S.G. Slade
When visions of death haunt her every move, only the darkest magic can save her.
Sarah Stone’s family have always closely guarded the secrets of their witchcraft. Though they tend as healers to those that know them, few guess the truth of the family’s skills.
But others have secrets too, and when Sarah finds herself caught in the grip of a terrifying curse, she fears for the fate of all she holds dear. As a dark shadow haunts the taverns and brothels of Bankside, whispers of the curse begin to spread. Then she is accused of witchcraft, and there seems to be no escape.
In a world where the those called Witch end up on the gallows, can Sarah find a way to turn the curse aside? Or will the price be too high to pay?
Content warning: strong sex scenes and the occult.
Touch of a Witch is the first standalone novel in the seductive Darkness Rising series.
An earlier version of this novel was published previously as Shakespeare’s Witch
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EXCERPT:
In her chamber Sarah peeled off the damp outer layers of her clothing and shivered as the cold air brushed her skin. The hearth was grey and cold and she rubbed at herself with a towel, pale skin reddening. Then she dressed herself again, in plain dark wool that felt good and warm, hanging up the damp clothes and hoping the bodice would be dry by the morning; she wanted to wear it again. She had liked the new shape of her body and had seen Nick pass his eyes across her with pleasure more than once. For a moment she sat on the edge of her bed, reluctant to go back downstairs and face her parents, in spite of the cold. She wanted to think about Nick and recall the look in his eyes when he saw her. The thought of it kindled a heat inside her, a new and unfamiliar warmth – she wondered what he was doing now, if he was still drinking with Tom and the others, or if some whore had taken his fancy and was giving him pleasure. She sighed, envious; she had only the vaguest notion of the ways a woman might pleasure a man. It was not something she could ever ask her mother: her mother’s sternness discouraged such intimate questions. Perhaps she should ask Tom, she thought. She knew without a doubt that he was skilled in such things.
Standing up, bracing herself to go downstairs for supper, Sarah ran her hands once more across her bodice and down the lines of her hips and her thighs, attempting to feel her body as a man might do, and understand. Heat prickled again through her limbs and she swallowed, aware of her breathing, a new light-headedness. An image of Nick played across her thoughts, his fingers caressing the ample bosom of a whore, his other hand lifting her skirts. She hesitated, the feelings new and disturbing: she was uncertain how to respond to them, and their intensity left her breathless. She stood for a moment in the cold room, struggling to calm her breathing and quiet the restlessness in her body. Finally, when she thought she was once more in command of herself, she took a single deep breath, squared her shoulders and headed downstairs for supper.
Author Bio:
S.G. Slade was born and raised in the historic city of Bristol in England, and now lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband, son, and a very small dog called Livvy. She has worked variously as a secretary, a teacher, a shop assistant and a nurse, but lifelong obsessions with books, history, and magic have never waned. When she isn’t reading or writing (which isn’t often), you can find her either doing yoga, going for long walks, or watching old movies. Touch of a Witch is her first historical fantasy book.
She uses the pen name S.G. Slade for her fantasy books, and also writes Historical Fiction under the name Samantha Grosser.
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