Excerpt: Fighting Chance, m/m vampire romance! PG

As promised, an excerpt from Fighting Chance. The gorgeous book cover is by Justin James, who also did my cover for Last Chance.

Fighting Chance, copyright Viki Lyn, 2011, published by Loose Id

Chapter One

Corbin Hamilton stared at the vampire sprawled lazily across his black leather couch. A chill rushed through him from the subzero temperature in his apartment. He averted his gaze from the naked chest and grumbled under his breath at the vampire-strix, who was impervious to the cold.

“It’s fucking freezing in here.”

The wraparound windows of his living area brought in the view of San Francisco Bay enshrouded in damp gray fog. While he loved his top-floor apartment and the leather and chrome furniture with its clean, modern lines, right now it added to the gloomy atmosphere created by the mist.

Keeping on his wool coat, he raised the temperature on the thermostat. He turned and glared at Johan, daring him to… Oh hell, he didn’t know what. Babysitting a vampire wasn’t Corbin’s idea of a good time; he’d rather kill them. A Kresnik’s duty was to eradicate the bloodsuckers, not preserve their pathetic lives.

Johan lifted his head from the pillow, his chestnut curls flattened on one side. As he sat up, he swept the loose strands off his shoulders, showing off flat, smooth abs.

Picking up the vampire’s shirt, which was carelessly tossed over the back of a chair, Corbin scowled. “Put your shirt on. I have a visitor.”

A spiky-haired redhead peeked his way around the doorjamb of the front door. “Is it safe?”

Corbin rolled his eyes and motioned for him to come in. “Shit, Simon, get in here.”

“Oh my…” Johan’s amber eyes hungrily focused on the redhead. “Such a pretty lad. Come in, come in. I am quite harmless.” With his long, slender finger, he beckoned the young man inside. “Corbin, you are forgetting your manners. Are you going to introduce us?”

Johan, still shirtless, rubbed his stomach, letting his fingers splay across his belly. The vampire’s hypnotic gaze focused on Simon’s neck as he licked his upper lip. Simon gasped and stepped back as Corbin steadied him by the elbow.

An inner light shone in Johan’s eyes. “So the young lad knows what I am?”

Simon cleared his throat. “Yeah, you’re a vampire.”

“Well, well, you certainly do not mince words.”

A blush turned Simon’s face bright red. Corbin pressed his hand on one bony shoulder blade and pushed the messenger toward his office. Once at the door, he shoved the teen inside.

“Give me a minute. And close the fucking door.”

Corbin strode over to the chair and thrust the white shirt into Johan’s solid chest. “Put this on.”

“Does my nudity bother you?” Johan traced a circle around his belly button.

Corbin leaned in close, letting Johan get a whiff of his scent, and wryly smiled. “Get over yourself. You’re not my type.”

“Of course, my Ice Prince. You prefer your lads young and vacuous.” He sat up and brushed his curls back, his fangs protruding, shiny, white. “Heaven forbid they might actually challenge your intelligence.”

Was that a hint of jealousy in Johan’s voice, or something else? Anyway, what did Corbin care? He flicked his finger on Johan’s chest and ignored the low-timbre accent, honeyed and thick with possibilities. “Your fangs are showing.”

“And they fascinate you. You imagine what it feels like to have them buried into your soft neck.”

Nerves fluttered in Corbin’s stomach. “You’re delusional.” But Johan words were too close to the truth. On some level, he couldn’t deny the sexual attraction he felt for the strix. He had a curious desire to know how the vampire’s heat would feel coursing through his veins.

“Am I?” Johan stood and moved into Corbin’s space.

Tension ignited a live wire within Corbin as Johan’s gaze burned into his crotch. He stepped back from the infuriating creature. Johan had to see the painful bulge in his jeans. It was too obvious for either one to deny it. This unwanted desire caused him nothing but confusion. How could he feel anything but hate for Johan?

Because he did hate him. Shit, Corbin had wanted to kill him, not rehabilitate him.

He quickly raised the barriers around his stormy feelings. “I have a stake with your name on it. Don’t think I won’t use it.”

The vampire’s mouth puckered. “I’m hungry.”

Yeah, hungry for more than blood.

Turning away, Corbin waved toward the kitchen. “It’s in the fridge. Feed yourself. You’re not helpless.”

“It’s terribly vile tasting when cold.”

Grudgingly caving in to Johan’s complaint, Corbin headed for the kitchen. He removed his coat and flung it over a chair. Then he yanked open the fridge door and took out the bottle of blood. After placing a pan on the stove, he poured in the liquid and heated it to room temperature.

His task finished, he set the full glass of tepid blood on the counter and strode back into the living room.

“Go on. I heated up the damn stuff. I’m not going to serve you too.”

Johan tilted his head. A slow smile spread across his face. He glided past Corbin, touching his arm before disappearing into the kitchen.

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Viki Lyn
http://www.vikilyn.com