Audra's Treaty Read online

  Audra’s Treaty

  Audra series

  by A. May

  Copyright © 2018 A. May

  Copyright Cover Art © 2018 A. May

  First Edition

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Disclaimer.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Edited by Tonya Blust

  Contents

  Connect with A. May

  Warning

  Blurb

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Recommendation

  About A. May

  Acknowledgments

  Connect with A. May

  To keep up to date with Audra’s Series make sure your apart my group. We have fun games, giveaway and of course all of the inside information of my books and up and coming books.

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  I look forward to seeing you there!

  Warning, or I think it’s a warning.

  This is a reverse harem genre. This means the main character has more then one partner. If this doesn’t float your boat, then well I’ll have another book coming out soon that isn’t RH.

  Blurb

  Veronica has been fighting for her life along with her sister for too long. Now 24, mastering her water element and being able to manipulate the electrical current in large masses. She is giving the hunters a run for their money, besting them at every corner.

  After an unusual meeting, that leaves Veronica with the first to her harem, unaware there are more to come. She will need them by her side, as the sisters are pulled back into the supernatural war that they've hidden from for so long.

  When the chance for revenge arises, will Veronica with Annalise by her side, stand and fight, or continue to run?

  Chapter one

  I’m finishing up for the day, heading over to the shop door, turning over the “open” sign to “closed” while I dance to the music playing in the background. Thank God it’s Friday and all I have to do to start my weekend is clean the coffee machine.

  “V, I’m heading out now. Are you okay to close up?” Sandy asks, pulling on her black leather jacket and fixing her collar to pull her curly blonde hair to the side. Sandy is about five-foot-five, with curves in all the right places. Nothing like me. I’m straight up and down, small boobs and bum. I’m just a tad envious of her, but I love her anyway.

  “I won’t be too much longer. I just have to finish cleaning the coffee machine and then I'm all done,” I answer, making my way back to the counter. Our workplace isn't overly large – just enough for six round black tables spaced out on the floor, with six bars stools against the counter. Light blue walls brighten up the room, and mirrors on the wall behind the counter make it look more spacious then it is. The smell is delicious, coffee beans and sweet cakes.

  “Okay, V. Night.” Sandy waves goodbye as she heads out the door, sending the bells chiming at her exit.

  Most people call me V, short for Veronica. Call me Ronnie and you’ve just signed your death wish. I make my way over to the coffee machine and take out the four coffee grips. Then I head to the sink to soak them. I’m placing them in the sink as the bells chime at the door.

  “Sorry, we're closed.” I look over my shoulder, coming face to face with one of the sexiest guys I’ve ever encountered. Well, hello there, Mr Green Eyes, reminding me of the forest back home. His eyes meet mine, making my legs go weak.

  “Sorry, I just saw you in here and didn’t take much notice of the sign. I’m truly sorry.” I lose all reason the moment he starts speaking in a husky British accent.

  I look him over. He's wearing dark blue jeans that are slim at the bottom, tucked into a pair of black combat boots. My mouth goes dry as I watch him lift his thick, toned arm to rub the back of his neck. His brown hair, which complements his lightly tanned skin, reaches his jawline. My eyes roam his strong, chiseled face. I can't help but be drawn to his lickable lips, and I watch as they grow into a smirk. Did I just think ‘lickable lips'? What the hell?

  Shit, I’m definitely drooling. I clear my throat. “Sorry, I’ve already started cleaning the coffee machine, and I've already put away all the food. It has been slow this afternoon,” I say, breaking the silence.

  My cheeks grow warm as I watch his eyes travel over my body. I feel exposed as he takes me in. Taking a step forward, I feel drawn to him as I get closer. I stop myself as I round the front of the counter.

  “That isn't exactly what I came in for,” he says, stepping towards me, making me lean against the counter as he comes within inches. The smell of musk and I think apples surrounds me, causing me to bite my lip; he smells heavenly.

  “Oh” is all I can muster. I should be freaking out or something. What is wrong with me, letting a stranger come this close?

  “You smell absolutely divine,” he says in a husky tone, lifting his hand gently and grazing my skin as he moves a strand of brown hair out of my face. He places it behind my ear, causing a shiver to descend my body as he closes the distance between us. Finally, he boxes me in, placing his arms on either side of me.

  This isn’t normal, yet I can't help but stay where I am. I gently place my hand on his chest, feeling the hard muscle under his shirt before a jolt of power zaps through my hand. “Fuck, what the hell?” I shout, pushing him back, achieving only a couple of inches.

  I narrow my eyes at him, looking him over again. I want to smack myself. How didn't I see it before? He’s a fucking vampire and, yep, that’s one of my sister's daylight charms, a thick black ring with a red stone embedded in it. My sister Annalise and I are witches without a coven, without parents because of this stupid war between the werewolves and the vampires.

  “Vampire,” I hiss, taking control of his body so he can’t move a limb.

  “Before you fry my brains, I wouldn’t hurt you,” he says.

  I let him continue only because he’s nice to look at.

  “You're my heartlink. That jolt of power you felt going through us was our soul's meeting, proving my theory correct,” he finishes, letting his words sink in.

  I’ve heard of supernaturals having heartlinks; some people can go a lifetime – or centuries for vampires – without finding the one they’re destined for. This must be some sick joke. There is no way I can be linked with a vampire, for fuck’s sake. No way.

  “I don't believe you.” I circle him, trying to make sense of this. I can't deny what we both felt, and I do know something has happened with our souls’ meeting. I wouldn't have thought it would hurt, though. I stand in front of him, looking into his beautiful green eyes only to see amusement shining in them. This is amusing him. “Is something funny?” I ask, dead serious.

  “Yes. You can fight it all you want, but the moment I saw you from that window, I was drawn to you. You can't say you weren't drawn to me like I was to you.” He grins at me. It's true, I was, but like hell, I'm goin
g to admit it.

  “Sorry to burst your bubble, but even if I am linked to a vampire, the universe is playing a cruel joke on me.” I have nothing against the vampire, considering my sister and I have been hiding in vampires' shadows for the past 14 years. Still, that doesn't mean they wouldn't be quick to sell us out if they caught a whiff of us. The coven that murdered our entire family is offering a reward to anyone who can supply information or our heads.

  Apparently, their leader isn’t happy that she still hasn't caught us. The reward was complete exclusion from the war. The Rhys coven is playing both sides; currently, the werewolves are the highest bidder. Witch covens have a habit of helping only those who have the most to offer. Our coven was different; we helped those who couldn't help themselves, not out of greed but out of pure goodness. If only we had accomplished what we had set out to do. Everything would have been so different.

  I force myself out of my thoughts.

  “I won't push this on you; I know who you are and what you have been through. My name is Avery,” the vampire says, finally putting a name to his face. “Veronica, can you please let me go? I'm getting pretty stiff here.”

  I watch him as he speaks; one of the powers that ran through our coven was the ability to sense whether people are lying. This power is much more detailed than simply lies; I can sense how much light and dark is in a person’s soul, helping me decide if I can trust them. Every word he has said so far has been the truth, including the last bit about knowing who I am. Fuck, I knew we stayed here too long.

  “I can see the panic in your eyes; my clan's sire knows you've been hiding here. She has sent anyone who has come looking on a wild goose chase away from you. She told us all to look out for you and your sister. Please, just trust that I won't hurt you if nothing else,” he pleads.

  Why would his sire do that? No one protects the Audra sisters, even in a war, not wanting the trouble that comes with us. Hence, why we don't stay anywhere too long. Vampires give us up for their clan so they can stay out of the battle for a period. They make a deal with Mildred, head of the Rhys coven, for any information about us. The usefulness of the information determines how long their deal sticks.

  “Why?” I ask. “To make us think it’s safe so your sire can be the one to finally catch the Audra sisters and be excluded from the war?” I snort and roll my eyes. That’s the grand prize for capturing the Audra sisters – complete exclusion from the war indefinitely. It's funny how the werewolves and vampires don't realize who is really pulling the strings.

  “No, she believes in what your coven tried to accomplish, and she believes you and your sister shouldn’t be hunted down.” He’s speaking the truth; I can only hope his sire speaks the truth as well.

  “I may not believe your sire, but I believe you.” I free his body from my hold and watch his next movements. He stretches his arms, a move that lifts his shirt. The sight of golden abs grabs my attention. “You can go now,” I say, making “shoo” gestures with my hands. “I don't want any part of this heartlink business. Sorry.” I fold my arms against my chest and tap my foot impatiently.

  He just stands there, not moving a muscle.

  “Do I have to force you out?” I take a step towards him. That was a bad move, as his scent is luring me. I stop myself from getting closer.

  He closes the distance between us. His laughter fills the room. I can't help but smile at his beautiful features. Fuck, he just keeps getting better and better. Damn vampires with their heavenly features an alluring aura.

  “I know it's not every day a stranger comes into your workplace and tells you they’re your heartlink, so…” He pauses while taking a step back and smiling down at me. “I’m going to give you some time to get to know me through a date. That’s how I should have started this in the first place. How about tomorrow night, 7 pm?”

  Raising my eyebrows, I give him my best “you-have-got-to-be-joking” look.

  “I’ll pick you up at your apartment at seven on the dot, okay? See you then, my love.” He strolls out the door before I can reject his date.

  I plop down on the stool next to me. “A date with a vampire. Annalise is going to have a field day over this.” I lay my head on the counter. It's not that I blame the vamps and the wolves for losing our parents. They are just reminders of how many people have died in this stupid war, which nobody ever seems to win. Annalise, though, loves her some vampire. She’s never serious, more just a root and boot. She says it’s the best sex you’ll ever have, though I think I'll stick to humans. I don't exactly like the thought of being snacked on while having sex. To each their own, though.

  I finish the coffee machine and a few last-minute things, then grab my bag. I switch off the lights before locking the door and heading home for the night.

  Chapter TWO

  “Honey, I’m home!” With my foot, I slam the door a bit harder then I meant to. I kick off my shoes and enter our living room. We have a little two-bedroom apartment in the middle of New Orleans. Our living room is just big enough for a three-seater sofa against the wall and my floral recliner under the window.

  Annalise has tried to get rid of the recliner multiple times. She threw it out three times before realizing I’d placed a return-to-owner spell on it. Annalise, being the older sibling, should be the more powerful one, but we match each other in skills.

  Each coven has its own magic blanket, which wields its power. Each person in the coven has access to individual skills that they choose on their 18th birthday. When a member of the coven dies, their magic returns to the magic blanket, keeping the coven strong. If a member knows when their time is coming to move to the afterlife, they can pass on their power to another member, making the host power stronger now that they held more of the blanket’s power.

  The heads of the coven – being one or more people – have access to the blanket's complete power and can wield it to protect their coven. The night they died, our parents – as heads of our coven – passed their power down to Annalise and me. Over time, we determined that they must have known they might not survive, as the passing spell they cast made us the head of the coven – only there was no coven anymore.

  The night of the treaty, something happened to us. When our parents and the coven passed over to the afterlife, a surge of power shot through Annalise and me, lighting up the room in a white glow. Annalise said that’s how it works when powers are passed down; she knows this because, having been born before me, she had seen Mom and Dad’s crowning ceremony. She said she saw the energy flowing from our grandparents to our parents in a white glow, moving from one to the other.

  What Annalise and I experienced was painful and overpowering, though it came in handy when the Rhys coven appeared in our home to finish off what it had started. However, the coven’s members didn't expect the two sisters to hold the whole coven’s power under their fingertips. Mildred expected us to be scared and weak; she couldn't have been more wrong that night. Ever since then, she has sent her stupid goons after us, or anyone who wants out of the war. Basically, we’re hunted from every side, including our fellow covens.

  “I’m in here. Tacos for dinner, so you better be hungry,” Annalise shouts from the kitchen. Her voice echoes throughout the apartment.

  “Sounds good. It smells amazing,” I say, making my way to our little two-seat dining table. The spicy salsa scent drifts up to my nose, making my mouth water.

  Annalise moves around the kitchen, her short brown hair bobbing up and down as she prepares dinner. “How was work today?” she asks, throwing a tea towel over her shoulder and sitting down across from me. She places her hand under her chin and looks at me with her ocean blue eyes.

  I glance away before answering. “Work was good,” I say, my voice rising a bit. I can never hide anything from her.

  “So, you didn’t happen to meet someone?” she asks. She lifts her eyebrows and her bright red lips move to the side in a smirk.

  I don't bother asking how she knows these things; she jus
t does. As she explained, it's mere knowledge that surrounds or affects her, popping directly into her head, like a text message but straight to her brain. It's cool and all, but frustrating – especially if you're a teenager who, having just lost your virginity, receives a text message immediately afterwards saying “How was it?” from your sister. One of her many annoying gifts.

  I decide to tell her exactly what happened at work. The whole time, she doesn’t stop laughing. At one point, she almost falls off her chair in hysterics.

  “A vampire, for fuck’s sake,” I curse, leaning my head on the table. “Why couldn’t it be some nice witch or even a human?” I mumble into my arms, then lift my head. “Anyway, that isn’t the important part. Avery said his sire is protecting us from Mildred. Do you know who the head of the clan here is?” I mentally slap myself for not asking the bloody vampire.

  “That I don’t know. It's a female, and I know she hides quite well. That's why I thought this would be a good place to keep a low profile. I didn't expect this, though.” Annalise makes her way over to stir the mince before placing the taco shells on the plates. “I was wondering why none of Mildred's lackeys has shown up yet. Did you want me to make yours?”

  “Yes, please,” I answer, narrowing my eyes at her – or should I say my – blue skinny jeans. “Come on, they're my favourite pair,” I huff, scolding her.

  “Whoops, I was going to change them before you got home. I'm sorry, they just look so good and I had a date with a vampire. They're not that bad, you know.” She says this like it's a valid reason to wear my jeans. She walks back over to the table with two plates in hand and places one in front of me. “You can't blame the werewolves and vampires for what happened to Mum and Dad. If anything, you should hate our kind. Our kind did this. The vampires and werewolves are just doing what they've spent centuries doing.” Her tone is soft as she finishes.