Beware the place where darkness rules and bloodlust is the ultimate aphrodisiac…

An apocalyptic storm has transformed New Orleans into a city of lawless terror—and Mikaela Jones is standing in the center of the nightmare. A beautiful, courageous journalist with a mysterious past, she sees monsters prowling all around her. But the gravest peril of all awaits Mikaela when she is taken captive by a mesmerizing male who is not mortal—a breathtaking creature who arouses the fire in her blood, making her burn for the exquisite erotic ecstasy of total surrender.

For seven centuries Alex Broussard has been waiting for the chance to free himself from the threat of the matriarchal undead society that seeks his destruction. And now, finally, that time is at hand—until the opportunity is ruined by the stunning, innocent, human interloper Alex is compelled to rescue from certain doom. Now they are joined, for good or ill, as they give in to the burning need that neither can resist—risking everything to experience the ultimate sensual release as the darkness rises all around them.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Here’s an excerpt. Mikaela thinks Alex is an ordinary Joe. She’s already had it up to her neck with vampires, and she’s relieved he came along because she’s “under the influence”…

Moonlight brightened as clouds thinned momentarily, illuminating the white-washed, latticed structure. He climbed the steps, set her on her feet in the center of the planked floor, and then pulled the cushions from the benches lining the outer walls to fashion a makeshift bed.

Miki wrapped her arms around her belly, shivering as she waited. When he’d arranged everything to his satisfaction, he finally looked back at her.

A frisson of alarm quickened her pulse. Gone was the teasing man. Now, she noted just how large he was, how his height loomed over hers, casting a long shadow. The breadth of his shoulders stretched the white, buttoned shirt he wore and didn’t disguise the thick muscles of his arms. Below, his legs, spread and braced on the wooden floor, were encased in dark trousers that hugged thickly hewn thighs.

She wondered who he really was. His hair was a little too long for a businessman. His body was too well built, too honed for a desk job. The dark intensity of his gaze had her guessing he had a more dangerous profession. Bodyguard, professional wrestler, fireman, cop.

She wondered why she wasted time guessing. Running would be the smart thing to do right about now. Right before he stepped in front of her, framed her face with his large hands, and bent to kiss her.

Miki moaned against his mouth, giving up on any thoughts of a rational course of action—surrendering to the pressure of his firm lips.

His arms moved slowly around her, as though he didn’t want to spook her, or perhaps to give her one last chance to change her mind.

But Miki couldn’t break the delicious kiss. Alexander rubbed his lips on hers in drugging circles, coaxing her to part them with soft thrusts of his tongue against the seam of her closed lips. She smiled for a moment and felt his mouth tighten with an answering grin, then opened to let him inside.

As his tongue stroked inward, he shifted on his feet, widening his legs. He gripped her hips and pulled her closer, close enough to feel the column of flesh rising against his belly. His mouth trailed from her lips to her ear. “See what you do to me?”

She shivered at the tight, growling quality of his voice. “I impress myself,” she teased, almost feeling sorry for him. His cock was a thick, long ridge straining against the fly of his trousers. Her pussy tightened, ready to grasp it, ready to swallow him whole. She undulated against him, rocking to cup his length against her belly.

Then because she thought he might take his own sweet time, trying to go slowly for her sake, she tucked her hand between their bodies and reached down to touch him—first his balls, giving them a gentle, but firm, squeeze. Then she traced his length with her fingers, rubbing up and down the thick column through his pants until he rutted into her hand.

Lord help her, she wanted to feel his cock rutting inside her, churning in the cream seeping from her depths.

Miki wrestled out of her jacket—a chore since his arms still held her close. She leaned away and let her fingers fly down the row of buttons at the front of her shirt. It too, landed somewhere behind her on the floor. The bra nearly defeated her because by now her hands shook too hard.

Alexander pushed her fingers away, slipped his thumb under the band, and with a deft twist, opened it.

When warm, humid air licked at her nipples, Miki’s eyes fluttered closed. The relief, the teasing softness filled her with urgent despair.

Her lover released her and knelt on one knee in front of her, going for the gaping waist of her jeans.

Fearing she might crumple to the ground, she clasped his shoulders to steady herself as he slid her pants down her legs until they bunched around her ankles.

“Should have thought about the boots first,” he grumbled.

“Please hurry,” she said, scissoring her thighs shallowly to ease the ache flaring between them.

“Let me do something for you. Afterwards, I’ll give you vanilla, baby.” He didn’t wait for her assent, just pressed on her thighs until she made a space, and he put his face between her legs.

Without preamble, his mouth latched onto her swollen clitoris.

Relief was immediate, exploding through her, wrenching a cry from her as she trembled against him. He continued to suckle long after the tremors subsided, then lapped softly at her, soothing her.

“That happened absurdly fast,” she gasped.

“Glad I could be of service. Now, let’s get the rest of your clothes off before it starts again.” He struggled with her boots, tugged her narrow jeans down the rest of the way until she stepped out of them and was completely nude.

“No fair,” she said, shakily.

“I won’t ask you to help me. Just lie down and get comfortable.”

His clothes hit the ground so quickly she almost smiled, but already the ache was building, slamming through her fast. She spread her legs and eased her fingers into her pussy, trying to assuage the burning tension.

Naked at last, Alexander knelt at her feet, and she opened wider, waiting impatiently as he settled between her splayed thighs, stretching his body slowly over hers, giving her time to adjust to the feel of his warm skin and weight against her. When he stopped moving, his body, so broad-shouldered and heavy, pushed her deep into the soft cushions.

Breathless and trembling with uncertainty and anticipation, Miki closed her eyes briefly then brought up her knees on either side of his hips, inviting him without words to slide inside her.

His face, partially lit by a stripe of moonlight, betrayed his inner tension. His lower jaw ground upward, his nostrils flared. However, he didn’t move his hips, didn’t attempt to take her although she’d issued a clear invitation. Instead, one hand smoothed over her hair then cupped her chin, his thumb curving to rub her bottom lip as he stared.

“You don’t have to go slow,” she said, feeling painfully taut. “You don’t have to be careful with me. I promise I want this. I won’t change my mind.”

His gaze swept over her face, settling on her mouth. Then he aligned his nose with hers and kissed her softly, quickly. “You’re sure about this?”

“Absolutely,” she gasped with more certainty than she actually felt. All she knew for absolute-fucking sure was that her body was on fire. He was here, cocked and ready to go, and she couldn’t wait a second longer for him to stroke the itch rippling up her cunt.