Vampire: Desire of Blood (Desires of Blood Book 1) by Ethan Radcliff Page B

created an almost impenetrable shield, but he could sniff them out. His penchant for blood was useful and he could smell humans. Magic had its shortcomings, he could smell right through it.
    Beth Ann had begged him for months to turn her, but he wouldn’t turn any human and he hadn’t in over three hundred years. He would trade his immortality in a heartbeat to be human again, to be able to die, and perhaps finally be at peace. Royce knew no peace. He knew no love, or the kind of desire a man feels when he experiences love, the human kind.
    Unfortunately, he experienced desire and at times, it ruled his life, especially when he needed blood. He was a master at giving pleasure, and his desires knew few boundaries. Sometimes he needed more than one human to sate him, sometimes male and female. His needs and wants, varied, as did his desires.
    When Royce was human, he’d known love, the kind of love that a man dreams about, but she was taken from him during a battle in his home land of France. He’d left to fight leaving her with two sick children. When he returned, both children had died and she was gravely ill. He tried what he could to save her, but he was too late. Holding her hand as she left this world, he held himself responsible for their deaths, even though he had no control over what had happened. Taking responsibility gave him no peace or solace, he missed her and wasn’t sure how he would live his life without his family. He still remembered her face, her body, and her kisses. Everything he held dear was gone. However, it wasn’t the reason he became an immortal, that happened completely by accident.
    Beth Ann was the only woman he’d been with since his wife that he truly cared for. He had no idea how she managed to get under his skin, but she had. He told her that he’d never tolerate her with any other man, or vampire she belonged to him. She was loyal to a fault and blamed her loyalty on her love for him.
    Royce thought in time he’d change her, give her the gift of living forever and keep her by his side for eternity. Royce knew deep in his heart that was never going to happen. Immortality wasn’t a gift it was a curse. One he’d never bestow on anyone he cared about.
    The door opened to the bathroom and she scooted over to the bed with the robe wrapped around her, acting as if she was cold. “Do you know that even after you leave my bed I have fantasies about you,” she said climbing onto the bed next to him letting her robe slip off her shoulders rendering her naked. Royce watched her every movement, so smooth and sexy. Her hand swept his dark errant hair off his forehead. Her smile reminded him of another‘s, perhaps that was the reason why he’d become attached to her. The memory of love never faded from his mind yet that thud, the dryness in his throat and the butterflies in stomach were nonexistent. Here was the bane of a vampire, the lack of the ability to experience love. He smiled and gently took her arm easing her to him.
    “Come here baby. Beth Ann you’ve gotten under my skin and in my blood.” He wasn’t lying he’d fed off her countless times and their blood had mingled. Now he knew where and how she was feeling at all times. It was important that he feed off her carefully because if the bloodlettings were too close he’d put her in jeopardy of a transition. He cared for her as much as he could care for any human. “Royce I’ve professed my love for you for months now and it has nothing to do with your ability to trance a human.” She let her hands trace his slightly stubble chin. “And my obsession with you has nothing to do with how gorgeous you are.” Her voice was low and sexy and he loved when she teased him about his good looks.
    “I see, and the fact that you’re the sexiest, most attractive woman I’ve been with in the last thousand years has nothing to do with why I’m crazy about you?” If a vampire could be crazy about a human female than he was. That