Bad Boys of the Night: Eight Sizzling Paranormal Romances: Paranormal Romance Boxed Set by Jennifer Ashley & Erin Kellison & Felicity Heaton & Bonnie Vanak & Caris Roane & Erin Quinn

Author:Jennifer Ashley & Erin Kellison & Felicity Heaton & Bonnie Vanak & Caris Roane & Erin Quinn [Ashley, Jennifer & Kellison, Erin & Heaton, Felicity & Vanak, Bonnie & Roane, Caris & Quinn, Erin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Anthologies, Military, Paranormal, Vampires, Collections & Anthologies, Angels, Demons & Devils, Werewolves & Shifters, Witches & Wizards
Amazon: B01BIQQ42W
Publisher: Fire Flower Publishing, LLC
Published: 2016-02-16T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

IN WHICH OUR HEROINE IS ONCE AGAIN PROVEN TO BE A LIGHT SLEEPER

Old habits die hard, Voss thought as he slipped through the window.

Although it wasn’t quite as easy to sneak into a woman’s bedchamber as it used to be. And tonight, for expediency purposes, he’d used the most direct—if not most inconvenient—route.

Fortunately, Angelica’s chamber had a sturdy oak tree growing near enough to allow him to reach the sill of her window from a thick branch, and with a little luck and some planning, he managed to launch himself over to the ledge with only a soft thump. The earl really ought to keep those branches trimmed. He was going to have to have a word with him about that sort of maintenance when this was all over and he was certain he wouldn’t have need of them again.

He wasn’t as concerned about Corvindale discovering him as he had been the last time he visited Angelica, for a variety of reasons. And since he’d been lurking about for the past three evenings, waiting for a time in which the earl had gone out for the night without the sisters instead of staying in (why would a vampire stay in at night anyway?), his patience was strained enough that he was ready to take the chance even if the earl was at home as well.

The window was open, allowing the summer breeze as well as Voss to enter the room. Once inside, he stood, looking down at the rumpled bed and the woman sprawled in it.

His mouth went dry and his heart rammed hard in his chest. She’d said she loved him…but had she meant it?

What would he do if she didn’t?

Voss wasn’t certain how long he stood looking down at her, but all at once a clock struck from somewhere in the house. Three. Less than three hours until dawn.

Was that enough time?

Moving closer, he saw more detail in the blue-white light of the full moon shining through her window. The citrusy-sweet spice of Angelica, and feminine smells like powders and creams and fabric, teased and assaulted him. Her dark lashes, half-parted lips, the masses of dark hair spread over the pillow. How many times had he dreamed of her thus?

A shoulder protruded from beneath the sheets, and one arm was curled to her throat. Then he saw streaks on her face. Shiny streaks running down her cheeks.

Tears?

Voss moved closer, reaching for her. Without warning she gasped and her eyes shot open. She scrambled into a sitting position, a cloud of hair tangling over the bodice of her night rail and spilling onto the blankets.

“You’re not dead,” she said.

“You have the ability to focus on the most inane things,” Voss said, reeling a bit from her sudden wakefulness, along with the enticing vision of her rumpled and sleepy. “Not, ‘Why are you here, Voss?’ ‘How did you get in?’ Or, even, as you so bluntly said last time, ‘Get out.’”

“I believe it was ‘Get away.’” Her lips curved a bit.