Sunday Snippet: Trip the Light Fantastic

Whew. It's been a whirlwind week, getting ready for the upcoming holiday. I think I have almost every task completed off my check list. Still doing some baking and I always wait until the last moment to wrap presents. LOL Actually, if all goes well, that will be finished up over the next three days. J

Looking forward to some TV marathons over the next week or two, with a Xmas Eve X-Files event and Five Days of the Doctor, too. I kind of wish more of my favorite shows created specific holiday shows to air on Christmas Day. That's a trend I could definitely get behind.

Just got the word that Bitten returns in February. I cannot wait!! Banshee starts in a few weeks, so that should keep me going during the brief lag time.

Tonight's post is from Trip the Light Fantastic, a novella in the Chaos series, featuring more of Ashton and Esme's adventures.

Here's the tagline:

Esme Von Staunton and Ashton Sylvester think they might be going insane. Ashton's weird attunement with Esme draws her into his bizarre nightmare of hallucinations and doing things neither remember. Esme's brother Eric stumbles onto a plot by Baron Morbride and races to save his source and his favorite couple, but Mobride has other plans and doesn't plan to let Eric thwart him.

And a preview snippet…

Ash tossed and turned. He feared falling asleep, but couldn't deny Esme when she insisted he try to at least rest. She'd be up soon, after she got Eric and Del settled in the carriage house. Smithers picked a fine time to high off to an old mate's rescue.

Good God, Ash needed to get his head back on straight. He didn't begrudge the manservant's loyalty to his oldest friend. Not at all… he respected the bone-deep sense of duty Smithers possessed. Rolling over to his side, Ash tucked his palm under his cheek, hoping Esme wouldn't be much longer.

His eyelids drooped and an overwhelming sense of drowsiness sucked him into the ether of slumber.

Ash rode a raven black stallion, Esme at his side on a silver gray, galloping across the estate, headed for town. He turned, catching a glimpse of Esme's cape flowing behind her. She glanced in his direction, a smile on her lips. She pulled ahead and Ash gazed at the curve of her ass, her black jodhpurs stark against the light-colored saddle. He blinked, a grin curving his lips then his eyes went wide when he observed Esme's horse pull up short, rearing on its hind legs, throwing Esme off to land a good distance away.

Ash halted his animal and slid from the saddle, running toward Esme, keeping a careful watch on the stallions. When he reached her side, he found her head twisted at a grotesque angle, her eyes staring lifelessly. He cried out, burying his face in her hair, gasping for breath.

A hand roughly shook him. "Ash! Wake up. I'm fine. I'm fine."

Esme's voice cut through the fog of his nightmare and Ash jolted awake, sitting upright with his eyes wide open. Esme cupped his face with a cool palm, stroking his cheek with her thumb.

Ash blinked, clearing the remnants of dream away before meeting her gaze. "Did I call out? Is that how you knew?" He dragged in air, willing his heart rate to slow down.

Esme shook her head. "No, you didn't call out, Ash." She glanced away, an odd look on her face.

Ash placed his hand over hers. "What happened, Es? If I didn't say anything, how did you know about the nightmare?" A slow churning began in his stomach, his every instinct on alert.

Esme slowly met his gaze again. "I know because I was there with you, Ash, in the dream." She turned her hand, grasping his and lacing their fingers together before letting go. "I saw everything, experienced it right along with you, all while being fully awake."

I can't wait to dive back into this series and get another book or two written. I love Ash and Esme.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye