An expanse of green lay before her and the fenced play area was empty. She moved across the grass and closed the gap between herself and the play area, it was then she realised the play area wasn’t actually empty. He was here, just as she had hoped he would be.
He was sitting on the swing, the same as he had been before. This time, he jumped off it mid-swing and raced across the play area to her before she had even opened the gate to the enclosure.
Kaelia laughed as he scooped her up in his arms and swung her around. Her legs lifted with the speed he swung her. Laughingly, she grasped onto him once he put her down. It was hard to remain standing, she was so dizzy.
‘I’ve missed you so much!’ she giggled.
‘And I’ve missed holding you.’ Bay steadied her. His eyes scooped hers up within them and forced her to focus on him. ‘And I’ve missed doing this.’
All of her nerves fizzled, jumping into life as Bay grasped her head in his hands and pressed his lips against hers. His tongue darted into her mouth, dancing gently with hers. She melted deliciously against the hardness of his body and her hands lost themselves in his soft hair. He pulled away and held out his hand.
Kaelia looked at it. This was different. The world tilted and her head throbbed. She grasped his hand, needing the comfort.
‘I’m dead,’ she whispered, resting her head against Bay’s, her tears falling onto his chest. She closed her eyes and there was an immense, overpowering feeling she was falling, tumbling into darkness. Then, there was ...nothing.
Beside Kaelia’s unmoving body, the giant wolf had closed its own eyes and curled tightly against her rapidly chilling body. The Vallesm’s eyes flickered open briefly, the amber light within them, dimming. Its howls rose heart-wrenching to the tree-tops, driving roosting birds from their branches. Trees quivered with the sudden evacuation and the sky turned blood-red as the sun set on another night in the heart of Mortiswood.
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The story continues in the second book in the Mortiswood Tales series entitled Mortiswood: Kaelia Falling, coming soon.
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Visit
mortiswood.blogspot.co.uk
To view pictures of the real places mentioned within this book and for more information about the
Mortiswood Tales series.
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A note from the author
Thank you so much for reading this Mortiswood Tales novel. I love to hear from readers so please do get in touch by visiting my website. I’m on all the usual sites - Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads etc.
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About the author
Gina Dickerson lives by the Thanet coast on the north-eastern tip of Kent with her family and playful Siberian husky. She is a full-time author and also a columnist for her local newspaper, the Isle of Thanet Gazette. She writes romantic suspense with a twist, horror, and fantasy because her characters refuse to play nice and wind up with more than a few bone-rattling skeletons in their closets.
Having been an avid reader and story-scribbler from an early age, Gina loves being fortunate enough to fill her days writing. When she’s not writing, she likes to amble along one of the many gorgeous Thanet beaches with her pooch, or rummage in vintage shops.
Find out more about Gina on her website:
www.ginadickersonwriter.co.uk
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Also by Gina Dickerson
Underleaf
Tales of secrets, lies, and strangeness.
A house with a disturbing secret, jealousy which turns deadly, heartbreak in more ways than one, and people who aren’t quite what they seem make up a few of the stories within this collection. Turn the pages and discover that there is more to each tale as you venture Underleaf...
Lies Love Tells
What would you do if your blog attracted the attention of a serial killer?
Saze Monnivan begins a blog diary to vent emotions over her abusive partner Mr Him. Unleashing her inner thoughts provides Saze with the courage to kick Mr Him into touch.
Unfortunately Mr Him is not the only person Saze needs to fear. A murderer stalks the streets of Eastcove, preying on young women and earning the moniker of Cut-throat Casanova.
As Saze’s life peaks and falls spectacularly, and her blog attracts interest and internet trolls, she realises someone is following more than her blog posts.
Is Saze foolish to trust new faces? Will she ever survive the terror which haunts her and find the love she craves?
Unveiling Christmas
Families silenced by secrets, lost heirlooms and a ruthless killer...who can be trusted?
When Suzy Harte discovers on her wedding day that her bridegroom-to-be has been hiding a huge secret, jilting him at the altar seems the best option. What she didn’t anticipate was he wouldn’t ever make it to the altar either and being found in the church cemetery in her wedding dress with a bloodied knife dripping onto the snow really seals the day as her worst ever.
Suzy’s life picks up crazy momentum upon discovering her bridegroom found a lost diamond ring worth millions of pounds. The problem is someone else wants the ring and they’ll stop at nothing to have it, not even serial murder.
As the body count rises, Suzy races to unravel the mystery, stumbling across years of family secrets while the killer closes in. Can Suzy unscramble the secrets before it’s too late? Will she find true love again? Or will the secrets which silenced many before her, lead her to a grisly end?
All books are available through online stores.
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Mortiswood: Kaelia Awakening (Mortiswood Tales) Page 29