New Estra, Two Hundred and Fifty Years BeforeTalen sent the girl to a ship bound for New Estra in the care of his current blood slave, Georgette, who he knew would be kind. The girl needed kindness, he thought grimly. He could not imagine what she was going through, abused by the father, and discarded by the mother because of it.“And after?” Georgette had asked him quietly.“She cannot come back here. See if Meguitte has any ideas. Perhaps she needs a new maid,” Talen suggested hopefully. “If not, send me word, and I will contact Sigrid.”By the time he returned to his office the day was aging. His thoughts turned from the mother and daughter to Joseph Cline. The miners would be leaving the mine and making their way home. There were many, many ways to kill a man, however he could not openly commit a murder, or he’d find himself without a workforce in the morning. Whilst a mine made for some very interesting opportunities to make it appear accidental, he wanted to look Joseph Cline i

New Estra, Two Hundred and Fifty Years Before Talen opened the farmhouse to find it full of vampires, all of whom rose to their feet as he entered. Unlike the feral, wild ones outside, these were fully dressed, disheveled rather than filthy, and moved to intercept him, ordering him out of the house, and pushing him back, mistaking his travel and blood-stained clothing. When he pushed back against their hold, he found them strong, not weak like those outside. “What is going on here?” He demanded of them through his teeth. “Where is Sigrid?” That surprised them, and they released him, stepping backwards as they re-evaluated him, drawing together. “Well?” He snarled. “I have ridden all this way on word that I was needed, and I find this!” He threw his arm towards the open door and the shrieking and snarling vampires in the dark. “What has happened here?” “They are…” One of the vampires spoke. “Well, they are the wild ones, the ones that didn’t work, but didn’t die… They’re high on dead

Havermouth, The PresentTalen pulled Cameron out of the crowd that had formed around Rhett. “Do not become separated from Morgana and Rhett,” he told him, leaning his forehead to the red-haired alpha’s. “Watch sharply for danger if the three of you go into any of the houses. Be aware that Rhett’s reactions may be impacted by his exhaustion, and that Morgana does not possess either the strength or speed of werewolf.”“Talen,” Cameron protested, gripping his shoulders. “I’m coming you.”“You need to stay here, Cam,” Talen told him firmly. “With Morgana and Rhett. They need you.”“What the f-k do you think is inside the hospital?” Cameron’s head turned towards the building and the crumpled carpark of tents, his eyebrows pulling together in concern.“I do not know,” Talen replied honestly. “But we can all smell that there are dead bodies under these tents. I think, as they have not moved to intercept us, they are not zombies. But I cannot be sure, knowing that there are zombies lose in th

Havermouth, The PresentCameron stood on the tray of the Unimog next to Aislen watching as Heath and Talen made their way through the white tents. Beside the werewolf soldiers, it was not easy to keep Talen within eyesight, he towered over even the tallest, something that made Cameron slightly nervous as it would also make Talen a target.Aislen gripped Cameron’s arm in both hands, her eyes also glued to their mates.“Give me a hand up, Cam?” Rhett called up pulling Cameron’s eyes down, and he bent over to grip Rhett’s wrist in his hand, lifting his mate up too easily.“Shit Rhett,” Cameron scolded his mate as Rhett rose to his feet and dusted his palms off on his knees. “You could compete as a featherweight.”Rhett scowled. “I could still take you, puppy.”Cameron pulled a dubious face. “Not at the moment, you couldn’t.”“Shut up with that crap,” Rhett’s attention was on their mates, and not their conversation, so his banter was absent minded. The ambulances and tents partially obscu

Havermouth, The PresentAislen ignored the protests of her men and was up off the bench seat the moment the Unimog slowed and started to stop. Talen rose, catching her by the waist and steadying her against the final rocks of the truck with expert balance, before jumping lightly down and reaching up for her.She stepped into his arms with utter confidence that he would catch her. “Sorry, daddy,” she said as he set her to her feet. “I need to know that August is still secured.”“We all do. Heath and Rhett can take care of Cameron, let’s go check on…” He trailed off as the destruction came into sight. “What the f-k happened here?” He marvelled.“You sound like one of the Triquetra,” Aislen remarked absently, her eyes scanning the damage. “Something f-king went on,” she summarized. “We’ll find out what after. Let’s go,” she tugged on his hand, pulling him along behind her towards Leighton’s ancient warehouse.It was crumbling, Aislen thought, the building too frail for what they had been