The Dead Game

By Susanne Leist

Book One of The Dead Game Series

New edition

Linda Bennett moves from New York to Florida to live a quieter life. Life is peaceful until the dead body washes ashore. She learns dead bodies and disappearing tourists are typical for the coastal town.

Linda and her friends receive an invitation to a party at End House, a deserted house overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The group arrives, but no one is there to greet them. The house has a sinister life of its own where horror follows their every step. Traps, illusions, and revolving rooms add to their growing fear. When wild animals escape their cages in the basement, the young residents flee for their lives.

They embark on a harrowing journey, not knowing whom to trust, to uncover the one controlling the evil game.

Who are The Dead?

Are they humans or vampires?

Will Linda lose her heart to Todd, who knows more than he admits?

Will her best friend, Shana, fall in love with Sheriff Sam?

The Dead Game has begun.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Susanne Leist
• Release date: Oct 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463646441

Susanne Leist

Hi, I am an author of paranormal suspense. In my first series, The Dead Game Series, the dead walk the night & into the day, leading our heroines on a dangerous adventure from Florida to Quebec.The Blue Harbor Series offers a new set of heroines who fight to save their town from an Indian curse. The first book, Meet Me In Maine, uncovers the perpetrator of the curse and the plight of the Penobscot culture at the hands of the white man.Meet Me In Maine's new edition contains two bonus chapters with Scarlett's and Elizabeth's stories, revealing why they chose to settle in Blue Harbor.Please sit back, put up your feet, and let me bring mystery and romance to your lives.

Book preview

Prologue

End House at Oasis

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Mary Hanford raced through the thick darkness pressed against her sweaty skin. The staircase loomed before her, its marble steps trembling. As she climbed the red-carpeted runner, she asked herself why she had been so stubborn and ignored the evil living in the house? Her husband’s footsteps echoed behind her. Mary suspected the worst. End House wouldn’t rest until it destroyed her and her family.

At the top of the staircase, she stepped into an alternate reality. As lights flickered, pictures and furniture tore through the air, landing in pieces at her feet. The walls stretched with faces and arms pushing through the concrete. As she backed away from the gruesome faces, Mary opened her mouth to shout, but no sound emerged. Her husband pulled her behind him as they fled to their children’s bedrooms. Mary swallowed hard at the lump of fear lodged in her throat. Nothing could stop her from saving her son and daughter.

While John headed to their daughter’s room, she dashed into the baby's bedroom. Dark shadows crept toward the crib in the far corner. As the shadows multiplied, filling the room with their swaying forms, the bed lifted. His eyes open wide in fear, her son grasped the wooden railings. As the crib hit the floor with a resounding crash, a deep crack formed in the wood. It snaked across the ground from the bed to the door. As the room split in half, Mary jumped across the deepening gap and scooped her son into her arms. She made it to the door right before the bedroom folded into itself. Clasping her son against her chest, Mary ran into the hallway as her husband emerged from the darkness, holding their seven-year-old daughter.

As they fled to the staircase, Mary remembered how she’d fallen in love with the house at first sight. The mansion stood alone and deserted, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Its windows faced the unforgiving waves as they pounded against the rocky shore. A sad decay permeated the extensive grounds from the wilting trees, dead grass, and crumbling roof. Despite nature’s handiwork and its gloomy presence, the house had called to the renovator in Mary to bring the estate back to life.

After a year of massive renovations, End House’s grandeur was restored. An elegant staircase swept past marble pillars, cradling intricate statues of gargoyles. Elaborate moldings and marble fireplaces adorned the parlor and dining room. A crystal chandelier held court in the grand ballroom, filling the room with sparkling rainbows of light. They had modernized and repainted the spacious rooms. Luscious red rose bushes circled the outdoor pool deck, and a sauna and Jacuzzi updated the indoor pool.

Once its beauty was returned, the mood of the house had turned malevolent. Each day brought another evil prank against her family. In the middle of the night, Mary often awoke on the deserted grounds, alone and confused. Yesterday, her husband had entered their bedroom and become lost in a field of daisies. The flowers had transformed into man-eating plants with sharp teeth. After his heart-stopping experience, John agreed it was time for them to pack their bags. After a year of hard work and heartache, they were leaving the house in the morning.

That evening, the house had been quiet.

In the kitchen, Mary and her husband washed dishes after a late dinner. A sudden gust of wind blew through the window, lifting the hanging pots and pans and throwing them against the walls. She froze, dropping the sudsy plate in her hand. They watched as their new shutters flew past the window, shattering to pieces across the back patio. As a whirlwind of cutlery and china flew above their heads, John grabbed her hand, and they dove beneath the table. Then the house had turned silent. They waited. Mary feared the house wasn’t finished tormenting them.

Loud cries soon echoed from the second floor. Mary’s heart had jolted in fear; their son and daughter slept upstairs. John took her hand, and they rushed to the staircase that trembled and moaned with each step they took.

Now, with their children clutched in their arms, they descended the shuddering staircase. John halted on the bottom step, and Mary peeked over his shoulder. A coppery red substance slid beneath the front door. It crept across the marble floor, the circular rug and hall table disappearing in its path.

What the hell? What is that? Mary backed against the wall as the baby whimpered in her arms.

John spun to her. We need to leave now. He pointed to the hallway leading to the kitchen. Run.

They raced into the destroyed kitchen where shards from shattered dishes crunched beneath their shoes. The back door flew from its hinges, opening to a black hole. Fluorescent streaks of lightning flashed across the onyx sky, followed by loud claps of thunder. They stepped onto the deck, where patio furniture sailed over their heads. The house shook. Windows exploded; roof tiles lifted in the wind; bricks crumbled to the ground. The wind bent the thick, oak trees to their knees.

Mary froze as her world turned red. The liquid crept behind them as they fled to the steps leading to the beach. The mass rose with the moaning wind and wrapped its bloody tentacles around them. They fell into a void that echoed with evil laughter, landing on a hard surface where no light seeped into the blackness. Then the one spot of light above them closed.

Chapter One

Oasis, Florida

Five years later

Friday afternoon

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Leaves in rustic shades of orange, red, and yellow floated through the air, landing at Linda Bennett’s feet. The sweet fragrance of roses tickled her nostrils as she strolled past the quaint shops on Main Street. Linda waved hello to fellow residents and passing tourists, stopping to rest beneath a palm tree on the boardwalk where it intersected Main Street. She gazed at the tree-lined sidewalks as shop owners closed their doors for the day, and beachgoers made their slow way to parked cars. The church gleamed white in the distance against an azure backdrop scattered with fluffy white clouds. Linda shut her eyes and sighed. She found her oasis, and her dreams of happiness were within reach.

As shouts of laughter drifted to her ears, Linda opened her eyes. She descended the boardwalk’s steps to the beach, where she removed her sandals, sinking her toes into the warm sand. In the orangey glow of the waning afternoon sun, her friends played volleyball near the shoreline. She wove past the colorful beach blankets of the lingering tourists and sat on the white sand, tucking her legs beneath her sundress. On one side of the net played Todd and Shana, the group’s most competitive players. Mike, David, and Louise tumbled for the ball on the opposite side.

Red hair flying in the soft breeze, Shana Logan, her best friend, hit the ball over the net. David returned the ball low and hard to the empty spot between Todd and Shana. Muscles rippling, Todd Morrison dove for the ball, hitting it over the net into Louise’s stomach. Stunning in her tiny blue bikini, Louise Cannon shrieked and clutched her flat belly. His handsome face a picture of concern, Todd rushed around the net to Louise, who batted long eyelashes at him. Linda smirked; she doubted Louise experienced any discomfort except for desiring the wealthiest man in Oasis.

On the far side of the net, Shana stood alone, her hands on her hips, glaring at David Deer and Mike Aaronson, who hurried to join Louise and Todd. With the three men serving as her rapt audience, Louise undid her ponytail and let her straight blonde hair fly free in the breeze. A scowl on her face, Shana marched through the sand to Linda.

When Shana reached her, Linda asked with a grin, Foiled by the blonde?

Once again. Her sea-green eyes smoldering with anger, Shana wound her wavy hair into a ponytail. Men never learn. And the game was getting good before Louise’s theatrics. I hate that girl.

Linda chuckled. No. You don’t.

Shana scrunched her freckled nose. Yes, I do. But you don’t know how much. Linda grinned. Never one to mince words, the redhead spoke her mind—to everyone.

David and Mike strolled toward them, and Linda hid a smile. The phrase, pencil and eraser, came to her mind. David’s tall and wide shadow loomed over Mike’s smaller one.

Hi, Linda. David wiped his face with a towel and asked, Did you receive an invitation in the mail today?

Linda stood, brushing the sand from her white dress. Nope. I’m heading back to my apartment now. She raised her head. I’ll check the mail.

We all got one. It’s for a party at a mansion. A frown crossed David’s cherubic face as he added, At End House.

With a devilish glint in his dark brown eyes, Mike rubbed his hands together. The invitation doesn’t mention who’s hosting the event. Sounds creepy.

I’m not going, David said. It doesn’t sound like fun.

Mike glared at David. Don’t whine like a baby.

He’s not. Shana stood in front of Mike, her fists pressed against her hips. At Mike’s evil grin, she added, It's not funny. That family was never found.

Okay. Whatever. Mike turned away and strode toward the boardwalk with a laugh.

Mike, Shana shouted at his back.

David nodded to them before rushing after Mike.

A high-pitched laugh drew Linda’s attention to the scene at the volleyball net. Louise had inched closer to Todd, placing her hands on his bare chest. Todd stepped away, bending to retrieve his shirt and sneakers from the sand. After giving Louise a curt nod, he strode toward the apartments at the northern edge of the beach. Louise stared at his retreating form, then scooped her sandals from the beach and sauntered past them to the boardwalk without a glance in their direction.

Hello, Linda. Shana waved a hand near Linda’s face.

Linda blinked and focused on Shana. Why does Louise insist on pursuing Todd if he’s not interested in her?

She must think every man finds her attractive, Shana replied, batting her eyelashes like Louise.

Poor Louise, Linda said with a laugh.

Shana grinned. It’s time to get ready for the barbeque. She linked her arm through Linda’s. Let’s go.

Her gaze drifted to Todd, who had halted and turned to watch her, the waves lapping at his feet. When Linda met his intense stare, he lowered his head. Feeling Shana’s tug on her arm, she strolled beside Shana, questioning the reason for Todd’s sudden interest in her.

Ablack envelope stood tall in her mailbox. Linda stepped into the front hall and tossed the mail on the narrow wooden table. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Dark shadows underscored her blue eyes as tendrils of brown hair escaped the messy topknot. It was Friday afternoon, and she still had cartons of books to unpack at her shop. The bookstore kept her busy, but Linda didn’t mind the hard work. Moving to Oasis had been her best decision.

Her thoughts drifted back to two years ago, to the time before she came to Oasis. The year she’d graduated from college, Linda lost her parents and brother in a car accident. She searched through newspapers for a job and found an ad for a bookshop to rent in Oasis. Linda yearned for a fresh start. No one knew her sad history, and she could pursue her dream of opening a bookshop. Heartache had separated her from the other college students. Linda didn’t attend the collegiate events or parties. Childhood friends ceased calling, tired of her reluctance to leave her house. She withdrew into the protective shell she’d created to isolate herself from pain. Soon her phone stopped ringing. On a whim, Linda called the agent in Oasis and agreed to meet. She had a second chance in a town far from New York City.

The following week, she flew to Florida. Her first steps on Main Street had left her in awe. An artist’s palette didn’t do justice to the array of colors spread before her. The charming shops with their bright awnings called to her. While music drifted from the open doorways, shop owners waved at the cheerful visitors filling the sidewalks. Parked cars lined the streets. The flowered archway to the park contributed its sweet fragrance to the refreshing scent of the sea air.

At Oasis Rentals, Linda met Shirley, the cheerful agent, who shook her hand and welcomed her to Oasis. As Shirley regaled her with stories of the residents, they crossed Main Street to visit the bookstore. The sight of the shop had caused her heart to skip a beat. A picture window faced Main Street with a smaller window to the side street. A welcoming tinkle of bells greeted them as they stepped into a long room, lined with bookcases to the back wall. She stood at the center of the shop, envisioning a coffee counter on the right wall; a couch, table, and chairs beneath the front window; and shelves filled with books. Linda even smelled the coffee brewing.

I see you love the shop, Shirley said. Let’s sign the papers.

What? I just got here.

No reason to delay.

I don’t have a place to stay.

Luckily, you know a rental agent, Shirley said with a wink. That's our next stop. And it's within walking distance.

Shirley strode to the door and held it open for her. There’s no reason to delay. Oasis will be perfect for you.

A life-changing choice waited for her. Shirley waited. Thoughts of the empty brownstone in New York City floated through her mind. She needed a fresh beginning. Since the crash, Linda had become a nervous driver. She wouldn't need a car if she lived here.

Linda stepped forward and said, Let’s go.

Shirley led them to the side street beside the bookshop that took them to a cul-de-sac of detached apartments. Rose bushes bordered the circular driveways. As she chatted about