The Gauntlet
by Karen Chance
"The Gauntlet" is a short story connected to the New York Times bestselling Cassandra Palmer and Dorina Basarab series of urban fantasy novels. It features Kit Marlowe in a supernatural thriller set in Elizabethan England. First published in the Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2, it is now being offered as a free ebook. The sequel is "The Queen's Witch."Chauvinistic Adam Hodson, has the experience to remember when his new rented house catches fire and he is moved into a house of liberal, female nudists. As he struggles fully adapt, it is not just Adam who has to learn, as the girls have to adjust to his own foibles, weaknesses, and those of his violent, racist friend.Join Sarah, the sharp-witted primary school teacher, Tabitha, the pregnant girl and Natalie, the assertive Operations Manager as they get a conservative Adam to embrace their lifestyle while hiding secrets from others. The book is divided into around 75 small scenes to make it ideal for short journeys or where the reader is likely to be interrupted. This is a romantic story although it does contain some mature language and discretion is advised.