Moonlight, Roses & Mayhem - Chapter 4
D.L. Gardner and I are going to have joint Backerkit campaigns in September! This is going to be so much fun, and you can follow us now to get all the details. This is our first time with Backerkit, so we’re curious to see how it goes…but we’re very excited to tie the campaigns together. We might need some help with reward ideas, so we hope you’ll join us!
Now, here’s the next chapter of our story!
Chapter 4
Selina watched Damian take the curve at high speed on the road to Port Townsend. He was obviously used to driving fast and enjoyed it, effortlessly maintaining control of the car. She thought that described Damian Salvadori quite well. Fast, efficient and slightly dangerous.
They had caught the last ferry out of Seattle and were now about an hour from her home. She knew it didn’t make much sense to make the long trip out of town when she could have stayed at the townhouse, but Damian had understood. She needed to be home with the things she loved, and she wanted to take a long walk in her garden.
She hadn’t told him she’d moved many of the plants with her three years ago. The girls knew how much she loved them and had been so good about helping her…starting the new shoots and packing them for the trip. But then, they’d done it many times before. On the average, once every ten years.
She missed her girls and she was getting sentimental about it, too. What she needed to do was focus on helping Damian catch this killer. But tonight, she just wanted to go home and walk thorough her garden, then climb into her own comfortable bed. So much for vampires preferring to be up all night, she thought with a smile.
Damian looked over as Selina smiled. He was glad he’d driven her home since she was obviously upset by the men at the club. Not that she couldn’t handle it. She ran her own business and managed four girls on a regular basis. He wondered how she did it as he took another turn.
He glanced back over and saw her leaning back in the seat, staring up at the sky. Nice to spend time with a woman, who didn’t complain about how fast he drove. It was the closest thing to running as a wolf that he could do in his human form. And one of his favorites. Another glance over at Selina reminded him of his other favorite.
Guest room. That was fair enough. They didn’t know each other very well, but if he had his way they would and in the very near future. She was so beautiful. That first night in her office, he’d wondered if she’d glamoured him. That was a fairly common thing for vampires to do to mere humans. Put them into a hypnotic trance, so they could easily control them.
Instead, he’d quickly realized he was simply enamored with her. Almost as effective, but not quite as dangerous. At least not at first. If he kept thinking about her like this, it might be at some point. He needed to catch this damn vampire and then decide how to deal with whatever this was between them.
Selina looked over and wondered why Damian was scowling at the road. “Is everything all right?” she asked. The sound of her voice made him relax and even smile slightly.
“Yes,” he said, glancing over. “I was just thinking that I agreed to the guest room too quickly. On such a beautiful night, I should have left my options open.”
“Maybe next time?” Selina said, then looked over at the water. They were almost to Port Townsend and the moon beams were playing on the water just as they had the other night when she’d seen Damian change into a wolf.
“You live in a beautiful area,” Damian observed, looking at the trees on one side and the water on the other. “I can see why you chose it.”
“Port Townsend is a lovely place,” Selina agreed. “When the girls and I first saw it, they were having a race in the harbor with real wooden boats. Can you believe it?” She smiled. “And the buildings along the shore are almost all from the Victorian era. The latter part, but it still reminds me of England.”
“Do you ever miss Europe?” Damian asked.
“At first, yes,” admitted Selina. “Then, as I got more used to America, I started to appreciate the difference. They are much more free, the people here. They believe they can start with nothing and build up an empire of their own. And some have.” She smiled. “There was never a ruling aristocracy in this land, and it shows.”
“I’d never considered that,” Damian said, “but you’re right. I think that does explain their attitude. And it’s one that I admire.”
“Me, too,” agreed Selina. “Although, I sometimes miss the art and culture of the old world.”
“Maybe one day,” Damian smiled to himself, “when this is all over…”
When he stopped, Selina glanced over wondering what he was thinking. “We’re almost home,” she said when he didn’t continue. “Let’s have a glass of wine and go for a walk in the garden. The moonlight is beautiful tonight.”
Damian pulled in front of the Victorian house and walked around the car to open Selina’s door for her. “Allow me,” he said, taking her hand and helping her up. “I wanted an excuse to do this,” he added, kissing her hand.
Selina smiled, slowly pulling her hand away, then walked up the porch steps and unlocked the front door. “I’ll pour the wine,” she said, heading towards the kitchen. “Do you want to leave your bag in the guest room?” She looked over her shoulder. “You do remember where that is, don’t you?”