Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Praise for Debra St. John
Dedication
Holiday Romance from Debra St. John
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Other Books You Might Like
Thank you for purchasing this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
The Vampire and
the Vixen
by
Debra St. John
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
The Vampire and the Vixen
COPYRIGHT © 2013 by Deborah Rittle
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Contact Information: [email protected]
Cover Art by Angela Anderson
The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
PO Box 708
Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708
Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com
Publishing History
First Champagne Rose Edition, 2013
Digital ISBN 978-1-61217-859-2
Published in the United States of America
Praise for Debra St. John
“Debra St. John built a really beautiful love story...a beautifully written romance, that will surely touch the hearts of many readers out there. Kudos to this author for bypassing the typical holiday theme of Christmas and focusing more on the Thanksgiving holiday as well. I was ready for something new and refreshing for the season, and AN UNEXPECTED BLESSING was exactly that.”
~Sizzling Hot Book Reviews
“I enjoyed this story. The author did a good job of portraying the reality of living in a small community. Ms. St. John addressed a very difficult subject in this book, and she told the story with grace and sensitivity. I look forward to reading more from this author.”
~The Romance Reviews
“A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER is the perfect story to get you in the holiday spirit! Sam and Heather are two lonely souls who found one another and discovered a love each one never anticipated. From page one, I quickly got absorbed in their story. With the author's descriptive passages I felt as though I was living each scene with the characters.”
~Mystic Reviews
“A delightful story, which expertly draws the reader into the joy and excitement of the Christmas season. Debra St. John digs deep into the emotions of her characters and draws out their secret fears and longings. [This book] should be high on the list of any reader who wants a shot of Christmas cheer to kick-start their holiday.”
~Two Lips Reviews
Dedication
To Barbie Doll…
Thanks for sharing my vampire obsession.
And to John, my wonderful husband,
who accepts my obsession with tolerant amusement.
Holiday Romance from Debra St. John
and The Wild Rose Press
An Unexpected Blessing
A Christmas to Remember
Mistletoe and Folly (a free read)
Also by Debra St. John
and The Wild Rose Press
This Time for Always
This Can’t Be Love
Wild Wedding Weekend
Chapter One
“I still think we’re a little too old to be dressing up for Halloween.”
Kelsey Adams glanced over at her best friend. “No, we’re not. It’s fun. Besides…” She swept her hand out. A couple hundred or so costumed people mingled in the banquet room. Long John Silver chatted with Snow White at a nearby table. Romeo and Juliet twirled among the dancers on the parquet floor. At the bar, James Bond sipped a martini. “Dressing up as one of your favorite literary characters for the library fundraiser was an inspired idea.”
Tracy laughed. “It was your idea.”
“I know. I was inspired.” Her gaze swept over the other woman. Tracy wore a black mini sweater dress with tights. Red contact lenses tinted her eyes, and an oval ring encrusted with cubic zirconia glittered on her finger when she raised a hand to brush the hair from the long, brown wig out of her eyes. “You make a very convincing Bella.”
“Thank you.” Tracy batted her eyelashes. Then she looked at Kelsey. “Tell me who you are again.”
Kelsey took a glass of wine from the tray of a passing waiter. “I’m not a particular someone.” She sipped the wine. The lush, fruity with a hint of vanilla flavor of the chardonnay slid over her tongue. She swallowed. The warmth of the alcohol pooled in her stomach. “I’m the heroine on the cover of a historical romance.”
“Which one?”
“All of them.”
Tracy’s gaze raked over Kelsey again. “Okay, so I get the boobs bursting from the barely-there bodice of your dress. But why the slit?”
Kelsey shifted her weight to let one leg peek through the thigh-high slit in the full, floor length skirt of the baby blue gown. “A heroine always shows leg on the cover.”
Tracy laughed. “Well, you certainly play the vixen well.”
Kelsey lifted her glass in a toast. “Why thank you.”
In the background, The Monster Mash morphed into the theme from The Addams Family.
“So how long do we— Holy crow,” Tracy breathed.
Kelsey turned toward the entrance. Her gaze collided with the dark stare of the man in the doorway. Her breath caught. A flush of heat having nothing to do with alcohol burned through her.
A cape, black as sin, flowed over his broad shoulders. The high collar stood up against the back of his head, nearly blending with his ebony hair. At his neck, a white bow tie topped the tuxedo shirt worn beneath a white fitted vest. A golden medallion nestled against his muscled chest. Black, tailored pants encased long legs.
Kelsey’s gaze met his again. Dracula’s mouth quirked up at one corner. Her heart did a funny skip beat. She swallowed and licked her lips. When he tracked the gesture, warmth seeped into deep, secret places. What would his mouth feel like on hers?
“Kelsey.”
She jerked her attention away from the man at the door. “Sorry.” She took a sip of wine. Her fingers trembled around the fragile stem of the glass. If Tracy hadn’t interrupted the fantasy, Kelsey might have melted into a puddle on the rose-patterned carpet.
“I completely understand. A vampire will do that to you.”
“Uh huh.” Kelsey snuck another peek at the door, but the compelling stranger was gone. Damn.
“Ah, Kelsey. I’d like you to meet someone.” Arthur Trent laid a hand on her arm.
Kelsey turned to face her boss, but instead met the deep, mesmerizing midnight blue eyes of a familiar stranger. Up close he was even more devastatingly handsome. The spicy scent of his aftershave tickled her nose. The dim lighting of the room accented the planes and angles of his face. A faint shadow darkened his chiseled jaw.
When she drew in a breath, his gaze dropped to her breasts. What would the stubble feel like against them? Her pulse sped, and heat once again spread through her.
“Kelsey, this is Rafe Alexander.”
Rafe. A sexy name for a sexy man.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kelsey.”
Oh my. A sexy man with a voice as smooth and rich as chocolate covered caramel.
“L-likewise.” The word caught along with the
breath in her throat.
He held out his hand. Her heart accelerated, anticipating the contact. She placed her hand in his.
Sure enough, a tingle of electricity raced through her when his strong fingers squeezed hers. When he raised her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips over her knuckles, her heart stopped entirely, then resumed with a rapid beat.
Beside her, Tracy, who Kelsey had all but forgotten, muttered, “Oh.” A touch of surprise laced the single syllable.
Seconds—heartbeats—passed. Lost in the heated depths of Rafe’s eyes, Kelsey started when Arthur spoke.
“Rafe is—”
“Arthur, it’s almost time for your speech,” Sherry interrupted. Even Arthur’s no nonsense assistant had gotten into the spirit of things and was dressed as Mary Poppins.
“Already? Time flies when you’re having fun.” Arthur turned to them. “My apologies. I’ll just leave you to chat, then.” He headed toward the raised dais on one side of the room, his plum colored jacket tails streaming behind him. The Willy Wonka top hat soon disappeared in the crowd.
“That’s a great costume, Mr. Alexander,” Tracy said.
Rafe’s sensual mouth quirked. An answering tickle tingled in Kelsey’s stomach. “Why thank you.” His gaze remained on hers even as he responded to Tracy’s comment.
“O-kay.” Tracy looked from one to the other. “I’m going to find some more of those mini quiches.”
Rafe nodded toward the empty glass in Kelsey’s hand. “Would you care for another glass of wine?”
Did she dare? She was already half drunk on Rafe’s presence. The man exuded charm and charisma. And more sex appeal than should be legal. Adding alcohol to the mix would surely push her over the edge. She needed to keep her wits, or there was no telling what she’d do.
“No, thank you.”
“How about a dance, then?” The music had shifted from monster classics to a more traditional waltz.
A thrill of anticipation zinged through her. “I’d like that.”
“Excellent.” His fingers brushed hers as he took the glass from her. The tension notched tighter. He set the glass on the tall, round cloth-draped table, then held out his crooked arm. “Shall we?”
She hooked her arm through his. He led her out onto the parquet floor, and then found a spot between Robinson Crusoe and Scarlett O’Hara, Harry Potter and Jane Eyre. The vast differences in the dancing couples’ reading tastes made her smile.
But then Rafe slid an arm around her waist to draw her close, and Kelsey forgot all about the other couples. When her breasts brushed the hard planes of his chest, she nearly forgot her own name. He led her easily through the triple count steps of the dance. The skirt of her heroine costume swirled around her legs. His black cape fluttered as he guided her though a turn. They didn’t speak, but his dark, intense gaze never left hers.
Her reading tastes usually leaned toward traditional historical romance, but here, in Rafe’s arms, she fully understood the pull of the highly popular paranormal genre. The room faded, and Kelsey could almost imagine herself back in another time, dancing in the arms of her vampire lover.
He leaned in to kiss her neck, his mouth brushing the pulse beating there. She tilted her head to the side, closing her eyes on a dreamy sigh. He barred his teeth, allowing his fangs to descend. He bit through the delicate membrane of her skin. The delicious shock of it flickered in her belly.
Caught up in the very vivid fantasy, it took half a dozen heartbeats to realize the song had ended. She opened her eyes and blinked. Her pulse still sped. Her tummy still quivered. His gaze had darkened. Had he read her mind?
She pressed her hands to her flaming cheeks and glanced around. “It’s warm in here.” She waved a hand. “It’s so crowded.” Would he buy the excuse?
A spark of amusement lit his eyes. “Would you like to step outside for a bit of fresh air?” The cadence of his voice fit the character he played.
“I-I think that’s a good idea.” Anything to cool the fiery rush of sensation burning through her veins. Anything to stop the fantasies and bring her back to reality.
He led her onto the balcony, but the chill night air did little to cool her heated flesh. The wall of blind-covered windows hid them from those inside. He stepped up behind her. When she turned, she caught their reflection in the glass.
Her breath hitched. With him at her side, the book cover was complete. The Vampire and the Vixen.
He fingered the curls draped over her shoulder. The back of his hand brushed the swell of her breast. Her heart stuttered. Her breath grew shallow. The spicy scent of his aftershave made her head spin.
“Nights like these are magical, aren’t they?” The words were as soft as the velvety darkness below.
She nodded. What other than magic could explain how she felt like she knew him, even though they’d never met before? As if their souls and bodies recognized one another, even if their minds didn’t. What else could explain her intense reaction to him?
“Rafe. I…” She needed to get back inside before she did something stupid. She hated heroines who were too stupid to live. Kissing this stranger, which every instinct in her being clamored for her to do, put her right in that category. She stepped back.
Warm hands on her shoulders stopped her. “Grown-ups hardly ever get to play dress up. To…pretend…to be someone else for a while. It’s nice, don’t you think?”
“Rafe.”
“Shh.” His silken whisper skittered over her. “Let’s just pretend for a little while longer.” He lowered his head and his lips found hers.
Sweet heaven. His warmth enveloped her. Surrounded her. Urged her to yield to the tender brush of his masterful strokes. With a sigh she splayed her hands on his wide back beneath the cape and surrendered. Her lips parted and his mouth consumed hers. The taste of red wine, but richer, headier, lingered on his tongue. When she trembled, he pulled her closer, until the mounds of her breasts above the low neckline of her gown nestled against firm, hard muscle.
His lips trailed along the underside of her jaw. A delicious shiver rippled down her spine. He inhaled. “You smell so damn good.” He placed a searing kiss on the pulse in her throat. The blood flowed faster through her veins. His soft moan vibrated against her flesh.
His thumb brushed her breast through the satin of her bodice. The nipple tightened. A flash of white-hot desire burned into her womb, then drizzled lower. Her thighs parted to allow his leg to slip between hers. The wool of his pants was slightly rough against her bare skin.
The muted chatter from the main ballroom grew louder when the door to the balcony opened for a brief moment. But it was enough. Enough to send a lick of sanity to her passion clouded brain.
She wrenched her mouth from his. A tiny stab of loss pierced her when he allowed it. She ignored it. What was she doing?
She raised a shaking hand to her swollen lips. “I-I have to go.” Without a backwards glance, if she looked into his passion-clouded eyes again she’d change her mind, she wrenched the door open and stumbled inside.
The room buzzed with jumbled conversation. Michael Jackson’s Thriller reverberated through the speakers in the ceiling. They were back to monster music. Good.
She took a few steadying breaths, then peeked over her shoulder to make sure Rafe hadn’t followed her back in. She placed a hand over her heart in an attempt to slow its frantic beating.
“Oh good. You’re just in time for Arthur’s speech.”
Kelsey turned and Tracy handed her a glass of wine. She took a gulp. The tart taste slid down her throat and settled in her stomach, but did little to calm the jitters there. “Thanks, I needed that.”
“I saw you head out to the balcony with that sexy vampire.”
“It, um, was a little stuffy in here. I needed a breath of fresh air.”
“Right.” Tracy cleaved the word into two syllables. “Is that why you look all flushed and you have a love bite on your neck?”
“Oh God.” Kelsey drap
ed her hair in front of her shoulders. She didn’t remember him biting her. Except in her fantasy. “Is it covered?”
“It’s fine.”
Kelsey glanced around. She fingered the hair hiding the mark. “I don’t know what got into me.” Could she blame getting caught up in the magic of the night? Taking on the character of her costume? Had there been a full moon?
“I wonder who he is.”
“I don’t know.” She winced. “Maybe he’s making a donation to the project.”
Tracy shook her head. “There’s something about him I can’t quite put my finger on.”
Sexy. Devastatingly handsome. Wickedly tempting. What couldn’t Tracy put her finger on?
The music abruptly cut off, and Arthur took his place behind the podium at the front of the room. He cleared his throat. “I’d like to thank everyone for coming out tonight and supporting us. Your donations will help fund the library’s programs for the next year.” He paused as applause filled the room. “This library has been in existence since our town was founded nearly a hundred years ago. Over the last twelve months, we’ve been working on a project that will lead us in a new direction. Everywhere you go people have access to things they want and need twenty-four hours a day. You can get fast food, do ATM banking, work out at the gym. Why not be able to come to the library? Beginning October 31, the library will be open twenty-four hours, seven days a week.”
Kelsey joined another round of applause. She grinned at Tracy. Months of planning were coming to fruition. As head of library programming, she’d been researching and developing programs for all ages to be offered during the new nighttime hours. Someday down the line, she wanted Arthur’s job of Executive Director. If the new nighttime offerings were a success, she’d be one step closer.
Something made the hair on the back of her neck prickle. She glanced up into Rafe’s eyes. He stood just to the side of the dais. Even from across the room, an invisible current flowed between them. If he was a possible donor, could their intimate encounter on the balcony be construed as a conflict of interest? As coercion? Quid pro quo?
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