Dead and Gone: A Paranormal Women's Midlife Fiction Novel (Gwen's Ghosts Book 2)

DEAD AND GONE Gwen’s Ghosts #2 by J.R. RAIN & H.P. MALLORY Gwen’s Ghosts Dance with the Dead Dead and Gone Dead of Night Other Books by J.R. Rain VAMPIRE FOR HIRE Moon Dance Vampire Moon American Vampire Moon Child Christmas Moon (novella) Vampire Dawn Vampire Games Moon Island Moon River Vampire Sun Moon Dragon Moon Shadow Vampire Fire Midnight Moon Moon Angel Vampire Sire Moon Master Dead Moon Lost Moon Vampire Destiny Infinite Moon Vampire Empress Moon Elder Wicked Moon Winter Moon Sasquatch Moon Wild Moon Moon Magic Moon World Vampire Deep Moon Matador (coming soon) SAMANTHA MOON ADVENTURES Banshee Moon Moon Monster Moon Ripper Witch Moon Moon Goddess Moon Blaze Golem Moon Moon Maidens SAMANTHA MOON CASE FILES Moon Bayou Blood Moon Parallel Moon SAMANTHA MOON ORIGINS New Moon Rising Moon Mourning Haunted Moon Other Books by H.P. Mallory PARANORMAL WOMEN’S FICTION: Haven Hollow Misty Hollow Gwen’s Ghosts Midlife Spirits Trailer Park Vampire PARANORMAL ROMANCE: Witch and Warlock Vampire Esquire Ever Dark Academy FANTASY ROMANCE: Dark Destinies Gates of the Underworld Lily Harper Dulcie O’Neil PARANORMAL REVERSE HAREM: My Five Kings Happily Never After CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: Age Gap Romance SCI-FI ROMANCE: The Alaskan Detective TRILOGIES: Dragon’s Birthright Crown of Lies The Dark Circus Midlife Mermaid Chasing Demons Dungeon Raider Here to There Arctic Wolves Wolves of ValhallaLucy Westenra Dead and Gone Published by Rain Press Copyright © 2023 by J.R. Rain & H.P. Mallory All rights reserved. Ebook Edition, License Notes This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Reading Sample: The Man With the Violet Eyes About H.P. Mallory About J.R. Rain Dead and Gone Chapter One Upstairs, Downstairs There’s a potential murderer in my house. In my bed. And I just had sex with him. Wow, I really knew how to pick them. With the benefit of comfortable hindsight, I might have decided there wasn’t necessarily any reason to suspect Bastian of murder just because he’d been sleeping with Victoria. And there was considerable reason to suspect he’d been doing just that; the distinctive, imported condom wrapper beneath the fridge speaking volumes. Not only had they most likely done the deed, but the evidence strongly suggested that they’d been doing it in the kitchen, which was going to play on my mind when it came time to make breakfast. But right now, all I could think about was that Bastian had been here before—when Victoria had lived here—when Victoria had been living. And more than that—I had a feeling he’d been the shadowy figure Joanne had seen entering her friend’s house at night. Bastian must have kept the relationship (if that was the right word for it) secret—because, as far as I knew, I was the only one who know the truth about Victoria and Bastian. Joanne certainly hadn’t known it or, if she had, she hadn’t said anything about it. And as for Bastian—hmm, it was a curious thing that he would have kept the relationship quiet because as far as I could tell, keeping things quiet was something he seldom did with the women he bedded. He was more a man who liked to wear his victories. Not to mention that keeping things hush-hush was something that was hard to do in a town filled with gossip. And all of that put together? Well, maybe it was coincidental or maybe it wasn’t. All I knew was that Bastian had a pre-existing sexual relationship with a woman who’d been murdered, and he’d kept that relationship secret. And I imagined it was no accident that the unquiet spirit of Victoria had roused me from my bed while Bastian slept beside me. Not only had she roused me, but she’d purposely brought me down the stairs and into the kitchen to show me the evidence beneath the fridge. It was then that I heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs and my heart about started to gallop in my chest. There was no hiding from him. Furthermore, this was my house and it would be weird if I just suddenly vanished—either outside or into the broom closet or something. No, Gwen, you aren’t going to just disappear! I told myself. As far as Bastian knew, I didn’t know anything about Victoria. And that meant I was safe—well, I thought it might mean I was safe. For now, anyway. I needed to calm down and act normally—act like I hadn’t just discovered his brand of condom wrapper underneath the fridge. Truly, he had no reason to harm me, and if I started treating him differently now, then I might give him one. Bastian entered the kitchen, smiling that cocksure smile of his, though the smile wasn’t the first thing I noticed about him. He was naked, and from the looks of it, ready to pick up where we’d left off. “Ready for round two?” he grinned. “Technically round three, I suppose, but I didn’t want it to seem as if I was bragging.” “Because that would be so out of character.” I tried for sarcastic and I was pleased to note that I succeeded. On the bright side, I’d needed something to distract me from the whole Victoria-murder-thing and a naked Bastian was definitely distracting. And impressive. Even surprising with how impressive his, ahem, girth and length was. Are you really considering round three with a would-be murderer? God, my judgement had seen better days. Good thing Petra wasn’t here, or I’d really hear it. So, while there was an upside in that my attention was distracted, the downside was that I now had to find a way to say ‘no’ to round two or three or seven or whatever it was, because I couldn’t distract myself enough to forget what Bastian had done (or might have done). And turning him down might look suspicious because,