A Shade of Vampire 85: A Shard of Soul Read online

  A Shade of Vampire 85: A Shard of Soul

  Bella Forrest

  Contents

  Also by Bella Forrest

  Problems reading?

  Family tree

  1. Tristan

  2. Tristan

  3. Esme

  4. Kalon

  5. Esme

  6. Lumi

  7. Tristan

  8. Esme

  9. Tristan

  10. Esme

  11. Esme

  12. Kailani

  13. Esme

  14. Esme

  15. Tristan

  16. Kelara

  17. Soul

  18. Kailani

  19. Sofia

  20. Esme

  21. Kelara

  22. Tristan

  23. Tristan

  24. Sofia

  25. Sofia

  26. Kelara

  27. Esme

  28. Kelara

  29. Esme

  30. Esme

  31. Soul

  32. Tristan

  33. Esme

  ASOV 86: A Break of Seals

  Read more by Bella Forrest

  Also by Bella Forrest

  DARKLIGHT

  (NEW! Vampire romance)

  Darklight (Book 1)

  Darkthirst (Book 2)

  Darkworld (Book 3)

  Darkblood (Book 4)

  Darktide (Book 5)

  HARLEY MERLIN

  (Fantasy/romance/adventure)

  Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven (Book 1)

  Harley Merlin and the Mystery Twins (Book 2)

  Harley Merlin and the Stolen Magicals (Book 3)

  Harley Merlin and the First Ritual (Book 4)

  Harley Merlin and the Broken Spell (Book 5)

  Harley Merlin and the Cult of Eris (Book 6)

  Harley Merlin and the Detector Fix (Book 7)

  Harley Merlin and the Challenge of Chaos (Book 8)

  Harley Merlin and the Mortal Pact (Book 9)

  Finch Merlin and the Fount of Youth (Book 10)

  Finch Merlin and the Lost Map (Book 11)

  Finch Merlin and the Djinn’s Curse (Book 12)

  Finch Merlin and the Locked Gateway (Book 13)

  Finch Merlin and the Forgotten Kingdom (Book 14)

  Finch Merlin and the Everlasting Vow (Book 15)

  Finch Merlin and the Blood Tie (Book 16)

  THE GENDER GAME

  (Action-adventure/romance. Completed series.)

  The Gender Game (Book 1)

  The Gender Secret (Book 2)

  The Gender Lie (Book 3)

  The Gender War (Book 4)

  The Gender Fall (Book 5)

  The Gender Plan (Book 6)

  The Gender End (Book 7)

  THE GIRL WHO DARED TO THINK

  (Action-adventure/romance. Completed series.)

  The Girl Who Dared to Think (Book 1)

  The Girl Who Dared to Stand (Book 2)

  The Girl Who Dared to Descend (Book 3)

  The Girl Who Dared to Rise (Book 4)

  The Girl Who Dared to Lead (Book 5)

  The Girl Who Dared to Endure (Book 6)

  The Girl Who Dared to Fight (Book 7)

  THE CHILD THIEF

  (Action-adventure/romance. Completed series.)

  The Child Thief (Book 1)

  Deep Shadows (Book 2)

  Thin Lines (Book 3)

  Little Lies (Book 4)

  Ghost Towns (Book 5)

  Zero Hour (Book 6)

  HOTBLOODS

  (Supernatural romance/adventure. Completed series.)

  Hotbloods (Book 1)

  Coldbloods (Book 2)

  Renegades (Book 3)

  Venturers (Book 4)

  Traitors (Book 5)

  Allies (Book 6)

  Invaders (Book 7)

  Stargazers (Book 8)

  A SHADE OF VAMPIRE SERIES

  (Supernatural romance/adventure)

  Series 1: Derek & Sofia’s story

  A Shade of Vampire (Book 1)

  A Shade of Blood (Book 2)

  A Castle of Sand (Book 3)

  A Shadow of Light (Book 4)

  A Blaze of Sun (Book 5)

  A Gate of Night (Book 6)

  A Break of Day (Book 7)

  Series 2: Rose & Caleb’s story

  A Shade of Novak (Book 8)

  A Bond of Blood (Book 9)

  A Spell of Time (Book 10)

  A Chase of Prey (Book 11)

  A Shade of Doubt (Book 12)

  A Turn of Tides (Book 13)

  A Dawn of Strength (Book 14)

  A Fall of Secrets (Book 15)

  An End of Night (Book 16)

  Series 3: The Shade continues with a new hero…

  A Wind of Change (Book 17)

  A Trail of Echoes (Book 18)

  A Soldier of Shadows (Book 19)

  A Hero of Realms (Book 20)

  A Vial of Life (Book 21)

  A Fork of Paths (Book 22)

  A Flight of Souls (Book 23)

  A Bridge of Stars (Book 24)

  Series 4: A Clan of Novaks

  A Clan of Novaks (Book 25)

  A World of New (Book 26)

  A Web of Lies (Book 27)

  A Touch of Truth (Book 28)

  An Hour of Need (Book 29)

  A Game of Risk (Book 30)

  A Twist of Fates (Book 31)

  A Day of Glory (Book 32)

  Series 5: A Dawn of Guardians

  A Dawn of Guardians (Book 33)

  A Sword of Chance (Book 34)

  A Race of Trials (Book 35)

  A King of Shadow (Book 36)

  An Empire of Stones (Book 37)

  A Power of Old (Book 38)

  A Rip of Realms (Book 39)

  A Throne of Fire (Book 40)

  A Tide of War (Book 41)

  Series 6: A Gift of Three

  A Gift of Three (Book 42)

  A House of Mysteries (Book 43)

  A Tangle of Hearts (Book 44)

  A Meet of Tribes (Book 45)

  A Ride of Peril (Book 46)

  A Passage of Threats (Book 47)

  A Tip of Balance (Book 48)

  A Shield of Glass (Book 49)

  A Clash of Storms (Book 50)

  Series 7: A Call of Vampires

  A Call of Vampires (Book 51)

  A Valley of Darkness (Book 52)

  A Hunt of Fiends (Book 53)

  A Den of Tricks (Book 54)

  A City of Lies (Book 55)

  A League of Exiles (Book 56)

  A Charge of Allies (Book 57)

  A Snare of Vengeance (Book 58)

  A Battle of Souls (Book 59)

  Series 8: A Voyage of Founders

  A Voyage of Founders (Book 60)

  A Land of Perfects (Book 61)

  A Citadel of Captives (Book 62)

  A Jungle of Rogues (Book 63)

  A Camp of Savages (Book 64)

  A Plague of Deceit (Book 65)

  An Edge of Malice (Book 66)

  A Dome of Blood (Book 67)

  A Purge of Nature (Book 68)

  Season 9: A Birth of Fire

  A Birth of Fire (Book 69)

  A Breed of Elements (Book 70)

  A Sacrifice of Flames (Book 71)

  A Conspiracy of Realms (Book 72)

  A Search for Death (Book 73)

  A Piece of Scythe (Book 74)

  A Blade of Thieron (Book 75)

  A Phantom of Truth (Book 76)

  A Fate of Time (Book 77)

  Season 10: An Origin of Vampires

  An Origin of Vampires (Book 78)

  A Game of Death (Book 79)

  A Veil
of Dark (Book 80)

  A Bringer of Night (Book 81)

  A Circle of Nine (Book 82)

  A Bender of Spirit (Book 83)

  A Memory of Time (Book 84)

  A Shard of Soul (Book 85)

  A SHADE OF DRAGON TRILOGY

  A Shade of Dragon 1

  A Shade of Dragon 2

  A Shade of Dragon 3

  A SHADE OF KIEV TRILOGY

  A Shade of Kiev 1

  A Shade of Kiev 2

  A Shade of Kiev 3

  A LOVE THAT ENDURES TRILOGY

  (Contemporary romance)

  A Love that Endures

  A Love that Endures 2

  A Love that Endures 3

  THE SECRET OF SPELLSHADOW MANOR

  (Supernatural/Magic YA. Completed series)

  The Secret of Spellshadow Manor (Book 1)

  The Breaker (Book 2)

  The Chain (Book 3)

  The Keep (Book 4)

  The Test (Book 5)

  The Spell (Book 6)

  BEAUTIFUL MONSTER DUOLOGY

  (Supernatural romance)

  Beautiful Monster 1

  Beautiful Monster 2

  DETECTIVE ERIN BOND

  (Adult thriller/mystery)

  Lights, Camera, GONE

  Write, Edit, KILL

  For an updated list of Bella’s books, please visit her website: www.bellaforrest.net

  Join Bella’s VIP email list and be the first to know when her new books release. Tap here to sign up: www.forrestbooks.com

  Copyright © 2020

  Nightlight Press

  Cover design by Okay Creations LLC

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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  Family tree

  If you’d like to check out the Novaks’ family tree, visit: www.forrestbooks.com/tree

  Tristan

  “I thought this day might never come.” The Unending’s voice echoed all around us. The world had vanished, mere wisps of color with no shape or substance dissipating into the great and vast nothingness that surrounded us.

  We stood in front of each other, soft smiles on our faces. We were finally meeting, and in the strangest of places. We were in the depths of her subconscious, where millions of years of existence had been tucked away beneath layers of Aeternae lifetimes. I could see her for who she was. The Unending. The first Reaper ever made. The first among the First Ten.

  Death had blessed her with the power of immortality, and the regret that had stemmed from this decision had also led to a string of misfortunes and misery. Yet the woman in front of me was all grace and forgiveness, her galaxy eyes shining with hope and… love. I could feel it in my own heart. The Unending loved me. I would’ve been a liar if I’d said I didn’t reciprocate the feeling. By the stars, my breath was short, my very soul swelling with pure joy at the sight of her. I’d not only fallen for Valaine—I’d fallen for the greater whole that was Unending.

  “I’ve finally found you,” I said.

  “Tristan, I have always been here.”

  Wearing a long white dress, silk pouring down her body like milk, the Unending was a vision of absolute beauty. Her black hair cascaded down her back, her delicate hands wrapped in black leather. Blood-red lips stretched into a smile, and I was mesmerized, forever lost in the eternity of her gaze. Only now was I truly capable of observing the similarities between the Unending and all her reincarnations. While the black hair and dark eyes were never distinctive enough to separate a specific Aeternae from the others, they were features that she carried with her in each life.

  I could see Valaine in her. I could see Sessilly and Eldfenn. Persia Bluewater and Eliana. I could see little Maira Razelyon and all the other Aeternae whose bodies she’d been born into. Each of them stared back at me, smiling with the same warmth and affection, sincerely happy to see me. I could see it all clearly now, and it made sense.

  “How do we get you out of here?” I asked. She took my hands in hers. The feel of her leather gloves against my skin made me tremble, a faint shiver traveling down my back.

  “We need to break through to my very first incarnation,” the Unending said. “And I’m not sure how we’re going to do that. It has become increasingly difficult for me to go deeper. Each golden thread is thinner, weaker, harder to follow. I suppose time is like snow in here. Every layer buries the truth deeper and deeper until there’s frosted white as far as the eye can see, with not even a glimpse at the ground beneath.”

  “And we need to find the ground,” I muttered, slowly moving away. I’d thought we’d already made it to the very first incarnation of the Unending. Clearly, Maira had not been it. We’d have to go further back, and I could feel the Unending’s exhaustion, mirrored by my own aching bones. I wasn’t sure how much longer we were going to last in here, but I sure as hell wasn’t ready to wake up to reality without the Unending by my side.

  I started pacing back and forth and around as she watched me and listened to my musings. I went over all the past lives we’d witnessed and everything we’d learned along the way about her allies and her enemies, about how the Aeternae, Darkling or otherwise, played key roles in keeping her a prisoner to this vicious and miserable cycle.

  “So you remember all these lives, from beginning to end,” I said.

  Unending nodded slowly. “I remember what sort of blood I drank on the morning of the sixth day of my hundredth year of life as Draga Merensis. This is from five centuries ago. I remember every detail of each existence, down to Maira. Even things I wouldn’t otherwise bother to register.”

  “Do you remember the seals Spirit put on you?”

  She shook her head. “I haven’t gotten to that part yet.”

  “But you remember that you’re the Unending, Death’s first Reaper.”

  “It’s hard to explain this one. I know that I’m the Unending, Death’s first Reaper. I’ve always known it. I just don’t remember it, per se. I can’t tell you how I got to Visio or what drove me to come here in the first place.”

  Heartbreak had brought her to Visio. “I could tell you.”

  “Tell me, then.”

  “Your lover was killed. You’d given him immortality, and the Spirit Bender killed him.”

  Moments passed in absolute silence. The Unending simply stared at me, her expression firm but blank. “I don’t remember it. Even if you tell me. I’m afraid we’ll have to do this the old-fashioned way.”

  “Keep digging.” I sighed, running a hand through my hair.

  “Yes. There’s something else, Tristan. Something I’ve begun to consider lately, based on all the conversations I’ve witnessed across my past lives, including Valaine’s.” She paused, waiting for me to look at her. “I might have to shed my Aeternae form once we break the three seals, whatever they may be. This body… it’s not who I am. It’s alive. I am not.”

  Something gnawed at my stomach as I remembered all the times we’d assured Valaine that this wouldn’t be the case. We’d spoken without full knowledge of what the seals entailed. Then again, the Unending was doing the same here, now, since she didn’t remember details about the seals, either.

  “Are you sure?” I asked.

  “Of course not. It’s just a feeling I have, but it’s pretty persistent, so it might be anchored in some kind of reality. It might be stemming from something I know as the Unending but can’t remember. Soul, Morning, and the others might have it only partially right. I’m just trying to use logic here. Part of the seal in
volves locking me inside an Aeternae body. That body is still me, sure… but it wouldn’t survive my liberation.”

  There was another thing I had to consider going forward. The more the Unending remembered, the faster the line between her and Valaine’s consciousnesses would blur. Eventually there would be no difference left. Valaine was the Unending, but they were also separate minds—one alive and aware, the other dormant and struggling. I loved Valaine, and I loved the Unending. I wasn’t really sure how I felt about this whole situation and all its harrowing possibilities.

  I was excited to free Unending, but I would also grieve Valaine once she was gone—or maybe absorbed into the first Reaper, since she was a part of the greater whole. That was inevitable, I realized now. It had to be done. In order to succeed, sacrifices had to be made.

  “I don’t know how things will work out,” the Unending said after a while, “but I know I’ll be okay as long as I’ve got you by my side. You’ve been my beacon in the darkness, Tristan. I hope you’ll forgive me for what must happen in order for my liberation to occur.”

  Exhaling deeply, I cupped her face and brought her closer to me. Her skin felt soft and warm to the touch, likely an interpretation of my mind here in the bowels of the Unending’s subconscious. I could only imagine what she’d feel like out there in the real world. “Valaine doesn’t deserve to suffer like this, and neither do you. None of your past lives deserved the hell they were put through, either. We have to stop the cycle, no matter what, and I know Valaine feels the same way. If she had a voice of her own, if she were a separate entity altogether, she’d agree. This has been going on for too long. It’s time to set you free.”