Dawn of the Hunter: Book Two

By Bonnie Bernard

Donna is on the wrong end of a high-power assault rifle, with a 4000 year old demon’s trigger finger on the other. He’s promised to blow her brains out if she gets any closer.

She takes a step...toward the monster.

Until that day, Donna was enjoying her new life. Married to the man of her dreams, raising the child they had together, spending time with her best friend...what more could a girl want?

How about a chance to save the world?

The opportunity arrives when a strange, beautiful woman befriends Donna and then kidnaps her baby. To get her little girl back, Donna must do what’s humanly impossible...and maybe inhumanely impossible, too.

With the help of a fallen Underworld goddess, a vengeful demon, and her own new-found strength, Donna must rescue her baby and the world.

Dawn of the Hunter book two in the Midnight Hunter Trilogy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bonnie Bernard
• Release date: Dec 3, 2011
• ISBN: 9780983827238

Bonnie Bernard

I'm the proud birth-giver to The Midnight Hunter Trilogy - a paranormal, suspense-thriller that features a dash of romance, a sprinkle of mystery, an occasional murder, and a full, fun cast of Underworld characters. Some of them are kind, others are wicked - but all of them will tug at your heartstrings. The Midnight Hunter Trilogy is published by Fin-S Press and is available in softcover and most ereader-device forms.

Book preview

DAWN OF THE HUNTER

NIGHTMARES ARE BETTER LEFT IN THE DARK

BONNIE BERNARD

Dawn of the Hunter

Bonnie Bernard

Copyright 2011 by Kymberly J. Lewis

Smashwords Edition

ISBN-13 978-0-9838272-1-4

Copyright 2011 Kymberly J Lewis – All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to the god-cat, Sponge

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I’d like to thank my ever-patient husband, Doug and my best friend, Kristy. From financial backing to emotional life-support, those two make me feel like the luckiest person on earth. They also picked me up and dusted me off when I felt hopeless. Thank you to my nephew Jerry, for the sick cover design and for the perfect website. And thank you to my friends who supported me, who read the book and offered generous (and mostly kind) feedback.

Kidnapping

Everything was going along fine until Donna Deangelo’s newborn baby was stolen right from under her nose.

When that happened, the first thing Donna did was call her husband. But typical of a guy in the Organization, Hunter had left on a fact-finding mission the night before and hadn’t answered his phone since. So the second thing Donna did was call her best friend Mo Bently…but hung she hung up before the call went through. They had gotten in a terrible fight the day before and the last thing Donna wanted to hear now was, I told you not to trust that bitch.

The third thing Donna did was collapse on the floor and cry.

The one thing she didn’t bother to do was call the police.

CHAPTER ONE

Donna met that bitch the day before when she’d gone to the store for diapers and Moose Tracks ice cream. The diapers were for Lucinda and the ice cream was for Samee. Donna had a soft spot for Samee's sweet tooth because Samee, being the only other fully mortal person living in the house, knew what a sweet tooth was and how it could get to a person. Their roommates, the guys, every one of them a vampire, couldn't have cared less about sweet treats or any other food that wasn't designated by blood type.

So Donna picked up a half gallon of Moose Tracks, plus caramel syrup to drizzle over it. And diapers. She also grabbed a gallon of milk, a box of garbage bags, two loaves of bread, a 12-pack of paper towels, five green peppers, canned tuna and salami for Samee's school lunches, a tube of toothpaste, and baby lotion for Lucinda's little hands and feet. Then she stood in the checkout line and browsed magazine titles like, Three-headed monster Eats Eiffel Tower and My Sister, the Two-Headed Hooker. Lucinda looked around and giggled at everything from the Mylar balloons to the candy bars.

My kid giggles all the time even though she hardly ever sleeps.

In the first half of that, Lucinda acted a lot like her aunty Samee. In the second half, she definitely took after her dad.

I’m not sure yet where Lucinda is at all like me.

Even her tiny toes had turned out normal, for which Donna was grateful.

A young, beautiful woman pushed her shopping cart behind Donna's. Unlike Donna's cart, the woman’s held only a single item; a case of baby formula. Her perfume smelled like roses, which was also unlike Donna, who smelled like baby wipes and spit up. The woman smiled at Donna. Donna stopped reading tabloid titles and smiled back.

Hi. I'm Donna and this is Lucinda. We live near the end of town, on a dead-end street called Autumn Lane.

Why did I just volunteer all that information and what the hell makes me think she’d even care?

Hello, Donna and Lucinda, the woman said with an accent that seemed almost familiar. Donna loved how Lucinda's name rolled off the woman's tongue. My name is Jacqelina. Your baby is so pretty and blonde, like her mother.

Thank you. Donna pointed to the case of formula. You have a baby, too?

Jacqelina smiled and it reminded Donna of morning sunlight bursting through a wide-open window. I don’t have a baby, she said. This is for a friend's baby who I will be caring for soon.

Donna chuckled. If you’re going to watch the baby long enough to need all that formula, then maybe you should get diapers too.

Jacqelina gasped. You’re right. Where did you find those? She indicated toward the package in Donna's cart.

Right by where you got the formula, Donna pointed. Aisle four, about half way down, on the left.

Thank you. Jacqelina trotted off, clink-clink-clinking in white high heels. She clink-clink-clinked back a few moments later hugging a pack of diapers exactly like the ones in Donna's cart.

The baby you're watching must be about the same age as Lucinda, Donna observed.

Si, Jacqelina replied. Same. She was undoubtedly the most beautiful woman Donna had ever seen - with thick, walnut-colored hair, olive skin and eyes like melted chocolate. Donna could hardly stop staring, and since the checkout line was long and the cashier slow, she didn't have to. She and Jacqelina chatted for several minutes. Donna learned Jacqelina was twenty-five, just four years older than herself and exactly the same age as Hunter. But to Donna, Jacqelina seemed wise beyond her years - almost like the serenity that followed Dante around had found her, too. Donna also learned Jacqelina's accent and her name were from Spain, that she'd only arrived in town a week ago for a job working as a personal assistant, and that she was lonely here without any friends or family.

That sounds so lonely, Donna sympathized. You should come to my house. I'll make iced tea and we can visit.

Jacqelina beamed. How kind you are, Donna. Thank you.

They swapped phone numbers and Donna gave Jacqelina the address to the house. She told Jacqelina to stop by in the early afternoon, after Donna had a chance to feed Lucinda and put away the groceries. She felt a little crazy inviting somebody by who she hardly knew, but a part of Donna craved other mortals to hang out with. That’s because anymore, all Donna had for mortal friends were Samee and Mo. While Mo was Donna’s life-long, best friend, she was also a busy, single mom with a job and college classes. She could hardly spare time to sit casually and drink iced tea on a spur-of-the-moment weekday afternoon. And Samee, though lovable and everything Donna hoped Lucinda would grow up to be, was a perfectly normal sixteen year old girl with all the interests of any other perfectly normal sixteen year old girl. Boys, clothes, hair, boys. All the normalcy of Samee was a secret relief to Donna, who had worried about how a girl might grow up normal in a houseful of vampires.

Jacqelina came by the house at exactly 2:00 pm, wearing those same clunky shoes, a white sundress and her hair pulled back in a classic French twist. One perfect, white rose set neatly tucked between the layers. Donna thought Jacqelina looked exactly like a magical fairy princess out of a kids’ movie, and she wanted to show off her new friend to everybody in the house. Too bad nobody was around. Hunter was on another one of his escapades through the Underworld, Samee was still in school, and Dante was meditating. Trent was there, but he was too busy cussing at a rusty drain pipe under the kitchen sink to care. He didn’t even bother to look up when Donna said, Trent, we have a guest.

You piece of shit, Trent muttered and then knocked a plumbing pipe against something. His weight shifted and he grunted. All Jacqelina could see of him was grease-smudged jeans and a pair of calloused, bare feet.

Donna turned to Jacqelina, shrugged apologetically and blushed slightly. How about we take our drinks outside?

Jacqelina smiled understandingly. That would be lovely.

It was lovely. It was also a sun-drenched, late May afternoon with marigolds and pansies in full bloom and baby birds twittering from the safety of their nests. Life was brimming with the promise of a long, hot summer and a host of new beginnings.

Now that her own life revolved around the sun-avoiding needs of vampires, Donna rarely took the time to bask in the warmth of a sunny afternoon. She felt concerned that her half-vampire daughter would develop an allergy to sunlight if she got too much of it, like had happened to Donna with peanuts. By the time she was five years old, Donna couldn’t even eat a bite of peanut butter cookies.

I don’t want that to be my little girl’s fate when it comes to sunlight.

She placed Lucinda’s teddy bear blanket under a canopy of trees in the front yard and carefully laid her on it. Lucinda chattered and giggled and clapped. She reached out her hands to gather up a shaft of straight sunlight and giggled some more. Donna bit her fingernails and nervously watched for signs of sun-intolerance: confusion, weakness, disorientation. But Lucinda only giggled and cooed and kicked happily.

Donna smiled and turned toward her guest, hoping Jacqelina wouldn’t ask how old the baby was, because Donna wouldn’t be sure how to answer. Biologically, Lucinda was three months old. But physically she appeared at least twice that, thanks to her dad’s DNA. Another problem was, at certain times, a person could literally blink and Lucinda would get bigger. Donna hoped now wouldn’t be one of those times. With a touch of melancholy, it suddenly occurred to her why making mortal friends was probably not a good idea. Luckily, this particular mortal didn’t seem the least bit curious about Lucinda’s age. She also didn’t ask why Donna slathered so much sunscreen on her baby, or why she kept pulling the blanket toward the shade as the sun moved across the sky, even though Lucinda seemed happiest when a bit of sun-ray kissed her tiny cheek.

Jacqelina and Donna spent all afternoon relaxing in the Adirondack chairs that matched the yard’s white picket fence. They sipped tea and chatted, though Donna couldn’t clearly remember about what. They might have discussed the latest in gas prices, and something was said about the weather in Spain and how long and boring the flight from there to here was. Donna didn’t care about any of that, though. She only knew that time both stood still and flew by while she and Lucinda spent the afternoon with Jacqelina. It felt wonderful and normal.

Shortly after 4:00, Samee pulled into the driveway behind the wheel of her 1970 VW Beetle with the ladybugs and daisies painted on it.

What an adorable car, Jacqelina remarked.

Yes, Donna chuckled. It’s a cute-as-a-bug’s-ear car for a cute-as-a-bug’s-ear girl. Samee’s strawberry and almond hair glistened against the late afternoon sunlight and her cheeks dimpled when she grinned.

Hi, everybody! she bounded from the car and joined them under the maple tree and introduced herself to Jacqelina before Donna had a chance.

The two got along great right from the get-go. They talked about the latest fashions, gossiped about the entertainment world, and finally, when Samee dashed to her room then hurried back with a new white blouse to show Jacqelina, Donna admitted it to herself.

I’m jealous.

She burped Lucinda and sent Samee in for a fresh diaper. When Samee came back, Donna asked her to please bring Lucinda a sweater. Finally, Donna asked Samee to grab some bug repellent and that’s when Samee frowned.

Can you just make a list so I can get it all in one trip?

Can you just go away so I can spend some time alone with my new friend? Donna said. Then she gasped and covered her mouth. I’m sorry, Samee. That was uncalled for.

Samee seemed undaunted. She smiled. It’s okay. You hardly get time to be with mortals and now here I am, barging in when you finally do get the chance. She apologized for monopolizing the conversation and then sat politely while Donna and Jacqelina talked.

Mo stopped by after work toting her son, Gage, who was whining.

It's his colic, Mo explained. Then she noticed Jacqelina, who had stepped away for a moment to take a private phone call. Mo stiffened and glared. Who the hell is she?

Mo, Donna scolded. That's rude.

It's okay, Donna. Jacqelina hung up the phone and smiled warmly. It wasn't okay with Mo though. Her lip curled at Jacqelina and it stayed that way until Donna threw her a dirty look. Mo shifted Gage, put a pacifier in his mouth, sang him The Itsy Bitsy Spider and threw glares at Jacqelina. Everyone else talked and ate Moose Tracks ice cream, which Samee fetched from the kitchen, along with three bowls and spoons.

Jacqelina mentioned the natural beauty of her hometown in Spain.

Why don’t you hike your ass back there, then? was Mo’s response. A little while later, Samee mentioned how much she liked Jacqelina’s lipstick shade.

So you should keep your mouth shut and let us all fully enjoy it, Mo added. Samee and Donna exchanged furtive glances while Mo glared at their guest.

Dusk slowly covered the yard like a light frost. Jacqelina finally stood, pressed the folds of her pretty, white dress, reached up and touched the rose in her hair. She smiled sweetly and announced that she really should be going, now.

Bye, Mo snarled.

Jacqelina ignored Mo and turned to Donna. May I help you bring in the dishes and your baby?

We don't want your help, Mo snapped.

Um...sure. Thanks for the offer. Donna smiled apologetically at Jacqelina then frowned at Mo.

They gathered up bowls, babies, and Samee's new clothes then went inside. Mo wouldn't stop shooting daggers at Jacqelina, which made Donna feel like she had to stand between them. Trent, who was just finishing up a light switch repair, smiled at Mo.

Hello, sexy lady.

Hi, beautiful blood - she was going to end with sucker, but glanced hatefully at Jacqelina and re-routed to - y good looking guy. Trent chucked, at least until his gaze made contact with Jacqelina. Then his jaw clenched.

Don't I know you? he asked her.

She tilted her head. No, I'm quite certain you don't.

Trent shook his head, trying to recall something. Yes, I’m sure we’ve met before. In Spain, I believe. About twenty years ago.

Samee glared at Trent. Twenty years ago, Jacqelina would have been five.

Donna looked hard at him. And you would've been Lucinda's age.

Trent nervously laughed. Did I say twenty? He rolled his eyes - a habit he'd picked up from Mo - and wiped his hands on his pants. Wow, sorry. Too much work and not enough play. I meant two. In Spain, two years ago.

Jacqelina shrugged and repeated, I'm sure we've never met.

Mo and Trent exchanged suspicious glances while Donna walked out to the car with Jacqelina, who gushed on about how delightful the afternoon had been and how grateful she was to have found three lovely new friends. Donna smiled politely, knowing Mo would never allow Jacqelina to call her a friend.

I don’t know why Mo hates Jacqelina so much, but I intend to find out.

It didn’t take long. The back end of Jacqelina's white Cadillac hadn't even hit the end of the circular driveway when Mo, Gage in her arms, tromped out to the front porch, stuffed a pacifier in her son’s mouth and faced Donna.

I don't like that little rosy twit, she declared.

Fine, then don't. Donna crossed her arms and turned to walk back inside. We’ll discuss this later, when I’m not feeling so pissed off at her.

Mo, like a pit bull clamped to a steak bone, pulled Donna to a stop. We need to talk.

I have to go check on Lucinda, Donna replied.

She's a tramp.

My daughter?

Little miss Jackyl-Hyena, or whatever the tramp's name is.

Her name is Jacqelina, Donna chewed on her fingernails. She’s a wonderful human being, not a tramp. She never gave you any reason to think she is.

You told me to tell you to stop doing that, Mo pointed to Donna's fingers. And you're wrong about the tramp. Mo shook her head. Spiky green hair sprouts twisted like grass in a tornado. She gave me every reason to think she's a tramp. And I've got proof to show you, then you’ll think she’s a tramp, too. Mo flipped open her phone, scrolled, and then stuffed the screen at Donna's face. Look at that. Tell me who you see.

Donna pried the phone from Mo in order to focus on the picture she'd scrolled to, because one thing Mo liked to do was talk with her hands.

Huh, Donna examined the picture closely.

That's all you have to say?

What more do you want me to say? Donna shrugged. You took a picture of Jacqelina. So what? Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go get Lucinda so Samee can do homework.

I took the picture yesterday, Mo said.

Donna handed Mo the phone, who juggled it while putting the pacifier back in Gage's mouth after he spit it out. "

So, you've seen her before, Donna replied. Big deal."

Look again. Mo stuffed the phone back at Donna. Tell me what else you see.

Donna looked again. I see Jacqelina, outside the mall, by the back entrance.

What's she doing? Mo prodded.

I don't know, Donna squinted. Talking to herself?

Mo groaned. Look closer.

The picture had been taken at night and the details were fuzzy. I'm not seeing whatever it is you're trying to point out.

Mo pushed up next to Donna. Her spiky hair poked Donna's cheek and a strand went up her nostril. It tickled and smelled like hair spray. Donna scratched her nose.

Right there, see? Mo furiously pointed. It's your husband. Mo stressed the word husband.

At the mall? Donna scoffed. "How did you

get a picture of Hunter at the mall?"

"I hid a few feet away behind the kiddie

carousel, pointed and clicked."

"What I mean is how did you get a picture of

Hunter? Undead people don’t show up in

pictures."

I know that, Mo snapped. She pointed to a speck off to the side of Jacqelina. But undead people do cast an orb. That one right there is Hunter's, chatting it up with little miss Trampus-Maximus. Mo shoved the phone closer to Donna's nose, as if doing so would make things any clearer.

Donna peered at the photo and indeed it did look like Jacqelina was talking to the speck. Donna shook her head. It's just dust in the air.

It's your blood-sucker being chummy with the tramp that was just being chummy with you. Mo's eyes narrowed. She's up to no good, Donna. I'm telling you, I can feel it.

I'll admit it's a little weird that you managed to take a picture last night of a person I happened to meet today, but that's where the conspiracy ends. Donna glowered. Got it?

Mo didn't get it. She rarely took the straight road to simple answers. That's why I came by tonight, she rubbed noses with her grumpy son to make him smile. It worked, sort of. I wanted to talk with you about this. It's obviously not something a couth person would discuss over the phone.

It also isn't something a couth person would discuss without real proof.

It's no secret you've never liked Hunter, Donna said. And now Jamie won't have anything to do with you -

It's the other way around. I won't have anything to do with him. Mo's eyes blazed. Especially since he didn't even bother to show up for his own son's delivery. Mo nibbled on Gage’s nose which made him smile then snivel.

Either way, Donna said. I feel like you're trying to drive a wedge between Hunter and me.

It's not like that, Mo pouted.

It feels like that.

I swear, Donna. Mo sounded frantic. That woman was talking to Hunter at the mall last night. She even touched his arm and slid up next to him, real close and personal-like. I saw it with my own eyes.

Donna rubbed her temples and wished Mo would just let this conversation end. Then your eyes need checked, because Hunter hates the mall and won't even go there with me. He says the crowds drive him up a wall. So why in the hell would he be there with some strange woman who I just happened to meet today?

I don't know, Mo admitted in a quieter tone. But I saw that strange woman snuggling up to Hunter last night at the mall and then she shows up at your house today. Something's not right. Gage pushed out the pacifier again so Mo set it on the porch railing and offered him a bottle, which he refused. At a week older than Lucinda, he was half her size, but it wasn’t because he was failing to thrive. It was because she was growing at light speed.

What's not right here is how you're taking out your jealousy on my marriage.

Donna, Mo rocked Gage, which made him shriek. I swear-

Enough. I met Jacqelina at the store. We met by coincidence.

Mo scoffed. I bet it was.

Donna glared. I'm so sick of you taking out your hateful feelings on my husband.

Fine, Mo huffed. Gage huffed too then he wailed. Hunter is cheating on you with that woman, Mo implored. Whether you want to admit it or not. I'm sorry, but it's true.

How dare you make up a lie like that! Donna pointed a shaky finger toward the road. Get off my front porch and out of my sight right now.

Mo's face reddened, her eyes narrowed, and her nostrils flared. She left Gage's pacifier on the railing, shifted him on her hip, stomped down the porch steps and left, speeding away down the driveway.

Mo didn’t fight very hard, which is unusual because Mo always fights hardest when she knows deep down she’s wrong.

Donna turned, went inside and slammed the door shut behind her. She found Lucinda in the kitchen with Trent, Dante and Samee. All of them looked away when she came in. Dante cleared his throat.

I believe it's dark enough for me to take my evening walk. He headed toward the back door.

Can I go with you? Samee begged.

Dante nodded sympathetically. Certainly, love. I always enjoy your effervescent company.

I don't know what that word means, but it doesn't sound like an insult. She trotted after Dante.

And I believe it’s dark enough for me to go to the plumbing store. Trent shuffled his feet and picked up the Suburban’s key. We need…a plunger. With vampire-frenzied speed, he left and then Donna was all alone with her baby in the house on Autumn Lane.

Donna had heard that when newlywed women got depressed, they often flipped open their wedding photo album or put the DVD on and watched the ceremony. Well, in her case, neither was possible since her dearly beloved was the kind who wouldn't cast a reflection or show up on video. So she grabbed a cup of tea and her little girl, plopped on the sofa, and in her mind reflected on the day she and Hunter were married, not so long ago.

It was Valentine’s Day. Donna had wanted to wait until the baby was born so she could fit back in a normal-sized wedding dress, but Hunter was old-fashioned in some ways, and being wedded before the baby came was one of those ways. The way Donna figured it, when a person's been around since before the dark ages, it didn’t seem unreasonable that such a person might hold to an old-fashioned notion or two, so Donna had shrugged and agreed to the wedding date.

Another of Hunter's old-fashioned ideas was that they be married by a Catholic priest, and he wanted his friend Father Ralph Preston to perform the ceremony.

Mortals are infatuated with the notion of vampires and crosses, the Father, who was also a vampire, had explained to Donna. Who am I to disappoint them? He winked and produced a cross, which made Liz and Trent recoil but it didn’t faze Hunter or Dante. Donna loved Father Preston’s sense of humor and twinkling eyes, so it was easy for her to agree to be married by him.

A week later, there they were, she and Hunter, exchanging vows and rings. But the moment Father Preston turned to Hunter and said, You may now kiss the bride, Donna's water broke. So Father Preston smashed Hunter and Donna's lips together then shouted, Ladies and gentlemen, it's my honor to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Hunter and Donna Deangelo. Now please get the hell out of here, this woman is about to drop a kid.

Exactly six minutes later, Lucinda Lynn Deangelo came in to the world. She arrived with ten normal fingers, ten average toes and absolutely no sign of fangs. Donna hated to sound shallow about it, but she was secretly relieved about all three. With parents like Hunter and Donna, the poor child hadn't had good odds.

Mo delivered Gage a week before Lucinda was born. He'd come a bit early, which was probably good considering his size and the 31 excruciating hours of labor Mo experienced. Donna sat with her the whole time, occasionally examining her own swollen belly and wondering how in the hell she’d survive that kind of labor.

Don’t worry, love, Dante assured her. Vampire – mortal labors go quickly and relatively easily.

Donna hadn’t believed that for a second until it actually happened just as Dante had promised. It was much like the pregnancy itself, which Dante had promised would be only five months long. And it was.

Midnight arrived and Donna was still slumped on the sofa, missing her husband and her best friend. She also missed her roommates. She left Hunter a message:

I miss u!

She called Samee's phone and then Dante's. Samee's rang from the living room, where in her haste to follow Dante, she'd left it on the table. Dante's phone went straight to voice mail.

I hate being here all alone.

Donna tried to consider Mo’s accusations as nothing more than her being on the wrong track again - like that time when they were ten. Back then, Mo coaxed Donna into the driver’s seat of Donna’s dad’s car when he’d left it running to dash back to the house for his phone. Mo shifted the car to reverse and insisted the pedal on the right stopped the car. She encouraged Donna to stretch her foot to the floor and press the pedal, just a little. Ten seconds and a damaged mailbox later, Mo admitted maybe she’d meant to say the pedal on the left.

Maybe this time, Mo had meant to say the speck she’d seen was somebody else’s vampire husband.

Donna fed and bathed Lucinda, then herself. She went to bed, her baby’s cooing and chattering beside her in the bassinet. Donna had learned to fall peacefully asleep to those