Meljean Brook - Demon Moon

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- The Guardians, Book 4 -

Do not mistake me for a kind man,

Savitri.

She wouldnt. Not again. What are you going to do? She pushed at his chest.

Taste you. Only your mouth, and only if you agree.

Heat coiled through her stomach; he was like a fever inside her, a sickness. What if I dont?

Ill carry you to my suite and do it there.

There was no apology in his tone now. I dont intend to take your blood, Savi. I simply want

needto taste you. I think I will die if I do not.

She would not believe that; only poets and horny teenagers did. But her gaze dropped to his lips. Her fingers buried in the hair at his nape. So thick and soft.

This must be because Im drunk, she whispered as she lowered her mouth to his. I know better.

FALLING FOR ANTHONY

FROM HOT SPELL

An emotional roller coaster for both the characters and the reader. Brook has penned a story I am sure readers wont soon forget... extraordinary work.

Romance Junkies

Intriguing... the sex is piping hot.

Romance Reviews Today

Brook... creates fantastic death-defying love...

extremely erotic... with a paranormal twist.

Fresh Fiction

To all of the Missys out there

may you never grow up.

Special thanks to Megan Frampton,

slayer of semicolons and guru of music;and to Jennfer-with-an-i, for everything.

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Pray do not press your Guardian dictum upon me

again. Appearances are almost always

deceivinghow preposterous! I am beautiful

and charming, and that is all my appearance

promises. Any in Society who are disappointed

when they do not find more cannot fault my

countenance. The deception is not mine; they

have deceived themselves. But let them continue

to look, whether they are fools or no; I rather

enjoy it.

Colin Ames-Beaumont, in a letter to Dr.

Anthony Ramsdell, 1813

No club should be so crowded at nine oclock in the evening; drinking and dancing should never reach such animated heights until one oclock.

Two, if it were summer. Any earlier, and it gave the appearance that one came to drink and dance, as if such things were to be pursued for themselves rather than as a means to more pleasurable activities.

It was almost vulgar, and Colin Ames-Beaumont watched with no small measure of dismay as the early crush of people became a smash. Perhaps buying Polidoris had been a terrible mistake. Restoring the nightclub had been an obsession that had quickly burned out, and whatever lingering interest hed had was quickly snuffed when a human woman with waist-length ebony hair and a horror of a black leather dress slithered up to his private table.

A techno beat pounded through the club, reverberated through his chest. Sumptuous golds and reds enfolded the lounges; the dance floors vibrated with energetic blues and greens. The music was good, the dcor excellent; becoming a clich was not.

Colin resisted the urge to glance down and confirm that his charcoal-gray trousers and ivory cashmere sweater had not been transformed into a tuxedo, complete with satin-lined cape.

And to think hed been charmed the first time hed seen Bela Lugosi sweep onto the stage.

A smile curved the womans blood-red lips, but it failed when her gaze ran over his face. He heard the startled catch of her breath, the sudden increase in her heartbeat.

Colin loved it when they did that.

The male vampire whod been observing her from one of the second-level lounges did not; Colin heard his growl between the pulses of electronic music. More black leather, a studded collarhe blended with half of Polidoris human clientele, and most of the undead.

Though she didnt move, the woman in front of Colin seemed to flail about, trying to reclaim some of the seductive posture with which shed started. Hed disrupted her without effort, without expression, but now Colins smile came easily.

As he intended, she regained her confidence, if not her sense. Bracing her palms on the tabletop, she leaned forward and gave him a view of her ample cleavage. May I buy you a drink?

Oh, good God. Could they not have come up with something more original? How did they expect him to respond? I never drink... wine.

No, Colin said, but if its free, I will take a sip. He slid his fingers across the back of her hand. She shivered, and his smile widened.

There was lust in her involuntary response, but also fear. Very good. It was foolish of them to approach him this way. Grasping her wrist, he pulled her around the table. After a brief hesitation, she sat on the cushion next to him. Her gaze never left his face, and her tongue flicked out to touch her lips. Her breathing deepened and slowed as she lifted her hair away from her neck.

Colin brushed his thumb over the pulse beating at her throat. I can make it very good for you, he said softly, and rasped his teeth against her skin. Her lips parted on a gasp. How long would it take?

Not long. The vampire abandoned his post in the lounge.

Only a short lesson, then. Colins fangs sank deep. He controlled his descent, contained the pleasure of itand sent the bubbling ecstasy back to her, let it course through her bloodstream. She stiffened and shuddered as the orgasm hit her, tiny cries breaking from her throat.

Ah, humans. Unable to experience the rapture in any way but sexual. He drew back before the bloodlust could rise, not bothering to close the punctures. Let her partner do that; hed scent Colin on her skinand hopefully, wouldnt forget.

She would.

Colin affected a bored expression as the vampire swept the still-quaking woman to her feet.

After a furious glance at the streaming wounds, the vampires head dipped, his mouth closing over the punctures. His dark head against her pale skin made a fascinating study in contrasts.

Colin sighed. It fascinated others as well, though for different reasons; the odor of blood was generating quite a bit of attention from the other vampires in the club. Perhaps it was for the best; hed only have to explain this once.

I could have ripped out her throat, Colin said pleasantly. The male lifted his head to stare at him, shaking with rage; the womans hands clenched on his shoulders as if to hold him back.

Good girl. The flush of orgasm had left her cheeks, replaced by pale apprehension. You dont know me, yet you sent her to me.

The males shame apparently left him speechlessor hed finally taken a good look at Colin. If it was the latter, Colin might have pity on him.

Her eyes luminous, the woman replied, It was my idea. Wed heard you dont kill. She swallowed. Dont kill humans.

Colin lifted his brows; his smile mocked them. And from whom did you gather this intelligence?

Everyone knows, she said, but some of her bravado deserted her. She glanced up at her companion, as if for assistance.

The vampire had been young when hed been turnedtwenty-five, perhaps. Judging by his late-1980s hairstyle, Colin estimated his transformation had been fifteen or twenty years previous. How unfortunate that so many of the undead clung to the fashions of their youth.

But then, so did humans.