Romantic Moments 3

Romantic Horror, Vampire Romance

Date Published: October 01, 2023

Adrian – I am a vampire whose physical ugliness intensified with my
immortality. For centuries I hunted alone, disguising myself from prey,
preferring illusions to brutal attacks. Others of my kind spurned me. Some
tried to destroy me, and on them I unleashed my wrath. I suffered the agony
of eternal loneliness, and then I met Anna.

Anna – My life was almost unbearable until a tall, black-haired
stranger with fiery eyes and needle sharp teeth drank my blood and swept me
into an unimaginable world. From the night we met, I gave Adrian my heart,
but a lie spun by a jealous enemy drove us apart. I swore I would never give
him the chance to hurt me again, but denying my love for him was harder than
I thought.

Note: Through My Heart is a very short horror romance featuring vampiric
love. It has a spicy heat level, violence, and a HEA. This Romantic Moments
story is the perfect length for a lunch break, before bed, or any time you
want a quick, romantic read.

Excerpt

I found her on the streets of Pompeii just days before the fateful eruption
of Vesuvius. Many centuries earlier, I had been thrust into the life of a
blood drinker, changed on the field of battle.

To this day, I don’t know why the blood drinker changed me. Beauty is
prized among our kind, and I was known as the Brutal Beast—a warrior
with the strength of a dragon and the face of one.

I suppose it doesn’t matter why. It might have been a gift, or a curse, or
perhaps it was just her sense of humor. I can still feel her teeth tearing
into my neck. I can taste her blood, as sweet and thick as wine.

I digress. Where was I?

Ah, yes, Pompeii. I had arrived on my merchant ship from Constanta, and
while my servants unloaded cargo, I sought nourishment in the brothels that
were plentiful in the city. Even then, I caught the scent of death emanating
from the distant mountain. I had planned to stay for a while, but just one
night might be too long. Still, I needed to drink before moving on.

A delicious scent teased my nose. It was musky, sweet, and sad. The aroma
of despair. My gaze riveted to a beautiful woman—hair as black as my
own, dark eyes with flecks of gold that my keen vision detected even from
across the street. She was slim and her skin kissed golden by the sun.
Despite the warmth of the air, she shivered and rubbed her bare arms that
were imprinted with bruises from an earlier customer.

I approached, still wearing a hood—blood drinkers are rarely affected
by warmth or cold, unless it’s extreme. The hood, combined with my powers of
the mind, would create the illusion of handsome looks. I didn’t spin the
dream quite yet, though. Sometimes, I indulged in the self-torture of seeing
how they reacted to me.

She glanced at me when I paused beside her, so close that my shadow
darkened her face.

“Welcome. Would you like to come inside?” she asked in a soft
monotone. Her voice, like her scent, emanated despair. She didn’t even look
surprised by my appearance.

“Very much.”

With a sigh, she turned and led me past a tattered curtain, into the small,
candlelit room where she lived and entertained customers.

She gestured toward the stone bed.

I remained standing and said, “We should talk first.”

Now she raised an arched black eyebrow. “About what?”

I pulled down my hood, completely exposing my pale, bony face that was
covered in scars, most from my mortal life, but some sustained after my
change, during fights with other blood drinkers, ones who couldn’t keep
their mouths shut and their weapons to themselves. My eyes, deep-set and
black as midnight pools, intimidated just about everyone who dared lock
gazes with me.

She swallowed visibly and audibly, but didn’t look away.

“Will you still take me to your bed, my lovely?”

About the Author

Kate Hill is a vegetarian New Englander who loves writing romantic
fantasies. When she’s not working on her books, Kate enjoys reading, working
out, watching horror movies, and researching vampires and Viking history.
She runs the Compelling Beasts Blog that is dedicated to antagonists,
antiheroes, and paranormal creatures. Kate also writes as Saloni
Quinby.

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