The Lunar Secret: The Ayla St. John Chronicles, #3

By C.J. Pinard

With her quest for revenge mapped out, Ayla St. John persuades the irresistible vampire Kellan to accompany her to where her target is hiding. However, the incident, and what follows after, goes horribly wrong for both Ayla and Kellan.

As her connection with Kellan heats up to scorching levels, she realizes it's time she finds out what the elusive vampire is hiding. What she eventually learns about his horrific past will shake the very foundation of everything she thought she knew about him and his association with Linden.

After a video goes viral that exposes the supernatural, she's forced to meet Linden in the flesh. But will the hunter become the hunted?

 

The Lunar Secret is book 3 in The Ayla St. John Chronicles, and is for readers 18+. This is an ongoing series and books must be read in order.

 

THE AYLA ST. JOHN CHRONICLES
The Lunar Effect
The Lunar Curse
The Lunar Secret
The Lunar Magic
The Lunar Promise (Coming soon)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pin House Press, LLC
• Release date: May 15, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386940234

C.J. Pinard

C.J. is a USA Today Bestselling author living in Colorado but wishes she was someplace warmer. She loves the SF 49ers and has a weakness for expensive shoes. She's the author of over 30 novels and short stories that contain both fantasy and paranormal romance with kickass heroines and strong alphas. When she's not writing, she can be found working at a very strange day job, which may or may not have some mild influences on her gripping stories--so strange, in fact, she may just write a book about it one day. She can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and on her website, cjpinard.com

Book preview

Chapter 1

I had always said... okay, maybe I hadn’t said it, but I’d heard it more than once... nothing will have you contemplating life more than a long car ride (or a lengthy stint on the toilet). In my case, the ride to Estes Park, Colorado, with a very handsome and somewhat intoxicating vampire, was causing me to analyze just what the holy hell I was doing at this moment.

My life had turned into an endless loop of sleeping, eating, drinking, flirting, training, and—it seemed—murdering. Then, I’d wake up the next afternoon and repeat, just like Groundhog Day. Thankfully, though, I didn’t have to work a ‘day job’ to maintain my lifestyle. One that afforded me an expensive downtown Denver apartment with a view to kill, and all the mani/pedi money I could ever need.

Though, it didn’t take a fancy college degree for me to realize that earning good money didn’t really buy me anything but things. It didn’t buy me intelligence, maturity, or common sense, which I was now quickly learning I was probably lacking a little bit.

I had to question, yet again, how I almost always ended up in the presence of this vampire with no regard for my personal safety. Although, I had to admit... it wasn’t as if I were some kind of damsel in distress. I could defend myself if need be, and it wasn’t like Kellan had shaken me down and confiscated all my weapons before ushering me into his expensive sports car. In all honesty, it seemed he only cared about either being inside my head, or trying to get into my very tight leather pants.

During my inner mental musings, I realized maybe that had been a slightly unfair assessment of him. He wasn’t actively trying to get into my pants. Not at the moment, anyway. We’d been alone and had had some pretty intense and heated moments, but none of them had led to us doing that. And I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I knew Kellan just wanted to be around me. Not that he’d admit it, but I could sense that he had gone out of his way to just be in my very awesome presence.

Case in point: He’d offered to drive me to Estes Park to help me eliminate a very stupid but dangerous vampire. Kellan hadn’t asked a whole lot of questions. He’d just offered to drive me, as long as we were back by the time the sun was going to come up.

The hazards of dating a vampire. I should write a book about it. You know, the self-help type? I could be of assistance to people who were foolish enough to think about starting a relationship with one of the very hot, fanged fiends. I could have chapters like, Saying Goodbye to the Sun, and Turtlenecks: They’re About to Come Back in Fashion for You.

The idea made me snort out loud, and I quickly rushed my hand to my mouth to quell the sound, although by then, it was way too late.

What’s going through your mind, little wolf?

How did I know that was coming?

I cracked a smile. Without actually speaking the words, I directed my thoughts at him. Why don’t you go poking around in my head and find out?

For the tenth bloody time, I’ve told you it doesn’t work like that, Kellan replied aloud.

I reached over and slapped his arm. Okay, Captain Un-fun.

Behind the wheel of his Porsche, he visibly stiffened. Well, you’re the only one who has ever called me that.

I laughed a little more than I should have. Oh, now why do I find that hard to believe, Sergeant Buzzkill?

I watched as his fingers tightened on the steering wheel, then eventually relaxed before he growled, I’m going to punish you later for that.

My eyes must have momentarily gone wide, because as he put his gaze back on the road, he smiled triumphantly.

Speechless to that comment, I looked forward.

Where, exactly, in Estes Park are we headed? he asked as we entered the town.

What? I asked smugly. Can’t you vamps sense each other?

I watched as his sexy jaw bunched and then jumped. Not without a bond.

I put my hand on his cool but hard forearm that held the steering wheel tight. Well, you can explain the bond thing later. Anyway, obviously, I’m looking for Alexander. He’s in Estes Park... somewhere.

Without warning, Kellan slammed on the brakes, and we came to a screeching dead halt in the middle of the dark highway.

After recovering from my head almost hitting the dashboard, I sat up against the seat and clawed my hair away my face. I turned my head to look at Kellan, furious. What in the fuck is wrong with you!

He gave me an incredulous look. What the bloody hell do you mean ‘he’s here somewhere’? He put up air quotes with his fingers. Really, Ayla? You don’t have an address or at least a place of employment we can go on? Do you forget that I can’t go traipsing around this little town during the day? I thought this was going to be a short trip, perhaps a couple of hours.

Hearing him scold me like he would a petulant child in his haughty accent was both highly irritating and sort of arousing at the same time.

I narrowed my eyes at him, but didn’t break his stare. First off, I thought maybe you would have figured out by now that I’m a little impulsive and also a lot crazy!

His jaw ticked as he stared at me hard, his eyes burning with what seemed to be anger and something else that was smoldering just under the surface. Yes, I have figured that out. That doesn’t change the fact that I can’t spend hours up here on a manhunt.

He’s in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Near Sprague Lake, I confessed after a long pause.

Kellan looked at me, incredulous. Then why didn’t you just say that, Ayla?

Because I love bloody messing with you, Kellan, I replied, mimicking his British accent.

I’ll punish you for that later, too. Just keep it up, girl. Your list of infractions keeps growing.

Sounds like fun, I quipped with a devious smirk.

He broke my gaze, put the sports car into drive, and slammed on the gas. My head whipped back and hit the headrest. With curious eyes, I watched as the car went wide. It swerved and then fishtailed as it made a violent U-turn and headed back toward downtown and away from Estes Park.

Kellan, I whimpered, "Please, no. I need to find this guy. I need to. Time’s running out. I can feel it."

Don’t bother begging, or using your emotional blackmail, he murmured, his chin lifted proudly as he continued to fly down the dark highway and back toward Denver. His gaze was stubbornly fixed straight ahead and not looking at me.

A small slice of panic began to take root in my gut, and as if it had a life of its own, my heart felt like it was moving up into my throat and then to my head, its burning fear invading my entire body now.

Impulsivity took over, and I reached over and yanked on Kellan’s hand—the one closest to me. He hadn’t been expecting it, so it caused the car to swerve to the right. We were soon on the side of the road, the loud bumps echoing through the car where grooves had been made into the pavement to wake sleepy drivers. He stopped the car with a rattling squeal. He then snatched his hand away from me and used it to slam the car into park.

What the fuck do you think you’re doing! he yelled, a stormy look on his handsome face.

I need you to turn back around. Please. I have to find Alexander Asshole. I just can’t rest until I find him.

And where, exactly, in a big fucking national park, shall I reside once the sun comes up as you hunt him down?

They have cabins there. Lots of dense trees too. Oh! I know, even better, you can stay in a hotel during the day in the town. There’s a really nice one there with a lot of history. It’s rumored to be haunted, too. You could take a ghost tour or something. I gave him my most charming smile. I don’t need you to come into the park with me.

Kellan laughed, but there was no humor in it. Haunted? What? He let out a sigh and then shook his head. No. And as far as the park—I would never let you go there alone. He huffed. You are quite honestly the most beautiful, but insane and infuriating woman I have ever met.

I bit back a smile. You think I’m beautiful.

He stared at me hard and made a scoffing noise. You’re impossible. Do you know that?

I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I could tell he was relenting by the way his shoulders relaxed a little. I smiled. Yep, I do know.

Kellan again said nothing. He only gazed into my eyes, furious but also playful, as his stare seemed to be holding back words. As if he was wanting to say something, but couldn’t.

Cat got your tongue? I asked with a quiet grin as I parroted the old term my I’d heard my dad say to my brothers when they’d get caught doing something they shouldn’t, but had no response in answer to his inquisition.

He slowly shook his head, but held my gaze. No.

Ya know, I said, a playful smirk on my lips. I could make it worth your while. I walked my fingers up his leg and to his zipper. Let me get you relaxed a little...

His eyes widened, and then he quickly put his carefully controlled mask back into place. At once, he grabbed my wrist gently and pulled it away from his lap. But, instead of dropping it back onto my leg, he brought it up to his lips, and, without breaking eye contact, he pressed a soft kiss to my knuckles.

I gasped a little, wondering what he would do next.

I don’t know how you manage to disarm me so quickly, Ayla St. John, but I’ve never met anyone like you, he confessed quietly.

His admission caused a strange and powerful feeling to stir inside me. A tingle made its way from the tips of my toes, up my legs, through my core, into my belly, and then into my heart. It wasn’t a feeling I ever wanted to end. It made me feel like I could suddenly rule the world. It also made my stomach swirl with nerves and excitement.

I hadn’t planned on disarming you, Kellan. I’m just a desperate girl.

Chapter 2

Kellan turned the car around again and headed toward Estes Park. I bit back a winning smile and watched as the scenery flew by in the dark. Without another word between us, we rode in silence, nothing but the quiet beat of the music floating from the car’s speakers filling the air.

After about an hour of driving through small towns, including past the college I had dropped out of, we took a small highway road. Rocky Mountain National Park, the brown sign read, its white lettering illuminated from our headlights. Kellan headed down the road leading to the massive park, only the car’s lights guiding our way.

Once we’d followed all the signs, we finally came upon the entrance to the park. The park was closed, but that didn’t surprise me. The three entrance shacks were empty, nobody manning them in order to collect the entrance fees.

We could see the exit area was open, so, ensuring nobody was around, he steered the car toward the exit and we entered the park that way.

It was incredibly dark, the GPS on my phone the only light showing us which windy, mountainous highways would lead us to Sprague Lake. I was thankful the moon was bright and almost full, as it shed a little light over the ridge of the mountains. I sighed as I thought about how I was going to be hiding away tomorrow night as the monthly curse was set to hit.

After what seemed like forever, Kellan killed the lights to the Porsche, and I turned off the navigation on the phone, then powered it off. There was a small parking lot with bathrooms and a sign with information about the lake.

Something in me tingled, and I felt a little twitchy. He’s nearby.

Kellan nodded and parked his car at the far end of the lot. Guess we’ll walk from here, he said, studying my face, his own expression hard and giving nothing away.

I nodded.

He glanced at his watch and whispered, There are six hours and twenty minutes left until sun-up. If we don’t find this wanker in two hours, we leave. Or rather, I leave. You tracking with me, Ayla?

I narrowed my eyes at him. I hate it when you’re serious.

After tilting his head to the side, he quickly regained his composure and said, But I’m always serious.

"And wanker, really?" I asked, biting back a smile.

Cheeky girl, he replied with a grin.

I shook my head and checked to make sure I had my dagger and my phone.

After turning off the car, Kellan blitzed around to my side, opened it, and escorted me out. We walked toward a small bridge that preceded a trail leading to the lake I could see just ahead.

Without thinking, I reached around and grabbed his very firm ass, giving it a squeeze.

He stopped walking. What do you think you’re doing? he whispered. His expression told me he’d explode if he cracked a smile at that moment.

I lifted a shoulder and let it fall. Then I continued to walk, and as I did, I looked at him from over my shoulder. You said ‘cheeky’ and I guess I have a dirty mind.

He muttered something under his breath I couldn’t understand, but I just smiled to myself.

As we turned around the bend of the trail, we heard voices, and it stopped us in our tracks. We quietly ducked behind a thick pine tree.

This is just so stupid, Alex, said a female voice. How are we supposed to keep an eye on him when he’s up all day, but we have to sleep all day? You screwed our entire lives, you asshole.

I gripped Kellan’s arm.

He looked down at me and mouthed, What?

I put my finger to my lips to silence him, and he nodded. Peering around the tree, I could see Alexander, his newly made vampire wife, and the kid heading toward a large wall tent that had been erected amongst some trees up off a trail overlooking the lake. Just like in my vision, Alexander was holding the boy, and the wife was bitching at him for cursing her with vampirism.

Don’t worry, honey, you won’t have to deal with him for much longer, I thought.

I began to walk slowly, keeping a safe distance behind them, and Kellan trailed quietly behind me. I had my Dagestan dagger in my hand, but I wasn’t prepared to kill Alexander in front of his kid. I would have to wait until they got into the tent. They continued to trudge toward it, her bitching about him cursing her while he held the child, who looked to be asleep. Alexander said nothing in response to her, but huffed a few times in annoyance. It would almost be funny if I didn’t hate him so much.

Once they were almost at the door of the tent, we stopped about thirty yards away, hidden by some trees, and waited for them to go inside it. Without taking my eyes off them, I crouched down to tie my boot’s laces, but almost lost my balance, which caused me to thrust a foot backwards to keep from falling. A loud branch snapped beneath my boot, and I closed my eyes, muttering a curse under my breath.

Both vampires whipped their heads in our direction, and then, all hell broke loose.

Chapter 3

The minute I heard that twig snap, I knew we were going to have to fight. Two young vampires against us should be... interesting. Alexander quickly unloaded the child into his wife’s arms, and she stood there frozen, a mask of fear on her face as she clung tight to the boy.

Who the hell are you? Alexander called out to the two of us.

I think you know who I am, I replied, stepping out from behind the tree with my arms folded over my chest. My dagger was gripped tightly in my fist.

Alex, who is it? I heard Beth ask.

He quickly turned his head and said, Take Jordan inside, now.

She nodded, went inside the tent, and zipped up the door behind her.

In the light of the moon, I could see Alexander narrow his eyes at us and then come stalking forward across a small clearing in the trees. He wasn’t saying anything, but definitely looked angry. I looked down and saw he had that same handgun gripped in his fist that he’d had back at his house.

Be ready, came Kellan’s voice in my head.

I’m more than ready. This fucker needs to die.

I had