Chilly winter nights are the perfect time to curl up with a good book.  Kingsmuir Press has many wonderful books, to delight just about any reader on your Christmas list.  We have everything from charming romances to action filled science fiction books.  Today we are featuring an excerpt from Jean Marie Stanberry’s latest work, “Blood, Sweat and Fears”.

“Blood, Sweat and Fears” is an adventure of sorts.  It follows the life of a young figure skater Jenna Bruce. Jenna seems to be set up for failure by her own parents when she is shipped off to Paris to skate in an ice show, all the while masquerading  as an adult when really she is a minor, just 15 years old.

When Alexander, a Russian co-worker with his own agenda begins sexually harassing her, no one in the company takes it seriously.  Jenna is forced to work side by side with a man she eventually begins to fear, in the meantime all the while he has infiltrated the rest of the cast with lies and everyone there is soon convinced they are lovers.

No one can anticipate how quickly Alexander’s passion will deteriorate into obsession and his desperation will escalate into a grim web of deception and violence.

Chapter Seventeen-Blood, Sweat and Fears

At the end of the week they were finished with their formal training for the shows and Jenna was happy that they would be able to relax a little bit.  Their regular performances would begin this evening and they would have practices each afternoon, with performances to follow every evening.

They were booked for three weeks of sold out performances in Paris, then they would be off to Lyon.  The shows were immensely popular in France, Jenna was very excited to start their tour.

The afternoon of their first Paris performance, they had their dress rehearsal and Alexander seemed to be back to his old ways.  Every time they had to skate together, his hands seemed to wander everywhere, except where appropriate.  Jenna was getting very irritated with him.  Her seething glares were met with sly smiles from Alexander, which completely infuriated her!  No one else seemed to notice Alexander’s inappropriate behavior, and Jenna hated to be a big tattle tale, always running to Simone and Gail.

At the end of the number that featured both pairs, Jenna had to skate off the ice with Alexander.  Alexander and Jenna skated off one side of the set, Marika and Adam skated off the other side of the huge set.

That afternoon, Alexander skated off the ice right behind Jenna, just as always, but as soon as they had disappeared behind the black velvet curtain, he had his arms around her and was nuzzling her neck, trailing kisses down her right shoulder.

“How are things with your lover Adam?” he crooned, as he turned her slowly around to face him.  He was gazing seductively into her eyes, there in the dim light.

“Fine,” growled Jenna, angrily trying to disentangle herself from his arms.  She was panicking a little bit.  The next act with all the back up skaters had already skated out on the ice.  Marika and Adam had come through the curtains on the opposite side of the enormous set, so she was virtually alone with Alexander in the darkness.

Jenna was alarmed, she knew there was no one around to call out to, if he actually tried something.  Everyone else in the arena was busy doing their thing for the dress rehearsal, not to mention that the music for the next number was already blaring loudly throughout the arena.

“Is he keeping you satisfied, or do you need more?” he asked.  Alexander’s deep voice seemed to caress the words as his strong arms pulled her seductively against his body.  Jenna cringed, she was anxiously trying to peel herself from his arms.

“Get your hands off of me Alexander, I don’t need anything from you,” she snapped angrily, flashing him a frown of distaste.

A panic was rising in her.  The music was so loud, she knew if she screamed, no one would even hear her.  She could only hope Adam would walk this way looking for her and not head straight back to the dressing rooms.

“Do you know what I cannot stop thinking about?  Your legs.  Every night I dream you are with me, with those long legs wrapped around me,” breathed Alexander, his Russian tinged voice was silky and seductive.

“You can dream it all you want, but it’s never going to happen,” snapped Jenna, struggling to wiggle from his embrace.

“Oh my darling, why must you be so difficult? Never say never. Never is a very long time.  You are coming around, it is only a matter of time before you want me just as much as I want you.

You are young and inexperienced, but you cannot help but be curious.  I may have forced you to touch me, but your hand lingered there, long after I released it.  Woman say that size doesn’t matter, but they can’t help but wonder…”

Jenna narrowed her eyes at him and drew in a deep breath.  She struggled with him for a few moments and finally managed to pull one of her arms free.  She was prepared to slap Alexander’s smug face, but he caught both her wrists in his hands and raised his eyebrows at her, flashing her an amused smile.

“If you have a sudden urge to have your hands on me, I suggest you aim lower.  I know we would both enjoy that more.  Do you not think so?  Go ahead Jenna, touch me…I will not mind,” crooned Alexander, flashing her the tiniest, suggestive smile.

“I don’t want to touch you, and I sure as hell don’t want you to touch me,” snapped Jenna.

Alexander guided her hand to his crotch and held it there so she couldn’t pull her hand away.  “Do you feel that! That is what you have done to me, without even trying.  Do you think we can just ignore how we feel?  Can you not see how overpowering our love is?” he breathed, as Jenna glared angrily at into his eyes.

Jenna was still struggling ineffectively to get away from him, but he was much too strong.  Suddenly, he crushed her in his arms and kissed her.

He couldn’t help it, he had waited so long and still she was resisting him. He just wanted to taste her sweet lips and run his hands across her body. He had waited weeks, he couldn’t wait any longer. They were alone, the music was loud. His hands wandered across her breasts as he crushed his lips against hers.

Jenna struggled in vain to get away from him, as his lips moved unrelentingly over hers.  He pressed his body against hers, making sure that she felt his obvious arousal.

Finally, he released her and stood there grinning at her in victory.  Jenna was shaking uncontrollably as she stood there glaring at him angrily, she was furious.

“You cannot tell me now, that you do not want me.  I could feel the heat…the longing,” said Alexander, flashing her a seductive smile. Jenna was literally gasping to breathe, he knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

“No!  I swear Alexander, don’t you ever touch me again, or I will…” Jenna was gasping, trying to find the words, but she was too shook up.

“Or you will what?  Make me so hot, I cannot stand it?  Do not worry…it is already done,” said Alexander, his voice was deep and velvety.  He reached out to take her into his arms again but she pushed him away.  She thought about running away, but she was wearing skates, she wouldn’t make it very far.  Alexander laughed that deep throaty laugh again.  Jenna swallowed anxiously, she was completely on edge.

“You resist me now, but your mouth was sweet and yielding, just like the rest of you will be soon.  You and I, we will be together in time.  I keep forgetting…I have all summer to make you mine.  You are young, you need to be courted.  I realize you do not know what to expect because you have not had a real lover before.  I will teach you, you will like it,” he said, smiling at her, there in the dim light.

Jenna was completely incensed!  Now she really wanted to slap him, but Alexander once again caught both of her wrists in his hands and held her as she stood there shaking with rage.

“No darling…lovers do not hit each other.  Our love is passionate enough…” he whispered, in his silky, Russian tinged voice.

“You bastard, I mean it, leave me alone Alexander!” she cried, jerking her wrist from his hand as she spun around quickly and headed toward the other side of the backstage area where she would find Adam.

Jenna’s heart was racing wildly with fear and she was so angry she could barely see straight!  She was nearly running toward the other side of the backstage area.  She could not believe the nerve of Alexander, basically forcing himself on her like that, then babbling all that crap about love.  The man was nothing but a horny billy goat as far as she was concerned!

She came tearing around the back side of the large set and almost ran right into Marika in her haste.  Jenna still had her skate guards in her hand because she’d been too flustered to stop and put them on.  She was breathing heavily from her panic and she was sure she looked completely stunned to see Marika standing there, with her arms folded impatiently across her chest.

“What is going on?” cried Marika, she was glaring at Jenna suspiciously in the dim light.

“Nothing!” snapped Jenna, she was still struggling to breathe.  She knew her face was flushed with embarrassment and her voice was shaky and weak.  Her entire body was trembling with the adrenaline that had been infused into it.

She really just wanted to get to Adam.  Alexander had her completely shook up, and she had no desire to be in a confrontation with Marika.  Jenna anxiously tried to push past her, but Marika had already decided that something big was up.  She grabbed Jenna by the wrist and glared at her, as they stood there, face to face, in the dim, backstage light.

“Hmmmpt…your lipstick is all messed up.  What have you been up to?”

“Nothing, let me go!” snapped Jenna, her shame and embarrassment had rendered her completely unable to meet Marika’s angry gaze.

“I don’t know exactly what is going on, but I know you lust after Alexander,” said Marika, jerking Jenna closer to her and glaring angrily into her eyes.

“I do not lust after Alexander,” breathed Jenna, trying to keep her voice at a reasonable tone.

“You made the moves on him…you kissed him!” cried Marika, her voice rising in anger.    Jenna’s lower lip was quivering and she was on the verge of bursting into tears.  She was so shook up, she couldn’t even speak.

“Filthy whore! Keep your hands, and your lips, off of him.  He is mine!” cried Marika, obviously beside herself with anger.

“It is that disgusting pig, who will not keep his hands off of me!” cried Jenna, angrily.

“You are lying!  I will kill you!” cried Marika, suddenly lunging at her, like a tiger lunging at it’s prey.  Jenna was stunned to suddenly be involved in a cat fight with a tiny woman who barely weighed ninety pounds.  Marika was completely enraged, grabbing at her and desperately trying to pull her hair.

Jenna could hear the ripping of fabric as they both fell to the floor in a frenzied scuffle.  Marika was clawing recklessly at her.  Jenna was so surprised by the attack, it was all she could do to simply defend herself against Marika’s unexpected assault.

They were both on the floor wrestling furiously and before long Simone came racing around the corner of the set, followed by Adam and Alexander, who had somehow heard Marika’s shrill screams over the blaring music.  Marika was tiny, but she was feisty!  Jenna actually had to fight back just to protect herself, Marika meant business!

“What is going on?” cried Simone, surprised and angered to see the two of them on the floor fighting like that.  She was standing there glaring at them, with her hands on her hips.

Jenna looked up at Simone from where she lay on the floor.  She was completely disheveled.  Her costume was essentially shredded and her hair was a complete mess, as Marika had been trying to pull it out in handfuls.  It had taken all of her energy just to keep Marika’s skate blades away from her, otherwise her entire body would have been cut to shreds right now.

“She attacked me!” cried Jenna, getting up from the floor slowly and pointing at Marika.  She was still slightly dazed by the intensity of the attack.

Marika was glaring at Jenna angrily.  “She has kissed my Alexander, she wants him!  The leetle beembo has been trying to take him away from me since she got here!  She is trying to seduce him!”

Simone spun around and gave Alexander a surprised glare.  She’d already lectured him about staying away from Jenna.  He was standing there grinning broadly at them, much to Jenna’s chagrin, her lipstick was still smudged all over his lips.

Alexander said nothing, he merely shrugged casually and flashed Simone a guilty smile.  Then he carelessly wiped the lipstick off with the back of his hand.  Simone’s mouth dropped open in shock, as he raised his eyebrows at Jenna and gave her a knowing smile.

Jenna gasped and narrowed her eyes at him, he had set her up!  He had done all this for Simone’s benefit.  He was trying to make Jenna look like the aggressor, and he was deliberately trying to make it look like the two of them were having some sort of affair!  Jenna was furious!

“Simone please…it is Alexander, he won’t keep his hands off of me.  He accosted me the moment we came off the ice,” Jenna cried, though she was suddenly sure that she was the one who looked thoroughly guilty, regardless of what had really happened.

“I accosted you?  Unfortunately, I cannot hide what your wandering hands have done to me,” crooned Alexander, raising his eyebrows at her and giving her a seductive smile.

Simone’s eyes got wide as she noticed the bulge in Alexander’s pants.  She started to say something, but Alexander flashed her a coy smile and shrugged in mock embarrassment.

Unable to hide her anger any longer, Marika glared at Jenna and took an aggressive step toward her.  Alexander reached out and grabbed her by the arm, as Jenna’s mouth dropped open in shock, as the implied meaning of Alexander’s words finally sunk in. Jenna looked away in embarrassment, her face a bright shade of crimson.

Simone rolled her eyes and shook her head miserably.  “Enough already! I do not know what is going on between the two of you, but keep it out of my dress rehearsals and performances.  I really do not care what goes on in the off hours, that is your business.  When you are on the ice, you keep it strictly professional.  Comprenez-vous?” snapped Simone, glaring at them both very seriously.

“Simone I…” Jenna’s voice was fading away to nothing, she was sure it was she who looked completely guilty.  Alexander had put in an Oscar winning performance.

“Enough I said! I am disgusted, I do not want to hear anymore,” cried Simone, turning on her heel and stalking away.

Jenna sighed and fought back tears.  Now it seemed that Simone was convinced that her and Alexander were having some sort of an affair and Alexander had done a fabulous job convincing her that she was the one who had instigated it all!

Marika was fighting anger as well, Alexander was holding her back, lest the cat fight ensue again…

“Slut!  Alexander is mine, if I see you weet heem again I weel keel you!” snapped Marika, her face consumed with hatred.

Jenna couldn’t speak, Alexander had skillfully made her look like the aggressor, she was completely shocked.

Adam was stunned into silence as well and was standing there staring at Jenna in shock.  Jenna started to say something, but she was so upset, she couldn’t even manage to speak, she shook her head miserably and headed toward the dressing room.  What could she say? It was completely obvious to her, that no one would ever believe her side of the story anyway!

“Blood, Sweat and Fears is available on Amazon.com as an e-book or paperback, also through Barnes and Nobel.  You can also check out her other books, “Laying Low In Hollywood”, “One World United” and “The Illusion of Order”.

You can visit Jean Marie Stanberry on her website jeanstanberry.com or follow her on twitter @jeanstanberry