Check out the Excerpt Monday,May blog for links to all the authors participating as there are plenty of fantastic excerpts to get your reading teeth into [full list under the cut]
My fang-filled excerpt :-) ...
‘Your website picture does you an injustice,’ the vampire said. ‘You are so much more in the flesh and . . . blood.’
‘Sorry I can’t return the sentiment,’ I said.
He gently shook his head. ‘Tut tut, Genevieve.’ He took a step towards me. ‘You really don’t mean that. Not when I have been waiting especially for you.’
I hardened my voice. ‘Then you’ve wasted your time. My visit’s with the police, not you.’
The Vampire took another step, fast, calculated to spook me. I swallowed hard, but held my ground. He stopped within touching distance. Long slim fingers brushed a lock of hair from his forehead while he studied me. ‘Intriguing.’ Half-closed eyes gave him a sleepy, enigmatic look. ‘Why would you involve yourself in something not your affair?’
cont ...
‘It’s really none of your business.’
‘But that’s where you’re wrong, Genevieve.’ The words drifted lazy and sweet through the air. ‘You see, this really is my business. I am tasked with bringing this little episode to a satisfactory conclusion for all concerned. I will do better without your . . . help.’
When what he had said sank in, rather than the dream of his voice, surprise tumbled through me, banishing the feeling of languor that had seeped into my bones. ‘Who says your conclusion would be satisfactory for everyone?’
He grinned, letting me glimpse fang, a push of mesma inviting me to go along with the joke. ‘Why, I do, of course.’
‘Uh-huh.’ I nodded slowly. ‘Sounds good.’ I gave him a smile. A wide happy beam of a smile.
Satisfaction lit his face, but before he could speak, I dropped the smile. ‘Only it doesn’t sound quite good enough.’ I winked. ‘But hey. Nice try.’
He laughed, and the sound bubbled through me like champagne. I shivered even as sweat trickled down my spine. I gripped the strap of my bag with both hands, holding it like a life-line, concentrating on keeping him out of my mind. The longer he talked, the more the back of my neck throbbed, reminding me I was more vulnerable than usual.
‘Genevieve.’ He shrugged an elegant shoulder. ‘What are we to do now?’
I stared at him, surprised. ‘You’re asking me?’
He indicated the police station. ‘Once you walk through that door, you make yourself defenceless.’
For a moment part of me actually felt he cared. I bit the inside of my mouth, hard, to banish the feeling.
‘You dispense with all that wonderful witch protection you have carefully cultivated.’ He spread his hands wide. ‘You are fair game.’
‘Tell me something I don’t know.’
‘Are you so eager to offer your blood?’
‘What do you think?’
‘Such bravado.’ He glanced at the door again, a vague anxiety in the action. ‘But even your sidhe magic will not shield you from some amongst us.’
‘Are you done yet? Because so far I’m not hearing anything new.’
He sighed, the sound coating me with remorse. ‘Go home, Genevieve, while you still can.’
‘What? Just leave?’ I stopped strangling the strap of my bag and clenched my fists, digging my nails into my palms, determined to resist the impulse he’d given me to go home. ‘When you haven’t even threatened me yet?’
Something dark and sad appeared in his eyes, then it was gone, hidden by the same enigmatic look as before.
‘Threats . . . Coercion . . . Violence.’ The words hung like blades in the still air. ‘Is that what you would want?’
I froze, pulse speeding up, unable to move or speak, gazing into his eyes. A voice screamed in my mind, yelling at me to break his mesma, but another part of me wanted, desperately needed, whatever he was offering.
Cool fingers circled my left wrist and lifted my still clenched fist between us. My hand moved, seemingly of its own violation, opening like a flower before the sun. Blood welled in the half-moon marks across my palm, bright against my skin.
‘May I?’ His eyes echoed the silken seduction in his voice.
My lips parted in a sigh as my head bowed in submission.
Anger flashed across his face and his fingers squeezed, the bones in my wrist grating with the pain. ‘Say. It.’
‘Yes,’ I breathed.
For an instant his pupils glowed red and my heart fluttered with sudden terror, then he dipped his head. I gazed at the line of his jaw, the long dark lashes, the sleek silk of his hair where it curled round the intricate whorl of his ear, its lobe pierced through, a single gem black against his pale skin. His lips caressed my palm, a shudder rippled through his body and I felt an answering shimmer resonate through my own. My eyes closed as he licked hot lines along my hand. Sharp fangs scraped my wrist and chill air kissed my bare skin.
Leaves rustled in the stillness and a horse whinnied from the nearby stables, startling me out of my reverie.
I opened my eyes to an empty street.
The vampire was gone.
I stared down at my palm. The cuts from my nails had disappeared, healed over as though they’d never been. A bracelet of bruises around my wrist was the only evidence of his presence.
‘Genevieve.’ My name whispered through the breeze.
***
Authors participating in Excerpt Monday are ...
The hosts:[and apologies for weird formatting, the html has got the better of me ...
Mel Berthier, Urban Fantasy (PG-13)
Bria Quinlan, Rom Com (PG)
Participating:
Melissa Aires, Paranormal Erotic Romance (PG)
Gina Ardito, Historical Paranormal (PG)
Evie Byrne, Paranormal (R)
Jax Cassidy, Erotic Contemporary (R)
Lynne Chandler, Romantic Suspense (PG 13)
Ella Drake, Erotic Paranormal Romance (NC-17)
Cate Hart, YA (R)
Kinsey W. Holley, Paranormal (PG)
Babette James, Fantasy Romance (PG-13)
Cynthia Justlin, Romantic Suspense (PG)
Kaige, Historical Romance (PG-13)
Inez Kelley, Rom Com (R)
Ainslinn Kerry, Paramornal Romance (R)
Ansha Kotyk, Middle Grade Adventure (PG 13)
Adelle Laudan, Romantic Suspense (PG 13)
Jeannie Lin, Historical (PG)
Elise Logan, Paranormal/contemporary (R
RF Long, Fantasy (PG)
Crista McHugh, Historical Paranormal Romance (PG-13)
Suzanne McLeod, Urban Fantasy (R)
Alina Morgan, Urban Fantasy (PG 13)
Annie Nicholas, Paranormal Romantic Suspense (R)
Kirsten Saell, Erotic Romance/Fantasy (NC-17)
Vivienne Westlake, Historical Erotica (R)
Kate Willoughby, Fantasy/Parnormal Erotic Romance (NC-17)
7 comments:
Oh, that's a lovely excerpt, Suzanne. Really chilling. :)
Haunting. That scene is a grabber. Pulled me right in.
Very nice and well done.
Ooh, I like my vampires dangerous! You don't know if he's going to bite her or kiss her...or both.
RFLong: thank you :-)
Ella Drake: Glad it grabbed you, thanks for reading :-)
Cate: thank you :-)
Jeannie Lin: Glad you liked my vamp :-) And 'or both' ... maybe *teases* *g*
Eerie! Gave me the shivers. :)
Kate Willoughby: thanks for reading :-)
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