The Stroke of Midnight: A Supernatural New Year's Anthology
Page 7
"Dez," I ask in a panic, "what's going on?"
Another chime. Dez rolls off of me and drops into her pillow, face down, sobbing. The sobs quickly morph into the maniacal laughter of an insane person.
"I knew it!" she yells. "I fucking knew it!"
"Okay! You knew it!" Another chime. Where is that noise coming from? "Care to clue me in?"
Deziree turns over and sits up, the sheet pulled up to cover her body. She stops laughing, wipes the tears from her eyes, and turns to me.
"Tell me," I plead. "What exactly did you know?"
She smiles and says, "Never trust something if you think it might be too good to be true. It probably is." She rests her hand on my cheek. "Even I was fooled. It all seemed so real."
"No," I whisper to her, the truth plain as day.
Another chime.
"You're not real. Or, at least, you're not really here. I remember everything now, all of it. Right now, I'm actually asleep in some small town on the outskirts of Phoenix. I fell asleep thinking about you. I miss you."
Another chime, and it feels like my heart is breaking in my chest. I wipe at the tears streaming down her cheeks. I wanted to believe this wasn't a dream. Instead, it was just another nightmare. A cruel fabrication of my own subconscious.
Another chime, and this time it seems louder somehow.
"Dez-"
"Shh, I have a feeling we don't have much time left."
Another chime, louder still.
"I want you to know something. I love you, and we will see each other again soon, I promise."
I pull her face to mine, and before she can utter another word, I crush my lips to hers, not wanting to let go.
And then I snap awake, gasping for breath. I quickly reach beside me and turn on the bedside lamp. I glance around, trying to make sense of what just happened. I am alone in my room, just as I had been when I laid down.
The twelfth and final chime sounds from the antique grandfather clock in the hall outside my bedroom door, letting me know it is midnight.
Happy fucking New Year, indeed.
Eternal Beginnings
A Hunger Mate Novella
Brandy Dorsch
Chapter One
Lorenzo Garcia shook the snow off his clothes and stomped his boots on the rug before moving into the interior of the hottest nightclub in the Twin Cities, Everlasting. Of all the places that he has lived and worked during his tenure as an immortal, this place feels the most like home. Striding across the bar floor, he heads toward the employee lounge area with the intent on finding Ellie Dawson in order to discuss the security for the upcoming New Year's Eve Party.
As he raises his hand to open the door, it pushes back and smacks him in the face.
"Damn it all to hell! That fucking hurt!"
"Oh my God. I am so sorry, sir! I didn't know anyone was there."
Stunned at the beautiful voice that was talking to him, Lorenzo glances down into emerald green eyes that hypnotize him. Never in all of his years had desire hit him so quickly and completely.
"If you are done drooling over Maggie, Lorenzo; why don't you come in here so we can take a look at the gash on your forehead?" He knows that Ellie won't let him forget this moment any time soon.
"I'm good, Ellie. You know I will be okay in a few moments." Glancing down at the petite red head standing in front of him, Lorenzo knows that this is going to be an introduction that will change his life.
"Lorenzo, this is Maggie Wilson. Maggie this is Lorenzo Garcia, head of security here at the club and at Lochlan Medical. Maggie was interviewing for a position with us."
"Nice to meet you, Ms. Wilson. Ellie, when you're done can you meet me in my office so we can go over the party plans?"
"Of course. I'll join you shortly. I want to take Maggie on a tour and show her out."
Nodding curtly to the two women, Lorenzo turns and heads toward the safety of his office. There have been many women over the years but something about Maggie Wilson boarded on the verge of extraordinary. An elusive shimmer right below the surface that Lorenzo hadn't seen in more years than he could count; Maggie Wilson had a secret.
***
Maggie takes a deep breath and exhales at the rush of desire that has been surging through her body since she laid eyes on the tall sexy man that she just beat with a door.
"Stunning, isn't he?"
Turning to look at Ellie, Maggie clears her throat before she answers. "Do all the men you know look like that?"
Ellie laughs at the tone of her voice, "It seems like it. I don't think I have ever seen such exquisite men in all my life till I started hanging out here. Now let's go take the tour before you walk into any more guys and get tongue-tied."
Maggie follows Ellie around the club and can't help the feeling that Lorenzo Garcia is someone she wasn't expecting.
Chapter Two
Ellie leans on the doorframe and watches Lorenzo has he works through the different piles of paperwork on his desk. "Are you going to come in, or do you need an invitation?"
Ellie smiles at the gruff tone and strides in, sitting down on one of the overstuffed chairs in front of the antique desk.
"Do you have the final guest list for the New Year's Eve party, Ellie?"
"Yes, Ian is looking over it to make sure we didn't miss anyone that would be offended if they weren't included. I am so excited about this party! This is my first full year as a vampire and I want to celebrate!"
Smiling at the infectious personality of this woman, Lorenzo can't help but wonder when he became disillusioned with simple things like ringing in the New Year. Shuffling the papers to the side, he sits back and gets serious. "Ellie, what kind of a position did you offer Ms. Wilson?"
"Lorenzo, are you interested in Maggie?"
"No, Ellie. I am interested in the club. What kind of position did you give her?"
"She wants to be a bartender. I thought we could have her work with staff on some training and she could do the rounds as a drink till she is certified."
Lorenzo frowns, "How do you know her?"
"What's with the third degree? Is something wrong with me hiring someone?"
"No, but I do need to know how you met her."
"I met her at Mall of America. She helped me find some outfits for the boys. She just finished up her degree and I told her if she needed anything to contact me. She has a lot of student loans, like Natalie and Mackenzie, and I thought she would be a good fit. She is also going to be splitting the assistant position with Natalie to help me out at the hospital. What's going on, Lorenzo?"
Sighing deeply, Lorenzo debates on how much to tell her. "Ellie, we need to talk to Ian and Jasper. Let me get them down here and we will go over everything. There are some things that you don't know yet and I want to talk to them first."
"Okay. I will by that for now but you are going to have to clue me in. I am going to run down to the kitchen for a snack and I will grab the rest of the party plans. You call the boys and I'll be back up in thirty minutes, got it?"
"Got it, Ellie. I promise that I will tell you as much as I can." He watches as she gets up and stalks out of the office. Picking up the phone he dials Jasper. When he picks up, Lorenzo says the phrase he never thought he would get to utter, "The Seer has arrived."
***
Jasper stares in disbelief at the telephone in his hand, not sure if he heard the phrase that Lorenzo has just spoken. "Are you serious, man?
"Yes, Jasper. I need you to get Ian and come down to my office. Ellie is involved."
Jasper hangs up and presses the speed dial. Before Ian can utter a word, Jasper tersely growls, "Get to Lorenzo's office now." He shoves the phone into the back pocket of his jeans and heads down to the offices on the lower level of the club.
Racing down the steps at vampire speed, he arrives at the same time as Ian.
"What's going on, Jasper?"
"Let's just go in and talk to Lorenzo because I don't have all the facts, Ian."
&
nbsp; Strolling into the office, both men are startled to see their normally calm security officer pacing around the floor.
Lorenzo looks at his bosses and motions for them to sit down.
"I can only tell you what I know and that is the fact that the Seer has arrived."
Ian glances at Jasper before addressing Lorenzo, "When did you discover this and who is it?"
"Ironically enough I just discovered it when I ran into the new bartender/drink that Ellie hired."
Ian stands and walks toward the bar in the corner. Pouring each man a two finger glass of scotch, he turns and hands them to his friends. "This is not something that I was expecting at this time but we knew it was always a possibility. Do you have the prophecy?"
Lorenzo tosses back the drink and heads to his desk. Pulling up the file he knows by heart, he opens it and reads aloud,
"When the time has come for the blood to rise; Darkness will befall the clans of old.
An innocent born of evil intent will bring together one and all.
Flames of red and gold bound together with emerald souls; destiny will save the one with the most to gain."
"I always thought there was more to the prophecy than that," Jasper says.
"Well, it had a stronger message the first time we saw it in a vision with that witch. Things like that stick with you when it's on the battlefield," Lorenzo comments sarcastically.
Heading to the bar for another shot, Jasper asks, "What makes you think the Seer is here? I am assuming you're talking about Maggie, right?"
"Yeah. I came in looking for Ellie in order to go over the plans for the party. I wasn't paying attention and I was hit with a door. That's when I noticed the shimmer. It glows under her skin. Throw in the red hair and green eyes you can get lost in and I was pretty sure I was looking at the Seer."
Ian walks toward Lorenzo and leans a hip on his desk. "I am stunned, my friend. I know you have been waiting for this day for a very long time. What do you need us to do?"
Dropping his head into his hands he sighs deeply. "I need a miracle. She is human and I have no idea how much she knows about our kind, her own kind or the prophecy in general. I have a feeling she is an innocent and I don't know where to start."
Smiling at the man who has been their protector and friend, Jasper answers, "Have her fall in love with you. She is going to be attracted to you, so that is half the battle."
"I can only hope it's that easy, Jasper."
***
Pausing outside of the door, Ellie listens to the men in the office beyond talking quietly.
Seer? What's that, Jasper?
Come on in, love. We will tell you what we can.
Moving into Lorenzo's office, Ellie moves toward the couch and sits down. Glancing between the three men in the room, she waits for one of them to speak.
Ian swallows his glass of scotch and begins, "A few hundred years ago, the three of us were fighting a minor battle on the outskirts of a town in Massachusetts. Near the end of the battle, Jasper notices a woman standing on the edge of the field. She was exquisite and delicate in a way we hadn't seen in a long time. She seemed almost frail. The three of us moved toward her to see if she was in need of help when a powerful wave of energy hit us, stunning us into place. A cloud opens up above us and a vision appears."
"Wait a minute, Ian. You're telling me the three of you had a vision?"
"Seriously, Ellie? You're a vampire and you question a vision?" Ian laughs at the expression on her face. "There are a lot of mythical things surrounding you that you may be unaware of at this point in your young life. Give it time, and you will learn more than you ever imagined."
Growling at the audacity of the man sitting across from her, Ellie replies sharply, "You don't have to talk down to me. I simply asked a question so I could understand what all the fuss is about regarding Maggie."
Simmer down, my love. Ian meant no harm and you know it. He would never treat you like that. This just has all of us a little on edge. This is something new and we aren't sure what to expect. Let him finish the story.
Okay, Jasper but if he talks to me like that again, I am going to bite him.
Lorenzo looks up at the sudden laugh from Jasper. "Can we continue?"
"Of course. Go ahead, Ian."
Ian stands and moves toward the bar to refill his drink. With a glance over his shoulder, he lifts a brow in inquiry to Ellie.
"Same as you, Ian. I have a feeling I am going to need a couple of drinks for this story to make sense."
Carrying the drink toward her, he continues the story. "So, the three of us are being held captive but this woman and this vision starts to play out in front of us. It showed a man covered in blood down on his knees surrounded by bodies. We never could see him clearly but it looked like he was on a battlefield. A woman with red hair comes toward him and wraps her arms around him. Suddenly the darkness disappears and we are blinded by the pure white light coming from the couple in the vision. The witch keeps repeating words to us but we are so stunned it doesn't sink in that she is telling us a prophecy. It took a long time for us to figure out what it all meant. Lorenzo read the prophecy to Ellie and then we can continue."
Lorenzo brings the prophecy back up and repeats the words to Ellie. When he is finished he sits back and laces his fingers behind his head and waits for Ian to continue.
Ellie looks confused but remains silent.
"When the vision was over, we were released and we looked for the witch but she was gone. The only thing she left behind was a piece of parchment with the words written on it. Over the next two hundred years we searched for answers. We figured that it had to be important if she chose to share it with us on a battlefield."
Ellie interrupts, "I get that it is important but to whom or what does the vision pertain to?"
Lorenzo stands up and moves around to the front of the desk. "Me, Ellie. There is a lot you don't know about me. The basics are that I am a lot older than anyone you have met. The vision is a sign of the darkness that is coming to engulf our family. What we were able to figure out is that a Seer will be born from something evil so we figured it might be a child born from rape or abuse. The Seer is my Hunger Mate and the two of us will be able to conquer the evil we are facing.
"What evil, Lorenzo? I feel like I am seriously missing a huge chunk of the story here."
Jasper reaches for her hand and pulls her against his side. Wrapping his arms around her, he says quietly, "Gorgeous, we have known for a while now that someone is plotting against us in a move to take over the Mid-West. We can't be sure who it is at this point but we know that it is happening. The pieces of the prophecy are starting to fall into place. From what I can gather your friend Maggie is the Seer."
Ellie looks sharply to Lorenzo. "How in the world did you come to that conclusion in the thirty seconds you met her earlier?"
"She shimmers, Ellie. There is a glow that runs under her skin that is the mark of a Seer. They are extremely rare so if you have seen one before, you know what you are looking for. I have met two in my lifetime. Also, her blood calls to me which makes me think that she is my Mate. How much does she know about our kind, Ellie?"
"She seems knowledgeable. She knows about drinks, obviously; since she is going to be one and she doesn't seem to have any adverse thoughts or opinions on vampires."
"Good. That will make this a little easier."
"Make what easier?" Ellie asks curiously.
"Making her fall in love with me."
Chapter Three
Pulling into the employee parking lot for the first time, Maggie can't help but feel the nervous excitement that always kicks in at the beginning of a new job. This is one of those jobs that she had wanted for a long time but wasn't sure how to get her foot in the door. She would always be grateful to Ellie for giving her the opportunity to change her world.
Opening the door and climbing out of the ten year old Honda Civic that she had saved to buy in college, she takes a deep breath and
heads to the employee entrance at the back of the club. Punching in the code that Ellie had given her, she pushes open the door and stumbles back as she hits something.
"Damn it all to hell and back! Why the fuck do I keep getting hit with doors?"
Cringing at the angry tone, Maggie is stunned to realize she has hit Lorenzo with the door again.
Could my luck get any worse than this?
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Garcia. I didn't see you as I was coming in. Can I help you sit down or get a bandage for you?"
Lorenzo drops his hand from his forehead and looks at the woman he has been unable to get out of his mind. After telling Ellie about the prophecy, she had wanted to get out for a bit and do some shopping for the party. Lorenzo just wanted to see Maggie again.
Could my luck get any better?
"No thank you, Ms. Wilson. I will be okay in a few moments. It's your first day on the job, right?"
"Yes, Sir. Ellie wanted me to come in and work with a young woman name Mackenzie. She said she was one of the best to train with.
"She has been with us for a while and she is good to work with. Come on and I will take you to the employee lounge so you can change while you wait for her. Ellie went over the security codes for the doors, VIP lounges and dress codes, right?"
"Yes, she did. She said that you may want to discuss security with me at some point since I will be training as a bartender."
Heading back into the club, Lorenzo slows his stride to match Maggie's. "Yes, Ms. Wilson. There is a different protocol for bartenders since you have a vantage point that the drinks don't have. Ellie said you would be working as a drink as well. Is that something you have done before?"
Pushing open the employee lounge door, Maggie walks past Lorenzo. "I have been to the club before so I know what is involved in being a drink. That's why I agreed to work the floor."
Stopping at the entrance to the lounge, Lorenzo looks down at her. "When you have changed and clocked in, come down to my office and I will go over some things before you hit the floor with Mackenzie, okay?"