Lara Adrian - Kiss of Crimson

CONTENTS

For Cappy and Sue Pratt,

my traveling PR team and favorite cheerleaders.

Thank you for all the love, support,

and the countless good times.

I believe I hear the Caribbean calling again.

I want to kiss you again, Tess.

Why?

He chuckled, low under his breath. Why? Because youre beautiful, and because I want you. And I think you want me too.

Dante brought his free hand up to her face and gently stroked the line of her jaw. She felt like silk against his fingertips, as delicate as glass. He brushed his thumb across the dusky swell of her lips.

God, Tess. Im dying to taste you right now.

She closed her eyes, exhaling a sigh. This is crazy, she whispered. I dontthis isntsomething that I normally

Dante lifted her chin and bent to press his lips to hers. Hed meant only to sample the feel of her mouth on his, an urge hed been harboring since those few heated moments theyd shared at the museum reception. Then hed been something of a ghost to her, stealing a taste of her passion and slipping away before she could know whether he was real or imagined. Now, for a reason he could hardly comprehend, he wanted her to know he was flesh and bone.

He was, evidently, an idiot.

Because right now he wanted her to feel himall of himand understand that she was his.

Acknowledgments

With many thanks to everyone at Bantam Dell for helping me bring the world of the Midnight Breed to the page and into my readers hands, most especially: Shauna Summers, Kristin Doyle, Nita Taublib, Kathleen Baldonado, Theresa Zoro, Anna Crowe, the fantastic art department, and the wonderful sales and subrights teams. Im so pleased to be working with you all.

With continuing gratitude to my agent, Karen Solem, and to my publicist, Patricia Rouse, for always looking out for me and keeping me on track.

And with deepest appreciation and total adoration to my husbandmy secret weaponfor all the killer ideas I happily take credit for, and for cheerfully (maybe thats too strong a word) picking up the slack around home when I am deep into one of my books (which is pretty much always). I couldnt do it without you, HB!

CHAPTER One

D ante smoothed his thumb over sweet female flesh, lingering at the carotid, where the humans pulse throbbed the strongest. His own pulse quickened too, responding to the rush of blood flowing beneath the surface of delicate white skin. Dante leaned his dark head in and kissed that tender spot, letting his tongue play over the fluttering race of the females heartbeat.

Tell me, he murmured against the warm skin, his voice a low growl amid the heaving beat of the clubs music, are you a good witch or a bad witch?

The female squirmed in his lap, her fishnet-clad legs straddling him, black lace-up bustier pushing her breasts up under his chin like a buffet. She twirled her finger in her bright fuchsia wig, then let it trail down suggestively, past a Celtic cross tattoo and into her swelling cleavage. Oh, Im a very, very bad witch.

Dante grunted. My favorite.

He smiled into her drunken gaze, not bothering to hide his fangs. He was one of many vampires in the Boston dance club that Halloween night, although most of them were pretenders. Humans sporting plastic teeth, fake blood, and various ridiculous costumery. A few othershimself and a handful of males from one of the vampire nations Darkhaven sanctuaries, hanging out near the dance floorwere the genuine article.

Dante and the others were Breed, a far cry from the pale, gothic vampires of human folklore. Neither undead nor devil-spawned, Dantes kind were a hot-blooded hybrid mix of Homo sapiens and deadly other-worlder. The Breeds forebears, a band of alien conquerors who crash-landed on Earth millennia past and who were now long-since extinct, had bred with human females and given their offspring the thirstthe primal needfor blood.

Those alien genes had given the Breed great strengths and shattering weaknesses too. Only the human side of the Breed, those qualities passed down by their mortal mothers, kept the race civilized and adhering to any kind of Order. Even then, a few of the Breed would succumb to their savage side and turn Rogue, a one-way street paved in blood and madness.

Dante despised that element of his kind, and as one of the warrior class, it was his duty to eradicate his Rogue brethren wherever he found them. As a male who enjoyed his pleasures, Dante wasnt sure what he preferred more: a warm, juicy female vein under his mouth, or the feel of titanium-edged steel in his hand as he sliced into his enemies and dispatched them to dust in the street.

Can I touch them? The pink-haired witch on his lap was staring at Dantes mouth with rapt fascination. Dang, but those fangs look wicked real! I just have to feel them.

Be careful, he warned as she brought her fingers to his lips. I bite.

Yeah? She giggled, gaze widening. Ill bet you do, sugar.

Dante sucked her finger into his mouth, contemplating the fastest way he could get the female horizontal. He needed to feed, but he was never opposed to a little sex in the processprelude or chaser, didnt matter. It was all good as far as he was concerned.

Chaser, he decided on impulse, letting his fangs puncture the fleshy tip of her finger as she started to withdraw it. She gasped as he suckled from the small wound, refusing to let her leave him just yet. The small taste of blood inflamed him, sharpening his pupils to vertical slits in the middle of his gold-hued eyes. Hot need rushed through him, settling into the swelling bulge of his cock, which strained beneath the black leather of his pants.

The female moaned, closing her eyes as she arched catlike on his lap. Dante let go of her finger as he wrapped his hand around the back of her head and pulled her neck closer to him. Taking a Host in a public place wasnt exactly his style, but he was bored out of his skull and needed the diversion. Besides, he doubted anyone would notice tonight, when the club was rife with faux danger and open sensuality. As for the female on his lap, she would feel only pleasure as he took what he needed from her. Afterward, shed remember none of it, her memory scrubbed of all recollection of him.

Dante came forward, tipping the females head aside, mouth watering in hunger. He glanced past her and saw two Darkhaven vampires, part of the general Breed population, observing him from a few yards away. They looked like kidscurrent generation, no doubt. They whispered among themselves, clearly recognizing him as one of the warrior class and trying to decide whether or not to approach him.

Bugger off, Dante thought in their direction as he parted his lips and prepared to open his Hosts vein.

But the vampire youths ignored his dark glare. The taller of the two, a blond male in desert camo pants, biker boots, and a black tee-shirt led the way. His companion, tricked out in baggy jeans, high-tops, and an oversize Lakers jersey, strutted along behind him.

Shit. Dante didnt mind a small bit of indiscretion, but he sure as hell didnt need an up-close audience gawking at him while he fed.

Whats wrong? his would-be Host whined when Dante pulled away from her.

Nothing, sweetheart. He placed his palm against her forehead, wiping the past half hour from her mind. Go on now and join your friends.