The Woman Who Wasn't

Christian uses his magic to protect the world from monsters great and small who slither and slime their way into our dimension seeking to satisfy their all-consuming hunger. Not quite human himself, Christian possesses a certain charm that tends to make him irresistible.Especially to women like the one in a slinky red dress who watches him trap a particularly stubborn little beastie one dark night.A woman with powerful magic of her own.In Christian's experience, a woman like that would only seek him out for two reasons. His reputation as a monster hunter. Or his reputation as a ladies' man.He should have known better. "Annie Reed is a master short fiction writer." –Kristine Kathryn Rusch A frequent contributor to both Fiction River and Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, Annie's longer work includes the near-future science fiction short novel In Dreams, the gritty urban fantasy novel Iris & Ivy, and the superhero novel Faster. Annie's short fiction appears regularly on Tangent Online's recommended reading lists, and "The Color of Guilt," originally published in Fiction River: Hidden in Crime, was selected as one of The Best Crime and Mystery Stories 2016. A founding member and contributor to the innovative Uncollected Anthology, Annie can be found on the web at www.annie-reed.com.