Moon River (21 page)
It was with these heavy thoughts, as I was leaning down and filing papers away in my office, when I heard a whisper of clothing and the swish of pant legs.
I looked up to find Fang standing in my doorway.
Chapter Forty-seven
“I’m sorry about your ex-husband,” he said.
The truth was, I had been pissed at Fang, too. His desire to be a vampire—his own personal compulsion—had led to circumstances and events that had led, in turn, to Danny’s murder.
But I knew that wasn’t fair, either. Fang had just wanted to be a vampire, to be immortal, to live the life of characters in books and movies, but he had not fully comprehended the horror of the reality of such an existence.
The reality was, of course, that something very dark and sinister now called Fang’s body home.
“Thank you,” I said. “Danny was a good man who made bad choices.”
Fang was seated in one of my three client chairs. Yes, I was ever the optimist. His long legs were crossed, and the drape of his jeans hung neatly. He was wearing leather boots that looked expensive.
I suspected that Hanner had dressed and splurged on him these past few months.
He was, after all, supposed to be her golden boy. As in, the perfect vampire and perfect killer. I didn’t want to know what Fang had done, or how many he had killed these past few months.
I could see the fire just behind his pupils, the fire that hadn’t been there when I’d first met him for drinks last year, back when he had finally revealed his super-secret identity, and I’d realized the extent to which I had been stalked. Back then, he had been a bit star-struck, awed to be in the presence of a real vampire. He had been excited and goofy and funny and charming.
Now, he was none of that.
Now, he was controlled, reserved, cautious and careful. He watched me closely, rarely taking his brooding eyes off of me. His mannerisms were nonexistent; instead, he kept his hands folded on one knee, hands that had once poured us drinks at Hero’s, where I had first met him, back when Mary Lou and I had thought he was just another cute bartender, back when my marriage had been shaky, at best. Now, those hands had been compelled to hold a silver blade to my sister’s neck.
“You miss him,” said Fang.
“
Danny was my first love. He was the father of my children. He died in my arms.” I looked away. “And he was never given a proper funeral. Yes, I miss the big idiot.”
Fang looked down for the first time. He adjusted the drape of his jeans then returned his hands to his knee. “I’m sorry that I played a part in his death, Sam.”
I nodded and wiped my eyes and looked back at him. It was, of course, hard to tell how sorry he was, with no inflection or emotion in his voice.
“
I miss you, Sam,” he said. “I know now may not be the time to say it, and, for all I know, you’re still dating that muscle-bound boxer or even Kingsley or someone else, but I want you to know that I miss you every day. I missed you even when I was compelled to do bad things. I missed you while I silently screamed inside my head. I miss you every day, every hour, every minute. I never stop thinking about you.”
“
Did you kill, Fang?”
“
Yes. Many.”
“
Were you compelled to kill?”
“
Sometimes.”
“
And, what about the other times?”
He looked away. “No.”
I bit my lip and fought the tears that threatened to come. “I think you should leave.”
He nodded once and stood smoothly on long legs. He crossed the room and paused at my office door.
“I’m sorry I failed you, Sam.”
He looked at me for a long moment and something hit me, something deep in my heart. I suddenly remembered the love I felt for him, the deep longing to have him back in my life.
As he turned to leave, I said, “Wait, Fang.”
He looked back. “Yes, Moon Dance?”
I hadn’t heard him say my old username in so long that I nearly lost it right there. Instead, I kept it together and said, “I miss you, too.”
He smiled and I saw the tears in his eyes.
“More than you know.”
The End
Samantha Moon returns in:
Vampire Sun
Vampire for Hire #9
Coming soon!
~~~~~
Please note: Sam’s trip to Europe, as mentioned in
Moon River
, is covered in the spin-off trilogy, “Brotherhood of the Blade,” which features Rand the Vampire Hunter from
Moon Dance
. Yes, Sam makes a guest appearance. See below for more information:
Burning
Brotherhood of the Blade #1
by Eve Paludan
Available now!
~~~~~
Next up:
Clean Slate
Jim Knighthorse #4
Fall 2013
(Haven’t read Knighthorse yet?)
Try him for free at:
~~~~~
Now available:
The Witch and the Gentleman
The Witches Series: Book 1
by J.R. Rain
Allison is back with a series of her own!
~~~~~
Blue Moon
A Samantha Moon Story
by J.R. Rain
Samantha’s about to meet...
...a very unlikely character.
~~~~~
Lost Eden: An Adventure Novel
by J.R. Rain
A kidnapped child.
The Dead Sea scrolls.
The epic search for the Garden of Eden.
Available now!
~~~~~
Silent Echo
by J.R. Rain
A private investigator given six months to live...
...eight months ago.
A missing person case only he can solve.
~~~~~
And now from my family and friends:
Winning Sarah’s Heart
Four Book Boxed Set
by H.T. Night
~~~~~
Like Touching the Sun
by Elaine Babich
~~~~~
The Sunset Prophecy
by P.J. Day
~~~~~
The Dragon Coin
The Judas Chronicles #4
by Aiden James
~~~~~
About the Author:
J.R. Rain is an ex-private investigator who now writes full-time in the Pacific Northwest. He lives in a small house on a small island with his small dog, Sadie, who has more energy than Robin Williams. Please visit him at
www.jrrain.com
.