Sneak Peek of ‘Midnight Moonrising’
Due to release December 2014
Midnight Moonrising
Chapter 1
Mena
Sharp January winds whipped my dark hair around my face, tangling the tresses and briefly blocking a reality I didn‘t care to face from my eyes. However, the cutting breeze wasn‘t what was chilling me to the bone. The icy gusts were actually quite warm compared to what I was being forced to deal with on this day.
Marc‘s funeral.
Over a hundred people crowded around the green canopy that covered the pastor, a dozen or so close friends and family members, including myself, and a coffin holding a dead werewolf pack leader.
Of course, Marc was no longer a werewolf. I had taken his life, as well as his position of pack leader, after he bit me and infected my body with lycanthropy. In other words, I was supposed to grow fur, two additional legs, a long snout, razor-sharp teeth, and howl at the moon every four weeks.
Keep the dog jokes to yourself. It hasn‘t happened—yet.
My predicament wasn‘t burying my husband, though; it was that I had to act like I actually gave a damn about the man that lay, still and lifeless, in the box in front of me. I had never been a very good actress, and lying had never come naturally to me, like it had Marc, so saying I was a bit nervous was an understatement. I just prayed the people who didn‘t know who my husband really had been would overlook my odd behavior as my own way of grieving. Nobody did it the same anyway.
Most of the warm bodies at the cemetery were my pack. The rest were lawyers and their spouses, people who worked at the firm and maybe a few—very few—family members.
I could tell a dozen or so of the seventy-eight pack members hated me and what I had done to their previous pack leader, but the majority seemed elated with the change in leadership. I hadn‘t had time to talk with any of them much; I had accepted the moon on Friday, and the funeral for Chris, the werewolf who had challenged me and lost, had been on Sunday morning, and now Marc‘s ceremonial occasion was today, Monday.
I was expected at the courthouse the following morning to give a statement to the press about how Marc was such a stand-up guy and always put others‘ needs before his own, blah, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, yadda—
I know what you‘re thinking. Why would they ask his wife to do something like that so soon after his death? That was actually my doing. Waiting a whole week wasn‘t going to happen. I needed it all behind me. Dead. Buried.
I stared at the beautifully crafted oak wood box in front of me, and thought, Literally, I need you buried.
I had changed so much in the past three days that I almost didn‘t know myself anymore. I knew it was her, my wolf, inside me, giving me strength mentally as well as physically. She had that whole ‘no nonsense’ attitude about life: if you can‘t do anything about it, then don‘t worry about it. She actually blocked that particular emotion from my brain, refusing to let me feel concern over things that were out of my hands.
Like Marc.
Like Chris.
I had murdered them both. Of course, both occurrences had been in self-defense on my part, but I doubted any judge would see things my way if I was ever accused. I couldn‘t tell the truth, and I didn‘t believe even my wolf was a good enough liar to keep us out of prison.
We couldn‘t go to jail. We wouldn‘t go. There was no possible way to hide my wolf from the system; my blood was tainted and different from any human‘s blood.
As it turned out, the coroner who had examined Marc and Chris, was one of my pack members, and had labeled Marc‘s death as homicide, and the pack had removed all his belongings from his body, so that it appeared he had been robbed before or after the murder occurred. The examiner wrote Chris‘s death off as a vehicle accident fatality. They put him behind the wheel of his own vehicle and shoved a shard of glass through his chest where the dagger had punctured his heart, and then rolled the vehicle off a cliff. I was sure glad the coroner wasn‘t one of the few who didn‘t like me.
“Don‘t look, but we got company—the bad kind,” Daryn, a pack member, whispered by my ear.
I struggled to keep my eyes focused on the pastor as he went on and on and on about how God had taken Marc from this earth, ‘too early, much too young,’ the pastor said. That was crap; I had taken Marc from this earth, and if you asked me, it was much too late.
I couldn‘t fathom who Daryn imagined to be the bad kind of company. I had thought vampires were the only enemy to werewolves, but I had formed an alliance with the Master Vampire of Montgomery, Alabama, and it was daylight to boot, so he couldn‘t be talking about Phoenix or any of his clan.
“Who is it?” I whisper-shouted over my shoulder, but Daryn didn‘t answer.
“Mrs. Hoke?”
Startled, I looked up to the pastor who was now standing in front of me. He smiled kindly and bent at the waist to take my hand. “I am deeply sorry for your loss, Mena. Marc is at peace now. Take comfort in the fact that he is with his creator. May the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit fill you with comfort and peace that passes understanding. I am always here for you and your family in this time of despair, so please do not hesitate to contact me if you need anything. Go in peace, my child, and be comforted by the love of your God. I know Marc is smiling down and watching over you.”
I just bet he‘s smiling, I thought, but what I said was, “Thank you, Brother Thomas.” The idea that Marc was watching me gave me the heebie-jeebies, and a chill skittered up my spine. Could they not bury the body already?
I forced a small smile and he nodded, then walked away to greet one of Marc‘s uncles who had sat beside me during the services.
I took that as my cue to stand up and find Daryn, but when I turned, I was face to face with the city‘s homicide detective, Alex Rhodes.
Company—the bad kind. Crap!
Alex gave me a sympathetic expression as I slid my sunglasses into place over my eyes. “Mena, I‘m so sorry to hear about Marc. All of us down at the precinct were blown away by the news. We‘re here for you. If you need anything at all, please don‘t hesitate to call me.”
I sighed in relief, and my mouth curved up into a genuine smile. Alex and Marc hadn‘t exactly been friends. Marc had been a defense attorney, so the criminals the cops locked up, Marc had set them free. And he had been damn good at his job, too. I, however, had never had any problems with Alex; he had always been kind to me.
“Thank you, Alex.” It was all I could think of to say, because the wolf inside me seemed to be mesmerized by the detective‘s hazel eyes, strong jaw line and that perfectly tousled brunette hair of his. I swear I thought she was drooling.
Embarrassed because I was staring at him, I tried to look away, but she wouldn‘t let me. I was happy I had remembered to put on my sunglasses; the hungry eyes of my wolf had to be showing.
No! I scolded her in my thoughts. Not only is Alex off limits because he‘s a detective, but he‘s human! I‘m supposed to be in mourning and you want to hump his leg! No. Sit down and let me get rid of him. He is dangerous to us.
A shudder rippled through my body, and I could tell she wasn‘t at all happy with the way I had stood up to her, but I could feel her pouting and knew she was going to let me have my way—at least for now. I made a mental note to avoid Alex Rhodes at all costs.
“Can I give you a ride home? I—”
“Mena, the car is ready,” Daryn‘s voice interrupted, and I could feel his anxiety as he moved into my personal space, the overgrown male crowding Alex in the process.
Alex observed him a moment and then casually took a step back, his hand coming up to offer an introduction. “Alex Rhodes. I don‘t believe I‘ve seen you around Montgomery. Were you a friend of Marc‘s?”
Daryn eyed the outstretched hand and, instead of taking it, he brushed my lower back with his fingers and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me to him possessively.
I was in too much shock to respond. What the hel
l was he doing?
“Not really. Marc was my boss,” Daryn said.
Those hazel eyes shifted from Daryn to me, and then Alex lowered his arm and nodded, seeming to understand something that was not true, that Daryn and me were dating, and going public with it at my late husband‘s funeral. No! That‘s the last thing I needed on the front page of the Daily Independent tomorrow, the same morning that I was to give the press release.
I lifted the heel of my left foot and casually placed it on the toe of Daryn‘s boot, then transferred the weight of my body onto it, aiming to cut one of his toes off if I was lucky.
Daryn‘s body went rigid and his arm dropped from around me.
I smiled at Alex as Daryn limped away. “Sorry about that. He‘s my cousin and very protective of me. I guess he thought you were trying to make a move on me at my husband‘s funeral.”
Oh, God! Where had that come from? I rolled my eyes as my wolf sniggered.
Alex took a cautious step back from me and gave me a sheepish grin as heat flooded up his neck. My wolf liked that. She liked that a lot.
Despite my wishes of staying away from Alex, my wolf forced my hand out to touch his arm. “Don‘t worry about it, Alex. I know you were only offering your condolences. Just ignore him.”
He chuckled lightly as he scratched his eyebrow with his thumb. My wolf followed every move he made and encouraged me to notice that his ring finger on his left hand was free of any jewelry.
Of course, I already knew Alex was single, but him being unattached to anyone wouldn‘t help my wolf get her way, and I reminded her again that he was a detective—the detective—working Marc‘s murder case. She didn‘t understand that this guy would lock me up and throw away the key if he found out I was the one who killed Marc. It wouldn‘t matter if he had developed feelings for me.
“I, uh—call me if you need anything, Mena. I mean that… anything at all.” His eyes narrowed and darted to the retreating Daryn, but he said no more on what transpired between the three of us.
My wolf resisted when I went to take my hand from Alex, but I caught her off guard and took a step back, well out of reach from the man. I gave him a small smile as I nodded, and then I turned and walked toward the line of vehicles.
About the Author:
Kristie Haigwood (a.k.a. K.S. Haigwood) is currently writing her 10th novel. She lives in Arkansas, US. She is the mother of 2 awesome kids and 2 great dogs. She is happily married to her soulmate who thinks reading is a solid waste of time. Opposites attract. Kristie’s works include ‘Save My Soul’, ‘Hell’s Gift’, ‘Good Side of Sin’, ‘Forbidden Touch’, ‘Eternal Island’, ‘Eternal Immortality’ and ‘Accepting the Moon’. ‘Eternal Illusion’, ‘The Last Assignment’, ‘Midnight Moonrising’ and ‘My Sweet Purgatory’ are all releasing soon.
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Kristie's Bookshelf
Save My Soul Series
Save My Soul – Book 1
Kendra Larkin had everything going in the right direction. Her life was seemingly perfect, and she wouldn’t have changed a thing about it. Unfortunately, the course of her life was about to be forever altered. A tragic rappelling accident lands her on Dr. Adam Chamberlain’s operating table.
She agrees to a deal proposed by a guardian angel to help save the soul of the man who is both her doctor and soulmate. If she is successful, she gets to keep her life. However, she later learns that it isn’t just her life that’s in jeopardy, but her soul as well.
Even with the help of her handsome guardian angel, Rhyan, it seems there is no happy ending in sight. Torn between her newly discovered love of Rhyan, and the undeniable attraction she has for Adam, Kendra finds herself at a crossroad. With Adam’s steadfast rejection of God, and his guardian demon conspiring against her, she fears her soul may already be lost.
Will she find a way to overcome the evil her life is suddenly burdened with? Or will Adam’s guardian demon win both their souls and make Kendra his own personal puppet in Hell?
Hell’s Gift — Book 2
Depression consumes the guardian angel, Rhyan, after his human charge chooses her soulmate over him. Filled with anger and despair, he lashes out. And when his hate-filled words land him neck-deep in Hell, he realizes he’s gone too far. He expects trouble, but not to discover his own soulmate in the fiery depths. Abigail is there with good reason, but she’s done her time, and in order to save them both, Rhyan must strike a deal with the Devil. The stakes are higher than ever before, with his soul, his friends and even the fate of Heaven and Earth in jeopardy. If he fails, Rhyan stands to lose more than he ever feared. Will true love be denied? It will take everything he’s got to break down the traps Lucifer puts in his way. New lines are drawn and old scores are settled, and Rhyan is in for the fight of his life. With Abigail as the prize, and humanity in the balance, he will stop at nothing to claim…Hell’s Gift.
*This novel contains explicit content of violence, descriptive sexual scenes and strong language not suitable for anyone under the age of 18*
Good Side of Sin — Book 3
Josselyn has just spent the last three months in intense Line of Defense training so she could join Malcolm’s search party. Little did she know the archangels had no intention of letting her bring back into Heaven an angel who had opened a portal between Heaven and Hell, at least not before saving God’s creations from the tight grasp of Lucifer first.
Three months have passed since the angel Rhyan released nine repented demons from Hell, and now innocent people are dying, but their souls are not going to Heaven. Josselyn’s mission is to find the demon responsible for stealing the souls and bring it to justice before Lucifer gains enough power to rise and claim Heaven and earth as his own.
Her whole world is shaken when she discovers what tool Lucifer is using to track down the one key to the release of his eternal damnation. Thoros is one half-souled immortal she prayed she would never see again. The ex-Prince of Lust had stolen her heart and crushed it with a cheeky smile. Now, not only is she being forced to put her damaged ego aside and face the only man that has ever hurt her, but she has to work with him in order to complete her assignment.
Is she strong enough to keep from falling in love with him again? Or is their love the only thing that can keep Lucifer from getting the one thing he wants most? Heaven.
My Sweet Purgatory — Book 4 (Coming Soon)
Stand Alones
Forbidden Touch
Ciera has to break the ultimate vampire law to save Mitch, her mortal soulmate, from a terrible fate. Dane, the vampire who would do anything to win her affection, is responsible for Mitch being framed for murder. A fast chain of events is set in motion, which leads to the soulmates being torn apart and Ciera to lose her heart to the one person she has always despised, Dane. She finds herself completely in love with both men. But a rogue vampire puts them all in grave danger. Can she keep them both? Or will she have to accept one lover’s sacrifice, to save the other?
Eternal Island Series
Eternal Island — Book 1
A place where vampires rule, witches play, danger lurks and dreams really do come true.
Eternal Island is a paranormal suspense novel, deeply rooted into myth. Vampires and magic form a unique backdrop to a love story with long reaching consequences. Human girl Ariana Lochalan finds herself transported from the relative calm of her ‘Nowhere, Arkansas’ life into a diametrically opposite existence when she discovers she is a powerful witch and meant to wed High Vampire of Eternal Island, Abe Cambridge. Despite first-sight magnetism, the two protagonists are being pushed apart, obstacles tripping them at every step, outside forces interfering and threatening their peace, and ultimately
their lives. A world rich in magic and intrigue, Eternal Island is the first installment of a saga which has love at its core and delves through the mire that is human nature in a turmoil of feeling and emotion.
Would courage, resilience and love be enough to bring together two soul mates?
How much would you sacrifice to save the one who owns your heart?
Eternal Immortality — Book 2
Eternal Island is heaven on Earth. Love blossoms between witches and vampires, and none are happier than the King and Queen. Shortly after the wedding, the party is interrupted by a desolate plea. A man is in trouble, and soon an army is sent to his rescue — but is he who he claims to be?
Unbeknown to Abe and Ariana, a cauldron of trouble bubbles to the surface and terrible things begin to happen to innocent islanders. Dodging love triangles and intrigue, could the young Queen find the strength necessary to save her kingdom and the world, too? When the King begins to crumble and evil has won, would pure love be enough to save the whole of humanity from destruction?
Read this story with a Tiger’s Eye stone in one hand and a strong faith in your heart. Cross your fingers and toes and hope for a miracle on Evil’s finest winning day.
Eternal Illusion – Book 3 (Coming Soon)
Moonrising Series
Accepting the Moon — Prequel
Midnight Moonrising — Book 1 (Coming Soon)
Also Coming Soon
The Last Assignment
For The Reader
Thank you for purchasing and reading this ebook. If you enjoyed it please leave a short review on book-related sites such as ebook retail websites, Goodreads or your favorite review forum. Readers rely on reviews, as do authors.
Accepting the Moon: Prequel Page 6
