Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 43
October 17, 2023
A Bewitching Tuesday
Kim Catanzarite’s Favorite Halloween Drink ~ Staked: A Vampire’s Tale (Angel of Death Series, Book One) by Kim Catanzarite ~ Fantasy-Supernatural-Speculative ~ Haunted Halloween Spooktacular #Excerpt #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3tJBM4s
The Chimera Project by A.P. Taber Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/46AygIo
INTERVIEW - FANTASY - NATURAL DISASTER (Witches of Willowbrook, #1) by Alena Orrison #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3FiETmu
Giveaway – Taken By The Alpha King by Abigail Barnette @RoxanneRhoads
https://www.fundinmental.com/alpha-king/
Halloween Flash Fiction by A.P. Taber Plus The Chimera Project Book Tour #YASciFi #SpaceOpera #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3tGHaFx
Author Advice with Alena Orrison #Fantasy #WitchyFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3PUEVGh
The Chimera Project Book Tour
In a Universe of Secrets. One Girl’s Destiny Unfolds #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3PVn2XX
The Travelling City is a place where reality is a canvas and humans are the artists. Reihan, the weary peacekeeper, is used to cleaning up their messes. But when she meets Phillippe, a charismatic figure with a dangerous secret, she must navigate a world where charm and manifestation collide. Can she resist the allure of the unknown, or will she be drawn into a web of intrigue and desire.
https://amzn.to/46wDNjc
#Romantasy #DarkFantasy #Fantasybooks #Fantasy #Fantasylovers #Fantasybookstagram #Fantasybook #Fantasyworld #Fantasyromancebookstagram #Originalfantasy #CommissionsEarned
Natural Disaster by Alena Orrison #Fantasy #WitchyFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3rTqNF8
Witching on a Star- A 10 Episode Short Story on Kindle Vella
Read the first 3 episodes FREE
#spicy #paranormalromance #witchromance #vampireromance
#KindleVella #Vella
https://www.amazon.com/Witching-on-a-...
Melanie’s Awakening by Celia Breslin #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3Fkuo2b
Honey Drop Tome 1 Volume 2 by Alicia R. Norman and Krishtina Mayers #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/499UAuj
Guardian of Monsters ; Sleuths of Shadow Salon Book One by Catherine Stine #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3Fm2hjm
Dancing Vampires by Cornelia Amiri #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3Q1PRlm
Craving Beauty by Jennifer Silverwood #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/402RyUf
An Angel’s Obsession by Celia Breslin #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3tD711m
Bewitching Book Tours Haunted Halloween Spooktacular: AISLING: In the Land of Wolves by Eileen Sheehan #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/45yhSa2
As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases #Amazon #ad #CommissionsEarned
October 16, 2023
A Bewitching Monday
Halloween Flash Fiction by A.P. Taber Plus The Chimera Project Book Tour #YASciFi #SpaceOpera #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3tGHaFx
A Haunting At Newsham Park Hospital with Richie Billing #EpicFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3PZyVfd
Author Advice with Alena Orrison #Fantasy #WitchyFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3PUEVGh
A.K. Palombo's Top Five Favorite Scenes in Heavy Metal Symphony #WomensFiction #HeavyMetal #RockNRoll #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3tzl73E
Vampire Iniquity by Eileen Sheehan #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/45sCZKZ
In a world where humans shape reality with their thoughts, Reihan has spent a century as a peacekeeper. But when she encounters the enigmatic Phillippe, who's harnessed the city's subconscious for power, she can't just stand by. Dive into a realm of manifestation and manipulation in this thrilling tale.
https://amzn.to/46wDNjc
#Romantasy #DarkFantasy #Fantasybooks #Fantasy #Fantasylovers #Fantasybookstagram #Fantasybook #Fantasyworld #Fantasyromancebookstagram #Originalfantasy
Natural Disaster by Alena Orrison Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3ZWgdd6
A (Heavy Metal) Halloween Party Playlist with A.K. Palombo #WomensFiction #HeavyMetal #RockNRoll #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3rMTaF0
Melanie’s Awakening by Celia Breslin #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3M0n6UU
Witching on a Star- A 10 Episode Short Story on Kindle Vella
Read the first 3 episodes FREE
#spicy #paranormalromance #witchromance #vampireromance
#KindleVella #Vella
https://www.amazon.com/Witching-on-a-...
Honey Drop Tome 1 Volume 2 by Alicia R. Norman and Krishtina Mayers #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/46xr8wv
The Chimera Project by A.P. Taber #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3Q164HF
Bewitching Book Tour's Haunted Halloween Spooktacular: Taken By The Alpha King by Abigail Barnette #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3S4vzKH
Staked: A Vampire’s Tale by Kim Catanzarite #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/48RjuOV
"Mom saw my dad in me. I had her blonde hair, but I had his nose and his grey eyes. But I think she saw beyond that, to what we really were underneath our skins. And that terrified her."Excerpt from The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic from Berkley Publishing Group. Now available for pre-order: https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB
#nicolasolvinic #mysteryauthor #crimeauthor #thrillerwriter #criminology #criminologymastermind #crimefiction #crimethriller #crimenovels #detectivenovels #suspensenovels #thrillerbooks #murdermystery #mysteryseries #whodunit #mysteryreads #bookcommunity #mustread #bookrecommendation #bookish #booklovers #readinglist #bookclub #bestseller #newrelease
A Perfect October Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3O3D8Pq
Heavy Metal Symphony Book Tour
“I hope you never reach a day where you have to choose between your band and your relationship.” #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/46Qg0dJ
Heavy Metal Symphony by A.K. Palombo #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/45zVTQb
Dancing Vampires by Cornelia Amiri #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/45rZCiw
Craving Beauty by Jennifer Silverwood #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/46wrzXU
BLOG TOUR, Excerpt & Giveaway – An Angel’s Obsession by Celia Breslin #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3QiTxRa
SPOOKTACULAR FEATURE: AISLING-In the Land of Wolves by EILEEN SHEHAN with added mini pumpkin recipe! #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3QjnAbo
October 13, 2023
A Bewitching Friday the 13th
Honey Drop Tome 1 Volume 2 by Alicia R. Norman and Krishtina Mayers #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3LYQA5R
A (Heavy Metal) Halloween Party Playlist with A.K. Palombo #WomensFiction #HeavyMetal #RockNRoll #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3rMTaF0
BLOG TOUR, Excerpt & Giveaway – An Angel’s Obsession by Celia Breslin
https://echoingbooks.wordpress.com/20...
Pariah’s Lament Book Tour
“So often it’s the forgotten who possess the power to change the world.” #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3FfsrUF
Author Interview- Pariah’s Lament by Richie Billing #EpicFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/45ohmLQ
Heavy Metal Symphony by A.K. Palombo #WomensFiction #HeavyMetal #RockNRoll #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3FcDGgK
Witching on a Star- A 10 Episode Short Story on Kindle Vella
Read the first 3 episodes FREE
#spicy #paranormalromance #witchromance #vampireromance
#KindleVella #Vella
https://www.amazon.com/Witching-on-a-...
"I had no inkling that my dad was a killer.
I only knew that I idolized him."
Excerpt from The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic from Berkley Publishing Group. Now available for pre-order: https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB
#nicolasolvinic #mysteryauthor #crimeauthor #thrillerwriter #criminology #criminologymastermind #crimefiction #crimethriller #crimenovels #detectivenovels #suspensenovels #thrillerbooks #murdermystery #mysteryseries #whodunit #mysteryreads #bookcommunity
Pariah’s Lament Of Metal and Magic Core Series by Richie Billing #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3QdjXnp
Heavy Metal Symphony by A.K. Palombo - Women’s fiction (contemporary) - "I hope you never reach a day where you have to choose between your band and your relationship." #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3Fgq0Be
Vampires for Halloween! by Celia Breslin, Author of Melanie’s Awakening (Heartland Fae Book Two) by Celia Breslin ~ #Review ~ #PNR ~ Haunted Halloween Spooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3rIjJeH
Guardian of Monsters by Catherine Stine #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3FecrCv
Dancing Vampires by Cornelia Amiri #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3Qfuv5i
Craving Beauty by Jennifer Silverwood #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3txtNrr
Guardian of Monsters by Catherine Stine #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular
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Here’s a playlist I created for the spooky season with all things supernatural. Enjoy!
I Put a Spell on You – Nina Simonehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDprYZ-tgiA
You Make me Feel Like it’s Halloween – MUSEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyu1WO0hRB0
Wake the Witch – Karlienehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZcDFMmqWAw
Alice Underground– Avril Lavignehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMeiP69HlCM
Season of the Witch – Donovanhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAzTnsSgs2s
Heartless – The Fray versionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBTdJHkAr5A
Black Magic Woman – Santanahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyQUCYl-ocs
Hunting for Witches – Bloc Partyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmPNuruWMTA
Heavy Like a Witch – All Them Witcheshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhzvanE-O14
Do You Believe in Magic? – Lovin’ Spoonfulhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDYNuD4CwlI
Guardian of Monsters Sleuths of Shadow SalonBook OneCatherine StineGenre: Urban Fantasy, Supernatural Private Investigation ThrillerPublisher: Konjur Road PressDate of Publication: August 6, 2023ISBN: 978-1-7333901-7-0ASIN: B0CD9VP4NSNumber of pages: 236Word Count: 65kCover Artist: Christian Bentulan
Tagline: Supernaturally on the case! Celestine LeBlanc and Luna Finley are the Sleuths of Shadow Salon.
Book Description:
Celestine, witch and wolf shifter has a talent for prophetic drawings. She’s shocked when she draws her landlord Ray with his eyes gouged out and a strange winged-mermaid leaning over him. Later she finds an eyeless Ray dead on the sidewalk. All she wanted to do was open a gallery, but first she must apprehend his killer. In a note she found after he died, Ray revealed he wasn’t just a leather-smith but a supernatural pirate mage. Years back, his Jekyll crew trapped the evil Demon Three Eyes clan. Ray had feared they’d escaped, were stalking him, and would soon wreak havoc on Savannah.
Oryn, a fellow student in Celestine’s continuing ed art class, is a fae and a thorn in her side, when he asks nosy questions about the case. Yet, she’s drawn to him when he’s her masseur at the spa she frequents, and he’s clever at brainstorming leads regarding Ray’s case. He insists his air magic could come in handy.
When pirates in Ray’s old crew are murdered, their body parts stolen, Celestine puts more horrifying clues together. She’ll need everyone on board, including Oryn and Luna, a mermaid asking to show her sea-glass sculptures at Celestine’s new gallery—the very same mermaid in Celestine’s tragic drawing of Ray. Otherwise, the lethal monstrosity Demon Three Eyes is unleashing on Savannah will destroy the city and everyone in it.
This series may appeal to fans of Kim Harrison and Charlaine Harris.
Amazon BN Apple Kobo Smashwords Books2Read
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Mics were thrust inher face as she stepped toward the front stairs.
“How do you feelabout Ray Bartello’s murder?”
“Do you have astatement for the press?”
“Is it true that yourdrawing predicted Bartello’s death?”
“Why would you drawhim eyeless?”
“Are you themurderer?”
She waited until thatlast crappy question—more an accusation—to say anything. Then she stared at thereporter. With scalding rage contained in a deceptively quiet hiss, she said,“Ray Bartello was a good friend of mine. I’m heartbroken by his passing.”
She glanced at Orynfor moral support. His slightly narrowed eyes seemed to say, Go slow, you don’towe them. She agreed. After the supernatural attacks, she was not going to hintthat she knew a damn thing, because the more that bad entities knew she wastrying to figure out the case, the more they would try to maul, even kill her.Oryn gave a faint nod, his eyes tinting green. She went on.
“I know nothing abouthow this happened. You could camp here for days, and I still couldn’t tell youmore. The proper place to provide any tips or leads is to the Savannah Police.”
As she pushed throughthe group, Oryn walked slightly behind her, since the reporters were busyphotographing them together, no doubt fuel for salacious media.
“How do you know MissLeBlanc? Are you dating her?” some ballsy reporter asked Oryn. He didn’tanswer.
“Did you know RayBartello? Did you or Miss LeBlanc have a fight earlier on the day he wasfound?” asked another.
“Can you tell usanything more about the case?” asked a third.
Oryn face wrinkled indisgust. “Look, Miss LeBlanc needs peace. She’s said what she can. Yes, we’refriends, not that it’s your business,” he added sharply. “You may as well goget some sleep. Camping out here won’t get you what you seek.” He swept his armaround
Celestine, and theyhurried up the stone stairs leading to her place.
Oryn stopped on thestoop while Celestine unlocked the door. “So, I’ll see you at class tomorrow?Will you be okay?” he asked. “If you want, I can cast a few air wards aroundthe house so you can get a worry-free night’s sleep. Otherwise—”
“It’s not your job toprotect me,” she said, gazing up at him and realizing how very much taller hewas, next to her five-foot, seven-inch frame. Good goddess, the man must be sixand a half feet tall if he’s an inch.
About the Author:
Catherine Stine is a USA Today bestselling author of paranormal, urban and historical fantasy, all with romance and suspense. Witch of the Wild Beasts won a second prize in the Romance Writers of America’s Sheila Contest. Other novels have earned Indie Notable awards and New York Public Library Best Books. She lives in New York State and grew up in Philadelphia. Before writing novels, she was a painter and fabric designer. She’s a visual author and sees writing as painting with words. Catherine loves spending time with her beagle Benny, writing about supernatural creatures, gardening and meeting readers at book fests. Learn more at catherinestine.com
Website: http://catherinestine.com/wp/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@catherinestine7
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kitsy84557
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/catherine-stine
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorcatherinestine/
Newsletter: https://catherinestine.com/wp/get-the-newsletter-contact-me/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Catherine-Stine/e/B001H9TXJC
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1018139.Catherine_Stine
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October 12, 2023
A Bewitching Thursday
A (Heavy Metal) Halloween Party Playlist with A.K. Palombo #WomensFiction #HeavyMetal #RockNRoll #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3rMTaF0
An Angel’s Obsession by Celia Breslin #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular
https://serenasynn.blogspot.com/2023/...
Vampire Witch by Eileen Sheehan #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3PRpPkM
Author Interview - Heavy Metal Symphony by A.K. Palombo #WomensFiction #HeavyMetal #RockNRoll #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3PJq55m
Staked: A Vampire’s Tale by Kim Catanzarite #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3rPzznI
Taken By The Alpha King by Abigail Barnette #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3Qb8oNo
Vampire Iniquity by Eileen Sheehan #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3LX8Yfi
Melanie’s Awakening by Celia Breslin #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3FeLuP2
Honey Drop Tome 1 Volume 2 by Alicia R. Norman and Krishtina Mayers - dark fantasy romance drama, paranormal romance, fantasy romance - When Love and Death Embrace #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/48RnCPa
Author Interview- Pariah’s Lament by Richie Billing #EpicFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/45ohmLQ
INTERVIEW - WOMEN'S FICTION - HEAVY METAL SYMPHONY by A.K. Palombo #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3Q8C65C
Witching on a Star- A 10 Episode Short Story on Kindle Vella
Read the first 3 episodes FREE
#spicy #paranormalromance #witchromance #vampireromance
#KindleVella #Vella
https://www.amazon.com/Witching-on-a-...
"I had no inkling that my dad was a killer.
I only knew that I idolized him."
Excerpt from The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic from Berkley Publishing Group. Now available for pre-order: https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB
#nicolasolvinic #mysteryauthor #crimeauthor #thrillerwriter #criminology #criminologymastermind #crimefiction #crimethriller #crimenovels #detectivenovels #suspensenovels #thrillerbooks #murdermystery #mysteryseries #whodunit #mysteryreads #bookcommunity
Bewitching Book Tours Haunted Halloween Spooktacular: Craving Beauty by Jennifer Silverwood #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3LU7TVB
Heavy Metal Symphony by A.K. Palombo Virtual Book Tour #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3rEUKJf
Pariah’s Lament by Richie Billing #EpicFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3PL46uQ
Aisling In The Land Of Wolves by Eileen Sheehan #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3trO5CG
October 11, 2023
A Bewitching Wednesday
Author Interview - Heavy Metal Symphony by A.K. Palombo #WomensFiction #HeavyMetal #RockNRoll #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3PJq55m
Halloween Flash Fiction by Valerie Storm #YAFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3LSN2Ss
Vampire Witch by Eileen Sheehan #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3toLYPT
Melanie’s Awakening Heartland Fae Book Two by Celia Breslin - Paranormal Romance
https://echoingbooks.wordpress.com/20...
Dancing Vampires by Cornelia Amiri
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyPq_WugQNc/
My Second Life by Simon Yeats
https://www.instagram.com/p/CyPnV9Ng8U4/
Vampire Iniquity by Eileen Sheehan #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular
#bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/46kJosK
Taken By The Alpha King by Abigail Barnette #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular
#bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3F99qDs
Author Interview- Pariah’s Lament by Richie Billing #EpicFantasy #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/45ohmLQ
INTERVIEW - WOMEN'S FICTION - HEAVY METAL SYMPHONY by A.K. Palombo #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3Q8C65C
Staked: A Vampire’s Tale by Kim Catanzarite #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/46Lbg9q
Witching on a Star- A 10 Episode Short Story on Kindle Vella
Read the first 3 episodes FREE
#spicy #paranormalromance #witchromance #vampireromance
#KindleVella #Vella
https://www.amazon.com/Witching-on-a-...
Pariah’s Lament by Richie Billing #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3RQfkkt
Nicola Solvinic's new book, THE HUNTER’S DAUGHTER from Berkley Publishing Group, is now available for pre-order: https://bit.ly/3YDcQHB
#nicolasolvinic #mysteryauthor #crimeauthor #thrillerwriter #criminology
#criminologymastermind #crimefiction #crimethriller
Melanie’s Awakening by Celia Breslin #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3rVpENg
Guardian of Monsters Book Tour
Supernaturally on the case! Celestine LeBlanc and Luna Finley are the Sleuths of Shadow Salon. #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3rNVeN4
Craving Beauty by Jennifer Silverwood #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3PUmS37
An Angel’s Obsession by Celia Breslin #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3LVBRIQ
AISLING: In the Land of Wolves Book Tour
Join Aisling as she navigates a world filled with magic, love, and danger. #bewitchingbooktours https://buff.ly/3rMWgc8
Staked: A Vampire’s Tale by Kim Catanzarite #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular
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Kim Catanzarite’s Favorite Halloween Drink
This drink is as deep red as (pretend) blood. The colder the better!
Vampire’s Kiss
3 ounces Cranberry Juice2 ounces Raspberry Vodka2 ounces Black Raspberry Liqueur
Instructions:
1) Chill the glasses (don’t skip this step!).
2) Pour ingredients into a shaker with ice, and shake until very cold.
3) Strain into the chilled glasses.
4) If you have plastic fangs, throw one into each glass for effect.
They will bob at the top, and look really cool. Enjoy!
Staked: A Vampire’s TaleAngel of Death SeriesBook OneKim Catanzarite
Genre: Fantasy-Supernatural-SpeculativePublisher: Forster PublishingDate of Publication: Oct. 3, 2023ISBN: 978-1-7359522-6-0 ASIN: B0CF6BS4HZNumber of pages: 207Word Count: 57,000
Cover Artist: Damonza
Tagline: Can an angel also be a monster?
Book Description:
Gregorie Babin has existed in a gently lulling darkness for so long he’s not even sure he’s human anymore. Surrounded by four walls, without light or space in which to move, he has become what he envisions as a mollusk inside a shell. Is he alive or dead, or perhaps in some kind of purgatory or Hell? The answer lies in a past he no longer remembers. It is only when random forces break him out of this perpetual darkness that he can begin to know the devastating truth—and what it means for his future.
Written with the author’s signature talent for “psychological conflict . . . and emotional tension” (The Book Commentary), this is a speculative journey of a young man’s desperate desire to get back home to the ones he loves. Prepare to be captivated by a tale that tests the boundaries of your imagination and leaves you questioning the darkness that lies within us all.
Amazon
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He smelled something.
Offensive and yet desirable.
The terrible hunger returned,roiling through the whole of him like the brawny ocean crests that had thrusthim onto the beach. The hunger demanded he move. He floundered on his side fora moment before righting himself and beginning a frantic, disjointed crawl: onefoot dragging behind him, an elbow giving out. Every hinge in his bodyresisted, and the movement required complete concentration. All the while thisunignorable “wanting” spun through him like a bear desperate to hunt anddevour.
The scent grew potent as heneared the wood.
His ceaseless craving forcedhim to scrabble across a path of wooden planks that bridged over the dunes. Aspigot at the top of this footbridge awaited, causing him to hesitate. Was itthirst that propelled him? Perhaps dehydration had driven him to near madness?
Since he was on all fours, hereached the fausset easily. Why it would be built out here and so near theground, he didn’t know. The handle twisted after a brief struggle that hurt thebones of his palm. He set his open mouth below it and let the water flow,glugging and choking as he filled his body with liquid. Still, he experienced nosatisfaction.
The wind changed directionand that same scent tempted him. He scuttled from the path and entered into thedark of the wood, mindless of the ground’s debris, the stabbing sticks andthorns penetrating the skin on his hands and knees. Moving forward like a dogled by its sniffing nose, he charged through, searching for the source of thestrange, beguiling stench.
The hunt led him to a smallhorse—or no, not un cheval—stubby horns grew from the animal’s graceful head. Adeer, lying on its side, its legs twisted beneath and blood coming from its—hepounced, the animal shuddering as his hands connected with its warm trunk andhis mouth attached to its supple neck. His teeth penetrated the hide, thoughnot without effort, and then a warm, metallic taste filled his mouth and thatwas all that mattered.
He fell back in ecstasy ashis stomach softened and veins thrummed, his heart quivering with new life.He’d never consumed anything so soothing, so satisfying. His limbs warmed, thenourishment spreading, and his insides filled to bursting.
He rested on the groundbeside the animal while it relaxed into its last breath.
Go with grace, he said in hismind.
Kim Catanzarite grew up in northern New Jersey reading Anne Rice novels and watching The Lost Boys. She tapped into her creative writing obsession while attending Skidmore College and has never looked back. Kim is the award-winning author of the Jovian Universe sci-fi series. She is a freelance writer and editor for publishers and independent authors, and she teaches for Writer’s Digest University. Her Self-Publishing 101 blog discusses the ins and outs of indie life as well as all things writing craft. Kim lives on the East Coast with her husband and daughter.
For more information, visit www.AuthorKimCatanzarite.com
Blog: https://www.authorkimcatanzarite.com/blog
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author_kim_catanzarite/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimCatanzariteAuthor
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kim-catanzarite
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20928395.Kim_Catanzarite
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Vampire Witch by Eileen Sheehan #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular
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Ghost Dream by Eileen Sheehan
I first saw a photograph of the abandoned house on Twelve Maple Laneabout a decade ago. My immediate impression was what a wonderful inn it wouldmake for those who appreciated the days gone by. So, without so much as awalk through, I bought it.
It was nightfall when I approached the old house that had been whollyunoccupied for years with reverence and a touch of trepidation. Its residentshad long left it to the mercy of rodents, dust, and cobwebs. I felt as if I wasinvading the privacy of the ghosts who were left behind. Ghosts of occupantsover the centuries since the building was little more than an idea in the mindof the builder.
Holding my flashlight firmly in one hand, I turned the porcelaindoorknob that would allow me entry. It, like the door, was cracked with age. Mymind pondered over how many hands had turned that knob and pushed their wayinto this dwelling in its glory days. Days when vibrantly colorful rooms glowedwith the softness of gas and candle light and radiated laughter and happiness.My ponderings quickly left me when, for the first time in my life, my levelhead -that had always ignored and given no credence to superstition-experienced an overwhelming dread as an invisible cobweb clung to my face. Ishuddered. It was only a cobweb, but it felt as if I’d walked through someone.Or, better yet, someone had walked through me.
Like a frightened child, I rushed to the one room that I had madecertain was prepared for my occupancy by the workmen who were hired for thehouse’s resurrection. As I locked the door, a sense of security swept over me.I had not only locked out the moldy darkness, but the eerie feeling of unseeneyes was no longer hovering about. Someone had been thoughtful enough to makesure that there was a cheery fire burning in the oversized fireplace. Itsflickering flames did wonders to give a sense of warmth and safety to the room.I sat down before it with a comforting sense of relief. The electricity wasturned off, requiring the soft flickering lights of candles to illuminate my surroundings.Seeing the antique furnishings in such ambiance brought up visions of days goneby.
From the color and print of the faded wallpaper, and the delicacy of the bedand dressing table, I deduced that the room had once belonged to the gentlersex. I closed my eyes as I allowed my imagination to summon visions of facesout of the mists of the past. Faces that were long forgotten and voices thatlong ago grew silent for all time.
As a storm brewed outside of the thick leaded window panes, my reverie shiftedto sadness. The singing of the voices from the past was replaced by theshrieking of the winds outside. The laughter in the ears of my mind shifted toa softened wail. The incessant beating of the rain against the panes strippedthe room of all tranquility. The eeriness that I’d left beyond the closed doorslowly crept through the cracks beneath it.
A nervousness overtook me as the fire burned low. An overwhelming senseof loneliness consumed me. Eager to shake it, I arose and changed into my nightclothes. I moved about the room, stealthily preparing for slumber as if I wasamongst others whose dreams would be lethal to interrupt. Diving onto themattress, I slithered beneath the covers. With my head barely exposed, I laylistening to the rain and wind and the faint creaking of distant shutters untila blissful, deep sleep overtook me.
The acute stillness of the home when I awoke filled me with ashuddering expectancy. All, but the beating of my heart, was silent as I lay inthe pre-dawn light while I debated what to do. The workmen would not arrive forseveral hours. My stomach was announcing the need for the breaking of my fast,but my cowardly nerves refused to budge. So, I lay in the warmth and falsesecurity of my bed until an unseen force took matters into hand.
Slowly. Very slowly, the bedclothes slid toward the foot of the bed. Itwas as if someone was pulling them from me. Instead of being too nervous tomove, I was now scared stiff. Not only couldn’t I move a muscle, but I couldmake no sound. I finally regained control of my body enough to allow me to grabthe edge of the blankets and pull them back over my breast until they reachedmy chin. It took an even greater effort to pull them over my head. Beads ofnervous sweat formed upon my forehead as a result.
I lay in frozen silence while I waited for what might happen next.
After a brief interval, that steady pull on the coverings returned. Iroused my energies, snatched the covers with a vice grip, and pulled them overmy head again. Suddenly the sound of heavy footsteps permeated my room. I felta sense of relief that they sounded like they were moving away from me insteadof toward me. When the footsteps reached the bedroom door, I waited for thecreaking sound of it opening and closing, but it didn’t come. The footsteps,however, continued to exit the room and fade as they walked further into theempty house.
I lay trembling while contemplating what just happened until I hadmyself convinced that it was a dream. My nerves were further soothed when Icrawled out of bed and found that the bedroom door was still bolted on theinside.
The day passed as normal. I exerted a good deal of emotional energyoverseeing the workmen in my effort to keep the integrity of the old house inplace. Once nightfall arrived and the men retired, I eagerly took my exhaustedself to my bedroom once again.
I had just blown out the candle and snuggled beneath the bedclotheswhen I heard a grating noise overhead. It sounded like a heavy box was beingdragged across the floor. When the dragging sound ended, a loud thud occurred.It was so loud that the windows shook.
Beyond my locked bedroom door, I could hear the muffled sound of doorsslamming throughout the house.
A part of me wanted to get up and search for intruders, while the otherpart of me said to stay put and wait to see what would happen. I regretted nottaking the precaution against intruders by having a bat or some other type ofself-defense weapon in my room as I listened to the sound of stealthy footstepscreeping about the corridors, as well as up and down the stairs.
Sometimes these noises stopped outside of my bedroom door, hesitated,and went away again. I heard muffled sentences and occasional half-utteredscreams that were faint, but discernable. Then, a light breeze passed by me asthe swish of invisible garments reached my ears.
The eerie feeling that I’d felt the night before returned with aforcefulness unmatched. I sat up in bed and held my hand to my heart while Idid my best to slow the beating that threatened to get out of control. Unlikethe night before when the fireplace was ablaze with illuminating light, I hadlit only a small fire that rapidly turned to embers. With the candles snuffedout, I was forced to rely on the glow of the embers and the filtered rays ofthe full moon through the window to see my surroundings. The shadows bouncedabout, but I was still able to make out a cloaked figure hovering in the cornerof the room.
“Who are you and what do you want?” I nervously asked. The figureremained silent as it slowly moved toward me.
“This is my home,” I said with a boldness that I didn’t feel. “You are not welcome.”
“Why do you wish to have this home?” the figure asked in a deep voicethat had a hint of echo to it.
Surprised by the question, I was even more surprised by the way Icalmly replied with, “I wish to bring it back to its glory days and to share itwith others.”
“Glory days?” the figure mockingly said. “Those were times long gone.The house belongs to me now.”
“I purchased this house,” I insisted. “I have the deed to it.”
“You may have the deed, but I have lived in it,” the figure argued. “Itbelongs to me. You will leave.”
Fear was replaced by indignation over the shadowy figure’s demand thatI leave a home that I’d put so much of my heart and soul into and would requireeven more before its beauty could shine through once more.
“If you care so much for this home,” I challenged, “Why have you let itgo into such disrepair?”
“It is as I desire it to be,” the figure firmly announced.
“It is not as I desire it,” said a female’s voice from seeminglynowhere.
“Josephine!” the figure bellowed. “Why have you come?”
“I never left,” the voice replied. “I simply saw no reason to negateyour occupancy until now.”
“Why now?” the figure asked.
“Finally, there is someone who is willing to return the life and loveto the walls of my home,” Josephine said. “I have cried decades of tears forwant of such a thing to occur. Now that it has, I will not allow you to preventit. You must go.”
“I have occupied this place too long for you to be able to push meout,” the figure bitterly announced.
“Perhaps, if it were just myself doing the pushing,” Josephine saidwith conviction.
Too stunned and amazed by what was occurring before my very eyes, Istayed motionless while I listened to what I discovered to be two discarnatebeings verbally debating over who should take control of the house that I nowowned. I was tempted to ask them both to leave, since the house now belonged tome, but, since I was only now being exposed to the reality of a world beyondthe here and now, I was uncertain what the protocol for such a request wouldbe. So, instead, I remained stoic and silent while I waited to see what theoutcome of this verbal debate might be.
To my surprise and dismay, the arguing grew quite potent. So potent, infact, that the stillness of the air left the room. It was replaced by what Icould only describe as a violent wind. The bedroom door rattled, along with thewindows. A fleeting fear that the glass might shatter flashed through my headbefore my attention was turned to the fact that the room seemed to expand inthe darkness as the figure of a woman in a Victorian gown appeared before me.
Although I had already become aware of the presence of the cloakedfigure, he was merely a shadow. This woman, on the other hand, was as opaque asmyself.
She was neatly put together with not one hair out of place. Her dresswas of vibrant colors that glowed in the moonlight. As I stared in startledwonderment, several equally opaque spirits, both male and female, in Victorianattire joined her. Soon, the room was filled with what I inherently knew wereformer occupants of the grand house.
The shadowy figure stood his ground, alone against a roomful of spiritswanting him out. At first, as the energy he projected blew like a hurricanethrough the room to the extent that I clung fast to the bedpost, I thought forsure that he would win. It took a moment for them to gather together with handsfirmly clasped, but when they did, the wind changed direction and forced theshadow into oblivion.
I sat in silence on the edge of the bed while I debated what to donext. The spirits faded away, one by one, until only Josephine remained.
“You need not fear us,” Josephine said. “We are pleased that you bringto this home the life and love that it deserves. It has been our desire fordecades. We will protect you and it from this moment on.”
With that, she also faded away.
Feeling safe and satisfied, I silently smiled and retreated to thesecurity of my bedcovers. Within moments, I fell into a deep, exhaustedslumber.
I awoke the following morning to the sounds of workmen bustling aboutthe house. Surprised that I’d slept for so long, I raced to join them. As theday progressed, my thoughts, and memories of the battle between spirits thenight before faded. By the time nightfall returned, I considered it nothingmore than a vivid dream.
The restoration of the house continued until it was restored to itsoriginal glory with no more incidents from the unseen world. Since there wereno more bumps in the night, bedclothes mysteriously sliding off me on theirown, or spirits appearing before me, I eventually completely dismissed thedream as a reaction to the unsavory ambiance of a neglected home.
Today, I operate an historic inn that offers tours that are accompaniedby the history of the house and its occupants that I acquired from the locallibrary and town records. On rare occasions, I will receive a report from oneof my overnight guests reporting vivid dreams of a woman in Victorian dresssmiling as she stands at the foot of their bed.
Vampire WitchVampire Witch TrilogyBook OneEileen Sheehan
Genre: Paranormal/thriller/romancePublisher: Earth Wise BooksDate of Publication: 01/01/2016ISBN: 978-1726737524ASIN: B0195YJ1Q0Number of pages: 378Word Count: 91,903
Tagline: She falls for two handsome vampire brothers. Now, she must choose.... Lovers of VAMPIRE DIARIES or TRUE BLOOD will enjoy this story.
Book Description:
Discovering the mother that you thought was dead for over a decade is very much alive will shake your world.
And so begins Casey's dilemma. Add to that her mother has become a mutant vampire and has promised her in marriage to a wicked vampire king in order to unite the two kingdoms. Now, let’s combine that with the fact that the bearer of such news is a hot and sexy guy who turns out to be a vampire and he steals her heart. Then, to top it off she finds that he has an equally hot vampire brother vying for her love and who she just might have feelings for too.
Ready or not, Casey's life just took a turn for the strange.
Join Casey in this sizzling, action-packed first book of a paranormal romance thriller trilogy.
Book Trailer: https://bit.ly/3PDgAWJ
Amazon BN Kobo Apple Smashwords
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Luthias groaned and raised his hand to his head. Gwendoline wasat his side in a flash. She lifted him into a position that allowed himto easily drink the liquid she held to his lips and then lowered him back downagain.
“This will help him regain a bit of his strength, but he’ll still needblood,” she said. She went to a tall refrigerator in the corner of the room andinspected its contents. “I doubt I have enough to bring him back to normal.”
“How much do you need?” I asked.
“He’s almost bled dry,” she said. “I have enough to keep him alive,but not much more than that.”
I bit my lower lip while I watched Gwendoline pull every bag of bloodshe had in her supplies and place them on a tea cart to roll next to the table. She emptied the first bag into a glass and urged him to drink. Heweakly obliged. By the time she’d fed him the last bag, the hollow around hissunken eyes was beginning to disappear and his wounds were starting to shrink.
I pointed this out to Gwendoline and she smiled faintly.
“If he has more blood will they heal completely?” I asked.
“Within seconds,” she said.
“Where does he usually get his blood?” I asked hesitantly.
“He hunts deer or wolf. Large animals are generally the best,” shereplied.
“No humans,” I mused admiringly.
“Verso vampires refrain from drinking human blood whenever possible. The risk of developing an addiction is too great,” she explained. “Welive peacefully amongst ourselves and rarely venture out into the rawness ofwhat’s left of our planet. An addiction to human blood would require they leaveVerso.”
“There are some who drink it,” I said. “A maid told me humansdon’t last long in Verso because rogue vampires drink their blood until they’redead.”
“That’s true,” she said with a nod. “It takes a strong vampire to beable to stop drinking a human’s blood before they drain them dry. In mycenturies of life, I’ve known of only a few who could do it.”
“Is it the magic that keeps you alive?” I asked.
“Indeed,” she replied with pride. “As it will ye.”
“I plan on becoming a vampire,” I reminded her.
“Yes, but until ye do, the magic will slow down the aging process,” sheexplained. “There’s no need to rush things.”
“How old was Geo when he was turned?” I asked while I mindlesslystroked the length Luthias’s arm.
“He was twenty-eight. He had a wife and three children, poor lad,” shesaid.
“I never thought about him having a family,” I gasped. “Whathappened to them?”
“They were killed by the raiding vampires. Geo was saved because of thestrong magic in his veins. Luthias found him and brought him to me to tendto. He looked much like Luthias does now,” she said.
“When did Luthias turn vampire?” I asked.
About the Author:
Sitting at her antique rolltop desk in her home in upstate New York, Internationally Published and Award Winning author, Eileen Sheehan, writes steamy romance thrillers for the mature adult with a sexy male and strong female. The majority of her novels are paranormal, but some are just plain novels about people in love. As the years progressed, so did her writing style. Although she still includes romance and has a happily ever after ending, her stories tend to have more mystery, thrills, and horror in them.
She makes it a point to write a novel length that will allow the busy readers to be able to sit down in an evening (no more than two) and be taken on a journey that was created by her active imagination without having a week go by before they gets to the end of the story.
An incurable romantic, she has a love affair with at least one of her characters... one book at a time. She hopes the same thing happens to you.
Eileen started out as a freelance writer for periodical magazines and newspapers. From there, she tried her hand at writing screenplays. Her screenplay, "When East Meets West" was a finalist in the 2001 Independent International Film and Video Festival at Madison Square Gardens, NYC. Finally finding her niche, she lets her imagination loose with paranormal romance/thrillers.
If you want to see more quality writings at a reasonable price, please support her efforts by leaving a review and becoming a follower
http://www.sheehan-author.info
http://www.eileensheehan.info
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/eileen-sheehan
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B016YANRJ0
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/EileenSheehan
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14219489.Eileen_Sheehan
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October 10, 2023
Vampire Iniquity by Eileen Sheehan #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular
Vampire Iniquity Tugurlan ChroniclesBook OneEileen Sheehan
Genre: Paranormal-thriller-romancePublisher: Earth Wise BooksDate of Publication: 01/11/2016ISBN: 978-1726747400ASIN: B01AIJ7NWKNumber of pages:546Word Count: 90,471
Cover Artist: Eileen Sheehan
Tagline: Join Dan on his journey of discovery as he not only learns that vampires exist, but that he has inherited the gift of being a slayer.
Book Description:
Enter a dark and dangerous world that is filled with vampires, cannibalism, and human trafficking in the award winning novel, "Vampire Iniquity", Book One of the "Tugurlan Chronicles".
When Dan gets tangled up in a rescue mission to save his friend's fiancé, he is taken on a journey of self-discovery and family secrets. Battling against egotistical Dracula descendants, he soon learns of his family's legacy as vampire slayers.
With the help of his cousin, they must enter the den of iniquity once again to rid the wolf of these evil beings. But, will they be successful? And, at what cost? Find yourself on the edge of your seat in this thrilling and captivating read.
VampireIniquity Audio Sample https://bit.ly/3sDwmaR
Amazon BN Apple Kobo Audible Smashwords
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Ilay sleeping in the fetal position on the damp earthen floor of my cell as ahazy light filtered through the small windows. The clanking of heavy metal as apair of large hairy hands unlocked the cage door brought me quickly to thealert.
Myeyes had finally adjusted to the darkness and I was able to see a fair bit ofmy surroundings. I rose up slowly, staring in disbelief as an enormousman-wolf-like creature reached down and put both of his hairy hands under myarms. He picked me up off my feet as if I was nothing more than a rag doll andheld me dangling in the air. Without warning, the creature slammed me down sohard I was sure my feet were going to be repositioned above my head. I wasgiven only a brief moment of reprieve to catch my balance before I was pushedout of the cage.
Puffsof dank dust swirled around my head as I stumbled and landed on the dungeonfloor. I was grateful for my martial arts training and my understanding ofgoing with the motion instead of fighting it. Shifting my body, I spun backinto a crouched balance. I had no idea what this creature planned on doing withme but I was determined to go down fighting. I wouldn’t make it easy for theugly beast, you could bet money on that.
“Ibet you are wondering how a damp, dusty basement of this nature can exist inthe desert,” came a voice through the darkness. “You would be surprised whatexists beyond your realms of reality.”
Ispun toward the voice as Dumitru’s tall, well-built figure stepped out from thedepths of the shadows. The favorite son of Wadim and his first wife -an ItalianCountess who Wadim captured and turned vampire centuries ago- there was noguessing at his ancestry. His sharp, vampire features were accentuated by rich,thick, glistening black hair that was tied snuggly at the base of his neck.Taught muscles bulged beneath the flowing material of his linen shirt. Theruffles at the neck and cuffs seemed out of place on his lean, muscular body.
Althoughat first glance he looked Caucasian, as I looked more closely I could see hisAsian ancestry; especially in his eyes.
“Myfather has many talents,” the newcomer said. A chuckle, that almost resembled agrowl, oozed from his evil sneer. “Stand up!”
Irose slowly, rubbing my sore muscles absent mindedly as I did. Purple weltswere beginning to form on my forearms from my encounter with the wolf-man.
“Wu’sstar pupil is injured?” He said sarcastically. He reached out and grabbed myarm with such force I was hard pressed to keep my balance. “Well, we cannothave that. I want you in perfect form when we fight.”
I couldn’t hold back the gag reaction my bodyhad from the putrid stench of flesh and blood on Dumitru’s breath ....
About the Author:
Sitting at her antique rolltop desk in her home in upstate New York, Internationally Published and Award Winning author, Eileen Sheehan, writes steamy romance thrillers for the mature adult with a sexy male and strong female. The majority of her novels are paranormal, but some are just plain novels about people in love. As the years progressed, so did her writing style. Although she still includes romance and has a happily ever after ending, her stories tend to have more mystery, thrills, and horror in them.
She makes it a point to write a novel length that will allow the busy readers to be able to sit down in an evening (no more than two) and be taken on a journey that was created by her active imagination without having a week go by before they gets to the end of the story.
An incurable romantic, she has a love affair with at least one of her characters... one book at a time. She hopes the same thing happens to you.
Eileen started out as a freelance writer for periodical magazines and newspapers. From there, she tried her hand at writing screenplays. Her screenplay, "When East Meets West" was a finalist in the 2001 Independent International Film and Video Festival at Madison Square Gardens, NYC. Finally finding her niche, she lets her imagination loose with paranormal romance/thrillers.
If you want to see more quality writings at a reasonable price, please support her efforts by leaving a review and becoming a follower
http://www.sheehan-author.info
http://www.eileensheehan.info
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/eileen-sheehan
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B016YANRJ0
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/EileenSheehan
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14219489.Eileen_Sheehan
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Taken By The Alpha King by Abigail Barnette #HauntedHalloweenSpooktacular
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Dear Reader: This post is condensed from a larger, previously published series entitled “The Worst Person I Ever Met,” which you can find in the “Classic Trout” section of my website, jennytrout.com, but it can be enjoyed as a spooky Halloween story all on its own.
Nearly twenty years ago, I was trapped in a toxic friendship with a woman who, like myself, practiced witchcraft. Cathy was going through a messy divorce and I, feeling like I couldn’t say no, let her stay with us in our home for days at a time. It was during one of her absences when my son asked, “Where do the other stairs go?”
We lived in a ranch-style house with a basement. There was no accessible attic and only one set of stairs. However, my son is autistic and had an interesting way of describing things (once, to tell me that he’d seen a cricket in our holly bush, he informed me that it was “nighttime in the plant”), so I asked some probing, but not leading questions. Where are the stairs? At the back of the basement, right under the real staircase. Then maybe he’d seen a shadow? No, he insisted. He’d seen other stairs.
Frustrated that I wasn’t understanding, he demanded I follow him down to the basement. He led me urgently to where he’d seen the other stairs, but when we got to the spot, he was perplexed. Not in a “clearly pretending” way, either. He was genuinely confused as to where the stairs had gone. I decided that he’d probably seen a shadow, somehow. The light had played tricks coming in from the high basement window. I told him if he ever saw the other stairs again, he should come tell me immediately. I wanted to see it for myself, so I could explain to him what he was seeing.
These weird occurrences became more sinister. My son was the soul of unflappable calm as he explained “the green, drippy people” to me. They were in the basement, he said, hanging from the ceiling. Their eyes were red, like the ghost mouse’s eyes.
“The ghost mouse?” I asked, trying to convince myself he’d just seen an albino rat on tv or something.
“The ghost mouse.” He acted like it was something I should have already known about. “The ghost mouse I can follow to the other stairs?”
I made him promise me that he would never talk to the green, drippy people or follow the ghost mouse. And he would never, ever go down the other stairs. I stressed the importance of that, and he solemnly promised that he would never have gone down the other stairs because they were so scary.
Once, I was putting a load of laundry into the dryer when a dripping, skeletal hand in a tattered sleeve reached out of a shadow, grasping for me. I screamed and raced upstairs, shaking. I lived in terror every day. To my son, these occurrences were normal. To my skeptical husband, they were non-existent. I thought I was losing my mind.
So, what link does all of this have with Cathy?
As mentioned previously, Cathy and I both practiced witchcraft. We did rituals and spellwork together, much of it at my home. Any of my spiritual practice that didn’t happen outside or during group gatherings happened in my office. Before we’d put down our wood laminate flooring, I’d drawn a permanent circle on the subfloor, both with a marker and with some low-level energy. I always knew where it was, and any spells or meditation or chanting happened in that circle.
Cathy knew where it was, too. Shortly before she left for Colorado, she told me how blessed she felt by all the positive changes in her life. “One night when I was staying over at your house, I went into your office, where your circle is? And I said, ‘Okay, universe. I want you to send everything I’m putting out into the world back to me three-fold, right here and now.'”
I realized then exactly what had happened. Cathy put nothing but toxic, destructive, outright malicious energy into the universe, and now it was doing what she asked: sending it all back, three-fold, right to the place where she’d requested. I hoped that whatever it was would follow her when she left for her new home.
It didn’t. However, as so many malicious haunting stories go, we couldn’t afford to move. Bad luck plagued us until we finally were forced to move due to foreclosure.
Shortly after I began writing about Cathy on my blog, my then teenaged son came to me and said, apropos of nothing, “Do you remember the other stairs?”
All of the hairs on my arms stood up. He hadn’t mentioned the other stairs in years.. “I remember you thought there were some other stairs. Did you figure out what they were?”
“There were other stairs,” he insisted. “But there’s stuff I didn’t tell you about them.”
He described the other stairs to me, in more sophisticated detail than he’d been able to at five. They were old stone, uneven like ruins. They led down into a dark hallway with shadowy doors. A dim orange light came from one of the doorways.
“And there was someone at the bottom,” he said in an uncharacteristically quiet, serious voice. “They had a person’s body, but their head was like an animal skull. With horns or antlers or something.”
I decided to do a cleansing spell while I had some alone time. I put some new age music on Spotify and set about doing the ritual. Just as I was getting ready to begin, an advertisement came on and a woman’s voice cheerfully called out, “Hi! I’m Cathy!”
Taken By The Alpha KingAbigail Barnette
Genre: Urban FantasyPublisher: Trout Nation, Inc.Date of Publication: May 2, 2023ISBN: 9798988035503ASIN: B0BZ2TY27HNumber of pages: 472Cover Artist: Covers by Kris
Tagline: He’ll never stop fighting to keep his throne…and her.
Book Description:
Born into a secret society of werewolves and betrothed to a mate she didn’t love, Bailey Dixon made the choice to leave her pack for five years. Now, she’s back and fully committed to becoming the werewolf she was destined to be.
But destiny--and the new pack king--have other plans. Rich, handsome, and utterly ruthless, Nathan Frost demands absolute obedience from the Toronto pack. When he sets his sights on Bailey, she’s plunged into a world of politics, sex, and violence she’s not equipped to navigate on her own.
With her life in danger and enemies emerging from every corner, Bailey is forced to rely on the mysterious stranger who’s usurped the throne of her pack. And even he can’t be trusted…
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Humans imagine scenes inmovies where werewolves scream in agony and tear out of their clothes, whichI’ve never understood. We know when the full moon is. It doesn’t take us bysurprise. And we know how to dress for it.
Or undress. My breath freezesin my lungs as Nathan walks into the circle. He stops in front of the monolithto Lycaon and drops his robe.
I shamelessly look him over,the way he did to me, from his broad shoulders, down his chest dusted with darkhair that thins to a line on his shockingly sculpted abs. I wasn’t expectinghim to look as good as he does. I wasn’t expecting that my mouth would water atthe sight of his cock, that my thighs would clench together at the thought ofhow huge it must be hard.
I wish he could see me. I hopehe feels me, smells me.
And I hope that the strangeattraction between us is making him as crazed with need as I feel.
An acolyte—a thrall trainedin our ceremonies and rituals—steps forward with a shallow silver bowl bearinga glistening human heart. It’s required for the transformation; Lycaon himselfwas transformed into a wolf after he angered Zeus by feeding the God humanflesh. Nathan grabs the heart with his bare hand and bites into it.
That’s when he lifts his gazeand finds me, seconds before the transformation starts.
It begins with his eyes. Theyflash silver, then red. His face shifts, nose and jaw elongating into a muzzle.We don’t turn into wolves. That’s a myth. We turn into a creature that standsupright; body covered with short, silky hair from our clawed feet to ourcanine-like heads. The fur flows over every contour of Nathan’s body and hisspine curves, drawing him into a hunched posture. His ears elongate, pointingstraight back, a shape humans would consider more elfin than dog-like, withtufts of fur accentuating the points. His arms grow longer, as well; in thispredatory manifestation, a wide reach is an advantage.
In his animalistic form, hewaits for the others but stares up at me. Like this, I’m vulnerable. Far toohuman. I would be no match for him, should he want me. And he does want me, buteven this way, he has self-control, as well as some common sense. He knows hecan’t reach me, and so do I, but being the target of all that concentratedpower and bestial drive is still heady and frightening.
The good kind of frightening.The kind that makes me wonder what could happen if I only push a littlefurther.
About the Author:
Abigail Barnette is the pseudonym of Jenny Trout, an author, blogger, and funny person. Jenny made the USA Today bestseller list with their debut novel, Blood Ties Book One: The Turning. Their American Vampire was named one of the top ten horror novels of 2011 by Booklist Magazine Online. As Abigail Barnette, Jenny writes award-winning erotic fiction, including the internationally bestselling The Boss series.
Jenny has been featured on television and radio, including HuffPost Live, Good Morning America, The Steve Harvey Show, and National Public Radio’s Here and Now. Their work has earned mentions in The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Slate, Vulture, and Fangoria.
A longtime supporter of community theatre, Jenny has appeared on stages across West Michigan as Anelle in Steel Magnolias, Julia in Two Gentlemen of Verona, Bea Bottom in Something Rotten, and Hunyak in Chicago, among many others. They’ve worked behind the scenes as everything from director to prop master. Jenny is a proud Michigander, parent of two, and spouse to their very most favorite person.
http://jennytrout.com/
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