Midnight Hunter Book One in the Midnight Hunter Trilogy

Donna woke up groggy and to the sounds of furniture being dragged across the floor downstairs. The noise crept inside her conscious, nudging her to alertness against her will. She groaned and looked at the clock. Noon.

  Already? Will I ever get over this ridiculous exhaustion?

  “Hunter?” He was not next to her, even though before he’d left the night before, he'd promised he would be.

  Probably downstairs already, which is too bad, because I sure feel like having a birthday romp.

  Donna grabbed her toothbrush, shampoo, a change of clothes, and then she plodded to the bathroom. Chatter echoed up the stairwell from below. She paid little mind to it. All she wanted was a nice, cool shower and she got it because the hot water was all gone.

  After the frigid shower, Donna stood naked and shivering in front of the mirror on the back of the bathroom door, surveying her shape.

  Is my belly already bigger?

  She touched her belly button. It felt different. And…was there a stretch mark already? Donna squinted and looked closer. No, it couldn't be, but it certainly seemed like it was.

  After a bout of morning sickness and a craving for cod liver oil with sponge cake so intense it almost made her faint from desire, Donna descended the stairs feeling like a tidal wave was pushing her.

  Why does everything feel off-balance?

  She turned the corner toward the kitchen.

  “Surprise!”

  A chorus of Happy Birthday came from the living room. Donna turned and gawked toward it. The swords, knives, and guns were gone and in their place - balloons, crepe paper and gift boxes. And people...the living room was full of them, living and undead. Mo crashed out from the crowd, ran up and wrapped her arms around Donna.

  “Happy twenty-first birthday, best friend!” Then Mo whispered in her loud way. “We hid the weapons so they wouldn't scare the uninitiated mortals.”

  Donna scanned the room. Dante, Trent, Samee. Mr. and Mrs. Giovanni. Liz and Bruce. Jill, Dad, and Jamie, James...whatever. It turned out Mo had conspired the surprise and instructed all vampires to arrive before sun up to help set up everything. Mo had spent since 5:00 am directing everybody on the correct ways to inflate helium balloons and hang crepe paper. She even told the Giovannis which flavor cake to bake. Mrs. Giovanni tried to prepare a bacon and rye cake, which Donna admitted would've been mouthwateringly delicious, but Mo had insisted on white crème with lemon frosting. It tasted good too, and anyway, the mortals liked it better.

  Donna smiled, chatted and opened her gifts. She pretended to be excited about the new clothes and the gift certificate to the local sports bar, but all she really wanted for her birthday was her Eternal Partner, who was conspicuously missing from it.

  The party started to wind down an hour before dusk. Mr. Giovanni clanked dishes in the kitchen sink while Trent balled up gift wrap and shoved it in a plastic trash sack. Donna found Dante in the hallway talking with Samee.

  “Where's Hunter?” Donna demanded.

  “I wish I knew, love.” Dante's expression gave away his feelings.

  He’s worried, too.

  So was Samee, whose mouth was tight in concern.

  “He's not answering his phone or any of the texts I've sent,” Samee said.

  Dante explained that such behavior from a vampire with Hunter's job was not unusual, but they all knew it was not right for him to miss Donna's party.

  Dad strolled up and kissed Donna's forehead. “This is a wonderful party, honey. Your elusive boyfriend has made great strides in remodeling this old place.” Trent overheard Dad’s comment and beamed.

  “This guy,” Donna motioned for Trent to come over, “did the work. His name is Trent.”

  “Well Trent, your talent is superb. Old houses are a real hassle to restore and you're doing an excellent job with this one.” Dad glanced back to Donna as if to say he understood who had done the excellent job on the McCormick house, too.

  “Thank you, sir.” Trent smiled. Then he noticed Jamie going upstairs to the bathroom and excused himself to move toward Mo.

  Dad indicated toward the kitchen. “I'm surprised to see the Giovannis here.”

  What was Donna supposed to say? That they were her original parents from many centuries ago and wouldn't have missed her twenty-first birthday for anything in the world, unlike Mom?

  “Mo did it. I mean, she invited them,” Donna quickly said. “I told her the Giovannis are our family friends, so she invited them.”

  Dad nodded. “I'm impressed. Your friend Mo is quite considerate. Her mother must have raised her right.” He glanced toward the end of the hallway toward Jill, whose head tilted back when she laughed at something her daughter said.

  “Ah, Mister McCormick,” Mrs. Giovanni waddled toward Dad and Donna, her fleshy arms open wide.

  Dad turned to accept her embrace. “What a delight it's been to have you here today.”

  “Oh, now you stop flirting with me, Mister McCormick.” She turned to Donna. “I am so very proud of you, Miss.” She touched Donna's cheek with her calloused fingers. They were rough, so unlike her mother's perfectly manicured ones. Yet Mrs. Giovanni's touch felt smoother than Mom's ever had.

  Mo trotted up beside them and jabbed Donna in the ribs. Trent was right next to her.

  “Hey, where's your blood-sucker?” she asked.

  “Blood-sucker?” Dad frowned.

  “Mister McCormick,” Mrs. Giovanni diverted. “Can you smell that?” She inhaled sharply. “It is tomato and basil salad prepared fresh, by my husband. Won't you come try a bite?” She placed an arm around Dad's shoulder and ushered him toward the kitchen then shot daggers back at Mo.

  “Hey, Mo,” Jamie tromped downstairs. “Come outside with me for a minute so I can get some air.”

  “That means he wants to get high,” Mo rolled her eyes at Donna, who stared in horror.

  “You aren't smoking pot while pregnant?”

  “Of course not, dodo. Do you think I'm an idiot? I didn't even know he smoked the stuff until a week ago. I'm thinking this relationship is going to end up in child support payments and shared custody.” She snorted in derision and then followed Jamie outside. Trent indicated toward them and grinned at Donna.

  “I'll be with that delightful creature someday soon,” he said.

  “Do you really think she'll leave a mortal for you?”

  “I think she'll leave the mortal for herself. Then she'll come to me.”