In the Lonely Dead of Midnight

Published by: eXtasy Books

ISBN :000508

Page :55

Word Count :13750

Publication Date :2011-06-19

Series : #

Heat Level :

Available Formats : In the Lonely Dead of Midnight (pdf) , In the Lonely Dead of Midnight (prc) , In the Lonely Dead of Midnight (mobi) , In the Lonely Dead of Midnight (epub)

Category : Erotic Romance

Product Code: 000508

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Sometimes love is so strong it knows itself in an instant and nothing can restrain it.

Chance Dubois found such a love as he lay dying. Through the gateway of a vampire's kiss he was able to continue and found that life and love was not what he'd thought it was. But was that truly the case? When a demon possessed his body did Chance continue or is he merely a duplicate of the man he once was. If he is really Chance Dubois, then who is the lost soul haunting the spot where he died? Is it possible that the love he found then is so strong it survived even death?

"Julian, I love you, but you're crazy," Chance Dubois said as he kissed the other man deeply. His teal eyes were solemn as he swore levelly, "I ain't been anywhere but here all night." It was true. He hadn't left the big house on Rue Royal all day. Tomorrow the family would celebrate the anniversary of his awakening as a vampire and take on the town, but tonight he had wanted to be alone with Julian, Vivian, and his sire. His vampiric parents were delayed at a charity function but would be home after midnight. Julian had just stomped in, upset and radiating more anger than Chance usually saw from his even-tempered brother. Something had surely managed to rile his Cajun temper.

"I'm not crazy, though God knows you're trying to make me that way," Julian said with more than a touch of irritation and annoyance. "I'm just saying that this trick you're playing isn't funny."

Chance handed his brother a drink. "I ain't playing any tricks, Julian. I promise." There was nothing but truth in his heavily-accented voice. He made sure here was no duplicity in their consort bond, either. Julian would know if his brother was lying to him. Chance might be able to fool most of the world but he'd never been able to lie to his family, especially not to Julian. After all Julian had done for him, he owed his brother nothing but the truth.

When Chance had awakened as a vampire, Julian had been the one to reach out a hand and say, "Welcome to the family. I'm your brother now." And he'd lived up to that statement. It was Julian who patiently taught Chance how to control the bloodlust and kept his new brother from becoming a mindless animal. Explanations of the unique rules they all lived by and an understanding of how Chance could hold on to his humanity though he was now a demon had all come from Julian. When the heartbreak of loving their sire's wife became too much, only in Julian's arms could Chance find any peace or solace. It had been Julian's love that at last gave Chance the strength to become the man he'd always wanted to be.

Julian ran a distracted hand through his hair, disordering heavy brown curls. One fell across his forehead and Chance couldn't resist touching it. He smoothed the soft lock back into place. Unable to withstand the urge, he ran his hand through the thick, silky strands. Julian was wearing his hair longer, more relaxed than he had in some time. It made him look absurdly young, incredibly handsome, and more vulnerable than Chance had ever imagined he could appear.

Chance felt a rush of protectiveness. Something was making Julian unhappy and Chance was determined to stop whatever it was. He had never imagined he would fall in love with a man, even one as attractive as Julian. Chance sometimes thought half the city was in love with Julian Dareau.

They had reason enough, of course. Self–confidence tempered by good humor and a natural humbleness augmented his vampire brother's very masculine good looks. Though only a bit above medium height, Julian possessed a presence that many a larger man envied. Even in jeans and a T-shirt he emitted an easy elegance and sang froid that few could match while wearing a suit and tie. His physique was wonderful, muscular and manly without any of the extremes that bodybuilders mistakenly thought appealing. Julian was very much a man's man, yet he had never sacrificed his caring and sensitive nature to his masculinity.

One look in his expresso-brown eyes was enough to convince anyone of how sympathetic and gentle Julian could be. Chance had to admit it was that gentle nature that had drawn him to Julian in the first place. No one had ever treated Chance as if he mattered until he met the other Cajun, and each passing year made Julian more precious to Chance. He was amazed at how stupid he'd been and how many years he'd wasted thinking it was wrong to love Julian simply because he was male. In truth all he'd been doing was making them both miserable. With any luck, he'd have centuries to make it up to his brother. Right now, he intended to find whatever was causing Julian such distress and kill it. "This really is getting to you, ain't it?"

"Don't be stupid! Of course it's getting to me. It's gotten so bad that every time I walk out of my office door I hear something!" Julian snapped and took a hefty sip of his drink.

Chance arched one eyebrow; his lover was seldom sharp with him. This was really bad. Julian took a deep breath and laid his hand over the one Chance still had resting on the side of his head. "I hear someone whispering but there's no one there. Sometimes there's no one for blocks. It's damned eerie."

Chance allowed his hand to drop from beneath Julian's and sat down beside him on the couch. "Why don't you tell me exactly what's going on? From the beginning this time."