The vampires thirst, p.1
The Vampire's Thirst, page 1
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Copyright© 2023 T.M. Smith
ISBN: 978-0-3695-0877-5
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Editor: Jessica Ruth
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WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEDICATION
To you, readers, for traveling with me to book four of the Blood Coven Series, sighing and chuckling in the right places. To you, my critique group, for reading the graphic sex scenes and making sure the characters didn’t need to be contortionists. To you, friends, for wanting print copies to display, I hope on a large coffee table in front of the living room sofa. To you Evernight Publishing for making it so.
Terms and Places for the Blood Coven Series
Aerilon
The ylve region of Scath.
Aeternals
A species made up of various breeds who pre-date Homo sapiens on Earth. Their creator is the Genitrix Gahya, an immortal who resides in The Vast. After centuries, they grew more cruel and violent, feeding from humans, threatening the continued existence of mankind.
The Alliance Security Agency
A human agency where employees have a distant Aeternal ancestor in their family trees. Once travel between the realms of Scath and Earth became possible, these descendants created an organization to assist Aeternals. Their organization provides Aeternals with access to trade on Earth and assistance in policing Aeternals who enter Earth illegally. They operate a successful cover business, hiring out as bodyguards, private security, and soldiers of fortune. The internal structure includes the Legal Division, Human Resources, Information Services Division, Security Division, and Finance. A board of directors oversees the company.
Amanita Muscaria
A drug used by berserkers before battle. It whips them into a frenzy.
Amori
The incubus and succubus region of Scath.
Angor
A dimension of dark storms and unpredictable weather where immortals are tortured and punished. It is also the final destination of unworthy Aeternals after they die.
Arisen Dawn
A rebel group led by Cerberus. Their beliefs include purity of the breeds and the domination of mankind.
The Assembly
The local government elected by mages.
The Awakening
A ceremony marking an Aeternal’s attainment of full power, usually in their early to mid-twenties. The event is different for each breed.
BCA Variant Test
A test developed by Eliphias, Alarik’s science lead, to determine if the subject is a Blood Coven descendant.
Blood Coven
Led by the Cambion from Wales, these powerful mages created the realms of Darque, Earth, and Scath in AD 452 where only one world had been before. Aeternals went to Scath, mystical creatures to Darque, and humans remained on Earth. It was the only way the two sentient species would survive.
Bludclan
Vampires are identified by their Bludclan, a social/family group.
Blud Den
A place which specializes in feeding all Aeternal breeds, not just vampires. An Aeternal feeds on the host’s blood, soul, fear, energy for magic, lifeforce, orgasm, power, or arousal. O blud dens are more specialized. Here a host takes a drug (most notably opium). The feeding from the host provides a high but is not as addictive as taking the drug itself.
Bludfrenzy
When a vampire is controlled by the need for blood. It becomes the sole reason for living, an addiction.
Bludhaven
The vampire region of Scath.
The Bludhunt
A violent ceremony marking the mating of two vampires.
Breeds
Amazons, berserkers, demons (seven tribes within their breed), djinn, incubi and succubi, mages (or witches and warlocks), satyrs and nymphs, vampires, and ylves. Though each breed has distinct gifts, or powers, all are stronger than Homo sapiens and possess better sight, hearing, and smell. Like humans, breeds eat food, but they must supplement it with other nourishment—blood, soul, lifeforce, flesh, fear, arousal, orgasm, or energy for magic.
Camp Follower
An Aeternal who makes himself or herself available as food or sex for Jarek’s Firebrands.
The Cede
The Aeternals’ funeral ceremony.
The Coalition
The alliance of Firebrands, loyal Scath citizens, loyal members of Scath’s government, and humans to defeat Cerberus.
Covenkirk
The seat of Scath’s government, the mage region, and the location of the Eastern Stronghold.
The Cubes
Run by gaffers, holding cells for Scath prisoners awaiting trial or interrogation.
Custodes Templii
Formed on Earth by the Cambion before he died. Through the centuries, the group keeps track of Blood Coven descendants, the offspring of the mages who stayed on Earth after the Karmic Schism.
Darque
The realm of mystical creatures, home to harpies, questing beasts, Kalli, Spriggans, Yeti, gagans, polar rats, hellhounds, and more.
D-chip
Digital Implant Communication Chronometer. It is an amazing device embedded into the wrist of each Firebrand warrior and wired to their brains. Its functions are many–telepathic communicator, shadowflasher, GPS locator, emergency portal creator as long as the Firebrand is out-of-doors, a more efficient version of a portal jumper to allow travel through established gateways, temporary cell for captured offenders, and more.
Dionysia
Local government of nymphs and satyrs.
Directorate of Seven
The local ruling body of demons. Each member represents a tribe—animus, avarice, carnal, envy, hedon, pride, sloth. They are chosen by combat.
Elysian Isle
The nymph and satyr region of Scath.
The Encampment
The Amazon, berserker, and djinn region and location of the Southern Stronghold on Scath.
Evermore
A dimension of serenity where worthy Aeternals go when they meet true death.
Freron
A term used by Firebrands to denote another brother- or sister-in-arms.
Gaffers
Like police, the managers of the day-to-day minor crimes on Scath.
Genesis Rite
An ancient ritual where demons fought in combat. The winner spent the night with the ceremony’s guest of honor.
Gold Dust
An addictive drug, making users fanatic followers of Arisen Dawn.
Humans First
A paramilitary unit organized by Dante to gather intel on and expose Aeternals.
Isolationists
A group originally organized by Simonis, an ylve, to protest Scath’s involvement in affairs outside the realm. He was shoved out as the group became more radical, espousing breed purity and displaying a rising nationalism set on conquering humans. It became the foundation for Cerberus’s Arisen Dawn.
Karmic Schism
The splitting of the world into three realms. In AD 452, the Blood Coven cast spells to create Scath and send Aeternals there. At that time, they also created the realm of Darque for magical creatures and Earth for humans.
Knife’s Edge
The demon region of Scath.
Lawgivers
Elected drafters of the laws for Scath. A member is chosen from each breed.
Outcast Keep
An area on Darque where Aeternal prisoners are kept.
Ministry of Compliance
Governmental office which regulates travel. Boden is the current director.
Ministry of Coin
Governmental office which regulates finance and drafts the realm’s budget.
Ministry of Culture
Governmental office which regulates education, schools of magic, and Awakening ceremonies.
Ministry of Death
Governmental office which operates prisons, the Cubes, and Outcast Keep on Darque, controls day-to-day crime and gaffers, and regulates the use of explosive weapons.
Ministry of Labor
Governmental office which regulates worker welfare.
Ministry of Prosperity
Governmental office which regulates trade with wildings and humans.
Ministry of the Shield
The only governmental ministry which reports to the Temple of Justice rather than the Lawgivers. The Scion Firebrands are under its auspices. Cadmon is both high commander of the Scion Firebrands and director of this ministry.
Ministry of Well Being
The governmental office responsible for medical facilities, research, science, technology, and history. Alarik is the current director.
Ministry of Wildings and Realm
The governmental office which regulates the wildings and both realms’ natural resources, parks, and environments.
Mitakon
A bi-annual Olympics. Winter events are in North Shelters and summer events in the Encampment region.
Monarchy
The king and queen who lead the incubi and succubi.
The shifter region and location of the Northern Stronghold on Scath.
The Path
The words of the warrior Ohngel as recorded by the Cambion from Wales and contained in five-volumes. These books relate tales of the salvation, the betrayal, the creation, the fall and rise, and the destiny of Aeternals.
Pitchblende
A substance which weakens djinn.
Portals
Gateways to and from the realms, created by the Blood Coven at the time of the Karmic Schism but not accessible by all. In the beginning only powerful and approved mages could cast spells for travel. Later, GPS technology allowed for portal jumpers to be distributed to authorized Aeternals.
The Prophecy of Karma
A scroll found by the fire-winged assassin Ohngel, the mentor/guide to the Cambion from Wales, in a cave in the Vakataka Kingdom. The first stanza, though it presaged a dark future for mankind at the hands of Aeternals, it predicted a coven would save them by separating humans and Aeternals. The second stanza noted the rise of Hades’s hound who would lead an army to enslave humans. The last stanza hints at the role of destiny in the prophecy.
The Rage
When a demon loses control of the beast. Usually, they must be put down.
The River Am
A river which defies explanation and natural laws. The witch Indigo, as the Guardian of Time, reads the river. The middle course is the present. Possible futures flow upstream. The lower course, or downstream, shows the just-past to the long-past. No one but Indigo knows the river’s location.
Scath
The realm where Aeternals have lived since the Karmic Schism.
Schools of Magic
There are seven schools of magic–Elemental, Conveyance, Forging, Influence, Investigation, Manipulation, Protection. Each mage’s powers fall primarily into one category where they are trained in those gifts at the Thaumaturgy Institute. Extremely powerful witches or warlocks may excel in more than one school of magic.
Scion Firebrands
The elite warriors of Scath who follow in the footsteps of an ancestor. Founded soon after the Karmic Schism, they protect Scath and Darque from the most violent Aeternals or creatures. As a side-gig, they also protect humans from the threat of Aeternals who escape to Earth. When Aeternals are called to join, the initiation begins with the Phoenix brand which burns itself onto the candidates’ upper left arms. They experience intense pain until they reach a decision. Join or reject the offer.
The Settling
The demon mating ceremony.
Shadowflash
Old, powerful vampires can trace from shadow to shadow as long as the spot is within sight. It makes travel faster. D-chips give Firebrands this ability also.
Strange But True
The Seattle paranormal tabloid owned by George James, Braelyn’s father.
Strigodierna Ceremony
A vampire spiritual ceremony. It is led by the Cruor and his fifty Carnemia.
Supreme Pack Alpha
Chosen through combat to lead the shifters.
Temple of Justice
The body of elected justices who try offenders on Scath. A member is elected from each breed.
Thaumaturgy Institute
Where witches and warlocks are trained in the different schools of magic.
Tribes
The sub-breeds of demons. The inspiration for Christianity’s Seven Deadly Sins--animus, avarice, carnal, envy, hedon, pride, and sloth.
Triumvirate of the Wise
Chosen every fifty years to govern ylves. A chancellor, an imperial secretary, and a grand commandant.
Vampire Conclave
The local rulers of vampires, led by the bludcrown.
Vast
A dimension of clear skies and pleasant weather where immortals, such as Gahya, Gabriel, and the OneCreator reside.
Walkabout
The requirement for influential Aeternals to live on Earth for periods of time to keep current with human activity.
War Council
The governing body for Amazons, berserkers, and djinn, chosen by combat to govern locally.
Watchers
The mages who keep an eye on and maintain the portals and the whorl for Alarik’s ministry.
The Whorl
What separates the three realms from each other. Travelers to another realm access it from a portal, travel through it, and reach a portal in the other realm.
Winged Assassins of the OneCreator
Aka The Feard. They or Michael are the only beings who can bring true death to an immortal. Ohngel, the Cambion’s mentor and guide, is the fire-winged assassin of the OneCreator.
LIST OF CHARACTERS IN
THE VAMPIRE’S THIRST
AbrahmMurdered Kole's parents and is an ancestor of Skyler Maxwell, demon
AedonKole's father, Firebrand, animus demon
AdeleLawgiver, ylve
AisenSilas's half-brother, operated stockades for Cerberus, vampire
AlarikDirector of the Ministry of Well Being, Rein's father, Indigo's half brother, warlock-incubus
Alden MaxwellSkyler Maxwell's father, once the CLO of the Alliance
AlliasAlarik's employee in Echo's history division who finds evidence of Custodes Templii
AnaraiOriginal Blood Coven, warlock
AnnaSkyler Maxwell's administrative assistant at the Alliance
AnthiveJarek's grandfather, djinn
ArasHigh Justice of the Temple of Justice, eagle shifter
ArthaA girl at the group home with Chiara
BadeA Firebrand recruit, vampire
BaharLawgiver, djinn (m)
BettA girl at the group home with Chiara
BodenDirector of the Ministry of Compliance, sloth demon
BountyKole's executive assistant, vampire
Braelyn JamesRein's mate, writer for Strange But True, Blood Coven descendant
BrakA carnal demon, Firebrand
CageTakes Gold Dust, coyote shifter
CalThe assistant legal officer at the Alliance
Celene BaileyHeld captive by Cerberus, heiress, daredevil, adrenalin junkie
CerberusThe hound of Hades who prophecy foretells will destroy the portals and enslave mankind
ChayFull name Chayton, Firebrand, Margo's mate, ylve
Chiara FloresLives outside Orofino, ID; rescues Dax
CleatraWorks for Alarik at the Ministry of Well Being, witch scryer
D MonzA demon rapper
DaireLawgiver, incubus
DaniaViktor's mate, vampire
DanteUpper class Englishman who conspires with Cerberus
DariusJarek's second, Firebrand, djinn
DaxFull name Daxton, Firebrand, vampire
Denim QuinnEx-military, ex-police, ex-Alliance, Firebrand, Ram's mate, Blood Coven descendant
