Nights in Pink Satin by Sharon Maria Bidwell
The normal level of Changeling Press' books is good but seldom they are "deep". They are nice stories thought for a light break. And so it was unexpected to find such a story like Nights in Pink Satin. Even from the title I was expecting a light tale, and instead it's almost a gothic romance with a touch of urban fantasy. Anyway I should have some hints by the cover, again one of those nice covers that Changeling Press lately reserves to some authors.
Vincent is a century years old vampire, and probably he is also bored. He is searching a new satin cloth for his coffin and when he sees a deep pink satin cloth he wonders who is the vampire who made such an order. Obviously he thinks to a woman, and he is so enthralled that he decides to pay her a visit. When he arrives to her flat, he discovers some odd things, like gay porn movie and make up, sex toys and posters on the wall like in a teenager bedroom. Who is the strange vampire who is living there? Before Vincent could realize the truth, Martin comes back home.
Martin is a very young vampire, and he was a very young man. The vampire who turned him didn't teach him as to live as a vampire, and Martin is trying to go on with his ordinary life with some adjustment. But he is very lonely, and so, when he comes back home to find an handsome vampire in his one bedroom apartment, he is all for making friends, and maybe something more. On the other hand Vincent doesn't know what to do with a gay vampire... lately he isn't really interested in sex, and when he feels a stir of desire, he always relates that to a woman. But now in front of him there is Martin, and Vincent is both attracted by the man but also by the "innocent" vampire.
Forced to share a closet for a day (yes, really, a closet, the only place in Martin's apartment where there is enough darkness), Vincent lets it go any reticence, and Martin doesn't think twice to take advantage of the situation. But when the day will be over, and with the night Vincent will be free to go, will he have to courage to leave Martin alone to his fate?
I have the feeling that Vincent is drawn to Martin more since he is bored than for a real sexual interest, and Martin is drawn to Vincent above all since he is lonely and desperately wants to be with someone like him, a vampire. Martin has probably had enough bad experiences of rejection when he was a man due to the fact that he is gay, and now as a vampire he is re-living all of that, now he has another reason, even more scaring, to hide from people. It's so sad to see his life through Vincent's eyes when he is spying in the apartment, all the objects tell a life of loneliness and lost hopes. Even if I was really wishing that Vincent would have been starstruck by Martin at first sight, his reluctance makes for an even more interesting reading, I loved to see the innocent seduction of Martin, and the sex in the closet was hot and "symbolic".
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