HeartFelt Promos - Professionals with Heart

Spotlight on Maya DeLeina!

Regina — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:00:10 +0000

This is a brand new monthly feature that we're starting in May 2013! Occasionally, we're going to spotlight one of our authors and give you a chance to get to know them better. So, for May 2013, we're spotlighting erotic romance author Maya DeLeina! Congratulations Maya!

Maya DeLeina is an erotic vampire author with a sense of humor. Anyone who has seen her bloopers video will know what I mean. Here's the video in case you missed it!

Always on the lookout for new and interesting ways to get the word out about her books, and being one savvy business woman to boot, her latest collaboration is with Jill Cohn the musician who created the beautiful Blessing Moon, where Maya's vampire characters are center stage.

But that's not all you need to know about Maya. Maya is constantly creating, and not just her wonderful stories and characters. An artist down to her bones all you have to do is view her website which is full of beautiful photos of herself, her characters, as well as the actors and and actresses who play them, to know she is constantly creating and designing in one form or another. The darkness and what is in it are Maya's best friends. Her strongest themes are Gothic, and this is no surprise when you see the goth girl herself!

Visit Maya's Vampire page to learn more about her vampires and the women they love. You'll find lovely photographs, videos and other trivia related to Maya's vampire worlds. Step into a visual bounty, visit today!

Want a little something to spice up your love life? Be sure and stop by the Four Seduced Muses Blog for Maya's Forbidden Fruit Fridays! You're sure to find something to heat up your bedroom! We were sure fanning ourselves after reading the latest installment. Whew! Super hot!

Here's how Maya describes her Forbidden Fruit Fridays column:

Dedicated to exploring the recesses of the sexual realm that may be considered decadent indulgences, immoral pleasures, and desires that are tempting…but sinfully dangerous, Forbidden Fruit Fridays features thoughts, articles, educational guides, visual stimulation, experiences, trends and conversations with friends that explores sex in every flavor richer than vanilla.

Yeah, we think that about covers it.

But maybe you're looking for a little more? Like the idea of finding new news from Maya once a week? Then don't miss her weekly newspaper Week in Review with Maya DeLeina! This paper is super fun, and there's lots of vampire author news there for the discerning reader. Not to mention cool music videos, and other fun stuff! As Maya likes to say "Feed the Craving and Start your weekend off with a bang!"

Thanks for being so willing to share your vampires with the rest of the world Maya, and please keep the stories coming!

Her Passionate Protector by Dilys J. Carnie

Regina — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 18:12:00 +0000

Blurb:

An innocent woman…a millionaire…two totally different people,

When Lucy meets Alex the owner of a company her cleaning business has just picked up a contract for, her hard won self-preservation and quiet life flies out the window. Smouldering heat burns every time Alex comes near her. He is confused by this independent, yet vulnerable woman and when her ex-husband returns, determined to hurt her Alex fights for her life and their love.

Two completely different worlds and yet when they collide parks ignite.

However the future that Alex foresees for them both has a very bumpy ride in store for them. Independent to the core Lucy’s inner fight with her past threatens to destroy any chance of a future. An unexpected flight to New York may change their fate forever but will they survive the turbulent road to happiness?

Excerpt:

“Come on. Let’s see how bad your dancing really is.”

Startled, Lucy had no choice but to follow, as he still had hold of her hand.

After a few moments of him groaning, she stifled a giggle.

“See? I told you I was bad.”

“You did, but I didn’t realize I would lose all feeling in my toes,” he murmured with amusement, his mouth close to her ear. “Hey let’s try it this way, I think perhaps it might be better if we don’t move very much, and then I can hopefully keep my toes from being totally annihilated.” His words had Lucy chuckling with I told you so.

His eyes narrowed at her glee “Stand still. Give me your hands.” He pulled both her arms around his neck, as he rested his on her tiny waist. Her heart almost leapt out of her chest as she felt his very manly body so very close to her own. Her eyes slowly moved up to meet his.

Looking down at her, he started to sway to the music, moving her body with his. Their feet barely moved as the feel of the music surrounded them. It was as if they were the only two people in the room, their eyes locked, neither one turning from the other as the pull of emotions joined their bodies almost as one.

Alex moved first and tilted his head down to whisper in her ear. His breath caressed her sensitive lobe.

“You fit perfectly now that you are not desecrating my feet.” His husky voice lowered almost to a baritone and had a scintillating amusing tone that made her smile.

But her stomach clenched and her whole body ached with something, she didn’t know what, the swell of emotion that cascaded through her was so unfamiliar.

Lowering her eyes back to his chest, she noticed his jacket emphasized the width of his broad shoulders. The white shirt hid the flatness of his stomach. Lucy inhaled the maleness of him, the musky scent of his aftershave.

Her fingers took on a life of their own as they threaded through his silky blond hair where it caressed the collar of his shirt. Lucy swallowed trying to lubricate her dry mouth. Her breathing quickened as those hands that had been resting on her waist moved to the small bone at the base of her spine, effectively moving her even closer. She could feel every muscle and line of his body against hers, every muscle, and one she wasn’t sure that she should be so close to.

Try and A Recipe From Sable Hunter’s Brand New Sable Does it in the Kitchen!

Regina — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:52:14 +0000

Presley’s Pecan Sticky Buns – FEATURED IN “I’ll See You In My Dreams”

2 sheets of puff pastry (thawed – out of the fridge for at least thirty minutes)

1 stick softened buttered

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Filling

2 Tablespoons of melted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a small bowl, stir softened butter and sugar together. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the butter and sugar mixture into the bottom of 16 greased muffin cups, next sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Unfold one of the puff pastry sheets and press the seams together, roll out and brush 1 tablespoon of the melted butter onto the pastry and sprinkle ¼ cup of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon and ¼ cup of chopped pecans.

Roll the pastry up tightly, so it is rolled into a long log, cut it in half and then cut each log in into quarters. Repeat the process with the second puff pastry sheet until you have sixteen pieces.

Place each piece into the muffin cups, spiral side up. Bake for thirty minutes, remove and let cool.

If I were you, I’d top with a powdered sugar glaze – yum.

The Virtus Saga by Laura Tolomei

Regina — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 22:51:00 +0000

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

Laura Tolomei

Email: lalla_gatta@yahoo.com

Erotic Romance Series that Explores the Dark and Light Sides of

Power and Love between Three People

The Making of a Trio: the Virtus Saga shows how power and love can be equally shared

Rome, Italy – In Laura Tolomei’s Erotic Fantasy series the Virtus Saga (published by Extasy Books) nothing is as it seems. Soul-mates Prince Duncan Caldwell and Lord Christopher Templeton share a love that is unrivaled, until Duncan takes shelter in Ylianor Meyer’s dilapidated shack. Ylianor has always loved Duncan, and while Duncan is attracted to her, she remains a servant—okay to bed, but not acceptable consort material. Unwilling to accept it, Ylianor vows she will do anything, even come head to head with his insufferable lover, to stay at his side.

But there is more going on than either of the three realize. Lord Arthur Fairchild, Leader of the High Council, knows his planet Sendar is doomed unless the predestined Hero steps in and blocks the darkness threatening to take over. And even if one person alone fits the bill, Arthur does the unthinkable—not only does he summon the Hero, but the Hero’s consorts as well. Sendar needs these three special people to become fully aware of their powers and learn how to use them together. Sendar needs these three special people to work together above and beyond their personal issues. Sendar needs these three special people to become one whilst being three to make it through the difficult times ahead. If they do not, the Virtus which holds all of Sendar’s secrets could destroy them all.

Laura Tolomei lives in Rome, Italy and is the author of 21+ books. She has been traveling the globe since age five and has no intention of quitting. After having been an avid reader her entire life, she decided at age forty to write her own stories and has not looked back since. Writing novels that are on the edge of accepted conventions is her trademark, and she guarantees an erotic earthquake with each book!

Extasy Books is one of the premier publishers specializing in erotic literature, but look for her work also on WCPT and Romance Divine LLC.

If you’d like to receive a review copy of any book in the Virtus Saga, (books in order are: The Sex, The Game, The Festival, The Leader, The Pledge and The Heat, with upcoming in 2013 The Princess and The Demon), please contact author Laura Tolomei at lalla_gatta@yahoo.com today.

Get Your Free Copy of Classroom Confessions by Ciara Ryan Today!

Regina — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 07:44:34 +0000

Free on Amazon from December 13, 2012-December 17, 2012! Get Your Copy Today!

Blurb:

EROTICA

It's hard to let go of a fantasy, especially when it has been burning brightly in your heart since your school days. Lie back and indulge in these tales of desire that began in the classroom but end up as hot, erotic bouts of pleasure.

Enjoy!

Available Now Gothic by Nicole D. Fergusson!

Regina — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 23:50:23 +0000

Available from Leap of Faith Publishing

Blurb:

Dahlia Noone is just a normal girl wanting a normal world. That's not too much to ask, right?

But when your human mother dies, and you're abandoned by your werewolf father, to the care of your vampire godmother… Well, things are rarely simple.

But those were the problems of a child, and Dahlia is now a young woman, off to university to study and do all those things that other university students do. Keeping her life separate amongst the supernatural and mundane worlds will be a snap. Right? Right!

She's in for several rude shocks however as her foster family invade her life at the most awkward times, and even normal relationships are fraught with complications.

Just when she thinks she has a handle on everything, the world shows her that regardless of who and what you're family and friends are, pain is a part of growing up.

Join Dahlia on her journey into being ordinary, when the players in her life are anything but.

Excerpt:

“That’s… strange,” Elliott paused.

“What?” But then Dahlia caught on. Though she didn’t have a werewolf’s sense of smell, she did have a human’s sense of hearing. And a low growl was coming from somewhere in front of them.

“Hello?” she started, inching forward. Elliott grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him. “Whaa?” Dahlia began.

The aggressive sound had doubled. Dahlia realised, with shock, that Elliott was not growling so much as hissing, or snarling. She was glad for Elliott’s walking her back to her dorm. Usually there were people milling around the university colleges but, right then, there was a distinct lack of anyone.

Elliott had dropped to a fighting crouch, like he expected violence.

Dahlia watched keenly for whatever it was from her vantage point behind Elliott, glancing over her shoulder a couple of times just in case attackers came from behind. There was someone targeting werewolves, and she had grown up with a whole bunch of them.

Her heart dropped to her stomach when she saw a honey-blonde wolf pull out of the bushes and start stalking towards them. She would have recognised him anywhere, but that didn’t incline her to feel kindly disposed towards him. She did not appreciate the panic he’d just put her through.

“Luca! What the hell are you doing?” This in a harsh whisper, before Dahlia looked behind her again, this time to make sure there were no hapless students about to walk up and find themselves face to face with a werewolf. Luca was much larger than any domestic dog she could think of, and he wasn’t on a lead, which meant that Dahlia would be in trouble either way if another student happened upon them. “You know better than this!”

Elliott didn’t relax his position, didn’t allow Dahlia to push past him in her attempts to chastise the ’wolf, which didn’t defuse the situation at all. It just made Luca growl louder.

Looking between the two men, Dahlia’s jaw dropped as she realised what this was about.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake! Really?”

Dahlia righteously slapped Elliott’s arm down and strode past him. Standing directly in between Elliott and Luca, Dahlia stared them both down, daring either of them to make another territorial move.

Elliott looked from her to the ’wolf, until eventually his gaze settled on her. Luca eventually stopped growling, relaxing the ridges on his nose, but not at all looking contrite. Dahlia just stared at them both in disgust.

“You,” she informed Luca, her tone offering no room for refusal. “Find somewhere private to change and get to my room.” She bared her teeth. He wouldn’t instinctively accede to her words, but the snarl would make an impression.

Luca stared back at her for a while, trying to assert dominance, but Dahlia was too incensed to play into werewolf games. After a moment, he emitted a wuffle sound, turning tail and disappearing back into the bushes.

Dahlia didn’t give Elliott time to make something of any of this. She just grabbed his sleeve, dragging him to her dorm, and thus guaranteeing that Luca would not be dallying about his change before rushing to her room.

There was silence for a minute, then Elliott said, “So, why don't you ever give me the, ‘Bad boy! Go to my room’ spiel?'”

She almost stopped when he said that, but instead settled for dragging him towards the dorm, nearly overbalancing him in the process. “Are you really going to try that on me now, Elliot, considering that display of testosterone fuelled idiocy? I've a mind to send you both to the naughty corner.”

Elliot sobered a little at that, and instead said quietly, “I’d heard you had werewolves in your family…” as they strode through the hall.

“Oh?” Dahlia asked. “Then what was that back there?”

Elliott frowned. “I thought you were in danger.”

“I’m not in danger from my own foster brother,” Dahlia snarled.

Elliott smiled grimly. “He didn’t exactly come with a sign proclaiming that.” He stopped at her doorway and. For a second, Dahlia thought he was doing it as just another thing to piss her off, before she realised that he needed an invitation.

That recognition took some of the wind out of her sails. Both Annabelle and Meredith had impressed it upon her not to ever utter the words, “Come in,” when a hand gesture or assumption would do, unless it was daylight. Hand gestures and assumptions weren’t strong enough invitations to let a vampire into a new residence.

But this was Elliott and, even though she was pissed at him, Dahlia intellectually knew that he would never do anything to harm her. He hadn’t when she’d been at his private residence, and that was almost like inviting a vampire to drink from you.

“Elliott, would you please come in?” she said, and at the same time heard the sound of Luca thundering through the double doors that marked the entrance to her building.

“Dahlia! No!”

Luca reappeared, and in human form no less, just in time to watch Elliott take the step over the threshold to Dahlia’s room. He threw himself into the room with a growl, and grabbed Elliott by the throat. Elliott was taken off guard by the sudden attack, but his reflexes worked faster than Luca moved and, before the 'wolf could take advantage of his hold on Elliott, he was propelled into the opposite wall by the vampire's shove, jolting the couple of wall hangings she had nearby.

“I am not a danger to Dahlia,” Elliott informed him in quiet, well retained, words that virtually mimicked Dahlia’s assurances of Luca just before.

“Luca, Elliott, don’t,” Dahlia echoed, which was when Elliott stepped back from Luca, having made his point.

Luca stayed by the wall for a second longer, catching his breath and glaring at Elliott. His gaze turned to Dahlia.

“How could you invite him into your room? You know the rules!”

“You don’t know Elliott,” Dahlia informed him flatly. “If you did, you’d know he was about as likely to hurt me as Annabelle.”

The two foster siblings stared each other down for a long time. Elliott stood to the side but, after a time, stepped back and settled himself on her bed content to wait them out. Luca saw this and scoffed.

“He looks fairly comfortable in here.”

“And that might be a problem, if you hadn’t just seen me invite him in.” Dahlia crossed her arms, shaking her head. “Seriously, Luca. I’m not sixteen anymore. You and the pack have no control over who I do or don’t invite into my room.”

Luca’s teeth were gritted. He wasn’t letting this go. “Someone is killing werewolves.”

“And I’m not a werewolf,” Dahlia said blithely, completely ignoring the fact that she herself had been worried about confusion due to her connections to the pack just a few minutes before.

Elliott, in a moment of self-preservation, chose not to bring that either.

“And I thought I would come here and surprise you, since I didn’t get to see you last night.” Luca’s teeth were still gritted, but now he looked sad as well. That sadness deprived Dahlia of the ability to offer some sort of snark regarding how much of a surprise it had been to come back and see a wolf around her building. He continued, as though almost reading her thoughts. “It surprised me when I could smell a vampire coming my way. I can do more damage as a ’wolf than as a man.”

Elliott nodded his head in an acknowledgement.

Luca saw it, even if Dahlia didn’t. Looking at Elliott now, Luca asked grudgingly, “So, who is he?”

Dahlia sighed. Older brother types were supposed to be annoying, weren’t they? Hadn’t she heard as much from at least a dozen girls during high school? At least she got along with hers the majority of the time. “This is Elliott. He’s a friend. One of mine—and Annabelle’s—friends,” she said, making it clear how Dahlia had gotten to know him. Luca knew his Auntie Annabelle didn’t suffer fools and had never been a cruel woman, for all that she was a vampire.

Luca flicked another glance in Elliott’s direction. “Okay then.”

Dahlia turned to Elliott. “Elliott, this is Luca. His father was basically a father to me after mine… ran off.” There was still that lump in her throat whenever she mentioned him. She went on quickly.

"Luca pretty much adopted me as a little sister.”

Elliott inclined his head. “And you’ve been looking out for her ever since. Very commendable.”

Luca narrowed his eyes at Elliott, trying to judge if there had been anything facetious in the compliment. Elliott just looked back at him. Eventually Luca offered him a stiff nod. “Thanks,” he murmured.

Dahlia heaved a relieved sigh. Her relief was short lived, however.

“As entertaining as this unexpected gathering is…” was all Dahlia had time to say, before her phone went off.

Both boys jumped. Elliot hissed, Luca snarled, as both immediately went to their fighting stances.

“Oh Jesus. Right, nobody move. I don't want either of you to kill my phone!”

Both boys copped a look of, ‘Can I take my attention off you for two minutes without coming back to a fight?’ to which they each had the good grace to look somewhat ashamed. She wasn't sure whether that was because of their boorish behaviour or the realization that they nearly ended up going in to a boxing match with something that could only be considered a lethal weapon in the hands of Russell Crowe.

Available Now! The Heat by Laura Tolomei, Book 6 of the Virtus Saga!

Regina — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 23:48:44 +0000

Available Now from Extasy Books!

Blurb:

Too much gossip, too much sex, too much heat…but alas, too little trust

Over the gossip, over the passion, over the sex, over any possible explanation…because of the pledge, the heat will overwhelm them, in and out of the Hall, in and out of bed.

Excerpt:

“Lady Templeton, after last night, I might just be envious of your mate.” Ribes cut Lord Doyle off.

“Now I’m really confused.” Swinging her gaze from Ribes to Darek, then to David, Ylianor was at a loss.

“You don’t know?” Trailing after Lady Dranten, Kharen reached Ylianor’s side.

“I didn’t feel too well yesterday and—”

“That’s right.” Slapping a hand on her forehead, Kharen moved closer. “But now you’re better.” Her healing Virt kicked in, and Ylianor felt like she was being thoroughly checked. “I’m glad.” The last words were so soft and full of emotions that they went straight to Ylianor’s heart, especially since they were followed by a gentle caress on her cheek.

“Thanks, Kharen.” So Ylianor pressed her palm against Lady Riyan’s hand. “But you can’t leave me wondering about what happened last night.”

“Well, it was something no one ever thought they’d hear—”

“Not from the leader anyway.” Darek pressed her on the opposite side. “But he said it, no question about it.”

“I can’t get a straight answer from you guys today.” Exasperated, Ylianor took a step back. “Can you just tell me what happened?”

“Lady Templeton, have you heard about last night?” With an innocent look on his face, Max strolled in the room, as though everything was normal.

“All right, I’ll tell you.” Reaching the desk, Ribes confronted her. “Last night, a group of us was in the attic.” She glanced behind her shoulders. “You know the usual crowd, doing the usual things, when the leader came in with your mate at his side.”

“And boy, did they look tense.” Of course, Kharen , could not help noticing.

“They did?” Darek raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t notice, but what was odd was that the leader told Lord Templeton he could play with the women alone, no men.”

The demon must’ve been thrilled. She worked hard to suppress a grin.

“Yeah, the way he never wants to play with us, we all thought…” Ribes paused hesitant. “Anyway, he did and—”

“He was exceptional,” Kharen confirmed with a bright smile. “There were a lot of us, so we took turns with him, and it was great for all of us. But when we wanted to make him come—”

“The leader stopped them and said that Lord Templeton belonged to him.” Lord Doyle creased his forehead as though to remember the exact words. “Chris was his. He said it loud and clear before—”

“Good morning, everyone.” The last one to enter the room, Cecilia approached them. “I suppose you’re talking about last night in the attic.”

“They were finishing up the story of what the leader did to Lord Templeton.” David’s cool voice summed it up for Cecilia.

Broken Promise Blog Tour with Tara Fox Hall

Regina — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 06:12:16 +0000

1. November 6, 2012: Regina Paul's website and blog

http://www.reginapaul.com

2. November 10, 2012: Moonlight Romance Authors Blog

http://www.moonlightromanceauthors.blogspot.com

3. November 14, 2012: In the Hot Seat Interview

http://www.heartfeltpromos.com/inthehotseat

4. November 17, 2012: Rhonda Jackson Joseph Blog

http://www.rhondajacksonjoseph.blogspot.com

5. November 20th, 2012: Reading Reality Interview and Review

http://www.readingreality.net

6. November 21, 2012: Minding Spot Blog

http://www.mindingspot.blogspot.com

7. November 22, 2012: Natalie-Nicole Bates Blog

http://www.natalienicolebates.com

8. November 24, 2012: Coffee Thoughts Blog at Coffee Time Romance

http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/

9. November 28, 2012: An Eclectic Author Blog

http://www.aneclecticauthor.blogspot.com/

10. November 29, 2012: Reading Between the Wines Book Club

http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.blogspot.com/

11. November 30, 2012: Love Romance Passion Blog

http://www.loveromancepassion.com

See Me by Natalie-Nicole Bates Now Available from Leap of Faith Publishing!

Regina — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 04:48:14 +0000

Available from: Leap of Faith Publishing

Carly Anders is hearing voices in her head. Another one of her kind is trying to contact her. She knows of the malevolent freaks—others who are eternal like her and seek out the weak to inflict pain upon. For years, Carly has held up huge protective walls to keep herself and her secrets safe. Now, physically and mentally exhausted, Carly needs protection and rest.

She accepts the invitation to visit an internet friend who needs help appraising a collection of antique photographs. The situation is not ideal, but Carly hopes a male presence in her life will deter the determined suitor who haunts her thoughts and dreams.

Daniel Tremont is not what Carly is expecting.

The former funeral director has a secret of his own. Not only is he eternal like Carly, he is her creation from all those years before—her abomination she thought she killed. Daniel has been searching for Carly for years. He knows she is the piece of his life that he has been missing for so long. Now that he has found her, he has no intentions of letting her go.

Excerpt:

Prologue

Today wasn’t a typical day.

As Charlotte Hopkins exited the general store clutching a bag of sweets, the thick, acrid smell of smoke masked the typically fresh, sweet air of springtime. A crowd formed in the town center. Women and men alike coughed or covered their nose and mouth with sleeve or handkerchief. A sudden blaze at the lumber mill had erupted, a fierce fireball that had consumed everything and everyone in its path.

Charlotte needed to get home. Her father would need her.

Her father owned the only funeral parlor in town, and Charlotte loved to assist him with the whole theatre that was a funeral. She had no fear of death; after all, her whole life still lay before her.

Her mother preferred that she married an Undertaker, not became one. A woman’s place in the funeral business was behind the scenes, not causing them. A woman’s pride should radiate from assisting her husband to be a success by seeing to his needs, cooking his meals, and attending to the home, and eventually, the children. Women were to be seen and not heard from. Instead, they were to serve tea and biscuits to the bereaved.

But it was 1896, no longer the Dark Ages. Charlotte wanted to be seen and heard. Not smile politely while she served tea.

Charlotte knew she was destined for greater things in life. She always knew she was special, and it wasn’t just because her family said so. It was more a feeling deep down inside her. Something secretive and miraculous, but still unexplainable.

It stemmed from an incident on her fourth birthday when she some how fell into a pond behind the family home. Now thirteen years later, her parents denied the accident ever happened, and her older sister was forbidden to speak of it. There was the gossip regarding the flame haired woman who was somehow involved. It was nothing more than a malicious rumor, her mother insisted.

But Charlotte knew the truth. She had cheated death, and in doing so, this had made her stronger, somehow braver.

She rushed to the funeral parlor, but all was quiet.

“Father?” she called out. But her father was nowhere to be found. She hurried to his preparation room, but he was not there. It seemed the town folk had exaggerated a bit, there was only one body. One unfortunate soul who had perished in a most heinous way.

Charlotte was accustomed to all the putrid scents associated with death. But today, she was assailed by a new smell—burnt flesh.

She bit back the vomit that collected at the base of her throat and approached the embalming table where a newly deceased corpse lay.

The corpse was almost unrecognizable with red and blackened skin which had burned, blistered, and peeled away exposing charred bone in some places. Heat still rose from the body. His eyes open and lifeless, their color destroyed by smoke and flame. Even in this state, Charlotte could tell he was just a boy, not much older than her own seventeen years.

She didn’t know him. A lot of transient men wandered in and out of the lumber mill. Some stayed a few months, others just a few days before moving on. If no family claimed this boy, her father’s generosity would provide him a pine box and an unmarked grave.

A wave of sadness enveloped her. No one should die until they were very old, she decided. This boy had barely begun his life; it wasn’t fair, it wasn’t right. If she had been spared death, why shouldn’t he be as well?

Charlotte closed her eyes and held her two now quivering hands above his lifeless body. “You shall live again. Rise.” she whispered from a force that came from an unknown place deep inside herself. Her body vibrated and a heat rushed through her chest and exited her fingertips with a strike of electricity that nearly knocked her off her feet.

When she opened her eyes, she wasn’t sure how much time had passed. She stared down at her fingertips that still emanated heat. A feeling of what could only be described as a quiet sense of power welled inside her. Whatever she had become that afternoon thirteen years earlier had reached its fruition.

The boy still lay on the table before her, but something had changed. His chest was now moving with shallow breaths, and a raspy sound came from his throat. An unconscious smile crossed her lips. So there was the answer to the question that had perplexed her for so many years. She had the power within her to raise the dead.

She stared, almost hypnotized, as his fingers uncurled from their death grip. The rasp from his throat now changed into a sickly gurgle, and bloody foam bubbled from his mouth. The first prick of fear mingled with the inexplicable needle of guilt that sobered her. What had she done?

The now living corpse began to thrash on the table and kick his feet. His arms looped in circles, and fingers grasped at nothingness. He was still burning, she realized. Panic now overtook fear. She knew she should run, but her feet remained rooted to the floor.

His body jerked without control until he flung himself off the table and landed with a thud at her feet. Like a lucid dream, she stared in silence at the abomination she had created.

Garbled sounds came from his bloody mouth, and she dropped to her knees before him. He was trying to speak. Even though her teeth chattered inside her head from fear, she bent down closer to him, her face only mere inches from what was left of his.

The words ground out from between clenched teeth, but she couldn’t understand him at first. But then inside her mind, she could clearly comprehend the words, “Kill me”. He repeated the same command; “kill me” over and over again like a morbid chant that filled her head.

Finally, when she was sure her head would explode, she staggered to her feet and grabbed a short, double sided blade from her father’s box of embalming tools.

Falling once again from her knees, she held the blade a foot from his chest and mumbled, “Our Father, who art in heaven...” Tears now blinded her. She quieted. There was no point in praying now, she realized. She had created him, she must destroy him. They were both damned to hell.

His hands reached up and seized her wrists, and tried to pull the knife to him. She threw her arms apart, and knocked his hands from her wrists. Arching her back, she came down she came down with all of her body weight and plunged the blade into his chest, hitting bone.

His torso shot up, propelling him into a sitting position, and knocked Charlotte on top of him. The blade slipped from her grasp and sliced her palm as it left her hand and skidded across the floor.

As she struggled to move off of him, his arms locked around her waist. But he was still weak, and she fought him off and somehow managed to get to her feet. Her own blood was coursing from the gaping wound in her hand.

Now to her horror, he was on his knees.

She pressed her palm to her belly to stem the flow of blood and searched in vain for the blade. She had to finish him off before he gained strength.

He was now on his feet, coming toward her in a morbid shuffle. There was no time now. She had to get out, leave town. When her father came home and saw the blood, the mess, and the reanimated corpse, he would know she is pure evil. The town folk will brand her a witch, and they would surely burn her along with her abomination, forever entwining their souls together. But as Charlotte fled the funeral parlor through the back door, a fleeting thought entered her brain, Weren’t their two souls now already entwined?

Grasping her skirt with her bloody hand, she ran as fast as feet would carry her. Through the woods, across a stream, she continued without hesitation. She never looked back. She could never return. She would never see her family again.

Safely away from the town, her pace slowed to a crawl. Her head was dizzy and sick. Her cut hand throbbed without mercy, the blood had slowed down to trickle. She had no idea where she was or how far she had travelled. She had almost no money. A few coins, and the bag of sweets she had bought earlier in the day.

As day turned to dusk, she continued to wander away from any civilization. Finally, she spotted a small house in the distance. A sliver of light was visible from the outside. Perhaps the homeowner would be kind enough to give her a drink of water from his well.

How did this happen, she wondered with misery as she wiped away a fine sheen of sweat from her forehead and made her way to the desolate house. One moment her life had been close to perfect, the next she had discovered to her horror that she was the devil’s spawn, and had to forever flee the life she knew.

Through what could only be a divine miracle, she arrived at the house and used her uninjured hand to rap on the door. After a few minutes, the door opened. A blond man stood before her. Her vision blurred and his features swam. He spoke, but it might have been a foreign language for all she knew. Finally, blackness overcame her and she fell forward into his arms

When she awoke, Charlotte had no idea where she was or how she got there. In the glow of the candlelight, she saw the blond, handsome stranger as he patted her forehead with a cool, damp cloth. “Don’t worry,” he whispered. “You’re safe now.”