Read Duet in Blood for Free Online Page B

for?”
    “That didn’t last.” I forced out a light laugh. “I guess he was even more boring than me.”
    Joseph gave me a little shake. “You are not boring, Micah.”
    DUET IN BLOOD
    J.P. Bowie
    32
     
    “You haven’t known me long enough to have that opinion,” I said, laughing again.
    “Do not denigrate yourself.” He leaned on his elbow, looking down at me, a frown creasing his brow. “Low esteem is not an attractive quality.” He bent and kissed my cheek.
    “You are much better than that.”
    “Thanks,” I murmured, stroking his face with my fingertips.
    “Are you still in love with him?” he asked.
    “No, I don’t think so. I miss him, of course. We did have a lot of fun together, but it’s hard to stay in love with someone who doesn’t give a flying you-know-what for anyone’s feelings but his own.”
    “Earlier, you told me you had been out of circulation for some time. Is this the first time you’ve been out since he left you?”
    “Yep. First time out.” I smiled up at him. “Who knew I’d get so lucky?”
    He pulled me into his arms. “As I said before, I’m the lucky one.”
    His kiss was even hotter than before, bringing me such a rush of sensual desire that it seemed to cast a spell of forgetfulness over my mind. Robert was completely forgotten as Joseph’s lips took mine in a kiss that sent my senses spiralling out of control. I grabbed his shoulders, loving the feel of the hard muscles that bunched under his skin as I pulled him down on top of me. In a second or two, I was all fired up again, hard as a rock and rarin’ to go. He was too, so putting any further conversation on hold, we went at it again…and again.
    DUET IN BLOOD
    J.P. Bowie
    33

Chapter Two
    Joseph
     
    In all my long life, I have known but a few men who could arouse instant feelings of longing in my heart. Marcus, of course, but our union had been fated to be not one of lovers, but of abiding friendship—a friendship that I have treasured above all others. Without him, I might have languished in captivity forever, and without the gift of his blood, I doubt I would have survived the ordeal. Bernard and Angelo both touched my heart, and since then, there have been only one or two others, who sadly, could not accept what I am, and so had to be left with no memory of ever having met me.
    This is what I feared might be the price I would pay for my night of rapture with Micah.
    Holding him as he slept so peacefully in my arms after our lovemaking, I felt my heart constrict with apprehension at the thought that his sweet face would crease with horror on discovering my true identity.
    A vampire can control human minds to a certain degree. We can read their thoughts, we can erase their memory of us—and we can exert our will upon them, binding them to us for as long as we wish. It would be so easy for me to plant such a thought in Micah’s mind—
    to have him love me unconditionally and follow wherever I might lead. But that had never been my way, and it would not be now.
    Micah must come to me willingly, or not at all.
    Sometimes I wished that we vampires, along with our many talents, could also foresee the future. Unfortunately, that gift had not been bestowed upon us. We remain as surprised as most mortals at unexpected turns of events, our only defence being the ability to read the minds of those who might want to surprise us.
    Micah stirred in my arms, pressing his face to my chest, covering my legs with his. His lips fluttered on my skin, and I kissed his forehead, holding him gently so as not to fully wake him, even though I longed to make love to him again. Perhaps I could…
    DUET IN BLOOD
    J.P. Bowie
    34
     
    I entered his mind, and to my delight found him dreaming of the passion we had
    shared. In his dream, we were locked in each other’s arms, his legs were wrapped around my waist and I was buried deep inside him. I could feel the moist heat of his core, the warmth of his lips on mine, the desire that