Caressed by the Edge of Darkness - Excerpt
~ The music floated
through the air, gentle as a caress. It beckoned to her soul, luring her deeper
into the shadows. Every powerful note, heartfelt and striking. Entranced, she
followed the sound up a wide, dimly lit staircase to the third level landing
and a set of tall double doors. The entry was ajar, allowing light to cut a
faint slice into the dark. The music, like a mystical force, and she was helpless
but to obey. Jordan quietly tip-toed forward and peeked inside.
The ceiling was cast in
moonlight and stars as clear and crisp as the desert night sky outside. The
twinkling lights from above mixed with the colorful glow of the city below,
making the room shimmer. A black, glossy, piano demanded her attention, and
there Gabriel sat. Silhouetted in profile, he played. His gloved fingers moving
across the keys with such care and erotic grace, Jordan stifled a longing moan.
To feel his fingers caress and stroke her in the same away…
“Ms. Culver, will you
join me?”
Caught. Her cheeks heated
from embarrassment while every inch of her body began to tingle. Knock it off. I’m not interested in him in
that way anymore. He’s a vampire. I don’t want a vampire.
Fake
it till you make it, right? Well, she’d lie to herself a million times if
that’s what it took for her to finally believe it. She had to squash her
attraction to Gabriel. It was the only way she could move on without looking
back and without regrets.
Armed
with denial, Jordan entered the room. The enormous room was empty with
exception of the piano, a dark brown leather chaise and a gold-platted bar cart.
“Did
you write this?” she asked, noting the lack of sheet music.
Gabriel
slowly nodded, his head gently bobbing along with the notes.
“It’s
lovely,” she whispered, once again swept away by the beautiful melody.
“It
sounds like you.” His words had been low and soft, but they filled the room and
echoed in her soul. Had he written this song for her?
Gabriel’s
lips pulled up into a half smile before he slammed the piano closed. The hard,
abrupt boom rattled her bones. Weakened, she stumbled to the chaise.
“Would
you like a drink?” he asked. In a flicker of movement, he stood beside the bar
cart.
Why not? “Bourbon, rocks,
with a—”
“Twist
and cherries on the side.”
Jordan
flashed him a smile. “You really did your homework.” She could have sworn she
heard him say, Knowledge is power,
but he hadn’t spoken.
Gabriel
came to her side, a glass in one hand and a tiny bowl of maraschino cherries in
the other.
“I
don’t know if I should be flattered or creeped out by your attention to
detail,” she said, taking the offerings.
“I’d
suggest flattered.”
Holding
her drink up in toast, she laughed. “Flattered it is then.” And then took a
sip. Closing her eyes, she held the liquor on her tongue and savored the robust
flavor. She missed the warmth and the subtle vanilla notes. The simple things. She’d let out a low,
pleasured sigh and relaxed back against the leather.
The
air around her shifted. Opening her eyes, she met Gabriel’s powerful gaze.
Hunger swirled with treacherous passion. He knelt before her, his wide
shoulders tense, his powerful legs bent as if he were ready to pounce. The
beast poised to ravish the beauty. His heavy hands settled atop her thighs, the
cool leather touch burned her bare skin. Anticipation racked down her spine and
curled her toes.
Holding
her gaze captive, as if daring her to ask him to stop, Gabriel leaned forward
and boldly edged his fingers up to frame her hips. Inches separated them, his
heat enveloped her and, god, he smelled like crisp winter air and dangerous
male. ~
Description:
Hardened by centuries of
torture, former blood slave, Gabriel Erhard, is driven by an insatiable
need to destroy his enemies. Violence darkens his battered soul,
leaving no place for mercy in his world. Gabriel’s only desire is
vengeance—until he finds her.
Seized by vampires, bound as a
slave, and placed on the auction block, Jordan Culver is instantly
entranced by the dangerous male who claims her. Jordan’s new captor vows
to set her free, but his haunted gaze burns with savage desire and his
wicked kiss makes her crave his touch and...complete surrender.
While
Gabriel battles his enemies, he will break every sacred law to achieve
his ultimate goal—uniting the Outcast Society and creating a new vampire
Clan. But the distracting human with mesmerizing violet eyes
jeopardizes his plans. With every soft whisper she evokes his tormented
memories, testing his sanity and challenging his every boundary. Can
Jordan help him overcome the miseries of his past and find a future with
her?
