Blood Legacy: Adult Urban Fantasy (The V V Inn Book 5) (35 page)

In addition to my students, I’d like to thank my alpha readers. These ladies read the chapters one at a time in a private Facebook group, offering feedback before the work went to my editor. They were invaluable with their observations, suggestions, and overall support. Big thank you to
Michelle Chauvin-Archut
,
Lisa Errion
,
Sandy
Schairer
,
Katrina Hough
,
Gwenda Bourgeois
,
Laura Ward
,
Lisa Moss
,
Kay Ramsey
,
Kim Engstrom
,
Carol-Jean Fierro
, and
Chelly Pazdan
. You ladies rock!!

I had two editors on this book who deserve a shout out:
Tina Winograd
, thanks for always being a voice of reason I can count on, and
Taylor Law
, w
 
ho worked all hours of the night to help me reach my deadline. Thank you both for the hard work and time you put in.

Thank you to the fabulous
Readers
who reach out online and via email. Your support and interest in my work is what keeps me writing on a day to day basis. Due to my health issues, I’ve been more of a homebody for the past six years than any other time in my life. Your kindness is both humbling and awe-inspiring. Thank you for being a part of this fantastic journey with me.

And last, but never least, thank you to my supporting family. You’ve been incredible during the years of intense medical treatments, IVs that left me tired and sick, helping to cook meals I was too tired to prepare, and reminding me time and time again to slow down and focus on my health. I know, as do the doctors, if it wasn’t for all of you I wouldn’t be here. Thank you,
Pete
,
Addison
, and
Jack
—from the depths of my soul.

Contributors

The following individuals inspired names for characters appearing in this book. They either thought the name up, volunteered the use of their name, I stole their name because I liked it, or they supported me so much I wanted to thank them:

Andy Lipshultz:
It started as an April fool's joke, but then I twisted things and named a character after him (and basically stole his name, too).
 

Asa Monson:
My nephew, whom I based a character on and stole his name.

Ashley Gonzalez:
She suggested the old wizard’s name, Bartholomew, in a Facebook post on my author Page.

Cy Whitfield, aka Michael Stern:
My brother, whom I based a character on his Second Life persona, and named the character after him.

Diane O’Neill-Mason:
She volunteered to have her name used.

Eric Monson:
My nephew, whom I based a character on and stole his name.

Elsa Cisneros:
I named a character after her.

George “GJ” Marko:
I named a character after him.

Jessie Patterson:
She suggested the name Magdelena for the female alpha werewolf in this book.

Justin Monson:
The oldest nephew of the three. I based a character on him and stole his name.

Patrick Larson:
I gladly wrote him into the story, with his permission, so he and Eric could continue to have adventures together forever.

Paul R. Ocker:
I named a character after him.

Michelle Pazdan:
I named a character after her.

Rolando Ray:
He thought of the name Ivan (the villain from book one), which won in an online vote—and I stole his name.

Romeo LoGiurato:
I stole his name.

Glossary of Terms and Characters

Asa
- fledgling vampire and the security and munitions expert at the V V Inn.

Bartholomew
- aka Bart. Old wizard in Buenos Aires who uses animal blood to work his spells.
 

Blood Coffee -
a mixture of half-blood and half-coffee, favored by undead everywhere.

Blood Bond
- a term used to describe the exchange of blood between either a human and a vampire, both ways, or a master vampire and a member of their seethe. It enables telepathic communication between them through the bond, if desired.

Bonded Mate
- a deeper connection than a servant, this bond allows the non-vampire to stop aging and share a significant amount of power associated with the bonded vampire. A complex ritual and exchange of large amounts of blood must take place for this bond to occur. The only way to break the bond is through death or a rare deep mind manipulation severing the link.

Chelly
- See Michelle.

Companion
- a human who has donated blood to a vampire and been accepted into the vampire's care for future feedings.

Coraline -
a member of the Inner Circle who cares for and guards the Tribunal of Ancients.

Cy
- Vivian's contact in New York, whom she turned when she discovered him close to death in an alley outside his bar over forty-five years ago.

Diane -
An employee on the resort. Dr. Cook’s adult daughter and a witch.

Donor -
a human who donates blood to a vampire, willingly, with no connections.

Drew -
a one-hundred-and-fifty year old vampire, and newer member of Vivian’s seethe.

Dria -
the master vampire narrating part of the story, aka Vivian and Alexandria.

Enforcer
- a highly skilled vampire assassin, used as an instrument of justice by the tribunal.

Emmanuel
- bartender at Lupine Luna in Buenos Aires, aka Manny.

Elsa -
Romeo’s werewolf mate.

Emiko -
the rogue designated by the Tribunal to be hunted at the resort (book two).

Eric -
a new werewolf from Romeo’s pack.

Fledgling
- term used for a vampire under the age of five years.

George
- Security at the Tribunal of Ancients.

Gwendolyn
- a witch in Buenos Aires the trio turns to for answers.

Hombre Gato
- or Cat-man, is a legendary creature that possesses both feline and human features. This South American folk tale is particularly popular in Argentina, especially in rural and less populated areas.

Invunche
- In the Chilote folklore and Chilote mythology of the Chiloé Island in southern Chile, the
imbunche
or
invunche
(mapudungun
ifünche
: "deformed person", also "short person") is a legendary monster that protects the entrance to a warlock's cave.

Joanna
 
- a young vampire vacationing at the inn, and a member of Liam's seethe.

Jonathan
- Vivian's werewolf servant and the head groundskeeper on the property.

Liebling
- German endearment, meaning darling.
 

Lucas -
a vampire in Argentina who hates Vivian for killing his old lover.

Magdelena -
the female alpha who runs the Buenos Aires werewolf pack.

Manipulator
- a rare breed of vampire able to mind control other vampires. Usually hunted down and killed by their own kind to ensure they do not gain power over their fellow vampires.

Master Vampire
- a vampire who heads their own seethe, or is independent of a seethe. One not requiring the blood of a master to gain in power, but has accumulated enough strength to hold their own in a battle where an older vampire may try to drain a younger one for their blood.

Mate
- see
Bonded Mate.

Michelle -
aka “Chelly”, an employee at the inn, who also doubles as a blood donor. Recently bound to Drew as a vampire servant.
 

Old Blood
- a term used to describe the blood a seethe member gets from a master to increase their own power. Contains the added benefit of increasing a vampire’s perceived undead age if the blood is strong enough and consumed regularly.

Pat -
a new werewolf at the resort, originally from Romeo’s pack.

Paul
 
- a gourmet chef imported from the lower forty-eight, married to Bunny.

Rafe -
Vivian's bonded mate for sixty-five years, and co-owner to the inn.

Rolando
- a member of the inner circle, part of the Tribunal of Ancients located in Argentina.
 

Romeo
- Jonathan's old Alpha, but not the Were who changed him.

Seethe
- A vampire family, or group of vampires, with a master vampire at its head.

Servant
- see
Vampire Servant

Tribunal of Ancients
- the governing body of ruling ancient vampires, entrusted with maintaining the secrecy of the existence of vampires from the human race.

Turning
- term used for when a human has been changed into a vampire.

Turns
- term for those changed into a vampire.

Vivian -
the nickname for Dria, a play on words from
The V V Inn
.

Were
- shorthand for werewolf.

Vampire Servant
- a human or Were who has donated blood to a vampire and ingested the blood from the same
 
vampire. A mind connection can be established (and broken), allowing telepathic communication. The servant feels a desire to protect and serve the vampire above his or her own needs.