Guest Post: Music and Writing (Damned Series by LM Pruitt)+ excerpt

HODGE-PODGE

Playlists are a huge thing in the book world. Readers always want to know what writers were listening to when they wrote that scene, you know the one, the one which ripped the reader’s heart out or sent shivers down their spine or made the reader’s heart beat a little faster. Writers, for the most part, are more than happy to share the details of what inspired them or helped move the story along. Karen Marie Moning, for example, is famous for not only sharing her playlist but also incorporating lyrics into her work.

Unfortunately, I am not nearly as organized.
Now, that isn’t to say I don’t listen to music when I’m working. However, since I tend to write in coffee shops and restaurants, whatever I’m listening is Pandora or Muzak with the occasional political discussion thrown in for good measure. The music in the coffee shop tends to change with whoever is behind the counter—Mondays and Wednesdays, it’s eighties music with a foray once in a while in to classic country. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, it’s music from the fifties and sixties, heavy on the Rat Pack and blues.
This is music which, for the most part, I wouldn’t listen to while relaxing at home. It is, however, music which has provided some of my biggest plot breakthroughs. The huge cliffhanger scene at the end of BARRY which set up the premise for DAMNED happened because I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You played on Pandora and got stuck in my head for a week. The first intimate scene in DAMNED was written while Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On was playing in the background—which gave me more than a few giggles, to be honest. As I’m writing this, getting ready to dive back in to the world of DAMNED, Tainted Love is playing on Pandora—again, shockingly apropos.

Influence can come in the strangest of places and at the strangest of times. Mine tends to come at eight in the morning, surrounded by ducks and people on their way to work and a hodge-podge of music—and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Damned (Damned Book One)

by LM Pruitt
Release Date: February 15
Genre: PNR
256 pages
From the writer of the international bestselling WINGED series comes a look at the other side... where it's good to be bad....

I was thirty years old when I chose to die--or rather to give up my soul.

Eternal youth, endless money... and sex.

Mind blowing, life changing, otherworldly sex.

For all those things, being damned is a small price to pay.

WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS GRAPHIC LANGUAGE AND EXTREMELY GRAPHIC SEX SCENES. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

Amazon

See the Entire 4 Book Series on Amazon

4 1/2 Sheep Review of Damned

Excerpt Damned:
“I’m Lacey Jackson.” She stuck out one hand, something in her eyes daring me to not take it. “And you are…?”

“Julie Watson.” I took her hand, making my reluctance more than obvious. The second my skin made contact with hers, a spark of energy shot through me so violently I couldn’t help but gasp. Swallowing, I said, “What brings you to Savannah?”

“Oh, I’m here for work.” Without releasing my hand, she slipped out of her seat and slid in to the one across from me. Leaning in, she lowered her voice and said, “I was fully prepared for it to be another dull, routine trip but now… well, now I think I’m glad I got assigned this route.”

“Oh.” The low fluttering in my stomach wasn’t unfamiliar—I was far from a virgin and I’d not only done Mardi Gras and Spring Break in Miami but I’d also spent a month in Europe after my college graduation. But this… this was something different. And not because it was caused by a woman.

This was… raw. Visceral. Almost feral. Like she’d tapped in to some hunger I wasn’t even aware I’d had and now that I did the idea it would go unfulfilled was almost too much to bear.

“You should come work with me.” She lifted our joined hands, brushing her lips over my knuckles. “I have a feeling you would be… amazing.”

“What?” It was as if all my attention was focused on the small bit of skin where she’d kissed me, tendrils of lust spooling out through the rest of my body in lazy ribbons. “What do you… what do you do?”

“I collect souls.” Her eyes darkened, her breath catching in her throat and I realized for the first time I wasn’t the only one affected by our contact. “Or rather the energy from them. The actual soul is taken up by someone else—it doesn’t matter, the details can be explained later.”

“You collect….” I trailed off, part of me sure she was joking and an even larger part of me sure she wasn’t. “Really. Why?”

“Because I can.” She flicked her tongue over her lips and I sucked in a shallow breath. “Because it’s fun.”

“But that would make you….”

“A demon, yes.” This time when she smiled, a dimple appeared in her left cheek and I was caught with the sudden urge to kiss it. “More specifically a succubus.” My confusion must have shown because she laughed. “I fuck people for their energy—sometimes to death, sometimes not. It all depends.”

“And you want to do that to me?”

“Oh, no.” She shook her head, her hair sliding across her shoulders, the tips curling over the swell of her breasts. “I told you. I want you to work with me and my sisters and Lilith.” She leaned closer and I breathed deep, the scent of her perfume almost painfully exotic. “I want you to join the ranks of the Morning Star and spend eternity tempting the weak and the wicked.”

What she was suggesting was lunacy. Madness. Even if I believed her, the idea of giving up my life to be some sort of demonic minion was ridiculous. Although….

What would I be giving up? A lifetime spent catering to David’s whims, denying myself the things I truly enjoyed because it would be bad for his reputation or his political chances or his weight? A lifetime attempting to please my parents and knowing it would never happen because nothing would ever overshadow Joanne’s sacrifice? A lifetime being nothing but the substitute?

What, exactly, would I be giving up?

“Jules.” The nickname I hated hearing from David sounded and felt like a caress coming from Lacey. Lifting our hands again, she ran her tongue over one of my fingertips before nipping lightly. Her voice was heavy with promise when she spoke again. “Come play with me.”

“Yes.” I breathed out the single word before leaning over the table and crushing my mouth to hers.

Who needed a soul anyway?

Wicked (Damned Book Two)

by LM Pruitt
Release Date: April 2017
Genre: PNR
181 pages
All things truly wicked start from innocence.
—Ernest Hemingway

Being a demon isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Especially when you make a massive mistake your first month on the job.

Even more so when your sister is one of the all-star players on the other team.

Add in the rumors of not one but two coups and it’s not hard to see—something wicked this way comes….

Amazon

5 Sheep Review of Wicked

Ruin (Damned Book 3)

by LM Pruitt
Release Date: May 31, 2017

Genre: PNR
83 pages
I can resist everything except temptation—Oscar Wilde

But what happens when temptation is everywhere?

Cam is tempting to me toward the darkness.

Barry is tempting me toward the light.

And I want them both. I want it all.

Temptation will be my salvation. Or my ruin.

Amazon
5 Sheep Review of Ruin

Torment (Damned Book Four)

by LM Pruitt
Release Date August 8, 2017
Genre: PNR
164 pages
Enemies are so stimulating.--Katherine Hepburn

If you can look past the part where they're trying to kill you.

The Damned want my head on a platter. The Winged have similar plans.

As for Morning Star and the Power... well, only They know.

One false step... and everything is lost.

CONTAINS SCENES OF GRAPHIC LANGUAGE AND SEXUAL ACTIVITY. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

Amazon
4 Sheep Review of Torment

About the Author:

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L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She knows this because she's killed bamboo. Twice. She is the author of the Winged series, the Plaisir Coupable series, Jude Magdalyn series, the Moon Rising series, and Taken: A Frankie Post Novel.

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Spotlight: Torment (The Damned Series Book Four) By LM Pruitt

Torment (The Damned Series Book Four)

By LM Pruitt
August 8, 2017
Genre: PNR
Enemies are so stimulating.--Katherine Hepburn

If you can look past the part where they're trying to kill you.

The Damned want my head on a platter. The Winged have similar plans.

As for Morning Star and the Power... well, only They know.

One false step... and everything is lost.

CONTAINS SCENES OF GRAPHIC LANGUAGE AND SEXUAL ACTIVITY. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

Amazon

Torment is the fourth book in the L.M. Pruitt’s Damned series. The series follows the demonic adventures of Julie, southern debutante turned succubus. At this point in the series, Julie and her entourage of supernatural male devotees continue their campaign to overthrow hell’s ruling party and establish a new underworld order. Facing threats at every turn, Cam, Julie and their eclectic, ever-growing team braces for battle. Luckily Julie has a literal guardian angel in her sister Joanne, a key player for the heavenly realm.

Torment is more slight than other installments in the series. This story is less about character development, and Pruitt’s signature sensual expression, and more about plot advancement. There are some serious shakeups in Torment that will inevitably change the trajectory of Julie’s tale and character.

I like this series for its unorthodox character dynamics and outrageous sexual energy. It’s different. You must suspend traditional beliefs of monogamy, love, and relationship to enjoy Damned. I’ve recommended this series to friends, but for some, it’s been too much of a leap. If you’re looking for a walk on the wild side with a formidable female main, Damned may be the series for you.

Double  Sheep Book Review: Damned (A Damned Novel #1)

Reviews: Wicked (Damned Book 2)

Review: Ruin (Damned Book 3)

Four Sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:
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L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She knows this because she's killed bamboo. Twice.  She is the author of the Winged series, the Plaisir Coupable series, Jude Magdalyn series, the Moon Rising series, and Taken: A Frankie Post Novel.

Book Review: Ruin (Damned Book 3) by LM Pruitt + excerpt

Ruin (Damned Book 3)
by LM Pruitt
May 31, 2017
I can resist everything except temptation—Oscar Wilde

But what happens when temptation is everywhere?

Cam is tempting to me toward the darkness.

Barry is tempting me toward the light.

And I want them both. I want it all.

Temptation will be my salvation. Or my ruin.

amazon

Ruin is the third installment in L.M. Pruitt’s Damned series, a spin off to her vast Winged chronicles. Damned follows the transformation of Julie Watson from entitled socialite to damned succubus. Characterised by its imaginative paranormal intrigue, colourful characters, wry humour, and delicious erotica, this series is fresh to be sure. Pruitt bravely takes her characters into territory rarely traversed in this genre.

In this installment, Julie is steeped in danger as double agent for Abby, right hand to Morningstar. Realizing her life is in serious peril, Julie casts herself in the role of Cambores’ political partner and lover. For his part, Cam wishes to overthrow the leadership of Asmodeus, Julie’s maker and former lover. Over throwing middle management isn’t enough for Cam, however, as he has his sights set on a hellish revolution. Deemed an emergent queen to be, Julie needs to assert herself if she’s going to survive. Julie’s tie to her sister Joanne, a highly influential member of the Winged, only adds a layer of danger and complication to Julie’s operation. But the more time Julie spends with Cam, the more deeply she feels the allure of power.

I’m absolutely loving Julie’s transformation and she’s quickly becoming my new favourite. I’m drawn to her deeply flawed character and unabashed honesty about her shortcomings, materialistic proclivities, and insatiable sexual appetite. Julie’s magnetism is quickly amassing her a rich and wildly entertaining entourage, which is only adding to the entertainment. I’ll even admit, just between us, that I identify more with Julie than I do with most book leads. Julie says what everyone else is thinking but hasn’t dared utter, much less act upon. And Pruitt just keeps taking it there. I’m thrilled to be along for the ride. This series has been my most fun read of 2017 so far.

Excerpt

“Is it done?” Cam strapped the saddle bags he’d somehow managed to stuff all my clothes in to the little bike—not quite a motorcycle but bigger and less dorky than a scooter. When I didn’t answer right away, he stepped over to me, grabbing my face in his hands and squeezing. “Coniglietto. Is it done? Did you take care of her?”

“Yes.” Even to my own ears my voice sounded dull and lifeless. Considering the fact I felt high as fucking kite, I could only assume it was shock. “I took care of her.”

Not in the way he meant, not exactly, but I’d taken care of her the best way I knew how.

I’d done a lot of horrible things, on purpose and accident, and I had no doubt I would do more horrible things still. But I’d be damned even more than I already was before I actually killed my sister.

“Good girl.” Cam pressed a quick, hard kiss to my forehead before steering me toward the bike. “I have little doubt the archangels will be here soon—so we shouldn’t be.”

“Where are we going?” It didn’t matter. I had, for all intents and purposes, hooked my wagon to his. If anyone threw doubt on my commitment to the so-called cause, all Cam would have to do was point out what I’d done to Joanne. Sure, there might be trouble when it came out she wasn’t actually dead but it could all be explained away as yet another newbie mistake.

After all, they taught us how to not kill people. Not the opposite.

“I’m thinking Prague.” He settled himself on the bike, gesturing for me to do the same. He handed me a helmet, his lips curving upward when I stared at it blankly. “Safety, little rabbit. And a disguise. It’s safer for us to blend in at the moment.”

“Right.” My hands felt thick and clumsy as I struggled to strap on the protective headgear and I cursed under my breath when Cam finally took pity on me and did it himself. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Change is hard, little rabbit.” He brushed his lips over mine before flicking the tip of my nose. “Now, let’s go take over the world, hmm?”

Double  Sheep Book Review: Damned (A Damned Novel #1)

Reviews: Wicked (Damned Book 2)

Five Sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:
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L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She knows this because she's killed bamboo. Twice.  She is the author of the Winged series, the Plaisir Coupable series, Jude Magdalyn series, the Moon Rising series, and Taken: A Frankie Post Novel.

Book Reviews: Wicked (Damned Book 2) by L.M. Pruitt

Wicked (Damned Book 2)

by L.M. Pruitt
April 5, 2017

181 pages

The bestselling series which proves there's no rest for the wicked continues....

All things truly wicked start from innocence.—Ernest Hemingway

Being a demon isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Especially when you make a massive mistake your first month on the job.

Even more so when your sister is one of the all-star players on the other team.

Add in the rumors of not one but two coups and it’s not hard to see—something wicked this way comes….

amazon

Southern belle Julie is a newly created succubus. Having traded her eternal soul for a life of passion and glamour, Julie is still learning to navigate the complex dynamics of her new reality. In this second installment, Julie is given a covert assignment to uncover details of a brewing coup among the ranks of incubi and succubi. As a succubus turned spy, Julie is continually forced to compromise her relationships and very existence to deliver intel to Abby, hell’s second in command. Amidst her attempts to please her boss, Julie is also desperately trying to forge a unique identity for herself. As the sister of a heavenly heavy hitter, and the lover of a hellish heavyweight, Julie struggles for autonomy and self-preservation.

I am loving this series. I like Julie as the main character, an anti-hero of sorts. Julie isn’t perfect, not even close, and I like that. I get to lose myself in a character who makes the bad choices and the fallout is oh so entertaining. Julie’s southern charm and manners contrast humorously with her wild sexual abandon. She becomes something of a walking contradiction, but instead of inciting frustration, her follies create intrigue. Because Julie is such a wild card, I really have no clue where all this is leading and I find that refreshing.

This book is full of sex. Like, full. And it’s descriptive. And, at times, unconventional. Surprisingly, though, it works and, for the most part, an integral part of the story. So, if liberal sex isn’t your thing, steer clear.

Book one ends in a cliff-hanger, a technique I don’t care for. With this installment, while there are some major question marks, the transition to book three, Ruin, has been more interestingly set. I can’t wait.

Double  Sheep Book Review: Damned (A Damned Novel #1)

Five Wicked Sheep

Bianca Greenwood

About the Author:
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L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She knows this because she's killed bamboo. Twice.  She is the author of the Winged series, the Plaisir Coupable series, Jude Magdalyn series, the Moon Rising series, and Taken: A Frankie Post Novel.

Double Book Review: Damned (A Damned Novel #1) by LM Pruitt

Damned (A Damned Novel #1)
by LM Pruitt
February 23, 2017
256 pages
All things truly wicked start from innocence.
—Ernest Hemingway
Being a demon isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Especially when you make a massive mistake your first month on the job.

Even more so when your sister is one of the all-star players on the other team.

Add in the rumors of not one but two coups and it’s not hard to see—something wicked this way comes…

Bianca Greenwood's Review

Four ½ Damn’ that’s Good Sheep

Thirty year-old Julie is rather aimless. She’s beautiful and privileged, but not challenged and definitely not happy. When a couple of lust demons make her an offer she can’t refuse, Julie sells her soul in exchange for eternal life, abundant wealth, and endless mind-blowing sex. In exchange, Julie must fill energy quotas for her boss at a weekly tip-in. Julie tumbles headlong into a glamourous lifestyle with an immensely powerful, thousand-year-old demon at her side, barely looking back at the life she left behind.

Julie is an interesting character. She starts the book a bit damaged, a bit empty. Ironically, her transformation into a demon is what makes her more human.  In short order Julie knows she’s being manipulated and there are secrets she needs to uncover. Her journey, so far, is one of self-discovery and awakening. At times she’s definitely not likeable, not even close, but when a main character is an anti-hero, and indulges in things a typical hero wouldn’t, the possibilities are wildly endless. 

Now, this may speak to my own flawed character, but I adore the character of Asmodeus, Julie’s mentor and lover. He’s domineering to the core, but so damn sexy. The relationship between the two is interesting and anything but pedestrian. I’m staunchly team Asmodeus. 

This book is off the charts sexy. So if that’s not your thing, it may not be for you. For the record, it’s sooo my thing and this book was a delicious guilty pleasure and a damn near perfect reading experience. I have one major complaint to lodge. Damned ends with a cliff hanger. I despise cliff hangers. I need closure! Also, there are some emerging character dynamics I don’t care for. But we’ll see where this goes. Eventually.

Every so often, I devour a book.  Damned has been the first book this year to wholly capture my attention. I read with feverish devotion, never wanting it to end. I need book two. Like, now. The book is a spin-off to Pruitt’s Winged series, a series I knew nothing about until this week.  Pruitt’s whole collection just shot to the top of my TBR.

Jeanie G's Review

Getting 3 "you make the decision" sheep!

This is the second book I have read from this author so I went back and looked at the review from last year. I had some of the same concerns. Character building was a little thin but then this book was about Succubi and what can you really say about them!? Constant pleasure? No Judgement? Why not join those ranks when you are unhappy with your human life? I also thought this was a continuation of the "Winged" series but apparently it starts a whole new series. Although characters such as Gideon, Gabriel and Raphael all play some cameo roles.

I still felt like I was missing some background story on Julie's sister who died 3 years ago. She apparently plays an important role in the recruitment of Julie and no mention of where she is or why is provided until the last couple pages. There were other characters introduced but most didn't seem to play a major role.

The first few chapters were fun. The recruitment and mentoring of Julie were pretty standard (I would imagine) for a new Succubi and definitely had the erotic factor front and center. The next 50 percent was mainly more erotica. Julie and her mentor "fall in love" but then jealousy and control rear their ugly heads and Julie begins to question her decisions. I felt like the author got on this track and forgot to get off. Mainly descriptive erotic writing with little substance. The last couple chapters of the read picked up and advanced the story but left you hanging. UGGGGHHH! I would pick up the next installment when it's out but not sure I want to go through a lot of miscellaneous erotica to get to the storyline.

I think I am in the minority with most of L.M. Pruitt's readers as most give rave reviews. I would be more attracted to the books if the storyline instead of the erotica was the main feature. There is a place for both but in my opinion it doesn't work well here.

About the Author:
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L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She knows this because she's killed bamboo. Twice.  She is the author of the Winged series, the Plaisir Coupable series, Jude Magdalyn series, the Moon Rising series, and Taken: A Frankie Post Novel.

Spotlight: Lucy Trilogy (Winged Series books 11-13) by L.M. Pruitt

Burden (Lucy Trilogy Book 1)
Winged Series Book 11 

by L.M. Pruitt
Genre: Urban fantasy/paranormal romance
Publisher: SP Press
Date of Publication: July 26
Word Count: approx. 90K
Cover Artist: Najla Qambler
All my life, I've had plans.

Dying the day before beginning the final year of my surgical residency wasn't one of them.

Finding myself drafted in the eternal war between good and evil wasn't one of them, either.

And dealing with friends, enemies, and lovers I don't remember?

Definitely not in my plans. 

Curse (Lucy Trilogy 2)
Winged Series Book 12
by L.M. Pruitt
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: SP Press
Date of Publication: August 27
Word Count: approx. 90K
Cover Artist: Najla Qambler

The problem with plans?

Even the best ones can go awry. And when they do... all hell breaks loose.

If I've learned only one thing in the last few months, it's the past never dies.

Four plagues down. Six more to come.

We need more than a plan.

We need a miracle.

Redemption (Lucy Trilogy Book 3)

Winged Series Book 13
by L.M. Pruitt
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: SP Press
Date of Publication: September 29
Word Count: approx. 90K
Formats available: ebook
Cover Artist: Najla Qambler
The problem with miracles?

They require a deity who cares.

And if you don't have one of those... you need a sacrifice.

Or the world ends

Winged (books 1-9): The Complete Series Box Set

$.99

amazon

About the Author:
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amazon-goodreads
L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She knows this because she's killed bamboo. Twice. She is the author of the Winged series, the Plaisir Coupable series, Jude Magdalyn series, the Moon Rising series, and Taken: A Frankie Post Novel.

Book Review: Silk by L.M. Pruit

Silk
by L. M. Pruit
April 19, 2016
Genre: Horror
Publisher: S. P. Press
ASIN: B01C4LEG3E
They called it the murder tree.

In 1995, twenty kids went in to the woods. Only three came back alive.

There are monsters in the woods.

Twenty years later, what happened is still a mystery.

The monsters are back.

Now, the town of Silk faces its greatest threat in over two hundred years. No one is safe.

Not even the monsters.

There’s something about camping and ghost stories. Something about being in the dark forest. Most times, telling spooky tales around the campfire gets you nothing, just nightmares that night. But with Eli Crenshaw and his best friends Shepherd Jackson and Isaiah Graves, and seventeen other classmates of theirs, that November night, they found the legends they told were real. They all listened to the tale of the Litz family who wanted to produce silk, unlike the rest of the community who figured rice would be more profitable. The ‘tree’ is where the family met their demise. Eli and Shep had awoken to find 17 classmates hung from the murder tree, like macabre cocoons. They bolted and spent three days in the woods, lost and frightened then finally to escape when they find the highway that led into town. As for Isaiah, he never saw a thing and walked out of the woods back to town alone, with never a nary nightmare to dog his nights to adulthood. But Eli and Shep were not so fortunate. Eli remembered the ‘monster's that chased them in the woods, but no one believed; the sheriff and his parents had combed the woods and found nothing, not even the camp. The deaths became known as the Mulberry Massacre.

About twenty years later, Eli is the chief of police in Silk, Georgia and new clues have surfaced surrounding the murders. Nothing and no one are as they seem but Eli is determined to solve the murders and end the nightmares that have plagued him and his friend.

The three main characters who survived the massacre are all complex. Shep has been taken to psychiatrists, where at one point she went through electroshock therapy that caused memory loss from that night and even before (though, checking up on the procedure, I found it should not have caused her remembrance of the smell of her mother, as that was long before). Though it does not stop her from going off the deep end with sex and drugs. Eli has taken to heavy drinking, bordering on becoming an alcoholic. He drinks to keep the nightmares at bay. As for Isaiah, he is married to Marcie, who is expecting.

Honestly, even though this begins with the characters as middle school kids, I would classify this as an adult read. Suspenseful horror with twists and turns, complex characters with secrets of their own, but not for the faint at heart, this is the perfect story set in autumn for that summer vacation, unless you are camping in the woods.

I gave Silk 4 ½ sheep

Pamela Kinney

November 1995

They called it the murder tree.

The kids did, anyway. To the adults, those people who no longer believed in ghost stories and things that went bump in the night, it was known as the old Litz tree. The last living monument to the family who founded the town before Georgia was even a state, giving their money and lives in the process.

The adults liked to gloss over that particular part of the story when discussing the history of Mulberry.

The kids preferred to linger on it.

Most of them knew the story of the night the Litz family lost their lives before they were even able to read the decades old textbooks grudgingly provided by the Department of Education. By the time they graduated to junior high, all the kids—the cool ones, at least, the ones you wanted at your party or it wasn’t really a party—had camped out next to the murder tree. More than one high school girl had allowed her boyfriend to “comfort” her in the shadow of the ancient mulberry after listening to the story of the Litz family yet again.

You weren’t a part of Mulberry until you had spent your time at the murder tree.

It was the only reason Elias Crenshaw could think of for why he was freezing his balls off on what was shaping up to be the coldest night of the year.

That and the fact Mandy Jones had promised him she’d be there. The way she’d told him, with just the tiniest smile of her bubblegum pink lips and a flutter of lashes, was enough to keep him warm.

But only for another hour. After that, he was going home. The guys could rag him all they wanted on Monday morning. They’d be the one with bug bites and frozen fingers and all the other stupid things that happened when you spent the night in the frickin’ woods. He’d be warm and rested and all studied up for the big biology exam in sixth period.

Man, if he didn’t get at least a C his parents were going to flip. They’d already been on the fence about letting him camp out the Friday before a test. If he failed, they wouldn’t let him out of the house again until the end of the school year. He’d be the only kid not allowed to go the eighth grade prom.

Mandy Jones would never go out with him if he was the loser kid who didn’t go to the prom.

“Your face is going to freeze like that.”

Elias snorted. “No, it won’t.”

“Yeah, it will.” Shephard Jackson widened her already big brown eyes—bug eyes, Mandy called them—and nodded solemnly. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”

“Probably the wrong thing to say when we’re next to the murder tree.” Elias tilted toward her, leaning in with his whole body before hunching his shoulders and shivering. “What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t allowed in the woods after dark.”

“I’m not.” She huffed out a breath, the puff of frosty air doing nothing to dislodge the white blonde hair seemingly glued to her forehead. She’d bleached it the week before on a dare, just like she’d pierced her nose last month and broken in to the library the month before that. “But that’s Kelly’s stupid rule. She keeps trying to act like she’s my mom or something.”

“Well, she married your dad.” Elias winced when she reached over and smacked him on the back of his head. “Jesus, Shep.”

“You’re not supposed to take her side. You’re supposed to take mine.” She sniffled and swiped her hand under her nose. “That’s what best friends do.”

“Fine, whatever.” When Shep sighed, Elias rolled his eyes. “It’s a stupid rule and she’s a bitch and she should stop trying to act like she’s your mom.”

“Thank you.” The pseudo sniffling immediately stopped and she leaned in to him, her slight frame weighing next to nothing. After a moment, she said, “What are you doing here?”

“Rite of passage.” He nodded at the small group clustered around the carefully constructed fire. Albert had insisted they follow all the safety rules for lighting a fire in the woods, reminding everyone of Smokey the Bear’s immortal saying. “Supposed to be more people coming. Real party.”

“Oh, please.” She scoffed, the harsh exhalation shaking her entire body. “You’re here because Mandy Jones said she was going to be here. Her and her little group. They’re so… ugh.” She shook her head before turning to scowl at him. “You couldn’t fall in love with some girl who can actually have a conversation for longer than five minutes without mentioning cheerleading or makeup?”

“First, I’m not in love with her.” Elias returned her scowl, narrowing his eyes to slits. “We barely know each other.” Truth, even though he’d spent countless hours imagining what it would be like to kiss her. “Second, just because she’s not fighting the power or whatever you do when you’re not pissing off your stepmom doesn’t make her stupid. She’s really smart.”

“Eli, she said it was ridiculous to have the term ‘african-american’ because if you were born in America you obviously couldn’t be from Africa.”

“Well.” He paused, racking his brain for an explanation even as he winced. “You know, there are a lot of adults who feel the same way. Like we should all just embrace our current culture and let of our heritage.”

“Right.” Shep snorted and rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” She jerked her chin at the fire. “Let’s go. Story time.”

“Oh, come on.” He groaned, digging in his heels half-heartedly when she tried to drag him toward the group. They both knew it would be impossible for her to move him unless he helped. She was a hundred pounds soaking wet, barely topping five feet while he’d gained twenty pounds since school started. The only reason he wasn’t as fat as a turkey was the corresponding growth spurt, the new six inches putting him dangerously close to six feet. “Not again. We’ve heard this thing a million times.”

“So this will be a million and one. Come on.” She yanked his arm harder, grumbling something under her breath about ogres. “It’s tradition to tell the story at every campout. Besides….” She trailed off, smiling up at him and batting her lashes. “I’m pretty sure Mandy finally arrived.”

“Well, in that case.” He laughed when she gasped, using her moment of feigned shock to scoop her up and toss her over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold. “You know what’s really great about having you as a best friend? You’re easy to pick up when we’re fighting.”

“You’re such a troglodyte.” Shep pounded on his back with her fists, biting back a scream when he took a step forward. “If anybody sees me, I swear—on my mom’s grave—I will make your life miserable for the rest of the year.”

He paused, not at the threat, but the oath. After a minute, he dropped her back to her feet, brushing a speck of something off the shoulder of her jacket. They stared at each other, the awkwardness of the silence nearly tangible. Finally, he said, “Sorry, Shep.”

“Whatever.” Spinning on her heels, she stomped toward the far side of the group, the laces of her combat boots slithering over the dead leaves like a snake. She slid between Albert and Jacob, sneering at something one of them said. Elias watched for another minute before shoving his hands in his pockets and trudging over to join the growing group.

“Hey, Elias.” Mandy half walked, half skipped up to him as he neared the fire, linking her arm with his. “I thought you were going to spend all night talking to that weirdo.”

“She’s not a weirdo.” The defense was as automatic as breathing. “Her mom died, remember? Like, right in front of her. She’s just, you know, grieving.”

“Right.” Mandy sighed, the sort of huge, exaggerated sigh Elias knew meant annoyance at his supposed ignorance. His older sister made the same noise every time he asked her a question. “Whatever. I didn’t come out to these stupid woods to talk about her.” She smiled at him, the fire casting shadows over her normally light and bright face. “I came to hang out with you.”

“Dude, we’re waiting.” Isiah Graves, Elias’s second best friend—but number one guy best friend, as Isiah was quick to point out—raised his voice to an almost shout. Since he’d been the one to propose the campout, he’d insisted he get to tell the story of the murder tree. Elias didn’t bother reminding him it was a hollow honor. “Story and then party. Rules are rules, man.”

“Nobody cares except for you.” Jacob Wesson had the honor of being the oldest person in the group by a month and the first to have a voice which didn’t crack at random moments. “Just get this boring ass shit over with before I die of fucking boredom.”

“Okay, okay.” Isiah hunched his shoulders and shuffled his feet, shooting a glare around the group at large before straightening to his full height. “The year was 1748. The town of Mulberry was struggling, just as it had been since the Litz family arrived from Germany with a dream of producing silk and other luxury goods.”

“He sounds like a really dorky version of Mr. Young.” Mandy’s breathy whisper smelled like cinnamon and Elias closed his eyes for a split second, inhaling deeply. When he opened them again, she was watching him with a knowing look.

“Everybody else in the town wanted to use the land for rice, something they could use and sell. But the Litz’s refused to give up their dream.” Isiah paused, drawing out the attempt at suspense. “Finally, the people of Mulberry decided enough was enough.”

Even though everybody knew how the story went, how it ended, every last one of them inched closer. The next part of the tale was always told in a voice barely above a whisper, as if the long dead participants would hear and interrupt to correct the teller on some minute point. Tonight was no exception.

“The entire town, everybody except the children, marched out to the Litz homestead. Josiah Litz tried to talk them down, make them see reason, but he failed.” Isiah stepped back and pointed up at a thick limb jutting out from the trunk in a crooked line. “They strung him up here but the fall didn’t break his neck. So he watched while the town slaughtered his entire family.”

He paused again, the group holding its collective breath. The leaves, long dead but stubbornly clinging to their branches, shivered as a faint wind blew through the forest. Mandy moved closer to Elias and he put his arm around her, ignoring Shep’s eye roll.

Isiah waited a beat longer. “Or rather—almost his entire family.

“They forgot the oldest son was returning from New York. Franz Litz had been gone so long, it was possible the town had forgotten he even existed.” Isiah rapped his knuckles on the tree trunk, nodding solemnly. “But Josiah hadn’t. And while he slowly suffocated to death under the weight of his own body, he swore his family would have their revenge. And they did.

“While the town burned the house and the trees and buried the bodies of the Litz family, Franz, who’d witnessed everything from the safety of the woods, rode in to Mulberry.” Isiah stepped back in to the circle, his low voice forcing everybody to move closer in order to hear. “And hung every last child.”

The wind gusted through the woods again, stronger this time, the trees rattling their limbs in protest. Somewhere in the distance, some animal let out a single short cry, quickly cut off by the crunching of something larger and more dangerous. Elias glanced around the circle, surprised at the number of pale faces and large eyes, even as he reminded himself it was only a story.

“The townspeople caught him right after he hung his last victim, a baby barely a month old. They hauled him, kicking and screaming, back to the murder tree.” As one, they turned to look at the ancient mulberry. “Even as they put the rope around his neck, he fought. His last words before the noose broke his neck were ‘A cursed ground bears only poisonous fruit’.”

“Or so they say.” Jacob snorted and shook his head. “Whatever, dude. Stupid story about a whole bunch of dead people.” He nudged Shep with his shoulder and laughed. “Fuck’em. Let’s party.”

The circle broke up in to smaller groups, twos and threes and fours, each cluster wandering away from the murder tree. Mandy gripped Elias’s arm tighter and shivered. “That was so scary, right?”

“Right.” He wasn’t sure if she was being sarcastic or not and the smell of her floral perfume was too distracting for him to try and figure it out one way or the other. “So, uh, did you want to go for a walk or something?”

“A walk?” She laughed and shook her head. “Uh, no.” Still laughing, she slipped away from him, reaching up and pushing her shiny lemon-yellow hair behind her shoulders. “I actually need to go talk to Shanna about the routine for the game tomorrow.”

“Right.” Elias nodded dumbly. “Uh, right. Good luck with that. I’ll just… go… talk to Isiah.”

Elias hunched his shoulders, stalking over to the base of the murder tree. Isiah studied his face, rocking on his heels before sucking air through his teeth. “Man, that was an epic crash and burn. Epic.”

“Shut up.” Elias punched him, pulling back at the last second. Isiah was nearly as skinny as Shep but more fragile looking, as if a good solid blow would break him in two. “She had to go do cheerleading stuff.”

“Cheerleading stuff.” Isiah snorted. “She’s such a fucking tease.”

“Dude, stop.” Elias looked up as another gust of wind shook the branches, a handful of leaves falling down around them like confetti. “Did you have to pick the coldest night ever to do this thing?”

“Nah, that was just luck.” The other boy grinned and attempted to wiggle his eyebrows. “Pretty spooky, right?”

“Whatever.” Elias nudged him with his elbow. “You bring any good snacks or what?”

The crying woke him up.

At first it was just part of the dream. A good dream. A dream where Mandy Jones was dancing with him at prom, telling him how awesome he was and how great he looked and how much she loved him. And then he heard crying but when he looked at Mandy she was still smiling and telling him how she couldn’t wait to kiss him.

“Elias, wake up. Wake up, Elias, wake up.”

“G’way.” He rolled over, smashing his face in the lining of his sleeping bag. “Sleeping.”

“Wake up, please, Eli.”

 At the use of his childhood nickname, he rolled back over, opening his eyes until he was able to squint through heavy lids. “Shep?”

“Quiet.” She cupped her hand over his mouth, leaning down and pressing her lips to his ear. When her cheek touched his, he realized the smooth skin was wet. “We have to run before he finds us.”

He tried to speak again, glaring at her in the dark when she dug her nails in to his jaw. After a moment, he realized she was attempting to turn his head. Rather than struggle, he let her, blinking in an effort to get his eyes to adjust to the nearly non-existent light.

At first he thought someone had thrown a sleeping bag over a branch. Stupid kid stuff. But the longer he stared, the less sense that made and the more details he began to see. Like how it—whatever it was—was thinner at the top, like a rope, before becoming pudgy and then narrowing down to a gentle v shape. How it swung back and forth slowly like an overweight pendulum. How it made a wet, gurgling sound which raised the hairs all over his body.

And then the moon broke free of the clouds and Elias realized it wasn’t a sleeping bag. Not even close.

And it wasn’t the only one hanging from the branches of the murder tree.

He started to scramble to his feet—to run or hide or help his friends—only for Shep to yank him back down. Her voice was tight and thin when she said, “They’re dead. They’re all dead. We have to go.”

Nodding dumbly, he let her pull him further away from the tree, deeper in to the woods. She’d begged and pleaded and whined until he’d agreed to sleep next to her, as far away from the fire as possible while still being in the clearing. The tangle of bushes had provided extra coverage against the northern wind, something he’d been thankful for as the fire died down and the cold set in.

“My shoes.” Even though he knew he spoke, he was barely able to hear himself through her hand. “Shep.”

“There’s no time.” As if to prove her point, she stomped her own bare foot on top of his. “Come on.”

In the darkness behind them, someone giggled.

They ran.

Elias glanced over his shoulder, nearly tripping and falling when he saw a fire, this one easily twice as big as the one Albert had so carefully built hours earlier. And standing around it were a half dozen figures, lit by the ghoulish flames.

The faces—long, narrow, big-eyed, slack-jawed, smiling, drooling—were the last things Elias remembered for a very, very long time.

About the Author:
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L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She knows this because she's killed bamboo. Twice. She is the author of the Winged series, the Plaisir Coupable series, Jude Magdalyn series, the Moon Rising series, and Taken: A Frankie Post Novel.