Blood Moon (8 page)

Today’s chore, as it had been the last two days, was re-plumbing the old farmhouse.
 
It wasn’t fun, but at least Blake wasn’t in the hot sun all day. Although the work was as hard as always, since the last full moon, the evenings were now more enjoyable with Dean.
 

They sat and talked at the end of the day over a beer or two, and though Dean ribbed him a lot and reminded Blake constantly that he was paying off a debt, he was finding it enjoyable.

“Rowan called yesterday and asked me to fly to California for a couple of weeks for a visit,” Dean said to Blake.

“Hmmmm. Are you going to go?” Blake asked.

“Yeah, I mean, I’ve never been anywhere. I think it would be fun.”

“Definitely. You guys have anything planned?”

“She mentioned something about the American River, Big Sur, and maybe some surfing.”

“Those are definitely some great things to do in California. I’m sure you two will have a great time.”

“Does it bother you?”

“I told you before, I want her to be happy.
 
Sure, I wish it was me she was asking, but I can totally understand her wanting you. You do realize, though, if you hurt her, I will be the grovelee and you will be the groveler,” Blake joked. Dean nodded and smiled.

“Seriously though, are you going to be okay with this?”

“Yeah. I’ll be okay.”

“Why don’t you come back with me when I go? I’ve never been on an airplane; it’d be fun to have someone to go with.”

“Dean Wolfe, are you scared of planes?”

“Don’t be stupid. Of course not. I just, well, I don’t have anything else for you to do around here, so there’s no reason for you to stay if I’m not here. Seems only logical you go back.”

“Uh huh! And it has nothing, whatsoever, to do with the big, scary airplane, right?” He smiled at Dean then continued, “Sure, Dean. I’ll fly back to California with you. I should probably start looking for a job that actually pays, as compared to working for you, anyways.”

“Great.
 
So we’ll be leaving in about a week.”

“Okay. Whatever you say, Dean,” Blake chuckled to himself.

Chapter 7

Davenport was a cute little town not too far from Santa Cruz and Beth Jorgensen loved it.
 
It was close to the ocean so whenever she could get a free moment, she would pop down to the beach and surf. Beth kept her wet suit in the trunk of the car and the surfboard attached to the top.
 
She especially enjoyed surfing when the sun was low on the horizon.
 
Somehow it made everything perfect when she could surf at this time of the evening.
 
Tonight was no exception. She had gotten a few very nice rides and a couple of wimpy waves before it was getting too dark to be safe.
 

She headed up to the car on a sandy trail cut out of a dune.
 
She had her wet suit off from the waist up dangling around her hips as she lugged the board up the trail.
 
She was just about to hit the parking lot when something struck her from behind and everything went black.
 

Darby woke up realizing instantly that something wasn’t right.
 
Aside from her handsome vampire boyfriend missing from his side of the bed, she couldn’t pinpoint what seemed out of order.
 
Then it hit her. Harry wasn’t standing on her chest doing his ‘wake up and feed me’ dance. Suspicious, she got up and out of bed, slipping on her bunny slippers, and headed for the kitchen to find the two boys having a little something to eat.
 
What a treat,
Darby thought to herself.
 
Since the day she had brought the Harry monster home from the Humane Society as a kitten, she had never been allowed to sleep in. She walked over to Devon who was facing away from her at the kitchen table, and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek from behind him.
 
As if he had the whole thing planned, Devon somehow twirled her around him landing her in his lap and wrapping his warm arms around her.
 
He kissed her until her toes curled in delight.
 

“You certainly know how to sweep a girl off her feet.
 
Have you had a lot of practice at that?”

“Not much. Must be a gift.”
 

“I’ll say,” she said and kissed him as he had just kissed her.

“Hmmmm. Tasty,” he said.

“You’re pretty yummy yourself. It’s hard for a girl to concentrate on anything with you sitting there half naked looking so incredibly amazing.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself.”

“Oh sure, me in my bunny slippers and flannel shorts. Woo Hoo!”

“You definitely get a ‘Woo Hoo’ from me.
 
I wouldn’t have you any other way – okay, well maybe one other way.”

She kissed him again and held him tight.
 
She whispered in his ear –
I love you, Devon
– and kissed his neck, running her fingertips along his shoulders to the front of his neck and then continuing to the back of his neck, when Rowan walked in.

“Aren’t you two too cute! Good morning, lovebirds.”

Darby, embarrassed at being caught, practically jumped off Devon’s lap, making him and Rowan laugh.

“Good morning to you.
 
How did you sleep?” Darby asked.

“Good. By the way I was going to tell you both, Dean is coming out next week for a visit and Blake is coming back with him.”

“Great,” Darby said with enthusiasm. “I’ve missed Blake. I’m glad you talked Dean into coming out.
 
What’s the plan?”

“Not sure yet.
 
I took your suggestions and told him about Big Sur, but we might go rafting on the American River too.”

“How do you feel about Blake coming back?” Darby asked.

“I don’t know. How should I feel?”

“I don’t know. Nervous, excited, indifferent.
 
It was an innocent question, I mean he’s been gone for a month and a half and you were once in love with him. He’s been really trying hard to accommodate you with distance and all that. I just wondered,” Darby said.

“I’m sorry. You’re right.
 
I guess I’m feeling a little defensive and nervous about it.”

Hoping to change the subject he could see coming between the girls, Devon asked Rowan, “Have you picked your classes for this fall?” They both knew what he was doing and thought it best to follow his lead until they were alone.

“Yeah. I registered last week and start on September 14. So far as I know, I got into all the classes I requested, so there are no surprises there.”

“Great, Sweetie!” Darby said. “Do you think you could help me at the bookstore today for about an hour? I’ll treat you to lunch.”

“Sure. I’m always up for a free meal,” Rowan laughed.
 

“It’s just a little bit of stock work that I’ve gotten behind on.
 
Shouldn’t take more than an hour. If you’re up for it, I’m going to leave in about 45 minutes.”

“Okay. I’ll be ready,” Rowan said as she got up and left the room.

“Thanks, Rowan!” Darby yelled after her. She stood up and walked over to Devon and resumed her position in his lap and said with a whisper in his hear, “And as for you, Mr. Bloomington, since you like bunny slippers and flannel, might I entice you to continue what you started before we were interrupted?” She bombarded his neck and earlobe with tiny, tender kisses. He stood up; carrying her with no effort whatsoever, and walked to the bedroom and all the while she continued kissing his neck up under his jaw line and running her tongue up to his soft earlobe.
 

On the other side of the bedroom door, he walked backwards, closing the door behind him. His breathing was getting deeper and he walked to the bed and sat with her on his lap. Her lips met his mouth and he was eager for her kisses. She held him tight around the neck and kissed him deeply. His hands were strong at her waist, pulling her hard to him.
 
Continuing to kiss him deeply, she stood and changed her position in his lap to straddle his legs, pushing him back to a lying position on the bed. More comfortable now, the kissing became much hotter and more urgent. His hands pulled her waist hard against him being cautious of her healing stitches. She gasped at his strength and the hardness of his body.
 
Like lightning, he had her out of her shirt and his hands on her skin. He sat up, still kissing her, and then moved on to her neck. He pulled her close, his skin on hers, and she sighed and threw her head back as he kissed her throat and chest. His hands explored her shoulder, neck, and back, and then his mouth was on hers again with urgency. His hands now were on her hips and he was pulling her to him hard. His hands stroked her outer thigh down to her knees and then back up slowly. Under her flannel shorts, he put his hands on her hips, pulling her to him rhythmically, and she gasped again at his strong hands on her smooth skin. He moaned at her reaction.
 

She wanted to have all his skin on her and he wanted the same. He stood up, his hands on her hips, holding her in place and she holding tight to his neck. He turned and laid her tenderly on the bed under him and he moaned as she wrapped her legs around him, kicking the bunny slippers to the floor. Her fingertips pushed deep into his wide, strong back as he buried his face into her neck and hair and whispered he loved her. Her hands were on his waist now and she pulled him hard to her as he ground his hips into hers. She groaned and gasped at his movement. That was all he could stand. In an instant he was up off of her and had discarded his clothes. He leaned into her and ever so gently slid off her flannel shorts and he returned to her, now with nothing between them.
 
Skin on skin - sweet ecstasy. He found it hard to control his vampire strength in this heightened sense of pleasure, but he also found it a bit tantalizing having to hold back. Their bodies found pleasure in each other as his hips found hers and their breathing became panting. Their animalistic instincts came to a peak and the tension released into an exquisite repose.

Darby and Rowan talked in the car on the way to the bookstore.
 
Rowan said, “I was going through the Book of Shadows last night, looking for a reference or the actual page that the diary had mentioned.”
 

“Did you find anything?”

“The only thing that looks remotely odd is that page in the back that isn’t attached and looks like a doodle page, the one with all the creases in it.”

“That’s it, huh? Weird.”
 

“I still don’t understand why that page is in the book.”

“Well maybe there is more significance to it than we first thought.”

“What do you mean?” Rowan asked.

“Well, everything in the book has been important or related to a spell so far, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, maybe it’s a clue,” Darby said. “The fact that it is in the book despite how meaningless it looks, may be a key.
 
I think it is something we need to look at a little closer.”