The Good Sister

 

 

When Casey's mirror twin goes missing, 

she's led to a dark and deadly paradise where nobody escapes...

The Good Sister

by Bonnie Traymore

Genre: Psychological Thriller

When her mirror twin goes missing, Casey is led to a deadly paradise where no one escapes…

Casey and Nora are mirror twins, identical—sort of. Casey is right-handed, Nora is left-handed. Their moles sit on opposite cheeks. In terms of personality, they are also diametrically opposed.

So, when her high-strung sister disappears after a fight with her husband, Casey shouldn’t be as concerned as she is. Nora’s done it before.

But this time, things feel different. It’s a twin thing; Casey knows it in her bones. Something is terribly wrong.

Casey hires private investigator who discovers that Nora’s been on the dark web—lured by an entity that calls itself Switzerland, promising to take away your pain and leave you in a state of eternal bliss, for a hefty fee.

The trail leads to a luxury wellness retreat hidden in the Mexican jungle. Determined to find her sister before it’s too late, Casey poses as a resort guest and heads to Mexico to rescue her sister.

As Casey digs deeper, she finds something far more sinister than she could have imagined, and it’s possible that neither of them will get out alive.

“Gripping, twisty, and impossible to put down. This one is a must-read for thriller fans with an ending you won’t see coming!” – Caleb Stephens, bestselling author of You’ll Never Know.

“What a thriller. Seriously. Mirror twins who could sense and feel each other's pain and emotions. Just imagine where that could take you.” NetGalley

“A brilliant book. Just top tier brilliant kind of reading for me. I still feel excited and humming from it even now thinking about it again just to write my review.” – NetGalley

“This novel is a compelling, high-stakes ride through deceit and psychological drama. I cannot recommend this book highly enough for fans of intricate, character-driven thrillers.” -NetGalley

Perfect for fans of gripping psychological thrillers, chilling domestic suspense, missing sister mysteries, dark web conspiracy novels, and mind-bending women's fiction with shocking twist endings. If you love twisty, unputdownable thrillers with strong female leads, sinister secrets, and heart-pounding suspense — you won't be able to put this down.

 

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

PROLOGUE

Move, my brain screams—my arms and legs lag behind.

Blood pools behind her head, oozing out over the tile floor. Her eyes roll back into a blank stare. If I want to get out of here, this is my only chance. I don’t have much time before someone misses her.

I grab the key card out of her coat pocket and gingerly pull off her lab coat, being careful not to stain it with the growing river of blood.

As I slip on her white coat, my head darts around for something I can use as a weapon–but this isn’t a surgical center. No scalpels. No razors. Nothing sharp.

Syringes.

Scads of them.

Yes, this can work.

I fumble through the medicine cabinet, and it’s like a candy store for drug addicts.

Ketamine.

Midazolam.

Haldol.

Potassium chloride, instantly deadly.

But only if I can hit a vein.

Nope. Too risky.

I rip a syringe open with my teeth, push in the plunger, tear open the vial tabs, and stab the needle into the first vial, then the second. I fill the syringe with a lethal dose of ketamine and midazolam, hoping that it will work fast enough, if it comes to that.

Two or three minutes or so for onset, injected into a muscle.

I’ve never envisioned myself as a murderer. But what choice do I have?

Footsteps outside the door stop me in my tracks.

Someone’s hovering, and I can only hope they don’t call out her name.

She moans.

She’s alive?

What if she cries out for help?

Sweat moistens my palms as I wait. I wipe away the dampness, willing myself to calm down. I can’t afford to have slippery fingers with what I’m attempting.

Now it’s quiet. Too quiet. I didn’t hear footsteps or anyone leaving.

Are they just standing there?

Maybe they heard our scuffle?

If she makes a sound, I’m as good as dead.

I rip open another syringe, grab a vial of potassium chloride out of the cabinet, and fill it. On reflex, I tap it to get out the air bubbles, and a nervous chuckle slips out.

What’s the point of that?

I find a vein on the top of her hand, which is creepily warm. She seems to have passed out again, or else she’s dead. But I’m pretty sure she’s still alive, although I can always tell myself she wasn’t. But I’m not positive.

Can I actually do this?

For a split second, I hesitate.

Before this moment, it was self-defense.

It’s her or me, though, so I prepare to jab the needle into her vein.

Instead, I check again for a pulse.

She’s dead … I’m pretty sure.

The door handle turns.

I rush behind the door and ready my other syringe. My heart’s pounding so hard, I’m afraid someone will hear it. My pulse thrums in my ears as I await what’s next.

Then the handle catches, the lock saving me–or whoever’s on the other side.

I wait in stillness as the sound of a woman’s heels click, click, clicking on the tile floor fades to silence, willing my racing pulse to slow.

At least it’s not Cameron.

Then I make my move.

 

PART ONE

One month earlier

ONE

Nora

The pain is unbearable, deep in the pit of my stomach, the scars of a lifetime suddenly ripped open. I haven’t slept for days. I don’t even know my own mind.

Dipping in and out of consciousness, I’m kept barely functional by little microsleeps. My head aches behind my eyes. I’d give anything to fall into the black abyss, where all my problems dissolve into the quiet darkness.

Soft meditation music plays in the background.

“It’s not your fault,” a voice calls out to me. “Life is hard,” it continues, the ding … ding … ding of the bells hypnotic, comforting. “We can take away your pain. Come to Switzerland. Find your inner peace.”

Tears pool in my eyes.

“It’s all going to be okay,” I tell myself.

I click on the link.

It looks so peaceful there.

For the first time in months, I have hope.

Tears stream down my face as I absorb it all.

Taking away my pain.

It sounds so tempting.

I want to believe.

I need to believe.

So, I do.

And that is my first mistake.

Bonnie Traymore is the Amazon bestselling author of fourteen domestic/psychological thrillers. Her thrillers feature strong but relatable female protagonists who peel back the layers of suburban American life and give readers a peek inside. The plots explore difficult topics such as jealousy, infidelity, murder, and the impact of psychological disorders, but she also includes bits of romance and humor to lighten the mood from time to time.  

Bonnie loves Hitchcock movies, psychological thriller novels, coffee, and dark chocolate, not necessarily in that order and sometimes simultaneously. She has a doctorate in United States history and resides in Honolulu with her family. She's an active member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America.

 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter The Good Sister Giveaway Here

Rainy Day Rescue

 

 

Deciding to take a second chance at love is an act of courage! 

Rainy Day Rescue

Seattle Lost Lovers #1

by Josie Malone

Genre: Contemporary Second-Chance, Fake Romance

Real estate broker, Claire Rocklin, buys distressed properties, rehabs, and sells them to support her pet project, ‘Senior Housing Apartments'. She believes nobody has time for the elderly–and no one ever had time for her. After the death of her mother when Claire was a child, her serial-cheater father remarried several times, but those marriages didn't last more than two years each.

Three years ago, Claire’s once-upon-a-time stepbrother, Master Sergeant Tony Baldusi, retired from the Army and became a fulltime business partner in Claire's brokerages. The son of a single mother who divorced Claire’s father, Tony learned how to survive long before he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He's been packing a proverbial torch for Claire, along with a diamond engagement ring for three years.

When Claire’s grandparents invite them home for Thanksgiving, Tony suggests they pretend to be engaged. After all, they’re already business partners, and their families would easily believe the relationship runs deeper. But can he convince commitment-phobic Claire that she deserves real happiness? Will their little deception turn into something real, or will she run from love again, breaking both their hearts in the process?

 

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

Ghost Writer’s Inn

Baker City: Hearts and Haunts #6

by Josie Malone

Genre: Paranormal Ghost Romance

Former Army Ranger, Mac MacGillicudy served his country for almost twenty years, fighting in one hotspot after another. Since he retired from the military, he’s roamed the U.S., unaware he’s accompanied by a woman with a hidden agenda. He enjoys writing action-adventure romances which never turn out the way he plans or expects or designs. Still his agent, publisher, and readers love them. Learning he’s inherited the old family hotel, Mac heads to Baker City, Washington for Christmas. He’ll help restore the hotel, write his next book which will hopefully end the way he wants, and perhaps discover a home.

Registered Nurse, Lillian Bryce didn’t hesitate to answer the call when her country needed her after the attack on Pearl Harbor. She joined the US Army and went off to war but didn’t return home, at least not alive. Since she loved books, she went back to the Seattle Public Library where she’d spent so many happy hours. She was perfectly content studying, researching, observing and enjoying the other patrons—the live ones, until she saw Mac MacGillicudy. She was fascinated, focused on him—well on his writing, on his books, except he had them all wrong! So, she fixed them, not once, but again, and again, and again regardless of how many times he tried to change them while they traveled the country! Now, they’re off to Baker City.

Will the two of them find love in a place where ghosts are real or just continue writing about it?

 

**can be read as a standalone!

 

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

Josie Malone lives and works at her family business, a riding stable in Washington State. Teaching kids to ride and know about horses, she finds in many cases, she's taught three generations of families. Her life experiences span adventures from dealing cards in a casino, attending graduate school to get her Masters in Teaching degree, being a substitute teacher, and serving in the Army Reserve - all leading to her second career as a published author. Visit her at her website, www.josiemalone.com to learn about her books.

  

Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter the Rainy Day Rescue Giveaway Here

Murphy's Laws

 

 

30 Days.

7 Rules.

1 Undeniable Attraction.

Murphy’s Laws

by Terry Newman

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy 

Thirty days. Seven rules. One undeniable attraction.

After her fiancé skips out on her wedding, Murphy Clarke buries herself in her life-coaching career and develops seven rules to protect her heart. Number one? Never take vacations.

Oops. We find her on a month-long vacation in North Carolina, where she’s alarmed by the sparks flying between her and an arrogant yoga instructor. She’s confident, though, that she’ll be able to keep her other six rules... until she isn’t so sure. Of anything.

Noah Andrews’s name was once synonymous with the San Francisco tech industry, but his heart broke - both physically and emotionally. After a heart attack sidelined his career, his long-time girlfriend dumped him. Why is he now so attracted to this woman who seems to embody the life he left behind?

Witty and full of heart, MURPHY'S LAWS is a story of second chances, small-town charm, and the beautiful chaos that comes when you stop following your own rules... and start following love instead.

 

**Only .99cents!**

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Books2Read * Bookbub * Goodreads

They continued the defamation of Nik Peterson for two more rounds of drinks.

“Scumbag,” Eli shouted out.

“Hey, we already called him that.” TC studied her beer bottle, then slowly eyed Eli. “Murphy would like a new name for the douchebag.” She laughed. “Hey, I just gave him a new name.”

As the name calling slowed, the giggling increased. “It seems our work is done here,” Murphy said as they ran out of names. “I need to go home.” She stood, got dizzy and sat back down. “Whoa. This room is spinning pretty badly—or would that be goodly?” She put her hands on her head.

“No, it isn’t.” Eli stood, and tottered. “Oh, oh, yes, it is.”

“We’ve got to make it home.” TC pulled the car keys out of her purse. “Let’s go. I think I’m going to be sick.”

TC stood, pulled Eli up, and then the two of them pulled Murphy up. “Thank you both for a wonderful night.” She hiccupped. “It was very cath-cathartic.” She giggled.

They hung onto each other as they stumbled toward the exit. Murphy hoped at least one of the two doors she saw was an exit.

“Murphy!” The voice was familiar. Nik? No, not that jerk. She stopped or tried to. TC and Eli were still headed toward those double doors.

“Wait up. Eli. TC.” Now the familiar voice was calling them all.

TC and Eli stopped too. Murphy looked in the direction the voice was coming from. Noah. Well, two Noahs. Both looking extremely concerned. His dimples weren’t showing. Why?

“Where are you three going?” The few lights in the place highlighted his golden hair.

“Home.” TC gripped Murphy a bit harder. “We’ve done our duty.” She nodded. “Yes, we’ve stood up for our sister and friend Murphy.”

“Yeah,” Eli echoed. “We made sure she came through a harrowing”—she squinted— “hey, you’re Noah. Our yoga instructor.”

Noah smiled. Both Noahs. And they both had those adorable dimples. Murphy couldn’t figure out exactly why there were two of him. One of him tempted her enough. Now she’d have to avoid both of them. Does the second one smell of sandalwood too?

“Yes, I am. And your neighbor. And the neighborly thing to do is to get the three of you home safely.” His gaze moved from Eli to TC, and then to Murphy. Her body tingled. Yup, the second Noah elicited the same response from her.

“What a gigantic coincidence,” Eli blurted out. “That’s exactly where we’re going. Home. Right, ladies?”

“Yeah, it is a coincidence.” TC stepped closer to him. “Wanna come with us?”

Noah took TC’s arm by the elbow. Murphy whimpered.

“Yes, yes I do,” he said. “I’ll drive. Sound good?”

“You don’t have to.” Eli patted his arm. “We have Sky. Sky hasn’t been drinking tonight. She’ll drive us home. She’ll be our disgusting driver? No, no that’s not right.”

“Designated driver.” Noah said. His dimples were nowhere to be seen. Murphy sighed.

“Yeah, yeah, that’s it. I’ll go find Sky.” She took two steps and wobbled dangerously. Noah took one long stride and caught her.

“Who is Sky and where is she?” He glanced at TC and Murphy as if he were interrogating them.

TC hiccupped. “Murph, you tell him.”

“Me? Really?” She sighed.

“What do you have to tell me?” Noah sighed.

Murphy took several steps toward Noah, both Noahs, and tried to decide which one to talk to. Did it matter?

She stood on tiptoed and whispered—okay, it probably wasn’t a whisper considering how noisy Reef’s was. “Sky isn’t here. She’s only in Eli’s mind.”

“What?” He rubbed a temple.

“Sky is Eli’s imaginary friend.”

“Did you tell him?” TC tugged at Murphy’s arm. “Does he know?”

“Kind of.” She tried to focus on her two sisters. Damn, where did the second one come from?

“I’ll explain everything tomorrow if you’d just help us get home. Please.”

“Yeah.” Noah’s tone softened. “No problem. I’ve got you.”

“Are you”—TC hiccupped— “sure? Do you know where we live?”

“He’s our neighbor,” Eli said and grabbed his free arm. “We’ll follow you.” She giggled. “Anywhere.”

Murphy whimpered again.

“Noah’s going to take us home.” TC sighed. She looked to her right. “Aren’t you?”

As Murphy followed everyone out of the bar, the North Carolina humidity hit her. Both Noahs led them to a car she was unfamiliar with.

“No, my car is over there,” TC said as she tried to pull the man in the opposite direction they were headed.

“We’re taking my car.” His husky voice sent shivers down Murphy’s spine.

 

Terry Newman is an award-winning author who writes romantic comedy with a splash of fantasy.

Fueled by coffee, peanut butter, and popcorn, she writes stories set in fictional towns in northeast Ohio. Terry loves to place her characters in improbably situations, then allows them to take over…uhm…guide the story.

She lives in a small apartment with overflowing bookshelves, her muse, Moose, and all her characters, in North Lima, a real town in northeast Ohio. And, yes, it does get crowded at times.

 

Newsletter * Facebook *Instagram * TikTok * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter the Murphy’s Laws Giveaway Here!

The Chimera Snare

 

Witness the vile acts of a monstrous heart.

Feel the vicious clash of duality in conflict.

Know the light of protection through valiant courage. 

The Chimera Snare: Reflections

The Chimera Snare Book 2

by S & E Black

Genre: Dark Epic Fantasy

-Winner: 2026 Literary Titan Gold Book Awards: Fiction
-2nd Place: 2026 BookFest Awards - Fiction- Dark Fantasy
-Book Nerdection "Must Read"
-Readers' Favorite: 5 Stars

 

Von is cast into the pages of Ananael, the Order's tome of secret knowledge. However, his venture into the past takes an unexpected turn as he awakens within a cosmic void in the presence of the eternal being, who grants him perspective through others woven through his existence. Yet before he may commence his time-altering quest, a trial of discovery, revelation, and horror surrounding his origin awaits him.

Benson's monstrous heart sews the seeds of a vile past brimming with betrayal and hate. Through unimaginable deceptions and buried secrets, familial bonds once forged from love, honor, and acceptance are upended and broken forever. The souls of integral births, sprouting from pillaged and neglected foundations, unfurl a path towards disarray.

Distorted memory fragments challenge Von's grip on reality, and the reveal of a horrid truth ignites a vicious fury of vengeance. Though his quest for answers falters along the way, he finds help from an unexpected ally. Meanwhile, a mysterious power awakens within Navaryn, putting her at odds with both her friends and herself. And as the motivations of Celestine's leader become questionable, her suspicions involving her role within the Halryn continue to grow.

As the disparate worlds of Celestine and Daeva teeter on the brink of war, Von and Navaryn are drawn together by unseen forces. Two destinies, once parallel, now collide. But where bloodshed beckons, a valiant act of courage challenges the course of their fates.

 

Clay Urn Publishing * Amazon * Apple * B&N * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

At last, an uneasy silence fell upon the sopping wet grounds, though the shambled arena creaked eerily. Von quickly Paralleled to the ground and proceeded to walk toward Navaryn’s limp body lying in a muddy crater several meters away. As he gradually brought his power down, his claws began to retract, and his horns receded into his skull. Clutching his side as he trotted along, he heard clamoring voices in the distance and a distinctive pair of boots running through the mud towards him.

“Von!” shouted a sober Claymar. “Wow, you’re alright.” He ran to his side and acted as a crutch to hold him upright. “That was, uh, really something back there. Care to explain what all that was?”

“Later,” said Von exhaustedly. “Where’s your uncle?”

“On his way, most likely. He nabbed Illiya and had her scout for other Celestines while you were off playing with the shimmery blue one. Why do you ask?”

“I need to know how much time I have,” Von replied.

“Time? For what?” he asked, peering ahead at Navaryn. His eyes widened as she slowly began to stir.

“Hold it, Clay,” ordered Von, pressing his hand against his chest to break his stride.

“What are you worried about? You got her!”

“It’s not that.”

Claymar scrunched his face and asked suspiciously, “Then what is it?”

“She’s strong,” said Von. “Immensely strong. She very well could have killed me.”

“Uh, but you’re the one still standing, are you not? Can’t be that strong,” he teased.

“Something happened, though. She lost control. Her power spiked with mine, but didn’t stay with her.”

“Ha! You almost sound like you feel sorry for her.”

Von ignored Claymar’s remarks and walked towards Navaryn, who was slowly rising to her knees with her back to him. Claymar followed behind, but Von turned to him with a furious eye.

Claymar folded his arms and asked, “W-what are you doing?”

The rain calmed, and the moon peeked through the parting clouds, casting a peaceful light onto the glistening, moist ground. Von drew closer, catching silver scintillations atop the bloodied and scorched wounds on her back.

Navaryn winced in pain as she struggled to rise to her feet, chattering her teeth as the cold, wet mud chilled her bruised skin. As squelching footsteps neared, she spun around. “W-who’s there?” she uttered, shielding the moonlight from her eyes with her forearm.

Navaryn’s inquisition made Von stop in his tracks. As her eyes adjusted to the razor-sharp rays of light over his silhouette, she quickly recognized the warm glow of his crimson eyes.

“Stop! Don’t hurt him!” Navaryn cried out.

Her strange and sudden outburst jolted Von. He looked around to find who she was pleading to, but saw no one.

“Wh-what happened to me?” Navaryn asked herself as she gazed down at her hands.

The confusion in her voice affirmed Von’s earlier assessment. “You’re fine now,” he assured. “You’re back.”

Navaryn’s eyes widened as she looked back up at Von. With the simplest of words, uttered with a palpable coldness, he gave her comfort and validation. In him, she found the first person able to convey an understanding of what she was going through when all others couldn’t begin to. An essence dwelt within her. One that seized control of her body once triggered into play, and left her only with the ability to spectate. A similar plight rang true for Von regarding his notorious beastly transformation. Yet, as his second encounter with Navaryn unfolded, his energy had learned to work in tandem with the essence that would otherwise overcome him. Von and Navaryn became locked in a stare just as before, only this time without the presence of aggression. They saw themselves in each other, in a reflection no longer distorted.

“Hey, Von!” Claymar called out. “Um, not sure what you’re doing over there, but you should know the cavalry is incoming.”

Sidwell approached with his entourage of soldiers and a vexed group of eastern Daeva in tow. As the last of his squadron funneled out of the arena, many of the ceremony attendees emerged from hiding within the surrounding brush and trees. Mixed in among the crowd were the rest of Daeva’s leaders, Killian, Morgan, Adair, and Godric, with Merisek alongside them. Weaving through the approaching crowd was Joro, whose surreptitious footsteps evaded the spotlight. Although the chattering among the crowd was indistinct, even for Von’s hearing, he could feel the tension steadily rising.

Sidwell stroked his gray, scraggly goatee, suspicious of the pair’s peculiar exchange. Marching with mighty strides, flaunting his prowess, Illiya approached him from the side.

“Have you done what I asked?”

“Yes, sir,” Illiya replied. “I’ve scouted thoroughly, and there’s no sign of any Celestine formations in the surrounding area. She seems to be the only one.”

“A spy. Just as I suspected. And a dumb one at that. She tipped a bartender with Celestine coin,” he replied with a chuckle as he dismissed his lieutenant.

Sidwell and his entourage moved in to surround Navaryn.

“Well, it took you long enough. But you managed to take down the Celestine without incident to life. That’s as much of a ‘thank you’ that you’ll get out of me,” Sidwell uttered to Von before addressing the chattering crowd. “People of Daeva! You’ve now witnessed our realm’s very threat with your own eyes…”

The Chimera Snare: Fragments

The Chimera Snare Book 1

-Winner: 2025 International Impact Book Awards - Fantasy
-2nd Place: 2025 BookFest Awards - Fiction- Dark Fantasy
-Winner: 2024 Indies Today Awards - Best Urban Fantasy
-Winner: 2024 Literary Titan Gold Book Awards: Fiction
-Finalist: 2024 Literary Global Fiction/Debut & Dark Fantasy Sci-fi
-Book Nerdection "Excellent Read"

 

For Rayshell and her best friend Trish, senior year of high school is going to hell in a handbasket. The feud between Celestine and Daeva is bleeding into their world. When a mysterious visitor infiltrates her dreams, Rayshell is thrust into a realm of profound, otherworldly secrets. Together, Rayshell and Trish uncover the unbelievable—they are the living vessels for two banished Celestine guardians.


Amidst mystical recollections and a wondrous magic system that shatters the veneer of their everyday lives, the two friends embark on a journey against time to connect with the Celestine guardians' allies in hopes of freeing them from their imprisonment. Simultaneously, the shadows cast by Daeva darken. The notorious outlaw, Merisek, has positioned himself to claim dominion over the Order of Existence—a trio of powerful artifacts capable of reshaping reality. Armed with two of these relics, Merisek races against the emergence of the Celestine guardians to claim the third. The stage is set for a showdown that will determine the fate of existence itself.


Rayshell and Trish are all that stand between Merisek and his unhinged desire to twist the fabric of reality into his making. As the threads of destiny unravel, the question looms: who will be the author of existence, and what profound truths will be unveiled in the final, decisive act?

 

Clay Urn Publishing * Amazon * Apple * B&N * Bookbub * Goodreads

 

Breathing anxiously, Navaryn clomped atop a patterned runner carpet in her dirty boots. The gilded elements within the maroon corridor flashed as she passed under the waving candlelight of each chandelier. Though she tried her hardest to refrain, her eyes wandered back to the series of haunting paintings hanging on the walls. From treasured times with Von, Lowenna, and Claymar to bouts of training and battles in Opiri and Celestine, each painting depicted a memory from Navaryn’s past, seen through her eyes. Brimming with tears, she continued down the damned corridor with no end in sight and no way to turn back. Behind her, a cloud of darkness kept a close pace and consumed all that she passed.

Navaryn’s heart fell to her toes as the next painting came into view. Captured inside the ornate golden frame was Von lying shirtless on his back, in a moment of ecstasy. His lips, delicately parted, wore the glossy sheen of her passionate kiss, and his tense red eyes were rolled toward the headboard behind him. The very memory was etched within her mind so profoundly that looking upon it in such an outright fashion set her heart ablaze. Confused, distraught, and with no other choice but to press forward, Navaryn sprinted ahead unheedingly.

The corridor eventually ended at a remarkably ornate, dark wooden door. With the cloud of looming darkness twisting behind her, Navaryn wiped away her tears and steadied her breathing as she pushed it open. Amidst the scant candlelight, the gilded elements within the capacious room twinkled like gems inside a cave. She carefully scanned the room until she happened upon a curvy figure cloaked in elegant red and golden brocade standing by the far wall.

“Hello?” she called, but no answer came.

Navaryn turned back to the door and found a wall in its place. Apprehensively, she placed her fingertips where she remembered the doorjamb to be only moments before. As she motioned to approach her obscured, gilded companion, her gaze fell upon an immense painting hanging in the middle of the joining wall. One after another, the candles around the room caught fire.

With a racing heart, Navaryn muttered, “What is this?”

Standing arm in arm in garish, clinquant garb, Navaryn saw herself beside Kumiko as they gestured proudly to a Celestine crowd below. The false instance and her disturbing, unfamiliar expression, painted as if captured through a spectator’s eyes, sent chills down her spine.

Navaryn turned away but found the very same toothy, prideful smile mocking her from within the other paintings hanging on the walls. Her face soured in disbelief as she skimmed over them. She was depicted prominently, boasting her pristine Celestine wings beside Benson and Kumiko, sitting tall above the Halryn council. Just as well, she found herself pictured beside Kumiko in a catalog of moments when they had started a family. Yet, not a single painting in the cursed room housed her beloved friends Lowenna and Claymar, her dearest Von, Aalrija, Fallon, or the number of others who held a special place in her heart.

Dizzy from a fit of rapid respiration, Navaryn struggled to maintain her composure. When her eyes fell back upon the painting of her pregnant belly, draped in fine silvery velvet and lace, she frantically ran toward the embellished figure. Through teary eyes, her vision quaked with a white blur, and she lost her balance under her clumsy feet.

“What is this place?!” shouted Navaryn as she gripped the shimmery train of the woman’s dress.

The sound of Navaryn’s incessant crying filled the silent room. Lost in her despair, she felt the fabric slip from her hands as the woman turned around, gently hushing her. Her eyes jolted open once the delicate coos caught her ear. Fearful for what she knew she would see, she slowly raised her face to the woman.

“Everything that surrounds you here in this room will now be set into motion,” said the woman, placing her decorated hands upon Navaryn’s cheeks. “For our imperator commands it.”

The gentle voice and placid countenance, framed in a headdress of gemstones and twinkling gold, was undeniably her own.

Navaryn recoiled in disbelief. “Our imperator? Benson?”

She watched the sparkling ruby-painted lips of her doppelganger curl into a smile. “Look around you. Your imperator is no longer Benson.”

The ominous statement immediately coaxed heavy tears to her eyes. “I want nothing to do with anything here!” she roared with flashing white eyes. “This is not my life!”

Navaryn’s decorated doppelganger gestured toward a multitude of paintings that suddenly materialized from the shadows. Following a light chuckle, she replied, “You’ve never had a choice in the matter. It’s a shame you didn’t realize it sooner.”

One by one, the paintings morphed perspective, appearing as though they were moments Navaryn had experienced firsthand, like the ones that hung in the corridor.

“What’s happening?!” Navaryn shouted, then jumped to her feet.

One haunting image in the distance immediately grabbed her attention. While she approached the painting in disbelief, her doppelganger strolled to the far wall, placed her hand against a door concealed by darkness, then saw herself out of the room without another word.

Husband & Wife author duo Shannon Vierra & Edward Ayllon write under the pen name S & E Black. Together, they craft the award-winning series, The Chimera Snare. They share a deep appreciation for music and credit a great number of bands and artists for inspiring their writing journey. Currently, they live in the greater Chicago area amidst a rich and diverse culture with their clowder of rescue cats.

Shannon is an urban gardener and an avid seed collector. In the makeup community, she goes by the moniker zoomzoommacaron and hosts an international, zombie-themed makeup collab called the #zombabescollab. She also enjoys anime, horror movies, craft beer & kombucha, cooking (and eating), sunbathing, photography, and singing badly. Music fuels Shannon's many passions, especially writing and creating art. She credits music with saving her life on multiple occasions in her teenage and young adult years.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Edward first discovered the joys of creative writing through his early high school studies, and has spent many years exploring and developing a deep appreciation for the arts. Since first collaborating with his wife, Shannon, he has sprouted a passion and true affinity for storytelling and crafting literature. In addition to refining his skill in creating written works, his other interests include playing bass guitar, listening to music, and dabbling in photography.

 

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bluesky * TikTok 

Bookbub * Bookbub * Goodreads * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Enter The Chimera Snare Giveaway Here