By Cynthia Eden
This book is a work of fiction. Any similarities to real people, places, or events are not intentional and are purely the result of coincidence. The characters, places, and events in this story are fictional.
Copyright ©2017 by Cindy Roussos
Copy-editing by: JRT Editing
(build 2)
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Forbidden Bite
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Author’s Note
About The Author
Prologue
“Don’t look into her eyes. If you do, she’ll take your soul.”
Griffin Romeo tried really, really hard not to laugh in the face of his newest client. “No eyes,” he murmured. “Check.”
Felix Flemming slammed his clenched fist onto the top of Griffin’s desk. “Listen to me! Listen to me! This shit is for real. You’re going to think that she looks innocent. You’re going to think that she’s the sexiest thing you’ve ever seen. You’re going to think the woman is a walking wet dream—”
“I get it,” Griffin interrupted with a sigh. “The lady I’m after is hot, but trust me, I’m a professional. I’m hardly the type to be taken in by a pretty face.” What did he look like? An amateur? He’d been in the PI business for five years. He was the best of the fucking best.
“She’s killed, man.” Felix ran a shaking hand over his face. “She’s so small, I don’t even know how she does it. This woman is taking out men twice her size. She kills them. She cuts their throats. And Isabella laughs while they bleed.”
“And you’ve seen her do this?” Griffin knew he had to be very careful with the questions that he asked.
“Yes. I’ve seen her shove a man—a guy who had to weigh over 200 pounds—against a dirty alley wall. She threw him like he was nothing. Then she went for his throat, and I saw the blood on her.” He gave a hard nod. “Yeah, I’ve witnessed her attack with my own eyes.”
“Then why haven’t you gone to the cops?” Griffin drummed his fingertips against the armrest on his desk chair. He made sure to let no expression cross his face.
“I’ve tried! They didn’t believe me. I even took them to the scene—to the exact spot where I saw her attack that poor man! But he wasn’t there. She wasn’t there. And Isabella had cleaned up the blood.”
Isabella. Isabella Abandonato.
She was to be his new prey.
“I want you to follow her. I want you to track every single move that she makes. Catch her in the act.” Felix was sweating. Behind the lenses of his glasses, his bright blue eyes gleamed with intensity.
Griffin gave a low whistle. “Normally, when my clients want me to catch someone in the act…They’re talking about a different act.” Sex, not murder.
Felix’s cheeks reddened. “We have to stop her. The woman is an abomination. She’s evil. Isabella is seducing men and then killing them. The cops won’t believe me. So you will get me the proof I need. You have to get it for me. Follow her. Watch her. Stalk her.”
“And when I do catch her in the, uh, act? What happens to the poor fool she’s attacking? Do you expect me to just stand there and watch her kill so that you’ll have your precious proof?”
“No, of course not!” Felix began to pace the small confines of Griffin’s Las Vegas office. “I expect you to stop her before she kills anyone.” He waved his hand vaguely toward Griffin. “I assume you carry a weapon. You have skills, right?”
Actually, Griffin didn’t carry a weapon. It was his policy to never carry a gun or a knife. He didn’t need those things. He had a special way of defending himself. “To be clear, you aren’t hiring me to kill this woman, are you?” The question had to be asked.
“I’m hiring you to stop a monster. Get the proof. Then we can go to the cops, and she can be locked away for the rest of her life.” The sound of his ragged breathing seemed to fill the room. After a moment, Felix murmured, “That’s exactly what Isabella deserves.”
“Then by all means, let’s give her what she deserves.” Griffin let his gaze sweep over Felix’s fancy suit and well-polished shoes. Griffin could practically smell the money dripping off the guy. Griffin had a very, very good sense of smell. This fellow was old money, and a lot of it. “For a surveillance case like this one, my rate is five grand a day.”
Felix didn’t even blink. “Done.”
Hell, yes. For that kind of cash, Felix had just gotten himself one top of the line PI. It was time for Griffin to hunt a monster.
“But remember,” Felix blurted. “Don’t look into her eyes. Because if you do—”
Griffin shrugged away Felix’s words. “Yeah, yeah, I got it. Isabella will take my soul.”
“You’ve been warned.”
Chapter One
Isabella Abandonato didn’t look like a killer. She was petite, had curves for fucking miles, golden skin—absolutely lickable skin—and hair as black as night. She wore high, spikey, blood-red heels as she strolled down the sidewalk. Her hips moved with a sexy little roll even as her heels tap-tapped against the pavement. She sauntered right past the line of bars, ignoring the catcalls that were sent her way. She never even glanced at the admiring men. Her head was down, and her eyes seemed to be on the sidewalk in front of her.
If she’d bothered to glance around, Isabella might’ve realized that she had a stalker. Actually, Griffin had been following her for several nights. So far, the dark-haired beauty had shown no sign of any murderous tendencies. Maybe Felix had been wrong about her.
Abruptly, Isabella turned into the narrow alley way to her left.
Griffin’s eyes narrowed. For the past three nights, Isabella had taken her time walking around the Vegas streets. Not the main strip, she never went there. Isabella preferred the slightly shadier spots in Sin City. But she hadn’t ventured into an alley on his watch, at least, not until now.
A man wearing a battered leather jacket hurriedly followed Isabella into the alley. At the sight of that guy going after her, Griffin tensed. It was never a good sign when a man followed a woman into an alley. Griffin rolled back his shoulders, and he marched determinedly forward. So far, he’d taken a hands-off approach to Isabella’s case. He’d been watching her, every night since Felix had hired him, but Griffin hadn’t made contact with her. He hadn’t gotten touching close. It appeared that situation was about to change.
As he entered the narrow alley way, Griffin heard a short, desperate cry. Basically, it was a choked gasp. As if someone had tried to call out, but the cry was stifled. Griffin immediately went on high alert. He advanced with a lunge and then he saw—
The asshole in the leather jacket had pinned Isabella to one of the damned dirty walls in the alley. The bastard’s right hand was curled around her throat, and the guy’s left hand gripped a knife. The tip of the knife was pressed to her cheek.
Oh, the hell, no. That jerk was not going to cut her perfect face. Snarling, Griffin raced forward, but before he could grab the bastard with the knife, Isabella attacked.
One moment, she was staring with wide, desperate eyes at her assailant.
And in the next moment, she’d ripped the knife from the guy’s fingers. Isabella threw the knife toward a pile of garbage, and she launched her body at the man. They slammed into the pavement, with Isabella landing on top of her attacker. She grabbed his arms and shoved them over the man’s head. Then h
er face—her mouth—flew right toward the guy’s throat.
The bastard screamed.
“What in hell…?” Griffin stopped in shock.
At his words, Isabella’s head snapped up. Beneath the moonlight, he could see her wide, gleaming gaze. He could see her small, straight nose. He could see her high cheekbones. He could see her full, sexy lips.
And he could see her fangs. Long, razor-sharp, vampire fangs. Bloody vampire fangs because she’d just attacked the dumbass in the leather jacket.
For a moment, Isabella simply stared at Griffin. Then she licked her lips. “Oh, my.” Her voice was just as sexy as he’d imagined. Husky, sinful. “This is awkward.”
Griffin’s hands fisted at his sides. “You have no idea.”
The man beneath Isabella let out a pain-filled groan.
Griffin’s gaze immediately jerked toward the fellow, and in that instant, Isabella sprang into action. She flew toward Griffin, and her hands wrapped around his shoulders. She pushed back until he hit the side wall of the alley. She held him there, using a fierce strength that shouldn’t have been possible given the size of her small body.
But then again, it shouldn’t have been possible for her to sprout fangs, either.
He expected her to go straight for his throat. Griffin was prepared for that move. Instead, a faint furrow appeared between her delicate brows.
“You were trying to help me, weren’t you? That’s why you came rushing up. You were—are—a…Good Samaritan?” Her voice rose faintly with that question.
Yeah, sure, they can go with that label. Griffin considered his options.
Her voice became even breathier as Isabella suddenly pleaded, “Will you please walk out of this alley and forget that you ever saw me? Could you do me that favor? Please?”
Forgetting her would be absolutely impossible. Lying? Absolutely doable. “I’ve already forgotten.” His voice had come out rough, with a growling edge.
Instead of appearing reassured by his words, her eyes narrowed. “Who are you?” Her hands still gripped his shoulders, and the sharp edges of her fangs peeked out behind her lips.
I’m the man who was hired to hunt you. Hunt her and…stop her. Fucking hell, Felix had been right about her all along.
Once more, the man on the ground groaned. Griffin wondered…was she going to finish off that fellow? Was Isabella going to drain him dry and leave the guy’s dead body in the alley?
“Who. Are. You?” Now, impatience thickened her voice.
Immediately, his gaze snapped back to hers. And that was when he remembered Felix’s warning. Don’t look into her eyes.
Her eyes took on a faint glow. “You will tell me who you are.”
“Griffin. Griffin Romeo.”
“Griffin.” She seemed to taste the name. “Now tell me why you came into this alley.”
“Following you.” A fast, hard response.
Her head tilted a bit as she studied him. Isabella still didn’t ease her grip on his shoulders. He dwarfed her in size. Griffin was well over six feet, and Isabella probably clocked in at around five feet. But her strength…
Supernatural.
She’s a vampire. I’m staring at a vampire.
“Following me,” she repeated. “To…save me?”
“Knew he was bad news…never follow a woman into an alley for a good…reason.” Griffin’s words were gritted from between clenched teeth.
“I guess not. But then, that was my plan. To find someone who wasn’t exactly…good.” Her gaze fell from his. “I feel less guilty that way. It’s bad enough that I have to take the blood, but hurting someone—” She broke off. “Forget it.” Her eyes rose to meet his once more. “Actually, forget everything.” Her order seemed to ring with power. “Forget the alley, forget me. Definitely forget the blood. Walk out of here and go be a Good Samaritan somewhere else.” And with that, she let him go.
Isabella turned her back on him and moved to stand over her leather jacket clad prey.
Griffin exhaled slowly. There had been a whole lot of power in her voice. And in her eyes. Don’t look into her eyes. Felix had been right on that count, but Griffin was betting the guy didn’t truly understand just what Isabella was.
I understand plenty.
She’d used a compulsion on him. Because of what she’d done to him, he should walk right out of that alley and never look back. Griffin took one step forward. Then another.
Isabella had knelt next to her prey.
Was she preparing for another bite?
Griffin was right beside her. She was still not even looking at him, so confident of her power…
Too confident.
He grabbed her. In one move, Griffin yanked Isabella off the cracked and stained pavement and up into his arms. He’d whirled her to face him, and he’d pulled out the weapon he’d made sure to pack earlier, just in case. Griffin shoved that weapon right against her chest.
“What are you doing—” Isabella began angrily, but then she stopped, her eyes widening, as she glanced down at her chest.
“Yeah, sweetheart, it’s a wooden stake. And, in case the question is coming, if I shove the stake into your heart, no, you wouldn’t be the first vamp I’ve killed.”
She trembled against him.
“So how about you don’t try your mind games anymore? ‘Cause, newsflash, they don’t work on me.”
A tear leaked from her eye. An actual fucking tear. That was new. He’d never seen a vamp cry before. Usually, they were too busy attacking humans—or becoming pure dust after they’d been staked.
“Who are you?” she whispered.
“Already told you that. Griffin Romeo.”
“What are you?”
“Ah, now, sweetheart, that is a very good question.” He smiled at her, and Griffin deliberately let his own fangs flash.
Her mouth parted in surprise.
He gave a mocking laugh. “What? Did you think vamps were the only ones with bite in this town?” Not even close.
“L-let me go.” She actually sounded afraid. Total bullshit. She was just trying to scam him. As if he’d be dumb enough to buy a vamp’s fear.
“Not happening. You and I—we’re heading out of this alley. You’ll stay by my side every moment until we get to my ride. You so much as twitch funny, and this stake will sink into your heart.”
She just stared at him. He could see the darkness of her eyes—big, deep, dark eyes. Fear and desperation were stamped on her face.
As he stared at her, Griffin hesitated. Why the hell was he drawing this shit out? She was a vamp, he’d caught her feeding, so he should have staked her already.
No. Not…her.
The human Griffin had nearly forgotten staggered to his feet. “Wh-what happened?” Tha man’s hand rose to his throat. “I’m…bleeding…”
“Get the hell out of here,” Griffin barked at him.
The guy started to scurry away.
“Good Samaritan,” Isabella murmured. “That man was going to attack me in this alley. What if I had been a human woman? What then?”
Fuck.
Griffin looked over his shoulder. The jerk was running now. Getting away…
Griffin gave chase. Griffin yanked the stake away from his vamp and ran after the human. The fool never stood a chance. Griffin caught him within seconds. Griffin dragged the fellow up against him. “Never touch another.”
“What? Man, I’m bleeding! I need a hospital—”
“Your knife is in that alley.” He’d watched Isabella toss the knife away as if it hadn’t mattered. It did matter. “Your prints are all over it. It’s the knife you put to a woman’s throat tonight. You think I’ll forget you? I’ll never forget you. Don’t touch another woman. Don’t even think of hurting—”
A knife’s sharp blade sank into Griffin. It pierced deep into his chest, and then it twisted.
The human he held smiled at Griffin. “Fucker,” the bastard grunted. “I always have a second weapon.”
&
nbsp; Griffin felt the blood pouring from his chest. From his heart. Smoke rose from the wound.
The asshole human ran away. Griffin staggered, trying to go after him, but the knife…shit, had that been a silver blade? I’m burning because of the silver. His knees gave way, and Griffin hit the ground. He grabbed the hilt of the knife and yanked it out—
“That’s an awful lot of blood.” Isabella.
His head tilted back. Griffin stared up at her.
“I think he hit your heart.” She knelt in front of him. Her hands rose and pressed to his wound. “Bet you’re wishing you’d let me drain him about now, aren’t you?”
Pain shuddered through him. “What…are you…doing…?”
“Believe it or not, I’m trying to help you.” She exhaled on a heavy sigh. “I don’t know what you are, but that wound is really bad. Most wouldn’t survive it.” She pressed her lips together and then said, “But I can make sure you keep living.”
Oh, hell—
She lifted her wrist to her mouth and bit down. Then she put her bloody wrist to his mouth. “You won’t get any diseases or infections from me. My blood will just give you a power boost. You’ll heal fast, and then you can go right back to saving the world…or whatever it is that you do.”
Drinking her blood? No, no, that was absolutely forbidden by his kind. He could not—
Griffin fell back, his shoulders hitting the ground. He had plenty of healing powers on his own, but silver was toxic to his kind, and a silver knife to the heart? Shit, but I’m in trouble. His mouth had gone dry. His fingers felt numb. He tried to speak, but couldn’t.
“I won’t watch you die. Not while I can help.” Once more, Isabella put her wrist to his lips. “Don’t worry, you won’t change. You’re not going to wake up as a vampire.” She gave him a sad smile. “I was born this way.”
What?
Her blood trickled past his lips. Griffin swallowed, automatically, and as her blood hit his system…
His claws burst out. Fur exploded along his skin. His body began to contort. His bones popped and snapped.