Kiss of the Sun Read online

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  Phaze

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  Copyright ©2006 by Racheal Pierce

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  NOTICE: This work is copyrighted. It is licensed only for use by the original purchaser. Making copies of this work or distributing it to any unauthorized person by any means, including without limit email, floppy disk, file transfer, paper print out, or any other method constitutes a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines or imprisonment.

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  Kiss of the Sun

  A novel of erotic paranormal romance by

  Racheal Pierce

  Phaze

  6470A Glenway Avenue, #109

  Cincinnati, OH 45211-5222

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  eBook ISBN 1-59426-637-9

  Kiss of the Sun © 2006 by Racheal Pierce

  All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Cover art © 2006 by Debi Lewis

  Phaze is an imprint of Mundania Press, LLC.

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  Prologue

  Rosalind, age 12

  "Bas, are you sure we should be in this alley? It's really dirty."

  Think of it as a not so clean adventure, Rozzy.

  "But Bastian, I don't like the dark.” He towered over her small frame, but she felt no fear. His eyes sparked strangely when he spoke, but she saw nothing weird about him. After all, talking to him was fun.

  Rosalind, all will be well. You will see.

  "But it's dark."

  Forever patient, Bastian bent to his knees. The dark will become your friend one day, Roz. I want you to be ready.

  Rosalind blinked in incomprehension. “Bastian, you are always being silly.” She laughed and skipped ahead of him.

  He smiled sadly. “Not always, baby. Not always.” He laughed just enough for the little girl to hear. Hey, wait for me. You can't have an adventure alone.

  "Faster, Bastian, faster!” Her laughter echoed throughout the alley.

  * * * *

  He heard the voice bouncing throughout what he thought to be an empty alley. He muttered to himself about the lack of privacy, even in an alley that was—if rumor was to be believed—one of the most dangerous areas in this particular human city. He smirked to himself. Mortals could be so dramatic sometimes.

  Bastian listened as she noisily skipped further down the darkened alley. He tried to walk on, away from the alley and the danger he knew the young girl would soon find. Mortals died. No matter how much he wanted to intervene, mortals were too frail for this new way of life.

  The man lifted hand to his forehead to rub away the minor headache that fought to emerge. He absently wondered how long it had been since one of his kind had complained of body aches.

  The child's sudden silence drew him from his reverie. Something inside him pulled at him to check on the child. The painful tightening in his chest kept his feet moving him further into the alley. It wasn't the darkness that gave him pause. People of his species were made for darkness. It was his very nature.

  No, it was the girl who made him hesitate. He knew that somehow she was going to change everything in his world.

  * * * *

  "You're taller than you look."

  The stranger turned with the swiftness of a panther. He hadn't heard her coming. That amazed him. He tried not to step back in surprise. It had been over five hundred years since he had witnessed this particular talent in a mortal. Keeping eye contact with the little stranger, he spoke. “Sneaking up on a person in this area can get you hurt,” he warned.

  She nodded her little head so that her dirty hair blocked his view of her. “Usually people run by now."

  He lifted a dark brow in amusement. “I wonder why?"

  She spoke as if he were a child. “Because I am floating."

  He looked at her eye level. Her legs were hanging above the ground. “Technically it is called levitating."

  "Really!"

  "Child, tell me you do not know your own power?"

  "I can do this.” The stranger watched as the girl lifted her skinny arms as various trashcans began spinning around them.

  He smiled at the small mortal's show of confidence. “Child..."

  "The name is Rosalind, buster,” she muttered with annoyance. “I am twelve years old. I'm a young woman now.” The cans began to spin faster at her anger.

  "Getting aggravated?” He laughed.

  Everything came crashing down. If it hadn't been for the man's preternatural speed, she fallen to the ground. Instead, she lay safely in his strong arms. She looked at him admiringly. “Wow!"

  "Shit,” he whispered. With a snap of his fingers the cans righted themselves along the alley walls.

  "Cool, you didn't even have to look at them."

  "I have had years of practice, chi...” When her eyebrow lifted in childish challenge, he corrected himself, “Rozzy."

  "Rozzy,” she mimicked. “That is what Bas calls me, too."

  His body tensed in reaction. “Is Bas your father?” When she didn't answer, he persisted. “Brother, maybe a friend?"

  "I don't have any family.” She looked away from him to stare into the darkness of the alley.

  He looked at her, unsure of what to offer. Comfort? Grief? “So Bas is a friend of yours?” He asked her this as he bent to place her on her own two feet. He absently noted that her shoes were close to falling apart.

  She nodded her head vigorously. “And,” she grabbed his neck to whisper in his ear, “he glows."

  "He glows?” the stranger repeated.

  "Yeah, it's sort of strange, though."

  "Why?"

  "Well, I'm the only one who can see him and hear him."

  "Is he an imaginary friend?” H almost groaned when she looked at him as if he were an idiot.

  "No, like in the stories about ghosts, silly."

  "Oh shit,” he said, louder than he meant.

  A medium.

  A child medium.

  A little girl who talks to ghosts like it was a normal occurrence.

  A child who was now his responsibility.

  "So, Rozzy, where is this friend of yours?"

  Without hesitation she yelled, “Bastian! Where are you?"

  How many times have we discussed this, Rozzy? Bas spoke gently. You don't have to yell. Whisper my name and I will come.

  "Sorry.” She giggled. “This guy wanted to know where you are."

  The stranger looked at her in awe. She actually conversed with ghosts in full view of the public. He was surprised the little girl hadn't been institutionalized or, worse, killed.

  This guy is Darius.

  "That is your brother's name, Bas."

  The stranger stiffened. “What did he say, child?"

  She swung around to face him, her arms flying. Darius felt the ground beneath him shake. He could hear the buildings rumble in protest. “Control your temper, Rosalind!” he ordered.

  Rozzy, listen to him.

  She looked to her side. Rebellion flared. “Why should I listen to this man?” she cried.

  Ask my brother what his biggest regret is.

  The vibrations stopped instantly. “Darius?"

  The stranger didn't bother asking how this powerful
girl-child knew his name. “Yes?"

  "Bas wants me to ask you what your biggest regret is."

  Darius’ legs buckled from beneath him. He fell to the ground in shock. The truth hit him in the heart. Bas, her ghostly friend—his long dead brother.

  He took a calming breath, willing himself to speak of events long past. If Bastian believed this would keep the girl safe, he would do it. “My regret was not being able to stop my brother, Bastian, from being killed. We were traveling to a village a few days tour from our family home. We came across thieves trying to rob a group of passing villagers. Bastian and I intervened and tried to stop them from killing the innocents.

  "I was younger. Less experienced than Bastian. One of the men hit me in the head, knocked me out. When I woke the bandits were gone and Bastian lay dead at my side.” He took a moment to take a hollow breath.

  "How is Bastian, Rozzy?” He watched as she tilted her head up. It was as if she was looking at someone.

  She laughed. “He has been with you since that day, Darius. He wants me to tell you to take a break and laugh more often. Your people can get along without you for a few days.

  "My people?"

  "You are the King of all vampires, aren't you?"

  Rosalind, age 17

  "Clear mind, strong will, healthy confident in my own abilities.” Rosalind kept her eyes open as she sat five feet above the hard floor. Without moving she allowed herself to lift the four colorful spheres so that they circled her body at various speeds.

  "Come on, Niko. It's been hours. Why do I have to practice the same routines every day?"

  The elder tried not to laugh at her apparent whining. He was impressed that she was able to distract herself with conversation and still keep each ball spinning at its own speed. “At the same time, I want you to stop the yellow one at your left ear, the blue one to stop but keep spinning, the red to drop into my palm, and the green sphere to spin three inches around your waist without dropping speed."

  Five seconds, a new record for her. Everything was done. Rosalind walked on air toward Niko. She huffed, hoping he would get the hint.

  Niko looked at her with affection and pride. For five years he had trained this mortal girl to control her unique powers. Soon she would no longer need his help. “Go ahead, but remember if you see your ghostly friends don't..."

  "Talk unless there are no other mortals around. I know, Niko.” She headed for the door, then stopped and looked back. “I'll always need you, Niko. You are my friend.” Then she was gone.

  "Oh, shit.” Niko wasn't surprised to find himself using Darius’ slang.

  * * * *

  Rosalind walked along a secluded park. She kept to herself, knowing that the humans—her own kind—looked upon her with suspicion and fear. Even though they all lived in Vampire City under Darius’ protection, no human was as friendly with vampires as Rosalind. Most of the people did not know of her talents. They only knew that the vampire king personally brought a single female into his home. It didn't matter that she lived in the wing he rarely ventured to. All that mattered was she was human. Some wondered why, after five years, he still allowed her in his domain when adult humans had suggested gently of taking her off his busy hands.

  "It cannot be the blonde hair that attracts him. Half the mortals in VC have that color. It must be something else."

  Rosalind tensed but kept moving when she heard the familiar, hateful voices.

  "I wonder if it's her blood that draws the king to her."

  "Darius would never drink from a misfit like her,” a female voice sneered.

  "I don't know. Maybe he likes the blood of this misfit."

  Rosalind was surprised when someone grabbed her from behind. “Let's find out if he does or doesn't,” the female whispered hatred in Rosalind's ear.

  "No, Marsha. Let me go.” Rosalind tried not to show her fear. She had promised Darius that she would not use her gifts against mortals. Niko had not thought to teach her to defend herself. Vampires would not harm a person who was under Darius’ personal protection.

  Apparently, mortals didn't know that particular law.

  Rosalind felt Marsha's strong grip tighten as someone else grabbed the collar of her shirt and ripped it from her body. Thank the gods she had thought to put on a bra. “Stop it!” she shouted from the cold ground.

  Someone kicked her in the back. The pain forced her to role to her stomach. She tried to climb to her knees, fear rolling off her. She couldn't fight for herself, and she couldn't break her promise.

  Boys and girls laughed as Marsha viciously kicked Rosalind's stomach.

  She couldn't hold her moan of pain. Her ribs throbbed and her throat squeezed as she tried to hold her tears at bay. She fell to her back.

  Marsha came down to straddle her bruising stomach. Throwing her arm back, she bashed her fist into Rosalind's cheek. “He would not want a freak like you, Rosalind,” she whispered so no one else heard.

  Rosalind looked into Marsha's eyes. Dead eyes. They scared her the most. “I suppose you think he would want you,” she taunted her enemy.

  "Big mistake, vampire slut.” Marsha prepared to give the girl the beating a lifetime.

  "No,” a calm, unfamiliar voice ordered from behind them. “The mistake is yours, Marsha Lawrence."

  "If you don't disappear you will be next, girl.” Marsha threatened.

  "Girl,” the woman said in disgust. “It amazes me how often you mortals forget that you live in Vampire City."

  "What are you talking about?” She had yet to release her hold on her weakened prey.

  "This."

  Water came from nowhere, throwing Marsha off of Rosalind's unmoving body. “Stop!” she screamed. The water kept covering her so that she could not move. “No more!” Marsha rose to her feet but the water followed. It wasn't on her body anymore but all around her, imprisoning her in one spot. All around her, her friends were also trapped in water cells.

  "Bethany,” she croaked.

  The young vampire knelt next to the victim and swallowed in anger. Roman, bring Darius to the east part zone, Bethany spoke telepathically to an elder, then aloud so that the mortal menace would know the anger that was coming. She wasn't disappointed.

  "No!” Marsha screamed from behind the cell.

  Why?

  Bethany only had to say one word: Rosalind.

  Oh, shit.

  Bethany had yet to meet Darius’ little mortal, but all vampires knew what she looked like. Right now, Bethany was shocked that she could even recognize the girl under all of the bruising. Both eyes were swollen, the left was completely shut. Blood ran from her nose and mouth.

  Bethany tried to roll Rosalind to her back, but she screamed in pain. “Oh, gods,” she cried.

  The vampire looked at the trapped mortals. She willed her eyes to red. “Do you know the laws regarding this girl?"

  Marsha stayed silent, but a male voice spoke. “She is just a citizen of VC like the rest of us. There are no laws protecting her that are any different from us."

  Bethany looked at Marsha with contempt. “You didn't tell your cohorts the laws regarding Rosalind Kincaid?"

  "There is no way that is Rosalind Kincaid,” the male spoke with real fear this time.

  Marsha looked at him with arrogance. “Yes, the pathetic girl is Rosalind,” she confirmed.

  The trapped mortals looked at her in horror.

  "We didn't know..."

  "Rosalind isn't known..."

  "She called Darius.” Then silence as that one sentence and its consequences appeared to sink into their thoughts.

  Bethany tried once again to stir the girl.

  "Don't touch her!” A terrifying voice yelled as an old car screeched to a stop not ten feet from them.

  "Darius.” She obeyed without hesitation. Bethany almost screamed when a strong arm lifted her from behind.

  "Just getting you out of the line of fire, Bethany."

  "Roman,” she acknowledged.

 
; With superior sight, Roman, Darius’ closest friend and second in command of Vampire City, was able to see the damage done to Rosalind. Bruises were already forming on her tender skin. Blood was spilling from her nose and mixing with the dirt on the ground. He winced in sympathy when he saw that her left eye was completely swollen shut. He pulled Bethany closer into his embrace, thankful that she was okay. “She will heal, young one.” He whispered.

  The two vampires watched in shock as Darius fell to his knees—a gesture the King did for no one—and stroked a gentle hand down Rosalind's cheek.

  She looked to him with relief, “Darius?"

  "Why didn't you defend yourself, little one?” he questioned her softly.

  Rosalind felt his anger through the light touch. “I promised you I wouldn't use my gifts against mortals, remember?"

  "You could have fought back,” he said incredulously.

  "I don't know how,” she whispered. Your people know not to hurt anyone under your protection.” She swallowed with pain. “Apparently mortals don't know that.” She laughed, even though the act tore at her ribs.

  "Bethany."

  "Yes, my King?” Due to the severity of the situation she spoke formally.

  "Lower the water cells to their knees."

  The deed was done instantly.

  Darius looked at the five youths. He knew they could see the fire of hatred in his eyes. He wasn't surprised to see the mortal female, Marsha. “You."

  The wind blew furiously around the frightened girl. It took all she had to stand up right. She knew he was only letting her stand on her own. If he wanted she would be on her knees clutching the dirt for support. The knowledge infuriated her, but also aroused her darker side.

  "I know what goes through your mind, child. They are quite amusing to me.” When her smile disappeared he continued, “For what you youths did to this girl you will be banished.” Before the terrified villains could protest Rosalind interrupted, “No, Darius. Not banishment."

  The King of all Vampires hesitated. “Not banishment, little one? Then what do you suggest I do to them for harming you?"

  "How are the mortals of Vampire City to know the laws that your people know without having to hear them spoken? The Links do not pass on new knowledge to mortals."