1955, Las Vegas, Nevada
Angeline has been on the run from her sire, Linus, for centuries. She’s tired, and she’s lonely. High from mescaline-induced blood, she sees a sign—a church that seems to glow in the distance—and she knows. Her future mate is in that building.
Important Author’s Note:
Dark Mercy is the beginning of Hadrian and Angeline’s story, not the end. Their HEA will happen later in their own full-length novel. This story is important both for the overall series and for this couple, but it’s not their HEA. Just a mild disclaimer so no one goes in with false expectations for this story.
Sneak Peek:
“A-Angeline. I haven’t seen you here in awhile.” Could he
not get that schoolboy stutter out of his voice?
“I was fighting temptation,” she replied coyly.
Hadrian cleared his throat. “And did you succeed?”
“No.”
She glided closer—or floated. The length of her dress made
it impossible to tell which. She stopped mere inches in front of him. He should
have taken a step back, should have excused himself, but her strange eyes
locked with his. They drew him in, hypnotizing him.
If he were another type of man, he would have proclaimed
she was a witch putting him under a spell, but it was just as much his
responsibility as hers for not moving away. It was his fault for not finding a
replacement for midnight Mass. His mind
became fuzzy.
What was I just thinking about?
Her eyes pulled him in, making the rest of the room swirl
around him in a slow blur. If he’d looked down to find them both floating and
spinning in the air, he wouldn’t have been surprised. He was dizzy from the
delicious scent emanating from her.
Her voice was a siren’s song when she spoke again. “Forgive
me, Father, for I’m about to sin.”
Angeline’s mouth tasted like hot cinnamon candy as her lips
descended on his. Her lip gloss left his mouth tingling. She might burn him
alive with a single kiss. She chuckled as she continued her exploration of his
mouth, as if he’d stated his thought aloud and she found it amusing.
Somewhere deep inside him was the place that was screaming
that this must not happen, but it sounded like it was shouting from far away
down a long, dark hallway, disappearing into a tinny echo. Quickly overtaking
that voice was one penetrating thought that refused to release him.
I want her. I want her. I want her. I want her. The
thought happened in rhythm to the beat of his heart.
Her lips left his mouth and made a burning trail over his
cheek and up to the lobe of his ear. “Father Hadrian.” It was a breathy pant
that held all the promise of a new universe unfolding.
He couldn’t remember what she said after that or even if
she said something after that. The pounding of his own blood rushing through
his ears—and other blood racing south in response to her nearness—had drowned
out his ability to think or hear anything else but the lilting magic of her
voice calling his name.
“Father Hadrian… ”
Her tone had gone from that of an angel to a writhing
serpent as she rubbed her sinewy body against him. This was wrong. The thinking
part of him clawed to get out. Something was all wrong about this, beyond the
breaking of a vow. But he couldn’t form a coherent thought.
I want her. I want her. I want her.
“And you shall have me. Forever,” she said.
Had he spoken out loud? He wasn’t sure.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me right now,” he said, as
her fingers slid under the Roman collar.
It startled him. His collar. Where were his vestments?
There were more layers of clothing, or there had been a few moments ago. He
glanced down to find the vestments somehow on the floor of the sanctuary. He
started to pull away.
“No, Father. Eyes right here on mine. Stay with me.”
His gaze shifted back to her eyes and his will merged with
her again. He didn’t realize his shirt was off until the air from the chilly
room hit his bare chest.
“Oh, what a surprise. You must work out. Don’t be shy,
Father Hadrian. It’s a crime you never get to be inside a woman with this
body.”
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing this excerpt! I loved it! I can't wait till we get the rest of Hadrian and Angeline's story.
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