Novels by Elle Zimmermann

The water runs pink for what feels like hours. But eventually, I see that it’s clear and I assume that the blood is off of me. When I slipped in the ballroom, I hadn’t expected to wear someone’s blood for so long. It wasn’t lost on me that I washed away the last remnants of life from someone. I didn’t know who. And I think that might have been the worst part. Nathaniel runs the washcloth over every crevice my body has. He is so gentle that it makes me realize how close I was to death. Whatever last piece of stone facade I was attempting to wear had dropped in the shower and I wept softly. I cry for those that died, my family that has been broken even more, but mostly I cry for the confusion. How did I get tangled up in this? I look up to my wonderful husband, the vampire King and see that he doesn’t hold the same confusion. I don’t know what Lucien said to him, but I suspected their conversation answered all of the unasked questions that lied between us in the small space. He scru

I drifted in and out of sleep. It grew quiet as the adrenaline left everyone’s bodies and pure exhaustion took over. We were safe but the shadow of doubt hung over us as we waited our chance to go upstairs and survey the damage. All I wanted was to crawl into my bed and cry. I couldn’t grieve. Not really. Not here. Deep down though, I knew I couldn’t handle seeing the chaos leftovers that lingered in the hallways above me. I waited patiently, not wanting to see any more dead bodies today. Grieving meant that I would eventually need to make plans for my father’s funeral. I expected my cousins would need guidance with my aunt’s will. I wondered how we would frame this. A car accident? I was glad it wasn’t my job to come up with that lie. Julian and a guard had taken turns dropping off food and blood for us. It was nothing special, homemade pizza and blood bags, but taking that first bite I realized how out of touch I truly was. It felt like a privilege to eat, like I was so lucky to b

The echoes of boots and broken glass echoed the halls as Sasha and I navigated the debris. The scent of lemon oil filled the air around me. Around ten staff members had volunteered to help clean up. I wouldn’t force them to clean up this wreck. Luckily we had enough guards willing to help that it would be done soon. Each room was swept for bodily fluids. Broken vases and windows were swept up. Sasha and I had spent the past hour boarding up windows. It was fast and efficient. Gratitude poured out of me for my people. The humans here showed perseverance that wasn’t easy without immortality looming over you like the Eternal Order. Sasha and I discussed plans as we walked, helping as we saw some struggle. A few times, I had to tell someone to take a break, a breather from the nauseating destruction. The sun was shining bright on Tencrest Manor. It was a new day. But the remnants of the damage Lucien did would last for years to come. I would have to earn trust from everyone back. Secure

The air in the basement is thick with fear and stale air. I descended the steps slowly, hyperaware of my every move. Down here, the bodies had already been removed and puddles of blood were the only evidence of a fight. At least only in the hallway. I peered into the bar area, the door hanging by a hinge. Seeing Lucien’s blood satisfied me little at this moment, but I did feel the wave of relief knowing it was over. At least for now. I still didn’t know what cadet houses we could trust. An investigation would happen next. More lives lost no doubt, but the necessary culling of the enemies wasn’t negotiable. I would kill every threat to the Accord and my family and then I would wash my hands of this mess.I walked into the front of Cassia’s office and all heads snapped to me. My every move was watched like a hawk as the room went dead silent. Their eyes begged questions, but mine only had one thing they were looking for. Margot. As I walked, the crowd shifted. People scooted around the

From somewhere nearby, a door slammed. The chatter that filled the room slowly came to a lull as footsteps pounded against the hard floor. I stood before I knew why, sensing it was important. When Matthew turned the corner, I could see the lines of distress on his face. He carried a limp Celia in his arms and I rushed to her.“Celia!!” I screamed, my voice breaking as the breath was knocked out of me. Exhaustion was setting in, but I felt the chair being scraped against the floor and the crowd parted for me. I wasn’t acting very royal, but nobody dared to criticize me. “She’s alive,” Matthew sputtered out. “She’s…alive” He said the words as though he was unsure though. And I understood why the closer I got to her.Her head was hanging backwards in her unconscious state exposing her pale neck. I reached a hand to touch her, but my hand shot back to me, surprised by the coldness of her skin. There were rips in her clothes. The blood stained them in spots that told me it wasn’t goo

By the time I reached the ballroom, reinforcements were patrolling the grounds heavily. They hadn’t bothered turning off their car engines and I could hear the roar of 15 SUVs guzzling gas nearby. The air buzzed with radio chatter as groups did another sweep of the estate. It was a relief to see trustworthy people in this space that had been violated with rogues. I wasn’t fully aware of Sasha’s operation, but I was extremely surprised to see he had many more men than he let on. For once, I wasn’t upset about the misguided assumption. He barked orders with the kind of precision only decades of discipline could carve into a man. He wasn’t a foreigner to war, having fought several historical ones himself. The guards move in synchronized lines, sweeping the perimeter. A few of them carried flamethrowers. It was a crude but effective weapon against rogues. The sound of fire licking across the grass filled the space between the crowd. I stood at the stairs, watching the sunrise catch