Handsome Bastard
by Kate Hill
Series: Ancient Blood
Format(s): Ebook, Paperback
Heat Level: Steamy
Pairing(s): M/F
Genre/Themes: Historical, Paranormal
Length: Novella
Cover art created at Canva.com
Purchase Links:
Ebook: Amazon
Paperback: Amazon
Trained since childhood to hunt blood drinkers, Leotine is sent on a mission to destroy the elusive Cyprian Augustus. The cunning blood drinker has converted or killed many hunters who have tracked him. Will the vampire or the huntress win their deadly game of lust?
Note: Handsome Bastard was previously published. This is a re-edited version and contains two additional scenes.
Excerpt:
Leotine’s heart pounded as she stared at Cyprian Augustus, so enraptured by his catlike green eyes and voice as deep and rich as the finest wine that she nearly forgot she’d been sent to kill him.
It had been her idea to come to him under this guise. As with all her assignments, she had carefully studied her victim. Though Cyprian had at first seemed to harbor no weaknesses, Leotine had eventually found one. Women. Plump, innocent-looking women in particular. Fortunately, Leotine possessed both attributes.
Not to say that Cyprian was a fool for such women. The man hadn’t a foolish bone in his body. He simply lusted after them. Lust could lead to love. Love to trust and trust to death. Convince him of her love and loyalty and he would be hers.
The first step was to seem as vulnerable as possible. What better way than to appear as a beaten woman on the side of the road? Julius had agreed to her plan and assisted her in the preparations–far too willingly for Leotine’s taste. The filthy swine had actually seemed to enjoy beating her. He had taken her by surprise with his ferocity. Furious, she’d struck back only to be knocked unconscious by one of his slaves.
For the first time, she began to wonder whether her duty was worth the sacrifices she made.
Cyprian placed a hand to her cheek and washed blood from her face. She tried to turn away, but he held her gently yet firmly as he blotted her lips.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked softly. “I told you I’m a slave.”
“At the moment you’re my guest,” he said in those low yet incredibly masculine tones that sent an unfamiliar feeling of warmth through her entire body.
She had looked at paintings of him made by members of her faction who had seen him. Once or twice she had even seen him from a distance when he traveled to the city. She had been careful not to move close enough for him to bother focusing on her by sight or scent. It had been important for them to meet according to her plan. Though she had heard rumors about his stunning good looks, she hadn’t expected him to be like this.
His face, with its chiseled bone structure and green eyes that seemed to remain in an alluring half-closed position, like a man thoroughly engaged in making love, nearly stole her breath. He was taller than most men too, with a lean yet muscular build apparent even beneath his tunic.
In all her years of tracking and killing blood-drinkers, she had never been attracted to one. Until now.
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