I’ve been putting up mistletoe everywhere. My vampires have been kissing. Here is an excerpt from the Vampire King of New York. King Max and the object of his affection, Evelyn, are getting used to each other. He was attacked and she offered to help.

*

“Where did you get attacked?” David asked.

“About a half a block south of the Regal. I was able to capture the slayer with the help of Hatcher.”

“Oh, Hatcher’s in town?” David dropped the arrow into a bowl.

“Just got in. He’s taken residence at the Arnhem Society.” Max flung his arm over his eyes.

David and Laura left the room, and Max took the opportunity to doze. He felt drained of energy, which usually happens when anyone loses blood. The tantalizing taste of it teased his senses. Several minutes later, he realized someone had walked into the dark room with a glass of blood.

“Max, maybe this would help.”

He hadn’t imagined that Evelyn would ever be the one to bring him blood. Easing himself to a sitting position, he had to admit that he still hadn’t healed completely. This was taking more time than usual.

“Here, let me help you.” She sat on the bed and he leaned against her while he drank from the glass. The cool almost citric tang lingered on his tongue. The strength of it flowed into every part of him. It should have restored him quickly, but something was wrong.

“Yiiiiiii!”

David and Laura ran into the room.

Max gasped, “That arrow was poisoned.”

“What are your symptoms?” Laura asked.

“Burning. Losing feeling in my extrem . . . ities.” He moaned and reached out to Evelyn, taking her hand. “Please.” Laura ran out of the room and came back with a large alligator skin covered book. She rifled through pages. “Here it is. Gogi Weed. The poison releases over time. It has no scent even to our kind. It’s been used among the jungle tribes of Africa.”

“Antidote?” David yelled, rifling through the black bag.

“Dandelion wine and vinegar,” she said.

He came up with a small sealed bottle of dandelion wine. “No vinegar. I’m running out to get some.” David was gone in a flash.

“Well, it says here that you have to take the dandelion wine first. No mixing. Max, open up.” She broke the seal on the bottle, opened it, and poured it slowly into his mouth. He shuddered. “Now there’s a taste.”

“If I gave him my blood, would that improve his chances?” Evelyn asked.

“No!” They both said.

Max shivered and Evelyn hugged him. “You’re burning up like a furnace,”

Laura frowned and put her hand on his brow. “No, he’s cold as always.”

David flew in with a brown paper shopping bag. “I didn’t know which kind of vinegar.” He dumped several bottles on the bed. Laura read the labels and broke the seal on the red vinegar. “Sorry, Max, open up again.”

He complied. Ew, now that’s a wicked taste.

“Should he drink more blood?” David asked.

Laura consulted the book. “No. He has to wait at least an hour.”

They picked up everything off the bed. Max lay back down and closed his eyes. He hadn’t relinquished Evelyn’s hand. In the flurry of activity, it wasn’t lost on him that Evelyn had said he was burning up like a furnace. With the exception of lingering pain, he felt fantastic. The heat she felt by touching him was a telltale sign that they were lifemates. It was her after all. His gut feelings had been right, and she in her innocence just confirmed it.

“Max, we’ll be back when you can have more blood.” Laura turned off the light and left with David.

Evelyn was still there and that was all that mattered to him. Holding his hand was awkward, so she lay on the bed beside him.

“Are you awake still?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“I didn’t mean to make you angry when I offered my blood.” Her voice was soft and soothing.

“I know that. It’s just that I wouldn’t ever take your blood, not if my life depended on it.”

“Why?”

“You’re important to me, Evelyn. Are you going to sleep beside me?”

“Yes, I’m guarding you.”

He held in the chuckle at the idea of someone so delicate guarding him. The feeling was soon washed away by a subtle reverence for her kind, but determined nature. Evelyn might not have any Telkhine powers, but she did have power over him.

“Max, are you laughing at me?”

He was certain he hadn’t made a noise. “No, Evelyn, I am in awe of you.”

Even in the dark, he could see her lovely crimson blush.

“There is one thing that you could do that would help,” he whispered.

“What is that?” He could hear the eagerness in her voice.

“Kiss me, Evelyn.”

 

He hadn’t said it like a command. She had offered to help. Heat rushed through her veins. At this rate, she’d be blushing all night. “How exactly is my kiss supposed to help you?”

“It will make me happy, and I haven’t been happy for a very long time.”

By the way he expressed himself, she was sure he couldn’t have read her thoughts, but his feelings had mirrored her own. Laying together in the dark, she could only estimate where his face was, but every single part of her wanted to try. Evelyn leaned on one elbow and then lowered her face to where she imagined his was. He assisted by exhaling. She was in complete control here. It was her choice. She pressed her lips to his and instantly floated out of her body to some dream world. Evelyn was like a lotus of flame on the water, opening up to the heat of the sun. The water became a tide washing her ashore to a strange land of night. Spirals of green light danced across the sky.

Evelyn was back to the kiss in a flash. She was still kissing Max, enjoying the growing heat between them, the welcoming of his mouth on hers. More had evolved in her otherworld absence. Her arms were flung around him, and he responded in kind. Every part of her lay on top of every part of him. Oh, I feel dizzy. Max is intense.

 

*

I wonder what’s next. For those that can’t wait for the contest, Vampire King of New York is available in Kindle at Amazon Print at https://www.amazon.com/Vampire-King-Susan-Hanniford-Crowley-ebook/dp/B00D70NC6O

And in Barnes and Noble Print that can be ordered online: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/vampire-king-of-new-york-susan-hanniford-crowley/1116839039

Now for the Contest!

To enter, say “I want a vampire” and tell me why in the comments box. Include your name and email. I will post once  a day. Every post you comment on, 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 Princess of New York.

The contest ends when the party does! The winner will be announced the next day.

-Susan
Susan Hanniford Crowley, Amazon Kindle Bestselling Author of Vampire Romance
www.susanhannifordcrowley.com
Where love burns eternal and whispers in the dark!

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