Eternal Soulmate

Eternal Soulmate, a vampire paranormal, is set in beautiful New Orleans. It is one of my latest releases. It's about finding love when you least expect it and doing whatever it takes to protect the one you love. Here's an excerpt:

Flirt was the brainchild of international man of mystery, Noah Lazarus, and promised to be the trendiest new club in New Orleans. The outside of the cinder-block building was painted a dull, flat black, giving it a nondescript look. The only thing setting it off was the glowing scroll of neon above the door. At night, rows of hidden black lights washed down over the facade, bringing the building to life. The blocks were randomly painted in a variety of neon colors that showed up only under the special lights.

Olivia Sheppard walked alongside Ian Lazarus, the club manager, as he showed her around what might be her new work environment. What prompted her to apply for the position, she couldn’t say. She’d read the advertisement and it had simply felt right. Then there was the air of mystery that surrounded the Lazarus brothers—more so around Noah than his brother Ian, who was currently chatting her up in the spirit of the club’s name. Still, he was serious eye candy—tall with a head of light-brown hair cut into the chunky, spike style that was the trend for men these days—and if she didn’t get the job, at least she knew she wasn’t dead. She still recognized a good-looking man when she saw one.

“No expense has been spared on the inside. The interior consists of six distinct areas if you count the bar, and each is soundproofed to prevent one from disturbing the ambience of the other.”

He guided her through the door of a sixties-inspired dance area and opened a control panel hidden behind a framed Grateful Dead poster from The Fillmore days in San Francisco.

“Clever,” she murmured as the poster swung open on invisible hinges.

Ian flipped several switches and the multicolored dance floor lit up, the music throbbed to life and strobe lights pulsed to the beat. There was a tall dais overlooking the dance floor where a disc jockey would do his thing.

“Go-go cages?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

He shrugged, chuckling. “What can I say? It’s the sixties.” He flipped off the lights and music and led her down the next passageway. “The game room. Pretty much self-explanatory.”

She nodded, taking in rows of pool tables, an area for darts and several sitting areas where gameboards sat open and ready for players.

The next room was a salon of sorts, filled with cozy seating areas, conversation pits and laptop computers. “This is for the folks who just want to come in after work, have a drink and some quiet conversation, or surf the Internet.”

He stepped around her and led her through a connecting passageway. “The media room. We’re licensed as a theater too, so we’ll be showing everything from artsy foreign films to the latest action-adventure flicks.”

“Very cool.” Olivia nodded.

He led her back out the way they’d entered and turned down a long, lushly carpeted hall. He cleared his throat. “This last room is for the more—ah—adventurous customer. It’s members only, and fully licensed for more exotic activities.” He opened the door and flipped a light switch to reveal a scene straight out of Arabian Nights. Gauzy silks in rich jewel tones draped from the ceiling in soft waves, making the large space cozy. Tall, thick pillars of candles rose up from the floor on elaborate wrought iron stands. “This week’s subject is the seraglio. Members can participate in weekly themed activities of a more carnal nature. The membership fee is high in order to discourage the less discriminating client, and one of your duties will be to perform the extensive background histories required. Participation in the activities is not mandatory. Members so inclined will be allowed to observe any of the couples or groups who enjoy being watched.”

“Wow,” Olivia said, checking out the exotic array of pillows, beds and elaborately framed mirrors scattered around the room. Several curtained areas provided a modicum of privacy. It was everything she imagined a harem might look like, from the bright silks and gauzy drapes that hung ceiling to floor to the plush cushions on the floor and Moroccan lamps suspended above each lush lounging arrangement. The lamps dangled on polished silver chains that caught the light and danced around the room like quicksilver. It could have been a caricature straight out of Hollywood, yet it was so elegantly done, so realistic in style and theme, she could well understand a couple getting carried away  in the atmosphere.

Lazarus laughed as he pulled the door shut. Olivia met his steady gaze as he gave her the once-over, probably gauging her reaction to all she’d seen. “So, shall we go back to the office and discuss the job description or are you feeling inclined to run screaming from the joint?”

It was Olivia’s turn to laugh. “Oh Mr. Lazarus, don’t let my girl-next-door looks confuse you. I’m thirty-five years old. I did ten years with the military police and another five in foreign service. I know security like the back of my hand and there hasn’t been a man born yet I can’t put on his ass if I’ve a mind to. Lead the way.” This job is mine, she thought. As soon as the office door closed behind them, the offer was made and accepted. She practically danced a little jig on the way out.

* * * * *

“Impressions?” Noah Lazarus asked.

“I like her,” Ian responded. “Is she the one you’ve been looking for? I didn’t see even a hint of red emanating from her.” He shrugged. “Perhaps I am not meant to see her aura if she destined for you.”

Noah nodded. The old seer had been specific —his intended would be surrounded with red. Would this necessarily mean her aura was red? He’d tried to get the old woman to be more specific but all she could say was when at rest, the woman was surrounded by red. Ian’s assessment was undoubtedly true, and the scent of her hung in the air, tantalizing him. That had never happened before. “Point taken, yet I can’t help but feel it’s her. Her fragrance…resonates. And she’s more than qualified for the position. Question is, how will she be able to handle the nuances of the job?”

Ian rolled his eyes. “You mean how is she going to handle it when she finds out what you are?”

“Exactly.”

“Something tells me the lady can handle anything you throw at her.”

“Including the Sentinel?”

“Why not? They’re human, aren’t they?”

Noah raised an eyebrow. “The jury is still out on that one, brother, but if she is the one, they’ll figure it out soon enough. If she’s not, we’ll still have to keep an eye on her until they see she isn’t a threat.” He stood and stretched. “What time will she be back?”

“Nine o’clock.”

He nodded, looked at his watch. “Good. It’s nearly dark. I need to feed, then I’ll get dressed and meet your girl-next-door security expert.”