The Galloping Ghoul of Hockomock Swamp

By Eden Glenn

M/M Historic Erotic Romance Novelette

The Galloping Ghoul rides each full moon, exacting revenge by frightening those who tormented his past. Ike Sandhill, a government surveyor goes to the extreme to prove to everyone how straight laced he is. Nathaniel Hawkins, an affluent entrepreneur sees beyond Ike's façade and wants to protect him from the local thugs. Nathaniel doesn't know how to confess his desire without driving Ike away. He comes up with a plan of seduction. Before the night is over Ike discovers things about himself he always knew, yet denied.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Eden Glenn
• Release date: Sep 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393488811

Eden Glenn

Eden Glenn and her wife "the Lady Librarian" live in the eastern lee of the smoky mountains outside of Asheville, NC on a little piece of land they've named 2 Ole Foxes Farm. Their household is owned by a miniature spotted donkey, a pinto Shetland and palomino ponies, a couple of nuisance Corgis’.  When she's not writing she enjoys being Garden Goddess, dabbling in Essential Oils, playing dulcimer, riding her motorcycle or driving her Shetland ponies around the neighborhood. She loves hearing from readers. Romance So Hot It Burns Off The Pages

Book preview

Chapter One

Desperate to catch the horse and rider racing down the dirt road ahead of him, Nathaniel Hawkins leaned lower in the saddle. He panted to breathe through the icy fear clenched around his throat. Nathaniel stroked the ebony horse’s neck with his palm, urging the beast faster. His whispered words of encouragement spurred a powerful leap in the animal’s stride, as his chants, in cadence, became prayer. Ahead, unaware of the danger, Ike Sandhill dodged branches threatening to knock him from the saddle.

Ike’s panicked flight pushed the old jug headed horse he rode beyond its endurance. The hapless government surveyor wasn’t much of a rider, yet somehow, he clung to the animal’s back, like a master horseman. Moments into the mad flight, the saddle had slipped almost throwing him before the girth broke, freeing his horse to run faster. His coat, ripped by branches, fell in tatters shortly after he lost the saddle, yet the stuffy hat he wore remained twisted at a ludicrous angle, snug on his head.

Nathaniel drew closer in the deadly race. Ahead, unaware of the danger, Ike Sandhill clung to the galloping horse. The full moon cast an eerie glow through the trees. Plucking fingers grasped to harvest the rider mid-flight. Ike looked over his shoulder at his relentless pursuer. The full moon illuminated the stark terror on Ike’s face, proof of how far ahead they remained.

The monthly retribution Nathaniel played out on those who had tormented and bullied him through his youth wasn’t intended for Ike. His involvement was a case of being at the wrong place, at the right time. The pale light illuminated the distance remaining between the pair. Ike’s exhausted animal swerved on the treacherous path toward the swamp and headed straight for the quicksand bog.

Sweat lathered the laboring animal. Nathaniel saw the course and remained powerless to stop the tragedy as it unfolded. The miserable beast would flounder and mire in the bog. His weight would suck Ike down into the muck before Nathaniel could reach them.

Nathaniel drew closer in the deadly race. The gap closed but not fast enough and his heart jolted when the tired animal stumbled.

Socrates! Ike shouted the encouragement to his floundering steed.

Nathaniel struggled to rescue Ike from himself. He didn’t have time to calculate a fancy plan. He just needed one that would work. His options were limited but inspiration with a dose of blind luck seldom failed him. He threw back the cloak of his headless ghoul disguise, surprised the costume survived the mad race. The muskmelon head he carried to aid his full moon revelry would be forfeit. Mother luck, do not fail me now. Nathaniel lobbed the ball shaped fruit at Ike’s ridiculous hat to save the life of the man he’d benefactored, secretly lusted after and suspected he