Born to Darkness Book 1 in the Immortal Destiny Series: Vampire Romance Paranormal by Lorraine Kennedy

as much as blood.
    “You of course,” the girl told her with a giggle.
    A dark rage took hold of her - smothering any fear she’d felt a moment before. Nicole’s anger over life and its horrors finally erupted like a furious storm.
    Smiling, she lifted her finger and motioned for them to come closer. “Then come and get me.”
    Snarling - their eyes began to emit that unearthly light - the glow within them that indicated that they were ready to feed. Suddenly the night lit up and lightning flashed across the sky. Nicole’s hair seemed to come alive as a gust of wind blew across the cemetery.
    Then, as if by magic, Alec was at her side. His cold eyes promised a painful ending for her attackers. As soon as they saw Alec, they backed away.
    “You won’t always be with her Alec,” the male vampire told him with a smile.
    Alec didn’t respond - instead he continued to stare them down. Slowly they backed away and disappeared into the darkness.
    Nicole looked over at Alec. “How did you know where I was?”
    “Your terror was like a beacon,” he frowned. “I simply followed that beacon.”
    “It’s a good thing you did,” Nicole told him. “I thought you said they wouldn’t come after me?”
    “I didn’t think they would,” he said, looking out into the darkness, as if searching for something that simply wasn’t there. “Omar must be getting impatient and willing to take things into his own hands.”
    Another streak of lightning illuminated the sky. Nicole had to catch her breath as she gazed upon Alec. He looked almost ethereal with the wind blowing through his hair and the stormy sky behind him.
    Alec turned his attention to her. “What are you doing here? It was a bad move to come to a place like this … so close to nightfall.”
    Nicole took his hand and started walking toward her little brother’s tomb. When they reached it, she pointed to Jay’s name. “My little brother.” Her voice trembled - the grief threatening to crush her once again.
    He squeezed Nicole’s hand. “I’m sorry.”
    Just then, a gust of wind nearly knocked her from her feet. Thunder shook the earth beneath them and the sky opened up - sending down a torrent of rain. With Alec in the lead - the two of them ran through the cemetery until they came to the tomb. Not the most preferable source of shelter, but it was much closer than her car.
    Alec pulled open the heavy door and slipped inside. “Come in … we’ll stay here until the rain stops.”
    Nicole stepped inside, shivering from the cold rain and the chill of the crypt. She heard Alec moving around, and then the strike of a match. In the corner - there was a small - stone altar with candles. One by one, Alec lit the candles until the inside of the tomb was aglow with light.
    “Who does this tomb belong to anyway?” Nicole asked, feeling as if she were intruding on someone’s eternal rest.
    “Me. I had it built around the turn of the 20th century. Then I was known as Alexander Moreau.”
    “You changed your name?”
    He smiled. “It wouldn’t be good if those who know me … saw that I stayed the same, though they grew old.”
    “I guess not,” she admitted.
    “We must disappear and become someone else every few decades.”
    “It must be a lonely existence,” Nicole voiced the thought out loud.
    Alec stepped near her and gently caressed her cheek. “It is.”
    Nicole reached up and covered his hand with hers.
    “What happened to your brother?” he asked.
    Nicole felt the familiar lump in her throat and she turned away - the darkness descending on her heart.
    Whenever she let herself think about it - she relived the horror of that day all over again. “It happened a few years ago, when I was seventeen and still living at home. My mom left me to tend Jay while she was at work. He was home sick.” Again the tears came and Alec gently brushed them away.
    “You don’t have to talk about it if it’s too hard for you,” he spoke softly - kissing her