Enchant the Night Read online

  BROW FURROWED, SHE TRIED TO REMEMBER THAT MISSING HALF HOUR.

  Was she losing her mind? Developing Alzheimer’s? Had she suffered a stroke? Been kidnapped by aliens? She had never experienced any memory loss before. At least she didn’t think she had. But how was she to know? Feeling suddenly tense, she went into the bathroom and filled the tub, thinking a warm bath might help her relax.

  Later, submerged to her shoulders in lavender-scented bubbles, she closed her eyes.

  A tall man dressed all in black. Deep, dark eyes that captured hers. Strong arms holding her close. A faint prick in the side of her neck. A sudden sense of warmth that permeated her whole being. . . .

  Callie bolted upright with a start, water sloshing over the sides of the tub as she glanced around the room, her heart pounding as the memory of what had happened that night flooded her mind.

  The man had bitten her!

  Other titles available by Amanda Ashley

  A WHISPER OF ETERNITY

  AFTER SUNDOWN

  DEAD PERFECT

  DEAD SEXY

  DESIRE AFTER DARK

  NIGHT’S KISS

  NIGHT’S TOUCH

  NIGHT’S MASTER

  NIGHT’S PLEASURE

  NIGHT’S MISTRESS

  NIGHT’S PROMISE

  NIGHT’S SURRENDER

  IMMORTAL SINS

  EVERLASTING KISS

  EVERLASTING DESIRE

  BOUND BY NIGHT

  BOUND BY BLOOD

  HIS DARK EMBRACE

  DESIRE THE NIGHT

  BENEATH A MIDNIGHT MOON

  AS TWILIGHT FALLS

  TWILIGHT DREAMS

  TWILIGHT DESIRES

  BEAUTY’S BEAST

  A FIRE IN THE BLOOD

  HOLD BACK THE DAWN

  Published by Kensington Publishing Corp.

  ENCHANT THE NIGHT

  AMANDA ASHLEY

  ZEBRA BOOKS

  KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.

  www.kensingtonbooks.com

  All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

  Table of Contents

  BROW FURROWED, SHE TRIED TO REMEMBER THAT MISSING HALF HOUR.

  Also by

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Epilogue

  Teaser chapter

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  ZEBRA BOOKS are published by

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  119 West 40th Street

  New York, NY 10018

  Copyright © 2020 by Madeline Baker

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales, or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.

  If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the Publisher and neither the Author nor the Publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”

  Zebra and the Z logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

  ISBN: 978-1-4201-5159-6

  ISBN-13: 978-1-4201-5160-2 (eBook)

  ISBN-10: 1-4201-5160-6 (eBook)

  To my children,

  grandchildren,

  and

  great-grandchildren.

  I know you love me

  But I love you more!

  Prologue

  Chanting softly, twelve bearded men sat around a small fire in the middle of the Dark Wood. All had taken a solemn oath to destroy the last of the Hungarian vampires. These vampires, born rather than made, were capable of breeding with human females and reproducing more of their kind, and they were considered an affront to all that was holy.

  The twelve rose when the Elder Knight appeared. On this night, they had gathered under the light of a full moon to initiate the newest member of their Order. Shrouded in long, black hooded cloaks and masks, they formed a circle around the initiate and the Elder Knight.

  “This is a solemn occasion,” the Elder Knight intoned, and though he did not shout, his voice rang in the darkness. “Do you understand the gravity of the Oath of Allegiance you are about to make?”

  The initiate bowed his head and said, “Yes.”

  “From this night forward, you will be known as Ricardo 42. Our laws are simple. You will never reveal the names of those gathered here, nor will you ever reveal the location of our temple in the Dark Wood. From this night forward, your sole purpose in life will be to protect humanity from any and all supernatural creatures, even at the cost of your own life. To betray these laws is punishable by death. Will you now swear on your life to obey these laws?”

  “I so swear.”

  The Elder Knight reached into his long, black robe and withdrew a jeweled dagger. After piercing his own palm with the dagger, he did the same to each of the Knights, and to Ricardo 42 last of all. Then, one by one, each Knight pressed his bleeding palm to that of the initiate. When it was done, the cuts in their hands vanished.

  “You are now one of us, Ricardo 42.”

  A Knight bearing a robe came forward and presented it to the initiate, then stood back as Ricardo put it on.

  A rush of wind stirred the trees and a woman in a long, gray cloak appeared, the hood pulled down low to hide her face. She placed an intricately-carved, ivory medallion around his neck. “This will alert you to the presence of Hungarian vampires.” Reaching into the pocket of her robe, she withdrew a small package. “This cloak of invisibility will hide you from their sight. Use it wisely.” And with that bit of advice, she vanished.

  One by the one, the Knights welcomed Ricardo 42 into their midst.

  And then, one by one, they disbanded, each to their own territory to seek out and destroy the last of the Hungarian vampires.

  Chapter 1

  Quill strolled through the shifting shadows of the night, a tall, dark-haired man shrouded in a long, black coat, unnoticed by passersby. Mortals, he thought, so oblivious to the world around them. Not only its incredible beauty, but the danger that dwelled in their midst like a hungry lion among lambs.

  Times changed. Centuries rolled on. The old myths and legends lost their power. He had seen the rise and fall of nation s and kings. But he remained forever the same, a solitary creature with little hope of forgiveness either in this life or the next. He had traveled the world from one end to the other. Made love to many women—but loved none of them. They had provided fleeting moments of passion in a long line of conquests that satisfied his lust as their blood fed his hunger.

  He had long ago accepted that he was forever damned. With that acceptance came a measure of peace. He had not chosen this life, but bemoaning what he was, what he had to do to survive, accomplished nothing.

  His needs were few and easily met. Still, after the first few hundred years, there had been times when he had grown weary of his solitary existence. It didn’t happen often, but when it did, he went to ground, seeking rest and relief.

  The last time he had done so, he had risen to a new generation filled with inventions and technology he had never imagined. Computers and cell phones, jet planes and drones and satellites, and a hundred other amazing devices, some that would have been viewed as witchcraft or the works of the devil in the century when he’d been born.

  It was a new age, and he reveled in it. Humanity no longer believed in his kind anymore. Hiding from the world was, in some ways, easier than ever. There were so many other monsters roaming the planet—remorseless gangs that preyed upon the weak, drug dealers who sold death in pretty pills to innocent children, politicians who betrayed their country for cash and power.

  All thought of the past faded as his gaze settled on a young woman emerging from the shop in front of him. She was petite and comely. A cloud of golden wheat-colored hair fell over her shoulders and down her back in a riot of waves. She radiated youth and vitality as she hurried down the street, her stiletto heels clicking on the sidewalk.

  Increasing his stride, he moved up beside her and caught her arm. A few quiet words calmed her fears as he led her into a shadowy alley between two large buildings. She stared at him blankly, eyes unblinking, lips slightly parted as he caressed her cheek.

  He had intended to drink deeply, but something in the depths of her midnight-blue eyes changed his mind. Muttering an oath, he drew her into his embrace, bent his head to her neck, and satisfied his most basic need.

  Chapter 2

  Feeling as if she was wandering in a fog, Callie Hathaway walked to her car and drove home. Plagued by an overwhelming thirst, she hurried into the kitchen and filled a glass with water. When that didn’t satisfy her, she gulped down a can of root beer. It helped but only a little. Tossing the empty container into the trash, she wondered why she was so thirsty. And why the side of her neck tingled. And why she couldn’t remember what had happened between the time she’d left Sally’s Boutique and the moment she’d slid behind the wheel of her hot-pink VW.

  Brow furrowed, she padded into the living room and sank down on the sofa, a throw pillow clutched to her chest as she tried to remember that missing half hour. Was she losing her mind? Developing Alzheimer’s? Had she suffered a stroke? Been kidnapped by aliens? She had never experienced any memory loss before. At least she didn’t think she had. But how was she to know? Feeling suddenly tense, she went into the bathroom and filled the tub, thinking a warm bath might help her relax.

  Later, submerged to her shoulders in lavender-scented bubbles, she closed her eyes.

  A tall man dressed all in black. Deep, dark eyes that captured hers. Strong arms holding her close. A faint prick in the side of her neck. A sudden sense of warmth that permeated her whole being . . .

  Callie bolted upright with a start, water sloshing over the sides of the tub as she glanced around the room, her heart pounding as the memory of what had happened that night flooded her mind.

  The man had bitten her!

  * * *

  In his lair on the other side of the city, Quill’s head snapped up as the woman he had preyed upon earlier woke to the realization of what had happened to her in the alley. How was that even possible? He had wiped the memory from her mind. He frowned into the darkness. No one had ever resisted his compulsion to forget. How had this female managed to do so?

  Rising, he paced the floor of his lair as he considered his options. There were really only two. He could drain her dry or he could wipe the recollection from her mind again and hope this time the memory stayed submerged.

  Killing her was the best solution. He hadn’t existed this long by being careless. Not only would it solve his problem, but it would allow him to taste her again, something he had been desperately wanting to do since the first crimson drop had slid over his tongue.

  It had been decades since he had taken a human life to preserve his own existence. But sometimes, like now, it was necessary.

  Tomorrow night, he would seek her out and do what had to be done.

  * * *

  Quill rose with the setting of the sun, showered and dressed, then left his lair. Opening his preternatural senses, he pinpointed the scent of the woman and followed it to a small, single-story house on a narrow street. Lights shone behind the windows. A faint breeze stirred the wind chimes on the front porch.

  Veiling himself in shadow, he settled down to wait.

  Hours passed. Like all predators, he had the patience of Job.

  Focusing his attention on the house, he heard the woman moving from room to room, smelled the fried chicken she cooked for dinner, heard the voice of a local news anchor as he reported the events of the day. At eight, she switched to a movie channel. At ten, she fixed a cup of hot chocolate.

  Shortly thereafter, she bathed and went to bed.

  Thwarted, Quill stared at the front door. He was the most powerful creature on earth, yet something as flimsy as a threshold had the power to repel him.

  Cursing softly, he willed himself to the next town in search of prey.

  The woman had been lucky tonight, he mused. But, sooner or later, she would leave the safety of her home. And when she did, he would be waiting.

  * * *

  Callie woke late on Sunday morning, unsettled by the fact that she had dreamed of the dark-haired man in the long, black coat again. He had invaded her dreams the night before, too, although that one had been more like a nightmare, filled with gruesome images of bodies drained of blood and hideous eyes as red as hellfire. And always the man in the long, black coat had been there, lurking just out of sight. Who was he? And what did her dreams mean?

  Recalling what had happened Friday night had kept her in the house all day Saturday. Was she going to hide inside today, too? And what was she really hiding from? Some memory that couldn’t possibly be real? A dream that made no sense? Nightmares couldn’t hurt you.

  She lifted a hand to her neck, felt an odd tingle in her fingertips. Had he really bitten her? Or had she imagined the whole incident?

  Moving to the bedroom window, she parted the curtains and glanced outside. It was a beautiful morning, the sky a clear bright blue. A lovely day for a walk, she decided. And maybe lunch at her favorite hamburger stand and an early movie.

  * * *

  Callie had planned to be home well before dark. Not because she was afraid, she told herself, even though she knew, deep down, that it was a lie. She was afraid. However, like the best laid plans, hers didn’t work out. She ran into her best friend, Vivian, at the movies and when it was over, Vivian insisted on going out to dinner at Tony’s Italian Restaurant. If there was one thing Callie couldn’t resist, it was Tony’s pasta. He made the best spaghetti and meatballs in the city, not to mention the world’s best garlic bread.

  “So,” Vivian said, after they’d ordered, “what’s new and exciting?”

  “I’m exhausted. I photographed a wedding last week. It was the biggest job I’ve ever had. Ten bridesmaids and ten ushers. Not to mention the parents of the bride and groom and their combined siblings, which ranged in age from five to twenty-five. Oh, and the aunts and uncles and grandparents, of course. Naturally, the bride wanted a picture with her mom and dad and then with her whole family. And the groom needed pictures of his whole family. The worst o f it was, they wanted the photos taken in the park across from the church, which just happened to have swings and slides. Trying to keep all those kids corralled was impossible!”

  “I don’t envy you, that’s for sure.”

  “And then there was the reception and all the usual photos—first dance, cutting the cake, throwing the bouquet. Pictures of the guests and toasts to the bride and groom. Thankfully, I don’t have anything else scheduled for a while.” Callie didn’t really need to work, but doing so gave her a sense of purpose. Most of the time, she loved what she did, and the fact that she set her own schedule was the icing on the cake. “How are you doing?”

  “Same old, same old. I’m thinking of looking for a new job.”

  “Really? Why?”

  “My old boss is retiring and his son is taking over.” Vivian shook her head. “You don’t need an assistant, do you?”

  “Not at the moment, sorry. Are you really going to quit?”

  “Probably not.” Vivian worked for Dean and Shipman, an up-and-coming software company that offered good pay and excellent benefits.

  They made small talk over dinner, reminiscing about old boyfriends and all the crazy things the two of them had done in college. They’d lost touch for a while, until Viv had moved back home.

  “Are you dating anyone?” Vivian asked.

  “Not since Bryan.” Callie had met him at a friend’s wedding earlier in the year. They had dated for a couple of months. He’d been nice enough, but they’d had little in common and even though he’d been easy to get along with, he’d been as dull as dishwater. She’d felt bad when she’d broken up with him, but there had been no real chemistry between them, no sparks. She had the feeling Bryan had felt the same and was relieved when she called it quits so he wouldn’t have to. “How about you?”