by RK Close
Sincerely,
Robert Chavez, Attorney at Law
Chavez Law, Inc.
Excellent! Just what I needed. It’s dated two days ago. I fire off a quick reply to Mr. Chavez and close my computer. My phone rings in my bag and I dig it out. It’s Mr. Chavez, himself. That was quick.
“This is Samantha Chase. Hello, Mr. Chavez. I sent you an email,” I say, pulling out a notepad, and pen.
“Ms. Chase. I received your email, and wanted to contact you immediately. I’m pleased you are willing to take the case. How soon can we meet?” he says, getting right to the point.
“Will Monday morning work? I can come to your office. I will need to meet with the family as well. Will they be joining us?”
“Yes, I’m sure they will clear their schedule for this. They are most anxious to have someone working on their daughter’s case. Shall we meet at nine?”
“That works for me. Will you be sending me an electronic file with everything you already have?”
“I’ve already sent it. Thank you. I look forward to seeing you on Monday, Ms. Chase.” The line goes silent.
That was interesting. I’ve only worked a couple missing person cases, and both turned up quickly, and unharmed. Two weeks is a long time. Why they’ve waited to contact me, I can only wonder.
***
Sitting on my sofa watching the local news, I’m barely paying attention as a news reporter describes a rare and vicious animal attack in a Mesa neighborhood. Authorities believe that a bear or mountain lion may have wandered down from a nearby mountain range in search of water or food. Autopsy should confirm the type of animal involved, but the Arizona Game and Fish Department is actively searching for a large animal in the general area. The victim was male, in his early thirties. His name is being withheld until the closest relative can be contacted.
How horrible to be mauled to death by a wild animal. We rarely hear about actual attacks in Phoenix. There are occasional reports of a mountain lion being spotted in the lower desert, but they are extremely rare. I switch off the TV and walk into my bedroom to search for the novel I haven’t finished. Walking back to the living room I almost jump out of my skin when I find Adam standing at my patio doors.
“Would you stop doing that? You’re going to give me a heart attack before I reach thirty. And you need to start using the front door. This popping in anytime you want can’t continue. Especially if you’re going to be living in the building.” I cross my arms over my chest and try to give him a firm look.
“Some habits die hard. I’ll try to remember to use the door. Did you see the news this evening?” he asks, crossing his own arms and leaning against my wall.
He looks like a naughty dream come to life, in loose-fitting jeans and a snug white t-shirt. It’s hard to stay mad at him, but he needs some boundaries.
“Yes, the animal attack. Pretty awful. Why?” I ask, sitting down on the sofa.
“It wasn’t an animal attack. I’m sure you realize there are other things that go bump in the night besides me,” he says, with a suggestive gleam in his eyes.
Oh, that was such a loaded innuendo, I’m not gracing it with a response.
“I didn’t know vampires maul their prey. It wasn’t anyone you know, right?”
“Vampires don’t unless they’re deranged. I’m confidant it’s a Lycan.” I give him a confused look. “You call them werewolves.”
See, there he goes messing up my neat little world where one horrible situation that is easily explainable is now on the supernatural radar of weird happenings in my city.
“What does this mean?” I ask, a little worried.
And how do I go back to normal with my head in the sand, knowing what I know now?
“And what can we do?” I ask.
“What can we do? You don’t need to do anything. Jacob and I will handle this. Most likely it’s a rogue or new werewolf. Worst case, it’s a turf war. Most of the time the Lycan population police their own and stay under the radar. If they can’t handle their own problems, then we’ll handle it for them.”
“I can’t sit back and ignore a murder when the authorities believe it’s an animal attack.” He looks at me like I sprouted two heads.
“Yes, you can. I only mentioned it so you would be aware of the possible danger, not so you could become a vigilante after one incredibly lucky vampire kill,” he says, moving away from the wall and clenching his fists at his sides.
I don’t remember getting up, but I’m on my feet as well with my hands on my hips. We glare at one another.
“I’m not a child, and I don’t think I was lucky when I killed Zac. I was like ice. You weren’t there. You didn’t see.” I throw out the words, and see the moment they register.
It occurs to me too late that I threw it in his face that he wasn’t there to protect me. I didn’t mean to say it like that. That wasn’t my point, but it hangs heavy in the air all the same.
His face is full of shadows, and I know he’s retreated back inside his hard shell where nothing reaches him.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to…it’s that…I can’t explain what happened with Zac. It wasn’t your fault, and I don’t blame you,” I say, feeling like a jerk.
“I promised to protect you, and I wasn’t there in the end. I don’t plan to let that happen again.” He turns toward the patio doors and I jump up.
“Don’t!” I say, a little desperate. He stops with a hand on the jamb of the door. I walk over to him quickly so that he doesn’t disappear on me. He still hasn’t turned around when I place a tentative hand on his broad back.
“Please don’t go. I need to know what’s going on with…us.”
He does turn then, and we are so close. I don’t back away as I look up at him. His eyes are so intent as they search my face. He’s looking for answers to questions I don’t understand.
“Is there an…us? Do you want me, Samantha? I’ve been right here, but I won’t stand in line,” he says, placing both hands on the sides of my face.
And then he kisses me as passionately and savagely as I’ve ever been kissed. His touch has a desperation all its own. This single act seems to say volumes of words he hasn’t said out loud. It frightens and thrills me to be the focus of his desire. My body is a roaring flame in this moment. I may ignite the entire room, if not the city.
But before I can even respond he’s gone, and all I have left is a breeze ruffling my hair and an empty apartment.
I have so many thoughts racing through my mind. My life is heading in a direction that I could never have imagined a few weeks ago. I raise my fingers to my bruised lips that already feel swollen.
Who am I? What am I? And where do I want to go from here?
I already know that I’m going to take Dayna’s advice and leave the door open, find out where this could go with Adam. I know how I felt when I thought he was dead. It felt like a piece of me died with him.
I want to know if he’s part of my future, and what that will look like in this new world I’ve discovered.
The End…
Or The Beginning…
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Acknowledgments
With respect, I would like to express my gratitude to the following:
Leila Adams for her constant friendship and support. Russell and Fay (my parents) for their love and ent
husiasm. Shane and Troy (my brothers) for believing in me from the first chapter. Limitless Publishing for taking a chance on a new writer and giving me the opportunity to share my stories with the world.
Honorable Mention
A village full of fellow authors and readers for their support and friendship; Juliet Lyons (author of Dating the Undead), Michelle Hayes (author of Invoke), Lynnette Santiago (author of A Court for Fairies), Bella Higgin, Elicia Hyder (author of The Soul Summoner series), Angela Merlo, Tammy Oja, May Freighter, C.J. Laurence (author of Want and Need), Laurie Brunette (Reader Extraordinaire), and so many more. Initial feedback and editing; Ed Hackett. Wattpad.com for their incredible writing and reading platform that launches dreams. Last but never least, my readers. Without you, it’s only letters on a page.
About the Author
Hello! I’m RK Close, author of the ‘Vampire Files Trilogy’. ‘Red Night’ is the first book in the series. I write paranormal-romance & urban-fantasy with a hint of darkness and a dash of humor. Creating characters that my readers will fear, fall in love with, despise or cheer for, is what I love most about writing.
Ann Rice gets all the credit for my vampire addiction which started in my early twenties. Like so many others, I fell in love with her vampires first.
Originally from Kentucky, I’ve lived most of my life in Arizona where I met and married my true love. We were late to the game so we knocked out three ankle-biters in quick succession. We often joke that parenthood saved us from ourselves. Now we need to be saved from parenthood. *just kidding* We love our darling spawn.
When I’m not writing, I’m taking care of a busy family, dragging my butt to CrossFit, thinking about my stories or spending time with family and friends. My dream is to sell enough books to hire someone to clean our house and cook our meals. Okay, maybe that’s my family’s dream. I tend to get a little obsessed when I write.
Truthfully, I would love the opportunity to pull you into my world of strong independent females, mysterious vampires, noble hunters, hungry werewolves and seductive yet deadly fae. If you like paranormal-romance in a modern-urban setting with plenty of romantic tension, mystery and suspense, then my novels were written for you.
~RK Close
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