The Last City, page 1
Also by Mary E. Twomey
Cursed Beauty
Beauty's Cursed Sleep
Beauty's Cursed Beast
Beauty's Cursed Prince
Faite Falling
Ugly Girl
Lost Girl
Rich Girl
Stupid Girl
Broken Girl
Untouchable Girl
Stubborn Girl
Common Girl
Blind Girl
Savage Girl
Dangerous Girl
Other Girl
Lonely Girl
Only Girl
Savage Hearts
Savage Hearts
Dangerous Hearts
Twisted Hearts
Damaged Hearts
Wicked Hearts
Sinfully Sacrificed
Sins of the Father
Sins of the Mother
Sins of Mine: A Paranormal Prison Romance
Terraway
Taste
Tremble
Torture
Tempt
Treat
Temper
Tease
Trap
Tender
Territorial Mates
Vengeful Prince
Wicked Prince
Malicious Prince
Vengeful King
Wicked King
Malicious King
The Last Deadblood
The Vampire's City
The Broken City
The Divided City
The Forbidden City
The Scandalous City
The Last City (Coming Soon)
Undraland
Undraland
Nokken
Fossegrim
Elvage
The Other Side
Lucy at Peace
Lucy at War
Lucy at Last
Linus at Large
Undraland Books 1-3 Bundle: Including Undraland, Nøkken and Fossegrim
Standalone
Liberating Mr. Gable
Unraveling Molly
Heart of the Woods
Keeping Cole for Christmas
Ugly Girl Sample
Undraland Sample
Faite Books 1-3 Bundle
Watch for more at Mary E. Twomey’s site.
The Last City
Book Six in the Deadblood Series
Mary E. Twomey
Mary E. Twomey, LLC
Contents
The Last City
About The Last City
1. Voting Rights Rally
2. The Elephant on Nico’s Lap
3. My Baby
4. Miracle X
5. Revolutionaries in the Hospital
6. Abducted
7. Hitchhiking Home
8. Declan’s Boyfriend
9. Missing Nico
10. Amazing Body
11. Mother and Father
12. Not the Fun Uncle
13. Fintan’s Deal
14. Miracle’s Father
15. Small Baby, Big Men
16. My Childhood Best Friend
17. Escaping
18. Crazy Town
19. Miracle’s Miracle
20. Declan’s Heart
21. My Family
22. One Final Game
23. Fintan’s Gunfire
24. Rome’s Brother
25. Resting and Healing
26. Rome’s Plan and Promise
Epilogue
Free Preview
27. Sins of the Father
About the Author
The Last City
Book Six in the Last Deadblood Series
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By
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Mary E. Twomey
Copyright
Copyright © 2022 Mary E. Twomey LLC
Cover Art by Emcat Designs
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All rights reserved.
First Edition: February 2022
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This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
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This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
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For information:
http://www.maryetwomey.com
Created with Vellum
Dedication
To Cricket,
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Who heals and loves without limits.
About The Last City
When it comes to finding a safe haven, Colette is running out of options.
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Having a baby wasn’t supposed to be possible, but now that Colette is pregnant, the happy couple isn’t sure what to do. While Rome is ready to be a father, Colette knows the road ahead will be rough for the child she carries.
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Being the Last Deadblood was supposed to ensure the violence against vampires would one day come to an end, but it seems that whether Colette draws breath or not, there are some who will always hate what they do not understand.
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When war comes to their doorstep, Colette knows that if she does not put a stop to the revolution once and for all, her child will bear the consequences. Though it might take all she has, Colette will stop at nothing to take this stand…
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…even if it might be her last.
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"The Last City" is filled with political intrigue and scandalous secrets, written by USA Today bestselling fantasy romance author, Mary E. Twomey.
1
Voting Rights Rally
It’s odd to have no one’s hands on my belly but my own. For the last eight months, it is a rare moment when there isn’t a man treating my bump as if it’s a crystal ball with mystical answers for the future.
The hallway behind the stage is narrow. Then again, I’m so big that even grocery store aisles seem narrow these days. It’s been a long pregnancy, though, given that this is my first one, I’m guessing it’s not all that different from the average woman’s experience.
Swollen ankles aside, it hasn’t been too bad so far. I’m just going to push that whole “giving birth” part of the equation out of my mind for the time being, since I have no idea how I am going to get through that.
A problem for another day.
Definitely not today. I have another month to go, so my little mystery baby is staying put for now.
I rub my hand over my stomach. The yellow silky shirt has just enough stretch to it so I can breathe, pairing well with the light gray slacks. The only issue is that the designer made the top backless, insisting that if my words weren’t enough to make people pay attention, my outfit sure would. The yellow material is held together by a lacy string that Rome has had a fun time undoing with one of his deft hands. The back is wide open, giving the world a clear shot of my skin, along with the fact that I am not wearing a bra that can be seen from the back. The stylist that the designer sent over insisted my hair needed to be in an up-do, twisted at the back of my head to draw the eye to my long neckline.
I’m just happy I’m not overheating. This backless shirt idea isn’t too bad.
Paulo, one of the security guards assigned by the governor, stands at the left side of the hallway, talking into his comm. “The Deadblood is in position. All clear on this side.”
Normally I have Rome with me, along with either Nico or Orlando. After the world caught wind of the horror of Fintan murdering our father and escaping with the help of officers on the force in Mayfield, rulers from all over the world offered their shock and horror, but then quickly followed that up with help.
Paulo and Liesl are gifts from overseas. They report back to their country on the status of my safety. They make sure Fintan and his people cannot get to me. For larger events like these, there is a tightknit crew of security men and women out in the crowd on the other side of this curtain, scouring the throngs for signs of malfeasance.
For signs of Fintan.
I hate that this is what my family has become. My eldest brother and I were never especially close, but I had no idea he was behind the kidnapping when I was fifteen, nor that he had designs to do it again—selling my deadly blood to the highest bidder.
I straighten, rolling my shoulders back. “Not today,” I vow to myself. Fintan won’t get to me today. It took a few weeks to coax me out of hiding, but here I am, giving speeches and campaigning for a better life for us all.
A better life for my baby.
The father of my child rounds the corner. “Are you ready?” Rome asks me, walking toward me after he ends his call and tucks his phone away.
He needs his hands free to rub my belly.
Sure enough, one hand moves to the base of my spine while the other migrates to my stomach. He leans down to kiss the bump because, you know, it’s been a whole five minutes since he’s done that. “I’m right here, little one.”
Rome takes the time to kiss me gently, settling my nerves that always bubble up at these kinds of things. I love the way his mouth tastes. He tugs on my lower lip, sucking it slightly before releasing it with a satisfied smile. “Mm. Thanks. I needed that.”
There is so much of Rome that I need these days. Even rolling out of our bed is a struggle without help. Of course, the daily dose of his blood keeps the larger aches and pains at bay. The doctor keeps checking me for hypertension, given the stress I am under, but Rome’s blood heals the broken parts of me, just like his kisses have healed the busted bits of my heart.
“You remember the drill?” Rome asks me.
“This is my fifth speech this week. I know how it goes. They announce me. I ignore all the questions about the baby. I give my speech, congratulating the world on granting vampires the right to vote.”
Rome nods, his hand sliding up my bare skin through the gaping vent in the back of my shirt. “And where will I be?”
“Right beside me, which means life is good.”
The corner of his mouth quirks, his full lips reminding me just how striking he is. I love the sharp angle of his jaw, his lean yet muscular build and the way his body curves around mine.
Rome’s thumb swipes across my bare skin at the base of my spine. “And where are the emergency exits?”
I point to the two obvious ones and then motion to the less accessible one in back.
“Good. And how quick can I get this outfit off you?”
I kiss him once more. “If all goes well, the second after we lock the door to our bedroom.”
“That’s what I like to hear.” He is wearing his standard Valentino man attire: black fitted trousers, a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled and a silver belt buckle. All of it pairs nicely with his thick, black hair, which I just cut yesterday.
My lust pauses when I notice hesitation in his expression. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” When he realizes that answer will not satisfy, his shoulders lower. “Nothing important. Orlando spotted Senator Washburn in the audience. I hate that he’s here. He voted against vampires getting voting rights, yet he’s here at our victory rally? He wants the photo op, like he’s all supportive. Makes me sick.” Then he shakes off his foul mood. “I’ll get over it. See? Like I said; it’s nothing.”
“I hope the people see him for what he is.”
“They never do.”
I run my fingers along the sharp edge of his jaw. I love the way his ice blue eyes are fixed on me. They drink in my form without holding back his affection, which is always married with attraction.
It is a heady thing to be adored by a Valentino man.
When Paulo clears his throat and nods our way, I know that’s my cue.
Rome squeezes my hand. “You’ve got this.”
I slip off my flats and toe my feet into the stilettos I know will command the most attention. Even though this is not the time to be testing my balance or my sore ankles and back, it will only be for the twenty minutes or so that I can tolerate the press. Then I will go back to my flats, which are lined with fur and feel like I am walking on clouds.
I roll my shoulders back and don the breezy yet controlled expression which communicates to the world that I am in charge.
My footsteps are sure as I move from behind the curtain, taking the center stage without guessing at my mark. I know the spotlight will follow me. People will listen because I tell them to.
At least, that’s what I tell myself.
There are thousands here today in the city’s capital. They gape at me with varying degrees of wariness and wonder because I have done the unthinkable.
I am dating the head of the vampires, and by some twist of nature, I am now carrying his baby.
I am followed everywhere I go now, with people taking photographs and breaking out all their old wives’ tales, trying to predict the sex of the baby.
I am not ready for that conversation. That giant exclamation point is reserved for family only for now.
I’ve lost count of how many officials are here, ready to listen to the speech I have memorized in anticipation of the bill going through. This is a celebration of the hard work we have put in over the past several months.
We did it.
The vampires have voting rights now.
But now that I am standing here, staring at the sea of faces who care more about being able to gape at me in person than they do about the people I am here to represent, my mouth is dry and my speech feels paltry.
I have been working on this bill for months, but now that the win has come, I wonder if anyone truly cares about vampires, or if they are more intrigued in the circus aspect of it all.
I have no notes in my hands, and decide on the fly that I don’t need the podium, either.
The stage is mine, so I am going to own the entire thing.
“Good morning, and welcome to the era of regret and repentance.”
Nope, that wasn’t how my speech was supposed to start.
Rome’s head snaps in my direction.
Even though my other mate is at the foot of the stage making sure no one gets too close, I can feel Orlando stiffening when I start the speech by going off-book.
My voice carries easily out over the sea of thousands, for which I am grateful. “Today is supposed to be a celebration. We finally pushed through a bill to grant vampires their right to vote. They pay taxes, just like us. They are expected to follow the law, just like us. Yet they have had no say in who represents them. Finally, they have that right, yet as I stand here, there are those in power who are working to cut the legs out from under this progress.” I motion to the area where I know one of my most ardent opposers sits. “Senator Washburn, won’t you please stand?” I wait for him to take the position of honor before I unleash. “Senator Washburn is working on an addendum right now to limit polling places in vampire territory. He would like there to be one polling station for the entire vampire populace, guaranteeing that not every vampire will be able to vote, simply because there will not be the hours in the day to process them all.”
I can tell the audience is confused. They came here for a rally, to show their excitement for the bill that just passed.
To find out that their victory will have red tape and countless stipulations?
This is politics.
I press on, foregoing any semblance of cheer. “What about absentee ballots, you might ask? Well, that would be a welcome alternative, but for the senator’s addendum, which would limit vampire absentee ballots to those with a doctor’s note. Being that they don’t have medical care at the ready, this does away with all absentee voting.”
I will not pause for the shouts of “Boo!” that are erupting all around the massive auditorium. They are music to my ears.
“The addendum also requires a valid driver’s ID, which, due to overpolicing in the West End of Mayfield, many do not have. So today I want to congratulate those forward thinkers who voted to grant vampires the right to be heard. But I also want to challenge you.” I step forward, commanding the spotlight with sheer ferocity. “The fight is far from over. While for most of you who live outside of Mayfield, this is a problem that doesn’t affect your everyday life. But for me, it does. I live in Mayfield, and have moved into vampire territory. The father of my child might not be able to vote to make sure the person in charge cares about our baby enough to protect him or her.”
