Aspen Mountain Press www.aspenmountainpress.com Copyright ©2011 by Aspen Mountain Press First published in 2011, 2011 NOTICE: This work is copyrighted. It is licensed only for use by the original purchaser. Making copies of this work or distributing it to any unauthorized person by any means, including without limit email, floppy disk, file transfer, paper print out, or any other method constitutes a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines or imprisonment. CONTENTS Del Fantasma: Toasted Almond Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six * * * * Warning * * * * This e-book contains adult scenes and language. This story is meant for adults only as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Store your e-books carefully where they cannot be accessed by younger readers. Del Fantasma: Toasted Almond Dressed for far colder weather, Armand makes a strange spectacle in Del Fantasma. Krakow cannot believe Cody sends the man over to his corner, especially when he'd told the vampire he wanted to be alone. His disgruntlement soon changes when he realizes there's something different about Armand. Has Cody done the impossible and found someone Krakow can finally share intimacy with? Krakow has the answers to Armands lonely existence and a cure so Armand no longer has to feel cold. Del Fantasma Toasted Almond * * * * Sharon Maria Bidwell * * * * Aspen Mountain Press Del Fantasma: Toasted Almond Copyright @ 2011 Sharon Maria Bidwell This e-book is a work of fiction. While references may be made to actual places or events, the Names, characters, incidents, and locations within are from the authors imagination and are not a resemblance to actual living or dead persons, businesses, or events. Any similarity is coincidental. Aspen Mountain Press PO Box 473543 Aurora CO 80047-3543 www.AspenMountainPress.com Published by Aspen Mountain Press, July, 2011 www.AspenMountainPress.com This book is licensed to the original purchase only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines and/or imprisonment. The e- book cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this e-book can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. ISBN: 978-1-60168-301-4 Released in the United States of America Editor: Nikita Gordyn Cover artist: Nikita Gordyn [Back to Table of Contents] Chapter One The busy atmosphere inside the Del Fantasma did nothing to ease Armand's fatigue; all it did was add yet another item to his list of annoying thingsa list that he changed as often as there were hours in the day. Trying to ignore the stares, smirks and associated whispers that his attire attracted, he made his way to the bar. He'd grown used to the attention over the years. It wasn't his fault if he felt the cold, any more than he could help it if the woolen argyle knit that he'd picked up on his travels looked peculiar not only for the time of year but for Southern California. Armand had notched up numerous countries as well as a list of annoyances over the yearstoo many years. More years than he cared to count. These days he hated looking in the mirror, his unchanging appearance had actually begun to frighten him. A familiar icy doubt chilled him throughout, despite his clothing. He'd always felt the cold, but recently his discomfort seemed to be growing worse. The cold tormented him both inside and out. As he finally reached the bar, it took all his concentration not to shiver. Sometimes people thought he was sick or a potential plague carrier if he weren't careful. Scanning an array of different colored liquids in a myriad of bottles of such varying shapes and sizes as the bar's patrons, Armand dithered over which drink to order. Would the bar serve coffee if he asked? Steaming, piping hot black coffee with a shot of brandy might just do the trick, but he knew even if he drank it scalding, way past boiling point, it would warm him only for a short while. It would also attract more attention if he asked for it that hot and drank it down without any visible signs of pain or injury. The bartender turned to him, holding up one finger, indicating he'd be only a moment. Armand blinked. Despite the noise of the crowd, Armand sensed that the man moved quietly, and he wouldn't have been able to hear the bartender even if the room were silent. As the barkeep finished with a customer and glidedyes, definitely glidedbehind the bar, Armand found himself staring into the man's startling sea blue eyes. Despite the bartender's overall scruffy appearance, Armand sensed an energy coming from himsomething...otherworldly. Armand blinked, snapping out of his stupor. Had the man hypnotized him a little? If the bartender were something otherand Armand had experienced enough strange things in his years of travelling to know such things existedthen he was the only one who seemed to have sensed something wrong. No one paid any attention when the six foot tall, well-muscled guy behind the bar slid a tall glass across. Ice filled a third of the glasssomething Armand shivered at the sight of and positively didn't needand almost to the brim with dark, sparkling liquid. Even as Armand stared at the glass, bubbles broke the surface of the drink, popped and fizzed. "I haven't ordered,” Armand said. "This is what you need." Armand wanted to laugh, but the sound would have emerged sounding rueful. No one had any idea what he needed, least of all a bartender. "Name's Cody Warren,” the bartender said. “I own this place and I always know what people need. Drink this." "I...what is that?” It looked like a drink that a woman would order. At least there wasn't an umbrella in it. "Toasted Almond." "What?” Armand blinked. "It's called a Toasted Almond." "Oh.” For a moment there he'd thought the bartenderCodyhad said, toasted Armand. “What's in it?" "Disaronno, whisky and coke." "Disarwhatno?” He couldn't be certain, but it looked as if an actual smile tugged at Cody's lips. "Disaronno. It's Amaretto, an Italian liquor. Try it." Armand reached out, fingers settling around the glass with some hesitation. He