Chapter 14

Daisy woke up feeling better than she had the last few days; perhaps it was because she had finally cried herself out, or maybe it had to do with the warm couch she was lying on.

She woke up completely and realized that the warm couch was Noah. Normally she would have jumped out and escaped, but she didn't feel like doing that. She liked where she was. It felt right.

Listening, she could hear him breathing softly. He was sleeping. She didn't want to wake him, and she didn't want to leave, so she just tucked herself in a little more and decided to close her eyes and pretend the world wasn't out there waiting.

She cleared her mind and drifted back off to sleep; Raja was the only one left aware; he guarded over them both.

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Sheriff Thompson was called to the coroner's office; they found something inside Mrs. Johnson's body that he needed to see.

He wasn't pleased about that; Edna Johnson was badly brutalized, and then to find something inside, one had to wonder if she was still alive at the time of its placement.

He went through the double metal doors as the smell of death hovered around in the air. He didn't care how long he had been doing this. He will never get used to that smell.

The coroner, Pete Jackson, greeted him with a grim look.

"So Pete, what did you find?"

"It isn't pretty, but we found this scroll wrapped in plastic and put in her vagina."

"Pete, why was she sewn up if he just planned on killing her anyway?"

"She was alive when they were sewn up; I believe that he sewed her back up because he embalmed her alive."

"Mother of God, what a sick fuck, Poor Edna."

With that, he went over to the metal counter and opened the plastic around the scroll.

##

Dear Sheriff,

I am sorry that I had to give up my trophy; I know I told you she would never be found.

I didn't want to keep her. She wasn't worthy of being in my collection after all.

She did, though, really want to go to her friend's funeral, so as the gracious host that I am, I made sure she made it on time and had a good seat.

I have already chosen the next particular worthy person as my next guest; it is a fifty-fifty shot depending on who leaves last.

Sincerely,

The Wraith

##

He re-read the letter three times; something in that last paragraph had tweaked his interest. It was a clue to who the next victim was. He knew that he just had to figure out who in Millersville it was.

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He watched from across the street; there was a perfect little nook that one could tuck themselves into so no one would know they were there.

The library was lively until about five in the early evening; then, it was dead. He stayed there till seven o'clock and waited to see which of the sisters would leave first.

He waited, and sure enough, the first one came out; he was happy because he didn't want the fat one. It would be too challenging to move around. They were twins how one was fat and the other almost too skinny he didn't know or care.

Finally, ten minutes after her sister left, she locked up the library and walked home. He waited till she was halfway through the park.

Just as he was about to grab her and pull her into the shadows, the Sheriff pulled up along the other side and was waving the woman down.

Pulling back into the shadows and becoming mist, he was pissed; how dare the Sheriff figure out the clue so fast.

He misted his way back to his playhouse empty-handed. He sat in his recliner and stewed on his anger. Now he would have to go hunting again. It took time to find the right one, and he was so excited to play tonight.

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Enid called Micheal, and he answered this time; he agreed to meet her outside town. There was a small bar and restaurant. She sat waiting at one of the little tables when he finally came through the door.

He looked older. She wasn't expecting that; she didn't think that vampires aged. He looked older through grey hair at his temples and a few age lines by his eyes.

When he sat down, they looked at each other; it was as if time did not pass. She could see the pain and sadness in his eyes, and it touched her heart.

"Do you know why I called you, Micheal?"

"I know it is time that my daughter learns who she is. Who her parents were and why things happened the way they did."

"She has been asking all kinds of questions. She found Clara's memory box, and read all the letters and photos, and came to me with it wanting answers. I knew I was not my place to give them."

"It is time you meet with your daughter and tell her everything; I also have a feeling that she might be in danger as well. It could be just the worry of an old woman, but I have had these feelings before and have never been wrong."

"Tell me, Enid, who is the young man she is with? Are they mated yet? Can he be trusted?"

"His name is Noah Lucas. I am sure you have heard the family name, and yes, he is from that family. He is a Tiger shifter, and he is interested in Daisy; they are mates, but the timing is a bit off at the moment with the funeral and all."

"Enid, I will go and see her in a little while; I have some hunting to do first. I should warn you that there is another Vampire here, and I believe he has gone insane."

" I know that you can sense me, Enid. That means you are sensitive to energies; just know if any other vampire comes around other than me, you are not to let him enter or know about Daisy. You are to call me, and I will deal with it."

With that, Micheal got up and walked out the door, got into a black town car, and was gone out of sight.

Enid shivered at the thought of an insane vampire. She hoped that Micheal would be able to handle it.

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Noah woke up feeling content. He looked down, and there was his little mate snuggled up to him as close as she could get. She was warm and soft as silk, he didn't do much exploring, but he did caress her arm.

Her scent was intoxicating as well; he looked at her. She was perfection. It may take him some extra time, but she will be his mate forever. He knew there would be no other that would be even close to her.

He was just lying there enjoying the warmth of her against him and listening to her softly breathing in her sleep. It had to be close to noon now from the look of the light coming in from the window.

He found he didn't care, let the world wait for a while; he was taking this moment in time for himself.

He felt her stirring after about half an hour as she woke up. He looked down, and those big blue eyes were staring back at him.

She reached up and touched his face and smiled at him; he was struck speechless at that moment. She pulled his head down to hers and gave him a whisper of a kiss.

She let his head go, and he pulled back up, looking at her as if he was a lowly ant that was granted an audience with a Goddess.

He lowered his head to hers again, kissed her lightly, and then stopped. They looked at each other, and then she started to giggle, which made him laugh right alongside her.

It wasn't the heated, passionate kisses nor the wild and crazy ones that curl your toes. It was something else entirely. It was the first declaration of their love. The first budding flower of spring opened up to the love of the sun.

It was perfect and beautiful. She sat up and scooted closer to him, and they stayed like that for a long while before it was time for the moment to end and the world to start spinning again.

Once they were ready to start the day, they met up in the kitchen. Each had a cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal. Daisy thought about cooking, but she didn't want to mess up the kitchen schedule; she made a mental note to ask if she could cook a meal.

"So, my little flower, what would you like to do today?"

"Hmm... I don't know. Perhaps you can explain to me the purring sound you make that makes me sleepy and content?"

"Then I have something I would like to share with you; it was a box my Aunt Clara had. She has all kinds of photos and letters. I want your opinion on them."

###mind link###

"Raja, you idiot, now what am I going to tell her?"

"Well, you could try the truth. You will have to show her if she is to believe you, and then you have to hope she doesn't think we are nuts or that she is going nuts too."

"She is going to find out sooner or later. Perhaps it is best to just get it out there in the open."

"You are right, Raja; it is time we did show and tell."

"So that you know, Raja, this one is on you. Don't scare her away."

Raja's reply was to give Noah a short growl.

"As if."

#####

"Well, for you to fully understand, I think it is best that we go outside into the gardens for some privacy so I can show you as well as tell you."

As they walked to the gardens, Noah felt insecurity and fear in himself for the first time in a long time. He hoped that she would at least hear him out instead of running and screaming into the house.

They made it to the gardens, and Noah turned to Daisy with a small smile.

"Ok, here is the reason I purr."

"I am a Tiger shifter, I have another half that is a Tiger, and I can shift into his form at will; we are one."

He wasn't sure what she thought. She just stared at him for a bit of a while like she wasn't sure she heard what he said right.

What she said next took him completely off guard.

"Show me."