I tried to stay awake from the get go, but the story was slow at the beginning and slower in the middle and the ending didn't make much sense at all.

As a long-time fan of vampire fiction, I have had the opportunity to read many different kinds of novels, shorts, etc. Although "The Ruby Tear" is certainly not one of the worst, it isn't one of the best, either.

The story is pretty mundane; a vampire with a grudge against the family who wiped out his family centuries ago. He wants revenge and the jewel the invaders stole. Of course there is the tragic heroine and star-crossed lover story line. And of course the vampire -- who should be old enough to know better -- falls for the girl and screws up his revenge.

The story moves along but it really is more on the order of a Harlequin Romance than the true vampire genre. Not bad for a snack, but don't expect too much substance.

He had been dying on the battlefield when the lady appeared to him. They made a deal. She would give him immortal life as a vampire to hunt down his family's traitor and their descendants until the line is wiped out, as well as, retrieve the ruby necklace the traitor had stolen. Afterward, he would do whatever she said. She wanted other's pain and blood.

Nic is the last of his line. He thought the family curse was but a story. But the lady on the white horse appeared to him. He swerved his car to avoid hitting her and nearly killed his fiance. Now he knows the story is true. A gift would appear next to him or his loved one as warning. Then the vampire will show to kill him. Nic knew the men in his family always died tragically. Now he knew why. Once he knew his fiance, Jessamyn would recover, he broke all ties to her. It was the only way to keep her out of the curse. He refused to have children to carry on the curse. It was time to take a stand. Win or be the last to die to the curse.

Jessamyn had recovered from the accident which nearly crippled her. Nic had thrown her love away and would not even accept her calls. Now Nic had written the best play possible about a family curse and an emerald necklace. She wanted the lead part. She was the best actress for the job. But Nic was determined she would have no part in this play. It was bait to lure a vampire. Jessamyn does get the part. Someone is causing accidents to make her leave the play. A gift of old jewelry shows up and a new strange man comes into her life. A man trying to find Nic through her...a dangerous man.