The music began, and the couples
moved in graceful concert through the archaic forms of the dance. Liss and
Gregor were quiet for the first few seconds, concentrating on the steps. But
soon enough, Gregor broke the silence.
“I owe you a word of apology,” he
murmured in her ear.
“You do?”
“I do,” he said firmly. “I
thought to buy you a birthday gift, but I didn’t know what you’d like. I
thought I’d wait until we became more thoroughly acquainted and get you
something later, but I’ve just realized that this might come off as
carelessness on my part.”
Liss felt a strange, fluttery
sensation. Her cheeks heated. Why was she so flustered? She couldn’t explain
it.
“No, that doesn’t seem careless
at all,” she said faintly. “You’re very kind.”
He instantly picked up on her
change in demeanor. “Are you okay? Would you care to step out of the dance?”
Once again, she spoke without
thinking. Being with him seemed to do that to her, and it was dangerous.
“Why?” she asked archly. “Have I
been stepping on your feet more than Tait usually does?”
After a startled moment, Gregor
threw his head back and laughed. Heads swiveled in their direction as people
searched out the source of the foreign, deviant noise. Outright laughter just
wasn’t done at court. When they realized it was him, they tried to pretend they
hadn’t been looking. It was a good thing Viktor was out of the room, feeding or
scheming or both.
Gregor got himself under control
quickly, but his lips still twitched.
“Shall we step out so I can get
some air?” he asked. “I would appreciate it.”
“Of course,” said Liss, her
cheeks still flaming.
He led her gracefully off the
floor without disturbing the other dancers, through the French doors and onto
the balcony. One of his hands rested at her waist while the other closed on the
tips of her gloved fingers. The night air was cool and still after the stifling
atmosphere of the ballroom. From here, the neon glow of Vegas was muted by
elaborate latticework privacy screens edged in gold leaf and twined with
bougainvillea.
Gregor led Liss to the far end of
the balcony.
“Shall we sit?” he asked,
gesturing to an overstuffed fainting couch tucked in the back of an overgrown
nook. Heavy, heady-scented flowers drooped from the privacy screens like ripe
fruits, begging to be picked.
“Yes, thank you,” she said,
settling down gratefully. “I’m not used to the heels. I don’t wear them very
often.”
“Why today?”
“It seemed appropriate. I want to
do my family justice…and you.”
Her eyes rose to his despite her
flaming cheeks. She didn’t know what was happening to her. She was always so
rational, so collected, so prepared for everything. She had prepared for him. Why hadn’t it worked?
“I don’t care what you wear on
your feet, so long as it pleases you, Liss,” he said quietly. “May I call you
Liss?”
“All of my friends do.”
“Then I would like that.”
Their eyes met. He looked so
handsome and perfect and…sad. She couldn’t help it. She put her hand to his
cheek, trying to comfort him without even knowing what was wrong. But whatever
it was, she couldn’t bear to see him suffer.
He leaned into her hand in slow
motion. His hands bookended her hips, denting the plush upholstery of the sofa.
They moved together, falling back onto the cushions, their mouths only inches
from each other. The air between them was electric with tension.
“I hadn’t intended this,” he
said, his words slow. It took her a moment to realize he spoke that was because
he was trying so hard to restrain himself. She could see the faintest shadow of
one of his fangs, a testament to his excitement. “I just wanted to get to know
you.”
Her hand still sat on his cheek,
and it clenched at the collar of his suit without her even meaning to.
“Don’t stop,” she said.
Thrall
Supernaturals of Las Vegas
Book One
Carrie Harris
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Inked EntertainmentSupernaturals of Las Vegas
Book One
Carrie Harris
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Date of Publication: 3/7/2020
ASIN: B084RGTXNF
Number of pages: 234
Word Count: 52,000
Cover Artist: Inked Entertainment
Tagline: Undeniable attraction. Blood magic. Vampire politics. Murder...Just another day in Las Vegas.
Book Description:
Liss Lorensson is a thrall–born to be a servant of the vampire crown prince.
Gregor Valdemar is a vampire prince who chafes under the strict rule of his sire and longs for a different life.
When the two finally meet on Liss’s 21st birthday, sparks fly. But blood magic, murder, and political intrigue stand in the way of their growing romance. Vampire seduction meets the power of the blood in this first volume of the Supernaturals of Las Vegas series.
About the Author:
Carrie Harris is a geek-of-all-trades who writes genre fiction for all ages. If it has monsters, mayhem, or murder in it, she’s all in. Because all authors are required to have a history of weird jobs, she worked as an autopsy coordinator and in a lab full of brains in jars. Now she’s a full time writer in Utah, where she lives with her ninja-doctor husband and three teenage children. Carrie has done a variety of cool things like organizing WriteOnCon (an online writers conference) and serving as the president of the Class of 2k11 (an author marketing group), and her book BAD TASTE IN BOYS was named a Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. If you bring any of this up to her, she will blush a ridiculous amount. As you read this, she is probably drinking something caffeinated and talking to people that only exist in her head.
Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/carrieharrisbooks
Website: http://carrieharrisbooks.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/carrharr
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