Sunday Snippet: The Pit and the Pyre

October 30, 2016

Happy Halloween Eve! Our small town always has its annual trick or treat several days before the actual holiday. On Thursday, it was brisk and chilly, but we had a whole host of costumed kiddos strolling the streets. So much fun!

On the television front, Gotham had another great episode. I'm happy with how things are going on that show. Here's hoping the consistency holds through the end of the season.

The Flash and Agents of SHIELD pulled out some surprises. The new director guy on AoS is actually kind of fun and hopefully not evil. LOL I'm not gonna hold my breath on that score.

Arrow keeps making me happy. Diggle is out of prison, but who knows what'll happen next with him. The new team suffered some shake-ups. We'll see how that all shakes out.

Legends of Tomorrow delivered again. I like the new guy. And Mick is fast becoming another favorite. Brutal honesty goes a long way with this group and he's definitely not afraid to embrace the truth. LOL

MacGyver's episode might have been the set up for introducing Murdoc. I guess we'll see if the ghost pops back up again.

The Walking Dead… I skipped the premiere and watched The Talking Dead instead. I honestly couldn't see the point in watching when I couldn't bear watching any of my favorites die. I'll be watching tonight's episode… I think. LOL

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from The Pit and the Pyre, a novella that got a start from the prompt—one character confronts the other after a funeral. I liked the entire idea of having to leave a lot unsaid.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Virgo Sohn walks through five years of hellfire to get back to Gunn Gladstone, but she finds him married to Glynne Allmore. Accepting the hand dealt, Virgo refuses to explain the circumstances of her return until Glynne succumbs to a raging virus and Gunn feels he should join her on the pyre.

And a preview snippet…

Well, shit. Virgo had a point. He'd been so out of touch, wrapped up with Glynne, he didn't give any consideration to how Virgo had returned to the fold.

He stared into the fire, caught between saying goodbye and hello, again. He resented Virgo's intrusion but, somehow, her presence also gave him the fortitude to see Glynne off. The mixed emotions battled deep in his gut, chipping away at the carefully constructed armor he'd built to get through the last few months.

Virgo shifted in her seat, placing her palms on her thighs. To anyone else, the gesture would go unnoticed. For Gunn, her movement telegraphed impatience, frustration, and a little discomfort. No doubt she'd unload if he gave the go ahead.

But he couldn't. Not yet.

"Yeah, okay, we're going to have to talk about the five years you were gone. The quorum backed off while Glynne fought her battle, but they'll start back in soon." His shoulders tensed. "I don't want to be in this position."

Virgo rolled her eyes. "The one where the quorum vultures circle your head? Yeah, don't blame you for that." Her gaze drifted back to the fire. "You told them to leave me alone, didn't you." She made her words a statement.

Of course he suggested the group of twelve back the hell off and let Virgo get reacquainted with everyone. He couldn't handle dealing juggling her reappearance and Glynne's bout with the virus.

Gunn shrugged. "I had a lot on my plate at the time." Wrapping his head around having Virgo show up took way more focus than he wanted to give.

Virgo's lips twisted. "And dealing with my shit didn't take priority. I totally get it." Her voice went rough and raspy.

Gunn body responded to the siren call. He loved hearing the jagged lilt again.

He tamped down a lick of anger over his inability to keep his mind on Glynne. "Look, you're right. You weren't at the top of my list. You lost that spot when you walked away." An edge of irritation crept into his tone. "And, honestly, Virgo, it'll be a long, damned time before I let anyone fill that space again." He got up, the rumble in his gut calling him out for a liar.

Virgo snorted. "Never said I wanted to be on a pedestal, Gunn." She rose and put her chair back in its earlier spot. "But I won't lie. I need you in my corner, if only to get through the inquisition from the quorum." She moved to stand behind him. "After that, well, anything else could be moot." She squeezed his shoulder and exited the alcove.

Anything else could be moot.

What the hell did she mean by those cryptic words? Gunn squared his shoulders and moved to set by the pyre again. He refused to think about Virgo's dilemma anymore tonight.

Tomorrow would be soon enough. Glynne deserved his full attention right now.

I'm still brainstorming how to make all the pieces fall into place with this story, but I love how much potential there is for conflict.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Picture Perfect

What a great week in television for writing inspiration. I love to do my weekly roundup of viewing fare because it always gets my creative juices flowing. Sundays tend to be great writing days. LOL

Gotham might be having its best season yet. Truly, I love everything about it so far. I'm hoping the momentum continues and the show doesn't crash and go off the rails.

The Flash remains excellent. Loved seeing Jessie and Wells again. Also like the slow reveal of Caitlyn's issues. I'll leave it there for folks who aren't caught up yet.

Agents of SHIELD had a great episode. Everyone is finally back in the fold and it's time to move the story along.

Once again, Arrow proved to be awesome. Overall, it's still my favorite show. I love how they worked Quentin into the storyline and the way it went down. He makes so much sense for the new role he's taking on. Looking forward to the next episode to see how things go with Diggle.

Legends of Tomorrow also brought a great episode to my screen. I'm enjoying how hard the team is finding being an actual team. Very interested in seeing what happens with the new guy. Between Gideon and the two resident geniuses, I think he'll be alright.

MacGyver stayed fun. I have a fondness for train hijinks and the show delivered a terrific episode with a last minute save. Can't ask for more.

As usual, Van Helsing left me a little "meh". It's probably time to drop the updates since I'm not completely into the show. Sadly.

And that's it for television this week. I'll have some feelings about Murdoch Mysteries in the next post. YAY!

Tonight's post is from Picture Perfect, a novella about picturing the perfect future and making it happen.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Faeryn Carnes, a fire elemental, crossed through the Shroud, leaving the mortal plane. But when she returned, an unheard of occurrence, Seth Jacobson, an air elemental, is the only person she can count on, which seems impossible because Faeryn believes air and fire can't mix.

And a preview snippet…

Seth Jacobson always questioned the unexplainable. Never satisfied with blind acceptance, he sought answers, made inquiries, and dug deep for the truth. But Faeryn's death and reappearance… he didn't question at all. He'd literally watched her burn in Fae Fire then cross through the Shroud and yet… she'd come back. Hale and whole. The answer to how and why would either present itself or not… and Seth didn't care. She'd returned and he wouldn't seek anything else. Instead, he thanked whatever ruled the universe for the gift.

And warned the same factors. "Never, ever take her from me again." Not that Faeryn belonged to him.

Two months. He'd lived and mourned in limbo, keeping primarily to his loft aerie. His grief, understated and kept private, permeated everything he did. Going through the motion of life, he put up a decent front. Losing Faeryn hit hard. Those closest to him gave him space and made allowances, even if they didn't have to. He didn’t have death rites… the ritual period of mourning for life mates.

He clenched his fist. "Because she didn't choose me." Technically, she'd bonded with Taryn Sanders, an earth sprite.

Seth and Faeryn had a long and varied history. The insane pull between them obvious to everyone who crossed their paths. Earth sprites shook their heads. They were steeped in tradition and sought to live in harmony with nature, whether urban or rural. Fire and air made for a combustible union sometimes, but Seth and Faeryn often achieved balance. Water sprites rarely took notice of anything the flame manipulators did. And fire elementals avoided the water workers as a rule. Yet the chemistry between Seth and Faeryn grabbed the attention of the aquatic denizens. They'd recently started looking at ways the two groups could work in unison.

Seth heaved a sigh. "But Faeryn didn't trust me. She thought Tarn would be a safer bet for life mate." He brushed the old pain aside.

Her ingrained reasons came from a place of horrible childhood experience. He got that part. And having her back meant he'd start over from the beginning if necessary.

He settled into a lotus position and focused his mind. He manipulated the air current, filling his space with a gentle breeze. Revisiting the past called for soothing calm.

The image of Faeryn's face before she entered the shroud haunted him.

"I made a mistake, bonding with Tarn." Her hand cupped Seth's face. "And it's cost me… us… everything." She stepped away and turned toward the shimmering veil with fae fire behind it. "I was so certain. But completely wrong." She glanced over her shoulder and held his gaze for a long moment before walking into the void.

He didn't stop her, even when every instinct he had urged him to grab hold and not let go. But one man's desire to tame the fiery Faeryn created the untenable situation she'd found herself in. Seth refused to stand in the way of her sacrifice. Even if he hated the need.

She'd discovered Tarn's deception. When he couldn't bring Faeryn to heel, when she balked and fought against the constraints he put on her, when she realized earth smothered fire and tried to extinguish her internal flame, Tarn put her in the sights of a power-mad tyrant.

"If only she'd come to me."

But she hadn't. Maybe because admitting she needed Seth's traits would prove too overwhelming. She'd always feared Seth would overpower her and blow her flame out. But wind fed fire, helped it spread and grow. When they sparked off each other, the achieved a natural balance. Seth's adept status would keep them in check, never letting either flare out of control.

But Faeryn hadn't trusted their chemistry. Or him.

Until the very last moment before she disappeared.

And now that she'd returned? Well, Seth had never believed in the impossible before. But he'd damn sure make an effort now.

Finally acknowledging the simple truth, Seth opened his eyes. "No matter what, she's back. Doesn't matter how, but the why is important." Getting to his feet, he crossed the open space of his primary residence and entered the only enclosed area in the loft.

Lined with floor to ceiling shelves, the room spanned two levels. A fireplace broke up one wall, the section in front a perfect spot for two chairs with a cozy table between them. A built-in desk hugged one corner, surrounded with reference tomes for research. He settled behind the desk and pulled several volumes out, ready to dig in and seek enlightenment.

A rapid series of knocks halted his progress. Only one person had that particular cadence when stopping by.

Faeryn.

Rising, he left the books stacked neatly on the oak surface and went to let her in. He paused when he made it to his front door. Regardless of why she'd returned, Faeryn needed someone in her corner. He planned to be that someone.

He needed to be that someone.

Poor Seth will also have to convince Faeryn he's the one she needs.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Physical Therapy

October 16, 2016

Whew. Crazy busy weekend with my daughter's first high school homecoming. Very glad to have a day to recover. LOL

In television this week, Gotham keeps pulling out the stops and taking twists I'm not expecting. I like that. Keep bringing the crazy, please.

Caught up on Agents of SHIELD. The season feels a little choppy so far, but I'll keep watching to see if the flow smooths out a little. I'll honestly say I'm slightly tired of the whole constantly being betrayed by someone on the inside scenarios. Here's hoping that isn't what's going on.

The Flash is doing a pretty decent job of explaining the reset of the timeline and how it's bled over into the other verses. A little tripped up over the gender swap on Arrow. I'll say nothing else in case folks are behind.

I kind of like Oliver having to train a new team on Arrow. Really not sure about the whole Felicity thing. Reserving judgment until more of the season plays out. Diggle's in dire straits again, which, eh, could get old fast.

Legends of Tomorrow rocked!! I rather miss Snart not being with the team and Rip is hopefully not completely lost. Mick is a total riot and I'm kind of liking how he's meshing with the team.

MacGyver had another good episode. It's a fun Friday night show and the cast works well together. A little disappointed with the Penny character, but it's her introduction so we'll see how things play out there.

Van Helsing still isn't quite doing anything for me. Maybe this is a show I need to binge watch to really sink into the storyline. We'll see what happens.

The Walking Dead returns next week. I'm still "meh" about the premiere. That could change in a week. LOL

And that's it for TV this week. Tonight's post is from Physical Therapy, a novella that started with the prompt—a sport's player meets their physical therapist… sparks fly.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Flint Hollywell, a talented physical therapist, loves nothing more than watching arena ball player Tappen Bligh work her magic on the playing field. But when a career ending injury sidelines Tappen, Flint is determined to get her back on the grass where she thrives on the action.

And a preview snippet…

"Ladies and gentlemen! The queen of the field… Tappen Bligh!"

The roar of the crowd fueled Tappen's adrenaline and she burst through the stadium doors and hit the arena at a dead run before launching into a levitation maneuver—her signature move—bringing the spectators to their feet.

She spun in the air and landed midcenter in the middle of her teammates. She'd perfected her slick entry over the five years she'd played for the Screaming Banshees. Her crew surrounded her in a circle and closed ranks.

Tappen dropped to her knees. "Okay, banshees, let's dazzle the crowd, put on a kick ass show, and win this match. The Demon Dogs don't stand a chance against us."

Tappen's favorite part of the pregame ritual came next. All hands came in and she placed her palms on top of the pile. The whole group did a series of banshee screams, which filled the stadium with an eerie sound—especially when the viewing crowd did their own versions of the battle cry.

Arms went high and all players spun out to their positions to the wild applause of the spectators. The key official levitated up from midcenter and dropped the ball. Tappen made a grab, caught the edge, then tucked the sphere under her arm where the guard quickly snagged it to keep the game in play.

The score went back and forth, the teams evenly matched. But Tappen refused to lose to the Dogs. Her arch rival, Gilda Radfly, played for the opposing side and rarely missed a chance to give Tappen grief. Just because she'd won the coveted title of most valuable player for three years straight.

Despite the hard knocks and flying elbows coming from Gilda, Tappen wouldn't change a thing.

She absolutely loved what she did for a living.

I'm having so much fun with this one. I love arch rivalries!

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Order of Aggression

Gotham continues to intrigue me. I'm a little lost when it comes to Leigh and what's going on with her, but I'm in for the ride. The double Bruce's are definitely interesting so here's hoping that story pays off in a good way.

Still behind on Agents of SHIELD. Gotta try and catch up before the new episode.

The Flash kicked butt. I'll be disappointed if the whole resetting of the timeline keeps happening though. That said, it seems like there are some solid repercussions, which I'm totally down with.

Arrow also rocked. I'm thrilled to have the Russian storyline for the flashbacks. According to the scuttlebutt, this is the last year for flashbacks so I plan to enjoy. Moving forward, I'll be interested to see how things play out. Maybe they'll do futurescapes or something.

In all honesty, Van Helsing isn't quite doing it for me. I'll give it the rest of the season to see if the storyline improves. I'd really like to fall for this show.

MacGyver is seriously not bad. I do love the callbacks to the original but also the updated vibe of the new. I'm interested in the whole father thing, because the impression is Mac's is still living. That should be a fun twist.

Not sure I'm looking forward to The Walking Dead's premiere. I may skip the opener and watch The Talking Dead instead. I've got the same feeling I had during season two, which I ended up skipping.

Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow are up next. We've had football airing on our local CW channel so I might be playing catch up again.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Order of Aggression, a novella based on the idea one character has to get another to do something (in this case follow an order) they don't want to do and they have to get physical to make it happen.

Here's the mini-blurb:

When Ames Braddock is ordered to take out an enemy outpost with possible civilian casualties, he calls on Parker Hart to be his second, but Parker balks at the idea. Ames isn't thrilled with the mission, but he needs Parker and he's not above using aggression to bring her in line, which gets the job done, but also backfires when she demands satisfaction.

And preview snippet…

Ames Braddock met the gaze of his superior. "You know what you're asking me to do, right?" Jamen Lane also happened to be an old friend. "The repercussions could bite you seriously hard on the ass." Not to mention haunt Ames for the rest of his days.

Jamen gave a terse nod. "I'm more than aware, Ames. It took a lot to get to this decision." He got up and paced back and forth behind the desk. "We can't afford to lose anyone else."

Except Ames and whoever he chose to be his number two for the mission. Sometimes it sucked to be good at his job. Pulling this off, even at his skill level, would be a nightmare.

Ames heaved a sigh. "Just to be straight. You're ordering me to take out the outpost, also known as the Fifth Street Saloon. It's heavily fortified, fiercely guarded, and a haven for normals that live on the edge." In other words, a massive cluster fuck from beginning to end.

Jamen lifted a shoulder. "Yeah, that's the order." He stopped pacing. "The good news? The surrounding buildings are empty." He managed to keep a straight face when delivering the supposed bonus.

Ames rolled his eyes. "Well, whoop-di-fucking-do. You know there's a greater than eighty percent chance they're full of traps, pitfalls, and seriously dangerous shit, right?" Of course, Jamen had the probability figured already.

His boss shot Ames a hard stare. "Why do you think I'm sending you?" His mouth thinned to a slash across his face.

Ames shook his head. "Because everyone else would say no goddamn way, tell you to fuck off, and walk away." He gave Jamen a level look. "You know I won't refuse and I'm the only one with the balls to maybe pull this off." But he couldn't do it alone.

A lot of relief and hint of humor crept into Jamen's gaze. "Speaking of your balls, how are you gonna keep them intact when you ask her?" The fact he left the 'her' nameless spoke volumes.

And Ames had no idea how he'd approach the prickly situation. Probably make the request an order and play hardball. Wouldn't that go over like a brick shithouse?

He shrugged. "I have no goddamned clue." He turned and started for the exit.

Jamen called out a parting shot. "Wanna borrow my cup?" A snicker followed the pithy comment.

Ames didn't respond vocally. Instead, he let his middle finger do the talking.

He left the room to the sound of Jamen's laughter.

This one is going to be a lot of fun. Here's hoping the sage keep feeding me good material.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Order in the Court

Okay, Gotham, you have my attention. I'm now very interested in Bruce Wayne and what's going on with him. Also loved the whole Fish / Penguin interaction. Not sure how I feel about the reporter, Vanessa Vale, yet. I'm not really down with a major triangle but I might be jumping the gun. The whole Ivy thing is also in the I'm-not-sure-about-this corner. Looking forward to Monday!

Agents of SHIELD didn't have a bad premiere. I'm still a week behind. Ended up with a nasty cold / respiratory ick and missed the episode Tuesday.

Van Helsing is still kind of "meh". I'll see if the next few episodes get better and bring the various threads together.

MacGyver is still not too bad. I'll keep watching and see if ends up going too cheesy for my tastes.

Rewatch fare remained with Miss Fisher. I started a fandom bullet journal and hope to jot down my favorite moments from the series. I've been using it to help keep track of what I like and don't like about all my shows.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Order in the Court, a sexy short started on the idea of having one character presiding over court when the other walks in as the new prosecutor or defense attorney. I put a little paranormal spin on my idea.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Mace Ormondson, a fae prince, presides over the daily court grievances and disputes. When a new advocate, Nessa Goff, is appointed it turns Mace's world upside down and sideways, because Nessa happens to be the bane of his existence and a huge pain in his ass.

And a preview snippet…

Nessa Goff breathed in the anticipation of the crowd, waiting for her nightly show to begin. She thrummed from the energy, soaking it in, ready for the curtain to slide open. Being a succubus gave her limited options to garner the life-sustaining chi energy she needed to function in the human realm.

Especially since she'd made the commitment to be monogamous.

Inhaling deeply, her lungs filled with a heady thrill.

Dan James, owner of Dandy Jim's Entertainment Emporium, snapped his fingers by her ear.

She blinked and met his gaze. "Sorry, Dan. Just sampling the crowd. I didn't take too much." She hoped.

Dan quirked a brow. "Are you sure he's worth it? You could walk out and not take off your clothes and go home with any man or woman of your choice." An interested gleam lit his eyes. "Or make my entire decade and follow me back to the dressing room." He waggled his eyebrows.

Nessa laughed, shaking her shoulders so the filmy veiled fringe of her costume caught the light. "He doesn't mind my stage show, so yeah, he's worth it." She jerked her head toward the pull cord for the curtain. "Come on, let's get the party started." Taking her place behind the velvet barrier, her eyes closed and her head bowed.

The gentle swish when the curtain moved ended up being drowned out by the applause and wolf whistles of the crowd. A brief drum roll cued Nessa and her head snapped up, the swell of music coming in on her first step toward center stage. She spun, moving in a circle, rocking her hips to the beat.

The room erupted in amazing energy and Nessa gorged for several, long seconds before moving into phase two of her act. A series of spins took her to stage right where she caught hold of her one and only prop, a large feathered fan.

"Oh, yeah! This is what I paid to see." An attractive gentleman shot to his feet, fist-pumping the air. "Take those veils off, baby. Show me some skin!"

One of Dan's bouncers clasped the guy on the shoulder and urged him to sit back down. Nessa blew the man a kiss and gave an exaggerated wink. She snapped the fan shut and did a modified belly dance while moving the device into position. When she spread it open again, one of the iridescent veils pulled free. She made a show of swirling it in the air, then let it flutter to the stage.

The patrons went wild and Nessa basked in the smorgasbord of endorphins, testosterone, desire, and passion. The heady feeling of being full encompassed her and her moves got sexier and bolder. One by one, she removed the gauzy pieces of fabric, revealing tantalizing glimpses of her nude body.

After a sinuous dance across the stage, Nessa got rid of the fan and entered the final phase—sensuous gyrations with her naked body on full display. Her senses went into overload when the lust and hunger increased yet again. Her gaze scanned the audience, landing on a lone figure in a darkened corner. She couldn't see his face, but her heightened awareness didn't need visual contact. He watched. He yearned. He craved.

Satisfied and sated, she finished her show and played to the crowd, blowing kisses and waving farewell. Taking the center spot again, her head lowered and her eyes slid shut. The lights dimmed, casting her in a single beam before the music faded and the curtain swayed across the floor, the panels meeting in the middle.

Nessa reveled in the afterglow of the successful event. She practically buzzed with energy, brimming with vitality. When Dan handed her a robe, she wrapped it around her and stumbled to her dressing room. She needed to head home and prepare for tomorrow morning.

And with the mega-dose of chi, she had no doubt she'd kick some major ass.

I have a lot of love for this story. Here's hoping I can get the rest of it put together and out into the world in 2017.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye