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Anna-Violetta Books ~ December 22nd

For convenience, I think we’re going to do both blog posts on Monday from now on…so if you follow our Lavender Cottage Books website, you’ll also read along as we serialize two of our Enchanted Fairytales.

We want to wish everyone Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas. Enjoy the story!

Chapter 8

That evening, they had steaks and baked potatoes at the dining room table.  Damian looked out the bay window, enjoying the view of the water.  The Victorian house sat on over an acre of land, which was a mixture of gardens and fir trees just a few miles from Port Townsend.  He had noticed a small beach at the end of the backyard, but they hadn’t walked down there yet.  Instead, Selina had shown him the gardens and they’d ended up sitting on the big, circular front porch, which wrapped around one turret.

After dinner, they walked back out to the porch and sat down, enjoying the quiet of the evening.  “This is a beautiful place,” Damian observed, stretching out and putting his feet on one of the ottomans.  “How did you find it?”

“The internet,” Selina said with a smile.  “The girls can find almost anything online.  We liked the look of the town and especially the house.  It had character and we’d been living in London.”  She paused for a moment.

“Selina, we said we’d trust each other,” Damian reminded her.  “You were living in London and then what?”

Selina shook her head.  “No, I said I’d tell you about me…not the girls.”  She got up and walked down the steps.  “I’m going down by the water.  Would you like to join me?”

Damian smiled and slowly stood up, then followed her down to the beach.  “Tell me about Diana,” he said.  “How do you know her?”

“That is a very long story,” Selina replied.  “I’d rather know why you were following her.”

“Fair enough.”  Damian looked out at the water.  “I was walking back to your club yesterday afternoon when I saw her come out the front door with her associates.  Sunglasses on a cloudy Seattle day?”  He smiled.  “Kind of a giveaway.”

Selina nodded.  “I can see that.  Then what happened?”

“I got curious,” Damian replied.  “I followed them to their hotel and asked about them at the front desk.  The clerk must have tipped them off because by the time I got to their room, they were waiting for me.”

“So, Diana didn’t do anything to make you suspect that she might be involved with the murders?” Selina asked with some relief.

“No, she just tripped every one of my alarms since I’m a vampire hunter and she and her group seemed to be vampires.”  He paused.  “Did she say anything to you about why she was at the club?”

“Diana said she was investigating these murders,” Selina said thoughtfully.  “Now, I wonder if she was telling the truth.  Maybe, we should be working together rather than against each other.”

“I thought you didn’t trust her,” Damian said, looking at Selina closely. “You implied she might be a threat to you and the girls.”

“Diana always has her own agenda.  If we don’t get in her way, we might be able to trust her.  At least for as long as it’s convenient for her to work with us.”  Selina looked at her watch.  “I have to call the girls.”

“Why did you send them away?” asked Damian.

“Diana can be very dangerous, and I hadn’t seen her in quite a while,” Selina replied.  “With the body being found behind the club, I just thought it would be safer to have them out of the city.”

Damian reached over and took her hand, holding it between both of his.  “You really love them, don’t you?”

“More than my own life,” Selina said, “and I’ll do whatever is necessary to protect them.”

Damian started to kiss her hand, then remembered what Angelo had done to her.  Instead, he smiled and let her go.  “You sound like a mother.  Have you taken care of them for a long time?”

“Long enough,” Selina said, turning towards the house.  “You need to get some rest, and I have to phone the girls.”

Damian followed her inside and went into the kitchen to pour some coffee.  He listened as Selina talked to the girls.  He couldn’t make out the words, but her voice was filled with love and laughter as she spoke to what seemed to be each one of them. 

Twenty minutes later, she came into the kitchen and smiled.  She walked over and picked up a coffee mug, then reconsidered.  “I could use a whiskey,” she said.  “What about you?”

“Fine,” Damian replied, “but I’ll pour.”

Selina smiled and moved closer to him. “The girls are having a lot of fun, and I told them you were getting much better.”  She paused.  “I didn’t tell them you’re a vampire hunter.  They would only worry.”

Damian nodded.  “It will be our little secret.  He reached over and picked up her hand again.  “Selina, are you warm enough?  You felt cold outside, but I thought it was just the breeze off the water.”

“I’m a vampire,” Selina replied.  “We don’t feel warm.  You should know that.”

“Well, I’ve never actually held a vampire’s hand before,” he said, looking into her eyes.  “Or been this near to one I wasn’t trying to kill.  In fact,” he said, moving even closer to her, “I’ve never kissed one either.”

She looked up at him, wondering if he really would kiss her.  When she didn’t flinch, he gently touched his lips to hers.  She was cool, but not cold.  As he pulled away, she reached up and touched his cheek.  “I can’t do this, Damian.”  She paused.  “It’s not Angelo.  I’ve been with other men.”  She smiled, at his look.  “Not many, but a few.  It’s just with everything going on…and you’re still hurt.”

“Oh, I’m feeling much better,” he said, smiling at her.

“Go to bed,” she said, pushing him gently away.

“Exactly, what I was going to suggest,” he said, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips.  “You are so beautiful, Selina.”

She smiled.  “So, you’ve mentioned.  When you tell me how trustworthy I am, maybe we’ll reconsider this idea.”

Damian picked up his whiskey and headed for the stairs.  “I’ll be right across the hall, should you need anything.”

Selina watched him go up, then walked around and made sure all the doors were locked before going up to bed herself.  As she changed into her nightgown, she thought about Damian Salvadori and that kiss.  She smiled and got into bed, opened a book, and tried to think about something else.  After thirty minutes, she finally gave up, turned off her lamp, and went to sleep.


She woke up the next morning to the sound of something ringing.   It was her cell phone.  She reached over to the nightstand and picked it up.

“Selina,” Michela said, sounding very upset, “have you seen the news?”

“What happened?”  Selina asked.  “Is everyone okay?”

“We are, but another woman was murdered last night,” Michela said.  “There was a red rose left by the body, and they found her behind our club.  Why is this happening?”

“I don’t know, but I intend to find out,” Selina replied.  “I want you to tell the others not to come home.  I don’t want you anywhere near this until we figure out why we’re being targeted by this killer.  I’ll call you back when I know more.”

Michela promised to keep everyone in Portland and hung up.  Selina didn’t have a television in her bedroom, so she went downstairs to the living room.  Damian was already there watching the news.  “Did I wake you?” he asked.

“No, Michela called me,” Selina said, walking into the kitchen and pouring a cup of coffee.  “Can I get you anything?” she asked.

“Some more coffee would be great.”  Damian got up and following her into the kitchen.  “There’s been another murder,” he said, setting his cup on the counter.  “Selina, they found the body behind your club.”

“I know.”  Selina sighed.  “Why is someone doing this?”

“I don’t know,” he replied, “but we’re going to find out.”

“Let’s have some breakfast,” Selina said, “then we should go back to the city.  The police are going to want to see the video from our security cameras.”

Damian turned around and headed for the stairs.  “Do you have a car?”

“Yes,” Selina replied.  “It’s parked in the carriage house.”

“Never mind about making breakfast.  We’ll get something on the way,” Damian said.  “We need to get to the crime scene before we lose the scent.” 

Selina wondered if he meant that literally or figuratively, then decided it really didn’t matter.  He was a vampire hunter and she needed his help to find this vampire before he killed anyone else.  She followed him upstairs and quickly got dressed.

“Do you want to drive?” she asked as they headed to the carriage house. 

“That depends,” he replied, opening the doors.  When he saw the black Porsche Boxster convertible, he smiled.  “I’ll drive.” 

Damian tossed his suitcase into the back and slid into the driver’s seat.  “Top up or down?” he asked.

“Up,” Selina said.  “I usually put it down at night.”

“That sounds like a wonderful way to spend an evening,” Damian agreed as he backed up, then turned and headed down the drive.

Selina looked over at him and raised one eyebrow.  “We’ll see,” she replied.

Anna-Violetta Books ~ December 13th

We have big news! We’ve combined all three parts of our series back into one ebook…and it’s FREE today!

We also put our other series back into single books, so no more reading the first part for free, but we will be serializing a few chapters in the future.

And now, back to Moonlight, Roses & Murder. (Notice the new cover.)

Chapter 7

“My father took me to Florence when I was seventeen years old,” Selina said, smiling at the memory.  “I was so excited since I’d never been to Italy before.  He was going on business, and I begged him to take me with him.” 

“We lived in Paris and my mother did not want to go.  He needed someone to accompany him, and I finally convinced him it should be me.”  She looked down at the floor.  “That was the biggest mistake of my life.” 

“We arrived and stayed at a business partner’s home.  It was beautiful, so large and impressive, right in the middle of Florence.”  She started to pace as she continued.  “Angelo De Lamorte,” she said bitterly.  “The name should have told me something, but I was so naïve.”  She looked at Damian, then went back to pacing.

“He was older, but so handsome and charming.  He seemed to find me quite captivating, and I was enamored with him.  My father didn’t mind as a marriage between us would solidify his business interests in Italy.”  She stopped and sat back down in the chair.  “It was on the last night of our visit that I found out who Angelo really was.  Or what he was.”

She clenched her hands into fists, then relaxed them, holding them together in her lap.  “We had just finished dinner, and I was sad that we were leaving.  When Angelo said that he had something to show me, I looked at my father wondering if Angelo was going to propose.  My father nodded and said he’d go into the library and have a cigar while Angelo walked with me out in the garden.  He had such a lovely garden behind his home.  He showed me the cake and coffee service, which had been laid out on the table under a huge pergola.  He said it was for our celebration.”

Selina stood up and started pacing again.  “I don’t talk about this, although I still dream about it sometimes.”  She took a deep breath and continued.  “Angelo said I was lovely, so young and so pure.  That being pure was the most important thing.  Then, he looked at the cake and said he wasn’t sure he could wait that long.”

“As he came over and took my hand, I really thought he was going to propose.  I didn’t love him, but he fascinated me, and I knew my father would approve.  As I smiled, he lifted my hand and kissed my wrist.  Then, he got this strange look.  I’ll never forget it.  He….”  Selina stopped and walked out of the room.  “I’ll be right back,” she said over her shoulder. 

Walking down to the kitchen, she poured herself a large glass of wine, then decided to get one for Damian.  She walked back upstairs and into the guest room, offering him one.  As he hesitated, she said, “Relax, I only drug people once in a weekend.”  She took a small sip from each glass then held them both out.

“All right,” he said, seeing how upset she was, “I’ll take one.”  She handed him the glass, then downed the wine in her own. 

“As I was saying,” she continued, starting to pace once more, “Angelo kissed my wrist, then got this strange look.  It was as if his eyes almost glowed.  Suddenly, he shoved me against the table, hard.  I think I screamed as he ripped the front of my dress and grabbed my shoulders.  I thought he was going to force himself on me, but instead he kissed my neck.  He kissed it and murmured something about purity…and then he bit me.  I was in shock.  I remember pushing him, trying to get away, and begging him to stop.” 

“As he held me tight, I felt myself growing weaker and looked up at the pergola, which seemed to be spinning.  I dimly heard my father shouting, then Angelo let go of me and turned around.  I almost fainted but managed to grab hold of the table.  Angelo yelled at my father to leave while he could.  My father grabbed him and tried to pull him away from me.  Then, Angelo picked my father up and threw him across the garden.  His strength was unbelievable.”

“I heard my father yell my name and tell me to run.  Angelo walked over and kicked him, then leaned down and stabbed him with a dagger that he’d pulled out of his coat.  He stabbed him over and over again, then took the dagger and licked it off, smiling at me.  He slipped it back into his coat and walked over to me, saying he wouldn’t need to use it on me.  My blood was too sweet to waste in such a way.”

Selina sat down.  “I reached behind me on the table and felt something sharp. It was the knife we were supposed to have used to cut the cake.  As Angelo grabbed me by the shoulders, I stabbed him as hard as I could.  I tried to run, but I barely stumbled my way out of the garden and into the street.  As I felt myself starting to faint, a woman ran up and caught me.  I thought she must have been an angel and that I was dying.”

Damian said nothing, waiting for Selina to continue.  “When I woke up, I was in a dark room lying on a cot.  It was not very comfortable, and I was in a lot of pain.  The angel, although now I wondered about that since I hurt all over…she helped me sit up and gave me something to drink.  She told me it would help and to go back to sleep.”

Selina got up and walked back and forth again.  “Damian, she saved me.  Her name was Apollonia and she saved my life.  What was left of it.  She told me that she watched Angelo’s house as often as possible, trying to find a way to stop him.  That he’d turned her years earlier, but she had fought the urge to feed on others and would teach me to do the same.”

She stopped and looked at him.  “Being a vampire is a terrible curse and one that should never be done to someone against their will.  He wasn’t planning to turn me; he was going to kill me.  By getting away, I was now infected with the same disease that had made him what he was.  Apollonia told me some people made the choice to become vampires, but for those of us who did not it was a terrible burden.”

“So, you’ve never fed on a human?” Damian asked surprised. 

“No, never,” Selina replied, “but the desire was there.  It’s more of a coldness, which you feel all through your body and you crave the warmth that you know their blood will give you.  Apollonia helped me through the worst of it.  She told me that she believed God would forgive us since we had not chosen this path.  As long as we resisted the urge, it would eventually pass, and we would be able to rejoin the living.  She was so sure…but that’s not quite how it worked out.”

Selina stopped talking and looked at Damian.  “I really need another glass of wine,” she said, “and if you’re up for it maybe you’d like to come downstairs and have some lunch.”

Damian watched her walk out of the room and let out a low whistle.  What a story, he thought as he carefully got out of bed.  He was pretty sure she was no longer a threat, but where did Diana fit in and what did she have to do with these murders?  Or was there a connection?  Damian put on his shirt very slowly and got up to follow her.

“Your turn,” Selina said as Damian walked into the kitchen. 

“Fair enough, Damian replied, “but first, what year did you go to Italy?”

Selina looked down for a moment, then back up, holding his gaze.  “I traveled with my father to Florence in the spring of 1787.  I know that sounds incredible, but…”

Damian held up his hand.  “No, actually it does not.  I think it will make it easier for you to believe what I’m going to tell you.”

Selina nodded and sat down at the kitchen table, forgetting all about lunch for the moment.  When Damian hesitated, she smiled and said, “Go ahead.  I want to know.”

Damian sat down across from her.  “I’ve been a vampire hunter for a long time.  I apprenticed in Milan, Italy in the year 1839.  I was sixteen and chosen for my lineage and my size.”  He paused and smiled.  “I was very tall for that era.”

“We considered our work a holy calling from God,” he continued, “to rid the world of demons that stole the lives and possibly the souls of others.  I did this for nine years until the Italian revolutions of 1848.  My teacher and mentor, Alessandro Cabrini, did not believe our work was finished, but I did.  I was ready for a change, and I’d seen enough death even if it was for the good of humanity.  And that was the year I met Beatrice de Campo.  She was beautiful, kind, intelligent and had a wonderful sense of humor.  I fell for her completely, and all I wanted was to get married and have a family.”

Damian stopped and looked around the room.  “You mentioned some more wine?”

Selina got up and poured them each a new glass, which she brought over and set on the table.  “Do you wish to choose first?” she asked seriously. 

Damian shook his head and took the one on the right.  “As you said, one drugging a weekend is more than enough.”  He drank some wine as Selina sat back down at the table.  “Where was I?”

“You wanted to get married and have a family,” Selina said with such sadness, Damian almost reached over and touched her cheek. 

“Right,” he said, taking a breath.  “Beatrice was more than happy to get married in Milan, but I knew her family was in Clusone.  I convinced her we should go there to get married.  We decided to travel by coach with some friends.  She had written to her parents, who would put us up at their home and then the wedding would be the following week.”

Damian stopped and took another sip of wine.  “We got a late start because Alessandro wanted to give me a gift.  He said he could not attend the wedding, but he wanted me to have something very special to remember all of our work together.  It was a silver cross with a lion’s head on top, hanging from a silver chain.  It was the symbol of our order and I told him I would never forget all that we’d accomplished.  I thanked him and hurried back to Beatrice and our friends.”

He paused and looked down for a moment.  “It happened when we were about two kilometers from Clusone.  A tree had fallen across the road and it was too heavy to move.  We sent the driver back to the last turnoff, telling him to take the detour and meet us at the house.  It would take at least an hour to make the trip by road since it wound around the other side of the foothills.  Beatrice was so excited to see her family that we decided to walk the short distance instead.” 

“It was late afternoon and the weather was beautiful.  We were enjoying ourselves, talking about the wedding and the feast we’d have afterwards when we heard the growling.  I looked over and saw a pack of what I thought were wolves coming out of the foothills.  Wolves were not uncommon, but with a large party like ours they never should have approached us.”

He rubbed his hand over his face.  “They walked toward us, growling with their ears flattened back.  I told Beatrice and her friend Nora to get behind us while my two friends, Alberto and Lorenzo, stood on either side of me.  We did our best to protect the women, but the wolves attacked with such precision I couldn’t believe it.  We pulled out our weapons, but all we had were knives.  No crossbows or guns.” 

“As the wolves ran towards us, I swung at the first one drawing blood while Lorenzo managed to deflect the second.  Alberto ran at the third, but a fourth one knocked him down and landed on him, grabbing him by the neck.  The wolf shook him and threw him aside.  Lorenzo and I did our best to stay between the wolves and the women, but they charged again knocking us down while one grabbed Beatrice and a second one joined it.  I ran at it, throwing my knife.  It hit the animal, but another took its place.  Beatrice tried to fight them off, but it was over in seconds.  My lovely Beatrice was dead on the ground.” 

“I turned to see the wolves moving in on Nora, who picked up a large stick and threw it at the wolf closest to her.  It jumped up and knocked Nora to the ground, biting her on the arm.  I turned and made a grab for Alberto’s knife, which was lying nearby.  One of the wolves lunged at me and I felt its teeth tear into my shoulder.  I thought we were all dead until it saw the silver cross around my neck.  Suddenly, the wolf released me and took off for the mountains with the others following behind.  I thought the reflection might have scared it since the sun was starting to set.”

He drank some more wine.  “Alberto was killed during the attack, but Lorenzo was only injured with a bite to the leg.  He crawled over to Nora, saying she was alive but unconscious.  I had already reached Beatrice and was holding her, crying like a baby.  She was my whole life and she was gone. Then, I looked over at Nora and Lorenzo, realizing we had to get help, or we’d all be dead.”

“I got to my feet and walked up the trail.  Lorenzo stayed with Nora, holding his shirt on her arm, so she wouldn’t bleed to death.  It must have been fifteen minutes, but it felt like hours.  I finally saw a farmhouse and made it to the door.  The farmer helped me and quickly rounded up his neighbors to go back and get Nora and Lorenzo.  We survived the attack, but we were never the same.  The three of us healed very quickly, but when the next full moon arrived, we changed into wolves.”

Damian stopped and slowly got up.  He walked over to the sink and splashed some water on his face.  “It took a lot of time and effort to learn to control what we had become.  I thank God that we didn’t kill anyone in the process.  Eventually, I returned to Milan and told Alessandro what had happened.  He said he’d heard about the attack and was sorry for my loss.  It was only later when I finally hunted down the werewolves responsible for our attack that I learned he was the one, who had hired them.”

Selina put her hand over her mouth.  “How horrible!” she said as she stood up and walked over to him.  “Here, let me help you back to the table.  You should rest.”

“I still heal very quickly,” Damian said.  “A benefit of the curse I’ve lived with for over a century.  It’s also slowed my aging, but I do look about ten years older.”

Selina nodded.  “I look older, too.  I was seventeen when I was attacked, but vampires age about five years for every century.  Whether we drink human blood or not.”

Damian looked out the window.  “I’ve got to get out of here for a while.   Can you go outside without any ill effects?”

Selina nodded.  “Yes.  Bright sunlight gives me a headache, but with the clouds today…I would enjoy a walk in the garden.”

Damian took her arm.  He was actually going to escort a vampire through a garden on a Sunday afternoon.  As they walked outside, he decided to wait to ask her about her girls until after dinner.

Anna-Violetta Books ~ December 3rd

We are hosting Tammy L. Grace’s Book Buddies group on Facebook December 4th. We want to invite everyone to join us! We’ll be having so many books, and on our day, tea cups and dresses of course. Hope you’ll stop by!

And now, here’s the sixth chapter of Moonlight, Roses & Murder.

Chapter 6

Selina looked out the window and watched the familiar landmarks as the town car sped along the road to Port Townsend.  They should be home in another fifteen minutes, she thought as the moon finally peeked out through the dense clouds that had been overhead all night.  She smiled as the beams hit the water and reflected back, making the dark night feel almost magical. 

She didn’t usually allow herself to have such fanciful thoughts, but she was tired.  It had been a very long day.  As she watched, the moon beams played along the water moving closer to the land.  She smiled and turned her head, glancing over at Damian, who’d been sleeping since she gave him the drink. 

Selina almost jumped off the seat before she caught herself and forced her muscles to relax.  A large, gray wolf was lying on the seat next to her sound asleep.  Now, this was not part of the plan, she told herself, watching the animal’s chest rise and fall as it slept.  When the clouds covered the moon again, the wolf changed back into Damian, still sleeping.

Looking outside, Selina was relieved to see more clouds blowing in and blocking any further moonlight, at least for the near future.  When they pulled up to the house, she had Daniel help her get Damian upstairs and into the guest room, giving him a generous tip as they walked back down.

“Thank you again, Daniel,” she said as he set the suitcase just inside the foyer.  Selina smiled as he left, then locked the door.  As she walked into the kitchen to make a cup of tea, she considered tying Damian up…but what if he changed into the wolf again?  Would the constraints hurt him or fall off entirely?  It seemed like a complete waste of time, and it would probably only upset whichever version woke up. 

She decided it was better to lock her bedroom door and deal with it all after she got some rest.   If Damian was still here when she woke up, they’d figure out what to do next.  She doubted he would hurt her, but she locked the door and put a chair against the knob when she went to her room.  Changing into a long black nightgown, she got into bed and wondered if she had lost her mind bringing a werewolf into her home.  A werewolf, who she also believed was a vampire hunter. 

When Selina woke up it was late morning, and everything seemed quiet.  She put on her robe, which was also black and walked across the hall to the guest room.  She tapped lightly on the door.

“Come in,” Damian said. 

She opened the door and slowly walked into the room.  “How do you feel this morning?” she asked.

“Hungry,” he replied, smiling.  “Did I…did anything happen last night?”

“You mean, did you change into a wolf on the ride home?” Selina asked, getting right to the point.

Damian’s blue eyes turned almost gray as he looked at her and considered what to say next.  He finally blurted out the only thing that came to mind.  “Well, you don’t seem that surprised, which I find very interesting.”

“Really?” Selina said.  “And what would you prefer?  Me fainting or tying you up in your sleep?  I almost did the first and seriously considered the second.”

Damian smiled.  “That’s more like it.”  He looked around the room.  “So, if we’re all right with all this maybe we can have breakfast.”

“I am far from all right, but I will get you some food,” Selina said.  “However, we are going to talk about this and what we need to do tonight before it gets dark.  Otherwise, I will lock you up in the cellar.”

Damian laughed.  “Now, that sounds more like a normal reaction.  Not that very many people know the truth.”  He rubbed his hands over his face, then winced.  “Damn, I keep forgetting how much that hurts until I move.”

“Then, you may want to lie back down and rest,” Selina said.

Damian watched her walk out of the room, doing his best not to react to the nightgown she was wearing.  The more time he spent with Selina, the more she intrigued him and that could be a problem.  He decided to forget about everything else and just get some more sleep until she brought him breakfast.  Who knew?  Maybe she was a terrible cook.  That might be enough to end this attraction he seemed to have for her.

Selina walked down to the kitchen and started some bacon and eggs.  Toast or pancakes, she thought to herself.  Pancakes, she decided.  Wolves probably had a large appetite.  She stirred the batter wondering what she had gotten herself into.  She had told herself she might be able to use Damian’s help with Diana, but the truth was that she did find him attractive.  Very attractive and she hadn’t felt that way about a man in a very long time.

Of course, there was no way she could or would do anything about it.  She had too much to lose to take a chance on someone, who obviously had some serious issues of his own.  As she turned the bacon, she considered how much she should tell him.  If she wanted his help, she’d have to tell him enough to explain how she knew Diana, but not so much that he would see her as a threat.

She piled the food onto a plate and placed it on a tray along with some coffee and orange juice.  She decided to add a cup of coffee for herself, but no food since she was too nervous to eat.  She wondered how the girls were doing and decided to call them as soon as she finished her conversation with the werewolf.  She walked upstairs and set the tray on the hall table, then opened the door to the guest room.  Damian was sound asleep.

Selina walked into the room and looked at him.  Reaching down, she carefully brushed a lock of hair off his face, then couldn’t help touching his cheek. 

Suddenly, he grabbed her arm and sat up, making her jump.  He winced and smiled.  “Sorry, old habits,” he said, carefully lying back down.  “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Not at all,” Selina replied.  “I was just checking to see if you had a fever,” she lied.  “Would you still like something to eat?”

She walked out and brought the tray back in, pleased to see Damian’s eyes widen with surprise.  “It looks great,” he said.

“Did you think I couldn’t cook?” she asked, setting the tray down with a smile. 

“No comment,” Damian said, grabbing a piece of bacon and attacking the pancakes.  “This is wonderful,” he said between bites.

“I’m glad you approve,” Selina replied with just a hint of sarcasm as she took her coffee and sat down in a chair across from the bed.  “We need to talk about what happened last night.”

“I know,” Damian said as he started on the eggs, “and we will as soon as I finish eating.”

“Very well, enjoy your breakfast.”  Selina got up and walked over to the door.

“Where are you going?” Damian asked.

“To check on the girls,” she replied.  “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Damian nodded and picked up another piece of bacon as she closed the door.

Selina went downstairs and called the girls from the parlor.  Michela answered her cell phone on the first ring.  “Is everything okay?” she asked, sounding concerned.

“Everything is fine,” Selina replied, smiling.  “I called to see if you were having a good time.”

“We are” Michela said.  “Well, as much as we can when we’re worried about you and that stranger in our home.”

“Have some fun.  Shop, swim in the pool, see a movie…just don’t sit around and worry.”  Selina walked over to the gas fireplace and pushed the switch.  “I’m going to read a book and relax while our patient sleeps.  I’ll call you tonight.”

“Okay,” Michela replied.  “Call by nine, or I’m going to start worrying again.”

“Yes, my little helper,” Selina said.  “Tell your sisters that I love them.”

“I will,” Michela promised.  “We love you, too,” she added.

Selina ended the call and looked at the fire, thinking how much they had grown and changed over the years.  Her girls as she thought of them.  She would not let anyone, nor anything put them in danger.  She got up and walked into the kitchen to get some more coffee.  Time to talk to this vampire hunter, she thought as she started up the stairs.

“Well?” Selina asked as she walked into the guest room. 

Damian was leaning back, smiling with the tray on the table next to him.  “That was delicious.”

“Thank you,” Selina replied.  Sitting down in the chair, she added, “It’s time to tell me why you’re here…and what exactly is going on.”

Damian stopped smiling and nodded.  “You’re right.  I do work for Interpol,” he began.  “I investigate unusual crimes, which may or may not involve the supernatural.  It’s not really a department, but more of a specialty that I kind of fell into with my particular…shall we call them talents?”

“Do they know you’re a werewolf?”  Selina asked surprised.

“Not exactly,” Damian replied.  “They think I have a sixth sense about this type of thing, and I get results.  Unfortunately, I also end up with property damages and other expenses, which they’re not so thrilled about.  That’s why I’m here unofficially this time.”

“Ah,” Selina said with a hint of a smile.  “You getting into trouble?  Difficult to imagine that.”

“Very funny.”  Damian looked down at his bandages and laughed.  “You know, I really thought I’d gotten the upper hand with those, uh, suspects yesterday.”

Selina sighed.  “I don’t have time to play games, Mr. Salvadori.  We both know that Diana and her associates are not what they seem.”

Damian’s eyes narrowed.  “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I have a werewolf in my house, and I haven’t called the police or the pound.  That should tell you something.”  She paused and took a deep breath before continuing.  “Diana and I go way back and with her in town I…well, I need to know what you know.”

“Let’s put our cards on the table, shall we?” Damian demanded.  “You know she’s a vampire, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Selina replied, holding his gaze. 

Damian just looked at her for a moment.  “Does that mean that you’re one, too?”

“Yes,” Selina said quietly, “but not like Diana.”

He should have guessed, Damian thought to himself, wishing he had a weapon with him. He’d been suspicious but had told himself she didn’t fit the profile.  No blood, all those kids around, the way she moved.  He stopped and forced himself to calm down.

“You have me at a disadvantage,” he said, finally.  “Where do we go from here?”

“I won’t hurt you,” Selina said, seeing the look in his eyes, “but I need to know why you followed Diana.  Where is she staying?  What is she planning?” Selina stood up and seeing him tense, she sat back down again.  “I can’t take any chances with the girls.  I have to know why she’s here.”

Damian relaxed.  She’s worried about them, he realized.  “Who are these girls to you?” he asked.  “Are they vampires, too?”

Selina looked down and shook her head.  “I will tell you about myself, but you are not to hurt them.  They are innocents.”  As he said nothing, Selina added, “Promise me, Damian.  Promise me that no matter what else happens you won’t harm them.”

“I can’t promise you anything,” Damian said quietly, “until you tell me what’s going on.”

Selina nodded.  “I will. But first, I need to know one thing.  Should I put you in the cellar before dark?” 

“No,” Damian replied, smiling slightly.  “If you don’t drug me, I can control what happens and whether I change or not.” 

“That’s a relief,” Selina said with the trace of a smile.

He couldn’t help feeling something for her.  “Selina, we need to call a truce while we exchange information.  You tell me your story, and I’ll tell you mine.”  He realized she could have killed him as he slept, so he might as well give her the chance to explain.

“Very well,” Selina agreed.  “I will call this truce with you, Damian Salvadori,” she said, “and you will promise me not to hurt my girls.”

“If they don’t threaten me, I will not hurt them,” he replied.  As she paused, he added, “It’s the best I can do without knowing more about you.” Selina nodded.  “Very well.  I will tell you everything about who I am and what happened, then you will see that I…that we are no threat to you.”

Read Chapter 7 in our next post!

Anna-Violetta Books ~ November 25th

Enjoy these two short stories now in one ebook.

And now, here’s the fifth chapter of Moonlight, Roses & Murder.

Chapter 5

When Damian opened his eyes, he saw Selina Bellerose looking down at him.  “It’s about time,” she said.  “You had me worried.”

He smiled in spite of the pain he was in.  “Sorry to drop in on you like this.”  He noticed he was missing his shirt and could feel the sting of antiseptic on his face.

“You seem to have gotten yourself on the wrong side of someone’s fists,” Selina said with some concern.  Then looking down at his ribs, she added, “Or maybe their boot.”

“All part of the job,” Damian said nonchalantly, waving a hand and wincing.

Selina tried to hide a smile, then grew more serious.  “I was surprised to see you choose my club rather than a hospital,” she replied, “until I saw this.”  She pointed to his shoulder, where there was a tattoo of a woman shooting an arrow.  “This looks like Diana, goddess of the hunt.”

Damian nodded.  “I like to hunt…”

Selina shook her head.  “And this symbol above and to the right.  It looks like a crescent moon.”

“So, I like to hunt at night,” Damian replied.

Selina smiled and shook her head again.  “No, this is the mark of the vampire hunter.  I did not know they still existed.”

Damian looked at her and said very quietly, “How do you know what this represents?”

“I like to read,” she replied.  “I have a library at home, and I collect old books.  Some have a little paranormal mixed in with the history and I remember seeing this symbol.”  She smiled.  “My name gave me an early interest in mythology, and this is Diana’s bow and arrow under the crescent moon.”

Damian relaxed and smiled.  “Selina, as in Selene.  That makes sense.  And you’re right…my older brother taught history and mythology in Florence many years ago.  He’s the one who told me about the meaning, and I thought it would make an interesting tattoo.”

“While I would enjoy discussing this further, Mr. Salvadori,” Selina paused, glancing down at his bruises, “tonight, you should be in the hospital.  I’m no expert, but it would seem you have two possibly three cracked ribs.”

“No hospital,” Damian replied too quickly. 

Selina’s eyebrow went up and she tipped her head.  “Surely, a valued member of Interpol should be in a hospital,” she said.  “You are a valued member of Interpol, are you not?”

“Yes and no,” Damian admitted.  “I have a complicated relationship with them and having the hospital ask a lot of questions would not help.”

“Well, you can’t stay here,” she replied.  “The girls and I are going home in a few hours when the club closes.  We’ll be gone until Tuesday afternoon, so you’ll have to find somewhere else to recuperate.”

Damian realized he was lying on a sofa in an expensive looking townhouse.  One with a fireplace, but no windows.  “Is there any way I can get someone to take me to my hotel?” he asked, hoping he could make it to his room. 

“Excuse me, Selina,” Marcus said as he walked into the living area.  “There’s a woman in the club, who’s asking to see you.”

“Is she blonde and gorgeous?” Selina asked, wishing Diana would leave them alone.

“No, she’s Hispanic and looks like she means business,” he replied.

“I’ll be right out,” she said.  Looking back at Damian, she added, “Don’t move from this sofa.”

She walked out the door as Damian closed his eyes and wished the room would stop spinning.

“Detective Fuentes,” Selina said, looking around for Nate.  “Where is Detective Wright?”

Maria smiled.  “We have been known to work separately, but he’s questioning some of your employees regarding Damian Salvadori.”

“The man from Interpol,” Selina said.  “I saw him yesterday, but he didn’t seem very interested in anything we had to say.”

“Someone reported seeing a Maserati parked in your alley this afternoon, and we haven’t seen Mr. Salvadori since last night.”

“I see,” said Selina.  “I could check the cameras we have installed in the back.  Why don’t we go into my office?”

“Fine,” Maria agreed.  “Sorry to bother you while you’re working, but it’s important.”

“Of course,” Selina said, leading the way into her office.  “Do you suspect something has happened to Mr. Salvadori?”

“We don’t know, but we have a few questions we’d like to ask him,” Maria replied.

Selina motioned for her to sit in one of the chairs.  “Let me get this copied for you,” she said.  A moment later, she handed Maria the thumb drive and smiled.  “Do you miss your Goth days?” Selina asked as Maria glanced around the room.

“Actually, yes,” Maria replied, laughing.  “It was a lot of fun and drove my mother crazy.  Now, my two boys are doing the same to me.”

Selina nodded.  “They certainly know how to do that.  When the girls….”  She stopped.  “I should let you get back to work.”

Careful again, Maria noted.  She wasn’t sure if Selina was a private person or if she had something to hide.  She liked her, but Maria sensed there was something troubling her.  “You know if there’s anything you want to tell me, we are here to help.”

Selina decided it was time to make a change.  “I just wondered, would the police mind if the girls left for a few days?  We’d been planning this trip to Portland,” she stopped and smiled.  “I won’t be going, but I’d like them to enjoy it.”

“You’d like to get them out of town?” Maria asked, nodding.  “I can understand that.”  She paused for a moment.  “Go ahead.  I’ll contact you if we need to reach them for any reason.”

“Thank you,” Selina said.  “I’ll be in Port Townsend for the next two days, then back here on Tuesday afternoon.”

Maria got up.  “Thank you for this, Miss Bellerose,” she said, holding up the thumb drive.  “And if Mr. Salvadori does contact you, please tell him to call me.”

“Of course,” Selina replied.  

As soon as the detectives left, Selina went back through her office and into the living area to see Damian. “You need to call Detective Fuentes.  The police have some questions for you.”

“What did you do with my car?” Damian asked.  “If it was still in the alley, they would have known I was here.”

“We moved the Maserati this afternoon after we brought in your clothes,” Selina said, looking over at the suitcase.  “We thought you might need another shirt since we had to practically cut off the one you were wearing.” 

“I appreciate you cleaning me up,” Damian replied.  “And my car?”

“The girls wanted to drive it,” Selina explained, smiling, “but David was the closest to your size, so he put on your coat and moved it to the parking garage a few blocks away.”

“I see,” Damian said.  “So, what do you plan to do with me?”

“I told you,” Selina replied, “you should be in a hospital.”

“Yes, well that’s not such a good idea.”  Damian looked around.  “I could stay here.”

“Also, not a good idea,” Selina said, opening the suitcase and handing him a shirt.  “I need you to call Detective Fuentes, so she stops looking for you.  I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Damian winced as he carefully put on his shirt.  “I’ll tell her that I’m out of town following up on a lead.  And my phone connection is breaking up.”

“Not a bad idea,” Selina replied as she walked out of the room.  “Do it now,” she said as she closed the door.

Selina walked into the club and motioned for Isabella to come over.  “Tell the girls I need to speak to all of you as soon as we close.  The guys, too.”

Isabella nodded, then Selina walked over to the bar and poured two glasses of whiskey.  She carried them back into her office, set them down on her desk, then opened the safe.  She took out a vial and very carefully added three drops of liquid to one of the glasses.  Then, considered for a moment and added two more.

As she walked back into the living area, she handed one of the glasses of whiskey to Damian.  “I thought you might like a drink.”

He looked at her and smiled.  “Nice of you.  I don’t suppose you’d mind switching glasses?”

Selina hesitated, then smiled.  “You don’t trust me?”

“I do if you’ll swap glasses with me.”  Damian raised an eyebrow and Selina handed him her glass.  He gave her the other one and they toasted, then he watched her take the first sip and drank his whiskey. 

“That should help you rest,” she said as she took the glass out of his hand. 

He felt himself getting foggy.  “What did you put in the whiskey?” he asked.

“It won’t hurt you,” she replied, “but I’m not taking a vampire hunter home with me unless he’s in no condition to be a threat to anyone.”

Damian shook his head and tried to get up.  “You don’t understand, you shouldn’t have done that…”  He fell back and closed his eyes. 

Selina smiled and finished her whiskey, then walked back into the office.  

An hour later, she was talking to her entire staff as they sat around a table at the back of the club.  The customers had gone, and they’d just finished cleaning up for the night.

“I want you all to stay in Portland for the next few days,” Selina said, “my treat.  And don’t worry about going home to pack since the hotel is close to several department stores.  You can get whatever you need there.  Again, my treat.”

“What’s really going on?” Michela demanded.

“And why do you think that we’d leave you in the middle of all this…” Isabella hesitated, then added, “this situation.”

“It’s only two days and you’ll all be back Tuesday afternoon.”  Selina looked at Michela.  “I need a little time to deal with the fallout from all this.” 

Michela knew that she meant Diana.  “What about the Interpol cop?” she asked.

“He’s going to need a few days to recover,” she said.  “Another reason for you to go have fun and give him a chance to rest.  A houseful of young women is hardly what he needs right now.”

Annalise smiled.  “We can be kind of loud,” she admitted.

Genevieve nodded and looked over at Marcus.  “So, do you guys want to go to Portland?”

Marcus smiled and nodded, looking around at the others. 

“I don’t feel right about you paying for everything,” David said seriously. 

“Think of it as a well-deserved bonus,” Selina replied.  “You have all worked very hard these past few months, and I believe you’ve earned it.”

David smiled.  “All right, I’m in.”

“Me too,” said Jeremy, who looked over at Brandon.

“Are you kidding?”  Brandon laughed.  “Free hotel…I’m in.”

Isabella turned to Selina.  “It’s a good idea, but I need to go over some things in the office with you before we leave.”

“All right,” Selina replied.  “Michela, why don’t you call for a limo, and I’ll give you the paperwork for the hotel reservations when I come back out.”

Michela watched them go into the office, then turned to Genevieve and whispered, “I don’t like it, but arguing with her is pretty pointless.”

Genevieve nodded.  “I know.”  Then, she looked over at Marcus and smiled.  “Have you ever been to Portland?” she asked.

As they closed the office door, Isabella turned to Selina and said, “I don’t think it’s a good idea, you’re staying here with that Interpol cop while we’re all out of the house.”

“Are you worried about my reputation?” Selina asked. 

“Very funny,” Isabella replied.  “You know what I mean.  Who is this guy?  And why are you taking him to the house?”

“He needs to recover, and he can’t go to a hospital.”  At Isabella’s look, Selina added, “It’s complicated.”

“Uh huh,” Isabella said, smiling.  “You like him.”

“I don’t even know him.”  Selina grew serious.  “Don’t worry the others, but I think Diana may have had something to do with him showing up in that condition.”

“I wondered about that,” Isabella said.  “Michela did, too, but the others didn’t seem to notice anything.”

“Then, I need you two to get everyone settled in Portland, and I’ll call you Monday night to let you know if it’s safe to come home.  If not, we’ll extend your stay.”  Selina walked over and handed her the paperwork for the hotel, then hugged her. “Take care of yourself and the others.  And know that I love you all very much.”

“We love you, too,” Isabella said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.  “Be careful.”

Isabella walked out and got the rest of the staff upstairs and into the limo while Selina checked on Damian.  He was still sleeping, so she went into the office and called for her town car.  When the driver arrived, he helped her get Damian out to the car and settled in the backseat. 

“Is everything all right, Miss?” the chauffeur asked.

“Yes, thank you, Daniel,” Selina said.  “I appreciate your discretion as always.”

“My pleasure, Miss Bellerose,” Daniel replied.  He drove her to her house and back at least twice a week, and she was a very good tipper.

“Why don’t you put up the divider and we’ll let him sleep,” she said. 

Selina looked over, wondering just how much she should tell Damian.  She realized that taking him to the house alone was probably not one of her better ideas.  But with Diana in town maybe a vampire hunter was exactly what she needed.  She leaned back and closed her eyes as they drove onto the ferry.

Read Chapter 6 in our next post!

Anna-Violetta Books ~ November 20th

Have you ever read a paranormal spy story?

Secret agent Jazzmyn Storm met the man of her dreams while in Romania. At least, she thinks she did. All she can remember, after being found floating in the Black Sea, was that she was on assignment…and now she’s missing a month of time.

With no answers to what really happened, her only clues are in her dreams. A mystery man with an incredibly sexy accent, whose name she can’t remember…but whose touch she can’t forget.

As she tries to piece together that missing month, she realizes the answers are in Romania. Jazzmyn defies her superiors and goes back to uncover what happened, who this mystery man really is…and maybe even the truth about herself in this paranormal suspense.

This story balances paranormal espionage and suspense with fade-to-black/closed door romance.

And now, here’s the fourth chapter of Moonlight, Roses & Murder.

Chapter 4

Selina woke up to see four women staring at her.  She smiled.  “What is it, girls?”  She still called them her girls, although they were quite grown up.

“It happened again,” Michela said, looking sad.  “Another young woman murdered, but this time with a red rose by the body.”

“And puncture marks,” Annalise added, frowning.  “This is bad, isn’t it?”

“Of course, it’s bad,” Isabella replied.  “Don’t be stupid, Annalise.”

“Hey, she was just asking,” Genevieve said, defensively.

What had she been thinking about them being all grown up, Selina wondered?  She raised a hand.  “Enough,” she said.  “Yes, this is bad, but more for those young women than for ourselves.”

Michela nodded.  “Selina is right.  We need to get our priorities straight.”

“And just what are our priorities?” asked Genevieve.  She didn’t want to move again.  She had finally met someone she really liked.

Selina smiled.  “You.  Each and every one of you has always been my priority.”  She hugged each of them.  “Now, go and set the table and let me get up.  I’ll start brunch in a few minutes.”

“Pancakes?” Annalise asked, hopefully.

Michela mussed her hair with one hand.  “You’re such a kid,” she said, smiling.

The girls walked out of her bedroom and closed the door behind them.  Selina let out a breath and laid back down for a moment.  Why did this have to happen?  Things had been going so well.  Now, to possibly have to relocate again.  They’d had plenty of time three years ago to decide where they wanted to live.  This time, they might not have that luxury.

She got up and changed into a long, purple dress with a matching belt and mid-length lacy sleeves.  Not very domestic, but at least her sleeves wouldn’t be in the pancake batter.  She knew she should start wearing more modern clothes, but she loved her old ones.  They were still in good shape and they felt familiar. 

As she walked into the small kitchen, she saw some blueberries sitting on the counter.  “Where did these come from?” she asked, smiling.

“Annalise saw them yesterday and thought they’d be perfect for our next brunch,” Michela said.  “That girl has an amazing love for blueberries and pancakes.  Combine them and she’s good for the day.”

Selina nodded.  “And you feel the same way about chocolate chip cookies.”

“Everyone feels that way about chocolate chip cookies,” Michela replied, shrugging.

Selina started some bacon and made the pancakes.  She didn’t cook as much as she used to, and she found herself enjoying it. 

No one said anything about relocating until after they had finished eating.  As Isabella picked up the plates, Selina looked around the table.  “We need to decide what we should do,” she began, “and if we want to move again.”

“I vote no, unless absolutely necessary,” Genevieve said.

“I want to stay, too…if we can,” Annalise replied.  “I think Brandon is pretty cute.”

“You think all boys are cute,” Michela said, pulling her curl. 

“Hey, I’m not a little kid anymore,” Annalise replied, then laughed.

“Well, I vote we leave,” Isabella said as she sat back down.  “The sooner, the better.”

Michela nodded.  “I’m with Isabella.  It’s not worth risking our safety to stay here, no matter how much we like it.”

Selina looked around the table.  She’d had a pretty good idea how this would go and wasn’t surprised she had the vote that would decide their future.  They’d done it this way for a long time.

“I’ve thought about this since yesterday morning,” Selina said, “and I think we should stay…for now.”  As the girls started to talk, she held up her hand.  “However, I think we should find a suitable location in case we do need to move.”

“These murders are horrible,” Selina continued, “but they don’t have anything to do with us.  The last one was a few blocks away, which shifts suspicion away from us and back to Pioneer Square.  As sorry as I am for the victims,” she added, “I am glad that we were not the target.”

The girls nodded, then got up.  “So, does this mean we can have the guys over for the weekend?” asked Annalise, all smiles.

Michela rolled her eyes, although the guys were fun to have around.  “You and your cute boys.”

“Actually, I was thinking…” Selina stopped as the phone rang.  “I’ll be right back,” she said, walking into the living area.   She had a cell phone but liked having a separate line in the townhouse.

“Um, Selina, we have a problem,” she heard Brandon say. 

“Brandon, where are you?” Selina asked. 

“Here in the club,” Brandon replied, “and I’m not alone.”

Damian took the turn too fast even for the Maserati.  He had wasted the last three hours driving down to Olympia to interview Andy at his parents’ house. The kid looked like a possible suspect in the first murder, but it turned out he’d been behind the club getting sick.  And he had been in Olympia last night, which meant he hadn’t been responsible for the second murder.

Damian took another curve and told himself to slow down.  There wasn’t a lot of traffic on I-5, but he didn’t need a speeding ticket.  He still had other suspects to interview when he got back to Seattle.  He also had some questions about the first murder and thought another visit to Selina’s club might be a good place to start.

Selina hung up the phone and turned around.  “I want you to stay here,” she said.  When they started to say something, she added, “I mean it.”

She walked thorough her office and into the bar, where she saw Brandon standing with some men she did not recognize.  She smiled and asked, “May I help you?”

“Let the boy go,” a woman’s voice instructed.  As she stepped into view, Selina couldn’t help a small gasp.  “Hello, Selina,” said the blonde woman.  “It’s been a long time.”

“Brandon, go wait in the back,” Selina said, knowing he’d go through the office and into the townhouse.  As he hesitated, she said, “Stay there until I come to get you.”

He nodded and walked into the office.  Selina turned and looked at Diana Dupre, who she hadn’t seen in some time.  “Diana, what brings you to Seattle?”

“So, we’re going to be friends?” Diana asked.  “You seem to have gotten yourself into a little situation, Cherie.”

“This has nothing to do with me,” Selina said.  “Why are you here, Diana?”

“Two deaths that look like a vampire attack?” Diana replied.  “They had to send someone.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t help you,” Selina said, walking towards the stairs.  “Perhaps you and your friends should leave.”

“Not very nice, Selina.”  Diana smiled adding, “And after all I’ve done for you in the past.”

“All you’ve done for me?” Selina exclaimed.  “You’re right, you’ve done more than enough…so I’ll ask you again to please leave.”

“I was invited in,” replied Diana.

“Not by me.”  Selina pointed to the stairs.  “Leave.  Now.”

Diana looked around at the others, five good-looking men and a striking brunette all dressed in gray or black suits.  “We’ve been uninvited.  Time to go.”  She looked back at Selina and smiled.  “But I’ll be back, should the trail lead here again.”

Selina watched the group walk up the stairs, then followed them up and locked the door. 

Damian had just parked his car and was walking up to the club when he saw the others leaving.  All of them dressed in gray or black suits, Italian and expensive if he had to guess…and wearing sunglasses on a cloudy day in Seattle. Looks like I finally found the vampires, Damian thought to himself.  He smiled as he turned and walked back to his car.  He pulled out and followed the others when they got into their black limousine.

Damian watched the limo park in front of the hotel and seven people get out.  Five men, a hot brunette and a gorgeous blonde.  Like I said, he thought to himself, female vampires are always beautiful.   

He parked across the street, then walked back over to the lobby.  “My friends just came in and I’m supposed to meet them for a drink, but I’d like to send up some champagne first,” he said to the front desk clerk.  “Can I do that here?”

“Of course,” the clerk replied.  “Who is the party?”

“The five guys with the gorgeous brunette and blonde,” Damian said smiling. 

“Oh, Miss Dupre’s party,” the clerk replied.  “I expect that would be a bottle of Dom Perignon you wish to send up?”

“Nothing, but the best for Miss Dupre,” Damian agreed.  “I’ll wait for them in the bar.”

The clerk nodded and picked up the phone.  Damian walked over to the lounge, waiting for a room service waiter to ask for the champagne.  He doubted any hotel would trust kitchen employees to be responsible for Dom Perignon, so it would most likely be kept with the bartender.

And there he is, thought Damian as the young man took the champagne over to the elevator.  “Just a moment,” he said, grabbing the elevator door as it started to close.

The kid nodded and Damian rode up to the seventh floor with him, then got out and headed down the hall in the opposite direction from the waiter.  He glanced over and saw him knock on the door at the end of the hall.  Damian turned and went down a side hall, then came back about five minutes later and walked over to the door.

Selina had been surprised to see Diana. Who was she kidding, she’d been shocked.  And having her in town was another reason to consider moving.  As she walked back into the office, she saw Brandon sitting on the sofa. 

“The girls asked me to wait here and let them know if you didn’t come back in five minutes,” he said.  “Sorry for letting them in.  The blonde lady said she’d like to come in, and I told her we were closed.  I was just getting my cell phone, which I forgot last night, and she said she’d come with me.”

Selina nodded.  “Diana has a strange sense of humor.  We were friends before the girls and I moved to Seattle,” she explained.  She smiled at Brandon.  “It’s almost time to open.  Do you need to go back home before your shift starts?”

“No, I’m good,” replied Brandon.  “Selina, I really am sorry.”

“It’s all right,” she assured him.  “Why don’t you start getting things ready for tonight while I talk to the girls.”

Brandon nodded and went out to the bar.  Selina walked into the townhouse, not looking forward to the girls’ reaction as she gave them this latest information.

When she told them, the girls all looked at each other, then started talking at once.  “Are you kidding me?” demanded Michela.  “Diana is in Seattle, and we’re all just sitting here?”

“Relax,” Annalise said.  “If she’d wanted to hurt us, she could have done it a long time ago.”

“Annalise is right,” Isabella replied, surprising Michela.  They usually saw eye to eye on these things, being the oldest. 

“So, you’re okay with Diana Freaking Dupre hanging out in our club?” Michela asked, exasperated.

“Everyone, just calm down,” Genevieve said, looking over at Selina.  “What do you think?” she asked.

“I think Annalise has a point,” Selina replied, “but you were all much younger then. She didn’t see you as a threat and now she might.  I honestly don’t know what she would do if she thought you could harm her.”

“We move tonight,” Michela said.

“You only have one vote,” Genevieve reminded her.

“Girls, sit down and take a breath,” Selina said.  “And Michela, please go get my laptop.  It’s time to find another location.”

Damian could hear people talking, mainly a woman’s voice and correctly guessed that she must be Miss Dupre.  He was considering whether to walk in and confront them or wait until they left the hotel when he heard something behind him.  He turned just in time to see a man swing a champagne bottle at his head.

Damian ducked but still received a glancing blow, then the three guys were on him.  Damn, he thought.  He hadn’t considered that they might be watching out for him.  They’d probably paid the clerk to tell them if anyone asked about their party. 

As he took a swing, he realized they were too fast for him.  Or he was too slow.  He was getting hit a lot more often than he was landing any punches.  He felt himself sliding to the floor, then they started kicking him.  This was definitely not one of his better days, he thought as he felt another sharp pain in his side.

Damian looked over and saw a man stepping out of the elevator.  So did the others, who took off.  Still not wanting to be exposed as vampires, he thought.  The man looked over, then backed into the elevator, probably on his way down to tell security that someone was being attacked on the seventh floor. 

He decided it was a good time to get the hell out of there.  Damian managed to get up and make it to the other elevator, taking it down to the parking level.  As he got out, he held his side and walked across the street to his car.  He moved as quickly as he could, but he was pretty sure one of those vampires had cracked a few ribs.

Damian turned the key and tried to think where to go.  Police were no good.  They’d want him in the hospital, and he hadn’t met anyone else.  Selina was the only one he could think of as he drove back to her club.  He parked in the alley and walked up to the back door, bent over and still holding those ribs.  It was locked, so he took out his cell and called the number of the club.  Just as someone answered, he said, “Back door,” then passed out.

Selina was scrolling through properties for sale in Ireland when Brandon came into the townhouse.  “Sorry to interrupt,” he said, “but we may have another problem.”

Selina set the laptop down and followed Brandon up the stairs.  Damian Salvadori was passed out in her alley.  “He called the club and when I got up here, he was like this,” Brandon explained.

“Help me get him up,” Selina said somewhat exasperated.  “I’d call an ambulance, but we don’t need the police here again,” she said more to herself than Brandon.

As they lifted him, Damian groaned.  “Someone really did a number on this guy,” Brandon observed.

“So, it would seem,” Selina replied.  She had a pretty good idea, who that someone might be.  “Let’s get him inside.”

Read Chapter 5 in our next post!