by Eden Bradley
As one of the oldest surviving vampire hunters in the Foundation, Lana has learned the toughest lesson: success comes at a price. So while the yummy stranger she bumps into at Caesar’s trips all her temptation switches, duty comes first. Better to be alone than to gamble with someone else’s heart—or her own. Although maybe a one-night stand won’t hurt…
Byron has set a one-way course for revenge against the Vegas vampire who murdered his uncle. When he collides with Lana, though, her scent calls to him like a potent aphrodisiac. The only explanation: she’s his true-mate. And the timing couldn’t be worse. He can’t afford any distractions—not to mention it’ll be hell convincing her to love someone who sprouts fur and fangs every full moon.
One drink together turns into a daring night of passion. Their erotic interlude ends abruptly with the news that Lana’s partner has been abducted by the very vampire Byron seeks. Now Byron has no choice. He must reveal what he is and risk a rejection that could spell his own destruction…
Enjoy the following excerpt for Heart of a Huntress:
His voice almost growled the last sentence, like he wasn’t used to people challenging his orders. A shiver coursed down her spine. Normally she didn’t like domineering men, mainly because she could kick most of their asses when push came to shove. But Byron looked like the type that could match her, tit for tat. An equal. A challenge. She rattled off the address to her condo just off the Strip and nestled into his arms. It would be a short ride, but she might as well enjoy it while she could.
His arms wrapped around her, warm and comforting. How long had it been since she allowed herself to get physically close to someone like this? She knew getting involved with him was out of the question—too many complications—but would one night disrupt the balance of her life?
“Let me take a look at your ankle.”
He slid his hand down her leg and her sex tightened. An amused light shone in his eyes when she met his gaze, like he knew exactly how horny he was making her. And if she wasn’t mistaken, he was struggling to contain his arousal as much as she was.
He cleared his throat. “It’s already starting to swell a bit. Can you move it, wiggle your toes? Do we need to take a detour by the hospital to make sure it’s not broken?”
She followed his commands, wincing as she did. “I think I’ll survive. It’s just a sprain.”
“Good. Anything else?”
“Maybe some bruised ribs,” she admitted. Her mind played back the encounter with the last vampire, and a cold chill washed over her insides. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For saving my life. And for taking care of me afterwards.” God, she hated to admit she needed help. It gnawed at her gut, but if she had to be rescued by anyone, she would’ve picked him. “But you need to be careful. You saw what they’re like, and from what I overheard, they were setting up a trap.”
“For me or for you?”
“Me.”
A reckless grin spread across his face. “Then maybe you’re the one who needs to be more careful. Maybe you should take someone with you when you hunt.”
She glanced up at the driver, wondering how much he’d overheard and understood. “Let’s change the subject.”
“Of course,” he said as he ran one callused hand over her legs and massaged the base of her neck with the other. “What did you have in mind?”
One look told her exactly what he had on his mind. Even if she closed her eyes, the firm ridge in his pants pressing against her thigh made her all too aware of his thoughts. “Are you always this forward with women?”
“Sometimes. Actually, I’d say I’ve been holding back on you.”
“Why is that?”
“Because you’re different than most women.”
That was an understatement. How many women prowled the streets at night with a wooden stake in their purse?
“You seem to be the type who likes to call the shots,” he continued. The sensuous curve of his lips rose into a smile, making his implications clear. He was waiting on her to make the next move.
Her heart raced. One kiss wouldn’t cause too many problems, would it? Plus, it might calm the growing curiosity inside her. Before common sense could talk her out of it, she gently brushed her lips against his. They were warm, soft, yielding to hers.
When she tried to pull away, his fingers threaded through her hair. Her breath caught. The hunger in his hazel eyes told her he wanted more than that, and frankly, so did she. This time, when their lips met, she did the yielding. Her mouth parted and his tongue swept in.
Mmm…this is how a kiss should feel. Each sweep of his tongue, each nibble of his teeth, fanned the smoldering fire inside the lowest pit of her stomach. The stubble on his chin grated against her skin, adding a new sensation to her already hyper-aware brain. She curled his short hair around her fingers and held on for the ride, not wanting it to end.
A soft moan formed in his throat and he grew bolder in his advances. The hand on her leg worked its way under her dress. He stroked her seam through her already-soaked panties. Now it was her turn to moan. He repeated the action and she pressed against his hand, urging him to keep doing it, to go deeper next time.
A loud cough interrupted them, and Lana pulled away. The taxi was idling in the driveway of her condominium complex. Her cheeks burned. Had she really been so caught up in making out with a relative stranger in the backseat of a cab that she hadn’t realized they’d reached their destination?
Byron’s hand withdrew from under her dress. “Let me walk the lady upstairs, and I’ll be back in a moment.”
“Yeah, right,” the driver replied. “Just so you know, the meter’s running.”
“No problem.” He opened the door and scooped her back into his arms. “Got your keys, Lana?”
She searched her purse while she gave him directions to her unit. Despite the fact that she’d been sucking his face a few seconds ago, she couldn’t meet his eyes now. Once they entered the elevator, she whispered, “Sorry.”
“For what?”
“For acting that way in the cab. I usually have better control over myself.”
His laughter echoed off the stainless-steel walls. “So you’re saying you don’t normally hook up with random strangers?”
“You don’t have to say it that way!” She tried to wiggle out of his arms, but he held on to her tighter. “You really don’t have to carry me all the way up to my condo, you know.”
“What if I want to?”
Although she hated to admit it, she wanted to stay in his arms. For once in her life, she felt less like a tough-as-nails huntress and more like a fairy-tale princess. Of course, what she wanted to do to him didn’t belong anywhere near a Disney movie.
The elevator doors opened, and something sank into her stomach like a lead weight. The end of the line. The end of the night with Byron. Why did that disappoint her so much? She should be focused on work, on composing a report to the Foundation about what had happened tonight and researching whoever this Klaus fellow was, but all she wanted to do was taste his lips again. Years of sex deprivation had finally caught up with her.
He set her down in front of her door. “Will you be okay from here?”
No, her mind screamed. He’d left her body aching and needy for more than just a kiss. She should be flattered that he’d left the taxi waiting downstairs, a sure sign that he didn’t want just a random hookup with her. Oh, dear God, was he disappointed with her? Had it been so long since she’d kissed someone that she sucked at it? Only one way to find out.
She seized the collar of his blazer and pulled him against her, her mouth devouring his. She tasted traces of the Jack and Coke he’d drunk earlier, along with something more primal, more sexual. Desire.
All semblances of self-control got tossed to the side. He pressed her against the door, pulling her injured leg up until it hooked around his waist and the hem of her dress gathered around her waist. His erection rubbed against her intimate areas, tormenting h
er with the layers of material that separated them.
He broke his lips away from hers and trailed them down her neck. The combination of his rough stubble mixed with the gentle flicks of his tongue and teasing nips of his teeth nearly sent her over the edge. Who cared if they were humping in the middle of the hallway? She wanted him to fuck her right here and now.
“Lana.” He moaned her name like a starving wolf presented with a haunch of fresh meat. His hands cupped her buttocks, raising her ever so slightly so his cock stimulated the exquisitely sensitive nub between her legs.
A shudder ripped through her body. She reached for the door handle, eager to continue this in her bed. Screw the cab waiting downstairs. She’d pay for the running meter at this point, so long as he left her a satisfied and exhausted puddle of flesh when he finished with her.
The door flew open beside her, and if Byron hadn’t caught her, they would’ve landed on the floor in a tangle of limbs. A petite Hispanic woman stared at them with round brown eyes.
Oh, shit, is this the wrong condo?
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