Tuesday Teaser: Within the Mist, a short sensual paranormal inspired by the Phantom of the Opera

Today we entice you with Denise Bridger's newest release...Within the Mist

The misty evening air of a Winter in Venice cloaks many things…. Some who are passionate lovers hoping for stolen moments….. others who are merely the cutthroats and thieves that plague any city filled with the wealth of visitors and citizens of palaces….. But what else lies hidden within the mist? The voice of an angel lures…. each perfect note beckons and promises untold pleasures…. until, finally, a broken heart succumbs to desire…. and Fate weaves a new thread into the tapestry that is the mystery of life itself…. 

Inspired by the music of Riccardo Foresi, the photography of Vincenzo Chiofalo, and the eternal lure of Gaston LeRoux’s The Phantom of the Opera… discover what waits Within The Mist… 

Excerpt:
He continued to sing, the lyrical, lilting Italian words caressing her spirit and pulling her closer to him. When she finally stepped into the chamber where he was, she stared in wonder. The room was lit with what appeared to be a thousand candles, their soft glow reflecting off the polished wooden floor and throwing frenetic shadows everywhere. Seated at the piano was a slender man, dressed all in black. His hair was dark, and the hands that whispered over the keys of the instrument were long-fingered and elegant. Hands shaped for making love in any form he chose.

He played the last notes of the mesmerizing song and slowly turned to look at her. His dark eyes glittered, flames dancing wildly in their ebony depths, and he held out his hand to draw her forward. She went to him and dropped to her knees, head bowed, tears streaking her face as she let the hood of her cape fall to hide her shame.

“You came to end my life. Why?”
“I cannot bear the pain of not knowing you.”
“But you do know me. I am part of you.”
“You are madness!” She retorted with real anger surging into her being, giving her strength and making her look up at him. “You have taken everything!”
“I took nothing,” he admonished with gentle warmth. “I am part of you.”

“How can that be?”
He smiled. She felt the kiss of his indulgence touch her heart.
“You created me,” he murmured. “The night he died, you gave me life.”
She was confused, and the room was suddenly growing colder with each beat of her heart. “Why did you let me find you?”
He tilted his head to one side and considered her question. “Perhaps because it is time for me to return the gift of life to you, tesoro mio?”
“You can’t,” she whispered, the quiet words shaken and harsh. “There is no life for me now.”
“There is always life in death, amore,” he murmured as he leaned closer and pried the blade from her hand beneath the heavy cloak. “Let me show you forever.”

She gasped in fright and pain as he slashed the dagger’s edge across her palm and brought the bleeding hand to his mouth. When his tongue played over her flesh she felt the mists of the night invade her brain, and blackness reached out to pull her into a chasm that exploded into fire racing along her veins… As the world changed around her and within her, she heard his sweet voice whispering to her…

There is always life in death, amore mio… when I am death… come with me, share our journey…

“Yes…”

She heard the word, distant, torn from her soul purely by the power and depth of her need to know him, to know all of him, at whatever price he asked. The ache in her body pulled at her, made her feel light and heavy with conflicting desires.

The dagger flashed again, slowly, gently slicing through the tie that held her cape together at her throat. It slid away and he smiled with satisfaction when he saw the crimson silk she wore, a simple dress that wrapped around her like the arms of a lover… She had been wearing this pretty gown the night they’d first seen each other, choosing it had seem right somehow.

The gleaming stiletto blade moved once more, and candlelight flickered against the shining silver as he delicately cut the tie that held the dress up. He set the knife on the piano and with the backs of his hands barely touching her skin, he smoothed the shape of her collarbones, then retraced them with the sensitive pads of his fingertips. The calluses from hours spent playing the piano added another sensual layer to the rippling sensation that was fanning outward, running though her veins like blood. 

Canadian born and bred, and a lifelong dreamer, I began writing at an early age and can’t recall a time when I wasn’t creating in some artistic form. My life has had several on-going love affairs that shape much of what I write. In the past half dozen years, I’ve released books in all lengths and genres, and it’s something I hope to continue to do for many more years. A visit to my website will show the diversity of what is currently available, as well as all my social site links, etc.
You can find Denyse, her works, her blog, and social media  at her WEBSITE


Want to read more of Within the Mist?  Of course you do...then go to

ARe Romance                 Amazon                         Smashwords

Tuesday Teaser: Lightson Dynasty by Rhiannon Wellman, a historical m/m romance

Jo has always been what he is and never what he seems. Will his grandmother force him to live a life he doesn't want, or can he figure a way out?

Jo's life had never been simple. But since he moved in with his grandmother, things only became worse. First, she assumes that Jo stood for Josephine not Joseph. Then she believes all young women should be suitably married, especially her granddaughter, Jo.

So now Jo's expected to marry a man he's never met and whose own grandmother also wants the match. But how can he when he must protect his secret?

Marcus would rather spend time with his books and the gentlemen at his club than women, let alone marry one.

With both their grandmothers working against them, will they be able to find their way out of this potentially scandalous situation? After spending time together, will they want to?

Excerpt:

Jo couldn't help but laugh out loud at that statement. "I will bet you any amount of money you care to name that you will never meet a girl like me again." Jo moved well back from the edge of the cliff and opened the basket to retrieve the blanket that lay across the top of the food. Marcus helped Jo to set out the food, and they sat down.

"How did your grandmother convince you to come, if you do not mind me asking?" Jo asked.

"She did what every mother and grandmother does when she wants a male of her acquaintance to do something he might not want to do. She threatened me. She told me that if I did not comply, then I would be cut off and disowned."

"That seems rather extreme."

"My grandmother wishes to see me settled down before she dies. And my mother, well..." Marcus paused, staring down at his food and avoiding eye contact.

"I know we just met, but I promise you nothing you say to me will go any further than the two of us. My grandmother, after all, is doing the exact same thing to me."

Marcus nodded. "I suppose we are somewhat in the same boat, as it were. Very well, my mother is too frightened of my grandmother to dare oppose her on anything. She is my father's mother, and very used to getting her own way. She also has the type of mind that once 'tis made up, there is no changing it."

Jo nodded. "Grandmother is just the same, but I have no mother and father any longer whom I could turn to. I shall have to put up with it. I must confess, I fully intended to make myself as unpleasant as possible for the duration of your stay to insure that you wouldn't even think of making me an offer."

Marcus laughed good naturedly. "I planned to be as boorish as I could manage, so you wouldn't accept when I did. Ye gads, we are a pair, aren’t we."

"What are we going to do now? You have to ask, and I have to say yes."

Jo couldn't help but feel downcast as this all became extremely overwhelming. He just did not know what he could do now.

"I do not know. If they were not such close friends, I would suggest we lie. You could say I never asked, and I could say that you refused me."

Jo huffed a laugh. "A good suggestion, but it would not work. I never expected to marry. My mother used to tell me that one day, I would find someone I wished to spend my life with, and she and my father would be happy for me no matter who the person was. But now they are gone. All Grandmother cares about is that I marry someone suitable."

"Why would you not marry? You are a beautiful woman; gentlemen must have made you offers before," Marcus asked as if genuinely surprised that Jo thought so lowly of himself.

"We better get back to the house. You'll want to settle in and get ready for dinner," Jo said, getting up and artfully avoiding the question.

"Yes, you are quite right. It would be most rude of me to delay you any further."

Jo couldn't help but smile. "I doubt the staff expected me back in time for dinner tonight. That is why they gave me the packed meal."

"Planning to avoid my arrival?" Marcus asked with a wry smile.

WANT TO READ MORE?

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00RCAUPN8

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lightson-dynasty-rhiannon-wellman/1120958173?ean=2940149853175

About the Author:

Rhiannon has been making up stories as long as she can remember, admittedly they had less sex in them back then. She never goes anywhere without a pen and notebook, and has often been known to

stop mid-conversation, get a glazed look in her eye and need to write down a line, or even an entirely new plot to add to her ever growing 'to do' pile.

Rhiannon's approach to writing, and life, is best described by the following conversation with her very understanding, and often bemused husband.

"You got bit by the plot bunny again didn't you?"

"Um maybe"

"Small bunny or big one?"

"It was a tiger in a cunning disguise."

When she's not writing she has a full-time job and a family who she loves very much, she's very grateful for all the wonderful things in her life and hopes to keep writing for a long time. Working on her books is Rhiannon's escape, she can lose herself in different worlds and situations, if for no other reason than that she will write for as long as she is able to hold a pen and paper and type on her ever present laptop.

As Rhiannon likes to talk quite a lot she set up a page on face book where people can come and get information as it happens. She will respond to all messages sent to her, currently the page only has a little over 100 likes, but considering the short time she has had the page Rhiannon is thrilled with the response she's gotten.

https://www.facebook.com/RhiannonWellman

She also has a blog, that’s updated as often as she can think of witty and interesting things to say, which is never as often as she'd like.

http://rhiannonwellman.blogspot.co.uk/

Rhiannon also has an account on Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7162092.Rhiannon_Wellman?from_search=true

Lightson Dynasty is published by Three Worlds Press. For more information on this book or their other works please visit: Three Worlds Press.

Sample Sunday: Fixing Collateral Damage

I recently joined to a local writing group. About half are non-fiction, technical writers wanting to branch out into fiction.  So when the group leader suggested everyone try their at a short story, it was intriguing. When the word count max was set at about 1000, I bit my tongue.  They really wanted a short short.  Okay I was game. At the same time, I was experimenting with formatting checks and balances. So I could kill two birds with one stone.  A short piece for the assignment that also lent itself formatting experimentation. So here is the rough draft of my modern horror take on an old fairy tale.

It's pretty much a first draft, but was fun to write. I may expand it out into a longer short-

What do you think?

DON'T FORGET, DARK DEALINGS, is on SALE for Kindle until 7/31 with 50% of royalties going to Kick Cancer Overboard--links to the right >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once upon a time there were three pigs.  One lived in a house of straw, the other lived in a house of sticks and the third lived in a house made of brick just outside Branson, Missouri.  Well, they weren’t real pigs, just very sloppy. And the first house wasn’t straw but it was a double-wide with a straw tiki bar out back.  They had each been featured on the reality show “Hoarders”. That is where he found them.

Brad was the star of The Fixers. He and his crew would swoop in and do an intervention.  It might be a bad relationship, or a home in disrepair.  Brad had met the Poricy brothers when a neighbor had emailed his producer, Mike, about the state of their three adjoining properties.

The producer, Brad and the station hired psychologist, Lila Hood had met all three siblings separately and together. The vote was two out of three, Lila was her usual soft-hearted self.  Brad thought maybe if he could get the hot Caribbean redhead in sack, she would come around. He and Mike agreed that the brothers had no idea they needed help. They were a wash out, lazy shuffling brain dead wastes. Lila insisted that their apathy was part of the disease.  Majority ruled, ratings ruled.

But Brad and Mike had other plans. While the reality of human networks were ratings.  Brad’s pack wanted order.  Packs thrived on order from their members and those in their territory.   And the Poricy brothers lived in their territory.  As alpha wolf of his pack, Brad had to set the tone.  Mike was his second, his sergeant-at-arms.  The neighbor who had called the station was Luke Farkas, a beta looking to advance.  Brad had to admire his initiative, as long as he didn’t over-reach, then Brad would have to take him out.

Brad and Mike decided they would smoke out, George, the youngest Poricy. He lived in the tiki-bar trailer and his brothers didn’t appear to be home. If he stumbled into the woods, they would be waiting under the light of the full moon for him. The pack would eat well this night.

But George didn’t behave as expected. He dragged his slow sorry ass over to his brother, Sean’s clapboard house. No problem.  As Alpha, Brad was patient. So the next month passed.

One Friday after a staff meeting, he stopped Lila in the hall and suggested dinner.  He was not surprised when she said yes. They always did, eventually. What was a surprise was when this flame-haired bombshell suggested they go to the rib place south of town on Route 65. Even better was the way she chowed down. He half expected her to suck the marrow out of the bones. The downside was when she left him at the curb. “You know,” she said, “I don’t shit where I eat.”  He would get her past the work arrangement. In fact, after he was done with the Poricy Brothers, he would consider turning her. Her argumentative spirit was a pain in a human but would be an asset in a mate.

During the day of the next full moon, Brad had Mike and a few betas adjust the electrical system at Sean Poricy’s house and disconnect the ground wires.  The weather forecast was for a line of violent thunderstorms to move through that night. It would be blamed on lightning. A loud boom and the pounding of rain on the roof of his F350 pick-up set the stage for what was to come.  Brad checked his watch and counted down the seconds.  As if planned a bolt split a tree halfway down the street. Within moments, the dance of flames could be seen in the windows of the wooden clapboard house.

“Two down, one to go.”

“Sir.” Mike had dropped his head into a submissive position even as he gestured toward the house. “You might want to look at this.”

“Shit. They are too brain-dead to die.”  Brad watched as George and Sean Poricy stumbled across the side yard to big brother, Seabrook’s house. They swatted at each other trying to smother the flames that ate away at their limbs.  A silhouette, Seabrook, appeared just off the porch. He doused his brothers down with a hose like he was watering the lawn. The three vanished inside Seabrook’s brick walls.

“Sir, what shall we do now?”

He thought about Lila and his plan to turn her.  “We will not wait until the next full moon. You and I will handle this tomorrow.”

Mike nodded. “This is a tougher hunt than we thought it would be.”

“And all the sweeter for it.”  Maybe he should turn Lila now, he thought, so they could share this kill together.

Lila was “on location” for a special report when Brad looked for her the next day. He shrugged as he headed for his office. There would be other meals they could share, other full moons.

Just after moonrise, Brad, Mike and Luke Farkas, the beta and neighbor, crept across the lawn of Seabrook’s house.  The soft glow of table lamps created shadows of figures behind the curtains. Brad counted three, then a fourth figure moving around. The fourth was clearly not a Poricy; it did not shuffle or slouch.

Luke must have spotted the figure. “There’s someone else in there. Shouldn’t we wait.”

“Collateral damage is to be expected.” Mike answered.

Brad saw Luke’s nearly imperceptible flinch. “Luke, if you are ever going to more than a beta lackey you must commit to the cause. Packs survive on order and authority. Humans must learn that as well.”

“It’s time.”  Mike opened his door.  Brad as Alpha took the lead. Lessons would be learned tonight by the humans and by Luke. The men carried no human weapons. Once inside the house, the plan was to shift and finish this business in their wolf form.  If Luke was unable to shift outside of a true full moon, as a powerful Alpha Brad could force the change on him.

As they climbed the porch, the door swung open and Lila faced them.  Her eyes glowed with dancing flames. She had shed her corporate garb for a flowing robe of Caribbean hues and patterns.

“I’ve been expecting you, gentleman. Please come in.” She extended her hand to Brad and Mike as they entered. Clearly, she understood Luke’s status in the pack.

Brad looked at Lila and then at the brothers. They stared back at him with dead-eyes. Saliva dripped from their snapping jaws. Zombies.

A fog began to settle over his brain. He turned in time to see Mike slide to the floor.  Brad tried to shift to counteract whatever Lila had done to them, but couldn’t.

“Don’t bother, Alpha. Lila’s magic is too strong. All it took was a touch of her hand.”  Luke laughed and then raised his voice in a howl of triumph.

Lila leaned over Brad. Behind her, Luke stood only his hands had shifted. Brad couldn’t remember how had he gotten to the floor. He heard Mike scream in pain and looked to see Seabrook rip flesh from Mike’s abdomen.

“Why?” Brad asked. He struggled to stay conscious as her lips moved. But he caught only pieces.

“… power of groups… control.. humans.”

Luke caressed Lila’s hair with his claws as he leaned in close.

The last voice Brad heard before Sean and George tore into his flesh was Luke’s

“Collateral damage.”

Hometown Challenge #2 Good Morning From....

Good Morning from Peculiar, our second Hometown Challenge. Yes, I changed the name. As I said in the beginning, this is new to me and will be evolving.  The challenge was inspired by the idea that setting is crucial to the plot.  Think Mayberry or, for SciFi channel fans, think Eureka.


Here's how it works. You have from now until 5 pm.Tuesday June 7  to come up with a short-short (500 words) that takes place here in Peculiar.  As I sit sipping my venti triple shot latte on a bench along the main thoroughfare, there is a lot to see.  But I’m not telling.

I know the name sounds like a soft pitch and on the surface it is.  But the goal here is to stretch and be creative.

You could win the following cool badge (I created it so, at least, I think it’s cool):

So here’s the schedule

                Post your submission to your website/blog by 5pm on Tuesday

                Leave the link on the comments to this blog.

                Readers:  Beginning at 5pm on Tuesday, visit the contributing sites and enjoy what I am sure will be some great reads. Also follow these bloggers. Then come back here and in the post that will open on Tuesday vote for your favorite.  I’m still working on the voting details.  This is not American Idol, please don’t try to stack the deck. It is not encouraging to all if the voting is perceived as rigged.

                Check back next Friday to see who the winner is and what our next town is!


I'll be posting another excerpt from Dark Dealings this Sunday, hope you enjoy it.  If you missed the first 2, they are listed to the right under "Places To Visit"