John The Deliverer

  John the Deliverer Book 1 of the Raven Series

  by Rhiannon Neeley

  Published 2003

  ISBN 1-931761-69-1

  Published by Liquid Silver Books, imprint of Atlantic Bridge Publishing, 6280 Crittenden Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana. Copyright © 2003, Rhiannon Neeley. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  Liquid Silver Books http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com

  Email:

  raven@liquidsilverbooks.com

  Cover Art

  Shirley A. Schult

  http://www.pixelhaven.com

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

  Chapter One

  Finally.

  The cannon shot echoed off the sides of the buildings of Main Street and reverberated down the street for a full minute, sending Maddie's heart thudding in her chest. The crowd lining both sides of the sidewalk cheered over the sound as The River Bend High School Marching Band began to play three blocks down.

  The annual River Bend Halloween parade had begun.

  Maddie sat on a chilly metal chair situated on a flat-bed trailer, which was parked in front of The First State Bank. She was one of seven people sitting high above the crowd at the long announcer's table. Wishing she had worn long underwear beneath her jeans, Maddie smiled and clapped as the band stopped in front of the trailer and began the school song. The word 'finally' kept running through her mind as she watched the band do their signature number.

  If Maddie was proud and excited to be where she was, her parents, Michael and Kathryn Woods, were even prouder their wayward daughter had finally secured a place in River Bend Society. Only important locals received invitations to sit at the announcer's table, and this was the first time Maddie had been invited to join them.

  Madison Woods had lived all of her twenty-six years in River Bend, Ohio and her life had been--well--not one she really wanted to discuss. When she was a teenager, not too long ago, she had almost driven her parents crazy with her wild imagination and even wilder ways. But when she was a senior in high school, a certain teacher had commented Maddie would never amount to anything.

  Those words had changed her attitude and her life. She would prove them wrong. Totally wrong.

  Maddie graduated with passable grades--no valedictorian here. Then she immediately moved into her own tiny apartment, got a job and put herself through school at the local River Bend College. It had been a challenge, but with a bit of financial aid and working every night of the week, she had succeeded. And when her novel, When Glory Came Home, was published, Maddie became a prominent, solid citizen in the town.

  Even the men she began to date were 'Michael and Kathryn' worthy. Gone were the rough boys. In came the college grads with 'a future'. But she stopped dating after awhile, realizing the so-called "acceptable" men were too 'River Bend'. Standing all of five foot two and only one hundred pounds, Maddie had kept her high school figure. She still had the tiny waist that only accentuated the fact that she was busty for her size. Her green eyes were set off by the deep red tones in her shoulder length hair and her full lips were a natural coral color that never needed lipstick. Maddie had never wanted for dates. While she had plenty of offers, no one seemed to live up to her idea of a man who would hold her interest for more than a month. What she really wanted--what she needed--was a man who was mysterious, dangerous. A man who could titillate her desire as well as her mind. A man with a certain 'darkness' hidden just beneath the skin, who could excite her day after day, month after month. A man she could explore, slowly revealing bit by bit what was underneath the surface, inside and out. But now that she had risen in society, she didn't want to blow it by letting her hidden wild side show through. Not now. Not after she had worked so hard for this.

  She had shown them all they were wrong about her. She had become an asset to society and recognized for her contribution. Maddie liked her life now. Her life of normalcy, if that's what you could call a writer's life--normal.

  Maddie loved River Bend. Always had. Never had the inclination to leave. But she craved a good jolt of excitement once in a while.

  That was what she was getting now. This Halloween promised to be more exciting than any other. As the band finished its number and marched down the street, George Polk, River Bend's mayor, took up the microphone. "What a wonderful job! Let's give The River Bend High School Marching Band a cheer!" he said, his voice loud and strangely distorted through the PA system. "And while we're waiting for the Sheriff's Posse to mount up and ride our way, let's give another River Bend cheer for the scariest lady in town." Mayor Polk waved his hand at Maddie, motioning for her to stand.

  Maddie stood, smiling. Scariest lady in town. That's a good one, she thought.

  The mayor grinned widely and continued, "Introducing Miss Madison Woods, our resident horror writer!"

  * * * *

  John Raven watched her from across the street. Hands shoved deep into the pockets of his long, leather coat, he let his mind drift.

  He was drawn to her, and not only because Devlin Morse had ordered him to watch and deliver her to him, if necessary. No. It was much more. A couple of times he had reached out and touched her with his mind. It was a light touch, but it incited him with the volcanic urge to be near her. She was so guarded with her feelings. So ... alone, it seemed. Not letting the real Madison Woods come to the surface. Raven wanted her to unveil herself, instead of trapping her essence inside. She touched him in a way that made him want to protect her, help her. Make her see that she didn't need to hide herself away.

  Raven had been in this business a long time and had always kept women at a distance.

  But this time he didn't know if he'd be able to stay away from his quarry.

  * * * *

  The townsfolk clapped and cheered. This was the moment that Madison had worked so hard for. She was finally in the spotlight, with her parents' approval. Still, it amazed her that most everyone in town thought of her paranormal romance as a 'horror' book. But hey, whatever they wanted to think was fine with her, as long as she fit in. Maddie waved at the crowd, did a little bow and quickly sat down. It was a tiny bit embarrassing, all of this attention, especially because she wasn't used to it.

  The mayor winked at her, then continued his announcements. "Ms. Woods will be doing a reading at the Public Library tomorrow evening,--that's Sunday, folks--at 8:00 p.m.. And on Monday night, be sure to stop by at Cover to Cover in the Mall where she will be signing copies of her novel, When Glory Came Home. Now, here comes the Posse all saddled up. Don't they look great!"

  Maddie crossed her arms and hugged herself. This was great publicity but she also felt very self-conscious. She wondered how much her agent, Patricia Call, had to do with all the hoopla the Mayor had spouted. She wasn't used to this, being up on a pedestal, everyone looking at her.

  A slight sense of unease touched her as she felt someone was watching her, watching her closely, eyes burning into her, as she sat on this chilly flatbed trailer. Maddie shook herself, trying to quell the feeling of being overly exposed. This is what you wanted, she reminded herself again. Smile and watch the parade, then judge the children's costume contest afterward.

  At least watching the parade wasn't hard. She had always loved parades, and this was the largest parade River Bend put on all year. If only her stomach weren't so shak
y, she'd feel much better. It was just nerves from her first real appearance as a 'celebrity'. She would get used to it, even if it killed her.

  Maddie let her eyes travel over the onlookers. She still had the sense of being watched closely but couldn't pinpoint where the feeling was coming from. She scanned the crowd and smiled slightly. It was funny, she thought. Her parents were so proud of her, but she had yet to spot them in the crowd. They were probably at home, waiting by the phone for the congratulatory calls lauding them for turning Maddie around, teaching her to be respectable. Maddie smiled. They could take the phone calls, but Maddie knew who had turned her life around. She was the one who had made the decision to get her act together.

  The night was chilly but gorgeously clear. Stars twinkled starkly against the midnight blue sky as the scent of caramel corn and cotton candy wafted through the air. Vendors on the street corners were doing good business tonight.

  Only nine more days until Halloween. Maddie grinned, taking in the holiday excitement. She still found it odd that this sleepy little Ohio town got so wrapped up in a 'pagan' holiday. And when her book had been released three weeks ago, the response from the town had astonished her. Especially as one of the main characters in the book--the hero himself--was a vampire. Who would have thought a paranormal romance featuring a vampire would do so well in a town known mostly for its morality? Maddie gave a mental shrug. She might as well enjoy the ride of her new celebrity and not question too much.

  The Mayor announced float after float, band after band, while Maddie grinned at the children along the curb as they scrambled to catch candy being thrown from the floats. Maddie couldn't wait for trick-or-treat. She loved handing out candy, especially to toddlers. And she had the perfect costume for herself.

  A vampire, of course. Her favorite monster.

  There was something about the vampire that drew her in, made her mind churn with ideas. Vampires emanated power, mystery, danger and deeply veined passions. Their animal magnetism washed over mere mortals who got too close in a wave of pure sexual lust.

  Maddie realized the very qualities that attracted her to vampires were those she would like to find in a man. A man like that ... well. She would be interested in solving the mystery of a man like that. Maddie shook her head. She'd better get her mind off imaginary men, vampires in particular, and back on the parade.

  The parade finally ended. It had lasted close to two hours and Maddie was almost chilled to the bone. But it had been an enjoyable evening with all of the excitement and her new fame keeping her heart warm inside. The streets and sidewalks began to empty as townsfolk headed home for hot cider and warm fires. Not many stayed for the costume contest, except devoted parents. There were fifty or so children jostling for position in front of the flat bed trailer. The contest was for children twelve years old and younger and Maddie had no idea how she was going to choose a winner. This was her first time being the judge of anything, and it was strange to be judging a contest that she had participated in when she was a child. Maddie chewed her lip, knowing the contest meant a great deal to the children involved. Oh, there were small prizes for all but the grand prize was something--a fifty-dollar gift certificate to Toyland at the Mall. It would be a treasure to a child. But how in the world was she going to choose? She didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings.

  While she waited for the children to line up in their appropriate age groups, Maddie's gaze wandered to the buildings on the other side of the street. They seemed deserted after so much activity only minutes ago. Halloween decorations dappled the windows of the stores. Cornstalks and pumpkins. Scarecrows and delightfully happy-looking witches. The stores' interiors were dimly lit, casting shadows of paper monsters and ghosties that hung from ceilings inside. Just as one of the organizers of the contest signaled the judging was ready to begin, Maddie caught a slight movement beneath the awning of Wood-U-Furniture, the only store that was almost completely dark inside. Someone was there, standing in the shadows. Maddie squinted, trying to get a better look. The flame from a lighter flared as the dark stranger lit a cigarette. Maddie could tell it was a man. He was cloaked in darkness, his cigarette burning in the dark like a beacon.

  Realization suddenly washed through her. The dark man wasn't watching the costume contest or the children. He was watching her. As the thought entered her mind, the man stepped forward into the yellow glow of the sodium streetlights.

  Maddie swallowed as a hot warmth swirled through her veins. She couldn't take her eyes off him.

  He was over six feet tall, and dressed completely in black. Black leather pants that looked like a second skin. Black shirt, unbuttoned at the collar. Long black trench coat that ran the length of his lean body to just above his booted feet. His hair gleamed darkly in the yellowish sodium glow, the exact color of a raven's wing, as it fell past his shoulders almost to his waist.

  But it wasn't just his clothes that had Maddie's attention. His forceful presence took Maddie's breath away, even from across the street.

  The stranger took a slow drag from his cigarette, his movements tight and controlled, his gaze locked on her.

  Maddie ran her tongue over lips that were suddenly dry and feverish. There was something so ... so familiar about him. It was as if she should know him, although she had never met him before. A man with such a strong presence would not easily be forgotten.

  Slowly, deliberately, he lowered the cigarette from his lips and blew smoke in her direction.

  "Madison." She felt her name against her ear in a warm, moist breath. Maddie gasped as a tingling sensation trailed down her neck, as if someone was touching her, caressing her throat. Her own hand reached toward her throat and rested there as she fought a shiver of anticipation

  "Ms. Woods?" a voice called from below her.

  She looked down to find one of the contest organizers, a nice grandmotherly woman, looking up at her strangely. "We're ready to begin," the woman said.

  Maddie glanced beside her, stunned to find she was the only person left on the flat bed. No one had been near enough to whisper in her ear. "Y-yes," she said, mentally shaking herself. She looked across the street to the place where the dark stranger stood.

  He was gone.

  Maddie frowned. Where had he gone? A few people were walking on the sidewalks, the last stragglers heading home after the parade. But no one dressed completely in black. How had he disappeared? She touched her ear ... still feeling the warmth of his whisper. The sensation of someone's burning touch trailing down the side of her neck still lingered, making her ache inside.

  Maddie took a deep breath and released it. Whoa, that dark stranger sure had given her a bit of a thrill. Testimony to her lack of dating lately, probably. She looked down at the mass of children below. They were starting to get antsy. Maddie plastered a smile on her face and began writing down a list of her choices for best costume, all the while thinking she needed to get out more. She hadn't had a date in what ... a year? And that man, that dark stranger across the street, had been so compelling. She'd be dreaming about him tonight while she lay alone in bed. There had been something about him, a feeling of familiarity that was so strong, there was no way she was going to get him out of her head. Not tonight anyway. He had looked dangerous, the definition of masculine. Stop it, she told herself. You're judging a child's contest, for goodness sake. This is not the time to be having a sexual fantasy about some stranger that you've only seen from across the street. Maddie bit the inside of her cheek, hard, and brought her thoughts back to the matter at hand.

  Smiling, she held up the number twenty-seven on a piece of paper. "We have a winner!" the grandmotherly lady called out over the crowd of children. The little boy Maddie had chosen jumped up and down, his actions perfectly suiting the elf costume he wore. The rest of the children lined up to receive assorted small prizes while the little boy in the elf costume was helped up onto the flat bed to receive his prize directly from Maddie.

  After awarding the prizes, the excited children le
ft with their parents. Maddie was tired. She let out a long sigh, watching her warm breath rise into the chilly air. What a night.

  Maddie jumped suddenly as someone slapped the floor of the flatbed. She looked down to see the mayor of the city grinning up at her. "I want to thank you for being here tonight, Ms. Woods," he said.

  Maddie rose from the cold metal chair and stretched her legs. "It was a pleasure, Mr. Mayor. Glad to do it."

  The mayor nodded and slapped the trailer again. "Would you like me to walk you to your car?"

  Maddie shook her head, moving toward the trailer steps. "No thanks. I don't think I have anything to worry about here in River Bend."

  "Well, let's hope so. You're one of our own, you know."

  Maddie reached the sidewalk. "Yes," she said. "I guess I am."

  "Well, goodnight then." Mayor Polk raised his hand in a wave and headed toward the corner.

  Maddie sighed and surveyed the littered street. The cleaners had their work cut out for them tonight, what with all of the candy wrappers and confetti lying on the curbs. Again, she wondered where the dark stranger had disappeared. Ah well, probably for the best that he had gone, she thought. Still, it was disappointing he had vanished so completely. Maddie shrugged her coat tighter around herself and, shoving her hands deep in her pockets, started along the sidewalk toward the corner. As she rounded the corner to the bank's parking lot, where her car was parked, she could hear men beginning to tear down the flatbed platform behind her.

  Shivering slightly, Maddie hoped it would be warmer on trick-or-treat night. The cold told her winter would be here soon, something Maddie wasn't looking forward to. Still, she had her new book. The cold weather would provide the perfect excuse to stay inside and work at her computer.