 
### Forget Not Your Secrets

#### By Elena Terrell

#### Published by Publications Circulations LLC.

SmashWords Edition

All contents copyright (C) 2014 by Publications Circulations LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this document or the related files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, companies and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of either the author or the publisher.

The following story is for entertainment purposes only. This book contains sexually graphic scenes depicting consenting adults above the age of 18 engaging in passionate sexual acts. This story is intended only for persons over the legal adult age. By downloading and opening this document, you are stating that you are of legal age to access and view this work of fiction. Mature readers only. Reader discretion is advised.

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The publisher has used its best efforts in preparing this book, and the information provided herein is provided "as is." Publications Circulations LLC makes no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose and shall in no event be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

**~ ~ ~ ~**

### Chapter One

"I THINK SHE'S COMING around now," says a disembodied voice.

"The police are still waiting to question her. Should I bring them in?" Another stranger talking.

"No," replies the first voice. "I don't care about their questions. This girl has suffered a severe trauma, and I won't allow any non-medical staff in here until I'm confident she's ready."

The sound of a steady electric ping fills the silence as the girl opens her eyes. The light in the room is blinding and painful, and she winces away from it.

"Easy now," the gentle baritone coaches her. "Nice and slow, you have all the time in the world."

The girl opens her eyes and the pinging sound jumps in frequency to match the pulsing in her temples. She is in a hospital-that much is clear. The comforting voice she'd heard seems to belong to a man in medical scrubs worn under a long white coat. She reasons that he must be her doctor, and that the other voice she'd heard belongs to the nurse waiting near the doorway, but everything else is a mystery to her.

"Welcome back," the doctor says, flashing a perfect smile. "You've had a bit of an accident, and you've been brought to Paradise Cove Hospital. When you came into the emergency room, you had a wound on your head and we're concerned that you might have sustained a concussion."

The pinging sound rings in her ears and she turns her head to locate the source. Next to the bed is a small box with a screen showing a jagged line tracing its way along a series of blips. _My heartbeat_ , she realizes. It's surging wildly as panic takes hold of her.

"Nurse, can we get the volume down on that please?" The girl flashes her head back to see the doctor motioning towards the machine.

"It's okay," the doctor continues, placing a hand on her arm. "Your injuries are relatively minor, but I'd like to ask you a few questions. If you can't speak, just try to nod your head, okay?"

The girl nods weakly.

"Do you know where you are?"

She is in a hospital, she knows that much of course, but where exactly is Paradise Cove? Does she really know where she is? She tilts her head from side to side to indicate a no.

"Can you tell me what day it is?" He holds a small light up to her eyes and clicks it on. The light moves back and forth and he stares into her eyes monitoring the result.

This question is easier to answer, as she has no idea what day it is.

"Last one for now; can you tell me your name?"

The girl doesn't need the pinging of the monitor to tell her that her heart has just lurched in her chest before speeding up again. Unbidden tears begin to flow and she tries in vain to blink them away. Locking eyes with the doctor, she swallows hard and tries to speak.

"No," she sobs in a thin voice. "I have no idea what my name is."

She feels a gentle squeeze on her arm and is surprised how calming the effect is. The hand is warm and large on her thin bicep, and she suddenly feels so small and fragile. Adrift in an ocean of confusion and pain, she reaches over herself to grab onto that hand and is happy to feel it take hold and squeeze back. In that moment, it is her only tether to the world where she still has some slight control. It is the only thing keeping her from falling into complete hysteria.

Tears puddle in the corners of her eyes, and she breathes deeply to try to quell the feelings of confusion and manic fear welling up inside of her. Her stomach is like an ocean in a storm, raging and roiling, threatening to capsize her at any moment.

"Nurse, can you please administer twenty milligrams of Propfol?"

She looks at the doctor.

"We're just going to give you a little something to help you calm down and get some rest. I know this must be scary for you, but the important thing here is that you're able to allow your wounds to heal. I don't want you to worry about anything else right now."

The nurse injects a syringe into the girl's IV tube and slowly presses down on the plunger. The effect is almost instantaneous, and she feels a certain calmness wash over her. Truth be told, she can't actually tell if it's the doctor's soothing voice that's having the effect or if it's the sedative now coursing through her veins, but the end result is a distinct receding of the fear and panic.

"What about my memory?" she asks, her throat catching on every word.

"Give it time. Temporary memory loss is very common with head injuries, and in most cases it clears up in twenty four to forty eight hours. I expect you'll be right back to your old self well before you know it."

Her eyelids are feeling heavy now, but she worries that she'll lose herself if she closes them. She doesn't want to wake up in this place again with no idea of who she is or how she got here. She doesn't want to sleep. She doesn't want to risk forgetting again.

"Will..." the words are thick in her mouth. Her lips slow to respond. "Will I forget today?"

"No, you'll remember everything just fine. Your memory loss is tied to whatever event landed you here in my hospital. As near as we can tell, there's absolutely no risk of further issues regarding new memory creation. When you wake up, you should easily recall everything we've talked about just now."

The sedative closes in around her like a warm blanket. Her eyes are closed and she wants to speak but her tongue is fat and useless in her mouth. She is not scared now though; the drugs are working on her anxiety and dulling the edge that had threatened to slice her wide open.

The last thing she remembers is the constant pressure of the hand on her arm. The hand that never lets go.

### Chapter Two

BRIGHT SUNLIGHT STREAMS in through cracks in the window blinds. The girl is aware of the light on her eyelids before she even opens them, and she stretches her toes out, luxuriating in the pleasant warmth on her face. She yawns and rolls onto her back, stretching her arms wide to the sides. She's very stiff for some reason, and this bed is not as comfortable as she'd like.

Her eyes open and take in her surroundings. Her breath stops in her chest, and a knot of confusion and fear starts twisting and tangling in her stomach. She feels like her brain is covered in a layer of soft white gauze, inhibiting her ability to reason out what's going on, but slowly the pieces click together and she understands what has happened.

She's in the hospital. They don't know what happened, but they know she hit her head. She's okay, but no one-not even her-has a clue as to who she is and how she got here.

_Keep it together,_ she thinks. _You've already gone catatonic over this, and there's no need to do it again._

It's not perfect, but it helps her relax a little. She doesn't know what kind of person she is, but she decides that she's not a helpless little girl and that there's no use in freaking herself out over something she can't control. _That's one upside to losing your memory,_ she supposes. _You get to decide what kind of a person you want to be and don't have to deal with all of your old hang ups._

The downside to waking up in a hospital bed is not knowing how long you've been unconscious or how long it's been since you last had a chance to pee. She reaches down under the blanket and tentatively feels around between her legs. Thankfully, she doesn't feel any tubes or indications that they've given her a catheter. As much as she doesn't really want to get out of bed right now, she really doesn't want to have to pee in a tube while lying in bed.

She props herself up slowly and rises to a sitting position. White fuzz swarms in around the edges of her vision, and she has to close her eyes and breathe slow and deep to keep from passing out. Her brain feels like it is one size too big for her skull, and there's a sharpness cutting through all of that somewhere in the back of her head. A few deep breaths and the moment passes.

Opening her eyes, she's able to swing her legs out over the edge of the bed, and for a moment she just sits there. With the way she feels, she's not sure if she'll make it to the toilet, but the need to pee is urgently overriding her concern over falling into a heap on the floor of her room. She pushes off the edge of the bed and feels her toes touch the floor.

The hard vinyl surface is cold on her bare feet, but with one hand on the hospital bed, she's able to stand without falling over. As she lets go of the bed railing to take her first step, she realizes that she's still hooked up to the IV. She doesn't know how she knows this, or where the memory comes from, but she has seen this sort of thing in movies before. She moves clumsily around the edge of the bed, grabs the metal IV frame pole, and tugs the whole thing towards herself.

The wheeled IV cart is the perfect stabilizer, and she leans heavily on it as she shuffles towards the only other door in the room that she has to assume leads to the restroom. Pushing her IV ahead of her, she wonders how it can be that she has these images of seeing people do this sort of thing on television or in movies, yet she can't remember anything about her own life. It's like she has access to giant catalogue of accumulated knowledge, but someone has ripped out all the pages specific to her life, friends, and family.

Pulling open the restroom door, she looks at the small space, then back at her IV cart. _This should be interesting,_ she thinks, as she maneuvers herself into place on the toilet. She can't seem to fit the IV stand in here as well, so she leaves the door hanging wide open. At least she doesn't have to deal with fumbling through clothing. Her hospital gown hangs loose like a hideous A-frame dress, and she just has to sit on the toilet to do her business.

She hears the clack of a door handle and realizes someone is coming into her room. She peers out through the restroom door, hoping it's not that doctor who'd been with her the night before.

"There you are," says a female nurse.

"Here I am," she croaks. How long has it been since she's last had a drink of water? Her throat feels like sandpaper.

"For future reference, there is a call button on the side of the bed. If you need help, you just hit that button and someone will come assist you, okay? The last thing we need is you slipping and cracking your head again."

The girl just nods and feels a little like a child being scolded for running in the school hallways.

"I've got something for you to drink here if you're feeling ready. The doctor says we can get you off that IV if you're able to hold down normal fluids. Later today we can start you in on solid foods as well."

The girl finishes her business on the toilet and stands up to flush. She's still feeling a little woozy and decides to ask the nurse to help her back to bed. Once settled in again, she happily takes the offered cup of apple juice and eagerly drinks it in one long go.

"Easy there," the nurse warns. "Your stomach is going to be a little off for a few days yet."

"Would it be possible for me to get a shower or something soon?" Her voice is coming back to her now, the juice having worked wonders in lubricating her throat and vocal chords.

"Soon, dear. Let's just get you rested and healed, and first chance we get we'll have someone help you get cleaned up."

The girl sighs and leans back until her head hits the pillow. She is feeling awfully tired, now that she thinks about it, and a little nap doesn't sound like the worst idea in the world.

"Have any of your memories come back yet?"

"No. I remember weird things like movies and coffee and food I really want to eat, but nothing about myself or how I got here."

"Well, don't worry, hon. I think we're going to need something to call you in the meantime though. You might want to think of a name so we don't have to go around calling you 'Girl' until you get your memories back."

She closes her eyes and thinks about this. What kind of name does she want? She can pick any name she wants and for a moment the idea is kind of fun and exciting.

The feeling doesn't last long though, and when she finally drifts back into sleep, she can only think about what her real name might possibly be.

### Chapter Three

WHEN SHE WAKES AGAIN, she's happy to see the doctor standing over her, flipping through her charts.

"There you are," he says. The words are warm and soothing. She knows it's in his job description to have a good bedside manner, but she can't help but think his voice sounds like honey drizzled over butter-slathered toast. It's so sweet and caring, but there's a toughness underneath all of that. A rough edge that tells her she's in strong capable hands.

"Good... afternoon?"

"It's almost evening; you slept through most of the day." He flips a page on the clipboard containing her records and smiles at her. "I see you had a bit of an adventure this morning?"

"Hey, when a girl's gotta pee, a girl's gotta pee."

"Well, next time be careful okay? That bump on your head has shaken you up a bit, and you might experience some issues with your fine motor skills for a little while. You'll be fine in the long run, but walking may feel a little strange for a while."

He clicks his pen shut and slips it into a coat pocket.

"The nurse also tells me that she talked to you about coming up with a name for yourself. Have you had a chance to give that any thought?"

"Um, I thought about it for a little bit before I fell asleep again, but I'm really not so sure. It's kind of scary to have to pick a new name. It feels like I'm leaving the old one behind, you know?"

"I can't begin to imagine what you must be feeling right now, but you'll have to trust me when I say that we're going to do everything in our power to get you back to being you again."

"You've been so kind to me, doctor, but I just realized that I don't even know your name. If you're going to be coming in here to check up on me all the time, shouldn't I have something to call you?"

"Of course, how ridiculous of me. You can call me Dr. Hamilton, and you're right, I will be checking on you frequently in the next few days."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Hamilton." She presses the button on her bed that shifts the backrest up into a seated position. "Why don't you pick a name for me?"

"Me? I'm not sure I..."

"Look," she says. "I can't very well go on not having a name, and the idea of being called Jane Doe is really creepy to me, so maybe you could pick something out. I'm sure you're a great judge of character, so who better? If I do it, I might just end up naming myself after some weird celebrity I don't remember."

He puts down the paperwork and folds his arms across his chest. His eyes are staring directly into hers and she can't help but feel uncomfortable, but not, she thinks, in a bad way.

"How does Elizabeth sound?"

She finds herself blushing unexpectedly. The name is beautiful and elegant. Not what she would have guessed, but extremely pleasing to hear.

"Elizabeth," she says. Trying it out for herself. "I think that will do just fine."

"Right then, Elizabeth. I'm afraid I'm going to have to switch gears here for a minute. There's a bit of unpleasantness that needs to be taken care of, and given you current state of recovery, I think it's time we get it over with."

This doesn't sound good. She's pretty sure she has no injuries beyond a gash in her head, but is there something more that they haven't told her about? Is she going to need surgery?"

"The police have been waiting patiently to ask you a few questions, and I think it's time we gave them their chance. I don't want you to worry about it. I'm going to stay with you the entire time."

The police? It's not as bad as what she anticipated, but it's not much better either. Why would the police want to talk to her?

Two men step inside the room, introducing themselves as Detective Morrow and Detective Burns. The one named Burns pulls out a notepad and hangs back in the room, while Morrow comes to stand next to her bed.

"I'm sorry to have to put you through this, but it's important that we go over some of the details of your, uh, situation, before too much time passes. Do you have any recollection of the incident that resulted in your injury?"

"No," she mumbles. "I really don't remember anything at all. Just waking up here last night."

"The person who discovered you and called the police reported hearing a loud cry from a female voice. Do you remember hearing that cry or making it?"

She shakes her head, wondering what else they know.

"Our investigation unit discovered a set of footprints very near where you were found. We suspect they belong to a male, relatively tall based on the shoe size and imprint depth. Is there anything you can recall about being approached or attacked that night?"

"There's nothing," she says. "Really, I can't remember anything about who I am or what happened to me." Tears stream down her face and she's wishing she could stop crying in front of these men, but it's useless.

"Ma'am, the good news is that we think you escaped before your attacker could do any real damage to you. We have strong reason to believe that you're the survivor of an attempted rape, and although you managed to get away, we'd really like to try to catch this guy if we can. Anything you can remember will be vital to the case."

"Rape?" This is too much to handle. She was almost raped? No, she doesn't want to think about this right now. She chokes on a sob and covers her face with her hand.

"That's enough," says the doctor. "My patient needs rest, and I think it's clear that she can't help you in her current state. I want you two out of here."

She doesn't want to look out from behind her hands, doesn't want to think about what they just suggested. The detective's footsteps recede from her bedside and she hears the doctor ushering them into the hallway.

The girl curls herself up into a ball and shuts her eyes. Focusing on her breath, she tells herself that she's fine here. The hospital is a safe place, and Dr. Hamilton is looking after her.

More footsteps, but softer this time. She hears someone by her IV stand and feels the familiar wave of calm roll over her as the drugs hit her bloodstream.

_Sleep will be good,_ she thinks. _Sleep will be safe._

### Chapter Four

ELIZABETH-THE NAME STILL feels odd when people address her-sits in a plush leather chair in a room full of bookshelves and plants. One wall is dominated by a very large window, but the shades are drawn and she's not able to see anything outside. A woman sits in a chair opposite her, and Dr. Hamilton is somewhere behind her, a reassuring presence even if she can't see him.

The idea was his. Memory loss is often tied to psychological issues, and after her disturbing visit by the two police detectives, he had suggested they try hypnosis to see if they can't get into the root of her emotional trauma. If nothing else, it's worth a try.

They'd had to bring her down here in a wheel chair. She's still feeling dazed from her experiences waking up in the hospital, and although she's been able to consume juice and simple broths, she's not quite back up to solid food yet. Her stomach flips every time she thinks about eating, but the nurses tell her that's an unfortunate side effect of the sedative they've been using to help her sleep. If she can make some progress here and move on from some of the fear and confusion, she hopes she can get back to falling asleep naturally.

The woman sitting in the chair is Dr. Anna Larsten, a psychologist. She looks at Elizabeth and smiles reassuringly.

"We're going to go in lightly today, so I don't want you to feel any pressure to remember or do anything you don't want to do, okay?"

Elizabeth's eyes flick to the camera pointed in her direction, a little red light indicating that it's recording everything she does.

"The camera is only if we need to use this information in court. If anything criminal happened to you, this will hopefully save you the need to testify in court. That's not something we need to worry about today though. Are you ready to begin?"

Looking over her shoulder, she sees Dr. Hamilton leaning against the door nodding his support.

"I'm ready, Dr. Larsten."

"Please, call me Anna. I want you to relax and think of this as a safe place. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, Doctor... Anna."

"Close your eyes and allow your body to relax. Feel yourself settling into the chair, all of the tension in each of your muscles melting away. Start with the top of your head and work down slowly. Your neck, your shoulders, your arms, all the way down to your toes."

A moment of silence passes and Elizabeth does her best to relax. It's not easy with all the stress she's carrying, but this warm sunny room and the soothing sound of Anna's voice help her considerably.

"I want you to picture someone. Imagine a person who is you, but not you. This person has your eyes, your hair, your body, but she is everything you wish to be and more. She is your guardian and your friend, your protector and your companion. You will walk together, but if danger arises it will be her that goes forward, keeping you safe from all harm. Do you see her?"

"Yes, I see her. She looks just like me." Her voice is soft and distant, as though coming through on a bad international phone connection.

"I'd like you to ask her if she has a name."

"I can't hear her very well. She's saying her name is Jan... Janelle? Yes, it's Janelle."

"And where are you and Janelle standing right now?"

"We're outside. There are trees and grass around us. I can see... a path. It's a dirt path, not very wide, like for a deer or an animal."

"Can you follow it? Where does it lead?"

"We're walking on it now. There is a lot of tall grass and bushes around now. It's hard to see the path sometimes, but Janelle seems to be able to follow it. It's taking us into the forest and it's darker now. The trees are so tall and the leaves are so thick. It's hard to see anything clearly."

"What else do you see? Can you guess where the path will take you?"

"I don't know where it goes. The sun is setting now and the forest is scary. I don't want to be here now but I can't find the way back to where we came from."

"Janelle is there to keep you safe. No harm will come to you in this place."

"Wait, there's something up ahead! I see a light. It's small and moving around a lot, like a flashlight. I think there's someone there, but I can't see who it is. Janelle is telling me to hide behind a tree. We're getting closer but the man is distracted by something. He doesn't see us coming. We're getting close now, but I still can't see his face or what he's doing. He... oh no! No! He sees us!"

"It's okay, he can't hurt you here. Do you recognize anything about this man? Have you seen him before?"

"I can't... I don't know... oh! He's chasing me now. I don't know where Janelle is and I'm running!" Her voice is panicked and she squirms in the chair. "The branches are getting in my way, hitting me in the face. He's right behind me, I can hear him breathing and chasing me. He's trying to grab me now, he has my shirt and I can't run. The ground is getting closer and I can't do anything... I can't move... I can't..."

"You are not in the forest, you are here with me. Come back to the sound of my voice and leave the man behind. You will remember everything when you awake. Open your eyes and come back to me." Dr. Larsten is leaning forward in her chair, her tone commanding and powerful in this small room.

The girl's eyes open wide and she gasps as though surfacing from too long underwater. She tucks her feet up onto the chair and hugs her knees. Her breath surges in ragged gasps.

Dr. Hamilton rushes forward to check her pulse. One hand grips her wrist while he stares at the clock on the wall, eyes tracing the second hand in its lazy sweep around the dial. Satisfied that she's not going into shock, he lets go of her wrist and places a hand on her shoulder. He's crouching next to her, concern written across his face.

"Are you okay?"

"I... I think so." Her voice quavers, and she's unsure of how to process what she just experienced.

"I think we'll stop there for today," says Dr. Larsten, and both the girl they've named Elizabeth and Dr. Hamilton are happy to hear the words.

### Chapter Five

"DO YOU THINK JANELLE could be my real name?" she asks Anna at the end of the session.

"It's possible, but there's an equal chance that it's someone close to you. It could be your mother, a childhood friend, or even simply the name of your first teddy bear."

"Janelle is an odd sort of name for a teddy bear," she says with a nervous laugh. She's still feeling strung out from the hypnosis.

"Don't look at me," says Dr. Hamilton. "My first stuffed animal was a monkey named Alfred."

"I don't think I even want to know," says the girl.

She's feeling even more weak and fragile than when they first brought her to this room, and now she's happy that there's a wheelchair there for the trip back to her room. Dr. Hamilton takes her hand and helps her stand and move from the leather chair. She thanks the psychologist on the way out and is surprised that the doctor has elected to push her back to her room himself instead of having an orderly do it.

"How are you feeling after all of that?" he asks, wheeling her into the elevator and punching the button for her floor.

"A little shaken up," she admits. "I know it wasn't real, but it really felt like I was there in that forest."

"Hypnosis doesn't work for everyone, but you seem to be particularly tuned to it. If it felt that vivid, it might be worth continuing with the sessions."

"I think you're right, but honestly all I can think about now is how hungry I am. I haven't had any real food since, well, I don't actually remember when the last time I ate anything was."

"If you're feeling up to it, I'll put you back on solid food again tonight."

He pushes open the door and ushers her inside. It's a little awkward getting back into the bed, mostly because he's helping her do so. She hasn't been able to figure out how tightly her hospital gown is done up, and she has a strong suspicion that parts of backside are on public display. He's a doctor though, so she assures herself that he sees this sort of thing all the time and tries not to be too embarrassed.

"I've got to go do rounds, but I'll be back to check on you later, okay?"

Alone in the room, she sits in her bed thinking about the session and what she experienced. The whole thing had seemed so familiar and real, like it was something she had actually been through, but at the same time it was like watching a made-for-TV movie. She and this Janelle double were just characters on a screen acting out a story before being interrupted by a commercial break.

She runs over the images in her mind again and again, trying to tease some piece of information from it. If only she can uncover some small clue as to the man's identity or even her own for that matter. His face was so hazy in the vision and the more she tries to focus on him, the hazier he becomes.

At first she almost has an impression of specific clothing, but the closer she looks, the more he resembles an amorphous angry shape chasing her with the intent of consuming her body whole.

So lost in thought is she, that she hardly notices the sunlight waning in the room. Hours have passed, and the door to her room is opening again.

Dr. Hamilton enters with a tray of food in his hands. He closes the door behind her and sets the tray down on the makeshift table that spans the width of her bed. The tray contains an assortment of sad looking cafeteria food, but she's so hungry that the dilapidated pile of lasagna still makes her mouth water a little. She picks up a fork and uses the edge to cut a piece off. It's lukewarm and plain, but she's just happy to be chewing something solid instead of drinking her dinner.

"Sorry I couldn't manage to find anything better. I really do think the worst part of being sick is having to endure hospital food." He sits on the chair next to her bed and leans back.

"It's nice of you to check in on me, Dr. Hamilton, but you don't have to sit and watch me eat. I'm sure you're a busy man."

"Actually, my shift just ended and I'm here in more of a social capacity than medical. We're going to be seeing a lot of each other while you're stuck in Paradise Cove, so why don't you call me Garret?"

"Wouldn't you rather be on your way home to your wife instead of keeping me company?" she asks.

"The only thing waiting for me at home is a television and some leftover Chinese food from three days ago. You're going through a difficult time, and given the nature of your situation, I've decided to make you my priority one patient."

She pokes her fork into the lasagna a few times and smiles. There's a warm flush creeping into her cheeks, and she's pretty sure it's not from the food.

"I just realized something," she says, surprised she hasn't thought to ask this already. "I have no idea where I am. I mean, I know I'm in Paradise Cove Hospital, but I have no idea where that is. What state are we even in?"

"Georgia. About an hour and a half from Charleston, to be specific."

"It's so strange to be sitting here and have to ask such a stupid question."

"No, it's not stupid. I know how disorienting and confusing this must be for you, and that's why I want you to know I'm here whenever you need me. I'm at the hospital most of the day and night, but even if I'm not here, the nurses know to get me on the phone any time you need me."

"That's sweet of you."

Her eyes meet his and for a second she wonders if there's more than just doctorly concern behind the way he's been treating her. She's not sure what a visit to the hospital should be like, but this feels like something a little more than normal.

It's not easy having a conversation with someone who doesn't know anything about themselves or their own interests, but Garret effortlessly wraps her up in a steady stream of banter while she eats. The frozen peas and carrots, doughy bun, and flavorless fruit salad all seem to taste better for the company. After a while, she's even laughing and temporarily forgetting she's even in a hospital.

It's not like she's met a lot of guys here, but as it gets later and she realizes he's going to have to leave soon, she accepts that she doesn't want him to go. He's dashingly handsome like some doctor out of a television drama, but it's the way he talks to her and is so caring and considerate that is really starting to draw her towards him. When he finally does get up to go, she's thrilled by his touch when he grabs her hand and squeezes it goodbye.

The day has taken its toll on her both physically and emotionally, but she doesn't fall asleep for a long while. Her thoughts are on the doctor and she's surprised to feel herself getting a little aroused at the idea of him being alone with her again.

She turns off her bedside light and lets her hand wander downwards to tease between her legs, pleased that she at least remembers how to satisfy herself.

### Chapter Six

EVERYTHING IS DARK UNTIL a jagged lightning bolt flashes through the sky, illuminating the grass and bushes around her. A light rain falls, covering up the sounds from her careful steps as she creeps ever forward.

He can't see her from here, and she intends to keep it that way. She's been on his trail for a while now, surprised that he'd come this far out in the woods at night.

Another jag of lighting and crouches quickly behind a bush to keep from being seen.

She had caught a glimpse of something before ducking out of sight. His face was unnaturally smooth, its features distorted caricatures of a human face.

He's wearing a mask. Why would he be wearing a mask?

A new sound now, coming from somewhere in the woods nearby. Soft and nearly inaudible. It takes a moment for it to sink in. The sound is of a person whimpering. A girl.

She risks a look around the side of the bushes and sees a bundle lying by the edge of the creek. It's a human form, hands and ankles bound together, a burlap sack covering the head.

The man she's been following is here for that body, and the realization of what's about to happen starts her limbs shaking. The branches around her rustle with her uncontrollable response to the fear, and she worries he might detect her out here.

He can't know. Not after what I've learned about him. If he finds me here, I'm dead.

She watches him crouch down. He rips off the sack and she can see the girl now. Blonde hair, and young. She's just a teen.

She doesn't know how to stop him. Doesn't know what to do.

Lightning arcs through the sky and reveals a new horror. The masked man is holding a knife in his hand, and she knows what he's about to do with it.

She has to do something. There's no time to think, and she bolts from her hiding place, running as fast as she can. He's nearly twice the size of her, but she has surprise on her side.

Her body slams into his, and together they roll down the side of the steep embankment towards the creek.

She finds her feet first, but he's up now too, the knife flashing in his hand.

The blade flashes towards her and she stumbles backwards.

She's falling now, everything is dark and she's falling... falling... falling...

"Easy now," a voice says in her ear.

She feels hands on her shoulder and fights to pull them away from her.

"You're in the hospital. You're having a nightmare, it's okay."

The girl opens her eyes and sees a nurse standing back at a careful distance, her hands in the air to show that she means no harm.

Frantically, the girl looks around and everything comes crashing back to her. The hospital, the memory loss, the things she saw under hypnosis. She was only dreaming. The man in the mask, the girl tied up, all just the product of her strained mind trying to work everything out.

She breathes deeply and apologizes to the nurse. She's no longer on the IV, but the she hears the nurse ask if she wants something to help her sleep. The pills don't work as fast as the direct injection, but her hear heart is already slowing back to normal levels in anticipation of the fuzzy release she knows is working its way through her system. She lies back, letting her head to fall back on the pillow, curls onto her side, and closes her eyes again.

DR. HAMILTON COMES by to check on her first thing in the morning, and suggests that after she has a chance to eat some breakfast that maybe she'd be feeling up to a walk outside.

He's even brought her some clean clothes to change into, although she wishes she'd been allowed to shower before putting them on. She feels a little gross after spending so much time in bed, and she's more than a little embarrassed to have Garett see her this way.

They're walking through a small hedged garden behind the hospital, and she's happy to be outside for the first time since being brought here. The sun feels wonderful on her skin, and there's a cooling breeze blowing gently through her hair. That, and the man walking next to her, makes her feel extremely happy. She breathes deep, taking in the fresh air.

"Thank you for suggesting this. I think it's exactly what I needed."

"No problem." He motions to a bench set under an ivy-covered trellis. "How are your muscles feeling?"

"Great," she says. "Although it would be nice to sit a moment."

The bench is small, and their legs and arms are touching when they're both seated. She glances at the other side of the bench and realizes that there's space that the doctor could have used to keep his distance. A flutter of nerves washes through her as she decides that she's happy he didn't.

"I haven't properly thanked you for all of this extra attention," she says.

"It's my sincere belief that you can get through this experience to regain your memory. Dealing with the brain is always tricky, and I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't try everything in my power to help you with your treatment."

"Still," she's feeling bold. She doesn't know if her pre-amnesia self was like this, but right now she gets to be whoever she wants to be. "It seems to me that you're going above and beyond just doing your job."

The back of his hand is resting against her thigh. It would appear to a casual observer that it was a simple coincidence, but she can feel its heat radiating through her pants and is convinced he's fully aware of its placement.

"I feel," he pauses, searching for the right words, "that I have a vested interest in your well-being. I don't know what it is, and I really shouldn't be saying this to a patient, but your case is very much at the forefront of my mind. I find myself thinking about you-about your case-when I'm at home or doing my rounds."

She understands then that there is a wall between them. It may not be indestructible or even that high, but it's a wall that keeps him from saying exactly what he means. She feels silly for not getting it sooner. He is her doctor, and she is his patient. Any relationship beyond that would be considered extremely unprofessional.

"Lucky for me to have you as my doctor then." She gives him a warm smile and tries to project feelings of understanding for his situation.

"We should get back before anyone starts to wonder where you are. I didn't exactly ask permission to take you out of your room today."

"Wait, aren't you the doctor? Who do you have to ask permission from?"

He laughs. "You clearly haven't worked in a hospital before. Everyone knows that the nurses are the real bosses around here. I don't dare double cross their orders."

She laughs too and takes his hand when he offers to help her up. They turn back the way they'd come in, but she walks slowly, feigning a fatigue that she's not really feeling.

She just wants to stretch this moment. To have it last just a little longer before she has to face that dreary hospital room again.

### Chapter Seven

DETECTIVES MORROW AND BURNS are in her room again, and she's not too happy about it. The last time they came to visit they told her that she'd most likely narrowly escaped being raped, but there's been a development in the case, and they want to talk to her again.

"We understand that you've been going through hypnosis-therapy to try to regain your memories. Has anything come out of those sessions?"

"It's only been the one session, and I really can't say anything for certain."

"Perhaps it would help us if you walked us through what you did remember, just in case there's anything that didn't make sense to you but does to us."

She tries to recall as much as she can for the men, telling them about the forest path and the man with no face. The visions from her hypnosis session are eerily close to those from her dream, and she has to be careful not to confuse the two.

"And you didn't recall any of the features of the man who was chasing you? Hair color? Eye color?"

"No. He was tall. He seemed to tower over me, but he almost seemed to change shape the closer I got, so I really can't be sure."

Detective Burns looks back at his partner who tilts his head in answer to some unspoken question.

"I'm sorry to have to go into this with you, but a woman was found dead yesterday. Stabbed to death not far from where you were found. We strongly suspect that the killer might be the same man that attacked you."

Her heart stops in her chest before exploding into a rapid pounding that threatens to burst out of her throat.

"The girl, was she blonde? Young? A teenager maybe?"

Detective Morrow steps forward, standing over her bed with a stern look on his face.

"How did you know that? We haven't released that information to the public yet."

She tells them about her dream. Everything she'd seen before waking up screaming pours out of her mouth, happy to be finally telling someone what happened.

The detectives share a look.

"You've been most helpful ma'am," says Burns. "We don't want to stress you any further, but the information you've given us closely matches everything we already know about the victim and the crime scene. Obviously, if you learn anything else, you won't hesitate to let us know."

The two men take their leave and Dr. Hamilton follows them into the hallway. No one bothers to close the door and she can't help but overhear the rest of their conversation.

"You really think she witnessed that girl's murder?" She recognizes Garret's voice.

"Well, it's difficult to take dreams and hypnosis visions as hard fact, but there's no denying that everything she told is us a perfect match to the evidence we've collected."

"Do you have any leads on who might have killed that girl?"

"Nothing certain, but there's a growing theory that this is not his first victim."

"You mean a serial killer?"

"I'm afraid so."

The detectives are thanking Dr. Hamilton for his cooperation, but she's not listening any more. Could she really have been there to witness a murder? What about her dream? Hadn't she stopped the killer before he'd had a chance to do anything?

He got away. Her dream ended with her falling, and she decides that must be when she hit her head. She doesn't know why the killer left her alone then, but he must have gone back to finish off the girl.

Tears run down her eyes, but she wipes them away quickly when Garret re-enters the room.

"Do you think the killer knows who I am?" she asks, not sure if she wants to hear the answer.

"I sincerely doubt that. I think you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it earned you a nasty wound on your head and acute memory loss. Nothing more than that."

"Oh. I hope so," is all she can say. What is she supposed to think about all of this? She's trapped and alone in this hospital room, barely able to walk without tripping over her own two feet.

"I've got rounds to do, and then I'm in surgery all afternoon, but I'll see you for your session with Anna this evening?"

"Looking forward to it." The words sound hollow, as though she's trying to convince herself. The more she learns about what landed her in this hospital, the more she's beginning to think she doesn't want to know anything else about her old life.

### Chapter Eight

SHE'S DEEP UNDER hypnosis again. Her Janelle self isn't with her this time, and she's back in the small clearing by the creek. Her dream and previous session have melded into one image, and it's this that she's currently fighting her way though.

The forest is completely silent as though all the animals have gone to ground or left completely. They know someone is in their home, and they're not sticking around to find out who. The rain is here this time, it had been missing from her first session, but now it feels right. It feels like it belongs.

"Do you see the man?"

"Yes, I can see him. His back is towards me. He doesn't know I'm here. I don't know how I know it, but it's important that he doesn't see me. I'm trying to stay hidden."

"Are there any details you can make out? Anything specific about him?"

"His jacket is dark. Black I think. It's hard to see in the rain, but it looks like he's wearing jeans and boots. The hood on his jacket is up and I can't see his hair."

"I want you to focus on his face. You can freeze time if you like. Stop the clock and walk towards him. He won't know you're there, and you can take all the time you need."

"I'm walking to him now. He's not moving now and I'm going to get close. The girl is lying here and she looks so afraid. I wish I could help her."

"These events are in the past," Dr. Larsten reminds her. "There's nothing you can do about what happened, but you can help identify this man and prevent it from happening again."

"I'm looking at his face but it's no use. He's wearing a mask."

"A mask? What kind of mask?"

"It's white and thick. There are lines painted on it, like he's a demon or something. I know this mask. It's called a kabuki mask. I've seen it before."

"That's excellent work. Can you remember where you've seen this mask before? Do you know why it looks familiar to you?"

"No, I'm sorry, I don't know."

"I want you to try something for me. It might be a little scary, but don't worry, you're perfectly safe. I want you to reach out, and to remove the mask. He won't move, and he won't know it's you."

"My hands feel heavy. I'm trying to lift them, but my arms won't move. I can't touch him. I can't bring my hands close enough to remove the mask. Why is he doing this to me?"

Her voice is tinged with panic. She's still in control, but the observers in the room don't know how much longer she can withstand these memories.

"It's okay. Don't worry about the mask. We've already learned a lot today, and I think it's time to come back soon but I want you to do something first. Close your eyes and imagine a new place. A comfortable and safe place."

"I'm in the garden. Sitting on my bench."

"Good. Look down and in your lap you'll find a box. This box is very special to you and it contains something you've been looking for. Take your time, and slowly open the box."

"There's nothing inside."

"Are you sure? Did you look carefully?"

"I'm sure. There's nothing in here but colored tissue paper."

"Okay, that's great work. We're ready to bring you back now, so count slowly back three, two, one, and open your eyes."

She opens her eyes and looks at Dr. Hamilton sitting off to the side. She's disappointed. It had been her hope that they'd be able to break through her barrier to identify this man, but she feels like she's hardly come up with anything at all.

"What was I supposed to find in the box?" she asks Dr. Larsten.

"That would have been up to you. I was hoping maybe something personal would come to you. Your name, your job, a family member, or even just a phone number that we could call to see if we can't find out more information about you."

"Oh. I guess that was kind of a bad session then, huh?"

"I don't think so," says Garret. "That bit about the kabuki mask was great. As far as I can tell, the police have no real information on this man or his methods, so this could be their first real piece of evidence."

"There's the added value of using that information to build a psychological profile," Dr. Larsten explains. "I'm sure they already have theories, but if the killer is wearing a kabuki mask that looks like a demon, I wouldn't imagine that he chose it at random. That could tell a criminal psychologist a lot about what sort of personality they're dealing with."

"A bad personality, that's for sure."

"That is something I think we can all agree on," says Garret. He turns to Dr. Larsten. "Anna, I have a meeting with the new batch of interns. Can you see that she gets back to her room okay?"

"Of course. Don't be too hard on them."

When Garret is safely out of earshot, Anna turns to her and asks her about her feelings about Dr. Hamilton.

"I don't think I could possibly ask for a better doctor. He's been taking excellent care of me, and I really value all the work you're both putting into helping me remember who I am."

"You care for him, don't you?"

She blushes deep red, and Dr. Larsten smiles sympathetically.

"It's not my place to comment on what you may or may not be feeling, but as a friend, I suggest being careful. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Um, okay." She isn't sure what to make of that. Should she have reason not to trust Garret? She can't imagine why.

"Do you want me to walk back to your room with you, or are you feeling up to the journey on your own?"

"I'm feeling a lot stronger now. I think I can manage it myself, thank you."

She gets up and slips out the door, wandering down the hallway and wondering what Dr. Larsten meant by that warning.

Losing her memory had left her feeling untethered and unsure of her actions in most regards, but one thing was becoming clear; Garret was important to her. She steps into the elevator and presses the button for her floor. She'll have to see where all of this leads, she thinks. After all, it's not like she's going anywhere with this amnesia.

### Chapter Nine

SHE'S HUNGRY, but the joy of being back on solid foods had been short lived and now the bland an unappetizing hospital meals have lost what little excitement they once held. When she hears the door to her room start to open, she's surprised to look over and see not a nurse but Dr. Hamilton entering with a bag in his hand that smells suspiciously like Chinese food.

"Hey there. I hope you don't mind, but I've smuggled some dinner in for you," he says.

"Mind? Heck no, you just made my day!"

"I took a risk and just ordered a few of my favorites. After everything that's been going on with you and all the stress you're under from this whole killer thing, I really thought you could use a break."

"Mmm, it smells fantastic. I just hope it's not that leftover food from your fridge you told me about."

He laughs and begins pulling cartons out of the bag. "Don't worry, I threw that out. This is a fresh order. I call that place so often I'm on a first name basis with the delivery guy."

She opens a carton and the sweet spicy aroma of ginger beef wafts out at her. "You know what? I don't know how I know this, but I think ginger beef might just be my favorite dish."

He's been holding a small manila envelope, and now he places it on the table in front of her.

"Before we eat, I thought you might be interested in something that was recovered near where your body was found."

"What is it?" she asks, a little afraid that it might be some gruesome piece of evidence. The way Garret is smiling says it's probably nothing too bad, but still.

She picks up the envelope and pulls open the tab. Whatever is inside is light and thin, and she has to shake the envelope to get it out. What falls into her hand is a State of Maine driver's license.

A license with her photo on it.

Next to the photo printed in block capitals is a name and address:

### RYANNE JANELLE STEVENS

### 325 SUMMER LANE

### COVINGTON, ME

She stares at it for a moment, unsure of what to make of it.

"How do you feel about this?" asks the doctor.

"I don't know. I'm looking at this picture, and it's obviously me, but it doesn't seem familiar. Shouldn't it feel right somehow?"

"Well Ryanne, how does it sound when I say your name to you?"

"It sounds wonderful, but the name still doesn't feel like it's mine."

She says it without even thinking, surprised that she let it slip out like that. The doctor blushes and looks away, pretending to be busy unpacking a box of spring rolls.

"I'm sorry," she says. "I know you're my doctor and you have to maintain a professional distance, but it's hard for me being here. I don't know anyone, and you've been so kind and caring. It's more than that though, I just really feel like you're important to me somehow and with me knowing so little about myself, it feels like something real to hold on to. I don't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"It's not that," he replies, looking up from his food to meet her gaze. "Ever since they brought you into the E.R., I've felt drawn to you. At first I thought it was just your case and the circumstances. I knew you were all alone, and that we hadn't been able to find any friends or family for you, and I didn't want you to feel forgotten."

He reaches out and takes her hand, squeezing it like he did when he comforted her in this bed the first time she woke.

"Now, I know it's something more," he continues. "I can't stop thinking about you, Ryanne."

She squeezes his hand in return and pulls him towards her. It's a risk starting anything here in the hospital, but she doesn't know when she'll get better, or how she fits into the unknown killer's world, and right now she just needs some real human comfort.

Garret rises in from his seat and pushes her food table off to the side. Sitting on the edge of her bed, he leans in and kisses her softly. Reaching up to brush a lock of hair from her face, he smiles and says "I've been wanting to do that since I first saw you."

"I'm glad you finally did."

She reaches up to place her hand on the back of his neck and pulls him back down for more. She feels his tongue slip into her mouth and she responds with a hunger that she hadn't realized she'd had inside her. Pulling his shirt from his pants, she slides her hand up under, feeling the muscular chest beneath. His hand is pulling her hospital gown away from her and caressing her from her thigh up to her breast. He kisses her passionately and squeezes her in his hand.

The touch of his hand feels like fire against her skin and she craves more. She wants to tear his shirt off and feel his naked body pressed against her and she can tell he wants the same.

One step away from being completely consumed by their passion, they both seem to come to their senses around the same time, and he eases back off her. The risk here is too great, and besides, she's feeling a little gross after lying in this bed for so long. If she's going to get that intimate with him, she'd really love to take a shower first.

"Ryanne, I'm sorry..."

"No," she interrupts. "This isn't a good place. I want this, I really do, but not here. Not like this."

Garret leans in and kisses her on the lips before standing and tucking his shirt back in. He wipes his brow and sighs.

"I am really close to risking my whole career and smuggling you out of here right now."

She giggles at the thought of him carrying her down the hallway covered in a blanket.

"If you can figure out how to do that, I'd happily go anywhere with you."

He caresses her cheek with the back of his fingers.

"If I don't get out of here right now, we're going to have problems. Enjoy your dinner, and I'll be back to check in on you as soon as I can okay."

He walks to the door, yanks it open, and pauses to look back at her.

"Oh, and if anyone asks where you got that takeout from, it wasn't me."

He winks and shuts the door.

Ryanne lets out a long breath and pulls her food back towards her. Now she's really hungry and she's not upset that there's enough food for two sitting here. She stuffs a forkful of rice and beef into her mouth and chews thoughtfully. All of this new information rolls around in her brain. She has a name now. And an address.

Then there's Dr. Hamilton and his rock hard abs. _When does a guy like that find time to work out_ , she wonders.

Taking another bite of food, she realizes something and picks up the driver's license. It hits her then.

If I live in Maine, then what the heck am I doing in Georgia?

**~ ~ ~ ~**

**Read the next book by Elena Terrell:**

**If you like this book, you will also like A Halloween Awakening...**

### ON THE NIGHT OF HALLOWEEN, SOMETHING WICKED AND DANGEROUS IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN

# TO FIND TRUE LOVE ON THE NIGHT OF HALLOWEEN

Lilith's Lair, a nightclub known for its Gothic flair and exotic moods, where beautiful creatures of the night abound to find their long lost lovers--or their ill-fated preys?

Chandler is sensible, staid and in control... that is before she met hypnotically stunning Lucien in Lilith's Lair. She has just recovered from a break up so that can be why she lit like dry wood on fire when his hands touches her. His kisses brands her, and their first meeting leaves her sexually frustrated. But is that also why she sometimes feels like someone's been watching her? And her incredibly wet dream... things are happening that hasn't ever before. In his arms, she is becoming someone she didn't know.

Lilith, the owner of nightclub Lilith's Lair and a friend of Lucien, has been a vampire for so long that she doesn't remember her human life before her vampire existence. She knows there is a kind of love that transpires centuries, but she is somewhat dubious she will ever find the kind of love she needs with any one of the Undead. Then she met the handsome, newly awakened, Gavin, and the possibility of love opens up to her. But an all too familiar feeling of danger which comes and goes for years is there yet again. She needs help but who's going to send it to her when Gavin admits that he has betrayed her? How is she going to trust him again? Will she ever find love that she secretly longs for?

**Unravel more of this fascinating book, continue reading A Halloween Awakening...**

**~ ~ ~ ~**

### Related Books

Did you enjoy this book? I recommend reading these related books, available on various retailers:

A Raven In The Midst

A Heart Aroused

##### Club Of The Vamp

Breathless

# Bonus:

## A Halloween Awakening

# The Awakening Revisited

A Halloween Awakening : A Vampire Thriller Novella Part 1

# Chapter One

CHANDLER LOGGED OFF of her computer and shut it down. Sitting back in her chair, she raised her arms over her head, stretching. She loved her job and she knew how lucky she was to be able to work from home, but there were days that she was perfectly content to be done with everything so she could take a break and rest before starting a new one.

Just as she was getting up, her cellphone trilled. When she saw who it was, she almost didn't answer it.

Lisette was her best friend in the world and she loved her dearly, but sometimes she just had too much focus on Chandler's love life, which was kind of non-existent at the moment the way she wanted it to be. The trouble was, Lisette wanted the opposite.

So Chandler already knew what this call was about. Lisette had been talking about the two of them going to a new club in town. It was a Goth club called _Lilith's Lair_. Lisette changed lifestyles almost as quickly as she changed clothes and this was her new flavor of the week. But the last thing that Chandler wanted to do was spend the evening drinking glasses of fake blood and fending off stupid jokes about neck biting.

"Hello, Lis," Chandler said after she hit the connect button on her phone.

"Did you figure out what you're wearing to the club tonight?" Lisette said without preamble.

"You know, I really don't know that I'm feeling up to this," Chandler said, then held the phone away from her ear to avoid the verbal assault that she knew was coming. She picked up a few words here and there, but she didn't need to hear it all to know that Lisette was protesting vehemently.

When the stream of words slowed down, Chandler put the phone back to her ear. "Look, I just don't enjoy this kind of thing the way that you do, Lis."

"But you promised me!" Lisette screeched again.

She cringed from the phone. "Lisette, screaming at me isn't going to go a long way in convincing me."

"So you'll go with me if I lower my voice?"

She couldn't help grinning. "I'll consider going if you stop trying to force me into doing things that I really don't want to do."

"Then I won't. Pro-oo-mise. Just give it a chance, at least. Ple-ee-aase? What if you happen to like it? Chandler, a lot of women who prefers things that you do--like working non-stop for about twenty-three hours seven days a week--visits this place every night. And they seem happy."

Chandler sighed. She knew this was an argument that she wasn't going to win no matter how hard she fought it.

"Ok, I'll go, but we're not leaving until eight or nine, and I'll be picking out my own clothes."

Chandler could hear Lisette revving up for another argument so she cut the conversation short and disconnected. Well, she might as well get started so that she would be dressed and ready to go on time. Even though she had said eight or nine tonight, she already knew Lisette would be on her doorstep at least by seven-thirty, if not sooner.

Strolling into the kitchen, she peered into the refrigerator to see what she had to make a quick meal from. There were things to make a salad as well as some sandwich things so she hauled out everything and set it on the kitchen bar.

Creating her meal did a lot to fuel her appetite. After eating, she found that she felt a lot better about her impending evening out.

Chandler supposed that she could understand Lisette's concern. It had been a little over a year since she had broken up with James and she hadn't even dated anyone since then.

She wasn't even sure why she had gone out with James in the first place let alone stayed with him as long as she had. They had nothing in common and he was so boring that she had had trouble staying awake a lot of the times they were together.

Even the sex wasn't anything to write home about.

Oh well, that was all behind her now.

# Chapter Two

CHANDLER STARTED THE SHOWER and let it run while she stripped down to her bare skin. Chandler felt that her body was in pretty good shape.

She wasn't thin, but neither was she plump. Her stomach was flat, her breasts were round and firm, and her ass was tight and round. She often got compliments on her legs which where long as well as toned. At 5'9" she was taller than a lot of the men she ran into and it got even worse when she wore heels.

_Well, I don't care about that tonight,_ she thought as she ran a loofah over her soapy body. _I'm going to wear heels and it doesn't matter how many men I tower over._

Chandler decided to forego the styling of her long black hair. Instead, she just used a blow dryer on it and brushed it out straight. With a simple middle part, she was satisfied that it would do.

She had also decided to get a bit Goth in her makeup. _What the hell,_ she thought. _If I'm going to do this, I may as well do it up right._

When she was finished with her makeup, she had perfectly lined eyes in a soft black, long black lashes, and smoky gray eye shadow. Her eyes were an unusual violet color in a shade that no one in her family was ever able to figure out where it came from. No one else had them, which was the biggest reason that she loved them so much.

Now, it was time to rummage through her closet and find something appropriate to wear. It turned out to be easier than she had thought it would.

She instantly stumbled upon a long, black lacy skirt with slits up the sides. Added to that was a deep purple corset that she would wear under a see through black lace top.

Chandler stood in front of the mirror completely naked and was pretty happy with what she saw. She added a piece of clothing at a time and checked out the effect in the mirror. Finally, she was done.

_Perfect!_ she thought.

This outfit needed jewelry and she had plenty of that. In fact, this seemed to be the right time to break out that lovely old pendant that she had found in an antique store a couple of weeks ago. Pulling it out of her jewelry box, she found that the color of the amethyst crystal in the pendant matched her corset perfectly. It was a Celtic cross of some sort and was attached to a large black chain. Slipping it around her neck, she found that the overall effect was somewhat mysterious.

As she gazed at herself in the mirror, she suddenly felt a chill come over her. Chandler glanced quickly at her bedroom window and walked over to it. She looked down onto the street below her, and saw nothing.

Yet, she was quite positive that she had felt someone watching her.

CHANDLER WASN'T WRONG about being watched.

There was a set of glowing golden eyes that were trained on her at that very instant. _This is she_ , the watcher thought to himself.

She's the one! Now, that I've found her, she will be mine. I'll spread her beneath me and claim her as my own. They could not hide her from me forever.

As the watcher continued his vigil, he saw another young woman arrive.

_That would be the friend_ , he thought. _So, my love won't be alone tonight. I must be patient. Moving too quickly will only ruin everything. However, I will meet her face to face tonight. I must see if even a glimmer of memory stirs within her._

He continued to watch as the two women left the house and got into a small red vehicle. It seemed to belong to the other young woman. They set off down the street in the direction of _Lilith's Lair._

The watcher followed.

CHANDLER HAD TO say that this club looked a lot more fun that she had anticipated.

Sure, it was a bit campy with all of the dressed up vampire wannabes. Even the club owner, Lilith herself, had made an effort to come over and introduce herself to Lisette and Chandler when they walked in.

That part had been a little weird because it was almost like she had been watching for them. They had literally just got in past the bouncers when this woman dressed in red from head to toe appeared beside them.

"Good evening," she said in a low sexy voice. "I'm Lilith, and welcome to my establishment."

Chandler almost giggled. Who the hell says things like "establishment" these days? But she managed to contain herself and turn her giggle into a wide smile.

"Thanks," she said. "I'm Chandler and this is my friend Lisette. This is the coolest place I've seen in a while," she exclaimed as she swept her eyes around her. She was definitely glad she tried Goth get-up tonight. It was simple Goth, and she didn't appear too weird but not out-of-place either. She looked back at Lilith and wondered at the woman who was able to make this kind of "establishment" as seemingly successful as it looked.

"I'm so glad you like it," Lilith replied while giving Chandler a rather penetrating stare. "If you need anything at all, just let me know. Enjoy."

With that, she saluted them with a small raise of her glass and glided away through the rather packed club.

There was something about the woman that made Chandler keep staring as she moved away from them.

_Wow,_ Chandler thought. _If I was into women, she would be fair game!_

On the heels of that thought came one asking where that had come from!

_Well, the woman was powerfully sexy and it's been a long time since anyone has tickled my fancy, or anything else,_ thought Chandler. _I'm just horny. That's all it is._

# Chapter Three

LISETTE WAS ALREADY trying to get her onto the dance floor. There was a very odd but good band playing and it seemed as if there would be a DJ playing later that night. At any rate, the music was just right for dancing, whether you could or not. So Chandler allowed herself to be dragged by the hands out onto the dance floor.

In no time, she and Lisette were surrounded by other dancers that included them into their little groups.

_Yeah,_ thought Chandler. _This is kind of fun._

Then, she suddenly felt that chill again.

Motioning to Lisette that she was heading to the bar, Chandler made her way off of the dance floor. After lots of "Excuse me's," she was finally at the bar and was able to get the attention of the bartender.

"A glass of red wine, please," she said.

"I'll get this, Daniel," said a deep male voice from just behind her.

Daniel, who was apparently the bartender, nodded, set her drink in front of her, and took the money held out to him from the voice. Turning, Chandler was starting to protest--until she was face-to-face with the most beautiful man she had ever seen in her life.

The words died on her lips as she gaped at him.

Those full lips twisted into a very seductive smile as his golden eyes seemed to glow at her. His hair was very dark and worn in a longer style than men were currently sporting. He had high cheekbones that led into a deep dimple on the side of his face when he smiled at her. He was taller than she was, which was something different for her, and his slim, yet muscular body made her want to run her fingers over him.

"Allow me to introduce myself," he said softly. "My name is Lucien."

"Um, well, it's great to meet you, Lucien," Chandler managed to stammer after an obviously long two seconds. "And th-thank you for my drink."

"You are most welcome," he replied. "Will you do me the honor of telling me your name?"

"Oh yes! How rude of me!" she said, not even thinking about how it was easy to just give what he asked. "I'm Chandler."

"Chandler. What an unusual name. Of course, you're also a very unusual woman."

"Oh, I wouldn't really say that," Chandler laughed. "It's just the clothes."

They both laughed at that because she was dressed similarly to most of the other women in the club.

"I assure you that it is not the clothes," Lucien said, still staring directly into her eyes. "There's something very special about you other than your beauty. I noticed it the second you walked into the club."

"You were watching me?" she asked, feeling a chill again.

"Not in a creepy way, but yes, I was."

As Chandler listened to him speak, she detected a slight accent, possibly European, but she wasn't sure. Just as she was about to ask him, Lucien spoke again.

"And no, I'm not from around here."

Chandler almost spit out her drink at that. "How did you know what I was thinking?" she asked.

"It's nothing magical," he replied. "Typically, people always pick up on my accent even though I like to think it's very faint now. So I just assumed you were wondering, and you face actually looked like you were going to ask."

"Well, you assumed correctly," she laughed.

"I'm originally from Romania," Lucien explained. "However, I've lived all over the world at different points in time."

"Wow. So how did you come to be in New Orleans?" Chandler asked.

"I've been here a few times," he answered. "I like it here. It's as simple as that."

"Yeah, me, too," Chandler replied. "I'm not from here, either, but I kept coming here to visit and stayed a little longer each time until I finally decided to just live here."

Lucien nodded his understanding.

Chandler's gaze had gone back to the dance floor where Lisette was having a blast, it seemed.

# Chapter Four

"YOUR FRIEND SEEMS to be having a good time," Lucien commented.

"Yes, she really does, doesn't she? You know, she forced me to come here tonight. I was all set to settle in with a long bubble bath and good book."

"That would have been a shame to waste such a wonderful night inside reading. I, too, love such things as books, music and the arts, but there comes a time when you must go out and enjoy your surroundings. Speaking of which, would you like to step outside and get some air with me?" he asked.

Normally, "stepping outside" with a man she had just met isn't something she would have even considered. Yet there was something about Lucien that kept drawing her in and before she allowed herself to think clearly, she was nodding her assent. And outside they went.

She felt no fear at being alone on the street with this man. In fact, if she was honest with herself, the thing she felt most for him was desire.

As they walked down the sidewalk to a quieter spot, Lucien casually took her hand as he pointed out how full the moon was that night. It had a reddish overcast to it that he told her was sometimes called the Blood Moon. As she turned her face to look upward, he leaned down and kissed her fully on the mouth.

Every bit of common sense that Chandler had ever possessed had now vanished or was in deep hiding because nothing could have made her stop that kiss. Instead, she kissed him back in way that became ravenous almost immediately. Part of her figured she had lost her mind, but that part of her wasn't feeling the electric currents of want and need that were in possession of her body at that moment.

Swiftly pulling her into a deserted alleyway, Lucien pinned Chandler against the brick side of a building and proceeded to press his body against hers. Still kissing her, he ran his hands expertly up her sides and stopped just short of her heaving breasts.

She moaned between their lips, the sound a testimony of her arousal. Never had she wanted a man to touch her more than she wanted him to. As he ground himself into her, she felt full evidence of his arousal and responded to it in kind. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him even deeper into their kiss.

He seemed to take this as a signal of some sort because he moved his hands completely over her breasts, this thumbs teasing her nipples through the scant material of the corset she wore.

Chandler moaned as she pressed herself against his rock-hard erection and started to move against it. He was breathing quickly as well now, and had taken one hand from her breast to slide it up one slit of her long skirt. She positioned herself so that he would have complete access to her pleasure center. As his fingers found the now soaking crotch of her panties, she nearly passed out from the sweet desire that flooded her.

He had to actually hold her up when he slipped a finger beneath those panties and parted the folds that hid her core.

She was moving closer and closer to the point of no return when he suddenly muttered a muffled curse and removed his hand.

"Oh please, don't stop doing that," pleaded Chandler as she struggled to wake up from the sexual haze of desire that had her on its hold at the moment. Her body was buzzing with it. She wanted to clobber him for stopping! "Why would you ...?"

Then she realized that he was speaking into his cellphone while he has his face turned away. Snapping it shut, he turned to her.

Desire was still in his dilated pupils, in the tension in his jaws. But he was breathing evenly, already on the path to controlling it.

"It seems that your friend is desperately searching for you and is getting upset that she cannot locate you. She's almost making a scene and Lilith has just called to get the situation in order." Something like fire flared in his eyes again. "She saw us going out together and I think she knew that she has to stop us before we get any further and... not be able to stop."

She smiled up at him. She liked hearing him talk about going uncontrollable with her.

"We must return to the club," he said in such a reluctant way, she felt forgiving about the abrupt halt to their little tryst.

"Okay..." she whispered.

With that, Lucien took her by the hand and led her out of the alley and back down the sidewalk to the entrance of the club.

# Chapter Five

LISETTE SAW HER as soon as they were inside the doors. She flew at Chandler and wrapped her arms around her.

"Oh... thank God, you're ok!" Lisette screamed. "I was terrified when I looked all over and couldn't find you anywhere!"

"Of course, I'm alright," Chandler said through gritted teeth as she disengaged herself from Lisette's grip. "Why in the hell wouldn't I be alright?"

"Well, you weren't here! And I couldn't find you..."

"So? It got stuffy in here and I went out for some air. I was with Lucien and we got to talking. That's all."

For the first time, Lisette seemed to take in the presence of a man in the near vicinity. When she saw him, she also had a rather strong reaction to him, just as Chandler had. After all, the man was phenomenally gorgeous.

Then it hit Chandler--she had just walked outside to a dark alley with a man she really didn't know and almost had sex with him!

What the hell was wrong with her? She didn't do things like that!

_Oh my God,_ she thought. _I've got to get out of here. I've never been more humiliated in my life! I finally meet a man that I'm attracted to and I go and fuck everything up by acting like a slut. Great job, Chandler,_ she thought.

"You know, Lis, I'm going to call it a night," she said, then turned and headed toward the door without looking at Lucien. "But you stay and enjoy yourself. I'm just a little more tired than I thought I was!"

'But, Chandler!" Lisette said after she'd followed her outside. "You can't just leave! We haven't even been here that long!"

"Oh, I've been here long enough," Chandler stated. "Seriously, Lis, I'm fine. I just want to go home and relax for a while. It looks like you've made some new friends, so please, stay and have some fun. We'll talk tomorrow."

They had reached the car by that time and that's when she noticed that Lucien followed them out after all. She didn't even hear his footsteps, when she could both hear hers and Lizette's on the metal walkway towards the concrete driveway.

"Look, take my car," Lisette said, not noticing Lucien standing a little near her side. "I have a friend here who lives just a block from me so I'll just ask for a ride from her, okay?"

Are you sure?" she asked as she reluctantly received the car keys to Lisette's car.

"As sure as sunshine, sweetie," Lisette replied, then kissed her cheek, then turned back towards the bar almost running without noticing Lucien at all.

He stepped near her and then put his hand on her arm.

"Chandler, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. It was a powerful moment, a beautiful moment between two people that are very attracted to one another. Don't feel badly that it happened."

She was again surprised that he seemed to know exactly what was going on inside her head. He couldn't possibly be literally reading her thoughts. It was all just coincidence.

Besides, she was still embarrassed about her behavior. She had never felt so ashamed of herself. "Yeah, why should I feel badly just because I behaved like a hooker? No problem!"

Then she sighed. She didn't want him to think she was angry at him. She went with him so it wasn't his fault.

Or at least not all of it, she grudgingly thought as she turned to see him again. It was his entire fault that he was gorgeous and charismatic that women felt compelled to fall for him. She had to work hard not to melt all over him again!

"Look, I really do want you to know that I never do things like that. It wouldn't surprise me if you didn't believe me, but it's the truth. I don't know who that woman was back there in the alley, but it wasn't me. Maybe I've developed a split personality or something." She has to take her eyes away before she take back everything she had just said so she turned back to her car. "But anyway, it was great meeting you, Lucien."

"We will see each other again, Chandler. Very soon," he said in his charismatic voice.

She involuntarily had her eyes closed when she felt his kiss on her shoulder.

And then, she felt him walk back into the club.

_Well, hell, that kiss felt like the most intimate thing on Earth_ , she thought, a little dazed, as she went behind the wheel of Lisette's car. It felt like they had been lovers before, or something like that. It felt like he has kissed her on that very same spot many times because it felt so damn familiar.

But she couldn't explain feeling something like that, and it made her feel foolish all over again.

Chandler was shaking her head as she started the car to go home. It was a strange night.

And she was glad the confusion was almost over.

# Chapter Six

CHANDLER UNLOCKED THE door to her house and entered. She always kept a small lamp turned on in the foyer so that she would never come in to a dark house. It just seemed smart to her to do this although she was rarely frightened by anything. She loved her old house near the French Quarter and had never had any qualms about living there alone.

Tonight, she was even more relieved to walk through her front door. What on earth had got into her?

She gave her head a slight shake and continued down the hall to her bedroom. Stripping out of the Goth clothes, she slipped into a pair of sleeping shorts and a spaghetti strap t-shirt.

Then she padded barefoot into the kitchen to make some iced cafe au lait.

_This will settle me down a bit,_ she thought.

Cup in hand, she returned to her bedroom and sat cross-legged on the bed. Taking up the remote, she turned on the television and flipped idly through the channels. It was really too early to be in on a Friday night and she knew it. But it was better than remaining in the club with at least one person who knew how she had behaved earlier.

Chandler still couldn't forget how Lucien had aroused her so quickly and completely. Even now, the throbbing between her legs had never really abated. She still felt as if she were just on the edge of experiencing the most amazing event of her life. It was exquisite and tormenting all at the same time.

She knew that she could easily take care of it herself but something kept her from reaching over to her nightstand drawer for her vibrator. It was almost as if she would be defiling something sacred.

_Now where did that come from,_ she thought. _Defile? Sacred? What the hell?_

The strangeness had followed her to her house.

She finished off her cafe au lait and switched off the television.

_I might as well go to bed,_ she thought. _I certainly can't concentrate on a book now._ With a groan, she threw herself onto her back and put an arm over her eyes. She really wished she wasn't so horny. Nothing had compared to this in her entire life, and it really made no sense.

She didn't know Lucien. Yeah, ok, so he was almost other-worldly gorgeous, but that was no reason to totally lose herself the way she had. In fact, her control had always been a matter of pride with her.

So where was that marvelous control earlier tonight?

Finally, she gave up trying to make sense of it and crawled under her covers. Reaching over to her nightstand, she turned off the lamp, punched her pillows a few times and lay down.

She knew it was probably a futile effort because she was still too wired. Giving her nightstand one last glance, she deliberately turned her back on it so that she wouldn't give into the temptation of retrieving her toy, and relieving the pool of tension located in her lower body.

"SO, YOU MET her then?" Lucien asked Lilith in her office at the club.

"Oh yes, I did meet her," Lilith replied as she sat back in her chair and sipped her wine.

"And what did you think?"

"I think she's quite beautiful and has a great deal of charm."

"You know what I mean," prodded Lucien. "Do you agree with me about her?"

"I do have to admit that there may be some truth to what you've been saying. She has a quality about her, definitely. And there's also those beautiful violet eyes..."

"Exactly!" Lucien exclaimed. "It must be her! I feel the connection to her."

Lilith curiously looked his way. "Even if what you feel is true," Lilith continued. "How are you going to tell her? Obviously, she doesn't recognize you."

"That's not so surprising," Lucien countered. "It's been many years and she would not have been awakened yet. But I will make her remember," Lucien said with determined passion. His eyes glittered and his jaws tensed. "We will be together once more, and this time I won't let anyone part us."

"Lucien, you know there are no guarantees, dear," Lilith advised, adopting the tone of a mother as she reached out a hand to gracefully caress his hair.

Lucien was adamant. "This time it must work. I know it will," he said, with a little desperation.

Lilith smiled and nodded encouragingly. "I suppose you're going to pay her a visit?"

"Of course!" This time, Lucien smiled. "You would not believe the way she responded to me. Her mind may not remember me, but her body does, and soon her heart will follow."

"Oh well, then. Go." In a gracefully fluid motion, Lilith rose from the chair. "If she's truly one of us, then she must be awakened." She directed her eyes on him. "Go and get your better half, my friend."

Lucien went without a word, or any sound.

# Chapter Seven

LUCIEN WATCHED AS chandler tossed and turned in her bed.

Perched on her windowsill, he throbbed with the memory of what they had shared so briefly only few short hours ago. He really had not meant to lose control that way. Things had to go a bit more slowly in order for it all to work out right.

However, he thought with a small frown marring his beautiful face, he also hadn't expected her to respond so ferociously to his kisses. Now, she thought of herself as cheap and a slut and that was certainly not what he had intended.

No, he must redeem himself and prove to her that he wanted much more from her than just a quickie up against a wall in an alley.

For now. Of course, once she has awakened she would know exactly what she was to him.

As Lucien continued to watch Chandler, he saw her roll onto her back. Moaning in her sleep, she moved one hand under the covers.

He was suddenly on instant alert. What was she doing?

_Ah, I see,_ he thought, as her hand began moving industriously under the covers. She did not give in to her urges when she was home alone. Instead, she went to sleep and now she was dreaming.

This was something that he could do for her, though, and he would.

Silently moving to Chandler's bed, he pulled the covers down from her body. He had the ability to do this without her ever waking up. Gazing down at her beautiful body, he removed her pajama shorts effortlessly. Her thighs were already parted where her hand was doing its best to gain some release for her.

_Ahh, sweet release,_ he thought, smiling with his eyes hooded. He was getting aroused just watching her. Roaring and aroused.

Positioning his head right at the top of her thighs, he used one hand to part the folds that hid her pleasure core. Once he had found her stiffening little rosebud there, he touched it lightly with the tip of his tongue. He could taste the moisture that had gathered there and it only excited him even more. But Lucien had promised himself that when he claimed Chandler's body, it would be when she came to him willingly.

So he did his best to ignore the painful throbbing between his legs, but that didn't seem to stop him from moving back and forth against the bed trying to ease the ache there as he ran his tongue in fast, gentle circles around Chandler's clit.

Her breath was coming faster now, and she was moaning more as her hands clutched desperately on the bedspread, still seemed to be asleep. Deep in her dream state, she was also arching her back and riding his face even though she didn't know what was going on.

Slipping a finger inside her soaking little hole, he started to move it in and out of her as he continued his studious licking. It seemed that it was no time before she started to thrash about, moving her hips up and down, her pussy contracting around his finger.

Her orgasm seemed to go on for several minutes, although that could not possibly have been the case.

He sensed that Chandler was starting to wake up from the force of her orgasm so he slid quickly and silently from the bed. Even though Lucien wanted to stay and watch her longer, he didn't think it would be in his best interests for her to catch him in her room.

He flew out of the window and lightly touched down on the lawn under her window.

He smiled as she looked up at the window he's just left.

He knew that he had left her with plenty of feelings to decipher and he would be seeing her again quite soon.

With one last look up at Chandler's window, he stole away silently into the night....

# Chapter Eight

WHEN CHANDLER WOKE up the next morning, she felt relaxed, a little tired, and strangely satisfied. She had a vague memory of a very explicit "wet dream" and how she had cum so hard that it woke her up in the middle of the night with her pajamas off of her and her panties, too.

But she had awakened in the last throes of her orgasm, so it couldn't possibly be someone else. Her dream might have been that strong that she unclothed himself and played. She must have been so horny before finally sleeping that she had that dream. She hardly ever kicked off her covers. Yet, there they lay on the floor at the foot of the bed.

This morning, though, there was also a bit of a sensation between her legs that she only remembered having after sex. It was just a little tender and her pajama shorts were somewhat damp in the crotch, since she had donned them again before going back to sleep last night.

There was also a lingering impression that someone had been in her room. She didn't remember leaving her window open. But... again the possibility of someone touching her last night was on her mind, but she shook her head again.

If someone was here, she would have seen him. She was still almost spasming when she woke up last night. No one could move that fast. She would have seen whoever it was.

Unless whoever it was jumped through the window _then_ she would have heard the landing. And that would be impossible without injury. She would have heard a cry. She would have heard _something._

So that was really impossible.

Well, at least she didn't seem to feel quite so horny right now. She got a little dizzy she got to her feet, so she sat back down on the side of the bed.

_Whoa, what was that all about,_ she thought. _So my dreams make me weak-kneed. What do I need with a man if I can just dream myself into satisfaction?_

_Ok, let's try this again,_ she thought. This time she was able to get to her feet without any lightheadedness. She headed into the bathroom to wash her face, brush her teeth and put some clothes on. She opted for a short kimono-style robe and a pair of clean bikini panties. Coffee was just what she needed to wake up.

As she glanced at the clock, she got quite a start. Was it really past ten AM? That just isn't possible! She never slept that late.

_Wow. Okay, don't panic._ Coffee first, maybe some toast, and then she would try to figure out what was a little off with her this morning.

The special New Orleans blend coffee Chandler favored kicked in and she started to feel much better. Well, at least more alert. She opted for a fresh beignet over toast and decided that she really did feel better. Time to check email.

Carrying another cup of coffee down the hall, she went into her office and turned on her computer. There were random emails related to her business so she dealt with those first. Then she went through a few personal ones from friends.

Finally, in the midst of them all, there was an email with an address she didn't recognize.

She opened it and scanned it. A slow smile spread across her face as she read it a second time.

Chandler,

I haven't stopped thinking of you since our little encounter. Please don't think badly of yourself because I certainly don't. I find you quite enchanting and would like another chance to get acquainted with you.

Will you do me the honor of having dinner with me tonight? If so, I'll call for you at 7PM. I pray that your answer will be yes.

Warmly yours,

Lucien

Well, apparently he didn't feel that she was a slut. Or maybe he thought he could come back for a sure thing?

It didn't matter. She already knew she was going to have dinner with this man. What else she may or may not have with him was yet to be decided.

She quickly composed a short email accepting his gracious invitation and hit Send before she could change her mind.

Then she decided to do some work before it was time to get dressed for her dinner date.

Amazingly, she got quite a bit accomplished even though she did take a short break for lunch. Finally, she pushed her chair back around four: thirty and decided that it was time to start getting ready for her date.

Suddenly, Chandler realized that she hadn't heard from Lisette all day. That was very unusual because Lisette would have wanted to know what the hell had been going on last night. If she hadn't been so caught up in everything else as well as being a bit dull witted today, she would have realized hours ago that Lisette had not called, nor had she asked about her car.

She debated calling Lisette but figured she would be trapped on the phone for a long time so she decided to wait until tomorrow. Who knows, she might even have something juicy to share by then.

Chandler opted for a shower so that she could spend more time on her hair and makeup. Besides, she hadn't even figured out what she would be wearing. That was something she thought about as she took her shower and by the time she was finished, she knew exactly what she would wear.

# Chapter Nine

CHANDLER STOOD NAKED in front of the bathroom mirror to blow-dry her long straight hair. This was followed by applying her makeup. Last of all, she moved into her bedroom.

Going into her closet, she located the purple sundress she was looking for.

It was made from a chiffon type of material and made her look as if she were floating on a cloud. It was cut into a sexy V in the front and there was no back. Chandler's body could easily pull off this dress and once she added some matching purple heels, she was ready.

She felt a bit wicked about not wearing any underwear. There was something about being naughty tonight that felt very compelling to her. It made her giggle at herself.

She was ready promptly at seven PM, which was exactly when her doorbell rang. After looking through the small window in the door to make sure it was Lucien, she opened it and was rewarded with one of his slow seductive smiles.

_Ah, that dimple,_ she thought. _How could any woman resist that?_

"Chandler, you look magnificent," he said with his sexy accented voice. "I also see that you are prompt."

"Only for things that I'm looking forward to," she answered. "Come in while I get my purse."

She wanted him to be watching as she walked away from him because this dress showed off her considerable assets to full advantage. When she turned back to him, she was gratified to see that he was, indeed, watching her.

Now she was the one that smiled seductively. "Shall we go?" she asked.

"Of course," Lucien answered as he took her arm and they walked down her steps to the limousine he had waiting for them.

"Oh, wow," enthused Chandler. "Now, this I did not expect!"

"Only the best for a beautiful woman."

There was even a driver that was waiting for them with the back door open. She got in first and Lucien followed. The buttery leather of the seats made her sink into them. Lucien settled himself close to her and took her hand.

"Is this alright?" he asked.

"Of course it is! It's perfect!" Chandler exclaimed.

"I was not sure if it would be too much."

Chandler laughed at him good-naturedly. She assured him that he had planned everything perfectly. Suddenly, she sobered and turned to face him.

"Look, about last night," she began.

"No, no, we are not going to talk about that," he said as he placed a finger over her lips. "It was simply one moment where two people that were attracted to each other gave into that attraction briefly. Now, tonight is a new beginning and we're going to start as if we had just met. Is that okay with you?"

Chandler smiled and nodded. If he was willing to forget about it, then so was she. Maybe he didn't think she was a slut after all. She relaxed and decided to just enjoy herself.

So they spent the rest of the ride chatting and drinking some amazingly great wine.

It suddenly occurred to her that they had been riding for a rather long time.

"By the way," she finally said. "Where are we having dinner?"

"I should have told you earlier," Lucien said. "We are going to have dinner at my home. Please do not worry or be frightened. I assure you that you will be quite safe there and I never get the opportunity to entertain."

_Well, this was a new turn of events_ , she thought. _Sure, I should be relaxed and feel safe because he has stated that I will be._

As she looked at him, though, his odd, beautiful eyes seemed to glow golden at her.

"You know, you really need to tell me where you get your contacts. I noticed that Lilith has the same ones. That golden glow they give off sometimes is totally awesome!"

At first, Lucien seemed to be puzzled but then he suddenly started to laugh. "Yes, yes, I will be happy to let you in on my secrets at some point," he promised.

She loved watching and hearing him laugh. How could even his laugh turn her on so much? After the promise that she made to herself, she could feel certain parts of her body twitching.

Suddenly, she remembered how his body had felt against hers last night in that dark alleyway.

That's what she wanted again and she wanted it soon.

LUCIEN COULD SEE that Chandler was a bit unnerved at his announcement that they would be dining at his home. He watched her carefully to see what her reaction would be when she saw his house.

It seemed that he should have thought this through a bit better. Maybe a restaurant would have been a better choice, but he really wanted to be alone with Chandler and this would guarantee that he would be.

Glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, he saw her eyes widen at the size of his estate but, to her credit, she recovered quickly. Then everything was easier after that.

The only servants that he kept on tonight were members of the kitchen staff. They knew that he had a special diet and they could work around a human dinner companion. Once dinner had been served, they would retire discreetly to their own quarters located on the grounds behind the main house.

Dinner did go quite well, even better than either of them expected. His very rare steak was concealed among mixed vegetables so that Chandler didn't see the copious amount of blood that was running around his plate. They continued talking as they ate at a small table set up in front of a lovely fire. It was quite romantic.

Following their dinner, they moved to the overstuffed love seat that was located to the side of the table. While enjoying some wine, they were sitting very close together and it was inevitable that they would soon be even closer.

Finally, things went very quiet between them, and Lucien reached for Chandler's wine glass and set it down on the coffee table by his. Looking her deeply in the eyes, he started to lean in to kiss her. Her eyes told him that she really wanted him to kiss her.

As their mouths touched, it happened all over again.

It was as if they were right back in that dark alleyway in New Orleans. Chandler lost all sense of herself as she felt that same current of electricity jolt through her body. Before either of them knew what was happening, she was sitting on Lucien's lap, straddling him while kissing him ravenously.

_Oh my god, I want this man more than I've ever wanted any man,_ she thought, both shocked and excited at the knowledge that there was no way she could stop whatever's going to happen to them that night,

She could feel the evidence of his arousal not only in his kisses but in his crotch. It was that hardness that she was, at this very moment, moving against her. It was to encourage him to do whatever he wanted with her. His hands ran up and down her bare back as he crushed her upper body to him.

Suddenly, he broke their kiss. Then he did something she found incredible.

He stood up while still holding her and turned her so that he was carrying her _Gone with the Wind_ style up the curving stairs leading to the second floor of his home.

When they reached a set of double doors at the end of the hall, he kicked them open and carried her into a huge master suite. Sitting her down gently beside the bed, he began to kiss her again, this time unfastening her dress and pushing it off her to the floor.

He gasped when he realized that she was completely naked underneath.

"Oh, dear God..." he whispered. "You are such a beautiful creature."

Lucien continued to kiss her as he moved his hands all over her nakedness, stopping to tantalizingly tweak her nipples into little pebbles that he, then, bent down to suckle. Chandler was moaning and trying to get at his clothes.

She wanted him to be as naked as she was. She had felt the evidence, but now she wanted to be viewing it and holding it--oh God, how she wanted to feel it entering her body!

As his clothes were discarded at last, Chandler was not disappointed. His muscled body rippled under the light, inquisitive touch of her fingers. She traveled downward and found what she sought. Wrapping her hand around it, she gave his erect member a firm squeeze as she moved her hand up to his cockhead.

Lucien stood very still, with his head back and his eyes closed. Without losing her grip on him, she sat down on the side of the bed and leaned forward to move her tongue from the base of his cock to the head.

He inhaled sharply as he felt the wetness of her tongue exploring the fullness of his tool. He certainly didn't have anything to be ashamed of. She had never held anything so large in her hands, let alone tried to get it into her mouth.

The oddest feeling had started to come over her that she couldn't explain. There was something so familiar about Lucien's body.

At first, she thought it was because of their unsuccessful encounter in the alleyway, but now, she felt that it was something much more.

Chandler's body was still on fire, though, and nothing was going to get in her way of being satiated by this man. She slid her lips around his enormous cockhead and worked it into her mouth as far as she could get it. Using her hand on the bottom half of it, she employed a rhythm that worked the top part of his cock in her mouth and the lower half was attended to by her slippery hand.

The technique was definitely having the desired effect.

Suddenly, Lucien stopped her and laid her back on his bed, positioning himself so that he was able to repay her very generous favors. As soon as his tongue made contact with her aching little clit, she had another one of those flashes of familiarity.

She had felt this before! Not just the act, but the act from this man! That couldn't be true, though. Could it? At any rate, she couldn't ponder it at the moment because she was swept away by Lucien's very talented tongue. In mere seconds, she could feel her orgasm approaching.

Chandler didn't want Lucien to ever stop, but she wanted to feel his huge, engorged member inside of her right now.

She couldn't wait another second for him to take her.

# Chapter Ten

"LUCIEN," SHE WHISPERED. "Please, oh God, please, I want to feel you inside of me. Please, don't make me wait any longer."

Truthfully, Lucien was more than ready to fill this woman with his cock. He had denied himself even self-pleasure in anticipation of this moment. He lifted himself up and put himself so that his cock was directly at her pretty pink pleasure cleft. The head of it teased her opening by moving around it and dipping quickly in and out.

Chandler could stand it no longer. She reached down between them and pushed his cock in her as she lifted her hips in order to help him go as deep as possible.

She had not been wrong. This man filled her in a way that no other had ever come close to. She was going to be spoiled for any other man from now on. The more Chandler pushed upward, the less control Lucien seemed to have.

All at once, he plunged his cock deep inside of her so that she could feel his swollen balls slapping against her. It was the first time she had ever experienced power fucking and she was not likely to ever forget it. Each time he drove into her, he was hitting a very pleasurable spot that was pushing her closer and closer over the edge.

When the feeling hit, it was a lot like a tsunami. Nothing could prepare either of them for the range of sensations that were hitting them repeatedly. Both of them were howling at the top of their lungs and clinging together. As the feelings started to ebb, Lucien kissed Chandler deeply.

They lay together catching their breath. Lucien kept kissing her even then, not stopping, reminding her of a cat satiated with a meal.

Just as she was dosing off smiling with her head on his chest, Lucien spoke quietly to her.

"I have to tell you something," he said. "It's going to be difficult for you to believe, but I need for you to listen before passing judgment."

"Why would I pass judgment?" she asked, curious. She opened her eyes and she looked at his handsome face. The feeling of attraction did not ebb one bit. It was still there. She still felt mesmerized by him... if not more. "Though to tell you the truth, I'm not judgmental by nature. Unless you're a serial killer who kills babies?" she teased, but actually shuddered at her joke.

He grinned a sexy grin. "No babies. I eat beautiful women for dessert."

The innuendo hit her like he's uttered a curse word. "Women?" she repeated before she could stop herself. Then blushed. "Not that I feel possessive--"

"It's okay, honey. No other women anymore. Now that I've found you, it will be you forever," he assured her after another soul-wrenching kiss that almost got her speechless.

That's when he started telling her the story of a young man who loved a beautiful young woman with incredible, mysterious violet eyes. This couple lived two hundred years ago and they were very happy in a Romanian city.

The day that they were to be wed, the young man was attacked by a vicious creature known as a vampire. Rather than expose his love to what he had become, he hid and let her believe that he had left her.

Overcome with grief, the young woman threw herself off a cliff. Incredibly, she was still barely alive when the young vampire found her. Not wanting to lose her, he did the only thing he could do.

He changed her.

The young woman's mother was a very powerful witch who became enraged when she discovered what had happened. She couldn't undo what her daughter had become, but she could make sure that the couple was separated and that her daughter would never remember what happened.

She did a powerful spell that made her daughter a being of twilight--those in between the living and the undead. She would go through the process of rebirth like humans until she would be awakened.

But she made sure her daughter would not remember about her past lives so she would not try becoming the undead and look for her lover vampire.

The young vampire had been looking for his lost love ever since.

Then, one night, the young woman had walked into his friend's nightclub.

Shocked, Chandler was afraid to move. Lucien had clearly lost his mind. It was obvious that he believed every word that he was saying and that he had decided that she was his lost love.

"Oh, and, by the way," Lucien continued. "Your friend Lisette is fine. I couldn't have her interfering with my plans so I set her up with a good friend of mine. They've actually connected quite well. You will be hearing all about it, I'm sure. Now, there is one thing that I need to do. There is only one way that you will remember what you are, and once you do remember, you will change."

Chandler suddenly felt a chill move over her and she started to sit up, intent on getting the hell out of this lunatic's house. Before she got far, however, Lucien's lips were on hers and she could feel a difference that she hadn't noticed before.

It was the sharpness of his fangs that he had let down. Swiftly, he moved to her neck, where he sank his fangs into her throbbing skin.

And as he fed from her, memories of another life came flooding back.

She supposed it was a bit like they say drowning was like, when you remember everything that has happened to you in your life. That's what was happening to her right then. She was drowning with the upsurge of memories.

She closed her eyes.

When Lucien pulled away from her, she opened her eyes and looked into his.

Her memories had been truly awakened and she knew shs was looking at her one true love. Only a shadow of the terror she felt at being bitten remained. She felt renewed, reborn, and ravenous.

"I remember..." Chandler said as she moved to kiss him on his neck.

Lucien, with a grateful sigh, turned his head to give her what she needed.

His blood.

And she drank from him like she has not drunk for two hundred years.

When she raised her head again, her eyes were glittering with red-blood tears.

"You found me," she said huskily.

"I never would have stopped looking for you. The only reason I'm still living is because I know you're out there, waiting for me to find you."

She nodded.

And their lips sealed the eternal kiss of the awake.

Thank you for reading this excerpt. You can download the book from your favorite ebook retailer websites.

