The Vampire's Redemption, A Paranormal Romance (Undead in Brown County #3) by S.J. Wright
Authors: S.J. Wright
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had done so with such cruelty and unbridled fury that Jones couldn’t hear her name without physically cringing. It had been his stories of her that made me curious. Once we became real friends, I suppose I also wanted to exact some revenge for what she’d put him through.
When I finally did find Amanda, fifty-six years after she had turned Jones, I didn’t introduce myself. Being the cautious creature I am, I observed her for several weeks before coming forward. She had set herself up as a wealthy New York socialite, entertaining scores of humans every evening in her Fifth Avenue flat.
With that intoxicating red hair and those dark blue eyes, she was irresistible to most humans. She was an actress at heart and knew how to play the hearts of men, moving them from casual acquaintance to utter slave with a graceful turn of her head. I was drawn in by it as well.
She was heartless with her victims, sensing the fears of each one and touching lightly until they were begging for death. She was unstoppable. I think that was the real draw for me. She was a challenge, something I wanted to conquer just to prove that I could do it.
So I trailed her one night when she went to the theater with some human friends who had yet to sample her particular brand of torture. I stood in the shadows near her theater box as they watched a performance of Macbeth. Her eyes were always vivid, dancing with excitement.
When the first act ended, she sensed me and our eyes met. If she felt threatened by the presence of another vampire, she didn’t reveal it. One corner of her glistening mouth lifted in a half smile of acknowledgement and she turned back to her friends as if I weren’t there. It was irritating to be ignored in such a way, but I realized she was playing a game and backed off.
Four days later, she came to me. We met in Central Park shortly after midnight.
It was one of the most memorable evenings of my life.
CHAPTER 10 – Jackson
Michael took the body. He said he was going to bury it somewhere. By the time Victoria and Jones came back to the house, he had already finished. The three of them huddled up on the front porch, speaking too quickly and softly for me to understand. They looked like a trio of dark angels standing there with their black coats and white faces.
I turned away from the window and saw Sarah sitting on the stairs, her arms tightly wrapped around herself and shivering in fear. It seemed entirely natural to go to her, pull her up against me. I did it almost without conscious thought. Her tremors abated slightly as I held her.
“She couldn’t have done it, Jackson.”
“We don’t know yet,” I answered, trying not to think about how good she smelled and how soft her hair felt against my neck.
She sobbed and I felt her tears soak through my shirt. It made me crazy to see her hurt like that. All I could do was stand there, allow her to get it out. I could hold her a little tighter, kiss her hair. And I did all that, but it didn’t seem like nearly enough. There had to be something more that I could do to help her. I wanted to be able to prove that Katie hadn’t killed that poor woman. I needed to find a way to put her at ease.
“Let me find out what Michael knows, okay?”
Jones had started up Victoria’s sedan and it was idling in the driveway. She was still talking to Michael, but they were arguing. Their voices rose in anger as I drew open the screen door and stepped out onto the porch. They both went quiet at the same time.
“What happening?” I asked, looking at each of them carefully.
“Nothing for you to worry about. Where’s Sarah?” Michael ground out roughly.
“Inside. She’s terrified right now.”
“I need permission to leave with Jones,” Victoria said. She glared at Michael with deliberate malice.
“You and Jones may go.”
Both of them looked at me sharply.
I shrugged. “It’s in my power. When will
When I finally did find Amanda, fifty-six years after she had turned Jones, I didn’t introduce myself. Being the cautious creature I am, I observed her for several weeks before coming forward. She had set herself up as a wealthy New York socialite, entertaining scores of humans every evening in her Fifth Avenue flat.
With that intoxicating red hair and those dark blue eyes, she was irresistible to most humans. She was an actress at heart and knew how to play the hearts of men, moving them from casual acquaintance to utter slave with a graceful turn of her head. I was drawn in by it as well.
She was heartless with her victims, sensing the fears of each one and touching lightly until they were begging for death. She was unstoppable. I think that was the real draw for me. She was a challenge, something I wanted to conquer just to prove that I could do it.
So I trailed her one night when she went to the theater with some human friends who had yet to sample her particular brand of torture. I stood in the shadows near her theater box as they watched a performance of Macbeth. Her eyes were always vivid, dancing with excitement.
When the first act ended, she sensed me and our eyes met. If she felt threatened by the presence of another vampire, she didn’t reveal it. One corner of her glistening mouth lifted in a half smile of acknowledgement and she turned back to her friends as if I weren’t there. It was irritating to be ignored in such a way, but I realized she was playing a game and backed off.
Four days later, she came to me. We met in Central Park shortly after midnight.
It was one of the most memorable evenings of my life.
CHAPTER 10 – Jackson
Michael took the body. He said he was going to bury it somewhere. By the time Victoria and Jones came back to the house, he had already finished. The three of them huddled up on the front porch, speaking too quickly and softly for me to understand. They looked like a trio of dark angels standing there with their black coats and white faces.
I turned away from the window and saw Sarah sitting on the stairs, her arms tightly wrapped around herself and shivering in fear. It seemed entirely natural to go to her, pull her up against me. I did it almost without conscious thought. Her tremors abated slightly as I held her.
“She couldn’t have done it, Jackson.”
“We don’t know yet,” I answered, trying not to think about how good she smelled and how soft her hair felt against my neck.
She sobbed and I felt her tears soak through my shirt. It made me crazy to see her hurt like that. All I could do was stand there, allow her to get it out. I could hold her a little tighter, kiss her hair. And I did all that, but it didn’t seem like nearly enough. There had to be something more that I could do to help her. I wanted to be able to prove that Katie hadn’t killed that poor woman. I needed to find a way to put her at ease.
“Let me find out what Michael knows, okay?”
Jones had started up Victoria’s sedan and it was idling in the driveway. She was still talking to Michael, but they were arguing. Their voices rose in anger as I drew open the screen door and stepped out onto the porch. They both went quiet at the same time.
“What happening?” I asked, looking at each of them carefully.
“Nothing for you to worry about. Where’s Sarah?” Michael ground out roughly.
“Inside. She’s terrified right now.”
“I need permission to leave with Jones,” Victoria said. She glared at Michael with deliberate malice.
“You and Jones may go.”
Both of them looked at me sharply.
I shrugged. “It’s in my power. When will
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