Darien

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Blurb:

A paranormal, BWWM, vampire romance novel.

Darien, a vampire, walks a tightrope in a society where his kind must declare themselves to the government, or be hunted as outlaws.

Instead of hiding, he actively hunts those of his brethren who defy the laws.

Amidst his dangerous life, he’s uncontrollably drawn to Rose, a human whose allure seems to defy all caution.

Despite the potential risks, Darien can’t resist her.

And Rose finds herself falling for him too…

What will happen when she learns the truth about who Darien really is?

Will Rose be able to reciprocate his love for her?

Get answers in this vampire, BWWM romance book by R S Holloway.

Chapter 1

Darien sat next to the Gargoyle on the roof of the building he called home.  On most nights he could be found here, surveying the city, fancying himself the Batman of DC. There had been an upsurge of violence in the area lately, and it was not the kind of attention his kind liked having drawn to them. There were some rogues out there who were adamant that they wouldn’t conform and they now stirred unnecessary trouble. Darien took it upon himself to become the city’s self appointed savior, so every night he could be found here, searching for any signs of evil.

The night was still, as most of them were. And as he sat there with his leg swinging down, brushing against the stone teethed gargoyle, he suddenly started feeling thirsty. Odd. He pondered the last time he had fed and realized then that it had been almost two weeks now. He would have to go in tomorrow. He was one of those who had chosen to be registered with the private government facility that catered to his kind. There weren’t many of them around, but for the little that there were, they had the option of becoming registered. They were all given badges like identification cards which they would have to produce if accosted. Should they be unable to produce them, then they would be treated like the common ‘mongrels’ who still chose to live the unsophisticated life of bleeding humans dry for food.

Darien kept his badge with him at all times, even though he was much too powerful to be overtaken by a mere human. They did not possess the intellect and skill that he had garnered over his three thousand years of wandering the earth. He had been a small business proprietor who had chosen to close shop late one evening. He hadn’t even known such things existed until it landed lightly in front of him only a block away from his home. It had looked like a normal person until it had opened its mouth revealing extended, sharp teeth.

He had tried to run, but that had been useless. He hadn’t gone ten paces when he felt his head being pulled back, and a searing pain as something bit into him. He had tried to fight it off, but that had proved just as useless as running. Moments later he heard a whooshing sound as the creature disappeared and he fell to the ground, clutching his neck.  He had felt dizzy and as he lay there the world spun above him. He was conscious enough to remember he was close to home, so he dragged himself to his feet and bumped and bounced his way home. He collapsed onto the sofa as he entered and woke up three days later a new man.

The first days were the worst, and he had a fierce thirst that burned his throat. He had tried to drink water, but his thirst remained insatiable. He didn’t go out because he could hear the beating hearts of everyone who passed him by, and several times he had to struggle not to bite into someone. One day when he was home, he turned around to see the same creature that had bitten him hanging on his balcony railing. He had told him that he hadn’t bled him dry because he wanted to turn him. He told him that he had to feed or that he would die. He also couldn’t remain in town and carry on business as usual. Darien had been reluctant to trust him, but in the end he had to. Gabe took him to underground caverns and taught him the ways of the vampires: how to hunt, what to hunt and who to avoid. For years the two of them traveled the earth, hunting and feeding together. He became adept at this craft and even became a better hunter than Gabe.

A few centuries of that and Darien had had enough. What was the use of immortality if all they were going to do was run around and feed? There had to be more. A few years later he met a wiser vampire who told him that he didn’t need to feed as often as he did, that his impulses could be trained, and redirected. Darien practiced this craft and soon became so that he didn’t need to hunt at all. This infuriated Gabe because he had lost his hunting partner. He bailed one night and Darien hadn’t seen him since. That was two thousand years ago.

After Gabe, Darien decided that he would study medicine and law. He got abreast of current affairs and followed the stock market. As the centuries turned, he realized that some of the skills he had acquired had become obsolete. What the new world craved was technology, so he used his wealth amassed over the years and invested in a software company. The Rochester Files, as he named the company, did everything in Information Technology including software development, web design and network support. In ten years his company had grown from a mere idea to a household name. He had interests lined up daily seeking partnership; he eventually partnered with Edward and Steve-a tactical move on his part. They were able to access the company during the day time when he could not. He still held sixty percent of the voting rights of the company so he maintained his power.

He shook his head as his thoughts came to an end. He had been sitting on the side of the building for three hours and there wasn’t even a stir. He lifted his coat as he stood and jumped off the building. It always gave him a rush when he was being propelled through the air. He fell to the ground with a soft thud and stepped off as if he was walking for the entire time. He kept walking left until he came upon a cosy little house wedged between two larger houses. There was something very homely about that little house, but it was what was inside that caught his affections more. He had seen her on many occasions, but he didn’t dare approach her. Who in their right mind would go out with a vampire?

He merged with the darkness opposite the house and leaned against the wall, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. It was past midnight so the chances of that were slim. The window that swung open on the second floor gave him easy access to her and he now darted across the street and leapt into the tree which stood outside the window. There he perched himself and closed his eyes, hearing the steady beating of her heart. He could hear the blood coursing through her veins and he was instantly reminded that he needed to feed. He would have to make an appointment in the morning to go into the agency and get his supply.