Poison in the Blood (25 page)

The two men sized each other up, and I sneezed once and then again as the smoky vampire scent returned, saturating the air around us and mingling with the haze of Lex’s magic.

“Fine, whatever. Can we just get it over with?”

“Of course.” With liquid, otherworldly grace the vampire glided toward me and I stared at him, petrified with terror. Images of my mother’s broken body assaulted me, of her eyes frozen in an expression that urged me to run, to flee from the monsters which would be looking for me next.

I wasn’t sure what I expected him to do. Outside of horror films and
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
I’d never witnessed a vamp feeding before. Simon circled around behind me. He was tall, even taller than Lex, and I tried to look at him but he stopped me by gently turning my head toward Lex instead. Helpless, I watched as anger and frustration thrummed through him. I was going to be lectured after this, I could tell—provided of course I didn’t die on the spot from a fear-induced heart attack.

My hair was tied back into a loose braid, and I felt the vampire smooth it away from my neck as he tilted my head to the side, running his slender fingers tantalizingly slow down the side of my exposed throat. His touch was cold, and there was no warmth from his body as he pressed himself against me, bending down to hover above my pulse. Simon chuckled, and I felt his breath brush against my skin.

“What’s so funny?” I asked, my voice high and sharp.

“I was correct, wasn’t I? You’ve never been bitten before,” he whispered. I swallowed hard and nodded. “I’ll try to make this memorable then. Be sure to watch your guardian. His reaction is going to be most entertaining.”

Like a techno-dance beat my pulse throbbed deafening in my ears as I tensed for the coming strike, squeezing my eyes shut. There was a sharp moment of pain, like the quick slice of a knife, that made me gasp, and I fully expected agony to follow it. Much to my amazement, the sensation was pleasant—a warm fuzzy glow that reminded me of adding a shot or two of butterscotch schnapps to my mug of hot chocolate on a winter’s night. It was confusing—pleasurably confusing, but still not making any sort of sense to me. This was supposed to be awful, wasn’t it?

I opened my eyes and looked at Lex. His hands were clenched into tight fists, as though he was waiting for something dire to happen. I started to comment on how it wasn’t so bad after all and reassure him I was okay, but the breath was stolen from my lungs as the experience went from “not so bad” to “
oh dear God
”.

A rush of lustful heat spread from my throat in a wave of ecstasy that flooded me down to my toes. I inhaled, the noise a strangled gasp that sounded impossibly loud, and my legs went weak beneath me as my eyes fluttered shut. The feelings were incredible, like nothing I’d ever experienced before. It was one long orgasmic sensation that suffused my entire body, a pleasure so sharp it skirted the edges of pain. Through the haze of sensation I dimly heard Lex thoroughly cursing Simon in both English and French, questioning everything from his looks to his parentage to his sense of honor, but I couldn’t understand why. This was amazing, incredible. It now made perfect sense to me why so many magicians willingly signed up to be a vamp’s dinner, and I began considering life as a buffet. In fact, I began considering a whole lot of things I normally would never think of doing with a complete stranger, but my girl parts were campaigning that we entertain guests. And they wanted to entertain said company
right now.
Perhaps bent over the desk, or even right then and there on the floor.

I moaned, never wanting the feeling to end, and something about that desire triggered a warning in my mind, a primitive instinct that sent a spike of adrenaline shooting through that lovely oblivious fog. I was weak, lightheaded, and my legs were about to collapse out from under me. Things were wrong, very wrong, and I attempted to struggle free of the bite.

“That’s enough, let her go,” Lex ordered, but the vampire ignored him. Simon grasped my upper arms, firmly holding me in place against him as he continued to drain me. I tried to fight, to pull out of his embrace, but I no longer had the strength. My eyelids felt heavy and slipped shut. When I was on the very brink of unconsciousness he stopped drinking, and then handed my limp body over to Lex. He pulled me into his arms, still growling curses at the vampire who laughed lightly.

“I have misjudged you, Duquesne,” Simon commented, his voice sounding faint and distant to me. “I thought you were an intelligent man, but anyone who would willingly let such a rare treasure get away from him is naught but a fool.”

Though I would’ve loved to have heard Lex’s reply, the darkness rose and swallowed me, and everything went cold and black.

Born to be mates…destined to be enemies.

Breath of Fire

© 2013 Liliana Hart

Since the Banishment, Rena has become the Drakán Enforcer, cleaning up the messes her dragon brethren make in order to keep their presence in the human world hidden.

When a group of rogue Drakán begins killing dragons who refuse to join the army of the Destroyer—the dragon they believe will become their true king—Rena has no choice but to take action.

Special Agent Noah Ford appears, seemingly out of nowhere, to offer his assistance and protection. Protection, from a human? Hell, no. But something about him draws her hypnotically, erotically close. Some secret he refuses to reveal.

Every clue Rena uncovers indicates Julian, leader of one of the five clans, is the Destroyer. But when she confronts Julian, the blue mating fire—a phenomenon that hasn’t been seen since the Banishment—engulfs them both.

Burning with need for two very different men, Rena must choose to kill the one destined to be her mate. Or see her people’s dreams of home turned to a pile of ashes.

Warning:
This novel contains high-speed car chases, crackling thighs, magic duels, naughty words, and sex on ceilings, tables, high in a tower, in the shower and—you get the drift.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Breath of Fire:

“I am Julian, and I welcome you openly to my lands.” He took my hand and bowed formally before me, kissing the back of my hand lightly. “And never doubt yourself, little one, for your powers are great indeed. You only need the proper guidance.”

“I told you to stay out of my head.” I jerked my hand away from his, and the moment our skin separated it was as if I could breathe on my own again. I couldn’t seem to find my focus anywhere.

Julian laughed at the turmoil I was in, and I had a feeling he knew exactly what was happening to me. “Stop it.” The words came out as a growl, and my fire brought everything back into focus. I embraced my anger. It was the only thing in my entire life that had never failed me. His eyes flared in response to the rush of my power, but he shut down his reaction almost as soon as it had begun.

“I apologize, but it’s almost impossible not to hear them.”

“Try harder.”

“As you wish. Have you dined this evening?” He changed the subject so quickly I had trouble following along. “I’d be pleased if you’d join me. We have much to discuss.”

I didn’t want to go anywhere with Julian. It was as if I was losing a piece of myself with every minute I spent in his presence. But I needed to follow protocol and accept his graciousness, such as it was. It would make things go smoother once the Council moved in to take over. I looked down at my ragged clothes and wished for nothing more than a hot bath and bed, but it would have to wait.

“If you’ll give me a moment to change, I’ll meet you in the dining room.”

“I think you look lovely as you are. Blood looks good on you, but there’s no need for you to change.”

Something whispered across my skin, delicate and soft, and it felt like heaven. I looked down, and my travel-worn clothes were gone, replaced by a sheer gown the color of rubies. Thin satin straps barely held up the soft material. It was gathered at the bodice and flowed softly all the way to the floor. Other than the color, it reminded me of the dresses of long ago. But it didn’t seem at all appropriate now.

“That’s much better,” Julian said huskily.

I ignored his offered hand, afraid of what his touch did to me. We walked side by side to the dining room. “Forgive me if I’m insulting you,” I said, “but I find your change of heart on my arrival insincere. I was under the impression there would be no peace between us, since you sent your Bellator to greet me.”

“Complete peace would make life quite boring. The Drakán have never been at peace. It’s not in our nature. Besides, I already know why you’ve come. I know why you’re here better than you do.”

“I had a feeling you might,” I said sarcastically.

“But I think we will speak of it later. Much later. Unpleasant talk disrupts the digestion.”

He spoke as if that was the end of the conversation, but I wasn’t ready to let my questions go unanswered. “You must understand my skepticism. There’s no way I would trust you after the way I was treated at my arrival. I’ve heard you are a most—unaccommodating man.” It was the nicest word I could think of to describe him.

“You speak the truth. My people learn quickly that I do not believe in forgiveness. My wrath is a powerful thing, but this is my right as Archos. My people do their best to never make mistakes, and my land flourishes because of it. We are stronger than all the others. Can you say the same of your people?”

The troubling thing was, I couldn’t say the same about our clan. My father ruled with vengeance, much like Julian. But he ruled only when he was forced to—when a problem grew so out of hand extreme measures had to be taken. He usually called me in to handle those cases. He chose to spend most of his time in seclusion, in his dragon form, ignoring the basic needs of his people and forcing them to make do on their own. If they weren’t powerful, they were meaningless to him. If they were too powerful, he had me mind rape them and make them malleable to his wishes.

In all honesty, our clan wasn’t flourishing at all. We were slowly withering to death. My people had businesses and families, and once a year they came to our home and pledged their loyalty to my father at the gathering. But there were plenty of our people who didn’t have families or businesses, who were forced to live on the streets and scrounge for food. These were usually the Drakán who hardly had any power at all, but whose savage beast was just prominent enough that they still had to feed their need to hunt and kill. My father ignored these Drakán and left them to their own devices until they started drawing attention to themselves and I had to kill them. I hated doing it, so I’d started making it a point to seek them out and use my powers of mind control to help them find jobs and lodging.

Julian interrupted my thoughts with his silver-tongued words. “There is a saying I’m sure you’ve heard, Rena. One that someone very wise once told me.”

“What is it?”

“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”

Julian touched my hand and pushed his power into my body, and my inner dragon answered his call. She recognized his strength and wanted him. Lusted for him. The human in me wanted to run screaming out the door.

I understood my position perfectly. I was trapped in the enemy’s hands with no way out but death.

Poison in the Blood

Robyn Bachar

She is honey to his throat…but one sweet taste could part them forever…

Bad Witch: The Emily Chronicles, Book 2

Banished from home while her husband adjusts to life as an immortal, blood-drinking chronicler, Emily Black is homesick, heartsick and struggling under the constant sensory barrage of a city drenched in ancient magic. When an old friend asks for her aid in solving a string of murders, she welcomes the distraction, despite the danger.

Justine Dubois is grateful for a seer’s help, and more understanding than anyone of Emily’s plight. As a guardian, Justine commands respect; as a woman, her magic is considered inferior. Together, they are determined to prove their worth to London’s magicians, starting with solving these murders—with maybe a bit of matchmaking on the side.

Long before he met his soul mate, Michael Black made a commitment to join the Order of St. Jerome. He will live forever, forced to watch the woman he loves age and die. As Emily hunts the murderer, Michael struggles to protect her. But if he loses control of his hunger, the greatest threat to her safety could be Michael himself.

Warning: Contains tortured soul mates, scheming faeries, vampire debauchery, deadly parasols, illicit blood-drinker relations, and adorable plot moppets.

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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.