A Vampire for Christmas by Susan Hanniford Crowley

When the City Sparkles at Christmas by Susan Hanniford Crowley 

When I was young, my parents always took us to visit my mom’s family in New York City.  My Aunt Helen, in particular, delighted in dressing my sister and I up and taking us to see all the window displays in the department stores in Manhattan.  I remember the animated circus theme one year in the Lord & Taylor store, and while it was fun with the circus train and the myriad of electronic toy performers, the one store that stole my heart was Saks Fifth Avenue.  They decorated their store that year in silver stars, snowflakes and streamers.  It became a different world to shop in.  I bought my little black velvet purse and a Persian hand mirror.

It’s funny how our memories inspire us.  When I was asked to write a paranormal Christmas story, I went to bed to dream.  All my tales comes from dreams.   The first scene I saw was Georgia looking forlorn, as she stared transfixed by her coat in the store window display.  Also in the reflection of the storefront was Trevor, vampire and Arnhem Knight.  That one scene started the book.

That’s who A Vampire for Christmas began.   

Blurb:
Georgia doesn't know she's a Harmony. Jobless and about to be homeless, her heart sinks when a hand snatches the coat of her dreams from the storefront window. Then she sees him staring at her reflection . . . the stalker.

Trevor Stenwood, a vampire and Arnhem Knight, is handsome, sophisticated, and tongue-tied every time he sees her. Sworn to protect the supernaturals of the city, he's fallen for a woman marked for death by demons. How can he save her when she's afraid of him?

At Christmas time in New York City, will love bloom in the snow?

Excerpt:

When the waiter arrived with menus, Georgia was dizzy with expectation.  She looked at her menu.  There were no prices and it was hard to choose from so many delicious sounding meals.

“What are you having?”  She leaned toward Trevor.

“I was going to start with the lobster bisque and move on to the shrimp scampi.”

“That sounds good.  I’ll have the same.”

When the waiter returned, Trevor gave him the orders.  He waited until the man was out of hearing range.

“Georgia, you know you could have ordered anything.”

“I know.”  She gazed out the window.  Snow danced over the waves.  Then snowflake and wave would touch as in a kiss and the snow would be gone forever, absorbed into the water.

“May I move my seat so I can sit next to you?”

She thought about saying no, but the truth was she was ready for him to be closer.  “Okay.”

He moved the chair so he was exactly next to her and they could see the same thing out the window.  “It’s sad, isn’t it?”

“What?”

“The snowflake is so exquisite, but its life is so short.  The ocean is eternal.  It loves the snowflake and when they meet.  .  .”

“The snowflake dies.”  Georgia sighed.

“No, not at all.  The snowflake changes into water and becomes immortal.”

Georgia turned to face him.  They were so very close, his mouth above her lips, his eyes gazing deeply into hers.  She could feel him searching for some answer.  Then his lips possessed her mouth so gently, sweetly, as if to caress.  Georgia felt herself melting like the snowflake touching the ocean wave.  She kissed him back.  Every kiss led to another.  She felt his arm steady her.  Her eyes were closed, as his finger brushed her cheek.

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A Vampire for Christmas by Susan Hanniford Crowley is available for Nook at Barnes and Noble Online Store and in PDF at All Romance Ebooks.  Susan is the author of the Vampires in Manhattan series, which consists of When Love Survives, The Stormy Love Life of Laura Cordelais, A Vampire for Christmas, and Vampire in the Basement.  She also has written a mythology romance, Poseidon’s Catch, and a steampunk romance, Mrs. Bright’s Tea Room.  Married with grown children, Susan still enjoys the sparkle of New York City at Christmas.  For more information, visit her website http://www.susanhannifordcrowley.com  or her romance blog  http://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com