Fallen (A Club Blood Erotic Short #2) Read online

  Fallen

  (A Club Blood Erotic Short Book Two)

  by

  Nicole Garcia

  © 2014 Nicole Garcia

  Cover Design: Dawn Sullivan

  Editor: Patty Hanson

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to those who never thought they’d have a happily ever after, but found that one person who completed them.

  Acknowledgements

  To my best friend and critique partner Dawn Sullivan. Your support and encouragement mean the world to me. I love you.

  To Patty Hanson, my editor, I greatly appreciate all the hard work you put into making my work my own vision. I can’t thank you enough for all the countless hours spent on helping me revise my books.

  I would like to take this time to thank my wonderful Facebook street team, Nicole’s Naughty Nymphs & Satyrs for their continued support and all the hard work they put into helping me share my work. I love you all to pieces.

  Prologue

  Salem, Massachusetts 1692

  I was standing in the middle of the town square. The loud screaming of the crowd pierced my eardrums and they got louder with each passing second. I refused to open my eyes, not even for a second ; if I did I would run to her. I would do everything humanly possible to save her, but she made me promise to be still, silent, and not look at what they planned to do to her.

  My mother, accused of being a witch, was sentenced to death by hanging. The court believed she was the cause of my father's death, and the death of her first husband. But, it wasn’t so. It honestly wasn’t true at all. She didn't kill anyone, nor was she a sorceress with evil intentions.

  Okay, so she wasn't perfect. She was always out gallivanting around with strange men and having loud parties in our home, but that didn't make her a witch. It only made her a bad mother. There were times where I would hold a grudge for months over some asinine thing she had done, yet I always forgave her. She was the only mother I had, the only mother I would ever have. No matter what she did, I never thought for one second that she would be taken from us forever.

  I pressed my hands over my ears to muffle the shouting. I was scared. I had never been more frightened than I was at this moment. I may be an adult, but what would I do without my mother? How could I take care of my little brothers all on my own? Would the town come after me next? All these questions raced around my dazed and confused mind. They made my head spin as I heard a wooden crate scrape against the platform in front of me. I removed my hands from my ears to let them rest by my side as the crowd started to quiet down; they turned my stomach as they waited breathlessly for the executioner to speak.

  I kept my eyes closed, unable to bear witness to the inevitable horror to come. I listened to the sound of heeled shoes as they tapped up the wooden stairs, then over the planks of the platform where the sound abruptly stopped.

  "Mercy!" A woman behind me yelled. I jumped, startled by the sudden break in silence.

  "Another witch! String her up with the others! The man who stood in front of me bellowed.

  I squeezed my eyes tighter as my chest clenched. My heart started beating harder and faster as the brave woman was pushed and pulled across the dirt path toward her emanate death. Her panic stricken screams could probably be heard for miles, yet no one stepped in to help the poor woman because they feared for their own lives.

  I finally worked up enough courage to open my eyes so I could look at the only woman who had enough heart to voice her compassion for another human being. The full loose sleeves of her dark blue dress had been torn, most likely from the struggle she’d put up. Her long overskirt was covered in mud and tears were streaming down her face.

  My stomach lurched; now I couldn't look away from the scene playing out in front of me. I turned my head slightly to the right where my mother stood with nothing more than a rickety wooden box under her feet and a thick rope around her neck. She wasn't crying, she didn't look upset or concerned. She looked...proud. A smirk adorned her face as she stood tall with her head held high and her hands tied in front of her.

  If anyone didn't think she was a witch before, well, they would now. Her hair was pinned to the top of her head as a few fiery red tendrils fell against her high cheekbones. She was so beautiful, so brave, and so completely stubborn. She wouldn't give anyone there the satisfaction of pleading for her life. If they thought she was a witch, then so be it. She would give them the show they so desperately waited for.

  Without any warning, the man standing behind the woman who tried to save my mother’s life, kicked the old wooden box out from under her. She dropped hard, but her body never touched the ground. Her hands flew to her throat as she desperately tried to pull the rope free. She thrashed and kicked. She made horrid gurgling noises as she struggled to breathe. A few short minutes seemed like an eternity as I listened to that poor woman die. I lowered my head and said a silent prayer for her as her body went slack and lifeless from the lack of oxygen to her brain.

  I raised my head again knowing what was to come next. My mother would be dead within the next few minutes and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I nervously tucked my hair under my hat, hiding the red curls that resembled my mothers. I was supposed to stay hidden from view, but I couldn't stay away and let my mother die without someone there who loved her.

  "Bridget Bishop you have been accused of using dark magic against humanity and have been sentenced to death. Do you have anything to say for yourself?" The executioner's tone was menacing and his face lacked even the tiniest bit of compassion.

  My mother looked straight ahead and pulled her shoulders back, causing her full breasts to strain dangerously tight against the fabric of her red corset. She smiled wickedly as she looked the crowd over. "You will all be punished for your sins. I curse you and your loved ones. You shall never rest or be free of the evil that will enter your lives. You will forever be shackled to the memory of what you have done here today."

  The hushed whispers of the crowd got louder and the corners of my mouth tipped up. I couldn't help but to smile at my mother's bravery. She always knew how to make something good out of a bad situation and having these ignorant people believe she had cursed them all for the rest of their lives was her ultimate revenge.

  Chapter One

  Present Day

  My eyes fluttered open as he stirred next to me. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. It was the most unbelievable feeling I've ever experienced. He was my only comfort. The only reason I felt like I truly belonged in this world. When I'm with him I never feel alone, even though I am.

  Every night we start over as if we'd never slept together before. He doesn't
know what I am and I want to keep it that way. He can never know. He will never know. Each day before he wakes I carry him upstairs to the bar, place him in a booth and wipe his memory of everything we'd shared together.

  It broke my heart every time to force him to forget about our incredible evening. He meant the world to me and I had to treat him as if he meant nothing to me. I can't allow him to be hurt. The less he knows about me the better off he will be. Besides, if he ever found out what I truly am, he'd change his mind about me in an instant.

  But, I'm not ready to give him up yet. I won't give him up. I have to hide my secret from him just a little bit longer. Long enough to work up the courage to finally let him go.

  Caressa couldn't find out what I've been doing, especially since I gave her so much shit about her wanting to be with a human. She turned Noah last year and they haven't spent a moment apart since.

  You see, the reason no one can find out about us is because Rhett, the man who quickly became so important to me, is Noah's best friend. He showed up at the club not long before Noah was turned. He’s come to the bar every night since.

  Even though he made it quite clear how he felt about me right away, I did not give into the burning desire that scorched its way through my veins. I simply shot all his advances down. I'd known from the start I had to have him as my own. His delicious scent captivated me from the very beginning and not sinking my fangs into his taut skin to devour his delectable blood was maddening at times.

  One night a few months ago I could no longer control my need to taste him. Of course I could have had any other man in the club. In fact, I'd had so many before him, but he was the one that my heart was set on. His blood was what I hungered for and what I craved every minute of every day. It was him and him alone that satisfied my need to feed.

  He stirred again and turned on his side with his back facing me. I ran my long nails through his shoulder length dark hair, rubbing the strands between my fingers. I wish he could stay longer, but dusk was approaching and the rest of the girls would be up soon. I had to get him upstairs to the club before any of them or Noah woke up.

  I put him into a deeper sleep so I could carry him without waking him. I got out of bed and threw on a pair of black leather stretch pants and a black halter top. I padded around to his side of the bed and peeled back the blanket that covered his perfect body. I tilted my head to the side; my eyes drinking him in once more before I grabbed his clothes at the foot of the bed.

  I dressed him as fast as I could and effortlessly threw him over my shoulder. I sprinted upstairs and placed him in a booth at the back of the club. I placed a kiss on his forehead and swiped my hand across his face to erase his memory. He wouldn't remember our sensual night together when he awoke. He wouldn't remember having sex and he definitely wouldn’t remember one single breathtaking kiss that we’d shared.

  I'll continue to play hard to get as I've done for the last few months, exchanging insults and playful banter, pretending I'm not interested in him whatsoever. I am known to my sisters as the hard one. I am known as the one who doesn’t give a shit about anyone else’s feelings. The one they considered least likely to fall in love. I'd like to keep my reputation as the unforgiving one. I will not show any weakness to anyone ever again. The last time I did that, I was turned into the creature I am now. And although I have rather enjoyed being a vampire most of the time, it's been a very lonely existence over the last few centuries.

  I've had Caressa by my side from the very beginning. She was the first of us to be turned and is now the leader of our coven. Although I don't agree with some of her decisions, I know she always tried to do what was best for us. We rarely leave the club because there are only six of us, well seven if you count Noah, which isn't nearly enough vampires to protect our kind from the Hunters.

  The Hunters have been trying to exterminate our kind for centuries and during a war just over a hundred years ago, they were almost successful. Most of the vampires had been completely wiped out. If it weren't for the quick thinking of our former leader, Marcus, there would have been no one left at all.

  Marcus was Caressa's maker and it was he who brought me into the coven, giving me a home. Marcus was ruthless and sometimes uncaring, but I will forever be grateful to him. He gave me the family I longed for after I lost my mother and brothers.

  During the last war, Caressa, under the direction of Marcus, led us to safety. Later that night she told us how Marcus had been burned to death by the Hunters. Caressa felt relieved in a sense because he'd had an unbreakable hold on her. He'd promised her the world and after he turned her, he treated her like dirt on the bottom of his shoe.

  Marcus was not kind to any of us, not even the male vampires. I'd asked him long ago why he was so unforgiving. His reply was that he needed to be strong for the coven. He couldn't allow himself to be weakened by a female because it was his duty to protect our race.

  I learned a lot from Marcus that day. I learned that I could never allow another into my heart. He was right. It was our duty to be strong and not allow love to cloud our judgement; otherwise we would cease to exist.

  I took one last look at Rhett and turned around, crashing right into Caressa. Just the vampire I did not want to bump into. She peered over my shoulder suspiciously. "What are you doing?"

  "Nothing." I cocked my head in Rhett’s direction. "He fell asleep in the booth again; I was trying to wake him up. It wouldn't look good to have a man drooling all over the table when customers start to arrive.” I rounded her and made my way over to the bar, changing the subject before she had a chance to question me any further about him. "Where's Keira? It's her turn to head the bar tonight, she should be here to set up."

  "She'll be here in a few minutes. She's getting dressed."

  I nodded over to Rhett. "Maybe you should have Noah come get him and take him home. He hardly ever leaves. We should start charging him rent."

  Caressa sat on the stool across from me and popped a green olive in her mouth. She winked. "I think he'd like that since he never takes his eyes off you."

  "Shut up. I am not interested in him whatsoever." I lowered my voice an octave or two. "Besides, you know how I feel about humans."

  Caressa sighed. "They're only good for food."

  I picked up a glass and wiped the inside with a rag. "That's right."

  "You know, humans are good for other things too."

  "Eww, gross. I do not want to hear about 'The Chronicles of Before Noah Was Turned." I placed the glass on the counter with the others. "Please spare me the agony of my ears bleeding."

  "Okay, but I'm telling you, you’re missing out."

  "I doubt it."

  She stood as Noah walked into the club through the kitchen entrance. He sauntered over to her and pulled her into his arms, giving her a passionate kiss. My heart broke a little every time I saw them together, knowing I could never have that with Rhett. I have to be strong, but my resolve weakened every second I was with him.

  "He fell asleep here again?" Noah asked as he looked over at me.

  "Yeah." I said nervously.

  Noah let go of Caressa and walked over to his friend, but still addressed me. "What's wrong with you? You've been acting weird lately."

  "I have not." I told him angrily. It's so aggravating that he's come to know me so well in such a short amount of time. It's downright annoying.

  "Yes you have." He turned to Caressa. "I think she's been bitten by the bug."

  "What bug?" I asked.

  Caressa practically sang her response. "The love bug."

  "You guys are out of your damn minds."

  Noah shook Rhett to wake him. "Hey buddy, it's time to rise and shine."

  I tried to busy myself, hoping I'd done a good enough job erasing his memory. I couldn't keep doing this. I hate lying. I've always been the one, out of all my sisters, to tell it like it is. With me, what you see is what you get, and right now everyone in the room was getting nothing but anxious vibes from me. I a
m never uneasy, that's why they’ve been so suspicious of my behavior lately.

  Rhett lifted his head and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He yawned. "What time is it?"

  "Almost eight o'clock." Noah answered.

  Rhett laid his head back down on his arms. "Why did you wake me up so early?"

  Noah helped Rhett out of the booth and guided him to a stool by the bar. "Dude, its eight o'clock at night. How much did you drink last night?"

  "I only remember having that one shot."

  "Get this man some coffee Gia. Then I'm taking you home. You need to take a shower and sleep in your own bed for a change."

  I walked to the end of the bar and grabbed the coffee pot. I sat a mug in front of Rhett, added three teaspoons of sugar, then poured the steamy black liquid into the cup. I reached for the cream under the counter, but he placed his hand over the top of the mug.

  "I think I need to drink it black today. How much did I drink yesterday?" He asked as he lifted the cup to his mouth. He took a few sips and placed the cup back down on the counter.

  "A few." I lied. I can't have anyone know what actually happened. After all the customers had gone and the girls and Noah went downstairs, Rhett helped me clean up, as he always did. Then we went downstairs to my apartment and had mind blowing sex, just as we have done for the past few months.

  "Fuck, my head is killing me. Remind me not to drink anymore okay?"

  "Do I look like your mother?"

  "Damn girl relax."

  "Then don't tell me what to do."

  "I wasn't telling you what to do, I was merely asking..."

  "Well, I'm merely telling you I'm not your keeper."

  He pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead squeezing his eyes shut. "Look, I'm not in the mood to argue with you today okay. My head hurts and you're making it worse."