STORY EXCERPT

Claire pulled her car into the employee parking lot of the Midnight Moon Casino and Resort. The parking garage was dark and gloomy, a welcome respite to her sensitive vampire skin after the short drive from her apartment. As a newly turned vampire, she was still quite vulnerable to the effects of even the lightest of the sun’s rays. It was not very smart of her to leave the safety of her home before full dark had settled, which was why the casino had its employees change shifts only after sundown and before dawn. Unfortunately, she had had no choice. Knowing the chance she was taking, she’d made sure she had some bottled blood on hand to repair any skin damage. Shakily she lifted her hand to her painfully burned cheeks. She grimaced. It wasn’t much worse than a really bad sunburn. However, it would certainly draw unwanted attention to her, so she twisted the top off the bottle and took a long swallow.

Claire hated being a vampire. When she’d first been turned, it had taken everything in her to drink blood from a live donor. She was not aggressive or predatory. She was squeamish and introverted, shy and quiet. In other words, she was absolutely everything that a vampire was not. If it weren’t so pathetic, it would be funny.

She took another drink of the bottled blood. She could feel the healing effects as her cells absorbed the precious liquid. Even after almost a year, she was still amazed at the restorative abilities of her new body. Sometimes she just felt so lost, like a stranger to herself. If it weren’t for her mission, she probably would have taken her own life right after she was turned. But she couldn’t. Not yet. Hell, who was she kidding? Probably not ever. She didn’t have the guts to do herself in. With disgust at her own ineptitude, she quickly downed the rest of the bottle before putting the cap back on it and setting it aside. Well, she might be incompetent as a vampire, but she would not let that stop her from doing what she had to do. It was all she’d thought about, all she’d lived for in the months since her life had spun crazily out of control.

She checked her appearance in the rearview mirror, wiping away a small drop of red from her bottom lip. After popping a breath mint in her mouth, she exited the car and made her way to the short tunnel that would take her into the building, admiring once again the planning that had gone into the building’s layout. The Midnight Moon Casino and Resort was very protective of its vampire employees, mainly because it was owned by the Buchanans, a pair of wealthy vampire brothers. Everything was geared toward making it easier for paranormals to blend into the human world. The brothers had a reputation for doing everything they could to assist any paranormals in the area, especially the newly made vampires, going so far as helping them find jobs at one of their own properties if necessary. That was one of the reasons why she felt so damn bad about what she was doing. But she had no choice. She pushed the twinge of guilt aside and, sighing, turned down the corridor where the employees’ break room was located. After stashing her purse in her locker, she clocked in and then walked toward the area that contained the tech department for the casino.

“Hey, Claire.” A hand on her arm caused her to jump nervously. “Whoa. Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Flustered, Claire looked over and met the eyes of one of her fellow workers. The casino had at least one programmer and several techs on duty at all times. Considering the number of computers that ran everything from security systems to the electronic games, it was vital that all computer problems be taken care of as soon as possible. She forced herself to smile naturally at her coworker. “No worries, Leanne. It was my own fault. My mind was a million miles away.”

The young werewolf grinned. “Yeah. I know that feeling. Sometimes I just zone off to a dark, moonlit beach or a hopping nightclub with wall-to-wall hotties. Hell, anywhere but work, right?”

Claire offered a weak smile in agreement.

“You just coming on duty?”

“Oh, ah, yes. I am.”

She’d never been very good at making casual conversation, even back in her human life, but it was necessary that she at least make an effort to fit in with her fellow employees. The last thing she needed was to stand out in any way. That was why she dressed so conservatively, usually in dark slacks and a simple blouse. With her long, blonde hair pulled back into a severe bun and her dark-rimmed glasses perched on her nose, she thought she fit the perfect image of the geek computer programmer—which is exactly what she was, or used to be anyway. She was certain no one would pay the least attention to her. Ironic that she was also a bloodsucking monster. Sometimes she wanted to laugh hysterically at the ridiculous turn her life had taken.

“Are you going off duty?” She already knew the answer to that question, but at least it gave her something to say into the somewhat awkward silence that had fallen. Nervously she glanced at her watch, wishing she could just be rude and walk away. She had timed her arrival to give herself maximum time in the computer room with the fewest number of people around. That way there would be less chance of being caught.

ADULT EXCERPT

The hot water felt wonderful, and Claire stood under the showerhead and just let the heat cascade over her for several minutes. When she turned to reach for the soap, the curtain was suddenly pushed aside and a very large, very naked vampire stepped in and crowded her against the far wall.

“What are you doing?” She gasped as Hawk’s hands reached out to pull her against him.

“I thought we’d shower together. You know, save water.” His eyes gleamed down at hers a second before his mouth took hers in a hungry kiss. Claire closed her eyes and gave herself up to the moment, feeling his hard body plastered against her, his erection a firm reminder of his fierce masculine power.

She slid her hands up around his shoulders to encircle his neck and release his long hair from where he’d tied it back from his face. She tangled her hands in the thick mass, loving the silky feel of it against her skin. He backed her up until she was up against the shower wall and spun her around. Taking her hands in his, he placed them on either side of her head and murmured, “Keep them there,” in her ear.

She saw him pick up the soap and squirt some into his palm, and then his hands were on her, soaping her skin up and sliding silkily all over her most intimate areas. He lingered on her breasts, pulling her back against him and cupping his hands underneath each mound and massaging them over and over. He tweaked the nipples, and Claire pressed herself against him in heated response.

“You like that, don’t you, sweetheart?” she heard him ask as he continued to stroke and caress her, stoking her arousal higher and higher. She could feel herself getting wet with excitement, her body eager to experience again the intense pleasure that only he could give it. When she felt one of his hands leave her breast, she moaned in protest. In response, he took her earlobe in between his teeth and bored down gently, not enough to break the skin but enough to bring an edge of pain to her arousal. She recognized it as a warning to remember who was in control.

Then his soapy hand slid between her legs, exploring her moist pussy and delving into her feminine channel, which clutched at him eagerly. Again and again, his fingers slid into her as he pressed his cock hard against her back in a regular rhythm. She reached down and covered his fingers with her own, pressing him deeper as she felt her orgasm approach. His wicked chuckle teased against her neck as he kissed his way down the long line of her throat, his fingers stilling. “I thought I told you to keep those hands on the wall.”

Claire groaned but released him and returned her hands to their former position.

“Good girl.” She could hear his pleasure at her immediate obedience, and it made her even more excited.

“God, Hawk. I need to come.”

“Do you, baby?” His finger encircled her clit in a teasing stroke. She wiggled and pressed her hips forward into the motion. “Yes. I believe you do. But what do I get if I let you come?”

She gasped as he took her clit between his fingers and squeezed lightly. “Anything. Anything you want.”

“Do you really mean that, Claire?” “Yes. Yes, whatever you want. Just please let me come.”

“Then come for me. Come now.” His fingers twisted up into her, and his thumb pressed hard against her clit, and she went soaring into her climax, screaming out his name as she came. She was panting a few minutes later, her body slumped against the wall. The only thing holding her upright was Hawk’s arm around her waist, molding her back to his chest. His voice was a soothing murmur, and his hand petted her as the last pulses of her orgasm began to fade.

“That’s my baby. That’s it, sweetheart.”

She finally got breath enough to say, “God, Hawk. That was…”

“Shh. You don’t have to talk. Save your energy. We’re not finished yet.” His gruff command sent another wave of heat bursting through her. How was it possible that he did this to her? No one had ever turned her into this crazed sexual creature. No one had until Hawk. But as soon as he touched her, as soon as he whispered a command in her ear, she was his.

Hawk’s hands soothed over her heated flesh, the cooling water from the shower making her shiver. He reached down to turn the knob off but continued to caress her back and shoulders, dropping light kisses onto her tender skin. His hands cupped the cheeks of her buttocks, pulling them apart and squeezing them in a large circular pattern. She felt one finger probing against her anal opening and automatically clenched her butt cheeks together to guard that forbidden spot.

“Relax, baby. I’m not going to fuck you here tonight. But I will fuck your ass. Count on it. Right now, I just want to play a little bit.”

She bit her lip and cast a glance at him over her shoulder. “I’ve never…”

“I know. I promise, you will love it when it happens. But this is just to loosen you up, to get you ready for me. Okay?”

Allowing the steady murmur of his words to soothe her, she relaxed and let him have his way. She felt his finger touching her again, pressing against her until it breached the opening. She jerked slightly, but he calmed her with a muttered word. He eased in a bit more, moving his finger in and out in a circular, screwing motion. With each thrust, his finger went deeper, until she could tell that he’d pushed as far in as he could. Then a second finger joined the first, and she felt a slight burning discomfort, but it was overshadowed by a dark surge of pleasure as Hawk penetrated her boldly.

He fucked her ass with his fingers, pumping faster and faster. His other hand moved down to cover her pussy, his finger stroking over her clit in conjunction with the steady rhythm in her ass. He scissored his fingers in her back channel, twisting them back and forth.

“How does that feel?” He breathed into her ear.

“I don’t know. I don’t know.” Her own gasping response was a dead giveaway. She liked it, and he knew it.