To save her brother, Veronica decides to dig up a vampire's grave and must grapple with the dangers that come with fraternizing with a killer. ***** There's a reason buried things should stay buried. Desperate to save her dying brother, Veronica digs up Lucius' grave--a notorious vampire with endearing charm and a thirst for redemption. Ignorant to the spotlight now on her family after releasing a killer back into the world, Veronica must grapple with her new reality while Lucius is forced to finally face the ghosts from his past, pulling him into the hell he helped create. As enemies begin to draw closer, Veronica finds herself having to choose a side, and leaning toward one she never thought she would. [[word count: 80,000-90,000 words]] Cover designed by Ren Tachibana

****Copyrighted**** 'Tell me you don't feel it.' He whispered against my lips, and the trembling that had ceased at the feel of his lips against mine began again with renewed vigor. 'Tell me it's not what you want, and I'll go. You'll never have to see me again.' Swallowing, I looked up at the eyes that had entranced me from the start. I took in his every feature, slowly and deliberately. I thrilled at the feeling of his arms enfolding me, and I inhaled his familiar scent with a trembling breath. And then, then I did the most foolish thing imaginable: I flung my arms about his neck and kissed him with all that I had, almost losing myself in the safety and security I felt. But more than that, I ran. I took his moment of shock, the slight loosing of his arms about me, and tore myself away from him, shoving out the door and into the rain. I suppose I'll never know why he didn't follow me. It was the thing I feared most. I knew that if he came for me a second time, I wouldn't be able to say 'no'. I wouldn't be able to run. But I had to. I had to go. I couldn't let him be hurt because of me. He would live on now, and I would marry another. I had leased my last bit of passion in that one moment in his arms, and as I made my way through the dark streets, I felt myself become dull and lost like the creatures bound in the menagerie. **Much of this was written when I was younger and then I came back later and finished it. There will likely be mistakes. Lots of them.