The Naughty List
Free on Amazon: November 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
This isn't a typical Yuletide tale.
Murder, mystical artifacts, an invisible demon with anger management issues, and an overbearing cupid—not what Rosalie Thatcher wished for on her Christmas list.
The holidays had always been a magical time for Rosalie, but not this year. Her new manager at Penrose’s is determined to make this season the most profitable in the department store’s history, even if it sucks the life from every employee. Enforcing arbitrary rules and forcing Rosalie into the stupid elf hat was the worst until she meets a real E.L.F. (Elemental Life Form) named David and gets lassoed into a desperate hunt for the stolen Naughty and Nice List. Now Rosalie and David must dodge a murderous invisible demon and recover the missing artifact before hellhounds track them down. The couple race against time for without the guidance of the Naughty and Nice List the world will tumble into chaos.
EXCERPT
A knock sounded at the door. Rosalie groaned. She was not in the mood for company. Maybe if she stayed quiet, the person would go away. Someone knocked again.
“Rosalie?” A man cleared his throat. “May I have a word, please?”
She wrinkled her brow, not recognizing the voice. Sliding the chain across, she cracked open the door.
“Hi. I’m David. I’m not a stalker—”
She slammed the door in his face. How dare he show up at her home! Rosalie’s fingers clenched.
“Please,” he begged. “I really need to talk to you.” She glanced around for her purse.
David rapped again. “Rosalie, give me five minutes…one minute?”
She reached inside and pulled out an aerosol can and her phone. He would so regret this.
“You don’t understand.” David pounded on the door. “You’re in danger.”
The door whipped open. Rosalie stood tight-jawed with a small aerosol can in one hand and her cell phone in the other. “Either cops or pepper spray. You have five seconds.”
“Rosalie, please—”
“Four.”
“If you just—”
“Three.”
“Please, listen—”
“Two.”
“Um…I know Santa.”
“One.”
David vanished. An instant later two hands behind her yanked both the can and cell phone away. She spun around and stared dumfounded as he threw the pepper spray on the floor and put the cell phone in his pocket. How did he move so fast?
“Rosalie, if you only—ow!”
She kicked him in the shin.
“Quit it! I won’t hurt you. I only want to talk.” He motioned to the bag on the floor. “I brought dinner.”
“I don’t care if you brought your own personal chef!” she yelled. “Get the hell out of my apartment. You…you…snitch.”
He looked completely perplexed. “I think we have a misunderstanding—”
“That’s it—I’m making some noise.” Rosalie took a deep breath as if to scream. David’s hand shot out and grabbed her. The apartment dissolved into nothingness.
