“It is not NASA here, you understand. We do not have the budget, the luxuries.”
“It’s wonderful,” Rory told him truthfully. “Even if it were half the size, it would still be wonderful.”
Herr Aust raised a brow at her. “I confess I still do not fully understand why you are here, Doctor Rafferty. All of us here would trade places with you in an instant. To work for America’s NASA holds such esteem.”
“But this is CERN, Herr Aust,” she pointed out.
“Indeed,” he said gravely. “We have a large collider.”
“I’ve heard,” Rory said, just as solemnly.
Herr Aust shook his head. “I would accuse you of being a crazy American, yet I believe you were born in the Holy Roman Empire?”
“Just across the border from Geneva, in fact,” Rory told him.
“Ah, then you are returning to your roots?”
“In a way. I have spent too much time living in my head, Herr Aust. Then, for a while, I had to live moment to moment. Really live it, with both hands and every muscle. Going back to a big desk and a whiteboard with equations…it no longer appeals. I want to get my hands dirty once more. Experiments, proving theories, not just dreaming them up. Actually advancing science. That seems like a worthy pursuit, these days. When the offer came from you, it was as if you had read my mind and were offering the solution.” She shrugged.
“Ah, yes. About that offer.” Herr Aust looked awkward. He rubbed the back of his neck.
A chill touched her. “What about it?”
“We were looking around Europe for a recruit. Your name was put forward by a friend of mine. He said you would jump at the chance and I did not believe him. He was right.”
“What is the name of your friend, Herr Aust?”
Aust gave her small smile. “Marlen Mikhailov.”
“Sasha,” Rory breathed.
“I hope, I do hope my confession does not in any way mar your time with us, Doctor Rafferty,” he said anxiously.
Rory stared at him. Stared through him. “It should,” she said slowly. “Yet, it doesn’t. Not a bit.” She refocused on Aust’s face and held out her hand. “Thank you for the welcome tour, Herr Aust. However, I have suddenly remembered an appointment I must keep.”
Aust looked puzzled. “You have only just got here.”
“I will report in tomorrow as planned,” Rory assured him, hurrying down the narrow corridor. “Don’t worry about showing me out. I remember the way!” she said over her shoulder.
* * * * *
The drive to Prévessin-Moëns in the BMW she had bought when she had arrived a week ago didn’t take long. The little house she was renting until she was more settled was tucked away in a quiet chemin, with a high box hedge all around the old building. There was an ancient yew tree taking up nearly every spare inch in the front garden, with tiny table and chair underneath it where she planned to spend a lot of time reading.
Previous owners had hacked into the boxwood hedge some time in the past and laid down gravel, to make a driveway and hard stand for a car, for there was no room on the street. Rory parked the car and turned it off, her hands moving automatically. All her attention was on the table under the yew.
Sasha sat on the solitary chair, waiting for her.
Rory got out of the car and moved over the lawn toward him.
Sasha got to his feet. “I tried to stay away.”
“I know. So did I.”
His shoulders lifted as he pulled in a sharp breath. “Don’t say that unless you mean it, Rory.”
“I do.” She reached for him.
Sasha was faster. He pulled her against him and held her, letting her feel the heat and solidness of him. The reality of him. He kissed her and Rory melted against him. She had missed his kisses. She had missed him and had kept the knowledge locked up tight, hidden away from her consciousness. Now she realized how much his absence had been gnawing at her.
With a sigh, she rested her head against his shoulder. “There is only one thing that could make this more perfect than it already is,” she whispered.
“Rory.”
She whirled, true shock slithering through her with cold fingers.
Dante was standing on the front door step. The door stood open. He had been inside.
Rory pushed her hand against her chest as her heart creaked and strained.
“I thought that if I came bearing gifts…” Sasha said softly and pushed her toward him.
Rory wasn’t conscious of crossing the lawn. She didn’t notice anything except Dante’s face. The warmth in his eyes.
Then, the heat of his arms and his lips. His kiss was just as sweet, just as potent as Sasha’s. Rory was shaking when he let her loose once more.
“I locked this door,” she said breathlessly. It was the only half-way reasonable thing she could think to say.
“Spy, remember?” Sasha said, from just behind them. “Well…former spy. Apparently, one can leave the business if one becomes notoriously famous enough.”
“You’re out?” she breathed.
“I am a Hero of the Russian Federation and also unemployed.” Sasha shrugged.
Rory held her hand out to him. “Stay with me.” She looked up at Dante. She couldn’t move her arm from around his neck. It felt welded there. “Both of you.”
Dante looked down into her eyes. “You’re sure, Rory?”
“Not even close to sure,” she said. “I don’t know how this works. I don’t even know if it can work. I’m…you have to know I can’t change who I am. Not even for you, the two men I love most in this world.”
Sasha pressed against them both. “We don’t want you to change. Not an inch of you.”
“I think I finally understand that now. I figured it out when Herr Aust told me you had put my name forward for the job on the Collider.” Rory smiled at Sasha. “That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it? To send a message. To let me be myself.”
“I hoped you might see it. If you didn’t, I knew you would be tickled pink to work with CERN, anyway.” Sasha brushed her hair out of her eyes.
“Then he comes and hauls me out of San Francisco with two weeks’ notice,” Dante complained, as his hands ran over her back and her hips and settled on her ass, to stroke and tease.
“Two weeks? It took you two weeks to pack a suitcase?”
“It took me two weeks to sell everything.”
Rory drew in a startled breath. “No. Not your beautiful apartment!”
Dante nodded soberly. “I was forced to sell it under market value. I lost a shitload and I don’t give a damn. Not anymore.” His arms tightened. “Sasha convinced me. All or nothing. That’s why we’re here.”
“You rolled the dice.”
“Well, we weighted them and shaved the edges, first,” Sasha said.
“With the job offer of the century,” Rory breathed. “You’re both here to stay? With me?”
Dante pursed his lips. “We might have to talk to the Swiss immigration people about work visas and so forth, but yeah. All or nothing.”
Sasha kissed him, taking his time with it. Then he kissed Rory with equal thoroughness. “Knock, knock,” he whispered.
Dante laughed. Rory could feel it rumble through his chest.
“Who’s there?” she breathed.
“Juno,” Dante said.
“Juno who?”
“Juno I love you, right?” Dante and Sasha said together.
Rory rolled her eyes. “Great. I fall in love at last and get a comedy duo for my efforts.”
Dante picked her up. “Calumny! Sasha, we need to show her the error of her ways.”
Sasha shut the door behind them as Dante carried her into the house.
* * * * *
There was a dusting of snow on the sidewalk, while not a speck of it showed underneath the awning protecting the big glass doors of the apartment building.
The doorman, Frederick, hurried out, wearing his big overcoat with the brass buttons, babbling
greetings and talking a mile a minute as Sebastian hauled their luggage out of the trunk of the cab and Nial paid the driver.
Winter breathed in the cold, damp air. “Ah…New York,” she whispered.
Frederick bounced back inside to get a luggage trolley and call the elevator for them, his face very red and his grin almost splitting it in two. He promised to bring the luggage up for them, then herded them into the elevator and punched the button for the penthouse.
None of them spoke until the elevator door opened and they walked out into the middle of the living room. Through the night-dark glass of the floor to ceiling windows, the lights of Manhattan twinkled.
Winter dropped her bag on the floor, staring at the view.
Nial stopped where he was, breathed deeply and closed his eyes. “Home,” he whispered.
Sebastian turned to look at him. “I thought you said that home was a dangerous illusion that could always be taken from you?”
Nial pulled him closer, then tugged on Winter’s arm with his other hand, bringing them up against him. He held them there and gave them both a small shake. “This. This is home and nothing can take it away. Not even death. I won’t let it.”
Sebastian kissed him shortly. “My empty stomach might. I don’t respond well to hunger, remember?”
Winter touched his shoulder. “Wait. What happens tomorrow?”
“I don’t care,” Sebastian said shortly.
“No. I mean it. We’ve saved the world. We actually saved the world. Now what?”
Nial smiled. “Now, we get to enjoy it. Finally.”
More Vampire Menage Urban Fantasy Romance
by Tracy Cooper-Posey
Blood Ascendant is the final book in the Blood Stone series.
In the meantime, have you read the Blood Drops titles? These are short stories featuring the characters and situations in the Blood Stone series, and they start with:
Southampton Swindle: A Vampire MM Urban Fantasy Romance
By reader and reviewer request, the story of Nathanial and Sebastian and how they met.
Liars are in need of good allies.
Southampton, 1786: Since being tossed from his ancestral family home at thirteen, and falling in with a swindler, Sebastian has been fighting to preserve life and limb any way he can. While ingratiating himself with Lady Wandsworth and her thousands of pounds, Sebastian meets another roguish charmer, Nathanial, and at his side, the pretty but deadly Anne. Sebastian’s world is abruptly changed as he is introduced to imagination-defying ideas and is snared in an international swindle involving the Queen of France’s diamond necklace.
Sebastian is drawn to Nathanial and his worldly, experienced ways, until Anne reveals the truth about him and the necklace….
WARNING: This short MM Romance contains two hot, sexy alpha heroes, frequent, explicit and frank sex scenes and sexual language.
It includes heart-stopping sexual scenes between the aforementioned sexy heroes, ménage scenes, and anal sex. Don't proceed beyond this point if hot love scenes offend you.
No vampires were harmed in the making of this novel.
___
This is a Blood Drops book. Blood Drops are short and novella length stories featuring the characters and situations in the Blood Stone series. Droplet sized morsels for your reading pleasure.
The Blood Stone series:
Blood Stone 1: Blood Knot (#1 Amazon Best Seller, Fantasy Romance)
Blood Drops 1.1: Southampton Swindle*
Blood Drops 1.2: Broken Promise*
Blood Drops 1.3: Vale*
Blood Drops 1.5: Amor Meus*
Blood Stone 2: Blood Stone
Blood Stone 3: Blood Unleashed
Blood Stone 3.5: Blood Drive – Blood Stone Boxed Set 1
Blood Stone 4: Blood Revealed (Upcoming)
These are continuing characters and storylines. Reading the series in order is strongly recommended.
Now available in print: The first three Blood Drops stories are now available in one print collection, Amor Meus.
___
It’s a fun read, very set in the 1700′s and is a sort of period “who dunnit” novel. As always Tracy pulls out stops so we can’t quite work out who’s done what, just when I thought I knew what and who was to blame things changed. Of course as its how the two men met there’s some hot, sexy love scenes too….A great fill-in book, wrapped up in a diverting story.—Jeannie Zelos Book Reviews.
This little read was a fun way to fill in the gaps of Nathanial and Sebastian’s story. While I don’t usually like historical paranormal romance, I will always make exceptions for this author. I love this series and would eagerly gobble up even more from this world. I can’t wait to see what else the author has lined up!—Carrie Reads A Lot
This is a short historical tale featuring likeable rogues, double-crossing, a jewel theft, a bit of intrigue, a scheming hussy, a bit of MFM sex and a bit more MM sex, that seemingly introduces a couple that goes on to feature in the Blood Stones series. It’s well-written and a decent coffee-break read and frankly I don’t know how the author managed to fit in so much to make it an interesting read without turning it into ‘too many cooks’.—Netgalley
Buy Southampton Swindle now: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HQP03UE
About the Author
Tracy Cooper-Posey is an Amazon #1 Best Selling Author. She writes romantic suspense, paranormal, urban fantasy, futuristic and science fiction romances. She has published over 70 novels since 1999, been nominated for five CAPAs including Favourite Author, and won the Emma Darcy Award.
She turned to indie publishing in 2011. Her indie titles have been nominated four times for Book Of The Year and Byzantine Heartbreak was a 2012 winner. Faring Soul won a SFR Galaxy Award in 2016 for “Most Intriguing Philosophical/Social Science Questions in Galaxybuilding” She has been a national magazine editor and for a decade she taught romance writing at MacEwan University.
She is addicted to Irish Breakfast tea and chocolate, sometimes taken together. In her spare time she enjoys history, Sherlock Holmes, science fiction and ignoring her treadmill. An Australian Canadian, she lives in Edmonton, Canada with her husband, a former professional wrestler, where she moved in 1996 after meeting him on-line.
Other books by Tracy Cooper-Posey
For reviews, excerpts, and more about each title, visit Tracy’s site and click on the cover you are interested in: http://tracycooperposey.com/books-by-thumbnail/
* = Free!
Blood Knot Series
(Urban Fantasy Paranormal Series)
Blood Knot*
Southampton Swindle
Broken Promise
Vale
Amor Meus
Blood Stone
Blood Unleashed
Blood Drive
Blood Revealed
Blood Ascendant
Beloved Bloody Time Series
(Paranormal Futuristic Time Travel)
Bannockburn Binding*
Wait
Byzantine Heartbreak
Viennese Agreement
Romani Armada
Spartan Resistance
Kiss Across Time Series
(Paranormal Time Travel)
Kiss Across Time*
Kiss Across Swords
Time Kissed Moments I
Kiss Across Chains
Kiss Across Deserts
Kiss Across Kingdoms
The Kine Prophecies
(Epic Norse Fantasy Romance)
The Branded Rose Prophecy
The Stonebrood Saga
(Gargoyle Paranormal Series)
Carson’s Night*
Beauty’s Beasts
Harvest of Holidays
Unbearable
Sabrina’s Clan
Destiny’s Trinities
(Urban Fantasy Romance Series)
Beth’s Acceptance*
Mia’s Return
Sera’s Gift
The First Trinity (Anth.)
Cora’s Secret
Zoe’s Blockade
Octavia’s War
The Second Trinity (Anth.)
Terra’s Victory
Interspace Origins
(Science Fiction Romance Series)
Faring Soul
Varkan Rise
Cat and Company
Short Paranormals
Solstice Surrender
Eva’s Last Dance
The Vistaria Affair
(Romantic Suspense)
Red Leopard*
Black Heart
Blue Knight
White Dawn
Go-get-‘em Women
(Short Romantic Suspense Series)
The Royal Talisman
Delly’s Last Night
Vivian’s Return
Ningaloo Nights
Jewells of Tomorrow
(Historical Romantic Suspense)
Diana By The Moon
Heart of Vengeance
Scandalous Sirens
(Historical Romance Series)
Forbidden*
Dangerous Beauty
Perilous Princess
Romantic Thrillers Series
Fatal Wild Child
Dead Again
Dead Double
Terror Stash
Thrilling Affair
The Endurance
(Science Fiction Romance Series)
5,001
Greyson’s Doom
Yesterday’s Legacy
Promissory Note
Xenogenesis
Contemporary Romances
Lucifer’s Lover
An Inconvenient Lover
The Sherlock Holmes Series
(Romantic Suspense/Mystery)
Chronicles of the Lost Years
The Case of the Reluctant Agent
Copyright Information
This is an original publication of Tracy Cooper-Posey
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for third-party websites or their content.
Blood Ascendant (Blood Stone Book 5) Page 34