by Lynsay Sands
"Jackie does know," Bastien said dryly. "Do you think I'd send you an uninitiated mortal? Have a little faith." A sigh traveled down the phone line. "She has a bit of an attitude when it comes to our kind, but is the best in the business. Now open the door for the woman."
"But she's mortal and . . . a girl!"
Bite Me If You Can
One minute Leigh is walking home, and the next a vampire is sinking his teeth into her neck. Turns out it was a rogue vampire marked for termination, but it does Leigh little good because the damage's already been done. She's become one of them. Lucian Argeneau has been alive for over two thousand years, and little excites him anymore. Then Leigh drops into his life. Suddenly he finds himself imagining the sassy brunette in his nice big bed . . .
"Am I really a vampire?"
Lucian's hands froze on the mop and he glanced at her with surprise. "You doubt it? You haven't noticed anything different?"
Understanding struck him when Leigh looked away, and he said, "It's tempting to deny it to yourself, but it won't change anything. It just delays your coming to grips--and learning to live--with it."
"I suppose you're right," Leigh acknowledged unhappily as he went back to mopping. He glimpsed her sitting up, straightening her shoulders, and raising her head, then she said, "Okay, so I'm a vampire."
"Yes," Lucian said solemnly, and added, "But we dislike that name."
She shrugged, then asked with a little movement of her shoulders, "I gather this means I'll now live forever and never age?"
Lucian rung out the mop again as he considered how to answer her question.
"Probably not forever," he said finally, as he slapped the mop to the floor. "But so long as you aren't decapitated or trapped in a fire, your life has been greatly prolonged and you won't age, or get sick, or even get cavities."
"Yeah?" she asked with interest. "No cavities?"
The Accidental Vampire
Ever since an accident turned her into a knockout vamp, Elvi Black knows there's more to being undead than what she saw in Dracula. And Victor's the perfect man for a novice neck-biter like Elvi. He's willing to teach her everything he knows, but he'll have to do it fast. Someone's out to put a stake through her new vamp life, and only Victor can keep her safe--and satisfied--for all eternity.
"So you have to give them your blood," Elvi said. "I must have missed that part of the movie."
"What movie?" Victor asked.
"Dracula. I don't remember seeing that."
"What? You researched by watching the movie rather than reading the damned book?"
"I wanted to learn as fast as I could. Movies are faster than books."
He rolled his eyes. "Definitely a child of your times."
"God! Sometimes you're such a . . . a . . . man."
"Good of you to notice."
Several moments passed. Elvi's tongue slipped out to glide along her lips. Victor's gaze shifted there. She had the most incredible mouth. Full, red lips that begged to be caressed and kissed . . .
Vampires Are Forever
Vampires don't exist . . . do they? Inez Urso is beginning to have her doubts. Her business associate Thomas Argeneau has some interesting vampire-like traits. Not to mention, he just tried to bite her neck . . . but maybe that was a sign of passion?
There was no way she was going anywhere with this man.
"Inez? You were here all day and perfectly safe. If I'd wanted to harm you, I could have done so first thing in the morning. Instead, I drew you a bath and ordered you breakfast--"
"And then you bit me." Inez had luxuriated in that bubble bath, thinking what a wonderful, sweet man Thomas Argeneau was. She'd looked down at his sleeping face and pondered how wonderful it would be to have a handsome, thoughtful man for a mate.
She'd imagined him greeting her at the door with a kiss, the smells of scrumptious cooking drifted to her as he kissed her hello, his hands moving over her body, stripping away her clothes one at a time . . .
Right up until he woke up and bit her.
Vampire, Interrupted
After seven hundred years of life, Marguerite Argeneau finally has a career as a private investigator. It seemed a simple enough assignment, until she finds herself at the wrong end of a sword. Julius Notte wants to protect Marguerite, and not because someone just tried to take her head off. She doesn't know it yet, but she's his life mate and he's determined to woo her. Now if only he can keep her alive--so to speak--so they can have that happily-ever-after.
"We are life mates."
Marguerite choked, spitting wine out as she coughed and sputtered.
"Are you all right?" Julius asked.
She nodded.
"Not the most delicate approach, was it?"
They stared at each other, his expression assessing, hers wary.
"What are we going to do about it?"
She swallowed. "Do we have to do anything about it for now? I mean, there is no need to really do anything at all. We are immortals and appear to be life mates."
"We are life mates, Marguerite. There is no 'appear' about it," he growled.
His eyes were blazing, the silver consuming the black of his eyes.
She licked her lips nervously and paused when his gaze followed the action. The air in the room was suddenly electric. Her heart rate sped up, blood moving swiftly through her veins as her breathing became shallow.
The Rogue Hunter
Samantha Willan is a workaholic. She's grateful for some rest and relaxation in cottage country . . . until she meets her irresistible new neighbor. Garrett Mortimer is a rogue hunter here to track down a reported rogue, but fun in the sun is every bloodsucker's nightmare. Worse, he can't seem to get his mind off Samantha . . . After eight hundred years as a bachelor, is he ready to turn a volatile attraction into a lasting love affair?
"Do you need help finding a candle?" he asked as they mounted the steps.
Sam hesitated, tempted to say yes, invite him inside, and see if he might try to kiss her, or . . .
She caught herself. She wasn't ready for that.
"No, that's okay. We keep the flashlights on a shelf just inside the door. But thank you," she added, pausing by the door.
Turning back, she opened her mouth to say something.
What it would have been she didn't know, because it slipped from her mind the moment she saw the way his eyes were shining in the darkness.
It was as if they were soaking up the moonlight and reflecting it back at her.
Like a night predator, she thought, and felt a shiver run up her back under her T-shirt.
The Immortal Hunter
Danielle McGill doesn't know if she can trust the man who just rescued her . . . from vampires? But, with her sister in the hands of these dangerous men, she doesn't have much choice. Decker Argeneau is also awakening a passion beyond anything Dani's ever known. Being undead may not be half-bad . . . especially if it means spending forever with a man who would love her with his mind, body, and immortal soul.
"I'm two-hundred-and-fifty-nine, Dani."
"You're pulling my leg, right?"
"No," Decker said solemnly. "Does the age difference bother you?"
She gave a disbelieving laugh. "Decker, you've told me about life mates, and I know you think I'm yours, but--"
"I don't think, I know."
She started to slide off the bale of hay, but he caught her arm.
She wanted him to kiss her. She wanted to kiss him back. She wanted--Giving her head a shake, she pulled her arm free and started walking toward the door.
He caught her arm and spun her around. "Don't run from me, Dani. I'll just follow."
"I'm not running," she whispered, her eyes on his mouth.
"Yes," he growled, "you are." And he did exactly what she wanted and kissed her.
The Renegade Hunter
The Argeneau family has a secret--one of their own is a rogue vampire! But Nicholas Argeneau was once a hunter himself, and when he sees a woman be
ing attacked by one of his own, he comes to her rescue. Josephine Willan never expected a gorgeous stranger to save her life . . . and gets locked up for his troubles. Now she's determined to prove that this renegade hunter is worth fighting for.
"I want you," Nicholas admitted, his eyes glowing silver.
Jo suspected that was a tell with him: molten silver meant hot and horny. Which was fine with her, as she was feeling rather hot and bothered herself.
"But I can't claim you," he added.
"Claim me?" she echoed, then gave a laugh. "You make me sound like lost luggage. No one can claim me. I have free will." She moved around the table and dropped into his lap. She slid her arms around his shoulders. "Fortunately for you, I'm free and willing."
"Jo," he said, but she didn't want to hear it and covered his mouth with her own.
She smiled, slid her lips to his ears, and nibbled briefly before whispering, "I ache for you."
He sucked in a harsh breath, then something snapped. Suddenly his head jerked around so his lips could claim hers.
"Vampire Valentine" in
Bitten By Cupid
Mirabeau LaRouche knew she had a job to do, but she never expected her assignment to take her through New York City's dark, dank underground--in her bridesmaid gown, no less! And when her partner turns out to be mortal private investigator Tiny McGraw, Mirabeau knows it's no ordinary Cupid's arrow that has struck her heart this Valentine's Day.
"You'll meet her soon enough, and when you do . . ." Marguerite hesitated, then sighed, and said, "Our Mirabeau is prickly. She has a lot of defenses. She lost her entire family to the greed and betrayal of a favorite uncle back during the Massacres of St. Bartholomew and finds it hard to trust and love. She's erected a lot of protective walls. You will need to be patient."
Tiny stared at Marguerite blankly. She seriously believed he would be a life mate to this Mirabeau. The idea was both exciting and scary as hell. His life would change forever. God. A life mater. It would mean his days as a bachelor were over . . . and he'd probably have to turn, become an immortal like Jackie had. He'd have to drink blood and . . .
Born to Bite
Legend has it that Armand Argeneau is a killer in the bedroom . . . But with all three of his late wives meeting untimely ends, is this sexy immortal a lover or a murderer? As an enforcer, it's Eshe d'Aureus's job to find out and bring rogue vampires to justice, even if the rogue in question makes her heart race.
"I'm going to kill her."
"Who?" Armand asked with confusion, and then turned to glance in the direction that Lucian's gaze now seemed fixated. He was staring past him at the dark road outside. Armand peered at the long stretch of dark highway for a minute, slow to recognize the fiery vision approaching for what it was, a motorcycle with red, yellow, and orange LED lights around the tires and across the body that made it look like the bike was roaring up the road aflame. It was one hell of a magnificent sight.
"Eshe," Lucian snapped, finally answering her question. "That's her."
Hungry For You
Alexandra Willan's restaurant is due to open in two weeks, but her chef just walked out. Then a highly recommended replacement arrives, a culinary genius who sends electric tingles racing through her body . . . Except Cale Valens can't cook. In fact, as one of the most ancient of the Argeneau clan, Cale hasn't eaten real food in two thousand years. Yet he's determined to prove to Alex his prowess in the kitchen . . . and elsewhere.
He was going to kiss her, some part of her mind yelled in warning, and Alex knew she should turn her head away, or kick her legs to be set down, but found she was unwilling to. She wanted him to kiss her, wanted to know if it would be as wonderful as it had been in her dream.
Surely nothing could be that good, Alex thought faintly, and then his mouth drifted softly over hers, brushing across them as lightly as a butterfly's wings, once, then twice before settling so that his tongue could slide out to urge her lips apart. Alex wasn't aware of giving her brain the order to do it, but her mouth parted willingly enough, allowing his tongue in, and she had to revise her belief that no real kiss could compare with those from her dream. This was definitely as good or better, she decided, as his tongue swept in to tangle with hers.
Cale tasted of lemon meringue pie and coffee, the snack they'd had during the last break he'd insisted on while they'd been antiquing. But it was combined with another taste entirely his own, and Alex found herself moaning and shifting slightly in his arms so that her hands could creep up around his neck.
The Reluctant Vampire
Rogue hunter Drina Argenis (from the Spanish side of the Argeneau family) has been many things in her years as an immortal, but bodyguard/babysitter to a teenage vampire is something new. There's an incentive, however: the other vampsitter, Harper Stoyan, may be Drina's life mate. Trouble is, having just lost a life mate, Harper is resigned to being alone. Can Drina tempt this reluctant vampire to take a chance?
Gasping an apology, Drina immediately stumbled forward again to get off him, lost her footing, and started to go down. In his effort to save her from the fall, Harper managed to get his own feet tangled up with hers and found himself crashing to the icy pavement with her.
"Are you all right?"
Harper opened his eyes at that concerned query and turned his head to see that Drina had pushed herself to her hands and knees beside him and was eyeing him worriedly. Her coat was open despite the cold, revealing a low-cut silk shirt that gaped slightly thanks to her position. It left him an extraordinary view of full, round breasts encased in a lacy white bra that looked rather fetching against her olive skin.
Blinking, he tore his gaze from the delectable sight and glanced past her to Stephanie, who was nearly killing herself laughing in the SUV, and then he sighed and said dryly, "I'll live."
"The Gift" in
The Bite Before Christmas
Teddy Brunswick is perfectly comfortable with the immortals who live among us. But he never counted on being snowed in with one over Christmas--especially not a tasty little bundle like Katricia Argeneau. She seems to really like Teddy but who can tell for sure? After all, the snowstorm has derailed Katricia's blood delivery, which makes Teddy the only available meal on the menu . . .
Katricia took her time closing bedroom doors, peering curiously into each room as she went. It was partially out of curiosity and partially to give Teddy some breathing room. She didn't need to read his mind to know that he wasn't comfortable with her. She supposed she'd come on too strong too fast, but hadn't been able to help herself. The very fact that he might be her life mate made her want to test it. She wasn't hungry yet, but then the only food around was in cans and boxes. There was nothing really to tempt her palate. Which meant the easiest way to know for sure was to kiss Teddy and see if she experienced the shared pleasure she'd heard so much about.
Unfortunately, it was looking like that might be a hard objective to achieve. Teddy didn't appear to be comfortable with what he thought was their age difference. That seemed obvious to her from the way he'd quickly removed his hat and scarf and then turned as if presenting some monstrosity to her. This was going to take some patience, which had never been Katricia's strong suit. She was already struggling with the urge to simply walk straight back out into the kitchen and jump the man's bones. The only thing stopping her was the worry that she might give the poor guy a heart attack or something. That would be just her luck--kill her life mate with a heart attack before she could woo and turn him.
Under a Vampire Moon
Christian Notte never imagined he'd let himself fall in love--until he meets the enthralling, charmingly skittish, and oh-so-mortal Carolyn. She has no desire to think about men, a vow she's determined to keep while on vacation in St. Lucia. So how will Christian reveal what he is and still convince this once-bitten mortal to trust him with her heart . . . and her forever?
The young woman stood there for a full minute, garnering the attention of everyone in the room, and then she opene
d her mouth and released a high pure note that pierced the silence. Her hand crashed down across the strings of the electric guitar she held and the band suddenly kicked to life, all movement and sound. Santo's body vibrated as he appeared to try to beat his drums to death. Zanipolo was working his electric guitar like a cross between a lover and a submachine gun. Raffaele was pounding on his keyboards, his head bobbing to the music. Gia was alternately making love to her own electric car with long riffs, and singing into the microphone with a clarity that Carolyn had never encountered before, and Christian . . .
Carolyn stared, watching the muscles in his arms and chest ripple under his black t-shirt as his bow scraped so quickly over the strings of his violin that she expected to see sparks flying and smoke rising. His eyes were closed, his face transported as the music moved through him. She couldn't seem to tear her gaze from him as he played song after song . . . and then his eyes suddenly opened and met hers. Carolyn felt like someone had jammed an adrenaline shot into her heart. She was sure it skipped a beat when his eyes opened, but when he caught her gaze and didn't release it, her heart started thumping again, charging ahead at a frightening rate that left her breathless and almost dizzy.
The Lady Is a Vamp
When Jeanne Louise Argeneau left work, she never thought she'd end up kidnapped by a good-looking mortal. More attracted than annoyed, she quickly realizes there is more to her abductor than meets the eye. But their time together is running out and they will need to risk everything to spend an eternity together.
"Bite me," he said grimly.
"Same to you," she muttered irritably.
Paul blinked, and then a surprised laugh slipped from his lips. "No. I wasn't--I mean, really go ahead and bite me, Jeanie. You need to feed. Feed on me."
"Oh," Jeanne Louise said on a sigh, and then frowned at him. "Not ten minutes ago you were upset with me because I was going to bite someone. Now you want me to bite you?"