Crimson Flame ~ Book 1 - The Royal Blood Collection

Command My Heart

Captain Oliver Beaumont thinks that the woman before him is nothing more than a pretty distraction. A moment of warmth in the cold north of province four. He soon learns that Nisha Eldon is not what he expected her to be. Faced with a headstrong woman that has a large wall around herself, Oliver struggles to break through.

Nisha is not interested in fraternizing with the womanizing, smart mouthed man. She's seen his type before and she knows that he is just a one way path to either a one night stand or a broken heart. She doesn't want either of them, she was raised to serve her country, not bed every man in sight.

When everything falls down around him, Oliver does the only thing that seems logical, he tries to make things right again. In doing so, he learns of a hidden threat against Nisha and her family. She might be well guarded but that means nothing when the threat is determined to bring them down.

She didn't want to depend on any man but Nisha may not get a choice. Can Oliver live up to what is expected of him after years of training or will he fail because of his past?

Chapter 1~

Thumping to the ground, I looked around at what everyone called hell. It was a frostbitten nightmare that was yet to be drowned in snow but that was only a matter of time if the temperature was anything to go by.

The base bustled with activity, trucks moving, people scuttled in and around the buildings. Someone gave the back of my shoulder a friendly slap, I turned to the man beside me. We'd talked briefly on the back of the truck. It was all rather general, as it usually was. No one wanted to get close because life in the army was always short. I hoped to break out of that ominous future and be the first vampire to live beyond his first tour in the north.

"Good luck,"

"You too, I have a feeling that we're going to need it."

He chuckled and nodded, walking away. Hitching my bag over my shoulder, I walked through the base.

"General Livingstone?"

The guy stopped and pointed to the building at the far end of the path.

"Through that door there."

"Thanks."

He nodded and kept going. Inhaling sharply, I pushed on. The cold wind curled around me, ensuring that I knew that being underdressed in this environment was unwise. I'd come from the south where it was warm, we didn't need a heavy jacket or thermals. I was freezing cold.

Feeling the frost bite hard at my back, I was relieved to delve into the warmth of the CO's office even if it was temporary.

Dumping my bag at my feet, I raised my arm to salute.

"Sir, Captain Oliver Beaumont,"

His eyebrow raised, taking the papers from me. A heavy frown pressed into his brow as he read the document. Flicking to the next one, the General huffed.

"Why did they send you to hell, Beaumont?"

"I was advised that my skills would be used better at the front, sir."

"At ease, soldier. I'm not your CO."

I frowned as I looked around his office and to the door, wondering if I'd stumbled into the wrong office.

"Aren't you the commanding officer for this posting?"

"I am but you're not a part of my team here."