrina, wake up! Come on honey,
wake up,” he said.
Brandon’s voice broke through her terror.
She opened her eyes to see the serious look he wore. Tears slid down the sides
of her face. She glanced around the room to make sure of her surroundings.
“It was just a dream. You’re safe at home
and with me,” he cooed gently.
He rolled to one side and took her with
him, cuddling her like a frightened child. Kissing her forehead, he took an
edge of the sheet and wiped away her tears. Strong arms encircled her like a
cage, pressing the side of her head to his chest.
Sabrina listened for a heartbeat, but only
silence filled the space. She sniffed back a sob and closed her eyes. Inhaling
deeply, she took in his honey-amber scent and relaxed. The fear subsided as she
found comfort in her husband’s embrace.
A knock on the door interrupted the peace
Brandon brought her. From the weight of the rap, she knew it was her father. He
joined them for breakfast most evenings. Tonight, he came early.
“Is everything okay? Those had better be
screams of pleasure I heard,” Hadrian said through the closed door. There was a
hint of jest to his tone, but Sabrina felt certain there was also a thinly
veiled threat.
Before he chose to become a vampire,
Hadrian ruled the known world as a Roman emperor. For him, old habits did not
die hard. They never died at all.
“Yes, sir,” Brandon called back. He nuzzled
Sabrina’s cheek and kissed her again. “Do you want to tell me about it?”
“It was so real. My scalp is still
prickling from where the hand had my hair,” she replied.
“What were you doing this time?”
“Brushing my teeth. I leaned in to rinse,
and someone grabbed me. I didn’t see anything but a wrist. The mirror steamed
up. I screamed for you, and then, I woke up,” she answered, fighting back more
tears.
She pulled herself free and sat up. In the
dresser’s mirror, she saw pink streaks on her face. Her hair tumbled around
her, covering her naked breasts.
Sabrina asked, “Will it ever end?” She
spoke more to her mirror self but said the thought aloud.
Brandon sat up with her, placing one arm
around her. The other hand rested on her nearest shoulder. He rested his
forehead against the side of her head.
“You’ve been through a lot. It’s only been six
months. Give it some time,” he whispered.
“Time,” she said. “I have plenty of that
now, don’t I?”
She pushed him back on the bed and
straddled him. His bare flesh felt good between her thighs. Lifting her arms to
stretch, she brushed her hair back from her body, revealing her breasts. The
feel of the thick, blue-black curls brushing her nipples caused them to
tighten.
Brandon grinned, flashing his fangs. “Oh,
if your father wasn’t waiting, what wouldn’t I like to do to you right now?” He
traced his fingers along the tops of her thighs to her waist. Palming her hips,
he pressed her against his hardening dick.
Sabrina giggled.
Hadrian’s gruff, impatient voice called
back through the closed door, “Well, he is waiting, and he doesn’t want to know
the answer to that question.”
Sabrina covered her mouth with both hands
to suppress another giggle. If it had been possible, she might have blushed.
She only met her father six months ago. Although married, she still became
embarrassed at the thought of his hearing her and Brandon.
Brandon pulled her hands free. “Don’t hide
those beautiful fangs. We’re at home and can do anything we want to with each
other. There’s nothing shameful in a man wanting his wife.”
“You’re right, but I suppose we should get
dressed. Let’s go eat,” she agreed.
She bounded out of bed, scooping up her
robe off the floor as she did. She glanced back to find Brandon leaned against
the headboard. Staring for a moment, she took in the sight and thought how
lucky she was to have him.
His dark brown eyes looked at her
appraisingly. A wide smile spread across his face. The tip of his tongue toyed
with his fang points. Thickly corded arms folded behind his head made him seem
casual and laid-back. Broad shoulders and a sculpted chest tapered down to washboard
abs and a narrow waist. A sheet of white silk hid everything else.
Her
nipples hardened into peaks just seeing him, knowing he belonged to her. She
bit at her bottom lip and dropped the robe. She wanted to climb back onto the
bed and stay there with him for the rest of the night.
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