Midnight Assassin: A Tale of Lust and Revenge

by Sherry Rentschler

Terry Mastriano and his twin sister, Tempie, have become reluctant assassins, swearing a blood oath to avenge their father's assassination. The target? E. "Needles" Puzzoli, a man who went to prison but not for their father’s murder.

For eight years, prison kept Needles safely out of the twins' reach, but now he's out and planning to leave town. If the twins want revenge, they must act now. Complicating matters is a mysterious and beautiful redhead who makes a prior claim on Needles. When Tempie attempts to kill Needles, the strange woman attacks, and warns both twins to stay away or die.

Terry figures they're in a race with another assassin but he's only half-right. The dangerous woman is so much more than a fellow killer—she's a sensuous, deadly vampire with an undisclosed connection to both Needles and the twins. In an added complication, the vampire displays a lusty, predatory interest in Terry.

An unexpected event forces Terry into a bargain with the vampire. Honor and vengeance demand satisfaction, and the twins are out for blood. No matter who gets to Needles first, a debt will be owed. Blood always wins. Just ask the vampire.

129 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 14, 2015

About the author

Sherry Rentschler's fiction and poetry have appeared online and in print. She's a previous Assistant Editor, Amateur Poetry Journal (online), and a newspaper photojournalist. She lived in Italy, traveling around Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, and Greenland.

Among her hobbies are all things vampire, plus dragon collecting, photographing trees, and dancing with faeries. She loves old movies, reading urban and gothic fantasies, fine wine, and consuming rich, dark chocolate. Rentschler is a retired USAF veteran and currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, also a retired USAF veteran.

Paper Bones, Rentschler's first poetry collection is a 2014 Global Ebook Awards Gold Medalist, a 2014 National Indie Excellence Book Award (NIEA) Finalist, a Readers' Favorite International Book Award Honorable Mention, a 2013 Best Cover Award Gold Medal Winner from AUTHORSdB and a Reader's Favorite 5 Star Review recipient. By Light Betrayed - Poetry of the Vampires is a 2015 NIEA Finalist, A Global Ebook Awards Gold Medalist and two time Silver Medalist, and also earned a Readers' Favorite 5 Star Review.

Her memoir, Breaking the Glass Slipper is a Kindle Semi-finalist and her Evening Bower Series contains the bestselling Time and Blood. Her work continues to win excellence awards and delight fans.

Reviews

[Robbie Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherry Rentschler did an awesome job with this novella. I loved the characters, the plot, the setting, and even the steamy factor. I mean, who wouldn't love a red-headed vamp in a skin tight red suit? The twins were great counter to each other and I enjoyed the cozy feeling of a tight knit community. I would love to see more of these characters. Keep it up, Sherry. Awesome job!

[Terri Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun book to read. Word of advice though, don't start it right before bedtime. You will end up staying up until you finish reading it and not want to get up in the morning. Looking forward to reading more about Dra.

[Alyne Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a story! This is my second novel from Sherry Rentschler, and it will not be my last.
She has completely blown me away in this tale of lust, revenge, assassins and one hot, sexy redheaded vampire.
The story was sexy, fun and moved quickly - and the dialogue was natural and so well done - you would swear it was real. For lack of better words, this story sunk its teeth in me and didn't let go.

[Ame · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fun, sexy, and exciting. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. Sherry did a fantastic job with flowing, personality filled dialogue that moved the story along perfectly. She got me attached to the characters in a short amount of time and I was dying to know what happened next at every second. I can't wait to read more about the vampiric assassin as Sherry continues her story.

[P.J. LaRue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terry and Tempie vowed to avenge their father's assassination at the hands of Needles. But when a mysterious woman appears on the scene, Terry makes a bet with her that he can kill Needles before she does. Who is she and why does she want to kill Needles? And WHY does she seem to appear out of thin air? Why does she seem to know Terry's thoughts? Terry and the woman size each other's moves like players in a murderous chess game. Who will win the bet and are the stakes for losing too high? And, will the two cross paths in the future?

The ending of this book leaves the door open for future books and I will certainly buy them, as well. I loved the suspense and suggestion of a future romance in the later books.

I bought a copy of this book directly from the author.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sexy vampire assassin swoops into a set of twin's revenge plot. As a reader, you hit the ground running in this concise but well-paced novella from award winning author Sherry Rentschler. Suggest this short novel at your next book club meeting when you want to raise some eyebrows and invite questions about your after-dark activities.

[Sharon Frizzell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying I'm not a fiction reader, and definitely not a fan of vampire fiction. That said, I enjoyed the daylights out of this book. From the noir-esque dialogue to the sexy shenanigans, I was thoroughly entertained. I look forward to another (and another) story about the vampire Drahomira.

[Christie Silvers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first full length novel I've read by Sherry Rentschler, and I can definitely say I'll be reading anything this author releases from now on. The story has a lot of intrigue & for once I wasn't able to guess the ending of this book. Yay! Definitely not your "normal" vampire story.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

VAMPIRES ANYONE!!

September 26, 2018
This is the first book I’ve read by Sherry Rentschler and she definitely has a different take on vampires than I’ve ever seen. And that’s not a bad thing. As the story unfolds lust, greed, revenge all play a part. Ms Rentschler has written a tight story with all the characters well fleshed out. I couldn’t put it down. The world she has created is thrilling as the two main characters, twins, try to get revenge for the death of their father. But they hit a very hard wall, Vampire Drahomira! This is a must read for anyone who loves vampires or even if you don’t. The story is intense and you will be left wanting more. My hat is off to you Ms. Rentschler!

[Margie Miklas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing, captivating, and thoroughly entertaining read
While not my usual genre, this story piqued my interest immediately, engaging me from the start. Ms. Rentschler’s ability to create believable and exciting characters proved to be the perfect strategy to introduce me to someone who turned out to be a vampire. The well-developed plot, the descriptive scenes, and spicy dialog, not to mention the surprise twists, prompted me to keep turning the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed the read, and look forward to the next book in the series. Highly recommend.

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was unsure what to expect of this novel, with such an outlandish plot, but Sherry Rentschler successfully delivered a jaw-dropping, adrenaline-pumping tale which made me want to continue to the next page... and the next. From the very beginning, ‘Midnight Assassin: A Tale of Lust and Revenge’ was fast-paced and filled with action. The characters outside of Needles’ circle were actually quite likeable, regardless that they were on the wrong side of the law. When the townsfolk unexpectedly come together, the reader can clearly see the difference between fear and respect. I very much enjoyed this this title and recommend it to mature audiences who enjoy a dose of the supernatural with drama, action, organized crime, loyalty and love.

- Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite