This Blood - The Grace Allen Series Book 1 (Paranormal Romance): The Grace Allen Series, #1

By Alisha Basso

When Grace Allen discovers a valuable ring in a gutter, she thinks it's her lucky day, but, fate has other ideas. Now, Grace finds herself not only the keeper of tremendous power, but the only person in the world able to wield it.

Seth McPhee is a monster on the hunt and his prey has never been more seductive. While Grace's powers will ensure his leadership in the underworld, her beauty will make her captivity a pleasure.

Rushing to the rescue is Lucian, a man who is more than he seems. Will he prove to be the white knight that he claims, or is he just another beautiful monster?

Battling fantastic creatures as well as her raging libido, Grace's resolve is tested. Will she succumb to a life of lavish entrapment, or escape for an uncertain freedom?
Continue the Adventure!
THIS CURSE-The Grace Allen Series Book 2
THIS TIME - The Grace Allen Series Book 3
Coming soon: THIS NIGHT - The final installment of The Grace Allen Series

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alisha Basso
• Release date: Aug 28, 2014
• ISBN: 9781501419430

Book preview

TWO

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The martini glass felt cool in my hands as I passed the strong cocktail to a waiting businesswoman. Her sensible blazer was draped across the bar and she was working on releasing the second button of her blouse. She absently grasped the glass by its stem. Her eyes were focused on Mr. Delicious.

This was not the woman he was waiting for, that much was obvious. God, he was a predator. His pull was dangerous. His strong body held the promise of forbidden delights.  Carnal and wicked were the words that swirled around him. Shivering, I watched the poor woman approach him. I knew he would smile at her, say a few words and send her away in a daze. It’d been happening pretty much all night, which made me wonder what his game was.

My favorite song thumped on the speakers. My mind wrapped around the rhythm, as I moved with the music. I put my back to the crowd and started to reach for a bottle when a tickle began at the base of my skull, like little fingers of awareness tapping out a warning. I stopped short, afraid to turn around.  I knew who was there, even before he spoke.

Excuse me, his unmistakable voice hummed from directly behind me, may I trouble you for a moment?

I whirled around, my heart climbing into my throat. He was so close. His mouth was full and looked lusciously kissable. Every part of him was exquisite. He had to be well over six feet tall. His straight, black hair draped over his shoulder like a liquid curtain. I watched as he tossed it casually behind him. All the moisture in my mouth rushed back to my palms, and other areas I won’t mention.

I’m looking for a young woman, he began again. Her name is Grace Allen. I was told she could be found here.

It was a punch in the gut.  All the air rushed from my lungs at the sound of my name on his lips. This man was hanging around here looking for me?  How was this even possible?  I didn’t know if I should be overjoyed or scared shitless.  

I decided on the latter.

Er-r-r... I stammered, I know her. What do you want with her? God, I felt like an ass. I was lying, badly but it was obvious that he didn’t have a clue that I was Grace.  Even if he had a description, the grungy gothic attire and short bobbed wig I wore would have fooled my own mother. For once, I was thankful that the owner, a drunken, middle-aged man named Oliver Norris, insisted that if I wanted to keep my job, I needed to dress a little sexier. The pale makeup and fake nose ring were a bit over the top for my personal taste, but I was angry and decided to take it to the extreme.  Instead of being irritated my boss had heartily approved.

I have some questions regarding a ring she recently sold. He placed both hands onto the bar and leaned in. From his expression, it seemed like he was a little too interested in my reaction.  I tried to play it cool, but before I could stop myself, my eyes shifted to the sparkling jewel on his pinky finger.

My thoughts carried me back to when I first saw that ring.  It was about three months ago.  I was waiting for the bus, again, because my old Nova is a total piece of crap. I’d been sitting on the curb, staring off into space. Just as the bus pulled up, I happened to look down and saw something glittery among the trash and debris. On impulse, I scooped it up. I don’t normally dig in the gutter, but I was curious, so I shoved it into my pocket and got on the bus.

When I got home, I washed off the mud and various chunks of gooey sludge to reveal a strange, silvery ring. The band was thick. Swirling knot-like designs decorated the inside and out. It was a little too busy for my taste. It held a large clear stone in the center that sparkled brilliantly. I assumed it was a very nice, though somewhat gaudy, piece of costume jewelry. Something I would never wear.

After a few days, I decided to get it appraised. It turned out to be a little more than costume jewelry. What I thought to be silver turned out to be platinum and the clear stone was a two-carat diamond. After checking the lost ads and getting the okay from the police, I sold it. Don’t get me wrong, there was that little voice that said don’t bother checking it out, just sell it, but karma is a spooky thing and I believe it’s always wiser not to screw with it.  Selling the ring gave me enough money to pay my rent for the next two months and made the bank quite a bit happier.

Unease settled like lead in my gut. No way was I revealing myself to this strange man. He was loaded to his teeth with danger and seeing that ring only made my alarm bells ring louder. Damn, how in hell did he know I had anything to do with that ring? I’d never shown it to anyone. Ann had been out of town at the time so I’d never gotten the chance to show it to her.

I straightened the neck of my sweater nervously. Clearing my throat, I smiled sweetly. Can I get your name in case I see her? my voice squeaked. I’ll be happy to tell her that you came by.

He studied me.  His intense gaze was so penetrating it made me feel like I just had an X-ray.  Eyes narrowed, he finally said, Yes, my name is Seth. Seth McPhee. Please give her my card and tell her to call me as soon as possible. My staff is available at any hour.  As if in slow motion, he reached into the breast pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small black card. I watched as he reached across the bar and placed it into my hand. His fingers brushed mine, sending an electric shock to my toes.  The card had a single phone number printed in silver. It was a little hard to read unless you turned the card from side to side to let the light hit it.

I’ll be sure to give it to her as soon as I see her, I lied with a smile, hoping it looked more natural than forced.

He considered me for a moment. A strange look entered his eyes, then he turned and faded into the crowd.

What the hell have I gotten myself into?  I breathed.  One thing was for darn sure, he scared the hell out of me. Anyone with half a brain would give him anything he wanted.  Apparently, I had less than half a brain. Damn, he was beautiful, powerful and rich. Leave it to me to screw it up by being a complete and total coward.

Shortly after his departure the cloud in my brain dissipated. The room became louder. The lights were harsher and the sour bar smells rushed me in a revolting cloud of cigarette smoke and body odor.  The abrupt and unpleasant change in atmosphere made the evening trudge by for what felt like an eternity.

The bar was empty by a quarter to three, which was strange considering it was the weekend. Well, I sighed as I approached Debbie at the end of the long bar, let’s close her up.

Not surprisingly, this was the first time we’d spoken all night. Not counting her outings to the back lot, she tends to ignore me. I get more tips than she does and I think it rubs her the wrong way. Debbie was one of those women who craved attention. Every outfit she wore was several sizes too small allowing her flesh to spill out all over. Her face looked like badly molded wax from too much Botox and her lips were artificially enhanced which she further amplified with shining red gloss. To me the look was less sexy and more like she’d been feeding on a gazelle carcass. 

Seems odd, getting off before the sun, I tried again. This was our nightly routine. I would attempt conversation and she would pretend she was alone.  She surprised me by smiling. I smiled back, trying to hide my astonishment. I rinsed out the cloth I used to wash the filthy slot-machine glass.  It was a real bitch getting dried schnapps off the buttons.

Debbie wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. I’m not one to complain. I smirked, hiding my eye roll as she continued. But I gotta’ get home and soak my poor feet. Whatever possessed me to wear these shoes, I’ll never know. She plopped down on a stool and pulled a shockingly high red patent leather pump off her abused foot and rubbed it gingerly. The shoe was about two sizes too small and her foot was all swollen and purple. Anyway, she continued, I’ve had enough of this place. I don’t know if you noticed, but it was a pretty strange night.

I just nodded and kept on cleaning the glass. I didn’t feel like sharing my opinion on that subject. 

THREE

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The air outside was cool and smelled like rain, probably the best smell in the world.  I walked the short distance to my car, my keys poking out from my knuckles like spikes. This was a habit, honed from years of working in the armpit district of our fair city. I’ve always parked underneath the security lights. It may seem a little paranoid, but I figure a bad guy might think twice before attacking if I’m under a spotlight.  I could be wrong. Hopefully I’d never find out. 

I turned the key in the ignition several times until my poor car coughed and choked to life. I decided to hold off on purchasing a new one. I wanted to keep my newfound savings account a little longer. Who knew when a real emergency might come up?  I put the car in gear and began the short jaunt home.

My neighborhood is pretty quiet, which is strange considering I live near the university. My little cottage is small and tucked away behind a much larger house. It was previously used as the owner’s guesthouse.  My landlord brought it up to code so he could rent it out for a little extra money, and now it’s home sweet home. I don’t even mind living behind him. It saves a stamp and I never have to worry about maintenance.

I pulled into the small lot behind my place and let myself in through the back door. I don’t have any pets, only my little fish, Floyd.  It’s a little lonely. I sometimes wish I had a dog to greet me when I got home. But I’ve had too many dogs bark at empty rooms and joyfully leave toys at the foot of something I couldn’t see that I would never consider adopting a new one. The world is a strange place and living alone, I get a little spooked.  

I grabbed a bag of popcorn from the pantry and tossed it into the microwave on my way to the bathroom. I pulled off my scratchy wig and the flimsy nylon cap that kept my long hair plastered to my skull. My sticky sweater pulled at my skin as I slowly peeled it off. Thank goodness my skirt was made of heavy denim or my thighs might have gotten an impromptu waxing.  I turned on the shower, ready to scrub off the sweetness.  

I love my little cottage. I always feel so relaxed and calm when I walk through the door, but not so tonight.  My shower, normally a very efficient way to get clean and get going, was a traitorous cubicle of sensation. The water, so warm and inviting, flowed across my heated skin like a lovers tongue. My mind, still raw from the events of the night, kept up its steady stream of erotic visions as I soaped my body. Seth, it kept saying as I mentally slapped myself for not investing in a shower massager. Seth and his long hair, wet and hanging in messy tangles as he grabbed my...  Okay! Time for the cold portion of this shower.  Needless to say, I was finished in about one minute. Freezing, I jumped out in favor of the warm terry cloth towel and my favorite robe. I plucked the popcorn from the microwave and sat down in front of the TV for an hour or so of old monster flicks.

The moment I got comfortable, the phone rang.

Who the hell?  I mumbled to myself, then shot up and ran for the phone. No one called me at this hour unless something was very wrong.

Hello?  I answered on the third ring.

Miss Allen? It was a male voice I didn’t recognize.

Yes, speaking. I was instantly wary. I’ve never had a strange man call me so late, or at all for that matter. He was either a real sicko, or worse, someone telling me a loved one was hurt or dead.

I received your number from a friend of yours, Ann. Very lovely, your friend, but not as lovely as you are, I’m told.

Okay... this was a bit weird. Should I say thank you? I shook my head and dismissed the compliment. No one calls this late, who is this? I asked, a small amount of panic lacing my voice. Is there something I can help you with?

Yes, as a matter of fact there is. I need to speak with you regarding a matter that I’m sure will be of great concern to you. I must meet with you tonight. Can you meet me in half an hour?

You want me to meet a complete stranger? Is this a joke?  You must be nuts!  I shrilled. Who is this? Why are you calling me so late? Has something happened to Ann?  

No Miss Allen, I assure you, Ann is quite well. I merely inquired about you and found her to be very accommodating. I can’t tell you what you need to hear over the phone. Your friend said that you are a bit of a night owl, so I knew you would be awake. I wouldn’t have called, but the situation is of the utmost importance. I had to reach you without delay.

I felt a mixture of relief for my friend and trepidation for myself. I was also getting a little grumpy at the fact that this man’s voice was standing between my television and me.

Look, whoever you are, I don’t go traipsing around alone in the wee hours of the morning to meet up with strange men who may or may not be serial killers.  I hardly think anything you have to say could be important enough to put myself in such obvious danger. I don’t know you, and this is just too suspicious and weird. If you had something to say to me, why didn’t you just come speak to me tonight? I thought about that. Probably because there were too many people. You were at The Edge, you had to be because that’s where Ann was. I felt a chill, I’m going to hang up now. I slammed the phone down and took a deep breath.

A second later it rang again.  I picked it up. "Really? What is this shit? Don’t you know what no means?  Are you some sort of fucking stalker?"

Miss Allen, please, you didn’t give me a chance to explain myself, he said urgently. Please allow me to get a few words in before you decide to cut me off. I need to see you in private because I believe you may be in danger. I can’t go into any detail, but I can tell you this, you are being hunted. Please, I need to get you to a safe location so that I may explain to you the urgency of the circumstances.

Whoa, this guy was off his rocker. Are you drunk? I was speeding past annoyed and heading straight for pissed off. Understand this, I said slowly, I am not going to meet with you! Do you think I’m stupid?

Please Grace, you must listen to me. He sounded desperate. Meet me tonight at the church near your home. I’ll wait as long as you need.

Yeah, okay, I’ll be sure to run right over there, I replied, my sarcasm dripping. Then his words clicked. Wait a second, you said the one near my house? You know where I live?

Never mind that. I told you, your friend was very obliging. You just need to get here. Tonight.

Hold on a freaking second. Ann would never give a total stranger my home phone number and especially my address.  What the hell did you do to her? Who the hell are you? Questions and doubts rolled around in my mind. Did he have Ann? Who the hell was this asshole? Well? I demanded.

Lucian, he said. My name is Lucian.

Then the line went dead.  

Shit!

I picked up the phone again. I was so frantic that it took three tries to get Ann’s number correct. Her voicemail picked up on the fourth ring.

Ann, honey, are you home? This is Grace, call me back as soon as you get this! I waited a few seconds, my voice shaking.  Ann, please call me as soon as you get this, I don’t care what time it is, I thi...   The phone cut off. Damn it to hell!  I shouted to the ceiling.

I had two choices. One was to go to the church and hope Ann wasn’t there. If she was, then humor this nut-job and get her the hell out of there.  My second choice was to drive the forty miles to her house and bang on her door. That idea would take over an hour to accomplish, which could be crucial time I was wasting, so off to church I go.

I ran to my room and pulled on an old pair of jeans, a sweatshirt and my pointy boots. Just in case I needed to kick something soft. Nothing hurts worse than a cowboy boot to the balls, or so I’ve been told.

Jumping in my car, I prayed it would start. Oh, thank heaven, I sighed in relief and then slammed it in reverse and peeled out of the drive.

The First Baptist Church sits on a small hill about two miles from my house. Although beautiful by day with its gleaming white walls and lush landscaping, at night it was a very different story. The church loomed like a menacing temple of doom.  Then again, it was a church, which should have led me to believe that everything was going to be okay. Somehow though, I knew I was deluding myself with that one.  I whispered a quick prayer and marched up the steps.

The door to the church swung open on well-oiled hinges. Stepping inside, I was instantly enveloped in darkness. Well crap. I should have figured that would happen. I didn’t bring a flashlight, which in hindsight was pretty stupid.  I sighed and mentally kicked myself for not calling the police first.  I decided that rather than groping around in the darkness, I would just wait outside. Screw him. If he wanted to speak to me, he could damn well come outside. There, at least, I could see my hand in front of my face.

I turned and reached for the door, but before I could open it, I heard my name.

Miss Allen, is that you?

I turned back around to see a candle bobbing towards me. It paused for a moment at a small dark blob, which I could only assume was a table. Candles began to glow. Presumably, my serial killer didn’t like the dark any more than I did. I watched warily as the room began to fill with dim light. It was a spooky glow, casting strange shadows on the walls. Okay, this was not an improvement.

I took a step back, instinctively readying myself for a full genital attack when a masculine face came slowly into view. I was...confused. I was expecting a scholarly type, some nerd with weak wrists and too many allergies or something. He was nothing like that at all. I pulled in an appreciative breath and willed my hormones to quiet their cheering.  Heat filled my belly a moment before realization hit me causing my heart to skip a beat. If this man was Lucian, I had a serious problem. Not only would my puny boots have little effect on him, but he could probably pick me up and shake me like a chicken.

I let my eyes roam his impressive body, merely to assess him for the possible presence of weapons. Honest. My eyes swept from his sharp jawline to the solid V of his torso. His arms were thick and corded with muscle. His long legs were enveloped in dark jeans that fit him like a glove. His skin looked like velvet gold; but then, that could have been the candlelight. The white, button-down shirt he wore was stretched nicely across his powerful chest. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows in a casual and sexy way. A small cross attached to a thin gold chain graced his masculine neck.

Miss Allen?

Hmmm. I moaned in a daze, What? I shook my head and looked up, Yes, I’m Grace Allen, I sputtered, meeting his eyes as my cheeks burned with embarrassed heat. Are you Lucian?

He took in my obviously flustered state and an arrogant smile spread across his full mouth. His dark eyes raked me from head to toe and back again, forcing me to fold my arms across my chest in defiance.

Well, are you Lucian or not? I snapped. I was hoping he wasn’t because I still thought that Lucian was a couple beers short of a six pack, and this guy was just finger-lickin’ good.

Yes, he said, a smile still plastered on his smug face. I‘m Lucian.

Crap. Well, I leaned forward placing my face close to his, I’m here now, so where the hell is Ann?  You said it was urgent. I fisted my hands on my hips and took a step closer. Now spit it out so I can take Ann and get the hell out of here!

His smile disappeared, replaced by a look of confusion. Miss Allen, he said calmly, as though he were speaking to a toddler. I never said I had your friend. If you’ll remember, I said, very clearly that I only asked her about you, and she was very helpful. 

Then it dawned on me. Ann was so accommodating to this guy because he was a freaking god! Her list of weaknesses was pretty small, but beautiful men were right at the top. I felt a rush of relief. Ann wasn’t a hostage. She was probably staying with Jared. Nice and warm between his safe cop sheets.

I smiled a not so friendly smile at my new bud and growled through clenched teeth. Why am I here? And it had better be good. 

I jerked as he placed his hand on my shoulder. The warmth from his touch oddly soothed and I automatically relaxed my muscles. Leaning in, he spoke close to my ear, We are on consecrated ground, he whispered, I had to ensure you were safely inside and weren’t going to run out.  His breath on my cheek sent a little thrill through my stomach. Damn, I needed some major kryptonite around these guys. I couldn’t seem to stay focused.

I allowed Lucian to take my hand and lead me to a pew toward the back of the church. He left me sitting alone while he lit more candles. I watched him with more interest than I should have. I noticed how the fabric of his pants moved over his tight butt; how the muscled contours of his back were evident through the thin fabric of his shirt. His golden blond hair was shoulder length and fell in soft waves. It looked healthy and clean. I wondered what kind of shampoo he used.  Would it be floral or woodsy?

I closed my eyes. My head was too full of sensations. For most of my life the men I’d been exposed to were normal, average, every day men. From the bar hoppers to the college guys to the boy next door. I thought I had seen them all. Tonight I’d been completely blown away. Seth was so unbelievably beautiful that I had doubts he was even human. Now this man. Two impossibly gorgeous creatures in the same night? I was seriously doubting my sanity.  

Lucian came back and sat down, looking directly into my eyes. I swallowed my thoughts and tried to concentrate. Scooting closer, he leaned in and I bit my lip at the rush of heat at his closeness. You’re in grave danger, he said.

My shoulders fell, Yeah, you said that before. Too bad he was nuts, I thought as I slid away from him.

He spared me an irritated glance and continued. Have you noticed anything or anyone strange in the last few days? And please concentrate, this is very important.

I thought for a second. Well, there was this guy who came into the bar looking for me tonight. He was a little scary. Scary how I wanted to jump his bones, but I left that little detail out. I didn’t let him know who I was.  I felt that was safer. He had a sort of animal look about him that put me on my guard. 

I was startled as Lucian abruptly grabbed me, his vise-like grip tightening around my upper arms. "What did he look like, exactly?" he snarled.  

Yo! I shouted into his face. Blood flow problems, buddy. Let go of me! I jerked and twisted but his grip held firm. I think we’ve established I’m not going to run away.

He lifted a brow and after several seconds his grip loosened. Please, Grace, he cleared his throat. His actions were calmer but his eyes still held a look of panic, What did he look like? he asked again, shaking slightly. His forced calm was almost scarier than his outburst. I had a pretty good idea that he wouldn’t let up until I gave him the information he wanted. It wasn’t a big deal to tell him, so I thought about the beautiful man as the memory of him tingled along my spine.

He was tall, I began, thinking of his powerfully built shoulders, over six feet. He had long black hair and scary, pale eyes. Oh, and he said his name was Seth.

His eyes grew huge. He told you his name? His mouth opened and closed several times without sound then he sputtered, He told you his name?

I leaned back, Yes, Lucian, I said as condescendingly as I could. Just like anyone with manners, he told me his name.  Isn’t that what most civilized people do when meeting someone for the first time?

He gave me a lopsided scowl. I’m just a little surprised that he would offer his name to his prey.

"Well, he really didn’t know it was... Did you say prey?"

How could he not have known it was you? He looked at me, ignoring my question. You don’t exactly blend in. For one thing you are rather tall and like me, I’m positive he received a full description of you. He smiled and lowered his chin, "Just so you know, it didn’t

Reviews for This Blood - The Grace Allen Series Book 1 (Paranormal Romance)

[Jamie Lee Van Winkle · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I tried really hard. But with a person wielding a ring can do some amazing things then just choose not to. It was like what, she could have...so all in all it didn't make sense so I had to bail. Sorry....

[Mary Engleman-Wilce · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very good book. I enjoyed it. I could not put it down.

[Lammert · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Rambling, illogical jumble of a story. The heroin is mentally retarded, raped or almost raped continuously but moving on cheerfully. The men are terrible creatures, all goodlooking but that is all they have going for them. I could go on....... but I won’t.

[kim Austin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The plot was different than the usual and very interesting. It was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading the next book in the series

[Tammie M · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I like how the author get's straight into the action. With great romance and 2 leading male characters and female Character... Seth, Lucian and Gracie! Easy to read and follow, I really enjoyed this read and am looking forward to the next book.