Twice Bitten Not Shy [Vampires of Eternity] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Lynne St. James

for nearly ten years, but no longer. When she walked away from the marriage, she left behind the house and the life that went with it. She hadn’t wanted it. She had wanted a new start, and she had gotten it. But she had never really gotten Roger out of her life, nor had she wanted to. But this time when she walked through the entrance, it felt different, strange, and a sense of foreboding washed over her. Uh-oh. This isn’t good.
    She barely had time to form that thought in her head when she was face-to-face with a very old…gypsy? Seriously?
    “Roger, who is your guest?” She turned to give him a scathing look and hoped he realized how much she hated this ambush.
    “Don’t give me that look, Gwen. You never would have come if you knew she was here.”
    “You’re right. I wouldn’t have, and I’m leaving now.”
    “No, please wait.” He moved behind her and blocked the door. The up-to-this-point-silent gypsy moved toward her. She looked ancient, all wrinkled and withered, and was dressed in what must have been traditional gypsy dress at some point. The sound of tinkling bells followed her movement.
    “Gwendolyn. I am Luminitsa. I vill not hurt you, child. It is good Roger brought you to me, you are in grave danger.”
    Gwen looked from Roger to Luminitsa and didn’t know what to think. Her flight response was in high gear. She wanted to run as fast as she could in the other direction. But what if this woman’s presence was a threat to Sebastian and Christian? She had to know.
    She followed the old gypsy into the living room and sat down on the leather sofa. She hated that sofa. It was stiff and uncomfortable, just like the situation she found herself in.
    Roger sat next to her after helping Luminitsa sit in one of the chairs across the cocktail table from her.
    Gwen looked into the gypsy’s face. Her eyes were black, unreadable, and in the center of a wizened old face. Seriously? How old is she?
    “Older than you can imagine, child. But this is not important. Your life is in jeopardy.”
    “How can you say that when you don’t even know me?”
    “You are vrong. I know all there is to know. I have seen your future and your past. You are about to make a very dangerous decision.”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Gwen whispered, and a feeling of dread washed over her. Umm, is this the week to have my mind read? Could someone tell me the winning lottery numbers? It was looking more and more like she was in the Twilight Zone.
    Roger took her hand. “Please, Gwen, just listen to her.”
    “Fine, go ahead, old woman…but I will be a hard sell. Trust me.”
    Luminitsa looked like she was gathering her thoughts, and then she reached out a withered old hand in Gwen’s direction.
    “You are associating vith the undead. They are demons and need to be destroyed.”
    “That’s it. I’m out of here.” But as Gwen attempted to get up to leave, Roger grabbed a hold of her arm and pulled her back down.
    “No, you need to listen to this. Please, just listen.”
    “Roger, did you hear her? She is older than Methuselah and totally insane. Undead? Seriously?”
    “Gwen, please. Just listen. Then if you still don’t believe, you can leave, and I won’t bring it up again.”
    Gwen glowered at her ex-husband. He truly seemed to believe all this craziness. She knew better. Neither Sebastian nor Christian were dangerous. She wouldn’t believe that.
    “Fine. She has one hour then I need to go home and get some rest.”
    “Let me tell you a story. Then maybe you vill believe the vords I say to you. It vas many years ago. My only son vas very ill. I vould do anything to save him. I know this is hard for you to understand because you are barren.”
    Gwen grimaced. How the hell does she know that?
    “I saw in my gazing ball that he had one chance to be cured. A voman vas to be his salvation.” Luminitsa leaned back in the chair and appeared lost in thought. Gwen and Roger exchanged looks and