Six paragraphs from KNIGHT OF DARKNESS, a sensuously erotic
sci-fi romance novel. Now available at Amazon, All Romance eBooks, and Barnes
& Noble.
1. His mistake had been to touch her. Ever since
he’d first seen her and realized she lived in the apartment on the other side
of the stairwell, he had been keenly aware of her presence. Up until yesterday
morning, he had been able to keep her at a distance. Up until yesterday, she
had been the nameless woman who had caught his eye, but who had been beyond his
reach. Up until yesterday.
2. She reached down with her free hand and
lightly cupped his cheek. She was unaware of moving closer to him until a
warmth pressed along her hip and abdomen. Immediately she felt a hunger begin
deep in her abdomen where it rapidly grew in size and heat. She wanted him to
put his arms around her. She wanted to feel his body against hers, skin to
skin. But her mind had turned to mud. She had no idea what to do next, much
less what to say. She broke away long enough to catch her breath, and Rachel
wondered if his heart was thundering as hard and as loudly as hers.
3. I
have given my life to the Knights and to this mission. I have foresworn ever
having a wife and family, and I can count on one hand
how many times I have been this happy. I’m happy, Rall. Are you listening? I am
happy, and I can’t explain why or how, other than the fact that I know it’s
because of her. Explain to me, then, how being happy makes me a liability.
4. Rachel
stood in the doorway and stared up at the storm clouds. There was a good chance
she wouldn’t make it back before the deluge, but she had no choice. She started
out the doorway when she caught sight of an elderly gentleman hurrying down the
sidewalk across the street. To her amazement, one of the oil slicks suddenly
shifted, and began to move in his direction, as if to intercept the man. She
continued to stare at the oil slick, when it suddenly reared up. Two rows of
enormous, sparkling teeth jutted out of its center, and the entity caught the
man in the back. The man had seen the thing suddenly arise from the street, and
he turned to avoid it, but the creature bit down, folding the man in half.
Rachel heard a sickening crunch as the man shrieked in fear and pain. Then, the
man disappeared within the blackness. The mouth-like aperture of the thing
closed, and the oil puddle oozed, squirming and gleaming, back onto the street.
A lump around mid-center was the only evidence to show it had swallowed a man
whole.
5. She was worried about him. Somehow, she knew
that if he was aware she was not back at the apartments, he might come looking
for her. Cold, unyielding terror surrounded her heart and lungs at the thought
of him venturing out where those oily monsters were lying in wait. Oh, my God, Sorrow! Don’t come looking for me!
Oh, please, God! Don’t let him run across any of those things!
6. Helix turned to look at him, his lips
thinned with determination. “Consider what our lives will be like from here on
end. Knowing our hearts are contained on another world, with a woman we cannot
have. While the rest of the knights are allowed any woman they want without
ridicule because they chose someone from here. I don’t know about you, Sorrow,
but bits and pieces of me are slowly dying because of this forced separation.”
