Sapphire Falls: Going Haywire (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Rachelle Ayala

  “Can you describe your attacker?”

  “Who was that woman?”

  “What woman? I didn’t see anyone.”

  “Where are the ropes and the stake?”

  “Honey, did you pass out?”

  “Did anything bite you?”

  “Someone call a doctor.”

  Honey swallowed the warm chai and held herself still. Something magical had happened, and she wanted to shut out the noise. But as she glanced into the faces of people who cared about her, who were concerned about her, and who’d come to her rescue, all she could do was turn her head up to the sliver of moon and howl with joy.

  She was home! Home under the black starry sky where unseen creatures lurked. Home surrounded by people—a community, and home with Max.

  She’d been bitten by Sapphire Falls and like Liz said, she’d never go back.

  The dogs joined her howling, sitting up on their haunches and yipping and yowling.

  Max raised his voice and howled, hugging her tightly.

  Soon, the entire pack joined in, everyone howling, deep voices, high-pitched ones, dulcet ones, and raw, grating voices. All howled to the sliver of moon in the dark bend by the river, and then laughter and cheers rang out.

  A large man peeled off his wolf mask and grabbed Max and Honey’s hands, raising them together. It was Troy Caine, Max’s best buddy.

  Honey narrowed her eyes and stared at the dark red paint sticking to the man’s hair. But then, everyone else was also covered with splats and dabs of paint, including Max.

  “Vampires. Zombies. Fairies and Elves,” Troy declared. “There’s a new pack in town, and it’s the Wolff Pack of Sapphire Falls.”

  “Let’s go back to the bonfire and celebrate,” someone said. “With pints and pints of Booze!”

  Chapter Twelve

  Max couldn’t place his finger on it, but something had changed with Honey. She should have been scared out of her wits. He’d expected to find her in a catatonic state, shocked, as in pooped in her pants shocked, and demanding to be taken back to the bed and breakfast, or maybe even to the airport.

  She, as well as everyone in the search party, was still covered with dried paint—still wearing their Zombie and Slayer T-shirts, but she didn’t seem to be in a hurry to go back to her room and get cleaned up.

  She cuddled in his arms in front of the bonfire and laughed and tried to talk over whoever was speaking.

  Instead of ghost stories, people shared zombie stories, and Honey claimed she not only saw and smelled a real one—he supposedly stank of blood and rotten flesh, but also she met a beautiful female gypsy vampire who was about to suck her blood.

  “They’re not fake vampires and zombies. They’re real,” she proclaimed, standing to her feet.

  “We’ve been told by Hailey to tell outsiders they’re real,” one of the men said. “But we know they’re really human reenactors.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Honey got in the man’s face, showing her belligerent side. “The two I met felt real. The vampire tried to bite me. She tried to turn me into a vampire. She told me once bitten, there’s no going back.”

  “Yeah, well, I’ll have to admit they’re really good at what they do,” Hailey said, scanning the crowd. “But let’s not get all freaked out. They’re bringing lots of money into Sapphire Falls and it’s a good thing.”

  “Not if they’re hungry.” Honey swirled her Mason jar to mix the spices in her drink. “If they’re hungry, they might cause big trouble.”

  “Who told you they’re hungry?” Phoebe asked, slurping on her Booze.

  “I sensed the woman vampire was starving, but when I told her about the zombie, she didn’t make a move to find him.”

  “That’s because zombie blood is dead blood, and they don’t like it,” someone answered her. “Same way zombies won’t eat undead meat. Face it. We, red-blooded farmers are steak for them.”

  “So, we’re going to just sit here and let them feast on us?” one of the women cried out. “I say we attack at dawn.”

  Seemed the more Borcher’s Booze people consumed, the crazier their talk.

  “No, vampires go back into their coffins at dawn,” Phoebe said. “I say we strike now.”

  “I’ve an idea.” Honey jumped up and down, flapping her hands. “How about we set up a trap for them? We still have our paintball guns, right? Let’s tag them with fluorescent paint so we can see them in the dark.”

  “Great idea,” Phoebe said. “I’ve got everything in Joe’s truck. Let’s pass them out.”

  “Are you going to be the lure?” Hailey asked Honey. “Since you almost became a tasty snack.”

  “Actually, I think all the beefcake around here should be the lures.” Honey raised her glass of Booze. “Who here agrees with me?”

  All the female voices hooted and hollered.

  “And in order to prove they are eat-worthy, they should take off their shirts and dance around the fire!” Honey doubled-down on her outrageousness. “Let’s see if we can’t draw the vampires and zombies out of the woods.”

  “But it’s frickin’ cold out here!” Tucker Bennett complained. “I’m not taking my shirt off for zombies or the undead.”

  “Yes you are!” all the women hollered. “You and all the beefcake of Sapphire Falls. Let’s show them zombies and vampires what we got.”

  “I say only the single men take off their shirts,” another one of the Bennett brothers said. “I mean, this is obviously a ploy for hungry women to feast and feed, bite and lick, and I’m sorry, but my wife isn’t going to like it one bit.”

  “Since when has a Bennett become a big chicken?”

  “Not chicken, but this beef is for Lauren only.”

  “What are you? Wusses?” Troy threw his empty bottle down and jumped up. He tore his paint stained T-shirt off his body and tossed it in the fire. “Hey pretty vampire ladies. Come suck on me.”

  “Off. Off. Off. Off,” the females chanted, and before Max could say another word, all the single guys were throwing their T-shirts into the fire.

  “Come on, Max, you too.” Honey yanked at his shirt. “Show them what big muscles you have.”

  “I’m a married man,” Max eyed the Bennett brothers for solidarity.

  “No, you’re not. You big liar.” Honey bounced around him, tugging his shirt. “You’re as single as Troy. Come on, do your part to save Sapphire Falls.”

  “We’re married, Honey, don’t you remember?” Max’s stomach clenched, and he darted a glance at his two brothers who tossed their T-shirts into the fire.

  “Liar, liar, pants on fire. We’re divorced, don’t you remember?” Honey giggled. “You’re fair game.”

  The problem with Booze? It was a truth serum.

  Max was aware of all the eyes turned to him. All the shocked expressions. All the faces contorted with expressions of surprise and sympathy. And then, the town closed ranks to save his face. They turned back to the game at hand, and every man started taking off his shirt—married and single.

  Shirts flew into the fire and guys grabbed him, their arms over each other’s shoulders as they formed a circle around the fire and kicked their heels, chanting to the lyrics of “We Will Rock You.”

  They danced around the fire as the women went to get their paintball guns and set up positions to attack the invading vampires and zombies.

  “Everyone in position!” Honey yelled, surprisingly taking leadership in the vampire hunt. “Okay, girls, let’s get them. Don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes.”

  “You know, guys,” Max said. “Why are we facing the fire? We won’t be able to see the zombies coming.”

  “You’re right,” Travis said. “We’re just going to have to trust our women to defend us.”

  “Ready! Aim!” Honey took command. “Fire!”

  Splat. Pop. Zing. Pop.

  A barrage of paintballs stung his bare back and shoulders. All around him guys were ducking, and they broke rank.

  �
��Ow” and “What the fuck?” accompanied a peel of feminine laughter, as paintballs went whizzing through the air.

  It turned into a slaughter as every man was chased by the woman who claimed him, tagging his backside with gobs and gobs of stinging paint.

  Even as Max ran around the bonfire, being pelted and splatted, he couldn’t help feeling proud.

  His not-so-sweet Honey was breaking out of her shell. She’d taken charge, and she’d tricked not only him, but all the guys of Sapphire Falls.

  Yep. She’d fit in just fine in this little community, and hopefully, by the end of the weekend, she’d be his again. This time, forever.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “I’ve never had so much fun.” Honey ran her fingers over the paint covering Max’s bare torso. She could tell he was trying not to wince, but being hit by paintballs at close range stung, especially on bare skin.

  “Grrr … Wait ’til I get you naked, naughty girl.” He grappled her head and turned it, locking his lips onto hers. Hot and greedy, he was majorly turned on, and he plastered her mouth, running his tongue in and out, drawing an urgent moan from Honey.

  They staggered up the stairs of the Rise & Shine, arms entwined and legs unsteady. Breathing hot and heavy, Honey gripped his shoulders and sucked on his lips, needing to be closer, to stay connected.

  The entire day had been one long running foreplay, and now that she’d finished her first full day in Sapphire Falls, she deserved a real happy ending.

  Max fumbled with the keys while stroking his tongue over her lips, her tongue and her teeth, igniting fire from her nipples to her clit. He’d always been a passionate lover. His only fault was that he’d been too busy for too long to give her the long nights she desired.

  But that was San Francisco. This was Sapphire Falls. They were on vacation—their second honeymoon, and she was going to go for it all.

  The door opened with a thud. In a single motion, Max swept her into his arms and carried her over the threshold. He turned and kicked it shut, and placed her on the bed.

  They were both covered with flecks of paint, which had thankfully dried, so they weren’t in any danger of leaving marks. Their hair was disheveled with dried leaves and twigs, and they smelled like smoke from the bonfire.

  “Shower first?” Max raised an eyebrow.

  “Shower in between the first and second time.” Honey shrugged out of the paint-stained T-shirt and unzipped her jeans.

  “You’re such a dirty, naughty girl.” He grinned and undressed in record time.

  She reached up from the bed and dragged him over her. There was no awkwardness, nothing to hold back on.

  She loved him, and maybe she was being foolish to get physical with him, and maybe all of it would end as soon as they got back to the real world of San Francisco, but something magical was going on here in Sapphire Falls, and she’d be a fool not to drink all of it in.

  But first, a little reassurance. After all, the last time she slept with Max, she’d conceived Sara, and she wasn’t on birth control right now.

  She feathered her fingers through his thick hair and brought his face level with hers and gazed into his eyes. “Do you love me, Maxwell Beauregard Wolff?”

  “I’ve never stopped loving you.” He palmed the side of her face, stroking it gently. “That was never the problem.”

  “Then where did we go wrong?”

  “We lost touch.” He swallowed hard, his lips pressed together. “I never want that to happen again.”

  “Max, I still love you. You know that, don’t you?”

  “I had hoped.” He lowered his lips to hers and Honey closed her eyes, losing herself to the touch and feel of her husband.

  His stubble grazed against her lips, and his fingers worked magic over her body. He kissed her like he’d never kissed anyone before, plundering her mouth with a desperation borne from the long nights apart.

  Her body blossomed under his touch. Every square inch cried out for him, for the feel of his skin on hers, for his lips, his scent and everything Max.

  “Take me now, Max.” She arched into his arousal and wiggled herself against it. He was huge, hard, and hotter than she remembered.

  “I’m in no rush,” he whispered, curling a tendril of her hair around his finger. “Remember what I told you this morning? We’re going to go sweet and slow.”

  “Do you remember what happened this morning?” Honey pouted her displeasure. “Or I should say what didn’t happen this morning. I’m spreading my legs and you’re coming on in.”

  “Spread away.” He chuckled and dragged his lips down the column of her neck, sucking and nipping.

  His clever hands played with her breasts, and he rolled her nipples between his finger and thumb.

  “Harder,” Honey begged.

  “You are a greedy girl.” He blew on her nipple and wrapped his tongue around one hot tip.

  She was like a live wire, as sparks of pleasure zinged from her breasts to her clit, curling her toes. She wasn’t going to let him off easy, no way, no how.

  As he feasted off her, she wrapped her hand around his cock and held on. It twitched, seeming to grow even larger and harder, if that were possible.

  His breath hissed and he put his hand over hers to stop her. “I’m so excited that I’ll come all over your leg if you do that.”

  “Then come for me.” She stroked him, twirling her fingertip over the pre-cum and spreading it over the head.

  His eyes took that glazed look, completely mesmerized by her, and she knew she had him. Locked and loaded.

  “Honey …” he moaned her name as she spread her legs and drew him to her entrance. “We need a—”

  But he never finished because in one smooth motion, he sank into her, and they both gulped air, gasping at the intimacy of skin on skin—completion and destiny.

  “I love you so much,” he muttered. “I’d do anything for you.”

  “Then love me good and hard. Keep doing it as long as we both live.”

  He nodded and began to move. His muscles flexed and contracted, tight and hard, and his cock hit and stroked every electrifying spot inside her, radiating pure pleasure from her core outward.

  Every delicious stroke rocked her higher and higher, so high that all she could do was wrap her legs around him and grab onto his shoulders, holding on tight as he sent her spiraling out of control.

  She clutched him tight, racing to her orgasm when someone knocked on the door.

  Not again!

  “Hello,” a man’s deep voice said. “You left your keys in the door.”

  “Oh, no!” Honey covered her breasts as Max jumped off her, running to the door to keep it shut.

  “We’re good in here. Thanks.” He panted, holding his body against the door.

  The man outside chuckled. “Thought I’d let you know. Sorry if I interrupted anything. Be sure to come down for breakfast tomorrow. We’re having pumpkin pancakes and blood-and-guts omelets.”

  Honey covered her face and groaned as the pulsing sensation receded between her legs. If Sapphire Falls was the perfect place to fall in love, it was certainly not looking like the perfect place to make love.

  “I’d better get the key,” Max said after the man’s footsteps departed. “The next visitor might just open the door.”

  “Yeah, especially if it’s your parents surprising us with the kids or one of the nosy residents checking up on us.”

  “Or your vampire friend wanting a snack.” Max laughed.

  Laughed? Was he not as turned on as she? Did his balls not turn sapphire blue?

  But then, one look at Max with his dick bobbing as he pulled on a pair of sweats, his body still splattered with blood red paint and his hair a mess of tangles and Honey could only laugh.

  If the man had opened the door, he’d have mistaken them for two zombies going at it. She was in no better shape. Wrapping a sheet over herself, she glanced in the mirror.

  She looked like a ghoul with a mud-splattered face,
streaks of paint over her forehead, and twigs and leaves in her hair.

  Max safely extracted the keys from the outside of the door, and Honey yelled, “Last one in the bathtub’s a rotten egg!”

  Chapter Fourteen

  The interruption by the landlord sobered Max up like an ice bucket over his head. What he was doing this weekend wasn’t right. He was acting like a complete asshole.

  Sure, Honey was falling for him again, and he’d never stopped loving her, but nothing changed back home.

  He still had his high pressure job. If anything, after being made partner, he had even more responsibilities.

  Honey would still be stuck with the kids and resenting him. She would still be lonely in their million dollar penthouse with occasional visits from her sister and mother and the few friends she had coffee or yoga with.

  He was essentially using the entire town of Sapphire Falls to get into her panties, but he hadn’t offered her anything better than what she had before.

  Asshole!

  All they’d have would be an almost perfect weekend here at Sapphire Falls. Almost perfect because she’d let the cat out of the bag about their divorce.

  Max watched Honey fill the tub, still wrapped in a sheet. Did she remember yelling out his secret? Or was she drunk and thought she was talking only to him?

  She’d called him a liar. Liar with his pants on fire.

  The pants on fire part was true. His dick was still erect and pointed her way.

  But other than a night of screaming orgasms, could he really deliver what she needed? Pretending a problem didn’t exist was what got them into this mess.

  Honey turned off the tap and stood, glancing at him. “Are you going to be the rotten egg or a rotten cucumber?”

  She let the sheet pool at her feet and pointed one toe into the water. Her breasts jiggled as she cocked a finger, motioning for him to join her.

  Max wet his lips and shucked off the sweatpants. His head hurt from thinking, and his cock and balls throbbed from being so close, but not close enough.

  Smiling, he caught her in his arms and together, they lowered themselves into the tub.