This Valentine's Special is about Byron, second in command in the Portland Vampire Clan, whom we've met in The Reluctant Alpha, The Hunted Hunter, The Genius Delta, and Cult of Love, and Shannon, one of Shikoba's sisters, whom we met in The Genius Delta, and Cult of Love. If you haven't read these stories, you won't feel too out of place as the events in the short do not spoil the other books. I hope you enjoy! Byron - It's been decades since I wanted or had someone to celebrate Valentine’s Day. I agreed to take things slow with Shannon, but she is literally the woman of my dreams. I want to make her dreams come true. I want to show her a night of romance and passion. I have planned everything. She only needs to say yes. Shannon - The only Valentine’s I have received since grade school have been from my babies. My ex-husband called Valentine’s a commercial fake holiday. I may be free of him, but I'm still conditioned to think romance is only a fantasy. Accepting a surprise romantic n

“Aw, thank you, babies.” I smiled as my five babies gave me their Valentine’s. Since they stopped making us give out Valentine’s in school, the only ones I’ve gotten have been from my kids. And even then, I didn’t start getting them till Kennedy was in Pre-School, and she learned about Valentine’s Day and giving people cards and candy to show you love them. After that, she saved some of the candy she’d get and made me a card. Kennedy then taught each of her younger siblings Valentine’s and had them help her make cards. She even helped my actual baby Russ make me a card. He’ll be a year old next month, so his card was more Kennedy’s effort with his scribbles and handprint. I still love and treasure each card my babies give me. Their father may not have loved me, but I never doubted they did. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Mommy!” Those old enough to say it shouted with smiles on their faces. “Mama!” Russ clapped as he wiggled out of Kennedy’s arms to reach for me. I chuckled and

Byron had officially left me speechless. A proper invitation to see me naked? Was he out of his mind? I don’t care how often he says I’m beautiful exactly as I am. He’s only seen me with clothes on. I can hide the imperfections under clothes. And I’m very good when it comes to hiding things with makeup. Not that I should brag about getting the perfect combination of foundation to hide bruises. I’m a mother of FIVE! That means over the last THIRTEEN years of my life, I’ve been pregnant five times. I have stretch marks and a muffin top that no diet or exercise will eliminate. My ex used to tear me down about how I supposedly let myself go and how I should be happy that he even wanted to have sex with me. If becoming morbidly obese would have gotten me out of that marriage faster without risk to my health, I’d have eaten buckets of greasy fast food for every meal. Either way, there was no way that Bryon and I would be having sex. My vagina may feel differently, but I just got divor

What romance book pages did I fall into? A romantic candlelight dinner at an exclusive French restaurant, complete with a comedic moment between the leads and now this. I’ve been so accustomed to being treated terribly that I don’t believe it when a man treats me well. It’s too much for me to process and accept. I decided these were all worries for later. I didn’t need to sit here and doubt if I deserved a night like tonight, with a man like Byron, or if this was real. I let myself get lost in the music. I felt Byron watching me throughout the hour-long concert. He caught me by surprise as we stood, and instead of leading me out, he took my hand and pulled me close as if we were going to dance or he was going to kiss me. I haven’t danced since my wedding unless you count with my kids. A small part of me would find kissing him, a vampire, in a candlelit church was somehow sinful. As the quartet started playing again, Byron took the lead, and we danced in the church aisle. I gasped