https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hispurrfectdom-1389735-147.html
Blurb
Chase
Drake curled his fingers tighter around the steering wheel. The sleek
Mercedes’ headlights picked up the white line down the center of the
road but little else. His ears still rang from the insipidly happy voice
from the G.P.S. Damn stupid woman had sent him into a field and told
him he was at his destination. He had little choice but to keep heading
north.
An hour later, the busy motorway and streams of traffic were a distant memory. The narrow road, flanked on each side by the odd, stark, trees was as quiet as a cemetery. Chase swore colorfully and pulled off the road.
I’m fucking lost—great.
Leaving the engine running, he turned on the interior light, and then searched the glove box until he found the map. He spread it across the steering wheel. After turning it around several times, he traced a finger along the line that marked the highway. The directions from the helpful guy at the last gas station ran through his head.
“It’s easy; take the M3 to Salisbury and just follow the signs for Stonehenge. There’s accommodation available about two miles away in the town of Amesbury.”
Chase switched off the light and peered into the darkness. “What damn signs? I’ve been on this road for over an hour.”
He folded up the map, stuffed it back into the glove box and sat back, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. He glanced at the clock in the dashboard; hell, it was only 6:30 p.m. and already pitch black. What happened to the twilight? Isn’t England world renowned for twilight . . . or was that Scotland? Beats me. He squared his shoulders.
Make a decision man; go back, or stay on this road.
This All Hallows was important to him; he had decided to come out. The decision to travel from his home in California and begin his new life on Samhain had been an easy one. He had made his wish to Samhain at nightfall. Tomorrow morning, he would stand at Stonehenge with fellow Pagans. To watch the sun break over the horizon would finally free his mind of any lingering doubts. He would leave with a new resolve to follow his heart. Carrying the embarrassment of being a virgin at twenty-four would soon become a distant memory.
A flicker of light far in the distance caught his attention. Chase put the car into drive and with a crunch of gravel, headed slowly toward the light. The road wound through hills and valleys, diminishing until only a cart track remained. He drove on, confidant the remote light was a beacon to guide his way.
Without warning, the Mercedes groaned to a standstill, and then hissed like a giant reptile. In the headlights, steam rose and billowed out from under the hood, curling and twisting before the wind carried it way. Chase turned the key in the ignition—nothing. Damn rental cars they’re all the fucking same. What else can go wrong?
He reached in his shirt pocket for his cell phone and flipped it open. Chase stared at the message on the display in disbelief. “No signal—what do you mean, no signal?” He pushed the cell phone back into his pocket and grunted with disgust.
Chase shivered; the temperature inside the car had dropped considerably without the benefit of the heater. He reached into the back seat for his overcoat and turned back in time to see the headlights slowly fade and then blink out completely. Shit, shit, shit.
Darkness suffocated him in a cloak of black velvet. Wind buffeted the car, showering it with dry grass and leaves, the noise like sharp talons clawing over metal. Immediately, his mind tormented him with images of ghouls and demons, dragging him from the car to steal his soul. A loud bump sounded on the roof, and his heart missed a beat. He swallowed with visions of an axe murderer on the roof, swinging a bloody, dismembered head. He gave himself a mental shake. Stop acting like a girl.
Chase searched the darkness for the comfort of that elusive, single light—a torch, he’d imagined, as he’d driven toward it. There, at the top of the hill, the light paused as if waiting for him to follow. He had to make it to Stonehenge. Even if he had to walk. Taking a deep breath, Chase dragged on his coat, then grabbed his backpack and climbed out of the car. He glanced furtively at the roof and chuckled as he saw the low-hanging branch above it, no doubt the cause of the earlier noise. “I gotta stop watching horror movies.”
Under the full moon, the countryside, dressed in every shade of gray, appeared surreal. A line of trees in the distance snaked along a wide, black river dancing with a flotilla of ghostly boats formed by moonbeams. Above him, the ink-blue sky sparkled with a thousand diamond-like stars, not one cloud masking its beauty.
Chase pulled his coat around his body to fasten the buttons. Shivering, he reached into his pockets for his gloves. The wind buffeted him, sending icy fingers through every gap in his clothing. He took the flashlight from the backpack and surveyed the area. The river ran adjacent to the road to Stonehenge. He remembered reading somewhere how the builders of Stonehenge used it to carry pillars to the ancient site. If he walked toward the light and kept the river on his right, he should run into the monument eventually. He slung his backpack over one shoulder and followed the path.
I wish I brought my iPod.
The cart track diminished with every step and finally disappeared beneath the thick tussocks of grass. Chase hugged his body. The icy chill had permeated every stitch of clothing. His teeth chattered like some bad castanet player. If I don’t find shelter soon, I’ll die of exposure.
He scanned the area. The moon sat high in the sky like an old-fashioned gas light, changing everything it touched to silver. Ahead of him loomed a group of trees, their late-autumn leaves rustling eerily in the wind. In the moonlight, the blackened trunks stood like sentries, dressed in shadow cloaks, guarding the entrance to a dark glade. They used to put crypts in the woods, or bury murderers in unconsecrated ground. This would be the perfect place for a vampire’s lair.
Chase shuddered, tentative of his next step. Coward. He stared at a dark gap in the trees and turned his head from side to side, certain he could hear muttering. Before he could blink an eye, a colony of bats flew out from the trees and swirled around him. The flap of a hundred, featherless wings broke the silence of the night. He fell to the ground and covered his face, his heart pounding against his ribs.
“Are you injured?”
Chase raised his head and stared into the face of the cloaked man kneeling beside him. He reared back in shock. “Where the fuck did you come from?”
“I came from the woods. I’m sorry to startle you.” The stranger helped Chase to his feet and stared at him in silence.
Growing uncomfortable beneath the man’s steady gaze, Chase brushed the leaves off his clothes. He turned to face the man and offered his hand in greeting. “Chase Drake.”
“I’m called Si.” He clasped Chase’s arm. “I must say I’m happy that you’ve answered Dracu’s summons this eve.”
Chase shrugged to re-position his backpack. It was good to meet someone else in this God forbidden place, even if he spoke a load of nonsense. “Dracu? I’m not familiar with that name.”
“Dracu is our Master. Tonight, we celebrate All Hallows.” He inclined his head. “If you aren’t here for the celebration, why are you here?”
Did his eyes glow red just then? Somewhere in the distance, a dog or perhaps a wolf, howled repeatedly, drawing Chase’s attention. Ice-cold shivers slithered down Chase’s spine. Bloody scenes from the Texas Chain Saw Massacre mixed with Alien’s man-eating extraterrestrials played in his head. Facing Si, he stared into his eyes; his dark pools reflected only the moonlight. You’re imagining things again.
He swallowed the instinct to run and forced a smile. “I’m here to celebrate All Hallows too. I came from California. Tomorrow will be a new beginning for me.”
“How so?” Si began to walk toward the clump of trees.
Chase fell in step beside him. “I’m gay, and after I see the sunrise at Stonehenge, I’m shouting it to the world. I’m sick of living a lie. After tonight, I’ll never be ashamed again. In fact, just thinking
about coming out, here at Stonehenge, makes me damn proud to be gay.”
“I’m happy too.” Si chuckled. “Tonight, my Master may include me in his final selection.”
An hour later, the busy motorway and streams of traffic were a distant memory. The narrow road, flanked on each side by the odd, stark, trees was as quiet as a cemetery. Chase swore colorfully and pulled off the road.
I’m fucking lost—great.
Leaving the engine running, he turned on the interior light, and then searched the glove box until he found the map. He spread it across the steering wheel. After turning it around several times, he traced a finger along the line that marked the highway. The directions from the helpful guy at the last gas station ran through his head.
“It’s easy; take the M3 to Salisbury and just follow the signs for Stonehenge. There’s accommodation available about two miles away in the town of Amesbury.”
Chase switched off the light and peered into the darkness. “What damn signs? I’ve been on this road for over an hour.”
He folded up the map, stuffed it back into the glove box and sat back, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. He glanced at the clock in the dashboard; hell, it was only 6:30 p.m. and already pitch black. What happened to the twilight? Isn’t England world renowned for twilight . . . or was that Scotland? Beats me. He squared his shoulders.
Make a decision man; go back, or stay on this road.
This All Hallows was important to him; he had decided to come out. The decision to travel from his home in California and begin his new life on Samhain had been an easy one. He had made his wish to Samhain at nightfall. Tomorrow morning, he would stand at Stonehenge with fellow Pagans. To watch the sun break over the horizon would finally free his mind of any lingering doubts. He would leave with a new resolve to follow his heart. Carrying the embarrassment of being a virgin at twenty-four would soon become a distant memory.
A flicker of light far in the distance caught his attention. Chase put the car into drive and with a crunch of gravel, headed slowly toward the light. The road wound through hills and valleys, diminishing until only a cart track remained. He drove on, confidant the remote light was a beacon to guide his way.
Without warning, the Mercedes groaned to a standstill, and then hissed like a giant reptile. In the headlights, steam rose and billowed out from under the hood, curling and twisting before the wind carried it way. Chase turned the key in the ignition—nothing. Damn rental cars they’re all the fucking same. What else can go wrong?
He reached in his shirt pocket for his cell phone and flipped it open. Chase stared at the message on the display in disbelief. “No signal—what do you mean, no signal?” He pushed the cell phone back into his pocket and grunted with disgust.
Chase shivered; the temperature inside the car had dropped considerably without the benefit of the heater. He reached into the back seat for his overcoat and turned back in time to see the headlights slowly fade and then blink out completely. Shit, shit, shit.
Darkness suffocated him in a cloak of black velvet. Wind buffeted the car, showering it with dry grass and leaves, the noise like sharp talons clawing over metal. Immediately, his mind tormented him with images of ghouls and demons, dragging him from the car to steal his soul. A loud bump sounded on the roof, and his heart missed a beat. He swallowed with visions of an axe murderer on the roof, swinging a bloody, dismembered head. He gave himself a mental shake. Stop acting like a girl.
Chase searched the darkness for the comfort of that elusive, single light—a torch, he’d imagined, as he’d driven toward it. There, at the top of the hill, the light paused as if waiting for him to follow. He had to make it to Stonehenge. Even if he had to walk. Taking a deep breath, Chase dragged on his coat, then grabbed his backpack and climbed out of the car. He glanced furtively at the roof and chuckled as he saw the low-hanging branch above it, no doubt the cause of the earlier noise. “I gotta stop watching horror movies.”
Under the full moon, the countryside, dressed in every shade of gray, appeared surreal. A line of trees in the distance snaked along a wide, black river dancing with a flotilla of ghostly boats formed by moonbeams. Above him, the ink-blue sky sparkled with a thousand diamond-like stars, not one cloud masking its beauty.
Chase pulled his coat around his body to fasten the buttons. Shivering, he reached into his pockets for his gloves. The wind buffeted him, sending icy fingers through every gap in his clothing. He took the flashlight from the backpack and surveyed the area. The river ran adjacent to the road to Stonehenge. He remembered reading somewhere how the builders of Stonehenge used it to carry pillars to the ancient site. If he walked toward the light and kept the river on his right, he should run into the monument eventually. He slung his backpack over one shoulder and followed the path.
I wish I brought my iPod.
The cart track diminished with every step and finally disappeared beneath the thick tussocks of grass. Chase hugged his body. The icy chill had permeated every stitch of clothing. His teeth chattered like some bad castanet player. If I don’t find shelter soon, I’ll die of exposure.
He scanned the area. The moon sat high in the sky like an old-fashioned gas light, changing everything it touched to silver. Ahead of him loomed a group of trees, their late-autumn leaves rustling eerily in the wind. In the moonlight, the blackened trunks stood like sentries, dressed in shadow cloaks, guarding the entrance to a dark glade. They used to put crypts in the woods, or bury murderers in unconsecrated ground. This would be the perfect place for a vampire’s lair.
Chase shuddered, tentative of his next step. Coward. He stared at a dark gap in the trees and turned his head from side to side, certain he could hear muttering. Before he could blink an eye, a colony of bats flew out from the trees and swirled around him. The flap of a hundred, featherless wings broke the silence of the night. He fell to the ground and covered his face, his heart pounding against his ribs.
“Are you injured?”
Chase raised his head and stared into the face of the cloaked man kneeling beside him. He reared back in shock. “Where the fuck did you come from?”
“I came from the woods. I’m sorry to startle you.” The stranger helped Chase to his feet and stared at him in silence.
Growing uncomfortable beneath the man’s steady gaze, Chase brushed the leaves off his clothes. He turned to face the man and offered his hand in greeting. “Chase Drake.”
“I’m called Si.” He clasped Chase’s arm. “I must say I’m happy that you’ve answered Dracu’s summons this eve.”
Chase shrugged to re-position his backpack. It was good to meet someone else in this God forbidden place, even if he spoke a load of nonsense. “Dracu? I’m not familiar with that name.”
“Dracu is our Master. Tonight, we celebrate All Hallows.” He inclined his head. “If you aren’t here for the celebration, why are you here?”
Did his eyes glow red just then? Somewhere in the distance, a dog or perhaps a wolf, howled repeatedly, drawing Chase’s attention. Ice-cold shivers slithered down Chase’s spine. Bloody scenes from the Texas Chain Saw Massacre mixed with Alien’s man-eating extraterrestrials played in his head. Facing Si, he stared into his eyes; his dark pools reflected only the moonlight. You’re imagining things again.
He swallowed the instinct to run and forced a smile. “I’m here to celebrate All Hallows too. I came from California. Tomorrow will be a new beginning for me.”
“How so?” Si began to walk toward the clump of trees.
Chase fell in step beside him. “I’m gay, and after I see the sunrise at Stonehenge, I’m shouting it to the world. I’m sick of living a lie. After tonight, I’ll never be ashamed again. In fact, just thinking
about coming out, here at Stonehenge, makes me damn proud to be gay.”
“I’m happy too.” Si chuckled. “Tonight, my Master may include me in his final selection.”
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