Craving-Torment Read online

  Table of Contents

  CONTENTS

  Copyright

  Author’s Note

  Prologue

  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

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Sneak Peek

  About Claudy

  BY Claudy Conn

  Edited by Alicia Carmical

  Cover by Dawn Sullivan

  CONTENTS

  Copyright

  Author’s Note

  Prologue

  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

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Sneak Peek

  About Claudy

  Copyright Page

  Craving—Torment

  By Claudy Conn

  http://www.claudyconn.com

  Copyright © 2017 by Claudy Conn

  Edited by: Alicia Carmical

  Cover Artist: Dawn Sullivan

  All rights reserved

  Published in the United States of America

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Names, characters, and events depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  Hi dear reader:

  As this is a series that starts with Craving-First Thirst (Book#1), I thought I would give you a quick synopsis of the main characters and the events that brought them to book #2, Craving-Torment.

  And, as always, I thank you for your continued support. Readers Rock!

  Bobbie Skye: She is an immortal witch with violet eyes and red flaming hair that reaches her butt. She was orphaned at ten years old. A train wreck caused a freak incident where her human father was crushed and her immortal mother was beheaded. Bobbie was thrown clear.

  Her mother’s best friend, a mortal witch, Elle, took her in and gave her a good life, but couldn’t give her the complete training an immortal witch needs.

  She had just graduated college and was in need of a job when an offer from Scotland arrived. Bobbie thought it too good to be true, and it was.

  Her field of expertise was property management and the job Jeremy Ascot offered her was a dream come true. MacLeod Castle needed management and it was in the Highlands of Scotland. How could she refuse?

  She scarcely hesitated. Off she went to Scotland and her new job.

  It didn’t take Bobbie long for her to discover nothing at all was what it seemed and she hadn’t been hired to manage the castle estate—oh no. She was the descendent of an immortal witch who had unwillingly trapped the lord of the castle in another realm.

  Jeremy Ascot finally admitted her mission was to free Lord MacLeod because she was the only one who could and the Lord of MacLeod was of all things…a vampire!

  Devin MacLeod: The year was 1875, and Devin was about to turn twenty-five, and having lost both his beloved parents in a short space of time, he then suffered the loss of a dear uncle.

  He traveled from London to MacLeod, to the castle and the wealth he had inherited and with all seriousness took over his duties as lord of the estate.

  He inherited the title and the wealth in 1875 and was working on himself to repair the excesses he had committed in the past year.

  He worked hard, and one night at the local pub a woman entered and changed his life forever. She was Allora, an ancient and wicked vampire. Against his will, she turned him. Against his will, she kept him at her side, threatening to torture and kill everyone he cared about.

  He stayed with her for one hundred years, traveling abroad at his insistence to keep her away from MacLeod. During this time, he found a way to live on animal blood and he created a serum that allowed him, without Allora’s knowledge, to be a day-walker.

  In l975, he finally was safely able to leave her. All the people he knew and loved were gone.

  Devin returned as the heir of MacLeod and there he managed unobstructed by Allora. He believed she was finally out of his life.

  Years passed. He met a lovely and gentle immortal witch whom he married. Feeling happy for the first time in over a hundred years, he made the mistake of feeling safe.

  He didn’t know Allora would never give up what she believed was hers.

  Tragedy. Allora arrived at MacLeod Castle when he was in the village with his bride’s brother, Jeremy Ascot, an immortal warlock. His bride, an immortal witch, invited the vampire inside—realizing too late what Allora was.

  Allora took her revenge and before Devin’s bride could protect herself, Allora struck with her sword, severing his bride’s head from her body.

  Allora left him his bride’s head on his bed and the ashes of her body beside it.

  The need for revenge became all-consuming and it took Devin and his brother-in-law, Jeremy, on a desperate journey to destroy Allora.

  His last attempt to kill her came too close for Allora’s peace of mind.

  Deviously, Allora surprised him with a preemptive attack. She had an immortal witch with her, Lisa MacForly, and had the witch imprison Devin in another realm.

  True to form, she beheaded the witch, who was Bobbie Skye’s grandmother, so she would not be able to return to the castle and free him.

  Bobbie’s mother had been sent to New York out of Allora’s path. Allora didn’t know about Bobbie.

  ~ PROLOGUE ~

  I WAS STILL REVELING IN the feel of Devin’s arms around me, wishing I could have stayed with him all night. He touched me in a way that woke all my senses and made me realize just how much I wanted and needed him.

  The afternoon had been spent in a frenzy of sexual cravings and moments of satisfaction that had taken me to a new level of awareness. I knew I couldn’t get enough of him. I knew I was falling fast, faster than any woman should.

  His growl, low and hungry at my ear, made me shiver as he said, “Lass, lass, what have ye done to me? I must have ye again and again. I cannae let ye go.”

  Pleasure flooded through my blood at the realization that he felt the same as I did. Oh, but I wanted to stay, and yet I had a gut instinct that told me I should go.

  Devin had already moved into position and took my knees into his hands and bent them up and back as he also managed to part my thighs wide, then wider still.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, knowing full well just what he was doing and hoping he wouldn’t stop.<
br />
  “What do ye think I’m doing, love?” he whispered, and rested his face at my opening, which in itself triggered a need that made me want to forget my instincts and pump towards him. I managed to control myself.

  I knew I had to go, but when he licked my clit, I couldn’t hold back and arched as I groaned and gave in to his machinations.

  “Oh…oh…but I have to…” I managed to object, but even to my own ears, I didn’t sound sincere.

  “Aye, ye have to give yerself over to me. Let me pleasure ye, lass…like ye deserve,” he whispered as he rubbed his chin on my opening and inserted a finger to flick at my clit and join his tongue at the party.

  “I…I…” Oh but what he was doing to me made me squirm with need. I didn’t want him to stop.

  “Aye then, stay, will ye stay?” he asked, and nibbled and licked. He cried out wildly, “Och aye, but I have never tasted anything so good…so sweet.”

  My legs immediately opened wider, my body began to crave more, and he gave it to me as another finger joined in for the ride.

  Ride? Oh yeah, I rode everything he gave me. I bucked and pumped to the beat of his talented tongue and fingers.

  His ministrations were erotic and I grabbed hold of the sheets as my body jerked to the explosion he had created with his expertise.

  I went off like a rocket…I had been going off a good part of the afternoon and all I wanted was to stay in his bed forever.

  He made a primal sound of satisfaction and positioned himself before ramming his hard cock inside my opening.

  “Yes…oh yes, Devin…” I called out as he rotated and moved his dick in a way that actually made me see bursting stars in a beautiful velvet sky.

  My body was on fire as he roared out my name and I let go, calling his.

  He released his seed inside of me as his thrusts matched my own and when we were done, I lay speechless and spent in his arms.

  “I’m never letting ye go back,” he said firmly.

  I laughed and then a notion hit me. “If I got pregnant, would the baby be a vampire or a witch?”

  “I wish with all m’heart that I could give ye a babe and find out, but I’m told ‘tis a rare occurrence.”

  “Oh,” I said, and sobered. It hit me that I might want children one day and this would be a problem. “I have to go,” I said, and sat up.

  He took my breast in his hand and fondled as he lay me back on the bed and drew me close. “Nae, lass, I cannae let ye leave me, please nae yet,” he said in earnest.

  Something in his tone worried me. Would he force me to stay? That wasn’t like him, but he sounded so adamant.

  I had to stand my ground. “I have to…leave, now.” I sat up again, suddenly aware of the darkness in the room. “Oh…no…what time is it? Do our times match? Can it be evening already? Have I been here that long?”

  I jumped out of bed and landed on my feet. With a blink I was dressed and pulling on my boots.

  He got up as well, naked and gorgeous, stalling me for just a moment with those sad blue eyes as he took my hand.

  “Dinnae go. Stay the night…at least the night. Ye can go in the morning if ye promise to coom back to me.”

  “I would love to stay, you know that, but I can’t,” I said, not sure why I had to go, but aware of an overwhelming need to do just that.

  “Nae,” he said. “I can stop ye…I can…”

  “No, you can’t.” I pointed to him and then to me. “You and I…are good together. We are who we are and that is what it is, but when we are together, we are good together. I won’t deny that, but…I am and have always been an independent woman, Devin. Deal with it.”

  “I dinnae like it in this instance. I need to keep ye safe, lass…I …”

  “I know, I understand and appreciate it, but I have to do what I think is right, and what is right is going back, now,” I told him as I turned away from him and started for the door.

  He threw on his clothes and chased after me, took my hand and put it to his lips. “Aye then, will ye nae let me take care of ye, protect ye as I see fit? I’m older lass…and I have experiences ye cannae know.”

  “I understand and yes, when it becomes too much for me, you are who I will turn to, but for now, I can protect myself. Deal?” I answered.

  “Deal then, and Bobbie love, I will hold ye to it…turning to me,” he said so seriously I almost giggled.

  He walked me back to the portal where I could use the spell to open it to the Human Realm and return.

  Just as I was about to leave, he pulled me back into his arms and kissed me hard. When he released me, I touched his face. I could see how worried he was. But every instinct told me I had to get back immediately.

  I stepped into the portal, and the first thing that hit me as I stepped out and into the library of MacLeod Castle was the stillness.

  The room was clothed in the darkness of night. The scent of the leather bound books that usually gave me comfort and excitement—didn’t, because another scent met my nostrils and made them flare.

  An uneasiness took over and a shiver shimmied up my spine.

  It was then, all at once, that the scent became stronger and I knew I was in serious trouble.

  I heard Devin at my back, screaming my name.

  “Bobbie…coom back, now! Bobbie…ye cannae stay there…” he shouted, and pounded at the divider.

  I hurriedly closed my portal. There was someone else in the room with me, and I didn’t want whoever it was to go through the portal to him.

  In the darkest corner I saw someone move. Someone was there, just taking a step forward, watching me all the while.

  I could just make out a form.

  A female form. Allora!

  The female stepped forward towards me. She was, of course, alone. No other vampire could enter MacLeod without an invitation. Had she seen me arrive through the portal? I didn’t think so.

  I readied myself for the worst, and have to admit that my heart was pounding hard. I had no doubts, whatsoever, about what I was about to face. Allora was an ancient vampire. She had survived centuries and her powers had grown with time.

  I, on the other hand, was just a young witch.

  I heard Devin’s calls at my back. His voice was full of fear as he shouted for me to return to him.

  I couldn’t pay attention to what he was saying. I had to concentrate on facing this threat. I had to concentrate and be more than I have been up to this moment. There was no running away from her, she would follow.

  Allora had reason to want me dead. I alone could free Devin and she couldn’t have that. She murdered my grandmother in order to keep him on the other side.

  Did she know who I was?

  If she didn’t yet, she would soon. What to do? It came to me like lightning flashing before my eyes, and I knew I had to zero in on my Shama with all my might if I was going to survive this night.

  “Jeremy!” I heard Devin scream his name as he moved off to Jeremy’s quarters to get his attention. Devin knew what I was about to face. He knew the female in the shadows had to be none other than Allora.

  I took in her scent and filed it to memory.

  She, the female in the dark corner, moved forward. The moonlight rested on her and I could see that she was tall, lithe, and graceful. Her blonde hair was like silk. Her amber lit eyes were bright, so bright with fury that I could see them shine across the room.

  Her skin was pale, but she had a classically lovely face. She moved with caution, so I knew she was aware that I was a witch with some power.

  “Allora,” I said softly.

  She did not respond. We had information that made us confident she was in London, but damn, here she was. Had she taken an evening flight? A charter perhaps?

  She was supposed to have a meeting with the ancient vampires of her clan at the Council Center in London. What had happened? Had that meeting been canceled?

  My Shama was already burning with instructions, always protective of me when I was in da
nger, and hell, every instinct said I was in immediate danger.

  I could feel Allora’s power, a might specific to her aura. I concentrated on it, learned its perimeters as my magic scanned her and encased me in my witch’s shield.

  The ancient vampire, Allora, stood, eyeing me, but the sneer she wore on her face told me she didn’t know who I really was. Oh, she knew I was a witch…but that was all she knew. For now.

  And then I saw it, something glinting in the narrow ray of moonlight that shined through the window. A sword. She held a sword of some potency. I could feel its magical might across the room.

  Was this the sword she used to kill my grandmother? If so, it was now even more powerful than it had been. Damn, I was in trouble!

  Shit, shit, shit!

  ~ One ~

  “ALLORA,” I SAID AGAIN, AS calmly as I could muster, and felt ashamed that my voice, even to my own ears, sounded shaky.

  “Hello, witch,” she said, and sneered. “What are you doing here all alone and in the dark?” She didn’t move, but stood very still and took in my appearance from head to foot.

  She noted I looked at the sword’s glinting blade, and she smiled before she lifted it and pointed it right at me.

  From her behavior, I knew she hadn’t seen me arrive through the portal. She must have thought I had fallen asleep on one of the sofas?

  She couldn’t hear or see Devin because Jeremy had spelled the portal to only show the jungle scene, like a movie whose actors had not yet arrived.

  She couldn’t hear him shouting either, and I silently complimented Jeremy on his complex and effective magical spell.

  I couldn’t help myself as I stared at her, taking in every facet of her physical presence. Something was off, though I couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

  I already disliked her for so many reasons. The number one reason, she had beheaded my immortal grandmother, taking her away from me before I even had the chance to meet her.

  As this loomed in my mind, so did something else, something I had never really felt before…hate!