Moonlight and Diamonds & The Vampire's Fall by Michele Hauf Page A

Stryke.”
    He sighed and nodded. But for a few seconds he studied her. Trying to look inside her? Figure how he had missed that she was a werewolf?
    If only she had known the same about him.
    Finally, Stryke strolled toward the bathroom.
    Tearing her gaze from his sexy backside, Blyss sighed. The life she led was a difficult achievement. And she did strive for it. But it was to be her undoing.
    When the bathroom door closed, she slipped the dress over her head as she made a beeline for the closet door. Inside, the walk-in closet was vast and empty. Only the first rack held a few items. Two pairs of men’s shoes sat on the floor beside a large empty suitcase.
    She touched the hung items. A few T-shirts. Some jeans and a pair of dressier slacks. One white dress shirt. Nothing designer. And one black tie that wasn’t silk but rather something like polyester.
    Blyss shuddered. The man’s wardrobe was hideous. Not a natural fiber in the lot, and yet the suit last night had been Zegna, if she was not mistaken. And she rarely misjudged couture. Though it had been poorly tailored to fit him, it had been expensive. She was sure of it.
    Where was the suit?
    â€œHey.”
    Blyss startled. She hadn’t heard Stryke’s return and now he stood in the doorway, filling the space with an easy confidence, shoulders set back and head tilted. He’d put on a pair of jeans that hung low, revealing the hard cuts of muscle that veered toward his groin like some kind of traffic alert that screamed “Go this way!”
    â€œWhat are you doing?” He held a boxed toothbrush in his hand.
    â€œUh, just...looking.” She spread her palm down the front of one of the T-shirts. Shit. What to say? “I’m a bit of a snoop.” Weren’t all women? “A girl can learn a lot about a man by standing in his closet.”
    Oh, bad save, Blyss. Very bad save.
    â€œIs that so? Tell me what you’ve learned about me?”
    â€œThat you’re a terrible traveler. Didn’t you say you were in town for a wedding? Where’s the suit you wore last night?”
    â€œIt was a loaner. I dropped it off at Vail’s earlier today. I’ve been doing a lot of running around for my family, picking up things they need for the wedding.”
    â€œVail?”
    â€œA vampire. He’s the father of the groom. I borrowed the suit for the night. I’ve been informed by the female faction of all this wedding madness that I’ll have a rental for the wedding. Although...I imagine Vail will probably wear the suit for the wedding.”
    â€œVail,” she muttered. “I don’t think I’ve heard of him.”
    â€œYou probably haven’t. Vamps tend to stay off the radar.”
    â€œYes, I suppose.”
    He discussed vampires with her so casually. As if it was something she was familiar with and engaged in discussion every day. The paranormal breeds were something she avoided with a passion. And talking about them made her uncomfortable.
    â€œBut since you don’t want to discuss the werewolf thing, I’ll assume vampires are off the table, too?”
    She nodded and dropped her hand from the front of the dress shirt.
    â€œSo, do you want to go to a wedding?” Stryke offered as he waggled the toothbrush before her.
    Blyss accepted the packaged offering and tapped it against her lower lip. A wedding with vampires? Oh, mercy no. But if the suit was going to be there? Had she any other choice?
    The last thing she wanted to do was associate with werewolves and vampires.
    â€œWeddings are always fun,” she managed to say brightly. “When is it?”
    â€œSaturday. It’s an evening wedding. I’ll pick you up around six?”
    She nodded. “It’s a date.”
    Step three of the plan had failed miserably. On to step four. Emergency procedures.
    â€œI’ll need your address.”
    Blyss strolled out into the bedroom, stepped into her