Sunday Snippet: Hot Target

November 29, 2015

I hope everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving had a terrific one. I spent mine with some extended family and had a lovely time.

Slower than normal week in television, which was rather nice. Gotham turned in a great episode. I have much love for Alfred and this episode made me love him all the more. Haven continues to impress me. I really will hate to see the show end.

The Walking Dead fall finale is tonight, right? I'll miss having my Sunday night viewing staple, but with the holidays coming up, the time should fly. I'll have to see if The Librarians and Agent X are taking a break, too.

Last but not least, Doctor Who. I'm truly saddened I just can't seem to get into the new season. This year's Christmas special may be my last episode. I'll have to do some Whovian soul searching over the next few weeks.

Tonight's post is from Hot Target, a novella where my main characters have to put their lives on the line to catch a rogue mage.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Yates and Baylor work undercover for the mage council. They make a great team, but rarely see eye to eye. When their magical brethren start dropping like flies, one of them must become a hot target. Yates decides he'll do it… Baylor's a better shot.

And a preview snippet…

Baylor Fisk stood outside the double doors of the mage council chamber. She'd been out working a misuse of power case when a call came through, asking her to immediately report to the manor house. Her frequent undercover partner and current lover made his way down the long hallway to stand beside her.

Yates Bannerson hadn't changed from his underground fight club garb, meaning he'd probably received the same cryptic message she had.

He slid his gaze sideways. "Know what's going on?"

Baylor shook her head. "Nope. Might as well find out." She raised a hand and knocked on the heavy oak door.

Yates followed her inside the chamber and took up a relaxed stance when they faced the five person board of elders.

The chairman didn't waste time with pleasantries. "I'm sorry to pull you two away from your current cases, but we have grim news and you need to be brought up to speed."

The lights dimmed and the huge plasma screen flashed with a grisly image of Baylor's best friend, Margo Penschot, displayed in a body bag. Baylor watched with horror as other pictures of the surrounding area melted on and off the screen.

The chairman gave the known details, but Baylor only heard the roar of pain and anger. Margo had been her oldest friend. They'd grown up together, hitting each and every rite of passage from discovering their magical abilities to honing their skills and finally graduating from the apprentice program at the same time. Baylor tried to hang on to her professional detachment, but failed. She collapsed, only Yates' quick thinking stopping her from hitting the floor.

Yates held her cradled in his arms. "Give us a moment."

The council shrouded them with a shield and Baylor let out the howl of rage and hurt she couldn't contain.

Yates hauled her closer. "Let it out, Baylor."

He didn't draw away or flinch when she did, patiently waiting for her to expel the emotion churning through her. Her mind didn't want to accept the loss or acknowledge Margo's death had been a deliberate act, but her practical side already sought a reason. The shift in focus gave her a center of calm and she sought Yates' gaze.

He cupped her face. "We'll find out who killed Margo and make them pay. You have my word." His lips brushed over her forehead.

Baylor exhaled and nodded. "Thank you." Composed, she slowly got to her feet.

Yates muttered the incantation to release the shield.

Staying in his embrace, Baylor faced the council. "What do you need from us?"

The chairman met her gaze. "Watch and listen. All of your other cases are suspended." He nodded toward the screen. "Our priority is to discover who killed Margo and bring them to justice."

Baylor gave the man a grim smile. "I can work with that." She turned to head out of the chamber.

The chairman called out. "Baylor, we're terribly sorry for your loss."

Her throat closed up but Baylor lifted a hand in acknowledgment.

Yates fell into step beside her. "They're not the only ones who'll be sorry."

Baylor's heartache eased a little and she laced her fingers with Yates'. Losing Margo hurt and left a gaping hole in Baylor's life, but Yates wouldn't rest until they caught the person responsible.

Baylor couldn't ask for more.

So far, this one is coming in bits and pieces. I can't wait to see the finished product. LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Hot as Hades

Okay, lots of TV stuff to talk about. Gotham is truly upping the stakes and I love the way they're doing it. Gordon is so focused on the crazy sibling duo he's completely missing the trouble brewing with Cobblepot and Nygma. I can't wait to see what happens next. Sleepy Hollow had a decent fall finale. I've missed a bunch of important stuff and need to get caught up.

The Flash is coming along nicely. I'm excited to see where things go, leading up to the Legends of Tomorrow premiere. The same goes for Arrow. This season, between the two shows, there's been a great combo of moving the standard story arcs along with laying great groundwork for the spinoff getting ready to debut. Way to go shows!

Agents of SHIELD keeps throwing interesting twists and turns into the story and I love it. I'm excited to see where things go.

Haven is winding down and I'll be sad to see the show end. I've thoroughly enjoyed watching the adventures of Nathan, Audrey, and Duke. I'm also hoping Syfy fills the void with something good, but I won't hold my breath.

I'm looking forward to The Walking Dead's newest episode. Again, I'm so thrilled with the way this season is unfolding. The balance of total batshit insanity, intense encapsulation, and little seeds being planted is a thing of beauty.

A quick rundown of some other shows. I'm loving the new season of The Librarians. This show makes me happy. I'm also totally in for Agent X. TNT is bringing some great stuff to the screen. Murdoch Mysteries is also coming up with great storylines, which after almost ten years, is so awesome.

Last but not least, I can safely say the most recent episode of Doctor Who hit a home run, even though I'm still not a big fan of Ishieldr / Me. I'm seriously hoping we won't see her as a companion, but I won't hold my breath. *sigh*

And that's it for this week's television roundup.

Tonight's post is from Hot as Hades, a Meddlesome Gods story featuring Hades in the mortal world.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Roxie St. Clair, an up and coming artist, wants to live and work on her own terms. But when the god of the underworld informs her of the underhanded tactics of her former employer, she decides to turn the tables and fight back.

And a preview snippet…

Roxie swung around and dropped the pot she'd just removed from the kiln. "Who the hell are you?" Better yet, how the hell had he gotten in? She always locked up when she worked. And she'd secured the door after Rick left.

He grimaced at her question. "I am Hades." As if that explained his presence.

He didn't look menacing and Roxie stayed relatively calm, considering he'd just scared the bejebus out of her. She kept the conversation going and tried to act naturally. As if handsome men popped in out of nowhere on a regular basis.

Narrowing her eyes, she commented on the strange moniker. "Hades, huh?" She grabbed the broom and made ready to sweep up her now broken pot. "That's a whacked name if I ever heard one." She swept up the big pieces and tossed them into the bin next to her work space, then looked at the man standing in the middle of her studio. "You might look like you're all that… but you'll get laughed outta town with that name." And it was time to get rid of this guy.

She returned the broom to its spot in the corner and grabbed the phone. "Unless you've got a damn good reason for being here, I think you'd better exit the way you came in." She waved the phone in her hand. "Before I call the cops."

The man calling himself Hades raised a brow. "My dear, if you do that, you'll be terribly embarrassed."

Roxie scoffed. "Exactly how? I'd like to see you explain what the hell you're doing here in the middle of the night. In my studio."

Hades merely stared at her. "It wouldn't be difficult. I'd simply produce the deed to this establishment." He gave her a bland look. "Then I believe you'd be the one trying to convince the authorities that you belong."

Roxie shook her head. He'd do what? "You'd produce the deed?" It finally clicked. "Holy hell! You're my benefactor? Why didn't you just say so?" Explained how he got in, he had a key.

Hades inclined his regal head. "In a manner of speaking, yes, I'm your benefactor."

Well, hell.

I'm totally loving the snappy dialog in this book. The sages are being very kind.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Hold to Let Go

Well, I can finally breathe again. I'm truly hoping I'm done with the cold / viral ick / seasonal funk now. Yeesh.

Gotham had a great episode. I loved the end with two potential villains putting their heads together. That combo could lead to some truly good viewing.

The Flash is getting interesting. I have a sneaking suspicion about who Zoom is going to turn out to be, but I'll refrain from speculating for now. My biggest hint is in looking at his garb…

Arrow keeps getting better and better. I like seeing Oliver and Felicity having some conflict. And it's always fun to see Mama Smoak.

Not much to say about the other shows, but Agents of SHIELD is staying twisty and I like that. Unless it gets too hard to tell who is on what side. Then I'll be annoyed.

One final television note. Doctor Who. Yeah. So disappointed. I can't shake the feeling Moffat and company are trying to be too clever and they're sacrificing the emotional component to do so. "Sleep No More" came off as a jumbled mess, in my opinion. Maybe I'm too stupid to 'get' the cleverness. I don't know.

Tonight's post is from Hold to Let Go, a sexy short that may end up becoming a novella, where my main characters figure out how to navigate a relationship while saving their people.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Banner Nix and Quade Newelson go way back and have a lot of baggage to show for it. When an opportunity to save their people presents itself, they put their crap aside and work together to make it happen, even though their plan is in direct opposition to their leaders'.

And a preview snippet…

Quade Newelson sat through another long meeting. He'd lost interest less than five minutes in and wondered if they'd ever get to 'new' business. The constant rehashing of the same topics drove him mad. The one thing he missed about stepping away from the military had to be losing his 'voice'. As a major, he made a decision and expected it to be carried out. As a brand new delegate to the barely held together government, he had to wait his turn. Sitting on the bottom rung meant he could see his next birthday before he got anything on his agenda heard.

It didn't help he'd opposed the prime minister's course of action. Quade didn't think they should limit their search for a new planet to a single path. He'd cast the deciding vote to open up the option and let Banner follow an opposite trajectory than the PM.

As long as they found what they needed, why should it matter how they got it?

It shouldn't. The PM's personal issues with Banner had become the sole reason for the prickly treatment Quade now received. The PM could be a rank bastard all he wanted. Quade's drama with Banner went back one hell of a lot further than Mick Fitzwater's did. If Quade could get past it, the PM should take that as a sign and get his shit together. They all needed to work toward the same goal.

Ready to nod off, Quade slid his hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out a folded slip of paper with ragged edges. He flipped it open and read the two words written over and over on it—Quade Newelson.

His name.

The only thing Banner swore kept her from breaking during her incarceration with the enemy. He traced a finger over the handwriting, a jolt running through him. She'd held onto him and wouldn't let go. Why couldn't it have been like that before she'd been captured?

Their previous issues didn't matter. They hadn't trusted each other. Not when it came right down to the truth. They could put their lives in each other's hands, but not their hearts. He'd had time to think it all through, when she'd been gone. The missteps, the back and forth, never being on the same page. Both too close to their history, too busy staying alive, they couldn't take a breath. Made it damned difficult to gain perspective.

Believing her dead, Quade made time to ask hard questions. He always pushed Banner, tested their boundaries, but tried to keep some distance. He didn't want to admit how much he needed her. Hell, he didn't want to need anyone. Too damned easy to lose people. His brother drove the point home five years ago, before things got so bad they had to leave their planet, killing himself is a wild car ride and seriously injuring Banner.

I enjoy characters who have internal conflict along with an outside issue. Banner and Quade definitely have both.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Hell is in the Details

Tis the season to battle nasty colds. Bleh. But it's a great time to catch up on my reading while drinking hot tea. :D

Television this week… The Walking Dead had a great episode. I'm rather enjoying the way we have batshit crazy episode where people are dying or might be dying then we follow it with a different pace, but no less intense episode. Seriously, kudos to the producers because I'm still glued to my screen each week.

Gotham and Sleepy Hollow again had good showings. I'm kind of ready for the twisty dance of the new mayor of Gotham to be completed and his hand fully revealed. And the same goes for Pandora on Sleepy Hollow.

The Flash is making me happy with several little twists. Having a different Wells in the mix is actually pretty fun and I’m crossing my fingers he doesn't turn out to be evil, but we'll see. I love how snarky he is towards everyone.

Arrow is also winding up with a great arc. I love the way the past is still being woven in with the present. And I’m really intrigued with Diggle's brother and what really happened. I have a feeling Darkh isn't being totally forthcoming, because where's the fun in that? LOL

Agents of SHIELD… yeah, totally didn't see the reveal of Lash coming. I should have, but I didn't. And now things are going to get really interesting. I am sort of hoping Ward gets some additional development and doesn't become a cardboard villain.

I watched the final episode of Lost Girl and got weepy because I’m going to miss that show so much. What a great run. I'll definitely enjoy a full rewatch sometime in the future.

And that's it for TV this week.

Tonight's post is from Hell is in the Details, a novella where my heroine learns a hard lesson about letting people in.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Macyn has a one night stand with an immortal creature and suffers the consequences when he traps her in a maze of deception. Once free, she withdraws from her clan and it's up to Vin to bring her back from the brink of madness.

And a preview snippet…

Macyn Dox nursed the drink in her tumbler, trying to decide if she wanted to down it and keep them coming or brood in silence, over just the one.

She hated to drink alone. Damn Vin for pulling a no show and blowing her off.

Again.

Probably to study some ancient text. Again.

Why couldn't she come first? Just once. They didn't have enough time together. He always has a new scroll, text, or artifact to study and research, and considering she usually brought the discoveries to him after traipsing the enchanted trails and combing through the netherworld, she had no one to blame but her.

And the elders who sent her out on the treks in the first place.

And, dammit, Vin. For not recognizing how much she missed him and needed the kind of downtime only he could provide. The hot, sexy, rock their world kind.

She stirred her drink. "Stupid man." He hadn't even hesitated when he refused to put his work aside for a few hours.

Fine. If a dusty scroll held more appeal than a night in her bed, she'd find something else to do. Maybe someone else to do.

She swallowed a kick of frustration with half the contents of her glass. Lifting a hand, she ordered another. Keep them coming, it would be.

A presence behind her pulled her attention away from the alcohol. Macyn angled her head, ready to inform the person they should move and stop invading her space. But the words died in her throat.

Holy shit. An incredible specimen of manhood greeted her gaze. Tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed with impeccable style, the gentleman boldly perused Macyn. His slow once over sent a thrill of awareness through her. And the banked interest in his hooded gaze intrigued her.

And she had nothing better to do.

She twisted around on the barstool, facing him. "See something you like?"

The interest melted into appreciation. "Very much." The man's lips twisted in a sensual curve. "You." His voice practically purred the word.

Macyn gave him a half-smile. "A bold move. I appreciate that in a man." She leaned back, propping her elbows on the bar, giving him a nice view of her cleavage.

His gaze lingered on the swell of her breasts then met hers. "Ellis Barnett. I'd very much like to spend the night with you." He held her gaze, awaiting her response.

Macyn tilted her head to one side. "And what, exactly, will you be doing for me?" She hoped he had a kick ass response ready.

A confident smile spread across his face. "I'll be making you scream with exquisite passion."

Oh, yeah. A terrific reply. His arrogance actually turned her on.

Straightening, she slid off the stool. "In that case, let's go." Leaving a wad of bills on the bar, she strode to the exit.

Oh, Macyn, your good decision fairy is not on duty tonight. LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Gotta Make a Living

Wow. Only two months left in 2015. Where did my year go? LOL

TV round up… pretty great this week. I have a feeling The Walking Dead is going to blow my mind. I couldn't watch Doctor Who due to a crazy, insane, busy weekend, but I'll catch up soon.

Gotham and Sleepy Hollow were quite good. I love how Gotham is all about the rise of the villains and the focus on the new crop, but I'm really enjoying Nygma's slow burn. I'm pretty excited to see where things go there. And Sleepy Hollow's crossover with Bones ended up being pretty fun.

The Flash and Arrow are still ranking high on my 'can't miss anything' list. Both seasons are kicking serious ass and I hope it continues.

Agents of SHIELD had what I think will end up being one of my favorite episodes of the season and I'm pretty excited to see more. I don't know, even with all the various different plot threads vying for attention, I feel like this season is actually better and more cohesive than last season. This is not a bad thing.

Lost Girl is almost over. *sniffles* I'm dying to see how it ends even though I'm going to miss the show so much. And The Murdoch Mysteries had a great episode last week. I'm looking forward to more this week.

That's it for now. I'm still trying to figure out if I love The Romeo Section or not. Will keep everyone posted.

Tonight's post is from Gotta Make a Living, an urban noir novella where my main characters meet over a dead body.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Niles finds Claire standing over a dead body and can't decide if he should call the cops or haul her into his arms. Claire makes the choice easy by asking him if he sees any smoking guns. They decide they better work together to find the killer before Claire is framed for a murder she didn't commit.

And a preview snippet…

Claire fixed her face into a serene mask. "Certainly, Niles." She arched a brow. "Or would you prefer Mr. Chesterfield?"

He let go of her hand and put a little distance between them. "Niles is fine." His shoulders remained tense. "My family is off limits. Our working together doesn't include you making stops at the one-twelve for any reason." He pinned her with his gaze. "Clear enough?"

Claire nodded. "I think you put a shine on it and made it sparkle just enough for me to understand." She didn't like being at cross-purposes, so she'd play nice.

For now.

Claire had a good deal of experience reading people and retaining random facts. Niles wanted his rank and file relatives left out of their investigation. She intuited he'd bring in whomever necessary once they cracked the culprit, but he'd want every last detail nailed down before bringing his brother, or any one of his other family members with influence, in.

She had an uncanny knack for remembering things. She didn't know that much about Niles, but he thought she did. She'd read an article mentioning the black sheep of the Chesterfield family—Niles—and the scathing burn of the rebuttal his brother Nelms provided. Niles might not be part of the police force, but he did his part to keep the city safe.

Now, reading between the lines, Claire figured Niles for a loner, one who didn't care to play by the rules and didn't mind stretching the lines of the propriety when necessary. She rarely misinterpreted her gut reactions.

Considering she spent a good bit of time walking through murky shades of grey when it came to getting what her employers needed, she thought having Niles in her corner could only help.

Claire rose and crossed around the desk, stopping just shy of Niles. "Now let me get something off my chest." Her hand smoothed a nonexistent crease from his tie. "You'll find me more agreeable if you ask instead of demand. I don't like men who underestimate my intelligence or ability to cooperate when there's a reason to do so." And she really wanted to like Niles.

He grasped her fingers, removing them from his chest. "I don't think you're stupid, Claire. Far from it. You know a hell of a lot about me. I know jack all about you." His voice went sexy smooth. "I like balance, and we're not there yet."

She smiled. "What else would you like to know about me, Niles." She'd pretty much become an open book if he wanted her to.

And she rather hoped he did.

The cat and mouse game between Niles and Claire is so much fun… and when they join forces it gets even better!

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye