Title: Time Swept
Author: Casi McLean
Genre: Time Travel Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Casi McLean, Inc
Book Blurb:
Danica Lane thought escaping the sick web of a Los Angles predator was the hardest thing she’d ever do, until she swept through time to 1883 into the arms of an accused killer.
Nathan Hayes learned at an early age to live his life honor-bound, but when he was arrested for a murder he didn’t commit, avoiding a noose took precedence. He never dreamed taking refuge in an abandoned, stone cellar would thrust him one hundred-forty years into the future.
A profound connection sizzled between them the moment they met. Perhaps the Lake Lanier legend uniting star-crossed love had merit, but could they endure the jagged journey?
Swept through time into a web of danger, deceit, and death, Nathan and Danica must unravel a mystery, find a killer, and save a young woman’s life before time runs out, or Nathan will hang for a double murder––with Danica's blood on his hands.
Excerpt:
Stunned by the inexplicable vision before her, Dani froze. The deck and lake faded into a soft blur. Blinking to refocus her gaze, she inspected the small stone structure where she now stood. Was she dreaming? Squeezing her eyes shut, she attempted to regain her stability. A stale, musty odor mingled with burning candle wax tickled her nostrils, followed by a light scent of sweat. She opened her eyes to see a shirtless man lying on a bed of ivy in the corner. Fitfully sleeping, he moaned and murmured unintelligibly. His wrists bruised from what looked like rope burns.
Having helped Cuyler’s victims for the last few years, Dani was no stranger to abuse. She lunged forward and dropped to her knees beside him.
Perspiration clung to his brow, and his muscular chest glistened in the flickering candlelight.
She slid a hand beneath his damp hair to feel his forehead. His skin, hot to the touch, confirmed he had a fever. Scanning the small room, she saw nothing useful to reduce his temperature…except––she glanced downward and stared at the wine glass, the stem still gripped in her fisted hand. Without considering consequences, she poured the Malbec over his face, then patted his forehead with the crumpled, white shirt lying beside him on the makeshift bed.
He jerked his head and opened his sapphire blue eyes.
Lost in his gaze, Dani stared, a breath caught in her throat.
“Is it you?” he whispered.
His soft voice broke her trance. With her fingers, she raked the hair from his face, then wiped the shirt over his neck and chest to absorb the sweat. Her hand brushed his hot skin, sending a stream of heat swirling throughout her body. She shivered at the sensation.
Angling his head, he gripped her wrist. “All…this…blood…what happened?”
She followed his line of vision to the wine-soaked shirt and chuckled. “No worries. That’s not blood, it’s wine. I used it to cool your temperature.”
“A waste of good wine?” He scoffed.
She raised a brow. “It was the only cooling liquid available, and it’s not working. We need to get you to a hospital.” She stood, scanning the dark room, and stepped toward the window. A quick glimpse outside revealed nothing but a wall of ivy. “Where are we, anyway?” When he didn’t answer, she shot a glance his way just as his body went limp. “What’s going on?” Heart pounding, she rushed to his side and felt for a pulse. “I’ve got to get you out of here.”
A silver-blue sparkle misted around them. Again, Dani’s stomach churned in a wave of nausea, but this time, she didn’t pass out. Adrenalin pumping, she hovered over the mysterious man, clinging to him as the swirl burst into an electric blue tempest. The small stone structure faded into the mist. The dirt floor crumbled into thin air. In a heartbeat, the wooden deck materialized beneath her knees, and the sparkling whirlpool dissolved into the glittering lake.
When the mist cleared, Dani peered at the full moon now high in the sky, then shifted her gaze to the candles still burning on the deck table. The wax had burned down considerably since sundown, which told her several hours had passed. She snapped a glance at her watch: 11:03 PM. She stiffened and tried to swallow the lump caught in her throat.
Lowering her chin, she stared at the strange man’s lifeless body lying in front of her, then gasped. “Oh, my gosh.” Without further questioning what had just happened or how the area surrounding them morphed from one reality to another, she went into autopilot. Again, she felt for a pulse. Sensing a weak throb, she lunged toward the lake house, snatched the Styrofoam ice chest and a kitchen towel, then rushed back to his side. A flip of her finger removed the cooler’s top. She yanked a bottle from the loose ice and poured water onto the towel, then dabbed the cold cloth over his sweaty face, pausing only to gauge his spiking temperature before continuing to wipe down his neck and chest.
Unresponsive to her touch, the man lashed back and forth, mumbling incoherent garble.
Thoughts spinning, Dani reeled what she knew about medical treatment. Years ago, when Papa fell sick with the flu, Grana’s distress deepened exponentially with his increasing fever. The image of Dani’s grandmother wringing her hands, her forehead etched with worry, seared into Dani’s memory. “You’re worried about Papa, Grana. What’s wrong?”
“A child’s spiking fever warrants concern, but a high temperature in an adult poses a real danger.”
Again, Dani patted the towel over the man’s flushed face. She didn’t know at what point his fever would become dangerous, but she could search the web for an answer. She remembered Grana kept a thermometer in the upstairs medicine cabinet. “I’ll be right back.” She squeezed his shoulder, then darted inside and up the stairs.
The old-fashioned thermometer had been replaced by a digital. Dani snatched the device and prayed the battery hadn’t died. She clicked the front button and spotted a zero in the display window. “Yes.” She tore down the staircase taking two steps at a time and flew toward the deck. Kneeling next to the man, she gaged his temperature––104º––definitely a reason for alarm.
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Author Biography:
USA Today & Amazon Best Selling Author, Casi McLean, pens novels to stir the soul, crossing genres from ethereal captivating shorts with eerie twist endings to believable time slips, ghostly encounters, mystical plots, heart-pounding thrillers, and sensual romantic suspense--all dusted with a sprinkle of magic. Subscribe to Casi’s newsletter on the top bar of her website at CasiMcLean.com
Known for enchanting stories with magical description, Casi McLean entices readers with fascinating hooks to hold them captive in storylines they can't put down. Her romance entwines strong, believable heroines with delicious, hot heroes to tempt the deepest desires. She fans the flames, sweeping readers into their innermost romantic fantasies. With suspenseful settings and lovable characters, you'll devour, you'll see, hear and feel the magical eeriness of one fateful night. You'll swear time travel could happen, be mystified by a touch of supernatural, feel the heat of romantic suspense, and drawn into gripping thrillers––but most of all you'll want more.
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Website http://casimclean.com