Maze of Deceit: A Short Story

By Inge-Lise Goss

When Angela's lover, Lucius, returns from a long absence and finds her pregnant with his child, his rage causes her to evade his grasp and run for her life. One by one, people she trusts betray her. Even her church doesn't provide her sanctuary. Angela realizes the maze of deceit around her extends farther than she could have ever imagined. Is she doomed or can she escape Lucius's henchmen?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inge-Lise Goss
• Release date: Nov 17, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223598787

Book preview

MAZE of DECEIT

Creeping through the woods with only the moon and stars to light her way, Angela stopped often to listen for sounds of movement behind her. After trekking through what seemed like an unending labyrinth of oak and pine trees, she sank down on a patch of overgrown wild grasses to catch her breath. She leaned against a tree stump as fear gripped her thoughts. Why did I never suspect him?

The sound of dogs barking and growling erupted off in the distance. Angela leapt to her feet, believing they were her lover’s Uncle Edwin’s hunting dogs. The ones that looked more like wolves than domestic dogs. The beasts licked his hands and snarled at her the first time he took her to his uncle’s place, the eerie mansion with gargoyles lining the edge of a slate roof stood on the crest of the hill overlooking the town of Renfield. The Victorian with its heavy drapes, dim lights, and dark corners reminded Angela of vampire movies. She had only been to the mansion once—one time too many.

Rustling of leaves, snapping of twigs, and growling of the pack grew louder. Men shouted, too far away for Angela to determine what they were yelling. She heard water cascading over boulders and knew the river had to be close. Going around a clump of trees, her shoe sank into a mud bank. In front