The Lord Vampire of New Orleans meets his match in the leader of the local witch coven.
Magic is returning to Earth, and Raina Callahan’s witch coven is growing more powerful. She’s been warned to be wary of catching interest from dangerous people, and sure enough, she discovers that someone is following her. Her stalker turns out to be the owner of a vampire-themed club—who really is a vampire. And although he is dead sexy and charming, Raina is not okay with his surveillance or his intent to claim her as his. She will use every means of magic at her disposal to thwart him.
Valentin St. Scarasse, Lord Vampire of New Orleans, has a weakness for voluptuous women with magic in their blood. Just when he has his sights set on what promises to be a delicious meal—and maybe a few passionate nights in bed—the Thirteenth Elder commands him to watch over the witch and her coven and keep them safe. But when Raina catches Valentin spying on her, the witch and the vampire embark on a battle of wills that will only end if they surrender to the heat between them.
As the Evil One’s cultists invade the city, Raina and Valentin must learn to trust each other and together, help their communities form an alliance that both sides swore would never happen.
EXCERPT:
Valentin gave her a rueful smile. “I’m afraid that’s not going to be possible, chérie.”
“Why not?”
“The sun came up ten minutes ago.” His smile broadened, abandoning any pretense of remorse. “The building is locked down until dusk.”
Raina’s jaw dropped in the face of his mild tone. “You planned this on purpose!”
“Maybe.” Valentin gave her another smug smile. “You may as well put that blood in the fridge and text your friends so they don’t worry about you.”
She followed his first suggestion since she didn’t want to destroy a rare and powerful tool for her magic. The sight of the bottles of water, juice, wine, and fresh packages of lunchmeat and cheese made her want to kick herself for not noticing that he’d planned for her to stick around all day.
Instead, she whirled on him and summoned two fireballs in the palms of her hands. “Let me out now. Or else.”
The vampire vanished, and then she felt hot, steely manacles on her wrists before she was spun around and propelled forward at light speed. Raina blinked and found herself in the bathroom. Before she could process that, cold water sprayed on her hands and face.
Valentin’s lips grazed her ear as he growled in a terrifying voice. “Don’t you ever summon fire in my lair. Fight me all you want, but I will not allow you to endanger my people.”
I’m sorry, she almost said, but her anger, both at his trapping her here and how easily he’d overpowered her, bubbled back to the surface. She’d worked hard on being able to summon flames like Xochitl. And he’d managed to break her concentration and snuff them the minute he seized her. Yet he’d still drenched her in the shower when that wasn’t even necessary.
“Fine,” she snarled back. “Have some water then.”
Gathering her power, she redirected the shower spray over her shoulder so it would hit him in the face.
Valentin’s gurgled sounds of outrage told her she’d aimed true. A torrent of French curses escaped him, somehow managing to sound both scary and sexy. His grip on her tightened almost painfully, then she was spun around again and pinned against the shower wall.
“I endured the stinking floodwaters of Katrina, witch. Your little waterspouts won’t harm me.”
His eyes glowed green fire, his lips were drawn back to reveal his fangs, and his hair hung in wet dripping strands over his face. Damn him. Somehow, he managed to look hot and terrifying at the same time. Mingled arousal and fear chased away her bravado.
He must have seen her momentary defeat, for his lips curved in a feral grin. “What’s your next move, chérie?”
Damn him! She bared her own teeth in a bitter grin. “You told me you wished you could fly.”
Raina shoved her power outward, intending to propel him into the wall. But Valentin’s grip remained on her shoulders, so she went flying with him. They slammed into the wall above the bathtub with a sickening crack of tile. The impact knocked the wind out of her. A pitiful “oof” escaped her mouth, and her head spun with dizziness.
Wearing a corset had been a terrible idea. The wire boning dug into her breasts and ribs uncomfortably.
“Mon pauvre,” Valentin murmured in a husky voice before she was once more flipped around and pinned. “I think that hurt you worse than it did me.”
“I’m fine,” she lied. “Your move.”
“If you wish.”
Then his mouth was on hers, hot and insistent. Raina melted under the onslaught and returned the kiss hungrily. She tried to reach for his hair, but he kept her arms pinned against the cold tile.
She lives in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho with her gamer son, rockstar/IT Guy boyfriend, three cats, a few project cars, an extensive book collection, and miscellaneous horror memorabilia.
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