Excerpts from AUTUMN book 1 Chapter V

In the heat of the night anything goes...

Rayne, the sexy new man in Alexa Lambert's life fills her with a deep longing to leap beyond her fears and explore the darker edge of desire.

He saved her from an attacker but something about him has all of her alarm bells ringing.

Will she be able to take that leap once she discovers his secrets…

I gazed down the length of my body, at the clothing I was wearing.

I’d dressed in a topaz blue corset, a garter belt, some panties to match and black stockings.

Over that, I wore a thin filmy robe so sheer it was nearly transparent.

As fog thickened on the distant horizon, I had a moment where I thought I must be dreaming.

I knew I didn’t have any outfit quite like this.

He moved slowly walking towards me, the fall mist swirling around him like a lovers embrace.

He seemed to be calling to me.

From a distance, I heard my name whispered on the wind.

I wanted to go to him but my legs felt weak and wobbly.

He was wearing a long dark coat and after easing out of it, he dropped it to the ground.

I stood on my balcony watching him.

He seemed to glide, his feet not moving as he traveled across my backyard.

I couldn’t help but notice what a beautiful man he was, as he moved closer still.

His body agile like a dancers and desire took over my senses in a quickening flash.

He moved again, and this time he stood on the balcony, reaching for me, pulling me to him.

One hand slid down around to the small of my back, the other hand slid up to the base of my neck, as he pulled me near for the gentlest kiss.

Probing my mouth with his tongue, he deepened the kiss.

I could feel his arousal against my thigh.

I felt lost in a dream, a fantasy.

Rayne was a master at kissing.

The sensations he stirred inside of me made me dizzy with longing.

Breathless I leaned back to look into his deep colorful blue eyes, that now seemed to glow from somewhere within him.

He smoothed his hands over me, stroking my body with the gentlest touch, moving them down along my spine.

He cupped my bottom pulling me against him hard, heightening my desire.

I felt the glow of heat running along my skin, need beyond my comprehension flushed and engulfed me.

His kiss so deep I nearly melted.

My mind was screaming for me to stop and pull back before making a huge mistake.

As I managed to lean away, I looked into his eyes to explain.

His Husky-blue eyes now glowed with a tint of red.

The folds of skin surrounding those eyes looked darker, bruised even.

His face seemed thinner somehow.

His lovely kissable mouth was now partially open, exposing his fangs.

My heart pounded loudly in my ears as I tried to run, but his strong hands had me pinned in place.

I gasped for breath gathering all the air I could into my lungs and screamed.

 

Mom was standing over me.

She shook me as she said, “Alexa sweetie, wake up! I think you’re having a nightmare.”

My eyes popped open, as tears rolled down my cheeks.

It took me a moment before I could speak.

“Oh mom I… it was a horrible dream.

Actually, I had more than one but you know how nightmares are...

One second you’re dreaming about something, and then it changes into something else.

” Mom sat on the edge of my bed, “Do you want to tell me what these nightmares were about?”

I nodded, “Well in the first one Uncle Gregor was here and I wanted him to stop drinking and asked him why he always drank so much.

” Mom tried soothing me, “Well sweetie you and Gregor have gotten into that topic many times before…”

“No mom, this dream was very strange.

He asked me if I really wanted to know why he was always drinking.

I shook my head and said yes, then his skin got all splotchy and his face changed.

His teeth grew and he turned into a cheetah.” I answered shivering at the memory.

“Wow really? That is a very strange dream.

I think I’d find it just a little scary myself.

Well, no wonder you started screaming.” Mom said patting my arm.

“No mom that wasn’t the dream that had me screaming.

It was Rayne, I was dreaming about him and we were…”

I stopped talking.

I could feel the blush rising up my cheeks.

“Oh I see, you and Rayne were being romantic maybe?”

Mom watched me closely, as I tried to pull myself together.

I knew she wasn’t going to push if I wasn’t ready to talk about things like this.

I sighed, as I gathered my thoughts.

“He was kissing me and I decided that we shouldn’t, you know... but when I tried to pull away, I think he turned into a vampyre.

You know what I mean Mom, just like vampyres in the movies.

He sprouted fangs and his face changed a little, his eyes looked different and he wouldn‘t let me go.

” Mom sighed and then hugged me reassuringly.

She released me, then shifted on the bed to pet Taz.

“Well, as you can see, you’re at home and safely tucked into your bed.

I understand why you screamed honey.

Perhaps you should try to go back to sleep and don’t watch anymore scary movies for a while.” Mom told me while tucking the covers around me.

“Try to get some sleep honey.”

She patted Taz to get her settled.

“I’ll be in my room if you need me.”

I don’t think I’d been asleep for very long when Tazita’s meowing woke me.

I heard my mother’s muffled voice, and another voice coming from downstairs.

I quietly opened my door and stepped into the hallway.

From here, I could hear the voices better.

Voices of two men were talking but I couldn’t make out the words.

I snuck a little closer because I could feel tension in the air.

I crept down the stairs, only moving down three, and then quietly sat.

I heard Rayne’s voice say, “I’m sorry about this Nuketa but as I said before, I knew Angelica.

I thought you could help.”

I wondered what he was talking about so passionately.

Mom broke into my thoughts when she spoke, “I don’t seem to have anything that’s working for him. I need to know what species he is.”

What species, I wondered what they were talking about, did Rayne bring mom some wounded animal?

Then I heard the other man’s voice almost whisper, “Werewolf.”

Mom’s voice came to me again, “Have you ever seen him pull a wolf from an unconscious human before?”

The man’s voice I didn’t recognize answered, “Only a Loki can do this that’s why he’s our Loki.”

I rubbed at my eyes and thought that I must be having another dream.

However, this seemed so real to me.

I moved down one more step and tried to peer into the dark foyer.

I heard the man speak again, “Now you’ve seen it as I did Nuketa. Can you help my brother?”

A strange glow emitted from the area of the kitchen casting shadows into the foyer.

I stood and slipped down the stairs.

I felt drawn to whatever was happening.

I rounded the corner and tiptoed across the foyer.

My mother was leaning over a man who lay across our kitchen table.

The room was so dark I could barely see.

I blinked and rubbed at my eyes, because a bluish-white light looked as if it were flowing from my mother’s hands.

The man below her hands morphed somehow into a very large black wolf.

The wolf opened his eyes.

Those glowing yellow eyes landed on me.

I must have gasped.

My feet moved forward, as the wolf shimmered, quickly shifting into a human, his eyes still on me.

Those eyes were now the golden color I’d seen before, making coffee in my kitchen.

They were Sorin’s eyes.

I stumbled and caught myself, “Mom what’s happening?”

Rayne turned towards me, “Alexa I can explain all of this.”

“No,” I told him, “just stay back Rayne I think I know what you are. I want you to move away from my mother.”

The bright light over the kitchen sink nearly blinded me, as my mother flipped on the switch.

“Alexa, it’s alright sweetie.”

I saw Sorin roll off the side of the table and then place his hand on it as he tried to stand.

Blood colored the side of his face.

Something strange was happening inside of me.

Something I don’t understand.

My hands grew very warm and I felt a little feverish.

Fear was rising inside me as fast as the warmth.

“Mom what is happening to me, I don’t feel very well. Something’s definitely wrong.”

Mom stepped towards me, “Alexa it will be alright. I unbound your powers, once you get used to them…”

Sorin cried out words that chilled me, as Ammit appeared behind my mother.

“She’s not your wife; they aren’t yours Ammit, they died long ago.”

Fear rose to a crescendo I’d never known, as my mother vanished in Ammit’s grasp, right before my eyes.

He’d just appeared, then vanished taking her with him, and I couldn’t understand how.

I saw Rayne move swiftly, a sword in his hand, that somehow emerged from thin air.

Heat burst from my hands.

A blue and orange fire of tiny laser like lightning pummeled towards the area where my mom had been and was decimating our microwave.

I shrieked in agony as the tiny lightning kept emitting from my fingers.

Rayne’s sword disappeared as he moved towards me.

“Alexa, calm down and it will stop. We aren’t here to cause you any harm.”

His voice rough with demand, yet concerned.

Sorin stumbled to one of our kitchen chairs.

He yelled, “Fen get the fire extinguisher from above the stove and put that fire out before it burns down the house.”

Fen scrambled to do what Sorin asked, as I tried desperately to calm myself.

Rayne walked to the window over the kitchen sink and slid it open.

This let the black smoke out that had risen from the microwave, resembling a mushroom shaped cloud.

My eyes were stinging from the smoke as my fingers finally stopped emitting the lightning.

Rayne walked towards me and I backed away from him shaking my head.

“No, just stay over there.”

He pulled out a chair at the kitchen table, placing his hands flat in front of him.

I suppose he was trying to calm me by making himself look less threatening, but it wasn’t helping.

I leaned against the wall behind me and tried to understand what had just happened.

Sorin still had blood smeared down the side of his face and I decided I couldn’t look at it anymore.

He stared at me for only a moment then said, “Fen come and sit down so Alexa will feel safe.

” My gaze grazed Fen; he still held my mom’s tiny fire extinguisher.

He seemed satisfied the fire was out and placed the extinguisher on the counter.

Then he walked over to our table and sat in a chair next to Sorin.

His eyes landed on mine.

I felt a little more comfortable now with them sitting.

“Everyone just stay here I’ll be right back.”

I went to the downstairs bathroom and grabbed a washcloth.

Then I stopped at the pantry and retrieved my 9 millimeter from my gun case.

I walked back into the kitchen holding both.

I tossed the soapy washcloth at Fen, “clean him up its just soap and water.”

Rayne eyed me, “What’s the gun for Alexa?”

I glanced at him, “It makes me feel safer in a room full of…” I let the sentence trail off.

I almost said monsters but after what I’d just done to the microwave, I had no idea if I was one of them.

Fen cleaned the blood from Sorin’s face, as I tried to understand everything that just happened.

I stared at Sorin’s now clean face hoping to hear some answers.

“Is he going to hurt my mother? Is she ever coming back home?”

He sighed heavily and rubbed at his forehead.

“Ammit insisted that he wanted to talk to your mother alone.

He believes that you are his family reincarnated.

He asked me to stay away from your mother. I refused.”

“Is that what happened to you, you two got into a fight over my mother?”

He nodded wearing a grim expression.

“Alexa,” Rayne’s eyes filled with compassion, “I don’t think he will hurt Nuketa.

From what we heard of the argument he intends to show her something.”

I sighed, “What is he?” My eyes met Rayne’s, “For that matter what are you?”

A strange look crossed his features, “I thought you said that you know what I am?”

I shook my head and looked down at the gun in my hand.

The thing was getting heavy, and I wasn’t even sure it could save me, if any of them decided I’d make a fine meal.

“Say it Alexa, tell me what it is that you think I am.”

My gaze landed on the beautiful Husky-blue eyes, “Vampyre.”

I felt like crying and managed to choke it back.

“I dreamed that you are a vampyre.”

He looked astonished, “You dreamed that?” I just nodded.

“Ammit is also a vampyre Alexa, but he is a great deal older than any I’ve ever met.”

I darted a quick glance at all of the men in my kitchen.

I had questions I hoped Sorin would answer.

“Sorin, how long have you known Ammit?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers.

He probably had a monster headache I realized.

I nearly giggled at the thought.

“I’ve known Ammit for a little over two hundred years.” Sorin finally answered.

That startled me. “How is that even possible?”

His eyes landed on mine, “I’m a Werewolf Alexa.

We age approximately one year for every seventy seven we live.”

I inhaled deeply with his answer and the panic that suddenly rose.

Rayne eyed me looking alarmed, “Stay calm Alexa or you may set the house on fire again.”

I nodded and inhaled deeply again, “How did Ammit just appear and then disappear like that?”

Rayne answered, “As I said, he is ancient and that is just one of his many talents.”

My eyes met Rayne’s, “Can you do that too?”

He shook his head, “No I can’t. It is not a talent I have ever seen before in any vampyre.”

“Have you met a lot of vampyres?”

I don’t know why I even asked.

Maybe the sound of other voices was helping me to keep myself calm.

Then I wondered if I was just keeping them talking to prolong my life.

Sorin’s eyes narrowed, “Alexa, we intend you no harm.

I love your mother and I wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt her or you.”

I nearly growled as a flare of anger raced through me.

“You didn’t stop Ammit from kidnapping my mother.

” Sorin grimaced, “I tried to stop him Alexa.

He wouldn’t listen to me but I’m sure he won’t hurt her.

He’s still in love with the woman he believes is his wife.”

He sighed heavily.

I could tell Sorin was in a great deal of pain but wasn’t sure if this pain was physical or emotional.

The gun was getting much too heavy for me to continue holding.

I wondered what to do with it.

Before I could decide, a shimmer of awareness prickled along my skin.

Ammit suddenly reappeared with my mother in his arms, facing him this time.

I was so startled I nearly fired my gun.

I managed to take a step towards the buffet and lay the gun on top of it, as my mother turned to face me.

She saw me lay the firearm on top of the buffet as she moved in my direction.

She pulled me in for a hug, then stroked her hands down my hair, “Are you alright sweetie. I’m so sorry…”

Ammit interrupted her words while staring at me, “I can’t believe you let her play with guns and didn’t teach her the rules.”

I gently moved Mom away from me and glared at Ammit.

“She taught me to never point a gun at anyone unless you are willing to use it, if that’s what you mean.

You kidnapped my mother.”

I was so angry, I wanted to pummel Ammit’s face with my fists.

I was also relieved that she was home and safe, or was she...

“Mom did he hurt you?” I tried to inspect her neck for bite marks, as Ammit took a step in my direction.

His face softened and I didn’t expect that.

Ammit’s look attentive, he said “Alexandria, I would never harm your mother or you…”

Oh he’d hit my last nerve, “The name is Alexa.”

My voice rose and octave as did my anger.

His response baffled me, as he bowed in front of me and said “Of course, please, do forgive me Princess.”

I had no idea how to respond to that but my mouth chose to anyway.

My eyes narrowed as I asked Ammit, “Are you making fun of me?”

He bowed again, “I would never make fun of you.

I think we need to talk as a family.”

He turned his eyes on the men in the room.

“I think it is past time for you gentlemen to leave.

I need some time to reacquaint myself with my family.”

My anger came back to me in a flash.

My hands started feeling warm again as I nearly screamed in anger.

“Are you insane? You can’t just drop into my home uninvited, then kidnap my mother, and expect me to put up with your crap.

I want you out of here. Leave now Ammit.”

He glanced at my mother.

I could see by the look on her face that she was not happy.

“Ammit I agreed to spend time with you only upon certain conditions.

If you fail to keep to those the deal is off.”

He looked as if he were going to argue.

Then his face softened again.

He bowed in front of us both and said, “As you wish Princess but know this, we will talk soon.”

Then he vanished.

Mom wrapped her arms around me in a quick hug.

“Everything will be alright Alexa.” She told me, then she went to Sorin.

“Are you okay?” She asked him, as he rose and pulled her close for a hug.

“I’m sorry about all of this.

I couldn’t stop him once he’d seen both of you.”

I saw tears form in his eyes as he held her.

“I didn’t know Nuketa; I swear I didn’t know, I’ve never seen the painting.”

She pulled away from him.

“I know but Ammit is right about one thing.

I‘m afraid I need you to leave.

I need to be alone with Alexa.

I have a lot of explaining to do.”

I walked behind mom as we walked the monsters to the front door.

Rayne suddenly stopped to stare at me.

He looked at my mother, “Nuketa with your permission I’d like to take Alexa to dinner.”

Mom stopped walking and studied me.

I think my mouth hung open for a moment in surprise.

I quickly closed it.

Mom waited for another second to see if I’d respond, but I didn’t know what to say.

She turned back to Rayne, “Why don’t you call tomorrow afternoon, perhaps after she and I have a chance to talk, I’ll have an answer for you.”

He nodded his head once and stepped out the front door.

Mom closed the door behind our unexpected guests and locked it.

I followed her back into the kitchen feeling exhausted.

She closed the window and poured us both a glass of sweet tea.

“I know you have a lot of questions sweetie, but honestly I’m too tired to answer them all.

Maybe you could just ask me a couple and then we can talk tomorrow?” She said, then sipped at her iced tea.

My mind darted through everything that happened and I couldn’t figure out exactly what to ask first.

Mom’s voice interrupted my thoughts.

“What happened to the microwave?”

I felt the blush rise, “I somehow managed to set it on fire after Ammit disappeared with you.”

I took a sip of my tea and set the glass on the table in front of me.

“Mom, am I a monster?”

She giggled, “No sweetie you’re not a monster, whatever would give you that idea.”

“Am I some kind of demon?”

I couldn’t figure out what other kind of creature could shoot lighting bolts from their fingers.

Mom grinned at me, “Some would say witches come from demons or at the very least are closely related to them.”

Witches, she’d said. My mind flashed to my childhood.

I had a fleeting impression of sitting next to something on my bedroom floor, a nice fire surrounded me.

I remember thinking how pretty the blue and orange flames looked.

“Mom you said something earlier about unbinding my powers?”

She nodded, “I had to bind them Alexa, before I took you to your first early childhood development class.

I wanted to give you as normal a childhood as I possibly could.”

“So, I’m a witch then?”

I could hardly believe this.

I wasn’t even human.

“Yes Alexa, We are blood descendants of very powerful witches.

Angelica was your great grandmother.

Apparently, Rayne knew her.

She sent him to us to protect us from something or someone.

Before you ask, he doesn’t know who or what he’s protecting us from, just that he must.

She died before she could tell him more.

It’s taken him years to find us.”

She sighed and took another sip of tea.

“Does that mean that Rayne is one of the good guys?”

I couldn’t imagine it.

Rayne is a vampyre and he’d just asked my mother for permission to take me to dinner.

I hoped that I wasn’t on the menu.

“I would have to say yes I think he is.

Alexa I don’t think he intends to hurt you.

After all he did protect you from an attacker at school didn’t he?”

She watched me carefully as I squirmed.

That lie still bothered me.

“I see. The attack was much worse than Rayne would have me believe wasn’t it?”

I knew I wore a guilty look planted on my face.

I just nodded and sipped at my tea.

“I survived it mom and I wasn’t hurt honestly.”

She studied me again and I tried not to squirm.

“Are you going to accept Rayne’s dinner invitation?”

“I thought I was falling in love with him.

Now I don’t know what to think.”

I really had no idea how to handle dating a regular boy.

I just didn’t have that much dating experience.

What was I supposed to do, how was I supposed to act on a date with a vampyre.

“Do you still have feelings for him?” She asked.

“I think so but he’s a vampyre.

I wouldn’t even know…” I let the sentence trail off.

Mom smiled at me. “There’s only one way to find out Alexa.

Accept the dinner invitation if you like him and see how things go.

You did make a deal with me remember.

I’m dating Sorin and apparently now Ammit.

You might as well go and see if you really enjoy his company.

Just think about it and have an answer before he calls tomorrow.

” We got Tazita settled down finally.

I think she sensed the other predators that had been in the house and wasn’t a happy cat at all.

Taz also smelled my hands a lot.

I looked at them closely and noticed nothing different, other than the warmth in them.

I closed my eyes after mom left my room, pictures of Rayne in my mind.

Did I really want to accept a date with a vampyre?