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  “The shadow child–yes.”

  “But Lenora and Eden, how do they fit into this?” Kent asked. Then he winced when a pain shot through his head. He knew he’d lose the bend soon. It was getting harder to hold on with each moment.

  Meggie smiled. “Lenora wanted a child. I believe she thought Eden might love her if she had a baby, but she couldn’t seem to conceive. It was a fitting arrangement. She knew nothing of your gift and he was never told that you weren’t his daughter. And you should know that Lenora loved you. We got along quite well, she and I. I mourned the loss when she died.”

  Devan was about to speak until she felt the weight of Kent leaning into her. When she turned to him, she could see a paleness around his lips and a severe expression to his face. A knot formed in her throat as she realized they would have to leave. “Please–I know we have to go. Just another moment. Please?” She looked back to Meggie, whose face was wet with tears, though her expression was resolute.

  “We don’t have much time, Devvie. There’s a trunk I keep in my room. Find it and you’ll find a treasure of things about your lineage. You’ve got a fine ancestry, two fine ancestries. Do well with your gift. He’ll help you.” She looked affectionately at Kent. “The two of you make a fine pair.”

  “Mother–I love you. I loved you even when I didn’t know you were my mother.”

  Both women choked simultaneously. Then Meggie clasped her daughter’s face and pulled her close to kiss her forehead. “And I love you, my beautiful girl.”

  Devan closed her eyes, crying, and then opened them wide when she realized the warmth of Meggie’s touch was fading. Time was slipping back and her mother was slipping away. Just before the woman disappeared altogether, she opened her lips to speak.

  “Tell Daeglan–tell your father that I love him.”

  Even as Meggie placed her fingers to her lips in a farewell, she faded from sight.

  * * *

  Kent wasn’t sure why but they both seemed to lose consciousness during the transition as time righted itself. He awoke to find Devan’s body across his own, her head on his chest and her hair in his face. He pulled a few strands from his mouth as he gently sat up, rousing her with his movements. He half expected her to begin crying again, but instead she wore a glowing smile.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  Nodding, she stood and brushed the dirt and leaves from her backside. “Yes. I actually feel relieved to know. It’s like I was always in some false world, some plastic reality, and now I understand. Well, maybe I don’t understand everything, but at least things are getting clearer. And now I know where to go for answers.”

  “Where’s that?” he queried as he too dusted himself off

  “Well, to start with, Eden Stowe and my mother’s trunk.”

  Kent frowned. “Yeah, that reminds me. We still have to figure out what to do with Robin. And Gerry and Nicky should arrive here tomorrow too.”

  “Oh, damn! Is Robbie still in that block of ice?”

  Kent shook his head and laughed as he rolled his eyes. Taking her hand he asked, “Are you kidding? The ‘uber-witch’ isn’t that strong. Your magic couldn’t hold and he thawed out shortly after you fainted.”

  “I didn’t faint!”

  They began walking hand in hand towards the cabin. “You most certainly did faint, right in my arms like a damsel in distress. And don’t argue with me. This is my story, and I want to play the hero.”

  Devan stopped suddenly, tugging his arm to bring him towards her. “In that case, I think there’s something very important you’ve neglected to do for this damsel.”

  He smiled, recognizing the hot expression on her face. “And what would that be?”

  She pulled away from him and moved towards a large pine tree deeper in the woods and slightly off the trail.

  “I think this’ll do.” She leaned back against the trunk, placing her hands behind her and beckoning to him with her eyes

  “Oh, Dev, you asked for it.”

  And in just a few long strides he was there, his lips to hers.

  Knights of the Golden Circle

  The Knights of the Golden Circle (also known as the KGC) did exist in the United States prior to the civil war as a sort of Southern Rights Club. Accounts suggest the goal of the organization eventually became to create a “circular” empire in the South which would extend from Cuba through the coastal Southern states, Mexico the Caribbean and Central America. This golden circle or crescent would conceivably develop a self-sustaining economy fueled on cotton, sugar, tobacco, etc. The Star and Moon Crescent became associated with the KGC as a symbol of the organization, though this writer readily admits the particular logo has many different affiliations and associations.

  As to the symbol’s use in connection with the New Orleans Police Department, the inverse star and moon crescent seems to represent the shape of the city, given that the Mississippi River creates a crescent moon shape around New Orleans. A star is traditionally representative of law enforcement; hence that is likely the origination of the combined emblems in relation to the badge of that city’s police force. Still some, including my husband who is a Southern historian, might suggest that the symbol could have some vague connection to the original KGC and the utopian idea of an economically independent and robust circle around the Gulf of Mexico.

  The first time I can remember seeing the symbol of the star and moon crescent was in the form of a handmade pin created by my husband. A dedicated living historian, he and his compatriots developed the pin to signify their persona as trans-Mississippi, Southern troops during the “War of Northern Aggression” (it would be considered a sacrilege for me to refer to it by any other name in reference to their representation of those boys.) Their particular group of re-enactors was known at one time as the most hard-core and authentic in that hobby.

  --Olivia Hardin

  Bitten Shame

  (Book 2 of the Bend-Bite-Shift Trilogy)

  Olivia Hardin

  Copyright © 2012 by Olivia Hardin

  All rights reserve. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  .

  DEDICATION

  To anyone who ever thought they were just a supporting character in life – we each have a destiny… All of it fits...

  Jill stood in what had become her bedroom in her friend's house and watched as Devan walked away. As she murmured another goodnight, she felt a prickle run along her skin bringing her attention back to the fact that Langston was waiting outside her room for her. Her lips drew into a severe line when the giant man quietly opened the door and approached her with steps too soft for his massive body. His size was such that he should have sounded like a herd of elephants entering the room. He exuded calm and patience and she tried to draw from his composure but her stomach still turned into knots. Even being a vampire, Jill experienced all the same emotions and feelings she’d had before she was changed. At this very moment she was both terrified and sickened.

  Langston’s easy smile didn’t help soothe her any, but instead caused her to open her mouth and begin talking in short breaths. “I wish we had more time. I wasn’t prepared to do this yet. I don’t like doing this at all, you know? It’s not right. It makes me feel dirty…”

  “It is not dirty when it is consensual. It i
s the best way to prepare you. We do not have time now, and we all need the rest,” Langston began to use his large hands to unbutton his grey shirt.

  Horrified, Jill reached out and waved her hands to keep him from removing his clothing any further. “No,” Jill shouted, “I can take just as well from your wrist. I can’t… I can’t from your neck. That’s too intimate… you know?”

  He touched her chin in a gentle manner, not as a lover would do but more as a father might. “Shoulders back, Jill. Tomorrow you will be free, no matter if you succeed in your quest or not.”

  It was an ominous sort of comment, because failure meant her death. Still, strange as it seemed, his words provided her with a sort of solace; an end to her life would at least stop her constant torment. Releasing the ball of tension in her gut, she laughed and shook her head. “Ah, Andre, you’re something else, ya’ know that?”

  He showed little or no reaction to the pet name. There was no denying the impressive stature of this tall and beefy guy. When they first met she’d thought instantly of Andre the Giant, and the name had just stuck in her mind.

  She took his enormous hand in her small one, marveling at how warm he felt to her touch. As a vampire, her body was forever cold and although she could register the feeling, she couldn’t warm herself with it. The heat passed through her and disappeared just as quickly.

  “The reverie,” she whispered, her lips trembling as she hovered them just over his skin. “Are you sure? There’s no reason not to. It isn’t right for you to feel pain for my benefit…” she trailed off as she felt his eyes bore into hers. They had discussed this, several times actually, since the moment he first suggested she should feed off his blood. Each time he refused the reverie which would hypnotize him and thereby allowing her to pierce his skin and suck his blood without pain.

  Jill brought his wrist to her lips and closed her eyes. She willed her incisors to lengthen, and with a quick and sure thrust she dug them into his skin. Langston remained immobile. When the first metallic taste of his hot blood splashed her tongue, she tried to pull away, but he took the back of her neck and held her fast to his wrist. Giving in, she sagged against his side and began to suck like a hungry babe.

  The taste of him was intoxicating. She hadn’t had fresh blood in such a long time. She was like an addict taking a hit after years of sobriety. And to complicate matters further, Langston’s blood was bursting with strength. His magic tingling her throat with each deep swallow of the luxuriously thick and decadent liquid. Her limbs began to throb and pulse with energy.

  This was why she’d fought so hard against the idea of taking Langston's blood. She was afraid that getting just a taste of the real thing again would destroy her ability to resist in the future. She didn’t want to stalk hosts in the night and she didn’t want to take a supplicant; she didn’t want to drink the life-blood from a living creature again.

  Most importantly of all, she didn’t want to remember that this was what had broken his will. She didn’t want to take the chance again that someone else would break her own will and give her a reason to forget him…

  The Past – The Strange Arrangement

  14 Years Earlier

  Jill peered into a gold-framed, beveled mirror and examined herself closely. She pinched her cheeks and then feathered her golden bangs across her forehead. She wasn’t sure she liked the new shorter, layered haircut Robbie had talked her into. Still the stylist was quick to assure her that it was “so in.”

  Turning away from her own reflection she took a moment to study her surroundings. The sitting room of the mansion was larger than any home she’d ever lived in growing up. There were assorted finely upholstered chairs and settees, none matching but all obviously antique. An opulent lamp, what she might have called a hurricane lamp, centered the room on a marble topped table but instead of providing illumination on its own, it echoed the light from a carefully placed chandelier just above it. She snorted, thinking her friend Devan would probably be used to such finery as this.

  Nervousness coiled in her stomach and she wasn’t sure why. It was common knowledge she was great with guys. She knew when to be flirty, when to play coy, how to give serious attention to some important man-topic. This job would only last a week and she should rock at it. In theory right?

  The problem: this wasn’t a blind-date, this was a job. She was being paid to be a companion for some guy. Who does that? she wondered, Is he some sort of weirdo? Is he crazy? A jerk? Why can’t he find a girl on his own? Why does he have to pay for one? And for that matter, why the hell did I ever agree to do this? Isn’t this almost like prostitution?

  She shook her head, denying that notion even before it finished developing in her head. This was her last option, and if she allowed herself to follow that train of thought she knew she’d talk herself out of the entire arrangement.

  “Okay,” Robbie spoke as he hurried back into the room. “We’re good to go. You look great, Jill,” he winked. “You’ll be perfect.” His green eyes sparkled with mischief, his charm ebbing from every pore in his body. It was any wonder he’d been able to talk her into something like this. And it was any wonder that her best friend Devan was in love with him.

  “Is this his house?” she asked, leaning close to whisper.

  “Nah,” Robbie waved his hand at her. “This is the Dearmon Estate. Doc doesn’t really know you’re here…”

  “What?” Alarm caused her voice to become a squeak. “What do you mean he doesn’t know–the job is to be his companion, to spend time with him! One week, Robbie. You swore one week and that I wouldn’t be forced to do anything I wasn’t comfortable with. Those were the rules. If he doesn’t even know, then how’s he gonna be willing to follow the rules…”

  “Shhh… damn, Jill. Don’t freak out on me. I thought you had more gumption than this.”

  “This was a mistake. I should never have agreed to this.” She shook her head in frustration and headed for the door. As she stormed away from him, she caught sight of a man just entering the room. He stopped a few paces from the threshold, giving Robbie an intense, cool glare before he realized someone else was in the room. When his eyes met hers she stopped cold, the rubber soles of her shoes wedging against the oriental carpeted floor.

  He was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. His eyes were so light blue they could almost have been lost to the whites of his eyes. Heavy black brows rose in question as he looked first to her and then to Robbie. Jill felt her hand itch to reach up and brush the tufts of midnight-black hair from his brow.

  “Hey, Doc,” Robbie almost shouted, rushing forward with his hand outstretched. “Wait ‘till I tell you what Leon did for you.”

  Jill almost thought she saw him snarl at the mention of this man Leon, then his expression turned to ice when he looked back at her again. She shrunk away, stepping backwards toward the wall opposite the two men.

  “Listen, Robbie, I don’t have time for games. Dearmon said he had a patient for me…”

  “No, not a patient. More of a surprise.” As he spoke he walked up behind the retreating Jill and snaked an arm around her waist to introduce her. “Doc Massey meet Jill Prescott.”

  His eyes were no longer just the color of ice, but there was a chill she saw behind them when he turned his gaze to her. His stare alone could have frozen her solid where she stood. She tried to smile, but realized her lip was quivering. She turned to Robbie instead. “This is a mistake, Robbie. I… I want to leave.”

  “You’ve got one minute to explain, Robbie. Who is she and where the hell is Dearmon?”

  Robbie put his hand on Doc’s shoulder, but the other man shrugged away his touch. Still the dark-haired Doc followed him when Robbie motioned them toward the far corner and out of Jill’s earshot.

  “This is a gift, a show of appreciation for what you’re doing for us,” Robbie gushed, trying to be convincing. It was obvious the other man wasn’t persuaded. “C’mon, Doc, you know how Leon is. You need to accept this. Take i
t and take it gladly. Just give her a shot. You don’t have much choice really….”

  “Why’s that?” Those ice-blue eyes narrowed sharply as he spoke again with stronger intent in his voice, “Why–Is–That?”

  “Charlie will be away for a while. We thought–Leon thought Jill could fill in for him. Perhaps she’ll please you so much you’ll want to keep her around…”

  “Son of a fucking bitch! You get Charlie back here now. And send her,” he pointed his finger at her. “You get her the hell out of here, Robbie. Now!”

  The younger man moved his head from side to side. “I can’t do that. If she leaves early he won’t give her the pay.” Robbie leaned forward to deliver the point that he hoped would seal the deal. “She’s a student, Doc. She’ll have to drop out if she can’t complete this job to help pay for her tuition. Would it kill you to help her out?”

  Stiffness pulled Doc’s back straight as he stared over at the blonde. She was obviously nervous, shuffling her feet back and forth. When his gaze moved to her eyes he realized she was more than nervous; she was afraid. A sick feeling settled in the pit of his stomach because he knew he must be the cause of her fear.

  He wouldn’t have gone along with this for any other reason than her. Robbie knew just what he was doing when he played on Doc’s sympathies. She didn’t look cheap and she didn’t look like the kind of girl who would sell herself. If she was here it was because she didn’t see any other options and it must have been quite a blow to her pride to do so. He couldn’t see letting her go through that for nothing.

  It was apparent Robbie knew the moment he had Doc because he slapped him on the back with enthusiasm. “Glad you made the right choice. Dearmon will be gone for at least a week so you guys will have the house to yourselves.”