Title: Sin Eaters
Series: Apocrypha, Book One
Author: Kathryne Lentes
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: 05/27/2025
Heat Level: 1 – No Sex
Pairing: Female/Female
Length: 52700
Genre: Urban Fantasy, sci-fi/fantasy, action, urban fantasy, bisexual, lesbian, mercenary, hacker, Fae, undead, vampire, Ireland, Chicago
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Description
Apocrypha is a Sin Eater, a mercenary who does all the jobs the corporations do not want anybody to know about that need to get done. She is an experienced operative who thought she had seen it all, but this time, she is up against cyborgs, elves, and the undead, all the while trying to break in a new partner. The stakes have never been higher, because if she doesn’t complete the mission, her father will pay the ultimate price.
Sin Eaters
Kathryne Lentes © 2025
All Rights Reserved
“If you put your hand on me without permission, you’ll lose it.” She swiveled around on the stool; standing before her was a lanky man wearing a Hawaiian shirt covered in kittens and a pair of enormous handguns.
“How is it you always know?”
“Trade secret, Woody, you know how it goes.”
“Not anymore, I retired from that life. Also, don’t call me that; people around here call me Mr. Wood. I can’t believe I got drunk enough to tell you about my nickname from basic. That is one of the many reasons I stopped drinking. Anyway, now I just pass out the guns and let you kids have all the fun.” Mr. Wood put a box on top of the bar. “I figure you are here for the usual.”
“Yeah…sure.” Apocrypha started pulling out guns and knives and placing them in the box. She did not have a job pending, but she should be prepared in case Vince changed his mind.
“I still don’t get why you replace all your guns after every op.”
“Just a superstition. It’s like baseball; you got to respect the streak.”
“If you say so. Your superstition puts more money in my pocket, but I feel a little bad about taking the cash from you. I heard you got stiffed for that last job.”
“Wow, that got around the neighborhood fast. You feel bad enough to not charge me?”
“Not that bad.”
Apocrypha watched as Mr. Wood picked up the box. She did not share the fact that she was getting rid of them because a skilled mage could track you by items that you carried on your person for extended periods of time and, given the person who told her that might be tracking her right now, she did not think it was time to break the habit. “You are destroying those and not reselling them, right?”
“Scouts’ honor.”
Apocrypha turned her head sideways and gave him a doubting look. Mr. Wood held up three fingers in the Boy Scout salute.
“I was really, back in the day when we still had Boy Scouts. So, besides replacement guns, can I get you anything? I have an excellent selection of plastic explosives that just came in.”
“No thanks on the boom-boom, but I am looking for any kind of work.”
“I don’t know of anything paying at the moment, but I will keep an ear open.”
“Is there anything out there not paying but a good cause? I need to work out a bad mood, and smacking somebody who deserves it would be a good start.”
“Not much. I mean, there is the auction, but you don’t want to mess around with that.” Mr. Wood motioned to a towering minotaur who was passing by and handed him the box. “Throw those in the grinder.”
“Auction?” Apocrypha took a long drag from the beer.
“There is a new group of crazies who just moved into town. They call themselves the Purifiers. They believe in humanity first; think the KKK, but for changelings. They want to wipe out anything magical or non-human in America.”
“And they have auctions?”
“They like to round up young nubile changelings, elves, dryads, nymphs, etc., etc., and sell them off to the highest bidder. They have converted the old racetrack into an encampment.”
“And no one has done anything about this.”
“Well, the authorities keep condemning it, but it’s across the river, which means the corps don’t care. They are also heavily armed, so the local cops don’t stand a chance.”
“Well then.” Apocrypha finished what was left of her beer in one drink and placed it back on the bar. “Why don’t you get me my replacements, and I will go pay them a visit.”
“I would not do that; these guys are serious. They built up the track to be a mini fortress, and they have a small army at the front entrance that makes sure nobody goes in packing. It’s not a one-person run.”
“You’re right. I need some backup. Get me some of those plastic explosives and an extra set of pistols.”
Mr. Wood held up his hands. “Okay, I don’t want to know anymore. Just don’t get yourself killed. I might miss you.”
“Miss me or my credits?”
Mr. Wood just smiled and walked away.
Apocrypha watched as he left. That was the usual rule of the street: you might like other people, but you were on your own at the end of the day. She had forgotten that working with Novembre, and she hoped it had not cost her the edge she needed.
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Kathryne Lentes has been writing stories as long as she could hold a pen in her hand. She is a transwoman who, when not working on her own projects, operates Paper Phoenix Ink, a blog showcasing queer creators. She is currently living in Saint Louis with her wife, two cats, and a pile of science fiction and fantasy books.
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