A Rose By Any Other Name

By Kara Baxter

From the outside Rose is a woman with a job, friends, who sometimes loves to go shopping. That is until her never ending thirst and craving for blood requires her to hunt, forcing her to live a double life. One she keeps secret until another vampire shows up in her city. Threatening to expose the existence of species and ending lives without remorse. Rose gets a better idea of what it means to be human as she enlists the help of a Wiccan witch and vampire hunter. The three ladies must learn to work together in spite of their differences, or perish.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kara Baxter
• Release date: Feb 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005719982

Kara Baxter

My name is Kara Baxter. I enjoy writing obviously, randomly quoting my favorite heroines ("It is a sham, but it's a sham with yams. It's a yam sham" - Buffy), hanging out with anyone who is cool and or interesting, especially LGBT+. Besides that I say to each their own. And do what makes you happy, or alive if your idea of excitement is anything like mine.

Book preview

A Rose by Any Other Name

Kara Baxter

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2021 by Kara Baxter

All right reserved.

Chapter 1

"Our similarities bring us to a common ground; our differences allow us to be fascinated by each other."

I was turned during the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm, seduced and lured away by another woman. Her first kiss on my neck was followed by the sharp pain of her bite. I was immediately in shock. Watching her face and confident smile as I sunk down to the ground and felt myself slowly slip away until my heart stopped. I awoke, lying on my side but made immortal.

I woke up with such a strong thirst. People gasped as I moved down the busy street. Mixed in with the occasional German soldier. The blood caked on my neck and the front of my blouse was no doubt highlighted by torchlight.

Ma’am! Someone shouted in alarm.

I ignored the startled voice as my eyes fell upon a short barrel filled with clear, glistening water. Luckily the crowds thinned as some darted away or continued to look on in horror. I collapsed before it, gasping with relief and thinking it would take away the overwhelming and foreign thirst. I dunked my cupped hands into the barrel and began bringing water to my mouth in frenzied desperation. The touch of a hand on my shoulder made me pause and look into the eyes of a startled gentlemen. Suddenly his throat looked most delicious. I involuntarily and hungrily bared my sharpened teeth, ready to pounce and tear into his jugular without a second thought.

Instead, I fled, fighting my cravings for blood. A few days later I made it to another part of town and for the first few days I lived on the streets. The pain of my thirst and weakness growing worse and worse. Water couldn’t quench it and I could no longer swallow my food without retching. I had become so weak that I was shaking. I simply found a secluded spot behind a tavern and lay down in the straw and dirt. I wasn’t sure if I had fallen asleep or briefly lost consciousness but a soft voice woke me.

Madam are you alright?

My eyes fell upon the sweet and youthful face of a young woman. Her eyes had a familiar drunken appearance. It seemed that the poor thing had the misfortune of finding me. I could no longer fight my cravings and lunged at her. I gripped her shoulders. Her cry rang out in the night as I brought her neck to my open mouth. At the time I didn’t have the self-control needed to spare her life. She struggled but eventually her flailing arms went still. Then completely limp. I fled again, racked with guilt and knowing a corpse would immediately make the whole village suspicious.

As time went by, I gradually forgot my guilt. Drunk off my newfound power and strength I began to truly live and thrive. Yet at times I still had a certain sweetness, gentleness, and compassion. I suppose it’s what stopped me from draining my prey dry. Why the sight of an innocent being harmed or mistreated angered me. That part of my humanity remained. I was still somewhat the woman I was before. Though I rarely made myself known to mortals I had defended them with my teeth and fists more than once. I followed them, watched them tell their friends about a woman with sharp fangs and the strangest eyes. They were never taken seriously. So, I remained unknown and hidden. Taking on different names when needed. Sometimes even other lives. It had become a sort of performance.

However, the one love I discovered where I truly bore my heart was singing. In those moments I was truly myself. My popularity was on the rise as I had taken to singing karaoke in bars and on occasion, in upscale clubs. I had hoped it would become more and a way to make life easier, more luxurious. But I had yet to be discovered. At the moment I managed to stay undetected in a decent apartment. My need for blood is a secret I kept well. It also helped that I had always been somewhat of an introvert. My need for human contact is minimized. Neither did I make enough money singing to make a living. At the moment I worked at a place that sold more expensive clothing. Beautiful flowing dresses, leather boots, decedent pumps, and gorgeous purses adorned to perfection. I started my shift on the cash register but business was slow. I had taken to rearranging and straightening a row of silk