Flash Fiction - COLD FAIRY MOON by Linda Mooney

COLD FAIRY MOON
A fantasy romance flash fiction
by Linda Mooney

Sassa sensed him coming up from behind her. Her heart sped up a little, but she kept her attention focused on the large crowd gathered in the distance. More specifically on the fireworks and other things people were shooting into the sky.

            Brinn sat down next to her. “What ‘cha doing?”

            “Watching.”

            He gaze out at the celebration. “It’s loud.”

            “It always is.”

            “But they seem happy.”

            “I bet they are.”

            He cast her a side eye. “You sound…”

            “Bitter?”

            “Cynical.”

            She snorted in reply. To her surprise, he scooted closer to her, to where their shoulders almost touched.

             “It’ll be the new year pretty soon. That’s always a reason to be happy,” he observed.

            “Why?” Realizing how she must sound, Sassa apologized. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to come out sounding the way it did.”

            “It’s all right. No offense taken.”

            A shriek of joy rent the night sky as another rocket zoomed upward and exploded in a kaleidoscope of colors. Brinn raised an arm to point to something overhead, and the feel of it brushing up against hers sent a little thrill through her. Glancing over at him, she noticed the delight on his face.

            “See that?” he asked.

            She following his pointing finger. “Yeah. So?”

            “It’s a full moon tonight. Know what people are calling it?”

            Sassa grinned. “Other than a full moon?”

            “They’re calling it the Cold Fairy Moon.”

            “What’s that supposed to mean?”

            “It’s supposed to be an omen of good luck.”

            This time she reared back to give him a quizzical look. “Good luck?”

            Spreading a big grin across his face, Brinn nodded.

            “With a Cold Fairy Moon?”

            “Uh-huh.”

            “What does that even mean? That fairies get cold?”

            The smile drooped slightly. “I guess that’s what they think.”

            “Or that fairies are cold-natured?”

            He shrugged. “I don’t know, Sassa. I’m just repeating what I’ve heard.”

            Realizing she’d trodden on his good nature again, she reined her tone in. “So what kind of good luck is this moon supposed to bring?”

            “A happy new year.” He appeared reluctant to elaborate.

            “Is that all?” she pressed.

            “Well, I heard someone say that dreams will come true. People will find true love. There’ll be better health all around, and everyone will find happiness.”

            She blinked. “All because of a Cold Fairy Moon?”

            “All because this Cold Fairy Moon appears on New Year’s Eve.”

            She stared up between the bare tree limbs at the huge, milky white orb that sat almost directly above them. “Did someone ever tell them that fairies don’t get cold?”

            He chuckled. “I don’t think it matters to them.”

            He moved his arm again, this time bumping against hers and sending another little shiver through her. He noticed the slight movement. “Are you sure you’re okay?” His hand folded over hers. Unconsciously, she spread her fingers to let him lace his between them.

            “Yeah. I’m sorry I’m being such a goose. I do hope the Cold Fairy Moon brings us good luck this next year.”

            A loud explosion made her jump. Instinctively, she leaned over to Breen and clutched the front of his shirt. His other arm went protectively around her shoulder. She turned to look at him as the sky turned a brilliant blue, then red, then yellow.

They were almost nose-to-nose. She didn’t want to disengage herself from his embrace, but neither did she want him to think she was asking…

Oh, shoot. What does it matter?

“So we’re supposed to find love, happiness, and good health?” she confirmed.

“And have our dreams come true.”

“How’s that going to happen? Do we have to…ask?”

It was difficult to read the expression in his eyes. Luckily, she didn’t have to.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, he closed the distance between them to touch her lips with his. It was a sweet kiss. A warm kiss, in spite of the chilly temperature. Sadly, it ended too soon. Sassa didn’t try to hide her disappointment when he pulled away.

“I guess it depends on who you ask, and what you ask for,” he softly replied. “Sassa? I’m tired of seeing you so sad. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to find love.”

It was difficult to tell what sound was louder—the crowd of revelers, the fireworks, or her thudding heart.

“Brinn.” She got no further. He leaned in again to kiss her a second time, another sweet, warm, but too-brief pressure. When he released her, she almost reached for him.

“I have a request to make. I’m going to ask,” he informed her. “Give me a chance, Sassa. Let’s both start the new year afresh. Let’s look for happiness together. Let’s work on being healthy together. Let’s…see what love has in store…for the both of us. Whaddya say, Sassa? Are you willing to give us a chance?”

She drew a shaky breath. Would now be the time to tell him how much she’d been wishing to hear him say what he was saying? She cast her eyes upward once more at the brilliant moonlight flooding the world. The Cold Fairy Moon. “All I have to do is ask?” she whispered.

“Uh-huh.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “And I’m all ears.”

Her eyes automatically went to the side of his head. Brinn had some of the sexiest looking ears of any man she’d seen. Their pointed tips almost curled.

“I would love to start this new year fresh with you,” she confessed. “I’m ready for some happiness.”

“And love?”

She didn’t try to hide her smile. “And love.”

Another bone-jarring boom rattled the sky, ending in cascading white trails.

Brinn got to his feet and held out a hand. She took it, and he helped her to her feet.

“Come on. How about we go somewhere where it’s not so noisy? Where we can look at the moon in private?”

“Sounds wonderful.”

Spreading his iridescent wings, Brinn launched himself off the twig they’d been sitting on. Sassa unfolded her wings to follow after him, and together, they soared into the sky, keeping just above the treetops to avoid being seen as the celebrations continued throughout the night.

Website

Flash Fiction - "The Ghost of Krismas Past" by Linda Mooney

The Ghost of Krismas Past
A Holiday Flash Fiction
by Linda Mooney

             “Angels we have heard on high!” Tina sang with the Christmas carol coming through the car’s speakers. She loved this time of year, and she especially loved singing all her favorite carols. She never tired of them, even though several of her friends often remarked at how sick they were of hearing the same old tunes.

            “Hey, they’re golden oldies,” she remarked aloud. “They only come around once a year, they hang around for a few short weeks, and then they’re gone. They’re not repeated over and over constantly like most of the music is nowadays.”

            The song came to the Gloria chorus, just as she reached the red light, and she joined in enthusiastically. She was in an especially happy mood. Christmas was four days away, and she’d finally finished all her shopping. Even the stocking stuffers. All that was left was to get everything wrapped and under the tree, after which she could kick back and enjoy the season.

            “Hey. I wonder if Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is on tonight?” It was also a classic. One of her childhood favorites.

            The light changed, giving her a green arrow. She turned to head for the house, when she heard the first strains of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Automatically, tears rose in her eyes. Kris had loved that song. He’d loved it because it had become a beacon of hope for him during those years he was serving overseas.

            “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” During the four years he’d been deployed, her husband never spent any of the holidays at home with his family. It wasn’t until he got injured and was given a medical discharge that he arrived back in the states the second day of December. He’d missed Thanksgiving, but she and Kris had planned to make up for all those lost special days that Christmas.

            They never got the chance. On December twenty-first, Kris was taken from her.

            Traffic slowed. A large furniture truck stopped in front of her. It edged up a few inches, and she did, too. It wasn’t until the front tires bumped over the tracks that she realized where she was.

            Tumbril Road.

            No!

            First the song. Now here she was on the same road.

            And worse, straddling the same damned railroad tracks.

            How could fate be so cruel? She’d been in such a good mood, and now it was crushed.

            Hard sobs racked her. Closing her eyes, she pressed her forehead against the steering wheel as the tears ran down her face.

            The accident had taken place three years ago, and she still wasn’t over it. She thought she’d gone through the grief cycle. She believed she had reached the point where she could go on with her life without him.

            It had taken a beloved carol and a road she normally avoided to prove her wrong.

            A strident clanging drowned out the music. Tina jerked upright in her seat as the blood drained from her face.

            “No!”

            The arm to the crossing gate came down, obstructing the front of her vehicle. The truck ahead of her moved forward, but she was still blocked in. A quick check behind her showed the arm on the other side had bookended her. And a car sat directly on her bumper, preventing her from backing up.

            It couldn’t be happening again! It couldn’t be happening again!

            But a glance out the passenger side window confirmed her worst fear.

            The train was heading straight for her. Its front light nearly blinded her.

            “Not again! Not again!”

            She reached for her car door to open it, but she already knew it wouldn’t open. Just like it wouldn’t open that afternoon three years ago when she and Kris had been trapped on the railroad tracks. These same railroad tracks on the same road. At the same time of the year.

            Where Kris lost his life.

            She struggled with the door, trying to open it.

            In the distance, the train hit its horn in warning as it continued to barrel toward her.

            She was now in full panic mode. She tried to climb over the center console to try to open the passenger side door, when a hand reached out and grabbed her upper arm. Tina froze in place as Kris gave her one of his warm, wonderful smiles. She screamed, but he quickly shushed her.

            “Shh, shh, shh. It’s okay, honey.”

            “There’s a train coming at us! We’re going to die!”

Around them, cars were honking their horns. Somebody appeared at the driver’s side door and jerked on the handle. She wasn’t the only one panicking.

            Another person banged on her car to get her attention, but all began to fade as Kris’s gaze locked onto her. She found herself sinking into those chocolate-brown depths that melted away her terrors like ice cream in a rain storm.

            Tears blurred her vision once more, forcing her to reach for him. Finding his face, she clutched it between her hands. “Kris!” Her breath hitched in her chest as she struggled to blink away the wetness blinding her.

            “It’s all right, Tina. You’re safe. We’re safe. It’s all over.”

            Miraculously, the train disappeared. The cars and people around them disappeared.

            The car they were in vanished.

            Kris pulled her into his arms as she buried her face against his chest and sobbed. He continued to speak soothingly to her, reassuring her that all was well as he stroked her back and hair.

            “K-Kris, what’s go-going on? What’s ha-happening?”

            To her surprise, he chuckled. “You do this every year on the anniversary of our deaths,” he gently told her.

            Sniffing, Tina leaned away from him and gave him a look of disbelief. “Our deaths?”

            He chuckled again. She felt it vibrate against her, familiar and comforting. They both were standing, surrounded by a fine white mist, as if they were enveloped inside a cloud.

            “You have to stop blaming yourself for my death.” He caressed her cheek. “It’s not your fault we got stuck on those railroad tracks. It’s not your fault the doors jammed. It’s not your fault. But every year, you go back and relive the tragedy. Over and over, you put yourself through the terror and pain we felt because you’ve never forgiven yourself. Tina.” He bent over to kiss her, caressing her lips with his. She felt herself slumping against him.

            “Kris, we’re dead? We’re both dead?”

            “Yes, darling. And we’re together. We’ll always be together from here on out. There’s nothing to be afraid of anymore. But you have to stop blaming yourself!” He gently shook her by the shoulders, and for the first time she saw anger in his face. “Tina, if you continue to wander this earth, bearing the guilt with you, you’ll always return to this moment in time every year, and you’ll be forced to relive it over and over, and there’s no reason why you should!”

            Tears sparkled in his eyes. “Tina, darling, please. Stop doing this to yourself. Come with me. Come and stay…stay with me. I’m begging you. I love you. I’ll always love you. It hurts like hell to see you go through all this crap year after year. Tina, sweetheart, please.”

            He bent his head, touching his forehead to hers. “You are not responsible for our deaths, but you are responsible for us being together for the rest of eternity. Remember that. Put that in your heart and never forget it.”

Pulling her into his embrace, he held her tightly. “The entire time I was overseas, my biggest fear was being killed over there and never seeing you again. I prayed and prayed that I would be able to come back to you, even after I got wounded. And now…now I’ll never have to worry about that anymore. You’ll never have to worry about me dying away from you, because we’re here now. We’re together. Forever,” he whispered. “Stop this stupid cycle and come with me!”

Somewhere, from far away, the sound of music reached them. Tina recognized the tune immediately. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”

“Kris, do you hear that?”

He paused to listen, and a smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “My favorite Christmas carol. Except, now, it’s no longer in our dreams. We’re home,” her husband murmured. “The past no longer matters. We’re here. We’re together. And we’ll never be parted again.”

He kissed her once more, long, soft, and slow. When he finally pulled away, he begged, “Please let go of the past. It no longer matters. It’s gone. Let’s walk together in the light where we belong.”

Tina sighed. “Never let me go?”

“I never have,” he admitted. “I’ve always been here. With you. For you.”

“Okay.” She nodded her head and smiled back. “I’m ready. Oh, and Kris?”

“Yes, darling?”

“Merry Christmas.”

He laughed softly. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”

Drawing his arm around her waist, he turned her around to face the warm golden light coming toward them, and led her into eternity.

~~~

New!

THANKSGIFTINGS
Six Short Stories Celebrating the Season
By Linda Mooney
Fantasy/Contemporary/SciFi
Word Count: 11.9K
$0.99 e

Stories Included are:

BARNEY - She looked forward every day for him to come by. Then came the one day when he didn't.

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE - All it took was one missing ingredient to melt the heart of a lonely old man.

 AN EXPLOSIVE COMBINATION - In a post-apocalyptic future, a group of survivors reminisce about their first Thanksgiving after that climactic event.

 THE LEG - Doug was determined to have turkey legs for his Thanksgiving dinner. He never planned on getting so much more.

THE WISHBONE - A grandfather finds out which end of the wishbone is the lucky part.

DAY 280,662 - When the last survivors of a doomed Earth reach their new planetary home, they discover the date of their first landing has special significance.

Excerpt and Buy Links: https://lindamooney.com/anthologies.htm          

HERE BE NEWS for Monday October 12, 2020

 

Monday, October 12 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:  

This week we're debuting a new feature we call WIP-it Wednesday where we'll post excerpts, snippets, covers, character interviews--anything we feel like related to books we're working on.

New!

MIMSEY
Humorous Fantasy Romance
by Linda Mooney
Word Count: 24.5K
$1.99 e / $6.99 p

Mimsey Goddess lives a simple life, chatting with Nim, her pet sloth, scaring a robber or two, saving the occasional life…you know, normal things for a demi-goddess. For centuries she’s enjoyed this life, scratching the sexual itch when she feels it, moving on when the need arises. But when she meets Silas, he brings up feelings she’s never felt before.

A routine stop at the market for Silas Barnett turns into anything but when he helps stop a robbery, and he’s intrigued by the old lady brave enough to take on the crook. Never having much of a family of his own, he’d always wanted a feisty grandmother like her, and he can’t help but want to spend time with her.

Though as much as he likes her, Silas doesn’t exactly see Mimsey in the same light as she wants him to, so she introduces him to Maude—young, beautiful, yet another lady throwing Silas for a loop, and after one date she has him completely under her spell. Still, she’s not what he’s looking for, and Mimsey feels guilty for forcing it.

When a jealous tattletale sticks her nose where it doesn’t belong, Mimsey must answer to the higher powers. For she’s committed the ultimate crime according to the gods and goddesses—she’d fallen in love with a mortal. And she must pay with his life.

Warning: Contains a lethal cantaloupe, a weekly poop, beer, third time's the charm, a vicious revenge, and a chance at love for two people who never expected to find it.

Excerpt and Buy Links

It's been a minute since our last issue of HERE BE NEWS, so here's a recap of what we've been up to since then:

Tuesday September 29 - Read BONDED paranormal Flash Fiction from Linda Mooney.

Thursday October 1- PG Forte discusses some of her favorite--or most annoying--Reader Pet Peeves.

Tuesday October 6 - Nicole Luiken gives us a glimpse at The Book Trailer That Wasn't.

 

 October is the month for Paranormal Horror with a Romantic Element. Linda Mooney shares three books--on sale all month for just 99c each!

CODE 30
Paranormal Horror
Word Count:  33.6K
$0.99 e / $9.99 p

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.

Excerpt and Buy Links

~ ~ ~

BLOOD TENDERLY
Paranormal Horror Romance
Word Count:  11K
$0.99 e / $6.99 p / $6.95 a

With the cold weather quickly setting in, Lark is trying to ensure she has what she needs to make it through another bone-chilling winter in the cabin in the woods, but something has decided to pay her a visit. The question is, who? Or better yet, what?

There is a human invading his sanctuary, and he is determined to get rid of her. Humans in the past have left of their own accord, but not without a threat from him. However, this one is proving difficult. But she’ll go. One way or another, he will make her.

The thing is demanding that Lark leave, but she has nowhere to go. No one who cares.  So she's determined to stand her ground.

After all, what does she have to lose, besides her life? 

Excerpt and Buy Links

~ ~ ~

JOURNAL
Paranormal Horror
Word Count:  25.5K
$0.99 e / $6.99 p / $6.95 a

The handwritten account of one woman's struggle to survive in a world gone DEAD.

Something has happened to the world, and now the living are gradually becoming the living dead. This is the story of one young woman's struggle to live a life that has no future.

Excerpt and Buy Links

Flash Fiction - BONDED, a Paranormal Romance Flash Fiction by Linda Mooney

Bonded
A Paranormal Romance Flash Fiction
by Linda Mooney 

            “Burn her! Burn the witch!”

            Peg screamed as she struggled to free herself from the men’s grasp, but they were stronger than her. Stronger and bigger, and hurtful.

            It didn’t matter that she swore she had nothing to do with the crops failing this year. They needed a scapegoat. Someone they could pin the blame on. Someone they could offer in sacrifice in order to appease the gods, who’d then bless them with an abundance the following year, and end months of near starvation.

            She scanned the square where they were dragging her, hoping to spot the face of the one person who’d come to mean so much to her. Sadly, he wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Maybe because he’d been chased off by the guards after they discovered him coming around to the tiny barred window of her dungeon cell.

            Hanging her head, she ceased resisting. It would do her no good, and only end up causing her more pain than she’d already endured. The guards delighted in hearing her protest. Sometimes they made bets to see who could make her beg for mercy the quickest.

            They paused in front of a set of steps that led up to a stake. Dry brush already surrounded the length of wood. The scene was set and was waiting for her.

            As she waited for them to take her up to where they’d tie her to the pole, she closed her eyes. All she had left to give her comfort was the sound of Alim’s voice in her mind as he spoke to her. Although she’d never been able to see his face, she would never forget his words of encouragement where no hope was left.

            “Why have you sought me out?” she asked. “Don’t you know that if you’re caught speaking to me, you could condemn yourself to my fate?”

            “The guards do not frighten me.”

            “They should. It would tear at my heart if anything should happen to you because of me,” she admitted.

            “You’ll make it out of there. Trust me on this!”

            How? She wanted to ask, when she realized he was right. Giving a soft laugh, she responded, “Yes, I’ll be taken out of here…on the day they fulfill my sentencing.”

            “No, Peg. You’re wrong. I know you’re not a witch. There are many who believe you’ve been unfairly targeted by the burgomaster.”

            “Why? What have I done to him?” she demanded hotly through her many tears.

            “You’ve done nothing,” Alim assured her. “Nothing but be beautiful and be guilty of brushing off his advances.”

            The young man was right. The burgomaster had been trying to seduce her for the past few months, ever since her and her father moved to this borough. The man had even suggested a few private trysts, to no avail. She knew that the longer she continued to keep the man at bay, the angrier he got.

            And it was never wise to anger the most powerful man in the village.

            Three times Alim had come to her in the dead of night, to spend hours talking to her through that little window. To keep her company. To let her know her life mattered to him, if to no one else. He never told her why he risked coming to see her, or even why he’d sought her out in the first place. After a while, she stopped asking and accepted the fact that he was determined to keep her spirits up, regardless of the outcome they both knew was inevitable.

A loud howl came from outside the walls that buttressed the township. For a few seconds the populace silenced to listen before resuming their screeching and yelling. Peg was aware of someone in uniform coming toward the phalanx of guards surrounding her. The man made no attempt to prevent her from overhearing when he addressed the men.

            “We cannot burn the witch today.”

            The soldiers made it clear they were not happy with the news. “We’ve been ordered to see to her execution,” one man argued.

            “The burgomaster was informed that the forests are too dry. Any attempt to burn her at the stake could result in stray sparks catching aflame outside our walls. If the forest burns, all game will be chased away. And, worse, the outer walls, including our homes and shops, could also catch fire.”

            “Then what are we to do?” the lead soldier demanded. “If we don’t follow through with our orders, our necks could be next.”

            Another howl, this one closer and louder, resounded through the air. It sounded both plaintive and dangerous.

            “Sir, we could have an executioner appointed to cut off her head,” another soldier suggested.

            The commander shot that down. “It would end her life too quickly. The burgomaster decreed she must suffer in the greatest way.”

            Peg glanced up in time to see a smile cross the man’s face. A smile that left her sick to her stomach. The lead soldier seemed to get the same idea. “What if we feed her to the wolves?”

            “I think that’s an excellent idea,” the commander replied. “I will go tell the burgomaster our decision. If he agrees to it, we’ll put her outside the gates. While I’m away, bind her tightly. We don’t want her to make any attempt to run away. We must witness her death for ourselves, to make sure the burgomaster’s wishes have been fulfilled.”

            The commander hurried away. In the interim, Peg’s arms were bound behind her back. They pushed her onto the ground to do the same with her legs and ankles, before drawing the rope from her arms through those knots the way a hog was tied to a spit.

            She rested her cheek to the bare ground. The dirt was cold. The weather was freezing. The wind was unbearably icy. She had just her shift to keep her warm, but it wasn’t enough. If she was lucky, she would freeze to death before the wolves got to her.

            As if on cue, two more howls came over the walls. Although she couldn’t be certain, she would swear each cry had come from a different throat.

            The crowd shifted, moving aside to allow the commander to come back through. Stopping in front of the soldiers, the man never glanced at her as he delivered the news. “The burgomaster is agreeable to letting the witch meet her fate with the wolves.” Turning to the crowd, the man raised his voice. “The burgomaster has declared that if the wolves leave the witch be, then she is proven to truly be a vessel of the devil. But if they set upon her, then she can be declared innocent of all charges.”

            The proclamation, approved by resounding cheers, almost drowned out another howl that seemed to come directly outside the front gates. The people surged toward the big double doors, ahead of the soldiers who picked her up under her arms and half-dragged, half-carried her to her fate.

            Someone opened one of the doors wide enough for two men to haul her outside. They dumped her less than a dozen meters away before quickly retreating back inside the safety of the walls. Peg was aware of more people climbing up to the parapets to stare down at her, watching and waiting to see what would happen.

            Beyond the barricade, the winds were bitterly cold. The sun had disappeared behind dark gray clouds, and there was the unmistakable smell that appeared whenever it was due to snow.

            Someone above her yelled. She couldn’t make out what they were saying, but she didn’t need to. A howl came from in front of her, from amid the forest. Closing her eyes, Peg prayed her end would be swift.

            It happened too quickly for her to react. A pack of wolves descended upon her, surrounding her, growling, barking, and snapping at her all at once. She steeled herself as teeth bit down on the ropes. Their fangs scraped her skin but didn’t pierce it as they chewed on the fibers. The animals continued to prowl around her, alternating between sniffing her and biting at the ropes.

            Without warning, several chomped on her bindings and began dragging her into the woods. Peg tried to fight them off, but she knew it was futile.

            At the edge of the tree line, the wolves stopped, and she’d swear other wolves took their place. One shoved its muzzle against her cheek, and a low voice whispered, “Scream.”

            She gasped. “What?”

            “Scream, Peg.”

            That voice. She knew immediately who it was.

            Taking a deep breath, she screamed.

            The pack continued to pull her into the cover of the forest. Once they were out of sight of the town, several animals bent over her to concentrate on the ropes. Within seconds, she felt the cords give way. Painfully, she managed to get her arms underneath her as the wolves who’d freed her now crowded around her. It was then she realized they were sharing their warmth with her, as well as protecting her. The beast on her left gave her a strange look. “You’re not afraid of me?”

            She answered with a smile. “No, Alim. I’m grateful, not afraid.”

            “Can you walk?”

            “I can try.”

            “Good. If you find yourself growing tired, we can stop to rest. It’s going take us a while to reach our den.”

            Peg started to reply, when she heard screaming coming from the direction of the village. The shrieks were punctuated with growls and barking. She turned to Alim and asked him an unspoken question. He sighed. “A few soldiers attempted to retrieve your body and take you back. We took care of them. You do not have to worry about them coming after you or finding you.”

            Wearily, she leaned against the animal, who nuzzled her cheek with his wet nose.

            “You have nothing to worry about anymore,” he answered. “I’ll take care of you. I’ll keep you safe.”

            “How can I repay you? How can I thank you?”

            “You already have, Peg,” he told her. “You’ve accepted me as I am.”

            As she stared into his eyes, his face changed, melted, and reformed, until she was looking at a man’s visage. A man whose emotions lay raw across his countenance.

            “Thank you,” she murmured. She didn’t object when he leaned forward and kissed the side of her mouth.

            “Are you ready to go?”

            She nodded, wishing he would kiss her on the mouth, but that would come later. She knew it, and he knew it. They were still strangers who’d bonded through a tiny barred window in her dungeon cell. But now they had all the time in the world to get to know each other better.

            Alim returned to his wolf form. Grabbing the back of his ruff, Peg got to her feet and allowed him to lead her deeper into the woods.

            She never looked back to see what the other wolves had done to protect her. From that moment on, these creatures were her family, and she knew it was a decision she’d never regret.

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

New!

X MY HEART
Dark Sci-Fi Romance

by Linda Mooney
Word Count: 58.7K
$3.99 e

For the past four years, the war against the invaders has raged on, with seemingly no end in sight. Cities and towns have been razed, with the majority of the population killed or forced into hiding. The military branches—what’s left of them—are joining forces against the enemy.

The aliens.

Lieutenant Gretchen Twoey and her squad are quickly losing hope. Supplies are limited, soldiers are becoming even more so, but the alien mechanoids are never ending. Despite the military’s best efforts, nothing is being learned of the extraterrestrials. The mechs they do manage to kill disintegrate before they can even be studied. If the tides don’t turn soon, the world will be defeated.

When Sergeant Leif Stoddard and his men are reassigned to the 181^st with Gretchen, things seem to finally be going in their favor. They were set to marry four years ago, but then the first Medusa struck and they were both called to arms, and it’s been an uphill battle since. Finally, they can be together…or will the war tear them apart yet again, once and for all?

The world has a choice—lie low, stay invisible, and hope the aliens leave, or stage one last battle where the winner takes all.  

Warning!  Contains living spaceships, spare uniforms, love letters, dissolving weapons, bladders, black blood, and proof that love doesn't care what you look like because it's the heart that matters.

 Excerpt and Buy Links        

HERE BE NEWS for August 31, 2020

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

Monday, August 24 - 
"HERE BE NEWS" - All the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic, including something something something...  

Tuesday, August 25 -
"AN INFINITY OF KISSES" – Fantasy Flash Fiction by Linda Mooney. 

Thursday, August 27 -
“WHAT'S IN A NAME?” – Did you know that a book title cannot be copyrighted? Author PG Forte explains how naming stories is a lot like naming children. 

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

"An Infinity of Kisses" - a Fantasy Flash Fiction by Linda Mooney

"An Infinity of Kisses"
A Fantasy Flash Fiction
by Linda Mooney

It began with a rose, a single blood-colored velvet bud wearing a crystal drop of water like a tear on its petal. The flower sat on top of Illustra’s desk, between the keyboard and the computer monitor.

            Dropping into her chair, she picked up the flower by its stem and brought it to her nose. Closing her eyes, she savored its sweet, poignant perfume as a soft cloud of memories washed over her. There was no note or card accompanying the bud, but there didn’t need to be. She knew who’d sent it, and why, and she softly smiled.

            Later that evening, Illustra exited the elevator on her floor and fumbled her way around an armload of groceries, trying to unlock the door to her apartment without spilling anything. Getting the key turned in the lock, she pushed the door open with the toe of her boot and walked in, only to hear the crackle of paper beneath her foot.

            She hurried to the dining table to dump the bags before she dropped them, then went back to close the door and pick up the cream-colored envelope that had been slipped under the door. The front of the envelope was plain, the back flap simply tucked inside. Pulling out the flap, she withdrew a piece of folded paper. It was a printout of an ad from an entertainment website announcing that Thursday night was opening night for Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and written in the margin on the side was the message, “Tomorrow night, 9 o’clock, with you in my arms.”

            Tapping the paper against her lips, Illustra smiled and gave a small laugh. A sense of anticipation hugged her, momentarily relieving the aches and soreness brought on by the day. After laying the note on the table, she took her bags into the kitchen to begin putting away her groceries.

            By eleven that evening, she finished her last report, emailed it to the police chief, and shut down her computer. Turning out the lights, she pulled her nightgown closer around her body and stepped out onto the patio balcony of her rooftop apartment. Closing her eyes, she breathed in the sweet night air.

            She knew Steev couldn’t come to her tonight. He was out there saving the world one bit at a time, the same way she did. There wouldn’t be a tonight, but there was tomorrow. She shivered slightly, not from the cool pre-Fall air, but knowing that her loneliness could be counted in mere hours and minutes instead of weeks or days.

            She took another deep breath, and it was as if she could feel another heartbeat keeping pace with hers. A strong, slower rhythm of love she had heard, had shared, many times before.

            “Goodnight, my love,” she whispered, expecting, then receiving the gentle surge that cupped her heart in reply. Smiling once more, she went to bed and dreamed of golden hills and green valleys, and blue eyes that were able to look deep into her soul.

            It was mid-morning the next day when a delivery man walked up to Illustra’s desk and handed her a package bound in brown butcher paper and twine. She stared at the package, turning it over several times before setting it down on her desk and using her power to sear the cord. Unwrapping it slowly, she discovered it was a slim book with a brown leather cover. The title ran up the spine in gilt letters. “Selected Works of Voltaire,” she read aloud, puzzled as to the sender’s choice in literature. Curious, she thumbed open the volume and discovered it parted at a page already marked with a scrap of paper. A simple quote had been underlined to catch her attention.

            If one could write kisses, I would send you an infinity of them.

            Illustra felt her face grow warm as the first hint of tears stung her eyes. Her nose tickled, and she grabbed a tissue from the box on her desk. “What am I going to do with you?” she murmured to herself. Taking a deep breath, she shoved the book into her satchel and left to answer her next call for help.

            It was close to seven p.m. before she finished with her last emergency call. Flying home, she hurried to take a quick shower. She was nibbling on a sandwich while she was getting dressed when the doorbell rang a little past seven-thirty. She quickly zipped up the back of her royal blue beaded gown as she went to answer the door.

            “Who is it?”

            “Finn. Can I come in?”

            She unlocked and opened it, smiling as the police chief gave her the once-over and whistled softly. “Some outfit, Illie.” He nodded appreciatively.

            “Thank you. Have a seat.”

            Albert Finn parked himself on the arm of the couch and watched as Illustra headed back to the bedroom to finish dressing. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I? I was on my way home and I thought I’d swing by for a sec.”

            She reemerged, inserting the other stud into her ear, and stopped beside the end table. “You could say that. What’s up? I know this isn’t another emergency because you don’t make house calls.” She raised an eyebrow at the man.

            Finn fidgeted. “How did I do, Illie? Was it too much? Or not enough?”

            “It was perfect,” she hurried to assure him. “In fact, I didn’t know what to expect when you asked me to be your guinea pig. You surprised me. I didn’t know you had such a romantic streak in you.”

            “You liked it then? The rose?”

            “It was a nice touch. All women love roses. You should send flowers more often.”

            “How about the invitation to the opera? A lot of women like opera, so I thought I’d give it a shot, just to see if I might be able to develop a taste for it,” he admitted. “Or maybe I should’ve chosen a musical. What do you think?”

            Illustra gave him a big smile. There was something boyishly appealing about the man’s charming quality in trying to please her. “Mozart’s a good choice. I like him, and I’m not even from this planet. It’s a light piece she might enjoy. And that was a nice touch, slipping the note under my door.”

            Albert bowed his head and tried to hide a grin of embarrassment. “I read a few articles online about how middle-aged men can get back into the dating scene,” he confessed. “In fact, that’s where I got the idea for a book of poetry. I went to that little shop on the east side that Deidra used to love going to. That’s where I found that book by Voltaire. The shopkeeper’s the one who suggested it. I rather like that quote about an ‘infinity of kisses,’ didn’t you?”

            Leaning over and laying a hand on his shoulder, Illustra remarked teasingly, “It almost made me think twice about going out tonight.” She laughed warmly, noting how his eyes grew wider, and the man smiled in return.

            He cleared his throat. “So, you think I might convince Cheryl to go out with me if I do for her what I did for you?”

            “The woman would have to be a mental case not to. You’ve always had the looks and the intelligence. And on top of that, you’re the police chief!”

            “But it’s been so long since I’ve done the dating scene,” he half argued.

            “Then it’s time you dove back into that pool. I realize it’s been a while, but since then, you’ve developed that suave and debonair style that will drive any woman wild. You may be in your forties, Al, but you’re nowhere near being over the hill.” She eyed his slightly grayed hair and the creases in his face. The job had aged him, yes, but more in the way time aged a fine bourbon. “May I add one more word of advice?” At the man’s nod, she continued. “Just remember this. It doesn’t matter what you do, just as long as you mean it.”

            That puzzled him. “Please explain.”

            Illustra sighed. “You can buy a woman all the presents and flowers you want. You can take her places and spend all the money you have. But you won’t win a woman’s heart unless she knows you mean it. Romance is empty unless it’s from the heart, my dear friend.”

            He clenched his jaw. “I understand. Okay, I’ll try.” He glanced at his watch and rose to his feet. “Cripes, the ballgame starts in fifteen minutes, and I’m keeping you from your date. Thank you for the advice, Illie. And thanks again for letting me use you to bounce ideas off of.”

            She followed him over to the door. He opened it and paused on the threshold as she remarked, “You’re welcome. I’ll admit, it was…a very interesting experience. Just remember what I said. You have to mean everything you say and everything you do. If you don’t, a woman will be able to sense that immediately. At least, I will.”

            Albert gave her another quick smile and started down the hallway toward the elevator, but stopped when she closed the door behind her. Once he heard the click of the deadbolt, he walked back to the door and ran his fingertips over the cold wood. “I did, Illie. I truly did,” he mouthed without sound. Having made the confession, he turned and walked away.

~ ~ ~

A FUREVER HOME
Sweet Christian Romance
by Linda Mooney writing as Lynn Gayle
Word Count: 22K
$2.99 e / $6.99 p

After getting a call to the warehouse district, firefighter Knox Norville was ready to write it off to arson. The abandoned buildings are home to many vagrants and drug addicts, but he arrives ready to do his job regardless. He wasn’t expecting the effect this call would have on his life...or the one decision he made that could possibly ruin him forever.

By saving one young woman, and going back to look for her dog, he thought he was doing the right thing, not neglecting his duties. But what he soon learns hits hard, and his conscience eats at him. One horrible thing after another on the worst day of his life lands him a hefty fine, community service, and possible jail time, but is it all divine intervention?

Jenise Danziger had nothing physically, but through her faith, she had everything she needed, except maybe a permanent home for herself and Corky, her faithful companion. But she trusted that in time God would provide, and put her exactly where she's supposed to be. And just maybe that was in the arms of her rescuer.

Excerpt and Buy Links