Single White Vampire (Argeneau #3)
By Lynsay Sands
Prologue
January 30th
Dear Mr. Argeneau:
I hope this letter gets to you, finds you well, and that you had a happy holiday season. This is the second communication I've sent. The first was mailed just before Christmas. No doubt it was lost in the holiday confusion. I did attempt to contact you by telephone; unfortunately, the contact information we have doesn't include your phone number, and it is apparently unlisted.
As to the reason for writing; I am pleased to inform you that the vampire series you write under the name Luke Amirault is quite popular with readers—much more so than we ever expected. There has even been a great deal of interest in a possible book-signing tour. So many stores have contacted us regarding this possibility that I thought I should contact you and find out if and when you would be interested in undertaking such an endeavor.
Please contact this office with your phone number and your response.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Kate C. Leever
Editor, Roundhouse Publishing Co., Inc., New York, NY
April 1st
Dear Ms. Leever:
No.
Sincerely,
Lucern Argeneau
Toronto, Ontario
April 11th
Dear Mr. Argeneau:
I received your letter this morning and, while I gather you are not interested in a book-signing tour, I feel I should stress just how strong is the public's interest in your books. Your popularity is growing rapidly. Several publications have written requesting an interview. I don't think I need explain how helpful such publicity would be to future sales.
As to a book-signing tour, not only have we had phone calls regarding one, but a highly successful bookstore chain with outlets in both Canada and the United States has announced that it would be willing to foot the bill to have you visit their larger stores. They would arrange and pay for your flights, put you up in hotels at each stop, and supply a car and driver to collect you from the airport, see you to the hotel, then to the signing and back. This is no small offer, and I urge you to consider it carefully.
As mail from here to Toronto appears to be quite slow—though your return letters seem to take the usual ten days—I am sending this by overnight express. I would appreciate your immediate response—and please remember to include your phone number this time.
Sincerely,
Kate C. Leever
Editor, Roundhouse Publishing Co., Inc., New York, NY
June 15th
Dear Ms. Leever:
No.
Sincerely,
Lucern Argeneau
Toronto, Ontario
June 26th
Dear Mr. Argeneau:
Once again you have forgotten to include your phone number. That being the case, I would first ask that you please call the office at once and speak to either myself, or, if I should happen to be unavailable when you call, my assistant Ashley. You may call collect if necessary, but I would really like to talk to you myself because I feel sure that you may not realize how popular you have become, or how important and necessary contact with your readers can be.
I do not know if you're aware of it, but fan sites are springing up all over the Internet and we receive tons of mail daily for you which will be boxed and forwarded to you separate from this letter. I have mentioned the requests for a book-signing tour in previous letters, but should tell you that those requests are now reaching unmanageable proportions. It seems almost every bookstore around the world would love to have you visit and are sure the signing would be a major success. While you could not possibly hit every store, we think that one store in every major city would be manageable.
I would also like to urge you to consider giving an interview or two, and am including the letters we have received from various publications regarding this. As you will notice, these requests come from more than just romance publications. Your popularity has gone mainstream, as is reflected by the fact that various newspapers and literary magazines are also requesting interviews. We have even had interest from a couple of the morning news shows. While the news shows would have to be in person, the newspaper and magazine interviews need not be; they could be managed either over the phone or even the Internet if you are on it. Are you on the Internet? If so, I would also like your e-mail address and would encourage you to get Windows Messenger or something similar so that I could speak to you in such a way. Several of my writers have Messenger, and we find it quite convenient and much quicker than normal mail.
There is much more I would like to discuss with you. Please remember to phone this office as soon as possible, collect if necessary. Again, I am sending this letter overnight express.
Sincerely,
Kate C. Leever
Editor, Roundhouse Publishing Co., Inc., New York, NY
August 1st
Dear Ms Leever:
No.
Sincerely, Lucern Argeneau
Toronto, Ontario
Chapter One
Thursday, September 11th
"Rachel swears she never wants to see another coffin as long as she lives."
Lucern grunted at his mother's comment as he and his younger brother Bastien set the coffin down on the basement floor. He knew all about his soon-to-be sister-in-law's new aversion; Etienne had explained everything. That was why he was storing the thing. Etienne was willing to move it out of the mansion to keep his fiancée happy, but for sentimental reasons—he couldn't bring himself to permanently part with it. The man swore he came up with his best ideas lying inside its silent darkness. He was a bit eccentric. He was the only person Lucern could think of who would bring a coffin to his own wedding rehearsal. The minister had been horrified when he'd caught the three brothers transferring it from Etienne's pickup to Bastien's van.