Blood and Forest: A Vampire Novel Read online

  Blood and Forest

  A Vampire Novel

  by

  Raven Stone

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2019 by Raven Stone

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for brief quotes used in critical book reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Chapter 1 | Gabriel

  Chapter 2 | Fiona

  Chapter 3 | Gabriel

  Chapter 4 | Fiona

  Chapter 5 | Fiona

  Chapter 6 | Gabriel

  Chapter 7 | Fiona

  Chapter 8 | Gabriel

  Chapter 9 | Fiona

  Chapter 10 | Gabriel

  Chapter 11 | Fiona

  Chapter 12 | Gabriel

  Chapter 13 | Fiona

  Chapter 14 | Gabriel

  Chapter 15 | Fiona

  Chapter 16 | Gabriel

  Chapter 17 | Fiona

  Chapter 18 | Gabriel

  Chapter 19 | Fiona

  Chapter 20 | Gabriel

  Chapter 21 | Fiona

  Chapter 22 | Gabriel

  Chapter 23 | Fiona

  Chapter 24 | Gabriel

  Chapter 25 | Fiona

  Chapter 26 | Gabriel

  Chapter 27 | Fiona

  Chapter 28 | Gabriel

  Chapter 29 | Fiona

  Chapter 30 | Gabriel

  Chapter 31 | Fiona

  Chapter 32 | Gabriel

  Chapter 33 | Fiona

  Chapter 34 | Gabriel

  Chapter 35 | Fiona

  Chapter 36 | Gabriel

  Chapter 37 | Fiona

  Chapter 38 | Fiona

  Chapter 39 | Gabriel

  Chapter 40 | Fiona

  Chapter 41 | Gabriel

  Chapter 42 | Fiona

  Chapter 43 | Gabriel

  Chapter 44 | Fiona

  Chapter 45 | Gabriel

  Chapter 46 | Fiona

  Chapter 47 | Gabriel

  Chapter 48 | Fiona

  Chapter 49 | Gabriel

  Chapter 50 | Fiona

  Chapter 51 | Gabriel

  Chapter 52 | Fiona

  Chapter 53 | Gabriel

  Chapter 54 | Fiona

  Chapter 55 | Gabriel

  Chapter 56 | Fiona

  Chapter 57 | Gabriel

  Chapter 58 | Fiona

  Chapter 59 | Gabriel

  Chapter 60 | Fiona

  Chapter 61 | Fiona

  Chapter 62 | Gabriel

  Chapter 63 | Fiona

  Chapter 64 | Gabriel

  Chapter 65 | Fiona

  Chapter 66 | Gabriel

  Chapter 67 | Fiona

  Chapter 68 | Gabriel

  Chapter 69 | Fiona

  Chapter 70 | Gabriel

  Chapter 71 | Fiona

  Chapter 72 | Gabriel

  Chapter 73 | Fiona

  Chapter 74 | Fiona

  Chapter 75 | Gabriel

  Chapter 76 | Fiona

  Chapter 77 | Fiona

  Chapter 78 | Gabriel

  Chapter 78 | Fiona

  Chapter 79 | Gabriel

  Chapter 80 | Fiona

  Chapter 81 | Fiona

  Chapter 82 | Fiona

  Chapter 83 | Gabriel

  Chapter 84 | Fiona

  Chapter 85 | Gabriel

  Chapter 86 | Fiona

  Chapter 87 | Gabriel

  Chapter 88 | Fiona

  Chapter 89 | Gabriel

  Chapter 90 | Gabriel

  Chapter 91 | Fiona

  Chapter 92 | Gabriel

  Chapter 93 | Fiona

  Chapter 94 | Fiona

  Chapter 95 | Gabriel

  Chapter 96 | Fiona

  Chapter 97 | Gabriel

  Chapter 98 | Fiona

  Chapter 99 | Gabriel

  Chapter 100 | Fiona

  Chapter 101 | Gabriel

  Chapter 102 | Fiona

  Chapter 103 | Gabriel

  Chapter 104 | Fiona

  Chapter 105 | Gabriel

  Chapter 106 | Fiona

  Chapter 107 | Fiona

  Chapter 108 | Fiona

  Chapter 109 | Fiona

  Chapter 110 | Gabriel

  Chapter 111 | Gabriel

  Chapter 112 | Gabriel

  Chapter 112 | Fiona

  Chapter 113 | Gabriel

  Chapter 114 | Gabriel

  Chapter 115 | Fiona

  Chapter 116 | Gabriel

  Chapter 117 | Fiona

  Chapter 118 | Gabriel

  Chapter 119 | Fiona

  Chapter 120 | Gabriel

  Chapter 121 | Fiona

  Chapter 122 | Fiona

  Chapter 123 | Fiona

  Chapter 124 | Fiona

  Chapter 125 | Gabriel

  Chapter 126 | Fiona

  Chapter 127 | Gabriel

  Chapter 128 | Fiona

  Chapter 129 | Gabriel

  Chapter 130 | Fiona

  Chapter 131 | Gabriel

  Chapter 132 | Fiona

  Chapter 133 | Gabriel

  Chapter 134 | Fiona

  Chapter 134 | Gabriel

  Chapter 135 | Fiona

  Chapter 136 | Gabriel

  Chapter 136 | Fiona

  Chapter 137 | Gabriel

  Chapter 136 | Fiona

  Chapter 137 | Gabriel

  Chapter 138 | Fiona

  Chapter 139 | Fiona

  Chapter 140 | Gabriel

  Chapter 141 | Gabriel

  Chapter 142 | Fiona

  Chapter 142 | Gabriel

  Chapter 143 | Fiona

  Chapter 144 | Gabriel

  Thanks for Reading!

  Chapter 1

  Gabriel

  Standing still and watching Fiona walk away from me was one of the hardest things I’d ever done. She was my noven – a newly turned vampire – and I knew all of the dangers she was facing. I wanted to protect her, to be by her side while she went through this next year.

  But I couldn’t.

  And I knew very well why. We had rules around the way I’d turned her. I knew why those rules were in place, and I believed in them.

  So I stayed still and watched her walk away, until she reached a turn in the road and I could no longer see her.

  Then I took control of my emotions and became a king again.

  When I turned around, Cyrus and Martin were both on one knee. Had they been like this the whole time, or did they wait for me to turn?

  They’d addressed me as Gabriel per the rules. I was the latari – the one who had turned Fiona into a vampire - and in this situation any other status I had didn’t count. Now that she was gone, the situation was back to normal. Mostly. Fiona and I would still be watched for the entire year, and we would be evaluated in January.

  I gestured for them to rise as I walked closer.

  “Sire.” They both said.

  “The car will be here in under a minute,” Cyrus added. I nodded in response.

  “How was your vacation?” Martin asked.

  “Good,” I replied. “It had some surprises.” I glanced pointedly in the direction Fiona had gone, and they both smiled.

  A black SUV drove up and stopped in front of us. It had some unique aftermarket modifications, including some very special windows and tires. And a human driver. Cyrus rushed over to
talk with the driver, as I drifted for one moment back towards the forest, remembering the being that Fiona had identified before leaving the meadow.

  I whistled, and was rewarded with crashing sounds a few minutes later.

  “Sire?” Cyrus asked.

  I smiled, as I realized that Fiona had picked up on something that Cyrus – at least a century older than her – had failed to sense. She was already strong.

  He took a step back as a giant wolf burst out of the trees. I heard his heartbeat shoot up by ten beats. The creature came to my waist.

  The wolf threw back his head and howled. It was a beautiful song, full of freedom. Cyrus scrambled into the vehicle and slammed the door shut. I threw back my head and howled too.

  The song ended, and the wolf shivered all over. In a blur that hurt my eyes, a large, muscled man stood before me.

  “Gabriel.” He grinned.

  “Dakari. Good to see you, old friend.” I held out my hand.

  He shoved it aside and hugged me, clapping my back.

  “Good to see you too,” he said.

  “Want a ride?” I gestured to the vehicle.

  “Sure,” he replied, and I grinned, thinking how uncomfortable Cyrus was about to be.

  Chapter 2

  Fiona

  Just a few days ago, I would have been so happy to be walking this road and headed home. But now I was sad. I strained to hear Gabriel’s heartbeat until I couldn’t hear it anymore.

  Tears welled in my eyes, blurring the road in front of me. I couldn’t believe how quickly I got used to him being by my side, and how much I enjoyed his company. I hugged my arms to my body.

  Two weeks ago I never would have imagined that I could miss someone that I’d known for just a few short nights.

  But I did. Gabriel had swooped into my life on one of its worst nights. He’d picked me up, taken care of my wounds, and shown me kindness.

  And he’d turned me into a vampire.

  He’d admitted that had been his plan all along, even if the way it happened was an accident. Maybe I should be angry with him, since I hadn’t really had a choice; because of the accident, he could turn me or I could die.

  Maybe I was an awful person for letting him turn me, but I wanted to live. And he’d shown me how to feed without killing someone.

  Now he wasn’t here, thanks to the stupid rules of the vampire community, and I missed him. I wanted him with me.

  I rubbed my arms, and continued down the road.

  Chapter 3

  Gabriel

  Cyrus sat in front of us, his shoulders tensed and his body leaning forward.

  “Cyrus?” I asked.

  “Yes, sire?”

  “Let’s stop at a clothing store in the next town and pick up some clothes for my friend here,” I said.

  “Certainly, sire.” The vampire replied.

  Dakari mouthed the word “sire” and I silently laughed. The werewolf wasn’t a part of my realm, and he had a bit of a hard time seeing me as a king. But then, he’d met me well before I became one.

  The trip into the next town was a quiet one. I wanted to talk with Dakari, but I didn’t want everyone else to hear our conversation. I looked out the window instead.

  Finally we found a shop, and Dakari gave his measurements to Cyrus and Martin. I made the human wait outside of the car as well, and sighed in relief as they all left.

  “I’ve never seen you like this, Captain. You’re as tense as a virgin on her wedding night. What’s going on?” Dakari asked.

  “Did you see the female vampire in the meadow?” I asked.

  He nodded.

  “She’s my noven. I turned her just a couple of nights ago. According to our rules, I’m not allowed to be around her much for the next year. I was okay with that before I brought her over, but now–” I shrugged.

  “You’re worried about her,” he said.

  I nodded and glanced out the window.

  “Would it be breaking the rules if I check in on her?” Dakari asked.

  “No, it wouldn’t. Would you do that for me?” I shot him a glance.

  “Absolutely. You’ve been there to help me with more than one of my cubs,” he replied.

  “That would be great,” I said. “Just check in on her from time to time and let me know how she is, okay?”

  “Okay.” He clapped my shoulder. Then he gave me a sideways glance. “How’s Elodie going to take this news?”

  I snorted. “That’s no longer my problem. We broke up a few months ago.”

  “It’s about damn time,” Dakari replied. “Does that mean I’m welcome in the palace again?”

  “You were always welcome,” I said.

  He cocked his head. “Yes, but it always caused a fight. And I know for a fact you asked all of the other werewolves to leave.”

  My heart clenched. “That was for Elodie.”

  Another stupid mistake I’d made. Elodie couldn’t stand werewolves. A lot of vampires were either repulsed by, or frightened of, werewolves. So I’d kicked them out of my home. For her. Even though I loved having the wolves there.

  “Another reason to be glad she’s gone. I’m happy for you, my friend.” He gripped my shoulder and let go.

  “Thanks,” I said softly.

  Then the SUV’s doors opened, and the vampires and human piled back in. Cyrus threw a bag at Dakari and visibly relaxed once the werewolf was clothed.

  We drove for a few more hours, chatting about nothing of consequence, and then it was time for the ride home. Dakari stood with me on the tarmac while the plane was being readied. The human driver, Cyrus, and Martin had already left in the SUV. Now that they knew I was leaving, they were already back on Fiona’s trail. They would focus most of their attention on her – since she was new – unless I seriously fucked up.

  “You can come with me,” I said to Dakari. “Spend a week or two in the realm.”

  He shook his head, his eyes on the surrounding mountains. “It was great to catch your scent, my friend, but I was originally out here for other reasons.”

  “Anything you want to share?”

  “Not yet. But maybe soon.” He extended his hand. It was meaty and burning with warmth. All weres ran hot. He grinned at my reaction.

  “It’s like touching a furnace,” I said.

  “That’s because you have no heat yourself. You’re just ice.”

  I smiled. “I’ll hear from you in a couple of weeks?”

  I’d already told him the name of Fiona’s college as a place to start.

  “Maybe a month, but definitely soon. Have some whiskey ready for me?”

  “Always.”

  I raised a hand as I got on the plane, knowing he would wait for a few minutes before heading back into the wild. I envied him his freedom.

  I sighed to myself as I chose a seat, reminding myself that I loved my kingdom, and that I was doing important work. I wished that the vacation had been longer though.

  I buckled myself in and texted Cerone, telling her I’d be home in a few hours.

  Then I put the phone away, and looked out the window as we took off, leaving the forests far below.

  Chapter 4

  Fiona

  It didn’t take long to reach the town Gabriel had mentioned. When the first buildings came into view, I stepped off the road and dug into my back pocket.

  Thousands. He’d stuffed thousands of dollars into my pocket. This would get me home and through the next two months. Did he not realize how much this was, or was this truly pocket money to him?

  I split up the money and hid it on various parts of me, concerned that I would be robbed. Then I continued walking into town, noting the name on the sign: Burke Springs. I didn’t recognize it, but that didn’t mean anything, since it was obviously small.

  I stopped at a convenience store about two blocks past the sign. The clerk was close to my age, and he smiled at me as I walked in.

  “I’m sorry, my friends played a little prank on me. They dropped m
e off in the woods, and I’m supposed to find my way home. Is there a bus I can catch?” I asked.

  “Some friends,” he said.

  “Naw, it’s okay, we do this all the time. My friend Jenny made it back in four hours. We’ve got a bet that I can beat her record.”

  “Hmm, okay,” he said. “You can catch a bus in about half an hour that goes to Vail. Where’s home – Denver or Boulder?”

  My pulse picked up. “Wait, are you saying we’re in Colorado?”

  “Yeah. You don’t know what state you’re in?” He peered at me.

  “Oh my God.” I rubbed my forehead. “The last thing I knew I was in Texas.”

  He laughed. He grabbed a bottle of water from the countertop and took a packet of aspirin off the wall behind him. He pushed both of them towards me.

  “Here. On the house. That’s got to be one hell of a hangover if you can’t remember traveling to another state. The bus station is four blocks to the left.”

  “Thank you.” I grabbed the water and aspirin, feeling my cheeks burn. He was laughing and shaking his head as I left the store.

  I found the bus station and paid for my fare to Vail. The clerk told me that from there I could take another bus down into Denver. And after that, I could take a plane back to Texas.

  I sat on a bench and cracked open the water. Gabriel had said that I could drink liquids and eat some food without any problem.

  I sat there, thinking about the fact that I was in Colorado. The night I’d met Gabriel, I’d passed out in his arms. How long had I been unconscious? How had he gotten me here?

  Chapter 5

  Fiona

  I shut the door behind me. It had taken me two buses, one horrifying day sleeping in a custodian’s closet at the airport, a plane ride, and a horribly expensive ride-share, but I was finally home.

  The whole place felt foreign. The last time I was here, I was human, and sad about losing a lousy boyfriend. I had different hopes, and dreams, and thoughts.

  This apartment belonged to a different girl.

  I needed to pack up and leave. I needed to go back to college and figure out how to live as a vampire before school started. Fortunately this was a furnished apartment on a short-term lease. I could just pack up my clothes, my laptop, and go.

  I needed to talk to Mel, but I’d lost my phone. I’d have to get a new one. But there was someplace I needed to go first.