Rick smiled. “Patience,” he told her.
Marcus snorted. “Fat chance that’s going to happen. Where are we, anyway? I got lost about thirty turns back. These stupid roads wind back on themselves, I swear.”
“The roads all follow the original cart tracks. Rosenwold has been a village since Saxon times,” Rick replied. “Nearly there.” He turned the small car they had rented at Heathrow into a lane that looked barely wide enough to let it through. There were dry stone fences on either side, with gates and stiles. Stiles, Marcus repeated to himself. This part of England was a living, breathing cliché. Ilaria was over the moon about the chocolate box scenery.
Rick negotiated around a sharp bend, then pointed. “There,” he said.
Ilaria sucked in her breath, pressing her hand against the side window as she looked. “Oh my God!” she squealed. “Stop! Stop!”
“Not in the middle of the road,” Rick replied. But he was smiling.
The cottage he had pointed to was a lot larger than others in the area – it had two floors, with gable windows punching out through the thatched roof. The windows were lead-lighted, the bronze lead lights gleaming with care.
The walls were whitewashed, and there were six double windows across the front of the cottage. Marcus could feel his jaw descending in astonishment. There were roses and green ivy clinging to the walls around the windows.
The garden out the front of the house was a mass of flowers and shrubs. Blooms of every shade and color were nodding in the early summer sunshine. There was even a picket fence.
Marcus pushed forward between the two front seats. “You own this? You?” he asked Rick.
“It’s one of my homes,” Rick said casually. “But I haven’t lived here for years.”
“Ooooh, it’s beautiful.” Ilaria sighed.
Rick pulled the car into a narrow driveway and parked on the hardstand that was clearly a modern addition to the front yard. He ducked his head to look up at the house through the windscreen, then looked at Ilaria. “They’re not mullions in the windows…but will it do?”
She grabbed his head and kissed him soundly. “I love it! You knew, when I was talking about my dream house – you were thinking about this one.”
Rick stroked her cheekbone. “I wasn’t sure, then. I am now.”
Marcus got out of the car and stretched. “You’re talking in euphemisms again,” he told Rick as he unfolded himself from the low vehicle and stood up.
Ilaria stepped out of the car, her legs looking very long under the short dress. She had put on a pair of dark, big sunglasses. With her dark hair shining in the sun, and the white dress which made her olive skin gleam, she looked like a million dollars. She looked at Rick over the roof of the car. “He’s right. You’re being obscure.”
“I’m not about tell all out here in the yard,” Rick replied. He walked around the car and along the path to the front door, which he unlocked and pushed open.
Ilaria wandered along the path, pausing to sniff flowers, or sigh over them. She reached up and kissed Rick’s cheek as she stepped in the door. Marcus followed her inside, curious.
It was as charming inside as it was out. The walls were still white, but there was dark wood furniture and thick cushions everywhere. A grandfather clock ticked loudly in the corner by the fireplace. A big sofa sat in front of the fireplace and chairs were pulled up beside it. “It’s perfect,” Marcus said.
Rick sat on the back of the sofa, watching them explore.
Ilaria pushed her sunglasses onto the top of her head and looked at him, her hand on her hip, which did interesting things to the scrap of material that made up the back and lower half of her dress, and hiked the hem up another inch or so.
Marcus wrenched his attention away from her legs and looked at Rick, too. “You were being obscure,” he reminded him.
Rick crossed his arms, his long legs stretching out. “This isn’t a subject I find easy to talk about,” he began.
Marcus rolled his eyes. “A stiff upper-lipped Brit like you? Who’d’ve guessed?”
Ilaria giggled.
Rick gave a small smile. “Laugh all you want. I haven’t done this for a very long time.”
“Done what?” Ilaria asked.
“Well, for a start, bringing you home. Both of you.” He stood up restlessly. “That’s a lie,” he said flatly. “I’ve never bought anyone home. Not like this. Not when I want you to stay as much as I do. The others all left sooner or later. I can’t conceive of a time when I would want you to go.”
“I can’t stay forever,” Marcus said gently. “Eventually, I’m going to grow old and die.”
Rick shook his head. “We will turn you. I’m not going to give you up that easily.”
Ilaria’s expression was soft and warm. “But you aren’t going to ask us to stay, are you?” she asked, sounding wise.
Rick shook his head. “I’m doing this all wrong,” he said flatly and turned his back on them.
“It’s okay—” Marcus began.
“No, it’s not,” Rick shot back, turning to face them again. “Why can’t I say it?”
“Because it’s new and scary and you’re not used to it,” Ilaria told him.
Rick closed his eyes. “I love you. I love you, Marcus, and I love you, Ilaria.” He took a breath that sounded shaky. “I wasn’t looking for this…I didn’t want it, but now that I have you, I never want to let you go. I want to lock the door and keep the world away while I have my time with you. But as soon as I think about finding some way to bind you to me and keep you by me forever, I feel sick.” He pushed his hand through his hair with a desperate sweep of his fingers. “I don’t want to lose you. But I don’t know how to make sure that never happens.”
“You can’t,” Marcus said flatly. “You can’t stop people dying, or leaving. Life doesn’t work that way. All you can do is love as hard as you can while you have the time to do it.” He stripped off his jacket and dropped it on the back of the sofa next to Rick. “I love you both. I keep being surprised by how much I love you, but I feel the same way. I feel uneasy as soon as I think about commitments or ceremonies or anything like that. Probably it’s because of Katya – everything was fine until we had to define our relationship and make it formal.”
Ilaria placed herself in front of them. “I don’t want a ceremony or a commitment either. The idea of bonds of any type….” She shuddered. “No, I do not want them. But I want you both to stay with me.”
Marcus picked up her hand, then Rick’s, and placed them together in his. “That’s how we do it,” he told them. “We don’t commit. We don’t make promises. We ask for what we want – and you have to ask, Rick. No euphemisms or expecting us to mind read. Each of us is free to say no and walk away at any time.”
Rick took a deep breath. “Very well,” he said. “I have to remain in England for the next…well, no one knows how long. I am Nial’s agent here until things change. Ilaria, you agreed to be at Nial’s beck and call, but your base has always been Europe. Marcus, you are the CIA’s vampire contact for western Europe.”
Marcus grinned. “There’s something I never thought I’d hear said about me, ten weeks ago.”
Ilaria smiled.
Rick shook their combined hands a little. “I want you both to stay here, with me, in this house. For as long as you want, until you want to leave.”
Ilaria sighed. “I would love to stay,” she said softly.
Rick looked at Marcus.
Marcus smiled back. “I thought you’d never ask.”
More erotic paranormal romance by Tracy Cooper-Posey
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Beth’s Acceptance – Book 1 of the Destiny’s Trinities series
Can she accept the destiny being thrust at her?
For weeks, the darkly sinful Zachariah, her favorite customer at McGinty’s, has been raising NYC student Beth Siegel’s pulse, driving her crazy with need.
Neither can she keep the tall, blue-eyed mysterious Luke who haunts th
Fate hands Beth a startling destiny: to bond with both of them—a bond formed via sex. Sex with either one of them would have been fabulous. Together? Irresistible.
But fate is a two-edged sword and the bond comes at a price. Luke and Zack are not what they seem, and the world as Beth knows it not quite the real deal. Can Beth accept the price the bond will ask of her?
Warning: This story features two super hot alpha heroes, multiple sex scenes, including anal sex, MM sexual play, and MMF sex. Do not read this book if frank sexual language and sex scenes offend you.
No non-humans were harmed except for large numbers of Grimoré, who died with satisfactory squeals…
Beth’s Acceptance is the first book in the Destiny’s Trinities series:
Book 1: Beth’s Acceptance
Book 2: Mia’s Return
Book 3: Sera’s Gift
2009 CAPA Finalist for Best Erotic Paranormal Romance.
Night Owl Romance Reviewer’s Top Pick
I was unable to put the book down until the very end. I was scrambling to find the release date of the next one, anxious to see what happens in the next installment. -- Coffee Time Romance
…an alluring, intelligent, scorching hot read that will leave you waiting impatiently for more … I really enjoyed this book and I am delighted to recommend it to other readers. Night Owl Reviews
A dark and delightfully erotic new series that sizzles in passion and crackles in danger, delivering suspense with an edge that will have readers eager for more… A stunning story. Prepare to be dazzled. The Romance Studio
A great job of combining erotic romance with paranormal aspects. The[y] play off each other really well, each a very strong independent character. Smexy Books
A wondrous ride in the paranormal. I cannot wait for the second book, and yes, this is my way of saying hurry please! Bitten By Books
The heat radiates from the story from start to finish and the bits in between come close to bringing the reader to melt down in delight. These are just the right size to curl up with when you need a little time alone and a little excitement. Amberkatz Book Blog
Click here to buy Beth’s Acceptance now: http://amzn.to/1dZ2ya8
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About the Author
Tracy Cooper-Posey is an Amazon #1 Best Selling Author. She writes erotic vampire romances, hot romantic suspense, paranormal and urban fantasy romances. She has published over 70 novels since 1999, been nominated for five CAPAs including Favorite Author, and won the Emma Darcy Award.
She turned to indie publishing in 2011. Her indie titles have been nominated four times for Book Of The Year and Byzantine Heartbreak was a 2012 winner. She has been a national magazine editor and for a decade she taught romance writing at MacEwan University.
She is addicted to Irish Breakfast tea and chocolate, sometimes taken together. In her spare time she enjoys history, Sherlock Holmes, science fiction and ignoring her treadmill. An Australian, she lives in Edmonton, Canada with her husband, a former professional wrestler, where she moved in 1996 after meeting him on-line.
Her website can be found at http://TracyCooperPosey.com. Tracy enjoys hearing from readers and can be reached at Tracy@TracyCooperPosey.com.
Other books by Tracy Cooper-Posey
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Blood Knot Series (Urban Fantasy Paranormal Series)
Blood Knot
Blood Stone
Blood Unleashed
Blood Revealed (Upcoming)
Beloved Bloody Time Series (Paranormal Futuristic Time Travel)
Bannockburn Binding
Byzantine Heartbreak
Romani Armada
Kiss Across Time Series (Paranormal Time Travel)
Kiss Across Time
Kiss Across Swords
Kiss Across Chains
Guardian Bonds (Gargoyle Paranormal Series)
Carson’s Night
Beauty’s Beasts
Sabrina’s Clan (Upcoming)
Destiny’s Trinities (Urban Fantasy Romance Series)
Beth’s Acceptance
Mia’s Return
Sera’s Gift
Short Paranormals
Solstice Surrender
Eva’s Last Dance
Guns ‘n’ Lovers Series (Romantic Suspense)
Red Leopard
Black Heart
Blue Knight
White Dawn (Upcoming)
Silver Noon (Upcoming)
Golden Day (Upcoming)
Go-get-‘em Women (Short Romantic Suspense Series)
The Royal Talisman
Delly’s Last Night
Vivian’s Return
Ningaloo Nights
Sian’s Run (Upcoming)
Jewells of the Morrow series (Historical Romantic Suspense)
Diana By The Moon
Heart of Vengeance
The Perilous Maiden (Upcoming)
To Soothe a Savage Heart (Upcoming)
The Heart of the Enemy (Upcoming)
The Cherlebury Rose (Upcoming)
The Duchess of Winter (Upcoming)
Despite The Sands Of Time (Upcoming)
Scandalous Sirens (Historical Romance Series)
Forbidden
Dangerous Beauty
Rhys Davies’ untitled story (Upcoming)
Romantic Thrillers Series
Fatal Wild Child
Dead Again
Dead Double
Terror Stash
Thrilling Affair (Compilation)
Contemporary Romances
Lucifer’s Lover
An Inconvenient Lover
The Sherlock Holmes Series
Chronicles of the Lost Years
The Case of the Reluctant Agent
For reviews, excerpts, and more about each title, visit Tracy’s site and click on each title in turn: http://tracycooperposey.com/books/tracys-trilogies-series/
Copyright Information
This is an original publication of Tracy Cooper-Posey
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for third-party websites or their content.
Copyright © 2013 by Tracy Cooper-Posey
Text design by Tracy Cooper-Posey
Cover design by Dar Albert
Wicked Smart Designs
http://wickedsmartdesigns.com
All rights reserved
FIRST EDITION: December 2013
Cooper-Posey, Tracy
Blood Unleashed/Tracy Cooper-Posey—1st Ed.
Romance—Fiction
Paranormal – Fiction
Table of Contents
About Blood Unleashed
Praise for the Blood Stone series
Contents
Who’s Who and What’s What
Part I
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Part II
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
EPILOGUE
Chapter Thirty-Five
More erotic paranormal romance by Tracy Cooper-Posey