Area of Influence (Immortal Ops Book 8) Read online

  Area of Influence

  Mandy M. Roth

  Area of Influence© 2017, Mandy M. Roth

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  All books copyrighted to the author and may not be resold or given away without written permission from the author, Mandy M. Roth.

  This novel is a work of fiction. Any and all characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or events or places is merely coincidence. Novel intended for adults only. Must be 18 years or older to read.

  Published by Raven Happy Hour, LLC

  www.ravenhappyhour.com

  Raven Books and all affiliate sites and projects are © Copyrighted 2004-2017

  Contents

  Suggested Reading Order of Books Released to Date in the Immortal Ops Series World

  Praise for Mandy M. Roth’s Immortal Ops World

  Immortal Ops Series Helper

  Blurb

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  About the Author

  Suggested Reading Order of Books Released to Date in the Immortal Ops Series World

  This list is NOT up to date. Please check MandyRoth.com for the most current release list.

  Suggested reading order of books released to date in the

  Immortal Ops Series world

  Immortal Ops

  Critical Intelligence

  Radar Deception

  Strategic Vulnerability

  Tactical Magik

  Act of Mercy

  Administrative Control

  Act of Surrender

  Broken Communication

  Separation Zone

  Act of Submission

  Damage Report

  Act of Command

  Wolf’s Surrender

  The Dragon Shifter’s Duty

  Midnight Echoes

  Isolated Maneuver

  Expecting Darkness

  Area of Influence

  More to come (check www.mandyroth.com for new releases)

  Books in each series within the Immortal Ops World.

  This list is NOT up to date. To see an updated list of the books within each series under the umbrella of the Immortal Ops World please visit MandyRoth.com. Mandy is always releasing new books within the series world. Sign up for her newsletter at MandyRoth.com to never miss a new release.

  You can read each individual series within the world, in whatever order you want…

  PSI-Ops:

  Act of Mercy

  Act of Surrender

  Act of Submission

  Act of Command

  Act of Passion

  And more (see Mandy’s website & sign up for her newsletter for notification of releases)

  Immortal Ops:

  Immortal Ops

  Critical Intelligence

  Radar Deception

  Strategic Vulnerability

  Tactical Magik

  Administrative Control

  Separation Zone

  Area of Influence

  And more…

  (see Mandy’s website & sign up for her newsletter for notification of releases)

  Immortal Outcasts:

  Broken Communication

  Damage Report

  Isolated Maneuver

  And more…

  (see Mandy’s website & sign up for her newsletter for notification of releases)

  Shadow Agents:

  Wolf’s Surrender

  The Dragon Shifter’s Duty

  And more…

  (see Mandy’s website & sign up for her newsletter for notification of releases)

  Crimson Ops Series:

  Midnight Echoes

  Expecting Darkness

  And more…

  (see Mandy’s website & sign up for her newsletter for notification of releases)

  Paranormal Regulators Series and Clear Sight Division Operatives (Part of the Immortal Ops World) Coming Soon!

  Praise for Mandy M. Roth’s Immortal Ops World

  Silver Star Award—I feel Immortal Ops deserves a Silver Star Award as this book was so flawlessly written with elements of intrigue, suspense and some scorching hot scenes—Aggie Tsirikas—Just Erotic Romance Reviews

  5 Stars—Immortal Ops is a fascinating short story. The characters just seem to jump out at you. Ms. Roth wrote the main and secondary characters with such depth of emotions and heartfelt compassion I found myself really caring for them—Susan Holly—Just Erotic Romance Reviews

  Immortal Ops packs the action of a Hollywood thriller with the smoldering heat that readers can expect from Ms. Roth. Put it on your hot list…and keep it there! —The Road to Romance

  5 Stars—Her characters are so realistic, I find myself wondering about the fine line between fact and fiction…This was one captivating tale that I did not want to end. Just the right touch of humor endeared these characters to me even more—eCataRomance Reviews

  5 Steamy Cups of Coffee—Combining the world of secret government operations with mythical creatures as if they were an everyday thing, she (Ms. Roth) then has the audacity to make you actually believe it and wonder if there could be some truth to it. I know I did. Nora Roberts once told me that there are some people who are good writers and some who are good storytellers, but the best is a combination of both and I believe Ms. Roth is just that. Mandy Roth never fails to surpass herself—coffeetimeromance

  Mandy Roth kicks ass in this story—inthelibraryreview

  Immortal Ops Series Helper

  Immortal Ops (I-Ops) Team Members

  Lukian Vlakhusha: Alpha-Dog-One. Team captain, werewolf, King of the Lycans. Book: Immortal Ops (Immortal Ops)

  Geoffroi (Roi) Majors: Alpha-Dog-Two. Second-in-command, werewolf, blood-bound brother to Lukian. Book: Critical Intelligence (Immortal Ops)

  Doctor Thaddeus Green: Bravo-Dog-One. Scientist, tech guru, werepanther. Book: Radar Deception (Immortal Ops)

  Jonathon (Jon) Reynell: Bravo-Dog-Two. Sniper, weretiger. Book: Separation Zone (Immortal Ops)

  Wilson Rousseau: Bravo-Dog-Three. Resident smart-ass, wererat. Book: Strategic Vulnerability (Immortal Ops)

  Eadan Daly: Alpha-Dog-Three. PSI-Op and handler on loan to the I-Ops to round out the team, Fae. Book: Tactical Magik (Immortal Ops)

  Lance Toov: Werepanther and vampire hybrid. Book: Area of Influence (Immortal Ops)

  Colonel Asher Brooks: Chief of Operations and point person for the Immortal Ops Team. Book: Administrative Control (Immortal Ops)

  Paranormal Security and Intelligence (PSI) Operatives

  General Jack C. Newman: Director of Operations for PSI North American Division, werelion. Adoptive father of Missy Carter-Majors

  Duke Marlow: PSI-Operative, werewolf. Book: Act of Mercy (PSI-Ops)

  Doctor James (Jimmy) Hagen: PSI-Operative, werewolf. Took a ten-year hiatus from PSI. Book: Act of Surrender (PSI-Ops)

  Striker (Dougal) McCracken: PSI-Operative, werewolf

  Miles (Boomer) Walsh: PSI-Operative, werepanther. Book: Act of Submission (PSI-Ops)

  Captain Corbin Jones: Operations coordinator and captain for PSI-Ops Team Five, werelion. Book: Act of
Command (PSI-Ops)

  Malik (Tut) Nasser: PSI-Operative, (PSI-Ops)

  Colonel Ulric Lovett: Director of Operations, PSI-London Division

  Dr. Sambora: PSI-Operative, (PSI-Ops)

  Immortal Outcasts

  Casey Black: I-Ops test subject, werewolf. Book: Broken Communication

  Weston Carol: I-Ops test subject, werebear. Book: Damage Report

  Bane Antonov: I-Ops test subject, weregorilla. Book: Isolated Maneuver

  Shadow Agents

  Bradley Durant: PSI-Ops: Shadow Agent Division, werewolf. Book: Wolf’s Surrender

  Ezra: PSI-Ops: Shadow Agent Division, dragon-shifter

  Caesar: PSI-Ops: Shadow Agent Division, werewolf

  Crimson Sentinel Ops Division

  Bhaltair: Crimson-Ops: Fang Gang, vampire. Book: Midnight Echoes

  Labrainn: Crimson-Ops: Fang Gang, vampire

  Auberi Bouchard: Crimson-Ops: Fang Gang, vampire

  Searc Macleod: Crimson-Ops: Fang Gang, vampire. Book: Expecting Darkness

  Daniel Townsend: Crimson-Ops: Fang Gang, vampire

  Blaise Regnier: Crimson-Ops: Fang Gang, vampire

  Paranormal Regulators

  Stamatis Emathia: Paranormal Regulator, vampire

  Whitney: Paranormal Regulator, werewolf

  Cormag Buchanan: Paranormal Regulator, master vampire

  Erik: Paranormal Regulator, shifter

  Shane: Paranormal Regulator, shifter

  Miscellaneous

  Culann of the Council: Father to Kimberly; Badass Fae

  Pierre Molyneux: Master vampire bent on creating a race of super soldiers

  Gisbert Krauss: Mad scientist who wants to create a master race of supernaturals

  Walter Helmuth: Head of Seattle’s paranormal underground. In league with Molyneux and Krauss

  Dr. Lakeland Matthews: Scientist, vital role in the creation of a successful Immortal Ops Team. Father to Peren Matthews

  Dr. Bertrand: Mad scientist with Donavon Dynamics Corporation (The Corporation)

  Blurb

  Area of Influence

  Immortal Ops Series Book Eight

  Once a proud, fierce, alpha-male shifting operative with the Immortal Ops, Lance Toov finds himself under the thumb of an evil master vampire. Now a plaything, a god-like toy, he struggles with the tasks assigned to him. As his mind begins to break through the master vampire’s influence, a woman comes along who changes all the rules, and ups the stakes in the most interesting of ways. Is she his salvation or will she be his downfall?

  Chapter One

  Thor came awake with a start. One name stuck on a loop in his mind as he sat in total darkness, his breathing fast, his pulse speeding. Disoriented, he wasn’t sure where he was or what had happened. It took a full minute to realize he’d been dreaming. The smell of gunfire filled his nostrils, and for a split second, he thought it was real—that someone had shot at him or near him, and that had been what had woken him from a deep sleep. The smell vanished, and he realized he’d dreamt it.

  Lance.

  Try as he might, the name wouldn’t leave his head. It was as if his mind were a broken record and the needle was there, trapped on one word. One name that haunted him.

  Lance.

  Lance.

  Lance.

  The loop repeated again and again in his head, like a broken record, until he was on the verge of screaming. Finally, it stopped, but it didn’t take with it the unease he still felt. It didn’t lessen the rate at which his heart was pounding, or take with it the sense that he should run. It didn’t matter that the destination was unknown to him. He caught another distant trace of gunfire, and for a second, an image of a man with an automatic weapon aimed right at him flashed through his mind. Somehow, he knew the man, but he had no name to go with the face.

  “Brother,” he said, though he felt no real connection to the man. What he did know was the man had been about to shoot at him—relation be damned.

  As quickly as the flash in his mind came, it went, leaving the faintest of echoes remaining. His mind had become the enemy as of late. It was always playing tricks on him, even in his waking hours. There were days he questioned his sanity, and he wondered if those around him had begun to do so as well.

  Tossing the sweat-soaked sheets aside, he let out a long, slow breath, doing his best to calm down. He couldn’t recall the details of the dream—he never could. That hadn’t stopped the dreams, or rather nightmares, from happening to him nearly daily anymore. He disliked going to sleep, hating the way he felt upon waking each night.

  Panicked.

  Lost.

  In pain.

  Confused.

  His body ached as if someone had taken a bat to him. It hurt to draw in a deep breath, but he didn’t know why. He wasn’t injured. At least not physically. Mentally, he wasn’t so sure. He did know that he’d not been attacked, yet his body felt as if he’d been through a war and emerged from the other side the loser.

  Absently, he rubbed his chest, coming away with sweat before moving his hand lower, to his chiseled abs. Whenever he was stressed or felt the need to feed, he channeled the energy into working out. It meant his body was perfectly honed.

  A beautiful weapon.

  That was what the master, Pierre Molyneux, had taken to calling him. From the first moment he could remember, Thor had been gifted in the art of fighting and weaponry. Like he’d been born that way. He’d woken a super soldier, able to handle himself in nearly any situation. He didn’t know what kind of life he’d led prior to his conversion, but since he’d been reborn part vampire, he’d been used as a weapon.

  And he hated it.

  Hated the way he was treated like property. Like he was a dog whose owner was close by with a leash in hand, telling him what he could and could not do. That was what Pierre did. He barked orders at Thor, and Thor obeyed—at least to a point.

  Most of all, he hated the way the master watched him, with desire pouring off him in waves. As he thought about the number of “pets” the master took to bed with him, he cringed.

  Not happening.

  Not ever happening.

  He swung his legs around on the bed and sat up on the edge of the mattress, the room around him pitch black. He balled the dark gray silk sheets in his hands. The master thought he treated his pets well because he gave them the “finer things,” but sheets with a high thread count couldn’t make up for all the horrors he made them commit.

  Thor bent his head, doing his best to come to terms with what was happening to him. Since his return from Seattle, and his scrimmage with Walter Helmuth —a dick with a power complex who’d ended up being a gargoyle—Thor had been left with more questions than answers.

  The dreams had begun to occur nightly after that as well. Try as he might, he could not recall anything from the dream other than the name Lance. It was evident the name held deep meaning for him, but he was lost to what that meaning was. The name beat at him from within, demanding he acknowledge it.

  What did it mean?

  Who was Lance?

  Was he tied to the past Thor could no longer remember? And why had the name been said to him more than once as of late while he was on assignments for the master? Could it be that Thor’s name truly was Lance? If so, why couldn’t he remember as much? Who was he before his rebirth as a vampire-shifter hybrid, as one of the master’s playthings? Was he some kind of super soldier? A fucking ninja? And why were his memories of his life before gone?

  Questions burned a hole in his gut and made him feel nauseous. Blackness was all that greeted him when he tried to remember a time before he’d come to be with Pierre. He knew he wasn’t born a fully grown adult male, but it certainly felt as if he were. Since he’d woken to find the master above him, the man’s lips stained red and his wrist bit open, Thor had known nothing else. Anything before his siring day was blank, and if anyone knew more details of his past, they weren’t talking.

  The little bit they had told him was
that the Immortal Ops and the PSI-Ops were the enemy. He had been told the sole purpose of the other operatives was to kill supernaturals so that humans could rule the world.

  The master’s dislike of humans was well known, and many under him shared his opinion. Thor found he did not. Nor did he hate all supernaturals, as the master claimed the other operatives did. The master had plans for a superior race of supernaturals that would one day soon rule the humans, rather than hide in the shadows as they were forced to do now. Their numbers, while high, were no match for the humans, who bred at an exponential rate.

  Pierre had been clear in his orders: Kill operatives whenever the opportunity arose, and kill as many humans as they wished without drawing attention to themselves.

  So far, Thor had followed neither directive. He’d only followed Pierre’s commands when he was dispatched to eliminate one of Pierre’s hybrids who got out of control or who was drawing too much attention to their goal.

  Such had been the case with Belial. Thor had developed a soft spot for the young supernatural, who had also been one of the master’s pets. The man had also been a shifter before he was sired, so he could change into an animal and had a bloodlust. The same as Thor. But Belial had relished in the dark gift the master had given to them—vampirism.