Read Red Son by Laurann Dohner Online
Redson
VLG – Volume X
Vampires, Lycans, Gargoyles
By Laurann Dohner
Redson by Laurann Dohner
Rescued as a child by her grandpa, the powerful Vampire Malachi, Emma has been on the run for nearly forty years from a Vamp determined to encounter them both dead. When he enlists the assistance of assassins from the Vampire Quango, their luck runs out. Forced to split, Malachi sends Emma to a trusted VampLycan for protection.
Redson knows trouble when he sees it, and sure enough, the gorgeous, generally human female seeking shelter immediately disrupts his future plans. His father swore a blood oath to her grandfather, and Red is award bound to protect her. He's surprised when his instincts demand so much more—protect…claim…mate.
Their attraction is explosive, but Emma refuses to consider mating while her grandfather is in danger. She needs Red'south help…only is he Malachi'south savior? Or his biggest threat yet?
VLG Series Listing
Drantos
Kraven
Lorn
Veso
Lavos
Wen
Aveoth
Creed
Glacier
Redson
Redson past Laurann Dohner
Copyright © June 2018
Editor: Kelli Collins
Cover Art: Dar Albert
eBook ISBN: 978-1-944526-90-0
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal, except for the example of brief quotations in reviews and articles.
Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by upwardly to v years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or expressionless is coincidental.
Prologue
Affiliate One
Chapter Two
Chapter Iii
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Vi
Chapter Seven
Affiliate Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter 11
Chapter Twelve
Affiliate Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Affiliate Fifteen
Redson - VLG – Book Ten
Past Laurann Dohner
Prologue
Xxx-six years in the past
Emma stared in horror at her neighborhood. Someone had dragged a recliner into the street and set it ablaze. A abode down the street also had fire shooting out of the top-floor windows. A faint scream sounded from nearby. Her mother cursed softly.
Two men seemed to appear out of nowhere. They had stake skin and wore all black clothing with matching caps. Both reminded Emma of robbers she'd seen in movies on television, minus the masked faces.
Her female parent jumped between her and the men.
"Why are you doing this? You're non immune to assault us!" Her mother's vocalisation rose in anger and she reached back, yanking out the long bract that she'd shoved into the waistband of her brim belt. "We're nether the protection of Chief Malachi. Stop this, Eduardo."
One of the scary men stepped frontwards. Emma saw his precipitous fangs and the claret that covered his cheeks and lower mouth. "Nosotros don't take orders from him anymore. He's grown soft."
"This is wrong!" Emma's mother shouted. "Leave these people alone. Are yous trying to bring attention to our kind? You can't attack humans without facing consequences. Y'all're killing them!"
"Our kind? You're nothing like me. These humans are harboring some of you half-breed bastards. They deserve death!" He spat blood on the ground simply then a cold grin curved his lips. "Yous offend me, Kallie. I can imagine why Malachi wants to keep y'all around, just you're an abomination I refuse to abide anymore."
"Y'all recall he won't impale yous for this?"
"He fabricated me. I'm the chosen ane!" Eduardo snarled. "You're a birthed mistake. Is that your child lurking behind yous?"
Emma's mother shook her caput. "I only babysit her. Cease slaughtering my neighbors. They don't fifty-fifty know what we are."
"You lot should exist enlightened of history." Eduardo withdrew a sword. "Life isn't fair, and people die all the time after making the incorrect associations. They deserve to be wiped out. I'm going to remove your head and and then suck that kid dry out."
A roar tore through the dark—and some other scary man avant-garde. This one wasn't dressed like the others and didn't wearable anything to hide his caput. He had long white hair, wore jeans and a gray sweater, and he held 2 long swords in one of his easily. Emma had seen him before. He sometimes showed upwardly belatedly at night after she was supposed to be asleep. Her mother allow him inside their home and they'd talk in whispers.
"Eduardo!" His deep, rumbling voice sounded terrifying. "I forbid y'all to assail them. Finish this nonsense immediately!"
The i threatening her mother spun to confront him. "I don't listen to yous any longer. And I don't trust them beingness and then shut to our nest, Malachi. I don't intendance who she is to you. They could kill us while we sleep!"
The white-haired human moved fast, grabbing the other human by the throat and throwing him. The torso sailed a good fifteen anxiety until it slammed into a tree. He and then attacked the 2nd man. He fisted a blade in each hand, running ane long sword through him. The second sword removed his head. It striking the ground and rolled. The trunk turned into white ash, bravado away in the light wind.
Emma whimpered.
"Run," the white-haired creature hissed softly, glancing at her mother. "I can't hold them all back. He brought in another nest. Take the child and I'll go along them off you."
"Can't you stop this?" Her female parent lowered her weapon.
"There are besides many. Mine are refusing to have orders from me. Eduardo has made them paranoid that you lot'll turn on united states. I sense at least two dozen unknown Vampires coming from the other nest. Those idiots started a burn down on the roads leading in here. Your only way out is through the woods. Run, Kallie. Take the child and go." Agony twisted his features. "I'm sorry. I idea this could piece of work. I never should have put the nest together. I believed you'd be safer with our protection. Instead, it's put y'all both in danger."
"I'm the ane they're after." Her mother glanced back, tears streaming down her face. "I love y'all, Emma. Remember that, baby. You practise whatever this human being tells you. Always trust him. He's not evil, and he'll do anything to protect you."
"Kallie," the homo took a step closer simply her mother darted abroad.
"I'll distract them and lead them away. You're fast enough to outrun them. Get her to safety. She's what really matters. I honey you." Her mother ran down the street toward a group of men who stepped into sight. "Here I am!"
"No," the white-haired man hissed. "No!"
More of the black-clad men rushed from the other side of the block to surround her mother. The blond human being spun, storming toward Emma. He dropped his weapons and lifted her from the ground. "Hold on, my sweet. Bury your face against my chest."
Tears blinded Emma. The blond stranger secured her tighter in his artillery and sprinted every bit if their lives depended on it. She glanced to the side once only he moved so fast it made her feel ill.
The screams faded, the darkness consummate. Sometimes she felt him jump, a sense of falling, before he'd land. His artillery cushioned her from the worst of information technology.
It seemed forever before he stopped. He bent, setting her on her feet. He then saturday, pulling her onto his lap. The sounds of his soft sobs and his chest heaving told her he cried. He rubbed her back.
"It's nearing dawn and we're inside a cave. They won't discover us. You're safe, Emma."
"Where'
s my mommy?"
He sniffed. "She loves you very much. Exercise you desire to know a hugger-mugger?"
She wasn't sure, sensing he was something to fear. Her mommy had warned her about stake-skinned men who might appear in the night. They were the things that could have people abroad forever. It confused her that her mommy wanted her to trust 1 of them.
"I'm your grandfather, little one. Your mom was…" He sniffed loudly again. "Is my daughter. She might have made it past them. She was always a good fighter. I trained her. She'll run across up with u.s. later if she'due south able. She knows where I'll take you. We're going to travel as shortly as the sun goes down, to somewhere safer. Aught is e'er going to happen to you lot. Never trust a nighttime crawler."
Fear edged up her spine. She was tired, hungry, and scared. "You're one of them."
He rubbed her back once again and hugged her closer to his big body. "I'g your grandpa though. I'm the exception. I'd die for you."
"I want my mommy."
"I know, baby." He sniffed over again. "I desire my girl also. She'due south fast though. She'southward a good fighter, and we have to have organized religion that she was able to go away."
Emma huddled against him to go along warm and finally slept. She dreamed about her mommy but then the bad men came. She woke to strong arms tightening effectually her.
"Shush, fiddling one. I'1000 here. I'll always be here." Her granddaddy, the dark crawler, crooned in the darkness.
Affiliate One
The nowadays
"Emma!"
She nearly fell off the ladder from being startled. The dusting rag did hit the floor, her plans to clean the shelves forgotten. "Damn it, Grandfather!" She turned her caput but he wasn't in the room. She closed her eyes, cleared her listen, and full-bodied her thoughts. "You shouted?"
"Our enemies are close. I feel them."
Fear gripped her. "No."
"Yes. Modernistic applied science is a nightmare. They are coming."
She opened her eyes and climbed downwardly the ladder, fleeing the library. "Where are you?"
"In my room. Take hold of your bag."
"How close are they?"
"Too close. I was distracted and didn't notice them at first."
She cut the mental connexion, charging upward the stairs. Her bedroom was the first door on the left. She dropped to her knees, plunging her arm under the bed until her mitt hit her emergency get pocketbook. A groan tore from her equally she dragged the heavy thing out and stood, shouldering the strap. The side zipper was already open and she clutched the handgun.
"Granddad?" She used her voice this fourth dimension, too frazzled to endeavor to reach him through their family bond as she left her room. "I'k ready."
Her grandfather stormed out of his chamber, looking annihilation only elderly with his shoulder-length white pilus, near perfect completion, articulate blue eyes, and sporting a tank top and tight jeans. Her friends always hitting on him, thinking they were siblings. Information technology never ceased to gross her out.
She did accept to admit he was an attractive human for beingness well over four hundred years old. He would forever appear to be in his mid to tardily twenties in human years, since he was a Vampire.
"Where's your bag?" She frowned.
"I sensed them too late. They're already outside. You lot need to go. I'll stay until information technology's rubber for me to sneak away."
"No! We stay together."
The doorbell rang, every bit if on cue. Emma nearly pulled the trigger just out of terror.
"Like shooting fish in a barrel." He gripped her shoulders. "Hide your bag inside the escape passage, and you know what nosotros take to do. You'll exist my blood slave until I send yous out of the room. Nosotros've talked virtually this."
"I tin't!" Panic struck.
"They have the states surrounded." He artsy his head. "Four are at the door, six more are approaching the business firm. I sense them on our hill. They are too near the go out for u.s.a. to brand it. But they are young. We can pull this off. They'll aroma yous and keep searching the house until you're found. Yous demand to hide in plain sight."
"I suck at interim!"
"You lot exercise not. I've trained you well. Yous've got this."
That was piece of cake for him to say. He always seemed fearless. He took her purse from her shoulder.
"Simply―"
"It's besides late. They are here—we're trapped. I'll hibernate the bag. Wait until dawn to flee and I'll follow you as soon equally it'due south safe. Don't brand me have over your heed. It sickened you the terminal time."
The memory of the killer headache and a twenty-four hour period of vomiting calmed her a lot. "I tin can practise it."
He chuckled. "That's my girl."
The doorbell rang again and someone beat on information technology 3 times.
She stepped closer and tilted her head to the side. "Practice it."
A grimace marred his features. "I'grand sorry."
"This is an emergency. That's the dominion. We have to brand information technology expect good."
"Damn." His fangs elongated.
Emma forced her muscles to relax and sealed her lips tight. It would only brand his guilt worse if she made a pained noise. The other alternative was for him to lick her neck until the saliva from his natural language numbed the area. She didn't desire either of them to endure that indignity.
Her gramps's fangs hurt as he bit into her. He only created a wound, didn't drink, and pulled back immediately. He refused to see her gaze as he licked his thumb, running it over the spot to stop the haemorrhage.
"They'll see that. I'll put your bag away. Go the door before they suspension it in."
The injury burned a little but it would take less than an hr for the wound to completely heal. She rushed down the stairs and pushed her pilus back to brand the bite visible. She paused past the door. One glance upwards at the landing bodacious her that her grandfather had moved out of sight. She slowly counted to four before taking a deep breath.
"Who is it?"
"Open the door!" The female vocalization surprised her.
"I'm not allowed to do that." She took a few steps away from the door and moved to the left.
In seconds, someone kicked the door hard plenty to pause the locks and three Vampires shoved their manner inside. They entered the business firm equally if they owned the identify.
Emma swallowed down her fear at seeing the mortiferous trio. The woman was tall and had taken the Gothic-punk look to heart. Her two male companions resembled center-aged thugs with a thing for holes in their jeans and outdated band T-shirts.
The adult female glared at Emma and pointedly stared at her pharynx. A frowned twisted her lips downward. The fourth 1 her granddad had sensed probably hid outside, prepared to pounce if they needed help.
"Where is your master?"
"I'll never tell!" Emma backed up more.
The woman advanced—but her gramps cleared his throat loudly from above, halting the enraged Vamp attack changing her mind with pain and agony. It was his way of making a grand entrance.
"You dare invade my home? Who the hell are you? Get abroad from my claret slave."
Emma glanced at her gramps as he gripped the banister, storming down the curved staircase looking every inch the terrifying creature he could be. His fangs were extended, his features harsh with rage, and his voice had dropped to that scary, "you're in deep shit and I'm pissed" tone he'd never used on her, even when she'd done something seriously wrong.
The sensation of menace radiated from him and fifty-fifty Emma couldn't ignore information technology. Chills ran down her spine. Her grandfather exerting his age and forcefulness wasn't a pleasant experience to exist around for a human. It did even worse things to Vampires, judging by the way the iii intruders backed up with fearful expressions.
The woman seemed to be in charge, and she dropped to her knees outset. Her head bowed, and the 2 thugs quickly followed her lead.
"I'm lamentable," the adult female whispered. "Nosotros meant no boldness."
"Bullshit," her grandad thundered. "You entered my home without permission and threatened my
slave."
The adult female glanced up. "I'm Paula. I serve the Vampire Council." She paused. "Y'all aren't known to them, and we were sent to investigate."
"When did it get police to join?" Her grandfather thundered. "I'thousand probably older than every fellow member. Side by side, they'll want me to back up them. My money is my own."
Paula shook her head and kept depression to the ground. "No. We're looking for rogues."
"Exercise I look similar 1 of those heathens? Exercise you think I bankrupt into this domicile and killed the owners?" He snorted. "I'm not a brutal who puts our kind at run a risk by breaking homo laws or making them investigate murders. Exit."
She didn't budge. "We ask for lodging. We're far from a known nest and seek day shelter."
Emma didn't cartel glance at her grandfather again. She kept her gaze on the floor just could run into everyone from the corner of her eye. A real blood slave wouldn't feel much curiosity. Their wills would accept been too broken to care about anything going on effectually them except their principal's demands.
"Fine. I don't want you to have to accept refuge with my neighbors. They have those security cameras that are linked to the internet where protection companies tin can view them. The risk of you being caught are too high. But I'm non assuasive you to fuck upwards my peace. You may stay the twenty-four hours but then you volition leave."
Emma realized her grandfather was trying to protect the people who lived in the homes nearest them by implying he knew them well plenty to be familiar with their security measures. It would keep the Vampires from trying to feed off them. The threat of Vampires being filmed in action would assure the humans' safety. The quango would ash any Vampire who made the news by being stupid and exposing the world to their existence.
"More of us are outside."
"I'm aware." Her granddaddy crossed his arms over his breast. "I sensed you coming for miles. You should actually work on your stealth abilities if you're rogue hunters. If I were one, I'd have fled long earlier you made it to the door." He paused. "You may chase your meal in my woods only avoid other properties. Their cameras actually are everywhere. I live here year-round."
Source: https://onlinereadfreenovel.com/laurann-dohner/48865-redson.html