Preview: Sliver of Darkness

Hi guys, Chloe here. Thought I'd give you a preview of my upcoming adventure Silver of Darkness.

ONE: COLOR MY WORLD


2:00am…

I woke up in black and white.

And naked.

Ok, you’re probably thinking I should have known better than to go back to sleeping in the nude after just dealing with that plague-spreading demon a few weeks ago and maybe you’re right. But I’m comfortable that way and it’s force of habit at this point. Usually I’m with Arly anyway, but he’s away for a week at some convention for former cops—I know, how could I pass up so much fun? But it’s strictly a Boys’ Club thingy. Besides, it was a warm night. I’d even left one of the windows to either side of my bed cracked to let in the late spring air.

Well, it was warm went I went to bed anyway. Now it felt incredibly chilled, as if when the color drained out of the world all heat went with it. I glanced down at my forearms, which were covered in gooseflesh, as were my breasts and belly. Oh, and don’t let anyone tell you black and white makes skin blemishes look any better. It does not. It makes them look like anthills.

It dawned on me suddenly: black and white. Everything was in black and white! I jumped out of bed and grabbed my terrycloth robe, which as draped over a corner chair. Let’s just say there’s naked and then there’s naked. And right now I was felling frickin’ naked.

I tied the robe closed and glanced about my bedroom, a shiver rattling through me. Shadows swelled in corners and white-cold slices of moonlight bleeding in from outside fell across the carpet. Everything seemed so…stark, like I just stepped into an old movie and again a shiver went down my spine and clacked my teeth together.

It was happening again, wasn’t it? The supernatural thing. To me.

Crap on a cracker.

I noticed my heart starting to pound against my ribs and that feeling of wanting to pee in my panties coming back. I’d had that feeling way too many times over the past few months and it didn’t get any more pleasant the hundredth time around.

And go figure, Puddin’ Head was sound asleep and snoring his ample cat ass off on the entire right end corner of my bed like nothing whatsoever was wrong. I guess if you’re born with a big yellow fur coat the cold takes longer to sink through. I’m guessing once it did he’d be waking up and grumbling about it for the next few days. As the owner of one trouble-attracting stripper human he expected a number of amenities and heat was one of them.

Another freakin’ shiver.

I wrapped my arms about myself and stared at my closed bedroom door, every instinct inside me telling me I should just go back to bed and ignore all this chilled noir that had suddenly taken over my world.

But I was never very good at ignoring things that bugged the hell out of me. I’ve told you Arly calls me impetuous.

So I took a step towards the door, the carpet like chilled cream between my blue-painted toes. Well, now the blue nail polish just looked kind of dark gray since all color had seeped out of the world.

I stopped, biting my lower lip, and told myself I was probably just dreaming. I was still asleep in bed and maybe should give up watching Classic television before going to bed.

An annoyed grumble came from the end of the bed and I glanced back over a shoulder to see His Majesty had awoken and was not the least bit happy about the lack of heat. I wasn’t sure whether cats could see a lack of color, but I’m sure if he had been able to talk the words that came out of his mouth more than would have made up for it.

“Don’t look at me,” I whispered, a little afraid my own voice would attract something I didn’t want. “I didn’t ask for this.”

He appeared unsympathetic.

“You’ll make someone a good ex-husband somebody,” I whispered, twisting my head back to look at the door.

I sucked a deep breath, took another two steps and gripped the door handle. It was chilled, with the oddest feeling. I don’t exactly know how to describe it but it was like touching…cold film, maybe.

With another breath, I turned the handle and opened the door.

More Chloe News

Ok, guys, you can now order the first Chloe Files novel, Ashes to Ashes, from GP Press exclusively at:

http://www.lulu.com/goldenperils

In about 6-8 weeks it'll be at Amazon and everywhere.

And I think my next adventure will be called Sliver of Darkness. You see, it's about this old time radio show actor who just happened to show up as a ghost in New Salem and cause some trouble. Pretty spooky stuff for me, and wouldn't you know, Arly had to go away for a week so I got left to take care of it all on my own again!

--Chlo