A Paranormal Easter
14 Paranormal & Fantasy Romance Novellas
Tiffany Carby
Kathia Iblis
Lorah Jaiyn
Brandy McIntosh
T. Elizabeth Guthrie
J.C. Madison
Natalie-Nicole Bates
Skylar McKinzie
Amanda Ruehle
Rena Marin
C. Brady
Judy Swinson
T.A. Moorman
Alison Diem
After Glows Publishing
Bad Egg © Copyright 2018 Tiffany Carby
Honey and the Easter Bear © Copyright 2018 Kathia Iblis
Allergic Reaction © Copyright 2018 T. A. Moorman
Unleashing the Rock © Copyright 2018 Lorah Jaiyn
Stained-Glass Heart © Copyright 2018 Brandy McIntosh
Trail Binding © Copyright 2018 T. Elizabeth Guthrie
Nature of Magic © Copyright 2018 J.C. Madison
Spring Awakening © Copyright 2018 Natalie-Nicole Bates
No Arrows Needed © Copyright 2018 Skylar McKinzie
Of Opals and Dragons’ Eggs © Copyright 2018 Amanda Ruehle
Sent to Me © Copyright 2018 Rena Marin
The Bunny & His Flower © Copyright 2018 C. Brady
The Spirit of Little Feather © Copyright 2018 Judy Swinson
Upwards Over the Mountain © Copyright 2018 Alison Diem
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All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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Contents
A Paranormal Easter
Tiffany Carby
Bad Egg
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
About the Author
Kathia Iblis
Honey and the Easter Bear
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Epilogue
About the Author
T. A. Moorman
Allergic Reaction
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
About the Author
Lorah Jaiyn
Unleashing the Rock
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
About the Author
Brandy McIntosh
Stained-Glass Heart
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
T. Elizabeth Guthrie
Trail Binding
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Epilogue
Troll King and Bride (full poem)
About the Author
J.C. Madison
NATURE OF MAGIC
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
About the Author
Natalie-Nicole Bates
SPRING AWAKENING
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Epilogue
About the Author
Skylar McKinzie
No Arrows Needed
Note from the Author
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
About the Author
Amanda Ruehle
Of Opals and Dragons’ Eggs
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Epilogue
About the Author
Rena Marin
Sent to Me
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
About the Author
C. Brady
The Bunny & His Flower
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
About the Author
Judy Swinson
The Spirit of Little Feather
1. The Spirit of Little Feather
About the Author
Alison Diem
Upwards Over the Mountain
Chapter 1
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Note From the Publisher
A Paranormal Easter
14 Paranormal & Fantasy Romance Novellas
From Bestselling and Debut Authors:
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Tiffany Carby • Kathia Iblis • Lorah Jaiyn • Brandy McIntosh • T. Elizabeth Guthrie • J.C. Madison • Alison M. Diem • Natalie-Nicole Bates • Skylar McKinzie • Amanda Ruehle • Rena Marin • C. Brady • Judy Swinson • T.A. Moorman
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Eggs aren’t the only things being hunted…
FOURTEEN stand-alone paranormal and fantasy romances set around Easter from 14 bestselling and debut authors. This action-packed, steamy collection is filled with vampires, fae, fairies, rabbit shifters (hey, it’s Easter, right?), gargoyles, witches, dragons, and so much more.
It’s a must have for all paranormal readers.
Bad Egg
A Company of Griffins short story
Tiffany Carby
1
The plan was set. It was so set that I didn’t even have it written down anywhere, nor had I told a soul. I couldn’t risk the chance of it failing. But it was all in my head, every single detail.
I had been skimming bills from his “frozen assets” next to the peas in the deep freezer for months. I had a coffee can in the back of one of the kitchen cabinets that had a baggie of bills stuffed down in the bottom of the grounds in case he opened it up to make coffee.
But he wouldn’t do that.
He wouldn’t make his own coffee.
That was my job.
He liked the idea of having a stay at home wife, though thankfully we had never married. I was just a prisoner: a Cinderella maid that he could have his way with and leave a few bruises on when the drinking and drugs got out of hand.
We met while I was pursuing a degree in Elementary Education at the University of Florida and dated most of my senior year while I finished my degree. He was several years older than me and already very well established. He moved to St. Augustine before I graduated to buy a home there. When I got my degree, he asked me to move in and move away from Gainesville and my family.
I was a stupid girl, thinking he was so cool and perfect. He had money, albeit illegal money, and a nice home. It was fun at first, playing house. He let me redecorate and fix up the place. He even put in an in-ground pool for me to enjoy during the day.
But it didn’t last.
He got tired of me and decided I was more of a maid than a girlfriend.
The last time I tried to get out, I went to my parents, tucked my tail and took their we-told-you-so’s as best I could. When he came to collect me from them, I was given the ultimatum that I go home with him or prepare to plan funerals for my loved ones.
He was a dangerous man. And he knew I had no choice.
This plan was my only hope. And the only chance I had to keep my family members safe. The friends I once had hightailed it away from me years ago when they realized I was in a relationship with Vincent DeMarco. Vinny was one of those types that you wanted to be on his good side, but out of sight and out of mind.
It was fun for a while. Though, I didn’t understand why he wanted me to stay at home and not get a job. I just supposed it was part of his control issues. I took his abuse for many years before I tried escaping. And now another year had passed since he came and got me that day from my parents’ house.
So now I was on my best behavior. I wanted him to think that I was happy so he wouldn’t be suspicious.
I pretended to read books in my spare time and piddle around the house. Of course, I cleaned and cooked and made sure everything was in order when we had guests. That also was in my job description.
I couldn't fault Vinny for being easy on the eyes. It was the reason I fell for him in the first place. And he was good in bed, so lately I had tried to picture someone else, anyone else when we fucked. I just had to watch him when he drank too much. Those were the times he decided I was a punching bag.
He was also very smart. He had worked up to being a partner in a local accounting firm, so he knew what he was doing with the money and hiding his status as a local drug lord. I snuck while he was in the shower one day and looked at his work calendar on his phone. I saw he'd be working late on Wednesday and Wednesday also was the day I usually did my grocery shopping. So that was the day I'd plan to escape.
On Tuesday I began to put the plan in motion by acting like I had a stomach bug, so when Wednesday morning rolled around, I still pretended to feel bad. The charade continued when I told him I thought I’d feel better after I had some breakfast and maybe slept for a little while longer, still planning on doing my weekly shopping trip that afternoon.
Off to work he went, just any normal day as far as he was concerned. And I set the wheels in motion.
I was sure to leave all my personal belongings behind so he wouldn’t be suspicious. Best I could hope, I wanted him to think I was abducted or kidnapped, not that I left him. I didn’t want him to come looking.
I left a note on the counter telling him I was grocery shopping, nothing out of the ordinary. Not knowing for sure what time he’d get it, I hoped it would buy me a little extra time. I also left my phone charging on my nightstand, so he’d assume I forgot it when he looked on his “stalker” app to see where I was. I was hoping it would also throw off the trail if he looked during the day and just assumed I wasn’t feeling well enough to do my weekly shopping.
I stuffed my purse full of all the money I had tucked away and hoped it was enough.
The parking lot of the grocery store was decently full and I was pleased there were so many moms and kids around. I just prayed I didn’t see anyone I knew.
Straight inside the grocery store I went, knowing there were cameras around and that he’d eventually get to them. Each time I went to the grocery, I paid attention to where the cameras were and where I could slip away. I filled my cart with a few items from the produce section, then parked it and went into the family restroom. I knew the camera outside of that hallway would see me go the direction of the restroom, but it wasn’t positioned to see the entrance and exit of the doorway. Again, if he saw the tape and the cameras saw me go to the restroom area, he’d hopefully think I just wasn’t feeling well.
I went inside and hurriedly pulled out a folded canvas tote that I had stuffed down in my purse. I then put my purse inside to disguise it. I pulled out a blonde wig and put it on my head adding a pair of dark sunglasses on top. Before I left the restroom, I turned my reversible jacket inside out and I looked like a completely different person.
Next came the fun part. I snuck out of the restroom and continued down the hallway and entered the storeroom of the grocery store. I tried not to be seen and when someone asked if I was lost, I said yes and I was just looking for someone. They left me alone and I managed to leave out the backside of the building. I knew I'd be seen on their surveillance cameras, but I had hoped I was disguised enough no one could tell it was me.
I was right on time at the bus stop and only had to wait a moment before boarding. I paid the driver like everyone else and took a seat. It only took ten minutes before I arrived at the Greyhound bus station. I was too afraid to search for departure times in case Vinny was watching what I did on the internet, but a few weeks back, I drove by to see when buses typically were scheduled to leave and around mid-morning seemed to be pretty heavy traffic.
My hands were shaking and at this point, I thought if I wanted to abort the mission, I could still go back to the grocery store and no one would suspect a thing. But once I boarded a bus going north, there'd be no looking back. For a moment, I scrolled through the schedule and looked at the different cities, none really stuck out to me. And then I remembered it didn't really matter, I just had to get out of here and I could travel somewhere else at the next stop. So I started looking for departure times.
The next bus leaving was in 15 minutes and headed to Lexington, Kentucky. It was less than a 12-hour ride and far enough away that once I got there I could head a different direction and keep going.
I had never been to Kentucky.
“One ticket to Lexington, please sir,” I said to the clerk in the window.
“One way or round trip, Miss?” He asked.
I stuttered for a second and collected myself.
“Oh just one way, my sister is having a baby and I’m headed to stay with her for a while. I’ll grab a ticket on the way back whenever I decide to come home,” I lied, but felt the explanation might ward off questions in case Vinny came looking here later. I didn’t even have a sister.
I paid him and he handed me the ticket, wishing me a good trip and my sister an easy delivery. Nice man.
I quickly reviewed the itinerary and only saw one stop, which appeared to be late in the evening. I had packed some snacks and a couple water bottles in my purse and at that moment I was nowhere near hungry and a bundle of nerves, so I knew I’d be fine until I arrived.
A Paranormal Easter: 14 Paranormal & Fantasy Romance Novellas Page 1