Excerpt of Taste Me by Tamara Hogan

“Shit. Shit, shit, shit.” Lukas Sebastiani pounded down the two flights of narrow stairs separating his warehouse living space from the business floors of Sebastiani Security, tucking his black t-shirt into yesterday’s jeans on the run and trying not to trip on his boot laces.

He was late.

As he thundered down the hallway, several employees working the night shift craned their heads above cubicle walls then descended, like Whack-A-Mole gophers.

Lukas shouldered into his office, dropped into the battered leather chair, elbowed a pile of case files out of the way, and quickly fired up the secure computer and one of the oversized monitors on his desk. “C’mon, c’mon,” he muttered, his large hands twitching over the keyboard. The Council meeting had started over an hour ago – a 3:00 a.m. start time to accommodate the vamps - and Sebastiani Security’s proposal to allow their newest employee unlimited access to the Archives was first up on the agenda. Lukas looked at his watch. “Damn.” He’d missed the vote; Council meetings were run with unwavering efficiency. Thankfully Jack Kirkland, Sebastiani Security’s managing partner, had authorization to issue the Security and Technology seat’s vote.

He flexed his stiff shoulders, rolled his neck. What a shitty start to the night, and the long day to come. He’d been rocked from sleep by waves of lust, pain, and lightning-hot adrenaline that he’d been forced to gulp like he was being water boarded. The tastes and smells had twisted on his tongue, filled his nasal cavities— pinecones, ashes, ozone—and, just in case he hadn’t gotten the message the first time, he’d vomited it right back up. Lukas closed his eyes and drew in a careful breath through his teeth. Someone had died.

One more person he hadn’t been able to save.