Blood on the Moon - serialised EXCLUSIVE for Steemit! - 3
Blood On The Moon Cover
My third novel was finished and published in time for Halloween and I had a launch at Waterstone's at Sheffield.
The full book cover, done by the wonderful, talented, brilliant Paul Mudie
Other Images from Pixabay or Google (Free Usage)
They were still talking about Ellie’s escapade when the lights went up and the last track of the night was played.
If Ellie had any ideas about going home with him, she was sorely disappointed. Even though it would have meant that Jessica had to make her way home alone, it wouldn’t have been the first time that Ellie had dropped Jessica to go home with a bloke she fancied. Ellie tried to talk to Paul as they left, but he didn’t acknowledge her as she said goodnight to him, he didn’t even seem to recognise her.
Ellie covered the insult well though and no one saw the hurt in her eyes or so she thought.
Two years later, cold and damp in the early morning drizzle of a particularly wet January, the memory of her friend’s pain returned in a flood as Jessica saw him again. They were the same startling blue eyes, the same cheeky smile and the same self-assured walk as she remembered.
She saw him and took advantage of the fact that he wasn’t looking in her direction and she moved deeper into the shadows inch by inch so that he wouldn’t notice her movement. Jessica knew that no one could see her there in the darkness - well, no one that was human.
Her heart thudded painfully in her chest and her stomach did flip-flops as he stopped, turned and looked directly at her. She didn’t move and neither did he. She didn’t dare to and he was studying the shadow swathed area. He looked into the depths of the shadows which hid her and she knew that he had seen her.
Then he was gone and she managed to breathe easy again but her relief was cut short by a tickling whisper close to her ear.
“You’ve been told to stay away from us, Rabbit.” Paul said.
“Don’t call me that, Paul.”
“Why not? It suits you, especially right now. You’re shaking like a scared rabbit.”
“I know, I can’t help it, you made me jump.”
“Can’t help what, being scared or can't help watching us?”
“Both. It’s more than curiosity even though I’m scared out of my wits when I’m close to you.”
“Just me or any of us?”
“Any of you, all of you.”
“I know you’re scared - Rabbit.” He emphasised her nickname, the one that she had out-grown with everyone except him.
He waited for a few moments, tickling her ear with his breath and he made sure that she was past worried and well into frightened before he spoke again.
“Well, the last time was your final caution. We don’t want you snooping around anymore. You’ve been warned off nicely too many times now. Come with me.”
He took her by the arm and all but dragged her behind him. Her feet didn’t want to go and she tried to talk, to tell him that she would leave and never come back. That she would leave the country if he’d give her one last chance, but before the words formed on her lips, she knew that she wouldn’t mean it even if she could say it.
She also knew that he wouldn’t believe her anyway. The truth was that Jessica Warren - hence the nickname of Rabbit - wanted their attention and had yearned for it ever since she had realised that living amongst humans in her town was a pack of werewolves.
Paul led her along, his grip was firm but didn’t hurt her, although she realised that if she struggled, then he would.
His hand had altered grip and was now wrapped around her wrist and he only had to put a little more pressure on and the fragile bones would be crushed together.
They went through a brick passage-way, it was a space between two buildings and was therefore covered over and dark. Paul’s frame blocked out much of the light from the end and she followed him almost blind.
The passage was the same one that she had watched, yet never quite managed pluck up enough courage to venture down by herself.
It led to a large courtyard, lit by a solitary, and rather ineffective sodium streetlight which distorted the colours of everything.
Paul went to the far end of the courtyard, to a door that seemed odd in the fact that it was the only one in the wall and it was an ordinary household type of door, and he knocked on it.
They waited in silence, Jessica’s mind was in turmoil, she really should run, yet she really wanted to stay and put an end to the curiosity.
Like the imagery and pacing of your style... inspires me to finally write some fiction...
We readers need more Storytellers, please tell us a story, please. I'll put you in my steemmag if you do. It won't make you famous, but it would make me happy.
Thank you! The world needs more writers - and so does Steemit!
You are such an amazing writer. I dream of writing too but I don't have the skills for it, congrats on your published novel .
I pray it becomes evergreen... Bestseller
Thank you. Writing is like any muscle, it's not very strong until you start exercising it.
Poor Jessica "Rabbit". Bit off more than she could chew...
Yeah... that happens sometimes... it's another 'What if' moment... 'what if someone was stalking Werewolves and they found out?
At least she wasn't Jessica Kitten, after all curiosity killed the cat, the only thing that kills rabbits are cosmetic test. ;-} So one door, nowhere to run, not that she wanted to run, not really. I like that 2 years have passed, fast pace, people growing up.
Hmm... rabbits have more predators than you can shake a stick at :)
Yeah, wolve's love em. Yum Yum Yum.
@michelle.gent. Keep writing and continue to inspire someone like me to write. I am following you.
Thank you. As ever, I appreciate it.