THIRST (The Elite Book 3) Page 6

  Except Farah.

  Farah is as unique as humans get. I catch myself just before I let out a little lovesick sigh. God, I’m going to get myself caught, all because I can’t keep my mind off Farah.

  Glancing over the window ledge, I’m happy to discover that the room is empty, so I slide the window up. When the window creaks, I pause for just a second to make sure no one heard it. The voices below are still talking about the barmaid’s big tits and the room inside is still quiet, so I continue to push the window open, being extra cautious not to let it scrape against its frame.

  Once inside, I begin to look about, searching for clues. Anything that might tell me what the hell is going on. There’s a desk against one wall, its surface covered with sheets of unorganised papers.

  “Whoever uses this desk is a disorganised son of a bitch,” I murmur under my breath as I leaf through the paperwork.

  Hestin follows me through the window without incident and quickly joins the search.

  “Look for names,” I tell him, my voice quiet yet stern. “Anyone you recognise.”

  I don’t want to tell him that I suspect someone close to the Mother, close to me even, is most likely involved. I can’t think of any other way that this could be kept so quiet. Whoever is in charge knows who to talk to and who not to.

  He searches the bookcases while I focus my attention on the desk. The room grows quiet momentarily, and I glance his way to find him staring at a piece of paper.

  “What’s that?” I ask.

  “Er… Just an invoice,” he murmurs, not bothering to look up. “But that’s not what got my attention.”

  I close the distance between us, wondering what could have him looking so nervous.

  “Kirdem couldn’t…” He pauses, not really believing his own words. “He couldn’t have…”

  “Spit it out,” I growl, snatching the paper from his hand.

  “He couldn’t have faked his death?”

  I almost laugh aloud. A horrible bark, completely lacking in humour, but fortunately I just about keep it inside. There in black and white on the invoice now in my hand is a bill for this very day addressed to Kirdem.

  It was probably back dated, I try to reassure myself. Kirdem would never betray the Mother. I don’t have time to consider that line of thought, because I hear a scream coming from the next room. I should ignore it. I should leave. Or continue my search.

  It’s probably just a vampire’s human snack. Not something to concern myself about. But then I see the blood oozing through the slit under the door. Vampires don’t waste human blood.

  And only royal vampires are allowed to kill.

  I move towards the door, only for Hestin to grab my arm. “Everette, where are you going?”

  “I’m going to find out what’s going on.”

  “Why? We’re not supposed to be here. Remember?”

  He doesn’t get it. He’s not responsible for every life, be it vampire, human, or even shifter in England. I am.

  Shrugging him off, I reach the door in under a second. Opening it slowly, I’m horrified when several bodies fall into the room, landing at my feet.

  A young woman is cowering against the wall, her chest rising and falling as if she’s about to cry or worse, scream. But that’s not the only thing I see. There standing not two meters away from me is none other than Kirdem with a steely tint to his eyes.

  My brother.

  The Mother’s mate.

  “Oh Everette, fancy seeing you here.”

  To Be Continued in

  OBSESSION

  Preview of OBSESSION

  They say I love you. But that can’t possibly be true. Love is just lust and obsession, silly human hormones coursing through your blood. A need to claim, a need to own.

  I’ve already claimed you. I already own you. So why isn’t that enough?

  I’ve seen what happens when my kind fancy themselves in love. I won’t fall into that trap. You’re an obsession, a mindless distraction that needs to be erased.

  OBSESSION is the fourth book in The Elite series and continues where THIRST left off…

  Everette

  “You?” I can hardly believe my eyes. Kirdem is dead. There’s absolutely no possible way that he could be standing in front of me. For the briefest of moments, I wonder if I’m dreaming even though I haven’t dreamed in years. Centuries even.

  Or perhaps I’m seeing a ghost. Anything would make more sense than what I’m actually seeing. My brother, Kirdem, standing in front of me. Definitely alive.

  “Yes, me.” He looks pleased with himself. A snide expression on his face that I don’t recognise.

  This isn’t him. It can’t be. He would never betray the Mother.

  “Kirdem?” I hate the sound of my own voice. It’s weak and uncertain and completely wrong. I should be pummelling my fists into his face, not questioning his existence.

  “Everette,” he replies mockingly.

  “How could you?”

  He laughs then, throwing his head back. “How could I?”

  I wait for an answer, even though I know that nothing he has to say will be enough. I will never understand this act of betrayal. Anyone else. I could have believed it of anyone, but not him. And worse, the Mother will never believe this. How am I supposed to tell her?

  “It was pretty easy to be honest,” Kirdem says, sitting down at one of the many tables in the room. “When you’re the Mother’s consort, there’s a lot of freedom. If I was planning on letting you live, I’d recommend you take my place. There’s really nothing like it. The power. The freedom to do whatever the hell you want.”

  His words are vial and offensive. And my fists clench at my side.

  “Of course, I’ve heard you’ve got a mate of your own now,” he continues, his voice dripping with venom. “I plan to enjoy her. I had thought to make you watch. But lucky for you, I’m not going to let you live long enough now.”

  I lunge for him, seeing fire. Rage has me shaking as I slam my fist into his face. But we’re not alone. Hestin might be with me, but just down the hall I can hear feet pounding on the floor, coming this way.

  Kirdem responds in kind, kicking my shin. “You listen to me, Everette. There’s no winning this war. You’d be better to surrender now.”

  “Never.”

  “Silly little Everette,” Kirdem says. “Too loyal for his own good. And now too obsessed with an irrelevant human to even see when he’s already been beaten.”

  Read Obsession!

  Preview of Ember

  I should be the world champion, but fate always conspires against me. I think I need a beer!

  I don't know why I've come back to this hell hole. People say that Silver Springs is the ideal place for someone like me. It's a town full of supes, but it has never felt like home to me.

  I need a place to skate, preferably without melting the rink so when I hear that Silver Springs has a brand new magical rink that even my Kitsune fire magic won't melt, I return to the small paranormal town.

  I'm focused on one thing and one thing alone, training for the World Figure Skating Championships. This might be my last chance at getting the title and I'm not going to waste it. I'm not the only one who wants to win. Three time World Champion, Addie Ravenwood is determined to take the trophy home for a fourth time and she's more than willing to play dirty.

  Somehow we find ourselves fighting over the three sexy brothers who run the Silver Stein Brewery, instead of practicing our skating technique. Can I have it all; the world title, the three gorgeous angels and the chance to finally give Addie Ravenwood the middle finger?

  Ember is the second book in The Silver Skates series in the Silver Springs Multi-Author Universe and can be read as a standalone.

  I can’t believe that I’m back here again!

  I really can’t tell you enough how much I hate this town. There’s something about it that just makes my skin crawl. I’m pretty sure it’s probably the same feeling that most orphans get when
they find themselves back in the hell hole they were abandoned in. I wouldn’t be here at all if it wasn’t for the magical skating rink that just opened.

  If I’m going to be the world champion figure skater at long last, I’m going to have to up my game and get some serious practice in. That championship – the one I absolutely must win – is the only reason I’m back in this god awful town.

  Pulling on my skates, the ones that are almost as old as I am, I set out onto the ice. Someone once told me that sex is a lot like dancing. Some people are good at it and others have zero control over their own limbs. I can safely say I’ve had some shitty sex in the past, but I’ve never felt more alive than when I’m on the ice.

  It’s hard to control your own body when it burns up a storm at just the smallest of touches but on the ice, at least a magical rink like this one, that doesn’t matter. I can’t possibly melt this rink and for that I’m unbelievably grateful. This might be the first year that I actually stand a real chance of winning the championship.

  I glide between the crowds with a grace that I’ve never had off the ice. I’m more in control here. Elegant even. People stop skating to watch as I perform several pirouettes before leaping into the air. I’m used to the attention. People always stop and stare when I’m on the ice. Off the ice, not so much. Out there, I’m a clumsy red head who has zero control over my own limbs.

  My eyes catch sight of a little girl and a man that I can only presume is her father. He’s slowly guiding her across the ice, the way my dad used to before he left me at the Silver Springs orphanage. I choke up at the sight, but I’m unable to look away.

  I run laps around them as I feel a hot tear drop down my face.

  Brushing it away with my hand, I hear the little girl call out to her daddy, “look daddy! I’m doing it!”

  She’s skating on her own as her father claps his hands, a wide, proud smile on his face.

  “Good job, Avery!”

  Shaking my head, I tell myself to ignore them. I’m not here to watch other people skate. I’m here to hone my skill so that I can be the world champion figure skater.

  Twirling around on the ice, I focus my attention on the way my arms move through the air but I can’t help but smile when I hear that little girl ask her daddy if she’ll be able to skate like me one day. That small moment of distraction costs me a fall on the ice.

  On any other rink that fall would result in a puddle at my feet as my hot skin melts the ice. But not this one. Here I can just get back up and carry on skating.

  Or at least I would be able to if my bloody skate wasn’t broken. I curse under my breath as I look around for a stall where I can rent a pair of skates, something I’ve never done. Hobbling to my feet, I’m surprised when a hand is held out to help me up.

  Looking up at the person who has offered to help me, I’m surprised when my gaze meets the eyes of the man I was watching only moments ago with his daughter.

  “Daddy, is the lady hurt?” the small girl asks from only a meter away.

  “I’m fine,” I answer instinctively. I take his hand, enjoying the way his skin feels cool against mine. Then again everything feels cold to me. That’s one thing that’s guaranteed when you’re a fire kitsune. Shivering slightly, I thank him before making my way awkwardly off the ice.

  I regret walking away from him almost immediately, something inside me feeling drawn back to him, but I ignore it. I’m here to skate and nothing else.

  Read Ember now!

  THANK YOU!

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  About Hanleigh

  Hanleigh lives in Derbyshire with her dogs, Manny and Missy. Both of whom make regular appearances in her live reads. Hanleigh is about as English as it's possible to be, without actually being English.

  She first fell in love with books as a child reading Dr Seuss but moved onto romance when she first read Pride and Prejudice at the age of twelve. She wishes she could live inside the world inside her mind, but since that isn't possible, she puts pen to paper and shares that world with her readers instead.

  The Elite – PNR Vampire Romance

  INSTINCT

  CRAVING

  THIRST

  OBSESSION

  Find out more about Hanleigh’s Books on her website.