Summer Sizzle: A Hot Bite story

By Wendi Zwaduk

FROM AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR ROMANCE AUTHOR WENDI ZWADUK

A Hot Bite story

Sweet music on a summer night brings romance... even to a vampire?

Jenna Munro has loved music for as long as she can remember. Now she sings with an oldies group and lives her dream of stardom, even if she' s only famous in her small town. She isn' t looking for love, but when she meets Peter, her heart sings.

Peter Reynolds started his music career during the birth of rock with his band the Daydreamers. He knows good vocalists when he hears them and he' s drawn to Jenna. There' s only one problem— he' s a vampire and she' s very much human.

They' ve got the chance at love in the summer moonlight if they' re both willing to let the music sizzle...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing
• Release date: Jul 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9781802508185

Wendi Zwaduk

Wendi Zwaduk is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to BDSM and LGBTQ themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com and the former AllRomance Ebooks. She also writes under the name of Megan Slayer. When she’s not writing, she spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice.

Book preview

Totally Bound Publishing books by Wendi Zwaduk

Single Books

Learning How to Bend

Must Be Doing Something Right

My Immortal

You’ll Think of Me

Tangled Up

Careless Whisper

Please Remember Me

What Might Have Been

Ever Fallen In Love

Someone Like You

Love Remembers

When You’re With Me

Sunshine of Your Love

Firelit Magic

Her Man

My Favorite Mistake

Silk and Decadence

Bound by Desire

Runaway Royal

Christmas in North Bend

Love Lessons

Drawn Together

Written Together

Together Again

Dancing Together

The Refuge

Running with the Wicked

Resisting the Wicked

Serving the Wicked

Clandestine Classics

The Phantom of the Opera

Anthologies

Treble: Savin’ Me

Switch: Still the One

Bound to the Billionaire: Play to Him

Whip It Up: Honey and Decadence

Lasso Lovin’: Tying One On

Wild After Dark: Taken In

Boots, Chaps and Cowboy Hats: Between Us

Three’s a Charm: A Sinful Tune

Sensory Limits: Just You and Me

Seasonal Collections

Heart Attack: Over My Head

Haunted By You: Miss Me Baby

Wanton Witches: Candlelit Magic

Jolly Rogered: Ruined by the Pirate

Naughty or Nice?: Wrapped in Red and Green

Hot Bite

SUMMER SIZZLE

WENDI ZWADUK

Summer Sizzle

ISBN # 978-1-80250-818-5

©Copyright Wendi Zwaduk 2023

Cover Art by Kelly Martin ©Copyright July 2023

Interior text design by Claire Siemaszkiewicz

Totally Bound Publishing

This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.

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The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

Published in 2023 by Totally Bound Publishing, United Kingdom.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors’ rights. Purchase only authorised copies.

Totally Bound Publishing is an imprint of Totally Entwined Group Limited.

If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this stripped book.

A Hot Bite story

Sweet music on a summer night brings romance…even to a vampire?

Jenna Munro has loved music for as long as she can remember. Now she sings with an oldies group and lives her dream of stardom, even if she’s only famous in her small town. She isn’t looking for love, but when she meets Peter, her heart sings.

Peter Reynolds started his music career during the birth of rock with his band the Daydreamers. He knows good vocalists when he hears them and he’s drawn to Jenna. There’s only one problem—he’s a vampire and she’s very much human.

They’ve got the chance at love in the summer moonlight if they’re both willing to let the music sizzle…

Dedication

For RB

For JPZ

For TPZ

Chapter One

We got the summer concert series, Jenna Munro murmured and toyed with the row of beads along the side of her dress bodice. First gig of the summer is tonight and we’re going to nail it. Things are looking up.

She prided herself on being part of the oldies group and loved the gowns the backup singers wore. Right now, she liked the beading on the gown because she could touch the shiny plastic to hide her stage fright. Singing songs from the sixties made her happy. Singing those songs was in her soul. They made her the person she’d become. They were fun.

A hundred people were in the crowd. Not a large group compared to some of the gigs the Originals had played, but big enough.

Don’t forget the words, Dale said. He elbowed her. I can’t save it if you forget the words.

Me? She crooked her eyebrow. I sing backup to you. If I screw up, it’s not obvious. He’d used this argument before, but tonight she wasn’t taking his crap.

It makes the whole group look bad. Dale adjusted his tuxedo. We’re professionals and we should know the words.

I do, except when you decide to add something to the set that we haven’t practiced. Ever since she and Dale had split, he nitpicked on everything she did.

Right. He winked. Looking lovely, Renee and Claire. He curled his lip as he passed Jenna. Jenna.

Claire giggled. Thanks, Dale.

Renee rolled her eyes. She didn’t speak until Claire and Dale had walked away. You know they’re dating.

I had the feeling they were. Jenna bit back her nausea. She’d once thought Dale might be the one. She’d invested her time and energy into his group, one she loved, but now part of her wished she could leave. Dale lived to make her life difficult.

He thinks he’s so sly. That no one knows. Renee shook her head. Everyone knows. He brings her out for solos and acts like she’s better than us.

I know. Jenna had auditioned for her position with the group, just like the others, but she’d been given preferential treatment, too. Dale gave her first choice of the gowns and even listened to her idea to let the ladies wear flats under the floor-length dresses.

Tonight, though, none of those suggestions mattered. Her opinion didn’t count. The oldies group was Dale’s domain and she was just the backup singer.

Bugs swirled around the lights and she swatted at the insects. The summer concert series always took place at dusk in the park. She’d attended plenty of the concerts over the years and loved the atmosphere. People sat on blankets in the audience, brought picnics, kids played and the atmosphere was relaxed. The concerts sometimes went on until midnight, but no one seemed to mind. It was a great way to pass a few hours and experience great music. She’d seen string quartets play, a pianist, oldies groups like Dale’s, rock trios, a ska group composed of teenagers and even the singing referees—four men who worked as referees in various sports events.

Tonight was her turn to play the series. Her gown made her skin itch and her high-heeled pumps pinched her toes. Still, she was here to do a job. She squeezed Renee’s fingers.

Ready? Renee grinned. We’ll get through this and maybe someone will see us. They’ll respect our talents and want us in their group.

Better than Dale? Jenna said. Gotta be more than him out there.

Gotta be. Renee nodded as Claire surged to the front of their line.

It’s time. Claire didn’t hold hands with Renee, but instead grasped Dale’s as they all headed to the stage.

Jenna pasted a smile on her face and took her position at her mic in the background. She hadn’t joined the group to be in front of everyone. She liked singing the modulating parts. Her voice was too low to front the songs anyway.

She clasped her hands behind her back in the starting position. She bowed her head until the music began, then launched into the first song.

Jenna liked choosing someone in the crowd to sing to because it helped with her focus. When she scanned the audience, she noticed a man with eyes that glowed.

Glowed?

She kept up with the song, but couldn’t quite move past the glowing part. Like he had cat eyes. She focused on the man. Maybe the oddity was a figment of her imagination.

He smiled and her skin warmed. He was handsome with a soft smile, strong jaw and dark hair. She wondered if he was tall and muscled. He didn’t appear to be with anyone—then again, his girlfriend, if he had one, could be late in arriving or not there tonight. She couldn’t be lucky enough for him to be single.

She continued to sing and focused on him. The insects flying around her didn’t matter, the heat from the lights wasn’t as intense and she hit every note.

If she could have nights like this all the time, she’d be happy. She even kept up with the new songs Dale inserted into the set list, no doubt to highlight Claire.

Let him.

He had no power over her any longer.

After the show, Jenna left the stage. She hadn’t forgotten about the man with glowing eyes, but she also hadn’t seen his eyes have that reaction again. It had to have been a figment of her imagination.

Did you see the crowd? Renee asked. It was electric. She donned a thin wrap around her shoulders.

It was. She wished she’d brought a coat, but the June air was too thick for such a garment. The dress was too hot for the conditions, if she were being honest.

I heard there were vampires in the audience. Renee nodded once and her eyes widened. I guess they like oldies music.

Vampires? She hadn’t thought about that. Vampires had glowing eyes. Like shimmering silver. Was that who she had seen?

Uh-huh. Renee shivered. I think they’re sexy.

Have you seen one? Jenna collected her purse and keys. You can’t be sure they were out there.

Once, but it wasn’t here. Renee glared, then snapped her mouth shut.

What? She glanced over her shoulder at Dale and Claire making out. Oh that. She’d seen him kiss so many women that it didn’t affect her. They weren’t a couple, so it didn’t matter.

I need to go. Renee nodded once to Jenna. Ready?

Yeah. She didn’t bother to look back and instead followed her friend from the band shell.

You can’t go.

Jenna bristled at Dale’s voice but didn’t stop. They hadn’t been paid for the gig that night, but he could pay them later. She’d rather not see him with Claire.

As she strode around to the front of the band shell, she spotted the handsome man from the crowd. He seemed to be heading in her direction. Jenna grinned, but suppressed her good feelings. He could be looking for Renee. She was the prettier of the two—much taller and slender. Renee smiled easier and made friends with everyone.

The man approached just as Dale caught up to her and Renee.

You can’t go. Dale grabbed Jenna’s arm. We’re not through tonight.

No? The tips of her ears burned. She hated being put on the spot like this. The gig is over.

We’re having a meeting tonight, Dale said. Who are you?

Me? the man asked. My name is Peter.

Peter. Jenna liked the sound of his name. She also liked the view now that she