Wicked Things

Fourteen authors of lesbian fiction contributed otherworldly, thrilling and supernatural short stories that will keep you glued to your seat.

Authors: Andi Marquette; Bridget Essex; Catherine Lane; Cori Kane; Elaine Burnes; Erzabet Bishop; Eve Francis; Lois Cloarec Hart; May Dawney; Orhea the dreamer; Q. Kelly; R.G. Emanuelle; S. M. Harding; Stephanie Gottschalk.

Andi Marquette: SpiritQuest, LLC

The ghost hunters of SpiritQuest, LLC are preparing for a visit to the historic Halstead House, where the ghost of 26-year-old Lily Halstead reportedly appears. The crew discovers that Lily left behind a female lover and a bit of a love story, which adds to the mystique of this paranormal case. Is Lily waiting for her lost love? The chance to perhaps find out, plus the mysterious Sky Adams, who volunteers to accompany them to the Halstead House, promises to give the intrepid ghost hunters a Halloween to remember.

Bridget Essex: Moon Dance

A woman on a camping trip believes she’s dreaming about her ex-lover visiting her on Halloween night…but it’s no dream. And while her love may become rekindled, her lover isn’t exactly how she remembers her.

Catherine Lane: Taylor-Made

Taylor’s ordered, boring world is turned upside down when she impulsively steals a jacket. It’s magic, and now she can’t take it off. Suddenly, she’s taking crazy chances with her future—risks that put her center stage at a première Hollywood Halloween party and into the arms of its lovely hostess. Is it a dream come true, or is Taylor losing herself to the magic?

Cori Kane: A Lesson in Magic

At her best friend’s Halloween party, Erin meets Raymond and finds him strangely attractive. Strangely, because she’s a lesbian and men haven’t been on her radar for some time. But Raymond is not quite the man his costume might suggest.

Elaine Burnes: A Certain Moon

First dates are nerve-racking under the best of circumstances. Ann really likes Erica but is convinced it can’t work out. It never has before. She pleads with her furry companions to behave. Will they? If Ann reveals her secret, can Erica handle it?

Erzabet Bishop: Ghostlight

Melanie reluctantly accompanies her friend Rachel on a ghost walk. She has no way of knowing that she will be in for a ghostly night of pleasure of her own. Exasperated by her friend, Melanie takes off to go home when she decides to stop at a quaint tea room for a bite of supper. Vykky is closing down the tea room but offers her a special brand of hospitality that will leave Melanie questioning her views about the supernatural once and for all. **First published in Coming Together Girl on Girl (Aug 4, 2013)

Eve Francis: Fresh Blood

When cop Allie gets home late from the night shift, she finds her girlfriend, Violet, home early and annoyed. The couple’s squabble turns into an interesting and feisty argument, as Allie—a vampire—must convince Violet—a human—that she has not done anything she shouldn’t while on shift. Allie thinks back on her busy night, which involved a crash, a robbery, and her feeding on fresh blood and must decide what details to reveal and what to keep hidden for later.

Lois Cloarec Hart: Walking after Midnight

Gem has carried a torch for the way-out-of-her-league Kate since they were in high school together. When she flees a party after fearing her unrequited love has been exposed, she meets a mysterious woman who gives her a whole new perspective on the situation.

May Dawney: The Road Home

Heading home from a crazy Hallow’s Eve shift at the local bar, Rebecca Linder finds herself face-to-face with a ghost story come to life. Things are not always what they appear, however, and sometimes the worst moments in a life can lead to some of the best.

Orhea the dreamer: That Day

Angela White is your average Texan living in a rural community. In great detail she describes the infamous Halloween day when she took a trip into town and met with fate in the form of a hitchhiker, who happens to be a werewolf hunter.

Q. Kelly: Hit and Run

Maxie Douglas’s husband, Zachary, was mowed down by a hit-and-run driver five years ago on Halloween. Far from grieving, Maxie is eternally thankful to the driver for saving her from the monster Zachary had become. She longs to meet her hero or heroine, but there is much she doesn’t know.

R.G. Emanuelle: Strega

In the town of Benevento, Italy, the ancient art of witchcraft was accepted and honored, unlike the rest of the deeply Catholic country, where witches were considered the devil’s minions. Raffaella, escaping an abusive marriage, stumbles upon a witches’ Sabbath near Benevento. Despite her fear, she is drawn to Serafina, a woman participating in the ritual. Serafina shows her compassion and respect and offers her shelter, which Raffaella gladly accepts, and as the days pass, something more blossoms between them as Raffaella learns the healing arts and with the magical powers of il noce, the sacred walnut tree, discovers her own special gifts.

S. M. Harding: A Winter Tale

Epifania Gordy comes home to New Mexico to mourn the death of her lover—or join her. When she uses remembered fragments of an ancient Highland ceremony to summon Sadie, what she conjures isn’t who she expected.

Steph Gottschalk: Object Permanence

In the wake of a tragic accident, a woman suspects that her wife may be haunting the house as a ghost.