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He caught me looking. “There can be too much of a good thing. Even for us.”
“This isn’t a good thing.” I held out my hand for my phone, but he ignored the gesture. The elevator doors opened, and I stormed after him into his office. “Lucrezia’s going to put compulsions on everyone, isn’t she?”
“No, she’s not. That kind of spell requires far too much preparation. She’s probably going to do exactly what I said, hand out free drinks and try to convince people it was part of an act.” He stuck my phone in his pocket. “You can have this back later when I know you’re not going to do anything I’ll regret.”
I stuck my hands on my hips. “If you want to make this difficult, I can make it difficult. Who do you think the Gryphons are going to believe if I file charges against you?”
“You’re not going to do that because if you want to get to the bottom of this, you need our cooperation.”
I laughed. “What cooperation? I want blood samples from those people, and I want the Gryphons here to help them. You don’t know if the drug wearing off will be enough. The drug itself could be what kills them.”
“If this has something to do with F, then this is my business. Not yours. Not the Gryphons. If you want credit for solving the problem with the Gryphons when we work it out, it can be arranged. But you need to let us handle the problem so you don’t get hurt.”
“You know, this is the second time you said that today. Are you concerned, or are you threatening me?”
“I’m warning you. As a friend.”
“Warn someone who cares. I’m not afraid of you or any pred.”
Devon stared at me a second, his brow furrowed, then the next thing I knew he pinned me against the desk. I swallowed. His eyes were as bright as Lucen’s could get when he was angry, and power leaked off him the same way. I could feel it spilling over my skin and rousing my nerve endings, just as I could feel Devon probing about in my head.
I breathed in, ready for a fight. Devon’s satyr pheromones smelled of cloves. Why hadn’t I ever noticed that before? My body awakened with desire, skin alight and mouth tingling. I could stretch forward and touch my lips to his, imagine their salty taste, the scratch of his day-old stubble on my chin.
Never mind that whole fight-or-flight response. With satyrs, it was totally a fight-or-fuck response. And damn, I knew which one I wanted. I slid my hands around Devon’s waist, down his hips, into his pockets, pulling him closer.
His body responded easily. I could feel his desire pressing against me, see the heavy rise and fall of his chest. He leaned in closer, his gaze so intense I was surprised I wasn’t starting to steam. Every breath he exhaled brushed my skin like a caress, urging my eyes to close and my lips to part.
Then he backed away, confusion replacing his smoldering look, and the poking in my head stopped. My own lust evaporated. Being stared at like a lab rat must have that effect on a person.
“No, you’re not afraid,” he said. “But you used to be. What changed?”
What had changed? I wished I knew. Why was his power affecting me when no one else’s did except for Lucen’s?
One bad corpse can ruin your whole day.
Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between
© 2014 J.A. Saare
Rhiannon’s Law, Book 1
After leaving the flash and sass of Miami for the no-nonsense groove of New York, Rhiannon Murphy is eager for a clean slate and fresh start. A bartender by trade, a loud mouth by choice, and a necromancer by chance, she’s managed to keep her nasty habit of seeing dead people hidden from those around her—until now.
The dangerous and deliciously sexy vampire, Disco, knows her secret. When he strolls into her club to ask for help investigating the mysterious disappearances of his kind, she quickly gets the vibe that he’s not exactly the kind of guy you tell no.
Yet in a world where vampires peddle their blood as the latest and greatest drug of choice, it’s only a matter of time before the next big thing hits the market. Someone is killing vampires to steal their hearts and, unlike Rhiannon, this isn’t their first stroll around the undead block.
Warning: Includes violence, strong language, and references to sexual abuse that may disturb some readers. Oblique references to ’80s films are hidden here and there, which could result in tickling your geek-like fancy.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between:
My gaze darted around the dark, cloudy room. The tables were full, but that was to be expected. The BP wasn’t the most exclusive club in town, but we had decent girls, a hospitable crowd, and we kept it clean. Those inclined to visit a topless bar could get their Johnson on in relative safety and enjoyment as long as they kept their hands to themselves.
Old-school David Bowie blasted from the speakers and Destiny launched into another dance. She sashayed past the pole, the white glow of the stage lights bringing the crowd’s attention front and center. One of the few dancers who chose not to tan, her skin was soft and luminescent in the stage lights, her pink bikini appearing to glow and sparkle. Despite being new, Destiny was one of my favorite dancers. She told it like it was and always kept it real. Like when she used her double-jointed limbs to work the pole.
You can’t get more real than that.
Disco appeared in front of me and I attempted to act as if I’d seen him coming. The way they moved always creeped me out—so fast it appeared instant. It was unnerving and jolting.
