The Midnight Cup

The Midnight Cup is a story that follows the romance between a white witch and her man … turned slayer … turned vampire … turned soul mate.
Marcus McKinney is a trained member of the Society and a vampire slayer. With an ancient hieroglyphic tattoo to ward off his own personal demons, he travels to a small college town in the Midwest. It is here that he finds The Midnight Cup. A quaint coffee house with a backroom … filled with vampires.
The owner of this little establishment is Serenity Baker. She is a Natural. With her long blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes, she is a beautiful white witch that offers light magic with a simple touch. It is this power that draws the coven of vampires to her small coffee shop which in turn brings Marcus into her life.
The Midnight Cup tells their story amidst a brewing war. With a circle of witches, a coven of vampires, and a league of Society members, who knows what could happen next.

Excerpt:
Standing in the moonlight, he watched the neon sign blink in the window of the coffee house across the street. College kids came and went around him. Yet none seemed to notice his presence. The stranger had spent years learning to blend into the shadows.
The night hours slowly passed. It wasn’t until he could feel the coming dawn that he strode across the street and walked inside. Only a few students were left as he took a seat at a corner table. He was keenly aware that the backroom was now empty and this fact pleased the woman behind the counter.
Oddly though, she hadn’t stopped staring at him since he entered. The delicate beauty could somehow see through his shades of practiced darkness and it unnerved him. The tattoo that circled his left bicep felt like it tightened.
They locked eyes as she approached. “What are you?” She leaned in and pretended to wipe down his table.
“I was just wondering the same thing about you.” She reminded him of a skittish foal. He reached out to touch her hand and she jerked back.
“Is that why you’re here?” Looking hurt, then angry, she motioned to the door. “Get out.”
“You’ve got this all wrong.” The stranger shook his head in confusion and then pointed toward the red curtain. “I’m here to help you with your little…problem.”
She froze and gave him a long, hard look. “I’ll ask you again. What are you?”
He pulled a large wooden stake out of his trench coat and laid it on the table. “I’m a slayer.”
She sat down at his table and spoke with soft, hesitant words. “Are you part of the Society?”
The question hung in the air as he watched tiny sparkles of gold dance in her light blue eyes. Unknowingly, he reached for her again. The jolt of electricity that followed caused him to take in a quick breath of air. The surge was sudden and left warmth. Staring down at their point of contact, his large hand covering hers, he smiled in awe. “I’m Marcus McKinney. And yes, I’m with the Society.”
“Then you know I’m a natural,” she paused only a moment, “don’t you?”
The glowing warmth evaporated as quickly as it had arrived. In one fluid motion, he disconnected from her and picked up the stake. Damn it, Josh. This was not in your report. He hid the weapon back in the folds of his trench coat and questioned his next move. There wasn’t supposed to be any other paranormal element. The Society might care, but his fight was only with the vampires. This white witch was not his problem.
The woman across from him looked so innocent. “Whatever it is that causes your heart to darken…”
The slayer pushed back his chair and stood. “Let’s get this straight. I’ve no interest in your natural magic or your pity. My assignment is only the coven of vampires you harbor. Don’t get in my way.”
****
Serenity didn’t have to watch him leave. She could feel it. This slayer, with his curly brown hair and eyes the color of dark chocolate, had an aura she hadn’t experienced before. It was more complex and torn than the simplicity of a human. Yet it didn’t have the vast emptiness of the vampire either. His soul was different, unique, hidden in shadow. Marcus McKinney was circled with a deep fog. There were layers to this man she just couldn’t see and that intrigued her.
In fact, she couldn’t think of much else as she closed up the coffee shop. Even after saying goodbye to her staff and locking the doors, she couldn’t get him out of her mind. It was clear to her that his fight with Ivan’s clan was personal. For he might be shaped like a slayer, with years of physical training, but there was more to him than that. Marcus wasn’t just another Society drone. He couldn’t be.

Author Bio:

My name is Misty Burke and I live in the Romantic Ozark Mountains with my supportive husband and our four wonderful children. When I'm not enjoying family time, I love to write steamy romances. Creating exciting fantasy worlds filled with dangerously handsome heroes is one of my passions.
My favorite writing quote is ...
The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes. ~Agatha Christie

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