Showing results by author "R.L. Caulder" in All Categories

"Friends are like condoms. They protect you when things get hard." That's what my five drool-worthy best-friends-turned-boyfriends-turned-fated said when we were younger. We lived by it. But I don't know if there's a condom out there that's strong enough to protect us from what's coming...pun intended. Five men? Yeah, it gets a little hectic around here. They're lucky I love them - because patience sure as hell isn't a virtue of mine. Add in natural disasters laying havoc to our world, and learning we have magic from the goddess Gaia.

For years, a small kernel of hope for my freedom was all that kept me alive while imprisoned by the brutal Thaician Emperor, Malakai. Now, those wishing to return me to him threaten everything I’ve fought so desperately for.

With the blood of the Van Helsing slayers in my veins and the legacy of Dracula himself in my bones, I'm primed to be the most powerful vampire alive. Yet I want nothing to do with the crown placed upon my head, or the throne carved into my future. The weight of my parents' love and their expectations has paralyzed me my entire life. But that's the trap, isn't it? Living for them means dying for me. One fateful night, I'm pushed to the brink and escape to the human realm, and am quickly confronted with the violent reality of why I was forbidden to come here.

Thrall. Dhamphyr. Empress. Each is a title that has been thrust upon me, but there’s another I’ll willingly claim for myself: Malakai’s executioner. He thought he could break me, twist me into his obedient pet–but all he has done is add to the list of reasons why I’ll find and kill him.

My new role is not to be taken lightly, but I don't even know where the hell to start. I've had to learn to be vulnerable enough to admit when I need help from those that I trust, and right now...I need all the help I can get in the oncoming war. I must gather the Queens and their armies from all of the realms and pray that we can formulate a plan to destroy Erebus and his dark army for good.

I won't allow him to move me around like a pawn despite the emotional blow he dealt me by using one of my mates against me. I won't give up on my mates. I won't give up on my blood oath. I won't give up on me. He'll never take away the grit and determination that burns within me as the last of the Van Helsings. He chose the wrong woman to oppose, and I'll make sure his next move on the board is his last.

Everything I dared dream of for my life is scorched to ash when I'm forced to marry our enemy: the icy dragon king of Andrathya. My father believes marriage can bridge the gap between us and the beasts we once considered allies. We once held soul bonds with those very dragons before a curse shattered the world we had known for centuries, leaving war imminent on the horizon. I think him a fool. I'd rather die with a sword in my hand than on my knees begging for mercy.

The weight of the world suddenly crashes on my shoulders, and I'm not sure how long I can carry it. I'm not like the heroes I've read about in books—I've just barely started understanding my powers, how am I going to save anyone? Could the Fates have screwed up, putting me on this path? When bodies begin to drop, it's crystal clear: time is up. Do I tuck tail and hide with my monsters, or do I stand tall and fight for the first place I've ever felt like I could call home?

Running to a new realm that could hold vital information is our only chance. With that comes closing the distance between me and the godly powers that wish to use me for their own gain. What we need is time to uncover secrets and unlock the powers that reside within me, but that's a commodity we aren't granted. When the time comes to make our final stand, will I finally be able to let go of the doubt that's been festering my entire life? Will hope be able to cast out the shadows lurking round my mind and soul? I have to believe that it will.