Table of Contents
Title Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
His love for her would never die.
Tobias Knight, a four hundred year old vampire, happens upon Cat Luster’s latest best seller and stares at her picture on the jacket, astounded to discover it’s Seraphina, his one true love who perished at the hands of vampire killers three hundred years ago. He seeks her out and discovers she is his dead vampire wife reincarnated, but he must convince Cat of this fact. The only way to help her remember her past life with him is to reawaken the fire between them and experience the hot, passionate, erotic love they shared three hundred years years ago.
Cat is a paranormal erotica writer with an overactive imagination. In one startling moment she meets her fantasy lover, the man she’s been day dreaming about all her life, as he brings her erotica to life.
Meanwhile, the vampire killers who drove a stake through her heart are back and they mean to kill her…again.
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Her Vampire Lover
Copyright © 2012 Anastasia Maltezos
ISBN: 978-1-77111-353-3
Cover art by Martine Jardin
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
Published by Devine Destinies
An imprint of eXtasy Books
Look for us online at:
www.devinedestinies.com
Her Vampire Lover
Her Vampire Lover Book 1
By
Anastasia Maltezos
To Angela Salera and Antonio Cistera
Chapter One
Disgusted, Tobias Knight tossed the vampire killer on the floor and scanned the threadbare apartment. As a four hundred year old vampire, he had seen it all. Nothing shocked or surprised him, but when his gaze caught the book on the coffee table, his body stiffened in disbelief.
He grabbed the book, clenched his jaw, and stared at the picture of the woman on the jacket. His cold, unfeeling heart jolted. He held the book so tightly his knuckles showed white as his heart and mind battled each other. It can’t be. After all these centuries, Seraphina couldn’t be alive. Can she?
His beautiful Seraphina.
Gone for three hundred years, she’d left him alone to live as the undead for centuries, with nothing but torment and anguish in his cold heart. No, that wasn’t true. He did feel something—hate. A deep, dark hatred for the Granger clan who had mercilessly killed his beloved.
The Granger at his feet stirred, moaning under his breath. Tobias cast a harsh look on him, his vision growing so dark, he viewed the vampire killer through a black haze. His heart was cold, his blood like ice in his veins, the last of its warmth gone the day Seraphina died.
“Where did you get this?” Tobias asked, his tone deadly calm.
The Granger’s face twisted with hate. “It doesn’t matter, demon bastard. We’re already on her trail. Very soon, we’ll send her straight to Hell where she belongs.” He spat blood from his swollen lip. “The demon bitch has come back from the dead, but she won’t last long in this life. She’s a mortal now, and all we have to do is snap her little neck.”
Logic fought with Tobias. He knew the woman couldn’t be Seraphina, yet a small part of him wasn’t so sure. That small part surprised him into feeling a more human emotion. Hope. He had seen enough in his long life not to question anything. Werewolves, shape shifters, witches—they all existed, and he wasn’t about to discount reincarnation.
He stared at her picture, ignoring the man gasping at his feet. The Granger couldn’t harm him. He was as useless and annoying as a gnat.
The modern day Seraphina’s name was Cat Luster, and she was a writer of paranormal erotica. His lips curled with wry amusement. The modern day Seraphina was not unlike his Seraphina of the past. Vampire lovemaking was the ultimate in pleasure and passion, and three hundred years hadn’t made him forget the height of ecstasy their lovemaking had brought them to.
He stared at Cat Luster’s sky blue eyes beneath delicately winged brows and her sensual lips, and felt a discomfort in his lower limbs—the past rushing forth. Her face was an exact replica of Seraphina’s, and he couldn’t tear his gaze away. Her hair, a pale blonde that fell past her shoulders, the teasing look in her eyes, and the hint of a smile on her mouth made Tobias wonder again at the Granger’s words.
Had she returned? Was this Seraphina? He doubted it, but he couldn’t help feeling he needed to warn her of the Grangers’ plot to kill her. After all, this woman, this Cat Luster, was a mere mortal. She didn’t have the immense strength and powers of a vampire to protect herself. Tobias sighed heavily—he had to find her and save her. This woman was an innocent and he had to protect her. He ignored the annoying human feeling resurfacing in his chest. Hope. There had been no hope in his life for centuries. No light, only darkness, and the quicker he found her and helped her change her life into one of anonymity, the quicker he could return to his dark, morbid existence.
He knelt by the man and grabbed his chin, jerking his now-frightened face up to his.
“Where is she?” Tobias asked, focusing on the man’s eyes.
“Go to Hell, Demon.” The Granger spat more blood on the floor. “She’s as good as dead now. It’s only a matter of time before my brothers find her and kill her.”
Tobias grabbed the man by the collar and raised him off the ground. The Granger flailed his arms as Tobias continued to focus on his wide eyes. “I said where is she?” he growled.
The man struggled, but the effect of Tobias’ strong will and mind caused the Granger’s body to go still.
“You have a choice,” Tobias began quietly, staring deep into the man’s eyes. “Use your free will and tell me where she is. Or I will make you tell me what I need to know.” He hated looking into the minds of these killers. They were an evil, vicious lot and their hate for his kind was fire burning through his soul.
“Never.”
Dammit! Tobias grimaced, narrowed his eyes and concentrated.
The vampire killer went limp as his mind grew foggy and his vision blurred.
Tobias felt a stab of arrogance. He knew the Grangers were aware of his immense powers and he drew in a deep breath of superiority. He had the power to alter thoughts and control minds and he knew his victim was fighting it, and failing miserably. Tobias continued to plough and dig with his mind until he found what he needed.
He tossed the Granger back onto the floor.
“Be thankful I’m sparing your life. If I ever see you again, I won’t be so forgiving.”
The man looked relieved and shocked all at once. “You’re going to let me live?” His words came out in a
croak.
Tobias laughed, but it lacked warmth and humor. Slowly, he lowered himself in front of the man and pressed a hand to his already throbbing temple. He hated doing this. He hated it because it always gave him a damn headache afterwards. “Hardly. A man living without his memories is hardly living, is he?”
The Granger’s face contorted with fear. He opened his mouth to scream, but it was too late. Tobias had already locked into his terrified eyes and proceeded to empty the man of all his memories.
* * * *
She moaned as he poured a small amount of lotion on her belly. Without taking his dark gaze off hers, he rubbed the lotion all over her stomach and breasts. She was going to burst into flames as his searing caresses left a hot trail of exquisite pain. She tugged at the silken rope binding her arms and legs at the bedposts. She groaned. This lotion was everything Chad had said it would be and more. A sex enhancer. A lotion made to increase your lust and desire a hundredfold.
“Please, Chad, I can’t wait…” she said huskily.
Cat leaned back in her seat and stared at her computer screen. She smiled as she reread what she’d just typed.
She saved her work and turned off computer. It was late, she’d made a lot of progress today with her book, The Sex Potion, and it was time for bed.
Cat brushed her teeth, slipped out of her clothes, and crawled into bed naked. Her agent’s cabin was dark and quiet. It was a cold winter night, but with the rustic cabin heated, Cat was comfortable and warm in bed.
She thought about her agent, Melanie Crawford, also her dear friend, and smiled. What would she do without her? When Mel had heard Cat’s fiancé had broken their engagement because Cat’s visit to the doctor had confirmed she could not have children, she’d suggested Cat finish her latest erotica away from the city. The country cabin was nestled deep in the woods, miles away from civilization and any reminders of her fiancé.
Cat had jumped at the chance. Nursing a broken heart had made finishing her latest book an impossible task, and staying at Mel’s cabin had seemed like a good idea. Now, she realized it had been the best solution.
She’d been here only a week and she’d already completed two chapters.
Her ex flitted before her eyes and she frowned. Resentment and anger flared up inside of her, and she pushed him back into the dark recesses of her mind—where he belonged. Mel had been right. Simon was not for her.
A sudden feeling of sadness overwhelmed her, her heart heavy because of the shocking news she couldn’t have children. The thought stabbed her.
Cat shifted uncomfortably in the bed. She was restless and needed to lift her spirits, so she thought of him. Not Simon, but him. The fictional, fantasy man her overactive imagination had conjured up since writing her first erotica.
She closed her eyes and pictured him in her mind. He was tall and muscular with longish, black hair and brilliant dark eyes. He had the face of a ruthless warrior—all angles and shadows, with thick, black lashes and a fierce expression. Her mind’s eye flickered over his strong jaw, his prominent eyebrows, his mouth so beautifully sculpted it looked both cruel and sensual at the same time.
Her fantasy man was all male, virile and strong, possessing an energy that consumed her with a mere, searing glance from him. She almost felt like he existed, and many times she had the crazy notion she had met him somewhere before.
She’d thought about him for years. Even when she’d made love with Simon, her fantasy man had always invaded her mind. Cat had never told anyone about him. She couldn’t. They would think she was crazy.
He was a private part of her heart and mind, and all the dark, sensual, sexy thoughts of him helped with her creative flow—writing one best seller after another—erotica tales with paranormal twists.
Slowly, she slipped her hand beneath the covers and slid it over her warm belly as she continued to picture him in her mind.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said within her imagination, his voice a deep, sexy timbre.
Her hands slid over her breasts and she sighed. In her mind, it was her fantasy man touching her breasts. He fondled her, caressed her, and stroked her. She imagined his strong, muscular body over hers, his hot kisses on her neck, his hands working their magic over her body.
The screeching sound of the cabin’s pipes expanding and contracting snapped her out of her sensual reverie, and she opened her eyes.
Loneliness stabbed at her heart. After thinking of him, she was always sad. For a long time she had so wanted him to be real, but she knew the difference between make believe and real life. Her fantasy man was all make believe, a product of her sensual, overactive, wild imagination, and he would never appear before her in real life.
Turning over to her side, she sighed brokenly and closed her eyes. Slowly, she fell asleep with her last thoughts on her fantasy man…how he completely filled a deep part of her that always seemed empty.
Chapter Two
The next morning Cat stretched lazily and rose. She padded to the window and drew the curtains aside. It had stopped snowing, but the sky was overcast and dull.
She showered, changed into jeans and a warm brown sweater, and made her usual breakfast of toast and coffee. She had two chapters left to write on The Sex Potion and at the rate she was going, she would have her book completed by the weekend.
She glanced at the diminishing bundle of wood by the fireplace. She’d need to run an errand first. The nearest town was only fifty miles away and she’d take the morning to fill up on her supplies. When she returned, she’d get back to her writing.
Thankfully, Mel had the foresight to leave the keys to the black Hummer, because Cat didn’t think her BMW would make it through the winding, snow- packed roads.
She slipped into her warm parka and pulled on her boots. If all went well and the roads weren’t too bad, she could be back by lunchtime.
Within the hour, she parked the vehicle in front of the nearest town’s general store. The street was quaint and picturesque with little stores lined up along it and Christmas lights decorating the trees and shrubs along its sidewalk.
She smiled, thinking she would love to live in a quiet town like this. Since her break up with Simon, and with no real family or friends back home apart from Mel, nothing really held her back. Maybe a change would be good for her and she wondered if she should give the thought serious consideration.
After she purchased her wood, she carried it out of the store. Without warning, a heavy-set man walked into her and the wood tumbled out of her arms. She shot him an annoyed look.
“I’m sorry, Miss. Let me help you.” The stranger bent down and started arranging the wood into a pile before he picked it up.
Cat smiled stiffly at him. “It’s no trouble. I should have been watching where I was going.”
She noticed the man didn’t return her smile. His gaze kept darting behind her and he appeared anxious, excited.
“My fault, Miss. Let me help you get this to your car. It’s the least I can do.” His offer carried a curious thread of resentment beneath its tone.
He was probably having a hard day. He couldn’t possibly think it was her fault they ran into each other. “My car’s just across the street,” she said. Again, his eyes continued to dart behind her. What was wrong with him?
He carried the wood to the curb and stopped. “Where is it?” His tone was abrupt and she started to get annoyed.
He was obviously not in the mood to help her and she made a move to take the wood from his hands. It appeared chivalry was dead, even in small towns. “It’s the black Hummer. Here, let me take that. I can manage.”
He took a step back and glared at her. “No. It’s…it’s the least I can do.”
She bit back a scowl, deciding a few moments of this man’s time wouldn’t kill him. “The car’s this way.”
She crossed the street and began walking toward the Hummer, reaching into her purse for her keys. Suddenly, she heard an engine roar and a woman scream. Cat looked up to se
e what the commotion was and froze, staring at a truck barreling its way toward her.
“Look out!” a woman from the sidewalk yelled.
Panic filled her legs with lead and she couldn’t move as the truck sped toward her. Suddenly, a dark shadow moved with lightening speed toward her, lifted her in his powerful arms, and carried her off to the side as the truck sped over the spot she had been standing on.
The man who saved her continued to hold her firmly in his grip as her put her down and looked down at her face. “Are you all right?”
Cat looked up, ready to thank him for saving her life, and her breath caught, stunned as she flicked her gaze over his face. This couldn’t be, she thought wildly. She was staring at her fantasy man. Dazed, she ran her gaze over his longish black hair, his eyes the color of the midnight sky, his incredibly sexy mouth. Then her gaze screeched to a halt on his skin. It was smooth, translucent, as though there was a faint glow about him.
She tried to find her voice. “I’m…I’m fine. Thank…thank you.” Their gazes locked, and she caught the look of recognition on his handsome face. “You saved my life,” she whispered.
His expression was grim, darkening the hypnotic glow on his skin, and he looked over her shoulder and glared at the man holding her wood. “Drop it, Granger,” he said.
Frowning, Cat looked at the heavyset man and watched him drop the wood to the ground. Her frown deepened. Did they know each other?
“It’s not over, Knight,” the heavyset man said harshly. “You and your demon bitch will soon go back to Hell.” Without another word, he jumped into a silver four-door sedan that skidded to a halt beside him. The car sped away, leaving Cat bewildered and not a little afraid.
She stared up the stranger. “Do you know him?” His arms were still around her, holding her against his chest, and he stared deeply into her eyes.
“Yes,” he said.
Cat tried pushing away from him, but his hold on her was firm. “You can let go of me now.”
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