Chapter Two

Sleep would not come easily Dawn assured herself as she snuggled into the comforting depths of her sleeping bag. The strange feelings she had been experiencing since coming up on this mountain tonight would not go away. A gnawing sense of uneasiness churned inside her. There was someone, or something, watching them.

She pulled the top of her heavy Coleman sleeping bag over her head like she used to do with the blankets on her bed when she was a little girl, and imagined there was a scary monster hiding in her closet or under her bed. It didn’t help anymore tonight than it did all those years ago. She’d better cowboy up if she hoped to get any rest at all.

It was barely a matter of seconds after she cowered under the covers of her sleeping bag before her lids felt heavy. Now, she was trapped between wanting to fall asleep to escape the lingering memory of her recent unnatural fear and a building sense of anticipation over what awaited her once she lost consciousness. The choice was not hers to make.

It was darker than any night she had ever known. Although she was still in her flannel-lined sleeping bag, Dawn was not alone. Strong arms held her in their embrace. Her head rested in the crook of his neck. The long locks of her hair were spread out beneath her and she could feel the way the strands splayed across the man’s muscled chest.

The heat of his breath brushed against her ear. He was whispering something. It was a word she did not understand. Udaya…

She inhaled his musky scent. He smelled like the flowers that bloomed on the prickly cactus covering the desert floor; an intoxicating mixture of sweet succulent floral and the heavier earthy scent of cacti.

This man—he was like a cactus—deceivingly beautiful and dangerous. Dawn knew when she leaned closer to smell the flower, the cactus spines would ensnare her and their daggers would penetrate deep into her skin; deep enough to pierce her very soul.

But it didn’t matter. There was a reckless hunger burning in her like nothing she ever experienced before, and only this mysterious stranger could sate her craving.

The man was kissing her neck now. His lips were full and warm; his kisses tender on her fevered skin. His gentle touch promised paradise. She quivered with excitement.

His hand was inching up under her T-shirt and sliding along her taut ribcage, up to the band of her sports bra. He pushed the bra up until he could cup one firm breast in his hand. His fingers gently teased the little nub in the center.

Her body arched up as his mouth stole away the moan building louder in her throat with a kiss that was now demanding and irresistible. His tongue slid between her parted lips. Dawn let her tongue join his in an erotic dance in her mouth that momentarily distracted her from the way his forefinger was flicking the tip of her nipple more forcefully, making it hard and full.

Instinctively, she turned her body toward the man and felt his hard cock press into her abdomen. An internal plea from her body made her grind her body against his. She grew wet with desire and trembled at the thought of having him inside her.

“Please, make love to me,” she pleaded. The ache between her legs was becoming a screaming, throbbing pain she knew only he could satisfy. “Plea—”

His mouth covered hers again and stole away her voice and her breath.

When their lips separated, his mouth began to traipse gently along the side of her neck. He pushed her hair back over her shoulders as his kisses left a fiery trail to the base of her hairline behind her ear. Dawn felt an unexpected flash of pain, almost like the sting of a wasp or the prick of a pin, but it was over so quickly, she wasn’t even sure if it had really happened.

Waves of pleasure replaced the brief instant of pain and started to reverberate through her body...building and building. She pressed her hips against his engorged cock. She felt the dampness flood between her legs as she breathlessly waited for what she was sure would come next. But—the man was no longer pressing his body against hers. He was pulling away. No.

“I need more,” she whispered. So much more, her body begged. She needed him—all of him—and she needed him now.

“Soon my Udaya, my beautiful Dawn,” he whispered. Then, he was gone.

Dawn opened her eyes slowly. The hazy glow of the morning sun was peeking through the entrance of the overhanging. How was it possible it was morning already? She rubbed at her achy eyes. They felt on fire and her body was telling her she needed about ten more hours of sleep.

Her erotic musings began to edge into her thoughts with vivid clarity.

Whoa, that was one hell of a dream. Make that one hell of a wet dream. It seemed so real, seriously real. But it was only a dream, right? Of course it was.

She glanced over toward Chloe, who was burrowed down in her sleeping bag, with barely the top of her head showing. A relieved breath escaped from her. At least, she hadn’t woken her up with her wild and weird sexual escapades in dreamland.

As she started to push herself up to a sitting position, Dawn realized her shirt and jogging pants were drenched with perspiration. She was actually wet from her wet dream. How ridiculous and seriously embarrassing was this? Every detail of her dream began rushing through her mind again. That man in her dream. He seemed so real—way too real.

His kisses burned their memory on her lips. All the places he touched her were tingling; her breasts ached and her nipples hardened. Her crotch tightened remembering the way his cock had felt against...Stop it.

She wiped her shaky hand across her sweating brow. Granted, she had been lacking in the boyfriend department since moving to Apache Junction a short time ago, but she had been enjoying the freedom of not having a man in her life. Her last brief relationship had been with a fellow teacher in her hometown. He was a nice enough guy, but a bit too clingy and needy. When she made the life-changing decision to move to Apache Junction, she left him behind in Colorado without any regrets. End of story.

Apparently though, she rationalized now as she was sitting here in her sleeping bag feeling very sweaty and uncomfortable, her subconscious mind and body were both trying to tell her she needed more than a camping trip with a girlfriend. A kinky, sexy smelling stranger just seduced her in her dreams, and even when she woke up, her body was still clinging to the incredible sensations she experienced in her sleep.

She reached up and touched her lips, recalling the delicious kisses that were nothing like she ever experienced in real life. She gasped. Her lips felt slightly tender as if she really had been kissed hard and more than once.

“What the hell?” she mumbled. How had she managed to do that to herself? She couldn’t even begin to imagine, and she didn’t even want to try. She definitely needed to make time to have a social life with the opposite sex again, like real soon.

Maybe it was time for Sluts R Us. In college Dawn and her friends jokingly referred to their sexual antics as the Sluts R Us Club, especially if it involved a one night stand. Of course, it was rare when she actually acted on these slutty impulses, but it happened once or twice when too much alcohol was involved.

“Good Morning,” Chloe said, followed by a loud yawn. “I slept like a log. How did you sleep?”

“Um...great, really g-great,” Dawn stammered. A log? The memory of the man’s rock hard cock pressing into her abdomen, in her much too realistic dream reclaimed her thoughts. Flames licked at her entire body as she squirmed uncomfortably in her sleeping bag. Well crap. She was trapped her in her own erotic agony. All she could do was hope her flushed appearance didn’t give her away. No such luck.

Chloe pushed herself up on one elbow and stared at her friend. “What the hell, girlfriend? You look like you’ve just been rode hard and put away wet. Who were you screwing last night?”

Another hot rush of blood flooded through her cheeks. “No, I-I— Okay, I admit it. I had a really wild dream. I was making out with some stranger.” She shook her head, adding, “At least he smelled good.”

“That was one hell of a make-out session.” Chloe giggled. “Why can’t I have dreams like that?”

Dawn attempted to laugh, too. She would enjoy a dream like the one she just had a lot more if her entire body and lips weren’t still feeling as if they were a raging bonfire. Since there was no way she was going to admit any of this to Chloe, she had to suffer in silence and try to push her deviant slumber activities to the back of her mind.

“I’m so excited about our adventure today,” she said in an attempt to change the subject.

“Me too,” Chloe said in an eager tone. “We’re going to an area my dad and I have searched numerous times, because we are certain the clues to the gold mine have something to do with that location.” She shrugged, and added, “I just keep hoping I will see something new or notice something from a different angle. A whole new perspective maybe?” She focused her blue gaze on Dawn. “Maybe you’ll notice something we’ve been missing when you see all of it for the first time.”

“Oh, wow. That’s entirely too much pressure.” Dawn chuckled. “I thought I was just here to be the comic relief.” She pulled her tangled blonde hair over one shoulder and ran her fingers through the thick tresses. The slight wave created from her braid yesterday was completely gone now and her hair was back to its usual state of hanging long and straight past the middle of her back. “But I’ll try not to get freaked out today, okay?”

She felt completely confident her crazy sense of panic from last night was nothing more than an embarrassing memory.

“Or go to any more wild orgies in the middle of the night without inviting me, okay?” Chloe retorted.

“Deal,” Dawn agreed in earnest. She hoped she wouldn’t be having any more of those weird wet dreams, either. She forced herself to focus on the real reason she was here. Meeting Chloe at the Apache Junction Middle school where she started teaching a few weeks ago was a stroke of good fortune. An immediate friendship developed between the two young teachers when they chatted in the teacher’s lounge, especially once they discovered they both enjoyed the same types of outdoor activities, such as hiking and camping.

When her new friend suggested they go prospecting for gold, she thought it sounded like an expedition she couldn’t miss out on. Once Chloe told her they were going in search of the famous Lost Dutchman Gold Mine in the Superstition Mountains, she had really been enthused. She was already familiar with the legendary story about the Dutch gold miner’s claim of finding a rich vein of gold ore in this range of mountains.

Now, however, being here in this remote area, she wasn’t so sure about this whole thing. Jacob Waltz was considered to be a crazy old man back in the time when he told all those bigger-than-life stories about his hidden gold mine. She was wondering if they weren’t a bit crazy to be up here on this dangerous mountain, too.

They had a light breakfast of fruit and yogurt. Well, Chloe had an apple and yogurt, but Dawn’s stomach felt a little queasy so she just opted for some yogurt. She was a bit light-headed and dizzy as if she had been drinking last night. Could you get a hangover from wet dreams?

Chloe munched on her apple as she showed her the detailed route she mapped out for their hike today. Her knowledge of the area was impressive. At least they shouldn’t get lost, or so Dawn hoped.

She grabbed her hairbrush out of her pack and brushed the long strands of her blonde hair smooth before gathering them into a low ponytail at the base of her neck and securing them tightly with a hair band. As she finished twisting the band around her hair, she felt a brief stab of pain behind her ear. She reached up and touched the area where the source of irritation was centered and noticed a slight tenderness. Maybe a spider or bug had bitten her during the night?

No big deal, well, unless it was a poisonous spider and she was going to die. Could that be why she felt queasy earlier? She drew in a deep breath. Damn, she just kept imagining the worse of everything on this trip. An aggravated huff escaped as she picked up her old straw cowboy hat and placed it on her head while she waited for Chloe to finish getting ready.

“You know,” Chloe said as she pulled the bill of her Arizona State baseball cap down on her forehead and slid her own long hair through the hole in the back of the hat, “I will not be upset if you would rather we don’t spend another night up here and just head home when we get done hiking later today? The Superstition Mountains can be more than a little intimidating if you’re not used to this rugged kind of country.”

With a shrug of her shoulders, Dawn hoped she sounded sincere when she answered, “Well, I realize I’m not in Colorado anymore, but I’m not going to be chased away by all those scary stories I read about this place or these seriously steep and narrow trails.” Chuckling, she added, “Besides, you’ve been coming up here all your life and you’re still alive, right?”

“Alive and well, and ready to be a really rich bitch,” Chloe joked as she grabbed her daypack and swung it over her shoulder.

“Oh, now you’re talkin’,” Dawn chimed in as she followed the other woman out of the campsite.

****

Hours later, just as the sun was starting to drop low on the horizon to the west, Dawn eased herself down to the ground a couple of feet from the small fire they built in a circular pit surrounded by rocks. She ran her hand over the tight muscles of her stomach and gave a tired sigh. The long rigorous hike they had done today kicked her butt big time. Since she walked a lot to stay in shape, and was now doing regular exercise at the local gym Chloe had bullied her into joining a couple of weeks ago, she thought her legs were strong. But they felt like limp noodles right now.

“I’m sort of disgusted with myself. I thought I was in much better condition,” she moaned. She placed her cowboy hat carefully on top of her backpack. After smoothing back some of the long strands of hair that had come loose from the ponytail behind her ears, she eagerly reached out to take the can of beer Chloe was holding out to her.

A smile curved Chloe’s lips. “You are in great shape, but when was the last time you hiked all day in sun this intense?”

“Well, I did a lot of hiking in Colorado this past summer before moving, but it’s definitely a different climate here.” She took a swig out of the can of beer, then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “I love seeing all this new country, though. Thanks for letting me tag along. I would have enjoyed it more if we were celebrating finding millions of dollars in gold, though.”

Chloe nodded her head in agreement and pulled her baseball cap off her head. As she tossed the hat to the ground a heavy frown settled on her pretty face. “I was really sure we would find something new today. I have those old clues left by Jacob Waltz memorized and I’ve studied that area so carefully; I just don’t know what I could be missing.” She shook her head and added, “Maybe old man Waltz was just a crazy old fart, after all.”

She stood up and stared out toward the distant horizon as she repeated the clues for at least the tenth time today. “You have to crawl through a hole in the rock. From here you can see the Old Military Trail. You can’t see the mine from the trail. If you climb up a short distance you can see Weaver’s Needle. The setting sun shines on the gold in my mine. A rock face looks at my mine.”

Dawn forced herself up from the ground and stood beside Chloe and stared in the same direction where her friend’s attention was focused. Off in the distance the sun was nearly gone from the westerly sky as her gaze settled on the ominous shape of Weaver’s Needle. The protruding column of massive rock glowed in deep shades of orange and was surrounded by a shadowy purplish haze making it appear almost spiritual.

Today, they had been on the most treacherous trails she ever hiked, crawled through a hole in a huge rock shaped like a natural arch in one of the most rugged and remote places Dawn had ever been; Chloe led them to the barely visible path called the Old Military Trail, and they stared at the huge rock formation called Weaver’s Needle from the top of a jagged range of rocks for what seemed hours. But as hard as they tried, they could not find anything resembling a face in any of the surrounding cliffs or rocks.

Chloe continued to gaze off into the distance as frustration and disappointment became evident on her tired face. Dawn felt at a loss for words. She kept thinking about all the research she had done about this area in the past few days, especially the parts about the curse of the Lost Dutchman Mine, and how it was allegedly guarded by unfathomable evil forces that would never allow anyone to live if they should ever find it.

It creeped her out to think of how many lives had been lost in these mountains looking for a gold mine that might be no more than someone’s wild imagination. The exact number of missing or dead was not even known for sure, since many explorers and hopeful gold seekers just disappeared without a trace.

Being here in the heart of these hidden recesses and rugged terrain, however, she could definitely understand how someone might easily become lost or fall into one of the deep caverns and never find their way out of this dangerous rock maze again. But what she still couldn’t comprehend was the depth of passion people like Chloe and her family had in their relentless quest to find this supposed gold mine. There really wasn’t any solid proof it existed, yet, they never gave up hope.

****

“Hello there.”

The two women turned in unison to look in the direction of the unexpected greeting. Dawn glanced at Chloe and was surprised to see she was smiling and didn’t seem worried in the least about the approach of the two strangers who were walking their way.

“Looks like you two have been out exploring,” the taller of the two men commented as they stopped a couple feet away. He pointed at their discarded hiking gear lying beside the small fire pit. He chuckled and added, “Unless you’re looking for a gold mine?”

Chloe’s response was quick. “Oh, hardly.” She chuckled as she ran her fingers through the long medium brown hair hanging loosely over her shoulders. “Nope, we’re just here to get some fresh air and exercise.” She gave a nonchalant shrug, adding, “How about you guys? Are you seekers or hikers?”

“Both,” the same man replied. “Oh, excuse my manners. I’m Anton Two Moons and this is my brother, Rafael Two Moons.”

For the first time since they had arrived, Dawn let her gaze raise up to the face of the man who was doing all the talking. From beneath the wide brim of his tan straw cowboy hat, dark shimmering eyes locked with her gaze for an instant before she was able to look away. There was no denying he was a gorgeous man, but the sense of uneasiness and the heavy knot in the pit of her stomach distracted her thoughts from this man’s good looks.

“Nice to meet you,” Chloe replied, seemingly unaware of Dawn’s apprehension over encountering strangers up here in this isolated area.

She twisted her body in a flirty motion Dawn had never seen her do before now.

“I’m Chloe Webster and this is my friend, Dawn Malone. We’re both teachers in Apache Junction.”

Rafael Two Moons chuckled, then added as he glanced at his brother, “Wow, the teachers didn’t look like this when we were in school, did they?”

Wow, that’s original, Dawn thought. She lost count of how many men used that line since she had become a school teacher after graduating from college a few years ago. But Chloe was giggling like a teenager who had never heard it.

Tossing her hair back over one of her shoulders in a teasing manner, Chloe then hooked her thumbs in the belt loops of her low-rise blue jeans. “So, you’re hunting for the Lost Dutchman, no doubt?” she asked. “I’ve heard some people still believe it exists.”

Dawn cast her friend a curious glance. Looking for the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine was practically a national past time in this part of Arizona. What did it matter if these men knew what they were doing here? She turned back toward the two men as she studied each of them and waited for their reaction to Chloe’s comment about the gold mine.

They were undoubtedly Native American, around the same age as she and Chloe were, and to say they were both handsome guys would be an understatement. They were taller and leaner than many of the Native Americans Dawn had met since moving here, and their regal features were framed by long flowing locks of shiny thick black hair.

The taller of the two men—the one she locked gazes with—wore the straw cowboy hat and the other man had a folded red bandana tied around his forehead like a headband. Dressed casually, both men wore jeans, dark T-shirts and hiking boots that looked almost brand new. Their backpacks did not appear to be filled with much gear, so she figured they most likely lived somewhere in the area and were just camping for one night.

And luckily, they seemed oblivious to Chloe’s little white lie.

“Well, whether or not it exists, we enjoy hiking around in these old mountains,” Anton replied as he glanced around at the rapidly darkening countryside. “We have a favorite spot we’ve been camping at since we were children and it’s not too far from here. It’s always fun to imagine we might stumble onto a pot of gold or something.”

“Really?” Chloe glanced toward the trail. “I wasn’t aware there were more campsites any farther up?”

Dawn noticed a strange expression flash across Anton Two Moons’ face, but it was quickly replaced by smile. “You must know this area quite well?” He directed all his attention toward Chloe.

“I was raised in the area, so yeah, I guess I know these mountains pretty well.” She looked at Dawn and motioned with her hand. “But my friend just moved here from Colorado, so I’m just showing her some of the local countryside.”

Dawn’s gaze moved to back to Anton’s face. He was smiling at her. She was struck by how white his teeth looked in contrast to his smooth bronze-hued skin.

“Welcome to Arizona,” he said in a polite tone. He did not let his gaze linger as he turned toward his brother. “We should let these lovely ladies get settled in for the night. We still have to set up camp.”

“In the dark,” Rafael added with a chuckle. “Oh well, it won’t be the first time or the last.” He waved goodbye and added, “Maybe we’ll see you girls on the trail tomorrow.”

“I hope so,” Chloe replied as she gave an enthusiastic wave back.

Dawn attempted to be social, in spite of the nervousness she could not ignore. “Nice to meet you both,” she called out.

“You, too,” Anton Two Moons answered. He did not look directly at either of the women again as he turned to follow his brother out of the camp.

“I hope you don’t think I’m terrible for not admitting why we are here?” Chloe said as soon as the men were out of earshot. “It’s just easier that way.”

“No worries,” Dawn answered. She wasn’t up for discussing the Lost Gold Mine with those two mysterious strangers, either.

“Well, I have a whole new appreciation for the Indian Nation,” Chloe said with a giggle. “I wouldn’t mind meeting them on the trail or anywhere else, for that matter.”

“For sure,” Dawn said with way more enthusiasm than she felt. There was no denying both men were probably the most attractive men she ever met, and there was a dangerous and sensual aura about them that only increased their appeal. Anton Two Moons, with his towering frame and perfectly chiseled features looked like he could be in the movies, and his brother, Rafael Two Moons was equally as good-looking. So, why did she feel so uncomfortable around them?

****

Mateo Two Moons leaned back against the rock and stared out into the dusky countryside. He was at a loss for words. Dawn, Udaya, in his Apache language, was more beautiful than he could have imagined with her long blonde hair trailing past the middle of her back and her delicate pale coloring. For so long he had tried to picture what she would look like, but he never expected his mate would have blonde hair and be fair-skinned. None of the other men in his vampire Blood Clan had a blonde mate. She would be the only one in the entire village. And she would belong to him for eternity.

“Happy now, Brother?” Anton whispered.

Mateo fought to gain control of the multitude of emotions he was feeling at this moment. He had memorized every inch of her while he watched from his hiding place as his brothers spoke to the two women. Tonight, Dawn Malone—his mate—was wearing her naturally blonde hair pulled into a loose ponytail at the back of her head, and in the waning light the pale wispy strands hanging loose around her beautiful face were shining like a halo of moonbeams. Faded jeans, with a frayed hole in one knee, hugged the slight curves of her narrow hips, and a simple white T-shirt pulled snug across the perfect swell of her breasts completed her casual outfit.

He already knew the way her firm body and soft silken skin felt under those unassuming clothes. She had been under his hypnotic vampire influence and in a dream-like state when he visited her in her sleeping bag last night and held her in his arms and touched her intimately for the first time.

Her eyelids fluttered open long enough for him to glimpse the unique hue of her eyes, and his keen sight had been able to tell they were hazel-colored. But to Mateo the pale brown orbs reminded him of the sand and the flecks of jade that sparkled in their depths were like the deep green cacti that decorated the desert with beauty and wonder. Even her scent reminded him of the fresh clean aura of the Yucca that blooms in early summer, but only releases its scent as darkness descends each night.

One of his own dreams had also come true last night; to see and spend some time with his mate while she was still in her human world—as a real one—the term his vampire clan called her kind. Originally, he thought he only needed a few extra moments with her before he made her his mate for all eternity. But in the moment when he tasted that first drop of her sweet blood as he bit the tender spot at the base of her hairline, he also realized there was something else he desperately needed before he followed the rituals of his clan and claimed her in every way…body, mind, and soul.

He had been overcome with a sense of excitement and confusion by this sudden new revelation and the possibilities of what it could mean if his impulsive plan was successful. Although he had no desire to tamper with their ultimate destinies, he knew he had to find a way to change the archaic customs of his people, and the traditions that had been in place since the beginning of their time. He was prepared to tempt fate in his quest to find a way to live with Dawn Malone in her human world, if only for a while, before he took her to live as his mate in his world forever.

Seeing her tonight as she spoke to his two older brothers convinced him even further that he was going to make this plan work. Before he took her to the top of the mountain for the rest of all time, he would know every one of her human desires, and he would fulfill each and every one.

“Yes, I’m more than happy now,” Mateo finally answered as his mind filled with the beautiful images of the future.