Excerpt from The Ghost by Christine Rains

Title: The Ghost (The 13th Floor series, #6)

Author: Christine Rains

Genre: paranormal romance

Release date: July 13th, 2013

Blurb:

Chiharo Black lives with six supernatural tenants in a haunted building's mysterious thirteenth floor. Of course, no one knows she's there except the cats. Being a ghost can be a bit frustrating and lonely, but it isn't as bad as her mother made it out to be.

Until another ghost intrudes on her territory. Jeremy Emerson wants revenge on the vampire that killed him and won't stop until he has it. To top it off, a nightmarish shade sneaks in and leeches the energy from the building's residents before setting its sights on Chiharo and the thirteenth floor. She can't decide which one is more frightening: the one wanting to eat her soul or the one who might win her heart.

Chiharo must convince Jeremy to stand with her against the hellish parasite. If they cannot work together, the greedy fiend will not only drain their energy but everything that supports the thirteenth floor's existence.

 

Excerpt:

 

            He stepped toward her. “Look. Maybe we got off on the wrong foot.” He held out his hand. “Hi, I'm Jeremy Emerson. What's your name?”

            She hesitated. The last time they touched, the sensations were more than she remembered in life. It was probably best she didn't go near him. Her mother would surely never like him. She didn't even think she approved of him.

            Her hand clasped his much to her surprise. “Chiharo Black.”

            The chill tingled through her palm and fingers, but it was more than that. Invigorating didn't seem quite the right way to say it. Her imaginary heart quickened. Her eyes widened, unable to disguise the thrill. Meeting Jeremy wasn't like meeting anyone else. He was the first ghost she'd met, but there was something more.

            Chiharo yanked her hand away. Their souls. They were ghosts. Spirits. They were touching each other's souls.

            No way. That was too personal for her.

            “Okay.” Jeremy didn't pursue her runaway hand. “Nice to meet you, Chiharo. Can I call you Chi?”

            “No.” She wrapped her arms around herself. She felt naked. Running away seemed like a good idea.

            “Okay.” He drew out the word. “So, yeah, weird being a ghost, eh? How did you die?”

            “What kind of question is that?” Chiharo snapped and clamped her jaws shut after she did. Anger never did anyone good. She turned and exited the apartment. Walking away was the best choice. She'd find a way to be rid of Jeremy soon.

            “Sorry. Really, I am. I know it can be a sore spot. Or a great big hollow aching spot.” Jeremy followed her down the hall and into the stairwell. “Look, I'm not trying to be mean. I just want to talk. I've seen a few other ghosts, but they were faded, barely there. They didn't do much of anything. I really, really don't want to become like them. And then I meet you. You were standing there in living color. And the energy, it's just bursting out of you. Like you're stuffed full of a thousand little suns.”

            It was that poetic last sentence that stopped her. Chiharo knew how it felt to be alone and the fear of becoming nothing. Standing by the rail, she pointed upward. “I was pushed from behind over the rail on the eighteenth floor. It was dark. The light was out. I thought I was alone.”

            Her hand fell to her side. “My head hit the concrete edge here by the thirteenth floor. I was dead before I reached the bottom. Whoever killed me did an evil thing. I won't commit the same deed. If you promise you'll stop wanting to kill Kiral, we can talk. I can tell you what I know. Maybe there's another way.”

            “I can't make that promise.” Jeremy stared down toward the ground floor.

            With a single nod, Chiharo let herself fall through the floor. A simple matter of will for her. She counted six floors and stopped on the seventh. Darting over into the first apartment, she hurried into the one beside it. He'd never find her in this building. She knew every inch. This was her territory. And she would see him gone.

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Author Bio:

Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not writing or reading, she having adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of Untethered Realms and S.C.I.F.I. The 13th Floor series is her first self-published series. She has eight novellas and twenty-one short stories published.

Website: http://christinerains.net/

Blog: http://christinerains-writer.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorchristinerains

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@CRainsWriter

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4017568.Christine_Rains

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