CURSED AT DAWN by Heather Graham - Spotlight and Excerpt

Dracula lives—and he’s hunting for his bride.

Vampires may not walk among us, but FBI agents Della Hamilton and Mason Carter know real monsters exist. They’ve witnessed firsthand the worst humankind has to offer. They’re still catching their breaths after the apprehension of two such monstrous killers when they’re met with horrific news: Stephan Dante, the self-proclaimed king of the vampires, has escaped from prison, followed only by a trail of blood.

All too familiar with Dante’s cruelty, Della and Mason know the clock is ticking. But as Dante claims more victims, a chilling message arrives. The vampire killer seeks his eternal bride—Della herself. Playing into Dante’s desires might be the only way to stop the carnage once and for all, assuming they can outwit him. Della is confident the agents have the upper hand, but Mason knows every gamble runs the risk of not paying off, and this time, the consequences could be deadly.

HERE'S AN EXCERPT OF CURSED AT DAWN

at him a long time and then hung his head. “I… He didn’t say that I had to kill anyone. He said that

my work here would be enough for me to gain my place with him.”

“He lied. He gave you a bold, all-out lie, Terry. And somewhere inside you, you know it. You

wanted to believe in him. You wanted it so badly because it was better than the prospect of twenty

years to life behind bars. Anything was better than that. You know, sometimes it starts with

someone promising all good things. A truly equal society. That’s pretty much what Jim Jones

promised his followers. Social justice. But what turned him on, what kept him moving forward

at all times, was a desire for power. Dante doesn’t believe in the least that he’s going to be immortal.

What he loves, what he craves, is power. He also loves the act of playing God—he loves killing.

Terry, this is your chance to help me out.”

“Yes!” Donavan said, suddenly looking up at him. The man had tears in his eyes. “Yes, I will help

you. I am so sorry. I—I was a wretched alcoholic. I didn’t want to kill anyone, but when I didn’t

drink the shaking and the headaches got so bad, all until I was in here…all until the doctor… I…”

He stopped speaking and looked Mason in the eye. “I will help you. I don’t know everything, but I

will help you.”

“Libby Larson has two small children,” Alexandra—Alex—Beaufort told Della. “Her poor husband

—he’s beside himself. I don’t think that Libby will be returning to work with prisoners, not after

this! In this crazy day and age, the woman has a beautiful home life, people who truly love her, and

now this…”

“She’s still touch and go?” Della asked.

“The doctors believe that she will make it. We were just fighting different situations. He hit her

with a needle filled with sedation, stabbed her in the side—luckily missing major organs—and

knocked her on the head with something…no one was even sure what he grabbed. But we’ve

been giving her constant transfusions and, of course, done everything possible to clean out her

system from the overdose of morphine. Such a good person!”

Della smiled and nodded at the young nurse speaking with her. “Did you know her before she came

in after the attack?”

“I did. We went to nursing school together. She believed that everyone deserved a second chance.

That human beings were basically good, and that…”

Her words trailed.

“I still believe, just like Libby, that most people are good,” Della told her ruefully. “It’s like anything

—we hear the most about the bad. And sometimes we’re unfortunate enough to see it. But I’ve been

at this awhile and I can tell you that most people are good and want to help when help is needed.

We know about the bad—which I believe is the fringe—because the bad is always loud and makes

us question all else. Anyway, sorry, I understand her—and understand if she doesn’t go back to work

at the facility. I didn’t come to cause further problems—I don’t want to upset her any more but if

possible, I would like to talk to her.”

“She wants to see you,” Alex said. “She heard the FBI had brought him in and she wants to help

catch him again. Still…for her safety and well-being, five minutes?” Alex asked.

“Five minutes,” Della promised.

Libby Larson was in a private room. An IV ran fluids into her arm, while a tube in her nostrils

provided oxygen.

Even in a hospital bed with tubes and wires all around her, Libby was a beautiful young woman.

Her eyes were closed when Della entered the room, and she couldn’t help but wonder if Dante had

been furious that he couldn’t tend to her as he did his victims—dressing her up to lie in “sleep” like

a fairy-tale princess just waiting for true love’s kiss.

Her hair was dark black and swept across the whiteness of the hospital sheets. When she opened

her eyes, they were an incredible deep brown.

“FBI?” she whispered.

Della nodded, smiling, drawing up a chair. “And so grateful to see you alive and on your way

to recovery.”

“I knew who he was. And still…we thought he was going to die. The doctor… Oh, God, we were

even discussing the fact that we were compelled to do everything we could to save life. He should

have been dead! I was one of the medical personnel who rushed into the cafeteria when the guards

had it under control and I saw the blood… He shouldn’t be alive! But he is, and Dr. Henson is dead

and others and… I’m so sorry!”

“What happened?” Della asked. “Do you remember anything at all?”

“Yes. When Dante came in, naturally he wasn’t cuffed. I don’t remember exactly, but one of us

figured he needed to be cuffed and the doctor went out to see the guards. Then I felt a stab, a little

prick, and I was bleeding and then I think something hit me on the head but I barely even felt it…

he was so fast. I—I don’t remember more!”

“Did he say anything at all?” Della asked. “We’re trying to ascertain where he might be heading.”

“No. Not a word. But…”

“But?”

“I’d seen him before,” she said softly. “Prisoners get vaccines, checkups. He was always so polite,

friendly to those around him. And prisoners…talk. When they don’t think that others can hear them.

He made friends with everyone in here—the worst of the worst.” She paused, wincing. “The only

hard-core people he seemed to ignore were pedophiles—he had no interest in them.”

“To the best of my knowledge, he doesn’t kill children,” Della said.

“How can a man appear to be so decent, polite, even charming and be such a monster? And I can’t

help but feel that it’s partially my fault—”

“Never think that. Never. Saving lives is a beautiful thing. Trust me. Stephan Dante has fooled just

about everyone he’s ever met. Don’t let him succeed. Don’t let him change you,” Della said softly.

“He whistled sometimes.”

“What did he whistle?”

“I can’t quite put my finger on the tune, but…”

“Yes?”

“It seemed as if he was taunting people with it. A lot of what I’m saying is hearsay. I only saw him

a few times while he was incarcerated. I just…” Tears stung her eyes. “The doctor is dead. A guard…

That man is a monster!”

“Thank you,” Della told her. “Thank you. And get better! Rest, get better.”

“I will. I have children and the dearest husband in the world. Do you have children?”

“No, I don’t. But I’ve heard yours are wonderful.”

“Little boy, little girl. And my husband! Are you married?”

“No.”

“I’m sorry. That was rude—”

“No, it’s okay. There are people in my life who make it very precious, too.”

“Hold them close. Because we never know. We just never know.” She smiled weakly. “Ah, no

children, but there is someone you love. I mean, besides your family!”

“Yes,” Della said, smiling in return. “There is someone very important in my life.”

“Make sure he knows! There were moments when I was semiconscious when I thought I might die,

and I wondered what the last words were that I had said to my husband. And I was so glad… We’d

been on the phone. He’d told me he could pick up the kids and I thanked him and I told him that I

loved him. I was so glad to realize that! Well, happier that they think I’m going to be okay, but…

tell people that you love them. Because none of us knows what our last words to anyone will be!”

“I will. I will remember your words. And thank you. Thank you again. I’m going to leave my card

on your bedside table. If you think of anything else that might be helpful, will you have someone

call me for you?”

“Of course, yes. And I’m going to work on my memory—and my whistle.”

As Della rose to leave, Libby Larson indeed began trying to whistle. Trying to replicate what she

had heard.

Despite her condition, she found a tune.

And as she walked out, Della went still. At first, the whisper of a whistle just teased at her memory

as well.

Then she thought that she recognized the tune—and that yes, it had been meant to tease and taunt.

And knowing Dante, she thought bitterly, it was almost an invitation. He wanted them to run around

trying to follow him.

He didn’t want them missing any of his handiwork.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Heather Graham, majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write. Her first book was with Dell, and since then, she has written over two hundred novels and novellas including category, suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, sci-fi, young adult, and Christmas family fare.

She is pleased to have been published in approximately thirty languages and has written over 200 novels and has 70 million books in print. Heather has been honored with awards from booksellers and writers’ organizations for excellence in her work, and she is the proud to be a recipient of the Silver Bullet from Thriller Writers and was awarded the prestigious Thriller Master Award in 2016. She is also a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from RWA. Heather has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, Mystery Book Club, People and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including Today, Entertainment Tonight, and local television.

Heather loves travel and anything that has to do with the water and is a certified scuba diver. She also loves ballroom dancing. She has hosted events to benefits to aid pediatric children’s hospital and 2006 she hosted the first Writers for New Orleans Workshop to benefit the stricken Gulf Region. She is also the founder of “The Slush Pile Players,” presenting something that’s “almost like entertainment” for various conferences and benefits. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.

Cursed at Dawn

Author: Heather Graham

ISBN: 9780778334262

Publication Date: August 22, 2023

Publisher: MIRA

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