Serena

protected by a sexy immortal

with his own agenda,

Shawna’s story is one thrilling ride.

Read it in Book 1 of the Shadow series,

ShadowLove—Stalkers

~ Prologue ~

A LONG, LONG time ago …

Little was known of the infamous Dracula’s mother, and during the first twenty-five years of Dracula’s somewhat normal life he knew nothing of her at all. Hers was a name no one in his father’s household was allowed to speak, and Vlad Dracula grew to manhood believing she was dead.

That was what his father had told him …

He discovered her name when he was just coming into his teens. At first, he used to whisper it on the wind—Elizabeth.

He didn’t know that she had only been sixteen and full of life, with eyes the color of fresh spring grass and hair the color of gathered honey, the day his father saw her. He didn’t know she had been an innocent approaching maturity with an enormous secret she kept well hidden from the outside world.

She kept those secrets still …

When Count Wendall Dracula came to the Highlands, locals looked away in fear, for his behavior was brutish. They were suspicious of him and recognized that he was a warrior with a ‘rough old Eastern mindset’. He rode out on his horse every morning, and on one of those mornings he saw Elizabeth.

She had been picking wildflowers for her grandfather—her parents had been killed in a wagon accident the year before, so it was just she and her grandfather. Wildflowers for the wine her grandfather was making …

The count took one look at her and decided he had to have her, cursing whatever consequences there might be. He wanted her—that was all he cared about. And in the stealth of night he managed to abduct Elizabeth MacFare from her grandfather, and her home.

During those first ten months Elizabeth’s grandfather and village friends searched for her everywhere. They had no idea who had taken her. Wendall Dracula left behind no clues.

Back in his country, the count didn’t court her, he didn’t cherish her, and he didn’t really love her. Elizabeth was a possession to him, and she despised him—all the while, planning her escape.

She became pregnant almost immediately, and when she discovered she was pregnant with twins, she enlisted the help of her young midwife and friend. Together they kept the knowledge that she was pregnant with twins a secret from the overbearing count. He only knew she was going to have his child, and for him that was enough; it was what he wanted.

She got larger during those first months of pregnancy, he lost interest, and he left her to her own devices while he pursued other women—and other entertainment. It gave her the freedom to plot out her course.

Elizabeth had made up her mind that as soon as they were born, she would take one of her twins and run …

Her plan was well thought out. It wasn’t perfect, but it was the only way she knew to save at least one of her children, and herself, and return home.

She did not fear for the child she would leave behind. She knew that although the count was a selfish, often mean-spirited, and willful man, he wanted a child with all his heart, and she believed that he would love his child.

Her twins were born, and her plan was put into action. The count was enamored with the one son that was put into his huge hands and had no clue he had twins. He no longer had any interest in Elizabeth, for she had served her purpose. When the midwife told him she had a difficult delivery and needed rest, he was more than willing to leave her to her sickbed as he coddled his son and cavorted with his court.

Thus, with her son hidden in her arms, she ran for the border and there bought her way home to her grandfather.

In the ‘old country’ the count poured all his time and endeavors into the hearty son Elizabeth had given him before she fled his house. He didn’t bother trying to follow her. His pride prohibited him from caring.

He had not allowed her name to be mentioned in his presence, and he told everyone that he had gotten news of her death.

His son, Vlad Dracula, gave him great joy, and as Elizabeth expected, Vlad’s childhood was a pleasant one.

As Vlad grew to manhood and took on the duties of a warrior, his father slapped shoulders of his friends and proclaimed his son’s prowess with great pride. Truly, his son was strong and capable. However, in his quiet hours he thought to himself, If only he were less gentle of nature—less good-hearted.

And then, Vlad fell in love and married a lass as beautiful of heart as she was of face. Vlad adored her, and she softened his combative nature and drew on the gentleness that was, and should have remained, his.

Vlad’s father was furious. He wanted war with other lands. He wanted to take on and destroy any that opposed war. He needed more land, more gold, and his son was being swayed against such things by his new bride.