Slash: A Slay Series Novella Read online

  Slash

  A Slay Series Novella

  By Laurelin Paige

  Slash

  A Slay Series Novella

  By Laurelin Paige

  1001 Dark Nights

  Copyright 2020 Laurelin Paige

  ISBN: 978-1-951812-12-6

  Foreword: Copyright 2014 M. J. Rose

  Cover photo credit © Annie Ray/ Passion Pages

  Published by 1001 Dark Nights Press, an imprint of Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.

  Book Description

  Slash by Laurelin Paige

  A Slay Series Novella

  From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Laurelin Paige comes a new story in her Slay series…

  Camilla Fasbender has a secret.

  Underneath her posh accent and designer clothes lies the evidence of her pain.

  Every heartbreak, every bad day, every setback has left a scar.

  From behind her camera, she shows the world what to see. And it isn't her.

  Until him.

  He sees right through her carefully constructed facade.

  And he's going to slash it all to pieces.

  **Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

  About Laurelin Paige

  With millions of books sold, Laurelin Paige is the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Fixed Trilogy. She's a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn't seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Killing Eve and Letterkenny, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She’s also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn't do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio.

  You can connect with Laurelin on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LaurelinPaige or on Instagram @thereallaurelinpaige. You can also visit her website, www.laurelinpaige.com, to sign up for e-mails about new releases.

  Also From Laurelin Paige

  Click to purchase

  Man in Charge Duet

  Man in Charge

  Man in Love

  Slay Series

  Slay One: Rivalry

  Slay Two: Ruin

  Slay Three: Revenge

  Slay Four: Rising

  Slash: A Slay Novella

  The Fixed Series

  Fixed on You

  Found in You

  Forever with You

  Hudson

  Falling Under You: A Fixed Trilogy Novella (1001 Dark Nights)

  Chandler

  Dirty, Filthy Fix: A Fixed Trilogy Novella (1001 Dark Nights)

  Fixed Forever

  Dirty Universe

  Dirty Filthy Rich Boys

  Dirty Filthy Rich Men

  Dirty Filthy Rich Love

  Dirty, Sexy Player

  Dirty Sexy Games

  Sweet Liar

  Sweet Fate

  Dirty Sweet Valentine

  Wild Rebel

  Found Duet

  Free Me

  Find Me

  First and Last

  First Touch

  Last Kiss

  Hollywood Heat

  Sex Symbol

  Star Struck

  One More Time

  Close

  Co-Written Works:

  Written with Sierra Simone:

  Porn Star

  Hot Cop

  Written with Kayti McGee:

  Miss Match

  Love Struck

  MisTaken: A Novella

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  To my family—Thank you for the best albums of memories. I’m lucky to have shelves and shelves stacked with your love.

  To Liz Berry, Jillian Stein, and MJ Rose—I’m inspired by you and so honored to be in your family. And to you, Liz, especially for trusting my telling of this story. It was what I needed to write, and you let it grow into what it needed to be.

  To my tribe: Rebecca Friedman, Candi Kane, Melissa Gaston, Roxie Madar, Kayti McGee, Melanie Harlow, Lauren Blakely, C.D. Reiss, Amy “Vox” Libris – You’ve made a crazy, terrible time feel so much more bearable. I wouldn’t survive a pandemicalypse without you.

  To my readers—Thank you for letting me explore this ugly, broken, beautiful world with you. I’m eternally grateful you’ve come along for this ride.

  To my God—Help me to remember to always wonder and love. Thank you for being patient all the times that I’ve forgotten.

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights

  Click here to explore

  COLLECTION ONE

  FOREVER WICKED by Shayla Black

  CRIMSON TWILIGHT by Heather Graham

  CAPTURED IN SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  SILENT BITE: A SCANGUARDS WEDDING by Tina Folsom

  DUNGEON GAMES by Lexi Blake

  AZAGOTH by Larissa Ione

  NEED YOU NOW by Lisa Renee Jones

  SHOW ME, BABY by Cherise Sinclair

  ROPED IN by Lorelei James

  TEMPTED BY MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  THE FLAME by Christopher Rice

  CARESS OF DARKNESS by Julie Kenner

  COLLECTION TWO

  WICKED WOLF by Carrie Ann Ryan

  WHEN IRISH EYES ARE HAUNTING by Heather Graham

  EASY WITH YOU by Kristen Proby

  MASTER OF FREEDOM by Cherise Sinclair

  CARESS OF PLEASURE by Julie Kenner

  ADORED by Lexi Blake

  HADES by Larissa Ione

  RAVAGED by Elisabeth Naughton

  DREAM OF YOU by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  STRIPPED DOWN by Lorelei James

  RAGE/KILLIAN by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  DRAGON KING by Donna Grant

  PURE WICKED by Shayla Black

  HARD AS STEEL by Laura Kaye

  STROKE OF MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  ALL HALLOWS EVE by Heather Graham

  KISS THE FLAME by Christopher Rice

  DARING HER LOVE by Melissa Foster

  TEASED by Rebecca Zanetti

  THE PROMISE OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  COLLECTION THREE

  HIDDEN INK by Carrie Ann Ryan

  BLOOD ON THE BAYOU by Heather Graham

  SEARCHING FOR MINE by Jennifer Probst

  DANCE OF DESIRE by Christopher Rice

  ROUGH RHYTHM by Tessa Bailey

  DEVOTED by Lexi Blake

  Z by Larissa Ione

  FALLING UNDER YOU by Laurelin Paige

  EASY FOR KEEPS by Kristen Proby

  UNCHAINED by Elisabeth Naughton

  HARD TO SERVE by Laura Kaye

  DRAGON FEVER by Donna Grant

  KAYDEN/SIMON by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  STRUNG UP by Lorelei James

  MIDNIGHT UNTAMED by Lara Adrian

  TRICKED by Rebecca Zanetti

  DIRTY WICKED by Shayla Black

  THE ONLY ONE by Lauren Blakely

  SWEET SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  COLLECTION FOUR

  ROCK CHICK REAWAKENING by Kristen Ashle
y

  ADORING INK by Carrie Ann Ryan

  SWEET RIVALRY by K. Bromberg

  SHADE'S LADY by Joanna Wylde

  RAZR by Larissa Ione

  ARRANGED by Lexi Blake

  TANGLED by Rebecca Zanetti

  HOLD ME by J. Kenner

  SOMEHOW, SOME WAY by Jennifer Probst

  TOO CLOSE TO CALL by Tessa Bailey

  HUNTED by Elisabeth Naughton

  EYES ON YOU by Laura Kaye

  BLADE by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  DRAGON BURN by Donna Grant

  TRIPPED OUT by Lorelei James

  STUD FINDER by Lauren Blakely

  MIDNIGHT UNLEASHED by Lara Adrian

  HALLOW BE THE HAUNT by Heather Graham

  DIRTY FILTHY FIX by Laurelin Paige

  THE BED MATE by Kendall Ryan

  NIGHT GAMES by CD Reiss

  NO RESERVATIONS by Kristen Proby

  DAWN OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  COLLECTION FIVE

  BLAZE ERUPTING by Rebecca Zanetti

  ROUGH RIDE by Kristen Ashley

  HAWKYN by Larissa Ione

  RIDE DIRTY by Laura Kaye

  ROME’S CHANCE by Joanna Wylde

  THE MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENT by Jennifer Probst

  SURRENDER by Elisabeth Naughton

  INKED NIGHTS by Carrie Ann Ryan

  ENVY by Rachel Van Dyken

  PROTECTED by Lexi Blake

  THE PRINCE by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  PLEASE ME by J. Kenner

  WOUND TIGHT by Lorelei James

  STRONG by Kylie Scott

  DRAGON NIGHT by Donna Grant

  TEMPTING BROOKE by Kristen Proby

  HAUNTED BE THE HOLIDAYS by Heather Graham

  CONTROL by K. Bromberg

  HUNKY HEARTBREAKER by Kendall Ryan

  THE DARKEST CAPTIVE by Gena Showalter

  COLLECTION SIX

  DRAGON CLAIMED by Donna Grant

  ASHES TO INK by Carrie Ann Ryan

  ENSNARED by Elisabeth Naughton

  EVERMORE by Corinne Michaels

  VENGEANCE by Rebecca Zanetti

  ELI’S TRIUMPH by Joanna Wylde

  CIPHER by Larissa Ione

  RESCUING MACIE by Susan Stoker

  ENCHANTED by Lexi Blake

  TAKE THE BRIDE by Carly Phillips

  INDULGE ME by J. Kenner

  THE KING by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  QUIET MAN by Kristen Ashley

  ABANDON by Rachel Van Dyken

  THE OPEN DOOR by Laurelin Paige

  CLOSER by Kylie Scott

  SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS by Jennifer Probst

  BLOOD NIGHT by Heather Graham

  TWIST OF FATE by Jill Shalvis

  MORE THAN PLEASURE YOU by Shayla Black

  WONDER WITH ME by Kristen Proby

  THE DARKEST ASSASSIN by Gena Showalter

  Discover Blue Box Press

  TAME ME by J. Kenner

  TEMPT ME by J. Kenner

  DAMIEN by J. Kenner

  TEASE ME by J. Kenner

  REAPER by Larissa Ione

  THE SURRENDER GATE by Christopher Rice

  SERVICING THE TARGET by Cherise Sinclair

  Sign up for the 1001 Dark Nights Newsletter

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  As a bonus, all subscribers can download FIVE FREE exclusive books!

  Table of Contents

  Book Description

  About Laurelin Paige

  Also from Laurelin Paige

  Acknowledgments

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights

  Foreword

  Introduction

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  Discover more about Camilla

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Seven

  Discover More Laurelin Paige

  An excerpt from Man in Charge by Laurelin Paige

  Discover the World of 1001 Dark Nights

  Special Thanks

  One Thousand and One Dark Nights

  Once upon a time, in the future…

  I was a student fascinated with stories and learning.

  I studied philosophy, poetry, history, the occult, and

  the art and science of love and magic. I had a vast

  library at my father’s home and collected thousands

  of volumes of fantastic tales.

  I learned all about ancient races and bygone

  times. About myths and legends and dreams of all

  people through the millennium. And the more I read

  the stronger my imagination grew until I discovered

  that I was able to travel into the stories... to actually

  become part of them.

  I wish I could say that I listened to my teacher

  and respected my gift, as I ought to have. If I had, I

  would not be telling you this tale now.

  But I was foolhardy and confused, showing off

  with bravery.

  One afternoon, curious about the myth of the

  Arabian Nights, I traveled back to ancient Persia to

  see for myself if it was true that every day Shahryar

  (Persian: شهريار, “king”) married a new virgin, and then

  sent yesterday's wife to be beheaded. It was written

  and I had read that by the time he met Scheherazade,

  the vizier's daughter, he’d killed one thousand

  women.

  Something went wrong with my efforts. I arrived

  in the midst of the story and somehow exchanged

  places with Scheherazade – a phenomena that had

  never occurred before and that still to this day, I

  cannot explain.

  Now I am trapped in that ancient past. I have

  taken on Scheherazade’s life and the only way I can

  protect myself and stay alive is to do what she did to

  protect herself and stay alive.

  Every night the King calls for me and listens as I spin tales.

  And when the evening ends and dawn breaks, I stop at a

  point that leaves him breathless and yearning for more.

  And so the King spares my life for one more day, so that

  he might hear the rest of my dark tale.

  As soon as I finish a story... I begin a new

  one... like the one that you, dear reader, have before

  you now.

  Introduction

  Foreground: The area of an image—usually a photograph, drawing, or painting—that appears closest to the viewer. - MoMA Glossary of Art Terms

  There’s no way to see an entire life in a single photograph. It takes a portfolio, an expansive collection to understand the nuances of character and experience and circumstance.

  Still, there can be a complete story in a snapshot. A good photographer knows how to find that narrative, knows which moments are worth capturing and which aren’t. A good photographer can adjust the lens just right, so the background becomes hazy and unimportant and undistracting. A good photographer knows when the foreground is enough to tell the story that needs to be told. A good photographer focuses in and snaps at just the right time.

  That’s what the snobbiest of professional photographers say—that the perfect shots are planned and executed with precision. I’ve said it myself on several occasions, when my work has been acclaimed, when I’m feeling prideful about my compositions.

  If I’m being honest, I don’t know that there’s much reason to boast about any of the photos that have earned me attention. Most of th
e time, I just got lucky.

  Chapter One

  Cropping: Editing, typically by removing the outer edges of the image. - MoMA Glossary of Art Terms

  You’ve got to be kidding me.

  The thought races through my mind repeatedly as I shuffle through the registration papers in front of me, as if I might have the wrong stack, as if I might see something different when I return to the sheet with the names of all my students.

  Of course nothing changes when my eyes return to the enrollment form. There are still thirteen names arranged in alphabetical order. There are still more women than men by a three to one ratio. And Hendrix Reid is still the last male name on the list.

  It can’t be a coincidence. It’s bloody unlikely there are many Hendrixes in the photography world, less unlikely more than one of them has the surname Reid.

  Despite the unlikelihood, I hold on to the slim thread of doubt, mainly because I have no other choice. I have no time to prepare mentally for the alternative since class is set to begin in, oh, four and a half minutes. A good majority of the thirteen students are already sitting at the three tables squaring the room in front of me, and since none of them are recognizable, it isn’t impossible that the Hendrix Reid enrolled is not my Hendrix Reid.

  Not that I have a Hendrix Reid. He was never actually mine. Even for the one night we spent together, we remained strangers. Sure, we took our clothing off and engaged in wicked behavior, but the lights were out so it was more anonymous than not, despite having exchanged names, which I try to never do. Technically, I hadn’t then either. The conference we’d attended had taken care of that, listing both our names and our bios with headshots in the event directory, without any regard to the fact that some of us became photographers because we preferred to remain on the other side of the lens.