Trophies: the Ellandun Wars (Volume 1)

A psychological mystery from the acclaimed author of Deal with the Devil

The two halves of his world are about to collide...  
Captain Charles Ellandun lives in two worlds. With NATO's Rapid Response team, he rescues embassies in trouble and takes drinking water to remote villages shattered by earthquakes.
 
Between assignments, he stays with his Aunt Edith in Boston, where she sponsors art shows at the local gallery. It's all very civilized and satisfying, with occasional bursts of mayhem and violence as seasoning. Best yet, he need never deal with his family, his perfect brother, his distant, demanding, disappointed father.
 
But then the war savages his unit -- and him. It implants a ferocious, repeating memory that he can't shake.
 
Then someone murders Aunt Edith. And then someone tries to run him over with a Suburban. Unless he wants to be the next one dead, he must figure out why she is. Like it or not, Charles must dig into her past and haul it into his present.
 
Even if it rips his carefully cultivated world to shrapnel.
 
Even if it costs him his life.

*******
If I was stupid enough to sit out in the rain, then I shouldn't complain if my friendly neighborhood murderer came to call.

My adrenaline skipped second gear and shot into third. Thankfully, this time my training kicked in, too. I sat still and waited, counting the raindrops as they splashed into the pool at my feet. For a moment I almost expected the surface of the pond to ripple, like in Jurassic Park when the T-rex thundered near.

Then as casually as I could, I dropped my hands to my knees and rose from the bench, pretending everything was normal, I'd had my brown study and was ready to go indoors. Whatever lizard came at me, I could deal with it better on my feet than my backside.

But I didn't make it all the way up. Something silky and strong and very very black suddenly wrapped over my head and shoulders, squeezing my arms against my sides. The soft stuff crowded my nose, stole my sight, even stopped my breathing for a panicky explosive moment. It was as if the blackness enveloping me was a living extension of the night, trapping my arms and attacking while I was helpless.

Then behind me, a voice cursed. It broke the spell. Helpless I may be against something primeval; humans I could handle.