Vampire Hunter - Blood of the Vines - New Release

I’m thrilled to announce the release of my book Vampire Hunter: Blood of the Vines from Liquid Silver.

Once a vampire, now a vampire hunter, Regan Fellows walks a fine line with her reputation. Unable to afford her favorite Italian leather outfits, she takes any job she’s offered. When the owner of The Vines, a popular nightclub, asks her to investigate strange occurrences within her establishment, her investigation takes a disturbing turn. As Regan explores the labyrinth of rooms within The Vines, she discovers blood-filled carboys, discarded bodies, and shadows that follow her every move. But they aren’t the only problems.

Sexy bartender, Garrett Reynolds is a bona-fide distraction, and flawless at the art of breaking down her resistance. Even in the midst of tracking a ruthless horde of vampires, Regan can’t deny him. And that attraction puts her in more danger than any job she ever accepted.

Excerpt

Regan Fellows walked swiftly along the desolate streets, dodging broken glass and rain puddles, her eyes intent on the night prowlers. The downtown dive was near the location she’d been asked to meet up at. The young woman on the phone called it The Vines. Burned out streetlamps made it difficult to see clearly, and an onslaught of garbage coated the sidewalks. It seemed a place where the trash walked and fit right in.

A bitter wind nipped at her cheeks as she picked up the pace. She pulled the collar of her leather jacket up further as a shield. Her new Italian black leather pants with matching jacket seemed to hold up well for the late autumn weather. She should’ve thought twice about the skimpy top. Her nipples pressed tight against the lace of her bra, making her wince.

At the corner of Fifth and Halsey, Regan stopped. An obscure wrought-iron sign that read The Vines dangled in the breeze. For a supposed popular nightclub, it looked seedy. Her stomach knotted. A new job always wreaked havoc on her nerves, especially when she ended up in some sordid place. Those who knew about her line of work were often the ones she needed to be wary of. She acknowledged the dangers of her job, but she needed money to afford her fetish for high quality Italian leather.

With a deep breath, she turned the knob and entered.

She followed a winding metal staircase down into a sea of writhing, undulating bodies on a red-lit dance floor. The bass of the music vibrated so deep it shook each step. At the bottom step, a petite redhead greeted her, a tray of drinks balanced in her hand. “Welcome to The Vines. Have a seat wherever you can find one.”

Regan nodded and pressed the faux flap of skin around her neck.

“Thanks. I wondered if you could help me. I’m looking for a woman by the name of Selena. She asked me to meet her here.” The waitress primped her corkscrew curls. “Sure, I’ll let her know you’re here. And you are?”

“Regan. She’s expecting me.”

The redhead nodded, curls bobbing. “I’ll let her know. It might be a few minutes before I can flag her down. Have to serve customers.”

Regan shrugged. “No worries. I’ll wait at the bar.”

She tracked the young woman until she disappeared into the crowd of dancers, and then made her way to the other side of the room. Hands groped her body as she passed, some lingering longer than others. Already the temperature in the room had spiked ten degrees.

At one time, this scene would’ve worked for her. Back when she’d been naïve and curious. Addicted to the euphoric high of nonstop sexual energy as she danced naked with strangers. Wrecked in body and soul for a single drop of their blood.

But this wasn’t her scene anymore.

At the bar, Regan plopped on a stool and admired the selection of wine bottles along the shelves. Not much of a drinker, she’d never really learned the fine art of tasting wine, though she’d enjoyed several specialty Italian wines once on a weekend Tuscan getaway.

Regan turned and eyed the dance floor packed with obscenely beautiful people all outfitted in black. They danced like a raging sea, bodies gyrating and grinding to the hypnotic music. Aroused, a carnal yearning brewed inside her.

(copyright 2012)

This is the first book of my Vampire Hunter trilogy.

~Ann Cory