The following is the first scene of the first chapter of Book Two of The Shadowless series.
Be sure to have read Book One: Shadows Within for the most enjoyment of both.
Chapter One: Lily and Reed
A wife bent in prayer. A husband lifeless, but not dead.
At her bedside vigil, Lily Martin Williams holds the small crucifix near her moving lips, unable to let go of the irrational thought that her husband is truly dead.
In the eerie stillness, her soft breath whispers prayers, while Reed has no breath at all.
Her eyes cast over to the windows blacked out by layers of garbage bags. A defense against even a single ray of light slipping in and… and… What? What exactly would the sunlight do? Would Reed burn?
She knows he’ll awaken. She knows vampires sleep coma-like during the daylight hours. This is how their life will have to be for now.
She knows.
But her heart gulps in despair. Unable to eat since breakfast, she has spent the morning running errands then rushing back here only to spin in the suspended moment till the sun goes down. Not knowing what to expect, she paces Reed’s one-bedroom apartment, end-to-end, while thumbing through websites, trawling for any kind of information that may help her.
VAMPIRES
REAL VAMPIRES
HOW TO SAVE A VAMPIRE
CURE FOR VAMPIRES
HOW TO TURN A VAMPIRE BACK TO HUMAN
Lots of links to movies and novels, costumes and conventions, undead make-up how-tos and do-it-yourself fangs. Below the sponsored ads, results link to articles on vampire lore and legend; haunted and macabre Philadelphia attractions like the Eastern State Penitentiary and the Mütter Museum; an occult shop in Manayunk. She marked some for further investigation. Then noticing the waning sunlight, she moves to Reed’s room for the evening’s verdict.
Under the glow of the nightstand lamp, she folds back the coverlet and puts her ear to his chest. Before, whenever she had snuggled up with him in his bed or hers, she enjoyed that steady tattoo of life.
Now, not a single reassuring beat.
A mannequin instead of her groom. Not even married a week and frantically apart nearly half that time.
He remains warm though. Warmer than she expected. As though his cotton tee shirt had been plucked off a clothesline under an August sun.
Returning to her prayers, her eyes study Reed. He lacks the pallor typical of the movie stills and artistic renderings that had appeared in her search results. Men and women with chalky, almost translucent skin; arresting eyes with irises that glared red; and snarling mouths with predatory teeth. In some, crimson smeared their lips, in others blood coated the lower half of their faces as though they bobbed for hearts in a barrel.
Those last gory images had shaken her. Too real for Lily, she rubbed her arms to soothe away the memories of last night when real vampires, with real fangs, bled real people to death. And intended do the same to her.
Even now, she reminds herself that she is safe, whole, unhurt in her husband’s home. With tenderness, she touches Reed and fixes his hair.
“Come back to me.”
And he does. Signs appear in his face when his eyelids tighten, brows crease, and jaw flexes.
Then Reed’s brown eyes spring open. She launches herself at him just as he sits up, embracing him, sharing her relief.
Smelling like his old self, Reed’s encircling arms put her into the safest place in the world. He’s the warmest, coziest blanket. She releases a breath she hasn’t realized she is holding.
Pulling her closer, he says, “Morning. You’re better than an alarm clock.”
“Evening. Actually.”
“Oh. Yeah. For a second, I hoped it was all a very bad dream. Are you okay? Have you been out?”
She had dressed down to joggers and a sweatshirt today. She nods. “Better now. I was so worried that you wouldn’t wake up. How are you feeling?”
“You know…? I feel pretty rested, ready to go, but I don’t want to.” With a wink, he says, “Let’s just stay in the here-and-now.” He reaches for her, then hesitates. His eyes down.
She follows his gaze to the necklace and the crucifix resting on her skin. “I’m sorry. I should have left it at home.” She feels terrible for being so thoughtless.
After a moment, Reed shakes his head and draws his eyes to hers, “No, I want you to wear it. Never take it off, Lil.”
They adjust themselves on the bed. She tucks her head on his shoulder after he props himself up on several pillows.
Cradling her, he says, “It feels so good to hold you again.”
She presses a kiss into his skin. “I wanted to be here when you wake up.”
“How about we don’t leave this room?”
“I don’t want to either. But Ky-”
“No, don’t say his name.”
“He’s coming and you need to get ready.”
He’s quiet and looking away. Stubborn. Seeing that he’s unhappy with this, she relents, “All right. Five more minutes, then you have to get up.”
“And a kiss,” he says looking back to her.
“One.” Tender, the kiss fills the time and her heart.