Sometimes a monster really is hiding under the bed.
Welcome to another offering for Frisky Friday, where we hope you're getting as excited about the weekend as we are. This week, I'm sharing an excerpt from my 1st book, Mortal Illusions. A vampire romance published by New Concepts Publishing, Mortal Illusions is currently the first in a series of 3 books. Its sequel, Fatal Desire, is currently under production.
This snippet occurs at the beginning of Chapter 6. Germaine St. Justine and Claire Daniels are both attending the opening night festivities of Germaine's newest musical "Dracula." Claire's mother died the day before, and Germaine dedicated their opening night performance to her. Though Claire is grateful for Germaine's support, she suspects more existed between her mother and the thirty-year old financial producer. He might be considered an angel in theater parlance, but Claire has grown more and more convinced he is really a vampire and was once her mother's lover. Even though Claire is right, Germaine has taken great care to keep his condition a secret. So, wWhen she begins making wild accusations Germaine is really a vampire, he suggests their backstage doctor sedate her enough to calm her down so she can complete her performance. Claire is furious with him for avoiding her questions and overriding her wishes in the matter, but attends the party anyway, since she doesn't want to do anything that might ruin the night her mother had most wanted to see. Claire's Broadway debut.
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Although Germaine was obliged to attend
the requisite opening night party, held at Sorentos instead of the more famous
and infinitely more crowded Sardis, he opted to forgo his charade of
drinking while he awaited the reviews.
Considering all the time, money, and careers that went into creating a
show, it was a little maddening to admit that a single negative review from the
Times could close it--in weeks, if not days.
Still, Germaine wasn't worried.
The musical still played to SRO audiences in London after nearly a year,
and he expected New York to welcome it with the same enthusiasm.
They had a guaranteed box office
draw with the rakishly debonair and talented Nicholas Ventura starring as
Dracula, and veteran actor Nigel Watkins, whom the press had recently compared
to the late, great Olivier, as Van Helsing.
Claire was the only lead without a proven track record. But her clear soprano voice, innocent face,
and angelic figure made her an ideal casting choice for Lucy. Germaine had fought for her then, just as he
had defended her against Hailey's objections tonight, and now she refused to
see him. He hadn't expected her to be
grateful, necessarily, but....
He spotted her entering Sorentos at
the same time twenty other gentlemen took notice of her as well. A man would have to be blind and dead not to
pay visual homage to the lady in a sparkling creation of sequined turquoise
satin. A vision that brought nineteenth
century chanteuses to mind. Even her
soft, gold-red hair was swept up into the Gibson girl style.
Claire's emotions have her teetering on the edge of sanity, but she is convinced what she witnessed wasn't a mere trick of the light. Germaine's reflection in her dressing room mirror showed a face far more pale and skeletal than a living person could ever have.
M/F, Contemporary vampire romance in a society based on D/s.
Read the first three chapters at: Mortal Illusions
Buy the book at NCP, Amazon, Barnes & Noble or ARe.
Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoyed this brief excerpt and wish you and yours a very Frisky Friday.
Enjoyed this snippet Kathryn, love the flow."A man would have to be blind and dead not to pay visual homage ..." loved that sentence!
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Roz