First Night

By Arden Masters

This is the first story of a four-part book called “Manhattan Nights”, a series of erotic, adult vampire romance stories. Each is a stand-alone novel or novella. The stories intertwine with characters from previous stories appearing later. If you enjoy action, drama, and steamy sex with hunky vampires and snarky heroines, the complete book is for you.
In “Gothic Nights”, the second book, a young woman named Leda Wright lives for the night life. She is a member of the Goth world, used to darkness, with a taste for taboo desires. When she first meets Val Constantine, the owner of the Goth club she frequents, she thinks he’s a poser. She soon discovers he’s no poser. He’s a powerful vampire who craves her for a most unusual reason.
The third book, “The Light and the Dark”, is a tale about Kari Atwood, a young woman with a Masters of Fine Arts working as a bartender to pay the bills. Her love of art brings her together with a rich patron of the arts, Endre Vadas. He finds her beauty, independence, and intelligence irresistible, but neither of them knows if her love of the light can overcome the dark attraction that threatens to consume her.
Finally, there is “Darkest Night”. Emma Doriane is an investigative reporter looking for her big break. She thinks she’s found it in the person of one Markus Lange. He’s handsome, rich, and mysterious. He shuns the day, but does that make him a vampire? Then she learns she must make a life or death decision. How deep into the depths of darkness must she go to survive?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arden Masters
• Release date: Nov 17, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463607787

Arden Masters

Writing fiction is a long-time interest and passion of mine. My stories are sexy, fun, and often snarky. I hope you find these tales interesting, readable, and well crafted. Comments and reviews are welcome. Enjoy!

Book preview

First Night

Copyright 2019 by Arden Masters

Published by Arden Masters at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

Thank you for downloading this e-book. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

Author’s Notes

This is a work of fiction and for reader’s enjoyment. Names, characters, places, and situations are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, or organizations is entirely coincidental. All characters depicted are at least eighteen years of age. This story contains graphic descriptions of sexual acts and is not suitable for minors.

Foreword

"First Night" is the story of Cloe Barnes, a brilliant computer scientist. A chance encounter with a mysterious stranger, Galen Van Aalsburg, saves her from mysterious forces seeking to steal her discoveries and even kill her. Little did she realize he was more dangerous and desirable than she could ever imagine.

This is the first book of the Manhattan Nights four-part series of erotic, vampire romance stories. Each is a stand-alone novel or novella. The stories intertwine with characters from previous stories appearing later. There’s steamy sex, drama, action, and snarky humor all wrapped up in this adult novel.

In "Gothic Nights", the second book, a young woman named Leda Wright lives for the night life. She is a member of the Goth world, used to darkness, with a taste for taboo desires. When she first meets Val Constantine, the owner of the Goth club she frequents, she thinks he’s a poser. She soon discovers he’s no poser. He’s a powerful vampire who craves her for a most unusual reason.

"The Light and the Dark" is the third book in the saga. Kari Atwood, a young woman with a Masters of Fine Arts, works as a bartender to pay the bills. Her love of art brings her together with a rich patron of the arts, Endre Vadas. He finds her beauty, independence, and intelligence irresistible, but neither of them knows if her love of the light can overcome the dark attraction that threatens to consume her.

Finally, there is "Darkest Night". Emma Doriane is an investigative reporter looking for her big break. She thinks she’s found it in the person of one Markus Lange. He’s handsome, rich, and mysterious. He shuns the day, but does that make him a vampire? Then she learns she must make a life-or-death decision. How deep into the depths of darkness must she go to survive?

First Night

February nights in Manhattan are cold, especially around midnight. Cloe pulled the hood of her coat over her head. As usual, she was just leaving the lab and headed home. The sidewalk was coated with dirty ice and slush. A damp wind blew between the grimy, towering buildings, chilling her to the bone. She drew some solace from the fact the subway station was only a few blocks away. Not only was she cold, but she was distracted by the fact her research project was nearing completion. She allowed herself a little smile as she thought about the breakthrough she was on the verge of achieving. The smile wouldn’t last for long.

With her hood up and her mind elsewhere, she didn’t notice a man waiting in a darkened doorway emerge and begin to follow her. He caught up to her quickly and grabbed her by the arm. Cloe yelped in surprise.

Shut up, doc, he hissed. The man showed her a gun and then pressed it to her side. Just keep walking and you won’t get hurt.

She was so shocked she couldn’t speak, but looked frantically back and forth for someone, anyone, who might help her. Unsurprisingly, the streets of the financial district were almost deserted. Then she saw a lone person approaching them from the opposite direction. Cloe could see it was a man who had just exited one of the other buildings. The gunman dug the pistol into her ribs as a silent warning.

Just as the man passed them his hand shot out like lightning. Cloe wasn’t even sure she saw it move. He grabbed her assailant’s hand and twisted the gun from it. She heard the sickening sound of bone cracking and a scream of pain. The gunman crumpled to the ground. The stranger bent over the prone man and appeared to whisper something in his ear. The attacker suddenly went limp and fell to his side, apparently unconscious. Her rescuer turned to Cloe, who was still in shock. Are you harmed, miss? he asked calmly with a voice as smooth as silk.

She managed to shake her head and mumble, No…no, I don’t think so.

May I offer you a ride somewhere? My driver will be here momentarily. I’m not sure it’s entirely safe for you to be walking the street at this time of night. He could see the fear in her eyes. She kept looking at the gunman and then back at him.

He tried to calm her. Pardon me for not introducing myself. My name is Galen. I can assure you the man on the ground will give you no more trouble tonight, but it’s possible he was not alone. Just then a limo pulled up. He looked at her. And your name is?

Cloe, Cloe Barnes, she replied unsteadily.

May I give you a lift, Cloe?

She was in shock, confused, but she intuitively trusted him. Yes, yes, thank you. He opened the door for her and she slid in.

As he got in beside her, Cloe got her first good look at Galen. He looked to be in his later thirties, perhaps even forty, and was extremely handsome with piercing dark eyes and dark hair. Her savior was over six feet tall and well built. Even in her addled state she felt a new chill, but it was deep inside her. He smiled as if he somehow knew what she was thinking. Cloe, where would you like us to drop you off?

Oh, um, just ah, down at the subway station, she stammered. It’s straight ahead three blocks.

Galen leaned forward. Mark, was all he said, but that was apparently enough for the driver. He pulled away from the curb.

Galen studied the face of the woman sitting beside him. She was beautiful without trying to be. Her dark, shoulder-length hair was in disarray; her coat hid the rest. There was something intriguing about her. Under other circumstances he may have wanted to learn more. However, they arrived all too quickly at the subway entrance. He got out and held the door for her.

As she got out of the limo, she realized she hadn’t even thanked him. Galen, thank you so much. Thank you for saving me.

He just gave her a wry smile. It was my pleasure, Cloe. He took her hand and kissed it. In