The Original Sin

The Original Sin - By J.L. McCoy


Prologue





Six weeks ago, I graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Ancient History and Classical Civilization. My student loans were expensive and my current job as a waitress/bartender at Drop Kick Dan’s bar wasn’t going to help me pay them off any time soon. So, I did the only thing I could do; I went looking for a better paying job.

As luck would have it, or not depending on whom you asked, I ran into a club owner one afternoon at a local coffee house. After a brief conversation, he invited me to interview for the Executive Assistant position at his new downtown club, The Mausoleum. One successful job interview later, I was hired.

My life changed forever the night I found out my new boss, Archer Rhys and hard core crush, Jameson Doyle, were vampires. My world as I knew it hasn’t been the same since.

I’ve endured my fair share of ups and downs since then. I’ve had a few intense arguments with my boss, who happens to be the ongoing object of my sexual fantasies. I started dating Jameson after a ridiculous misunderstanding on my part regarding Archer, but I was happy with him nonetheless. Jameson and I had a fantastic sex life and a great friendship.

One morning, as Jameson was cooking me breakfast, there was a knock on the door from my neighbor and best friend Nikki St. James telling us that our cars had been bashed to bits in my driveway. My crazy, psycho ex-boyfriend Jesse Prescott was the perpetrator, but I didn’t have to worry about him ever doing something like that again because I found his severed head in the front seat of my car. Talk about disturbing.

Archer and Jameson thought it best that I stayed with them until the murderous bastard was caught and I reluctantly agreed.

Life in Archer’s house was anything but easy. Aoife, my vampire co-worker who happened to be Archer’s possessive ex-wife, was none too pleased to have me staying there. Her cattiness boiled over soon after my arrival leading to a pretty intense showdown between her, Archer and me.

I came out of it alive, thanks to Archer telling her I was dating Jameson, but the cattiness continued on as normal, though somewhat subdued. Dating Jameson was my saving grace so I didn’t have to worry about her slitting my throat in my sleep now.

One day, as I wrapped up a delicious lunch with Dean “Dic” Cruz, the new friend I made opening night at the club and owner of Tricky Dic’s Hookah Bar, Archer called me and became furious when he found out who I was with. Unbeknownst to me, Dean was a werewolf and the Alpha of Central Texas’ Kaxaw pack.

The news had been shocking and but it was nothing compared to listening to Archer and Dean argue. I learned very quickly that werewolves and vampires had a longstanding feud between them and subsequently hated each other.

In my anger I walked away from the overprotective Archer and antagonistic Dean. On my way to retrieve the car that Archer had leant me, a mysterious man approached me. I soon learned that he was no ordinary man. He quickly captured my mind, ranted about how God didn’t exist and some crap about exacting revenge, and then sliced my forearm open and nearly bled me out in the street.

I awoke in a basement and found that my arms had been chained to a pipe in the ceiling. I was held for days against my will as the man, who I learned was named Amun, played a sick game of Hide and Seek with Archer and the chosen army of An Dílis, a.k.a The Faithful. Amun happened to be the father of all vampires and he was hell-bent on destroying Archer and his family because of something Archer’s maker Cináed had done to him over a thousand years prior.

During my captivity, I was nearly drained of all my blood when Martin, Amun’s sick pseudo-sidekick, fed from me. Between Amun and Martin, I was tortured, slapped around, had my bones broken, almost died from blood loss, had a large chunk of hair and scalp ripped out, and had been nearly raped.

Thankfully Archer, Dean, and members of the army of The Faithful picked up my trail and tracked me down to the East Austin house that Amun was keeping me in. A huge battle ensued and I was finally rescued. To my immense delight, I was the one who got to kill Martin. We almost lost a few people during the intense battle, but thankfully I was able to contribute some of my blood to them after Jameson healed me. Sadly, Amun was able to get away.

An Dílis is working hard to track him down and kill him so that he can’t hurt me or anyone else again. I promised Jameson that I would continue to live at Archer’s until that day came.

Life here in Archer’s lakeside mansion isn’t all bad, now that I’ve gotten used to it. I definitely feel a lot safer that’s for sure. I’m surrounded by hot guys, my gorgeous boyfriend Jameson, my uber crush Archer, and my good friend Trey. What more would a girl who’s hiding from a sick, sadistic killer and the sire of all vampires need?