Blood Song: Coda Read online

  Contents

  Introduction

  A Note From The Author

  Prologue

  1. Toven

  2. Celesta

  3. Toven

  4. Celesta

  5. Toven

  6. Celesta

  7. Toven

  8. Celesta

  9. Toven

  10. Celesta

  11. Toven

  12. Celesta

  13. Toven

  14. Celesta

  15. Toven

  16. Celesta

  17. Toven

  18. Celesta

  19. Toven

  20. Celesta

  21. Toven

  22. Celesta

  23. Toven

  24. Celesta

  25. Toven

  26. Celesta

  27. Toven

  28. Celesta

  29. Toven

  30. Celesta

  31. Toven

  32. Celesta

  33. Toven

  Epilogue

  Thank You

  Sneak Peek

  Other books by Charli:

  About the Author

  Let’s Keep in Touch

  Acknowledgments

  Copyright © 2019. Charli B. Rose.

  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 author, except in the case of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events 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.

  The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referred to in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication / use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  charlirosewriter.wixsite.com/website

  Cover design by Susan Garwood

  Edited by: Silvia Curry & Nathanie Serrano

  Interior Formatting by: AB Formatting

  To my advance readers

  who make this journey of putting my words out there a lot less daunting.

  You all mean so much to me.

  To live is to be musical, starting with the blood dancing in your veins. Everything living has a rhythm. Do you feel your music?

  Michael Jackson

  Introduction

  Two souls bound by blood and love.

  TOVEN

  I had no heart. At least not in the emotional sense. For over a century, the organ in my chest served one purpose—to pump venom through my veins. But once she crashed into my life, literally, she shocked life back into my dead heart. Life wasn’t something that I wanted. But after I found it with her, I didn’t want to let it go. Too bad we don’t always get a choice.

  CELESTA

  I thought I’d lost everything that mattered. But I was wrong. Losing what I had led me to find the most important thing in the world—him, the one. The other half of my heart and soul. As a vampire, he didn’t believe in such romantic notions. But I knew I could change his mind if only I had enough time. Sadly, time was the one thing the immortal I loved was running out of.

  Can a blood song become a love song?

  NOTE: This is part THREE of Toven and Celesta’s story. Get part ONE here.

  A Note From The Author

  Thanks for picking up this book. Before you start your journey into the world of Toven and Celesta, I would like to explain something to you. When I write, my goal is to generate an experience for you, the reader. I don’t want to just put words on a page. I want the characters to come alive and for you to feel like you’re living the story with them. Part of creating an immersive experience for you is creating a soundtrack for the book, like movies do.

  The main character, Toven, is a songwriter, so music is instrumental to understanding him. Many scenes in Toven and Celesta’s story were inspired by song lyrics. Other songs were selected based on the feelings they elicited in me as I wrote. You can experience these feelings more fully as you read by listening to the integrated playlist. Songs from all genres and decades have touched this story in one way or another. In addition to a link for my Spotify playlist, there are little music notes ♪ scattered throughout the book. In the e-book version of the book, if you click on the song title next to the music note, you’ll be taken to the official YouTube video or the Spotify link for a song that’s relevant to the scene it’s in. (If you’re reading the paperback, obviously the notes aren’t clickable, but next to the music notes, I’ve listed the title of the song and the artist in case you want to check them out.) I do not own the rights to any of these songs. They are added merely for reader enjoyment. And though Toven is a songwriter in my story, I claim no rights to any songs mentioned. Any implications that my character contributed to a song are purely for entertainment purposes.

  This is part three of Toven and Celesta’s love story. You must read parts one and two of their journey before embarking on this leg of the trip. You can start that here.

  Playlist link.

  Prologue

  Toven

  My phone pinged with a text message. Maybe it was her. Hastily, I snatched up my phone, eager to connect with Celesta again, even remotely for a moment.

  Circe: Thought you might get a kick out of this. It arrived to me in the mail today.

  I clicked to download the attachment. My gut churned with a mixture of dread and curiosity. Circe seemed to have let go of her anger when I saw her last. But grudges were a funny thing. Sometimes they weren’t so easy to turn loose of.

  A gasp slipped unbidden from my lips when the fuzzy photo loaded onto my screen. Followed immediately by another text from Circe.

  Circe: I’d say don’t we look young, but we look the same now. Except the hair. LOL.

  I didn’t find anything funny about the grainy, black and white image staring back at me. Though it was well over a hundred years old, I could still recall that day like it was yesterday. I always heard that you never forgot your wedding day. I guessed that was true.

  1

  Toven

  I woke before the sun, having slept soundly after my phone call with Celesta last night—well, once I managed to eradicate my wedding photo from my mind with a few tumblers of whiskey. I still couldn’t believe Cassandra would send Circe our wedding photo in the mail. Why had she even hung onto it after all this time? The woman was twisted.

  After checking out of the hotel, I sent text messages to the people I’d planned to meet with this morning to reschedule. Then I messaged Jake with the change in my agenda. Last night was enough time away from Celesta when I had so little of it left.

  ♪ Wait for Me by Theory of a Deadman

  As I turned into the airport, I dialed Joe.

  “Hello,” he answered on the first ring.

  “I hope I didn’t wake you.” I cringed as I considered how rude it was to not remember some people might not be awake before the sun.

  “Not at all, sir. But I must say, I’m surprised to hear from you. I figured you’d be tied up at the job site all morning.”

  “Change of plans. I’m about to board the plane. I’m not sure what time we’ll be cleared for takeoff, but I suspect soon. There are things I need to take care of at the office right away. Could you please pick up Celesta and bring her in as soon as she’s ready?” I asked as I parked the car outside the hangar where my jet waited.

  “Sure thing. See you soon.” Joe disconnected. br />
  Wasting no time, I climbed the stairs onto the plane.

  “Mr. Adams,” Sarah greeted me right away.

  Ugh.

  I needed to contact the agency that handled all the support staff for my flights. I didn’t want this woman anywhere near me.

  “I don’t need anything for this flight. As soon as we reach proper altitude, I’ll be working in my room. I don’t want to be disturbed.” I spared her no second glance and strode to my seat, anxious to get airborne.

  She sashayed over to me. “If you should change your mind, I’m at your disposal. Completely.”

  This woman seemed to be immune to my eff-off vibe. I decided to just ignore her. Pulling out my phone, I checked my social media accounts until it was time for takeoff.

  The number of followers on each account was astounding. Celesta truly was doing a remarkable job. Maybe there was hope for my musical legacy after all.

  A new picture of the two of us was at the top of my Facebook page. It was from the movie premiere. An un-posed photo of the two of us, unaware of anything but each other. Sonnets were being written in the space between our gazes.

  My amulet burned under my shirt. I rubbed the skin over my heart.

  Before I could examine any of it further, the captain came over the intercom, letting me know we were cleared for takeoff.

  I switched my phone to airplane mode and started the countdown to when Celesta and I would be sharing the same air molecules again.

  As soon as I could unfasten my seatbelt, I disappeared into my sanctuary in the sky. Closing my eyes, I filled my mind with her and let that take control. The melody was beautifully chaotic. A mix of sweet, beautiful verses with a sassy, complex chorus. It was her through and through.

  After what seemed like forever, I was riding the elevator up to my office. According to the message Joe sent while I was in the air, he’d be dropping Celesta off soon.

  As I waited for her arrival, I was giddy in a way I couldn’t recall ever being before. Perhaps when I was a boy I’d felt this sort of happy excitement, but that was so long ago, I couldn’t say for certain.

  In the early morning stillness, I was able to easily hear the whirring of the elevator as it began its ascent to my floor. My head told me to wait patiently in my office. It would only be a few minutes, as her security clearance would send her directly here without any delays. But my heart had zero ability to listen to reason and demanded I see her now.

  In a flash, I was waiting by the elevator, counting the seconds until the doors slid open to reveal the most precious thing in my life. Over my two centuries on this Earth, time had moved quickly in some instances and at a snail’s pace in others. But now, as I stared at the silver doors, watching them tremble slightly with the air currents in the shaft, time moved so slowly, it felt like it was going backward. I watched the illuminated display count up.

  After an eternity, the elevator stopped with a ding in front of me. I held my breath as the metal box opened on a whisper, unveiling the sunshine. The smile on her face lit up every dark part inside my cold, dead soul. When she stepped into the space between my open arms, every cell in my body warmed.

  Cupping her cheek with one hand, I memorized her face. “I missed you so much,” I breathed out before my lips descended on hers.

  She opened without protest. We stayed locked in each other’s arms for a few moments, frozen in time.

  And then like a bucket of ice water, the clack of heels approached from down the corridor behind me.

  I didn’t need to hear anything else to know who it was. I’d recognize her expensive, floral perfume anywhere.

  “Toven, I’m glad you’re in early,” Lydia said rather loudly as she came to a stop next to us.

  I refused to acknowledge her for a few more moments. Agitation rolled off her in waves.

  With a heavy sigh, I disconnected my mouth from Celesta’s. Continuing to gaze into Celesta’s beautiful eyes, I asked, “What did you need, Ms. Summers?”

  “Uh . . . I have updates for you from some of the other bands,” she forced a brightness into her tone.

  “Great. Email them to me.” I linked my fingers with Celesta and pulled her in the direction of my office.

  Lydia walked quickly, trying to match our pace, but Celesta’s and my gaits were fueled by a hunger for each other.

  “But wouldn’t it be easier if I just updated you now? I checked your schedule. You don’t have any meetings this morning since you weren’t even supposed to be back in town yet,” she huffed out as she rushed behind me.

  I stopped and turned toward her, wanting to make sure she understood what I meant. “Ms. Summers, I do not have time to meet with you because Celesta and I have some catching up to do.”

  “Oh . . .. Well, I can just wait,” she offered, shifting her file folder to her other hand.

  “We’ll be a while. And it’s of a personal nature. I wouldn’t want you to be embarrassed by what you might accidently overhear.”

  I looked at her pointedly until she huffed and stalked away.

  When I turned back to Celesta, she was shaking her head and smirking at me.

  “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you enjoy Lydia getting all huffy,” I said, running the pad of my thumb across her smiling lips.

  Her nose scrunched up as she held her fingers up an inch apart. “Maybe just a little.”

  “Now where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?” I closed the distance between us.

  “Right about here,” she said before she pressed her mouth to mine.

  I enjoyed the kiss for a few seconds before I lifted my lips from hers. “So, the real question of the day is do you want to come on my desk or in my suite?” I growled in her ear.

  Scarlet colored the skin on her face and neck, sending a thrill straight to my cock.

  “Why does it have to be one or the other?” she replied in a sassy tone which was in direct contrast with the embarrassment pinking her flesh.

  “I like the way you think.” Pressing forward, I rushed across the threshold of my office then kicked the door shut behind us.

  With minimal concentration, I locked the knob, never taking my eyes off the vision in front of me. Celesta dressed in a green blouse and a tight, grey pencil skirt. Business attire had never looked sexier. I stalked toward her.

  She captured her lower lip with her teeth, waiting for me to pounce. I glanced behind her at the empty expanse of my desk. Damn, how I wanted her spread out on the antique surface.

  She must have grown impatient because she sauntered up to me. Her long fingers gripped the lapels of my shirt as she rose on her tiptoes to press her soft lips to mine.

  As we kissed, I sought the hidden zipper on the back of her skirt and slid it down. The material whooshed to the floor, puddling around her feet. Nimble fingers found the center line of buttons on her blouse, hastily slipping the tiny circles through the holes. When I reached the top one, I pulled back so I could watch as my hands parted the green silk to reveal flawless flesh.

  “So beautiful.” Leaning down, I pressed a kiss to her neck, running my tongue along the vein that throbbed beneath the surface. I lifted my head to peer into her eyes. “So perfect.” Another kiss to the swell of her breast where her heart thundered. “So mine.” My lips captured hers again, stealing her breath and making it my own.

  ♪ Call You Mine by The Chainsmokers

  Gripping her hips, I easily lifted her and moved to my desk. My hands shifted to cradle her butt cheeks. The flesh was smooth and warm in my palms. As if she was as fragile as glass, I set her onto the desktop. Her breath hissed against my lips as the cool surface came in contact with her bare skin.

  “Sorry about that. I’ll warm you up in no time,” I murmured in her ear.

  I kissed my way down her neck, across the tops of her breast, nudging the satin material cradling her flesh out of my way, then I captured a turgid peak and drew it deep into my mouth. Celesta’s fingers thrust into my hair, gripping
the strands tightly as she panted.

  Unable to resist anymore, I dropped to my knees, kneeling at the altar of my salvation. I slid my fingers beneath the thin strips of fabric holding up her panties. Tantalizingly slow, I tugged them down over her toned legs.

  I pressed my lips to her knee, dragged my nose along the delicate skin of her inner thigh, then exhaled across her damp flesh. A shiver caused her legs to tremble beneath my gripping fingers. Powerless to wait any longer, I ran my tongue over the sensitive flesh of her core.

  She mewled, causing me to increase the cadence and pressure of my tongue against her slit.

  “Please,” she pleaded.

  I replaced my tongue with my thumb so I could move my mouth to the juncture between her thigh and her mound. As I increased the pace of my thumb’s circling, I pressed a wet kiss to her skin just below her inked heart that may has well have had my name tattooed on it since she owned me.

  “Please,” she breathed, twisting my hair between her fingers.