Tulum, Mexico

     Camille Baron stopped jogging and held her breath as the sun rose over the horizon in a blaze of gold that captured her senses. Rays of sunlight scattered through a billowing cloud on the horizon. The color deepened to a bright orange. The vista was so lovely she sat in the cool sand on the edge of the surf to watch. Thankfully, she’d decided to make use of her non-refundable ticket and go solo on her honeymoon.
     Camille sighed. How ironic that she’d never really considered her ex-fiancé coming with her when she’d made travel plans. The thought didn’t help ease the pain that came with being a jilted bride. Perhaps it was for the best that Seymour had run off to Switzerland with a flight attendant a week before their wedding. Really, she’d rather watch the sunrise with her grandfather.
     Her grandfather had told her how Tulum reminded him of the Yucatan he’d known in his youth. Robert Baron had studied the Maya for going on sixty years. She’d always wanted to travel here with him, but managed to miss every trip when he’d visited the ruins in this town. He assured her she’d missed the land at its loveliest, before the droves of tourists found their way into the region. Her grandfather wasn’t that much for mixing with tourists. At moments like this, neither was she. She was thankful for the serenity that came with the deserted beach.
     “Very lovely,” a deep, smooth voice interrupted her thoughts.
     She gazed up. A tall, dark and very muscular man stood next to her. His tanned skin glowed in the morning rays. He wore an incredibly sexy pair of swimming trunks that hinted at his form in a way that made her stomach tighten. Oh, boy … where did you come from?
     “I try to catch every sunrise,” he said, his voice thick with an accent she couldn’t quite place. “It seems we have something in common.”
     Though sunglasses hid his eyes from view, her sixth sense told her that he wasn’t watching the sunrise. He was watching her.
     “This is my first time in Tulum,” she said, gazing again at the sparkling water of the Caribbean. “You don’t sound like a local.”
     “No, not a local. But I visit my home as often as possible.”
     “Do you rent it out while you’re away?” she asked.
     He shook his head, frowning. “No, I would lose the freedom to come when I want.”
     “I only asked because, I’ve rented a private home myself.”
     “Yes, I noticed.”
     She’d left in the dark, over an hour earlier. Had he been following her? Suddenly being on a secluded beach didn’t feel so comforting. “I didn’t notice you.”
     “A woman jogging alone should be more aware of her surroundings. Especially considering the stories I’ve heard about this stretch of beach.”
     She hoped the smile on his face meant that he was teasing her.
     “I was behind you,” he said, pointing at a huge home visible through palm trees. “I was on my way home.” He sat next to her, reclining on his elbows and stretching out his legs. “I need to work at staying fit myself.”
     Having a great view of his form, she figured he must work at that a lot. He was masculine perfection. In her whole life she’d never sat so close to someone with abdominal muscles that begged to be caressed. “So, what are these stories I should be wary of?”
     “Stories about me, of course.”
     “Of course.” She smiled back at him, still feeling wary. “Maybe it would help if I knew who you were.”
     “You may call me Shad,” he said in an authoritative tone that sounded like he was giving her permission. “And your name?”
     Somehow, compared to “Shad,” introducing herself as Dr. Roberta Baron seemed too … stuffy. Only about five people called her by her middle name. That was testament that she didn’t have enough friends or family. Actually, Seymour had never called her Camille. When they’d met, she should have taken that as a sign their relationship was doomed to fail. He’d, of course, blamed her on that account. He said she never let him into her personal life. But, it wasn’t her fault that he’d never wanted to get to know that side of her, and there was nothing wrong with wanting to appear the professional at work.
     “If you’re inventing an alias, you’re not being quick enough.”
     “Camille.” He raised one brow, as if he didn’t believe her. “And, it is my name. My friends call me Camille.”
     “Then Camille it is.”
     “Shad doesn’t ring any warning bells. I haven’t heard a single story about you.”
     “You wouldn’t have. The housekeeping staff knows me only as Mr. Jacek. But, don’t worry; it isn’t so much me that they are afraid of. It’s the many strange occurrences that happen when I’m around that they gossip about.” He grinned. “I pay well, so they stay despite the problems at the house.”
     “This sounds intriguing. Your house is only haunted when you’re there?”
     “By a jaguar, not a ghost. They say that the jaguar follows me. They call my home—”
     “Na Balam.”
     “Mmm-hmm ... home of the jaguar. You have heard of it?”
     She shook her head.
     “Then, you speak Mayan?”
     “I can repeat most of the words the tour guide used at the ruins yesterday. Did I pronounce it correctly?”
     “Very well.” He laughed. “This evening, you and I will dine after sundown. At Na Balam. You can see for yourself if the jaguar visits.”
     No. She couldn’t do that. The last thing she needed was to spend time with a man that looked like him. That most certainly meant candles, and probably alcohol, and ... she would easily be led into another doomed relationship. “I’ve got plans.”
     “You can change them.”
     “How do you know that?” Camille teased. When he merely stared at her with a smug expression, she continued, “I’ll be at Chichen Itza.”
     “Why would you want to mill around with crowds of tourists, when you could be here enjoying the seafood paella my housekeeper Rosita will make in honor of you?”
     “Because it is only on the equinox that the serpent of light and shadow makes an appearance on the face of the Kukulkan Pyramid—another word I picked up thanks to my tour guide.”
     “If not tonight, then tomorrow.”
     Camille stretched as she stood. “We’ll see.”
     “Don’t leave yet.”
     “I’ve got to get ready for my trip.”
     “Run away if you must. But ... I will catch you Camille.”
     That’s what she was worried about. There were benefits to being stuffy. It kept her safe. She was so good at losing her head over men, and this one would be easy to get involved with. But, no matter how handsome he was, she needed to avoid him. She’d tried to have a meaningless fling before, to get over her first break up. That was how she’d met Seymour. She didn’t have a good track record with relationships, and her score on one night stands was an embarrassment.

Planet Marehet

     Jacek Merrick woke from a deep sleep to the incessant drone of his private communicator. That could mean it was only a handful of his closest relatives. He took a wild guess and decided it was Shad. “By the Gods, what do you want?”
     “Something has come up.” It was Shad. “I’m extending my stay. I need you to attend the Tri-System Summit for me.”
     Merrick could guess what had come up. His brother had a lot of strong points, but women were not one of them. “Is she that important?”
     “Trust me, there’s nothing on the agenda that you can’t handle.”
     “The point is I have other things to do. I suggest you bring her home and attend the--”
     “You’re assuming it is a woman—”
     “Of course it is a woman. Question is … who?”
     “I can’t bring her off-world. She’s human.”
     Merrick laughed. “I am working my ass off to find you a genetically-compatible bride, and you’re busy chasing a human being?”
     “You would too, had you met her first.”
     Probably. His brother and he had similar tastes when it came to members of the opposite sex. “Have I mentioned before what an annoying bastard you can be?”
     “Twice this week,” Shad said.
     Merrick signed. Damn but being the younger brother of a crown prince was a pain sometimes. “I’ll attend the Summit, but I can’t cover for you forever. Come home next week.”
     “Thanks, brother. This one is something special.”
     Merrick shook his head. They’d all been special.

Reviews * * * "Lord of the Night captured my attention immediately. With her charming characters, the possibility of shapeshifters from the Planet Marehet, and some steamy sex, Ms. Blysse writes a tale sure to please." ~ Sinclair Reid, Romance Reviews Today * * * 5 Stars! ~ "I enjoyed this short story so much that I wanted it to continue for another few hundred pages. This story is hot, hot, hot, and left me hoping that Ms. Blysse will come out with a series surrounding this fascinating world... This story has it all. I hope to see more by this remarkable author." ~ 5 Stars, heat level hot, by Francesca Hayne at Just Erotic Romance Reviews * * * 5 Magical Wands! ~ "This futuristic romance kept me guessing the whole time. The twisty relationship between Camile, Merrick and Shad kept me glued to the screen and wanting more. I loved the futuristic concept, (I'm a huge sucker for that kind of thing) An excellent read!" ~ Jenn Andrus, Enchanted Ramblings * * * "LORD OF THE NIGHT provides us with an intriguing look into the civilization of an alien planet... This is one story you don’t want to miss!" ~ Chere, ParaNormalRomance Reviews * * * 4 Stars: "Ms. Blysse captured my attention from word one and held it to the very end. This is one of those exquisite stories that I will definitely being returning to read again and again." ~ Keely Skillman, eCataromance Reviews * * * Banner thanks to Ellen Ashe