Micah Slate has lived centuries, his lonely existence dedicated to the protection of art. Then he meets Ophilia Morgan, a young artist who has transformed herself into a living work of art. Micah thinks she'll never give him a second glance, but she has dark secrets of her own. When a greedy socialite uses Micah's museum as the setting for fraud and destruction, he and Ophilia will be thrown together in a night of mayhem.

Heat level - 2

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Urban fantasy, Steampunk

Cover art by Dara England


Fae Eye for the Golem Guy is our November 2010 Read for a Cure story. All publisher proceeds this month will be donated to the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life program.



Excerpt:

Micah couldn't bring himself to complain about Ophilia's clothing. Her shameless lack of attire let him see more of her artwork. On her stomach, Venus rose from the waves. Half covered by the slick leather of her halter, an Asian poet rested on her right shoulder. Bonaparte rode a mule on her left. Each work of art inked into her skin was pinned at the corners by small, silvery studs. Whoever had done the artwork had worked the pins into the designs, making her seem clothed in the works of ages.

Even her temples were tattooed, an image of Rodin's Thinker on the right, paired hands drawing each other on the left. They were hard to see for the hair that escaped from her bun. Her hair was the color of a raven's wing, with broad, green streaks highlighting the luster of it, purple ribbons woven throughout. Tiny bells, attached to each other by gossamer-thin silver chains, danced up and down the shells of her ears, making music as she moved. A final stud pierced the bridge of her nose, suspending three tiny ruby teardrops. Huge sea-green eyes were made even more dramatic by the dark eye makeup she favored. Full, cherry red lips pursed as she studied a new portion of the triptych. She was as much a work of art as she was an artist.

And whether she knew it or not, she was his to protect.

Author Bio:

Robert Roman, or Bob to his friends, has wandered through life acquiring a checkered past. He's worked as a technician, a manager, a carpenter, and currently teaches environmental science to inner-city high school students. At one point in there, he started writing and people started asking for more, so it seemed the thing to do.

People keep asking, so Bob keeps writing.