Fall of kNight Read online

  “I love you,” I stated firmly. The overwhelming need for me to say it was apparent by the concerned expression on his face.

  Daniel"s eyes lifted to mine. “Nothing will come between us. I promise you.”

  Daniel"s statement was true. Within the deep recesses of his heart, he would kill anything that threatened us. The Alpha male I had fallen deeply in love with was, in fact, my protector. He would kill for me.

  “I"m stronger than you think, Daniel.”

  “You are mine, mine to protect and mine alone to love. I will not let any harm come to you, especially from that Richard.”

  I turned away from him to turn off the nightstand light. I shifted, easing myself back to my spot on the bed. Daniel pulled me into his arms as he released a long sigh.

  His head rested against my shoulder.

  “I love you so much.” The softness of his voice whispered against my ear.

  “I love you, too.”

  The warmth between us soothed our worries and calmed our souls. We slept the rest of the night worry free. Tomorrow was another day. If Fate had another challenge for us, then we would be ready.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Morning, the last moments of night lifted as my eyes opened to the soft sound of Daniel snoring. A smile crossed my lips as I rolled over on my side, snuggling close to him. The snoring stopped. A soft grumble released from my handsome man as his hand clasped onto mine. The warmth from his body was a relief to my chilled one. One thing I had learned about myself in this new life; my body temperature increased dramatically at night.

  Daniel had turned the thermostat to the “freeze me” zone, which was fine while we were sleeping. I snuggled closer, absorbing the warmth his body emitted. He shifted his head, tilting it to the side.

  “What time is it?” His morning voice was deep toned and somewhat scratchy.

  “Don"t know.” My voice was soft as I closed my eyes and inhaled his spicy fragrance.

  Daniel moved again. This time he rose and turned to look at the clock. He released a sigh then settled back on the bed. To my delight, his arms enveloped me as he placed a soft kiss against my forehead.

  “It is almost seven. Mom is expecting us for breakfast.”

  Breakfast at Charlotte"s was one of my favorites. I only wondered if she was going to do the cooking or Rose. No matter who was the cook this morning, it would be greatly appreciated. A small growl rumbled in my belly.

  “I would say we need a head start this morning,” Daniel mused.

  I laughed softly, “Only if you turn up the heat in this house.”

  Daniel"s lips pressed against my ear. “How about I turn up your heat?” He growled softly.

  Chills ran down my spine, sending sparks to every nerve in my body. He had to be joking. My stomach growled again.

  “Julie, did you just growl at me?” His question appeared to have a hint a humor.

  “No, I believe that was my stomach telling you I need to eat.” I mumbled.

  He laughed lightly then slipped out of the bed. I grabbed the bed covers and pulled them tightly over me. Light suddenly filled the room from his nightstand lamp. I winced, protecting my eyes from the brightness. He padded out of the bedroom and down the hall. A few seconds later, he was back and headed directly toward the bathroom.

  In moments, I felt the heat blowing from the vent above me. As warm natured as I had become, I enjoyed the feeling of heat in the morning. The rising sun broke through the last moments of the night. With a reluctant sigh, I pushed myself from the bed to choose the clothes to wear for the day.

  The shower stopped, and soon it was going to be my turn. Daniel walked back in the room with only a towel wrapped around his waist. I glanced over him; he was so adorable. My thoughts got the better of me as I gave him a wicked smile.

  His black eyebrow lifted, his eyes glimmered with humor, “Breakfast, remember?”

  A chuckle escaped me, and I darted off for my shower. It was going to be a good day. Tonight, however, was a full moon, which only meant one thing, a hunt. After a nice shower, my thoughts wandered back to breakfast.

  Daniel was already downstairs in the kitchen, pondering over the local news while nursing a cup of coffee. As I padded in, following the aroma of coffee, I stopped. Daniel lifted his eyes to mine. Would I ever tire of seeing such a handsome man? I hoped not.

  My thoughts betrayed me as his lips twitched into a smile.

  “You know,” he started, as he sat his coffee cup down on the counter. “We do have a few minutes.”

  Nervously, I moved toward the coffee pot. “A few minutes,” I teased.

  “Well,” he growled. I heard the bar stool sliding against the floor.

  Daniel moved with stealth, his body pressed against mine. The scent was almost more than I could stand. I closed my eyes tightly as his lips pressed against my neck.

  “I suppose I could manage an hour,” his hands slid around my waist as he pulled me closer to him, “or two.”

  The pulse quickened in my veins as a gust of air released from my lungs. He knew my thoughts. It was the very desire that consumed me. One thing I loved about Daniel, I never had to ask.

  “Must you tease me so early in the morning?” My breath shuddered as I felt his teeth nipping at my skin.

  “Who is teasing?” he growled softly again.

  “Your mother is waiting on us,” I persisted.

  “And?” he continued, as the fire flamed against my skin.

  “And…” I braced myself against the kitchen counter. “You know how persistent they are when it comes to being late.”

  Daniel released another sigh. “Well, if we must.”

  A soft laugh escaped me. Daniel released me, just enough for me to turn and face him. My head tilted back, looking up into those deliciously light brown eyes.

  “We must, this time,” I teased as I moved past him.

  After a couple of cups of coffee and finishing the morning news, we headed out the door toward his parents. My expectations were on food and food alone. The overwhelming craving for blueberries was absolute torture.

  When we arrived at the elaborate home, I could already smell the food from outside. Daniel and I made our way, following the aroma of a home cooked breakfast, to the kitchen. Just as I had expected, Charlotte was cooking.

  The second thing I noticed, Charlotte had done a little redecorating. My first thought, she must have been bored or worse yet, stressed. The new sofa, a plush blend of deep brown with a hint of golden tones fit perfectly in the spacious living room. The color stood out against the pale cream walls and hard wood floors. As I moved through the living room to the kitchen, I noticed a few new pictures. I paused a moment to take in the artist, Monet. If I knew Thomas, and I did, this was an original painting. Thomas spared no expense for Charlotte"s wants or desires.

  The dining room was the same, the large dining room table covered by a white linen tablecloth, and the glass vase full of fresh cut flowers, Charlotte probably picked them up on her bi-weekly shopping trip. The walls were freshly painted a soft golden yellow accented by the white trim. Charlotte added a new set of gold draperies, which were pulled apart to allow the sunlight"s entrance to trickle into the large room. I couldn"t help but admire the soft pastel paintings that donned the wall. Thomas must have gone on a serious shopping spree.

  In the kitchen, Thomas sat at the breakfast table with the morning newspaper and a cup of coffee. Charlotte was, as I expected, in the kitchen slaving over a brilliant breakfast. I could barely wait to taste the magnificence of her culinary skills.

  Charlotte looked up as Daniel and I walked into her view. Her eyes brightened as a smile crossed her lips.

  “Mom,” Daniel spoke softly as he embraced his mother and gave her a gingerly kiss on the cheek.

  “Good morning, you two. Sit down,” her polite voice chimed as she motioned toward the table where Thomas rigidly sat in his chair.

  “Looks like you have cooked enough for an army.” Daniel gla
nced around the kitchen.

  “Well, your mother decided to get an early start this morning, early meaning around 4 a.m. The woman has not let me rest one minute since her feet hit the floor,”

  Thomas blurted out in a flurry of irritation.

  Charlotte shot Thomas a glance of disapproval and waved her hand toward him.

  “Never mind him. He is just in a grumpy mood this morning.”

  I raised my eyebrows in surprise at Charlotte and Thomas. Daniel chuckled softly and pulled out a chair for me at the table. That"s when I caught the smell of blueberries.

  My eyes darted around the kitchen to find the location of the wonderful scent. Oh that delightful smell, I must have them. “Well, Julie woke me up last night with another dream.” Daniel announced.

  Charlotte"s expression changed to concern as she set a plate filled with a variety of breakfast items in front of me. I was looking at a plate loaded with sausage, eggs and hash browns. Not to mention the pancakes and a basket of blueberry muffins.

  “Julie? What on earth?” Her hand touched my shoulder.

  “Charlotte, it really isn"t anything I need to discuss.” I couldn"t bear the thought of that horrid dream again.

  “Nothing?” Thomas added as he folded the newspaper, giving us his full attention.

  Great, I have his full and undivided attention. This wasn"t going to be as good as I had hoped. I didn"t want to go into the gory, let alone sensual, details of my meeting with Richard.

  “Julie, how are you feeling after last night?” Thomas"s graying eyebrows knitted into a frown.

  “I"m all right.” I nervously shifted in my chair as I reached for a fork.

  “She had a dream about that vampire, Richard. He bit her.” Daniel announced before he took a sip of his orange juice.

  Immediately I shot him a look. It was a look that told him to keep quiet. Daniel"s right eyebrow rose slightly, his eyes suddenly narrowed into slits.

  “They need to know.” His thoughts blared in my head.

  “Bit her!” Charlotte dropped down in her chair. The horrified expression on her face sent chills down my spine. Thomas glanced toward her. I knew they were probably communicating silently as Daniel and I just did. Thomas"s attention snapped back to me.

  “What happened?” His voice was tense.

  “Nothing really,” I tried to sound unconcerned as I shoved a forkful of eggs into my mouth.

  Daniel huffed out a breath. “He tried to seduce her, and then bit her.”

  Charlotte let out a gasp. Thomas braced back against his chair. I raised my head to the ceiling and rolled my eyes. Why is it every time I"m truly hungry, I have to endure an inquisition?

  “Seduced,” Charlotte voice trembled, “How? What did he do?”

  The uncomfortable feeling swept over me again. My heart sank into the pit of my stomach. My thoughts raced, trying to find a way to explain what happened without going into too much detail. How could I explain to them Richard"s seduction methods?

  Would they have more knowledge of vampires than Daniel and I? Could they provide the answers to all of my questions?

  Everyone"s eyes were on me as they waited patiently for the details of my horrid dream. I glanced toward Daniel with a plea of hope he would save me from the query.

  The man of my dreams suddenly turned against me. His eyebrows lifted, and he nodded toward me to continue. His gaze shifted toward his parents, preparing for their response.

  Defeated, I placed my fork down on my plate. I was no longer hungry.

  “In the dream, I was hunting for werewolves. Richard appeared. He killed the werewolf I was attacking. He seduced me … then bit me.” The visions of the dream played over in my mind, rendering me helpless to my own thoughts. Daniel"s head snapped toward me. The fury in his jet black eyes was one of a terrifying measure. There was no doubt in my mind, or in my heart, Daniel knew what happened in the dream.

  “And the seduction part?” Charlotte coaxed.

  “That is something we don"t need to discuss.” Daniel interrupted. His gaze still locked on mine.

  A certain amount of guilt swept over me. My eyes drifted down staring at the uneaten food on my plate. The room fell silent for a few moments before anyone had the nerve to speak. Thomas cleared his throat, breaking the unbearable silence.

  “Well, apparently it was worse than I thought. What little do we know of vampires?” He asked in a firm tone.

  “Apparently not enough,” Daniel"s voice was cold.

  As I inhaled a deep breath, my eyes lifted to see Daniel"s cold hard stare. From my peripheral vision, Charlotte looked from Daniel to me.

  “Julie, my dear,” her voice was gentle and motherly. “It would be a good idea for you to keep your distance from this Richard.”

  “My thoughts exactly,” Daniel growled between clinched teeth.

  Thomas"s attention went to Daniel and then followed his cold stare back to me again.

  “It"s not her fault, Daniel.” Thomas stated.

  “I know.” Daniel forced himself to look away. He had seen all he needed to see.

  Pain swelled inside his heart. Tears welled in my eyes burning to be released, but I fought hard not to shed them. My thoughts of a good day had faded into the abyss.

  Daniel"s heart was torn into a thousand pieces. He was frustrated with the thoughts of how to protect me from this vampire. In the same instant, he was crippled with jealously over an event that had not yet happened. His gaze lifted to me again, but this time it was softer.

  “I will not let anything happen to her,” he promised.

  “Are you two going out tonight?” Thomas questioned as he lifted the cup of coffee to his lips. “I saw in the news where two people went missing last night.”

  Daniel"s attention turned to his father. “Yes, tonight is a full moon. I want to make sure there are no werewolves still running loose.”

  “By all means, be careful.” Charlotte paused. Her hands rested on the table. “There may be more than werewolves roaming those woods tonight.”

  “I will give the Council a call today. There seems to be some unfinished business that must be attended to.” Thomas glanced down at his watch. “This morning I am meeting with an old friend. He has an urgent matter to discuss. What time do you think you two will be back tonight?”

  “Not late. I am guessing after a quick run, we should be back here around maybe ten or eleven.” Daniel answered.

  Thomas nodded to Daniel, his gaze shifted toward Charlotte. “Good. We will wait up for you. I am hoping we are done with the werewolves … at least for the time being.”

  He rose to his feet and placed the emerald green cloth napkin on the table. “Be careful, and I will see you tonight.”

  Daniel nodded to his father. Carefully, I watched as those hazel eyes followed Thomas out of sight through the living room. My attention immediately turned to Charlotte, who rose to her feet and headed toward the coffee pot.

  “Daniel,” she began as she poured herself another cup of coffee. “I understand how you feel.”

  “Mom?” His gaze shifted to me then back to his mother"s overly apprehensive glare.

  “Just do not be over protective. Have a little faith in Julie. She loves you very much.”

  “I know this.” Daniel sat back in his chair.

  Charlotte moved past him to her chair as she gave him a tenderly pat on the shoulder. “We have happier events to concern ourselves with, like the wedding.” Her words were soothing as she sat down in her chair.

  My heart gave a little leap of hope. The wedding was just a few weeks away, and there was so much left to do. My To-Do list included the final alterations for the wedding dress. And I wondered if Casey was actually going to make it back in time. We still haven"t heard a word from her. Then there was Heather. She would have to come back soon for her final alterations. I wasn"t sure how long it would take, but I hoped not too long. It appeared we were going to be in a rush down to the last moment.

  “I h
ave put together a small gathering tomorrow night.” Charlotte peered over her cup of coffee.

  “How many quests are going to be there?” I wondered in particular about my father"s side of the family.

  “I suppose the extended family. There are a few from my side of the family, who will also be attending the wedding. Oh, and not to mention some relatives on Thomas's side, probably fifty or so.”

  Great, I"ll be in a room full of people I don"t know once again. And with my father"s side of the family, in particular Aunt Doris, I was sure it would be a disaster. She had the most annoying way of irritating anyone she came into contact with, even if it was only for a few minutes. This was one party I didn"t look forward too.

  “Where are we having this event?” I shifted nervously in my chair as I waited for the dreaded answer.

  “Mom thought it would be nice to have it here. She wants to use the grand room for entertaining,” Daniel abruptly spoke.

  “Yes, I have not used that room in a long time. I have already made arrangements for a full serving staff for tomorrow night. The cooks will be here today to start preparing. Which reminds me, Julie, would you care to look over the menu?” Charlotte"s voice tipped a higher pitch of excitement.

  “Charlotte, I trust you. I know you have exquisite taste. Whatever you decide is fine with me.” Graciously, I accepted Charlotte"s expertise in this situation.

  There was no way I could manage to do the planning and preparing like Charlotte.

  She was the social one of the family. Her skill and flare for unique parties was unmatched. The events she planned were always elegant and tastefully presented.

  “Well, the dress is formal. Daniel, I expect you to wear something nice. And Julie, did Daniel….”

  “Yes, Mother,” Daniel interrupted with an irritated voice. “I have already picked out a suit for the night, and picked up a dress for Julie.”

  “Oh, you did pick out the jewelry, of course? What color dress did you purchase?

  What style? You know she looks elegant in a long dress. I hope you bought her diamonds. They always look elegant on her slender neck. Something not too gaudy, I hope.”

  “Mother, I took care of it. She has a beautiful dress and the jewelry matches. I chose something delicate and fitting for the occasion.”