by R K Close
Bethany spun on me. “Is she telling the truth? Is this your girlfriend?” she demanded.
I looked at Olivia who had crossed her arms over her chest and was challenging me with her stare. “I guess so,” I said, never looking away from Olivia’s gaze.
Bethany huffed and grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair. “Let’s go, Susan. These guys are creeps.” Both girls turned and marched out of the bar.
“You’re welcome,” Olivia said, picking up one of the beers the girls had left and taking a long swig.
“For what? How do you know we didn’t like those girls? We were just about to go to their apartment,” Cole said, sounding indignant.
Olivia sat down in a chair next to me and put her boots up on the table, inviting herself to join us. “No, you weren’t. Neither one of you liked those girls, and you have a crush on that one,” Olivia said, pointing her beer toward the bar.
We followed her gaze, and there was Zoey, tying on a black apron to start her shift. She glanced up at us with a curious look on her face. Maybe because Olivia was with us.
Zoey smiled weakly and waved. Cole smiled and waved back. And Olivia raised her bottle to her in greeting. Cole turned back to Olivia.
“What do you know about it?” he grumbled.
“I’m good at reading people. Are you going to lie and say you don’t?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.
“Mind your own business,” Cole said, taking his beer and stalking to the bar.
“He really doesn’t like me, does he?” Olivia said, watching Cole walk away.
“He’s a little testy where Zoey’s concerned,” I offered, studying her features while she wasn’t looking.
She turned to me. “What about you? Do you like me?”
There was a challenge there, but I wasn’t sure what she wanted me to say. “I don’t know. I don’t really know you, do I?” I asked. I did like her, in spite of myself. There was something compelling about Olivia, and I didn’t think it had anything to do with her being a vampire.
“No, you don’t,” she said.
“Why did you help us find Lorenzo, really?”
An angry expression crossed her face, but she smoothed it away quickly. “Lorenzo was a piece of shit and deserved to die the final death. He was despicable in life and in death,” she said, staring off as if lost in memories.
“Does that mean that all vampires are evil, just some more evil than others?” I asked and knew immediately that I’d struck a chord.
She glared at me before breaking eye contact. A few moments passed. “He’s dead, you know. Victor said there was no way to survive a bite from one of your kind.”
“Good to know. What about my question?” I pressed.
She tossed back the last of her borrowed beer and stood up. She wore a loose white blouse under a navy pea coat, with jeans and cowboy boots. This was a slightly more polished, yet eclectic style in comparison to the college casual I’d seen her wear. She looked older, somehow, and I wondered how long she’d been a vampire and what her actual age was.
She looked down at me, and I couldn’t help thinking how beautiful and normal she seemed. Only the specs of iridescent color in her light brown eyes hinted at something other. “You’ll have to figure that out on your own,” she said, and it was almost a whisper. Then, she walked toward the doors, stopped, and turned back around.
“I almost forgot to tell you why I came.” I leaned forward, intent on what she had to say but distracted by her glossy pink lips. “Victor knows something about you and your brothers.”
My body tensed. “What does he know?” I asked slowly, trying to control the emotions her words brought.
She shrugged. “I don’t know what it is. I just overheard him saying something to Elizabeth about it. They clammed up when I walked into the room.” She seemed to take notice of my reaction. “I’ll let you know if I learn what it is.”
“Thank you,” I said, watching her. She smiled a small smile, and it seemed out of character for her tough image. She turned and walked to the door, but looked back one last time. Then she was gone.
A million thoughts ran through my mind. Our birth mother came rushing into my thoughts, almost like a forbidden ghost I’d banned a long time ago.
I’d spent a couple years hunting down any clue I could find about her, about our past. I’d paid for every internet service I could find to search for information about her, but I always came up empty. I’d even hired a detective who spent over a year searching but hit a dead end.
I finally gave up. She really was a ghost and Liam, Cole, and I were her forgotten inheritance. Now, Olivia may have information I’d have no way of learning.
Fate was a fickle mistress.
Liam and Cole would not like learning that the vampires could hold the key to our past. We’d been asking ourselves why so long, we finally stopped talking about it.
But it was always there, like an itch that would never go away.
The truth was the only remedy.
THE END
Author Note
At the time of publication, I was attending an author conference in Las Vegas. For an introvert, a conference of any scale can be challenging, but, I was proud that I didn’t hide in my hotel room, ordering room service. Okay, I ordered in one night.
I had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with many wonderful authors in various stages of the writing journey. This particular conference was for Indie authors.
After several years, I finally had the pleasure of meeting Lucy, a longtime internet friend, and a couple other acquaintances (Monique and Tracy) from one of my favorite online author groups. Somehow, the three lovely authors that I teamed up with were all from Australia. They made the conference fun and bearable. If these three are any reflection, Aussies are fun-loving, warm-hearted, and have a great sense of humor. They kept me laughing all week.
Spark is the fifth release for me and I’m incredibly grateful to still be on this incredible journey. Like many of you, life has been busy. Between losing my mind to meet the deadlines for this book, oldest daughter moving out, our son graduating high school and starting college, the demands of high school for our youngest who doesn’t drive herself yet (did I say author—I meant taxi driver, maid, cook, and launderer), husband ready for retirement, aging parents moving across the country, book deadlines, the holidays sneaking up on me, and a house full of needy pets, I’m ready for a vacation. Unfortunately, I don’t have any exciting new trips to tell you about. Maybe by the next book. *wink, wink*
Until the next story and update, happy book adventures.
R.K. Close
About the Author
RK Close writes clean paranormal-romance & urban-fantasy with a hint of darkness and a dash of humor. She enjoys creating characters for her readers to fall in love with, and sometimes, even the monsters.
RK credits the author, Ann Rice, for her vampire addiction, which started in her early twenties. Like so many others, she fell in love with Rice’s vampires first.
Originally from Kentucky, she has lived most of her life in southern Arizona, where she met and married her true love. They have three awesome kids whom they love and have the scars to prove it.
When not writing, RK spends her time managing a busy family, trying to stay healthy, dreaming up new stories when she’s not supposed to, or spending time with family and friends. Other interests are; painting, reading and traveling to just about anywhere.
This author loves to connect with readers on a personal level. Reach out. She doesn’t bite but her books might.
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More Books by This Author
VAMPIRE FILES TRILOGY
Red Night
Red Moon
Red Dream
Red Dawn~ Prequel, coming soon
BURNING MOON SERIES
Spark
Ignite ~ coming 2019
Blaze ~ coming 2019
Ashes ~ Prequel Novella
Acknowledgments
There are so many people in my life that support me in my author journey. I like to mention a few in each book, but there are so many more. I’d like to thank God for my salvation and life itself. A big thank you to the man behind this woman, my husband Greg, who loves me for who I am, cheers me on and who encourages me to work toward my dreams. My children have supported and tolerated my writing efforts at the expense of meals and sometimes clean clothing. I could not and would not do this without their love and support—they are my first joy.
My parents have always been my cheerleaders and I’m eternally grateful that God chose to bless me with their unwavering love and guidance in my life.
Of course, I’d like to mention my copy editor, Toni Rakestraw for her encouragement and for making me look good on paper. And for all the many authors who’ve helped teach and inspire me along my journey—I salute you because I know how hard you work for the words and the readers. The Indie Author community is incredibly generous and nurturing. And my greatest thank you goes to you, the reader. Without you, it’s only words on a page.
Dedication
Aunt Marilyn Sue
Love you.
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Copyright
SPARK ~ Burning Moon Series
Copyright © 2018 by R.K. Close
All rights reserved.
RK CLOSE BOOKS
Vail, AZ. 85747
www.RKCloseBooks.com
Formatting: RK Close Books
Cover Design: Sanga Gombar, Gombar Cover Designs
ISBN- 10-9780996700535
ISBN-
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors or publisher’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.