Aurora's Song

by Cherime MacFarlane

Genres: Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology; Erotic & Steamy Romance; Paranormal Romance

Synopsis

She's fighting an instant attraction. A hunk with visions of scientific acclaim, he isn't going to stick around.
A paranormal novella of spirits and legends. Algen is finally home after spending most of her teen years, and young adulthood in Washington State. She has never been clear on the reason she got sent to live with her father's relatives. But she has a job she loves and can finally live in the place she loves. The Aurora Borealis fascinates her; Algen has missed the lights and winter terribly. The Grannies want her to be careful. Should she be wary of the new hire at the native corporation? She's sure if he gets too close, her heart will be in grave danger. The cultural anthropologist is pursuing her with the single-mindedness of a big predator. Gunrik is too smart, too much of a hunk, far too tempting and can't stay in her little backwater in rural Alaska.

Release date: January 28, 2016

Publisher: Paper Gold Publishing

Print pages: 110

Content advisory: Steamy

Sample

 

The show was unbelievable. It began in the Northeast about midnight. I watched from the window until I couldn't stand being inside one more minute. I tugged on bunny boots and got into my parka, gloves, and hat. At -30 degrees, it wasn't a good idea to take chances on frostbite.

To be honest, I knew I might lose all sense of time and stay out far longer than I should. But this was an aurora of epic proportions. Rivers of green and gold slithered across the sky. Here and there, blue spots punctuated the broad bands of color.

Right after walking outside I called the river to me. Did anyone ever tell you an aurora can be called? It can. You must experiment to find the right song; each show is different. This one liked minor notes, and when I held them as long as possible, the bands of light shimmered in response.

When it got directly over the cabin, bright spots of red fringed the green. I filled my lungs with the frigid air and this induced a coughing fit. I had to put the fur ruff across my mouth and warm the air for a few breaths before I could sing again.

Instead of dashing away across the sky as they sometimes do, this one waited. When I sang to it again, the red color fluttered up and out like huge wings. Then spears of light flung themselves downward. I couldn't believe what I saw.

I must go inside. Even with the bunny boots on my toes were getting cold. But I wanted to stay right where I was. Then one of the broad red patches swirled around in a tight spiral, and the whole thing vanished. In an instant, the entire Aurora was gone.

Stunned, I stood unable to move for a moment before turning and dashing back into the warm cabin. My heart was pounding in my chest. I doubted sleep would come easy. Not after witnessing that display.

In a fog, I shrugged out of the parka and put my outdoor gear away. It was impossible to erase the sight of the dancing lights out of my head. Up in the loft, with my window curtains tied back, I gazed out into the dark night sky hoping the river would return.

Under the covers, I watched and waited. The stars blazed with color in the deep black night. It is uncanny how close they look and how bright the night sky is at temperatures below zero. A meteor flashed through the darkness for an instant and flashed out.

I fell asleep at some point; I'm not sure when. But my dreams were filled with the colors of the aurora. They shimmied and slithered in a cosmic dance overhead. In my dreams, I danced on the stream high in the sky.

Coffee was a necessity in the morning. Feeling as though I had a head cold, I didn't bounce out of bed as usual. I'm a morning person. The silence of the early morning hours soothes me. Not that I need to worry about noise much out here.

That's one reason I came back. All my friends thought I needed to have my head examined. The refrain was the same with almost all of them. Alaska? It gets so cold there. What can you do out in that God-forsaken wasteland?

This country is actually the opposite of God-forsaken. It is all about living with an environment that can and will kill you if you don't respect the rules. The rules are fairly simple. The first is to keep the heat going at all costs until summer. Don't put yourself in the position of losing too much heat. If you see someone who is having problems you help them. They may be your angel of mercy down the road.