{"id":52178,"date":"2019-08-22T23:40:53","date_gmt":"2019-08-22T13:40:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/69.30.214.42\/?p=52178"},"modified":"2022-03-26T17:43:04","modified_gmt":"2022-03-26T07:43:04","slug":"new-beginnings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writers-exchange.com\/new-beginnings\/","title":{"rendered":"Blood Bred Series, Book 3: New Beginnings\u00a0 by JennaKay Francis"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Blood<\/a>
Available in ebook and print<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A powerful Vector roams the dark alleys and streets searching for his next victim. But he is not interested in those with normal blood, only those in whose veins runs blood thick with hack. <\/em>And if Adan can’t find someone who has just ingested the potent drug, he will use his powers to coerce them to do so before he feeds.<\/p>\n

For Darius, the Vector Sovereign, Adan has become a problem. A problem he needs to fix.<\/p>\n

GENRE: Fantasy: Vampire\u00a0 \u00a0 Word Count: 76, 782<\/p>\n

\"Author<\/a>\u00a0\"thin \"Series<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n

\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n <\/colgroup>\n \n\n \n\n \n
Buy now from Writers Exchange, or from these Retailers:<\/caption>\n
\"Buy<\/a><\/th>Amazon<\/th>Apple Books<\/th>Google Play<\/th>Barnes and Noble<\/th>Kobo<\/th>Scribd<\/th>Smashwords<\/th>Angus & Robertson Print<\/th><\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
[wp_eStore_add_to_cart id=114]<\/td>\"Buy<\/a><\/td>\"Apple<\/a><\/td>\"Get<\/a><\/td>\"Buy<\/a><\/td>\"Kobo<\/a><\/td>\"Scribd<\/a><\/td>\"Smashwords<\/a><\/td>\"Angus<\/a><\/td> <\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n <\/table>\n \n \n \n<\/div>\n\n

 <\/p>\n

(ebooks<\/strong> are available from all sites, and print<\/strong> is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and some on Angus & Robertson)<\/i><\/p>\n

Continue the series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Blood<\/a> \"Blood<\/a> \"Blood<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Romance<\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

Baris looked up from his journal at the sound of voices. Voices he knew.\u00a0 A surge of joy coursed through him as his wife, Anika, led a tall, dark haired man into the study.\u00a0 Baris rose, extending his hand.\u00a0 “Jaeger!\u00a0 What are you doing here?\u00a0 It’s been a long time.”<\/p>\n

The man smiled, accepting Baris’ forearm embrace.\u00a0 “It has.”<\/p>\n

“Did you bring Rhiannon?\u00a0 And the children?”<\/p>\n

“No, I’m afraid I didn’t.” He paused. “I…I need to speak with you on an important matter.”<\/p>\n

Anika tipped her head at Jaeger. “I’ll fetch you a drink, then leave you two to talk,” she said and quickly slipped out of the room.<\/p>\n

Baris smiled and motioned Jaeger to a chair beside the desk, then lowered his towering, lithe frame back into his own chair.\u00a0 “So, what’s wrong?\u00a0 Something with Rhiannon?”<\/p>\n

“No, Rhia is fine.” He let out a heavy sigh. “I came at the request of Darius.”<\/p>\n

Baris drew back.\u00a0 A momentary surge of panic swept through him, and his hand reflexively moved toward his left arm.\u00a0 “Darius?” he whispered.\u00a0 “What does he want with me?\u00a0 What have I done?”<\/p>\n

Jaeger smiled, his gaze moving momentarily to Baris’ arm, though he said nothing. He reached out to give Baris’ shoulder a reassuring grip. “Old ways die hard. Do remember that Darius is not Cardiss. He does not have the same punitive rule as Cardiss did. Besides, you have done nothing.\u00a0 Sovereign Darius only wishes your expertise, shall we say.”<\/p>\n

“My expertise?\u00a0 What could I possibly know that he doesn’t?”<\/p>\n

Jaeger started to answer then stopped as Anika returned with two tankards of cold ale.\u00a0 She sat them on the table, cast a quick glance at Jaeger, and left as quietly as she had come in.<\/p>\n

Jaeger looked at the closed door thoughtfully.\u00a0 “Doesn’t she like me?”<\/p>\n

Baris was startled by the words.\u00a0 “Of course she does!\u00a0 I think she’s a bit intimidated by you is all.”<\/p>\n

It was Jaeger’s turn to be surprised.\u00a0 “By me?\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 I’m not even full Vector.”<\/p>\n

Baris managed a small smile, despite the fact that his heart was doing double time. “Perhaps intimidated isn’t the right word. Embarrassed might be better. She’s still a bit unsettled about all that occurred between her and I almost two years ago.\u00a0 I have to admit, I’m highly embarrassed over that whole incident myself.\u00a0 I wish I could erase it from my past, and my memory.”<\/p>\n

Jaeger took a sip of his ale and fixed his dark gaze on Baris.\u00a0 “Well, actually, that’s exactly what I’m here to discuss with you.”<\/p>\n

Baris felt the color drain from his cheeks.\u00a0 “I thought you said that I’d done nothing wrong. Why would Darius…”<\/p>\n

“I told you,” Jaeger interrupted.\u00a0 “He needs your exper…assistance with something.\u00a0 It seems that there is another Vector who has fallen prey to the ravages of hack<\/em>.\u00a0 He is refusing to even acknowledge his pledge to the Sovereign.\u00a0 He has basically gone his own way.\u00a0 Darius would like us to intervene.\u00a0 He doesn’t want this to become a nasty state of affairs.”<\/p>\n

Baris digested the words slowly, trying to drown them with a large swallow of ale.\u00a0 Just the mention of hack<\/em> set his skin crawling.\u00a0 He’d had enough of that torture.\u00a0 The days he had spent under the influence of the powerful drug were only a blurred memory, but he could still clearly see the dead body of the boy he had taken as his consort during that time.\u00a0 A boy who had died because of him. He had used the boy as a food source, but more than that, he has used the boy as a way to ease his own cravings for the hack<\/em>. Even now, he could remember the euphoria that had swept through him each time he had taken the blood of a person high on hack<\/em>. It was a euphoria not met by simply ingesting the drug in its leaf form. A shudder ran up his spine and he took another long pull on his ale, only wanting to distance himself from any more conversation.\u00a0 “I…I don’t see why Darius just doesn’t take this Vector into the Lair by force.\u00a0 It’s his right as Sovereign.”<\/p>\n

“That has been the right of the Sovereign in the past,” Jaeger agreed.\u00a0 “But do remember that when Darius assumed the position of Sovereign, he gave the Vectors freer rein to pursue their own lives.”<\/p>\n

“Then why does he care what this Vector is doing?”<\/p>\n

“Because this Vector is giving us all a bad name, Baris.\u00a0 I don’t need to tell you how tenuous our acceptance into this human society is.\u00a0 One Vector out there doing ill deeds affects us all. We certainly don’t want to get back to the point of being hunted and killed simply for who we are.\u00a0 At least, I don’t. And I don’t wish to jeopardize my family either.”<\/p>\n

The words startled Baris.\u00a0 “You think that would happen?\u00a0 All of our spouses are witches.\u00a0 I don’t think common folk would dare to…”<\/p>\n

“Think, man!”\u00a0 Jaeger interrupted.\u00a0 “Rhiannon’s clan were hunted and killed for years.\u00a0 In fact, it’s only their association with the Vectors that has brought them any peace at all.”<\/p>\n

“Then perhaps the common folk having a fear of Vectors is a good thing,” Baris returned.<\/p>\n

Jaeger sighed. “To a point, I agree.\u00a0 But only to a point.\u00a0 I would much prefer that we were respected, not feared.\u00a0 And I certainly don’t like the fear this particular Vector is spreading about him. He has done a lot of killing. And he’s not been too particular about his victims either.\u00a0 From the reports, he’s killed men, women and even children.”<\/p>\n

Baris drew a deep breath and rose, gripping his tankard with both hands.\u00a0 He went to the window and peered out, though he focused on nothing beyond.\u00a0 His mind’s eye again saw the body of the boy he had commanded.\u00a0 He couldn’t get rid of the image despite the fact that he had been assured that Antyn’s death was not his doing.\u00a0 It had been an overdose of the hack<\/em> that had killed him, something that probably would have eventually occurred with or without Baris being involved.\u00a0 Still, the boy wouldn’t have been attacked, nearly beaten to death, if it hadn’t been for his relationship with Baris.\u00a0 And he wouldn’t have tried to calm that pain with more hack<\/em> than his frail body could endure.\u00a0 Baris felt almost as if he owed it to Antyn to stop this other Vector from claiming victims. Almost.<\/p>\n

The thought of once again entering the dark and vile world of the drug abusers was not a pleasant one.\u00a0 He didn’t relish the thought of slinking through dark alleys, of rubbing shoulders with those associated with the drug.<\/p>\n

“I’ll leave you to think on it,” Jaeger said, rising.\u00a0 “But do let me know.\u00a0 If you do not wish to accompany me, I shall have to go it alone.”<\/p>\n

Baris turned to fully face the man.\u00a0 “Jaeger, you don’t know what you’re putting yourself into.\u00a0 You may think you’re strong, but just one wrong person to feed on, and you’ll be swept into living hell.”<\/p>\n

“Then I’ll have to be careful.”<\/p>\n

“You may not be able to sense those who have used the drug,” Baris pointed out gently.<\/p>\n

Jaeger drew himself up stiffly.\u00a0 “I am aware of my human half, Baris. I am aware of my weaknesses. I have always compensated for them in the past.\u00a0 I shall continue to do so.\u00a0 Good day.”\u00a0 He gave a tip of his head and disappeared, using his Vector magic that would spirit him back to the Lair where he would report to Darius.<\/p>\n

Just the thought sent quivers of fear through Baris, though what Jaeger had said was true.\u00a0 Since his rise to Sovereign, Darius had allowed the Vectors to live their own lives.\u00a0 Gone was the constant intrusion and brutally enforced loyalty of his predecessor.\u00a0 Obedience was now done out of respect, not tyranny.\u00a0 Still, Baris remembered all too well his time spent under the rule of first Sovereign Cardiss, then his High Chancellor Riden.\u00a0 Old habits, and fears, did indeed die hard.<\/p>\n

“Baris?”\u00a0 Anika entered the room quietly, stopping before her husband. Her blue eyes held worry and fear. “What’s wrong?\u00a0 What did Jaeger want?”<\/p>\n

Baris hesitated.\u00a0 “He brought a message from Sovereign Darius, that’s all.”\u00a0 Baris drew her into his arms, burying his face in her dark hair, savoring the feel of her pregnant belly against his hard, flat one.\u00a0 “It’s nothing.”<\/p>\n

She was quiet a moment, her arms wrapped about his waist.\u00a0 Then she pushed back and looked up into his eyes.\u00a0 “It was something.\u00a0 Something that has disturbed you a great deal. Will you share it with me?”<\/p>\n

Baris sighed, not because he didn’t want to share with her, but because he didn’t want to even think about those awful times.\u00a0 He stroked her cheek gently.\u00a0 “He wanted me to help him find another Vector.\u00a0 Seems the man has gotten himself involved with hack<\/em>.\u00a0 Darius wanted me to assist Jaeger in curing this Vector of his addiction.”<\/p>\n

“And you will help?”\u00a0 Anika asked, her blue eyes searching his.<\/p>\n

“Help?”\u00a0 He released her with a heavy sigh.\u00a0 “How can I help, Anika?\u00a0 I took that long road hack<\/em> offered.\u00a0 It was hell, Anika.\u00a0 I don’t want to travel it again.”<\/p>\n

“But why would you?\u00a0 Darius isn’t asking you to get involved with taking the drug, Baris.\u00a0 He only wants your help in freeing another of your kind from its evil clutches.\u00a0 You, above all, should know what this Vector is going through. Why won’t you help?”<\/p>\n

Baris studied her a moment, then returned to his desk.\u00a0 He picked up the quill and fiddled with it, avoiding her gaze.\u00a0 How could he tell her that even now memories of the hack<\/em> stayed with him?\u00a0 That even now, so many months later, he could still remember the euphoric rush the drug provided?\u00a0 Yes, it had been hell purging it from his body, but while he took it, he had wanted nothing more than to continue to do so.\u00a0 And perhaps he still yearned for it. He wasn’t so sure that he could resist the lure of the powerful drug.\u00a0 And that irritated him.<\/p>\n

He had always prided himself on his Vector strength.\u00a0 For most of his long life he had been in control.\u00a0 The fact that Deirdre, one of his wife’s clan members, could so easily seduce him, manipulate him with her magic, was bad enough.\u00a0 But the ease with which hack<\/em> had claimed him was too much for him to accept.\u00a0 Yet, it had happened.\u00a0 Baris wasn’t so sure that it wouldn’t happen again.\u00a0 He just didn’t want to take that risk.\u00a0 Besides there was always the implant to contend with. Anika didn’t know of that. Neither did Jaeger, or so Baris hoped. It was humiliating enough that he, himself, knew. He purposely kept his gaze from his arm, from the small, nearly invisible red patch of skin that belied the presence of the implant. It was his only punishment, his only payment for the men he had killed while under Deirdre’s seduction. At times he felt as if he didn’t deserve it, at times he felt as if he deserved so much more than having his Vector strength sapped by the presence of the implant. Your strength killed the victims<\/em>, Darius had said. It seems appropriate that your strength is now the victim<\/em>. Baris wasn’t sure he agreed, but he’d had little say in the matter at the time. It was either the implant or a gaol cell somewhere in Terska. At least with the implant, he could be here with his family. Something those men he had killed were denied.<\/p>\n

Anika approached him, and squeezed his shoulder gently. “It’s your choice then, Baris,” she said quietly.\u00a0 “Now, come, dinner is ready.”<\/p>\n

“Let me finish my journal entries,” Baris returned, his heart burdened with guilt.<\/p>\n

“Don’t be long, else it’ll have gone stone cold.\u00a0 Not that it matters much to you, since you seem to take your meals that way by preference.”<\/p>\n

Baris managed a small smile at her gentle teasing.\u00a0 He was prone to spending far too much time at his books, and often made it to dinner late.\u00a0 He took her hand and kissed the back of it, then released her.\u00a0 “I won’t be long,” he promised, and bent to his books once again.\u00a0 He didn’t hear her leave.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Blood<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A powerful Vector roams the dark alleys and streets searching for his next victim. But he is not interested in those with normal blood, only those in whose veins runs blood thick with hack. And if Adan can’t find someone who has just ingested the potent drug, he will use his powers to coerce them to do so before he feeds. For Darius, the Vector Sovereign, Adan has become a problem. A problem he needs to fix. GENRE: Fantasy: Vampire\u00a0…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":162080,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[197],"tags":[862,859,861,81,858,860,56,717,713,711,714,106,710,121,52,13,842,716,712,251,663,16,417],"class_list":["post-52178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fantasy","tag-bookaddict","tag-bookrecommendations","tag-booksbooksbooks","tag-kindle","tag-readingcommunity","tag-readinglist","tag-amazon","tag-bibliophile","tag-bookblogger","tag-bookgram","tag-booklover","tag-books","tag-bookstagram","tag-bookworm","tag-ebook","tag-fantasy","tag-fantasybooks","tag-ilovebooks","tag-instabooks","tag-jennakayfrancis","tag-reading","tag-vampire","tag-writersexchangeepublishing"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writers-exchange.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/new-beginnings-3d-cover.png?fit=897%2C1249&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1tQiy-dzA","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/writers-exchange.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52178","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/writers-exchange.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/writers-exchange.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writers-exchange.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writers-exchange.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52178"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/writers-exchange.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52178\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":178095,"href":"https:\/\/writers-exchange.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52178\/revisions\/178095"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writers-exchange.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/162080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/writers-exchange.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writers-exchange.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52178"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writers-exchange.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}