by Tianna Xander
Copyright 2007 eXtasy Books
Purchase Link: http://tinyurl.com/2kfd2z
Blurb:
Callie Obermeyer is just like every other woman, if you disregard the dead bodies that keep turning up around her, the banshee wails that echo through the night, and the stranger she can't help but be drawn to.
Death has come calling, and he's a vampire who answers to the name of Gunther Andarton. While chasing a demon preying on the city's female population, he finds his mate in spunky Callie. But how do you tell the woman meant to be yours that she must die in order to live?
As the demon strikes, the one called Death learns what it is to love… and Callie must choose between death, a life of eternal solitude, or love in a stranger's arms.
Excerpt:
She locked gazes with him and was unable to turn away—even though she wanted to. She didn't want to lead him on, knew staring at him like this was a blatant invitation, yet she couldn't stop herself. The man was incredible. At least six-four, he exuded pure masculinity. His dark eyes held a sensual invitation. As he moved closer, she noticed they weren't brown, as she'd originally thought. In this light and from this distance, they appeared black.
When he stopped next to her seat and held his hand out, she almost panicked. "Dance with me." It wasn't a question. He clearly expected her to take his hand and walk to the dance floor with him. She stared at the proffered hand for a second before placing her own in his, unable for whatever reason to refuse his demand.
Warm fingers closed around her hand and lightning shot up her arm at the contact. Callie licked her lips, and cast a quick glance at Mandy. Her friend shrugged and grinned.
"Don't mind me. I'm waiting for the golden boy to come
back." She waved them away. "I'll be fine. I promise."
With a gentle tug, he pulled her to her feet, took her under his arm and they made their way to the dance floor. "I've never seen you here before," he said, as he wrapped his arms around her. The shock of his hand holding hers was nothing compared to the way it felt when he took her into his embrace. Callie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It would take every bit of strength and self-control she had to keep herself from falling into bed with this man. He exuded sensuality.
How would she ever tell him no, if he asked her to go home with him?
As luck would have it, the next song was a slow one that she liked. The man pulled her tight against his hard body and began to move to the rhythm. It wasn't the inexperienced swaying of a man who didn't know how to dance, but a slow controlled waltz of a man who knew just what he was doing.
Callie had the ridiculous urge to ask him where he'd been all her life. She gazed up at him, uncertain. She wasn't sure she could participate in a one-night stand, even as turned on as she was. She was certainly no prude, but she didn't give herself freely, either. Standing within his arms, she knew this could easily turn into something she wasn't ready for. Just his close proximity made her whole body burn. She'd never been this attracted to any man before. Was it him or had her neighbor's death affected her in some way?
"I am called Gunther." The low timbre of his voice startled her
back to the present and she blinked. Be still my heart. She hadn't noticed that cool accent when he'd asked her to dance. But, then again, with the noise coming from the table beside them she wouldn't have heard it anyway. The mild accent, a cross between German and British, was a strange but nice mixture.
She smiled and her lips wobbled a bit. "My name—" she cleared her throat. "My name is Callie."
He raised one perfectly arched ebony brow. "And Callie is short for ...?"
Her cheeks grew warm again and she bowed her head. "My parents went to Hollywood for their honeymoon. Mom loved California so much that when she found out I was conceived there, she decided to name me after the state."
"Your name is California?"
Callie didn't know whether to be amused or insulted by his
incredulous look. She chose amused and laughed. "No, thank goodness, my father was able to talk her out of that. My given name is Callie."
Gunther smiled. "It's different. I like it." His unique
scent filled her senses as he led her around and she nearly lost her balance. "Careful now," he said, tightening his arms around her.
"I apologize for my lack of talent on the dance floor. No wonder you stumbled. Tripped over my big clumsy feet, eh?"
Her cheeks burned and she fought the urge to bury her face in his chest. He wasn't clumsy. Anything but, actually. He'd drawn her across the dance floor on a smooth glide. If she hadn't already pegged him for a member of law enforcement, she would think him a professional dancer.
"You aren't clumsy and you know it. It's me. I just…"
She let her voice trail off and tried to think what excuse she could give him for not being able to keep her balance. It wasn't as if she could tell him, `excuse me, mister, but you turn me on to distraction'. That just wouldn't cut it. "I—I just felt a bit dizzy for a minute is all."
The concern on his face made her feel like a jerk. "Then I should escort you back to your table if you're not feeling well."
"No—no. I'm fine," she hurried to interject. Now that she found herself in his arms, she didn't want it to end, just yet.
Even though they'd just met, she couldn't keep her thoughts from becoming carnal, no matter how hard she tried. She wasn't ready for another commitment. Joey had left her emotionally battered. Scarred and wary, it would be a long time before she'd be able to let someone in again. Though allowing herself to have sex with the man was out of the
question, it didn't mean that she couldn't enjoy his company for a while or fantasizing about what could have been had she been someone else, someone more free with her body.
Sassy Brit
http://www.tiannaxander.com
Quote Romance Junkies
http://www.romancejunkiesreviews.com/artman/publish/paranormal/In_a_Str\
anger_s_Arms.shtml 5 Blue Ribbon review!: IN A STRANGER'S ARMS is one
of those rare stories that a reader will come across once in a lifetime.
It's a story of danger, passion, longing, heartbreak, mystery, suspense
and the paranormal. Readers will be sighing long after they've finished
reading this masterpiece from Tianna Xander.
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