Midnight & Masquerades: Midnight Rising Series, #5

By Amanda Kimberley

Masquerade balls were always at the forefront of Kiku Nakamura's dreams when she was little. Well, those and her childhood crush, Kenshi Hashimoto. They were the best of friends growing up. They were family.

So when Kiku's world comes crashing down around her and she falls into the arms of her family, her home, Kenshi, because that's all she has left, will she run back to Salem to keep her distance? Or will she find new ways to nest this budding relationship?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amanda Kimberley
• Release date: Dec 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215977002

Amanda Kimberley

USA Today Best Selling and award-winning author Amanda Kimberley has written in various genres in the course of almost four decades. Her nonfiction blog, which focuses on the chronic disease fibromyalgia, has garnered recognition from various organizations, including Health Magazine. Naming her blog, Fibro and Fabulous, a top blog for fibro sufferers. Amanda has also written for medical magazines and sites like FM Aware, The National Fibromyalgia Association’s magazine, and ProHealth. When Kimberley is not writing nonfiction, she enjoys penning romance. Her first Furry United Coalition story, The Turtle and the Hare, earned the 2020 Summer Splash Book Awards of Ink and Scratches for Best Romance. Her Forever Series Books, Forever Friends, and Forever Bound were featured in 2015 and 2016 on the BookCountry website, a division of Penguin/Random House as editor’s picks. She has also been featured as a USA Today Happy Ever After Hot List Indie Author with Claiming My Valentine, a Best Poet of the 90’s ranking for an anthology, and has had a #1 PNR ranking with Immortal Hunger and Hearts Unleashed. Amanda Kimberley is a Connecticut native that now lives in the warmth of Northern Texas with her zoo consisting of her husky, tuxedo cat, mice, rabbits, guinea pigs, a tank of fish, two daughters, and a husband. When she is not writing you can find her cooking whole foods for her pack. She also enjoys reading, hiking, and gaming. Amanda Kimberley is a Connecticut native that now lives in the warmth of Northern Texas with her zoo consisting of her husky and cocker spaniel dogs, her tuxedo cat, two hamsters, a rabbit, a tank of fish, two daughters, and a husband. When she is not writing you can find her cooking whole foods for her pack. She also enjoys reading, hiking, and gaming.

Book preview

Midnight & Masquerades

Midnight & Masquerades

MIDNIGHT RISING SERIES

BOOK FIVE

AMANDA KIMBERLEY

About Midnight & Masquerades

Masquerade balls were always at the forefront of Kiku Nakamura’s dreams when she was little. Well, those and her childhood crush, Kenshi Hashimoto. They were the best of friends growing up. They were family.

So when Kiku’s world comes crashing down around her and she falls into the arms of her family, her home, Kenshi, because that’s all she has left, will she run back to Salem to keep her distance? Or will she find new ways to nest this budding relationship?

Copyright © 2022 by Amanda Kimberley

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Mom,

They say you should write what you know and for the past six years, I’ve known your loss. It really wasn’t until this book that I was able to truly capture how I felt losing you through Kiku’s eyes.

I hope you enjoyed the writing process alongside me because I know you were there every step of the way as I wrote this.

Merry Christmas, Mom. Until we meet again.

Love,

Your Daughter

Contents

Chapter 1

Kiku

Chapter 2

Kenshi

Chapter 3

Kiku

Chapter 4

Teagan

Chapter 5

Kiku

Chapter 6

Kiku

Chapter 7

Kenshi

Chapter 8

Kiku

Chapter 9

Kenshi

Chapter 10

Kiku

Chapter 11

Raine

Chapter 12

Skye

Chapter 13

Kenshi

Before You Go…

Acknowledgments

If You Liked Midnight & Masquerades You Might Like…

Loving the Alpha

Loving the Alpha

About the Author

Also by Amanda Kimberley

Chapter One

KIKU

Isucked in a breath as I stepped inside Eclipse. The place brought back so many memories of when I was little. In fact, the interior hadn’t changed much at all from what I remember, which surprised me. I assumed Kenshi would have done something different with the place once his grandfather turned the ownership over to him. As I gazed at the royal blue velvet settees with blinged-out tufted triangles, I smiled. Surely those were new. But they seemed like something Kenshi’s grandfather would have had in the space because the decor was always that old art déco style meets Hollywood Glam from the forties. 

It had been so long since I’d seen Kenshi. After attending Salem State University in Salem, Massachusetts, I fell in love with the small town and had a sense I belonged. So naturally, I formed roots after college and started a life there. Sure, it was pretty touristy around the old parts of town, but as a witch and a medium, a sheer sense of safety washed over me in the one place in all of America that made me appear like I was normal and not a freak of nature. 

Some would tell me I’d also possess the same type of normality in New Orleans. But I visited there once, and I couldn’t take the heat. And I mean that in a literal sense. The place never got cold, and it rarely snowed. I couldn’t deal with a Christmas season in flip-flops; thank you very much!

As I made my way to the bar to order a drink, I wondered if I’d recognize Kenshi. Now that we weren’t kids and that I’d seen the first few strands of grey in my hair, it might take me a minute to process what he looked like now. But just as I’d gotten the bartender’s attention, a familiar voice rang out. 

‘Kiku?"

I turned, and there he was, just as gorgeous as I remembered. I had such a crush on him growing up. As my eyes raked over his body, taking in each hard and chiseled muscle, I realized that my crush hadn’t gone away. Well, perhaps it turned into lust instead of the puppy love I’d had for him all those years ago. My heart skipped a beat as he pulled me into his arms. I took in the familiar bergamot scent of Kenshi as I relaxed in his arms. This was home. He was my home.

It really is you! How have you been? Still in Salem?

He held onto me a little tighter and longer than I expected. I wasn’t sure how to take that, and then when I let out a shaky breath that I couldn’t hide, he pulled away from me. Instantly, my body mourned for the heat and comfort of his touch. He didn’t know why I was here just yet, but I did, and I needed my best friend now more than ever.

Yeah, I’m still in Salem. Well? At least for right now. Until I get a few things settled here, I’ll be staying here in New York for a little while.

I choked out the jumbled mess of words, not knowing exactly how to tell him I wasn’t here for a friendly visit. Kenshi frowned.

I saw the news about your mother on the net, and I’m so sorry. I know the both of you were so close. Not to mention, she was well-liked in this community.

I tried to swallow the growing lump in my throat and blink back the tears that burst out of the corners of my eyes before I knew what was happening. I didn’t want to cry again. It had only been half an hour since I’d pulled into the club’s parking lot. I’d had a good ugly crying session in my car, hoping that would get me through the evening. Clearly, it didn’t. I let out a long breath that I didn’t realize I was holding in before trying to use my voice once more. When I finally spoke, it was torture, and I forced myself to talk through the constant sobs.

Thanks. It’s been tough. I actually just got here in New York around four. The hospital called me about Mom’s accident, and as soon as I got to Lenox Hill, they told me she’d passed. If I’d been 15 minutes earlier? My voice cracked again, so I swallowed to clear my throat. These following few words had to come out, and I was determined to say them—even if I forced them out. I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye.

Damn it!

I had promised myself I wouldn’t do this, and here I am, allowing my tears to fall. What the fuck is wrong with me? Kenshi doesn’t need this. We were childhood friends and lost touch the minute I set foot in college. He doesn’t need to hear me lose my shit in the middle of his club. 

Yet? He’s pulling me into an embrace. I didn’t expect that reaction at all. And did a crack break in his voice, too? Impossible—right? I must’ve imagined this to be his reaction because I’m vulnerable and miss my mom something fierce. Before I could divert my head to rest my chin over his shoulder so my makeup-filled tears wouldn’t mess up his shirt, he was cradling my head and pressing it gently into the crux of his neck. Tears were now wetting the top part of his shirt near his shoulder blade. His embrace was warm, but his muscles were rock hard—and not from stiffening while he held me in place. Nope! The dude still worked out, and it showed in how he held me. 

The wetness was forming a puddle, and damn! Why did he have to wear