Once Bitten

Danger stalks her, but an unexpected alliance with a sexy Spec Ops soldier could be the key to saving not just her life, but the safety of the world as we know it.

She’s a cop, unprepared for what she finds in an abandoned building…

When police officer Sarah Petit investigates a disturbance in an abandoned building, she expects to find a few underage drinkers. Instead, she’s attacked by creatures straight out of a horror movie.

He’s a soldier, inescapably attracted to his latest recruit…

Waking a week later in a hospital, Sarah is recruited by Special Forces soldier Captain Xavier Beauvoir. The so-called zombies who attacked Sarah are the result of military research gone terrifyingly wrong, and Sarah’s immunity to the virus makes her the perfect person to help Xavier eradicate them. But his smooth Cajun accent, whiskey-colored eyes, and dizzying kiss are risky to her in a very different way.

Together, they’ll face danger, and find love…

Sarah attracts danger like a magnet—and the smart, fearless cop attracts Xavier too, instilling a soul-deep need in him. Enlisting her aid is a necessary gamble, but vicious undead creatures are not the only enemy they face. And the only way to keep each other safe is to trust in an instant connection that could be their greatest strength—or the perfect way to destroy them both…

“Who are you?” The question slipped out before she could censor herself.
“Captain Xavier Beauvoir, U.S. Army, at your service, ma’am.” He took off the face mask, much to the surprise of the others in the room. It looped over his ears, and the significance of the Green Beret attached to his belt, visible through the open front of his lab coat, wasn’t lost on her. This guy was Special Forces. What in the world had she stumbled into? She wondered again.
“Aren’t you afraid I’m contagious?” She looked pointedly at the others who still wore their masks.
“Darlin’, there’s not much in this world I’m afraid of. What’s a few little germs among fellow defenders of the innocent?”
“Defenders of the innocent”? Was he flirting with her? The sparkle in those whiskey eyes, the warmth in his tone and the teasing lilt of his words made it seem like he was. Was the guy nuts?
“You’re a cop. I’m a soldier. We protect and serve. Each in our own way,” he clarified.
She thought about it for a moment and had to concede his point.
“So what brings a U.S. Army Green Beret to my hospital room with a team of doctors?”
His expression closed up. Like a door slamming shut. “Why don’t we let the docs do their thing, and then I’ll tell you everything I can. I also want to hear your take on what happened to you. Deal?”
Grimacing as her head began to pound again, Sarah nodded. “All right.”
“Just one more thing. Did that first doctor try anything? What did he say to you?”
“He seemed more interested in the rest of me than my poor, aching head. He asked repeatedly how I felt aside from the headache. And he wanted a blood sample.”
“Did he get it?” The question snapped from him like a whip.
“No. Nurse Aspen arrived in the nick of time. I asked him why he wanted a blood sample for a concussion, and his answer was vague and not very convincing.”
The soldier’s lips thinned to a compressed line. He was annoyed and pensive. Her instincts had been on the money. That first doctor wasn’t supposed to have been in here. Though why the Army was so interested in her case, she had yet to understand.
“Can you describe him?”
“Caucasian, five ten, clean-cut, black hair, dark brown eyes. White lab coat, white dress shirt with a button-down collar, khaki pants, worn-in dark brown boat shoes and manicured hands.”
The soldier looked impressed. “That’s the nice part about working with a police officer. You’re way more observant than a civilian. I’ll have some photos to show you later. I assume you’d recognize his face?”
“Of course.”
“Good.” He moved back. “I’ll get out of here so the doctors can do their thing. See you later, Officer Petit.” He winked at her and left the room.
She hadn’t been winked at since she was a little girl, but somehow this guy got away with it. She had to stifle a smile as he walked out of the room. The sexy soldier had a really nice smile and his accent was drool-worthy, not to mention his chiseled features. He was definitely too sexy for his shirt. Problem was, he knew it.
Sarah had dated a guy like that once. He’d been a fellow officer, back when she was a rookie. Good-looking and charming, Rob had spent a lot of time admiring his own muscles as he worked out each morning in the gym. She’d fallen for his practiced lines and killer smile, and had the scars on her heart to prove it. Since then, she’d stayed away from the handsome brutes who populated the gym and attracted aerobics groupies like flies on dung. Give her a normal guy who didn’t spend more time on his appearance than she did, and she was happy.
Of course, even those kinds of guys were growing thinner on the ground the older she grew. Sarah hadn’t dated much in the past year and she hadn’t been really serious about anyone in longer than that. She was devoted to her work and her small garden. She had a quiet life staked out for herself, although she missed having a man in her life, and the social activities that went along with dating. She didn’t get out much.
The handsome soldier whose voice dripped with sinful invitation could save his winks and flirtatious banter for someone who was interested. Yes, sir. Sarah didn’t want any part of him. Of course, it couldn’t hurt to look. And he did have a really nice, tight butt.
Sarah spent the next forty-five minutes being examined by two of the doctors. These legitimate doctors had extensive paperwork on her already, in addition to that in her chart on the clipboard at the foot of her bed. These doctors tested each and every one of her joints, checking her reflexes, and asked detailed questions about specific items.
They also told her details about her progress. They let her know what had been done to her over the time she’d been out of it. The only thing they didn’t talk about was her head, but she assumed the concussion was Dr. Singh’s specialty, and he was long gone.
About the time she was starting to get annoyed with the medical jargon and all the poking and prodding, the door opened and Studly the Soldier came strolling back in. He hadn’t replaced his mask and the lab coat was gone. Hubba-hubba. He certainly filled out those camo fatigues of his. She admired his physique even as she caught him giving her bare legs a thorough once-over while the doctors finished examining her calves, ankles and feet.
When they covered her again with the blanket, Xavier’s gaze roamed upward to meet hers. A hint of a grin lifted one side of his sensuous mouth. He knew damn well she’d caught him ogling her, and his expression said he didn’t much care. Yeah, he was definitely a scoundrel. She’d have to watch herself around him.
“So, what about the bite?” Sarah refocused her attention on the doctors. They’d talked about every bruise and contusion on her body but hadn’t mentioned the bite yet.
The doctors drew back and looked at each other, then at Xavier. Neither of the medical personnel said anything for a long moment.
“It’s all right.” Xavier stepped up to her bedside as he spoke. “I’ll take it from here. Why don’t you two go back down to the lab?”
The two doctors followed the soldier’s orders without further comment and left the room.
“Alone at last,” Xavier joked as the door shut behind the doctors.