Joleene Naylor is the author of the glitter-less Amaranthine vampire universe, a world where vampires aren't for children. Comprised of a main series, a standalone prequel, and several short story collections, she has plans to continue expanding with a trilogy and standalone novels. 
In her spare time, Joleene is a freelance book cover designer and for-fun photographer. She maintains several blogs, full of odd ramblings, and occasionally updates her website at JoleeneNaylor.com. In what little time is left, she watches anime, plays PokemonGo, and works on her crooked Victorian house in Villisca, Iowa. Between her husband, family, and pets, she is never lonely, in fact, quite the opposite. Should she disappear, one might look for her on a beach in Tahiti, sipping a tropical drink and wearing a disguise. 

The prequel to the Amaranthine series tells the story of Patrick and Michael, how they got tangled into Claudius' web, and their valiant fight to escape.

When Patrick's missing brother returns, he brings a world of darkness. Turned into a vampire against his will, Michael is the coven's whipping boy. When Patrick tries to help, he's claimed as a slave who spends his weekends preparing victims, scooping ashes, and falling prey to the vampires' twisted desires.

There's only so much hell he can take. When vampires from a warring coven offer sanctuary in exchange for cooperation, Patrick agrees. What he thought would be a few months drags into a long smear of nightmares and, though he fights for hope and freedom, the cost of victory may be more than he bargained for.


Brothers of Darkness

Patrick ran down the hallway. Footsteps pounded closer, followed by an evil hiss. He dodged into the nearest room, only it was the nursery again. No! Then he spied the secret door in the back wall. Like Claudius', there was a tunnel that ran down, down, down to a large, wet room. He splashed through the water but stopped short when he reached the plastic box. Someone was in it and he drew away. The body turned and slammed against the side. He could see his brother, withered and bloodless.


Patrick jumped backwards and tripped. He landed in the water with a splash. Only, it wasn't water, but blood. Gallons and gallons of it. He tried to stand, but the blood thickened, congealing into something like cement. Then he heard the chirpy, cheerful voice.


The vampire child stood ankle deep in the cement-like blood, a fanged smile on his face.


Chapter 81