Michelle Rowen - Stakes & Stilettos

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

Copyright 2009 by Michelle Rouillard

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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First eBook Edition: April 2009

ISBN: 978-0-446-54487-0

How does this feel? he asked.

Really, really good.

Thierrys lips twitched into a half smile. No, I meant your wound, Sarah. Does it still cause you pain?

I looked down at the mark. My red dress had pulled away enough that I was barely covered. The pink mark from the wooden stake was now pale and shiny.

I barely notice it anymore. I was such a liar.

He moved the cloth away and stroked his thumb against the mark. Your healing abilities have greatly increased.

Another plus to being a vampire.

My dress slipped another inch. His fingers then grazed against my left breast. The heat of his touch felt as if it were branding me. His gaze locked with mine again. I almost lost you that night.

Im hard to lose.

The dress slid down to my waist as he leaned forward to kiss my chest over the wound. Over my heart. I leaned my weight against the counter, feeling a little light-headed and warmer by the second.

Your heart, he said, is beating very fast for a vampire.

Dont forget to check out these books by Michelle Rowen!

LADY & THE VAMP

4 Stars! Fans will appreciate the light tone, the smooth and swift narration and the comedy throughout the third book of Rowens Immortality Bites series.

Romantic Times BOOKreviews Magazine

Michelle Rowen has again successfully written a funny and highly entertaining vampire story I was delighted.

ArmchairInterviews.com

The best of Rowens series thus far promises a few hours of light, entertaining paranormal fun.

BookLoons.com

If you like your romances filled with humor, unique and entertaining characters, and above all else, a little bite, youre gonna love Lady & the Vamp.

RomRevToday.com

A cute little romp through the world of the fanged! Rowens cheeky humor is sure to please those readers looking for a light paranormal read.

TheRomanceReadersConnection.com

Enjoy Lady & the Vamp when you want to escape into a fantasy world for a while.

JandysBooks.com

FANGED & FABULOUS

You cant put this book down!

Charlaine Harris

4 Stars! Rowen once again presents an exciting, action-packed and humorous tale.

Romantic Times BOOKreviews Magazine

A hoot Rowens character list is awesome, the humor is hilarious [a] delightful book.

MyShelf.com

Fanged & Fabulous is a hugely fun, light-hearted vampire chick-lit romance and yet it is a surprisingly satisfying read, too. Sharp wit and classic romance perfect reading for the summer.

LoveVampires.com

A funny and witty tale I laughed out loud all through the book. The dialogue by this bestselling author is sarcastic and hilarious and the characters will leave you waiting impatiently for the next installment.

ArmchairInterviews.com

ANGEL WITH ATTITUDE

4 Stars! Rowen does a delightful job mixing things up with her sassy and sexy characters. She has her own unique spin on life and the afterlife and good and evil, which makes for downright fun reading.

Romantic Times BOOKreviews Magazine

Divinely funny A subtly provocative paranormal romance that shines a new light on angels and demons and witches, oh my!

Heartstrings Reviews

Fun and fast-moving Valerie is a wonderful character. Kick off your shoes on a cold winters night and relax with this. Youll be glad you did.

Mythprint

You have to read this book! It is quirky, funny, and sweet. If you love original and hilarious, you have to pick up Angel with Attitude.

FallenAngelReviews.com

BITTEN & SMITTEN

A terrific vampiric chick-lit tale filled with biting humor.

Midwest Book Review

4 Stars! Fun and clever this novel is bound to appeal to those who like their romance a little offbeat and definitely humorous.

Romantic Times BOOK Reviews Magazine

A study of contrasts: frothy chick-lit wrapped around a grittier reality and a flip side featuring a modern heroine paired with a Brontean hero. Let us welcome this fresh voice to the genre.

Booklist

ALSO BY MICHELLE ROWEN

The Immortality Bites Series

Bitten & Smitten

Fanged & Fabulous

Lady & the Vamp

Angel with Attitude

Huge thanks to

my wonderful editor, Karen Kosztolnyik, without whom this book would have very unwisely ended a chapter early. Definitely a good call!

my fab agent, Jim McCarthy, who keeps doing what he does so very, very well, and I thank my lucky stars every day to have him in my corner.

Bonnie Staring and Laurie Rauch for beta-reading my vamps and making sure they had enough fang to go the distance.

Michle Ann Young, who gave the Interludes in this book a once-over to make sure I wasnt just making things up when it comes to historical detail. I have a tendency to do that. Research is cool but it hurts my little brain.

my fantastic parents, who have taken on the mantle as Official Unpaid Rowen Publicists. I find my bookmarks in bookstores near and wide, much like Zorros mark, and I know theyve been there spreading the word.

Ten weeks ago

S he wasnt wearing any shoes. That was his first impression.

His second impression was that the attractive brunette was completely insane. She had to be if she was approaching him.

He watched warily as she struggled through the narrow opening in the barrier and stared out at the sight before her. She was now perched alongside him on a support beam of a tall bridge high above a very dark, cold river.

Her eyes, wide with fear, finally landed fully on him.

Hey! she called out. The swift wind blew the bottom part of her thin, silky dress up above her knees to show off her long legs. Her leather coat, more fashionable than adequate as protection against the cool early winter chill, gaped open in the front.

Dont come any closer, he thought. She was going to get herself killed climbing out past the safety barrier of the bridge. Dying was his goal that night, but hed rather not see anyone else suffer the same fate.

Go away, he said simply.

She didnt go away. Instead her gaze moved around erratically. Holy crap. This is high up, isnt it?

A marvelous observation.