Free The Vampire's Kiss by Amarinda Jones Page A

stop…”
    “Kiss me,” her lover growled against the soft flesh of her neck.
    “Never.” For some indefinable reason, Memphis knew if she kissed this man she would lose what was left of her control completely.
    “Never’s a long time, sweetheart.” He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. “You belong to me now.”
    “I belong to myself.” Even as she murmured the words, somewhere deep inside, Memphis Rower knew this man would change her life.

    Thirty minutes before.

    “Are you kidding me? Kiss her?” Richard Linquist, vampire, surveyed the redheaded woman thoughtfully. “Why would I want to The Vampire’s Kiss
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    do that?” The voluptuous lady in question made his cock jerk in anticipation, but kissing to claim someone?
    Do I even want to stake a claim on one woman for the rest of my life?
    While immortality made him invincible, Richard had a feeling love would weaken him.
    I’m not ready for that .
    At one hundred and seventy-five years of age, Richard Linquist still wanted to sow his wild oats for as long as he could.
    “Yes.” Polly Patrick nodded her dyed blonde head in certainty.
    “Just like that and she’s mine?” Normally Richard never doubted the housekeeper of his ancestral home, Maverick House, but there were times he wondered what Polly’s agenda was.
    In fact, who the hell is this woman?
    He had known her for over a year since being called to the house, but he didn’t have a clue who Polly was. She was chameleon-like in her ability to confuse and control those who called Maverick House home.
    “Well, it’s not going to be that easy.”
    Richard arched his eyebrow. “Nothing with mortals ever is.”
    “And she’ll fight you. The kiss has to be given by her willingly.”
    Fight me? Hmm, that would be good . “I like feisty women.”
    Richard’s mind went briefly to Josephine who both fought and craved his dominance over her body. Would this one be the same ? “I really don’t understand why we are here at this place.” It was a suburban public swimming pool in the middle of Brisbane. It was hardly the place Richard hung out at. Vampires never exercised. They had no need to. They were blessed with a fast metabolism and excellent health. Seeing others sweat and strain was not attractive.
    “Because Memphis Rower is here and you need her.”
    “I need no one.” That was Richard’s credo. Need got people tied up and controlled. His cousin Alaric was a perfect example of that.
    Marriage had taken his mortality and Alaric didn’t care. He was in 10
    Amarinda Jones
    love. “And what a stupid name—Memphis Rower.” Great body, though . Richard’s eyes roamed over the lush curves. This was no stick-thin waif. This lady was built for sex. She was all hips, ass, and breasts. He licked his lips in anticipation. She was exactly the type of woman he liked to fuck.
    Polly continued on, undeterred by his comments. “I believe her mother was a devoted Elvis fan. He came from Memphis, Tennessee, you know.”
    Richard’s gaze switched to the woman at his side. How did a short, nondescript woman of no easily discernable age always seem to have knowledge about everyone? Polly knew about things before they even happened. In those moments when he and his cousin were cordial to one another they speculated on who Polly was. Was she as mortal as she claimed to be? And if so, that was unusual because Maverick House was anything but a normal posting for a mortal woman. The house held great magic—at least, that’s what Alaric and Richard believed. Whoever ended up with ownership of the abode would know just how powerful the house was.
    When Polly had come to him and told him there was a woman he had to kiss in order to gain control of the house, he had laughed but agreed to go along with Polly. Kissing a woman, for whatever reason, was no hardship for Richard. He loved women, and they loved him back. “How do you know all this?”
    “I just do.” Polly’s smile was simple.
    Richard