Carnival Read online

  All the bitch had to do was give him what she owed him.

  Why had that turned out to be so hard?

  The pressure between his ears rose suddenly, the way it did in elevators that went up into high buildings. He shook his head to clear it.

  When he opened his eyes again, there she was. The devil herself.

  “I wondered when I might be seeing you,” he said. He sat up on his elbows and regarded the young woman. She wasn’t really a woman. He understood that. But she was pretty to look at all the same.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting,” she said from the shadows.

  It was hard to hear her over the ruckus of the prison. All hours of the night people carried on, hooting and hollering, singing, screaming, or laughing.

  She stepped forward just enough that her mouth and lips were lit by the lights outside his cell.

  “I have a question for you,” she said, and now he could see her eyes too. He’d half expected to see them full of hellfire, but they were a soft brown like his momma’s eyes. Like his little girl Alexis’s eyes.

  “What’s that?” he asked.

  “Why did you lie to Mel?”

  He laughed. “When? I lied to that dumb bitch every day of her life.”

  “The night she hit the fox. Why did you tell her she’d killed someone?”

  Again, Terrence thought of all the ways he wanted to hurt Melly. After pulling off her nails, he wanted to cut her ears, not all at once, but in little slices. Then maybe he would slit the cartilage between her nostrils, giving her one large one instead of two small breathing holes. Oh yes, he could do quite a bit to her face, he thought.

  “I like hurting her,” he said, rolling his eyes up to Lou’s. “Sometimes it feels good. Hurting somebody.”

  He thought she might disappear then, leave him on his mattress with the ruckus of this concrete jungle, and only his mad thoughts to console him through the night.

  But a wicked smile spread across her lips, and Terry worried for the first time that maybe he’d said the wrong thing.

  “I know what you mean,” she said.

  Then her hands were on him, pulling him into the waiting dark.

  Did you enjoy this book? You can make a BIG difference.

  I don’t have the same power as big New York publishers who can buy full-spread ads in magazines, and you won’t see my covers on the side of a bus anytime soon, but what I *do* have are wonderful readers like you.

  And honest reviews from readers garner more attention for my books and help my career more than anything else I could possibly do—and I can’t get a review without you! So if you would be so kind, I’d be very grateful if you would post a review for this book.

  It only takes a minute or so of your time, and yet you can’t imagine how much it helps me. It can be as short as you like, and whether positive or negative, it really does help. I appreciate it so much and so do the readers looking for their next favorite read.

  If you would be so kind, please find your preferred retailer at ➜ https://www.korymshrum.com/carnival and leave a review for this book today.

  With gratitude,

  Kory

  Get Your Three Free Stories Today

  Thank you so much for reading Carnival. I hope you’re enjoying Louie’s story. If you’d like more, I have a free, exclusive Lou Thorne story for you. Meet Louie early in her hunting days, when she pursues Benito Martinelli, the son of her enemy. This was the man her father arrested—and the reason her parents were killed months later.

  You can only read this story by signing up for my free newsletter. If you would like this story, you can get your copy by visiting ➜ www.korymshrum.com/lounewsletteroffer

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  Acknowledgments

  It seems we’ve done it again! Another book is here and I can finally resume bathing and eating and all those things I tend to neglect when I have a deadline. But before I turn on the shower, let me show my appreciation for all those who helped bring this book to life.

  First and foremost, to you, dear reader. You’re four books into the series and you keep reading, so you must find something enjoyable here. Thank you so much. Thank you for reading my work, and sharing my work with your friends and family. You write lovely letters of encouragement and support and you, most importantly, post reviews so that other readers like you can discover and enjoy the series too. Thank you so much for all that you do, and I hope you continue writing stories you love for a long time to come.

  Thanks to Kimberly Benedicto, my lovely wife. I appreciate every attempt you made to keep me fed while I wrote and wrote and wrote. Thank you also for being Carnival’s first reader. And your kind (blunt) criticisms. Read: Why the hell would she do that?

  Thank you to my critique group, The Four Horsemen of the Bookocalypse! To Monica La Porta for her help with the Italian in particular (any remaining errors are my own!). To Angela Roquet for her thoughtful encouragement and Kathrine Pendleton for reminding me to breathe when I start to panic.

  Thank you to Christian Bentulan for another gorgeous cover, and Toby Selwyn for his help with the editing. To Diana Hutchings for patiently answering all my questions about bullet wounds and severed arteries. Merci infiniment à Léa Tiralac for her help with the French dog commands.

  Thanks to my assistant, Alexandra Amor, for formatting the book and for helping me prepare for its release, as well as keeping the show running behind the scenes while I worked.

  All my love to my street team. You guys continue to surprise me. You are always so excited about my work and spread the news far and wide. Thank you for being my biggest (and most appreciated) fans.

  Last but not least, shout out to any typos who made it this far. You’ve survived three editing rounds, a professional copyedit, five beta readers/critiquers, and 172 proofreaders. I’m truly impressed by your tenacity. Teach me your ways.

  About the Author

  Kory M. Shrum is author of the bestselling Shadows in the Water and Dying for a Living series. She has loved books and words all her life. She reads almost every genre you can think of, but when she writes, she writes science fiction, fantasy, and thrillers, or often something that’s all of the above.

  She can usually be found under thick blankets with snacks. The kettle is almost always on.

  When she’s not eating, reading, writing, or indulging in her true calling as a stay-at-home dog mom, she loves to plan her next adventure. (Travel).

  She lives in Michigan with her equally bookish wife, Kim, and their rescue pug, Charley.

  She’d love to hear from you!

  korymshrum.com

  Also by Kory M. Shrum

  Dying for a Living series (complete)

  Dying for a Living

  Dying by the Hour

  Dying for Her: A Companion Novel

  Dying Light

  Worth Dying For

  Dying Breath

  Dying Day

  * * *

  Shadows in the Water: Lou Thorne Thrillers (ongoing)

  * * *

  Shadows in the Water

  Under the Bones

  Danse Macabre


  Carnival

  Devil’s Luck

  * * *

  Design Your Destiny Castle Cove series (ongoing)

  Welcome to Castle Cove

  Night Tide

  * * *

  Learn more about Kory’s work at: www.korymshrum.com

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places have been used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book shall be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission of the publisher. Although every precaution has been taken in preparation of the book, the publisher and the author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of information contained in this book or its misuse.

  All rights reserved

  ISBN: 978-1-949577-27-3

  Copyright © 2019 by Kory M. Shrum

  Cover design by Christian Bentulan

  Editing by Toby Selwyn