Moonshade (Vampire Conclave: Book 1)

by S. J. West

  “Did you need something?” I ask him when he remains silent.

  He clears his throat and says, “I was wondering if you would like to go on a small adventure with me on my bike before we go home.”

  “Yes!” I’m so excited by the prospect that I forget to be embarrassed about him catching me getting dressed.

  I’ve always wanted to ride on a motorcycle but never knew anyone who had one. The thought of riding behind Julian on some grand adventure makes my pulse quicken. Is his offer just a way to lift my spirits after saving his life? Or does he simply want to spend time with me all alone? It’s impossible to tell without my empathic abilities, because he’s a master when it comes to hiding his emotions from me. Either way, it doesn’t matter. He wants to spend time with me, and that’s all I need to know for now.

  Julian returns to my room with a black leather vest, chaps, boots, and helmet. He then asks me to put them on.

  “I know it’s a little warm to wear these, but I would feel better knowing you were protected as much as possible,” he tells me.

  I don’t mind wearing the extra clothing. I like the fact he wants to keep me safe.

  “Where did you get all this stuff on such short notice?” I ask, studying all the leather pieces.

  “Mira’s companion likes to ride bikes, too. She told me to take them when I asked if she had anything you could borrow for our little excursion. She seems to believe it will take her a while to regain her figure after the baby is born, and by then she’ll want something new anyway.”

  After I get dressed in my new biker chick wear, Julian takes our bags down to the Vanquish, where Helen is waiting to leave. When I hand Viktor over to her, he gives a meow in protest.

  I rub the top of his head lovingly.

  “I won’t be gone long,” I reassure him. “And you’ll be perfectly safe with Helen.”

  He lifts his pink nose in the air and turns his head from me in a display of indignation. It’s obvious he’s offended with being handed off like some ordinary pet.

  I lean down and kiss him on his pert nose. “You’ll be fine. When I get home, I promise to give you a special treat.”

  This seems to mollify him somewhat. He looks back at me and meows.

  “You two be careful,” Helen says, settling Viktor in the passenger seat.

  “We’ll see you back at the house in a few hours,” Julian tells her, straddling his motorcycle and putting on his helmet.

  “Sarah!”

  I turn to see Daniel jogging down the steps from the house towards me. I completely forgot about finding him to say goodbye before we left. Julian told me earlier that he had already made our goodbyes to Mira and Adrian, for which I was thankful. I didn’t particularly want to see either of them before we left. When I asked him about saying goodbye to Petru, Julian was a little cryptic and just said I would get a chance to make my farewells to him later.

  “I’m so sorry,” I tell Daniel, holding my helmet loosely down by my side. “I meant to find you earlier.”

  Daniel gives me a quick hug and peck on the cheek.

  “No worries, Sarah. I just wanted to wish you a safe trip home.” He glances at the bike and Julian, taking in the situation. “Make sure you hold on tight.”

  “I will,” I promise. In fact, I’m looking forward to having a good excuse to snuggle up with Julian.

  “Listen,” Daniel says in a hushed tone, “my offer still stands if you change your mind. I’ll be going to the concert either way. Just let me know if you want to give it a try.”

  Give ‘us’ a try is what he clearly means, but doesn’t say in front of mixed company.

  “See you later,” I tell him, not wanting to rehash something I’ve already given my answer to. “You take care of yourself while you’re in this house.”

  “Yeah, I will. Talk to you later.” He gives me a half-smile and turns away to go back towards the mansion.

  I put my helmet on and climb onto the small seat right behind Julian that’s meant to carry a passenger. It doesn’t look big enough to carry a baby, much less a full-grown woman. I brace my feet on the shoe pegs Julian points out, and wrap my arms around his waist as tightly as I can without making it seem like I’m a complete chicken.

  The thrill of riding with Julian through the streets of New Orleans is just what I need this morning. I feel free and curiously safe, considering we’re traveling 70 mph on the open interstate without the added safety of airbags and a metal cage to cushion the blow of the asphalt rushing beneath our feet.

  Julian pulls off I-59 and merges onto I-10. It isn’t the normal way home, but maybe he just wants to take the scenic route. He did say that we were going on a little adventure, after all.

  Eventually, he turns off I-10 and onto US Highway 90. We pass a green road sign indicating the mileage left before we arrive in Waveland, Mississippi. I want to ask why we’re going there, but it’s physically impossible. Instead, I just hold onto Julian and try to enjoy the feel of his body against mine while the bike hums beneath us.

  Before I know it, we’re on a road called Beach Boulevard, which is true to its name since it runs along the white sandy beaches of Waveland. Julian pulls off into a parking lot next to the beach and comes to a stop between two blue public porta-potties. I actually do need to go to the bathroom, but porta-potties are definitely not my thing. I would rather wait until after we get home than sit on one of those toilets.

  Reluctantly, I release my hold on Julian’s waist and sit up straight to stretch my back. He takes his helmet off so I do the same, tossing my hair a little to untangle the strands from my head.

  It’s still early in the morning, probably only nine o’clock. Most people are already at work. There is only one other car in the parking lot, a shiny black Mercedes S550.

  “What are we doing here?” I ask Julian.

  He looks at me over his shoulder. “Meeting Petru.”

  “Why this place?”

  “I didn’t want any prying ears to hear what we need to discuss. Mira’s home just has too many curious people milling about.”

  Julian gets off the bike and holds out his hand to help me stand from it. We set our helmets on the seat of the bike. After straddling it for well over an hour, my legs have lost some of their feeling. It takes me a minute to stop walking bow-legged as the blood begins to circulate back into my lower extremities.

  There is a 50-foot concrete jetty leading from the beach area out into the water. Large grey rocks are piled on either side of it down to the water line. I see Petru and a boy no older than eighteen standing at the end of the concrete pier, looking out at the Gulf of Mexico.

  When we approach, they both turn to face us. Petru is feeling extremely excited about something and the young boy is anxious. I assume the boy is Petru’s companion. I didn’t get to meet him the previous night at the party because he wanted to explore New Orleans while it was going on. For some reason, I never pictured him to be so young.

  “A pleasure to see you up and about, Sarah,” Petru says, kissing me on the lips just like he did the night before. Apparently, it’s just his way. “I would like to introduce you to Nathaniel, my companion.”

  Nathaniel holds his hand out and I shake it.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he says. As his eyes quickly look me up and down, I feel a sudden surge of lust from him.

  I can’t blame the boy. I think I look pretty hot in my biker chick outfit, too, which isn’t how I view myself very often. Besides, he’s only eighteen, or close enough to it. What teenage boy doesn’t have trouble controlling his hormones around the fairer sex?

  Nathaniel reminds me of a young Jared Leto, but with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. He attempts to act as mature as his counterpart, but I can still sense his pent- up insecurities. He’s shy by nature and unsure of himself in ways Petru probably hasn’t been in hundreds of years. He has a good heart and loves Petru like a father, which appears to be the role Petru sees himself filling in Nathaniel’s l
ife.

  “So, have you learned anything since the last time we spoke?” Julian asks Petru.

  Petru smiles. “I desperately wanted to tell you last night, but there were just too many people around. I found someone who might have the answer we’ve been looking for all these years.”

  “Who is it? Where are they?” Julian’s excitement at Petru’s news startles me for a moment. I’ve never seen him this enthusiastic about anything before.

  “She’s a descendant of Dorka’s. I’ve only spoken with her on the phone briefly, but she said she had information that might be able to help us. The only problem is that she’s out of town at the moment, and doesn’t plan to return home for a few days yet.”

  “Who’s Dorka?” I ask, thinking it an odd name and wondering if it’s Hungarian.

  “She was a witch in Bathory’s household,” Julian tells me. “She was executed for helping Elizabeth torture and murder all those girls. Our theory has always been that either some of her family, or perhaps even members of her old coven, are the ones who cursed us. We’ve been searching for them for centuries, but it’s only because of modern technology that we’ve been able to track down anyone associated with Dorka’s family.” Julian turns his attention back to Petru. “What makes you think she can help us?”

  “She says she has one of Dorka’s old diaries. It might hold a clue to help explain the spell that was used on us. I know it’s a long shot, but it’s the first tangible lead we’ve had in years. If she did write the spell down in the book, perhaps she also wrote down how to reverse its effects.”

  I can’t stay quiet any longer. What they’re talking about seems to tie into something Julian alluded to the night before at the party.

  “Excuse me,” I say, “I hope I’m not out of line here, but are you saying you may have found a way to not be vampires anymore?”

  Julian looks at me. “Petru and I have been searching a long time to find a way to remove our curse. We’ve had a few dead-end leads, but this is the first time we’ve been able to find someone directly linked to Dorka.” He looks back at Petru. “When is she supposed to be back, and where does she live?”

  “She doesn’t live that far away from here, actually,” Petru says excitedly. “She has a home in Destin, Florida, on the beach. She should be returning to it within a few days.”

  “Contact me as soon as you find out something. I want to come with you when you go to meet her.”

  “I will, brother.” Petru gives Julian a guy hug, brief and not too close. “As soon as I hear from her, you’ll be the first one I contact.”

  Petru and Nathaniel walk back down the concrete jetty to the parking lot, presumably to the Mercedes parked there.

  “So you’ve been trying to find a cure all this time?” I ask Julian, finding the possibility fascinating.

  He nods, turning away from the departing backs of Petru and Nathaniel to look out at the ocean. The gulf breeze is cool at this time of day and the sound of seagulls fills the air around us. The ebb and flow of the ocean water against the rocks of the jetty is soothing in its natural rhythm.

  “Petru and I aren’t like the others,” he continues, staring at nothing but the horizon, lost in his own ruminations. “They enjoy living as immortals. We don’t.” He finally turns to look at me beside him. “All we have ever wanted is to live the lives we were born to, nothing more. Plus, if we can break the curse on ourselves, it stands to reason we can break the bond and set you and Nathaniel free.”

  To be honest, I’m not sure how I feel about that. Losing my bond to Julian seems wrong for some reason. Perhaps it’s because I’m genetically predisposed to desire the bond, or it could be because I’m falling for my vampire companion. I’m not sure which reason is the truth. It’s possible they both are.

  “You could go back to your life and live normally, just like your mother wanted you to,” Julian says in a detached voice. “You wouldn’t have to stay with me any longer, Sarah.”

  But I want to stay with him, doesn’t he understand that? Why is he so ready to leave me when the mere thought of being separated from him causes me pain?

  “I like being bonded to you,” I hear myself admit.

  Julian takes my hand. “I would never abandon you, Sarah. If we find a way to break the curse, I hope we can still be friends.”

  Friends. Great. The one thing people hate to hear from someone they really like or even possibly love: ‘Hey, let’s be friends’. I can’t help but sigh in disappointment.

  “Is there anything wrong with us remaining friends?” he asks me, apparently sensing my mood.

  I get the distinct feeling he’s teasing me. When I look up at his face, the twinkle of amusement in his eyes and lopsided grin make me certain of his deliberate teasing. What game is he playing? Does he want me to say how I feel about him? It’s almost like he’s egging me on so I’ll reveal my hand before he does. If I knew that he cared for me romantically, I wouldn’t mind telling him how I feel, or how I think I might be feeling about him. But one kiss, even though it was incredible, doesn’t mean he loves me, and I’m not about to give him the upper hand.

  “No, there wouldn’t be anything wrong with us being friends,” I finally reply.

  “Good.” He smiles and raises the hand he still holds up to his warm, red-stained lips. His mouth lingers against my skin a few seconds longer than if it was just a friendly kiss.

  The coastal wind blows through his hair, making him look even more wild and handsome. Seriously, does he have to be so gorgeous? It just doesn’t seem fair. How am I supposed to remain friends with someone who makes my heart do flips inside my chest whenever he looks at me or touches me?

  “We should probably go back home,” he says, still holding my hand. “I wouldn’t want Helen to worry about us unnecessarily.”

  We walk back down the jetty, holding hands as if we’re two lovers who just stopped to take in the ocean view. I wish that small illusion was true. It’s then that I realize I already know what my true feelings are for Julian. I realize I don’t need to talk to Kaylee to know that I’ve fallen in love with him.

  The ride home takes a little over an hour. During that time, I weigh the pros and cons of falling in love with Julian. One good thing is the bond we already share. It ensures that we’ll never be away from each other very often, but it’s also something I have to place in the con column. If Julian’s feelings never mirror my own, I’ll end up being in a relationship that’s one-sided for the rest of my life. That possibility doesn’t paint a very pretty picture for my future happiness, but I’m not sure there’s anything I can do now to stop how I feel about him. Will I end up carrying a torch for someone who can never love me back? Who knows? Only time will be able to answer that question.

  The next item I put in the con column is the dilemma of having an heir for him to bond with after I die. It hasn’t been said directly, but I assume Julian is unable to father children. If that’s the case, how can I conceive a child for him to bond with if we’re in a relationship together? Considering the times we live in, I suppose I can just go down to the local sperm bank and buy someone’s donated little soldiers to solve that problem. I can’t say it’s the picture-perfect scenario to start a family, but it would work in a pinch.

  I guess I always pictured myself in Kaylee’s position when I found my Mr. Right, rather than the one I find myself in with Julian. I assumed I would marry the man I loved, live in a nice house, and start a family the traditional way. I suppose, like everyone else in the world, I always saw my life following the natural order of things.

  My next obstacle will be finding a way to gauge how Julian really feels about me. Unless he just flat-out tells me he loves me, how am I supposed to figure out what his true feelings are? I groan inwardly at the irony of it all. Having been an empath all my life, there were times I prayed God would take away my ability so I didn’t have to know what people were feeling all the time. Now, when I need my gift the most, it doesn’t work on the one per
son I desperately need it to. The word ‘unfair’ keeps popping up in my mind. After years of being plagued by my ability, you would think it would have the decency to work in my favor just this once.

  When we pull into Julian’s circular driveway, I immediately notice Kaylee’s silver Durango parked in front of the house. Julian parks his motorcycle directly behind it. As we’re getting off the bike, Kaylee toddles out the front door with a glass of sweet tea in one hand while she rubs her belly with the other. If I didn’t know any better, I would swear her stomach is even larger than it was only two days before when I last saw her.

  Julian sets both of our helmets on the bike’s seat while I walk up the steps to greet Kaylee.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask, giving her a brief hug and kiss on the cheek.

  “Well, when you didn’t return my calls, I got worried. Mom and Dad know the real estate agent who sold your new boyfriend this place, so I decided to come by to see if you were here. I was worried about you, Sarah.”

  “I’m sorry,” I say, completely chagrined for not letting Kaylee know where I was going and how long I would be gone. “I forgot to take my cell phone with us to New Orleans. I promise I’ll keep it close by from now on. You don’t need to be worrying about me in your condition.”

  I feel Julian come stand behind me and see Kaylee’s eyes dart in his direction. It seems that fate has decided it’s time introductions between the two of them were made.

  I turn sideways so Julian and Kaylee can meet face to face.

  “Kaylee, this is Julian. Julian, my sister, Kaylee,” I say, watching both of their reactions to each other.

  Kaylee holds out her hand to Julian. He immediately shakes it.

  “It’s nice to finally meet you,” Kaylee says with a smile.

  “Sarah has spoken of you often,” Julian replies. “I’m sorry if we made you worry. The trip to New Orleans was a spur of the moment decision.”

  “That’s what your housekeeper said.”

  “Have you been here long?” I’m not sure what Helen has already told Kaylee about the reason for our sudden trip and don’t want to unintentionally contradict anything she’s already been told.