Sunny never gets to just chill out. She just wants to hang
out, be with Magnus, and have a few seconds of respite from
the craziness of her life. Instead, she fails at throwing
herself at her boyfriend, ends up on a not-really-approved
quest to save her friend Jayden, and tries to convince
everyone she can be this great leader if they quit trying to
shunt her to the side, lock her up, or otherwise harass her.
BLOOD TIES has half-Fae, vampires, noble humans, not-so-
noble
vampires, humans, and everything else, themes about
normalcy,
and, oh yeah, The Holy Grail. Buy this book! This is just
another charming, fast-paced, funny, great story that can
have
the reader on the edge of his or seat while still hoping for
a
happy ending...somehow.
Officially back in the arms of her
vampire boyfriend Magnus, Sunny finds she still can't forget
the gentle mortal Jayden who once saved her life. When
darkness threatens to steal his humanity, Sunny must make a
choice: stay true to her love, or defy him in a desperate
attempt to save Jayden's soul.
Meanwhile, the Blood Coven is
gearing up for a showdown with a splinter group of Slayer
Inc. It's Vampires vs. Slayers in a showdown that could cost
Sunny not only her heart...but also her life.
Excerpt
Chapter One
"Hey Sunny, over here!"? I look up from stuffing my field
hockey stick into my bag, my eyes widening with horror as
they fall upon a long, black stretch limousine, pulling up
curbside to my new high school, behind the waiting school
bus. The window slides down and from inside I can see
Magnus, still shadowed in the darkness, beckoning for me to
come over. I try to pretend I don't hear him. Don't even
know him. So of course that makes him shout even louder. As
a rule, former knights in shining armor from medieval times
can so not take a hint.
"Oi! Sunny! I'm right here!"
"Whoa, who's the hottie?" whistles Kierra, the field hockey
center and one of the only potential friends I've managed to
score my first week here at Las Vegas High School. In other
words, the last person on Earth I want to introduce to the
Master of the Blood Coven--one of the largest vampire groups
on the Eastern seaboard--AKA my current boyfriend, Magnus.
Who I, might add, may soon become my former boyfriend Magnus
if he doesn't pull away from my high school parking lot in
the next five seconds.
Kierra squints to get a better glimpse into the luxurious
limo. I mean, really, Magnus? A freaking limo? Could we get
any more My Super Sweet Sixteen if we tried? These girls are
so going to get the wrong idea about me.
"Wow Sunny," chimes in Hana, the goalie. "You've been
holding out on us!"
Magnus grins, tossing the girls a friendly wave. My only
saving grace is the knowledge that he'll literally catch on
fire if he tries to step out of the car and into the
sweltering Vegas sunshine.
"Is he your boyfriend?" Taylar, the midfielder queries.
I try to send Magnus mental signals to vacate the premises.
If only I had vampire telepathy like Rayne does with Jareth.
Then again, I think she only has the ability to summon her
boyfriend to her, not away. Which evidently I don't need
special superpowers to do.
I realize the three girls are staring at me questioningly.
"Oh him?" I stammer. "He's just...some guy I know."
"Yeah. Some guy in a limo!" Taylar adds. "It's like,
seriously so Chuck Bass in Gossip Girl!" She pretends to swoon.
"Yeah! And you're like Blair!" gushes Kierra. "Except, you
know, without the designer wardrobe." The three girls study
my tank top and jeans ensemble from Old Navy with critical
eyes. I am so going to kill Magnus. What is he even doing
awake this time of day anyway?
"Hi Chuck Bass!" coos Hana, running over to the limo and
sticking her head in. She's quickly joined by Taylar and
Kierra. "Buy any hotels lately?"
Magnus cocks his head in question. "I'm sorry?"
"Um, he doesn't get out much. I mean, stay in much," I
interject, running to the car and pushing them aside. "I
mean, he doesn't watch a lot of TV."
"Actually I do quite enjoy The Vampire Diaries," Magnus
interjects with a sly smile.
Oh. My. God.
The field hockey players squee in unison, squeezing past me,
their heads all trying to fit through the limo window at once.
"Want to come hang with us?" Hana asks.
"We're going to crash the Mandalay pool to catch some rays,"
adds Kierra.
"And no offense, man, but you sure look like you can use
some," teases Taylar playfully.
"I appreciate your offer, ladies," Magnus says grandly. "But
I must regretfully decline. Perhaps another day, or night, I
mean, after the sun goes down?"
Okay that's it. I'm done. I push through the blockade of
girls and yank open the limo door. "Sorry, they're busy," I
reply, before any of them can answer. I dive into the limo
and slam the door shut behind me. "See you guys tomorrow!" I
cry, stabbing at the window button, praying it will move
faster the more times I press it.
"Can we, like go?" I bite at the chauffeur as I watch my new
friends try to squint through the one-way glass. Luckily the
guy obliges and we pull out of the school parking lot at
long last. Excellent. Now I can at least die of
embarrassment off of school property.
"Sunny?" I realized Magnus is staring at me questioningly.
I turn to him. "What the hell was that, Magnus?" I demand.
"What was what?" He asks innocently. "I just thought you'd
like a ride home."? "Yeah. In a school bus. Or a normal car.
Not a stretch limo. Do you know what they're going to think
of me now?" I can just imagine them texting their friends as
we speak. Three days at my new school and I'm already going
to be limo girl with the bad wardrobe.
"I'm sorry, Sunny," Magnus replies, sounding slightly
amused. "But limos are just easier for me to get around in
during the day." He pauses, then adds. "Next time I'll bring
the Jag."
Argh. I flop back in my seat, so giving up.
"What's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" I repeat. "Hm, I don't know, Magnus. How
about the fact that I'm starting a new school and I'm trying
to make friends and fit in. That's not easy to do when my
vampire boyfriend shows up with a limo and starts talking
all weird to my friends."
"Come on," he cajoles. "I thought vampires were all the rage
with high school girls these days."
I glower at him. "Only if they sparkle." ? Magnus starts
laughing at this. I try to frown, to keep being mad, but I
have to admit, it is kind of funny. And soon I find myself
giggling alongside of him. ? "Am I forgiven then?" he asks
fondly, looking at me with his beautiful emerald eyes.
I grunt. "Oh, I suppose." I curl into his cool body,
rejoicing at the feel of his long, lean frame, pressed up
against me. After all those lonely nights at Riverdale
Slayer School, I can't resist a little cuddle from the guy
every now and then. Even if he does refuse to follow orders
to stay away from my high school.
"Sorry," I say sheepishly. "I know you meant well. It's
just...I'm in a weird situation, you know? Going to a new
school, trying to get people to like me..."
"Who wouldn't like you?" Magnus asks, planting a kiss on my
freckled nose. "You're perfect."
"You're prejudiced."
"Maybe so." He tosses his head arrogantly. "But I've also
had a thousand years experience to draw from. These girls
you're trying to impress? They've got seventeen, eighteen
tops."
I can't help but giggle. "So you're saying in a thousands
years of searching, you've never found a girl as perfect as
me." ? "Vampires honor," he says, holding his fingers up in
Boy Scout pose. Then he grabs me and pulls me close to him,
kissing me hungrily on the mouth. I kiss him back, enjoying
the feel of his soft lips moving against my own. It's so
good to have him back in my arms. I just pray he doesn't
have to leave again.
"So I may have to leave again," he announces suddenly,
pulling away from the kiss.
"What? Why?"
He slumps back in his seat. "The Consortium may have found a
lead as to where the Slayer Inc fringe group is hiding out.
They want me to go investigate it." ? "Isn't that more like
Jareth's job? You know, the hands on kind of stuff? No
offense, baby, but you're more politician than warrior."
He scowls. "Um, former knight in shining armor, remember?"
he says, patting his chest. "And in any case, Jareth's
coming along too. In fact, the majority of Consortium
leaders are mobilizing for this. It's just too big a risk to
be taken lightly. Especially now that Corbin's stolen some
valuable information from the Blood Coven that can be used
against us."
Corbin. The vampire slayer my sister almost killed by
drinking his blood. Jareth saved his life by turning him
into a vampire. But let's just say the guy wasn't so
grateful for the favor. Now he's on the loose and probably
hell bent on revenge against the entire Coven. Not to
mention my sister.
"Okay then," I say, gearing up for the challenge. I guess
normal high school life will have to be put on hold again.
"Let's swing by the house and I'll pack a bag."
Magnus frowns.
"What?" I ask.
"Sunny, you're not coming."
"Um, excuse me?" Is he for real?
"It's going to be war," Magnus reminds me. "It's too
dangerous for you."
"Hello, Magnus!" I wave to him. "Fairy Princess, remember?
No longer the fragile human girl you need to protect from
harm? I want to help." ? But my boyfriend just shakes his
head. "I don't think it's a good idea, Sunny. If anything
were to happen you, I'd never forgive myself. Not to
mention, just having you there would be...a distraction."
I stare at him, mouth agape. I can't believe it. Once again
I'm being shut out. ? "Look Sun, I'm not trying to be a jerk
here..."
"Well, then you're failing miserably," I retort. "Driver,
stop the car. I'm going to walk the rest of the way!" The
driver slows down.
"No!" Magnus cries. "Keep going." The driver sighs, then
speeds up again.
As if that's going to stop me. ""Fine, have it your way." I
press the button to open the skylight, then push my head
through. I can hear Magnus protesting below as I crawl out
the window, unfurl my wings out the sides of my tank top,
and flutter off the moving vehicle and down onto the nearby
sidewalk, leaving my sun-allergic boyfriend stuck in the
car, trying desperately to close the skylight.
"Sunny!" he cries furiously, banging on the window. But I
ignore him, stuffing my wings back under my shirt. (It's
better not to risk walking around as a fairy in daylight,
though in Vegas, technically anything goes.) Then I storm
off down the street heading towards my family's high-rise
condo just off strip.
"Stay at home Sunny," I mutter under my breath. "It's way
too dangerous, Sunny." I'm so sick of everyone thinking I'm
the weak one. After all, no one ever says stuff like that to
Rayne. In fact, she's actually assigned death-defying
adventures for a living. But as for me, I might as well be
made of freaking glass, according to Magnus and the rest of
the sorry vampire race.
It's so freaking unfair.
I walk down an alley through a shortcut off strip. About
halfway through I wonder if I've made a wise choice. The
shadows in the dark seem to claw at me menacingly and I keep
hearing strange cat like mews echoing through the air. I
wrap my hands around my arms and pick up the pace.
Suddenly a loud clattering sound makes me practically jump
out of my skin. I whirl around, my eyes catching movement in
the darkness. A shadow that can only be human.
"Who's there?" I demand. "Stay back! I've got mace and I
know how to use it." I don't really, of course. But I do
have some fairy powers to unfurl if push comes to shove.
"S-s-sunny?" A weak, but familiar voice cries. "Is that
really you?"
"Jayden?" I exclaim, rushing toward the shadow. "I've been
looking all--"
I stop short as my eyes fall upon the figure on the ground.
While it's definitely Jayden--my best Vegas friend and maybe
something more--at the same time he looks...wrong somehow.
Scarily skinny, all bones and sinew, his eyes are black and
hollow looking and his mouth is blood-stained. I realize in
horror, he's holding something furry and dead and half-eaten
in his hands.
"Oh my god!" I cry. "What happened to you?"
He looks up with pitiful, scared eyes. "Sunny," he whimpers.
"You've got to help me. I think...I think I might have been
turned into a vampire."
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