If I Should Die

By Marcia Colette

Having once been under the control and submission of a psychotic vampire, Dr. Clarice Adair has a new release no life and plans to live as "humanly" as possible. Sebastian Bova wants to the secret to how she's managed to find a plant extract that stifles urges only seen in only the most violent and unstable people in the world and he's not above seducing the answer out of her. If only he can break down the defenses that she has had in place for a century. Unfortunately, a new threat to her and her family might not only reinforce them, but shove Sebastian out of her life, too, the only man who might be able to save them all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marcia Colette
• Release date: Jul 14, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301523498

Marcia Colette

Dusk Till Dawn Books is the publishing outfit for Marcia Colette. She specializes in both adult and young adult speculative fiction (i.e. urban fantasy, paranormal romance, sci-fi, horror, etc.). E-books will be released via Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble. Print books will be available via CreateSpace soon after the e-book release and distributed through various channels. Contact: dusktilldawnbooks AT gmail DOT com

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If I Should Die

By Marcia Colette

Published by Dusk Till Dawn Books

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013 Marcia Colette

If I Should Die  is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to www.Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Other Novels by Marcia Colette

Bittersweet (Paranormal YA)

The Spider Inside Her (Dark Encounters, Book #1)

Deadlier by the Dozen (Dark Encounters, Book #2)

Hazardous Environment (Werecheetah Coalitions, Book #2)

Dedication

Happy Birthday, Aunt Helen.

Chapter 1

A cool shiver swept across Dr. Clarice Adair’s low neckline. She never should’ve worn a dress to an event like this. Not  with the way Sebastian Bova kept eyeballing her over the rim of his wine glass. And there were a lot of sips. It shouldn’t have bothered her considering she wanted attention from the opposite sex, something she hadn’t cared about in years. Life’s basic needs like sex and a warm body to snuggle with had caught up to her. And as that bastard Fate would have it, it picked the perfect time to drop a deliciously looking guy like Sebastian in her path. A guy who made it clear that he wanted her for professional reasons alone. But then again, there was something in those eyes that said he saw her as more than just a white coat in a lab tonight.

Bova scoped her out from head to toe even though she sat at a round banquet table about twelve feet away with a white tablecloth and dazzling floral centerpiece to hide most of her slim figure. Dim lighting made it almost impossible to read the schedule of events, but that didn’t stop his exploring.

All for the sake of an awards banquet. If she had paid more attention to the seating chart, she would’ve asked the hostess to sit her elsewhere so she could dine in peace with her colleagues from the university. Not be tormented by the gaze of a man who never signaled that he wanted to go beyond professional acquaintances. Perhaps it was for the better, given her horrifying string of luck with the men in her past.

But this was a professional gathering and Mr. Bova should have treated it as such. After all, that was how he treated their sterile lunch dates where he did nothing but talk business. If he was interested, he should’ve just said so and put an end to her libidinous imagination. He must have figured since his pharmaceutical company shoveled out a lot of money to help sponsor this event, he could mentally undress her as much as he wanted. As much as she wanted a man in her life again, she didn’t want one who sent her mixed signals either.

Clarice couldn’t help returning the pointed gaze while the speaker threatened to put everyone into a coma with his boring acceptance speech. How Bova managed to stay awake through the verbal mire she didn’t know. That was the end of her slight fascination with him and she knew it. Of course, that didn’t mean she had to admit it.

There was something about a guy who liked sporting a shaved head with days-old black stubble. And those eyes. Good Lord. They tantalized her, making her scream in places that hadn’t been touched in years. Perfect posture with a black tux and high collar, white shirt underneath. Every time one of his attendants—she wasn’t sure what to call them—leaned in to whisper a word, she gulped at the perfect view of his deliciously smooth neck that reminded her of a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a hot summer day.

Clarice licked her lips and diverted her attention, praying he didn’t catch the heat slipping onto her cheeks. Even in this low light, she couldn’t hide that.

She also couldn’t forget the few lunches he had treated her to over the last two months while trying to convince her to come work for him. They only had dinner once and that ended early because he had grown suddenly ill and threw up. Big deal. It wasn’t like they were going steady or anything. Besides, it had been more than a month since she’d seen him and had never strayed from calling him Mr. Bova instead of Sebastian. Business was business and pleasure wasn’t in the picture.

When the awards banquet ended, Clarice made a beeline for the exit with her black clutch pulled tight to her chest and her coat-check ticket in hand. With a quick swipe of her chiffon shawl, she tossed the longest end over her spaghetti-strapped shoulders and hoped the