The Dawn of Darkness: A Paranormal Romance Read online

  THE DAWN OF DARKNESS

  Copyright © 2021 by Kendra Radke

  Editing by Jessica Earl

  Cover Design by Covers by Aura

  All Rights Reserved in all media. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations used in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, incidents, and places are used fictitiously and are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to events, locales, businesses, or person’s, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Published in the United States 2021

  Other Books by this Author

  The Brooke Hudson Series:

  Dare to Love Me

  Dare to Keep a Secret

  The Undead Survivor Series:

  Guns, Rations, Rigs and the Undead

  Undead and the City

  Nirvana

  To Mario, for loving me at my worst.

  Acknowledgements

  This labor of love went through so many rewrites and transitions. It began with a simple cover Tate James gave to me out of the kindness of her heart. She is in a large writer group with me, and probably (I’m almost positive) doesn’t remember me.

  This vampire book took so much longer to write than I thought it would. By the time I was done, another author had published a vampire book with the same stock image as my cover. A very prominent, paranormal author with a much bigger following than mine. Fanbases have a way of being very enthusiastic when coming to the aid of something they love. So, in order to avoid a mess, I had to look for a different cover. (For the record, anyone can use a stock image, as long as they pay for the image. Perfectly legal. But not everyone does the research and understands that little tidbit.)

  At the time I was devastated and didn’t realize this book would need a new cover anyway. My beta readers fell in love with all the characters I introduced, and so I expanded the book from 2 points of view to 4. My little vampire book happily turned into a supernatural book.

  It would not be what it is today without Suzanne, Nicole, and Mayra for taking the time to read it before it was deemed perfect. My dear friend Jessica, who gets random messages about grammar when I can’t figure out what my head is trying to say. And my number one, Stacie, who picks up the phone and talks out the scenes with me so I can get them just right.

  Table Of Contents

  Other Books by this Author

  Acknowledgements

  Table Of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Spanish Translations

  Chapter 1

  Gabriel

  P atience is the only virtue I have left. A required quality for an immortal. Otherwise, it would have rotted away along with my soul.

  Shadows from the building ahead fall over the young woman as she continues past the alley. Slowing her pace, she rummages for a ringing phone lost in the purse on her shoulder, conveniently making my job easier.

  On Sunshine Boulevard, the Miami tourists are too busy relaxing to notice her walking alone. The sun is gone, leaving behind a bruised sky as the moon bullies its way through the stars.

  Trash lines the walls where I’m hidden from view. A giant dumpster with overflowing garbage makes my lip involuntarily curl. The soft fabric of my dark Louis Vuitton shirt slides against my skin, reminding me how out of place I am. I should be feasting like a king with my alligator boots propped on a table.

  But dinner is among the rats and cockroaches again.

  The thought snaps my arm out to snag her hair. I twist my fingers in the long, onyx locks. She jerks backward, right into my waiting arms, to vanish in the darkness between the buildings with me.

  Firmly placing my hand over her mouth, a muffled scream sings to the predator in me. Adrenaline shoots through her system and my ears pick up her erratic pulse. Fangs emerge over my bottom lip, and I hold her steadily against me with an arm wrapped around both her arms and torso.

  It’s a perfect fit.

  My hand twists in the tangled tresses, yanking her head to one side to reveal the curve of her beautiful, flawless neck. The tip of my nose grazes her face as I inhale the scent of blood pumping through her veins.

  A tear drips over my hand covering her mouth. Nails rip at my skin. Elbows and fists swing backward, stinging like mosquito bites. Fear pours off her in waves and I relish in it, listening to each ragged breath playing a symphony with her hammering heart.

  Muffled pleas are intelligible between sobs and gasps for air. I exhale over her jawline and watch goosebumps rise along her flesh.

  Such delicate creatures. The faintest touch can cause the body to react in the most fascinating ways.

  Soft skin meets my bottom lip, and I position my fangs in the perfect spot before they sink into her neck. Violent waves of energy roll through me until I surrender to my demon half. The familiar scars across my face deepen as all my human features shift into a creature of the night.

  Rigid in my arms, she stops fighting, her breaths short and choppy. In a split second, her head collides with my nose and I release her to assess the damage more out of habit than it actually hurting.

  Human habits are hard to shake, even after a hundred and twenty years.

  Screams echo over us and spread throughout the alley. I count two fleeing steps and swirl in front of her with speed that shouldn’t exist in her world, blocking her escape route. She slams right into me and breaks her fall with her hands, scraping them against the ground.

  Scrambling around blindly, she screams at the purse tangled around her arm as she fights to move faster. Darkness swells around her, swallowing everything as her eyes try to grasp which direction the next attack will come from.

  The scent of fresh blood unravels all the willpower left in me, and I haul her off the ground by her shoulders. Forgetting my strength, I accidentally slam her against the brick wall and knock the wind out of her.

  Killing her before I quench my thirst with the thick, red liquid flowing through her body would be barbaric. I haven’t worked this hard for a meal in ages. Dormant hunting instincts I haven’t used in months wake at the feel of her quivering body under my trailing fingers.

  Our gazes meet as she gasps for air.

  Glowing in her brown eyes are my red ones. She struggles to free herself from my grasp and turns her head, refusing to look at me. The tips of my fangs rub against my skin as the corner of my mouth ticks upward.

  Her leg comes up between my mine. Right on target. Hands push me out of the way, but I catch my balance and lean against the brick wall for a few seconds to recover.

  An animalistic snarl bursts out of me as I breathe through the discomfort. Getting kicked in the groin is never a pleasant feeling, even as a vampire.

  She stumbles over debris littering the alley and swings her purse outward to keep me at bay. The heavy bag pulls her off balance, and she falls again, striving to escape. More Blood. Sliding my tongue over a fang, I inhale the glorious scent.

  I can’t even seize her shoulder before she twists to the side and kicks me as hard as she can, imprinting a dirty shoe print on my jeans. Biding my time by brushing it off, I let
her believe she might getaway. Hope enters the fray of emotions surrounding her, almost immediately swallowed by a thick layer of terror when I don’t immediately reach for her again.

  Near the entrance to the alley, she takes a chance to get on her feet so she can move faster to get help. A scream rips from her lips for only a second.

  My hand lands over her mouth. Her fingertips reach for the lights illuminating the sidewalk for all the tourists enjoying the nightlife.

  If anyone heard her, they don’t care enough to find out where the sharp scream came from. I’m out of patience. And starving.

  I drag her away from the edge of safety and let the shadows eat us alive. Fighting me the whole way, I finally let her go at the same time she shoves against me. Her limbs flail to the ground with a whimper. Breathing too hard to make a noise, she gasps for oxygen, scampering over the pavement until I straddle her. Hoarse screams erupt from her lips and her fists bang against my chest feebly—the fight in her almost gone.

  With one hand, I trap her head to the side against the cold concrete, and my teeth graze her neck at the same time I’m thrown off her and skid across the pavement.

  A trace of blood tingles on my tongue from the scratch I left on her neck. In a frenzy for more, I’m on my feet in a flash, ready to rip apart anything in my way. Vibrations in my throat come out in a scathing hiss and turns into an enraged growl.

  Liquid splashes against me, soaking into my clothes. Fire ignites across my body like I’m being roasted alive. Smoke rises off my skin and I cower like a wounded animal. The odor of melted flesh fills my nostrils and I howl in pain.

  Holy water. Hunters.

  The demon releases me back to my former self, recoiling in a corner of my body. I retreat further into the alley and sprint in the opposite direction. Something not quite human has joined the party, and I don’t intend to find out what it is. One hunter pursues me, not listening to the warnings from the young lady I invited to breakfast. Her voice is hoarse and terrified—music to my ears.

  Whoever’s behind me is full of rage and has no problem sending me back to hell. I exit the alley on the opposite side and try to blend in with the crowds of people. He’s not fooled and races after me. Being the palest one out here probably doesn’t help.

  Around the corner, on a street leading to Sunshine Boulevard, there’s a scaffolding contraption set up to give the old building a facelift. I use my momentum to jump and catch a metal bar above me to swing myself onto it. On the landing, I glance down at Gage, the hunter in shining armor, determined to catch me.

  The Ruger boys are in town.

  Casually leaning on a pole, I watch him catch his breath as we make eye contact.

  A gun is pointed at me.

  “Welcome home,” I say with feigned pleasure.

  “It’s rare when a vampire recognizes me. All the ones I meet end up dead.” His menacing dark brown eyes bounce between the scaffolding and me, searching for a way up.

  “Your daddy is an old friend of mine.” The right side of my mouth lifts in a half-smile as he frowns. The Rugers have a notorious reputation for sticking their noses where they don’t belong. Celebrities of the supernatural world.

  “Then you know he’s dead,” Gage answers in a cold tone.

  “By your two hands, oh yes, I know the story.” There’s no reason to stay and chat. I slowly pace myself up the next ladder without making a sound.

  Gage curses and climbs up after me. On the rooftop, I wait until he’s midway up the contraption before I place my hands strategically and start to push it away from the building.

  The metal screams and bends under pressure. Gage peers up and I beam my friendliest smile at him. Spanish curse words reach me as he looks for something solid he can grab connected to the building. The reach is too far.

  He descends. I hope the metal bars break his fall—right through his gut. The whole structure shudders and I give it a good kick once my arms can’t reach it anymore.

  “I heard going down is always so much easier than coming up.” I’m so ecstatic with our little game, my fangs peek out over my bottom lip as Gage rushes down to the ground.

  He doesn’t reach the bottom. Metal and wood crash against the concrete in thunderous applause for my quick thinking. Dust and smoke whoosh up from the destruction, and I don’t stick around to make sure Gage is trapped underneath it.

  It’s time for breakfast.

  ***

  Her scent lingers on me, and I take a chance to return to the alley where the Ruger boys so rudely interrupted my meal. From above, I watch Rowan try to convince the girl he won’t hurt her. A true knight in shining armor.

  After being attacked, she recoils from his offered hand, and I dare to hope he’ll leave her alone—so we can finish what we started. After all, I had her first. She’s mine.

  Since she’s not making a scene, he gives her a warm, roguish grin. The upward turn of his lips makes most ladies swoon. She stays distant instead of falling into his arms like a damsel in distress.

  At least I know I left a lasting effect on her.

  The entire Ruger family is a thorn in Hell’s side. Fighting to keep supernatural order, they hunt the demons and paranormal creatures who prey on the innocent. But they aren’t only known for their killing-all-things-evil spirit. They’re also easy on the eyes. Handsome heroes to the rescue make the experience less traumatizing. Until one of them leaves you heartbroken because of their commitment issues.

  I easily eavesdrop on the conversation. Both heartbeats are erratic, and attraction is easing over the hurdle of fear rippling off the woman. Rowan changes his demeanor from saving-a-citizen to boy-with-crush once he gets a good look at her. A low growl rumbles inside of me, and I’m disgusted I brought both of them together.

  “This next question is going to be weird, but it’s important you answer it,” Rowan says nervously. “Did he bite you?”

  An imperceptible shake of her head.

  The memory of her neck makes my fangs slip out and the tips tingle in anticipation. Footsteps echo in the alley and my curiosity is not piqued. I can smell the abomination from up here. Oh, how I’ve forgotten what disappointment feels like.

  My nemesis survived my trap. Gage joins them and tries to hide a prominent limp. A hurt hunter is better than nothing. Especially if he’s stronger than a human. The boy is half incubus. His mother fell for a demon like most humans do when they’re out on the prowl.

  Gage lifts the hidden gun out of its holster and aims at the girl with only Rowan between them. New sobs rack her body.

  Without sympathy, Gage asks, “Did he bite her?”

  What a waste of a perfectly good breakfast.

  Rowan pushes the gun down and sighs. “No, put that away.” He kneels in front of her but keeps his hands to himself. “Do you live around here? Is there somewhere we can take you?”

  She shakes her head, trembling against the brick wall. “Are you undercover cops? Is there some kind of zombie apocalypse I don’t know about?” When they look at each other, silently communicating, she adds skeptically, “Serial cannibal?” A mix of nerves, adrenaline, and fear still permeates the area.

  After he holsters his gun, Gage holds out his hand, taking none of Rowan’s cues that they should give her some space. He says with way too much confidence, “He’s gone. And considering I saved your life, I’d be really pissed if I saw you missing in the newspapers because you refused to let me help you. Now, whatever you need to get up and start moving, I’ll do just for you.” A flirtatious smile crosses his face. The one women can’t resist, distracting her from the questions she asked. His head tilts slightly, taking in what he missed earlier.

  “Do you know who he is?” she asks vehemently.

  “No. But he can’t hurt you anymore,” Rowan guarantees softly and gestures to the sidewalk. “After you.”

  Oh, I can’t, can I? The statement ignites the challenge of finishing what I started—with my fangs sinking into her neck.

 
; “You caught him? Can I give him a swift kick in the balls?” she inquires in a scathing tone. She uses the wall to help her stand and wipes the tears from her face. One step at a time, she moves out of the alley onto the public sidewalk.

  Both boys have an uneasy expression cross their faces, like they can feel her threat themselves. They keep their distance but take a position on either side of her. Behind her, Gage playfully punches Rowan, encouraging him to make conversation with her. An attempt to ease her fear so they can find out where they’re going without spooking her.

  Rowan sneaks a peek at her, far more interested in the damsel than he pretends to be. Vampires only need a whiff to figure out a person’s true feelings. He can’t fool me, even if he’s trying to fool himself.

  I follow from above, walking parallel to them along the edge of the roof. Even from up here, I can smell the distress wafting off her, calling to me. She’s holding onto her purse like it’s a lifeline and her body curls in protectively. Even with two men by her side, her eyes bounce around, searching for danger.

  A bruise I left on her wrist catches my eye when she rubs it, and I almost fall off the roof before I catch myself. Leaping to the next building, I decide to join them on the sidewalk at the next alley.

  Out of everyone they pass, only one person seems concerned over the eyeliner smeared across her face and red-rimmed eyes.

  “We never got your name,” Gage says, struggling with small talk. “I’m Gage, and that’s my brother, Rowan.”

  Gage nudges his brother to talk to her, but he shakes his head.

  “Amelia,” she mutters half-heartedly and stares at the broken skin on the palms of her hands.

  Gage notices the blood. “We can get you cleaned up.” He looks at Rowan. “There’s a first aid kit in the Bronco, right?”

  “No offense, but I’m not going anywhere with two guys I just met,” Amelia objects without conviction.