Vampsire

Copyright Copyright © 2023 by T.W. Pearce All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. Vampsire Fated Guardians - Book 2 T.W. Pearce T.W. Pearce, LLC Dedication To my family, to whom I owe everything. All the good in my life has been gifted by each and every one of you, and I thank you for your love and support. Contents 1. The Aftermath 2. A King's Place 3. The Invitation 4. A Cold Meal 5. The Chariot 6. Hold Your Breath 7. Darius Kreel 8. The Game 9. They're Missing 10. Reality Sets In 11. Memories 12. Preparations 13. The Pit 14. It Begins 15. Urute 16. Expectations 17. Monsters 18. Fair is Fair 19. Survival 20. Vixen 21. Agreements 22. Kellan Fallon 23. Rumors 24. Priorities 25. Gift of Giving 26. The Dark Elf 27. Exquisite Touch 28. The Unwanted Gift 29. Alone 30. Faldo 31. The Challenge 32. Extraction 33. King vs. Ringleader 34. Seeds of Doubt 35. I'm Sorry 36. Catching Up 37. Eyes of Amber 38. Clearing the Air 39. Legacies 40. Anything is Possible Note from the Author Chapter 1 The Aftermath1982 – Hell’s Kitchen, NYC That kiss. It had been a raging inferno that stripped away everything but the two of us. Our pulses raced and our breaths mingled as it ignited my very soul. The force was so strong that it echoed through the barren alleyway of Hell’s Kitchen. I could still feel its heat even after it ended, and it left me desperate to feel that kind of desire again.Four days ago, I kissed Sir Adrian Sutton—the king of all vampires—and it was like lightning striking my veins, brilliant and terrifying. Both of us had been soaked in blood as we stood solemnly beside the pile of ashes that were the remains of Felicia Lorne, Adrian’s former cohort turned traitor. That kiss represented more than just a passionate moment; it held a thousand unspoken words of revenge and fury.As a 312-year-old fae with the god-borne powers of my ancestors, I knew my people and vampires were natural enemies. My magic was comprised of light and life, while vampire magic was fueled by darkness and death. I should not have lost myself in that kiss or in the vampire who would not leave my thoughts. I shouldn’t have reveled in sharing something so intimate with the greatest of them—or perhaps the worst of them—but that was the truth of it.I worked as an undercover spy for a global faction of supernaturals known as the Guardians. The primary directive of the Guardians was to protect humanity from their mortal enemies, the Usurpers. Their secondary edict was to work with the human governments to prevent the masses from discovering that supernaturals existed.The war between the Guardians and the Usurpers began in 10,000 B.C., when the Usurpers, a group of power-hungry supernaturals, decided humans were vermin and needed to be eradicated from the planet. The Usurpers’ army boasted some of the deadliest and most evil preternatural beings in existence. The Guardians were the only coalition with the numbers, magic, and resources to keep them at bay.The vampire seethe, under its reigning monarch, Sir Adrian Sutton, was the lynchpin between the Guardians and the Usurpers. During his 600 years of immortality, Adrian built an international kingdom of vampires and established a network of powerful allies and spies. Adrian chose to keep his seethe out of the war between the Guardians and the Usurpers, but if he ever decided to ally with one, it would be a turning point in the battle.I left the fae realm over a hundred years ago after our land was decimated by invaders. During the spring equinox, fae folk can pass between realms using magical portals as gateways to other lands. I chose Earth because two of my cousins were Guardians on this planet, and they assured me I could seek sanctuary with them if I ever needed to.I couldn’t protect my kin from slaughter, so I decided to become a soldier for those I could help: humans. I trained for a decade with the Guardians before being assigned an undercover position as a spy within the vampire seethe.Five years ago, a confidential informant for the Guardians reported that Adrian Sutton was looking for a healer to work full-time at his headquarters in Hell’s Kitchen, so I was the natural choice for infiltration.The Guardians arranged a false cover story, including a fake husband—my coworker, Dustin Collins. As a cheetah shifter, Dustin was planted by the Guardians as an enforcer for Adrian. Everyone at the vampire seethe believed Dustin and I were legally married and in love, but our marriage was only for show. I had no romantic feelings for Dustin, but sadly, he did not feel the same.When Dustin and I were initially tasked with spying on the vampire monarch, the Guardians described Adrian as a sadistic, wrathful, and savage beast. However, our interactions painted a different picture. Of course, he was dangerous and intimidating, but no more than most leaders. Furthermore, he was not someone who enjoyed hurting innocent people. Adrian did what was necessary for the survival of his business and community, but he did not live to inflict pain and suffering on others.The same night we kissed, Felicia Lorne had said he was too soft and weak to be their king. She then tried to assassinate him—which I prevented.I realized it didn’t matter what other people thought of Adrian. Most of them had never met him or even attempted to understand him. So who were they to judge and condemn him? If Felicia Lorne’s coup attempt had not been thwarted, she would have claimed Adrian’s kingdom. Felicia intended to seize control on a global scale, assuring all-out war amongst the factions who held power.Adrian was no such monster. In fact, he was the best vampire leader the Guardians