Author: catstark

For The Grey House:

Natalia Dveski lives in a world much like our own. However, once you peer beneath the surface you find werewolves, vampires, mages, and Slayers. Natalia learns early in life that not all Slayers are good and not all Hellspawn are evil.

To avenge her mother’s death, Natalia pursues Vincent in an attempt to infiltrate vampire society.  Immediately drawn to the handsome vampire, she does as she must to gain his allegiance.

Vincent Grey is not certain this human can be an asset, but their brief encounters leave him wanting more. She is all he could want in a partner…if only she can be convinced to leave her mortality behind.

The Grey House is Book One of the Grey House Trilogy. It is based on the Role-Playing Game The World of Contagion, created by Travis Legge.

From The Grey House:

Once dressed, he took a final look in the mirror and left the room. He was halfway down the stairs before his dream came flooding back. She had been pressed between a wall and him again. But this time, neither had resisted. He paused; hand on railing, halfway down a step. His eyes closed as the dream swept over him.

Vincent could almost feel her against him. A groan escaped him. Their encounter had left him wanting. He had enough willing women to keep him satisfied, but it had been a long time since he had felt a need this profound. He took a deep breath to try to steady his thoughts. He shook his head and continued down the steps. At least this evening’s business would help alleviate his frustrations.

From The Grey House:

It was eleven o’clock. She had one hour to try and figure out a way to get a message to Vincent. Two Slayers had come to The Red Thread earlier today to set bombs. Natalia didn’t know how many; didn’t even know where. She had no idea how to send the vampire a message. It had to be done where the Slayers couldn’t see her, which meant she couldn’t slip a note to the waitress or the bartender; too obvious. She could try and signal someone, but none of the vampires she had seen the first night were here, as far as she could tell. There was one last option: write a message on the bathroom mirror.

From The Grey House:

Vincent had established the oubliette when he bought the place. It was an old well. He had enlarged the reservoir and smoothed out the walls. There was one way in, a twenty-foot drop from the dungeon. Though old vampires at full blood could survive the fall and jump out, Vincent never threw anyone in the pit who was at full blood. Keith had not been fed in long enough that the young vampire would not be able to escape by jumping out. Also, the walls were too smooth to climb. In the reservoir was his other Judas: the child he had not told Keith about. It took care of the remains and made sure no one was able to leave.

From The Grey House:

Her head reeled as if she’d been slapped. A tear slid down her cheek as she remembered her first real monster. Her voice was a whisper. She was surprised he heard. “Human.”

Vincent was not expecting the haunted look. He had expected, wanted, her anger. Passionate anger, always easy to stoke, could be transformed into something far more pleasurable. He had come out here to play. He would have his way. But first, “He’s not the one, though, is he? Not the one who made you a Slayer.”

Her anger came back at the word. “I’m not a Slayer.”

From The Grey House:

There was a silver cage in the center of the room. In the cage was a naked man. Lucas became angry again. “Show her your true form BEAST!”

The man simply sat huddled in a corner trying not to move. Lucas grabbed her arm and led her to within inches of the cage. “I know how to make you change.”

Lucas left, closing the door behind him. Natalia ran to the door, tried to open it. It was locked. Fear and uncertainty filled her. She should never have come here. “Fuck.”

“Hey. Name’s Charlie.”

Natalia looked to the man in the cage. He still hadn’t moved.

“You want to get out of here?”

“Yes.” Her tone of voice mirrored her near panicked state.

“You help me, I help you.”

From The Grey House:

Remembering how she felt when her mother died and gave back her memories, Natalia reeled the feeling in and clamped a hard mental hand on her control. Understanding gripped her. It was not just the necklace, but her will that made the hypnosis work. She could keep control of those she hypnotized without the necklace, but probably still needed it to get someone under her control. Knowing she could later retrieve her mother’s necklace that still lay in her jewelry box, Natalia made her decision. She opened her eyes, slipped off the necklace, and handed it to Zechariah.

From The Grey House:

“You do realize, you’ve just made my story more believable, don’t you?” She slowly made a fist with her right hand as it dawned on Marshal exactly what he had done.

“You’ll never escape. You’re dead. He’ll kill you.” He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

She thought about his statement, then nodded. “Maybe one day, but not tonight.”

From The Grey House:

By the time Rebecca and Charlie finished searching the house and gathering all the books and artifacts, Vincent’s people were well on the way to purchasing the cabin and the land around it for five square miles, all the land owned by the logging company. Still on the phone, he left the cabin with his wolves, and arranged for some of his people to come and occupy the land. They would take care of the bodies well before the land was his. Though he was certain he would be able to acquire the lands, they needed to be cleared if anyone came to check. He used code words with his people, knowing it was safer than talking about bodies on a cell phone.

From The Grey House:

Once Vincent was outside he slowed and stopped, waiting for Joseph. His bodyguard came out a moment later, his cell already to his ear. Joseph was ordering the doctor to bring up the van. Mierka came out soon after, with the now tied up Slayer. She was leading him like a dog. He was scowling but walked at her pace. It kept the rope from going taunt and tightening around his throat. She led him to a tree and tied him to it. The van arrived as she was finishing. Doctor Elving got out of the van carrying a little black bag. He killed the engine but left the lights on. He was by Vincent’s side quickly, trying to check out the now sleeping woman in his boss’ arms.