Bad Boys by Annie Nicholas

Mobsters, playboys, vampires, and pirates are a few of the types of men who draw women to them like moths to a flame. Is it the sense of danger that attracts us? It’s not for our well being, that’s for sure. We’re bound to get burned.

Sometimes.

A few of these bad boys do have a heart of gold. Maybe that’s what we’re looking for?

Connie Bence, my heroine in BAIT, is faced with this dilemma. Sent on a mission to lure Budapest’s vampire Overlord into a trap, Connie is instead caught red-handed by the dark Casanova. Her employer has concrete proof of the dubious leader’s misdeeds but she is surprised when this ruthless killer, Rurik, offers her protection and rescues her from his own kind. It plants seeds of doubt in her mind and she begins to question his guilt. Now she is thrown into his world where blackmail determines her every move and where she must betray those she cares about or let them die. The stakes are high. She either puts her trust in Rurik or leads him to his execution. Love or life.

Excerpt:

Rurik maneuvered me deeper into the hall. We passed more guests too busy amusing themselves to pay us any heed. They lay in a pile of tangled bodies on a nest of cushion, feeding. I imagined it would be different. Hands stroked through hair, lips met, and fangs pierced smooth skin. No one fought or screamed, just quiet sensual touching. Almost erotic.

I didn’t notice that I’d stopped to watch until Rurik whispered in my ear, “We can sit and enjoy the show if you’d like. I’m really in no hurry to return to that bitch.” His warm breath brushed against my skin.

“No.” My voice sounded hoarse. The eerie scene made me morbidly curious, like watching at a car wreck. They all seemed to enjoy themselves, but the blood and the bites appalled me. “You said Lizzy wouldn’t kill the boy because she wasn’t allowed. What about them?”

What about him? We hunted Rurik for just that crime.

“Killing attracts too much public attention to our kind.” He pressed himself against my back as he quietly spoke into my hair. I watched this intimate moment between predator and prey while I felt his warm breath against the nape of my neck. It gave me a flutter of confusing emotions.

His firm body along mine aroused me. When he continued his explanation, I almost missed it. “Our governing body has worked very hard over the centuries to make mankind dismiss us.” His hands wandered down my hips, gathered the hem of my dress, and touched my skin. The brush of his fingernails along my thighs caught my breath. “We need to protect our obscurity, even if it is against our nature.”

“You agree with this?” If he did, maybe Colby had mistaken his target and I could seduce Rurik to keep me for himself instead of passing off as a present. Distract him long enough for my rescue to find me.

“I don’t have to agree with it, just abide by it. We are predators, Connie. We need the hunt…” He leaned in closer from behind so his lips brushed the base of my neck, running his fangs along my skin. “And the chase.” He continued tasting me until he came close to my ear once more. “We all have our weaknesses, our favorite types of prey. You caught his attention at the hot springs last night and fit his tastes. He won’t be able to resist you.” Rurik took a deep shaky breath and stepped away from me. “It’s why I brought you here.”

I turned to face him and slid my hands along his chest to his shoulders. If I stood on tippy toe my lips almost touched his. “You could keep me.” It wouldn’t be all bad to let him have me, as long as I could get past the fangs and keep my dress with the tracking device close by.

His expression changed from a flirtatious playboy, to one of regret. “No, I can’t.” He stared toward the back of the basement then back at me and scratched his chin. “I’ll make you a deal, though. If you do your best to please him, I’ll help you survive the night.”

My heart skipped a beat and I plunked back onto my heels. “How?”

“I’ll watch over you.”

“You won’t dump me for Lizzy first chance you get?”

His cold stare told me his opinion of that action.

I got the impression Rurik didn’t mean a little flirting when he said ‘please him’. “What do I need to do?” How far would I go? I’d like to think I’d keep my dignity but knew I’d dance the can-can, naked in a pool of chocolate syrup, to save my ass.

“I need him to feed from you. It’s what he’ll want the most.”

“You’ll make sure he won’t drink me dry?” I hated the insecurity in my voice, the sound of my plea.

Rurik stroked my cheek. “It’s against our laws and we’re at a public event. He should behave himself. I’ll make an effort to stay close to you and intervene if he starts to harm you.”

That didn’t comfort me. Fighting was suicidal, nowhere to run, and no one to care about my cries for help. It came down to placing myself on the menu while I waited for my rescue by Colby. Damn, I was screwed.

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Book Trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOme8ndRM9A

Do you like bad boys? Why?

I married mine. 😉

Annie Nicholas

www.annienicholas.com

www.annienicholas.blogspot.com

www.paranormalromantics.blogspot.com (every Monday)