New! The Virgin Sacrifice, a humorous erotic fantasy romance...with a dragon.

The Virgin Sacrifice
A humorous, erotic fantasy romance
By Carolyn Gregg
Now Available from Red Rose Publishing
http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?products_id=1305 

Erotic Romance: Paranormal Romance, Dragons, Alternate World, Fantasy, Fairy Tale
ISBN: 978-1-4543-0251-3 
Word Count: 8,188
Pages: 45

Centuries ago, the town of Vistoller was nearly destroyed by dragons, until the townspeople realized that the attacks ceased once a young maiden was swept away by the creatures. Since then, every year, on the cusp of the autumn moon, a virgin is prepared for the dragon's arrival, to ensure another bountiful season without retaliation.

Except this year, the creature has no idea what it's being offered when it's presented with Ilisi. Neither does Ilisi know what to expect when the creature takes her away.

They’re both in for the surprise of their lives.

Excerpt:

Closer and closer the dragon approached. Its immense wings seemed to fill the sky as the creature loomed closer. Before too long, it blocked out the sun entirely, and Ilisi could finally look at the enormous monster as it dipped and turned to circle the site.

It didn't spout flames from its mouth, but she knew it could. And it would, if no sacrifice had been offered. It would have destroyed the whole town with a few simple passes, and no arrows or swords could touch it while it swooped overhead.

The dragon reached out with huge talons and grasped the edges of the old castle wall that used to sit on top of the hill. It was here where Vistoller had met its match centuries ago when the first dragons appeared. It was here at the castle's remains where the yearly sacrifice was offered. Where the dragons would land and claim their victims.

It was a powerful and terrifying-looking behemoth. Black scales covered it from head to tail, including the spread wings. Two massive horns curved upward from its forehead, giving the creature a distinctive, evil appearance.

The monster turned its long black snout from one side to the other as it stared long and hard at her. Oddly, Ilisi felt no fear. Only resignation.

Until she suddenly remembered something she'd heard last year.

"Hey. Aren't you supposed to be green? You were green last year."

The dragon gave a throaty huff, then reached out with one claw, snagging the chain holding her left arm. For the first time, Ilisi cringed, believing the creature was about to disembowel her. Or worse, rip her to pieces as it attempted to remove her from the cuffs. To her surprise, the monster snapped the chain, then did the same for the iron links holding her other arm. She was about comment about the release when the clawed foot grabbed her around the waist, and the dragon launched itself into the air, carrying her with it.

Although the claw was scaly, the foot was warm. With her arms freed, she folded them against herself and tried to brave the cold air by snuggling into the dragon's grasp. Her crown of flowers had flown away. Her hair whipped her face and shoulders, and she tucked the ends under her arms.

Below she could make out the tiny figures climbing to the top of the hill to make certain she'd been taken. Maybe they were surprised by the lack of screams. From what gossip she'd heard over the years, the women always screamed when the dragon arrived. Sometimes blood was found smeared on the walls, or droplets discovered on the ground. But there was never a body. Not even body parts. It was as if the dragon devoured the offering whole.

Now she knew better. The creature didn't eat its victim at the site. It flew away with it to return it to a nest or some such place it called home where it could eat her at its leisure.

They flew over more hills, across a vast lake, and soon approached a range of mountains she'd never knew existed. Mountains so high, their tops were covered in snow and clouds. Up here the air was almost brutally cold, but the dragon didn't seem affected. In fact, after it had noticed her trying to bury herself within its grasp, it seemed to understand why, and closed its other foot around her.

The monster flew between the mountain tops, over a deep orange gorge, then across what appeared to be a lush plateau covered in trees. In the far distance she would swear she saw the sparkle of sunlight on water, perhaps from a larger lake or perhaps an ocean. She never got the chance to be certain. The dragon banked to the left and began its descent toward another pair of tall peaks. Flying between them, it began to descend more rapidly into what looked like a lake of clouds.

The wind rushed upward as the dragon dropped through the white puffs, until they suddenly cleared them. Ilisi stared in shock at the sight below. They were inside of what looked like a ring of mountains, where the steep slopes were covered with buildings. Castles upon castles jutted outward from the rock. Turrets sprouted upward like carrot tops all over the mountain sides. And between them flew dozens of dragons. Dragons of all shapes and sizes and colors.

The creature holding her dropped even further, until it leveled off and headed directly for what appeared to be a wide balcony. Huge doors were open and waiting, leading into the sheer face of the mountain.

Letting her go with one foot, it landed on the wide banister encircling the balcony. Then it released her with the other foot. Ilisi stumbled and fell on the marble-like flooring while the monster remained sitting there, watching her.

Seeing that the dragon wasn't about to pounce on her any time soon and eat her, she managed to get to her feet. Behind her, the huge doors led into what appeared to be a bedroom. A strange idea came to her, and she turned around to face the immense black creature.

"What are you? Some kind of pet? Were you sent by whoever lives here to fetch me?"

The dragon tilted its ears forward but made no other movement.

"Where are the rest of the girls you've taken? Did you bring them here, too? Are they inside somewhere? Do they know I'm coming?"

She took a step backwards, closer to the doors. The dragon made no move to stop her.

"Who lives here? Are they expecting me? Hello!" She turned to face the bedroom. "Helloooo! Is anybody here? Hell—"

"You talk too much."

The sound of a human voice at her back shocked her, and she whirled around. The black dragon was gone, but where it had been stood a tall, gangly man with jet black hair.

A tall, gangly, naked man.

Now Available! HIS LAST REQUEST, an erotic, apocalyptic romance by Linda Mooney

Now Available!

HIS LAST REQUEST
An erotic, apocalyptic Christmas story
from Red Rose Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-4543-0124-0
Word Count: 3,944 
http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?products_id=1148

If you had only one more day to live, what would you do? Corwin knows. And no one and nothing is going to stop him from the telling the woman he has loved silently and from afar how much he cares for her.

***

The bouquet he held was silk. Finding actual flowers was nearly impossible, and he wasn't going to waste another minute searching for a florist and spending useless money on the real thing. That is, if there were any florists and flowers left. He was lucky he had purchased these on a whim just prior to hell breaking loose.

Corwin stared down at himself. The fresh blue t-shirt he'd donned before coming over here was already soaked with sweat, as were his jeans. Perspiration rolled down his face, and his head felt like it was going to explode. Standing in the meager shadow provided by the porch did little to keep the stifling heat from penetrating all the way to the marrow of his bones, to suck out every last drop of moisture from his body. There was no wind. It was over one hundred twenty degrees Fahrenheit, and climbing.

And it was around the middle of December, a week before Christmas.

He stood in front of the white door and stared at the slim, rectangular doorbell embedded in the wall. There was no knocker. Just a small cut glass window for people to peer through. A quick glance at his watch told him it was already past ten p.m., but the world was as bright as noon. Taking a deep breath, he raised his fist and knocked instead.

After a few seconds of silence, he knocked again. This time a surprised face looked out the window, spotted him, and her eyes widened further. There was the sound of a deadbolt lock sliding back, and the door opened a few inches.

Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Loose hairs were plastered to her face and neck from her own sweat. There was the awkward silence, then she spoke.

"Corwin?"

"Hi, Sadie."

"What are you doing here?"

Holding out the handful of silk flowers, Corwin watched as she glanced down at them. "I came to give you these and wish you a Merry Christmas. And to tell you goodbye."

Got Matches? Light My Firecracker is now available!

Just in time for the Fourth of July!
Now Available!

Light My Firecracker
(Tales of the Blakeney Sisters, Book 5)
A humorous erotic paranormal romance
by Carolyn Gregg
Available from Red Rose Publishing
http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?products_id=988

Once upon a time, there lived a man with five rambunctious daughters. They were an average American farming family except for one minor detail. The man was a warlock, and all of his daughters were witchlets—half witch and half human.

It was the Fourth of July, and Amberly Blakeney knew her time had come to find her heart's call. The last thing she expected was to discover that her new love harbored a secret that could jeopardize their future happiness.

To make matters worse, when her father learns Matt’s secret, he refuses to let Matt and Amberly have their Happily Ever After.

Will he be able to do whatever it takes, humanly or magically, to keep the young couple apart?

New! HEALER OF THE HEART, a sensuous fantasy romance novel.

New!

HEALER OF THE HEART
A sensuous fantasy romance novel
by Linda Mooney
From Red Rose Publishing
http://redrosepublishing.com/books/

On a parallel world, a woman with extraordinary healing powers, and a man who would be the next ruler of his country, are thrown together to save their lands from warring nations and to solve the mystery of two brutal deaths within their own fortress, despite the danger to their own lives.

Through it all, they find a love that defies all odds, and becomes the symbol of hope for the future of their world.

Warning! Contains bloody swordplay, dungeon indoctrination, a covert meeting in the kitchen, challenging authority, repeated attempted murder, total disregard for traditions, and the ultimate Seven Joys.

Got Eggs? New Release! Pet My Easter Bunny by Carolyn Gregg

New!

Pet My Easter Bunny
("Tales of the Blakeney Sisters" Book 4)
A humorous, erotic, paranormal romance
by Carolyn Gregg
from Red Rose Publishing
http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?products_id=962

Once upon a time, there lived a man with five rambunctious daughters. They were an average American farming family except for one minor detail. The man was a warlock, and all of his daughters were witchlets—half witch and half human.

Rast Clemmons is the most arrogant, opinionated, and snobbish son of a bitch Penderly Blakeney has ever met. The fact that he is also her new boss only makes matters worse. With Easter and her birthday just around the corner, Penderly knows beyond a doubt that her heart's call works at the seafood plant. It's only a matter of time before she discovers who he is, and they seal their future together with the sex hex test. But first she has to get rid of Rast Clemmons, who is quickly becoming a major pain in the ass. Regardless of the outcome, that man has screwed up her life for the last time, and now she's ready to call for magical reinforcements.

New Release! Rhythm and Boos by Carolyn Gregg

Rhythm & Boos
Humorous, Erotic, Paranormal Romance
Red Rose Publishing
(ebook) ISBN# 978-1-4543-0033-5
Word Count: 13K
http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?products_id=809

Sensuelle (aka Sydney Shookerman) was an exotic dancer. At least, she tried to be. Unfortunately, Sydney sucked at the job. She had a body to die for, and the face of an angel, but she lacked the timing and moves which would put her in the pro league.

Fortunately, she managed to keep her job at Napoleon’s nightclub. And despite the rumors that Napoleon’s used to be a speakeasy back in the 1920s, and was reputed to be haunted, she never knew how haunted it was until she accidentally awoke the spirit of one poor victim from that era.

The first thing Frankie Nuwurth wanted to do was to get even with the wise guys who had put him away. Although he had no idea how he was resurrected, the cute half-naked dame working in the joint was an awful temptation. And one thing was certain—he hadn’t been laid in almost a hundred years, which meant he had a lot of catching up to do!

Just in time for Valentine's Day! Spank My Valentine by Carolyn Gregg

I have a double whoop this week!  Spank My Valentine, book 3 of "Tales of the Blakeney Sisters" is released from Red Rose Publishing!  And Book 1, Rub My Pumpkin, is now available on Fictionwise (and currently 15% off, so hurry!)

Spank My Valentinea humorous erotic paranormal romance
by Carolyn Gregg
Book 3 of "Tales of the Blakeney Sisters"
from Red Rose Publishing
http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?products_id=939

Once upon a time, there lived a man with five rambunctious daughters. They were an average American farming family except for one minor detail. The man was a warlock, and all of his daughters were witchlets—half witch and half human.

Grant Morgan hasn’t been to Toppers Cove since he graduated from high school there. But when he receives the invitation to the Hearts on Fire Valentine’s Day Dance, and sees Sanderly Blakeney’s name listed on the committee, something inside him tells him to go back to his home town. If nothing more than to see her again, and to see if the flame he carried for her all through their years in school still burns.

Only one thing could possibly stand in his way. His parents are still prominent people in town, which means they know all about the Blakeneys. And they have made it very clear to their only child that he is not to have anything to do with any of "those heathen girls", especially Sandy.
----
"All right, cousin. I got it, and I’m holding it in my hand this very moment."

"Open it," Lena ordered him.

Grant sighed in exasperation. He had always been a pushover with it came to his cousin. In many ways, she was more like a sister, and had been an integral part of his life growing up, since he was an only child.

The envelope had the embossed logo of Toppers Cove CSD on the upper left-hand corner. The letter had originally been sent to him at his old mailing address. Grant could see where his mother had crossed it out and written the address of his New York apartment to have it forwarded.

Grabbing a letter opener from the pencil cup on his drawing table, he ripped open the envelope and pulled out a single sheet of paper. Even as he unfolded it, he could tell it was an invitation of some sort. His first impulse was to toss it without reading it first, until a name at the top caught his attention, right underneath Lena‘s name.

Sanderly Blakeney, Vice Chairman

Vice Chairman of what? He scanned the paper.

You are invited to attend the First Annual Hearts on Fire Valentines Day Dance at the Toppers Cove Consolidated High School gym on Friday, February 14th. The dance will be from 7 to midnight. Music will be provided by J.D. Maxx and the Maximums.

He glanced back up at the name at the top, and the first thing that he realized was that she was still a Blakeney. Sandy Blakeney. Either she hadn’t gotten married, or if she had, she’d taken her maiden name back. Either way it means she’s free.

Grant frowned. It was coming back to him, and it wasn’t pleasant. It had been years since he’d felt that deep sense of longing. It was immediately followed by sadness, disillusionment, and regret.

"Well?" Lena’s voice drifted from the speaker.

"Well what?"

"Are you coming or not?"

"I don’t know…"

"Oh, don’t give me that bullshit, Grant David! We’ve worked a lot of long, hard hours to get this thing together. Think of it as a class reunion, only with a lot more returning graduates!"

"I’ve never attended any of the class reunions," he reminded her.

"Like I don’t already know that," his cousin retorted. "Your folks are already expecting you to come up for a visit."

Oh, shit.

"Grant?"

"Yeah. I’m still here. Let me think on it, Lena, and I’ll get back with you."

"No way, cuz. I know why you’re back-pedaling. It’s because of Sandy, isn’t it?"

Yes, Lena would bring her up, considering she was the only person in the world who knew of his history, or rather the lack of it, when it came to the Blakeney girl. As he tried to figure out a way to get out of the going to the dance, his cousin persisted.

"I told her I was inviting you."

"Lena!"

"Hey, it’s been ten years! You don’t have to tell me you’re still carrying a torch around for her. Listen, bro…" Her voice softened. Lena never referred to him as brother unless she was speaking to him from the heart. Despite the fact that they were adults now, his closeness to Lena was his only strong familial bond, and she would forever hold an emotional attachment to him.

"When I told Sandy I was asking you to the dance, you would have sworn I’d sucker punched her. There’s something still there, Grant. When are you two going to finally have a heart-to-heart, and let bygones be bygones?"

"Lena, you know the answer to that."

"Because your folks don’t approve of her? What are you? Twelve? It’s time to grow some brass ones, bro. It’s your life, and what’s more important, your parents no longer have any say-so in it."

That was true. Since he got on with the company of his dreams, he had become totally independent of his parents, both physically and financially. Plus, truth be told, he was a bit homesick to see his home town again.

And Sanderly Blakeney.

It's Finally Here! TICKLE MY CANDY CANE is Now Available!

The wait is over!

Now Available!

TICKLE MY CANDY CANE
"Tales of the Blakeney Sisters, Book 2"
A humorous, erotic paranormal holiday romance
by Carolyn Gregg
from Red Rose Publishing
http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?products_id=936&CDpath=2

Once upon a time, there lived a man with five rambunctious daughters. They were an average American farming family except for one minor detail. The man was a warlock, and all of his daughters were witchlets—half witch and half human.


With Christmas two days away, Tamberly Blakeney has given up hope of finding her heart call that year. That is, until Jonathan Mauk walks into the market and into her life. With the magical swirl of a candy cane's stripes, she knows he’s the man meant to be her lifelong love. But first he has to pass the sex hex test, which she is sure won't be a problem.

What she doesn't realize is that there is something in Jonathan's past that deeply disturbs her father. And until Daddy gets all the answers, there could be hell to pay.

(Click here for an excerpt and to order.)

New! RUB MY PUMPKIN, a humorous erotic paranormal fantasy romance

New! Now Available!

RUB MY PUMPKIN

"Tales of the Blakeney Sisters", Book 1
A humorous erotic paranormal fantasy
by Carolyn Gregg
Published by Red Rose Publishing
http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?products_id=881

Once upon a time, there lived a man with five rambunctious daughters. They were an average American farming family except for one minor detail. The man was a warlock, and all of his daughters were witchlets—half witch and half human.

Rick Carr and his friend Booey came to Toppers Cove seeking employment at the seafood plant. For Rick, it was a chance to try and re-establish roots on the eastern coast, hoping to make a life out here. He never expected to meet someone like Kimberly Blakeney. One glance, and he knew he was falling in love until he discovered that she was a witch. A real witch. But despite that revelation, his feelings didn’t change.

The only problem was, before he could sweep her off her feet, he first had to pass what she called a “sex hex test” to prove they were meant to be together. Rick didn’t mind, but what he didn’t realize was that his best friend wasn’t about let him fall under her spell...even if it meant taking drastic measures.

New! CODE 30 by Gail Smith (Linda Mooney w/a)

CODE 30
A novella of paranormal horror
by Gail Smith (Linda Mooney w/a)
From Red Rose Publishing
Word Count: 33.3K

Hi. My name is Alexis Hembree, and I’m a cop. My partner and I are good at our jobs, except we don’t tend to work what others would call a “normal” beat. For some reason we draw evil to us like flies to sugar.

Sometimes there are things in this world we can’t explain or anticipate. But when they cross that line between their existence and ours, when they show up, we have to deal with them as best we can.

Some cops fight criminals. We fight something that never should have existed.

303 Lexington St.

It was a crack house. Except, in this case, drug dealers went in but they didn’t come out. Not alive, anyway, but in body bags. What’s more, if everyone who went inside ended up being shredded to death, who was doing the killing?

Georgie Porgie

The killer targeted women. Young, old, prostitutes, business women, it didn’t matter. One moment they would be walking down the sidewalk in the middle of town, and the next what was left of their bodies would be found in a nearby alleyway. Devoured. That’s why I had to be the next one to walk the streets. To draw out whoever was doing this. To be his next victim.

The Goodbye

He murdered young girls by crucifying them with ice picks. He was slick, elusive, and heading for our city. My partner and I were damned and determined this murderer would get no further. Unfortunately I couldn’t keep my head on the job. Neither could I ignore the weird-ass dreams I was having about this deviate. This case was becoming more personal, more foreboding, and more dangerous with each passing day. And there was no damn way I could avoid what I dreamed would be the final outcome.

SUCKERS is now available at ARe and OmniLit!

SUCKERS

By: Carolyn Gregg
Published By: Red Rose Publishing
ISBN # 978-1-60435-483-0
Word Count: 5,850
Categories: Erotica Contemporary Fiction
Available in: Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Reader, HTML, Mobipocket
Price: $1.99

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-suckers-412926-144.html
 
He wants Felicia to pose with a new product.
All she can think about is finding a way to get into Aaron's heart
...and his pants.

******
Mary Elizabeth hustled back into the studio with a brown box in her hands. "Aaron, that was a courier. I signed for you."
"What is it?" he called, stepping back out into the open.

"I dunno. From a company called Oral Fixations?"

A big smile brightened his face almost immediately. "Oh, yeah! I've been waiting for that. Talk about luck!" He went over to the small table where he kept his prop materials, and opened the package. After removing a layer of bubble wrap, he lifted out something purple on a stick. Felicia squinted to see what it was.

"Hey, not bad," Aaron commented almost to himself. He inspected the item, then pulled a second and third item from the box. The second one was pinkish, but the third was a wild rainbow of colors. The third one Aaron handed over to Mary Elizabeth, who stared at it in fascination.

Curiosity got the better of her. "What is it?" Felicia called out.

"Yeah. What do they call this?" the makeup artist asked.

Aaron glanced at the paper included in the package. "It's one of several new products this company wants to start advertising in select magazines. I spoke to them yesterday, and they said they'd send over a few samples. This one is called **** on a Stick."

He threw part of his grin over at Felicia. "I had thought about having either you or Roxie for the shoot. But since you're already here, guess you win out. I want to get some test shots done up for the client, and if they approve, we can go from there. Got the time?"

Did she have the time? Other than a trip to the market and a date with the latest Pitt movie just out on DVD, she'd made no other plans. Felicia flashed him her best photogenic smile. "Bring it on!"


Suckers

Carolyn | MySpace Video

New! 36 EXPOSURES, an Erotic Urban Fantasy Romance

New!

36 Exposures
An erotic urban fantasy romance
by Linda Mooney
From Red Rose Publishing
(ebook) ISBN# 978-1-60435-491-1

Word Count: 11.1K
Price:  $1.99

What if you could take a picture of your true soulmate before you ever met her?

It was an innocent roll of film she found on the street. But when Jolee Wiley had it developed, hoping she might be able to find its owner from the pictures on it, she came face-to-face with a shocking impossibility.

Mike Owensby was an Archivist. A Dreams Keeper. The roll of film belonged to him. And the woman who found it may be the lover he had been seeking all his life.

Free Suckers!

Yes, you heard right! TODAY ONLY is Black Friday Half Price Sale at Red Rose Publishing, and from now until Dec. 9th, you can get my brand new, titillating erotic story SUCKERS for FREE!

SUCKERS
A lickable erotic romance
by Carolyn Gregg

He wants Felicia to pose with a new product.
All she can think about is finding a way into Aaron's heart...
...and his pants.

My Best Selling Horror Short is Now at Fictionwise for 45% Off!

EENIE MEENIE

A short horror story

by Gail Smith (Linda Mooney w/a)
from Red Rose Publishing

Now you can get this best seller on Fictionwise for a limited time at 45% off! So hurry!

Something lives in the big black plastic bag. Something that isn't human. Something that depends on the goodwill of others to provide it with food. Fortunately, it's not particular if its meal is dead, long dead...or alive.

You can read an excerpt and see the reviews here.

NEW! CASTLE'S KEEP, an erotic fantasy romance novella

Castle’s Keep
An erotic urban fantasy romance
by Linda Mooney
Now Available from Red Rose Publishing!http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=397

Blurb:
He was a man angry at an accident which left him forever incapacitated.
She was a woman disfigured and empty.
Add one immense painting imbued with a magical ability, and the resulting enchantment changed more than just their lives.
It changed their world.

Excerpt - (rated PG)
Her feet splashed into the water at the lake’s edge. Quickly Johana did a little hop onto the embankment and pulled off her shoes to empty them. A glance over her shoulder at the reflection in the water told her exactly where she was. She had entered the painting where the forest met the lake, exactly what she had been facing on the other side. If she continued to follow the shoreline, she knew she would inevitably arrive at the castle depicted in the background.
Johana inhaled the fragrance of the woods. It was real. This was all real. All around her the sights and sounds and smells were exactly as she expected. Overhead the sun shone through the rustling leaves. The weather was warm, very spring-like. She could even hear birds chirping in the distance.
Bushes dragged against her pants legs. Small white flowers littered the ground along with dead leaves. Everywhere she looked the place breathed of reality. Whether it was an alternate world or some kind of time portal displacement was no longer important. What mattered now was that she was inside the painting, living within its boundaries as if she had traveled there via plane, car, or on foot, and not through a solid stone wall.
Something rustled to her left. Maybe caused by a creature like a deer or raccoon. It didn’t matter. For some strange reason Johana felt perfectly safe. Stranger still, she felt perfectly at home, as though she belonged there. As though she had finally come back to the land where she’d been born.
Following the curve in the lake kept the distant castle in view. In the painting the towering structure had sat slightly off-center, but now it filled her horizon like an immense crown of stone. The closer she approached it, the more breath-taking it became.
The artwork had also displayed a smaller stone building set apart from the castle and partially concealed by the forest. The lake looped near it. As Johana continued walking toward it, she could see jeweled glints of light coming from its windows. It was a church, she realized.
And the double doors stood wide open.
Stopping several yards away, she stared at the entrance. Despite the pleasant weather, she couldn’t remember if churches left their doors open in the middle of the day. Open where anyone, including animals, could enter, seeking something to eat or a place to nest.
"Doesn’t matter," she whispered to herself. "Open doors means someone’s inside. Either that, or Mr. Castle is pretty damn sure no one is going to be bothering the place."
She walked up to the church building and took the narrow stone steps up to the entrance. The interior was dark but not oppressive. As she slowly went inside an overwhelming sense of peacefulness filled her.
The altar was covered with a white banner sewn with golden threads. Pure ivory colored tapers stood on both ends. A basket of white lilies sat on the floor before it. The candles were unlit, but enough sunlight came through the multi-colored stained glass windows to throw artificial rainbows across the pews and aisle.
A man stood before the altar, his back to the doors. Johana stared at the tall figure dressed in jeans and a short-sleeved polo shirt. Long minutes passed as he remained in contemplation or prayer. Suddenly he turned to leave and gasped to see her standing mere yards away.
"Who the hell are you? How’d you get here?"
He was angry. Surprised and angry. Johana didn’t blame him in the least. His perfect paradise had been intruded upon and no longer belonged exclusively to him.
"My name’s Johana Reese, Mr. Castle."
Darkness suddenly seemed to descend outside. Clouds gathered to block the sunlight streaming in, and the building grew dimmer. However, Castle either didn’t notice the growing darkness, or he didn’t care.
"The reporter? You’re that reporter that’s been hounding me? What in hell are you doing here? Go back!"
"I can’t," she told him, glancing over her shoulder. Was that thunder?
"Why not? Just go back the same way you got in! Stick your hand through the wall and someone’ll drag you out. Now go!" His face was so flushed a vein stood out above his right eyebrow. The wind picked up outside, blowing leaves into the sanctuary.
"I can’t," Johana repeated. "I don’t think I could find the way out without help." It was the truth. She could find her way back to the approximate area where she entered the painting, but unless there was a clearly marked exit sign, there was no way she could find the exact place.
He frowned at her, but the anger on his face did little to mar the man’s dark good looks. Johana felt her breath catch in her throat. There had been no photos or pictures to prepare her for when she finally met the man. No way she would have known what Warren William Castle looked like before now.
The man was too damned good looking. And it frightened her more than his wrath or the storm brewing outside.
"How did you manage to get here in the first place?" he asked again, this time with a little more civility. But not by much.
"The same way you did...sort of. I walked through the painting."
"How?"
"How?" she echoed. "Well, I picked up one foot and set it down, then I picked up—"
Castle gave a little growl of irritation and advanced toward her. At the same time lightning crackled above them. "I don’t have time for any smartass answers. Come on. I’m taking you back."
He strode toward her on perfectly strong legs, not legs weakened by lack of use or infirmity. Johana stood her ground, undaunted by the figure quickly coming toward her. People had tried to intimidate her before. It wasn’t a tactic she wasn’t expecting.
"They’re worried about you, you know," she managed to say just as he reached for her. Too late she realized he was reaching for her left arm, her bad arm. She tried to jerk it away but she wasn’t fast enough. His large, warm hand clamped around her upper arm and started to jerk her around. Johana gave a shriek of pain as she grabbed his wrist and tried to pry it off. Her reaction made him freeze.
"What’s wrong?"
"What’s...wrong?" she gasped, bent over slightly as she waited for the hot agony in her withered muscles to stop lancing up her arm.
"Dammit, woman! Why do you insist on repeating every fucking thing I say?" he practically roared, reaching for her again. He said more, but the nearly-deafening boom of thunder drowned him out.
Johana flinched. Too late she realized his intent. Castle snagged her arm again but this time he also grabbed the material at her shoulder with his other hand and jerked downward, ripping the sleeve. Dumbfounded, he stared at her thin, almost skeletal arm. His hesitation gave her just enough time to come around with her other hand and land a full-fisted blow to the side of his face. Castle gave a grunt in surprise, released her arm, and staggered back a couple of steps.
"You hurt me, you son of a bitch!" Johana yelled at him. "Touch me again and I swear I’ll kick you in the nuts so hard, you’re gonna need that wheelchair over on this side!"

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Want Menage? La Petite Mort is Now Available from Red Rose Publishing!

La Petite Mort, a scorching little erotic fantasy by Carolyn Gregg, is now available from Red Rose Publishing.com!

http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=219

Bria had just one wish, one desperate desire, and the only place she would be able to have it come true would be at the annual Midnight Fantasies Masquerade Ball. It would be interesting to see if, given enough money, the hosts truly granted everyone’s wildest fantasy, as they promised, or if it was just meaningless hype.

After all, how many women attending wanted to die at the automated “hand” of a sex machine?

La Petite Mort


www.CarolynGregg.com