by P. Mattern
FULL MOON SERIES – BOOK TWO-CONGREGATION OF DARKNESS
By P. A. Mattern and J. C. Estall
Text Copyright © 2013 Mattern and J. C. Estall
All Right Reserved
Much gratitude and heartfelt thanks to the following individuals:
Ravenwolfe Teu for being the wind beneath our wings and providing inspiration
Johnna S., Eve P., Sharon L., Cheryl L., Naomi-Paul M., Jennifer F., Brenda A-K, K. Ogle,
Tianna, Raven, Nerja, Lora and all of our many avid readers of the first book in the series for loving the story and the characters as much as we do
Brenda Davis Abouel-Khier for grammar and editing support
Sharon Lee and Richard Grush for inspired photo artistry
Marcus Mattern for gaming input
-And my genius daughter/collaborator J.C. Estall
The cleverest person in the room is always, and inevitably, a vampire.
-Castor Noble, Twice Bitten
PROLOGUE – THE WOUNDED WARRIOR AND THE LADY OF THE WOODS
376 A.D.
The early autumn leaves fell gracefully from the boughs of the tall trees, a slow-motion dance of gold and orange and scarlet. A shaft of sunlight shone through the canopy of foliage above, illuminating the leaves in gold dust as they slowly twirled down. There were great puddles of still water on the forest floor, their glassy surfaces only occasionally disturbed by ripples as leaves landed gently on the mirrored ovals. There was a light, gently stirring breeze, causing the golden dapples of sunlight on the forest floor to shift and change shape. The smell of the damp, mossy earth was all around him.
Blood had begun to seep into the ground beneath him as he sat resting against the thick, sturdy trunk of a large and ancient tree that stretched impossibly high up into the canopy of leaves above. His breathing was becoming more labored-faster and more shallow. He peered down to see the large sword piercing his side, impaling him cruelly to the tree.
The continuing battle had moved on and he could hear its sounds in the distance: the piteous cries of the wounded and dying, war whoops and rally cries, the stamping of horses, and the clanging of metal upon metal, the whistle of the launched spears through the air echoing as the enemy, the Huns, pushed further into the land west of the Carpathian mountains.
He stayed completely still except to breathe, for even the slightest movement was agony…and never in a million years would he have chosen such a slow death.
It had been a fearsome battle. Anticipating the arrival of the Huns as they forged their way westward, the Visigoths had prepared for war. They had heard rumors that their adversaries were fearless and took delight in the slaying of men, which they did with full primal fury. They were a force known as ‘The Scourge of God’. But their bows would be met by the swords of the Visigoths, and their shanks with shields, and they would not allow the enemy warriors to take their land without first painting the landscape in their blood.
After all, they had already succeeded in defeating the Roman Army and reclaiming the land known as ‘Dacia.’
The Visigoths had planned a surprise attack and fought valiantly, but found themselves outnumbered. The Hun warriors, with their broad chests, large grotesquely misshapen heads and dark beady eyes crazed with bloodlust met the Visigoth challenge with gusto. The Huns rode on horses smeared with the blood of the conquered and their spears and arrows had lethal tips of sharpened bone. When in combat, they often snared their enemies with nets to capture both horse and rider before slaughtering them.
He had been fighting backward into the treeline, hoping to defeat the foot soldiers that pursued him. Although he was attacked by four at once, he managed to stab one in the throat and as adrenalin kept him moving, slice through two more. He gazed around for the remaining Hun but the last seemingly ran off, and though he kept moving he could feel his many wounds throbbing painfully.
In his weakened state he was forced to rest on a mossy bank against a tree. He saw a deep gash in his leg, and the loss of blood made him crave unconsciousness. But each time his eyelids closed he was jerked awake.
“Don’t close your eyes,” a voice inside of him whispered in soft womanly timbre,”For I am coming.”
He thought that he might be hallucinating, but still the words gave him comfort. He realized, too late, that he shouldn’t have stopped-for now, as he attempted to stand again the throbbing in his injured legs shot a lightning bolt of pain up through his spine and to his head. Seeing stars, he collapsed back down again, sweating profusely.
He knew that he would die here.
Through blurred vision he saw a figure standing in the clearing. It was a barrel chested Hun dressed in the skin of rats, his garb emitting a ripe stench that he could smell from many feet away.
The man approached, speaking in an ugly guttural tongue before plunging a sword into his side with such force that it slid through him and pierced the tree he had collapsed against.
And at that, he closed his eyes at last.
A seeming eternity later, he became conscious of a murmuring voice and the cool wind blowing through the dark tendrils of his sweat-damp hair. Opening his eyes he saw what appeared to be an angel with long dark hair, dressed in a white gossamer gown.
“I am Fressenda.” She said, kindness in her voice, ”The Lady of the Woods.”
With a simple wave of her hand the sword that impaled him was cast aside. She knelt and smoothed his hair away from his forehead. Gazing into his tourmaline eyes she bestowed a kiss from lips that were the perfect shade of rose.
Before her hands had even touched his broken body, she felt desire welling up in her: he would be hers, if only for a time.
Moving forward quickly, she sank her fangs into his chest and drank of his blood, which was darkly rich and tasted deliciously like a fine red wine. A parade of images danced before her eyes, for to drink of someone’s blood was to know of their life. She withdrew after she felt the pulse of his weakly beating heart grow much stronger.
When she was finished, she lifted him effortlessly up in her white arms and floated upward into a current of air that had begun swirling around her. He was immediately healed, although still weak. Just before he fell into a deep and restoring slumber, he uttered two words,
“My Angel.” He said, sighing.
CONGREGATION OF DARKNESS
The two vampires glared at each other ferociously across the 15 feet or so of meadow between them.
Charley Rabbit, a twice-bitten vampire, was fighting against the imposed restraint of his best friends (and also vampires) Lux and Orry, who were on either side of him and sweating with the exertion of containing him.
Across the yard, looking pissed and ready to rumble was Cass, Lux’s twin brother, and the now ‘former’ best friend of Charley Rabbit. The altercation had broken out after the wedding of vampires Celeste and Ariel, and everyone was still dressed in wedding attire.
“Really, Cass, REALLY?”Charley was screaming as he fought to free himself and have another go at Cass.”All the women, female vampires and dhampirs in the world and you hit on my MOM? For God sakes-what the hell is WRONG with you dude?”
“Charley” Cass said, panting to catch his breath from the initial go round the two had already had in which powerful blows were exchanged.”This isn’t about YOU man. It’s about your mom and me. It wasn’t anything we planned. Last fall when she was going through a really rough time…”
“I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ANY DETAILS YOU MORON!” Charley spat, his fangs protruding from the corners of his mouth in total warfare mode.”And I don’t have to wonder who twice-bit her now ,do
I?”
“She asked me to” Cass said earnestly.”It was totally her decision. You can ask her man.”
Charley’s glare deepened.
“Did you FANG her? Did you fang her or draw through the skin?”
Cass smelled a trap-the emphasis that Charley was putting on the word “fang” made it sound like another F word.
“Charley, that’s between your mom and I, man-it really isn’t your business!”he retorted.
At that Charley broke free of his friends, flew forward at warp speed and pushed Cass into an elderly oak tree some 10 feet behind where Cass had been standing. The superhuman force of the push caused the trunk to split with a heavy splintering sound. Lux and Orry caught up with Charley quickly, pulled him down and sat on him.
Cass, a bit shaken, squatted down to talk to Charley on as close to eye level as he could get given Charley’s prone position .Cass’s tone was sad.
“Look ,Charley, I’m sorry if my loving your mom is offensive to you. I’ll stay away from her until you two have a chance to talk. I’ve said all I have to say .I’m going home now-if for no other reason than to NOT mess up Celeste and Ariel’s celebration, I suggest you pull it together.”
Not waiting for a reply, Cass disappeared in the general direction of the parking lot.
Orry looked down at the top of Charley’s head, since Charley was practically face down in the grass and drawled lazily ,”Not letting you up until you’re finished showing your ass, man.”
Lux chimed in ”Me neither.”
Charley groaned and then bellowed a cry that he poured all of his pent up anger and frustration into.”AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!”
“Okay .I’m done.” he said.
Even after Lux and Orry stopped sitting on him, Charley still sat upright in the grass in his disheveled tux, his head down.
“Come on man, get up”, Orry said sighing and holding out his hand .”Ain’t no thing.”
Charley’s response was muffled.
“What did you say?”Lux asked, giving a puzzled look to Orry .
Charley lifted his head. His handsome face was mottled by a bruise forming on his right cheek.
“I said there is no way I’m ever calling Cass “Daddy.”
Lux and Orry burst out laughing as they helped Charley up.
“You’re not really mad anymore.”Lux said. It was a statement.
“Guess not.”Charley said, shrugging, ”Cass is a good guy. I guess I’m mad at being kept in the dark .Does everyone else know?”
Lux shook his head.”Just me-because of the twin connection. And of course Orry now .And it’s the first time Cass has ever managed to keep a secret in his life. He did that out of respect for Mitzi, Charley. He worships her.”
Charley had the grace to look somewhat ashamed. Clearing his throat he said, ”I’ll need some space for a few days, but tell him I’m not mad at him, would you?”
Lux clapped Charley on the back and grinned in relief.
“Of course .Be peaceful Charley Rabbit. It will be okay.”
Three hours away from where Charley Rabbit was coming to terms with his best friend hooking up with his mother, Carey Floyd was running for his life.
He had decided to take a shortcut through the woods on the way home -something he’d been doing ever since he was a kid in the small town in which he’d always lived. The pace of life in his small town was slow-the old ‘Andy of Mayberry’ TV show slow, and exploring in the woods and observing nature was a hobby that even a poor kid could afford.
It was dusk now and the meager light in his forest surroundings was failing, but he didn’t dare stop. They were behind him and gaining-seemingly effortlessly-laughing and catcalling as they pursued him.
And so he ran. Deeper into the forest, and deeper into danger. His back was on fire from the injuries he’d received when they first jumped him, suddenly and from out of nowhere. He hadn’t recognized any of their faces, either-unusual in a small Midwestern town where everyone knew everyone. Some of them resembled animals more than humans, with their Neanderthal foreheads and tusk-like teeth, but they moved more quickly and purposefully than was humanly possible as they swarmed over him. They had set upon him like wild dogs on a deer, tearing at him with their nails and teeth. They smelled of carrion, and newly turned earth, and dank still waters.
He didn’t want to think about what kind of humans-or nonhumans-attacked that way. It was a miracle that he had managed to pull away and run .And now he had to keep running.
Too late he noticed the tree root. At the speed he was going he tripped, became airborne for a short distance and sprawled headlong on the earthy smelling floor of the forest.
And that was all they needed. They were on him again.
There were so many of them-he fought ferociously as he had never fought in his entire life-gouging out eyes, biting back, kicking…and screaming as they made him bleed.
In the end, after receiving hundreds of wounds, he blessedly went numb and blacked out. Around his motionless body the wind blew through the leaves on the forest floor, whirling them around in circular patterns. Crickets chirped, and night birds called. Hours passed. The moon rose and followed an arcing path in the sky.
Carey’s mutilated body remained still.
It only took two and a half days for Charley to make peace with the fact that his best friend Cass and mother Mitzi were an item. The dynamic was still strange-Charley didn’t particularly like seeing Cass kiss her and nuzzle the back of her neck, but he was getting used to their new relationship and had to admit that in many ways Cass was a changed vampire. He seemed more serious, more mature and treated Charley’s mom like a goddess.
Above all, Cass was as fiercely protective of Mitzi as Mitzi had been of Charley in his long span of growing up years.
In the final analysis, especially seeing how happy and fulfilled his mother was, Charley grudgingly approved.
To celebrate, Cass had decided to have a Superbowl party for the guy vampires ,and Fress had suggested that the lady vamps in their group all go out together for a “Ladies Night Out.”Everyone was excited at the prospect. Fressenda,Merilee,Makenna,Fiona , Fiona’s friend Si(pronounced “sigh”), and Willie,a.k.a. Wilhellmina,a young woman new to the group that had been turned on her 18th birthday were planning to spend the evening dancing at the popular local spot known as “The Cavern.”The guy vampires,Charley,Cass,Lux,Orry,Logan,Ian and DeMarcus were planning on an exciting evening of ‘balls to the wall’ sports viewing .Mitzi ,ever the homemaker, had elected to stay back at the house with the guys and provide sandwiches and snacks. Mitzi was from the South originally and never missed an opportunity to show off her homegrown culinary skills. Also staying behind was Buttercup,the ‘wetnurse’ clone that Cass had retrieved for Mitzi’s sake from Fauquier Hall in Motuo County, China-,mountain castle of the notorious Lord Earl Adrastos ,a tribite that had recently attempted to abduct Mitzi, and had fortunately failed in the attempt.
Mitzi laid a buffet spread on her dining room table that included homemade hoagies, pigs in a blanket, miniburgers done on the kitchen grill, hotdogs ,potato salad, coleslaw and various toppings and relishes. For dessert she had made turtle brownies and a huge strawberry shortcake that, standing alone in the center of the table, made an auspicious centerpiece. Bowls of other traditional snacks and dips were on the coffee table in the TV room.
Mitzi fretted that there wouldn’t be enough food, but relaxed when Cass pointed out that they could also send out for pizza if necessary.
Buttercup had taken to cooking like a pro and was a great help to Mitzi in the kitchen. Looking over her –and Buttercup’s handiwork, Mitzi felt a great sense of satisfaction.
The guests arrived nearly simultaneously, Fress greeting them at the door and making conversation and squealing with the excited female vamps as they admired each other’s outfits ,fussed with their makeup and hair and used the bathroom before heading out. Fress noticed Willie and DeMarcus eyeing each other across the room . T
he rest of the ladies kissed their already preoccupied vampire mates and friends and headed out in Fress’s new ride a mammoth Dodge minivan that seated all the women comfortably.
Many of the women had discreet silver flasks of blood with them, which they passed around during the ride downtown. It was a beautiful brisk fall evening with a ¾ full moon reclining in the starry night sky, looking like a voluptuous woman reclining to receive the attentions of her lover.
Once inside the club the ladies were seated at a special reserved table-Lux and Orry were part owners of Fort Hunt’s most popular nightspot now. For the most part they were silent partners but their new entreprenural venture had its perks, and a table on reserve was one of them.
The appearance of so many lovely young women caused a stir in the club, and most of the women were asked to dance before they had a chance to sit down. Makenna and Fress remained at the table, having politely declined offers to get up on the floor so that they could catch up and order a round of ‘screaming orgasm’ shots for the table.
The music was as loud as could be expected at a night club, and Fress had to speak closely in Makenna’s ear to make sure that she was heard.
“How are things with Orry?”Fress asked.”Any updates?”
Makenna smiled her trademark wide open sunflower smile.
“It’s as good as ever, Fress. We’re looking for an apartment. How are you and Charley?”
Fress took an appletini from the waitress and handed one to Makenna. Both women sipped their drinks, giggled and rolled their eyes at the wonderful flavors.
“Perfect for fall!” Fress commented.”As for Charley, he still amazes me every day. For someone who was once so limited he’s surpassed even Lux intellectually. He’s taking college classes now-fast track program to get his undergraduate in 13 months. He tested out of most of the first, second and third year required classes.”
