Read Online Cursed by Fire (Blood & Magic Book 1) by Danielle Annett - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Danielle Annett
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begin to wither and if they were out for more than a minute or two, they would die.
It had something to do with the lack of water contained in their bodies after the change and the sun basically causing extreme dehydration. I’d seen a vampire die from sun exposure before. Several years ago when I was visiting Seattle, Washington the local Coven decided to make a demonstration. I wasn’t sure what the crime had been but the Coven tied a vampire to a post in the middle of Pike Street Market with silver chains and left him for dead. When dawn came and the sun began to rise, the vampire’s skin began to boil and blister. Within minutes his body withered to a dry husk. Within an hour, he deteriorated further and nothing but ash remained. It was a ghastly sight and the stench of burned, rotting flesh was one I’d never forget.
We made our way out of the entryway up three small steps into what I assumed was the parlor. The room was just a beautiful as the previous one but was much lighter. The walls were a buttery cream. The ceiling heavily adorned with hand-painted scroll-like patterns. I had to resist the urge to burn the entire place down to the ground. Damn pyro habits, always wanting to set things on fire.
Rebecka was seated in a Victorian-era chaise near the fireplace. She had a small leather-bound book in her hands and she was the image of beauty and serenity. Both of which I knew to be complete fallacies. Rebecka was a cold hearted and malicious individual. What beauty she showed on the outside gave way to her ugliness within.
Dressed in a floor length cream silk dress with her blonde hair pulled back in an elegant updo, curls tumbling around her face, she looked as if she were born in the Victorian era. For all I knew, she had been. There was always an air of sophistication that followed her despite her youthful, almost child like appearance. I knew she’d heard our arrival, vampire senses being enhanced and all, but she ignored our presence keeping her focus on the book in her hands.
Rebecka sat with a stillness that only a vampire could achieve, not bothering to make the minute movements like blinking her eyes that would set most non-vampires at ease.
James and I both stood in silence beside one another as the woman who’d initially greeted us made her way closer to Rebecka, waiting for her to decide to acknowledge us.
It was never a good idea to interrupt a vampire and I knew her blatant disregard for our presence was simply a power play. It was her way of showing us that she was in control. Real mature right? You’d think that after hundreds of years on this earth she’d have learned to play nice.
After several long seconds passed Rebecka placed the worn book on the empty seat beside her and rose to her full height next to the fireplace. The warm glow casting small shadows across her face. Vampires were notoriously afraid of fire. I was surprised she had chosen to light a fire in the first place, let alone stand so close to it.
“Irina, what a pleasant surprise it is to have the Pack hunter and his human companion grace our humble home,” she said in a sweet, musical voice.
She wasn’t fooling me one bit.
The woman beside her, Irina, offered a tight nod, not looking the least bit pleased by our presence. I guess James’ status as Hunter wasn’t so mysterious after all. How the hell had everyone else known he was the Hunter and I hadn’t?
“Thank you for seeing us on such short notice,” I replied.
Rebecka’s assessing gaze quickly swept over my form before she turned away, deciding I wasn’t worth her attention. That was the thing about vampires. They were always so self-absorbed. So assured in their own power and abilities that humans like myself didn’t even register on their radar. Again I wanted to light her lush curtains on fire and show her just how normal I was, but I knew better. So instead I stayed quiet and accepted her ignorance. Besides, if I actually tried to bring fire,
It had something to do with the lack of water contained in their bodies after the change and the sun basically causing extreme dehydration. I’d seen a vampire die from sun exposure before. Several years ago when I was visiting Seattle, Washington the local Coven decided to make a demonstration. I wasn’t sure what the crime had been but the Coven tied a vampire to a post in the middle of Pike Street Market with silver chains and left him for dead. When dawn came and the sun began to rise, the vampire’s skin began to boil and blister. Within minutes his body withered to a dry husk. Within an hour, he deteriorated further and nothing but ash remained. It was a ghastly sight and the stench of burned, rotting flesh was one I’d never forget.
We made our way out of the entryway up three small steps into what I assumed was the parlor. The room was just a beautiful as the previous one but was much lighter. The walls were a buttery cream. The ceiling heavily adorned with hand-painted scroll-like patterns. I had to resist the urge to burn the entire place down to the ground. Damn pyro habits, always wanting to set things on fire.
Rebecka was seated in a Victorian-era chaise near the fireplace. She had a small leather-bound book in her hands and she was the image of beauty and serenity. Both of which I knew to be complete fallacies. Rebecka was a cold hearted and malicious individual. What beauty she showed on the outside gave way to her ugliness within.
Dressed in a floor length cream silk dress with her blonde hair pulled back in an elegant updo, curls tumbling around her face, she looked as if she were born in the Victorian era. For all I knew, she had been. There was always an air of sophistication that followed her despite her youthful, almost child like appearance. I knew she’d heard our arrival, vampire senses being enhanced and all, but she ignored our presence keeping her focus on the book in her hands.
Rebecka sat with a stillness that only a vampire could achieve, not bothering to make the minute movements like blinking her eyes that would set most non-vampires at ease.
James and I both stood in silence beside one another as the woman who’d initially greeted us made her way closer to Rebecka, waiting for her to decide to acknowledge us.
It was never a good idea to interrupt a vampire and I knew her blatant disregard for our presence was simply a power play. It was her way of showing us that she was in control. Real mature right? You’d think that after hundreds of years on this earth she’d have learned to play nice.
After several long seconds passed Rebecka placed the worn book on the empty seat beside her and rose to her full height next to the fireplace. The warm glow casting small shadows across her face. Vampires were notoriously afraid of fire. I was surprised she had chosen to light a fire in the first place, let alone stand so close to it.
“Irina, what a pleasant surprise it is to have the Pack hunter and his human companion grace our humble home,” she said in a sweet, musical voice.
She wasn’t fooling me one bit.
The woman beside her, Irina, offered a tight nod, not looking the least bit pleased by our presence. I guess James’ status as Hunter wasn’t so mysterious after all. How the hell had everyone else known he was the Hunter and I hadn’t?
“Thank you for seeing us on such short notice,” I replied.
Rebecka’s assessing gaze quickly swept over my form before she turned away, deciding I wasn’t worth her attention. That was the thing about vampires. They were always so self-absorbed. So assured in their own power and abilities that humans like myself didn’t even register on their radar. Again I wanted to light her lush curtains on fire and show her just how normal I was, but I knew better. So instead I stayed quiet and accepted her ignorance. Besides, if I actually tried to bring fire,
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