STORY EXCERPT

“You throw quite the party, Andren.” Lady Christiana Wallingford of twenty-two Parkington Square twittered behind her enormous embroidered lace fan. She batted her long white eyelashes at him foolishly, displaying her enormous sea-green eyes to their full potential. She leaned forward slightly, displaying the luscious swell of cleavage revealed by her black silk evening gown. Her hair was piled high on her head in tight, white-blonde curls that fell in some wispy strands round parts of her face. The last time he’d seen her had been in Prague more than five years ago, and her hair had fallen down her back in long silky waves like some conquering Nordic princess. Andren gritted his teeth at the memory of watching her feed on a sailor as Lucian chattered about her hunting technique.

“Thank you so much for the compliment, Lady Christiana. I am so glad you are enjoying the night’s entertainment. Have you found the fare to your liking?” He motioned to the petite servant girl who stood diligently behind her. She gave a slight curtsey at her reference. Lady Christiana smiled, the irises of her eyes going to a deep burgundy and her fangs elongating so that they touched her bottom lip.

“I have yet to partake of the fare, my sweet Lord MacGregor.” She smirked, using his title like the weapon it was. “Tell me, my lord, how are your brothers?”

He exhaled in a hiss at the catty comment. It was well known that his brothers had disowned him five years previously after the…incident.

“Excuse me, my lady.” A voice sounded from somewhere over his left shoulder, and Andren winced at the familiar tone. “I fear I must steal our host away for a moment. I’ll return him shortly, I promise.”

Andren whirled around to come face-to-face with his sire. He glared at Lucian’s smiling face. His maker looked no older than a man of perhaps eighteen or nineteen years of age, but power clung to him like a second skin, making him seem much older. In all outward appearance, he bespoke of all the graces of a gentleman, his cravat smoothed impeccably and his chocolate locks tamed in an artful haircut that accentuated his strong cheekbones and aristocratic nose. His eyes were what betrayed him to be a monster. They were a constant hue of wine red that seemed to sparkle with their own hellish light. He’d saved Andren’s life more than seven years previously, and Andren had yet to forgive him for it.

“Good lord, meus angelus, you look as if you smell something foul.” A knowing smirk lit up his features as he spoke. My angel, he said. Angel? Once, perhaps. Now Andren MacGregor was naught but a damn earthbound demon. “You would think now that I’ve rescued you from Lady Christiana’s clutches, you’d be a little more hospitable.”

Andren growled in a manner unfit for a gentleman. “I’m dreadfully sorry, Luc. You’ll have to forgive me for my rude behavior, but the last time you saved me, I lost my bloody soul.”

“Ah, so that is what you’re in a snit about this evening. I had hoped you’d leave your moodiness in the crypt, where it belongs. In the name of all that is holy, Andren, we’ve been over this. I saved your life, but in doing so you had to go through the change. Your brothers hate you for it, and I’m sorry about that, but it couldn’t be helped.”

“You should’ve let me die!” he snapped. “Instead you throw me grand balls for my coming out among your kind, like a sixteen-year-old girl, I might add, and keep me to coddle and pet, like a beloved hunting dog.”

By now, a small crowd was gathering just on the outside of their speaking place, nosy vampires who were anxious to hear fresh gossip about the Master Vampire Lucian Junius and his newest progeny, who was a former member of the legendary MacGregor family. Luc took Andren gently by the arm.

“We’re about to cause a scene, my love. Shall we retire to have this conversation, again, in private?”

ADULT EXCERPT

“Luc, I want you naked.”

Lucian felt a blush suffuse his face. “Andren, it’s the middle of the bloody day. It’s…improper.”

“The things I want to do to you right now are most improper. Come on, maker. I need you.” Andren’s voice was a soft whine, and the pout on his face was reminiscent of child wanting an ice at a parlor. It would’ve been cute had the hunter not snaked one of his hands down the line of Lucian’s body and massaged the cock that was hardening with every passing second.

“The servants, Andren,” Luc reminded as his bare chest was revealed. One of Andren’s hands tweaked his right nipple, rolling the little nub between his thumb and forefinger.

“They know already.”

“The maids? You want to put on a show for them, too? Andren, we can’t just disappear into my chambers in the middle of the bloody day!” His sentence ended in a groan as Andren’s caress switched to the opposite nipple.

Andren’s lips quirked upward into a smile. “I don’t intend to drag you into your chambers, Luc. I intend to make love to you right here in your study. Tell your valet to keep the others away from the door.” Oh he was feeling naughty.

He flung a mental note out to his manservant and leaned up to receive Andren’s kiss. His mouth tasted like blood, venom, and Andren. The combination was a heady thing. He stroked his tongue over the swollen venom glands. Andren must’ve pumped his donor full of it for them to get this swollen. A flash of jealousy went through him at the thought of Andren feeding on another man, and he didn’t doubt that it was a man he’d fed on. He growled into Andren’s mouth and tugged on his blond hair in an effort to make him deepen the kiss.

Andren broke the kiss with a lascivious smile. “I like that little bit of aggression on you, Luc.”

“Hush, Andren. If you want to do this we have to be quick.” He glanced around the room until his eyes came to rest on his beloved piano.

Andren laughed. “And I thought you didn’t have a naughty side to you, Luc. My very proper mister, I think bending you over that piano sounds like utter perfection. Thank you for the suggestion.”

Lucian sputtered. “I didn’t suggest—” But he had, hadn’t he? That one glance at his piano had told Andren exactly what he’d wanted. He pushed himself up out of the chair and turned to face Andren. “Go get the jar out of my bedroom.”

“I’ll be right back.” Andren turned and all but ran from the room, shutting the door behind him with a soft snick. Lucian took several deep breaths. Good Lord, Andren was intoxicating. A few days with some man loving and he is addicted to tangles. My hunter does nothing halfway. Luc used the moment to try and collect himself. He undid his cuffs and toed off his boots. He hadn’t done something so improper in ages, and it felt wonderful. With deliberate grace, he crossed over to the piano and sat down at the bench, his fingers playing over the keys in a soft melody. 

Andren returned with the jar a second later and locked the door behind him. Luc glanced in his direction and took in the animal look of lust that Andren had fixed on him. He quieted his heart as it tried to develop a galloping rhythm. He felt hunted, and he liked it.

“I wanted you unclothed, Lucian,” Andren rumbled, stalking toward him.

“I felt like a song.” He was hard, aching really. His open shirt and unbuttoned trousers were invitation enough. He wanted his Andren to take him up on it. He didn’t have to wait long.

The notes went sour as he was dragged backward off the bench. Lucian laughed at the sheer joy of anticipating Andren’s reaction and getting exactly what he wanted. Andren pulled his shirt the rest of the way off his body and then tugged down his slacks.

“Minx,” Andren said, gripping Luc’s backside in a blatant show of possession. He twisted Luc’s head around for a kiss that was more tongue and teeth than lips before pressing Luc’s chest against the polished top of the piano. The brown jar was placed beside him, missing its top.

Andren’s hand spread his ass, and his fingers circled his entrance. Luc couldn’t help the groan of satisfaction when the first slicked digit sank into his heat.

“Andren, hurry,” Luc panted as another digit sank into his ass. Despite his warning to keep away from his study, he didn’t doubt that someone would try and come in and straighten up. The curses of having an efficient staff were becoming apparent to him at the moment.

Finally, Andren’s cock pressed against his ring and began the slow guide forward. He’d slicked himself and pushed bullocks deep inside him. “Harder, love. Harder,” Lucian encouraged mind to mind. He wanted Andren hard and fast and deep. And fast. That much was necessary.

“Hard and fast. Got it, Luc,” Andren said mind to mind. Then he was pounding inside him with all the vigor his hunter could muster, and Lucian couldn’t breathe past the pleasure assaulting his senses. He needed to feel Andren’s pleasure splashing against his insides, needed to taste Andren’s blood while he did it.