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  CLIFF’S DESCENT

  A Vampire’s Tale

  Immortal Guardians: Book 11

  For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Dianne Duvall brings readers a novel—set in the “fast-paced” (Publishers Weekly) and “totally addictive” (RT Book Reviews) world of the Immortal Guardians—that revolves around a vampire… one who has become a friend and trusted ally of the powerful warriors.

  Every mortal who works at network headquarters knows that vampires reside below them. They were the first to surrender to the powerful Immortal Guardians who hunt them. And they did so, hoping they can be saved, that the doctors and scientists the Immortal Guardians employ can halt the progressive brain damage that robs all vampires of their sanity. Though curious, Emma never thought she would meet any of the vampires who remain under heavy guard several stories beneath her office. Then mercenaries strike, bombarding the building with heavy artillery. The vampires are freed to join the fray… and Cliff saves her life.

  From that moment on, she can’t stop thinking about him regardless of the restrictions placed on interactions with vampires. When Emma discovers a way to speak to Cliff at network headquarters, she becomes even more fascinated by him. He’s smart, charming, and honorable to his core despite the darkness that lies ahead. And he seems to crave her company as much as she does his. Aware of the eyes that watch them, they keep their encounters innocent, limiting them to those of mere acquaintances. Nevertheless, their attraction grows and she soon falls in love with him even as the madness begins to claim him.

  Cliff realizes his future is dark. As one vampire friend after another succumbs to insanity, hope that network doctors will be able to find a cure in time to keep him from meeting the same fate begins to dwindle, leaving him little to look forward to… until he meets Emma. Just speaking to her brings him a happiness and contentment he hasn’t experienced since before his transformation. And when they finally find a way to be alone together, everything changes. Emma burrows her way right into his heart and quiets the voices. She sparks dreams of a future with her that strengthen his determination to beat back the madness. But as time passes, the voices grow louder and insanity begins to chip away at him until he fears it will eradicate every part of him she fell in love with.

  Will the two of them find a way to defy the odds and find their happily-ever-after? Or will Cliff’s descent consume him?

  CLIFF’S DESCENT

  Copyright © 2021 by Dianne Duvall

  Published by Dianne Duvall, 2021

  www.DianneDuvall.com

  Editor: Anne Victory

  Cover Design: Damonza

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-7345556-6-0

  Print ISBN: 978-1-7345556-7-7

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  No part of this copyrighted work may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Other Titles by Dianne Duvall

  Immortal Guardians

  DARKNESS DAWNS

  “A strong start in what looks to be a thrilling and chilling new paranormal series. Fantastic!”

  — RT Book Reviews

  NIGHT REIGNS

  “Crackles with energy, originality, and a memorable take-no-prisoners heroine.”

  — Publishers Weekly

  PHANTOM SHADOWS

  “Done so well that I truly want to live in her world regardless of the threat of vampires!"

  — Smexy Books

  IN STILL DARKNESS

  “Readers will appreciate the rich characterizations and the kick-butt action … as Richart d'Alençon, a 200-year-old Guardian, woos charming Jenna McBride with warmth and passion.”

  — Publishers Weekly

  DARKNESS RISES

  “Featuring a fascinating take on vampires, Darkness Rises is a thrilling, action-packed, suspenseful, funny, steamy paranormal romance readers won't be able to put down.”

  — Affaire de Coeur Magazine

  NIGHT UNBOUND

  “Hello epic kick-ass forbidden love story! Night Unbound is simply A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!”

  — Saints and Sinners Books

  PHANTOM EMBRACE

  “Duvall's hauntingly beautiful novella, set in the world of the Immortal Guardians, portrays the deep love between two people who can never touch, with a wonderfully unexpected ending.”

  — Publishers Weekly

  SHADOWS STRIKE

  “Full of awesome characters, snappy dialogue, exciting action, steamy sex, sneaky shudder-worthy villains and delightful humor.”

  — A Voracious Reader

  BLADE OF DARKNESS

  “Between the banter, the steamy scenes, and all the twists and turns, I was engrossed from start to finish.”

  — Little Shop of Readers

  AWAKEN THE DARKNESS

  “This series is earth-shattering awesome and Dianne has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Each of the stories … has been heart-stopping, intense, humorous and powerfully romantic.”

  — Reading Between the Wines Book Club

  DEATH OF DARKNESS

  “Teeming with passion, humor, action and suspense … a perfectly paced paranormal urban fantasy paired with a timeless romance.”

  — Reading Between the Wines Book Club

  BROKEN DAWN

  “I loved the chemistry and banter between these two. I swooned and laughed… I loved it all.”

  — Caffeinated Reviewer

  Aldebarian Alliance

  THE LASARAN

  “Full of adventure, sizzling passion, romance, and yes kick-ass fighting. This book is simply captivating.”

  — Book Dragon

  THE SEGONIAN

  “Eliana displayed all the traits that I need a protagonist to have: resilience, intelligence and gumption. Plus she had me cracking up with laughter on numerous occasions.”

  — Flora’s Musings

  The Gifted Ones

  A SORCERESS OF HIS OWN

  “Full of danger, intrigue and passion… an addicting and exciting new series. I'm hooked!”

  — Reading in Pajamas

  RENDEZVOUS WITH YESTERDAY

  "I loved this book! It had pretty much all of my favorite things—medieval times, a kick-ass heroine, a protective hero, magic, and a dash of mayhem."

  — The Romance Reviews

  Preface

  If you chat with me on social media and/or join me on my blog tours, then you already know I’m a pantser, not a plotter. By that I mean that instead of carefully plotting out my next novel or novella before I write it, I fly by the seat of my pants. That’s right. I just sit down, start typing, and let the story unfold however it will. This does not mean, however, that I have no notion of the plot. I always know the beginning, middle, and ending of a story—as well as a few key scenes that have been dancing through my head—before I get started. I just don’t always know the path that will lead me there.

  This holds true not just for individual books but also for the Immortal Guardians series as a whole. Though I didn’t know exactly how many books the series would entail, how many characters would get their own stories, or in what order those stories would come, I did know several key elements of the overall series arc be
fore I began writing Roland and Sarah’s story. I knew, for example, that Seth’s book would end the first series arc and how the jaw-dropping climax would unfold. I knew the ghost of Bastien’s sister, introduced fleetingly in Darkness Dawns and Night Reigns, would return later in the series and find love with an Immortal Guardian. I knew Ami’s brother Taelon would eventually make an appearance. I knew all of the d’Alençon siblings would find love. And I knew how and when Seth’s origins would be revealed.

  All of the little—and sometimes big—things that surprise me along the way as I write are what make being a pantser so fun. And sometimes those surprises come in the form of characters… like Zach. When I introduced him in Phantom Shadows, I initially intended for Zach to remain a mysterious background character who only made brief appearances here and there. I knew who he was and his relation to Seth. But I had no solid plan for him… until he perched on David’s roof with Ami and accepted a lollipop. That scene changed everything, fueling me with a determination to help Zach find love and give him his own story.

  Cliff is another character who surprised me. I never would’ve guessed when I launched a series in which vampires were the bad guys that one of them would come to mean so much to me. One might think it impossible since all vampires go insane and become monstrous killers in my books. But there you have it. I also did not foresee how much Cliff would come to mean to readers and audiobook lovers. Yet I have received countless emails, messages, and comments on social media posts asking if the Immortal Guardians and the doctors at the network will be able to save him.

  Naturally I didn’t answer that question… and not—as some of you jokingly suggested—because I love to torture you. I just wanted very much to tell you Cliff’s story before I revealed his fate. This presented me with a bit of a quandary though that no other book has. There have been a few times in the Immortal Guardians series in which stories have overlapped. While Bastien was falling in love with Melanie, Richart fell hard for Jenna. While Lisette was falling in love with Zach, Yuri fell in love with Cat. My Immortal Guardians family is a big one, and sometimes they aren’t always content to fall in love one couple at a time.

  Cliff’s story, on the other hand, didn’t overlap one book or even two. It overlapped them all. It began in Darkness Dawns and has slowly and steadily progressed until we’ve reached the point at which it all must come to a head. And thanks to snippets in Blade of Darkness and Death of Darkness, you’ve already come to understand that somewhere along the way, he fell in love. I’ve known for some time now that—whether Cliff’s ending would be a happy one or a tragic one—I wanted you to see what has been unfolding behind the scenes, which did indeed pose a unique challenge: how to tell a tale that spans nine novels and almost six years.

  That was a challenge I readily accepted because I really do want to share with you what has been transpiring in my imagination. Since Cliff’s story encompasses the entire series, it won’t be told in the same way as previous books. A six-year tale requires one to skip ahead here and there to indicate the passage of time. And you will see a few scenes you’ve encountered before. These were, after all, pivotal moments in Cliff’s life that I believe were integral to his story. In Cliff’s Descent, however, they’re either told from a different perspective or expanded to shed new light on those events. And don’t worry. There is a lot you haven’t seen before, too.

  Although I know I could’ve begun Cliff’s story in medias res, as my literature and creative-writing professors would say (which just means in the middle of things), I chose to start at the very beginning, where we first encountered Cliff in the series.

  I hope you enjoy it.

  Best,

  Dianne Duvall

  Prologue

  “Awaken, vampires!” Bastien bellowed. “The immortals have found us!”

  Cliff jerked awake. Bolting upright in bed, he glanced over at Vince and Joe.

  Both vampires sat up and regarded him with wide eyes.

  Boots pounded through the subterranean tunnels at preternatural speeds.

  “How many did you count?” Someone with a… British…? accent asked grimly somewhere outside.

  “Fifty-seven vamps below,” another man—this one definitely British—replied. “Four humans above.”

  Cliff rolled off the cot he’d claimed and grabbed his blades while Vince and Joe did the same.

  Bodies raced past the doorless entry to their room. Other members of Bastien’s vampire army, snarling and growling like animals.

  “If you can prevent Roland from killing Sebastien,” the first Brit said, “do so.”

  “Oh shit,” Cliff whispered. The Immortal Guardians had discovered Bastien’s home. Or his lair as some of the vampires housed here called it. Had Bastien’s quest to kill Roland—the Immortal Guardian who had brutally murdered his sister and her husband—led them here despite the care they’d all taken not to leave a trail?

  Cliff loved Bastien like a brother. The elder vampire had found him shortly after Cliff’s transformation and had taken him under his wing. The psychotic bastard who had transformed Cliff had disappeared before Cliff even fell ill and had been so deranged when he’d reappeared some weeks later that Cliff had wanted nothing to do with him. Bastien, on the other hand, had given Cliff shelter and guidance and helped him come to terms with his frightening new reality.

  And Cliff was not the first. Bastien had done the same with nearly a hundred others, feeding them and sheltering them and doing everything he could think of to help them stave off the insanity the peculiar virus that infected them seemed to spawn. He even provided them with lists of pedophiles they could drain so they wouldn’t do what so many other vampires did and kill innocents.

  Cliff respected the hell out of Bastien. But since he had launched this war against the Immortal Guardians, intent on killing the man responsible for his sister’s death as well as all the other Immortal Guardians who brutally preyed upon vampires…

  Well, there had been instances when Cliff had worried that Bastien’s thirst for revenge might have outfitted him with blinders.

  “Go on,” a female with a French accent said upstairs. “I’ll see to the humans.”

  A barrage of gunshots broke out above, followed by the thuds of bodies hitting the floor.

  Cliff seriously doubted those were Immortal Guardians falling.

  The murmur of the female’s voice confirmed his fears as the sounds of battle erupted in the basement, drowning her out. The shicks and tings of blades meeting blades competed with thuds and cries of pain.

  “What do we do?” Joe blurted.

  Cliff shook his head. “Protect Bastien.” Judging by the fear that filled his friends’ faces, they held as little hope as he did that they’d succeed.

  Lunging through the doorway, Cliff led the other two through the winding hallways. Every vampire who lived here had helped dig and shape these tunnels. Four of them branched off the original basement the farmhouse above them had boasted. One led to whatever room Bastien rested in. Cliff had never seen it since Bastien forbade them all entry.

  Cliff didn’t blame him for taking that precaution. Bastien had slain several vampires during Cliff’s acquaintance when the insanity those men suffered drove them to defy his orders and attack humans who weren’t on the lists provided. It only took a few years for the madness to seize total control of those infected. So the vampires who were well on their way down that path and worried they might be the next to lose their head—literally—at the edge of Bastien’s sword sometimes tried to sneak up on him while he rested and behead him first.

  They didn’t know what Cliff had already divined: that the tunnel that led to Bastien’s room branched into numerous others that proved to be as confusing as a maze in a cornfield. Only Bastien knew the layout. So those who went looking for him always ended up getting lost and meeting the same fate they sought to avoid when Bastien tracked them down.

  The other three tunnels that branched
off the original basement led to small rooms like Cliff, Vince, and Joe’s that were outfitted with surprisingly comfortable cots and folding stadium chairs in which they could kick back and relax after a hunt.

  The metallic scent of blood—coupled with the acrid odors of gunpowder, sweat, and fear—flooded the hallway as more gunshots joined the din and blades continued to clash.

  Cliff’s heart slammed against his ribs as adrenaline flooded his veins.

  Vampires crowded together at the end of the hallway, forcing him to stop. All pressed forward, eyes glowing, eager to jump into battle and slay the immortals who had invaded their home.

  Immortal Guardians had recently slain some of their vampire comrades in a skirmish Bastien himself had limped home from. And everyone here wanted those bastards to pay for it with blood.

  Cliff leaned this way and that, rising onto his toes and peering over the vamps in front of him, trying to get a glimpse of what the hell was happening.

  When he did, his blood froze.

  Three men and one woman—all garbed in the long black coats, shirts, and cargo pants Immortal Guardians favored—fought with preternatural speed that was so much greater than Cliff’s that he sometimes had difficulty following their movements. Each male immortal had planted himself in front of the entrance to a tunnel and proceeded to cut down vampire after vampire who emerged and attacked them. The woman stood near the stairs leading up to the ground floor, spraying any vamp who made it past her brethren with bullets. Blood splattered every immortal and painted the walls and ceilings. Bodies littered the floor.

  Vampire bodies that shriveled up as the symbiotic virus they housed devoured them from the inside out in a last desperate bid to continue living.

  The bitter taste of fear filled Cliff’s mouth. Was Bastien one of those bodies?

  The long, twisting tunnel that led to his room was the only one left unguarded. Had they already slain him?