For our third post, we’re going to the beginning. I dream my books, so when I dreamt about When Love Survives, which in is about two supernatural rescue workers who find love while trying to save lives, I didn’t know I was starting a world of vampires, elves, shifters, werewolves and more.

Until receiving a strange letter from her parents, Regina O’Malley didn’t know she’s magic. All she knew was that she was late for her internship at a prominent brokerage house at the World Trade Center. Gregor Vasiliev, shapeshifter and a financial advisor at the World Trade Center, hated the office coffee. While on a coffee and donut run, there in the street stood the lifemate he’d been searching for. If he doesn’t act now, he will lose her forever.

Gregor has pulled her into the coffee shop.

Heartrending Excerpt:

An ear-splitting sound rumbled through the shop. Only a few patrons were left now, the others fled. One couple plunged under the table. They did the same. Several minutes passed before it stopped. Plumes of white dust filled the air, and people ran down the street shrieking.

Phil, a short man with a fringe of gray atop his head, unplugged the TV and held it, while he and his few workers hid under a table in the kitchen. When the thundering and shaking ended, Gregor checked on them. They tried to plug the TV in, but nothing happened.

Phil sighed. “It must be my generator finally giving up the ghost.”

Reggie knew exactly what to say. “I’m very mechanical. I could have a look at it.”

He looked surprised but agreed. “Sure. Sure. Come this way.” They followed him into the back room of the shop. The generator sat in the shadows of the room off to one side. Reggie examined it and the two men hovered over her.

“I can’t work with people watching me.”

“Okay,” said Phil. “I’ll be in the next room. Call me if you need anything.” He left. She turned back to the machine and tried to remember. When she was a kid, a funny thing happened where she accidentally recharged some batteries by rubbing them in her hands. Since then,
Reggie never had to buy new batteries. Maybe she could do the same thing for his generator. She could try. Rubbing her hands along the sides of the outside, her fingers began to spark then keep a steady glow. The generator hummed to life and applause came from the other room.

“Very good.”

Reggie nearly jumped out of her skin. Gregor stood beside her. How did I not notice that he hadn’t left the room with Phil?

“So what are you? A witch?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I know a Nat when I see one.” Gregor’s words weren’t accusatory, just matter of fact.

“What’s a Nat?”

“A supernatural. A being with powers. That’s what the supernaturals in the city call themselves. I’m a Nat, too. I’m a shape shifter. Now you know what I am, so what are you?”

Reggie couldn’t believe it. She hadn’t even admitted it to herself yet, and here she was going to proclaim her secret to a stranger. “I’m half leprechaun and half elf.”

He grinned. “That would account for you being so delicate looking and lovely.”

Oh, God. Her cheeks were hot again, but that wasn’t all. Something about him was definitely getting to her.

Then the world trembled. Thunder exploded over their heads. She fell into Gregor, but he held her rock steady. Reggie couldn’t help shaking.

Coming out of the back room, they saw nothing but white dust in the air beyond the coffee shop windows. The small TV showed footage of one of the burning towers falling down.

While some people ran past the coffee shop, most walked as if in a daze, all of them covered with white ash and dust. Reggie felt compelled to go outside and walk to the corner to see with her own eyes. Gregor held her back. “Please, don’t go out there.”

People rushing through the door nearly knocked her down, but Gregor pulled her out of the way and into a booth. Phil handed out coffee and pastry to everyone. He wasn’t charging  anymore.

One woman sat at the table across from them and cried. She looked at Reggie and said, “I kept following the fireman down and through a broken window on the main floor, only it didn’t look like the lobby at all.” She drank the coffee. Then she asked, “Do you have a phone? I left
my phone on my desk. I’ve got to call my husband.”

Gregor handed her his cell, and she made her call. When she was done, she gave it back and he handed it to Reggie. “Shouldn’t you call your folks? Won’t they be worried?”

She gratefully accepted, since she’d lost her cell phone somewhere in her apartment. The call was picked up on the first ring.

“Hello?” Her mom’s voice sounded fearful.

“Mom, it’s Reggie.” As soon as she said the words, she felt her mother’s relief. “I’m okay. I was late for work.”

“Harry, it’s Reggie. She’s okay. Oh, thank God. The caller ID says ‘Gregor Vasiliev.'”

“Yes. That’s a friend of mine. I’m using his phone. Mine’s at home.”

“What are you going to do now, dear?”

I didn’t know. “I’m in a coffee shop. I guess I’ll wait until everything calms down and go home.”

“On the news it says that the bridges and tunnels are closed, because it’s a terrorist attack.”

“Then I’ll stay here for a while. Don’t worry, Mom.”

“What, Harry? Honey, your dad would like to talk to your friend Gregor.”

“Um.” Reggie tried to think of some excuse but couldn’t. Why did it feel like her date for the junior prom meeting her dad? “Um, Gregor, my dad would like to speak with you. Would you mind?”

He raised one eyebrow and then smiled. “No problem.” Then he took the phone. “Mr. O’Malley, this is Gregor Vasiliev.” She watched him nod and grin. Then he said, “I agree with you. Yes, I will. Good bye.” He snapped the phone closed.

“What did he say?” She could just imagine.

“He said he thought it best that we sit tight for a while. He also asked me to watch over you.”

Tears clogged her throat. Sometimes her parents felt so far away and she missed them. Reggie should have been angry at her father for obligating a stranger like that, but Gregor didn’t seem to mind. “I’m sorry he did that to you.”

“Hey, that’s the way parents are.”

He appeared amused by the whole thing. Then his eyes widened. “Oh, my parents!”

Immediately he pressed a number and held the phone to his ear. It was a wonder he could hear with the TV being turned up all the way, the sound of emergency vehicles outside, and all the frightened voices inside. He said, “Hi, Mom,” and after that he kept saying yes. She laughed. He held up one hand as if there was nothing he could do. But he was smiling, so they must have been happy to hear from him. Reggie chewed on some more crackers. Behind him, the television news announced that the country was on alert and the airspace closed.

“Well, you know me, Mom, I need my coffee.” He laughed. “I’m just sitting here, waiting everything out with my friend Regina. Yes, she is. I’ve got to go now, Mom. I’ll call later. Give my love to Dad and everyone.” He paused. “Bye.” Reggie sat there as he called his company’s
headquarters to tell them he was alive. He quietly listened for a long time then closed the cell. She tried to study his face to tell what he was thinking. He stared out the window at the endless parade of people moving through the white dust. His eyes misted over but he shook himself as if shaking off a negative thought. Gregor forced a smile and turned to her.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m the only one from the New York office that’s called in.”

“Oh, um, well, that doesn’t mean anything. They may be walking home and calling headquarters would be the last thing on their mind.”

He nodded but she could see the pain in his eyes. Reggie reached across the table and touched his hand. This time his smile was genuine. “So what are your plans for the rest of the day?” he asked.

Phil came to the table. “Regina, would you mind looking at the generator again? It keeps going on and off.”

“Sure.” She got up to walk through the kitchen doors and then into the back room. Gregor followed.

***
Being away from the onslaught of people was a relief. Hearing them was bad enough. Seeing them was worse. Reggie rubbed her hands together briskly and then placed a hand on each side of the generator. She could feel the machine revving up, and the lights came on. But
then the generator automatically shut off and the lights remained on. Cheers came from the other room.

“Huh? What happened?”

“The power was restored, so the generator turned off.”

“Oh.” The voices were building in her head again, and she felt dizzy. Then she stumbled into Gregor. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He held her close. One moment he gazed into her eyes. In the next, he possessed her lips. His mouth pressed gently at first. Then his lips demanded, and she complied. His kiss became a million, small kisses caressing her lips, taking a taste of her each time. Heat rose in Reggie’s body and awakened a fiery need to have him at any cost. Gregor wouldn’t part from her, as his lips and now his tongue continued their exploration. If he hadn’t been holding her, she would have collapsed. He remained a gentleman with his hands, but his tongue was a wanton pirate imitating what another part of him wanted to do. Of course, she didn’t know that for sure. She could only guess. Then Gregor moaned into her mouth. Yes, he wants me too and badly. He tilted her head back to go deeper, and she gasped. Retreating only a little with his tongue, he parried with hers, subduing it.

When Reggie couldn’t breathe, he withdrew, contenting himself to kiss and lick her upper lip and then her bottom. She opened her eyes, his were closed. Reggie couldn’t help admiring the shape of his eyes. She closed hers again to languish with him, to surrender to the singular beauty of that moment. I know I should protest, but being in Gregor’s arms feels so right.

His kiss moved from her lips to her forehead. She looked up at him feeling a little woozy but glad. She trusted him. Phil opened the door and then closed it again.

Gregor moved slightly away. He looked down into her half closed eyes and smiled. “Would you like to go back and find a table for a while and sit? Or . . . I live a few blocks away. We could wait it out there.”

Reggie didn’t respond, not sure what to make of his suggestion. Was this all a ploy to get her into bed?

“Actually I was thinking of going over to the World Trade Center and volunteering?”

His eyebrows went up. “That’s a dangerous idea, Regina.”

“Life is dangerous.”

*
For those that can’t wait, I have all the links to the books below, including When Love Survives.

For the Contest: To enter, say “I love vampires” and tell me why. Include your name and email. I will post once a day. Every post you comment, increases your chances of winning. I will do a random drawing from the posts.

The winner gets their choice: one Kindle ebook from the list below, or a signed print copy of Vampire King of New York.

The contest ends when the party does!