“What are we doing at my sister’s house?” I asked.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” not-Brian replied. “Get out.”
I did as he instructed, even though my limbs were stiff with dread. My mind couldn’t begin to conjure Lucius Montfort’s reason for meeting me here. However, I guessed it couldn’t be anything good.
Because it was hard to see where I was walking, despite the solar lights, I stumbled slightly in the high-heeled boots I wore. Almost at once, not-Brian was at my side, his hand on my arm. However, I knew he wasn’t being solicitous. He just wanted to make sure I wouldn’t have a chance to bolt.
Down the driveway, and up the two steps that led to the concrete front porch. The semivive put his hand on the front door handle, turning it so we could enter. That right there told me something was terribly wrong. Vanessa would never leave her front door unlocked. Not in this neighborhood. Despite the best locks money could buy and a security system that put mine to shame, she’d still been broken into several times.
We entered the foyer, which was pitch dark. I couldn’t say I was exactly glad to have not-Brian’s hand on my arm, but clearly he was able to see better than I could, because he guided me through the entry and on into the living room.
In here, it wasn’t completely dark. Three pillar candles flickered from atop the mantel, which was carved from a single piece of gray driftwood. Very spare, very beautiful, at least from my recollections of it. Now I couldn’t make out much detail, except the subtle gleam of candlelight along the hand-rubbed wood.
Unfortunately, those candles gave off just enough light that I was able to see something of the scene before me. I froze in place, body cold and stiff with shock, even as I stared across the room at Lucius Montfort, who sat on a plain wooden chair in the middle of the room, his thin-lipped mouth smeared with blood. In his arms, limp like an abandoned lover, lay my sister Vanessa, her head tilted back at an impossible angle. More blood dripped from a pair of raw wounds in her neck.
Lucius’ eyes, now almost silver-bright, met mine. “I’m sorry, my dear,” he said, and gave me an almost rueful smile. “Sometimes I simply can’t control myself.”
I opened my mouth to scream, to cry my denial into the world, to say that this couldn’t possibly be happening. But in that same moment came the sharp prick of the hypodermic in my arm, and still Lucius Montfort smiled at me, showing blood-streaked teeth.
Then I was falling, falling into the dark.
I didn’t know if I would ever hit bottom.
* * *
The Watchers trilogy continues with Dead of Night.
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Also by Christine Pope
THE WITCHES OF CANYON ROAD
(Paranormal Romance)
Hidden Gifts
Darker Paths (May 2018)
Mysterious Ways (July 2018)
* * *
DJINN DOMINION
(Paranormal Romance)
Stolen (April 2018)
Forgotten (June 2018)
Driven (August 2018)
* * *
THE WITCHES OF CLEOPATRA HILL*
(Paranormal Romance)
Darkangel
Darknight
Darkmoon
Sympathetic Magic
Protector
Spellbound
A Cleopatra Hill Christmas
Impractical Magic
Strange Magic
The Arrangement
Defender
Bad Blood
Deep Magic
Darktide
Books 1-3 and Books 4-6 of this series are also available in two separate omnibus editions at special boxed set prices. Chronicles of Cleopatra Hill includes the series’ two “back in time” novellas, Bad Blood and The Arrangement.
* * *
THE DJINN WARS*
(Paranormal Romance)
Chosen
Taken
Fallen
Broken
Forsaken
Forbidden
Awoken
Illuminated
The first three books of this series are also available in an omnibus edition at a special low price!
* * *
THE WATCHERS TRILOGY*
(Paranormal Romance)
Falling Dark
Dead of Night
Rising Dawn
* * *
THE SEDONA FILES*
(Paranormal Romance)
Bad Vibrations
Desert Hearts
Angel Fire
Star Crossed
Falling Angels
Enemy Mine
The first three books of this series are also available in an omnibus edition at a special low price!
* * *
TALES OF THE LATTER KINGDOMS*
(Fantasy Romance)
All Fall Down
Dragon Rose
Binding Spell
Ashes of Roses
One Thousand Nights
Threads of Gold
The Wolf of Harrow Hall
Moon Dance
The Song of the Thrush
Books 1-3 and Books 4-6 of this series are also available in two separate omnibus editions at special boxed set prices.
* * *
THE GAIAN CONSORTIUM SERIES*
(Science Fiction Romance)
Blood Will Tell
Breath of Life
The Gaia Gambit
The Mandala Maneuver
The Titan Trap
The Zhore Deception
* Indicates a completed series
About the Author
Christine Pope has been writing stories ever since she commandeered her family’s Smith-Corona typewriter back in the sixth grade. Her work includes paranormal romance, fantasy romance, and science fiction/space opera romance. The Land of Enchantment cast its spell on her while she was researching her Djinn Wars series, and she now makes her home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
To be notified of new releases by Christine Pope, please sign up here.
Christine Pope on the Web:
www.christinepope.com
Falling Dark Page 23