Only By Moonlight (30 page)

Marion came down the staircase. “Well, I have
the room ready for you. On the house of course.”

“You have the floor to yourselves,” Harry put
in brightly.

“Yes, unfortunately,” Marion added with a
brief frown, but then her expression brightened. “I’m hoping to
change that with more publicity. Maybe we can attract a more
adventurous clientele even.”

“Like the Watermans?” Harry murmured into his
wine glass with a wink at Chase. The two men laughed.

“Check the doors and let’s get some rest,
Harry,” Marion said sharply and squinted at him.

“Yes, dear,” Harry replied. He struggled to
stop grinning, but didn’t quite succeed.

“I hope you have a good night.” Marion beamed
at them before she headed to their downstairs quarters. They had a
master suite on the first floor in an old wing that used to be part
of an outdoor kitchen. Moments later they heard Harry talking to
her as he followed.

“Goodnight,” LaShaun said and covered the
wide yawn that followed with one hand. “What time is it
anyway?”

“From the way you’re eyes are drooping I’d
say it’s time for bed,” Chase teased. He glanced at his cell phone.
“Almost eleven thirty. This turned out to be quite a tour. Now
let’s take them up on that free deluxe suite.”

“Well, since we’re here,” LaShaun replied as
she stroked his muscular bicep. Chase scooped her up into his arms.
“Hmm, suddenly I’m not all that sleepy.”

“Even more reason to stay over. Hmm, did I
hear her say we’ve got the third floor all to ourselves?” Chase
traced a line of fire with his lips down LaShaun’s throat.

LaShaun snuggled closer. Detecting no alien
presence in him, she sighed with relief. Maybe her prayers combined
with prayers from Miss Rose and the twins were working. She d
delivered a scorching kiss until both were breathless.

“Yes, their other guests on the second floor
checked out today,” she whispered.

“Then let’s not waste anymore time down
here,” Chase said.

He took her hand like an old fashioned
southern gentleman and led LaShaun up the polished oak staircase.
Along the way they admired beautiful antiques. Both second and
third floor landings decorated to fit the historic period the home
was built. Each floor had three bedrooms. French doors at the end
of each hallway led to porches. They paused for a few moments to
look at their room. Chase took both their jackets and draped them
over a chair. Then they went out to admire the view from the third
floor porch. In minutes they were wrapped in a kiss lying on a
cushioned bamboo sofa. Chase opened LaShaun’s blouse. He kissed her
cleavage and then started to undress her.

“Chase, we can’t, not out here on the porch,”
LaShaun murmured. Despite her words, she did nothing to stop
him.

“Look around, darlin’. You see any other
houses?” Chase pushed the blouse down and off her shoulders.

“Of course not, but...”

LaShaun went breathless when he unhooked her
bra. His tongue snaked around her nipples in a hungry circular
motion. The rouge ridges of it felt delicious against the tender,
sensitive nubs. Both grew hard as he licked more insistently. She
let her head fall back, but kept her eyes open. The dark shadows of
tall pine and oak trees let only a few sections of the bright moon
shine through. Something about the cool night air and Chase’s hot
touch drove LaShaun’s desire skyward. Soon they were both naked.
His attention to detail in kissing her entire body left LaShaun
begging for more in a harsh whisper. When he’d driven her over the
edge with just his tongue, Chase pulled away. LaShaun moaned in
protest, but soon in bliss when he entered her slowly. As he filled
her, LaShaun locked her legs around his waist. They moved in
rhythm, slowly and faster, and then going slow again. The feeling
of being all alone surrounded by nothing but the sounds of crickets
and birdsong heightened their pleasure. They whispered words of
love, desire, and devotion as their movements became more frantic.
First LaShaun cried out softly, savoring the waves of a strong
orgasm. Then Chase followed her over the edge with furious thrusts,
moaning until he grew still.

“We’re going to get sore throats and the
sniffles if we fall asleep out here,” LaShaun whispered. She
brushed his right shoulder with her lips.

“You kidding? I’m dripping sweat like it’s
one hundred degrees,” Chase replied hoarsely. “It’s going to be
worth it if I get some more of you.”

“We came for the soft big bed with Egyptian
cotton sheets and down comforter. Remember?” She playfully tapped
his back.

“This is what I came for, cher.” Chase
chuckled with his mouth against her left breast.

She laughed, but then grew quiet for a few
more moments. “Chase, about what we discussed the other night
after...”

He went still in her arms. After a few
moments Chase raised his head and looked into her eyes. “You
believe someone is trying to control me.”

“No, some thing.”

“Strange, but it’s not exactly a memory of
our conversation. More like I heard your voice from a distance
during the day while I was working.”

LaShaun felt a surge of relief. She hugged
him tight. “Your essence responded to the familiar. Hold onto those
moments, honey. I can’t lose you. I just can’t.”

Chase pressed his body to hers as he
continued to stare into her eyes. “You know I don’t halfway believe
a lot of that demon, voodoo stuff. I’ve seen people act weird
enough on drugs, being crazy or just plain mean as hell.”

“Yes, but--” LaShaun’s words stopped when he
rubbed her lips with his thumb.

“Something deep inside me is all yours. The
way I love you shakes me sometimes. Feels like a red hot chunk of
coal burning me up until I got to have you. Not just sex. I need to
hear your voice or see you smile at me like you don’t smile for
anybody else. Now I know you’re the expert on supernatural stuff,
but know this- nobody, no thing will come between us. I feel you
when we’re apart, so strong. So strong,” he whispered again and
closed his eyes. “You could never lose me.”

LaShaun cradled him close for a long time.
When an owl hooted several times she smiled. “I think that Mr. Owl
is reminding us that we don’t belong out here in nature. He’s
right. We’ll be more comfortable in bed.”

Chase unwound his brawny frame from hers. He
lifted LaShaun from the chaise sofa. Together they gathered their
clothes. They giggled and tiptoed inside as though they needed to
escape detection. Once inside the room, they realized the night had
turned chilly. To her delight, Chase started the gas fireplace that
also opened onto the bathroom. LaShaun filled the tub with warm
soapy water. Chase got in first, and then LaShaun joined him,
seated between his legs. They talked about the wedding and debated
again which house they’d live in. After thirty minutes they rinsed
rich lather from each other and padded sleepily to the inviting
queen-sized bed. Two cotton bathrobes with the bed and breakfast
logo embroidered in dark green lay across it, but they tossed them
on another chair. Flesh to flesh they curled up and drifted off.
The crackle of wood from the fireplace lulled LaShaun until the
golden light from it faded as her eyes closed.

Strange dreams filled her slumber. She sat at
an antique dresser just like the one in their room. A lovely brush
was being used by someone’s hands to groom her thick hair. The same
hands arranged her hair around her shoulders. LaShaun tried to
explain that she preferred a braid or to have it pinned into a bun.
A voice explained that flowing hair symbolized carnal delights and
fertility.

In the background she heard violins, but the
notes seemed oddly discordant. Still the tune seemed to pull at
her. LaShaun hummed in time with the brush strokes in her hair.
Everything appeared to move at the same pace as the music. LaShaun
blinked slowly, entranced by the play of light on the walls.
Someone told her the candlelight brought out the beauty of her
brown skin against the color of her wedding dress.

“Thank you,” LaShaun murmured with a
smile.

How wonderful to dream of the day she would
begin her life with the man she loved. As if her thought brought
action, LaShaun found herself floating along. Or was she walking?
Someone held her hand. The long trailing hem of her dress rustled
as she moved. Pearls on her dress glowed in the flickering
candlelight. An arch covered in strange dark vines with blood red
flowers stood at one end of a room. A tall man stood with his back
to her. Another man dressed in a long flowing black robe with
strange red and gold symbols stood facing her. As she got closer
LaShaun blinked to clear her vision. Everything seemed a bit hazy.
She tried to rub her eyes and discovered that a gossamer veil
covered her face.

“I’m walking down the aisle,” LaShaun
whispered. She glanced around looking for her friends. “Where is
everyone?”

“The important players are here, sweetie,” a
voice to her right said.

LaShaun wanted to turn her head so she could
see the source of the voice, but her neck felt stiff. Instead she
focused on figures at the end of the aisle. In a disorienting
combination of slow motion and missed scenes, LaShaun found herself
repeating words. The man in the robe read from an open book.
Shadows on the walls seemed to be from a crowd of people
surrounding them, watching the ceremony. Yet LaShaun didn’t see
anyone else when she did manage to glance to her left.

“Favor your soul mate with a passionate
embrace,” The man in the robe said.

“I will indeed.”

The tall man turned to LaShaun until they
stood face to face. LaShaun’s heart swelled with joy when she
looked into Chase’s eyes. Her lips parted to express her love, but
she froze. The light animating his eyes had no trace of Chase’s
loving essence. She tried to move away, but his arms trapped her.
The smothering kiss cut off her attempts to call his true name. All
around her faded from flickering candlelight, to sepia tones and
then to darkness.

***

The incessant tick-tock invaded her dreams.
LaShaun twisted and turned feeling an urgent need to wake up. When
she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was cabbage roses, or
rather the huge roses of the room’s wallpaper. Dressed in a long
cotton sleep shirt and leggings, she lay on a large bed.

“What the hell?” LaShaun sat up. Long leather
straps attached to the bedposts bound both wrists. The door opened
just as she started to yell for Chase.

“Ah, I told them you’d be awake by now. I
have that little potion down to an absolute science.” Gina stood
holding a tray of food.

“You’ve lost your damn mind. Untie me,”
LaShaun shouted.

Gina placed the tray on a round antique table
within reach of the bed. “We had to move up the time table because
of those stupid kids. I told everyone that teenagers are a wild
card. They’re too impulsive to trust with anything this important.
I have your favorites: fluffy biscuits with honey and butter, a
pile of bacon and strong hot coffee.”

LaShaun ignored the food. “Where am I?”

“Make the best of it, okay? You’ll get a hot
husband and power out of this deal. A lot better than me, I’ll tell
you that. Ted’s a bit of a bore to be honest. Anyway, I have to
make sure you eat something.”

“Hell no,” LaShaun shot back.

“You can’t get loose to hurt me. Go ahead,
try it,” Gina said with a smug expression. “Those ties have binding
ciphers.”

LaShaun didn’t doubt Gina, but she wanted to
test what she was up against. She jerked on the straps with all of
her might. Her grip weakened the harder she pulled. The leather
seemed to sap her energy. After a few seconds LaShaun gave a final
gasp and stopped.

“What is this stuff?” LaShaun said.

“The ciphers pull the force you put into
resisting from you and make the straps stronger. Brilliant little
tool, right? Just one of many reasons we’re going to rule the world
pretty soon.” Gina grabbed a slice of bacon. “No reason for me to
go hungry if you’re not going to eat all of this.”

LaShaun sprang forward to grab Gina. The
bindings yanked her back, and LaShaun’s arms felt weaker. The
woman’s laughter enraged LaShaun even more. Against better judgment
LaShaun pulled at the straps until she lay exhausted and sweating.
Her eyelids felt heavy with fatigue.

Minutes later Gina stood over LaShaun gnawing
on a second thick bacon slice. “Now I’m going to have to clean you
up for him. Of course, he might like you all hot and helpless like
this.”

LaShaun steadied her breathing. “Who are you
talking about?”

“Your husband of course. Humph, they said you
were so smart,” Gina retorted. She started to go on, but stopped
when the door opened.

“You’re upsetting her,” a low voice said.

“So what? She’s only a tool. There isn’t one
thing special about her.”

A rapid fire series of three loud cracks of
skin on skin rang out. LaShaun’s eyes flew open to see a bizarre
tableau before her. Neal Montgomery stood over a cowering Gina. He
wore a mild disapproving frown as he gazed at the woman. Gina’s
wide-eyed stare glittered with fright, and something else. LaShaun
concentrated. Resentment. LaShaun filed away that knowledge.

“Get out.” Neal pointed a long arm at the
door as though he needed to emphasize his point. Gina rushed
through the door and it shut with a solid thud. “How are you
feeling?”

“Seriously? This is a low budget horror movie
with dumb players and even dumber questions,” LaShaun shot
back.

Neal laughed. “I can see why he craves you
like a man on drugs. Nothing you say or do is expected.”

She was about to speak when an odd mental tug
brought LaShaun up short. Words like wisps of smoke appeared before
her eyes. Don’t say his name. Not the right time. She stared at
Neal. He cocked his head to one side and gazed at her in curiosity.
He apparently hadn’t seen anything. LaShaun felt dizzy. She heaved
in a deep breath and let it out slowly.