Please keep in mind, these are currently first draft versions and are not the final published chapters. I will try to replace them soon, but for now, they're just here to give readers a sneak peek at what's to come.
Cemetery Moon Chapter One: Going Postal
Mya is attending her father's funeral, preparing to give his eulogy, but is becoming increasingly distraught by the well-meaning reverend's attempts to comfort her.
Obviously, it didn’t matter if you were good or bad or followed or broke rules, and no matter how much you believed He could make things right, in the end He didn’t because it wasn’t His will, or some such nonsense. Why did I bother believing in Him at all if He couldn’t see fit to fix this one thing for me?
Cemetery Moon Chapter Fourteen: First Impressions
Mya arrives at Idlewild and ventures outside to have a look around.
I started to laugh out loud as an idea came to mind. No one visited these graves anymore. No one placed flowers there, but the overgrowth had taken upon itself to pay homage to these forgotten souls. Who was I to have them uprooted for the sake of neatness? I decided right then and there, the trees, the flowers, the ivy and vines, all the grasses, and the graves themselves could all exist in natural harmony. There was still some tidying up to do. Of course the paths would have cleared away and some of the dead grasses, fallen tree limbs, and run-of-the-mill yard debris would have to be taken up, but that was all I wanted done out here. That scaled-back version of landscaping should appeal to my new groundskeeper, I thought.
Cemetery Moon Chapter Sixteen: Do Unto Others
After having just met Percival Shelby, Mya cofides in him.
That made me laugh, but I did nod my head. “Other people would say I was gullible. But I like to think I’m a pretty good judge of character. And you know how sometimes you can read people right off? Well, I can tell there isn’t a mean bone in your body. For some reason, just being close to you makes me feel safe and secure. Yeah, I know we just met and don’t really know beans about each other, but you’ve got a good heart. I can tell.”
Percy was gazing at me now with an enraptured expression. He offered me another sweet, shy smile that told me that good heart of his was pleased.
Guardians and Graves Chapter One: Mutual Happiness
After a three month separation, Mya is surprised by a visit from Pershabael one night.
He didn’t even give me time to be startled or react at all to his rather unexpected presence. I heard him laugh shortly and then felt his breath in my ear and his long hair brush against my face.
“What are you swearing about?” my guardian angel, who went by the very Old-Testament-sounding name of Pershabael, drawled in that sultry Southern accent of his.
I gasped as I felt his lips trail over my cheek. Then he covered my mouth with a gentle, but sensuous kiss before I could even think to answer him.
Guardians And Graves Chapter Thirteen: Fever Dreams
Wracked with fever, Mya has a strange and ominous dream.
“Daddy used to sing that lullaby to me when I was little,” I told Pershabael when he’d finished.
“I know,” the angel said and reached out to brush his fingertips over my cheek.
Tears spilled down my face. Of course he did. Pershabael knew every last detail about me. He had watched me grow from a baby to a child to the woman I was today. He knew every little thing there was to know concerning me and had seen me at my very best and my very worst…and he still loved me.
Guardians and Graves Chapter Twenty: All's Fair in Love and War
Pershabael confronts Mya about what's been going on between them for the past few months.
“Kiss me,” I whispered again, twisting my fingers in the thick locks of his hair, imprisoning his lovely mouth close to mine.
A moment later, the soft, full warmth of the angel’s lips pressed flush against mine sent the most scintillating tingles dancing through my body. It was if my whole being suddenly emerged free from the numbing cold of winter and my skin could once more feel the heat of real summer sunshine bursting out of the dark storm clouds that had been hovering above me for so long.
Sanctuary Chapter One: Going Nowhere
Mya is lonesome and bored on her birthday. She accepts an invitation from Mazriel to attend an art gallery opening with him in Myrtle Beach.
Setting aside my third glass of champagne, I fixed my eyes on him, giving myself a moment to appreciate the sight of him. Needless to say, my apprehension evaporated right along with it. I had to admit, there wasn’t a whole lot more aesthetically appealing things on the face of the planet--and especially in the midst of this room--than Mazriel decked out in a tailored black tuxedo. He’d also tethered his long, dark hair into a rather sophisticated ponytail down the back of his neck and sported two small glinting diamond studs in his ears, adding an overall wow factor to his already elegant look.
Sanctuary Chapter Sixteen: On The Line
Mya and Pershabael set the wheels in motion for Jennifer's benefit.
I stopped in my tracks and watched him go, wondering if it would even occur to anyone passing him on the road that he could be an angel, or to the people in the restaurant, that maybe, just maybe, an angel was serving up those chicken sandwiches. After all, they were in our midst.
The Scent of Rain Chapter One: Art Appreciation
Mya is called to the art gallery after protesters, a T.V. news crew, and the police gather there.
“Sacrilegious smut!” someone behind me called out.
That startled me. “Sacrilegious?” And then it really hit me. I suddenly understood why I had a church group protesting my art in the parking lot of my gallery. This had to do with the paintings of the angels I had on display. The nude angels.
“Is it true your art shows offensive depictions of sacrilege?” Miss Sonja asked with a grave expression.
I closed my eyes a moment. This was really making my blood boil. Why I was even wasting my time with this nonsense when I had a yard to mow, was beyond me.
Whispers in the Wind Chapter One: Orange Juice
Cell phones aren't always a convenient thing to have.
“It’s Miss Monica,” he murmured. “She sounds pretty upset.” He held up the orange. “Something tells me you’re gonna be awhile. I figured I might as well take advantage of the opportunity and refuel.”
I frowned mightily. I was determined not to be awhile. I was simply going to tell my dear young friend that I was presently indisposed and would have to call her back later. I pointed a finger of warning at the angel, who had just popped a section of the orange into his mouth.
“Don’t get too comfortable,” I growled.
He just grinned at me. “Darlin’, I may be immortal, but I’m not a machine.”