Sunday Snippet: Maybe This Seems Familiar

Even though March is my birth month and the birth month of my mom and one of my best friends, I'm kind of glad to kick it to the curb. It's been a wild ride this month. That said, it's also been intensely productive, so I'm really not complaining.

The weather is still drunk, wildly surging one direction then lurching back only to zing forward again. My sinuses hate me right now. And my throat has that I just swallowed glass with a gravel chaser sound at the moment.

Still buried with work but I'm making great progress on all fronts. I added another new hourly project to the pile and made a big dent in that one yesterday.

Not a bad week for viewing. I got through my usual slate and did a marathon watch to finish out the week.

Ended up watching two episodes of Elementary and both were actually terrific. I'm very interested in seeing how things with Kitty play out in the next few installments.

Caught two episodes of Batman Beyond. Always happy to see the Royal Flush show up and I liked the throwback to Bane.

Also enjoyed two Classic Rugrats episodes. I'm about halfway through the final season and I think I'll pick back up with the new reboot once I'm finished up.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise and I'm enjoying having Darlene working with the team. She's a great addition. Also glad to see Neville's sister exit. Maybe she'll grow on me, but I didn't enjoy her at all.

Watched the first official episode of season two Beyond Paradise. Really enjoyed the way the mystery unfolded. Also loved the resolution.

I ended up not quite finishing the episode of London Kills but I should have that one completed this week.

That's it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Maybe This Seems Familiar, a novella that pulls a couple together after a big loss.

Here's the miniblurb:

A tragic death sends Inyx Pic, an Adept Major, into a brittle shell of self-doubt. When Philo Batson, her Adept Master, pushes Inyx to get back to teaching, her armor of disillusionment cracks and anger and grief come pouring out, leaving Philo to handle the fallout.

And a preview snippet…

Adept major Inyx Pic cast a recall spell. "No, Marlax. You're skipping steps and your ass is really gonna hurt when you get knocked on it from backlash." She absorbed the random energy from calling in the attempted conjure.

Marlax Tillie snarled. "I'm not a baby mage. I don't need the training wheels, Major Pic." Her eyes flashed with anger. "You're holding me back, and it's not fair." She flounced to her worktable.

Inyx bit back a string of curses. "Fair isn't why we're here. You can't move on to the next class if you don't master the finer points of conjuring." How many times had Inyx listened to lectures about finesse?

And how many times had she wanted to smash her fist into Philo Batson's face because he never shut up about learning the basics forward, backward, and upside down? Probably as many as she'd wanted to strip him naked and make him passionate about something other than conjuring. Too bad she'd never pushed harder to make that happen.

Then again, she had very good reasons for not doing so. Even if he'd made it clear he'd be interested…

"Major Pic? Am I free to go?" Marlax arched her winged brows.

Inyx blinked and shook off the cobwebs. "You can leave after you've listed the ten steps to safely conjure. Then come back tomorrow and we'll start again." She made her way to the stool sitting at the head of the classroom. "The rest of you are dismissed. See you tomorrow." Sinking down, she tried to recalibrate and find her center.

Next time, she'd send the random energy out the window instead of taking it on. She'd spend the rest of the day wired one moment and dragging ass the next. At least she didn't have to teach any more this afternoon.

Marlax slapped her notebook open and huffed out sigh. She scribbled the assigned list down the page, tore it out, and brought it to Inyx. She reviewed the steps and gave a nod.

Marlax rolled her eyes. "It's not that I don't know what they are. It's—"

Inyx finished the thought for her student. "You think they're stupid. I don't need to be an oracle to figure that out." She folded the paper and tucked it into Marlax's shirt pocket. "Come in tomorrow, do what you need to do, and you'll be golden." If Marlax tried to leap ahead again, she'd be wearing the list on her forehead.

Marlax snorted, whirled around, gathered her stuff, and stomped out the door, nearly running Philo over when he entered.

His brows went up. "Do I want to know what that's about?" He propped his hip on the worktable across from her desk.

Inyx sighed. "It's been a day. That one wants to fly before she can walk." And damn if the plebe didn't raise a bunch of red flags.

Philo smirked. "That sounds familiar."

I think I finally have the tone I want for this story. Philo and Inyx have a long history of dancing around each other and it's fun to write them edging closer together.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Manifest Legend

Geez, I can't believe we're almost through March. This has been such a busy month and it's flying by. A few outside distractions added to the mix this week and were something of a big time suck.

My work projects are still chugging along and I'm making progress on my side gig I hope to launch soon. Technically it's already out in the world but I'm adding a big layer to the whole thing. Of course, I pick a moment in time when I'm crazy busy. But I love a good challenge.

As usual, the weather is all over the map. We've had a lot of wind rolling through, stirring up dust and who knows what else. And the temps are doing the back-and-forth dance. I'm looking forward to having some even, leveled-out days … whenever that might be.

Slow viewing week again. Partly due to work stuff and I'm also in a bit of a slump. I might be edging toward a binge-watching phase, which I haven't really done for a long while.

I got most of the way through the episode of London Kills I started last week. It's the opening ep of the fourth season so I kind of want to pay attention and I keep missing key things, so I'll finish it when I have more brain power.

Watched an episode of Death in Paradise and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd seen bits and pieces of this one so kind of knew what to expect. I very much remember absolutely disliking Neville's sister with an intense passion and that didn't change. Maybe she'll grow on me, but I doubt it.

Also caught the holiday episode of Beyond Paradise and totally loved it! Christmas shows make me happy and this episode seemed to pull the periphery cast into each other's orbits and I loved that. Looking forward to diving into the rest of season two. And, oddly, the timing ended up being perfect for the crossover last week when Humph returned to the beach. Not sure how I did that.

I did another binge marathon of Peter Gunn also. I'm loving some of the live channels on Plex.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Manifest Legend, an introductory short to the Insula Ara series.

Here's the miniblurb:

Insula Ara is a mystical island offering sanctuary to those in need, but when she reveals herself for the first time, Cedric Edward Teasdale, former crewman of a privateer, almost blows his chance for refuge … and a reunion with his lost love.

And a preview snippet…

A warm hand smoothed the side of Ceet's face, and he turned over in his sleep. "Dammit, Emaline, ye haunt me even in my dreams."

Feminine laughter filled his ears. "Well, Cedric, you deserve no less. Leavin' me the ye did. But I'm not ahauntin' you, ye daft man. I'm sitting right beside you." A sharp pinch on his bicep followed the statement.

Ceet bolted upright and scrambled to the edge of the bed. "Emaline? What? How?" He blinked and shook his head. "This can't be possible." Or could it…

He reached under the pillow and retrieved the compass. Did you bring my love back to me? The device grew warm under his palm.

Ceet threw the covers back and slid to the edge of the bed. "Emaline Gruder, I've missed ye, I have." His hands cupped her face. "And I love you." His vision grew misty, and his head dropped.

Emaline threw her arms around him. "And I you, Cedric." She eased back. "And if I understand how this is supposed to work, we'll have all the time we ever wanted to be together." She hugged him close again.

Ceet wrapped his arms around her. "Ah, Emaline. I surely hope so. I surely do." He shifted his position and patted the bed then tugged Emaline down beside him. "This island, Sanctuary is her name, is wonderous and full of marvels you've never imagined." His gaze went to the rafters of the room. "She can create buildings, like this here abode. And she made a barn and provided animals for my use." He met Emaline's gaze. "But you have to be certain about what you want, my love. Once yer committed, you can't leave. At least that's how it works for me." And he didn't regret his choice … except for the loneliness.

Which seemed to be resolved.

Emaline placed her head on Ceet's shoulder. "My darling, Cedric. Why would I want to leave? I've wanted to spend my life with you for as long as I can remember. When I got ill and you didn't return, my heart broke." Her voice grew thick and heavy. "And then I was somewhere in between. Dead but not. Wavering but tethered because I didn't get a farewell from you." She clasped his hand. "Now I'm here and we can have a life together…" Her head angled so she could meet his gaze. "But it's a little different for me. When someone else needs the island, I'll have to go away. But I'll always return to you. Always." She straightened and glanced around the room. "And to my new sanctuary … Insula Ara."

Ceet hauled her close. "Then it's time to start our life together…" His mouth claimed hers and everything in his world turned bright and brilliant.

Ceet literally sprang up and decided he wanted his story told, then he captured my heart when sitting down to write it.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Man Up

The work project abundance continues. I'm plugging along and chiseling away at the four current projects I have on my plate—two copy edits, a proofread, and a developmental edit are the main events. I also have a set of revisions to review and a read through to start. It's chaotic but also … fun? I love that everything I'm working on right now is so different. Not one of the manuscripts is similar to the other ones.

As usual, totally unhinged weather in Ohio. It's cold. It's hot. It's both in one day. Rain, sun, gloomy clouds, and hey, a chance for more snow. I did get lucky and had a mostly clear night for the recent blood moon eclipse, which was amazing to watch. Being a night owl comes in very hand sometimes.

Had a limited viewing schedule this week, mainly because I needed to focus on the words in the manuscripts. I did get a few things watched. I might have to give binge watching something for background noise a go for the next few weeks.

Finished up Beyond Paradise and thoroughly enjoyed the first season finale. They packed so much into this episode. The case, Humph and Archie fight, more shenanigans from the Chief Super, Esther and Hump bonding, Margo being Margo, Kelby being Kelby, and of course, the crew from Death in Paradise at the end. I can't wait to watch the first holiday episode this week!

Caught an episode of Elementary and quite enjoyed it. Interesting interactions between the consulting trio and the police duo and twisty bits thrown in to keep things rolling.

Enjoyed an episode of Batman Beyond. It's one I definitely remembered and liked during my first watch of this series.

Watched an episode of Classic Rugrats and actually remember this one, which is odd because most of the ninth season has been new-to-me stuff.

Started an episode of London Kills, the opener to the fourth season. I had to stop partway through because I need to pay attention and this isn't the week for me to do that.

Also binged a marathon of Peter Gunn on one of the live PlexTV channels. I've been hitting Plex up for a lot of viewing fare lately and I might end up using it over the next several weeks for background noise. Stay tuned.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Man Up, a novella that brings a couple together when they compete to see who can outdo who.

Here's the miniblurb:

Hattie Hale and Nero Palmer, instructors at the Academy of Light, are supposed to set the example, but can't quite get past their competitive natures. A drunken game of one-ups-manship goes all the way to the sleeping chamber because neither will admit to being outdone.

And a preview snippet…

Hattie wished she could sip her mug of coffee slowly, but she always inhaled the first blast of caffeine of the day. "Right, then. I'm ready for a refill. You can talk now." She reached for the carafe and filled her mug while carefully watching him through her lashes.

She had to give the guy props. He'd kept up with her last night and didn't seem too bad off. In fact, he appeared to be doing just fine. A notch of respect ticked up for him.

Nero's chin lifted. "Ground rules? Let's start there." He propped an ankle on his knee. "We need some surprises because we know each other's strengths and weaknesses in the classroom."

Hattie blinked. "Wow. You've given this some thought, haven't you?" She didn't care how they competed because her main goal had been to … what had been the original point?

Right. She kind of wanted to test the waters and see if anything developed between them. But … she didn't want to be obvious.

Nero arched his brows. "Why wouldn't I? You issued a challenge and, well, it could be fun to compete for something other than test grades." He nodded toward the pot on the ottoman. "Mind if I have more? The coffee really is excellent."

Hattie's lips twitched. "Can I count that as a win?" She scooted the carafe closer to him.

Nero laughed. "Why not? I have to concede it's better than anything I've ever brewed." He refilled his mug and shook his head.

An idea popped into her mind. "Okay. Let's make one of our ground rules competing in nonmagickal areas." She had a couple of super-secret recipes she could pull out and blow his mind with.

Nero pondered for a moment. "Yeah. I'm down with that. Like a mix of magick we don't use in the classroom and regular, everyday stuff." Sipping from the mug, he watched her over the rim of the cup.

Hattie hid a smirk. "All right. I'll cook dinner tonight. You can cook tomorrow. Monday … well, we'll see how it goes. We can use it as a tiebreaker if we need to." Warming up to the plan, she made another suggestion. "For something magickal, I think we should try something with runes. Set a ward and see if the other can break it." She loved puzzles.

Nero tilted his head. "Yeah, okay. For nonmagickal, I'm thinking darts? I have a board in my shed. We could go best two out of three." He paused a moment. "For something with magick, how about layered hexes? We'll start at the same time and see who finishes first?"

Hattie added a stipulation. "Somewhere neutral for the runes and hexes. That way neither of us has an advantage over the other." She flashed a smile. "I'm not worried about the darts. Two out of three makes it fair." Settling back, she sipped more coffee.

Nero set his empty cup on the ottoman. "I think we're good to go. Like you said, we can use Monday if we need tiebreakers for anything." He made to stand up.

Hattie held up a hand. "Hold up a minute. I'm already one ahead of you with the coffee. I think we should switch nights. You cook tonight and I'll cook tomorrow." She had to give him a shot at keeping things even.

Nero narrowed his gaze again. "You need to get groceries, don't you?" The sly twist to his lips gave away his teasing.

She snorted. "No, but I was thinking we could maybe get the dart game out of the way after dinner." Mainly because she wanted to see him in his own space to get some ideas for the layered hexes.

Nero shrugged. "Let's say seven for dinner." He got up and started for the door. "Don't be late."

She grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it. See you then."

Having a lot of fun with this one. Competing as a get to know each other outside of their professional setting is a hoot to write.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Loud As Hell

What a week! My brain is all spinny at the moment because I have an abundance of work projects in my inbox. I love having a full calendar. That said, I need about five more hours in each day, please and thank you.

Honestly, the overflowing inbox comes at an excellent time for me. I have several things that need attention, one of them being the brakes on my car. Now to buckle under and get the work done.

Weather in Ohio is typical for March. Maybe a little on the extreme side, but March always seems to be whiplashing back and forth between winter and spring. Today is springlike with temps in the fifties. Yesterday we barely broke freezing for our high.

Another very limited week for viewing. I'm not kidding when I say five more hours each day would be helpful. Just saying.

I did finish up the Death in Paradise episode I started last week. So sad to see Florance leave again. But what a way to go out. And pretty sure we'll see her again.

Also started a Beyond Paradise episode, which will finish out the first season. I'm really enjoying this show.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Loud As Hell, a follow-up story to A Quiet Hell.

Here's the miniblurb:

Bailey Wendelson has come a long way and learned a lot since almost trapping his brother in a prison for the paranormally gifted. When Bailey meets Yazmin Meechum, a woman with siren capabilities, she has no desire for his assistance, but he won't walk away because she's being followed by the people he used to work for.

And a preview snippet…

Yazmin pushed her cart to the self-checkout area. "Gotta love twenty-four-hour grocery stores." She always waited until after eleven p.m. because the aisles were more or less deserted.

She ran her items over the scanner and paid with her debit card. She smiled and nodded when the night-shift manager asked if he could put her cart away. Grasping the bags, she exited the store and retrieved her key from her jacket pocket.

The parking lot lighting left a lot to be desired, but the tradeoff of fewer people to deal with ranked pretty high on her list. With the exception of talking to herself, she rarely had to interact verbally with anyone. Luckily, she didn't have far to go.

She hit her key fob to unlock her car. "Home. Unpack. Binge watch something until I fall asleep." Not exactly a thrill a minute but she'd grown used to the routine.

Almost to the vehicle, she'd just pressed the trunk button when a large man grabbed her arm and tried to pull her into a van sitting opposite to her sedate sedan. She screamed and the groceries went flying. Twisting and turning, she started to fight back when another guy attempted to scoop her legs up. Kicking out, she shouted for help again.

A metal baton came out of nowhere and cracked the guy trying to grab her legs on the head. He landed on the asphalt with a loud grunt. The other brute let her go and engaged in a fight with her rescuer. Punches were thrown and the baton struck the assailant on the knee, the shoulder, and the nape.

The rescuer whirled around, and Yazmin's eyes went wide. Bailey Wendelson. Holy shit.

His head jerked toward her car. "It's not safe. Pretty sure they planted a tracking device." He collapsed the baton and tucked it into his coat. "We don't have much time. Will you let me get you somewhere safe?" His eyebrows arched.

Not trusting her voice, she gave a shaky nod.

He used his thumb to point over his shoulder. "I'm over here. Sorry about the groceries, but we need to get moving now." He headed for his vehicle, not waiting to see if she followed.

But follow she did, sliding into the passenger seat of the running car. Bailey put the SUV in gear and gunned the engine, lurching forward and barely stopping before pulling out onto the nearly deserted street.

Yazmin hunched into her coat and stared straight ahead. Who were the men and what did they want? How did Bailey know she'd need help? Willing her heart rate to slow down, she twisted her hands in her lap. What the hell am I getting into?

Then a ridiculous thought pinged in her brain. Dammit. My trunk is still open.

I'm having a lot of fun with this story. Bailey really wanted to redeem himself after being a bit of an ass in the first book.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Loss

Wow, March is being its typical mercurial self. Warm up and then plunge back into the teens and single digits. The back-and-forth weather is normal but not fun.

Crazy-busy week with work projects. I'm thrilled to have my calendar filling up and excited to start some new manuscripts. Also getting more details sorted out for Tip Jar Shorts. I need to find a full day I can dedicate to getting everything where it needs to be.

Very limited viewing this week. My brain decided it needed quiet to focus on the reading I needed to finish up for one of my work projects. I probably needed the break.

I did get more of the One Lane Bridge episode watched. I might take a brief vacation from this one. There's a lot going on in this show and focus is going to be important so I don't miss anything.

Finished up season three of London Kills with the behind-the-scenes bonus episode. I always enjoy getting a deeper look at how everything comes together in a series.

Started another episode of Death in Paradise. I'm about halfway through and I like the tension in this one. Also enjoyed Neville and Commissioner Patterson being on the same page for once.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Loss, a novella that explores how the main characters deal with a devastating blow.

Here's the miniblurb:

Welsh Hollingsworth is the golden child of Clan Grimstone, but when he's expected to fill the void left when his dad is killed, he can't quite figure out how and he hopes Cagney Gaines can help him find some insight. Cagney can't deal with the loss of her mentor, the one constant in her chaotic world and she leaves when Welsh needs her the most. One year later, she returns to find a very different Welsh—one who doesn't welcome her with open arms.

And a preview snippet…

Cagney surveyed the group gathered on the tracks and lining the subway platform. "I've gotta hand it to Welsh. He mobilized the clan in a hurry.'' She met Jacko's gaze. "He's not happy about staying behind." She wouldn't be either if she'd been in his place.

Jacko rolled a shoulder. "Someone needs to call the shots and, like it or not, that's him." He shook his head. "And he needs to be protected. This is a coordinated attack. Taking the old man out? Bold move to get the ball rolling."

Cagney nodded. "Bold but stupid." The one thing Clan Grimstone didn't lack?

Loyalty.

Word of Wallace's death at the hands of Bainbridge spread quickly, and members all but poured out of the woodwork at Hollingsworth House. With communication lines blown, the telepaths were working in a chain to get logistics and movement down and relay orders on. Cagney had met Jacko at the subway terminal and, along with twenty women and thirty men, had a trap set for the Stoneworth clansmen.

The sound of screeching wheels on metal echoed through the tunnel.

Jacko nudged her shoulder. "This should be them. The train is dark." He readied his pouch to give the signal.

The man's bag of tricks never failed to amaze Cagney. Damn good thing he'd arrived at the house in one piece to get the details of Wallace's death. Cagney didn't know if she could have led this battle on her own. Not with—

Guh. She couldn't even think about Wallace not being around when she got back. No way.

Jacko clasped her shoulder with a gnarled hand. "Easy, Cag. I need you here with me." With a gentle squeeze, he let go and readied to launch the counterattack.

Cagney gave him another nod. "On your mark." Shoving aside her grief, she let the anger take control.

When Jacko gave the go, Cagney unleashed her rage and rained hellfire down on the darkened car. Men spilled out on both sides, and Jacko directed the other clansmen in a strategic skirmish that quickly cut the Stoneworth numbers to half. Now, with a fair fight, both groups pulled back on their magick and entered into physical battle mode.

Cagney jumped into the middle of the fray, each blow, kick, punch, and strike chipping away at the tenuous hold on her pain. By the time the Grimstone side had the advantage, rounding up the stragglers of Clan Stoneworth, and she threw her final fist, the tears blurred her vision.

Connecting with her adversary's jaw, she growled. "For Wallace." She let the opponent hit the tracks in a heap of battered flesh.

Jacko made his way to her side. "The old man would be proud of you." He flung an arm around her shoulders. "Let's go see how our new leader fared." He limped forward, a little worse for the skirmish.

Cagney didn't argue, and she appreciated Jacko ignoring the grief overflowing from her eyes. His gaze held a sheen of moisture too. Exhausted and overwhelmed, Cagney didn't stop the stream of tears, letting them run freely. But she'd be dry-eyed when they briefed Welsh—because he would need her to be strong and unbreakable when they got back.

And she would be both even if it killed her.

This one is coming together in so many ways I didn't expect, and I'm excited to see what else unfolds.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Long Time No See

Well, had a better week than the last one. Still not completely tip-top but feeling way better with the worst of the cold finally over. We got more snow this week, but warmer temperatures are around the corner. At least for a few days.

I got caught up on my work projects and lined up a potential new one. I'll be starting a new copy edit on one of my favorite mystery series and continuing my read through on the nonfiction project.

I'm setting up a storefront for Tip Jar Shorts. I'm kind of doing things a bit backward, but the more I thought about it, the more I figured a storefront would lend legitimacy to this endeavor. I wanted to keep things super simple and offer various methods of payment and I might still be able to do that, but I also thought it would be best to have immediate access to a downloadable file instead of waiting on a delivery to an inbox. We'll see which version works out the best.

Had an okay week of viewing. I didn't make a full cycle through of my shows, but I did get the back half watched. And I might be adding one additional show to the roster. I'll let everyone know if that happens.

Watched another episode of Elementary and rather enjoyed this one. Sherlock's dynamic with Joan is different and getting more settled. And Kitty is fitting in with both in ways I didn't expect.

Also caught an episode of Batman Beyond. I remembered this one and enjoyed it. I did forget the interaction with Terry and his brother so that was a nice reminder.

Enjoyed another new-to-me episode of Classic Rugrats. I sometimes wish Nickelodeon had continued with the plans for the pre-school show and added more of All Grown Up. The nostalgia is strong with this franchise. Instead, Spongebob and other weird stuff took off.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Long Time No See, a novella in a yet-to-be-named series.

Here's the miniblurb:

With Jonni on probation with the Marsoni clan and Val estranged from the Janis clan, the couple is forging their own path within the fae realm. The Vellas clan is on the warpath and Jonni receives a tip about who their next target is. She and Val have to decide if they're going to intervene or stay on the sidelines and not get involved, which could have serious ramifications for Val.

And a preview snippet…

Jonni Mars rolled her hips, drawing Val deeper into her core. "Damn, it's good to have you back." She planted her hands on the bed close to his shoulders, her fingers curling into her palms.

Val hissed out a breath. "Good to be back. Didn't enjoy tending to clan business, especially when I walked away for a reason." His head lifted and his lips latched on to her nipple.

Her eyes slid shut, pleasure spiraling through her. Val never failed to give her exactly what she needed to amp up the zinging awareness coursing along her nerve endings. He'd been cloistered with the Janis clan for two weeks, out of touch and unreachable. She started climbing the walls by day three because they'd spent nearly every day together for the last six months.

Being on probation sucked. She didn't realize how much space Val filled in her life … or how much of a distraction he provided, easing the huge void she'd landed in by being stuck on the sidelines. She couldn't even patrol without permission right now.

Val's lips traveled up to her shoulder. "Missed you." He nuzzled her collarbone.

Jonni changed the pace, slowing down and moving sensuously over the hard length buried deep inside her. "Yeah, same." Her head lowered and she met his lips.

Val slipped his tongue past her teeth to tangle with hers. His hips rose in counterpoint with her smooth rocking motion. Jonni slid closer to the edge of bliss. When Val skimmed his palms along her torso and around to cup her ass, he applied pressure to hold her in place. His groin bumped the hard nub of nerves, creating just the right amount of friction to send her over.

She broke the kiss on a gasp. "Ah, yes." A shiver rippled over her, and she came, her inner muscles gripping hard on his cock.

Val groaned. "So hot. Love to watch you lose control." He thrust upward two more times and shuddered under her.

Jonni collapsed atop his chest, her breath coming out in short bursts. Val wrapped his arms around her, his fingers drawing lazy circles on her skin. She loved basking in the afterglow with him.

The chirp of a phone broke the moment.

Her head popped up. "Yours or mine?" She glanced toward the nightstand beside the bed.

His phone screen stayed dark.

She sighed. "Ugh. It's mine." Sitting up, she leaned over and fished her device out of her pocket and swiped to answer, not bothering to check the ID. "Hello." The voice on the other end made her shoulders tense. "Yeah, okay. I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

Val's eyebrows arched. "Everything okay?"

Jonni shook her head. "Probably not. But I've got a meeting I can't miss."

I've just starting really writing this one and I can't wait to dive in and see where things go.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Lie to Me

Whew. It's been a week. I'm under the weather and not enjoying that at all. I'm behind on my two work projects and we're getting a buttload of snow at the moment. Also … I'm on cold medication and it's making me loopy. Fun times.

I made a video for Tip Jar and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. I'm excited about this new endeavor and hope it gets some traction.

Really slow week for viewing. Between being under the weather and everything else going on in the world, I didn't have the spoons to really dive into my shows.

I didn't end up finishing the episode of One Lane Bridge. I'm hoping to get to it this week.

I did watch the finale of London Kills and it ended up being pretty thrilling. I have a behind the scenes episode to watch and then I'll be starting the next season.

Caught an episode of Death in Paradise and enjoyed it. I'm liking Neville a lot more this season. Very interested in how things play out with Florance's under cover job.

Started an episode of Beyond Paradise and should finish it today. I ended up sleeping a lot over the weekend and just didn't have a chance to get the whole episode in. I did get a chuckle that Humph named his duck Selwyn because that's the commissioner's name from Death in Paradise. Not sure how I missed that before.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Lie to Me, an urban fantasy romance.

Here's the miniblurb:

Jana Ricks has a target on her back, and she wants Rhys McPherson to help her get rid of it. Rhys loves Jana, but may not be able to protect her, not if they want to stay alive, which he's determined to make happen … even if it means giving up the future he wants.

And a preview snippet…

Several hours later, Rhys ruled out hex cat and hell hound. "It doesn't make sense." Plus, dammit, nothing he'd tried revealed the animal.

And it had to be an animal.

Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair. "What other magickal being could it be?" Not many were controllable even by dark magick.

A dark steed? Too big. Cloven goat? Too small and focused. Cloven goats only created havoc. Jinx rats weren't particularly useful except as annoyances because of the bad luck they brought. The same with pox hares. Crossing paths with the mangy rabbits could induce insomnia and indigestion, but not much else.

Another thought hit. "Maybe a vex fox." Rhys shuffled some of the texts on the table to uncover the one he needed. "Ah, no. Too rare." No sightings in the last several decades.

Jana entered the living room, carrying a tray of bubbling concoctions. "Here's the next batch." She placed the mixtures at his elbow.

She'd proven to be extremely helpful. Spell casting and brewing potions were often tedious, but she plowed through with perseverance. She'd even labeled the containers to help him find the ones he wanted quickly.

He met her gaze. "Thank you. Let's see what these reveal." He waited until she sat across from him then selected the first pot and worked successively through the batch trying to bring forth the nasty predator dogging Jana.

The action took him back … to when they'd done this kind of thing a lot. He missed her—them. But they couldn't work as a couple.

He didn't blame her for Rand's death, but she did hold responsibility. He couldn't get past that. Not yet.

Maybe not ever. Especially with Lindi and the kids as a constant reminder. But he loved Jana. Always would.

When none of the new spell potions worked, ideas and thoughts started shuffling in his head. "Let's go over the info again. Your gut said hell hound or hex cat, right?" She rarely missed.

Jana nodded. "But the spells aren't revealing the beast."

Rhys scraped a hand over his head. "Why? Dammit. Why can't I figure it out?" This kind of situation shouldn't be beyond him.

Jana rocked back in her chair. "Maybe it's both." She shrugged one shoulder.

Bingo! She might have just hit the jackpot.

Profound inspiration smacked him in the forehead. "Holy shit." Rhys went to a new book—one he'd discounted earlier. "You might be onto something." He thumbed through the pages. "A blended link with a side of cloaking." He read through the details and whistled low between his teeth. "That's some powerful fucking magick." But the concept fit.

Her chair thumped forward. "Who's got the ability to pull that off?" Jana frowned.

Rhys slid his gaze sideways. "One brain teaser at a time. Let's see if we're right first."

He transcribed the pages for the necessary spells then helped gather the necessary ingredients.

While filling the vials, he explained the process. "We'll need to work together. Uncloak first, break the link, then banish the creatures." Excitement to be working with her thrummed in his veins when he filled the vials. "Are you ready?"

It took a while for me to figure out where this story wanted to go, but I'm so happy with where it's headed now.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye