October
Fear of Darkness Excerpt
Chapter One
Buy it here.
Blurb:
Vahe Patten is a Watcher in the King’s guard. The vampire king, that is. As a Watcher, Vahe executes vampires who break the only major vampire law: keep the secret. When Dylan Andrew starts leaving his murder victims for the human authorities to find, something must be done. While in Haven, Vahe enters the dreams of a woman plagued with nightmares of her past. When he sees Dylan flirting with her in a bar, he knows she’ll be his next victim.
Natalya Woods just wants to avoid her ex-husband. The small town of Haven, Maine seems perfect until she’s attacked in the street by, literally, the man of her dreams.
Excerpt:
Robby handed me my paycheck. “There you go, sweetie.”
I smiled at him. It felt strained and must have looked it, because Robby‘s smile wilted.
“You okay? You‘ve looked tense all night.”
“It‘s nothing. I just have that creepy feeling like I‘m being watched. It‘s been that way all night.”
Robby‘s smile was back. “Well, honey, I‘m not surprised. You‘re a rare beauty. I think every guy in here is starin‘ at you.”
He tucked a stray hair behind my ear and his eyes turned sad.”You remind me of my Rissa. I think you would have gotten along well if she was still around.”
I patted his hand where it rested on the bar. Robby‘s daughter, Marissa, had been gunned down in D.C. on her way back to her dorm three years ago. He still couldn‘t bring himself to say she was dead, just that she wasn‘t around.
After that, Robby‘s life fell apart. His wife left him. He closed the bar and started to drink his way to an early grave. Somehow he pulled himself out of it. He had just opened the bar back up when I‘d come to town. It had taken him that long to get his life back together.
“I could walk you home, if you’d like? Not many people would dare to attack me. Not even the big bad murderer who’s running around these parts.”
He had a point. While he was in his fifties, he was a huge guy and an ex-Marine. If he didn‘t like me I would have been terrified. Hell, I was still pretty scared of him. I‘d been beaten up by smaller men than him.
“No, I‘m fine. If I had you walk me home I‘d just feel like an idiot. Have a good night.”
He nodded and started wiping off the bar.
I stared down at my first paycheck. It was nice to make some money on my own. I‘d married Richard straight out of high school and he insisted I wasn‘t allowed to work. That always pissed me off.
It was nice to have some independence and my own money, even though it wasn‘t much. Hell, my tips for the night were larger than the check but it wasn‘t enough to pay the bills yet. Luckily, I had saved up the allowance I got from Richard for years so I could afford to live until I got more money.
After untying my apron and shoving it in my locker, I pulled out my purse. I yawned. It was two in the morning and I was exhausted. I had just gotten used to my new night owl schedule, but midnight was my limit. Hurrying out of the back room, I almost collided with Dylan.
Startled, I backed up. “Excuse me.”
He grinned and it reminded me of something reptilian. “You can run into me anytime, hon. Would you like me to drive you home?” He leaned against the doorframe, blocking my path. I backed farther into the room. Dylan reminded me of my ex-husband so strongly that I often had to fight the instinct to cower around him.
I attempted to keep my face open and smiling but I doubt it reached my eyes. “No thanks. I‘m going to walk. I like to walk, so don‘t worry about it.” One of my many handguns was concealed in my small purse. Its presence comforted me.
“We should go out some time. At least let me drive you home.?
“No thanks. Can I get by you?” I’d sworn off men for the rest of eternity. An abusive husband makes a woman skittish.
He kept the flirty smile on his face but something vicious slithered through his eyes. He shifted so he was blocking the whole entrance now. Bracing his hands on the doorframe, he loomed over me.
His gaze skimmed my body from bottom to top. “Come on, babe. It‘s one little date.”
I tried not to gag. He clearly thought he was a god. “Please move.”
He leaned forward. “Kiss me first.”
I gave him my most evil glare. “Don‘t make me hurt you. I said move.”
He chuckled but slid to the side. I had just enough room to pass him. “It’s not like you could actually hurt me.”
I brushed him as I walked past. I had to duck under the arm still braced on the doorframe. A chill went down my spine.
You’re imagining things. None of the other waitresses feel what you do. They’d all kill to have him flirt with them.
I could still feel his eyes on me as I left the bar. A drop of sweat rolled down my spine. I headed for home.
My path took me through the bad part of town. Fortunately, the ?bad part? of this town, was nothing like the “bad part” of town in Los Angeles.
I peeked behind me, looking for Dylan. If that abrasive bastard followed me I was going to shoot him.
No one was there. The streets were deserted, like they always were when I got off work. Everyone went to bed early in the little town of Haven. Except the murderer that was running around slitting people‘s throats.
There was a crash in the alley to my left and I jumped. Anyone could be hiding in the deep shadows the streetlights cast. A mangy cat streaked between my legs with a yowl and took off across the road.
Sighing, I rolled my shoulders to try and ease some of my tension. It didn‘t do any good.
My heart was racing. I jumped at every little sound. I stepped onto my long gravel driveway and kicked a large rock. It skittered away.
Leaves crunched to my right. I spun around and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Someone watched me from the darkness. I glanced around, but saw nothing.
“Paranoid,” I muttered to myself. The leaves crunched again and I averted my eyes.
“Nothing’s there.” I took a deep breath. “Nothing’s there.”
The leaves of a tree next to me moved and I took off at a dead run. Taking the steps two at a time, I dug the keys out of my back pocket. After unlocking the four locks, I turned the doorknob, stepped inside then slammed the door behind me and locked myself in.
I ran to the alarm system and punched in my code with shaking fingers. It hadn‘t been tripped. I turned on the porch light to see the yard from my bedroom. I went through my routine of checking all the doors and windows before I went upstairs.
I touched the painting of a man named Vahe. I‘d found it in the hall closet. I hadn‘t planned to hang it up, but for some reason I felt safe around the painting. It was like he guarded the house. He wasn‘t bad to look at either.
Today his painting didn‘t help the paranoia. No one had been in the house, but I couldn‘t get my heart to stop racing. The feeling that the house had been violated wouldn‘t go away.
I showered, put on pajamas and slid into bed. I closed my eyes. They popped back open. The stairs had creaked. Flinging the blankets off, I grabbed the shotgun under the bed and walked to the bedroom door. I yanked it open and walked to the head of the stairs. There was nothing.
“This house is old, Natalya. It creaks, and sighs and has a life of its own,” I muttered to myself.
I stepped back in my room. After I put the shotgun under the bed I went to sit on the shelf of the bay windows. I pulled the edge of a curtain back and peeked out. The trees swayed and the porch light cast shadows everywhere.
“Smart move, dumbass.” I rubbed my forehead. It was going to be a long night.
And then I saw it. The silhouette of a person sliding back into the trees. I hadn‘t noticed it until it moved. So much for sleeping. I‘d known it was a long shot anyway.
A tongue thrust between my lips and wicked hands roamed my body. I slid my hands slowly down his spine. I gripped his ass. Oh, nice butt. His firm muscles bunched before he pulled back.
“Vahe?” I lay there shocked.
He frowned down at me. “How do you know my name?”
I pushed him back so I could sit up. “Your painting.”
He smiled faintly. “I knew I left that piece of crap somewhere.”
“Why are you here?”
He shrugged. “This is a dream.” As he leaned in for another kiss, I dodged him.
“Dreams don’t often say they’re dreams. Get out of my head.”
“Why would I be in your head? And are you that eager to go back to having nightmares about Richard?”
I gaped at him. He took that opportunity to lean forward and caress my neck with his warm mouth. I tipped my head and allowed him access. I barely got my question out. “How… how do you know about that?”
“I’m in your head, remember.”
I frowned. His fingers pinched my nipple and I gasped. “I thought you said you weren’t in my head.”
He groaned against my throat, nipped the straining tendon and pulled back to look me in the eyes. I trembled. The look was so intense…almost terrifying.
“Tell me to go, and I’ll go. I just thought you’d actually like to not dream about him. I know you’re not getting much sleep. Besides, do you really want to say no to me?” He wiggled his eyebrows.
I glowered at him, but he had a point. He was so handsome. He wasn’t some pretty boy. He was purely masculine. The few days worth of facial hair accentuated his rugged features. His bright green eyes stood out from his tanned skin. He was even more handsome than his picture.
My eyes drifted down his thick muscular arms and washboard abs, finally settled on his erection. My pussy clenched. His beautiful cock was violently hard. The rosy head had a drop of precum on it that I really wanted to lick away. I’d never liked oral sex, but I really wanted to go down on him. He was so beautiful.
I closed my eyes tight. “Just a dream, right?”
“Right.”
Content with this reasoning, I opened my eyes and reached over to stroke his shaft. “Okay. You can stay a while.”
He let out a slow, shuddering breath. “Good, because I think I was going to lose my mind if you said no. I’ve been hot for you from the second I saw you.”
I wanted to ask when he had seen me, but he was busy sucking my nipple. Arching my back, I threaded my fingers through his hair, pulling him closer.
He pushed me gently back on the bed and turned his attention to the other breast. I wrapped my legs around his waist and felt the tip of him rub against my outer lips. I needed this. A few nice dreams, just a few. Not to mention that it had been months since I’d had sex, and even longer since I’d actually enjoyed it.
One of his long fingers brushed my clit and I forgot what I was thinking. He kissed his way down my belly and his finger slid inside me.
“God, you’re so wet already. And tight.”
I moaned and arched under him but he took his time making his way down my body until his head and chest lay cradled between my thighs. He gave one long lick over my clit. I gasped and pressed my body against his mouth as he suckled me. His tongue and fingers were skilled and wicked. A sweet pressure built inside me. I tossed my head back and panted his name, so close to orgasm when he stopped.
I gasped for air as he spread my legs farther apart and moved back up my body. He pressed into me.
“God, you’re huge!”
He started to slide slowly out. He shook uncontrollably, as he tried to keep himself steady.
“Please,” I gasped, “please, faster.”
“Thank god!” He rammed into me with all he had and I screamed.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes! Yes, God, please don’t stop.”
My hands gripped the sheets as he pounded into me, tearing short whimpers from my throat. I thrust myself up to meet him, each stroke building a white-hot fire inside me.
“Oh, Vahe, Yes…”
He felt so good. His thick cock scraped deliciously against my tight inner muscles. He rotated his hips and sent me screaming over the edge. He shouted my name, gave one more thrust and joined me.
I jolted awake in bed, my heart pounding. I hadn‘t fallen asleep there.
Buy it here.