Gaza Love: Girls Kissing Girls, #15

By Lee Cushing

Kate was a dedicated aid worker, a doctor working in Gaza to relieve suffering and starvation. She was a compassionate human being, one to whom war was a completely unthinkable foreign concept.

 

Nia was a mercenary, trained to kill. She was an expert in dealing with absolutes. 

 

The moment Kate and Nia met amid the horrors of war, their attraction to each other was undeniable. As their love grew amidst the carnage of war, the two women were thrown together in a situation that no one should have to face

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lee Cushing
• Release date: Mar 25, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224766017

Lee Cushing

Lee Cushing is a paranormal thriller author and a lifelong fan of the occult. Having become obsessed with supernatural folklore and the world of horror from an early age, Lee has spent years studying tales of the occult and immersing himself in stories of otherworldly phenomenon. He’s also the owner of a number of vampire and horror-related groups in Facebook, where fellow fans of the supernatural come together to celebrate and discuss all things paranormal.  His debut novel, Voodoo Mambo, blends high-stakes action and shadowy agencies with a dark underworld of demonic creatures and their insidious plots to attack humanity. Lee draws his inspiration from classic horror movies – including Hammer and Universal – as well as beloved TV shows including Doctor Who, Supernatural, The Avengers, and Buffy The Vampire Slayer. 

Book preview

Chapter One

The midday sun hammered down on the ravaged landscape, turning Gaza into a shimmering mirage. Dust devils pirouetted across the rubble-strewn streets, mocking the tattered UN flags fluttering outside the dilapidated clinic. Katie Martin, her blonde ponytail escaping its braid, squinted through the dust at the makeshift sign scrawled above the doorway: Free Medical Care.

Inside, the air hung thick with the scent of disinfectant and despair. A line of weary faces snaked through the cramped waiting room, each etched with a story Katie ached to hear. She tightened the straps of her backpack, its weight a familiar comfort – a portable pharmacy of hope amidst the wreckage.

A deep rumble cut through the murmuring crowd. Heads swiveled towards the doorway as a figure shrouded in khaki materialized in the dusty sunlight. Even from a distance, the aura of controlled power was unmistakable. The woman strode in, boots clicking on the concrete floor, her dark hair pulled back in a tight bun. Her face, obscured by a pair of mirrored sunglasses, held an unreadable expression.

Doctor Bashir? the woman inquired, her voice a low contralto that sent a shiver down Katie's spine.

There was a collective sigh of disappointment from the queue. A young woman with a bandaged arm shuffled forward. There's no Dr. Bashir anymore, miss. He left last week. We have a new volunteer doctor, though.

The woman turned towards Katie, a hint of surprise flickering beneath the mirrored lenses. You're the doctor?

Katie straightened, pride battling her apprehension. Dr. Martin, actually. But yes, I'm here to help.

The woman removed her sunglasses, revealing sharp grey eyes that held the glint of battle-tested steel. Nia Parker, she said, extending a hand. It was firm, calloused, and surprisingly warm. Security detail.

Katie felt a flicker of annoyance. Security detail? This wasn't a warzone, it was a clinic. But something in Nia's gaze, a flicker of empathy beneath the steely resolve, made her temper subside. Security isn't exactly the warmest welcome, Katie observed, shaking Nia's hand.

War isn't exactly a warm place, Nia countered, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. It was a smile that held the weight of a thousand unseen battles, yet softened the sharp angles of her face.

I’ll be over there. We can talk more later, I suppose? Nia said, gesturing towards the door.

Yeah, sure. Katie nodded.

The rest of the day unfolded in a blur of hurried consultations and diagnoses. Katie worked with practiced efficiency, treating everything from shrapnel wounds to chronic malnutrition. Nia stood guard by the door, a silent bulwark against the chaos that threatened to spill into the already over-crowded clinic.

As the last patient shuffled out, exhaustion settled over Katie like a heavy cloak. She sank into a chair, pinching the bridge of her nose. Long day? Nia's voice came from behind her.

Katie glanced up, surprised. Nia had shed her stoic exterior, her face softened with concern. You can say that again, she sighed. Every day feels like trying to plug a hole in a sinking ship.

Nia sat down opposite her, a glint of understanding in her eyes. "You wouldn't be here if you didn't believe it