Hey there Patron Peeps!
So, I’ve been rereading parts of Night Walker to get reacquainted with Calisto and Kate before I dive into writing the new short story. I can’t believe it’s been 9 years and 30 books since I stepped into their world! *boggle* Time flies!
Anyway, I stumbled onto my favorite scene in the book when my sexy Spaniard encounters… Kate’s horrible stick-shift car! LOL He is giving me a HUGE eye-roll in my head right now! 🙂
But this scene really did make them a team instead of him having all the power. I love that right here, right now, he needed her to rescue him… 🙂
Thought I’d share it here for anyone who hasn’t read Night Walker yet…
The new Patreon exclusive story should be out soon!
Thanks as always for all your support!
Lisa 🙂
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Night Walker excerpt – Copyright 2011 Lisa Kessler
He stared down at her for a moment, wanting to heal every cut on her soft skin. But he couldn’t, not yet. He needed to get her, and her car, far from this place so neither he nor Kate would be implicated in any way with the gruesome murder site.
It also meant he would have to drive.
In all his years, he had never driven an automobile. The closest he had come was watching various assistants through the years as they chauffeured him. He wasn’t sure he could even remember how to start the car, but right now he had no choice.
Grudgingly, he got into the driver’s seat, and finding the lever underneath, he pushed it back so he sat comfortably behind the wheel. After trying three different keys, he found one that slipped into the ignition. From what he had seen over the past hundred years, driving was not a complex operation, and he was an immortal with reflexes far more keen than a human man.
How difficult could it be?
He turned the key and nearly jerked the wheel off the steering column when the car surprised him by lurching forward. The car went silent. The engine wasn’t running. What was he doing wrong? He stared at the gearshift, wondering if he should move it. His frustration reared up, but his agitation would not make the car drive itself. He had to keep a cool head.
Not knowing what else to try, he pushed one of the pedals at his feet to the floor and turned the key again. This time the car didn’t move, and it roared to life. Grasping the gearshift, he jammed it into the first position and glanced over at Kate. Why couldn’t she have owned a car with an automatic transmission?
Shaking his head, he put some pressure on the gas pedal and slowly released the clutch. Thankfully the car rolled a few feet, but without warning it jumped forward. He pressed the clutch back to the floor before the engine lost power again. Calisto slammed his hand against the wheel, muttering under his breath in Spanish.
At this rate it would take him all night to drive her home. The faded yellow convertible pitched forward again, threatening to stall as he continued out of the parking lot, thankful it was late. The streets were fairly empty. At least he wouldn’t get into an accident with another car.
Her car staggered ahead, lurching each time he tried to release the clutch, bouncing and jostling them both until Kate finally stirred and woke up. … “Are we out of gas or something?”
Calisto watched her with a tight smile. “Not exactly.”
Kate winced in pain when she laughed. “You can’t drive a stick-shift, can you?”
“Does it show?” Calisto pulled over, finally allowing the engine to stall.
She nodded her head slowly to avoid more pain. “Just a little. What happened?”
“You don’t remember?”
“I remember being mugged. And I remember seeing you, but everything after that is blank.” She watched his eyes as Calisto reached over to brush her hair back from her face, and his touch sent shivers through her body. This wasn’t how she had hoped she would run into him, but she learned a long time ago fate didn’t always work out the way you expected.
“He ran off when I found you. I tried to take you back to my house to clean up your wounds, but I am afraid your car had other plans.”
“I think I can drive.”
“Are you sure?” Calisto studied her. “You hit your head when he attacked you. I—”
“How did you find me?” Kate interrupted.
“I heard you scream. I got there as quickly as I could.”
“Thank you.” Unexpected tears filled her eyes. “I was so scared. I thought he was going to kill me… or… ” Calisto turned and pulled her into his arms, stroking her hair while she wept. She’d never been so terrified. What if Calisto hadn’t heard her? What if no one had come to her aid? Would she be in his arms right now, or in a morgue?
He whispered against her hair. “You are safe. No one will ever harm you again.”
Something about the way he said it made her believe him. She felt protected in his arms, and gradually her tears faded. “I hoped I would see you again, but this wasn’t how I pictured it would happen.”
Calisto smiled, drawing back to meet her eyes. “I was under the impression you wanted nothing more to do with me, no?”
“I’m not sure what I want anymore,” she said. He placed a tender kiss to her forehead and held her close. “Mercy Hospital is not far from here.”
“No, we don’t need to do that.” Just the thought of the health insurance nightmare of going to an emergency room made her head hurt. “I’m just scraped and shaken up. I’ll be all right.”
“Where are you staying? We can park your car and I will call a taxi.”
“No,” Kate trembled, shaking her head slowly. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to be alone just yet.”
“Then come back to my house. I will clean your wounds and you can rest.”
She winced when she pulled back to meet his eyes. “Are you a nurse?”
He tenderly brushed the backs of his fingers down her uninjured cheek. “Do you need one?” He smiled.
Grinning, she asked, “Do you ever answer questions?”
“My answers do not please you?” Kate rolled her eyes at him, laughing again, and flinched. “Stop it… It hurts when I laugh.”
“I am sorry. I would rather see you laugh than cry.”
She smiled. “Let’s find a safe place to leave my car… And I better drive before you give us both whiplash.”
Calisto nodded and handed her the keys. “As you wish.”