A Love Dipped in Blood: Vampire Elite 100 Blood Series, #2

By Suzzana C Ryan

A Love Dipped in Blood

Book 2

 

Handsome seasoned playboy Alex Breslin owns the largest publishing house in New York City. He has a very well-kept secret; he's over two hundred years old. His boyish good looks and silver hair offset his tall, buffed body. Alex Breslin has it all, money, power, and women, but he lacks the one thing his cold heart craves love. However, a creature such as he can't love or will dare to because he's a vampire.

Tracey Reagan is a romance writer and closet empath and has just been offered a contract with Breslin Publishing. Her meeting with Alex Breslin is one she'll never regret. Her undeniable attraction to the handsome publisher will start her on a journey of lust, desire, and self-awareness. Could it end in boundless love?

She'll enter a world that humans believe does not exist. She'll love and be loved like no woman before her. She'll become a creature that lives between two worlds, all for the love of one man. Tracey Reagan will have a passion born of night and a love dipped in blood. Alex Breslin will change her human life forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bitten Press LLC
• Release date: Jul 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215168219

Suzzana C Ryan

About the Author Suzzana C. Ryan is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She has always wanted to be a writer. She began this journey in 2011, and an indie publisher published her first work, A Vampire for her Birthday. Then she was diagnosed with breast cancer. However, that news never changed her dreams. She wrote even during her darkest days undergoing treatment and surgery. She got lost in her fantasies. Today she is still writing and has conquered her demons and disease. Her advice is never to let go of your dreams. Go for it. She's written over thirty books and will continue to create romance stories that people love to read. http://www.suzzanacryanromanceauthor.blogspot.com http://www.suzzanacryan.blogspot.com Thank you,  Suzzana C Ryan http://www.suzzanacryanromanceauthor.blogspot.com Facebook, Twitter

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Two years later

New York City

Tracey Reagan sat at her desk and looked out her office window, taking in the magnificent view of Central Park. She crossed her firm and shapely legs beneath her short black designer skirt and smiled at the gorgeous thirty-seven-year-old editor sitting before her. His name was Dennis Cunningham, and she wondered if he was as good in bed as he looked.

Tracey realized she was overly attractive for a woman her age, sixty-two, and outshined girls half her age to shame. She vaguely remembered the woman who first came to Breslin Publishing. She was thirty pounds overweight and a woman with very little self-confidence. A weight loss, a nip tuck here and there, and watching what she ate had its rewards. Self-confidence came with the new and improved Tracey Reagan.

Until two years ago, keeping the weight off was a constant battle. She thought maybe turning sixty had changed her metabolism. Also, she hadn’t had a cold or illness in over two years and ate whatever she wanted. Yet her body stayed toned and fit as if she had a daily exercise regime. Tracey had to laugh to herself. Who said life after sixty was over? It had just begun.

Tracey had men drooling all over themselves, and she had to admit that she enjoyed it. She slept with an array of handsome and powerful men, but right now, the gorgeous hunk of a man in front of her was next on her list. He was nervous as he sat in front of her with the manuscript he wanted to discuss with her. Tracey sat there and smiled at him, a smile that would melt the tar off roads.

Tracey Reagan was very different from the middle-aged woman who walked into Breslin Publishing a few years before; she was no longer a nervous author. Now, she is CEO of Breslin Publishing, thanks to Alex Breslin. After his death two years earlier, he left his publishing empire to her in his will, and no one knew why, not even her.

Perhaps it was because he had no heirs, no close relatives, no one, but for some reason, he trusted Tracey and thought she was talented. Alex Breslin was one of a kind, a handsome man with a deep, dark secret that Tracey had picked up on but never fully discovered.

She kept her ability to see the past, the present, and the future under wraps. It only freaked people out. She knew that she’d known Alex Breslin on another level. He haunted her dreams, and she became depressed thinking about him. Alex would come to mind occasionally, and her heart would skip a beat for reasons she couldn’t explain. Other times, thinking about him would bring on sadness, and what confused her was the desire she felt when he came to mind.

Alex Breslin was the kind of man who left a woman breathless with a mere look or a smile. He’d oozed sexuality, and he was hard not to like. Tracey had no idea why she had an attachment to him and why she still felt his presence even though he was dead.

When he died, she never let on that she was devastated and again had no tangible reason why.

Alex was killed in an airplane accident; his private jet disappeared over the Rocky Mountains. He was on his way to Hawaii on a holiday when the plane vanished along with the pilot, an assistant editor, and two young secretaries. The bodies were never found, and parts of the aircraft were never recovered.

At his eulogy, she’d been informed that they found the charred remains in the mountains of three males and two females, believed to be Alex and his small party. Supposedly, those charred remains were quickly interred in the coffin. But when Tracey said her goodbyes and put her hands on his coffin, she felt nothing. If any part of Alex were in that coffin, she would have felt it, but there was nothing.

Later that day, she learned she’d inherited Breslin Publishing. That evening, she cried for hours and fell asleep, her dreams full of Alex Breslin. She could have sworn that what she experienced that evening was more than a dream. She awoke physically and sexually exhausted. Tracey never questioned that evening. She locked it up inside and chalked it up to grieving Alex Breslin’s death.

Over the last two years, Tracey Reagan had become a cold, unemotional businesswoman. She was fair and gave many an underdog a chance to be published, which paid off.

At sixty-two, she had money, position, and power. Her grown children grew distant, and she ensured they were provided for. Her only daughter disapproved of her mother’s lifestyle.

That last guy you dated, mother, was too hot and far too young. It’s embarrassing. My guy friends pass sexually suggestive remarks about you.

My dear, I’m rich, and men my age are sadly out of shape and are very selfish lovers. Young men love to please powerful women. Is it so wrong to have the tables turned for a change?

I can’t believe that you’re still interested in sex. Most women your age are celibate.

That’s such a shame. Women my age can’t get pregnant and are in the prime of their lives sexually. You’ll see one day you’ll be in my shoes.

God, you’re awful, her daughter gasped.

Sweetie, grow up. Funny, Leslie, you don’t complain when your extravagant monthly allowance is deposited in your account.

That always ended her daughter’s arguments.

Tracey had a right-hand assistant and partner in crime, Kathleen Spencer, a good friend, and the woman was brilliant. Kathy was a very pretty fifty-five-year-old who was having the time of her life working for Tracey. It was a dream position, and very few women ran an empire as big as Breslin Publishing.

They traveled together, had many escapades, and always came out smelling like roses.

Kathy had been in her office earlier and sat across from Tracey, looking over the pamphlet from the convention. This is going to be huge, my friend. Of course, we’re going. I also hear the men in Rio are to die for.

Tracey smiled. It’s about time we went to Rio de Janeiro. This conference is one of the biggest, and it was imperative that we attend.

Kathy was excited. I’m so damn excited, Tracey. There will be celebrities, authors, other publishing house heads, and you and me, she giggled. I’ve never been to South America, and I’m sure there would never be a dull moment. The convention's theme is Carnival, and Rio is the place to be for a Carnival.

Then book it, Kathy, and we need a full staff. Pick them carefully. I trust your judgment.

Sitting across from the delicious-looking Dennis Cunningham, she agreed with his newest edit.

I agree, Dennis. Let's give that manuscript a chance. Please pick an additional editor to tweak it and prepare it for publishing.

However, she had an ulterior motive. Dennis, I’d like to discuss this over dinner. Are you busy later?

The young man grinned and nodded. Miss Reagan, I’m free and would love to discuss this over dinner.

She was sure it would be a snap to get him into her bed. Of course, it would be all of his doing, and she had her ways of keeping his mouth shut about any liaisons. Over the last two years, her empath abilities had tripled in strength, and her powers of persuasion were exemplary.

When the handsome young editor left her office, she stood up and gazed out over the city. She’d taken over Alex Breslin’s office and wondered how many times he’d scanned over the city from that window.

New York City was such an exciting city; the sight before her was blood-stirring. Again, her thoughts turned to Alex, maybe because she was tired of these silly hookups. She’d had her share of gorgeous men who were more than willing to be with her. Soon, she’d be sixty-three, and she was getting bored. That wasn’t good.

Tonight, she decided she’d have dinner with Dennis and nothing more. She wasn’t getting any younger and realized that she craved love.

Before Alex Breslin was tragically killed, falling in love with him would have been easy. Unfortunately, he never turned an eye toward her. She remembered the one time he’d kissed her, and damn, he could kiss. She couldn’t blame him for not being interested in her. She wasn’t the woman she was today.

What still confused Tracey was that she broke down in tears when he came to mind and felt such heartache. Being clairvoyant didn’t help. What she regretted was never finding out what he was hiding.

Tracey didn’t know that Alex had buried their encounters so deep within her subconscious. That was why she dreamt of him so vividly, and that was why she still felt so much pain thinking about him.

Vampires could erase memories from the average human brain, but Tracey’s brain wasn’t normal. She was clairvoyant, and those memories were merely hidden.

She called Kathy back into her office.

So, have you finished all the plans for Rio, she asked.

Kathy handed Tracey a folder. There are all the plane tickets. We’ve hired a private jet that seats forty. Everyone that I picked is an ace and has earned this trip. I assumed it would be all fun and games.

Tracey bit her bottom lip. I am already getting horny thinking about Latino men. We both need this trip. Our sales volume has far exceeded our expectations. We’re the number one publisher of women’s erotica.

That is a fact, Kathy added. Our move to cater to women’s desires and what they want to read has made Breslin Publishing number one.

I think I will take some more time off to travel. Kathy, years ago, after my divorce, the only man I was truly ever attracted to was Alec Breslin. With the mention of his name, Tracey began to sob. They were heart-retching sobs. Sobs that spanned a continent and affected Alex Breslin, sobs from a woman that he loved and missed beyond any comprehension.

Kathy was up and at Tracey’s side. Honey, every time you talk about him or think of him, this happens. What the fuck Tracey?

Kathy, I know. It’s insane. But he died so tragically.

I know, honey, but shit happens. You really need this trip to Rio. And you need a huge stiff, big cock.

Jeeze, Kathy, you do have a way with words.

I only speak the truth. Come to think of it, I need one, too, she giggled.

Tracey stopped her tears and began laughing with Kathy. How I need you, my dear friend. You always know what I need.

Honey, I know what we both need.

Kathy left the folder about Rio on Tracey’s desk. She opened it, went over everything, and, as always, Tracey was impressed with Kathy.

What would I do without her? she said, closing the cover to the folder.

Once more, the