I am happy to announce that MALDITA released on October 30, 2024.

The story centers around James and the affair he had with his Spanish teacher, Cecilia, while in high school ten years ago. Cecilia disappeared shortly before graduation without so much as a goodbye. James moved on with his life and put her memory behind him. But when a local barfly mentions her to him during a conversation, those memories are stirred up once again and he decides to send an email to her on the off chance that she might respond. After she does, and they make plans to met up, James finds out that the girl he is currently seeing, Bethany, is pregnant. As the day of their reunion approaches, James quickly realizes that the old saying ‘be careful what you wish for’ is the truest warning ever spoken.

Blood-sucking witchcraft revolving around the legendary Tlahuelpuchi of Tlaxcala, Mexico comes into play and James’s life becomes a living hell. The Tlahuelpuchi prey upon infants once a month, feeding off their blood. Here is a link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKDBNC8S

Here is a preview of MALDITA. . . .

FEEDING

Candice and Gerard Samuelson had struggled to have a child for the last three years. Finally, the in-vitro had worked, and three months ago, they welcomed Natalie into the world. The world was not a nice place, but they were prepared to shelter and protect their newborn and nurture her. They envisioned her future daily, imagining everything she would become and how she would inherit their better traits and possibly change the world.

Gerard worked in IT at the hospital, and tonight the nurse’s station was on the fritz. Being the only person that could fix it, he was working late. Candice sat on the couch watching wealthy housewives fight about stupid shit while she waited. Natalie slept in her bassinet nearby.

At first, Candice thought the soft knocking was her imagination. But after the third time, she muted the television when the knock became more insistent. Picking up her phone, she saw an alert from their doorbell camera. She opened the app and saw a woman standing on the porch. She noted that it was past nine o’clock. They rarely had visitors, especially this late. She pressed the button to speak through the doorbell.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

The woman looked at the camera, and Candice could see worry on her face.

“I know it is late, but can I please use your phone? I got a flat tire, and my phone was shut off yesterday, and I don’t get paid until Friday and I need to call my boyfriend.”

Candice remembered struggling through a similar situation when she was younger and empathized with the woman. She went to the door, stopping at the entry table. Gerard kept a small pistol inside a decorative wooden box on the table for moments like this, and Candice knew how to use it. She took it out and slipped it into her jeans pocket, keeping her hand over it.

Opening the door, Candice was struck by the Hispanic woman’s beauty, even with visible scars on her neck. Her enchanting eyes made Candice’s hand fall away from the gun.

“Thank you so much,” the woman said. When she looked into Candice’s eyes, Candice felt a sense of calm and relaxation wash over her.

“Please come in,” Candice said, stepping out of the way.

“You have such a beautiful home, Candice,” the woman said.

Candice felt no alarm at the fact that she had not introduced herself. She took the gun from her pocket and dropped it back into the box. “Thank you. You need to use my phone?”

“No, not anymore. But I would love to meet Natalie if that is okay.”

“Of course,” Candice smiled. “It’s almost time to breastfeed her anyway. I’m sure she would love to meet you also. What was your name again?”

“That sounds amazing,” the woman said.

Candice looked down at Natalie, again seeing everything she would become. Her heart swelled as she lifted her from the bassinet and held her close. Natalie stretched and did not cry. Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled.

“Have a seat,” Candice told her. “I will let you hold her after she is fed.”

“Perfect,” the woman replied.

Candice sat down, and the woman took her place right beside her.

Candice opened her shirt and placed her nipple in Natalie’s eager mouth. There was no awkwardness in the moment as the woman leaned over and took her other breast into her mouth. Candice felt both Natalie and the woman drawing milk from her for sustenance. As she fed, Candice softly stroked the woman’s hair with her free hand.

Natalie detached when finished. The woman followed her lead and pulled away from Candice’s nipple, gently wiping her lips and sitting back. Candice kissed Natalie and looked into her eyes again before holding her out to the strange woman.

“Would you like to hold her now?”

“Of course,” she said, taking her into her arms. Candice buttoned her shirt and watched the woman admiring her child. “She is just precious.”

“Thank you. She was truly a blessing to us.”

The woman stood with Natalie and swayed back and forth, holding Natalie close.

“Thank you for sharing her with me,” she said, cradling her head against her breast.

Candice watched as she held Natalie close. Pride swelled in her chest as she witnessed the woman lean forward and bury her teeth into the back of Natalie’s neck. Natalie wriggled against her, crying out softly, and it made Candice smile. Natalie was eager to give herself to the woman.

Candice reached out to gently pat Natalie’s back to express how proud she was of her little girl. The woman finished draining her blood, smiling as she swallowed the last bit.

“Thank you, Candice,” she said earnestly. Natalie’s limp body sagged in her arms.

“No, thank you for the opportunity to share her with you,” Candice said.

“Why don’t you rest for a while?” she said. “I’ll be out of your hair in a minute.” “Alright,” Candice said. She sat down and closed her eyes, drifting off almost immediately with the solace that she had supplied the world with her own little miracle.