Vampire Secrets: Book 2 (Blood and Snow Season Two) Read online

  Vampire Secrets

  Book 2 ~ Blood and Snow Season Two

  By

  RaShelle Workman

  www.rashelleworkman.com

  www.polishedpenpress.wordpress.com

  The Blood and Snow World Order

  Blood and Snow

  Revenant in Training

  The Vampire Christopher

  Blood Soaked Promises

  Prey and Magic

  Masquerade’s Moon

  Seal of Gabriel

  Telltale Kisses

  Love Bleeds

  Eye of Abernathy

  Resolved to Rule

  Vampire Ever After

  Cindy Witch

  The Hunter’s Tale

  Gabriel

  After the Kiss

  The Cindy Chronicles

  Vampire Lies

  A Beauty So Beastly

  Vampire Secrets

  Troy’s Quest

  A Beauty So Deadly

  Vampire Nights

  RaShelle’s Books

  Sleeping Roses

  Across the Ages

  Exiled (Immortal Essence #1)

  Beguiled (Immortal Essence #2)

  Dovetailed (Immortal Essence #3)

  The Immortal Essence Series: The Omnibus Collection

  Includes Exiled, Beguiled, Dovetailed, and the short stories, Aligned and Zaren's Travels

  Blood and Snow 1:

  Blood and Snow, Revenant in Training, The Vampire Christopher, Blood Soaked Promises

  Blood and Snow 2:

  Prey and Magic, Masquerade's Moon, Seal of Gabriel, Telltale Kisses

  Blood and Snow 3:

  Love Bleeds, Eye of Abernathy, Resolved to Rule, Vampire Ever After

  Blood and Snow

  Includes the twelve volumes in the first season

  Blood and Snow: The Omnibus Collection

  Includes all 12 volumes in the first season of Blood and Snow as well as the short stories: Cindy Witch, The Hunter's Tale, Gabriel, After the Kiss

  The Cindy Chronicles

  Witch Magic

  Witch Land

  Witch Time

  Witch Kiss

  Witch Love

  Witch End

  Vampire Lies

  (Blood and Snow Season 2, Book 1)

  A Beauty So Beastly (the Beastly series #1)

  Short stories:

  Blood and Snow Short Stories

  Includes Cindy Witch, The Hunter's Tale, Gabriel, After the Kiss

  Cindy Witch (Blood and Snow)

  The Hunter's Tale (Blood and Snow)

  Gabriel (Blood and Snow)

  After the Kiss (Blood and Snow)

  Zaren's Travels (Immortal Essence)

  Vampire Secrets

  Blood and Snow Season Two ~ book 2

  Copyright ©2014 RaShelle Workman

  Polished Pen Press Corp

  Digital Edition

  This book in its entirety is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard word of this author.

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written consent of the author, RaShelle Workman, P.O. Box 1408, Bountiful, UT. 84011.

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

  Cover design by: Andrea Garcia @ www.andyg4rcia.com

  Design copyright @2014 RaShelle Workman

  Find RaShelle Workman on the web!

  www.rashelleworkman.com

  @RaShelleWorkman

  Facebook: RaShelle Workman Author

  Goodreads: RaShelle Workman

  Main Menu

  RaShelle’s Books

  The Blood and Snow World Order

  Author’s Note

  Copyright

  Acknowledgements

  Dedication

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Afterword

  Across the Ages

  Vampire Nights

  A Beauty So Beastly

  Contact Information

  About the Author

  Author’s Note

  Vampire Secrets is the second book in the second season of Blood and Snow. If you haven’t read book one, click on Vampire Lies and start there first. As you know, in the first season I released one volume every two to four weeks. If you haven’t read the first season, please do so. It will make your reading experience so much more enjoyable.

  In season two I’m going to release one full-length novel, which is the equivalent to four volumes every few months.

  I chose to do it this way for two reasons. 1) I hoped it would be seen as a savings to my faithful readers who spent ninety-nine cents for each volume in Season One, and 2) I want to see how it goes.

  If I like this way better and you like this way better, then I’ll continue to release four volumes at once. Either way let me know. I value your opinion.

  (((HUGS)))

  Enjoy!

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to those who love vampires, magic, and twisted fairy tales.

  Acknowledgements

  I start out with an idea. Shape it. Write it. And then turn it over to amazing people who help make it into something great. For this book those people are: Andrea Garcia, Jen Hendricks, Ali Cross, and my incredibly awesome Street Team. I <3 each of you!

  Be careful what you wish for.

  I’d heard the saying before. Many times, in fact. Every creature from the fairies to the trolls had repeated the words at least twice throughout my fifteen years.

  In a land like Sharra, where magic was everywhere, granting a wish was as simple as thinking about what I wanted. If I hungered I wished an apple would taste like blood and it would happen. If I needed a drink, I could wish raindrops into blood and drink until I was full.

  Of course no one had possessed the power to grant my ultimate wish, the one I’d stayed up nights dreaming about—that I would no longer have wings and I could live the life of a normal teenaged girl.

  That was until I met a genie named Laeddin and his creator, Maleficent.

  Chapter 1

  “Ms. Ryder? Are you listening?” Mr. Henry looked over the top of his reading glasses.

  “Uh, sorry. What was the question?” As I spoke I scrunched down in my chair. Several students snickered. One—a guy named Drake—called me a freak. My blood boiled, but I pushed it down. A quick glance at the clock above the door confirmed history class would be over two minutes. Two horrendously long minutes.

  “Was the Civil War necessary to abolish slavery?” Mr. Henry, or as his adoptive sons and their sons liked to call him: Professor Pops stood and came around his desk, removing his reading glasses and tucking them into the pocket of his tan sweater. I would never tell him this, but the students at school cal
led him Mr. Rogers. The description fit. He always wore a sweater over a button down shirt and he always wore slacks with the same pair of loafers. Personally, I thought it was weird he’d mostly retired from teaching at Harvard and taken a job as a high school teacher. I had the feeling he didn’t need the money. Plus he said he liked it. Who was I to question his sanity? I knew he was really old, like more than a thousand. So it probably had something to do with him wanting to pass the time.

  I hadn’t been in school for more than a month while my body healed and my mind worked through the loss of my wings. Professor Pops had taken some time off as well. Laeddin said he’d gone to help one of his sons, a boy by the name of Cole. I’d never met him, but apparently he’d gotten himself into some kind of trouble. I was thinking drugs, but didn’t know for sure.

  Troy, one of Professor Pops’ grandsons had gone with him. He was back too, but wasn’t the same. His smile was gone. The girl he’d been making out with now gave him dirty looks in the hall when they passed.

  “Ms. Ryder?” Mr. Henry said again.

  I snapped out of it. “Abolishing slavery was necessary. Equal rights for all is an intrinsic part of every human life. As for the—”

  The bell rang. Thank the gods of all realms.

  Mr. Henry returned to his seat. We weren’t excused until he said so. But I felt the tension in the room. It was Friday and this was the last class of the day. Everyone had their books closed and in their arms, ready to bolt as soon as Mr. Henry gave the word.

  “Your paper on the very question I just asked Ms. Ryder is due next Wednesday. If you haven’t started, you’d better take some time this weekend. I want you to give me your honest opinion and back it up.”

  I heard several classmates groan. I think I was one of them. I hadn’t started my paper yet, though I had an idea about what I wanted to say.

  Mr. Henry removed his glasses from his pocket again and slid them on his nose. “You are excused. Have a good weekend.”

  I waited for a girl I didn’t know and her friend to pass by my desk. I went to stand, but heard a hiss in my ear. “Freak.” It was Drake.

  “Yeah, you said that already,” I returned, not looking at him. My whole body shook with anger and some fear. When Maleficent ripped away my wings she took so much more, including my super abilities to hear and see better than humans. My strength was gone too. Everything that made me, me was missing.

  I was just a shell of the creature I’d been before. I didn’t need to drink blood either. Couldn’t even smell it.

  Drake laughed and slapped me on the back. I jerked like he’d just branded me with a fiery poker. The black tattoo on my back had turned red and scarred. “Freak.”

  “Ms. Ryder, may I speak with you, please?” The classroom had nearly cleared and I had a straight shot of Professor Pops. He wasn’t focused on me, but on Drake.

  Drake straightened, readjusted his book, and continued down the aisle. When he was at the door, he glanced back and made the motion that I should hang myself.

  “Mr. Smythe, one more like that and you’ll have detention with me all week.”

  Drake gasped, his eyes bugging out of his head. I understood why. Professor Pops wasn’t facing Drake but me. I wanted to laugh at the look on stupid Drake Symthe’s face, but I didn’t.

  “What’s it going to be?” Professor Pops asked when Drake didn’t leave.

  “But you don’t run detention,” Drake said.

  Slowly Professor Pops faced him. “Mr. Smythe, I’ll make a special exception for you.”

  Drake ran from the room.

  “Did you want to come over for dinner tonight? I believe Troy is making his famous steak and potatoes.”

  At the thought of steak my mouth watered. Troy was an excellent cook—at least when it came to his steak. It was really all he cooked.

  “Hmmm, sounds good.”

  “Actually Pops I won’t be home until late tonight. I’m going out with Peter and Zoe.” Troy walked in, his backpack over his shoulder. Peter and Zoe were right behind him.

  My heart immediately lifted when I saw those two. I wasn’t sure why I responded to them the way I did, but I really liked them. They were friendly, kind-hearted, and fun.

  Zoe had short red hair, a gazillion freckles and grass green eyes. Peter was tan with dark hair and eyes that almost looked black, except when the light hit them just right. Then they were like water in oil, their color shifting from one end of the rainbow to the other. They were cool and reminded me a little of my dad’s eyes. I’d said as much to him one night. Peter had laughed and said that was awesome.

  When I became fully conscious after my deal with Maleficent, Peter and Zoe’s faces had been the first two I saw. Laeddin said the two of them somehow knew Professor Pops, that they understood about the supernatural, and that they wanted to help. I didn’t know what they were, if they were anything, and I didn’t care. Though, since Zoe constantly wore peppermint like I used to, I guessed she had to be a vampire.

  They’d become permanent fixtures in my house as well as Professor Pops’ and I didn’t want it any other way. I adored them even if I knew nothing about them. In fact, even after a month of spending nearly every day with them, I still had no idea where they lived.

  All I knew about them was that that they’d recently moved here from out of the country and that his dad and her mom were foreign diplomats. The government moved their families around together, which is why Peter and Zoe had become boyfriend and girlfriend. It seemed super lucky to me. I couldn’t imagine one without the other. They didn’t look anything alike but they fit. And the chemistry between them? It was so strong, so powerful. I didn’t need to have vampire powers to feel it.

  “What are you guys doing?” I asked, trying not to sound sad that they hadn’t thought to invite me.

  Peter and Zoe gave each other a look, one that said they were having a conversation without using their mouths. Troy coughed. “Well, we’re going to—”

  “Why don’t you take Jasmine with you?” Professor Pops said.

  Zoe gasped. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Professor Pops. She hasn’t completely healed yet.”

  Peter and Troy nodded in agreement.

  “It’s okay, Professor Pops. If they don’t want me to go with them, I don’t have to.” An ache twisted my heart. It hurt not to be included. Even if I did appreciate why they didn’t want me to go. I wasn’t healed, but without my wings I didn’t think I ever would be. I had to find a way to accept my new life.

  Laeddin had suggested I tell my parents, see if there was a way they could help, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. They would be so disappointed with my decisions. They wouldn’t understand.

  “I think it would be a great idea. Tonight is supposed to be a recon mission, right?”

  They nodded as one. Zoe’s face seemed to be getting paler by the second. Even her freckles appeared lighter. Peter shrugged like he was okay with it and Troy? Well he just looked the way I felt, like an empty husk. I wanted to find out what was wrong, but there hadn’t been an opportunity yet.

  Professor Pops cleared his throat. He began organizing and gathering the papers on his desk. “She needs to know what’s going on. You can’t keep if from her any longer.” He glared at Peter and Zoe. Peter shuffled his feet, uncomfortable. Zoe lifted her chin. Professor Pops turned his stony glare on me. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the many centuries I’ve been alive it’s that secrets don’t protect, they don’t save, or shield.” He shook his head. “When secrets come out, and trust me, they will, they serve only to hurt, hinder, and create bigger problems.” He put his briefcase on the desk, flipped the metal clasps, and opened it. An aroma of fresh wood immediately hit my nose. It was a good smell. Reminded me of Professor Pops.

  I watched him tuck several stacks of papers inside and then the lid shut.

  I swallowed down the lump in my throat knowing he was right. And the truth was I missed my parents terribly, but I wasn’t
ready to face them yet. Better they didn’t know where I was. When they found out all hell would break loose.

  I also missed Sabrina. So, so much. If I went back to Sharra and told my parents then I could see her, even if it would be briefly since I’d probably be grounded for life or worse, put on troll duty.

  “Fine,” Zoe said. “You can come.”

  I shook my head, fiddling with the frayed edges of my history book. “Really, I don’t want to put you guys out. Go do whatever it is you’re going to do without me. I was thinking I’d watch a movie with Laeddin tonight.

  At the mention of Laeddin, Peter’s features became hard. “No. We’d love to have you hang with us.”

  “Yes, we need a fourth,” Troy added.

  “Excellent,” Professor Pops said, moving past us, and then standing at the door, indicating we should leave. Troy got there first. “I won’t be around this weekend.” His steely eyes found Troy’s. I watched as something I couldn’t understand passed between them. “I’ve got a few things to do, but I’ll be back on Monday.”

  Troy’s shoulders slumped. “I understand.”

  “Good.” He grasped Troy’s arm. “Can you stay behind a moment? I need to speak with you privately.”

  Troy ran a hand through his hair. “Sure.”

  “See you Monday, Zoe, Peter, Jasmine.” He winked at each of us as we walked out the door, then shut it behind us.

  The three of us walked down the hall. The school was mostly empty. Debris littered the floor. White poster board covered in glitter and red, white, and black paint adorned the walls, announcing the coming Winter Formal. The theme was: A Sky Full of Enchanted Stars.

  Peter kicked a piece of wadded up paper and caught it in his free hand.