Mark Cassell

Fiends Mark Cassell

Ten Fantasy Stories by Ten Authors. Of all paranormal creatures, demons are the most dangerous. Intelligent and deceitful, they are masters of disguise and crafty manipulation. They stir evil desires, exploit moral weaknesses, disguise the boundaries between right and wrong, plant convictions in the victim's mind, and persuade humans that they want the thing the demon aims to bring about. Every culture in the world has demons, but their shape, nature and purpose varies so much that it would be impossible to give a single definition. In this anthology, ten authors share their vision of demons, some drawing from their ethnic and cultural backgrounds, others inspired by observations from real life, all blended with the writers' vivid imagination. Their stories span a wide spectrum of styles - scary, funny, disturbing and thought-provoking. 1. THIEF AND DEMON by Jake Elwood A gutter rat gets an offer she can't refuse. 2. DISTURBED by Mark Cassell A deep-rooted evil awakens and the camping trip turns sour. 3. NINE RINGS OF SILVER AND ONE OF BRONZE by Rayne Hall Time has come for Mourad to face his fear and atone for his guilt. 4. DETRITUS AT THE CHURCH FÊTE by Heide Goody and Iain Grant A demon is sent to earth to disrupt the harmless pleasures of English rural life. 5. NON-DISCLOSURE by Mitch Sebourn An ailing lawyer investigates a potential lawsuit involving a demon of Native American tradition. 6. INNER DEMON by Pamela Turner Desperate to break his curse, a hemophobic serial killer confronts his inner demon. 7. NEREZZA by Debbie Christiana In the end, who's the real demon? 8. THE DEVIL NEVER TAKES A VACATION... AND NEITHER DO I by Douglas Kolacki A man whose profession is all things spiritual, ought to have known... 9. THE TOUCH OF THE TANIWHA by Tracie McBride The Taniwha. Protector? Monster? Or something else entirely? The four perspectives presented in this tale may not bring you any closer to the truth. 10. STONE CITY, OLD AS IMMEASURABLE TIME by Kelda Crich An ancient voice speaks across continents; a mother hears the call.