Publisher: Breathless Press
Format: e-Book only B&N ID: 2940045076036 Format: e-Book only Release Date: 11/03/2012 No. Words: 6 K (6,000 wds) Cost: Free Download Links: Breathless Press Download Link B&N Download Link All Romance eBooks Download Link |
HALLOWEEN IN THE CATACOMBS
Second short story in the TOUR DIRECTOR EXTRAORDINAIRE series Contemporary romance with a twist of fantasy BLURB Harriet Ruby: Tour Director Extraordinaire, had had some real winners when it came to tourists, but this group, wearing Halloween costumes on an all day tour of Rome, took the cake. Well, it was Halloween, but these folks were seriously…different. When nine of them decide to explore on their own and take off down a restricted tunnel of the Roman catacombs, Harriet has to find them—for their safety and her reputation—and ends up involved in something she never expected. EXCERPT A blast of cold air sliced through me. “Yikes!” I screeched with surprise and almost dropped the flashlight. My body trembled, and I tightened my grip on my young charge. “W-what w-was that?” he stammered. For a moment my chattering teeth kept me from speaking. I had no clue. “An air vent, probably. They have to get fresh air down here somehow.” Still shuddering, I inched forward, dragging the boy with me. “We should be close to the steps to the next level, so be careful. What were these people thinking, taking off like this? You’re absolutely sure you saw them go into this gallery?” |
“Yes. I’m sure.”
“Then—aiii!” My foot slipped on a loose rock. I stumbled to one knee, flapping my arms for balance, and ripped my hand from Calogerus’s. The flashlight sailed out of my grip.
Smash! Ping! The light went out.
Swallowing the string of curses that rose in my gullet, I crawled to my hands and knees and felt around for the lost light. “That’s just great. Are you all right?”
“I’m okay, but I think your flashlight is toast.”
Right. Okay, Harriet, now what? “Well, we can’t go any further without a light. We’ll have to go back and let the security guards find them. All we have to do is follow the wall. We didn’t make any turns so—”
“They went that way,” the boy cried and tugged on my arm. “C’mon. Let’s go.”
“What? How do you know?” With one palm against the cold damp wall for balance, I scrambled to me feet.
“I told you, I can see in the dark.” I sensed him move away from me and almost screamed.
In an instant, he returned to my side. “Here. Open you hand.”
In a frightened daze, I complied, and he placed something soft in it. “What is it?” I fingered the object, like pulpy but thin vegetation.
“It’s an apple blossom.”
Whatever I might have said to that morphed into a startled gasp as an uncanny inhuman howl resonated through the enclosed space, coming from a distance in front of us.
“Let’s go. We’re running out of time.” Calogerus grabbed my hand and pulled me unwillingly along behind him. “Hold onto me. I’ll lead the way. Be careful on the stairs.”
An apple blossom? The stairs? Two brownie points for Calogerus.
What could I say? This was going to be a tough one to explain, even to Will. Okay, God. You and I need to talk. This is all about the sex without marriage, isn’t it? You know we’re working on that.
We clambered down the steps as fast as we could with a nightscope-equipped ten-year-old leading the way and me as blind as a bat without sonar and shivering with trepidation.
On the last step, I smelled it. My stomach churned as though I was about to hurl. Formaldehyde? L’Amour’s aftershave. Squeezing my lids tight, I swallowed hard and forced the sense of sickness back into my belly. When I opened my eyes, a faint glow shone from a room at the end of the long hall.
We both ran toward the light and the smell, and in seconds burst into another wide cavern with pictures and symbols painted on the walls.
I skidded to a stop, and wrapped my arms around my middle against the frigid damp air, which mitigated the surge of panic I’d experienced. Burning incense sticks filled the space with a dim, diffused luminosity and the exotic scent of sandalwood, reducing the intensity of the essence of L’Amour.
My eight missing tourists stood with their backs against the walls, watching the old woman Bria, on her hands and knees, drawing a large circle in the center of the rock floor.
REVIEWS
Review by Happily Ever After Reviews
February 4, 2011 by Lia
5 Tea Cups!
Light romance, intrigue, colorful characters, and traces of humor. This story had it all. Although I felt like it was a little too short, I instantly fell in love with Harriet Ruby. All around, it was a very quick and enjoyable read.
□
“Then—aiii!” My foot slipped on a loose rock. I stumbled to one knee, flapping my arms for balance, and ripped my hand from Calogerus’s. The flashlight sailed out of my grip.
Smash! Ping! The light went out.
Swallowing the string of curses that rose in my gullet, I crawled to my hands and knees and felt around for the lost light. “That’s just great. Are you all right?”
“I’m okay, but I think your flashlight is toast.”
Right. Okay, Harriet, now what? “Well, we can’t go any further without a light. We’ll have to go back and let the security guards find them. All we have to do is follow the wall. We didn’t make any turns so—”
“They went that way,” the boy cried and tugged on my arm. “C’mon. Let’s go.”
“What? How do you know?” With one palm against the cold damp wall for balance, I scrambled to me feet.
“I told you, I can see in the dark.” I sensed him move away from me and almost screamed.
In an instant, he returned to my side. “Here. Open you hand.”
In a frightened daze, I complied, and he placed something soft in it. “What is it?” I fingered the object, like pulpy but thin vegetation.
“It’s an apple blossom.”
Whatever I might have said to that morphed into a startled gasp as an uncanny inhuman howl resonated through the enclosed space, coming from a distance in front of us.
“Let’s go. We’re running out of time.” Calogerus grabbed my hand and pulled me unwillingly along behind him. “Hold onto me. I’ll lead the way. Be careful on the stairs.”
An apple blossom? The stairs? Two brownie points for Calogerus.
What could I say? This was going to be a tough one to explain, even to Will. Okay, God. You and I need to talk. This is all about the sex without marriage, isn’t it? You know we’re working on that.
We clambered down the steps as fast as we could with a nightscope-equipped ten-year-old leading the way and me as blind as a bat without sonar and shivering with trepidation.
On the last step, I smelled it. My stomach churned as though I was about to hurl. Formaldehyde? L’Amour’s aftershave. Squeezing my lids tight, I swallowed hard and forced the sense of sickness back into my belly. When I opened my eyes, a faint glow shone from a room at the end of the long hall.
We both ran toward the light and the smell, and in seconds burst into another wide cavern with pictures and symbols painted on the walls.
I skidded to a stop, and wrapped my arms around my middle against the frigid damp air, which mitigated the surge of panic I’d experienced. Burning incense sticks filled the space with a dim, diffused luminosity and the exotic scent of sandalwood, reducing the intensity of the essence of L’Amour.
My eight missing tourists stood with their backs against the walls, watching the old woman Bria, on her hands and knees, drawing a large circle in the center of the rock floor.
REVIEWS
Review by Happily Ever After Reviews
February 4, 2011 by Lia
5 Tea Cups!
Light romance, intrigue, colorful characters, and traces of humor. This story had it all. Although I felt like it was a little too short, I instantly fell in love with Harriet Ruby. All around, it was a very quick and enjoyable read.
□