Dark Shadow

  Dark Shadow

  Mixed Blessing Mystery Book Two

  Nicola Claire

  Copyright © 2018, Nicola Claire

  All Rights Reserved

  © 2018 Cover Art by Cora Graphics

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organisations is entirely coincidental.

  All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.

  ISBN: 978-0-473-44361-0

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  About the Author

  Free Download

  Also By Nicola Claire

  Description

  Preface

  Definitions

  Empathic Sensory Range

  1. Conflict

  2. Sadness

  3. Regret

  4. Anger

  5. Affront

  6. Betrayal

  7. Shock

  8. Terror

  9. Surprise

  10. Threatened

  11. Hunger

  12. Broken

  13. Shock

  14. Fury

  15. Agreement

  16. Shaken

  17. Lust

  18. Trapped

  19. Worry

  20. Dazed

  21. Cornered

  22. Scared

  23. Crazed

  24. Puzzled

  25. Tricked

  26. Resigned

  27. Annoyed

  28. Disturbed

  29. Settled

  Epilogue

  Review Request

  The Kindred World Continues…

  If You Missed It Already…

  Free Download

  Another Bargain Book From Nicola Claire!

  “Dystopian At Its Finest”

  About the Author

  Nicola Claire lives in beautiful Taupo, New Zealand with her husband and two young boys.

  She's tried her hand at being a paramedic, bank teller and medical sales representative, (not all necessarily in that order), but her love of writing keeps calling her back.

  She has a passion for all things suspenseful, spiced up with a good dollop of romance, as long as they include strong characters - alpha males and capable females - and worlds which although make-believe are really quite believable in the end.

  There's nothing better than getting caught up in a compelling, intriguing and romantic book.

  When she's not writing or reading, she's out on her family boat at Lake Taupo, teaching her young boys to fish, showing them the beauty that surrounds them in nature and catching some delicious trout for dinner.

  Creating rich worlds with dynamic characters and unexpected twists that shock and awe has been pure bliss for this author. And just as well, because there's a lot more story yet to tell...

  For more information:

  www.nicolaclairebooks.com

  nicola@nicolaclairebooks.com

  Free Download

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  Get your free copy of Nicola Claire’s Starter Library!

  Three free books to get you started!

  Starter Library

  Also By Nicola Claire

  Kindred Series

  Kindred

  Blood Life Seeker

  Forbidden Drink

  Giver of Light

  Dancing Dragon

  Shadow's Light

  Entwined With The Dark

  Kiss Of The Dragon

  Dreaming Of A Blood Red Christmas (Novella)

  Mixed Blessing Mystery Series

  Mixed Blessing

  Dark Shadow

  Rogue Vampire (Coming Soon)

  Sweet Seduction Series

  Sweet Seduction Sacrifice

  Sweet Seduction Serenade

  Sweet Seduction Shadow

  Sweet Seduction Surrender

  Sweet Seduction Shield

  Sweet Seduction Sabotage

  Sweet Seduction Stripped

  Sweet Seduction Secrets

  Sweet Seduction Sayonara

  Elemental Awakening Series

  The Tempting Touch Of Fire

  The Soothing Scent Of Earth

  The Chilling Change Of Air

  The Tantalising Taste Of Water

  The Eternal Edge Of Aether (Novella)

  H.E.A.T. Series

  A Flare Of Heat

  A Touch Of Heat

  A Twist Of Heat (Novella)

  A Lick Of Heat (Coming Soon)

  Citizen Saga

  Elite

  Cardinal

  Citizen

  Masked (Novella)

  Wiped

  Scarlet Suffragette Series

  Fearless

  Breathless

  Heartless (Coming Soon)

  Blood Enchanted Series

  Blood Enchanted

  Blood Entwined

  Blood Enthralled (Coming Soon)

  44 South Series

  Southern Sunset

  Southern Storm

  Southern Strike (Coming Soon)

  Lost Time Series

  Losing Time

  Making Time (Coming Soon)

  The Sector Fleet

  Accelerating Universe

  Apparent Brightness

  Right Ascension

  Zenith Point

  For: My niece (again).

  Because I’m still using your name

  and have no intention of returning it.

  Description

  “It’s in all of us. Humans too. But the supernaturals have more than the Norms do. Part of what makes a vampire a vampire is drawn from the Dark. All fairies, regardless of whether they are Dark Fey or Light Fey, have Dark in them. Shapeshifters too, although I’ve been told they fight it. But never underestimate the Dark. If you don’t want it to crawl into bed with you late at night, don’t pull back the covers.”

  Someone's abducting members of parliament, and they smell like wet dog.

  This could mean disaster for the country. For Georgia Deverell, it means so much more.

  The half-vampire/half-vampire hunter Nothus suddenly becomes a hot commodity. Because no one, not Norm nor supernatural, can hunt down the perpetrator like she will. But that’s not all Georgia has to worry about.

  Her Dark Shadow has just about had enough. And when a fairy changes the balance of power between Gigi and her vampire-within, things get interesting. That’s if interesting involves a sexy vampire or two and the battle they currently have to win her as a mate.

  Taking on Fey monsters and shapeshifting Taniwha are the least of Georgia’s problems. Taking on the Master of Auckland City and the vampire she never stopped loving could be the death of her. The final death that is.

  Like Gigi says, it sucks to be me.

  Preface

  Dear Kindred-ite,

  They say “Good things come to those who wait.” And boy, have you had to wait for Dark Shadow! So, it was up to me to deliver on the “good” part, wasn’t it?

  And, I’m very pleased to say, I did!

  Dark Shadow is set shortly after Mixed Blessing, which means in the Kindred World timeline, it comes between Shadow’s Light and Entwined With The Dark. Basically, MBM 1 is Kindred 6.5 and MBM 2 is Kindred 6.75.

  Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?

  So, without any further ado (and excuses!) I give you Georgia. The mixed up Nothus. The half-vampire/half-vampire hunter with a chip on her shoulder and a kick-butt, take-no-prisoners attitude.

  This one was fun, my friends. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it.
And I thank you for waiting for Georgia…and for me, so patiently.

  Love,

  Nicola

  Definitions

  Accord – A blood binding agreement, often between two parties of equal power; cannot be broken.

  Álfheimr – (Fey) Faerie. Home to the Fey.

  Alliance – A word of honour agreement; has varying degrees of binding, some alliances cannot be broken.

  Amor certamen - (Latin) Literal translation: Love Contest. In the Nosferatu world, it means the challenge for the right to mate a vampire. It can include two or more vampires challenging for mate rights.

  Blood Bond – A binding connection between master and servant, requiring the exchange of blood to seal. It can only be broken by someone more powerful than the master who created it. A blood bond establishes a close relationship between the blood bonded. The master provides safety and protection, the servant offers obedience and loyalty.

  Command – A directive given by a Master vampire to one of his line. It requires Sanguis Vitam in order to enforce obedience. It cannot be ignored.

  Dökkálfa – (Fey) The Dark Fey.

  Dream Walk – A Nosferatin power, enabling the Nosferatin to appear in a different location. The Dream Walker is invisible, cannot be sensed or smelled, and only heard if they talk when in this realm. They can, however, interact and be harmed. The only exception to a Dream Walker's invisibility is another Nosferatin. Two Dream Walks in a 24 hour period results in prolonged unconsciousness once the Dream Walker returns to their body. A very rare power.

  Elska – (Fey) Literally love. An elska is a mœðr. A member of the Fey can only ever have one elska in their lives. They are in tune with the Light or ljós within their matched fairy and potentially will become their one true love.

  Final death – The true death of a Nosferatu. There can be no survival from the final death.

  Fólkvangr - (Fey) Elysium; the fairy equivalent of Nut’s realm.

  Glaze – The ability to influence another. It requires direct eye contact and sanguis vitam to insert the influence. Usually a Nosferatu skill, allowing a vampire to influence a human.

  Hár Lords – (Fey) High. The Dökkálfa law keepers.

  Herra - (Fey) Lord or Elder.

  Hundr - (Fey) Hound.

  Iunctio – (Latin). The Nosferatu connection and governing power. All vampires are connected to one another via this supernatural information exchange highway; enabling sharing of rules, locations of safe havens and hot spots to avoid. It is powered by both Nosferatu and Nosferatin Sanguis Vitam, but is operated by the Nosferatu in Paris. There are twelve members of the Iunctio council, headed by the Champion. The Iunctio is tasked with policing all supernaturals throughout the world.

  Kindred – A Nosferatu or Nosferatin sacred match, a suitable partner for a joining. To be a kindred there must exist a connection between the Nosferatu and Nosferatin; only those suitably compatible will be kindred to the other.

  Line – The family of a master vampire, all members of which have been turned by the master, or accepted via blood bond into the fold.

  Ljós – (Fey) Light.

  Ljósálfar – (Fey) The Light Fey.

  Lux Lucis Tribuo – (Latin) The Giver of Light. The third part of the Prophesy. The Lux Lucis Tribuo is charged with balancing the Dark in Dark vampires out with their Light.

  Master – A Nosferatu with the highest level of Sanguis Vitam. There are five levels of Master, from level five – the lowest on the Sanguis Vitam scale, to level one – the highest on the Sanguis Vitam scale. Only level one Masters can head a line of their own. Some Nosferatu may never become Masters.

  Master of the City – A level one Master in control of a territory; a city.

  Norm – A human unaware of the supernaturals who walk the Earth. They also do not have any supernatural abilities themselves.

  Nosferatin – (Nosferat–een) - A vampire hunter by birth. Nosferatin were once of the same ilk as Nosferatu, descendants from the same ancestors, or God. The Nosferatin broke off and turned towards the Light. Their sole purpose is to bring the Nosferatu back from the Dark, this can include dispatching them, bringing them the final death, when they cannot be saved. They are now a mix of human and Nosferatin genetics.

  Nosferatu – A vampire. The Nosferatu turned towards the Dark, when their kin, the Nosferatin turned towards the Light. They require blood to survive and can be harmed by UV exposure and silver. They do not need to breathe or have a heart beat. They are considered the undead.

  Nothus - (Latin) Dhampir. An illegal combination of two species, for example Nosferatin - Nosferatu Dhampir mix. Considered illegitimate by the Iunctio and a kill-on-sight order stands for any Nothus uncovered.

  Prohibitum Bibere – (Latin) The Forbidden Drink. The second part of the Prophesy. The Prohibitum Bibere is a siren to the Dark vampires throughout the world, calling their Darkness towards the Light.

  Pull – The Nosferatin sense of evil. Guides a hunter to a Dark vampire; sometimes, but not always a rogue, who is about to feed off an innocent.

  Rogue – A vampire no longer controlled by a master, full of evil and Darkness, feeding indiscriminately and uncontrolled.

  Sanguis Vitam – (Latin) The Blood Life or life force of a Nosferatu. It represents the power they possess. There are varying degrees of Sanguis Vitam.

  Sanguis Vitam Cupitor – (Latin) The Blood Life Seeker. The first part of the Prophesy. The Sanguis Vitam Cupitor can sense and find all Dark vampires throughout the world.

  Shadow Walker - A vampire capable of hiding in the shadows, covering their presence, including scent and Sanguis Vitam signature.

  Sigillum – (Latin) A permanent mark of possession.

  Turned – The action of changing a human into a vampire.

  Valhöll - (Fey) Valhalla; Hall of the Slain; home to the Valkyries.

  Valkyrja - (Fey) Pl. Valkyrjur; Valkyries. Warrior women of the Ljósálfar. Odin, the God of War’s daughters.

  Vampyre – Old term for vampire; used rarely in modern language.

  Empathic Sensory Range

  Alarm/Concern - bold grapefruit and lime

  Amusement - sticky toffee

  Anger - stringent ammonia

  Anticipation - sweet and pungent sting of a summer storm

  Compassion** - calming chamomile tea

  Confusion - apple mixed with lime

  Contempt - pungent and spicy pepper

  Curiosity - ink and crisp parchment

  Desire - sweet passion-fruit

  Determined/Decided - strong rosemary and garlic

  Disappointment - decaying leaves and grass

  Fear* - bitter-sweet dark chocolate

  Guilt - uncomfortable mouldy cheese

  Happy - cotton candy & caramel popcorn

  Hatred - burnt coffee and out-of-date milk

  Hurt/Pain - bruised rose petals and overripe summer fruit

  Lie/Untruth - sharp citrus/tart lemon

  Love - freshly baked bread, woodsmoke and newly cut grass

  Lust* - indulgent chocolate mud cake

  Nervous - lemon, lime and mint

  Regret - mouthwatering white chocolate and strawberry cheesecake

  Relaxation/At Ease** - calming sweet tea

  Sad/Sorrow - white lilies and loose leaf tea

  Satisfaction/Pride - smooth and dry Merlot, laced with a floral bouquet

  Sorry/Apologetic - crushed daisy petals

  Surprise - washroom bleach

  Uncomfortable - soggy wet wool

  Unhappy - red wine and wet carpet

  *Fear and Lust are similar as they are both desirable to a vampire

  **Compassion & Relaxation (being at ease) are similar as they are both aberrant to a vampire

  There are dark shadows on the earth,

  but its lights are stronger in the contrast.

  “The Pickwick Papers”

  Charles Dickens 1812-1870

  1

  Conflict

  They
say hell is empty and all the devils are here. They’d be right. Every single one of the Dark Fey that surrounded me could have sported horns and red eyes and cloven hoofs for all the evil they oozed.

  Pungent and spicy pepper filled my nostrils. Burnt coffee and out-of-date milk coated the back of my throat. Stringent ammonia hung on the still air. Contempt. Hatred. Anger. I curled my lips and let my fangs glint in the soft light of a chandelier.

  I might have growled. They might have hissed back. We’d never know what would have happened because Aliath walked into the room.