Before the Moonrise Read online

  Before the Moonrise

  Dawn Gray

  Copyright 2012 Dawn Gray

  Kindle edition

  All rights reserved.

  Edited by Melissa Ringsted.

  People and situations in this book are part of the author’s imagination.

  Any resemblance to persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Vampires or Werewolves who take offense of this material have my deepest apologies.

  Other books by Dawn Gray

  S.P.I.R.I.T: Fire Storm

  Malevolent Gateway

  Raven

  The Vampire Legacy Series

  Our sweet remembrance of the Just

  Shall flourish though they sleep in dust,

  Shall ever be on our tongues

  And we shall stay forever young.

  Beatus es Immortalis

  Dawn Gray

  Her heart pounded in her chest, the echo of each beat howling in her ears. She struggled to catch her breath; the burning in her chest grew fiercer with each passing moment. She clutched her hands to her ears, trying to drown out the inner rushing sound, but it did nothing to stop the bombardment of noises. Her eyes became unfocused as objects warped around her and she prayed that it would all stop. She closed her eyes tightly, feeling the fatigue grow in her tense limbs. Why on earth could she not be normal?

  She struggled to breathe in deeper, and the lack of oxygen brought with it the threat of darkness. She fought to stay conscious … knowing that the only thing keeping her rooted was the oncoming night and the unknown dangers it held.

  She could feel the sun setting, the warmth seeping from her skin as the night chill moved gently over her. Every full moon seemed to fill her with dread, as if the darkness of the world was closing in around her. Goose bumps rose on her flesh, bringing an unnatural shiver to her bones, and with it the panic grew.

  Be calm, my love. The deep melody of a voice spoke to her, filling her mind with a warm chorus of words. She felt the tingle of the masculine sound all the way to the tips of her toes. All will be well, my darling, but you must breathe.

  Suddenly her lungs cooperated, she could draw in a deep breath, and the blackness began to fade from her mind. The burning eased in her chest as her heart slowed to a normal pace.

  Listen to me, beloved, feel my caress on your skin. His voice soothed her, taking the tension from her muscles and easing the pounding noise in her head. His soft words allowed her to open her eyes slowly. She swore she could make out the dark shadow that hovered above her bed, just beyond the lace of the canopy curtain. Unfortunately her body seemed too drained to move, to react. I am here, my flower, rest and be well. I will see you in your dreams.

  Casually, she drew in a final deep breath as her body relaxed, stretching out in the comfort of her large, queen-sized bed. Sleep took her worn out body, tired from the fight. It always followed with such swiftness that she was sure he was the one who brought her to that peace. There was no thought, just sleep and exquisite dreams.

  Chapter One

  With a deep breath, Lily Reynolds stepped off the plane and looked around the bustling terminal, her hazel eyes wide. She could not believe that she was standing in New Orleans, a place she had never been to, or that she was away from her family for the first time since her youngest was born four years ago. Lily turned as Kylie placed a hand on her friends shoulder. The dirty blonde woman was only six months younger than Lily, but together they acted like a couple of teenagers. Having known each other since their early teens, the two thirty-something women stepped out to catch a cab and embark on a completely new adventure.

  Family had always come first for both women; Lily had her hands full with three children and Kylie Evers had two of her own. However, when it was suggested by Lily’s parents that she take some much-needed time for herself, the women could think of nowhere else they would rather go than to New Orleans, Louisiana.

  Kylie was an amateur photographer and thought that the architecture and ambiance, which surrounded the most haunted city in America, would be the best place to take still pictures. She also knew that Lily would be able to incorporate what they saw in one of the many books that she wrote.

  With their suitcases in tow, the two women made their way down to the shuttle station. They waited only a few moments before being ushered onto the 10-passenger van and whisked away to their destination. Lily, having the luck of grabbing the front seat, watched the passing scenery in awe as they traveled down Interstate 10. They passed the Superdome on the right and Metairie Cemetery that seemed split by the highway. She couldn’t wait to explore, especially the interesting architecture of the local resting places of the city.

  Within a half an hour, the shuttle bus pulled up in front of a building in the middle of upper Chartres Street. Set just a short walk from the end of Canal Street, the Quarter House would have looked the same as every other building in the French Quarter. Long, wooden door-like windows framed the small outside part of this five-story complex. The only sign of a resort was the burgundy and navy awning that hung above the entrance, displaying the name.

  As Lily and Kylie stepped into the foyer of this immaculate building, they were enamored with a large chandelier that illuminated the room, bouncing light off the mirrored walls. Kylie moved to one of the cushioned leather chairs that sat against the mirrored wall. Lily was in awe over the large painting of a vase that seemed almost as big as Kylie, which was directly behind where she was sitting.

  After checking in, the two women made their way down the hall, towards the double doors that opened automatically as they approached. Glancing up, Lily noticed the second chandelier as they stepped through the doors and onto the patio.

  Kylie whistled, looking over the small pool and hot tub that took up a little over half of the patio. To the left of an open door sat the statue of a woman, pouring water into the lit pool.

  “This place is great!” Kylie exclaimed, laughing as she skipped down the hallway to another door. This one opened up to a smaller patio, and just to the left the girls found the door to their room.

  “This is us.” Lily smiled, looking up at the brown door ahead of her. “115. Now, let’s see if this key works.”

  It easily slid in and out, flashing a green light to let them know it was unlocked and they could step inside. Lily smiled at the brick wall that covered one side of the room, and the blue wallpaper that lined the other. Kylie whistled again as she stepped in and made her way to the room at the end.

  “Oh!” Kylie yelled. “This is going to be so cool!”

  Lily shook her head, dropping her bags in the hall and looking over at the coffee maker in the little kitchenette, in complete awe of the room.

  “Come on, Lily! You’re on vacation. A well-deserved vacation, I might add. The kids are safe with your mom and you have every right to relax.” She laughed as Lily sat down on the couch in an over exaggerated way.

  “Oh, Kylie,” Lily said in an exhausted voice, looking up at her friend with a wholehearted smile on her face. “I think I’m in love already.”

  Kylie burst out laughing as she ran into the bedroom to jump on the bed. Lily pulled out her cell phone and text messaged her mother, letting her know that they made it to the resort. Finally she closed her eyes, allowing herself to relax.

  A cool hand touched her cheek, trailing fingers down across her lips and towards her neck, but Lily couldn’t move against the heat she felt from the soft touch. Those fingers came to rest over the beat of her heart, pressing gently against the swell of her breast. Warm breath blew on her flesh, sending chills up her spine and desire pooling between her legs.

  Soft, full lips—silky and cool to the touch—grazed along the line where the finger had been, starti
ng at her breast and moving upwards. She could feel the body against her, pressing her into the couch cushions, letting her feel the distinctive male proportions of her fantasy. She could feel the warmth against her lips and waited for them to touch her. She wanted nothing more than to know what happened next, wanting to take the passion that she felt from her dream and move onto the next level. Unfortunately a hard hand rested on her shoulder and shook her, taking her from her dream back to reality.

  Lily sat up quickly and looked at Kylie’s brown eyes. Her friend smiled and shook her head. “Time to get up, sleepy, sunlight’s a wasting.”

  “What time is it?” Lily questioned, looking up at the dark windows.

  “I don’t know. Close to six, I think,” she replied, as she walked over and slipped on her shoes.

  “I can’t believe I fell asleep.” Lily sighed, shaking her head, but watched her ever so giddy friend’s face.

  “I said to relax, and I meant it, Lily. After your plane ride, if you didn’t crash, I would have been worried. What you need here and now is coffee, and what I need is hot chocolate and Creole men!”

  Lily laughed at her, stretching as she got off the couch. “Okay, Ms. New Orleans, where are we going to get that at six in the evening?”

  Kylie held her hair back with one hand as she adjusted the collar of her light jacket. “Café Du Monde, of course.”

  Lily stopped, looking at her questioningly.

  “You look so lost! Don’t you read the brochures?”

  “When did you start?” Lily smiled.

  “Good point!” Kylie pulled the door open as Lily followed her out. “Actually, I thought you might need caffeine. So I asked the receptionist, and she suggested that was the best place. Plus, we can get beignets.”

  “Ben who?”

  “Beignets. They’re like little fried dough things with powdered sugar. She said it was really good and we had to try it!”

  “Okay, okay. How do we get there?”

  “Out the door, take a left, all the way down past the church and take a right.” Kylie laughed as they stepped out the main door onto Chartres Street.

  Lily pulled her sunglasses down over her eyes and smiled. “God, you mean I have to walk in the shadow of a church?”

  Kylie stopped at the corner and gently slapped her on the arm. “Oh, a little vampirism isn’t going to stop you from enjoying yourself, is it?”

  Lily smiled as they waited for several cars to pass, but noticed Kylie’s comment caught the attention of a young man who leaned against the wall. His eyes were hidden by his sunglasses, but the sly grin on his face let her know that he had heard … and found it amusing. Lily’s smile widened in his direction, and the curve of his lips broadened. She noticed that his black hair was spiked, but otherwise short. The longer she studied him, the more the desire that filled her earlier dreams began to grow in her belly. Slowly, as if feeling her want, he became flush and the smile gradually faded. Kylie tugged on her hand, ending the intense gaze she seemed to be locked in with the stranger.

  

  “See anything interesting?” Kylie inquired as they sat at the small, marble-topped table with two steaming cups of hot chocolate in front of them. Lily, who had been looking out at the traffic and beautiful Jackson Square, turned quickly to her friend.

  “Actually, I have, but I’m probably never going to see that interesting thing again. So I will have to move on.” Her eyes trailed back to the wrought iron fence that surrounded the scenic garden; her thoughts fading back to the young man they had passed in their travels. “So far, all I’m interested in is seeing his eyes.”

  “Oh my God! Did you spot a man already?” Kylie laughed, trying not to puff out the powdered sugar that coated her mouth as she took another bite of the covered beignet. Lily smiled. “Who? When? Give me details!”

  “At the corner of our street,” she replied, looking at the reddish building beside them. Its balcony displayed a wide variety of flowers in many colors, while the first floor housed many different people in various states of eating. “Do you remember when we stopped after leaving the hotel?”

  “Oh, the guy with the black hair? The hottie with the sunglasses?” Kylie clapped her hands. “He had a cute smile! We’re here for two weeks, so you’re bound to see him again.”

  “Well, what are our plans?” Lily questioned, turning in her seat to take a sip of the hot chocolate.

  “I’m not really up for partying tonight, maybe we should catch a late dinner and crash at the hotel. I think the pool sign said ten.” She shrugged and wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Or, we could take a stroll on the river walk. I’m sure the Mighty Mississippi is just beautiful at night.”

  “That sounds wonderful, let’s do that.”

  Kylie watched as Lily grew quiet once again, staring out across the darkening streets and observing all the people that were walking or driving by. It had been several years since Lily’s divorce from her ex-husband, and the first time she had vacationed without her children. Kylie had promised that she would make it memorable for her friend, even if it meant introducing her to a couple of guys on the club scene.

  Lily briefly closed her eyes, trying to shake off the feeling of being watched, but returned to surveying the surrounding area. New places terrified her—new states and cities scared the living daylights out of her—but for some reason, the thought of not being there scared her more. She loved Kylie to death, and was grateful that her longtime friend was able to come with her last minute, but she wasn’t sure she was up for the excitement that Kylie had in mind. If Lily met someone while in Louisiana that would be great, but the going home and leaving them behind seemed to be already tearing her apart.

  Almost numb, Lily stood and followed Kylie up from the outdoor café to the ramp. She was back to thinking about that man, and shook up that she couldn’t seem to get him out of her head. She had seen several other good-looking men, just within the last hour that would, have tickled her fancy … but for some reason that one seemed to stick with her. At the top of the ramp, Lily stood and looked over Decatur Street to Jackson Square, which was absolutely stunning in the dark. All the street lamps were lit up, giving it a haunted feel. Just behind the fenced in garden, Saint Louis Cathedral loomed above, lit from all different directions as if a beacon to those who traveled by.

  She turned, seeing Kylie climb up on the platform that held an old cannon aimed out at the river, and smiled. “This place is just absolutely amazing, and we haven’t even seen the rest of it yet.”

  “Yeah, I can’t wait! Look, just over there, that’s the river.” She pointed behind her, toward the darkened sky and murky water of the Mississippi River. “Come on, let’s go check it out.”

  As the two women moved down the back stairs of the ramp, Lily felt the eyes on her once again. She glanced up at the opposite staircase, to find a person standing there, looking down at them. She cocked her head, trying to get a better view. Even though she couldn’t see them, she knew one thing for sure … whoever it was, they were dangerous and not someone she wanted to see again. Once away from the overlook and the figure, Lily’s nerves began to settle. As she looked out over the picturesque New Orleans skyline, her heart once again began to beat normally.

  The wind blew lightly, making Lily pull her jacket tighter around her. Kylie laughed, knowing that her friend was always cold.

  “This is so great,” Kylie whispered, watching the clouds move above them. Lily cocked her head to the side, looking at her. “I’m so glad to be here.”

  “Me, too. This is just what I needed! I can even feel my writer’s block breaking down.” She looked ahead, just in time to see a dark blur running towards her. Instantly she froze, unable to move out of the way. Luckily, a gentle hand grasped her by the upper arm and pulled her back towards the benches, just as the blissfully unaware jogger went flying by.

  “Careful,” a deep male voice whispered to her, humming in her ear. She could feel the warmth of his breath again
st her skin.

  Lily forced herself to look up, and found herself caught by the silver glow of beautiful blue eyes. With a quick smile, the man released her arm and turned away from her. She watched as he flipped up his collar against the wind, pulled his coat snuggly around him, and moved into the night. Kylie took her hand, bringing the hum down to a slight vibration in her head as she turned to look at her friend.

  “That guy almost knocked you over,” she snapped, obviously irritated. It dawned on Lily that Kylie hadn’t seen the man with the blue eyes, or realized that he pulled her out of the way. “The nerve! I mean, come on, I’m sure he knew people would be walking here at night.”

  “Yeah,” Lily muttered, turning her attention back in the direction of her savior. On the breeze, she caught a faint smell of his cologne, immediately knowing in the depths of her being it had to be his. In an instant, Lily also knew that he was the one from the corner. He made her feel the same desire, and now she had seen his eyes. “Um, can we go back to the hotel? I’m not feeling very well.”

  “Sure.” Kylie pulled her in the direction they had been traveling before. Soon Lily found herself standing in the lobby, unsure of how they had reached their destination or how long it had taken. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to grab something to eat and bring it back to the room.”

  “Not a problem.” She smiled, half-heartedly. “I’m going to take a bath and go to bed; maybe I’m more jetlagged than I thought.”

  “Okay, just take it easy.” Kylie turned, walking slowly out the door.

  

  Lily turned on the faucet in the bathtub, pressing down on the stopper as she did so. She moved into her adjoining room, grabbing the silky pajama pants and camisole that lay across the bed. Slowly, she moved back into the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. As Lily began to pin her long, dark hair up, she again felt the eyes on her. Shaking, she looked around the room, knowing that no one was watching.