The Heart Collector
Auckland Steampunk Book 1
by Barbara Russell
Genre: Steampunk, Romantic
Suspense
Auckland, 1884
The Supernaturals are frightened. Despite being able to do extraordinary
things like teleporting or lighting a fire with a stare, a serial
killer, the Heart Collector, is slaughtering them. He rips their
chests open and removes their hearts.
While other aristocratic, nineteen-year-
old girls spend time dancing,
Isabel trains hard to become an MI7 agent—Military Intelligence
Seventh Division, a crime squad run by Supernaturals. The Heart
Collector murdered her best friend, and enrolling at MI7 is the best
way to help catch the killer.
Isabel senses other people’s feelings as if
they were her owns. But MI7’s
leader is too worried about Isabel’s safety to let her join the team.
Eager to prove that her power is valuable,
Isabel volunteers to meet Murk,
a dangerous Supernatural man who can turn himself invisible. MI7
desperately tried to recruit him and failed.
She believes that her power is enough to
convince Murk to become an MI7’s
agent and help apprehend the Heart Collector. If he wants to attack
her, his feelings will broadcast his intention, and she’ll be ready.
What Isabel isn’t ready for is to fall in
love with the man who will
collect her heart.
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I’m an entomologist and a
soil biologist, which is a fancy way to say
that I dig in the dirt, looking for bugs. Nature and books have
always been my passion. I was a kid when I read The Lord Of The Ring
and fell in love with fantasy novels.
When I discovered cosy
mystery and crime novel, I fell in love with
Hercules Poirot and Sherlock Holmes. Then I grew up and . . . Nah,
I’m joking. I didn’t grow up. Don’t grow up, folks! It’s a trap.
PS I hate gardening. There,
I said it. Sorry fellow Kiwis.
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Chapter 1
Auckland, 1884
One of the perks of being a duchess and the lady of Hastings Manor was that I could make my
own decisions.
Most of the time.
I bunched a corner of my long brocade skirt and climbed the sweeping stairs toward Victor’s
office. The bustle, heavy with satin ribbons, bounced lightly, tapping on the small of my back.
On the landing, one of the little cleaning machines that roamed the house trotted around, buzzing
as its brushes dusted the white marble floor. A puff of steam trailed behind it while its wheels and pistons
whirred. I strode on, the star-bright tiles sparkling under my velvet slippers.
The butler bowed stiffly, carrying a tray with tea and cakes that smelled of cinnamon. “Your
Grace.” He stepped aside to let me pass.
“Hollom.” My heels’ click-clacking noise died down on the blue rug covering the entrance in front
of Victor’s office.
I raised my fist to knock but stopped inches away from the gleaming, polished oak wood, needing
a moment to collect myself. Victor had to see reason. Convincing him that my role in the investigation
was vital wouldn’t be easy, but I was nineteen and properly trained in combat. More or less. The point
was, I could face danger.
My resolve wavered, and I bit the inside of my cheek. On light feet, I turned and slid inside my
late father’s personal library. Victor’s supernatural hearing wouldn’t catch me in the room protected by
thick walls, and the old leather-bound volumes calmed my nerves.
I cleared my throat before rehashing my speech. “Victor, you’re the leader of Military Intelligence
Seven, but as Duchess of Sussex, I have the right to . . .” I shook my head. This sounded patronizing. I
took a deep breath to slow my pounding heart, glad that I wasn’t wearing a corset. Another perk of being
a duchess.
I squared my shoulders. A wrong word and Victor would dismiss me. “Victor, I kindly request…
would you… I would appreciate if you assign me to the ongoing investigation on the Heart Collector,
since I believe my skills can be an asset.” There. Simple, polite, and to the point.
I jutted out my chin and smoothed my bodice. I should’ve worn my dark green dress. It made me
look taller and older. This blue gown gave me a childish air with its velvet ribbons and budding roses.
Too late.
After another deep inhalation, I marched toward Victor’s office again and knocked on the door.
“Come in.” The thick door muffled his deep voice.
I wiped my sweaty hand on my skirt before turning the handle and stepping into the office that had
once belonged to my father. Victor and his younger brother Jamie stood up from their stuffed chairs and
bowed.
“Good morning, Victor, Jamie.”
After the dimly lit corridor, the sunlight streaming from the floor-to-ceiling window blinded me,
and I squinted, closing the door behind me.
I walked to the desk that occupied almost half of the room, keeping my eyes on Victor’s frowning
face. “I need to talk to you.”
Victor stretched out an arm, indicating the empty chairs. His serious expression added wisdom to
his five and twenty years. “Of course, Isabel. Please, sit.”
I perched on the very edge of the chair and set my back straight to not crush my bustle. Victor sat
at his desk while Jamie settled himself next to the fireplace.
“Is something the matter?” Jamie leaned forward, his blond hair swishing about his cheeks. “You
are pale.”
I faced him. “Well, I—” A dark blue bruise marked his chin, his bottom lip was split, and a fresh
cut marred his forehead. “What happened to you?”
Jamie clenched and unclenched his fists. “My encounter with one of the Supernaturals we’re
trying to recruit didn’t end well.”
I focused on Jamie, unleashed my power, and reached out for his feelings. A rush of energy
flooded me, and heat warmed my chest. His anger, annoyance, and humiliation washed over me. Physical
pain stabbed him as well. I gently prodded his body with my mental strength. His ribs hurt, and a cut on
his back throbbed. His feelings left the sour taste of unripe grapes in my mouth.
I swallowed. “This Supernatural must be particularly strong to hurt you.”
Jamie stroked his bruised skin. A new wave of mortification surged from him. “He is moderately
strong.”
Moderately strong? Jamie could bend iron bars with two fingers and lift twenty times his weight.
How strong was this Supernatural?
Victor shifted his gaze to me. “What did you want to talk to me about?”
“Exactly about this.” I nodded toward Jamie. “This Supernatural you want to recruit for the
investigation on the Heart Collector.”
Victor knitted his blond eyebrows in the same way Jamie would. “You don’t have to concern
yourself with that. Jamie will soon make another attempt to meet this Supernatural.”
“But.” I paused to read Victor’s feelings. His determination and mild exasperation reached me. It
wasn’t a good start, but maybe my speech would convince him. “I would like you to allow me . . . I mean,
to assign me to this mission since I request, kindly, I request kindly, that it would be me, myself, to do it.”
Damn. So much for rehashing. I clasped my hands in my lap not to show how much they trembled. “I’d
like it to be me.” I swallowed. If I weren’t so eager to get the job, I’d laugh at Victor’s scrunched face.
I searched his feelings again. Even without my supernatural empathetic power, the hard set of his
jaw and his narrowed icy blue eyes told me he wasn’t pleased. I cleared my throat. “I want to meet this
Supernatural.”
“You want what?” Jamie asked, propping an elbow on the mantelpiece.
I ignored him. “What did you say his name was?”
“I didn’t.” Victor straightened the pile of documents on his desk, arranged quills and inkbottles,
and loosened his bow tie.
Fun facts about me: My toes are prehensile. I can pick everything up with them. I’m dyslexic. I thought that ‘Breaking Bad’ was ‘Baking Bad,’ a reality show on cooking-impaired people. I believe that artichokes are weapons. I believe in Santa Claus. Sue me.
Following her fiftieth birthday, Cartoon striptease artist Bambi Bazooms
decides to shake off her midlife funk and see what life has to offer
outside of her pleasant but quaint neighborhood of McCayville (in
Chicago, Illinois). On the first Human Night of August 1993, she
meets a handsome options trader named Steve Warner (no relation), and
is immediately enamored. What follows is a whirlwind romance, as well
as an exciting new career as a legal secretary, courtesy of Steve’s
friend Reggie Morton. However, as she further entangles herself in
human affairs, will she alienate herself from her sister, Fanny
Firecracker, her friend Cinnamon Bunns, and the rest of her Cartoon
family? Start reading to find out! (To make matters even worse,
humans and Cartoons mutually distrust each other, all because of a
violent incident that happened many decades ago.)
Ever since I can remember, I’ve loved reading. I participated in advanced
reading groups as a child, and often read above my grade level. As a
pre-teen, I gravitated toward science fiction and fantasy, and never
looked back. My love of the fantastical inspired me to write my own
short stories, which were often simple and crude (in terms of
quality, not subject matter, though sometimes that, too). I didn’t
have too many friends when I was younger, so books kept me company.
However, my teachers always praised and encouraged my writing, and I
was happy they did.
Today, I’ve found some friends who share my love of reading (and often
the
same genres and titles). I’ve also taken my writing much more
seriously, In addition to my novels, I’ve enjoyed writing movie
reviews for a Facebook group called Adventures in Videoland, as well
as book reviews here on Goodreads. When I’m not reading, writing or
watching movies, I enjoy attending Purdue sporting events, going to
local cultural and food festivals, and visiting friends and family
around the country. I hope that I can one day count some of you among
my friends, and hope you enjoy reading my books!
I watch Fanny from the left side of the stage at the Sly Fox Theatre, and I’m grinning from ear to
ear as she dances for her adoring crowd. When she rocks her chest back and forth, the pigs
squeal with delight (and they squeal even louder when she whips off her beaded ruby top to
reveal her sparkly pasties). The wolves howl their approval as she gyrates her belly while
running her fingers through her long red hair. And the owls hoot with anticipation as she
twitches her hips to the rhythm of music—Wynonie Harris’ “I Want My Fanny Brown”. Of
course, Fanny’s last name isn’t Brown. It’s Firecracker, because that’s just what she is. And
what are all these animals anticipating? The big finish, naturally. As the song nears its end,
Fanny turns around and starts shaking her moneymaker, faster and faster as the music grows
louder. Then, when Wynonie belts out his last lyrics, she unhooks her beaded skirt and tosses it
aside to reveal her famed booty in all its glory. Clad only in a thong, Fanny quickly shakes it
from side to side along with the closing notes. I’ve seen that act thousands of times, but it never
grows old. Not so coincidentally, I suppose, neither do I.
That’s because I’m a Cartoon, nothing but ink and paint. So is the rest of the audience, as well
as everyone else in McCayville. While we may not be flesh and blood like the humans, we still
feel, and most of what we feel is joy. After all, there’s not much cause for sadness in this little
neighborhood within the Windy City, because life is pretty predictable. Get up, go to work, run
errands, go home. Maybe knock back a few drinks at the Wet Whistle Saloon on the way back,
or catch a show here at the Sly Fox. But then it’s time to relax with the spouse and kids, if you
have them. Of course, I don’t, looking how I look and doing what I do. I sometimes imagine
what that would be like, though, and how happy I could be.
But I digress. I’m up next, dancing to “Snatch And Grab It” by Julia Lee. As the horns start up,
I slowly stride onto the stage in my powder blue robe and slippers. But as Ms. Lee starts singing,
I step back and forth, shaking my own booty to the knocks. Most of my own dancing is
stepping, to and fro or side to side. I don’t have the moves that Fanny does. Still, I have what
the crowd wants, what they paid to see. I gladly shimmy my hips and chest to the trumpets, and
teasingly extend my leg to the crowd during the chorus. Oh, they can try to snatch and grab it,
but Vic will never allow it to happen. No touching—that’s the rule. Try it, and you’re out on
your keister. But they can look all they want, and look they do. Especially as the piano kicks in,
and I start bouncing around the stage. My long blonde hair bounces, and so do the big ol’ boobs
that give me my name. Bazooms they call them, though I’ve never learned why.
“Work ‘em, Bambi!” one of the wolves shouts from way in the back.
Yes, that’s me. Bambi Bazooms, the most famous stripper of them all.
My baby blues go wide and my pink lips pucker into a little “O” as I flick off my slippers and
kick up my heels. As Ms. Lee starts to sing again, I grab the belt of my robe, pull it off, and
shrug off the robe itself. Now I’m only wearing a bra and slip, and that bra looks like it can
barely hold my straining chest. So, I quickly reach back, unhook it, and fling it away. And as
Ms. Lee sings her final lyrics, my bazooms bounce up and down, and my blue tassels twirl
clockwise, then counter-clockwise. It’s a neat trick, and the crowd claps and cheers. The final,
tweeting notes play, so I unclasp my slip and drop it to the stage’s wooden floor to reveal my
sparkly blue thong. With a bow, I thank the crowd for its hospitality and strut through the dark
red curtain behind me.
“Great show, sis,” Fanny drawls in a Georgia accent, as I arrive in the makeup room. Her green
eyes apprise me with a warm gaze as she stands there in her scarlet robe.
“Thanks, Fanny,” I say, glad that she was watching. “You, too.”
“Well, I guess I’m up next!” chirps a girlish voice with a subtle Tennessee twang. “Wish me
luck!”
We watch as her reddish-brown bob and black cocktail dress pass us on her way to the curtain.
“Break a leg,” Fanny says cheerfully. Then, once the girl is out of earshot, she adds, “Hmph. If
only.”
Once Fanny has turned her eyes back toward me, I frown at her with disapproval. “Why do you
always have to be so mean to Cinnamon? We should all be in this together.”
“Sorry, I can’t help it,” she says apologetically, though not with deep regret. “She’s just too …
perky. Her personality, her knockers, and especially that tight little tush of hers. Dang it all,
why did Irv have to draw her so young and perfect?”
“I don’t know,” I reply, with what I hope is a concerned look. “Unfortunately, we can’t ask him,
seeing how he’s long since passed away. But if I had to guess, I’d say it was the culture. Teens
were popular back in the early 1950s, remember?”
Narrowing her eyes at me, Fanny reluctantly admits, “Yeah, I remember. What with their fancy
convertibles, poodle skirts, saddle shoes and sock hops. Ugh, it’s enough to drive a girl to drink.
In fact, I don’t mind if I do.”
With that, she walks over to a nearby makeup table—its mirror all lit up with bright lightbulbs
that surround the frame—and grabs bottles of gin and tonic. Pouring herself a short glass, she
turns around and asks me, “Want one?”
“No thanks,” I say, wrapping myself in a robe that’s powder blue.
Behind me, I hear Amos Milburn’s rendition of “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” playing
to the unseen crowd. Curious, I peek through the curtain to see how Cinnamon is doing.
Stripped down to black pasties and thong, she’s turned to one side, shaking her butt at her many
admirers. With one hand behind her head, she gives them all a wink, then blows them a kiss
with the other. Watching that, I can see why Fanny is so jealous. All she needs are her looks
and that “tight little tush”, and the other Cartoons are like putty in her hands. It’s that booty that
inspired her name, after all. Cinnamon Bunns. It kind of rolls off the tongue … so to speak.
“How’s she look up there?” Fanny asks me with mild interest, then knocks back a swig of her
drink.
“The usual,” I regretfully admit, then drop the curtain and look back to her. “You know, I wish
she’d take her job more seriously. She could really be something.”
“So you’re on her side?” she accuses, setting down her glass before turning on me with a pout.
“I’m not on anyone’s ‘side’,” I reply, hurt by my ink sister’s sense of betrayal. “I just want us all
to do our best. We’re supposed to be a family, right? Besides, it’s good for business.”
“Some family,” Fanny huffs, miffed by my support of my co-worker. “We don’t even share the
same Artists.”
“No, we don’t,” I reluctantly agree, not happy with her feelings of jealousy toward Cinnamon.
“But we have a lot more in common than Cartoons who do. Just be nice to her, that’s all I’m
asking. Please.”
I stare at her pointedly, and her frown slowly becomes a reassuring smirk. “Okay, I’ll give the
kid a chance. Who knows? We might actually end up getting along.”
Fanny chuckles to herself at that last remark, as if she doesn’t believe the possibility. I hope that
time proves otherwise. I really do. However, she’s right about us not sharing the same Artists.
Stanley Ehrenbaum created me and Fanny (in 1943 and 1941, respectively), and Irv Halberstam
created Cinnamon (about a decade later, in 1952). Not that it matters very much, since neither
man stuck around very long after creating us. For most of our lives, we’ve been on our own.
Just then, Cinnamon comes bounding back through the curtain, her performance having ended
with much applause.
“Wow, that’s some crowd tonight!” she happily exclaims, her brown eyes wide with
exhilaration. “If we keep packin’ ‘em in like that, we could see a little extra moolah in our
futures. Know what I’m saying?”
Cinnamon gives Fanny a little wink and a nudge, but my sister merely flashes her a tepid smile.
“C’mon, lighten up!” Cinnamon persists, grinning widely. “This is the best job in the world!
All we have to do is dance and take of our clothes, and the other Cartoons love us for it. What
could be better?”
“Yeah, about that …”
But before Fanny can critique her performance style, we all hear a slow clapping coming up the
hallway to the dressing room, just to the left of the makeup tables.
“Excellent as always, ladies,” a smug baritone says from the darkness, though we can see his
silhouette quickly approaching. “You really do make me proud to be your manager.”
And then he’s standing in the doorway, his long bushy tail merrily swishing behind him. Victor
Vulpine, our boss and the titular owner of the Sly Fox Theatre. Per usual, he’s dressed in his
evening best—a three-piece green suit with a sparkly silver necktie. Of course, he has to make
just as much of an impression as we do, seeing as he owns the place. But there’s just an air
about him, like he’s on top of the world, untouchable. That overconfident grin of his just makes
it all the more clear.
Suddenly he’s right beside me, with one arm wrapped around my waist. “Especially you, my
dear. Our patrons just can’t seem to get enough of you. And neither can I.”
His paw gently squeezes me as I stand frozen in shock. Vic’s shown me physical affection
before, but never in front of the other dancers. He’s also never been this forward before … or
lustful. I don’t know what to say or do, so I remain quiet.
“Keep up the good work,” he whispers close to my ear, so close I can feel his hot breath against
my face. Then, with a couple of soft pats on my rear end, he releases me and waves us all
goodbye. “The rest of you as well, of course. And remember, aside from being the big day,
tomorrow night is Human Night. So you must perform your absolute best, and you must be in
tip-top shape. Sleep well, and ta-ta for now.”
With a humble smile and bow, Vic steps backward through the doorway, then turns and walks
back up the hall. As soon as he’s gone, I relax my tight shoulders and let out a deep, long breath.
“Geez, what a scumbag,” Fanny says in disbelief, then takes another swig of her gin and tonic.
“You shouldn’t put up with that shit, Bambi.”
“I know,” I softly reply, still in a daze from what had just happened.
Cinnamon simply looks confused as she muses, “Okay, so he’s a bit of a creep. At least he
doesn’t abuse us, and he pays us well.”
“Ha!” Fanny suddenly exclaims. “That’s a laugh. We’re not exactly living high on the hog,
here. Unless that hog is high in the sky, infested with fleas, and shaped like a cramped
apartment.”
“You just have to manage your money,” Cinnamon sniffs, offended by Fanny’s rebuttal. “For
example, I’m saving up for a big trip to Los Angeles. Ahhh, sunshine and movie stars. I can
almost see it now.”
“Keep dreaming, honey,” Fanny retorts with a bemused smile. “It’ll take forever to save up that
much dough.”
“Well, then, it’s a good thing we’ve got forever, isn’t it?”
Cinnamon gazes at Fanny with a satisfied grin on her cute little face, and my sister can only roll
her eyes and sigh in defeat. “There is that. In that case, send me a postcard when you get out
there. And be sure to take plenty of pictures.”
“Aye-aye, captain!” Cinnamon replies, giving her a mock salute.
Fanny chuckles softly at her buffoonery, then turns to me and asks, “Wanna hit the lanes? It’s
quitting time, but it’s still early.”
I shrug and reply, “I don’t know. I’m not very good … “
“So what? Neither am I. But I think we all need to unwind a little. And there’s no harm in
celebrating early, is there?”
“Okay, but no promises,” I say more brightly, and Cinnamon cheerfully claps her hands.
“Wait till you see me roll,” she says excitedly. “I’ve been practicing nearly every day.”
Fanny looks at her with annoyance, and asks, “And who invited … ?”
I clear my throat and shoot her another pointed look.
“All right, but don’t steal the spotlight,” she says reluctantly. “This is for Bambi. And throw on
some clothes, will ya? It’s unladylike to stand around like that.”
Cinnamon merely looks down, shrugs and grabs her flannel shirt off a chair by one of the
makeup tables. Fanny and I throw off our robes and put on our dresses and shoes, then we all
head out the back door.
Alley Cat Lanes is only a few blocks away on Avers Avenue, near Leland, so we walk. As we
head up the street, I shoot a quick look back at the Sly Fox. It doesn’t look like much on the
outside—boxy, made of yellow and white brick, with white mouldings and arches around the
windows. But the marquee above the doors tells you all you need to know. And like with a
Cartoon, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.
After we go inside the bowling alley, we grab our balls and shoes, then settle down at Lane 5.
Cinnamon is up first, and of course she bowls a strike.
“YEE-HA!” she shouts with a country twang, jumping into the air and throwing up her arms as
all the pins clatter and fall to the hardwood.
“Didn’t I tell you … ?”
“Oh, hush,” I say, interrupting Fanny’s admonishment as Cinnamon shakes her denim-clad butt
in celebration. “Let her have some fun. It won’t ruin mine, I promise.”
“If you say so,” Fanny replies with a huff, then rises from her seat, smooths down her russet
swing dress, picks up her ball, and takes her position behind the foul line.
In a series of fluid motions, she strides toward the line, brings her arm back, and then gently lays
the ball on the lane. It misses its mark a bit, leaving a few pins just left of center. But she
knocks those down on her second throw, giving her a spare.
Now it’s my turn. I gulp before getting up to smooth down my periwinkle A-line dress, then
walk over to the ball return and pick up a ten-pounder. I slowly take up my spot behind the foul
line, then inhale a deep, nervous breath and let it out. I know this won’t be pretty, but I just have
to suck it up.
“Here goes,” I say softly to myself as I bring back my arm while beginning my stride to the line.
But it all goes horribly wrong. As I pick up speed, my big bazooms bounce on my chest,
slowing me almost to a halt. I lose momentum as well as balance, and lean over too far as my
throwing arm flings the ball onto the middle of the lane. It lands with a thud, then slowly rolls
toward the right gutter. Thankfully, I’m lucky. I manage to pick up two pins before it clunks out
of play.
Discouraged, I hang my head as I shuffle back to my seat. As soon as I plop down, Fanny places
her hand on my shoulder and gives it a little squeeze.
“Don’t feel bad,” she tells me comfortingly. “Maybe you’re just not cut out for this sport. Tell
you what, though, you could bowl the rest of the game from a standing position. Underhand, if
you really have to.”
I shake my head, unsure if that’s what I should really do. “No, that would just make me feel
silly. I don’t want anyone to pity me because I can’t play properly.”
“Hey, if it works, it’s proper in my book,” Fanny assures me. “If anyone teases your form, I’ll
just tell them to shove off.”
“Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
So, I bowl the rest of the game from a standing position (but not underhand, because it’s not
ladylike to stick my butt in the air like that). Bad form or not, I end up with a 45, which is much
better than I had expected. Afterward, the three of us walk over to the refreshment counter and
order malts—a vanilla for me, a strawberry for Fanny, and a chocolate for Cinnamon. It’s nice
for a while, but then, out of the corner of my eye, I see a familiar figure sit down a couple seats
to my left.
“I couldn’t help but notice your form out there,” the young man says in a nasally, Jersey accent,
and I can sense him ogling every inch of my body.
“I’ll bet you couldn’t, Eddie,” I say disapprovingly, not even bothering to look at the greaseball.
Really, he puts so much pomade in his hair, it’s a wonder it doesn’t catch fire when he smokes
those stupid cigarettes of his.
“Not that form”, he oh-so-helpfully clarifies, so I obligingly turn to look at his goofy, freckly
face. Eddie Dobbs is dressed in a silly tweed jacket and shorts, with a plaid bow-tie that he
probably thinks looks cool. “That’s an Artist-given gift. I’m talkin’ about the way you bowl. I
can give you a few pointers. All I need from you is a few minutes of your time, and you’ll be a
pro in no … time … flat.”
“No thanks,” I tell him, politely but aloofly. “I think I can bowl just fine without your help.”
“Really?” he asks in surprise. “Seems like such a waste. Especially with your … obvious
talents.”
“Didn’t you hear the lady, Ed-win?!” Cinnamon suddenly exclaims, turning on the pestering
little twerp. “She said ‘No’! Now amscray before I have to pound some sense into ya.”
As she stares him down, Cinnamon pulls up her sleeve and threateningly flexes her bicep. Per
usual, it bulges and pulses at twice the size it should (then again, she is a Cartoon).
“Okay, okay,” Eddie relents, finally getting up from the stool next to us. “You don’t gotta tell
me twice. Geez, you gals ain’t nevah gonna get hitched with those attitudes. Just don’t come
crying to me when you end up as shriveled old maids.”
“Like you’d ever be our first choice,” Fanny scoffs.
“Hey, I’ll have you know I’ve got ladies lining up for blocks just to go out with me,” he protests,
turning up his nose at us and straightening his bow-tie. “But since you’re not interested, I’ll bid
you a fond arrivederci.”
With a flourishing bow, he turns on his heels and walks away. Despite myself, I actually wait
until he’s out the side door before looking back at my friends.
“Don’t let Eddie get to you, Bambi,” Fanny advises, flashing me a supportive smile. “You can
do much better than him.”
“I know,” I say blithely. “After all, do I look like an old maid to you?”
“Not at all,” she says with a smirk. “If I had to wager, I’d say you’re not a day over twenty-
five.”
“And of course you’d be right.”
We all laugh knowingly at that joke. After all, I do appear to be that age, because that’s how
Stanley drew me. Just like Fanny looks about thirty, and Cinnamon looks eighteen. We’ll
always look young. How I feel … well, that’s a different story. You see, tomorrow I’ll turn fifty.
That’s not old, but I’ve still been around the block a few times.
While looking out the window in the door through which Eddie just left, I notice that the sun has
just set beneath the horizon, and a brilliant orange tinges the growing purple sky. How
appropriate. As if I need another reminder of how quickly time passes. Fanny follows my gaze
and pushes herself away from the counter.
“Guess it’s time to go home,” she says with equal parts disappointment and content. “See you
tomorrow night, Cinnamon.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world!” the girl chirps, then hugs each of us in turn. With a hop and a
skip, she’s out the front door, whistling all the way.
“Listen,” Fanny says nervously, “I know you’re not exactly thrilled about the big party
tomorrow, but try to have fun, okay?”
“I’ll be fine,” I assure her. “I mean, what’s another year to someone who will live forever?”
My sister smiles with relief, then wraps me in a light embrace and stands up. I do the same, and
we walk out into the evening.
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What would you do if you were forced to come face-to-face with the secret
part of your soul you’ve kept hidden your entire life? Would you
expose that secret if it meant the possibility of living your greatest fantasy?
Hospice nurse Courtney Wells expected to encounter a commanding
personality
when she agreed to provide care for an old friend of the Romanian
aristocrat, Baron Marcas Kalnovky. Confident, self-controlled, and
independent- very few things could rattle her, that is until she
meets the handsome and mysterious man with silver-gray eyes and old
world charm. The moment she hears his deep rolling accent, her body
quivers with a desire she can’t deny no matter how hard she tries.
From the beginning, Marcas demands something the young American
woman’s
not willing to give- submission. His desire for her takes him on a journey that
forces him to face himself in a way neither he, nor Courtney, anticipate.
What the pretty little nurse doesn’t know is that the baron’s
voracious appetite for ancient erotic art resulted in the unleashing
of a dark curse. Not only does he nearly lose his sight, but his soul
is literally split in two.
By day, he’s the same man he always was- controlled, calm, and
commanding; but at sunset, he tears in half and his two opposite
sides war against one another. The only thing they have in common is
the beautiful, feisty woman who’s turned their life around. Both
sides not only want her, but they also need her… all of her, in
every way she can be taken… Together at night- which means they
have to find a way to get along.
When Marcas finally confesses the truth, Courtney’s both terrified and
intrigued. When she’s bound naked and helpless at the mercy of all
of his desires, she’s shocked to find that she’s soon begging for
both of him in every manner imaginable.
When she discovers the pain Marcas endures to be with her; she’s
determined to find a way to help him. Little does she know that
there’s more to curse than his being forced to face himself every
night—it wants a sacrifice. A terrifying sacrifice that would cost
Courtney’s life she’s compelled to come to terms with her own
hidden darkness.
Will her love be enough to break the curse and heal his wounded soul?
What
about the cost? Would he ever forgive her if she succeeds in setting
him free?
BDSM/AP lifestyler Breanna Hayse strives to give her readers truth and
reality of the BDSM/Age-Play/Total Power and Erotic Exchange lifestyle.
Who am I?
I’m a native Californian gone ‘wild’, and had the opportunity to travel
the globe and discover the world through the eyes of both a Marine
Intelligence specialist and a BDSM lifestyler. I left the service to
go into hospice nursing and grief counseling, eventually working as a
marriage and family therapist for those involved in alternative
lifestyle development. This experience has allowed me to gain unique
inspiration for my books and offer realistic plots and relatable characters.
In 2004, my husband, John, and I joined forces to work with both
submissives and dominants- teaching, training, listening and loving.
Our goal was to take the mystery and fear out of the lifestyle and
mentor people in safe, consensual and healthy relationships.
My first book, The Game Plan, was published in 2012 and opened the
door
to the now-booming world of Age-Play literature. Since that time,
I’ve devoted my ‘spare’ time to writing, researching, community
involvement, and private and group pro bono counseling in deviant
behavior, alternative lifestyle, and addiction recovery.
I was formally ‘dungeon trained’ as a Domme before discovering my
submissive side when I joined the service. My scenarios are pulled
primarily from either personal experience or observation, including
spending time in BDSM clubs as the safety/medical officer. My
multi-faceted background allows me to glean from many avenues and
give a unique and intelligent literary experience through elements of
fantasy and fiction. I also discuss the questions and psychology of
the lifestyle in a manner that is fun and informative, and based on
‘the real deal.’
I live with my husband, musician, and fellow-author, John Hayse, and
two border collies in southern California. We practice a 24/7 D&S
relationship with speckles of AP (and many trips to Build-A-Bear),
and happily spend every moment together that we can. My hobbies
include my puppies, hiding my vanilla salt-water taffy where John
can’t find it, exotic art, collecting inspirational trinkets, and
developing my own paddle line. You can also see me as a featured
author/instructor in professional conference settings and as a
Sexpert for kinkyliterature.com.
Starting a new life isn’t
easy when the skeletons locked in her closet are the
notorious town drunk for a father and a haunted past. But, Hadley
Morgan isn’t one to shy away from second chances or giving them either.
When a young, single father wrapped up in an octane
fueled package takes particular interest in her, she begins to dream.
But well-known drag racer Aiden Casey is also her boss, making her
hesitate to grab at her chance at happiness.
Will her secrets shatter their chance at love or will his past come
Leslie spends most days attempting to wrangle the voices in her head and
often wishes she could clone herself so that their stories get told
faster. She loves words, romance, and characters that feel like
family and spends almost all of her free time with her own family;
including a boisterous eleven year old that she homeschools and an
assorted cast of rescue pets. She lives her own happily ever after
with her soul mate and best friend in the northern part of Alabama
and hopes you enjoy reading her stories as much as she enjoys writing them.
Before anyone could question Aiden’s sudden appearance, he grinned at Jordan. I jogged
behind Breanna as she edged closer. “So, how about a hot lap, Slater?”
Jordan’s brow furrowed beneath the brim of his dark ball-cap. The affable excitement of
the moment replaced by an almost suffocating tension.
I leaned to whisper in Breanna’s ear. “What’s a hot lap?”
“Turning the car around, making another run right now without a real cool down period
on the engine.” She chomped hard on the candy in her mouth, it gave with an audible crack.
“In what?” The answering engine rumble fired behind me. My head swiveled in time to
see Hunter inside the Camaro, rolling off the back of the trailer.
Chills skittered across my skin.
“Aiden—” The happiness and color had drained from Raelynn’s face.
Her brother’s rebellious lift of his shoulders spoke volumes.
“You didn’t tell me it was ready.” Jordan hitched his chin at the car then leveled a hard
stare at Aiden.
Everyone there would have flinched, but he smiled brighter in dimple winking challenge.
“If ya scared, say ya scared, Slater.”
Jordan’s upper lip curled, and he took one step away from Raelynn and closer to Aiden.
“Boy,” he drawled out the one word. “When have I ever been scared of you?”
Breanna and I were members of the small circle that seemed to surround them now. No
one outside heard Aiden’s quiet reply. “You need this as much as I do, brother.”
“Let’s do it.” Jordan never looked away as he pulled his and Raelynn’s joined hands to
his lips and kissed her knuckles.
The crowd dispersed like a colony of disturbed ants. Everyone shooting off in different
directions.
“Isaac,” Vic shouted and tossed the flashlight to his little brother. “You flag it, this one I
gotta roll with my boy.”
When Vic jogged over to the Malibu, Aiden clutched at his chest as if he was wounded.
He turned and looked at me for the first time that night. “Which lane are you riding with,
Hadley?”
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Exile
The
Crystal Keeper Book 1
by
Laurisa White Reyes
Genre:
Epic Fantasy
Exiled
for loving a human, Jayson is sworn to protect the Seer’s crystal
from those who would use it to obtain power. Unbeknownst to him, his
wife Ivanore searches for him, hoping to save him from the terrible
fate she has seen in her visions. When she is captured, Jayson must
make an impossible choice–should he save Ivanore or save the
crystal?
**Get
it FREE!!**Goodreads
* Amazon
Betrayal
The
Crystal Keeper Book 2
With
the help of Teak, a local farm hand, Ivanore flees from the Vatéz
into the forest. While recuperating from her injuries, she becomes an
apprentice to an elderly enchantress who teaches her how to control
her abilities. Unaware that Ivanore is in Hestoria, Jayson commits to
working off the cost of Brommel’s passage to Dokur, where he hopes
he and his young son will be safe. Though Jayson vows to avenge the
death of Brommel’s wife and daughter, despair and guilt threaten to
extinguish what little hope he has left of begin reunited with
Ivanore.
Goodreads
* Amazon
Vengeance
The
Crystal Keeper Book 3
In
the third book in The Crystal Keeper series, Ivanore sets off to
rescue Jayson from the Vatez but soon finds herself their captive
instead. Once Jayson learns that Ivanore is in Hestoria, he must
choose between saving her and saving the Seer’s crystal.
Goodreads
* Amazon
Hidden
The
Crystal Keeper Book 4
For
four years, Jayson and the Guardians of the Seer have been hiding on
a remote farm, but Arik, Minister of Hestoria, refuses to give up
hunting for them. As his hatred for Jayson grows, Arik and the Vatez
begin attacking local villages in hopes of flushing out him out. But
when his efforts fail, Arik uses Ivanore, the Seer and Jayson’s true
love, to betray him.
Goodreads
* Amazon
Defiant
The
Crystal Keeper Book 5
Defiant
is the 5th installment in The Crystal Keeper series.
Lady
Ivanore the Seer escapes Auseret and goes in search of Jayson and the
Guilde, but Arik, leader of the Vatez, is determined to use her to
lead him to the crystal.
Fallen
is the 6th installment in The Crystal Keeper series.
Arik,
Minister of the Vatéz, wreaks vengeance on the Guilde, escalating
the violence against Hestoria’s villages. Meanwhile, though Jayson’s
wounds begin to heal, his memories of the Vatéz’s attack — and of
Ivanore — are missing.
Laurisa White Reyes is
the author of the 2016 Spark Award winning novel The Storytellers, as
well as The Celestine Chronicles and The Crystal Keeper series. She
lives in Southern California where she teaches English at College of
the Canyons.
Website
* Blog * Facebook
* Twitter * Amazon
* Goodreads
Twelve-year-old Bastien awoke with a start, his heart already thumping in his chest. He held his
breath for a moment, listening. Yes, he was sure of it now. The Vatéz had finally come. Though the elders
of the village had reassured them time and time again that their little village would be overlooked, the
Vatéz had come to exact vengeance.
Bastien threw his covers aside and leapt from his bed, his night shirt clinging to his bare legs. “Papa!”
he shouted “Papa, they’re here!”
But his father was already awake, his short sword in one hand, an empty grain sack in the other.
Huddled together, crying in the corner of the cottage were Tara and Tim, Bastien’s five-year-old sister
and brother.
“Take this,” said his father, handing him the bag. “Fill it up. There’s a round of cheese and some
bread on the shelf. Grab their cloaks. Quickly!”
Bastien snatched the two small cloaks from the peg on the back of the door and wrapped one around
each child. Then he slipped into his own pair of trousers, not bothering with his tunic. He threw his boots
and those of his siblings into the sack along with the food. There was no time to sit and lace them.
“Out the back!” ordered his father. “With luck, the soldiers won’t reach the cottages for several
minutes. May the Gods lead you to safety before they do.”
Bastien helped his siblings to their feet and started for the back door when he realized his father was
not following. “Papa?” he started to ask, but then he understood. His father would not abandon their
people. They had all heard about the Vatéz’s lust for blood, how they accused and punished without need
for evidence. When the Vatéz came, everyone knew what the outcome would be. To flee the village now
would be nothing short of cowardice.
