Cressa Langtry worked hard to become the best cat burglar and safecracker on the West Coast. But now she’s hounded by bounty hunters. One successful job would go a long way in clearing what she owes.
In an unfortunate twist of fate, Cressa’s debt is turned over to the city’s most notorious and ancient vampire – Devon Trelane. Complete one mission by doing what she does best, and she can leave the vampire world and his home, free and clear.
Devon has lived a long life—many of them excommunicated from the Vampire Council. Yet, he can’t forgive the one vampire that cost him his council seat and damaged his family’s reputation.
Unrest builds within the Council—a discontent that could be avoided if the Council would see reason. One vampire stokes the fires of division. The one who forced Devon from the Council through lies and deception.
Luckily, a thief has fallen into Devon’s lap. A woman with the skills he requires to take down his greatest enemy.
There’s only one hitch—a simple business arrangement is complicated when their dreams collide and engulf them in passion.
THIS IS A CONTINUING slow-burn romance series.
“This particular job will put you in the heart of vampire society. High society. You’ll be mingling with the city’s most respected and most dangerous vampires. To fit in, you’ll need to have a particular look with discerning tastes. And you’ll need to eat what vampires eat.”
I sat back, the grease of my breakfast threatening to revolt.
He laughed. “I’m not asking you to drink blood wine. But I do expect you to eat nutritious, organic meals. Besides excellent hearing, we have a unique sense of smell.” He tapped his nose. “We can smell someone’s blood when they get close. We can tell its purity and the contents of their last meal. For example, if I were to meet with you in two hours, I’d know you had garlic and onion in your meal. It wouldn’t stop me from drinking your blood if I had a mind, but that very scent would tell another vampire that you probably don’t belong to anyone. I’m far too old to worry about having to drink very often, so I don’t keep humans in the house. But younger vampires require a drink more frequently. Even those a century old still keep humans close for feeding.” He shrugged. “They don’t need to; they just prefer the old ways.” He shook his head as if he found that disgusting. Perhaps just uncouth. Either way, it made me feel a little better. I shouldn’t have to worry about him sneaking into my room in the middle of the night looking for a sip. I reflexively rubbed my neck.
He glanced down when his phone vibrated. His jaw clenched, and he held his cup so tightly, I thought it would shatter. Not good news. After a couple long minutes, he took a deep breath and turned to me, returning to our conversation as if never reading his message.
“My point is, where we’ll be going, you’ll need to not only act the part but smell the part as well. Otherwise, no one will believe why you’re with me.”
He stood. “I’m afraid I have something to attend to. Anna will start your training this morning. I should be back this evening for our session. A couple of rules for your stay here. You have the freedom of the yard, garden, and anywhere in the house on the first and second floors. The third floor is completely off-limits. Any questions before I leave?”
I had a dozen, but it was obvious I wouldn’t have his full attention. And I preferred trying to get answers from Anna. “Just one.”
He tucked the phone in his pocket then gave me his undivided attention.
“What am I being trained for?”
He gave me a slow perusal, and this time, it was more heated. The desire to squirm returned. Then, he gave me that million-dollar smile. “To be my human lover, of course.”
Secrets still buried…
Devon’s whispered words haunt. “What are you, Cressa Langtry?”
It probably meant nothing. But it might be everything.
Cressa Langtry, professional cat burglar, still owes a debt to the notorious and beguiling vamp, Devon Trelane, and what she thought was a quick mission to pay off a sizable debt was only a trial run.
Devon, in a show of faith, has sweetened the pot. Now she has a way to not only pay off her debt but earn a big bonus. But as expected, the road to freedom is fraught with landmines. Her stepfather is still hounding her, Devon has rarely been seen since the vampire ball, and her days have become…boring.
When vamps attack Ginger, her best friend, the game changes.
A family heirloom turns Cressa’s dreams into nightmares and an ancient vampire book could provide answers to the centuries-long blood rift between Devon and the smarmy Lorenzo. Assuming she lives long enough to find it.
Maybe boring wasn’t the right word after all.
Kim is currently working on the next books in the Mórdha Stone Chronicles and Masquerade Club series.
Nine months after the attack at Pearl Harbor, for Lily Travers, the war seems far away. She’s forced to flee her home in the Pacific Northwest to avoid a green-eyed stranger who seeks a rare heirloom in Lily’s possession. She heads for the safety of Boston, a city large enough to hide in. When she runs into Louis Mayfield before ever leaving the train station, the troubles she left behind soon fade.
Louis is a young naval officer with a two-day pass before he jumps on a convoy to London. Suddenly the war is as real as it gets when Lily realizes she may never see him again. And when the green-eyed stranger finds her in Boston, she must decide if she’s willing to step into her ancestral role as keeper of the stone.
(Google gives me a small commission if you click on ads)
This sounds intriguing just by the excerpt! Great cover!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, I love the cover.
ReplyDeleteI hate debt collectors. They're such bloodsuckers.
ReplyDeleteI would love to read your book.
ReplyDeleteI love books about vampires, this sounds awesome, and love the cover!
ReplyDelete