Denise snorted. “Way to make do with who’s available.”
I bit back my laugh with difficulty. Denise’s opinion of Ian—and Annette—was even worse than my own, but that didn’t make her wrong. Still, out of respect for both of them being Bones’s friends, I contained my snicker.
Far from offended, Ian’s brows rose arched. “Just following the American adage about turning a frown upside down.”
Mencheres, ever the tactful one, chose that moment to glide over. “Perhaps we should turn our attention to gifts.”
Bones clapped Ian on the back. “Don’t take too long, mate.”
“I’ll try to limit myself to an hour,” Ian replied with a straight face.
“Pig,” I couldn’t help but mutter. Hey, I’d tried to rein myself in! If vampires could still get diseases, I’d wish a festering case of herpes on him, but I suppose it was a good thing that Ian’s ability to carry or transmit STD’s died with his humanity.
Ian left, chuckling to himself the whole time.
Bones’s arm slid across my shoulders, his fingers stroking my flesh along the way. I’d worn the backless halter dress because I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist that bare expanse of skin, and I was right. Heat spilled over my emotions in its own caress as Bones dropped his shields so I could access his feelings. The tie that existed between us wasn’t only forged in love. It was also the blood deep, eternal link between a vampire and their sire.
Of course, that wasn’t the only undead perk. The ability to heal instantly, fly, and mesmerize people didn’t suck, either.
“Do you know how lovely you look?” he asked, his voice deepening in timber. Hints of glowing green appeared in his dark brown eyes, a visual cue of his appreciation.
I leaned in to whisper my reply near his ear. “Tell me later, when everyone’s gone.”
His laugh was low and promising. “That I will, Kitten.”
We went into the next room where a pile of presents awaited. Vampires had been called many things, but stingy usually wasn’t among them. Bones had barely made a dent in opening his gifts before his cell phone rang. He glanced at the number with a chuckle.
“Ian, don’t tell me you and Annette are too occupied to return,” he said in lieu of a hello.
Supernatural hearing meant that I picked up every word of Ian’s tightly clipped reply.
“You need to get over here. Now.”
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author JEANIENE FROST lives with her husband and their very spoiled dog. Although not a vampire herself, she confesses to having pale skin, wearing a lot of black, and sleeping in late whenever possible. And while she can’t see ghosts, she loves to walk through old cemeteries. Jeaniene also loves poetry and animals, but fears children and hates to cook. She is currently at work on the next novel in her bestselling Night Huntress series.
To know more about Jeaniene, please visit her website at www.jeanienefrost.com.
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By Jeaniene Frost
One Grave at a Time
This Side of the Grave
Eternal Kiss of Darkness
First Drop of Crimson
Destined for an Early Grave
At Grave’s End
One Foot in the Grave
Halfway to the Grave
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Halfway to the Grave
By Jeaniene Frost
Catherine Crawfield has more than a few skeletons in her closet. Being the child of a vampire isn’t something you want to broadcast around town. But when Cat is captured by Bones, it’s clear that the master vampire has a few things to teach her. Soon Cat and Bones are faced with the most difficult fight of all, as they battle their enemies—and their attraction for each other.
“Halfway to the Grave is dark, sexy, and supernatural, blended with a touch of humor. I dare you to disagree—Cat will have you staked in five seconds flat.”
—Cheyenne McCray, USA Today bestselling author
The Reluctant Vampire
By Lynsay Sands
Rogue hunter Drina Argenis has been many things in her years as an immortal, but bodyguard/babysitter to a teenage vampire is something new. There’s an incentive, however: the other vampsitter, Harper Stoyan, may be Drina’s life mate. Suddenly things become a bit more complicated.
Can Drina, with a little matchmaking help from their teen charge, tempt this reluctant vampire to take a chance on her? Or will a dangerous, unseen renegade kill Drina and Harper’s one chance at happiness?
Lure of the Wicked
By Karina Cooper
Naomi West was plucked from one prison and placed undercover in another: Timeless, New Seattle’s premier spa and resort, where owner Phinneas Clarke—the most seductive man Naomi has ever met—may be hiding a killer. While Naomi is tracking down a rogue agent on a killing spree, Phin is determined to uncover her most damning—and dangerous—secrets. Whatever the cost.
“Lure of the Wicked is an intriguing tale spun full of action, hard hits, and steamy scenes that will keep you up late into the night.”
—Jocelynn Drake, New York Times bestselling author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Excerpt from “Home for the Holidays” copyright © 2011 by Jeaniene Frost
ONE GRAVE AT A TIME. Copyright © 2011 by Jeaniene Frost. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition SEPTEMBER 2011 ISBN: 9780062096265
FIRST EDITION
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