Vamps and the City

By Kerrelyn Sparks

Who says a vamp can't have it all?

Darcy Newhart thought it was a stroke of genius—the first–ever reality TV show where mortals vie with vampires for the title of The Sexiest Man on Earth. As the show's director, Darcy's career would be on track again. And she can finally have a life apart from the vampire harem. Okay, so she's still technically dead, but two out of three's not bad. Now she just has to make sure that a mortal doesn't win. If only she wasn't so distracted by a super–sexy and live contestant named Austin...

But Darcy doesn't know the worst of it. Austin Erickson is actually a vampire slayer! And he's got his eye on the show's leggy blond director. Only problem is, he's never wanted any woman—living or dead—as badly. But if he wins her heart, will he lose his soul? And if it means an eternity of hot, passionate loving with Darcy, does that really matter anyway?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Mar 3, 2009
• ISBN: 9780061863684

Kerrelyn Sparks

Kerrelyn Sparks unterrichtete Französisch und Geschichte an der High School, bis im Jahr 2002 ein Traum für sie in Erfüllung ging: Ihr erstes Buch wurde veröffentlicht. Mit ihrem Ehemann und ihren drei Kindern lebt die mehrfach preisgekrönte Bestsellerautorin im Großraum Houston, Texas, wo es sehr zur Enttäuschung ihrer Tochter keine Vampire gibt.

Book preview

Chapter 1

"Eight-twenty P.M., male Caucasian, five-foot-ten, 180 pounds, mid-twenties, leaving a white Honda Civic," Austin Erickson murmured into his mini-recorder. He adjusted the telescopic night lens on his binoculars and zoomed in on the subject across the parking lot. The guy didn’t appear to be armed. More importantly, he was carrying a king-sized cup of gourmet coffee and a bag of doughnuts. Lucky bastard. Normally, that would be considered…well, normal. But this was the parking lot of the Digital Vampire Network. Nothing was normal here. Especially after sunset.

Austin exchanged his binoculars for a 35-mm camera and took another look at the guy. Subject is human. He’s going in.

The guy was taking breakfast inside DVN? Didn’t he realize he could be breakfast? A shaft of light cut across the parking lot, then slowly disappeared as the door swung shut. It was dark once more. Austin had parked his black Acura in the shadowed corner of this lot in Brooklyn. The large warehouse that contained DVN was dark, all the windows blackened out. Only three letters, DVN, glowed in fluorescent red lights over the black-lacquered front door.

With a sigh, he dropped his camera on the passenger seat. He supposed the guy would be safe. Austin had been watching the vampire-owned television station for four nights now, and every night, several humans ventured inside. His conclusion—DVN actually employed a handful of mortals. Did the poor saps know they were working for demonic creatures? Were their minds being controlled? Maybe the vampires offered a great dental plan. Whatever their reasons for being there, as far as Austin could tell, all the humans left about five in the morning still alive and apparently in good health. It was strange, but then, there were a lot of strange things about the vampire world.

He had learned of their existence about six weeks ago when CIA operations officer Sean Whelan had transferred him to the Stake-Out team. Sean had explained what vicious killers these vampires were, so Austin was eager to protect the innocent. He had expected action, lots of action, ramming wooden stakes into nasty green creatures with rotting flesh and bumpy foreheads. Instead, he’d found himself staking out a television network where the vampires looked and acted too much like humans.

In fact, the only way Austin could tell a human from a vampire was to look through the 35-mm camera. Both the living and the undead showed up in a digital camera, but vampires could never appear in a 35-mm for the same reason they never showed up in a mirror. Their image could not be reflected.

He moved the 35-mm to the floor in front of the passenger seat. The rest of his equipment was there—night-vision goggles, digital camera with night lens, Glock with silver bullets, laptop, and his new favorite, his CV-3 video viewer. God, he loved working for the CIA. He had the coolest stuff.

He’d also been issued a box of wooden stakes. Made in China by a company that specialized in chop-sticks. The box was sitting on the back seat of his car, open and ready for emergencies.

He opened his laptop on the passenger seat and typed in the secret frequency for receiving transmissions from DVN. The screen came into focus. Good, the vampire news was still on. And free for the taking. They naturally assumed no one could figure out their secret transmissions, and they didn’t post guards around their facility. It was all indicative of what Austin considered their most obvious weakness. Their arrogance. He slipped in his ten-gigabyte thumb drive and began recording.

This was his mission—stake out DVN, acquire information, and most importantly, learn the whereabouts of Sean’s daughter, who was being held prisoner. The last time they’d seen Shanna was eight days ago in Central Park. She’d been surrounded by an army of Scottish vampires. To Austin, she’d looked like a willing captive, but Sean insisted she was brainwashed. Terribly outnumbered, the Stake-Out team had been forced to retreat, leaving Shanna Whelan behind.

Sean was furious. He was staking out Roman Draganesti’s townhouse every night, but so far, there was no sign of his daughter. He’d ordered Garrett to watch the Russian coven in Brooklyn. Alyssa was watching Romatech Industries. The new girl, Emma, was manning the office in Midtown and scouring police reports for anything that indicated vampire involvement. And Austin was watching DVN—the facility and the transmissions.

He slipped on his CV-3 video viewer. The special eyeglasses gave him a heads-up display that freed him from having to watch his computer screen. He could continue to scan the parking lot while DVN played on a virtual screen in front of his eyes.

According to the DVN newscaster, the Russian coven was in turmoil. Some of the male coven members were refusing to accept two females as masters. A civil war could erupt. Austin smiled to himself. Let the slimy vampires kill each other off.

He poured a cup of coffee from his thermos. Holy caffeine fix, he wished this was gourmet. And a few snacks would be nice. He should have confiscated that guy’s doughnuts for evidence. While he drank, a commercial started. A sexy female claimed her yummy drink was low in cholesterol and blood sugar. Blood Lite.

Austin choked, spraying coffee all over his steering wheel before he managed to swallow. Sheesh, demon diet food? He grabbed an old napkin to wipe up the mess. Next was the vampire celebrity talk show, starring Corky Courrant. He eyed the hostess’s chest. Those had to be implants.

His attention was diverted when a photo flashed on the screen next to Corky’s head. A photo of Draganesti.

You’ll never believe it! Corky exclaimed with a grin. The most eligible bachelor in America is getting married! Yes, Roman Draganesti, coven master of East Coast vampires, billionaire inventor of synthetic blood and Fusion Cuisine, and CEO of Romatech Industries has announced his engagement. And you’ll never believe who the lucky bride is! Stay tuned!

Another commercial started, this one for a special vampire toothpaste, guaranteed to whiten your fangs or your money back. Austin wondered if there were vampire ladies at home, bawling their evil eyes out because superbachelor Roman Draganesti was marrying someone else. The whole thing sounded too weird. Could vampires actually fall in love? And where would they make their marriage vows? Surely, demons didn’t go to church. And how could they promise til death do you part if they were already dead?

One thing was for sure. The bride had better not be Shanna Whelan. Sean would go ballistic. Literally. He’d probably detonate a truckload of C4 on the Upper East Side, where Draganesti’s townhouse was located.

Corky’s show came back on. Another photo was displayed.

Oh, crap. Austin grimaced. It was a picture of Draganesti and Shanna Whelan together.

Can you believe it? Corky screeched. Roman Draganesti is marrying a mortal!

Holy matrimony. Austin pulled the CV-3 video viewer off and dropped it beside his laptop. This was the worst possible news. With a groan, he leaned forward and bumped his forehead against the steering wheel. Sean would want to retaliate. And there were only five agents on the Stake-Out team. They were too outnumbered to do anything overt. And they still didn’t know where Shanna was. That damned Draganesti was hiding her.

Austin was too tense to sit in the car. He had to do something. The thumb drive was still recording, so he didn’t need to stay put. He looked around the parking lot. There were thirty-seven cars, and most of them belonged to the undead. If he ran their plates, he could get their names and start compiling a database of known vampires.

He grabbed his digital camera and climbed out of the car. He was almost finished taking pictures of license plates when the bright flash of headlights ripped through the darkness. Another car was entering the lot. A black Lexus four-door sedan.

Keeping low, Austin darted from the cover of one car to the next until he had a clear view of where the Lexus had parked. He zoomed the camera lens onto the New York license plate and silently snapped.

The driver’s door opened, and a tall male dressed in an expensive suit emerged. Austin took his picture. Then, the passenger door opened, and a young woman stepped out. Young, my ass. Austin gritted his teeth while he snapped her picture. She might dress like a teenager with her plaid skirt and fishnet hose, but if she were a vampire, she could be older than dirt.

Unfortunately, there was no way he could tell if they were alive or undead with the digital camera. He needed the 35-mm. He dashed back to his car, hugging the shadow of a tall brick wall. Then, he heard it. A third car door shutting. He edged around a large SUV and caught a glimpse of blond hair. The last time he’d seen Shanna, she’d been a blonde. Could it be? He inched closer, staying low. His mouth fell open. She wasn’t Shanna.

She was perfection.

Holy moley. He’d always considered himself a face man, or more importantly, a man who gazed first into the eyes of a woman for a glimpse of her soul. Not possible with this one, for he could only see her profile. Her nose was petite and girlish, but her mouth wide and womanly. A dynamite combination, and it definitely lit his fuse. He took a few pictures.

Her long hair was a mixture of golden brown, honey, and sun-kissed platinum. She held it back from her face with combs that sparkled in the dark and begged to be removed. Hair that pretty deserved a few pictures.

He guessed she was about five-foot-nine. She had to be tall because she was visible over the cars from her head to her sweetly curved breasts. Holy mammary glands, it was enough to turn a face man into a breast man. Thank God for the zoom lens.

She left the car, walking away from him on seemingly endless legs. Her tight skirt had a back vent that twitched open with each step to reveal a few inches of slender thigh. Sheesh, it was enough to turn a newly converted breast man into a leg man.

But then, he noticed how her tight skirt outlined her hips and derrière. Holy honey buns. That was worth a picture or two. And certainly enough to turn a leg man into a connoisseur of fine booty.

Wait a minute. That blue business suit didn’t look like something a vampire would wear. They usually went for a more flashy look. Of course! She might not be a vampire. She looked too vibrant to be undead. What if she was innocent and the two with her were vampires? They could be delivering her into a den of demons. Dammit. Not on his watch.

He straightened, then paused with a silent groan. Idiot. He was letting his dick do the thinking. The gorgeous woman wasn’t a prisoner. She was walking toward the entrance of DVN with determination in her long-legged stride.

He had to know. Vampire or mortal—which was she? The threesome had reached the entrance of DVN. Austin rushed to his car, yanked open the door, and grabbed the 35-mm. He peered through the viewfinder. Total darkness. With a muttered curse, he removed the lens cap and raised the camera once more.

Nothing. The door to DVN was open, but no one was there. He lowered the camera. Now he could see the male holding the door open and the shorter woman going inside. They were definitely vampires. But what about the gorgeous blonde?

Shit! He’d missed her. He climbed into the car, wincing when his jeans cut into his swollen groin. She had to be human. He couldn’t be this fired up over a dead demon. Could he?

Darcy Newhart came to an abrupt stop inside the lobby of DVN. She could hardly see the black and red décor, the room was so crowded. There had to be over fifty Vamps here, all jabbering with excitement. Good God, were they all seeking employment?

Gregori bumped into her from behind. Sorry, he murmured, his gaze wandering about the room.

I didn’t expect so many. Her hands trembled as she made sure the combs were still holding back her long hair. She checked her leather portfolio one more time. Her neatly typed résumé was still there, looking the same as it had five minutes ago. How could she compete with so many? Who was she kidding? She would never get this job. The familiar tentacles of panic curled around her, squeezing the air from her lungs. She would never be free. She could never escape.

Darcy, Gregori’s sharp voice cut through the rising panic. He waited ’til she met his eyes, then he gave her the Look.

In the first year of her forced confinement, Gregori had become a good friend and pillar of support, repeatedly telling her, This is the only world you have now. Deal with it. Now, he only had to look at her to remind her to be strong. She nodded and squared her shoulders. I’ll be all right.

His brown eyes softened. Yes, you will.

Maggie adjusted the pleats on her short plaid skirt. I’m so nervous. What if I see Don Orlando? What will I say?

Don who? Gregori asked.

Don Orlando de Corazon, Maggie repeated his name in a reverent whisper. "He’s the star of As a Vampire Turns."

Gregori frowned. That’s why you came? To drool on the stars? I thought you wanted to give Darcy moral support.

I do, Maggie insisted. But then, I thought if Darcy can find a job, maybe I can, too. So I decided to audition for a soap opera.

You want to be an actress? Gregori asked.

Oh, I don’t know anything about acting. I just want to be with Don Orlando. Maggie clasped her hands to her chest and unleashed a long sigh. He’s the sexiest man on earth.

Gregori gave her a dubious look. Okay. Good luck with that. Excuse me. He grabbed Darcy’s arm and pulled her a few feet away. You’ve got to help me. The harem ladies are driving me crazy.

Welcome to the club. I was ready for a padded cell four years ago.

I’m serious, Darcy.

She snorted. So was she. It had stretched her sanity to the brink when she’d discovered the existence of vampires. But for a modern woman to be forced to live in a vampire harem and obey the dictates of a master? It was more than she could bear.

She’d tried to escape once, but Connor had tracked her down and teleported her back like a lost pet. Even now, the humiliation curdled her stomach. Her new master, Roman, had sat her down for a firm lecture. She knew too much. The mortal world believed she was dead. Because of her job on mortal television, her face was recognizable to millions. She had to remain hidden. But the good news was she would be safe and sheltered within the confines of his harem. Roman had explained it all calmly and gently, while she had silently fumed and wanted to scream.

Trapped. For four long years. At least Roman’s recent engagement had put him in a good mood. He’d finally agreed to let her venture out into the world, as long as it was the vampire world.

I can’t take it. Gregori gave her a desperate look. Darcy knew he was already regretting his offer to house Roman’s newly rejected harem. It took me a week to move their luggage. Princess Joanna had fifty-two boxes. And Cora Lee had so many trunks—

Thirty-four, Darcy muttered. It’s all those hoop skirts she wears. They take up a lot of room.

Room I don’t have. Gregori dragged a hand through his thick chestnut hair. When I offered to take them in, I didn’t realize they would come with so much crap. And they’re acting like they plan to stay forever.

I understand. I’m stuck there, too. Ten women squashed into two bedrooms, sharing one bathroom. It was a nightmare. But unfortunately, dealing with horror was nothing new to Darcy. I’m sorry, Gregori, but I don’t know how I can help you.

You can show them how to get a life, he whispered. Encourage them to be independent.

They won’t listen to me. They consider me an outsider.

You can do it. Already Maggie is following your example. He lay a hand on her shoulder. I have faith in you.

If only she had some in herself. There had been a time when she’d glowed with confidence. She took a deep breath. She needed that old Darcy back. She needed this job.

Gregori glanced at his watch. I have an appointment in thirty minutes, so I’ll catch up with you later. He looked around the room and grinned. I think I see some babes I know.

Darcy smiled as he sauntered off. Gregori was such a charmer. She never would have survived without his friendship.

Maggie sidled up close, a frown creasing her youthful face. There are so many people here. And they look more…dramatic than me.

Don’t worry. You look adorable. At the beginning of her confinement, Darcy had been shocked by the way the harem ladies dressed. Each one was trapped in an individual time warp, still clinging to the fashions they had experienced as mortals. She’d encouraged them to modernize their tastes, but only Maggie and Vanda had been willing to invent new looks for themselves. Maggie’s usual attire was a short plaid skirt, fishnet hose, and a tight black sweater to highlight her generous bosom.

Darcy turned to face the reception desk. It seemed a mile away. Clutching her portfolio to her chest, she weaved through the crowd with Maggie close behind. The Vamps had gathered into groups, chatting and gesturing wildly with their hands. Darcy passed one group, noting the heavy makeup and clothes that showed too much skin. Sheesh. Whatever happened to manly men? She turned to check out the females instead.

What happened to Gregori? Maggie looked over the crowd, her eyes wide with worry. Her short stature made it easy for her to lose people.

Darcy spotted him with a group of women, each with hair dyed an unnatural color. They arched around him like a rainbow. When he smiled and spoke to them, they tittered with laughter.

He’s fine. Maybe those women thought green, blue, and pink hair was wild and wicked, but Darcy thought they looked more like a cuddly clan of Care Bears. Hi! My name is TenderHeart Vamp. Do you need a hug? She suppressed the image with a shudder. Good God, she’d been cooped up for way too long.

The receptionist was painting her fingernails a glossy blood red to match the highlights in her hair. If you’re here for the auditions, sign in and wait your turn. She pointed a wet nail at a clipboard.

Maggie studied the clipboard, her eyes growing wider. Sweet Mary, I’ll be number sixty-two.

Yeah, it’s like this every night. The receptionist blew on her fingernails. But you won’t have to wait very long.

Okay. Maggie added her name on the bottom of the list.

What about you? The receptionist wrinkled her nose at Darcy’s conservative business suit.

I have an appointment with Sylvester Bacchus.

Yeah, right. If you’re here for an acting job, you’ll have to wait your turn. The receptionist pointed at the clipboard.

Darcy pasted a smile on her face. I’m a professional journalist, and Mr. Bacchus is expecting me. My name is Darcy Newhart.

The receptionist snorted to convey how under-whelmed she was, then checked a paper on her desk. Her mouth fell open. No freakin’ way.

Excuse me? Darcy asked.

You’re on the list, but… The receptionist narrowed her eyes. Are you sure you’re Darcy Newhart?

Yes. Who else would she be? Darcy’s smile withered away.

Well, that’s freakin’ weird. I guess you might as well see him. Third door on the left.

Thank you. Not a good start. Darcy squelched a feeling of doom. She rounded the desk and strode down the hall.

You’d better knock first, the receptionist yelled in her nasal voice. He may be in the middle of an audition.

Darcy glanced back. The receptionist was lolling back in her chair, wiggling fingers in the air while she admired her nail polish. Maggie gave Darcy an encouraging smile. She smiled weakly back, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door.

Come in, a gruff voice hollered.

She entered the room and turned to close the door. Behind her, she heard a curious sound. A zipper?

She pivoted to face Sylvester Bacchus. He looked about fifty in mortal years, though there was no way she could estimate his age as a vampire. Mostly bald, he had embraced the condition by keeping the rest of his hair buzzed short. His moustache and beard were closely cropped and well-groomed, dark hair sprinkled with gray. His brown eyes immediately checked her out, focusing on her chest for far too long.

She lifted her leather portfolio to block his view. How do you do? I’m—

You’re new. His gaze drifted to her hips. Not bad.

Her face heated up as she debated the long-range ramifications of starting a job interview by slapping the prospective employer in the face. Her dilemma was cut short when she noticed a blond head slowly rising from behind the desk.

I’m sorry. Darcy retreated toward the door. I didn’t realize you were busy.

No problem. Mr. Bacchus glanced at the blonde. That’ll be all, Tiffany. You can…polish my shoes another day.

She tilted her head. You want me to do your shoes, too?

No, he grumbled. Just come back in a week.

Darcy realized the zipper she’d heard was real. Good God, if this was how auditions were conducted, she needed to warn Maggie. She’d always been under the impression that vampires preferred vampire sex, a purely mental exercise that was considered superior to sloppy and sweaty mortal sex. Obviously, Mr. Bacchus possessed a more open mind. And a more open zipper.

Meanwhile, Tiffany had jumped to her feet and was pressing her hands to her plump breasts. You mean I’m being recalled?

Sure. Mr. Bacchus patted her on the rump. Off you go.

Yes, Mr. Bacchus. Tiffany executed an amazing walk toward the door, managing to sway her hips and jiggle her breasts all at the same time. She leaned over to turn the door knob, jutting out her derrière and arching her back as if the act of opening a door could spiral her into fits of orgasmic ecstasy. She paused halfway out the door to toss a seductive smile back at Mr. Bacchus, then slithered down the hall.

Darcy kept her face carefully blank so her simmering anger wouldn’t show. She should have known the Digital Vampire Network would adhere to archaic, chauvinistic rules of behavior. It was the same way throughout the vampire world. Most of the female Vamps were at least a hundred years old. Many were centuries old, so they didn’t know about the advances mortal women had made. They didn’t want to know. They were so sure their own world was vastly superior.

The end result was tragic. Female Vamps had no idea how poorly they were treated. They simply accepted their lot as normal. Darcy had told the harem ladies about the brave women who had suffered in order to obtain the vote. Her passionate tribute had been dismissed as ridiculous hogwash. No one voted for coven masters in the vampire world. How dreadfully plebian.

But this was the world she was stuck with. And since DVN was the only television network in the vampire world, it provided her only chance for the type of job she desperately wanted. And the independence she craved. So she had to be polite to Mr. Bacchus. Even if he was a sexist pig.

Come on in. Don’t be shy. Mr. Bacchus lounged back in his chair and propped his feet on the desk. And shut the door, so we can have some privacy. He winked.

Darcy’s eye twitched, and she prayed it hadn’t looked like she was winking back. She shut the door and approached his desk. I’m delighted to meet you, Mr. Bacchus. I’m Darcy Newhart, a professional television journalist. She removed the résumé from her portfolio and placed it on his desk. As you can see—

What? He lowered his feet to the floor. You’re Darcy Newhart?

Yes. You will notice on my résumé that I have—

But you’re a woman.

Her eye twitched again. Yes, I am, and as you can see—she pointed to a section on her résumé—I worked several years at a local news station here in the city—

Goddammit! Mr. Bacchus pounded a fist onto his desk. You were supposed to be a man.

I assure you, I’ve been a female all my life.

With a name like Darcy? Who the hell names a girl Darcy?

My mother did. She was very fond of Jane Austen—

"Then why didn’t she name you Jane? Shit." Mr. Bacchus leaned back in his chair to glower at the ceiling.

"If you could look at my résumé, you would see that I’m more than qualified for a position on the Nightly News."

You’re not qualified, he muttered. You’re a woman.

I fail to see how my gender has anything to—

He rocked forward suddenly, pinning her with a glare. "Have you ever seen a woman on the Nightly News?"

No, but this would be an ideal opportunity for you to rectify that error. Oops. Poor choice of words.

"Error? Are you crazy? Women don’t do the news."

I did. She tapped a finger on her résumé.

He glanced down. That’s the mortal world. What the hell do they know? Their world’s a mess. He crumbled up her paper and tossed it aside.

Darcy’s heart fell into her stomach. You could hire me for a month on a probationary status, so I could prove my ability—

No way. Stone would tear this place apart if I tried to pair him up with a female co-anchor.

I understand. He’s an excellent news anchor. Dull as a rock was more like it. But Stone does all the stories, droning—I mean, talking for the entire thirty minutes.

So?

"The Nightly News would be more exciting and faster paced if you included reports from correspondents in the field. That was my specialty, and I would be delighted to—"

I was considering doing that. And I was thinking about hiring you, but you turned out to be a woman.

Her heart dropped a few inches lower. I fail to see—

News is serious business. We can’t have females doing it. People would miss something important, ’cause they were looking at your perky little breasts.

Her shoulders slumped, taking her perky little breasts with them. This was it—the impenetrable wall of male vampire chauvinism, and once more, she’d slammed right into it. If only she could take a sledgehammer to it. Or a baseball bat to Mr. Bacchus’s egg-shaped head. I could work behind the scenes. I used to write my own—

You can write?

Yes.

Can you be entertaining?

Yes. Her reports had been considered humorous.

He studied her. You strike me as somewhat intelligent.

Her eye twitched. Thank you.

We’re flooded every night with the flashy ones who want to be in front of the camera. Finding someone with intelligence and experience to work behind the scenes is a major problem.

I’m very good at solving problems.

Are you? Then I’ll tell you what I really need at DVN. He leaned forward. I need a big hit.

With a baseball bat? You mean a new show?

Yeah. Mr. Bacchus stood and wandered toward a dry-erase board on the wall. Do you realize that since DVN has been on the air, our lineup of shows has never changed?

Everyone loves your shows. Especially the soap operas.

It’s boring! Look at this. He pointed at the board where DVN’s schedule was displayed. "Every freaking night, it’s the same thing. We start at eight o’clock with the Nightly News with Stone Cauffyn. Then, at eight-thirty, it’s Live with the Undead, our celebrity gossip magazine."

With Corky Courrant. I saw her a few weeks ago at the Gala Opening Ball.

Mr. Bacchus pivoted toward her, his eyes wide. You were invited to the ball?

Yes. I…used to be associated with Roman Draganesti.

How?

"I worked part

Reviews for Vamps and the City

[addictofromance · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Austin Erickson is a agent in the CIA, and he works for Sean Whealan, Shanna's Father who is determined to free his daughter. Sean thinks his daughter is captive against her will by vampires including the love of her life. Austin is part of the team that goes after vampires, determined to destroy every one of them. Shanna and Roman's wedding is coming up, and her father is going balistic over the news. He desperately wants his daughter back. On stake out one night, orders from Sean to try to see where his daughter is at, he see's the most beautiful and captivating woman he has ever seen. He suspects that because she looks so human, that she couldn't possibly be a vampire. Austin has psychic abilities and knows that the other women that surround her are vampires.Darcy Newhart, has been a part of a vampire harem, four years previous she was turned vampire when she almost died. She has desperately wanted to be human once more, she despises being a vampire. She wants to feel the warmth of the sun again, and to see her family once more. So she comes up with a plan to seperate herself from the vampire harem (filled with self consuming women that she gets frustrated easily with) so she comes up with a plan to have the first reality TV show where mortals go against vampires for the sexiest man on Earth. Darcy, the show's director, will have her career back on track again once more. She then meets one of the human canidates, Austin Erickson. She finds herself being entranced by his handsome "Apollo" good looks and charm. As the show continues one, their attraction strengthens between them. Austin has doubts whether or not she is a vampire, since her thoughts are never of drinking blood or killing humans. Its more about the sun, beaches, and things that relate to life during the day. However, Austin finds himself falling in love with Darcy, and when he finds out who she really is, he is more confused than ever. He knows he could never kill her no matter what, for he loves her too deeply. He has never wanted or needed anyone as badly as he does Darcy.I really have enjoyed reading Vamps and the City I really love reading from Kerrelyn Sparks, she is such a talented writer, especially of Vampire Romances. This story was truly a delight, and I am glad that I finally got my hands on it. It was definitely a "Roller Coaster", filled with ups and downs between the couple. You have Darcy, who hates being a vampire, finds herself falling for Austin, a mortal, who when she finds out who he really is, a man bent on destroying vampires, starts wondering if despite what she is feeling, does he feel the same? and will he really kill her? Austin on the other hand is more confused than ever, and is at a loss at what to do. He hunts vampires and seeks them out to kill them, since he believes all of them are evil. Then he falls for Darcy, whom at first he assumes is human as he is, and might need help escaping from all the vampires. When he finds out she is a vampire, he is confused and the only thing he knows for sure is how much he loves her. Vamps and the City is a intense love story, that is filled with conflict and mystery, that creates a sense of intrigue that sets the heart a stutter, and leaves you wanting more and turning one page after another as fast as you can read them. I definitely was on my seat from beginning to end, wondering how it was going to end. I definitely loved the ending, it was perfect! There were some minor things that I didn't agree with, but overall it was a genuinely well written story that charmed my heart.

[carpelibra · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Austin, a member of the STAKE OUT team, is outside the building of DVN, the TV channel of the vampires, to patrol. He has the task to collect information about Sean’s missing daughter, Shenna Welan. Suddenly he sees a group going inside the building. One of the woman grabs his attention from the moment he spots her. Isn’t she total perfection? But what is she doing in company of vampires? She can’t be one, can she? Austin doesn’t fall for dead woman! This means she has been captured by those demons, but he’ll do anything to rescue her!

Darcy is nervous. After Roman closed his harem, she’s temporarily staying, with the rest of the woman, in Gregori’s house. However, his house is a little small for all the woman and their stuff. Besides she couldn’t possibly keep living on his money forever! That is why she now stands, full of nerves, in front of the DVN building to apply for a spot in the news department. Although, her application runs quite different than she thought. The boss of DVN turns out to be like any other ancient vampires, very sexist, and doesn’t want to take her for the news, simply because she is a female…

Darcy, however, is able to convince him that she’s a real asset to the company and that she will do a reality show for him. She chooses to remake The Sexiest Man on Earth into something suitable for a vampire. The rest of the harem will be the judges and pick the most sexiest vampire. She inserts, however, an interesting twist, just to rattle her boss who, like most vampires, thinks that vampires are better than “ordinary” men. Only problem is to convince the ex-harem to take part in the show…

Austin learns at his work that the vampires have asked for men. Along with Gareth, another member of the STAKE OUT team, he goes to the audition to take part in The Sexiest Man on Earth, while wondering what on earth the vampires are up to this time! Are they going to sacrifice the men on the show? Or use their blood? And to his surprise he meets the woman of the parking lot again! Sparks fly straight back and forth between them and Austin is determined to free her from the hands of the vampires. Before he is able to free her, he makes a few surprising discoveries that shakes his whole world on their foundations…

A very pleasant sequel to How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire. The book was not too spectacular, but did have its good sides, including a Sexiest Man on Earth contest ^^. Although, unfortunately, not a lot of was given to the contest, and I felt that the recordings were over way too soon for my taste. I’d loved to have a longer look in the world of television.

Furthermore, there was too much emphasis on the attractive force between Darcy and Austin. I do believe that love (and lust ) at first sight exists, but this time it was a bit too thick applied. I don’t need to read every time how wonderful someone is, I can remember it after a couple of times.

It was nice to read about a very fierce Darcy in comparison to her normally cautious approach. I loved how the poor Austin was firmly lectured! More so because it was his own fault . Now she only has to practice her dramatic retreat, bouncing of a door while trying to teleport doesn’t exactly help.

The former harem was hilarious with all their medieval and even outdated ideas! It was always wait and see what words would come out of their mouths this time and it was never boring when they were all together ^^ Although at first I thought they were pretty whiny about the fact that they had no master and what a disgrace that is. But that is the result of my modern view to their old-fashioned one.

Overall Rating 3 hearts. As I said it’s an entertaining sequel. There are nice bits in it, but unfortunately not enough for me to love this book. I was even thinking about giving this one two hearts, but this book was saved by the harem. Those girls rock!

[Kate Brutscher · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was my least favorite of the series. Darcy came off as very whiny to me. I personally prefer a stronger heroine who rolls with the punches life dishes out.

[whitewavedarling · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kerrelyn Sparks is one of my favorites when it comes to lighthearted paranormal romance. And while it's taking me a little longer to really get into this Love at Stake series (compared to her more recent Embraced series), this book grew on me as it kept going. She does such a fantastic job of balancing angsty romance against humor and real life/undead concerns, there's just no way not to get sucked into the story here. And while the heroine put me off just a bit in the beginning of this book, she grew on me pretty fast. We also got more justification for the insta-lust than a lot of paranormal romances offer, which I appreciated.

All in all, there's no question that I'll continue with the series, and the escape this book offered was a welcome one.

[bgknighton · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Darcy Newhart is trying to find her way in the world of vampires. She finally gets her chance with a vampire reality show. She is hoping to get her career restart and help Roman’s harem join the today’s society. But when she falls for a member of the CIA vampire hunters…….

[myntop · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was able to get drawn into this book easier than the first. It's still not quite what I expected from this series but it was enjoyable. I like the idea of a vampire TV station and reality show. I also really liked the main couple in this volume. Yes it was cheesy at times, but sometimes that's the kind of book you need to read. I also liked learning a bit more about Roman's harem and seeing them evolve.

[rosetyper9 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the second book in the Love at Stake series. I read the first one on an all night work shift...it was good, this one was way better. I love the depth Sparks brings to her characters, how you can actually see them caught between disaster and happiness and longing and pain. Its amazing. I love Darcy and Austin, they are adorable together, now I am ready to see Connor get his girl. I am a bit annoyed that Darcy couldn't see past her anger to not blame Connor so much, he just wanted to try and help and she is always, well, not very nice to him. I do have to say the ending is a bit predictable, not the end end, but the climax, it is pretty predictable, not complaining though, it is still a very good story. There is a sufficient amount of steam in this book...I'd say somewhere between the first book in this series and the third Anita Blake. I enjoyed this book and will continue to enjoy it as well one my favorites I think.

[dawn772 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A fun story about Darcy directing a reality TV show where a vampire harem picks the sexiest man on earth. Darcy includes mortal Austin as a contestant not knowing he is a vampire slayer. Lots of humor, steamy sex and good ending.

[tivonut · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This reminded me of why I liked the series in the first place. There was a lot of corny humor and no over the top war/capture scenes that make you wonder how stupid it can get. OK, so the end was a little corny/fast/beyond reality, but still the whole book had parts that made me laugh and that is why I started this series, not for the background plot of the malcontents vs bottle feed. I don't know why I skipped the book really but I did and am glad that I got to come back to it.

[sportzmomof5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

yet again a wonderful story!! I have a hard time putting the books down!!

[bookwormdreams · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

*** 3½ stars ***

I expected this book to be funny. Vampire television and reality show? You know there are going to be some good laughs there.
Love story between Darcy and Austin was under-developed because the array of funny secondary characters kept stealing attention from them.

[aussie_bookworm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this series and can't get enough of it I would highly recommend it.

[mom2lnb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Vamps and the City was another great installment in the Love at Stake series. It was a really fun read that was essentially a paranormal spoof of The Bachelorette, except in this case, rather than having only one bachelorette, there are five, the cast-off harem of Roman Dragenesti from the first book. I'm normally not a big fan of reality TV and have never actually watched The Bachelor/Bachelorette. I wasn't quite sure how I would like the premise when I started the book, but it didn't take long for me to really get into it. The story was pretty amusing and light-hearted with several LOL moments, and yet, Kerrelyn Sparks still managed to infuse the narrative with plenty of emotion and even some angst. Overall, it was a very enjoyable read.

I couldn't help but feel for Darcy in her situation. She has been living among the vampires for four years, but is having trouble being accepted as an intelligent and capable person in the chauvinistic, male-dominated vampire world. Her nervousness about applying for the job at the TV station made her sympathetic. It can be hard for an author to make a drop-dead gorgeous woman who doesn't seem to have any outer flaws vulnerable, but I think Ms. Sparks did a beautiful job of it with Darcy's character. I really liked that her first inclination when asked about her dream man was to describe his personality. Since I tend to pay more attention to a man's personality too, I could relate. It was really cute that she fell as head over heels at first sight for Austin as he did for her. She thinks that Austin's handsome co-worker is just OK, but is super attracted to Austin, even though her friends thought he was just meh. I've often had a tendency to go for guys that other women don't, so this was another way in which Darcy was relatable to me. I also think it showed that Darcy wasn't a shallow woman. Then there is her angst and turmoil over how she came to be a part of the vampire world, and how she can ever make a life with Austin with all that baggage. Everything came together to make Darcy a very likable and admirable heroine.

Austin was an equally likable hero. He does, of course, lie to Darcy about his identity at first, because he was working undercover for the Stake-Out team. He has also been taught to believe that all vampires are evil and must be killed, but underneath he has a pretty open mind. Once he starts to see the truth of things, he comes around pretty quickly and even becomes protective of the good vampires. It was really cool that Austin had psychic and telekinetic powers. This is a little different for paranormal romance, but it fit the story quite well. I loved that Austin is seriously attracted to the whole package that is Darcy and not just her beauty. It was really sweet that Austin doggedly pursued Darcy while she was a bit more reluctant because of her situation. Overall, Austin was an incredibly nice guy with a sensitive side who usually always said just the right thing in romantic situations.

Vamps and the City has a strong supporting cast. Roman and Shanna (How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire) put in a couple of brief appearances. The women of the harem were a hoot, although the only one who wasn't exceptionally shallow was Darcy's friend, Vanda. She gets to become the heroine of book #8, Forbidden Nights with a Vampire. We are also introduced to Emma, a new co-worker of Austin's on loan from MI6. She will be the heroine of the next full-length novel in the series, Be Still My Vampire Heart. The vampire men, Connor (Vampire Mine), Ian (All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire), and Gregori (Sexiest Vampire Alive) also have roles in the story. I thought that Darcy's other friend, Maggie would make a good heroine too, but it doesn't look like she has her own book yet.

I enjoyed the initial mystery of whether Darcy was a vampire. There is a constant is she or isn't she vibe throughout the first third or so of the story. The reveal of both character's true identities came a little sooner than I expected, which led to a temporary separation in the middle of the book. Although Austin and Darcy's break-up made perfect sense for the story, this part lagged a little for me, because I really missed their sparkling chemistry. The ending had a great twist to it that I wasn't expecting, and I have to say that I'm really liking the development of the series story arc. Some things happened in this book that advanced the overall plot, and I'll be looking forward to seeing where things go next. Overall, Vamps and the City was a great read that has me eager to continue the series as soon as possible, and with two winners in a row, Kerrelyn Sparks has earned a spot on my favorite authors list.

[honeydew69862004 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Vamps And The City is about Darcy a vampire who is hosting a reality show and Austin an undercover CIA agent. Austin has trouble believing someone like Darcy could be a vampire. Darcy on the other hand is having trouble believing that a mortal and a vampire can actually have a relationship. Roman has a couple of suprises in store also. A very good book that I had trouble putting down.

[kayceel_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Funny and sexy, though very light…

[pacey1927 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Like so many others here, I adored HTMAMV....Roman and his company were awesome. Loved Shanna and the guards (especially Conner!) and I grabbed up the 2nd and 3rd books of the series so fast your head would spin. And there is much here in "Vamps In The City" to enjoy. The focus this time is Darcy, a four year turned vampire, who is starting a realtiy show on the Digital Vampire Network. She signs Austin up to be on the show, knowing he is mortal, but not knowing that he is a spy for a group called Stake Out. Stake Out's aim is to kill all vampires. What is good? The entire reality show plotline. Roman's ex-harem are needing a new master and the winner of the reality show will get a million dollars AND this harem. These girls are pretty funny and very entertaining. I liked seeing what they would do within the series and outside of it. The glimpses at some character's from the first book were entertaining too. Darcy's story of her turning was interesting and some talked about (but not so much in first hand) vampire killing was introduced as well. What was not so good? The whole romance between Darcy and Austin was weak. The supporting characters were more entertaining than either of our two leads. Darcy was ok, but she lost a lot of points with me (and apparently some other reviewers) because she was so miserable being a vampire. Here life really wasn't bad enough to support her feelings on this. The pluses sure seemed to outweigh the negatives. Austin was even worse. Austin immediately got off on the wrong foot, by snapping up tons of pictures of Darcy's legs, butt, and chest before he even knew who she was. It was weird, and not in a good way. He is so grossed out by her being a vampire, he did everything but lose his lunch over it. In a romance story you expect there to be sex scenes, but this seemed to be the only thing between Austin and Darcy. I never felt anything stronger develop. If I had to make bets, I would see this fairy tale romance fizzling right out once the relationship gets past the honeymoon stage. Still worth the read and I still can't wait to read more from this series. Hopefully this was just a bump in the road.

[reannon_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Second in a series of vampire romances. Darcy is directing a reality series for vampire TV, and falls in love with one of the mortals on the show. Nicely done.l I haven't read the first one, and plan to go back and read it.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The second book in the series and in order to try and advance her career Darcy Newhart suggests to Roman that she would organise a game show to find a new harem master for the harem. They select both human men and vampires and one of the humans is a member of the vampire hunters. He finds himself attracted to Darcy but conflicted.

An interesting read, not as good as the first book but still a fun read. I liked the developing relationship between the two main characters and how they had real conflicts about their lives.

[cheriepie69_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Darcy Newhart has only been a vamp for 4 years now, but every day she longs for her previous life: the sun, the beach, and the man of her dreams, an Apollo-like Sun God! Little did she expect to meet him on the set of her new reality TV show, The Sexiest Man on Earth. Now Adam, an Undercover agent for the Vampire Stake-Out team, has been accepted to participate in the competition, undercover of course. He falls hard for Darcy, not realizing at first that she's a vampire, and she's totally smitten with him as well. But can things work out between them when they're both from two separate worlds... and when one of them is actually a vampire slayer.

I'm not sure I enjoyed this second book in the Love at Stake series as much as the first, How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire. Some of the events were a bit too far-fetched to be believable, even in a novel based on fantasy such as this is. A few times I found myself thinking, "yeah right, as if that would happen". Beyond that however, there was some good action, the romance scenes weren't too sappy, and it was a pretty enjoyable read. :-)