Flipping the Bird (Shift Creek #1) - Carrie Pulkinen Page 0,65
more, and then we find a meal who hasn’t drunk her body weight in liquor.”
“Deal. Although, I’m suddenly in the mood for Irish whiskey.”
He followed Gaston’s gaze toward a tall redhead tugging her reluctant friend down a side street toward an Irish bar. “Whiskey it is, then.”
The place was packed, as were all the bars near Bourbon Street this time of year. The final parade of the evening had ended hours ago, giving the humans plenty of time to get shit-faced and the vampires a smorgasbord of unsuspecting victims. Mardi Gras and New Year’s Eve were the only times a vampire was allowed to bite inside a bar. All other times of the year, they were required to have their meals in a secluded courtyard, an alleyway, or a bathroom stall, depending on how classy the vampire was.
“Vodka’s nice too.” Gaston followed a blonde onto the tiny dance floor, and Ethan leaned against the wall, crossing his arms and taking in the chaotic scene.
Patrons shouted their orders at bartenders, who rushed behind the bar, filling glasses and opening bottles, running credit cards and taking cash. An ass filled every seat in the room, but three-quarters of the patrons stood, laughing and talking with old and newfound friends.
Twenty-five years ago, Ethan might have enjoyed it. He liked to let loose every now and then, until the night he lost his fiancée, Vanessa.
He closed his eyes for a long blink, making room for the pain expanding in his chest. If he were honest with himself, he’d admit the ache had subsided over the years. But the pain was all he had left of the woman he’d loved, and he wasn’t ready to let her go.
He let it resonate for another moment or two before opening his eyes and returning to the present. He’d never forgive himself for what happened to Vanessa, and he didn’t deserve happiness. Not an ounce of it.
Shaking his head, he pushed from the wall and headed toward the dance floor. He’d given Gaston enough time to get his fill; it was time to go.
He maneuvered through the throng of people and made it halfway to his destination before a brunette stumbled into him. She fell backward, but he caught her by the shoulders, setting her on her feet with ease.
“Wow. Either you’re really strong, or I’ve lost a few pounds since I last looked in the mirror.” Her smile drew the air from his lungs, and though he technically didn’t need to breathe, shock brought out his human instincts, making him cough.
She had long brown hair, chocolate eyes, and a sprinkling of freckles across her nose. Her voluptuous curves made his fingers twitch with the urge to run his hands along the peaks and valleys of her gorgeous body. The woman looked so much like Vanessa, his body seized. He stood motionless, staring at her as he calculated the time in his head. Could she be…?
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Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Rebekka McCullough for naming Alice and Megan’s art gallery Shifted Treasures. It’s the perfect name for their shop!
Also by Carrie Pulkinen
New Orleans Nocturnes Series
License to Bite
Shift Happens
Life’s a Witch
Santa Got Run Over by a Vampire
Finders Reapers
Crescent City Wolf Pack Series
Werewolves Only
Beneath a Blue Moon
Bound by Blood
A Deal with Death
A Song to Remember
Crescent City Ghost Tours Series
Love and Ghosts
Love and Omens
Spirit Chasers Series
To Catch a Spirit
To Stop a Shadow
To Free a Phantom
Stand Alone Books
The Rest of Forever
Soul Catchers
Bewitching the Vampire
About the Author
Carrie Pulkinen is a paranormal romance author who has always been fascinated with things that go bump in the night. Of course, when you grow up next door to a cemetery, the dead (and the undead) are hard to ignore. Pair that with her passion for writing and her love of a good happily-ever-after, and becoming a paranormal romance author seems like the only logical career choice.
Before she decided to turn her love of the written word into a career, Carrie spent the first part of her professional life as a high school journalism and yearbook teacher. She loves good chocolate and bad puns, and in her free time, she likes to read, drink wine, and travel with her family.
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