“I don’t want to talk about that now.” Yes, he was still upset over how she’d risked herself so recklessly, but he didn’t want to berate her at the moment. He was too damn glad that she was alive.
She took in a deep, ragged breath. “Spade…the brands are permanent now. Only Raum could remove them, and he’s dead. I can’t die as I am, unless you stab my eyes out with that demon knife, but I’ll stay like this. If you can’t deal with me being a—a shape-shifter, I’ll understand—”
“Foolish girl,” he cut her off, pulling back to look into her hazel eyes. “According to what you just said, you’re safer now than you ever would be, even as a vampire. So I don’t give a rot about you occasionally changing shape. You could transform into a zombie, a werewolf, or a cat again. Whatever you fancy. I’ll still be there, and I’ll still be madly in love with you.”
She hugged him fiercely. “I love you so much,” she choked.
Spade returned her embrace with equal passion, that feeling of joy and relief growing even deeper. He meant what he’d said. If Denise were a vampire, well, silver was easy to come by, but demon knives? The only one he knew of was still in the bony eye socket of Raum’s corpse, and Spade would grind the demon’s remains to dust so that no other weapons could be forged from him.
Even as she still clutched him to her, Denise started to laugh. “Nathanial can show me how to better control the changes, but even so, you never have to worry about me turning into a cat again. Didn’t you know? I’m allergic to cats.”
Epilogue
Denise placed the bouquet of flowers on the grave. They were mixed with pinecones. She knew he would’ve appreciated those more than the lilacs, tulips, and roses.
She cast a look around the cemetery. Spring was definitely in full swing, covering the bare branches of the trees back in their leafy coats. The ground underneath her felt soft. Warmed from the sun. Not hard and cold, as it had been the day she’d buried him.
“Hey,” Denise said low, wiping away a tear as she touched the headstone engraved Randolph MacGregor. Beloved son and husband.
“I wanted to tell you that I’m with someone. You met him before. His name is Spade. Yeah, I know, a vampire, right? We haven’t been together that long, but sometimes…you just know. I knew with you. I told you I’d love you forever, and I will.”
Denise paused to wipe away another tear. “I love him, too, and I know this is right. It might be soon, but it’s right. And I know you would have hated what I did to myself since you died, so I wanted to tell you I’ve let go of the guilt and the fear. When I remember you, Randy, I’m going to smile, not cry. You’re a part of me. One of the best parts. I just wanted to tell you that.”
She stood up, brushing the headstone once more. “And if you meet someone named Giselda,” she whispered, “tell her she’s still part of Spade, too. A beautiful part. Please thank her for that.”
Denise touched her fingers to her mouth, kissing them, and then placed them against his name.
“Goodbye.”
Her eyes dried by the time she walked back to where Spade waited by the car, but they hadn’t been tears of grief. They were of warm remembrance, and when Denise walked into Spade’s arms, she was smiling.
“Ready to go, darling?” he asked, kissing the top of her head.
She didn’t need to look back. “Yeah, I’m ready.”
Nathanial rolled down the window of the backseat. “Now I get to meet my family?”
He asked the question with such hope that Denise’s smile widened. After this, they were going to her parents’ house, where Denise would introduce Nathanial to the remainder of his family, far removed though they might be.
And she’d be reintroducing Spade to her parents as their new son-in-law. They’d been married twice in the past two weeks. Once by a justice of the peace, and once vampire-style by slicing their palms and declaring themselves before Cat, Bones, Alten, Ian, Mencheres, and a ghost that Denise still couldn’t see. That marriage might not be recognized by vampire society, as Denise could never change into one, but to Spade, it counted, which was all she cared about.
“Now you get to meet our family.”
Dear Readers,
Hope you enjoyed First Drop of Crimson! The next “spin off” novel in the Night Huntress series features one of the most powerful vampires in existence—Mencheres—as well as a new heroine with a complicated past of her own.
Kira dreams of being a detective, but because she testified against her former husband, a cop who was killed in prison, no police force will accept her. Her disastrous first marriage and all the cheating spouses she’s tracked down as a private investigator have made Kira wary of relationships. When she comes home from an all-night stakeout, she interrupts what she believes is a gang-related attack of a handsome young man. But before she’s knocked out, Kira sees things that are impossible—fangs, superhuman speed, and the “victim” killing his attackers without even touching them. Then when Kira regains consciousness, she discovers the man she tried to save isn’t human—and neither were his attackers. Even worse, the charismatic vampire won’t let her go, because now she knows about what lurks in the night.
Mencheres is a four-thousand-year-old Master vampire who lost his visions of the future, making him doubt his usefulness as a leader. On top of that, a former enemy is investigating Mencheres for breaches of vampire law, and Mencheres knows the ancient Master vampire won’t stop until he destroys him. The last thing Mencheres needs is to be saddled with a human, but he couldn’t just leave Kira to die after she tried to “save” him. His plans to heal Kira and erase her memory of what she’d seen backfire, however, once he discovers Kira is immune to mind control.
Kira presents Mencheres with a problem: He can’t trance her to forget about her new knowledge of vampires and ghouls, but if he lets her go and she tells other people about the undead, the Law Guardian after him will have the proof he needs to annihilate Mencheres. As he spends time with Kira trying to convince her not to talk about the undead world, Mencheres recognizes a kindred spirit, and is torn. If he keeps her against her will, he’s ruining his only chance to have a relationship with the first woman he’s fallen for in thousands of years. If he lets her go, Kira may be responsible for giving his enemy all the tools he needs to bring Mencheres down.
Thanks so much, readers, for making it possible for me to extend the Night Huntress world with stories featuring side characters I’ve grown to love as much as Cat and Bones. Also your e-mails, comments, and continued support have been more than amazing. I hope you continue to enjoy your journey through the world of vampires, ghouls, ghosts, demons, and the occasional dark magic. I know I’ve enjoyed sharing my stories with you.
Jeaniene Frost
Acknowledgments
There are so many people behind my books that it’s impossible to list them all, but specific mention is more than due to the following:
I have to thank God first, both for the inspiration to dream up my stories—and the determination to turn them into books.
Thanks so much to the readers of the Night Huntress series. Your encouragement and enthusiasm have been more than I ever dreamed. You make it fun for me to share my stories, and that’s an amazing gift.
My agent, Nancy Yost, superbly handles the business aspects of publishing so that I have more time to concentrate on what I love most: writing. Thanks also to my editor, Erika Tsang, for her wonderful expertise in keeping me on track with my plots…and for trimming out my occasional rambling. If I had Erika edit my Acknowledgments page, it would be much more eloquent and succinct! Huge thanks go to Thomas Egner, for yet another cover that left me breathless. Also a big shout-out to Pamela Spengler-Jaffee, Carrie Feron, Liate Stehlik, Wendy Ho, and Amanda Bergeron at Avon Books/HarperCollins, for all their efforts to get this book onto as many shelves—or electronic readers—as possible.
My husband, Matthew, deserves his own chapter of thanks, but I’ll keep it brief and just say that without you,
I wouldn’t have much to write about the power of love. My parents, sisters, and other family continue to be my rock. I’m so fortunate to have all of you.
Melissa, you’re an incredible critique partner…and an even better friend. Vicki, Ilona, and Yasmine, whether it’s been words of wisdom when I’m faltering or an ear when I need to vent, you ladies have been priceless. In my mind, you’re ALL kick-ass heroines.
Tage and Erin, I’m so glad for all that you do with the fan site. It’s one of my most fun places online to visit. And finally, thanks to all the booksellers who’ve stocked me on their shelves or recommended my series to their customers. You’re awesome. Consider yourselves kissed!
About the Author
New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost lives with her husband and their very spoiled dog in Florida. Although not a vampire herself, she confesses to having pale skin, wearing a lot of black, and sleeping in late whenever possible. And while she can’t see ghosts, she loves to walk through old cemeteries. Jeaniene also loves poetry and animals, but fears children and hates to cook. She is currently at work on her next novel in her bestselling Night Huntress series.
To know more about Jeaniene, please visit her website at www.jeanienefrost.com.
Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins author.
Praisefor Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series
“Intense, emotional, and flat-out fantastic…Put Jeaniene Frost on your must-read list!”
Lara Adrian, New York Times bestselling author of Ashes of Midnight
“A can’t-put-down masterpiece that’s sexy-hot and a thrill-ride on every page. I’m officially addicted to the series.”
Gena Showalter, New York Times bestselling author of The Darkest Whisper
“Witty dialogue, a strong heroine, a delicious hero, and enough action to make a reader forget to sleep.”
Melissa Marr, New York Times bestselling author of Fragile Eternity
By Jeaniene Frost
FIRST DROP OF CRIMSON
DESTINED FOR AN EARLY GRAVE
AT GRAVE’S END
ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE
HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE
Coming Soon
ETERNAL KISS OF DARKNESS
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
FIRST DROP OF CRIMSON. Copyright © 2010 by Jeaniene Frost. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition © January 2010 ISBN: 978-0-06-196619-4
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