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View other titles by this author LENGTH: Long Novella Cover art (c) Eliza Black 2006
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Eve has made it her mission in life to find the vampires who killed her parents and make them pay for their crime. Until she brings them to justice, Eve is a vigilante, fighting against the forces of darkness. Lazarus, a centuries old vampire, is a force to be reckoned with. His mysteriousness draws her under his sensual spell until they're both incapable of resisting the desire erupting between them. Rating: Contains graphic sexual content, adult language, and violence. |
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TEMPTING EVE
© copyright April 2006, Cynthia Rayne Cover art by Eliza Black, © copyright April 2006 ISBN 1-58608-900-5 New Concepts Publishing Lake Park, GA 31636 www.newconceptspublishing.com
This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.
Chapter One
The vampire howled in response, his attention completely focused on her smooth, white neck. When a vampire first rises from the grave it has a feral hunger for blood until it finally feeds. Eve tried to never think of vampires as people. It made them easier to kill. Eve guessed the vampire was a fledgling, because of the dirt clinging to its hair and the outfit it was wearing. Most vampires didn’t go for a double-breasted suit with pinstripes. They were usually a leather and lace kind of crowd. “Hungry!” the vampire growled. Eve’s grip tightened on the blade. “Yeah, well, me too! If you hadn’t interrupted, I’d be halfway through a dinner roll right now.” “Must have blood!” “Not that you aren’t an interesting conversationalist, but it is definitely time to die.” Eve frowned. “You, not me.” She began circling the vampire, poised for the perfect time to strike. Eve had killed a couple dozen vampires over the past few months as well as some other creepy creatures. Fighting off a fledgling vampire was more of an annoyance than a challenge for Eve. The vampire made a grab for her but she caught its arm and brought it down across her knee, breaking it. Enraged, the vampire roared at her. Eve kicked it in the shin and forced the vampire to its knees. Without hesitation, she brought the knife up. The blade glinted in the moonlight, outlining the shining Celtic cross on the handle. It had been blessed by a priest and consecrated in holy water. She slid it through the flesh of the vampire’s neck easily, severing the head from its body. The vampire shuddered before it winked out of existence, just like a television screen being shut off. All evil creatures disappeared when they were killed. Eve thought it must be a defense mechanism, like a safety feature for the forces of darkness. Humans were much easier to kill when they were caught unaware. Most people didn’t believe that monsters walked among them. For Eve, they were all too real. She dusted herself off and buttoned up her leather jacket. It was spring, but you’d never know it by Ohio’s changeable weather. It was lightly snowing, even though it was late March. Eve lived in Full Moon Bay, which was just on the edge of Lake Erie. While it wasn’t a hotbed of supernatural activity, Ohio had its share of vampires, werewolves, and other things that went bump in the night. They were drawn to northern environments because of the shortened daylight hours during the winter. She continued walking down the street to the café where she was meeting her best friend, Nicholas Jackson. Eve affectionately referred to him as her gay boyfriend. It was a running joke between them because so many people assumed they were dating. While Nicholas preferred the romantic company of other men, they were very close. Nicholas and Eve had met in freshmen orientation at college and had been inseparable ever since. She thought Nicholas might be the best friend she’d ever had. He knew her inside and out and accepted her, faults and all. Eve walked in The Apropos Café. She found her friend, Nicholas, seated at a small table for two near the fireplace. It was a warm and cozy sort of place that served simple fare like soups, salads, and sandwiches. The café was their favorite haunt and Eve and Nicholas usually ate there at least once a week. She waved to a couple of people before she came to the table. It was one of the pleasures as well as hazards of living in a small town. Eve knew nearly everyone because she’d lived in Full Moon Bay all of her life. While she enjoyed the sense of community, there was something to be said for privacy. Nicholas got to his feet and leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek. As always, he was impeccably dressed in a pair of tastefully faded blue jeans and a white dress shirt. “Everything all right?” Nicholas asked. “Vampire attack,” Eve whispered as she slipped off her jacket and placed it on the back of her chair. She sunk down into her seat and sighed. “Rude! And when you were on your way to dinner.” Nicholas knew all about monsters, due to his association with Eve. He’d become accustomed to them. He’d even gone on nightly rounds with Eve in the town. “I know. They could at least consult me. What if I was doing something important like going to the movies or shopping?” Eve replied, tongue firmly in cheek. She picked up her menu, although she already knew everything that was on it. “At least he didn’t put up much of a fight,” she said with a shrug. “Did you already order?” “Of course. You’re having broccoli cheese soup and a Greek salad. I’m having a Caesar salad and French onion soup.” “I knew I could count on you.” She tossed the menu aside. “What are non- romantic life partners for? We’ve got to do something besides not have sex.” “Life partners?” Eve joked. “We both know you’d dump me in a hot second for a halfway decent guy.” “I was thinking along the lines of a ménage a trois,” Nicholas teased, waggling his eyebrows. “Tell me you wouldn’t want two handsome men all to yourself.” It was their favorite game to see who could be more shocking. Nicholas was a master at it. “That sounds like a good offer until you get to the part where you and this hypothetical man would only be interested in each other.” “Wouldn’t you at least try to convert me? I might be yours after one really energetic blow j–” ”Nicholas!” “I win!” he crowed. “Only because you went straight to the embarrassment-inducing, inappropriate oral sex comment.” “And why shouldn’t I? Fellatio is one of the divine rights.” “I must have missed that decree in Sunday school.” “Oh, sure, it was right after the part about resting on Sunday. You know, because Saturday is a very, very busy night.” Eve sighed. “What am I going to do with you?” At his look, she glared at him “Nicholas! Do you ever stop?” “No, honey, I keep going and going. Just like that little pink bunny.” Nicholas smirked at her. If teasing Eve were an Olympic sport, he’d have a gold metal. But he grew serious when he saw her suppress a yawn with her hand. “Honey, you look like hell. Haven’t you been sleeping?” “You’re such a charmer, Nick.” “Come on, tell me. And never call me that again. Nick sounds like a knuckle-dragging straight man.” “Sorry. You’re anything but that. But, no I haven’t been sleeping. There’s been a lot of activity, lately. I can’t walk down the street without running into a zombie.” “If I had a dime for every time that’s happened to me ... ” “That’s just it. They don’t show up everywhere. These zombies seem to be following me around.” Nicholas suppressed a shudder. “I can deal with vampires, but animated corpses? No, thanks.” “Oh yeah, that reminds me. There is a heaping crop of fledgling vampires right now. Luckily, they’ve all been minions.” Vampires fell into two categories, masters and minions. Minions were made to carry out orders and be the muscle for a master vampire. In the world of supernatural creatures, they were blue-collar workers. Master vampires were made to rule. They called the shots for a group of vampires. Beyond the bloodletting, she wasn’t exactly sure how either types of vampire were made, but she could see the difference between a minion and a master when she fought one. While minions were slow and filled with an almost crippling blood lust, master vampires were cunning and possessed far superior strength. Eve had only fought a master vampire once and she’d been lucky to escape with her life. “Do you want me to help you go vampire hunting tonight?” “Thanks, Nicholas,” she said with a smile. “But this is a risk that I’m prepared to take alone. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt because of me.” “Well, I may be more of a lover than a fighter, but if you need me all you have to do is ask.” She squeezed his hand. “Thank you.” “Okay, enough of the mushy stuff.” He patted her hand. “Eve, you know I love you, but I just have to say something. I hate to judge but--” Eve cleared her throat loudly. “Well, I pretend to hate to judge. There’s no other way to say this, so I’m going to blurt it out. You’ve got to get out a bit more. I’m worried about you. There’s more to life than killing monsters. Like friends, and shopping, and sex. Even Buffy took a breather once in a while and so should you. You know, see the Scoobies. Hang out at the Bronze or something.” “Yeah, well, you’re my only ‘Scooby’ and this sure as hell isn’t the Bronze. Oh, yeah, and Buffy is not real!” Eve said rolling her eyes. She leaned closer to him. “I’m a real live monster hunter with real problems and a real life to lead. Besides, I don’t have time for much of a social life.” She self-consciously played with her moon earrings. “Or to accessorize the way she does.” “You should. If you won’t take some time off, you should at least change your look. That might brighten your spirits up. I know it would do wonders for mine.” Nicholas looked at her clothing and hair with critical eyes. “You’ve got all the goods, you’re just not putting anything out for sale. You’re what--five-feet five inches?” “Yes, and if you try to guess my weight, you might be joining the dearly departed vampire.” Eve was a size sixteen. Her weight had always been something that she’d battled against but never won. She knew she’d never be a skinny girl and she’d made peace with it long ago. Even though she’d come to accept that she would never be thin, it didn’t mean she wanted to discuss her weight just before she ate. It would take the flavor right out of the meal. “I wouldn’t dream of it, honey. Besides, you look fabulous! You know, Marilyn Monroe was a size fourteen and you’re just a bit bigger. You’re curvy in all the right places and you’ve got nice breasts.” Eve nearly choked on her water. “Excuse me?” Nicholas’s smile was sly. “While I don’t go for the girly parts at all.” He gave an affected little shiver. “I can appreciate them on an aesthetic level. Breasts are just plain pretty. And, speaking of girly parts, why aren’t you showing yours off? Maybe you should wear something besides jeans and t-shirts.” “I do!” Nicholas made a noise. “When I’m not out tracking down vampires or zombies.” “Which is all the time!” Nicholas said with exasperation. “What about make-up? Just because you are fighting the forces of evil doesn’t mean you can’t wear a little color.” “Make-up makes me itch.” “No pain, no gain. You’re got a lovely face.” Nicholas looked at her snub nose, her wide-spaced bright green eyes, and apple cheeks. “You should play up your eyes and your mouth. You might even get a good sex life out of this vampire avenger gig. You know, like Anita Blake.” “I’d like to point out that she’s not real, either. Between you and me? Her technique is a little confusing. Monsters are hard to kill if you’re having sex with them every five seconds.” “As opposed to your supposedly healthy, men-shunning way of life? I know nuns who get more action than you.” “No, you don’t! You’re not even Catholic. Besides, I think it’s the other way around. Men shun me. Do you know how long it’s been since I had a date?” “You wouldn’t have a problem if you wouldn’t hide your light under a basket. Or, in your case, hide it under a shapeless hooded sweatshirt. There would be plenty of men for you to date, if you’d started wearing some tighter shirts.” “The kind of men that are attracted to free range breasts? No, thanks.” “Honey, is there any other kind of straight man?” “Maybe not. But this is all a moot point anyway. I don’t have time for a real relationship. And it’s not like I’m the type to pick up some random guy for--” “Sweaty, meaningless and yet somehow satisfying sex?” Nicholas finished. “Nicholas! Let’s hold off on trying to shock each other for the rest of the night, okay? My nerves can’t take it. Besides, I could never have a one-night stand with some guy I’d never see again. It’s just not me.” “ I think you are giving straight men too much credit. Most of them don’t have feelings when it comes to sex. If you won’t consider a regular guy, how about doing the nasty with a handsome undead stranger? I bet they don’t mind that type of thing so much.” “A vampire?” The thought had never occurred to her. In her mind, vampires were for killing, not for dates. “That’s disgusting. I don’t do dead guys. Literally.” “Undead, not dead. Assuming all of their naughty bits work, right?” Eve blushed a little. “It’s not like I’ve looked. I’m trying to kill them, not cop a feel.“ “I didn’t mean to imply that you weren’t professional,” Nicholas teased. “But you’ve had to notice them. Come on, have you ever seen an ugly vampire? I don’t think so!” “Oh, you have some undiscovered fetish, hmm?” “I wouldn’t call it a fetish. All of the Hollywood vampires are sexy. Actually, the whole vampire thing is sexy. When you factor in the leather and the eternal youth, not to mention all the sucking they do.” His eyes looked a little dreamy. “They don’t even have to come up for air.” “Blood sucking, Nicholas. Not the kind you’re referring to.” “Come on, not even Angel or Spike?” She yawned. “Jean-Claude? Asher?” Eve shrugged. “Fine, how about Lestat? Louis?” She shook her head. “You’re just being difficult. Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise played them on screen. Who says no to Brad and Tom?” “Me? Well, at least when they’re in the vampire make-up and have those creepy long fingernails.” “Fine. What about Dracula?” Eve made a face. “Oldman, not Lugosi.” “Like it matters. Hollywood vampires aren’t real. Real vampires are dangerous and more interested in killing you than sleeping with you.” “How do you know? Did you ever ask one?” “Of course not!” “Not all of them are killers, Eve,” Nicholas reminded her. Technically, it was true. She’d learned as much as she could about vampires, which was difficult considering how intent they were on hiding their existence. Some of them claimed to be peaceful and preferred animal blood or willing donors to taking blood by force. But the vast majority were killers. While she loved and trusted Nicholas, he had no idea what she was up against. He had no concept of what the undead were really like. Vampires hadn’t killed his parents and destroyed his life. “Only because they don’t have the opportunity to be,” Eve said harshly. “Eve, I--” Nicholas stopped as something shuffled past the window. Thankfully, the café’s clientele were all occupied with their meals or their companions. Now that he knew about the supernatural creatures that really did go bumping in the night, he was amazed that people could ignore what was going on. “Great. Dead guy at six o’clock.” Eve turned, her hand automatically reaching for her blade. “Oh, crap. Our soup is about to arrive, too. I’ll be back in a sec!” She said as she dashed out the door. Nicholas smiled at the few curious diners who glanced his way. He shrugged. “Women!”
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