Page 2 of Enchant the Dawn

Hands shoved into his pockets, he strolled down the quiet street. It was late and most of the houses were dark. It was a lovely neighborhood, with well-kept, two-story homes fronted by lush green lawns and well-tended flower beds. Stately trees grew here and there, providing welcome shade.

Rounding the corner, he found himself thinking about the vampire again. She wasn’t his kind, that was for sure, which made her technically his enemy. She had looked surprised when she bit him, which was odd. She would have known what he was, so why had she been so taken aback?

Transylvanian vampires were vicious killers, whereas his people never killed their prey, or anyone else, unless it was to save their own lives or protect their family. But the main difference between his kind and the Transylvanian vampires was that his people were born that way, and the others were made. Perhaps that was why they were angry all the time, he thought with a wry grin. After all, few were given any choice in the matter.

He paused when he reached the end of the block, wondering which way to go. He had no sooner decided to retrace his steps when he heard a faint cry coming from inside the house across the street.

Frowning, he opened his preternatural senses, but the cry didn’t come again. Instead, he caught the tantalizing scent of fresh blood.

* * *

Maddy Bainbridge opened her mouth to scream again, but her attacker pulled a dirty handkerchief from his pants’ pocket and stuffed it into her mouth. He slapped her hard, twice, as he pushed her down on the floor, then straddled her hips.

Maddy bucked beneath him, hoping to dislodge him, but he outweighed her by a good forty pounds. She beat her fists against his chest, his back, his head, but to no avail. Face split in an evil grin, he tossed her nightgown over her head and trapped both of her hands in one of his. When she continued to struggle, he clipped her on the jaw. Momentarily stunned and unable to move, she could only stare at him, fear and horror like ice in her veins as he unzipped his jeans. Helpless and terrified, she closed her eyes and prayed for help she knew would never come in time. As she felt the man’s hands on her breasts, she let out a last, desperate scream for help.

And then, suddenly, there was the slap of flesh striking flesh, the sound of a heavy weight hitting the wall, and she was free.

Hardly daring to look, afraid of what she might see, Maddy opened her eyes.

A dark-haired man dressed in black stood over the thug who had broken into her house and attacked her. A shiver ran through her when the newcomer turned to look at her.

“Are you all right?” he asked. His voice was soft, melodious, almost hypnotic.

Too frightened to speak, Maddy nodded as she jerked her nightgown down over her knees.

The man’s gaze ran over her from head to foot, missing nothing.

She stared up at him, wondering if he had come to help or to take the other man’s place. He was tall, over six feet, with broad shoulders, inky black hair, and dark gray eyes that seemed to see right through her. His nose was a blade, his lips full and well-shaped, his jaw strong and square.

Her eyes widened when he offered her his hand. She hesitated a moment before letting him pull her to her feet.

“Did he hurt you?”

“If you mean did he rape me, no.” Trembling all over, she wrapped her arms around her waist. “I don’t know how you realized I was in trouble, but you got here just in time. Thank you.”

He shrugged off her thanks. “I heard your cry for help. Maybe you’d better call the police before he wakes up.”

“What?” She stared at him blankly for a moment. “Oh. The police. Yes, of course.” She reached for her cell phone, but her hands were shaking so badly, she dropped it.

“I’ll take care of it.” He wiped a bit of blood from the corner of her mouth with his fingers. “Your forehead’s bleeding. Why don’t you go get cleaned up while I call the cops?”

Maddy hesitated. Then, with a nod, she edged into the bathroom, closed and locked the door. Still feeling shaky, she sat on the edge of the bathtub, a washcloth pressed to her forehead. She wondered if she should have left him alone in the other room. What if he robbed the place?

* * *

Dominic took a deep breath, then licked her blood from his fingers. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he called 9-1-1. After ending the call, he grabbed a silk scarf from the top of her dresser and tied her attacker’s hands behind his back.

There must have been a cop car in the area, because one pulled up in front of the house a few minutes later. Not wanting to explain his presence, or get involved with the police and have to respond to a lot of questions he’d rather not answer, Dominic transported himself out of the house.

* * *

“I want to thank you for helping me,” Maddy said as she opened the bathroom door. “If there’s ever anything I can do for . . .” Her voice trailed off. The man who had attacked her lay on his stomach, his hands tied behind his back.

There was no sign of the tall, dark-haired man.

* * *

Dominic strolled down the dark streets until he came to a seedy bar that was still open. He paused inside the door and opened his vampire senses. Detecting no hint of danger, no hunters lurking in the shadows, he stepped inside.

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