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  Table of Contents

  The Vampire's Mail-Order Bride

  The Vampire's | Mail-Order Bride

  In the Kingdom | of Chalys

  Part One

  Part Two

  Glossary of Terms, | Names, and Places

  Welcome to the | Kingdom of Chalys!

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Epilogue

  Author's Note

  The Vampire's Pet

  The Werewolf's Bride

  When my "ancient" vampire Master turns up all gorgeous and sexy rather than old and kind, I know it's time to leave. He'd never want someone like me.

  Rhapsody Norwood is Not Normal. It's why no one has taken interest in her...until a secret benefactor asks her to be his pet and heartkeeper. His letters reveal her Master to be charming and all things princely, and she can't wait to join him in Chalys, a modern-day kingdom that follows Regency customs...until she discovers a horrifying truth.

  Her Master is not the grandfatherly figure she imagined to be. Instead, the man she had looked up to for years turns out to be none other than the strikingly virile Marquis of Sangre. Lord Mihail Gheorgiu is the most powerful vampire in the land and the ruler of his race. He's also tall, dark, and handsome like the quintessential Regency rakehell but also big and strong like a warrior. He's a flawless specimen of hot-blooded manliness, and it's for this reason Rhapsody knows they can never be.

  But just as she starts writing a letter to say goodbye, her Masters appears out of nowhere, someone is murdered, and wait...what is this she's feeling? Could this be what others say is...love?

  NOTE: THIS STANDALONE mail-order bride romance with a paranormal twist is steamy and fast-paced. Its companion novels are The Vampire's Pet and The Werewolf's Bride. Readers love the books in this "world" because of its angsty epic love stories and an immersive kind of world building that can help you temporarily forget real-life problems.

  If you're a fan of Nalini Singh, Jeaniene Frost, Christine Feehan, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Lynsay Sands, Mary Janice Davidson, Rachel Caine, and Chloe Neill or you enjoy urban fantasies mixed with murder mysteries, a dash of deadpanned humor and Regency magic along with explicit doses of romance, then you might want to give this book a try!

  The Vampire's

  Mail-Order Bride

  By Marian Tee

  Copyright 2020 by Streak Digital Publishing

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  In the Kingdom

  of Chalys

  Women dazzle in corsets and petticoats while men swagger in coats and breeches.

  Carriage rides, tea parties, and masquerade balls,

  Flirtations between waltzes and sweet flowers for courtship,

  These are but some of the pleasures offered in the brightness of day.

  But when the sun sets, a deadly silence prevails—-

  To survive the darkness you must always remember:

  CHALYS

  Is a kingdom like no other.

  Ruled by angels and coveted by demons,

  Chalys is the hunting ground for Night’s children,

  “A world where humans are but precious prey.

  ~ A Chalysian Legend ~

  Part One

  Booth's Island

  St. Vincent and the Grenadines

  Day turned into night as a cloud of bats blanketed the skies, their wings flapping ferociously overhead like a synchronized, deafening cacophony of thunder. It was a frightening phenomenon to say the least, but the locals simply gritted their teeth and shrugged off their stirrings of fear. They were simple people who were content to lead equally simple lives, and they cared not to ask questions as long as they had a roof over their heads and food in their bellies.

  By the time the ferry inched close to the shores, the bats were long gone, their furry, little bodies disappearing into the shadowy realms of the island's treacherous forests.

  The dock was quiet and empty, with not a single soul around to see the two women walking down the gangplank; no one save Isaac Booth, a centuries old vampire for whom the island was named after.

  He recognized the older woman right away: Bethany with the lovely stars in her eyes. She had been eighteen when she left the island, a pretty, free-spirited creature filled with hopes and dreams. But in her return she was nearly unrecognizable, her beauty turned hard and brittle, and her blood containing the unmistakable stench of rot.

  Beside her was a young lady, mayhaps fifteen or sixteen years of age. The resemblance was such that he knew right away the young girl could only be Bethany's daughter, and Isaac's gaze turned contemplative as he observed the girl's actions. She had an air of serenity about her, as placid as it was impregnable. Either she had been born to withstand shocks with equanimity or fate had forced her to be immune to them. And knowing Bethany as he did, Isaac was more inclined to believe the latter.

  Bethany's old home was at the very back of the town. It was small and plain, and although the house had fallen into a state of disrepair in the years of her absence, nothing in it had been disturbed. Save for the layers of dust that covered the furniture, it was as if she had never left at all.

  The women set to work, and the vampire watched them from a distance.

  "You think this will do?" Isaac heard Bethany ask.

  "It will more than do," her daughter replied, "because it's yours, and so we'll never have to worry about paying rent." The girl's voice was pleasant and soothing, and her words remarkably practical. Nevertheless, the sound of it made the hairs on the back of the vampire's neck stand up, and he wasn't too surprised when he heard noise coming from behind him.

  He turned around with deliberate slowness, and he could suck his breath as he found the island's slumbering woods hosting countless pairs of eyes.

  Bats.

  And all of them were staring at Bethany's daughter.

  Isaac wasted no time after that, and in mere moments he was within the secret confines of his study, and using the island's security cameras to print out photographs of the two newcomers. Afterwards, Isaac rolled out a fresh sheet of parchment and dipped a quill into a bottle of red ink. Countless years had past since he had been cast out of Chalys by his half-demon sire, but even so the old ways had never left him, and the archaic words that made up his native language flowed out with ease as he began to write.

  To His Lordship

  Marquis of Sangre

  To my right worshipful ruler, in the most lowly manner I recommend me to your good lordship and beseech you to pardon my boldness in writing without your express invitation...

  I was reminded of the stories about our winged kindred, and how they only hearken to your call - and that of your heartkeeper...

  I write no more beyond this, and pray bid me as his lordship wills.

  Awaiting for further instructions, I remain your humble servant and subject,

  Mr. Isaac Booth

  To Mr. Booth

  Greeting and do you make wise provision for the future.
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  For possessing the keen foresight of informing me about such matters, the Noble House of Sangre and its loyal subjects owe you a great debt, and one we hope to abundantly repay at the soonest opportunity possible.

  You, good sir, have rightfully heeded your instincts regarding the young lady, and the photo you have enclosed more than served its purpose in confirming the truth of her identity. She is indeed my heartkeeper, and I kindly ask for your continued assistance in watching over my future marchioness.

  You will find below contact details of my man of business. He has already been instructed to set up the necessary accounts and provide you with the means to look after yourself and the young lady.

  Until the Duke of Brimstone returns from his own quest, I along with the rest of the Galeré must remain here to protect our territory. It is therefore imperative that you guard your tongue at all times and trust no one that I have not explicitly vouched for.

  Her existence alone is a threat to many, and the distance between our kingdom and of the New World is too great for me to provide immediate aid. Hordes of demons will be at your doorstep, the instance it is known you have under your protection the woman destined to share her soul with me.

  And lastly, before I end this letter I shall make use of the powers vested in me by birthright. I hereby elevate you to the rank of Knight and charge you to do right and do your duty as you ought.

  In witness hereof I set my seal at Brimstone on Hallowmass Day.

  Lord Mihail Gheorgiu

  Marquis of Sangre

  To His Lordship

  Marquis of Sangre

  Greeting and a ready will to do his lordship's pleasure:

  It is with much regret that I inform his lordship of the passing of the young lady's mother, and as she has no remaining relation to claim responsibility for her keeping, I have applied for guardianship and said application was duly accepted.

  However, the rules of our island are such that her ladyship, at sixteen years of age, has now the legal right to marry whoever she wishes without my consent. If his lordship would be so kind as to make known his desires regarding this matter, I shall endeavor to fulfill them with haste.

  Believe me your most loyal and grateful servant while I live,

  Sir Isaac Booth

  To Sir Isaac

  Knight of Sangre

  Permission is hereby granted for you to speak the truth of our race. Convince her as you see fit, and know that time is of no consequence. I have lived this long waiting for my heartkeeper to present herself; the passing of more days, months, or years will make little difference.

  Do you take care, however, not to cause her ladyship undue fright. Not a single drop of her precious blood must be spilled, nor a single strand of her hair harmed.

  Impress upon her the need for secrecy, and it is best if her ladyship herself know not who I am save for the fact that I am a powerful vampire devoted to safeguarding her well-being.

  If her ladyship shows signs of any misgivings about my intentions, convey to her my most heartfelt reassurance that I mean her no harm. She may write to me if she wills, or if her delicate sensibilities hinder her from doing such, then you may also receive her questions on my behalf, and I shall pass on my answers through you.

  Fare thee well as I fare.

  Lord Mihail Gheorgiu

  Marquis of Sangre

  To His Lordship

  Marquis of Sangre

  Because your humble servant knows that you especially desire to learn quickly the condition her ladyship is currently in, he humbly thinks it best and fitting to tarry not in informing you of the following:

  Her ladyship has been duly informed of the matters concerning the nature and fate of the people of Sangre, and as befitting of one who shall be his lordship's future bride, she has displayed startlingly commendable fortitude in light of such revelations.

  Furthermore, the young lady bids me to let his lordship know that she is most honored to be your heartkeeper and humbly accepts your invitation to exchange correspondence. Thus I enclose with this missive her ladyship's own letter, whose words are lovingly penned by her own hand.

  It is with pleasure her ladyship now awaits your reply.

  Given at one of the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, on the third day of the month of January.

  Sir Isaac Booth

  Dear Sir,

  I asked Mr. Booth how best to write to you, but his advice only led to greater confusion. He says I should write from the heart, but that is something I'm afraid is not presently possible. I have already admitted my shortcomings to Mr. Booth, and while he says it would make no difference to you, my conscience dictates that I seek your personal reassurance about this.

  Two years ago, I was clinically diagnosed of being emotionally distant and having acute difficulty in expressing emotions as a result of severe trauma.

  In my case, the condition hinders me from sufficiently expressing the appropriate sentiments in situations that other people are commonly unable to be apathetic to. Perhaps more worryingly, the condition makes it challenging for me to establish any kind of emotional relationship with another person.

  My doctor says my childhood trauma is likely caused by the times Bethany, my mother, have insisted on taking me with her to work. She is what is most politely referred to as an adult film actress, and my earliest memory of this was when I was approximately five or six years of age.

  According to Dr. Cortez, this condition only requires a cure if its side effects prove excessively detrimental. She further notes that therapy is usually most effective in cases where treatment is sought.

  Please advise if you still prefer to proceed with the arrangements outlined by Mr. Booth on your behalf.

  Sincerely,

  Rhapsody

  Milady,

  It's interesting that in your first letter you have expressed no concern about my nature. As it appears you have fully dispensed with all reasonable doubts about my nature, I shall proceed accordingly.

  To start with, and to prevent any future misunderstandings, I am - as you know - a vampire.

  In many ways, it may as well be referred to as a condition in the sense that her ladyship also has a condition. Conditions are not synonymous, however, to handicaps, and I hope her ladyship understands this.

  In any case, I digress. My condition as a vampire requires me to drink blood. The manner of consumption, however, is immaterial; I can consume it straight from a living source or purchase a blood bag and pour it in a wine glass. The quantity we need to consume is also inversely proportionate to our age; the older we are, the less we need, and as your guardian have no doubt informed you, I am much, much older than Sir Isaac.

  Vampires have longer lifespans than humans, and demons live even longer than vampires. As I was sired by a demon, I have bore witness to the passing of centuries, but the downside to this is that being half-demon means I have no soul to call my own.

  It is for this reason I am in need of a heartkeeper, and for reasons known only to fate, you have been born to this world to share your soul with me.

  No person can be physically coerced into being a heartkeeper. It must be a union freely entered into by both entities, and it is one that is meant to last for eternity. It is also a ritual as old as time, over which no human laws hold sway.

  If you say yes to being my heartkeeper, you will live for as long as I do, and though you will not possess the same powers that I am born to, heartkeeping will forbid me to feed you words of outright dishonesty. Moreover, you shall also be the one person in this world that I can never physically raise a hand against.

  All of this sums up my entire knowledge of heartkeeping. I wish there was more I can share with you, but most ancient texts containing sacred knowledge of heartkeeping have long been burned by demons. It is in Hell's interests that the rituals of heartkeeping be buried in history, for without it half-demons such as I eventually succumb to the mad, inextinguishable lure to do evil.

  I k
now it is much to ask, but you are my only hope. If you consent to being my heartkeeper, I give you my vow to cherish and protect you, and whatever you desire that I have in my power to grant, you shall have.

  I know your mother's treatment has left you with invisible scars that have yet to heal. Her insistence that you call her by her name, for instance, makes you feel that you have no place to belong to, no person to claim as yours. Be my heartkeeper, and I am yours to command...forever.

  And so I end this letter in a similar way as you did yours. With all the knowledge you possess now, do you still wish to be my heartkeeper?

  Yours to command,

  A vampire from the kingdom of Chalys

  Dear Sir,

  As I am not in the habit of prevaricating, I would like to thank you for the fortright manner in which you answered my letter, and I further take this opportunity to confirm my assent to your proposal.

  If you would still have me, I shall be honored to be your heartkeeper and from hereon swear to devote my life in performing my duties to the best of my abilities.

  Sincerely,

  Rhapsody

  Milady,

  I write with gratitude for your willing and voluntary consent to becoming my heartkeeper. And if there comes a time you find yourself troubled by any matter concerning our union, you only have to ask.

  Yours,

  A vampire from the kingdom of Chalys

  Dear Sir,

  I cannot think of any questions I wish to ask at this moment. But as I have only recently begun my lessons under Sir Isaac, perhaps this is due to change eventually. I beg in advance for your permission to continue speaking my mind freely if this so happens.

  Yours,

  Rhapsody

  Dear Rhapsody,

  You may ask whatever and whenever you wish, and be assured that my position on this matter shall never change.

  Waiting avidly for your reply,

  A vampire from the kingdom of Chalys

  P.S. May I hope you return my sentiments on this matter?

  Dear Sir,

  It would be my pleasure to answer any question you have, even though it behooves me to think of anything about myself that someone like you would find interesting.