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DEEP IS THE NIGHT: NIGHT WATCH

An Ellora’s Cave Publication, February 2004

Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.

PO Box787

Hudson,OH44236-0787

ISBN MS Reader (LIT) ISBN # 1-84360-791-3

Other available formats (no ISBNs are assigned):

Adobe (PDF), Rocketbook (RB), Mobipocket (PRC) HTML

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or

locales is purely coincidental. They are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

Edited by Martha Punches.

Cover art by Scott Carpenter .

Deep is the Night: Night Watch

Denise A. Agnew

“The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where one

ends and one begins?”

Edgar Allan Poe, The Premature Burial

Prologue

Pine Forest,Colorado

Tunnels beneath the Gunn Inn

The ancient one lay on the dirt floor in his new hideaway, listening to the rhythmic moans and sighs of a

young couple having sex upstairs in the inn.

More time to heal and he would have the strength to feed on the foolish, unsuspecting humans. The

thousand year old vampire tasted opportunity not far from reach as it called to him with the scent of

sweat and sex. He would break from his shelter and tear into the humans, glorying in their screams and

the spurt of tasty blood. A craving built in his system, burning like fire along his veins.

Smells, like those of rotting death, called to him. These tunnels harbored more evil than just his own, and

he planned to tap into that iniquity soon. Down in these depths, he felt regeneration of power. Those who

had hunted him would rue the day they’d attacked him.

His body, dead but not dead, struggled to rid itself of damage inflicted by a silver bullet. His entire side

throbbed with each breath. How long had it been? Two days since vampire hunters Ronan Kieran,

Lachlan Tavish, and sweet Dasoria—

No. She called herself Erin Greenway, but she only inhabited the woman’s body. Whether she would

admit it to herself or not, she would again be Dasoria and belong to him.

He shifted, angered at the thought of his Dasoria turning on him. Revenge tore at his insides, urging him

to leave this sanctuary and wreck havoc on her life. He could kill her current lover, Lachlan Tavish, then

finish off her friend, Gilda. She would be pliant then and willing to give herself to her true nature.

Some satisfaction could be obtained in blind, hateful vengeance. Then something stopped his escalating

abhorrence.

Perhaps his mistake was in thinkingErin would realize she’d been reincarnated. He couldn’t afford haste

this time. That had been his mistake. Somehow he would force her to acknowledge her undead heritage.

Settling more easily into his curative state, he waited for the right time to resurrect from the darkness.

Ronan, Tavish, andErin underestimated him. They didn’t understand that once he regenerated he would

arise more potent than before. Then all their machinations would come to nothing.

With a soft chuckle he settled into a vampire’s deepest sleep.

* * * * *

Erin’s breath came quickly, her chest on fire as she raced through the woods in pursuit of the bird of

prey, the gargoyle flapping its horrid wings in the night. She aimed her weapon upward, hoping upon

hope she would hit the creature and release its captive.

Red eyes like a demon turned to glance back at her. Fear rose like a violent ocean, threatening and

unrelenting in its menace. Sweat broke out over her body as she tracked the animal threatening

everything she knew.

The inhuman. The undead. The ancient one.

Sweetheart wake up.

She heardLachlan ’s voice somewhere in her mind, urging her to awaken and leave behind the sinister

dreams that often haunted her.

Branches reached out for her like skinny, naked arms. Dead limbs slapped her in the face, the sting

sharp and angry as they scraped flesh. The trees hated her, as the gargoyle did, and they would do

anything to keep her from reaching the only man she’d ever love. Fingers sprouted at the end of the

branches and grasped at her.

“No! No!” She screamed the words, knowing if she gave up now she would be doomed and so would

her belovedLachlan .

The faster she ran, the quicker the gargoyle retreated, its hulking form sailing out of reach withLachlan

hanging from its hooked claws.

A feather light touch inside her brain said, Erin, it’s me. Come on now, you’re having a nightmare.

She wanted to break from the dream, but darkness held her in a tight grip.

It’s a dream, lass. Only a dream. I’m safe and near you.

She reached out with her mind. I know.

Then come back to me. I love you. I want you.

Erinsnapped from the dream with a gasp, her eyes dazzled by the mild glow of the bedside table

lamp.Lachlan ’s powerful arms tightened around her, his naked chest pressing against her bare breasts as

he murmured soothing words to her. Right away she recognized her bedroom and a sigh of relief flooded

her. An emerald green paisley comforter lay over the bed, and she pulled it up over them.

His fingers caressed her hair and he pressed a kiss to her damp forehead. “It’s all right. You’re safe.”

All around her familiar scents removed the last lingering horror. As she breathed deeply to calm her

heart, the scent of sandalwood from an aromatherapy burner teased her nose. She kissed his shoulder

and tasted the saltiness of his skin and recalled the wild time of lovemaking they experienced the night

before.

Lachlansaid, “Are you thinking about last night?”

“Of course. “

He smiled tenderly at her. “Good.”

She snuggled against his naked body, relief moving through her like sweet wine as he kissed and

caressed her into serenity. Warmth flooded the cold spots within her body and soul as he slipped his

hands down to her ass. As he cupped her against his loins, his cock began to stiffen.Erin realized it

wouldn’t take much and she’d soon be under his ravenous lips and on her back with his cock tunneling

deep and hard into her center. His thorough lovemaking would erase dreams for the rest of the night.

Erintouched his rock hard stomach muscles and smiled. “What is it about making love that takes the fear

away?”

“Damned if I know, lass, but let’s keep trying.”

She knew raw sexual energy inside him thrummed and ticked. She licked her lips.

His mouth covered hers, tantalizing with his mint taste and the heated thrust of his tongue. Beyond all the

pleasure, she knew he wanted to make her forget the nightmares that came since their battle with the

ancient one. When gently she pushed on his shoulders, he released her from the passion-rich kiss.

His eyes blazed down at her with concern and arousal. “I’m sorry. I only wanted to comfort you, lass.”

Erinreached up and touched his stubble-roughened jaw. His gaze held hers, warm and rich with love.

She basked in the glow, aware few people found the staggering passion they did. “I know. But I wanted

to say something first.”

Small lines appeared between his dark brows. “Of course.”

She slipped her fingers into the rich fall of his dark hair and savored the cool, silky smooth feeling. “The

ancient one isn’t dead. He’s only hiding. Gilda and I won’t be safe. None of us will.”

Lachlannodded. “I know.”

“But he’ll appear again soon. You know it, and I know it.”

“The dreams are the same?”

“Yes. I’m chasing him again.” Tears stung her eyes and she took a deep breath. “And I can’t get to

you.”

Lachlan’s arms tightened around her, as if he could protect her from anything and anyone if he kept her

close enough. “Ronan and I will take care of you. We’ve got another friend coming who’ll be able to

help. A pesky Irish vampire by the name of Sorley. Ronan contacted him yesterday.”

“Oh, lovely. A Scot and two Irishmen in my house. And guess what, two of them are vampires.”

Lachlangrinned.

But even his smile couldn’t erase her biggest concern. “The ancient one…he feels powerful, and he is

coming back sooner than we think.”

Lachlancaressed her arm, his eyes sad. When he didn’t speak she knew he agreed.

She sighed, her eyelids drooping as the comfort and safety of being with this wonderful man eased her

back into sleep.

Chapter 1

Micky Gunn didn’t know if rabid paranoia and lurking insanity made her think something odd would

happen tonight. Things—very frightening things—seemed to follow her, hiding in the bushes along the

side of the road as she drove, and threatening to step out in front of her green Ford Escape.

What else is new?

Micky smirked, aware of her negative attitude and desperate to do something about it.

She’d leftColorado Springs earlier in the day, hoping if she moved away temporarily the shadow people

would leave her alone.

She’d been wrong.

They haunted her thoughts, tormenting with doubts and a hunger to escape she couldn’t shake. Did

shadow people stay with a house or a place? Or did they cling to a person? Micky shook her head in

denial and pressed on the accelerator the tiniest bit, unwilling to allow apprehension and panic stop her.

Perhaps she had lived with the shadows so long she would imagine them by her side forever, even if they

left her alone inPineForest .

No. There must be a way. She would stop the shadow people once and for all, or die trying. Taking a

shuddering breath, she envisioned in her mind’s eye a light shielding her entire body against all negative

influences. But something kept the image weak, a mere touch of white and gold at the edges.

“Damn it,” she whispered.

She could blame her affinity for reading Edgar Allan Poe as a child for filling her head with nonsense.

She remembered a creepy passage from The Raven that described her situation and feelings to the

maximum. And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain thrilled me—filled me with

fantastic terrors never felt before.

Would she find her own purple curtain at the Gunn Inn?

She brought her musings back to arriving inPineForest in one piece. Snow threatened as little crystals of

icy moisture touched the car and the surrounding wilderness. Amazing how such a pretty show of nature

could become deadly. She drove cautiously, conscious of her impatience to arrive at her destination, but

unwilling to risk a wreck. Moments later she saw the sparkling street lights ofPineForest . She brought

the car to a crawl as she rolled ontoMain Street .

Micky scanned the street.PineForest used to be vital and thriving at night. At least that’s what she

recalled from visits when she was a kid clamoring for a new ghost story or two. Around Halloween the

town went whole-hog with decorations and this year appeared to be no exception. Scarecrows made of

Denise A.Agnew - Deep Is The Night 02 - Night Watch.pdf

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