Sunday Snippet: Events in Motion

Can't believe we're almost through April. And yet … it's been a really long month. May has some great things happening, namely my youngest graduating from college. She starts grad school in the fall, and I'm amazed by her. I can't wait to see what she does with her future.

Had an okay week of viewing. I'm behind on my work projects so I didn't push hard to get stuff watched, but I did make a full rotation of my shows.

I finished the regular series of My Life Is Murder. I have the bonus content left to watch. I actually loved this show. And, to my astonishment, it looks like there will be a fourth season! And it premieres tonight if I can trust the interwebs.

Caught an episode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. A little disappointed with the friction and push back from Caron about interference with the case, but it's probably a little more true to life than not.

Finished up Silent Witness and loved how it ended. Things didn't go quite the way I expected. I love it when that happens.

Watched the first episode of Jack's tenure of Death in Paradise. I liked the transition from Humphrey to Jack. We're also getting into episodes I've not seen anything of yet and I'm excited to watch new stuff.

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. This one didn't have the police coming to Sherlock for consultation. He brought a case to them, and I'd like to see more of that. Almost through the first season so maybe I'll get what I want here.

Caught another episode of The Batman and it's one I remembered watching before. I love it when Alfred's past comes calling. He's got some interesting friends.

Watched an episode of Classic Rugrats and, again, this is a new to me one. I don't remember either of the vignettes and that's always fun for me.

Finished out the week with some more Peak Practice. I'm trying to get through the episode I started a few weeks ago. I might get it finished this week.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Events in Motion, a novella that explores the journey a couple has to take to find a new home.

Here's the miniblurb:

Fate has a plan for Drury, one she's not all that certain she wants to follow. Porter doesn't believe in destiny, but when Drury sets a chain of events in motion, he has to change his perspective or risk losing her to chance.

And a preview snippet…

Drury reached a deep level of meditation. The oracle said Dru would be able to achieve what she needed to. Foretold the future that would rely on something involving Dru and taking a new path.

As if doing actual meditation doesn't already count as something new and different.

She rarely got to the place where her focus zeroed in on specifics. Most of the time, meditating allowed her to silence the noise in her head for short bursts—long enough to stay sane but not lengthy enough to subdue the constant, quiet roar. Porter helped but she shouldn't keep using him.

Fuzzy images gained clarity in her mind's eye. A large, looming structure shifted through a series of snapshot moments. Quick flashes, barely more than blips in her brain shuffled like pages being turned. These are familiar. I know where this is.

Her eyes popped open. "I have to go to the temple." She took a moment to recenter her being then got to her feet.

Crossing the room, she started packing, tossing necessities into a large duffle. With no way of knowing how long she would need, she added enough to cover a week. Movement from behind had her turning to discover Porter leaning against the door jamb.

She zipped her bag. "I'm going to the temple. Whatever questions I have … the answers will be there." Or at least the starting point would be there.

Porter nodded. "Give me fifteen minutes. I'm going with you." He pushed away from the door and headed for the front entrance.

Her gaze narrowed but she didn't argue. She wanted him along. Instinct told her she could use his steady presence. And her heart settled somewhere between hope and wary consternation over his offer to come along.

Hoisting the duffle over her shoulder, she followed him. "Do you want to meet me there?" She set the bag on the table and grabbed a backpack to store water and food.

Porter shook his head. "No. From this moment forward, where you go I go. I'll pack, grab some more supplies then come back for you." He met her gaze. "Fifteen minutes. I promise." His hand twisted the doorknob.

Tears pricked behind her eyelids. "Why are you doing this?" She didn't really deserve his support.

Porter tilted his head to one side. "You need someone in your corner, Dru. I'm that person. I've got your back, and I always will." Pulling the door open, he headed outside.

She blinked hard to clear her vision, letting the teardrops trickle down her cheeks. Because … she didn't just need someone.

She needed him.

I'm very pleased with how this story is shaking out. Dru is in for a wild ride and Porter will keep her grounded.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: An Eternal Yule (a Holiday Spirit short)

Another crazy week. This time on more of a personal front, which isn't all that unusual. I don't normally get slowed down though and I did this week. We got to see almost totality for the eclipse and that was actually a lot of fun. Our streetlights came on at three in the afternoon on an otherwise sunny day. Seriously. Lots of fun.

Had a fairly decent week of viewing and caught up on most of my regular schedule. I've pared it down a little and kind of hope to get back into a full rotation sometime soon. If I'm paying for streaming services, I should be using them, right?

Ended up catching two episodes of The Batman. I'd completely forgotten the original sidekick storyline with Prank for the Joker. Ended up enjoying that one. Also kind of loved the "Thunder" episode. That one I did remember.

Watched two episodes of Classic Rugrats. I must have missed a big portion of the seventh season because I don't remember any of the vignettes. Kind of nice to have new-to-me material to watch.

Enjoyed an episode of My Life Is Murder. I think I have one more left before bonus material. Going to miss this one. I thoroughly enjoyed the series.

Caught the holiday episode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. Enjoyed it. Looking forward to diving into the new season.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness. Loved seeing Jack's niece again. Looking forward to finishing this episode.

Said good-bye to Humphrey on Death in Paradise. Really liked the way his run ended. I'm excited to start Beyond Paradise in the near future.

Watched another episode of Elementary. I'm almost through the first season and I'm very much enjoying this show.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from An Eternal Yule, a holiday spirit short featuring a vampire and a psychic.

Here's the miniblurb:

Tortured vampire Haddon Hobbs can't seem to fight his bloodlust anymore and it's going to be the end of him if he can't. Psychic Tabitha Tarheel is tired of seeing the worst the world has to offer in her visions. Holiday spirit Joy Garland brings the two together over the Yule season to help them find renewed hope for the future.

And a preview snippet…

Haddon's fangs sank deep into the throat of the would-be rapist. The red haze of bloodlust clouded Haddon's mind. The vile human gurgled and choked, his heartbeat slowing almost to a halt.

Haddon finally got a grip on reality and thrust the nearly dead man into the tattered boxes beside the dumpster. "You're not worth it. Killing you would be too merciful." And this guy deserved none.

The man sneered—drained of several pints of blood and barely breathing—he actually sneered. The time it would take for cretin to recover from his injuries might not be long enough. And it got more difficult to resist removing the shit stains on humanity. Haddon almost caved to the burning need to end the despicable wretch's life, but the air shifted around him and the persistent buzz of the supernatural pinged along his awareness. The stinging sensation would get worse if Haddon delayed answering the call.

With a low growl, he stumbled out of the alley and ran directly into a hovering envelope. He snatched it from the air and clasped it between his fingers. Fighting against the strong pull of the rage to go back and finish off the terrible, sexual predator once and for all, Haddon quickly sped to his home with preternatural speed. Once inside his brownstone, he tore the envelope open, fully expecting a summons from the council to address his bloodlust.

Instead, he'd received a parchment invitation. "Huh, didn't think anything could surprise me anymore." The brief missive got directly to the point.

 

The winter solstice is a special time of year.

Not the time to lose all you hold dear.

Some time away would do you good.

A solitary stay in a protected wood.

Travel the mist later tonight…

And make an effort to set things right.

 

The name of the location stood out in bold capital letters with coordinates not far from his residence to enter the nether realm.

Haddon tucked the invitation inside his coat pocket. "The Goodacre Bed and Breakfast." Sounded preciously quaint but he'd live with overblown chintz if it meant a possible solution to his dilemma. He didn't have a death wish. But he also grew weary of fighting the pull of bloodlust. After centuries of living through the terrible things humanity did to itself, disgust and disdain bubbled and boiled under the surface with constant pressure.

Grabbing a large duffel bag, he packed light. "Some casual stuff and a pair of boots for walking in the woods." Maybe he'd find a way to beat the short fuse he'd been living with for months. "Six centuries of harmony and balance shouldn't end without at least trying." Exiting the building, Haddon darted down the access street that led to the storage area behind the four-unit brownstone.

A few moments before the stroke of midnight, the mist rolled in, and Haddon walked forward waiting for the fog to surround him.

Another moment later, he found the veil and started to cross through it. "Here goes nothing…"

Or maybe everything…

I have so much fun writing the holiday spirit shorts. This one is on track to become a favorite!

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: An Enticing Yule (Holiday Spirit short)

April is starting off with a bang. We've had seven days of volatile weather. Thunderstorms, tornadoes, flooding, and another big drop in temperature with snow flurries. I thought for a while we might end up with a blizzardnado—complete with sharks. If you know you know. It's that time of year where keeping warm-weather clothes beside arctic gear isn't a bad idea.

Due to the crazy weather, I didn't get a lot of viewing in this week. I also had a full plate plus dessert of work projects. I'm very happy to have multiple things to occupy my time!

I did get another episode of My Life Is Murder in and loved getting to see Madison strut her stuff undercover. I'm going to miss this show when I'm finished watching.

Caught Midsomer Murder's final episode for this season. Enjoyed the mystery. I'm a little disappointed that it feels like the characters don't know much about each other. Winter has been with Barnaby for quite some time now and it seems like the interactions they've had in the past are quickly forgotten. Really the only thing that kind of irritates me about British mystery shows.

Finished up the second half of Silent Witness. I think I'm going to like the new guys. I really enjoy Jack and Nikki together. The case was very confusing, but I ended up liking how things turned out.

Watched another episode of Death in Paradise. It's almost the end of Humphrey's run and I'm kind of excited to finish up and start Jack's journey. And also pick up with Humphrey and Martha back in England.

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. Kind of fun to see some of Joan's old life collide with her new one. Not super thrilled that her friends thought she needed an intervention, but at least they came around by the end.

That's it for the life update this week. I'm hoping to get back on track this week, barring any weird and wild weather.

Tonight's post is from An Enticing Yule, a holiday spirit short featuring a shifter and a watcher.

Here's the miniblurb:

A shifter and a watcher have to find their Yule cheer … with a little help from holiday spirit, Cinnamon Mistleberry. She's got her work cut out for her. Pandora Prewitt is a multi-shifter struggling to find her true form or risk banishment from her tribe. Dexter Diamond is a watcher, the group of preternatural humans who document the shifter chronicles, questioning his life's work. Cinnamon brings the duo together at Yule to show them the enticing value of love.

And a preview snippet…

Dexter didn't need the confirming nod from the other invitee.

And the moment he got within two feet of her, his senses kicked in. Shifter. Well, damn. Nothing like being on the spot. She didn't look all that happy to see him either.

He grabbed his bag. "Look, I'll leave. You got here first." He'd find somewhere else to figure out his future.

She reached out, placing a hand on his bicep. "You don't have to do that." She flung an arm out. "Look at this place. There's more than enough room for two." She removed her palm from his sleeve and stepped back. "I just thought…" Her words trailed off, leaving an awkward vibe.

He picked up on her thought. "That you'd be alone, right?" Yeah, he kind of thought the same.

She lifted a shoulder. "Well, yeah." She shook her head "No matter." Her hand shot forward. "Pandora Prewitt."

Familiar with the name, a piece fell into place.

He clasped her palm. "Dexter Diamond. I have a feeling we're here by design." He let go and pointed toward the sitting room. "Let's maybe get a little comfortable." He headed through the arched entryway.

Someone definitely put a little thought into the décor. A fire burned in the hearth. Greenery draped … everywhere. Muted gold complemented the earthy tones of the garlands. Welcome comfort almost anyone would feel … but he could be the exception.

Pandora followed him inside. "What do you mean, we're here by design?" Her gaze swept the area, and she gave a slight nod.

He settled in a wingback chair. "You're a shifter. One, I'm assuming, facing a dilemma." He didn't need to be a genius to sense she had trouble on her mind.

Her eyes widened and she perched on the edge of the sofa. "How do you know that?" A note of wariness entered her gaze.

Dexter rolled a shoulder. "It's my job. I'm a watcher."

She opened her mouth then closed it.

He gave her a minute to digest the information. "We don't normally interact with pack members. It's easier if we don't." At least he'd learned that much.

Pandora's chin lifted. "Helps with objectivity, right?"

He smiled. "Something like that." Not that he ever stayed objective.

Pandora leaned against the armrest. "You think someone brought us together on purpose?" Her tone betrayed the interest she had in the topic.

Dexter gave a nod. "More like something, but, yeah, that's what my gut is telling me." Not that he trusted his internal barometer much right now.

She went quiet again, gazing into the fire. Dexter let the silence stretch out, testing his rusty instincts. Pandora would open up if she wanted to. If not, well, still more than enough room for two in the house.

She finally turned her attention to him again. "I want to be angry at being manipulated, but, honestly, I've hit the lowest place I can be in. Having someone else here might save my life."

As far as reactions went … totally not what he expected.

I love writing the holiday spirit shorts. It's so much fun coming up with the conflict and names for the spirits.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Elemental Healing (a Lantern Jack tale)

Happy Easter to those who celebrate. For everyone else, I hope your weekend is rocking with good vibes!

We got some terrific news this week. My youngest, who will graduate from university in May, got accepted into grad school! She's so excited and will have a Master of Arts Administration when she finishes.

Had a fairly busy week with work projects. Discovered one ended up with a corrupted file and had to fix some weird, random code that inserted itself into the file. What a pain!

Decent week of viewing television. I'll admit some was mainly background noise while I worked on editing. But not bad overall.

Ended up getting two episodes of The Batman in this week. Enjoyed both and should be on track to catch another one this week.

Also caught two episodes of Classic Rugrats. Weirdly, I remember two but from different episodes. They always did two per show and I distinctly remember one from each of the episodes I watched. Weird.

Watched another episode of My Life Is Murder and, once again, enjoyed it. Dueling bakers isn't something I would normally think of as a premise for murder.

Enjoyed another episode of Midsomer Murders. I have one left for this season and then it's time to wait for more again. Good thing there are plenty of other mysteries to keep me occupied.

Started the new season of Silent Witness. Another new face or two for this season and I'm okay with that. I have a feeling things are going to get very interesting this season.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise. We're getting closer to Humphrey's exit and Jack's entrance. I'll be able to start Beyond Paradise in the near future.

Watched another episode of Elementary. The new vibe between Holmes and Watson is fun. I'm enjoying a slightly softer version of Sherlock.

Started an episode of Peak Practice. I skipped one because I really didn't care one bit about the whole saga of Andrew and Kate. But it's interesting that Will is back. Should be a wild ride.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Elemental Healing, a Lantern Jack tale.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. Erica Ellis is a fire demon whose powers are going out of control. She needs intervention and an ancient ritual could save her from harming others. Perth Pettigrew is a mystic knight and knows the old rites. Too bad he's no longer using his gift. It's up to Lantern Jack to bring the two together for some elemental healing.

And a preview snippet…

Erica woke up, thankfully still numb. A full bottle of liquor knocked her back a few hours. She might have to grab more to be safe.

She blinked away the sleep them jolted upright. "What the hell?" An ugly carved pumpkin took up space on the nightstand.

It greeted her. "Hello, I go by Jack."

She rubbed her eyes. "Huh, you're new." She glanced around. "Did Blenden bring you?" Who else could've entered her studio apartment while she slept.

Her low-simmering anger faded. He'd never brought her anything before. If a weird gourd could count as a gift.

Jack tsked. "Blenden didn't bring me. But I am here to help you."

She laughed. "Oh, sure. A creepy jack-o-lantern is going to help me. Right." How, exactly, did the plant think it could assist her?

Jack responded. "You can doubt all you want, but I'm your only hope."

Seriously? Maybe she wouldn't plan on drinking whiskey anymore. Clearly, the potent alcohol had her hallucinating. And gave her a raging headache.

Erica groaned. "I'm talking to a damned pumpkin." She got up on wobbly legs and started for the small bathroom. "What do you know about me anyway?"

Jack filled her in. "I know you're out of control and losing your grip on your ability more with each passing day. How bad do you think it'll be on All Hallows?"

Erica paused then sat down. Hard.

She raked a hand through her hair. "Shit. I didn't even think about that." And she should have.

Jack pushed her. "You need to."

Erica sighed. "If Blenden hadn't bailed, this wouldn't be a problem." Why did her mentor leave her high and dry, especially so close to All Hallows?

Jack made a noncommittal reply. "Maybe he didn't bail. Maybe he did. Either way, you have to step up and decide what to do."

Erica huffed out a breath. "Right because that's so easy to do." She inhaled slowly, trying to find her center. "Fine. Got any suggestions?"

Jack chuckled. "You won't like it."

At this point, Erica didn't care. "I don't enjoy drinking myself to an early death either." And she really hated the idea of being anywhere near as drunk as she'd need to be on All Hallows in order to not hurt anyone.

Jack replied. "There's a place—a rock quarry—about an hour's drive from here. If you go out of control, there's not much you can burn down out there."

Erika considered the idea. Safer to be away from people until—hell, better make that if—she got her ability under control. But she could use help. She didn't want to live at a quarry for the rest of her days.

She eyed the pumpkin. "What about Blenden? If he comes back, he won't know where to find me." She didn't want to believe the grizzled, old demon abandoned her.

Jack made a sound of frustration. "Maybe someone else will show you the way. You can't count on an old fire demon."

Right. As if someone else is going to leap to my aid. Erica had a brief thought about the handsome mystic knight. Too bad he needed an attitude adjustment.

Which led her back to Matchick. "Blenden's the only one who gave a shit. No one else gives a damn about helping me transition."

Jack sighed. "I'm not saying he didn't care. I'm saying he's old and maybe unable to help anymore."

Is that why he hasn't been around lately?

Erica growled on an angry breath. "Fine. But if I have to camp out, I'm not going." She couldn't do tents for obvious reasons.

Jack's face twisted. "There's a small building the foreman used to stay in. It's cinder block so you can't damage it too much."

Erica snorted. "Gee, thanks for the confidence." And why did she feel insulted by a pumpkin?

Jack smirked. "Do you want directions or not?"

Erica got up and started gathering stuff to pack. "Not like I have any other options."

I have so much fun writing the Lantern Jack tales. This one is a little tricky but I'm enjoying it.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Dawn of the Sun

Ohio weather is tripping on some kind of psychedelic drug right now. We're in our third winter at the moment, so hopefully actual spring will happen in about two weeks. Of course, we'll have to give or take a month because who knows how long the state will be under the influence.

Had a crazy week of work, a mom crisis mode occurrence, and of course the weird weather, which wreaks havoc on my sinuses.

I didn't get much television watched this week. Too many things going on to really pay attention to my shows.

I did get an episode of Death in Paradise watched and enjoyed it. I hadn't seen any of this one and ended up really liking the mystery.

I also started an episode of Elementary and should finish it up today. I love the fun dynamic of Holmes and Watson after last week's near miss with Watson's life.

Other than that, I might be back on track this week, but I won't hold my breath. My brain is doing weird things and having a very hard time staying focused on more than one thing at a time. It's driving me batshit.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Dawn of the Sun, a novella that launches a couple on a journey to save their people.

Here's the miniblurb:

Apollo and Aurora aren't supposed to get together, but the Universe has other ideas. When everything starts to go sideways, two mortals personify the ancient deities and balance is restored.

And a preview snippet…

Alston fought the hands keeping him from being at Aleina's side. "Let me go, you assholes." He had to tell her … so many things.

Like how much he needed her. He didn't care if they argued all the time. She made him think and feel and challenged him to change his perspective. She drove him beyond insane sometimes, but also sent him to dizzying heights. He didn't want to be in a world that didn't have her. What the hell would that even look like?

Aleina breathed in a sharp gasp of air and the medical team went into action getting her stabilized. Alston shrugged off the restraining grip of the orderly and relaxed when the healer gave the all clear. Everyone stepped back from the gurney and Aleina slowly opened her eyes.

The healer clasped Aleina's palm. "You're finally on the road to recovery. You need some rest, and we'll evaluate you overnight." She eased away and nodded for the physician to assess the patient.

Aleina glanced around, her gaze landing on Alston. His shoulders hunched and he tried to shrink into the background. Now that she'd stabilized, he didn't need to be here. And she probably didn't want him to be. He'd been so happy she came back from the brink and didn't think about leaving as soon as she'd opened her eyes. He thought about heading out now, though.

When she didn't look away, her gaze completely inscrutable, Alston started to head for the door.

She called him back. "Alston, wait." Her voice rasped and she cleared her throat before nodding toward the healer. "Can we have the room? I want Alston to stay so we can talk for a while." She shuffled a little on the bed and the physician propped a pillow behind her back.

The healer frowned. "Not too long. You'll need rest to recover." Her lips quirked. "I realize that's a big ask, but I'm not taking any chances with you." With a pointed look, she left the room and called for everyone else to follow her.

Alston moved forward, standing beside the bed. "Thank the universe you're alive." He reached for her hand and squeezed it between his.

She smiled. "Grab a seat. I have a lot to tell you." Her eyes flashed with excitement.

He tilted his head, not quite sure how to take her almost jubilant mood. But he pulled a chair around and settled beside the bed. He didn't care about anything else but spending time with her.

Until she launched into something about a between life and death thing. The she shared a vision of the future granted by Pythia—a glorious future, where their children would rule or shape the world for generations to come.

And he had no idea what to do with the onslaught of information except try to absorb the words and make sense of them later.

I like how this story is shaping up. There should be two more books following this one and I can't wait to see how they go.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Dangerous Elements (a Lantern Jack tale)

Happy St. Patrick's Day! It's been a chaotic week with work projects and life stuff going on. And my distraction levels are making me frustrated. But … I'm still getting stuff done so I can't really complain.

I definitely didn't make a full round of shows this week. Just didn't have the bandwidth with my focus being all over the place.

I did catch an episode of The Batman and had vague memories of watching this the first time around. Joker episodes are hit and miss in the version of the dark knight.

Watched an episode of My Life Is Murder and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm almost finished with this show, and I'll miss it when I'm done. Such a fun cast of characters.

Caught another episode of Midsomer Murders and again enjoyed the mystery. I'd seen something of a similar nature of the plot based on a true story, so this episode ended up being a lot of fun.

Finished up the final episode of Silent Witness season twenty-five. I'll be starting season twenty-six this week. Ended up really enjoying the limited episode run.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Dangerous Elements, a Lantern Jack tale featuring shifters and keepers.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. The long-standing animosity between shifters and the human council comes to a dangerous head. Dahlia Derringer is next in line to rule the council and she's stepping into the role because a shifter almost took her father's life. Otto Orpheus leads the shifters and he's furious a rogue fox acted against his orders. Samhain is nigh and the shifters need to replenish their aura … if Otto can get Dahlia's permission to do so.

And a preview snippet…

Dahlia's fists clenched. The sheer audacity! She tamped down a strong urge to punch Mr. Otto Orpheus in the face. Acting innocent after what they did? Inconceivable.

But … he didn't appear to be going anywhere so… "Fine." She dug her phone out of her back pocket. "If it gets you off…" She scrolled to her video app and mashed her thumb on the icon. "Here." Shoving the phone in his face, she swallowed down the bile threatening to spew forth.

Otto's eyes went wide then narrowed into angry slits. His lips twisted in a pained grimace and he blanched before two spots of red flushed his cheeks. The footage showed a fox shifter attacking her father, biting his calf to bring him down then tearing into his arm and chest, trying to get to his jugular. Her dad rolled into a ball, tucking his head to his sternum and using his arms as protection. The fox bit and clawed at her father's back, shredding his shirt and leaving a bloody mess behind.

Dahlia came into view and fired a warning shot in the air. She couldn't risk taking aim at the fox—not when he hovered over her father. She could've taken the animal down when he ran, but concern overrode her instincts and she went to her dad instead. The video ended on her phone, but she had the security camera feed saved on their server.

Otto snarled a curse. "God dammit." He met her gaze. "Is Dean—" He broke off, swallowing hard. "How is he?"

Dahlia huffed out an angry breath. "Not dead, but it was damned close." She might as well give him the full status. "And he could still take a turn. He's feverish and fighting infection." And had a long road to recovery.

Otto sighed. "Look, I didn't orchestrate this, and I don't condone it." He paced back and forth, a hand running over the top of his head. "But I can't say I'm shocked something like this happened." He paused and met her gaze. "I'm not surprised a shifter went rogue. It's long been a point of contention—the lack of access to our sacred ground."

She growled, low in her throat. "Are you seriously defending that damn fox?" After seeing what it did to her dad?

Otto shook his head. "Not defending him or his actions. But I understand where he's coming from. For most of us, the land calls out—we need it, and it needs us."

The longing in his voice almost got to her. But, no, whether he sanctioned the action or not, one of his members caused harm and almost killed her father. She wouldn't let him spin this in any way.

Dahlia squared her shoulders. "Are you saying the attack was my dad's fault?" Her voice all but quaked with anger.

I'm very excited to have another installment underway in the Lantern Jack series. I love these stories so much.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Dance in the Underground (First Breed Nation)

Man. What a crazy-busy week. Our weather is still being contrary. Warm and spring-like a couple of days followed by another blast of winter. My sinuses are not thrilled.

I didn't get through a full round of television this week. I had way too many irons in the fire and needed to focus. My brain doesn't want to cooperate at all. Thankfully, I have three current projects, which lets me bounce around when I can't concentrate on one specific thing.

I did get a holiday episode of My Life Is Murder watched and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's interesting to see how the southern hemisphere celebrates the holiday in the middle of their summer.

I tried to watch the behind-the-scenes Agatha Raisin, but it wouldn't play. That's two seasons now that I can't access the specials. I'm kind of bummed about that.

I started the new season of Midsomer Murders and loved the episode. I'm excited to dive back into this series. It's fun to see an older Betty.

Silent Witness continues to be very intriguing. I really want to know who's behind the curtain pulling the strings.

Caught another Death in Paradise and remembered some of this one. Mainly the beginning and the end. Not sure what happened to the middle part and why I missed it the first time around but it's nice to finally see the whole episode.

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. I like the slow progression of trust being built with Sherlock and Watson. I have a sneaking suspicion that Sherlock now knows Joan isn't being paid by his father anymore. I'll be interested to see how that plays out.

That's as far as I made it for viewing this week and that's it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Dance in the Underground, a follow-up novella in the First Breed series.

Here's the miniblurb:

The First Breed Nation has to open another file. Vince Grillo is Raven Malone's right-hand man in the underground community, where the freaks and geeks seek refuge. Raven sends Vince undercover at a strip club where exotic dancers are disappearing then turning up dead a few days later. Evita Viccars, the headlining act, takes one look at Vince and tries to stake her claim on the shifter. Too bad she's the next victim on the phantom stalker's list.

And a preview snippet…

Vince Grillo entered the canteen and made a slow walk to Raven Malone's table. "You really need an office, Rave." He pulled a chair out and spun it around, sitting with his forearms resting on the back.

She glanced up from a stack of notes and some kind of printed report. "If I had an office, I'd never get to leave." Her gaze scanned semi-full space. "I've been trying to get out of here for the last three hours. Every time I get up, someone else stops by to unload whatever issue they have on me." Sighing, she raked her fingers through her hair.

Vince's lips twisted. "That's why you texted me? To get a break for a few?" He didn't mind, but he'd been knee-deep in renovating one of the empty sections of their underground space in the unused subway terminal.

Raven huffed out a breath. "Actually, no. I texted because I've been trying to track you down." She met his gaze. "I need you to do something for me. And you're not gonna like it." Shuffling through the printed paper, she pulled a page out and turned it toward him.

Vince glanced at the sheet in front of him. "Crime scene photos?" Four grisly images along with typed captions covered the surface.

Raven shook her head. "Not officially. Gio's working on a case and thinks one of ours is involved." She placed her phone on the table and started a video.

Vince narrowed his eyes, leaning closer to the screen. The grainy security camera footage left much to the imagination, but Vince's stomach churned regardless. The scene unfolding could have been the opening to a horror movie with an assailant giving chase to a woman, entrapping her, and unleashing terror on the lone female.

Vince flashed Raven a quick look. "What makes Gio think it's one of ours?" Committing acts of evil didn't require preternatural genes—or altered DNA.

The shit straight-up normal humans let loose on the world ranked as something vile half the time.

Raven nodded toward her device. "Keep watching." She exhaled slowly, a sure sign she held a lot back right now.

Vince focused on the video again, the beat-down sickening even without sound. Ten seconds later, the assailant hovered over the prone woman then another second later, they disappeared from the screen.

Vince's head snapped up. "Is there a glitch in this video?"

Raven jerked her head back and forth. "Nope. Whoever delivered that brutality can either make themselves invisible or they've got a teleportation ability." She shuffled through the notes on the table.

Vince let out a low whistle. "We don't have much data on first breeds who can teleport or have built-in cloaking devices." He could dig through the archives, which he anticipated Raven wanting him to do. "That's why you wanted to see me? You want me to troll through our information and see if anything hits?" She'd have to handle the geek side of things.

No one had more knowledge about the genetic splicing trials than Raven.

Raven winced. "Yeah, sorry, but that's not what I need you for." She inhaled deeply then spit everything out. "I want you to go up top and work undercover to find out whose behind this."

Vince reared back. "Fuck that. You know I hate going up top unless it's to shift and run or make short excursions for you." The idea of staying up there for an extended period made his hackles rise.

Raven held up a hand. "That should tell you how important this is. She's the third victim and this person is escalating. They're carefully choosing women that work at one location. The first two were pretty banged up, but this one? She's barely hanging on. There's a good chance she won't pull through." Raven pinned him with an understanding look. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't have to. Gio can't go undercover because he's known at the venue. I don't trust anyone else down here to handle the situation." She riffled through the pages again and pulled on out. "This is a list of her injuries along with the previous two."

Vince read through the lengthy bullet points. Damn. The first two had extensive bruising and contusions along with some lacerations and abrasions. The third woman had broken bones, internal bleeding, and a fractured skull.

The guy—Vince's gut wouldn't accept the assailant as being a female—definitely upped his game.

Heaving a sigh, Vince closed his eyes. "What hellhole are you sending me to?" He blinked when Raven didn't respond right away.

Her lips twitched … just a little. "The Twisted Stiletto."

Vince's mouth dropped open. "The upscale gentleman's club that pulls in five figures every night?" Probably six digits one the weekend.

Raven lifted her chin. "The very one."

Vince huffed out a breath. "Well … shit." He couldn't say being up top would be loads of fun.

But it would be interesting…

I love this series, which has two books in the works so far. If all goes well, I'd like about three more.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye