Dark of the Moon

by Amanda Ashley

  Carl tapped his pencil against his notebook. “Did you ever hear of Joey Cannon?”

  “No. Why?”

  “I met him in a seedy bar in New Jersey a while back. He’d been drinking heavily but he wasn’t drunk. He told me he passed through here a few months ago. Said a couple of vampires imprisoned him in a basement and fed off him for a couple of weeks before he managed to escape. The guy’s only thirty but after what they did to him, he looks all used up. Deflated, like.”

  “So you’re writing another exclusive on vampires in America?”

  Overstreet shrugged one shoulder. “It’s what I do. I tried the retirement route. When I started watching soap operas every day …” He shook his head ruefully. “Joey Cannon’s story lit a fire under me. It was just what I needed to get my butt off the couch.”

  “Yeah, well, I hope you don’t get burned. I would have thought you’d have wised up after the last time.”

  “I’m not the one who went after Ronan.”

  “Good point.”

  “So, what are you doing here?” Carl asked. “Don’t tell me you’re worried about me.”

  “Me? Hell, no. But Sara is.”

  “Ah. She’s a sweet girl. If I was twenty-five years younger, I’d give you a run for your money.”

  “You’d never catch me, old man. Not these days.”

  Overstreet nodded. “I guess you do have an edge—what with all that mystical vampire mojo. Tell Sara I appreciate her concern.”

  With a wave of acknowledgement, Travis left the hospital.

  Sara met him at the door. “Did you find him?” she asked.

  “Yeah. He’s holed up in the hospital.”

  “The hospital!” she exclaimed. “Is that safe?” Looking worried, she went into the living room and sank down on the sofa.

  “No.” Travis sat beside her. “But neither is anyplace else.”

  Sara chewed on her thumbnail. “Maybe I should ask him to stay here,” she remarked, and then grinned, thinking that would really give Olivia Bowman something to gossip about.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Travis said.

  “No?”

  He shook his head, then, rather tentatively, slipped his arm around her shoulders. When she didn’t pull away, he said, “Do you think we could start over?” Travis asked. “No secrets between us this time?”

  “I honestly don’t know.” Why did it feel so right, so natural, to have his arm around her? When he was this close, it didn’t seem to matter that he was a vampire. All she saw was a man with sad brown eyes who made her feel loved and needed.

  “I didn’t want to lie to you,” he said quietly. “But you must understand why I had to.”

  “Travis, I just don’t know how it could work. I don’t want to fall in love with a vampire. What kind of life could we have together? You were a hunter. You know what we’d be up against.”

  He nodded. So much for being friends, he thought. Although he had hoped for so much more than that.

  She felt him withdraw from her even before he lowered his arm and rose to his feet. “I won’t bother you anymore.”

  Before his words had time to sink in, he vanished from the room.

  Murmuring, “What have I done?” Sara stared at the place where Travis had stood only moments before.

  And then she burst into tears.

  Travis stood in the shadows, feeling lost, and then he went back to the hospital. He found Overstreet still sitting on the bed, still scribbling in his notebook.

  “Damn!” the journalist said. “Can’t you make some noise when you enter a room?”

  “Sorry. Next time I’ll slam the door or knock over a trash can.”

  “What brings you back here so soon?”

  “Like you, I’ve got nowhere else to go.”

  “Oh? What happened? Did Sara throw you out?”

  “In a way.”

  “I’m sorry,” Overstreet muttered. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

  “I was a fool to think there was a chance for us.” Shoulders slumped, Travis dropped into the chair he had occupied earlier.

  Overstreet shook his head. Man or vampire, there was nothing worse than unrequited love. “So, what are you going to do now?”

  “I don’t know. What about you? How’s the story going?”

  “Nowhere, actually. I haven’t seen anything suspicious even though I’m sure this place is crawling with vampires. And I’m beginning to think it was a mistake coming here. I’m pretty sure nobody in town is going to confess to torturing Joey Cannon and equally certain if I found out any of the details or who was involved, I’d be dead before I could get it down on paper.”

  “I think you’re right.”

  “I just hate like hell to give up and let whoever was responsible go unpunished. If you’d seen Joey …” Overstreet shook his head. “He looked like he’d been through hell and back.”

  Travis snorted. “What were you planning to do if you found the culprit? Haul him off to the local law? I’d pay money to see that.”

  Overstreet laughed good-naturedly. “Yeah, me, too!” Putting his notebook aside, he held up a deck of cards. “Gin rummy?”

  “Why not? I’ve got nothing better to do.”

  Olivia looked up when Jason entered the room. She smiled, thinking this was the best part of the day. The chores were done. Luke and Debbie were in their rooms doing their homework. And she had Jason all to herself until it was time to put the kids to bed.

  He kissed her then asked, “Did you find out anything?”

  She nodded. “I went to see Winona a little while ago and she told me his name is Carl Overstreet. He’s a freelance journalist. I looked him up online and you won’t believe this, but last year he published a series of articles about vampires! Do you think he came here looking for another story?”

  “I don’t know but it makes sense. How about booting up the computer while I go out? I’d like to read his stuff. And then I think we’d better let the others know what’s going on.”

  “Jason, what if that man is here to do another story on vampires? That could be dangerous.”

  “Not to worry, darlin’. I don’t intend to let that happen.”

  Chapter 13

  Shannah sighed as she curled up next to Ronan and pillowed her head on his shoulder. She had been wasting away from some rare disease when she tracked him down. Dying and afraid, she had begged him to turn her into a vampire. At first, he had denied what he was. Gradually, they had become friends. And then more than friends, she thought with a smile. Life was certainly strange. She had gone to him seeking the dark trick and then, when he had bestowed it on her, she had hated him for it for a long time. Only now did she realize he had given her a wonderful gift—the gift of life. True, it was as different from her old life as night from day, but she had no complaints. Not when he was here to share it with her.

  “Ronan, are you ever going to write any more books?”

  “I don’t know. Why?”

  She shrugged one shoulder. “You’re such a good author. I’m sure your avid fans are eagerly awaiting the next one.”

  He grunted softly. Being a vampire, he had never done interviews, never gone on national book tours or talk shows. It had been easier to flat out refuse than to constantly come up with one excuse after another to explain why he wasn’t available for appearances on Sunday morning gab fests or make an appearance at afternoon book signings. And then, just when his publisher declared they were sick and tired of his excuses, Shannah had come into his life. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. He had convinced her to pretend to be him, which had worked well until Overstreet and Hewitt showed up at a book signing and started asking questions.

  “I think maybe I’ll have to retire,” Ronan said, stroking her cheek, “now that you can no longer pretend to be me.”

  “Oh! I didn’t think of that.” She tilted her head to the side. “I guess you could go back to being a reclusive author again. Or maybe you co
uld self-publish?”

  He nodded. “I suppose that’s a possibility, should I suddenly be stricken with inspiration for a new book. Fortunately, we don’t need the money.”

  That was for sure, she thought. He had more money than he could spend in a dozen lifetimes.

  Ronan held her close, remembering how desolate he had been when Shannah was on the verge of death. She had told him she didn’t want to be what he was, that now, when he was offering it to her, she no longer wanted it. Unable to face a future without her in it, he had turned her against her will. At first, he had been certain he had lost her love forever, but their feelings for one another could not be ignored or denied and, in time, she had forgiven him.

  Ronan?”

  ‘Yes, love?”

  “I’m worried about Hewitt.”

  “That again?” He drew back so he could see her face. “Is there something going on between the two of you that I’m not aware of? Something that has you worrying about him night after night?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous! I just feel guilty for what we did to him, that’s all.”

  “You did nothing,” he reminded her. “I’m the one who turned him.”

  “I should have stopped you.”

  Ronan looked at her, one dark brow arched in amusement. “As if you could have.” He had been engulfed with pain and fury that night. The hunter was damn lucky he hadn’t been ripped to shreds.

  “We could go check on him,” Shannah suggested, her voice soft and sultry as she trailed her fingertips over his lower lip. “Think of it as a long over-due vacation.”

  He laughed softly as she stretched out on top of him, her hair like silken strands of ebony against his bare skin.

  “Please, Ronan?”

  He rolled onto his side, his gaze burning into hers. “What will you give me?”

  Her hands slid over his bare chest, then trailed lower, lower. “I’m sure I can think of something you’d like.”

  Chapter 14

  The Susandale vampire council met in the basement of Jason Bowman’s house. It was a large room with block walls painted white and a cement floor covered with a deep green carpet. Three leather sofas were grouped around a large coffee table.

  Jason glanced at those present. Six men and one woman. Of the twenty-three vampires in town, these seven had been vampires almost as long as he had. Jason had been turned in his mid-thirties and had been a vampire almost forty years, making him the oldest vampire among them. Jeff Hackett was the youngest of the group, having been turned close to twenty years ago. Destiny Monahan’s human husband had been killed in an automobile accident three years ago. The others—Joe Tuck, Rick Payson, Steve Handeland, and Jonah Kidder, were all married. Human spouses were never invited to the meetings.

  Those gathered waited for Bowman to speak.

  “I called you here tonight because I’m concerned about the two new residents in town. I’m sure you’re all aware of them. What you may not know is that the human, Overstreet, is a freelance journalist. He did a series of articles on vampires some time ago. The other one, Travis, is new in the life. Have any of you had any contact with either one of them?”

  In turn, each one present shook his head.

  “Do you think that writer is here because of us?” Hackett asked, looking worried.

  “I can’t think of any other reason,” Jason said. “Can any of you?”

  “Maybe you should talk to him,” Tuck suggested.

  “Maybe you should talk to that writer and the vampire,” Handeland said.

  “Maybe you should contact Jarick.”

  Jason stared at Destiny, a muscle twitching in his jaw. Jarick was the master vampire in charge of the town and everything that went on within its limits, a fact Destiny never let Jason forget.

  “You’re only here on my sufferance,” Jason snapped. “And don’t you forget it.” His gaze rested heavily on each one in the room. “Anything else we need to discuss?”

  “What are we going to do if Overstreet is planning another story on vampires?” Payson asked. “Something like that will bring hunters swarming here from miles around.”

  “Don’t worry,” Jason said flatly. “If that’s the case, he won’t live long enough to write it.”

  Chapter 15

  Sara heaved a sigh as she rang up the first purchase of the day. If things didn’t pick up, she wouldn’t be able to pay her rent on the store. Funny, but she didn’t really care anymore. Maybe she should just admit defeat and go home. Sure, business had gotten a little better, but not enough to pay the rent on the store and her house. She didn’t really have any friends in town. She tried to remember why she thought this would be a good place to prove her independence, but all she could think about was Travis.

  She sighed again. Truth be told, the only reason she hadn’t left town was because of him.

  Why did he have to be a vampire? She stretched her arms over her head, then walked from the back of the store to the front and back again.

  Why did time pass so slowly at work and so quickly when she was with Travis? And why couldn’t she stop thinking about him? And why, even though she knew he was a vampire, did she still find him a hundred times more appealing than Dilworth Everett Young the Third?

  If she married Dil, her life would be nothing but a series of political get-togethers, endless fund-raisers, and boring cocktail parties with senators and congressmen. Some women would no doubt find such a life fun and exciting. Not Sara. If she married Dil, she would have to be mindful of every word she said, everything she did, who she associated with, how she dressed, where she shopped.

  Just thinking about it made her grimace with distaste.

  With business so slow, she decided to walk down to the café and drown her sorrows in a chocolate malt.

  She felt her spirits rise when she glanced in the window and saw Carl Overstreet sitting at one of the tables. He was, she thought as she opened the door, rapidly becoming her best friend.

  He motioned her over when he saw her. “Hey, Sara. Good to see you. Sometimes it feels like we’re the only two people in this whole damn town. Except for Winona, of course.”

  “I know what you mean.” She took the chair opposite his, asked for a chocolate malt and an order of fries when Winona sashayed up to the table.

  Overstreet arched an amused brow. “Malt and fries? Sounds like comfort food to me.”

  “Nothing gets by you,” Sara said with a wry grin.

  “That’s why I’m such a good journalist.”

  “How’s your story coming along?”

  “It’s not. I haven’t talked to anyone except you and Hewitt. And Winona, of course. For all I know, Joey Cannon fabricated the whole incident.” He fell silent when Winona brought Sara’s order.

  Sara smiled at the waitress. She didn’t smile back.

  “Does that mean you’re leaving town?” Sara asked after Winona returned to the kitchen.

  “No reason to stay.” Head cocked to one side, he asked, “So, what happened between you and Hewitt, now known as Travis?”

  “He asked if we could start over.” Sara shook her head. “I just don’t see how it could work. I mean, we don’t have anything in common.”

  “Except the attraction between you.”

  She stared at him.

  “Hey, a blind man could see it.”

  “I don’t deny it, but that’s hardly enough to build a life on.”

  “You never know until you try. So, he’s up nights and sleeps days. So do a lot of regular people who hold night jobs. So he needs blood to survive. Think of it as a dietary restriction.”

  “What about children?”

  Overstreet grunted softly. “Low sperm count?”

  Sara laughed in spite of herself.

  “I don’t mean to make light of the situation,” Overstreet said. “But love—the real thing—doesn’t come along every day. I’ve certainly never found it. The funny thing is, the vampire who turned Hewitt—I’ll never get used to callin
g him Travis—seems to have found what the rest of us are still looking for.”

  “Really?”

  Overstreet nodded. “I’m not sure how Shannah and Ronan met, but they seem very happy together.”

  “Is she a vampire, too?”

  “She is now. She wasn’t when they met.” Carl finished his coffee and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I hope you and Hewitt can work things out. I don’t know about you, but he’s miserable.” Rising, he picked up his check and Sara’s. “I’ve got this.”

  “Thank you. You’ll let me know before you leave town?”

  “Sure.” Touching a finger to the brim of his Fedora, he left the café.

  Sara stared after him. What if he was right? Maybe she should give Travis a chance. What did she have to lose? Silly question, she thought. What, indeed?

  Business picked up when the sun went down. By day’s end, Sara was happy to see that she’d turned a nice profit. Another few days like this and she could stop worrying. For this month, at least.

  It was almost nine-thirty when she stepped out the back door and locked it behind her. She let out a shriek when a dark shape materialized out of the shadows. “Travis! You scared the crap out of me.”

  “Sorry. I … the truth is, I was going to follow you home to make sure you got there safely.”

  “Oh?” Her heart skipped a beat. “Am I in danger?”

  “Not that I know of. I just …”

  “Just what?”

  “I just wanted to be near you.”

  Sara stared at him. In movies, vampires were arrogant, powerful, emotionless creatures with little on their minds but blood and ravaging innocent women. But Travis? He was just a lonely guy forced into a life he didn’t want. Vampire or not, her heart went out to him. “I’d be happy to have the company.”

  “Sara …”

  She unlocked the door of her new rental car and slid behind the wheel, then looked up at him. “I missed you, too. Get in, I want to go home and take a shower and change into something more comfortable.”