Page 20 of Enchant the Dawn

“You idiot!” the Elder Knight exclaimed. “This is the wrong one.”

“How was I to know? You gave me no description.”

“You were supposed to question him, discover who he is and why he’s in New Orleans. I would expect part of that interrogation to include his name.”

“I . . . I’m sorry. In the heat of the moment, I forgot.”

The Elder Knight glared at him, rage and frustration in his eyes as he stalked toward the prisoner. “What is your name?”

“Go to hell.”

The Elder Knight struck him a vicious blow. It split the vampire’s lip. “You will tell me what I wish to know.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Is there another of your kind in New Orleans?”

“Not that I know of.”

“You’d tell me if there was?”

“No.”

The Elder Knight struck him again, and when that failed to elicit a response, he called a silver-bladed knife to his hand and raked the blade down the vampire’s cheek. Blood sprayed from the wound and splashed across the Elder Knight’s face.

Enraged, Gregory drove the blade through the vampire’s heart.

The vampire gasped once and went limp.

“Cut off his head,” the Elder Knight said. “Burn the body. Then return to New Orleans. And don’t bother coming back until you have the vampire I want.”

Chapter 10

Maddy rose bright and early Sunday morning. Besides being taught to clean her house on Saturday, her mother had taught her the importance of going to church on the Sabbath day. Maddy didn’t make it every week, the way her mother did, but she tried. This morning, she felt she had a lot to be grateful for as she stepped into her heels, grabbed her keys, and left the house.

As it turned out, the first hymn was “Count Your Many Blessings” and the sermon was on gratitude. Sitting quietly in her favorite pew, Maddy listed her many blessings—she was healthy, she lived in a free country, she had food enough and money enough, and goodly parents. And she was certain the Good Lord had heard her desperate cry for help and sent Dominic to save her life.

As they sang the closing song, she murmured a quiet prayer of gratitude in her heart for all that she had, for parents who had taught her right from wrong by example, and for the power of love and forgiveness.

At home, she changed out of her Sunday best and into a pair of well-worn jeans and a baggy sweater, then went into the kitchen to see about lunch.

Later, she decided it was too nice a day to sit inside. She was about to go out and do a little weeding in the garden when she felt a sudden, unexplainable urge to go jogging in the park. Deciding that would burn up more calories than yard work, she pulled on her running shoes and headed for the park at the end of the block.

* * *

Ava sat on the same bench she had occupied before as she waited for Maddy. The girl was very susceptible to suggestion—not always a good thing, but handy just now. She knew Dominic would be angry if he learned she was seeing Maddy again, but Ava was curious to know how their relationship was progressing—although judging from the way Dominic had been behaving the last few days, he was obviously crazy about the girl. Did Maddy feel the same about him?

Ava felt a sense of anticipation as Maddy jogged into view. She really was a lovely girl. No doubt she would give Dominic handsome sons.

She waved as Maddy drew closer.

Maddy slowed to a walk when she saw Ava. “Hi.”

“Hello, dear. I was hoping I’d see you again.”

“Oh?”

“I so enjoyed chatting with you the other day. Do you have time to sit a spell?”

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