A new ebook out - Isabella by Moondancer Drake
Awhile ago I talked about a remake of the Beauty and the Beast story I did and of finding it a new home. Well today that has become a reality. My modern fairy tale, “Isabella”, is now available through Shadowfire Press, and at $2.50 what a steal. :)
Isabella by Moondancer Drake
Genre: Historic f/f Erotic Romance
Heat Rating: Warm
Warnings: GLBT f/f
Length: Long Story-9500 words
Price: $2.50
Available now from Shadowfire Press
Two women must face their inner demons to find love.
Blurb
After years of being one of the most affluent families in the city, the Diazs have lost everything and now struggle to make ends meet as their father's self esteem dies a slow death. Unlike her spoiled sisters, Isabella takes the changes in stride, until the day her father is given an offer she doesn't think they can afford to refuse. Her freedom in exchange for her families renewed wealth.
Rebecca Darkholm lives a cursed life, and only love can set her free. Long ago she gave up on finding that love until the day she meets Isabella, whose beauty and gentle nature capture Rebbeca's heart. But when Isabella comes to stay ate Darkholm Manor Rebecca fears her hideousness will be too great a barrier for even a woman like Isabella to see past.
Will these two women be able too look past their inner demons or is their love doomed to tragedy?
Excerpt
Rebecca didn't answer for a long time, and Isabella wondered if she'd gotten too personal. Then, finally Rebecca's dark hands fidgeted nervously and she spoke. "I was born-deformed. Cursed. My mother took me all over the world to every doctor, and even mystic she could find. When I was in my teens we met a witch on a trip to Canada. She told us that only love given without shame could set me free."
"Love?" The idea was so sweet and romantic, but Isabella didn't believe in things like curses or magic. Still, she itched to see what was hidden under the cloak. How bad could it be? Isabella took a step toward Rebecca. "Do you ever take off the cloak?"
Rebecca shook her head, and the hood rustled with the movement. "Not unless I'm alone."
Isabella took another step closer. "Could I see what you look like? I won't be afraid."
"How can you know that? My own mother can't look at me without this." Rebecca's black hands gripped the edge of the cloak, short nails tipped the fingers like a lizard's claws, yellowed and thick. "I can't bear to see the fear and horror when people look at me."
Out of kindness, Isabella suppressed a shudder. "But how will you find love if no one can ever see you for who you truly are?"
"For who I truly am?" Rebecca's tone was bitter and her voice shook with contained grief. "No one will ever know who I truly am. How can they? They will only see the monster, not the woman within."
"Then let me see." Isabella didn't know why, but at that moment she needed to know, needed to see what everyone else feared. She touched the edges of the hood. "Please."
Rebecca didn't answer for a few minutes, but Isabella waited patiently until she did. "If I show you what I hide from the world you must promise me something. You must kiss me. Swear to it, and I'll do as you ask."
"Kiss you?" Isabella didn't draw her hands away from the heavy broadcloth, but she hesitated all the same. She'd given so few kisses to anyone outside her family before, never to a stranger. But then, if she was going to be here for a long time, this kindness wasn't too much to perform as an act of friendship. "Yes, I promise."
Rebecca nodded, and slowly Isabella drew the hood back away from her face. The gasp that followed stuck in Isabella's throat. She'd expected a shock, but nothing like this. This wasn't simply a deformity. Rebecca didn't look human.
The shape of her face was close to that of a woman, with high cheekbones and sharply tilted eyes. That's where the human resemblance began to blur. Her black skin was smooth, like obsidian glass that shone with an unnatural sheen in the pale lamplight. Rebecca's eyes were such a rich crimson they reminded Isabella of the color of fresh blood. The most shocking of all was that the red claimed the whole eye, without leaving a touch of white. There wasn't a trace of hair on her face, but long tresses of blue black had slipped out from within the crumpled hood.
"Nothing to say?" Rebecca said quietly, revealing as she spoke a mouth full of shark like teeth which gleamed against lips as red as her eyes. "Are you rethinking that promise?"
For a time fear held Isabella in place, but then the shock melted away to be replaced by a very different emotion. "No. It just… I can't imagine what it must have been like for you… growing up the way you... I mean..."
"No you can't imagine." A hurt tone crept into Rebecca's voice. "Don't worry. I won't hold you to your promise. It was just as I expected anyway."
Rebecca reached for the edges of her hood to pull it up again, but Isabella put her hands over Rebecca's to stop her. "Then you shouldn't assume."
Isabella leaned in, and just as their lips came close enough to touch she closed her eyes. She was ashamed of herself. Her sisters were shallow, judged others by the way they looked, they way they dressed, and here she was doing the same. Rebecca couldn't help the fact that she....
The fact that she looked like a monster.
Available now from Shadowfire Press
--
Moondancer Drake
Where the possibilities of true magic are endless, and the touch of the Goddess shapes us all.
www.moondancerdrake.com
http://moondancerdrake.livejournal.com
Ancestral Magic now available from SCP and your local bookstore.
Nashoba’s Hope now available from Shadowfire Press
Isabella now available from Shadowfire Press
A Taste of Inspiration coming out from Shadowfire Press July 3rd
Isabella by Moondancer Drake
Genre: Historic f/f Erotic Romance
Heat Rating: Warm
Warnings: GLBT f/f
Length: Long Story-9500 words
Price: $2.50
Available now from Shadowfire Press
Two women must face their inner demons to find love.
Blurb
After years of being one of the most affluent families in the city, the Diazs have lost everything and now struggle to make ends meet as their father's self esteem dies a slow death. Unlike her spoiled sisters, Isabella takes the changes in stride, until the day her father is given an offer she doesn't think they can afford to refuse. Her freedom in exchange for her families renewed wealth.
Rebecca Darkholm lives a cursed life, and only love can set her free. Long ago she gave up on finding that love until the day she meets Isabella, whose beauty and gentle nature capture Rebbeca's heart. But when Isabella comes to stay ate Darkholm Manor Rebecca fears her hideousness will be too great a barrier for even a woman like Isabella to see past.
Will these two women be able too look past their inner demons or is their love doomed to tragedy?
Excerpt
Rebecca didn't answer for a long time, and Isabella wondered if she'd gotten too personal. Then, finally Rebecca's dark hands fidgeted nervously and she spoke. "I was born-deformed. Cursed. My mother took me all over the world to every doctor, and even mystic she could find. When I was in my teens we met a witch on a trip to Canada. She told us that only love given without shame could set me free."
"Love?" The idea was so sweet and romantic, but Isabella didn't believe in things like curses or magic. Still, she itched to see what was hidden under the cloak. How bad could it be? Isabella took a step toward Rebecca. "Do you ever take off the cloak?"
Rebecca shook her head, and the hood rustled with the movement. "Not unless I'm alone."
Isabella took another step closer. "Could I see what you look like? I won't be afraid."
"How can you know that? My own mother can't look at me without this." Rebecca's black hands gripped the edge of the cloak, short nails tipped the fingers like a lizard's claws, yellowed and thick. "I can't bear to see the fear and horror when people look at me."
Out of kindness, Isabella suppressed a shudder. "But how will you find love if no one can ever see you for who you truly are?"
"For who I truly am?" Rebecca's tone was bitter and her voice shook with contained grief. "No one will ever know who I truly am. How can they? They will only see the monster, not the woman within."
"Then let me see." Isabella didn't know why, but at that moment she needed to know, needed to see what everyone else feared. She touched the edges of the hood. "Please."
Rebecca didn't answer for a few minutes, but Isabella waited patiently until she did. "If I show you what I hide from the world you must promise me something. You must kiss me. Swear to it, and I'll do as you ask."
"Kiss you?" Isabella didn't draw her hands away from the heavy broadcloth, but she hesitated all the same. She'd given so few kisses to anyone outside her family before, never to a stranger. But then, if she was going to be here for a long time, this kindness wasn't too much to perform as an act of friendship. "Yes, I promise."
Rebecca nodded, and slowly Isabella drew the hood back away from her face. The gasp that followed stuck in Isabella's throat. She'd expected a shock, but nothing like this. This wasn't simply a deformity. Rebecca didn't look human.
The shape of her face was close to that of a woman, with high cheekbones and sharply tilted eyes. That's where the human resemblance began to blur. Her black skin was smooth, like obsidian glass that shone with an unnatural sheen in the pale lamplight. Rebecca's eyes were such a rich crimson they reminded Isabella of the color of fresh blood. The most shocking of all was that the red claimed the whole eye, without leaving a touch of white. There wasn't a trace of hair on her face, but long tresses of blue black had slipped out from within the crumpled hood.
"Nothing to say?" Rebecca said quietly, revealing as she spoke a mouth full of shark like teeth which gleamed against lips as red as her eyes. "Are you rethinking that promise?"
For a time fear held Isabella in place, but then the shock melted away to be replaced by a very different emotion. "No. It just… I can't imagine what it must have been like for you… growing up the way you... I mean..."
"No you can't imagine." A hurt tone crept into Rebecca's voice. "Don't worry. I won't hold you to your promise. It was just as I expected anyway."
Rebecca reached for the edges of her hood to pull it up again, but Isabella put her hands over Rebecca's to stop her. "Then you shouldn't assume."
Isabella leaned in, and just as their lips came close enough to touch she closed her eyes. She was ashamed of herself. Her sisters were shallow, judged others by the way they looked, they way they dressed, and here she was doing the same. Rebecca couldn't help the fact that she....
The fact that she looked like a monster.
Available now from Shadowfire Press
--
Moondancer Drake
Where the possibilities of true magic are endless, and the touch of the Goddess shapes us all.
www.moondancerdrake.com
http://moondancerdrake.livejournal.com
Ancestral Magic now available from SCP and your local bookstore.
Nashoba’s Hope now available from Shadowfire Press
Isabella now available from Shadowfire Press
A Taste of Inspiration coming out from Shadowfire Press July 3rd