by S S Bazinet
Rolphe nodded. “Maybe I’ll put the painting in a gallery. There’s one that’s been asking to exhibit some of my work.”
“Oh, Rolphe, you wouldn’t sell it, would you?”
“No, I promise.”
Myra stepped closer and squinted at a corner of the painting. “Wasn’t there some kind of serpent in the garden?”
Rolphe sucked in a breath. “The serpent insisted that he go into hiding.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Sometimes I commune with my subjects. In the serpent’s case, I heard him whisper to me. He said he didn’t like being on display, so I painted a large bush where he’d been.”
“How very odd.”
Rolphe stepped back. “I’m sorry. Am I scaring you with my painter’s babble? I don’t mean to.”
Myra took his arm again. “I think most artists are a little eccentric. I had an aunt who was a sculptor. She insisted that the stone pieces she purchased had their own ideas. They told her what forms they wanted to take.”
“I want to paint you next, my beautiful lady.”
“But Rolphe, you’ve already painted me.”
Rolphe slipped his hand in his pocket and knelt down on one knee. “I want to paint you wearing this ring, that is if you’ll do me the honor of wearing it.”
Myra blushed. “Rolphe? Are you asking me to—”
“Marry me, Myra, and make me the happiest man in the world.”
Myra’s face lit up with surprise and delight. “Of course I will!”
Rolphe slipped the ring on her finger and looked up at her anxiously. “I hope you like the ring I found. It’s a pink diamond. When I saw it, I thought of you. You’re a rare jewel of a woman, Myra.”
Myra stared at her adorned finger. “You couldn’t have given me a more perfect ring,” she said as she touched the halo of small white diamonds that surrounded a stunning, pale pink stone. “It’s breathtaking.”
Rolphe stood up and kissed Myra’s hand. “Not as breathtaking as you. That’s why I want to paint you.”
“Well then, my handsome man, how can I say no?”
Dantela jumped out of her kitty basket and ran over to where Rolphe and Myra were standing. She began to rub against Rolphe’s leg. He reached down and picked her up. “Look who wants to be part of our celebration.”
Myra leaned in and kissed Dantela’s head. “What a sweet friend she was while you were away, Rolphe. I think you’re going to have to paint her portrait too.”
Rolphe laughed. “Yes, if she’ll stay still long enough.”
Seventy
ANNABEL STOOD IN front of the fireplace, enjoying its warmth as it sparked and crackled. It made the upper level living room extra cozy. After celebrating the New Year with William, she had no idea about the days ahead, but she had a deep down feeling that they were going to be very special.
When she and William had returned to London, they both admitted that they felt like different people. Her beautiful William seemed more stress-free than he’d been since she’d known him. She felt more at ease too, even self-reliant. In fact, she was learning that no matter what, she’d find a way to cope.
She sat down on the couch and smiled at William. “Now that we’re starting a new year, do you have any ideas about what you’d like to do next?”
William was reading a science magazine, but he quickly put it aside. “Arel did mention something about a vacation before Col disrupted our lives. Do you think you’d like to take a cruise?”
“With Elise and Arel?”
William got up, walked over and sat down next to her. “I was thinking that it might be nice if just the two of us got away for a while. After all, we never did have a proper honeymoon.”
“I’d like that too, but I’m curious. Do you still feel you need to distance yourself from Arel?”
William paused and stared at the fire with wistful eyes. “No, not any more. In fact, after getting my emotions and thinking straight, I’m proud to call him my brother.”
Annabel let out a contented sigh. “I was so scared when the Col business started. And yet, look at how it worked out. You and Arel have made peace with each other and yourselves, Elise is doing great, and I’m finally learning that being a human being can actually be quite nice.”
William put his arm around her shoulders. “So where do you think you’d like to go on that cruise? The Mediterranean? The Caribbean? Hawaii?”
Annabel imagined herself looking out at the ocean from the deck of a cruise ship. She could envision a cloudless, deep blue sky and a horizon that seemed to go on and on. “Oh William, all of those places sound wonderful! I can’t choose.”
William pulled her even closer. “Then maybe we’ll have to visit them all.”
“Really?”
“There’s so much beauty to see and experience, my angel, and I want to help you discover all of it.”
William’s tone was filled with a passion and enthusiasm that made Annabel question her own thinking. It was often so limited and dull. But a new year was waiting for her. It could be filled with amazing adventures she’d never dared imagine. Just the idea shifted something inside. In that moment, possibilities replaced her worries. When she took a breath, she felt carefree and happy. It was the kind of moment she’d been hoping for ever since she’d taken off her wings.
To be continued in Book Seven!
Thank you for taking the time to read the sixth book, Forgotten Blood, in THE VAMPIRE RECLAMATION PROJECT series. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author's best friend and much appreciated. Thank you. — S. S. Bazinet
A Werewolf Thriller
MY BROTHER'S KEEPER
Book One Of:
In The Care Of Wolves
by S. S. Bazinet
MY BROTHER'S KEEPER
Book One Of:
In The Care Of Wolves
In this fast paced thriller, family ties and loyalty are put to the test, especially for sixteen-year-old Theodore. The WKA, a powerful organization, abducted him as a baby. He grew up bearing the scars of the horrifying experience. When his real family finally locates him, they aren't what he expected. Finding out that he’s a werewolf, a gifted and extraordinary being, seems impossible. He doesn't have time to ponder his new identity. The pack is being hunted to extinction. Theodore must flee with his new family before the WKA and other opposing factions deliver a final, lethal blow. However, none of them are prepared for the possibility of the WKA’s most deadly weapon, Theodore himself.
Available now on Amazon.
Please visit S. S. Bazinet’s website too: ssbazinet.com
PRAISE BY READERS
“You will be scooped up by the scruff and carried along with this pack on a non-stop thrill ride.”
“If this book was a movie (it would make a great one) I would have been on the edge of my seat.”
“This is the werewolf book for people who didn't think they would want to read a werewolf book. I loved it!”
“This is truly a tale of self-discovery, of finding out about one's true nature, discovering one's true family.”
“I found myself laughing out loud and then crying the next minute as a read this tale.”
“This was a fantastic read that had me hooked from the beginning. It took a refreshing approach to the idea of modern-day werewolves.”
“You will fall in love with the characters, particularly Theodore and his new found family as they struggle for survival and Theodore comes to terms with his pain, vulnerability and unique powers. It touched my heart.”
“One of the most intense, EXCITING, heartfelt & inspiring books I've ever read!”
OPEN WIDE MY HEART SERIES
Book One: Traces Of Home
A Love Story!
Lea is searching for a way back to herself. Trying to escape her tortured past, she runs away from her fiancé, Dr. Matthew Howell. Lost and alone, she accepts the help of Dr. Eric Lloyd and his mother. When they
take her into their home and hearts, she finds security. But is the price too steep? Does she have to give up everything, even the man she loves, to reclaim her sanity and herself?
When Lea and Matthew are finally reunited, they're both shocked by the changes they see in each other. All seems lost, but the couple is now a part of a bigger picture. Their actions affect the lives of those around them.
Matthew and Lea, the Lloyds, Lea's parents and a psychiatrist, Dr. Paul Glass, are all thrown together in the mansion where Lea grew up. As it reveals its dark secrets, each person is forced to face their unwanted past. But once those unwanted memories are resurrected, no one can escape the destruction that follows. No one, especially hard-nosed Matthew, is prepared for the possibility that destruction can also lead one back to his or her forgotten dreams.
Available on Amazon.
The series is also available in Amazon's Lending Library!
PRAISE BY READERS
“Mystery, Intrigue, Romance . . . so many twists and turns that you don't see coming.”
“Brilliant and Beautiful and Bold!”
“A story about self-discovery, strength and true love.”
“The story flowed like a dream, and the characters are all well fleshed out and believable.”
“An enthralling read with twists and turns, humor and horror and, most importantly, hope and happiness!”
“Almost impossible to put down.”
“Bazinet is a master at taking a group of fragile people trapped in negative energy and turning it into a positive healing experience.”