Tricked
A Dark Protectors Novella
By Rebecca Zanetti
1001 Dark Nights
Tricked
A Dark Protectors Novella
By Rebecca Zanetti
Copyright 2016 Rebecca Zanetti
ISBN: 978-1-942299-42-4
Foreword: Copyright 2014 M. J. Rose
Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.
Book Description
Tricked
A Dark Protectors Novella
By Rebecca Zanetti
He Might Save Her
Former police psychologist Ronni Alexander had it all before a poison attacked her heart and gave her a death sentence. Now, on her last leg, she has an opportunity to live if she mates a vampire. A real vampire. One night of sex and a good bite, and she’d live forever with no more weaknesses. Well, except for the vampire whose dominance is over the top, and who has no clue how to deal with a modern woman who can take care of herself.
She Might Kill Him
Jared Reese, who has no intention of ever mating for anything other than convenience, agrees to help out his new sister in law by saving her friend’s life with a quick tussle in bed. The plan seems so simple. They’d mate, and he move on with his life and take risks as a modern pirate should. Except after one night with Ronni, one moment of her sighing his name, and he wants more than a mating of convenience. Now all he has to do is convince Ronni she wants the same thing. Good thing he’s up for a good battle.
Acknowledgments from the Author
I am truly thrilled to be included with the amazing authors in the 1001 Dark Nights group! A huge shout out thanks to Liz Berry, my very good friend who also is a brilliant businesswoman. Thank you also to MJ Rose, Kimberly Guidroz, and Pam Jamison for their dedication and awesome insights. A heartfelt thanks goes to Jillian Stein, the most amazing social media manager in the world. Thanks also to Asha Hossain, who creates absolutely fantastic book covers.
As always, a lot of love and a huge thank you goes to Big Tone, Gabe and Karly, my amazing family who is so supportive.
Finally, thank you to Rebecca’s Rebels, my street team, who have been so generous with their time and friendship. Thank you to Minga Portillo for her excellent leadership of the team. And last, but not least, thank you to all of my readers who spend time with my characters.
~ RAZ
About Rebecca Zanetti
Rebecca Zanetti is the author of over thirty romantic suspense and dark paranormal novels, and her books have appeared multiple times on the New York Times, USA Today, BnN, iTunes, and Amazon bestseller lists. She has received a Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review for Wicked Edge, Romantic Times Reviewer Choice Nominations for Forgotten Sins and Sweet Revenge, and RT Top Picks for several of her novels. Amazon labeled Mercury Striking as one of the best romances of 2016 and Deadly Silence as one of the best romances in October. The Washington Post called Deadly Silence, “sexy and emotional.” She believes strongly in luck, karma, and working her butt off…and she thinks one of the best things about being an author, unlike the lawyer she used to be, is that she can let the crazy out. Find Rebecca at: www.rebeccazanetti.com.
Also from Rebecca Zanetti
Click to purchase
SCORPIUS SYNDROME SERIES
Scorpius Rising
Mercury Striking
Shadow Falling
Justice Ascending (January 27, 2017)
DARK PROTECTORS
Fated
Claimed
Tempted
Hunted
Consumed
Provoked
Twisted
Shadowed
Tamed
Marked
Teased
Tricked
Tangled
REALM ENFORCERS
Wicked Ride
Wicked Edge
Wicked Burn
Wicked Kiss (July 4, 2017)
Wicked Bite (August 1, 2017)
SIN BROTHERS
Forgotten Sins
Sweet Revenge
Blind Faith
Total Surrender
BLOOD BROTHERS
Deadly Silence
Lethal Lies
Twisted Truths
Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection One
Click here to explore
FOREVER WICKED by Shayla Black
CRIMSON TWILIGHT by Heather Graham
CAPTURED IN SURRENDER by Liliana Hart
SILENT BITE: A SCANGUARDS WEDDING by Tina Folsom
DUNGEON GAMES by Lexi Blake
AZAGOTH by Larissa Ione
NEED YOU NOW by Lisa Renee Jones
SHOW ME, BABY by Cherise Sinclair
ROPED IN by Lorelei James
TEMPTED BY MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian
THE FLAME by Christopher Rice
CARESS OF DARKNESS by Julie Kenner
Also from 1001 Dark Nights
TAME ME by J. Kenner
Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Two
Click here to explore
WICKED WOLF by Carrie Ann Ryan
WHEN IRISH EYES ARE HAUNTING by Heather Graham
EASY WITH YOU by Kristen Proby
MASTER OF FREEDOM by Cherise Sinclair
CARESS OF PLEASURE by Julie Kenner
ADORED by Lexi Blake
HADES by Larissa Ione
RAVAGED by Elisabeth Naughton
DREAM OF YOU by Jennifer L. Armentrout
STRIPPED DOWN by Lorelei James
RAGE/KILLIAN by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright
DRAGON KING by Donna Grant
PURE WICKED by Shayla Black
HARD AS STEEL by Laura Kaye
STROKE OF MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian
ALL HALLOWS EVE by Heather Graham
KISS THE FLAME by Christopher Rice
DARING HER LOVE by Melissa Foster
TEASED by Rebecca Zanetti
THE PROMISE OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart
Also from 1001 Dark Nights
THE SURRENDER GATE By Christopher Rice
SERVICING THE TARGET By Cherise Sinclair
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1001 Dark Nights story
The First Night
by Lexi Blake & M.J. Rose
Table of Contents
Book Description
Acknowledgments from the Author
About Rebecca Zanetti
Also by Rebecca Zanetti
Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection One
Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Two
Foreword
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
Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Three
Discover the World of 1001 Dark Nights
Di
scover More Rebecca Zanetti
An excerpt from Deadly Silence by Rebecca Zanetti
Special Thanks
One Thousand and One Dark Nights
Once upon a time, in the future…
I was a student fascinated with stories and learning.
I studied philosophy, poetry, history, the occult, and
the art and science of love and magic. I had a vast
library at my father’s home and collected thousands
of volumes of fantastic tales.
I learned all about ancient races and bygone
times. About myths and legends and dreams of all
people through the millennium. And the more I read
the stronger my imagination grew until I discovered
that I was able to travel into the stories... to actually
become part of them.
I wish I could say that I listened to my teacher
and respected my gift, as I ought to have. If I had, I
would not be telling you this tale now.
But I was foolhardy and confused, showing off
with bravery.
One afternoon, curious about the myth of the
Arabian Nights, I traveled back to ancient Persia to
see for myself if it was true that every day Shahryar
(Persian: شهريار, “king”) married a new virgin, and then
sent yesterday's wife to be beheaded. It was written
and I had read, that by the time he met Scheherazade,
the vizier's daughter, he’d killed one thousand
women.
Something went wrong with my efforts. I arrived
in the midst of the story and somehow exchanged
places with Scheherazade – a phenomena that had
never occurred before and that still to this day, I
cannot explain.
Now I am trapped in that ancient past. I have
taken on Scheherazade’s life and the only way I can
protect myself and stay alive is to do what she did to
protect herself and stay alive.
Every night the King calls for me and listens as I spin tales.
And when the evening ends and dawn breaks, I stop at a
point that leaves him breathless and yearning for more.
And so the King spares my life for one more day, so that
he might hear the rest of my dark tale.
As soon as I finish a story... I begin a new
one... like the one that you, dear reader, have before
you now.
Chapter 1
Ronni Alexander settled back into the cushiony sofa in her small loft outside of New York City and forced her expression into calm lines. “Thank you for the ride home.” Yeah, she’d meant the words as a dismissal.
Apparently Jared Reese didn’t know how to take a hint. “You’re more than welcome.” His voice was husky to the point of being gritty and settled along her skin like it wanted to stay. He stood in the center of her living room, making the area seem so much smaller than it normally appeared. He was the tallest, broadest, and most dangerous person she’d ever invited into her home, and the jewel colors around him only emphasized his darkness.
Black hair, black eyes, black leather jacket. But it wasn’t just the absence of color. It was the look in those eyes and the tension in that tight body.
She cleared her throat and moved to stand.
He waved her back down. “I’m not leaving until we discuss my offer.” He shrugged out of his jacket.
The play of muscle, raw and powerful, through his faded T-shirt caught her attention. She shook her head. “Not now. I’ll call you.”
His full lips twitched, and a sparkle lightened those eyes just enough to make them gleam like a predator hunting at night. “The offer is only good for the next hour or so.” He sat and the very faded denim across his thighs stretched. The man overwhelmed the oversized reading chair. “Not that you have much time left.”
She swallowed. “Can you tell how long?”
“No, but I can hear your heart beating with a stutter way too slowly.” He lowered his chin and studied her, his rugged face set in strong lines. “Even your lips are blue from lack of oxygen, Veronica.”
Only her grandmother back in Colombia used her full name—and usually when Ronni was in trouble. But at the moment, she had more important things to concentrate on while her brain still worked. If she died, she’d fail once again. Just like her father had said she would. She shook her head, banishing thoughts of her crappy childhood and the fact that he’d never see what she’d become, considering he’d died years ago. “Show me again,” she said softly, turning her attention back to the man inside her apartment.
Jared tilted his head to the side. “You have the oddest fascination, lady.”
She nodded. “Probably.”
He sighed and opened his mouth, allowing razor-sharp fangs to slide down.
She shivered, her gaze caught. “Amazing.”
He rolled his eyes, and the fangs disappeared. “Not really.”
Yes, really. Vampires existed. As in really, really, really existed. She rubbed her legs, trying to warm her freezing hands. “How don’t we humans know about you?”
“Don’t want you to,” he said, surveying the small apartment decorated with pumpkins, ghouls, and ghosts. “You’re a couple of seasons behind with the decor.”
Yeah, she should probably have her tree up. Christmas would arrive in about two weeks. “I know. I became ill around Halloween and haven’t taken the time to redecorate. No energy, to be honest. However, I love Halloween, so these decorations make me feel happy.” Her hands trembled. Heaviness settled on her shoulders, weakening her arms. She blinked and tried to keep her eyes open. “Our legends aren’t true, then. I mean, you can go into sunlight, right?”
“Yep.”
She tried to sit up straighter. “What if I staked you in the heart?”
“You’d just piss me off,” he said evenly.
Even though it wasn’t a threat, she caught an undercurrent of truth in the statement. Pissing him off would probably be a bad idea. “What can kill you?”
“Beheading.” He glanced at the snow falling outside the window, energy flowing from him. “I think full burning might work, but it’d have to be to the point of ashes, you know?”
“Of course,” she said with just a hint of bewilderment.
“Make a decision, Veronica.” His focus returned absolutely to her, power in his eyes and strength in every movement. How was he even real?
She tried to face him when all her defenses were just gone. “I have more questions.”
“Of course you do,” he muttered, wiping a hand across his eyes. “Fine. That’s fair. Ask away.”
What did one ask a vampire? What if she did accept his offer? “Do you have bags of blood in your refrigerator?”
He blinked. “God, no. Why?”
Oh, crap. So he fed on humans. Would he want to feed on her? “You want to ah, mate me, so you have blood?”
His brows drew down. “Huh?”
A shiver racked her.
“Sweetheart.” He stood and grabbed a blanket off the sofa to wrap around her. “You’re weakening.”
She’d been weakening for about two months. Her heart hitched at his kindness. His protection. What would it be like to truly be with a man like him? “That’s what happens when your heart slowly dies. Well, when a human heart dies. Do you have a heart?”
“Yes.” He sat back down, his elbows on his knees, his body leaning toward her. “Our anatomy is just like yours, except we have more chromosomal pairs that make us essentially immortal. Human to vampire is a lot like comparing plants to humans—on a chromosomal level.”
Fascinating and oh so very tempting. “Do you hunt humans for blood?”
His expression cleared. “Oh. I get it. No. We make our own blood and don’t need yours. Well, we do bite during battle or sex, but t
hat’s more of survival and choice.”
Sex. Heat bloomed into her face. “Legends are really wrong.”
“Yep.” He rubbed his whiskered chin.
How had she missed such information? Leave it to Olly to discover the truth. “Will Olivia become a vampire?”
“No. Your friend and my brother plan to mate. Her chromosomal pairs will duplicate until she’s almost immortal, but that’s the only change.” He leaned forward even more, and his masculine scent settled all around her. “I’m offering you the same thing, Veronica. If we mate, you’ll become immortal and you won’t die from this disease.”
It wasn’t a disease. Yet it was going to kill her, without question. Probably within a week or so. What would immortality be like? Probably pretty freaking awesome. If nothing else, it’d give her time to hunt down the bastard who thought he’d killed her, finally proving her father wrong. She was strong, and she could survive in this world. Yet, she didn’t know this man. “Why are you offering?” She truly didn’t understand.
He shrugged. “Family is everything to us. My brother loves your best friend, and she’s heartbroken that you’re about to die. If you live, then maybe I’d see more of Chalton.”
Was that a glimmer of sweetness revealed in the badass? He obviously loved his brother. Tough guys understood loyalty, now didn’t they? As a psychologist, Ronni loved delving into motivations. “Olivia said that you and your brother haven’t talked in a long time.”
“We haven’t, and I want to change that.” He flattened a hand on his jeans. A big and broad hand. “It’s only been a century, but even so. I’ve missed him.”
A century? “How old are you?”
“Ah, I think about four hundred and twenty-seven?” He quirked his lip. “Maybe twenty-eight. Time runs together.”