DIE FOR ME: A NOVEL OF THE VALENTINE KILLER

By: Cynthia Eden

DIE FOR ME: A Novel of the Valentine Killer Author: Cynthia Eden Publisher: Amazon Montlake Publication date: 02/05/2013

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Prologue

Dark red blotches of blood pooled on her kitchen floor. Katelynn Crenshaw dropped the bags shed been holding as her gaze locked on that blood. The sexy lingerie shed spent an hour picking out at the boutique slithered from the bag and edged into the congealing pool of blood on her marble tile. M-Michael? Her voice came out too low. She cleared her throat and tried again. Michael? Her fianc was the only other person with a key to her place, but his car hadnt been in the driveway out front. He wasnt supposed to get home until after six. She knew because shed planned their whole evening down to his exact arrival so shed have plenty of time to light the candles, get in her sexy outfit and And there was blood on the floor. She spun around and realized that there were more splatters of blood near the basement door. Fear had her heart slamming into her chest.

A burglar. He could have broken inside and cut himself on smashed glass from a window. Oh, shit, but she should have listened to Michael and gotten an alarm installed. Hed told her it wasnt safe to be without one these days. Too many desperate and crazy people were in the world. She yanked out her cell phone even as she began to back away from that basement door. Her fingers dialed quickly, and the rasp of her breathing seemed far too loud. Nine-one-one. What is the nature of your emergency? I think Her voice was a whisper once more. Had the burglar heard her call out for Michael? I think someones in my house. 315 Brentley Road. A hum of silence, then Maam, are you in the house? Y-yes Katelynn pushed away from the kitchen counter and crept into the next room. Get outside, maam. I have a patrol on the way. Go to a neighbors house to wait for There were roses on the dining room table. Red rosesas red as the blood. Michael always brought her roses. And todayValentines Dayhe wouldnt forget the flowers. Roses were on the table, and blood was in the kitchen. Maam? Are you outside, maam? I need you to Katelynn saw the keys then. Michaels keys. They were right beside the roses. For an instant, she couldnt breathe. Her chest hurt, and her throat seemed to close as she struggled to suck in air. Hed parked his SUV in the back. Michael did that sometimes. When he wanted to surprise her, he would park behind her house so she wouldnt see his car when she drove up. I thinkI think my fiancs hurt. She had to force the words over the lump in her throat. Her fingers gripped the cell phone so hard her knuckles ached.

Then she heard the faintest of cries. A muffled groanhurt, weak. The nine-one-one operator was telling her to get out, but Katelynn rushed back to the kitchen. Her high heels slipped in the blood. Michael. She wrenched open the basement door and raced downstairs. She could see Michael. He stood with his back toward her. He had on the thick, black apron that he used when he painted and a wild bubble of euphoria burst through her. Not blood. Paint. Hed just been working and she Her heels clattered down the steps. Michael stiffened. I was so worried about you! She laughed as the words tumbled out. I even called He slowly turned toward her. There was a knife in his hand. One covered in blood. Blood, not paint. The consistency was different, the color was off andblood. Youre home early, he said, but his voice lacked the usual warmth that normally made her smile. She certainly he wasnt smiling now. A dull ringing echoed in her ears, and her gaze flew from the knife to Michaels tense facethen to the work table behind him. A woman was on that table. A woman with light blond hair the exact shade as Katelynns. The woman had been tied down. Long, thin slices covered her arms, and her chest was soaked with blood. A wide strip of gray duct tape covered the womans mouth, and black mascara lines stained her cheeks. Her eyes were wide open and empty. Dead.

Youre home early, Michael said again as he wiped the bloody knife on his black apron. His handsome face flashed with sadness even as his gloved hand gripped the knife handle easily. Thats not supposed to happen. You arent supposed to be here, Kat. She should move. Run. But terror and shock held her immobile. The muffled cry that shed heard before hadnt been his. The womans. Shed still been alive then, shed Katelynn started screaming. And Michael came toward her with the knife.

*** DIE FOR ME: A NOVEL OF THE VALENTINE KILLER is a romantic suspense tale that will be published by Amazon Montlake on 02/05/2013just in time for Valentines Day. More information may be found at www.cynthiaeden.com.

DIE FOR ME blurb: Katherine Cole thought shed found the perfect manuntil he turned out to be the perfect murderer. Victims are left stabbed through the heart and holding a telltale red rose, the calling card of the man known as the Valentine Killer. Three years ago, he vanished. Now hes back. And hes hunting the one who got away. In New Orleans, Katherine dared to hope she was finally safe, yet somehow he found her. This time, Katherine wont just sit silently by; shell do anything to stop this monster. Even trust the sexy cop promising to keep her safe Detective Dane Black never lets his emotions interfere with the job. But when he agrees to protect beautiful Katherine Cole from the brutal Valentine Killer, he cant ignore the passion kindling between them. And after a single unforgettable night binds them body and soul, Dane wont rest until Valentine is dead, and Katherine is safe in his arms.