Christian uses his magic to protect the world from monsters great and small who slither and slime their way into our dimension seeking to satisfy their all-consuming hunger. Not quite human himself, Christian possesses a certain charm that tends to make him irresistible.Especially to women like the one in a slinky red dress who watches him trap a particularly stubborn little beastie one dark night.A woman with powerful magic of her own.In Christian's experience, a woman like that would only seek him out for two reasons. His reputation as a monster hunter. Or his reputation as a ladies' man.He should have known better. "Annie Reed is a master short fiction writer." -Kristine Kathryn Rusch A frequent contributor to both Fiction River and Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, Annie's longer work includes the near-future science fiction short novel In Dreams, the gritty urban fantasy novel Iris & Ivy, and the superhero novel Faster. Annie's short fiction appears regularly on Tangent Online's recommended reading lists, and "The Color of Guilt," originally published in Fiction River: Hidden in Crime, was selected as one of The Best Crime and Mystery Stories 2016. A founding member and contributor to the innovative Uncollected Anthology, Annie can be found on the web at

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