A Modern Myth by Jude Liebermann

Excerpt:

Nada’s Secret

Prologue

Over an hour before Dawn with the park deserted, even the animals were quiet. No joggers could be seen making use of any of the trails. The clear night sky exposed the full moon shining brightly. Its beams illuminated a small woman lying behind a bench. Her pale skin and dark mahogany brown hair glistened, as her breathing grew uneasy. If anyone had happened by, they would have noticed two things about her: her presence in the park at such an hour and her nakedness.
The woman moaned and shifted. She placed a hand to her head and pushed up to a sitting position. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and looked around. Obviously disoriented, she tried to recognize where she was. Finally looking up and gazing upon the moon, she groaned.
“Oh, hell!” She stood quickly and broke into a sprint. She ran faster than most animals, and it only took a few minutes to reach the back of her apartment building. She bit her lip and looked around before jumping up to catch the fire escape ladder. She quickly climbed the two flights to her apartment, where her open window awaited her. Once inside, she closed the window and locked it.

Chapter One

Nada Berch grasped the end of the warm sheet and fanned the air in front of her. The sheet spread out across the bed before slowly lowering to its surface. Nada smoothed it down and then tucked the hem beneath the mattress. She glanced at the clock beside the bed. Its digital readout displayed the time of 1:16 PM.
Nada knew she had to get ready for her shift at the hospital soon, where she worked as an ER nurse. She sighed, as she looked back at the bed. She had always loved the smell of clean sheets. She stretched out on her stomach and buried her face, inhaling deeply. Nada sighed as she rolled over and stared up at the ceiling. Normally, the poster tacked there made her smile, but this time she just stared at it. She had hoped that doing the laundry would keep her mind off the night before, but it hadn’t worked.
“Good morning, Sunshine.” She said with a small amount of sarcasm, knowing it was afternoon and wouldn’t be such a good one. The vampire in the poster wore the same outfit as on the television show named after him. Dressed like her dark mood, he wore a black trench coat over black pants and shirt. She preferred to wear that color as well, though she had more in common with him than that.
Nada groaned and looked away from the ceiling, as she tried to remember the night before. Damn the full moon, she thought. One day she would get caught running around the city naked and never work another day in her life. Nada did not want to spend the rest of her life locked in a cage or worse. Or worse scared her the most.

Closing Note

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Excerpt:

When she heard the ringing, she thought it was in her head. She pushed away from the door and headed back to her room. It was the phone. Who could be calling in the middle of the night? The hospital hadn't done that since she had the twins, and she didn't have any other family. "Grady!" She breathed and raced to the phone.
"Hello?"
"Nada, he's awake." She heard Dr. Zack Thorton say.
"I'll be right there." She hung up without another word.

The next half-hour was a blur. Nada took the twins to a neighbor and headed to the hospital. She barely listened as Zack tried to tell her Grady's condition. She wouldn't relax until they let her in his room. As she stood staring at his sleeping form, Zack placed his hands on her shoulders.
"He only came to for a few minutes before falling asleep. He was awake when I called but was out when I came back. No one's been able to ask him any questions."
Nada nodded and approached the bed. She took one of Grady's hands in hers. "I'll stay here until he wakes up again." She glanced up at Zack and gave him an apologetic look. "Could you please give us some time?"
His hands had slid away from her shoulders and were resting at his sides. She could see his jaw tighten slightly, but he nodded. "Sure, Hon. I'll be on rounds if you need me."
Nada nodded and looked back at Grady. She pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat in it. Nada lifted his hand to her mouth and kissed his knuckles. "Grady, can you hear me? It's Nada." Leaning forward, she placed her ear to his chest. His heartbeat was definitely stronger. The rhythmic sound of it put her to sleep.

She awoke abruptly when she felt her hand squeezed. Nada sat up abruptly and gasped to see his eyes open. "Grady!" She knew she should call someone, but she didn't want anyone interfering with their reunion. "How are you?" Impulsively, she kissed his cheek.
He watched her for a moment before parting his lips. His dry tongue came out and tried to lick his lips but was unable to moisten them. As he tried to ask for water, Nada reached for the pitcher on the table and poured him some. She held the straw for him as he took a tentative sip. He nodded his thank you and again focused on her. He licked his lips again and cleared his throat.
"Who are you?" His voice was hoarse, but she understood every word. Nada covered her mouth, as her other hand reached out to hit the call button. By the time the room filled with people, the tears in her eyes made them all unrecognizable.

Excerpt:

His eyes slowly opened, and he took a step forward and then another. The growling grew louder with each step, and he took a deep breath to settle his nerves. He tried to prepare himself, but nothing could prepare him for what he saw when he emerged from the tunnel. The thing flew at him from the darkness. In his surprise he fell backward with a choked gasp. He pushed himself up to his elbows and stared at the winged beast hovering over him. He tried to speak but nothing came out, his lips moving soundlessly in horror. As the thing moved closer, its malicious grimace looked like an insane smile. It opened its mouth, as if to speak-or attack. He fell to his back as he threw his arms across his face. Finally, a scream broke through and shook the stone walls.

Chapter One

Drew Berch awoke with a scream that scared every bird within a mile. It took several minutes before they quieted enough for Drew to hear his own ragged breathing. He sat up in his sleeping bag and looked around the clearing. The fire had been out for hours, but he could see everything in the blackness beyond. He kicked aside the top of the bag, ripping the material from the zipper in his haste to stand. He turned full circle several times before slowly dropping into a predatory crouch, his eyes continuing to search the area. The tips of his fingers dug into the ground, as his breathing became more regular. Drew slowly licked his lips as his gaze moved to the lake on his left and then the mountains in the distance. He should have known that visiting the area where his mother had been violated might be unsettling, but he hadn't expected the nightmare.
Remaining in the crouch, Drew scrambled toward the lake. When he reached the edge, he cupped his hands together and dipped them beneath the surface. He lifted his hands to his face and let the water cool his flushed cheeks. He, his sister, Dawn, and his mother, Nada Berch Duncan, weren't like other families. It had been less than eight years since Nada had been in Germany, at the very place where he now crouched. She and her fiance, Derek, had been backpacking across Europe. A shape shifting panther named Kyros attacked them and had killed Derek. It had then altered Nada forever.
Since Dawn was in Greece, Drew wondered again why he went to Germany first. It couldn't be to visit the campsite where Nada had been infected after she watched her lover die. Drew stared at his reflection in the lake. He knew he resembled Derek, who had been his mother's first love. As he continued to stare at his reflection, Drew realized he knew his purpose for being there. Although Nada loved Grady, it still upset her that there had been no closure with Derek. His body had never been found after Kyros killed him. Drew took in a ragged breath and shook his head. His father had been a monster but nothing like that creature in his nightmare. Drew had the horrible feeling he would actually come face to face with that nightmare, and that it would be much sooner than later. The unpleasant thought made him shudder. He hadn't liked the mind numbing fear. His brain wouldn't even let him get a clear picture of what it looked like, though it made his tall frame seem small by comparison. Drew concentrated on the wings instead. Both he and Nada could bring on the wings, though he knew that Dawn couldn't. He absently wondered why.

Excerpt:

"Can I ride in front?" She braced herself for his response, which didn't come. She slowly looked up to meet his unreadable expression.
"That's not really safe," he finally said.
She shrugged. "Guess I'm feeling a bit reckless." She hoped he couldn't see her trembling with fear.
He sighed. "Where do you live?" He looked thoughtful after she told him. "Sure, why not? Hop on."
Not expecting him to agree, her courage waned. "I, uh?" She stammered, unable to speak.
A corner of his mouth moved up as he held out a hand. "Come on, don't be scared."
She shook her head. "I'm not scared."
To prove her point, she walked over to the cycle and mounted it. In an instant he nestled behind her, and she smiled. His arms slid across her ribcage to grip the handles. She shivered in the forced embrace, closing her eyes with a deep sigh. Lifting himself to start the cycle, his crotch slid down her back as he reseated. Happy he couldn't see her face, she licked her lips.
As the cycle jerked forward, she dug her fingers into his thighs and closed her eyes, then laughed and screamed at the same time.
She feared opening her eyes and kept her back pressed to his warm chest. Though the air was cool, his enveloping heat kept the chill away. She?d just begun to relax when the bike stopped, and she opened her eyes to see her apartment. Unable to move at first, she kept her hands on his thighs. His hands covered hers and squeezed. She looked down and smiled. His chin rested on her shoulder, and their cheeks touched. Wanting to stay like that forever, she let her eyes flutter shut.
"Don't forget about your food." His voice broke the spell, and she forced a nod.
"Right," she muttered and crawled off the bike.
He held her elbow to keep her from stumbling. "Should I wait here?"
She froze. Did she want him in her apartment? Hadn't that been the reason for them leaving her party? "I might be a while. You can come in if you want."
His nonchalant shrug looked strangely sensual to her, and she fought licking her lips. She gestured toward her home and then led the way, carrying her bag of food. Nothing really needed to be kept cool, but she wanted to be alone with him. As she unlocked the door, his breath caressed the back of her neck, but he didn't touch her. Would he?
She opened the front door and stepped into the living room. The cool air inside made a sharp contrast to the moist heat from outside, and chill bumps rose on her arms. She resisted the urge to rub them as she held out an arm toward the couch. Leo looked around the small room, which was barely large enough for the couch and TV stand. His gaze lingered on the wide screen television, and she shrugged.
"It's too big for the room, I know, but I couldn't resist it. Don't need to go to the movie theaters now."
She gave him a sheepish smile, and he nodded but didn't move from the door after he closed it behind him. The kitchen was directly off the living room but visible from the front door. She sensed him watching her as she carried her grocery bag to the fridge. Not caring to put anything away right then, she merely put the full bag inside and then leaned against the door once she'd closed it. Her gaze met his across the room. His face was mostly in shadow, but she could still see his eyes.
"I need to get cleaned up. Didn't expect you to take me to my own party." A nervous giggle slipped out, and she cringed.
"No problem," he said with a grin, his expression unreadable.
She nodded, sidestepping the kitchen and then backing out of the living room. "Make yourself comfortable," she suggested, pointing at the couch. Closing the door to her bedroom but leaving it unlocked, she placed her forehead to the cool wood and took a shuddering breath. She had been stalked in the other room and wasn't sure how to feel about it. Something told her that she wouldn't mind being that man's prey. Smiling at such a thought, she pushed away from the door and began to strip off her clothes.
She knew it was wicked getting naked with a man in the other room, especially a man she barely knew. She caught her reflection in the closet mirror and smiled at the flush in her cheeks. Her gaze traveled down her nakedness, wondering if he would appreciate her flawless, dark skin. She shook her head at her own foolishness and headed for the bathroom. After turning on the shower and testing the water, she stepped under the hot spray.
At first, she did nothing but stand under the water, enjoying the feel of it against her skin. Once the heat began to relax her tight muscles, she washed her hair and soaped up her body. As her fingers roamed along her curves, she fantasized that Leo's hands followed hers from her breasts, down her stomach and between her legs. She threw her head back with a moan.
The shower door slid open, and she held her breath.

Excerpt:

Slowly lifting her gaze, their eyes met.Her breath caught as she stared into them. Warmth flowed through her body, pooling between her legs. He wasn't even touching her, so she couldn't imagine why she was aroused. "Do I know you?"
He smiled, and she melted. "No, but I do get a sense of familiarity with you. Like I've known you my whole life."
Normally that would be a cheesy pick-up line, but she felt the same way. "Why do I have this connection with you? I don't even know your name."
He stepped closer and lifted his hand to touch her cheek. Her flesh smoldered beneath his fingers, and she held her breath.
"My name is Kyr--...um..."
He seemed so unsure of himself, she couldn't stop the giggle. "Don't you know?"
He grinned at her. "Of course. It's...Kyree. What's yours?
"Kyree? That's a beautiful name."
"Thanks, and yours?"
His smile devastated her insides and made her tongue feel triple its size. "It's...Dana."
His fingers moved from her cheek down to her neck. "Such a beautiful and perfect pearl."
A feeling she'd never known before blossomed within her body, flooding her senses. She didn't know Kyree, but she couldn't resist the desire that awakened within her. His face descended, and she titled her head to receive his kiss. Her fingers slid into his hair as his arms tightened around her, his hands lowering to her ass. As their bodies melded together, Dana suddenly wished clothing did not separate them. Kyree kissed her again, pulling her body closer, and passion erupted between them. When she had to pull away to breathe, she stared into his face. "What is going on?"
His response was breathless and out of control. "I don't know, but I can't stop touching you."
Between kisses, she managed to get out two words: "Then don't."
"There's a motel right here."
At first she couldn't be certain that he'd said the words or if she'd just thought them. She opened her eyes to see the question in his. Common sense had fled, leaving only naked desire. She wanted...no, she needed to become one with him. "Get a room fast, before I come to my senses."
He kissed her long and hard before reluctantly releasing her. "I'll be right back."
As Kyree turned to walk away, an unpleasant feeling replaced Dana's desire. Something heavy and painful suddenly shot from her back. She looked over her shoulder and nearly choked on her tongue. Black wings cut the air behind her.
Guy chose that moment to interrupt. "I knew she was a tease...Wait, what?"
In terror Dana raced off, trying to outrun the monstrous things on her back. She screamed as the wings lifted her off the ground.
Kyree spun back around to where she had been standing, but then looked around in surprise. "Dana?! Where are you?"
Guy backed off, holding up his hands and pointing to the sky. "She's a freak, man. You can have her."
Kyree growled at him as he ran off like a coward.
"Dana?" He called again, looking up into the darkness and running in the direction she flew.