The Vampire Haven

Newsletter Exclusives!

Welcome, my beloved newsletter subscribers! Please enjoy these previews and bonus content only for you.

Past Exclusives From Book 1:

Read all about the Vampire Haven series here

October 2025: Finn and August’s first kiss

Book 1: A gorgeous, charming vampire looking for his happily-eternally-after falls ridiculously hard for a shy, nerdy human who’s never had a date in his life.

Finn Sullivan is among the most eligible bachelors in Chicago, with movie-star good looks and a reputation as a talented gentle dom. Secretly, he’s also a vampire looking for the love of his life in the shape of a human who wants a very long-term relationship. Finn realizes almost immediately upon meeting introverted, inexperienced August Amesbury that August could be The One. But Finn’s been disappointed in love before—will sweet, shy August only break his heart once more?

August Amesbury can get his head around the idea of actual vampires congregating in a diner to have lots of sex. And while he has no idea what these (very) friendly strangers mean when they say August is a sub in need of a gentle dom, he’s down for figuring that out. What August can’t believe is that Finn Sullivan, the most beautiful person in the world, could actually be interested in awkward, geeky August. But that could be a problem, because August is pretty sure he’s already falling in love.

Plus! A plot! What will August’s awful cousin Logan do when he finds out August has snagged the trophy lover Logan’s been chasing?

Excerpt from Chapter 2

Finn turned the conversation to pleasanter things for a while, August relaxing bit by bit, and Finn leaning in, slowly, until they were closer than new acquaintances generally sat. Not quite close enough to kiss. But enough that August’s breath hitched.

“I know this place is a lot for new people,” Finn said. “But I want to thank you for meeting me tonight.”

August’s eyes fluttered behind his glasses, nervous again. “Oh, um, that’s. I don’t know why they set that up.”

“I believe they said you were my type,” Finn said, unable to keep from smiling.

“But obviously, I’m not.”

“Now, why would you say that?”

August waved his hand. “You said you can see yourself in a mirror, so—”

“August,” Finn said softly. “Trust me. All right?” August eyes were wide with confusion, worry, and such longing. “I’ve been sitting over here trying to think how I could possibly thank Sean for finding you,” Finn said. “Your pretty curls, your blush, your laugh. I find you desperately attractive, I promise you.”

August actually shivered, his shoulders jumping, his eyes now trained on Finn’s face like the rest of the room didn’t exist. Like Finn was the source of his nervousness, but also of his reassurance, and that was when Finn started to realize how incredible this was going to be.

“Have you ever been kissed?” Finn asked.

“Um. Sort of?” August whispered. “I guess.”

“So you’ve never been truly, passionately, thoroughly kissed.”

August shook his head, curls trembling.

“Would you like to be?”

It was beautiful to watch the struggle on August’s face, anxiety warring with desire, until he finally nodded. Finn tried to keep the grin off his face as he leaned in to brush his lips against August’s forehead. He pulled back just enough to see August looking at him in confusion and murmured, “Not here.”

Finn’s legs were unexpectedly shaky when he stood. He took August’s hand to lead him away from the counter, but not all the way into the shadowed corners, where body heat and the smell of blood made Finn recall other pleasurable times. Instead, he took August to a tall table by the wall. A lamp hung there gave light where the sun might come through if the Haven had windows.

August caught his breath as Finn fitted his hands around his waist and easily lifted him to sit on the table.

Finn leaned close to whisper in August’s ear. “I’m afraid I’m not above trying to impress you.”

“Oh, um, that’s really not necessary.”

Finn gently lifted August’s glasses off his face and folded them onto the table. “Near-sighted or far-sighted?”

“Um, near.”

“So you can still see me, then.”

“Pretty sure I have you memorized.”

August’s breaths were shaky, so Finn leaned in and gently kissed his forehead again. Then his cheek, the side of his jaw, the place his pulse jumped in his throat. “Shhh,” he murmured. “It’s all right. I have you.”

That sort of thing didn’t work with every lover, but August took it so beautifully, leaning in, even raising his hand to clutch at Finn’s white cabled sweater. Finn couldn’t help but kiss him on the mouth, briefly, and then again, tasting the softness of him, the warmth of his body.

Then Finn used his thumb to tug August’s mouth open and kissed him for real.

August gave a surprised moan and after a few frozen seconds, pressed forward into it. Finn’s arms closed around him. He kept the kiss slow and gentle, open-mouthed with just a hint of tongue. It felt incredible to have this man in his embrace, all the sweet shyness of him. When Finn pulled away, he wasn’t sure which of them was shaking.

Somehow, Finn had tapped into that hope he usually tried to keep down, but right now, it felt so close. “You’re doing so well for me,” Finn murmured, and watched as August’s pupils blew wide.

Finn couldn’t stop himself from gently gripping August’s throat, tipping his head. “Like this,” he said in a low, commanding voice. August went willingly, and Finn was lost to it. He kissed this beautiful man the way his heart wanted, with gentle guidance and a fair amount of possessiveness, and August responded more ardently than Finn could have hoped for.

August’s bright laugh, his pretty smiles had only hinted at what passion ran within the man, and here, with August’s self-consciousness let go in Finn’s embrace, Finn could taste it all for himself. August did not know how to kiss, but he met Finn’s tongue with his own, making breathless little sounds and chasing Finn’s mouth if it pulled away even slightly.

Finn gently pried August’s hands loose from his sweater and guided his arms around Finn’s neck, which made August slide closer to him, resting on the edge of the table. Finn parted August’s legs with a small push of his hand, and stepped between them, where he was thrilled to find August’s cock stone-hard in his jeans. Not that Finn wasn’t in the same situation.

Finn ran his tongue along August’s lower lip, his hand over the bumps of August’s spine, one by one, down toward his waist. August shivered, opening his mouth to encourage Finn’s tongue back inside. Finn wanted to touch every inch of this man, to learn him by heart, in the dark, in the light, even.

It may not have been the most erotic thing going on in the Haven at that moment, but Finn was certain no couple in a back room could possibly be enjoying themselves more than he was with August in his arms, a man he’d just met, who let himself be kissed with the trust of a long-term lover. August’s legs were squeezing Finn’s hips, and he’d slid to the edge of the table trying to get closer, seeming sure Finn would not let him fall.

Finn sank a hand into August’s wild curls, which made August gasp into the kiss, and God, Finn wanted to hear more of that, but August had started trembling again, and Finn didn’t want him too overwhelmed.

He broke the kiss gently, with his hands cupping August’s face. August looked dazed, lost, his mouth still parted.

“Christ,” Finn breathed, guiding August’s head to his shoulder. He stroked August’s hair, feeling his heartbeat race against Finn’s chest.

Finn wanted nothing more than to pick August up, take him into one of the back rooms, strip him bare, lay him down on a soft bed and feel August’s naked body beneath his own. Would August fold his legs over Finn’s hips if guided to? Would he bare his throat even without guidance?

Finn suspected he might, but if Finn rushed things now, he might frighten August away. It hit Finn suddenly, uncomfortably, that he did not want to lose this man.

Finn tried to keep the shakes out of his voice as he said, “You beautiful thing. Let me buy you dinner.”



Graphics made on Canva. City image is “Earth Hour Cityscape” by Sketchify, Canva free license.