Snow White and the Vampire
The Cursed Princes
Book Two
Marina Myles
Genre:
Historical/paranormal romance
Fairy tales retold
Publisher:
Kensington
Date of
Publication: December 19, 2013
Book Description:
Fog and Fascination
Alba Spencer
thought her past in Romania and the dark magic that haunted it was behind her
forever. She is one of the first female barristers now, safe in London. But
London has its dark side, too. A man called the Ripper stalks the midnight
streets. There are rumors that her hated stepmother has found her again, suggestions
that the nightmares of her childhood are returning. And with them appears the
cursed Gypsy boy she once loved, grown into a man more seductive and more
terrifying than she ever could have dreamed…
Dimitri Grigorescu
has become a surgeon, a gentleman—and a vampire. The lusts that drive his body
are scarcely under control, and even he does not truly know what he is capable
of. To fight evil and confusion, Alba must rely only on her wits—and a desire
that overwhelms her doubts…
Excerpt:
“I’m very
grateful for Teddy’s friendship—and for the opportunity to be introduced to the
people he’s acquainted with.” The surgeon lowered his tone. “People like you,
Miss Spencer.”
His words
encouraged the spattering of nervous blotches across Alba’s chest. “You’re too
kind,” she murmured. “So you find this city a pleasant enough place to live?”
“Pleasant
but for the brutal murderer who lurks in the Whitechapel District.”
“Are you
referring to the killer the newspapers are calling ‘Leather Apron’?” she asked.
He
evaluated her with interest yet said nothing.
“I
understand this monster killed two unfortunates by ripping their abdomens wide
open,” she went on, making no attempt to sugarcoat her words since she was
speaking with a surgeon.
“Where did
you hear that, Miss Spencer?”
“It said so
in the penny dreadfuls. Oh, not that I read them frequently…”
Drake
raised an eyebrow.
What am I saying? She didn’t normally babble on so, but this man had lit a fire beneath
her, though she couldn’t say why.
To her
great relief, the doctor didn’t seem to notice her jittering nerves. “Nasty
business, preying on those unknowing women,” said. “I can’t imagine a man
treating any female that way. After all, women are beautiful creatures to be
coddled. Admired. Cherished.”
“That’s a
lovely thought.” Alba repressed a girlish sigh. “It’s a shame the killer does
not share your school of thought.”
Drake
wrapped his hands around his back. “I daresay the police believe this murderer
will strike again.”
“I fear
that is why fewer people came to your party this evening than Teddy
anticipated. The city is gripped with fear.” She paused to take a sip of
champagne. “Perhaps we should talk about something more uplifting than murder.”
“Yes.” The
surgeon took her glass and deposited it on a servant’s tray. With his hand
pressed to the small of her back, he guided her to a quiet corner of the
drawing room. As she turned to face him, she could smell hot liquor fumes and
the scent of expensive aftershave. Surprisingly, she found that she liked the
mixture of aromas.
“Teddy
tells me you hail from Romania as well, Miss Spencer. What are the
chances of that?”
“Slim, I
daresay.”
“You’ve
lost a great deal of your accent, but if I had to guess, you are from
Bucharest.”
“I am.” How did he know?
His
features darkened. “It appears we were destined to meet. And since we have, I’d
be fascinated to know more about you.”
Although
Alba was taken aback by his boldness, nerves propelled her to continue their
conversation in a blabbering rush. “I came to London when I was fourteen—to
live with a family friend who runs the dormitory apartments of the Royal
Opera’s corps de ballet. Just this
year, I graduated from law school. That’s where Teddy and I met—at King’s
College. Recently, I’ve been assisting Teddy’s father, Harold Rollingsworth, in
the hopes that—”
“—you will
become London’s first female barrister.” Drake completed her thought. Tilting
his head to the side, he gazed at her with admiration. “Lovely, intelligent,
and a pioneer. You are a rare gem, Miss Spencer.”
The
Romanian’s hungry stare closed the small distance between them. Alba’s cheeks
burned. We hardly know one another!
Desperate
to steer the conversation away from herself, she cleared her
throat. “I have yet to wish
you a happy birthday, Dr. Griffin.”
“Thank
you.” The guest of honor did a cordial bow. “But ‘Griffin’ is merely my
professional name.”
Alba
frowned. “What is your real name?”
“Dimitri
Grigorescu.”
Alba’s
limbs froze and the room started to take on a slow whirl. “That’s curious,” she
murmured. “I knew someone by that name in Romania.”
“And I once
knew a girl named Alba Zǎpǎda,” Dimitri said as a curtain of desire passed over
his face. “You.”
His lips
thinned into a familiar smile and Alba’s hand flew to her gaping mouth. Curse my poor eyesight! Now that she was
this close to him she knew precisely who he was: Dimitri, the handsome Gypsy
boy she’d fallen in love with at the tender age of fourteen.
Words
escaped her while she gasped for air.
“Life is
too short to be without the ones you love,” Dimitri purred. “Don’t you think?”
All at once,
memories of the summer Alba spent in the Balkan countryside flashed through her
mind:
The first
kiss she and Dimitri shared amid a field of white poppies.
Simona,
Dimitri’s raven-haired friend.
And the
terrifying night the three of them spent in a haunted graveyard.
Her blood
raced and the room spun in faster circles.
“I’ve been
waiting an eternity to return this to you,” Dimiti whispered as he slipped a
dried white poppy into her hand.
“But I
thought you were dead,” she said before everything went black.
About the Author:
Although Marina
Myles lives under the sunny skies of Arizona, she would reside in a historic
manor house in foggy England if she had her way. Her love of books began as
soon as she read her first fairy tale and eventually led to degrees in English
Literature and Communications. Now, with her loyal Maltese close by, she
relishes the hours she gets to escape into worlds filled with fiery—but not
easily attained—love affairs.
She’s busy being a
wife and a mother, but she is never too busy to hear from her amazing readers.
Visit her at www.marinamyles.com
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