Tit for Tat

By Linda Mooney and Carolyn Gregg

Tate Truer's television reality series as a survivalist in wild and uninhabited locales is about to have its plug pulled unless Tate can find a way to re-energize it.  He gets his wish in more ways than he imagines when he manages to dredge up an ornate bottle from the ocean floor. A bottle that contains a tiny woman, a genie, who is eager to grant his every desire ... as long as he grants hers first.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Linda Mooney
• Release date: Jan 25, 2015
• ISBN: 9781941321386

Linda Mooney

Linda loves to write sensuously erotic romance with a fantasy, paranormal, or science fiction flair. Her technique is often described as being as visual as a motion picture or graphic novel. A wife, mother, grandmother, and retired Kindergarten and music teacher, she lives in a small south Texas town near the Gulf coast where she delves into other worlds filled with daring exploits, adventure, and intense love. She has numerous best sellers, including 10 consecutive #1s. In 2009, she was named Whiskey Creek Press Torrid's Author of the Year, and her book My Strength, My Power, My Love was named the 2009 WCPT Book of the Year. In 2011, her book Lord of Thunder was named the Epic Ebook "Eppie" Award Winner for Best Erotic Sci-Fi Romance. In addition, she write naughty erotic romances under the name of Carolyn Gregg, and horror under the pseudonym of Gail Smith. For more information about Linda Mooney books and titles, and to sign up for her newsletter, please visit her website. http://www.LindaMooney.com

Book preview

Chapter One

If my fishing efforts fail, I can always hunt for barnacles on the rocks. Barnacles are a great source of energy, and roasting them over a fire is a perfect, natural way to cook them.

Tate Truer cautiously made his way over the slippery rocks as the waves continued to pound him. He was drenched from the cold seawater, despondent, tired as all get-out, and he was starving. It was day two of a planned six-day escape that would put another episode of Truer Adventures in the can. And Tate was determined this season would have some of his best experiences. It had to.

Who am I trying to kid? This is my last season, and everyone knows it. I’ll be damn lucky if I even go a full season. With the way my luck’s been going, I’ll probably be cancelled after two shows.

Which was why he was practically begging for something exciting to come his way. If his numbers didn’t increase soon…

He found a small tidal pool. Fortune was starting to rear her fickle head. Two sea urchins sat inside. Relieved, he picked up one and held it out for the camera he'd set up on the shore to film.

Look! There's two sea urchins here. They'll be fine eating. If I can find some fresh seaweed, I'll be dining in style tonight.

A glance out at the incoming tide revealed an unbroken horizon. The sun was throwing an orange glow over the sand. Thank goodness the winds had calmed somewhat. There would be a better chance at fishing now than if he waited for the tide to turn. He checked his watch to see how much time he had left on the camera. Thirty-seven minutes. Should be enough to get some shots in of me casting a line.

He reached inside his pocket for the small bundle of bark string and makeshift fishbone hook he'd improvised for a fishing line. After jury-rigging a small seashell on it to give it some weight, he tied on an artificial lure and tossed the line into the surf to try it out. It took nearly two dozen castings to realize he wasn't going to get anywhere.

Give it up, Tate.

Wearily, he gathered his sea urchins and waded to shore. After shutting off the camera, he packed it under his arm and headed further inland to his small shelter near an outcropping of rock. To his surprise, a crab suddenly popped out of the sand and scuttled into his path, raising its large claws menacingly. Tate added it to his sack. Okay. No fish today, but what he had now would do nicely.

Once he set the camera on its tripod, he turned it on then aimed it toward his fire. He took his position before resuming.

I’m taking the large clam shell I found yesterday during my investigation of this island. I’m going to bring some seawater to a boil before I add the sea urchins. Because the crab won’t fit in it whole, I’ll have to tear the claws off of it first and cook it in pieces.

The urchins didn’t turn out too badly. Ditto for the crab. By the time he was finished, it was well after dark and getting chilly. People often made the mistake of thinking that being trapped on an uninhabited tropical island meant balmy weather year round. Tate zipped up his windbreaker and hunkered down for another miserable night.

A small rainstorm passed through sometime before daylight. The broad leaves of his temporary lean-to kept most of the water off him. By dawn every muscle ached, and he had the beginnings of a small headache from lack of food.

Tate turned on the camera to begin filming. Another cold night. It rained a bit during the early morning hours. My shelter managed to keep me somewhat dry, but this morning I’m determined to find more to eat. That’s imperative in experiences like this. Remember, as long as you can find enough food and clean water, you can survive long enough for help to reach you.

He up-ended his canteen and swallowed the last few tepid mouthfuls. It was like nectar to his parched throat. That’s the rest of my water, he told the camera. I’m going to have to go back into the interior of this island to retrieve more from that small spring. But before I do, I want to try fishing one last time to see if I can’t catch something. Also, there’s the chance the outgoing tide has left something behind in those tidal pools I showed you earlier. He forced a smile. Let’s go check.

He was halfway down the beach when he remembered he hadn’t checked in yet with the ground team. Muttering