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 has grown more and more convinced he is a vampire and was once her mother's lover. So, when she begins spouting accusations that Germaine is truly undead, 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 finishes her performance and attends the opening night party, since she doesn't want to do anything that might ruin the occasion her mother had most wanted to see. Claire's Broadway debut. However, Claire isn't handling her grief well, and when she begins her third glass of champagne, Germaine intervenes by lifting the filled flute from her fingers with the warning that alcohol and tranquilizers don't mix as he escorts her over to the buffet and begins filling a plate for her. When she presses him for information, he dismisses her questions as nonsense. But Claire is determined to get Germaine to tell her the truth about himself, including the real reason he went behind her back and fired her dresser.
.
.
Claire drew back with a scowl, then her
eyebrows rose in an open challenge. “Go
ahead and make fun, but I think Joan Cambry's got you running scared.”
He responded with a disparaging
sound of disagreement. “Oh, please. Fear and terror come in many forms, Claire,
but that scrawny, evil-minded woman isn't one of them.”
“She threatened to expose you!”
“Then she would have been finished
as a professional dresser in this city,” he replied, his retort laden with
quiet menace.
Claire held a hand to her throat as
she struggled to swallow. Unsure whether
she was having difficulty downing his words or the food, he moved to fetch her
a glass of water when she asked in a strained voice, “Because of what you'd do
to her?”
“No,” he answered, tired of
defending himself and frustrated because Claire refused to be reasonable. “Because of what she'd be doing to
herself. She'd be the laughing stock of
her union.”
“Would she? I believe her, and I'm not laughing.”
“Really?” He sat beside her. “Think about what you're saying, Claire. If I were truly what you accuse me of being,
I wouldn't need to fire Joan. I'd just
use my powers to ensure she no longer presented a threat to me. Then I'd use those same powers on you.”
He watched a myriad of emotions
cross her face. For a moment he believed
he might have convinced her, then her eyes lifted to his in a silent dare. “All right.
Prove to me you aren't everything Joan says you are.”
Though Germaine is concerned about Claire, he's more worried by the notion she has discovered the truth about him. Vampires do exist, and walk among us, but if an uninitiated human suspects, the vampire is supposed to clear the mortal's mind of such foolishness. Germaine finds such tactics distasteful, but he may not have a choice in Claire's case. They are too closely connected.
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.
Great snippet Kathryn, this had me enthralled. Wonder what his response will be?
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Roz