Night Terrors

By Melissa Bell

Paranormal Romance Novella. 

Originally released as part of the Romancing the Shifters Limited Edition Anthology. 

Night Terrors -

They own the night.

They are the reason people lose their minds.

They will keep you trapped in the darkness of your sins.

And they are the very thing nightmares are made of.

 

Bailey has no idea that there is such a thing as Night Terrors.

She's innocent. Merely human.

What happens when a Human meets a Night Terror?

Nothing good, that's for sure.

So then why is there blood on her hands?

And why can't she remember anything?

 

*Reviewer Comment*

Robyn C... 
Night Terrors by Melissa Bell
I was hooked from the very beginning by the great characters and storyline, it intrigued me and needed to know more. I loved Bailey, the female lead character, she was so straightforward and honest. Quintin, the male lead character, was so caring... enough said about him... you have to read it yourself. This short story is filled with terrific expressions that often had me chuckling out loud. I truly hope this story is expanded later as it has the potential for even more, my mind has conjured up all sorts of things! 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Melissa Bell & Jordin Thiele Inc.
• Release date: May 26, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201018351

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Bailey begged her best friend to let her slide from going out on Friday night, only her BFF wasn’t hearing her. Bailey had experienced the shittiest week where everything that could go wrong, seemed to go wrong. She’d lost her wallet, someone had reversed into her car, and to top things off, she’d been let go by her boss. The pharmacy where she worked was going out of business due to competition from one of the largest drugstore chains. The very last thing she felt like doing now was going out clubbing.

Bailey continued to argue trying to worm her way out of going, but with every rebuttal, she found herself being shoved and poked into an outfit.

Bailey was growing more and more agitated that Selena didn’t or wouldn’t understand her position. Although her friend thought her job was worth bupkis, it was still her minimum wage income that paid her bills and kept the roof over her head. Even if that roof was in a less than safe part of town, not everyone could be a doctor or a lawyer, and unlike Selena, who was blessed by the trifecta, Bailey was, for want of a better explanation – average with a less than an average bank account balance.

She bought her clothes from Walmart and Target. Her shoes were from Spend Thrift Shoes. Her makeup was from the discount clearance counter, and her hair was colored from a box dye.

Selena had the silver spoon with the matching gravy boat and condiments set. Her parents were filthy, dirty rich; they were mining magnates, which meant it was old money that seemed to be in a never ending supply when it came to Selena. She drove a new car every year, normally in the price range of around two-hundred-thousand dollars. She wore designer labels that were most likely never below a thousand dollars and never on sale because that meant it wasn’t NOW. It was yesterday. Selena cut the labels off after being only worn once before she gave them away to avoid being caught dead in the same outfit twice. She also took a photo each morning to confirm the outfit was nothing less than stunning. It also prevented her from buying the same outfit more than once. That had only happened one time, and she took to the outfit with a pair of scissors and went full-throttle maniacal on the repeat fashion offender. She later hung the shredded outfit back in her closet to remind her of what happens to socialites that don’t pay attention to what they are purchasing.

Bailey occasionally received a pair of jeans or a coat that wasn’t too far out in the left-field of fashion. However, most of the outfits went to second-hand stores that raised money for good causes. Selena had a great figure, and she liked to show it off, unlike Bailey, who was much more conservative and reserved in her clothing choices.

Selena liked to tease Bailey about being a prude, but Bailey used to think that Selena was too much of a party girl and that one day it was going to catch up with her when she least expected it.

I can’t wear this! I look like a hooker. Bailey glanced in the full-length mirror, examining her appearance front and back, giving it a tug at the hem attempting to cover her lower-level assets.

An expensive hooker, Selena replied, nudging Bailey with her elbow in jest. If you stop being a nun, you might actually get laid. Selena laughed, ignoring Bailey’s horrified goldfish-out-of-water look.

Selena’s phone beeped with her driver, Luke’s text, letting her know he was out the front waiting.

Come on. We need to go. Our ride’s here, Selena advised, grabbing hold of Bailey’s hand and dragging her toward the front door. Bailey tried to dig her heels in but was surprised by how strong the petite harlot was. She was fairly certain the only workout her BFF got was lifting a Martini glass while basting like a Thanks Giving turkey near the pool on any day that ended in a ‘Y.’

Bailey and Selena had been friends for as long as she could remember. Veronica, Bailey’s mother, had been Selena’s nanny before she’d mysteriously gone missing almost ten years ago. Bailey made a mental note to tend to the small plot in the woods behind the manor. It had been a while since she’d taken flowers to her mother’s memorial. It was bittersweet for Bailey because Selena’s parents had taken her in after her mother had vanished, but she still felt like the manor watched her every move whenever she was at the estate. It was where she’d lived growing up, but it was never really her home. She’d often felt as though she were on the trail of something