The Del Fantasma Series from Aspen Mountain Press is a multi author series centered around a paranormal bar in southern California and it's matchmaking vampire bartender and owner, Cody Warren. All the stories are named after a cocktail served at some point in each story.
Demonade is my second story in this series. My first is Del Fantasma: Tiger Juice.
Del Fantasma: Demonade
Excerpt is pg.
One night after a good hunt, quick and easy, she slid onto a bar stool at the Del Fantasma. She wore her goth club hunt clothes, a black vinyl bodice trimmed with magenta brocade, a lacey full mini skirt and high, shiny black boots, which were a little out of place at the casual bar. But she didn’t feel like going home to change. Her hunt had gone well and she wanted to celebrate a little in a friendly setting where she didn’t feel so alone. It was a novel feeling for her to be herself in a group. “Well, now isn't this interesting,” Cody said as he placed the Demonade in front of her with a big grin. “Trudy, I'd like you to meet the learned man sitting next to you. Father De Russi.”
Father… A priest in the Del Fantasma? She turned shocked eyes to the man sitting next to her.
He was huge and broad shouldered, with long rusty colored hair pulled back and tied with a leather thong. He wasn't young, there was a touch of silver at his temples and fine lines in the corners of his eyes, but he was very attractive with a strong square jaw line, high cheekbones and intelligent gray eyes behind gold wire rimmed glasses. He wasn't dressed like a priest, but wore a brown plaid flannel shirt over a tan t-shirt and khaki pants. With plain clothes and long legs he looked more like a woodcutter than a priest.
“Please, Cody. I left the priesthood well over a decade ago. Now I'm just an ordinary history teacher.”
“Gabriel De Russi.”
He spoke with a British accent. She loved British accents. Two of her husbands had been Englishmen.
He reached out a huge hand and engulfed her own in a silky hot glide of flesh before she anticipated his move.
He was too young to be a husband. Too attractive. Too full of life force, all together too much of everything. She snatched her hand away just as she felt herself open to partake of his force.
“Now, don't be so modest Gabriel. Guess what he studied for the Church? Just guess!” Cody's blue eyes twinkled with merriment. He shook his head back and forth. “Man, I could not make this stuff happen if I tried; Professor Gabriel De Russi is one of the world's foremost scholars on demonology,” Cody continued. "Meet Trudy, a part human daughter of Asmodeus.” He introduced her with a flourish.
The professor pushed up his glasses. “Asmodeus.” He cleared his throat. “Really? Then I gather you are older than you look. There hasn't been an Asmodeus manifestation for more than two hundred years.”
“Um, yes. I am older than I look.” He'd heard of her father!
“I'll leave you two to get acquainted.” Cody sauntered off.
Trudy took a deep breath, preparing to leave also. Cody confused her. He wouldn't put her in danger would he? She eyed the professor.
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