Sunday Snippet: Lie to Me

December 30, 2018

I hope everyone who celebrates had a terrific holiday. Mine ended up being lovely; very low-key and quiet with family. The days after have been filled with catching up with friends. I got to spend time with my two best friends from high school last night and we had the best time. So nice to catch up after such a long time.

It's been a slow week for television. My focus is off right now and background noise gets distracting sometimes. I did catch some Classic Who while catching up on the dishes and doing some cooking. I'm into the web planet episodes right now.

Started the Thanksgiving episode of The Flash. Really hope to get caught up on my CW shows soon. Watched Midsomer Murders's final episode of series thirteen. Nice to see how Barnaby the first retired.

I also caught another episode of Babylon 5. I'd forgotten about this one and it was nice to see Dr. Franklin fight a moral dilemma. Also watched an episode of The Sarah Conner Chronicles. As a standalone episode, it worked well.

And that's pretty much it for my light week of viewing. Tonight's post is from Lie to Me, a novella that started with a brief flash of inspiration and has rolled out from there.

Here's the mini-blurb:

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…

"Who did Jana piss off this time?"

Rhys McPherson gathered his notes on layered spells and stashed them in his messenger bag. Looping the handle over his shoulder, he started for the study doors. He paused when he caught sight of his sister-in-law, Lindi.

Shit. Terrible timing. Especially because of where he had to go.

He mentally braced himself. "I've gotta go out for a while." He slid past her, heading toward the main entrance of the manor house. "Not sure how long I'll be gone."

With Jana, a good guess might be anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days. She never did anything the easy way. And Lindi definitely didn't need to know who Rhys had to meet. But he didn't want her to worry.

And she would. Since his brother Rand had died and she'd moved in with Rhys, bringing his niece and nephew, the scale tilted more toward the downside. But Rhys took full responsibility for his family obligations. He loved Lindi and the kids and would always make a home for them.

Rand would do the same if the positions were reversed.

The tension between Rhys and Lindi—her grief made her a little clingy—fluctuated with her moods. Not in good or bad way. Both needed to find a new normal after losing Rand.

She let out a small sigh. "Will I be able to contact you?" The little catch in her voice steadied out when he paused.

He turned and nodded. "I hope so. And I'll try to check in when I can." Until he had a handle on Jana's situation, he couldn't give a concrete answer.

Her mouth thinned. "You're going to see Jana, aren't you?"

Dammit, how did she know?

Lindi's lips twisted with a bitter edge, almost like she'd read his mind. "You get cagey and vague when it has something to do with her."

The bad blood between Lindi and Jana might never dissipate. Not when Lindi blamed Jana for Rand's death. His larger than life brother worked like Jana did—off the books and on the fringe. The bounty hunters for the society were supposed to be each other's unofficial backup and Jana couldn’t stop the standoff that caught Rand in the crossfire.

Rhys shook his head. "It's not a friendly visit. She needs help." And he had the research material to lend the assist.

Lindi snorted. "She always does." She folded her arms around her waist.

Rhys didn't have time to engage in a verbal battle of wills. "Look, can we discuss this later?" He needed to do something to help Lindi move on from Rand's death.

Lindi shrugged. "Whatever, Rhys. I'm your sister-in-law. I don't have a claim on you." She relaxed her posture. "But you're all the kids and I have left so don't let her get you killed."

Like she got Rand killed.

The words remained unspoken but her tone telegraphed the warning.

Rhys strode toward the door. "I'll try not to." He glanced back. "Take care, Lindi. Call Ellington if you need anything while I'm gone." The family caretaker would do exactly that… take care of Rhys's family.

Which used to include Jana… sort of.

Unofficially.

Way back when Jana the warrior taught Rhys how to fight. And Rhys the scholar tutored Jana about the ancient texts. Back when they were a golden couple like Lindi and Rand.

Before Jana's work and his studies got in the way.

Before his brother died.

A little longer scene than usual but this turned out better than I'd hoped. I love the dynamic between Lindi and Rhys.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Left Unsaid

Happy early holidays. I hope everyone has a wonderful season full of love, laughter, and fun. If not, I hope the trauma is limited and as painless as possible.

The past week flew by with a lot of crazy running around. I did manage to get a ton of work cleared and got in some television viewing while doing so. Caught another episode of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Seriously, I love this show so much. I think I'm about halfway through the season. Also caught another episode of Strike Back and, damn, the CO pulled a twisty move I didn't anticipate. Gotta say, I'm kind of pissed and sincerely hope she gets what's coming to her. Can't wait to watch the next episode and see some familiar faces.

Caught an episode of Chicago Fire and thoroughly enjoyed. I like Christopher as the new lieutenant and it was so nice to have the weasel-like commissioner dude not around. I'm not down with that plot point at all. Caught episode nine of Luke Cage and loved the little twists. Glad to see Bushwhacker get his ass handed to him for once.

Watched Mr. 365, a Passionflix original holiday movie. I liked it a lot. Looking forward to the holiday quickie, which I might not get to until after the actual holiday. LOL

Murdoch Mysteries's sixth episode will need a rewatch. I'm not actually sure what the hell happened. LOL

I'm finished with the first season of Penny Dreadful. The last episode ended up having quite a few surprises. Good ones. I'm ready for season two. Also caught an episode of Wynonna Earp. This show never fails to throw in a crazy twist and get really messy. I like that.

Watched episode twelve of The Dresden Files and remembered this one from my original viewing. I liked having Murphy's dad in the mix. Also started episode two of Underbelly: Razor. I'll try to finish it up soon.

Watched another episode of Classic Who and finally finished the fifth episode of Doctor Who. It ended up being better than expected.

And that's pretty much it for television this week. Between work and getting the final shopping stuff done, I ran out of steam.

Tonight's post is from Left Unsaid, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of "a moment of truth finally gets the couple together". In other words, they realize the depth of their feelings.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Haven and Pryce are involved in a covert war between humanity and the fae. When the battle takes a nasty turn for the worse and their lives are in danger multiple times, the couple realizes it's sometimes better to communicate without words.

And a preview snippet…

"It's a goddamned trap!" Haven Mills swept her arms out and froze as many of the combatants as she could.

She'd had the maneuver ready just in case. Her witch's blood coursed strongly through her veins, giving her the power to ward off the oncoming danger. But her focus wouldn't last long. She had too many thoughts crowding her head.

There were no hostages. They'd been lured to this abandoned barn in the middle of nowhere for sport. And maybe to act as targets.

Stupid Beidmeyer. The guy just didn't quit.

His death wish for any and all preternatural beings would never end.

Haven held the attackers at bay but her grip weakened. "Take cover! Move to the shadows." Don't become a target.

 How many of these battles would she have to lead before they couldn't go on anymore? How many more faekind would fall? Her stamina gave out and the goon squad broke free.

Haven ducked and rolled, trying to do a head count. Her three fellow witches were safe. The lone goblin hung from the rafters. They didn't have experience in the skirmishes Beidmeyer liked to plague them with. That left the mesmer and siren, both seasoned fighters. They'd find a place to lay low. But she couldn't find the last member of their rescue team, Pryce McKenzie. The sorcerer had as much power as Haven and together they might be able to dispel the wave of Beidmeyer's goons.

She slid under a piece of equipment, a baler of some sort, and glanced around. "Pryce? Where are you?" She caught movement from the far end of the barn and sucked in a breath.

Pryce dropped down from a loft behind two of the linebacker-sized men invading the building. He warped the air around them, sending their heads crashing together. Haven flashed a quick grin. Pryce had a flair for making tricks like that look easy. The men crumpled to the ground, leaving seven… no, eight… nine brawlers left.

She did another speedy assessment. The goblin had made it over to the group of witches. They crouched in a corner, the goblin altering his shape to act as a shield. Brave move.

Haven engaged with two beefy men, bringing out her full bag of tricks. Spells, incantations, and hexes flew from her lips. The mesmer created an illusion of something terrible because the two men he battled with ran from the building like their clothes were on fire. The siren lured three of the combatants away with her sultry song. Pryce pulled another mind-bending maneuver, creating a dust storm with the waves of loose hay and straw, flinging it into their faces. Blinded, they stumbled toward the exit and out into daylight.

Haven finally worked the two thugs in front of her out the same way. Quiet descended on the space and everyone took stock. The mesmer and the siren checked on the newbies. Aside from some falling for the misinformation, they'd made it through the battle relatively unscathed.

Haven stated the obvious. "We're gonna need to vet anything that comes in about hostages from now on." She started toward Pryce when a flash of light from the open loft window drew her attention.

The barrel of a rifle poked through the opening and aimed in Pryce's direction.

She dropped and shouted. "Pryce! Ten o'clock, high." Her brain blanked, devoid of spells that could assist and get him out of the way.

So many cherished moments spent with Pryce rolled through her mind. She couldn't lose anyone else. Especially him.

Horror filled her when a thwack followed by a whistle of sound pierced the air and a cartridge shot out from the muzzle of the gun.

Headed straight for Pryce.

And she froze in her spot.

I have this one all mapped out and I'm excited to finish it up and get it launched.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Led Astray

Well… I appear to be almost over the cold from hell. The scratchy throat from last week lasted about three days and then it all went to my chest. Those mucus busting tablets work wonders for clearing out the crud and getting lots of sleep helped a ton. I think I'm on the road to recovery, so yay!

I'm still behind on my regular viewing shows but I did catch the episode "The Icicle Cometh" on The Flash. Actually quite enjoyed that one.

Caught another episode of The Sarah Conner Chronicles. My Crackle app started misbehaving and I finally got it back to usable form. I'm about halfway through the second season now.

I have one episode left of series thirteen of Midsomer Murders. Looking forward to starting the next one. Also caught episode nine of Babylon 5. I'd forgotten how truly remarkable the first season of B5 ended up being.

Watched another episode of Birds of Prey. I think I have five left. That show was a little ahead of its time. If they shot it now, it would probably be well-received. Also started a rewatch of Roswell. If the new reboot gets picked up, I want to have the memory of the original in my mind. Not sure they'll be able to pull off a decent new show.

Caught episodes of Pensacola Wings of Gold and Lexx. I've discovered I'm not as fond of Lexx on my rewatch. The episodes are very hit and miss.

Caught a few more episodes of Classic Who and started the fifth episode of Doctor Who's new season.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Led Astray, a novella that started with a two-word prompt of "just drive". I had a scene play out in my head and the story came together from there.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Gia Schmidt is tasked with bringing Orrick Triolo around to her clan's way of thinking, but he proves a hard case to crack, even with her considerable skills. Orrick's got something she wants but if she's not careful, he'll lead her astray instead of the other way around.

And a preview snippet…

Gia rolled to a stop at the end of the rutted lane leading to the caves. She killed the engine and waited. Orrick had the upper hand and even though staying quiet killed her, she kept her mouth shut.

Orrick popped the door open and got out, heading for the entrance of the caves, obscured by lots of overgrowth. He used his ability to clear the tangle of vines and underbrush. With a brief, hard look over his shoulder, he entered the cavernous space.

Gia blew out a long, slow breath. "This should be loads of fun." She got out but didn't follow Orrick inside.

She'd played his way up to this point. Now he could either meet her halfway or find his way home alone. Orrick reached out and grabbed her arm, tugging her forward. Gia dug her heels into the gravel-covered ground.

She held up her free hand. "No way, Orrick. I'm not going inside until we get a few things straight." Like being a dick wouldn't get him anywhere.

His fingers dug into her bicep. "And we won't get anything hashed out until you're inside." Stalemate meet standoff.

She winced and he loosened his grip enough for her to jerk away. "You said no stunts and I'll abide by that rule, but I want the same assurances, dammit." Like there wouldn't be a shit ton of Triolos waiting inside for her.

Orrick's gaze went dark and stormy. "Considering what you've already done, that's a tough road to go down." He all but snarled the words.

Gia growled her frustration. "I didn't do anything." Not that it mattered; she couldn't control what her idiot grandfather did.

Orrick held up a hand. "Not another word until you're inside. I mean it; you're going to have to trust me." His stony gaze gave nothing away.

Gia wanted to argue so badly… but the need to explain what actually happened ruled out.

Fuck it. One of them had to give an inch.

Lifting her chin, she bit the bullet. "Fine."

She crossed the threshold into the cave and the world went dark.

Orrick won't let Gia lead him astray and the caves offer the best chance for them to work out a strategy to thwart their families' agendas.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Kings of Chaos

December 9, 2018

Ugh. The saying when it rains it pours definitely applied to me this week. All three of our vehicles ended up needing something crucial and important RFN. Luckily, one of our local car dealers is a friend and he let us borrow a car. Yes, I said borrow. Saving the expense of renting a car helped a lot! Then… I ended up with a nasty cold. The kind where I literally couldn't be more than an arm's length away from a box of tissues because my nose wouldn't stop running, my eyes wouldn't stop watering, and I coughed and / or sneezed every few minutes. Thankfully, I’m at the stage where my voice is gone and my throat is a little scratchy, but otherwise, I'm tissue-free. Whew!

I'm so behind on my regular television shows. Arrow is probably my favorite and I'm at least two episodes behind. I'm hoping to catch up this weekend.

I did get to watch Penny Dreadful and I'm one episode away from the end of the first season. I kind of like the jagged direction this show takes sometimes.

Wynonna Earp continues to be a favorite. The "Undo It" episode ended up being way better than I expected. This show is so good.

Watched another episode of The Dresden Files and I think I'm close to being at the end of the one season we got. So much promise for this show.

Started a new season of Underbelly: Razor. 1920s Australia is a great setting.

And that's pretty much it for television this week. Between dealing with all the car drama and the cold symptoms, my brain took a vacation. LOL

Tonight's post is from Kings of Chaos, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of setting a story around a motorcycle club with a charity ride gone wrong. I loved the idea and put a bit of a supernatural spin on my tale.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Ainslee and Witt are stranded during a charity ride for their local children's organization. Foul play is involved and they have to determine which rival club member has the most to gain or if someone closer to home is the culprit. Either way the warlocks versus wizards mindset is supposed to be null and void when a truce is underway.

And a preview snippet…

Ainslee Rix gathered up her change of clothes and stuffed them into her messenger bag. "Almost ready." She exited the room she considered to be her home away from home and entered the main clubhouse for the Kings of Chaos.

Belonging to the motorcycle club saved her life and she couldn't wait to get on the road for the charity ride.

Dropping her bag by the bar, she pulled out a stool. "Mona, did you make those poultices we talked about?" Glancing out at the gathered members, more than a few were walking wounded.

Stupid Dirty Bastards. A rival club, the Bastards never failed to find a reason to throw down with the Kings. The group of wizards didn't need a solid beef, only a perceived motivation to wreak havoc with the warlocks that made up the Kings roster.

Mona Dansbury, a dowager old lady, nodded. "Yeah. From the looks of half the crew, you'll need them." She reached under the bar and brought out a large pouch. "Tiny and Tucker bore the brunt of the beat down last night. They're staying behind today." Handing the cache of healing remedies over, she poured a beer for Tucker when he approached.

Man, he looked like he'd been hit by a truck.

Tucker eased up onto a stool. "Ladies." He winced, putting a hand to his side.

Ainslee laid a palm over his ribs and whispered an incantation. Healing energy poured outward, easing the deep-seated ache.

Tucker nodded. "Thanks, Ainslee. I'm good. Save that energy for the ride." The implied meaning she'd need it.

Ainslee frowned. "We expecting trouble?" Okay, when weren't they?

But charity rides always involved a truce. No beefs, lame-ass shenanigans, or dickholery allowed.

Strong arms wrapped around her. "No more than usual, but we're popping Hot Dog's cherry as a fully established member so there's that." Fingers tilted her chin up for a quick hard kiss.

Witt Ferguson also known as her better half and the club's vice president nodded toward the new, fresh off the prospect list Harvey Derringer.

Hot Dog whipped around, showing off the new patch on his cut. "Prospect" had been replaced with the chapter location. Harvey wiggled his ass then slapped his left butt cheek.

He waggled his eyebrows. "One hundred percent KoC now, bitches."

Ainslee rolled her eyes. "Sure you are." She slid off the barstool and grabbed the poultices. "Decide what you're gonna do to earn around here, Hot Dog?" Every member pulled their weight to add to the Kings's coffers.

Harvey smirked. "Aw, c'mon, Ainslee. Can't you guess?" He mimicked having sex by pumping his hips back and forth and grunting.

Ainslee bit back a laugh. "Geez, Hot Dog, you'll never be in the black if that's what you plan to do." Gigolo material? Not likely.

He huffed out a breath. "Ha. My dick's a lethal weapon, Ains. Didn't you know?" His hands bracketed his crotch.

Ainslee snorted. "Right, if there's anything lethal about your wang, it's called an STD." Tucker nearly fell off his stool after spraying the front of the bar with his beer.

Hot Dog made a show of stabbing himself in the heart with an imaginary blade. "Your razor tongue cuts deep but you and I know how much you want what I'm packing." He cupped his cock through his pants.

Witt growled and stepped forward, crossing his arms over his chest.

Uh-oh. New member crossed a line. Better diffuse the situation before it got out of hand.

Ainslee leaned in, speaking in a low voice. "He's got new guy smell on him, Witt. Cut him a break." She turned her attention to Harvey and shook her head. "Hot Dog, you get one freebie. Consider it used." The next time he pushed the boundary of respect Witt would put a pox on Harvey's genitals and strip him of member status.

Contrite, Hot Dog bowed his head. "I'm sorry. There's no excuse." He glanced up and met Witt's gaze. "I'm pledging twenty percent of my first year's earnings to the club as restitution."

Well, damn. A little over the top, but warranted under the circumstances.

Witt gave a terse nod. "We'll accept that on top of the ten you're already in for." His eyebrow quirked, daring Harvey to argue.

Holy shit. Thirty percent of everything Hot Dog brought in would go to the club. A harsh punishment.

Hot Dog lifted his chin, acknowledging the stake. Before his big mouth got him in deeper, he turned and headed for the pool tables.

Ainslee shot Witt a sideways glance. "That's cutting him a break?"

Witt lifted a shoulder. "His dick's still attached. That's cutting him a break." He met her gaze. "I finally get why you think he's a pain in the ass. His mouth is gonna lead him down some dark paths if he's not careful." Grasping her hips, he tugged her closer. "You're mine, Ainslee. He needed the reminder."

Her lips curved. "As if there's any doubt." No comparison between the two men.

At least not for her. Both had sex appeal with hard, fit bodies and bulging muscles. But Witt belonged to her from the moment she laid eyes on him. And he'd staked a claim on her heart and body from their first wild night together five years ago. She'd never looked anywhere else and didn't plan to start… ever.

The old man entered the bar and planted his hands on his hips. "What the hell is everyone still doing inside? It's time to mount up."

The room cleared in less than two minutes. When Wyatt Ferguson spoke, everyone listened. One of the perks of being president.

Witt put a hand on her ass when they exited the clubhouse. "Let's ride, Ains."

Hell, yeah.

I love where this story ended up going. Ainslee and Witt are a solid couple and the conflicts they face add extra layers.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Kindred Spirits

December 2, 2018

Hello, December. Per usual, the weather in Ohio is crazy back and forth. Super cold for several days then sixty degrees then back to super cold again. And rain. Lots and lots of rain. Bleh.

It's been another busy workweek with a rush job for a holiday release and finishing up another manuscript. Throw in car trouble on Friday with not one but two vehicles and, yeah, lost the whole day. LOL

Television was a mixed bag of viewing pleasure. I finished out last week with Pensacola Wings of Gold watching a pretty interesting episode where one of the marines got set up by another government worker. Lexx's second season is at the wobbly part where one episode is great and the next is not so much. Also caught a Hallmark movie, An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving, which has three of my favorite actresses. Should be following up with the Christmas movie this week if my schedule doesn't blow up again.

I have to take a moment and rave about The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. This show always ends up making me smile, even when the storyline is somewhat sad. The fifth episode ended up making laugh out loud and I needed it this past week.

I followed up the funny with some serious emotional drama in Strike Back. Almost through season five, which should catch me up for season six. I gotta say this show does a great job at not letting the members of section twenty save the day in an easy fashion. Two steps forward and five steps back is things usually go for them.

Chicago Fire is kind of losing me with this whole deputy commissioner bullshit. Kind of like Chicago PD lost me with sticking someone in just to put a leash on Hank. I'll finish out this season but if there isn't a big change, I'll be skipping the next with the exception of crossover episodes. I love crossovers.

I'm almost finished with Luke Cage's second season. I'll be honest, I'm really disappointed there won't be more and supposedly it's because of the whole Disney + streaming service that's not even launched yet. I'm all for choice and options, but when services get overly proprietary, they sometimes shoot themselves in the foot. I hope that doesn't happen here.

Passionflix debuted another Quickie with Dry Spell and it was funny and sweet but not sugary. I enjoyed it.

I also caught Murdoch Mysteries and liked seeing Terence back again. Finished out the night with a Christmas Belle, a holiday spin on Beauty and the Beast.

Not a bad week of viewing. Tonight's post is from Kindred Spirits, a novella that started with a prompt of set your characters in a high school or college / university and see what happens.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Merrit Rhodes accepts a teaching position at the Athena Academy of Magic and Semblance to earn her rites. Vaughn Gregorvich and Kirby Selwig are best friends and fellow instructors who fall hard for the newest addition to the campus. Sparks literally fly when the trio decides to test the power of three after a night of drinking a powerfully potent new cocktail called Elixir.

And a preview snippet…

Aw, hell, no. Not again.

Merrit Rhodes struck Vaughn Gregorvich in the metaphorical solar plexus the moment she glanced his way. His immediate attraction to her spelled trouble, which he needed to avoid. He couldn't afford a repeat of what happened with Nina Bastion.

The vision of loveliness inclined her chin. "It's nice to meet you."

Great Mage, her voice conjured images of sinful things and made his dick hard. Oh, yeah, I'm in trouble. He had to be aloof and controlled. Vaughn's place in the grand scheme of Atherton's meant he couldn't be standoffish, but he had to stay away… if Merrit wanted to learn control.

Why did he have to get hit with a powerful attraction now? When he'd finally worked through the debacle left behind by Nina?

Kirby, ever the showman, grasped Merrit's hands. "Well, hello, Mistress Rhodes."

Vaughn rolled his eyes. Kirby used his roguish tone and waggled his eyebrows. Figured he'd be sniffing around the newest protégé, too. Why not? She commanded admiration.

And of course Kirby turned on the charm. The guy had chemistry with anything that walked. And stuff that didn't move, too.

Not the first time Vaughn and Kirby had a rivalry for a female. But they'd never been responsible for her future before.

They were now.

Merrit's lips curved in a wry smile. "I can't claim the title of mistress yet."

Kirby snorted and opened his mouth to respond, but Hargrove stepped in. "Ah, but you can. You're official as of this meeting."

She shrugged. "That'll take some getting used to." She sent a glance Vaughn's way.

He gave a small nod. "You'll manage just fine. It won't be as hard as you think." Damn, he kind of sounded like a complete ass.

Merrit gave him a long, considering look then turned with a smile toward Kirby. "Thanks for the warm welcome."

And, okay, he probably deserved the snub. Stupid Kirby had a leg up.

Wait. That didn't matter. No way would Vaughn be pursuing anything more than instructing and training with Merrit.

Dean Hargrove clapped his hands together. "Gentlemen, why don't you get Merrit assigned to a classroom then reserve a training area." He started herding them toward the door. "Block of a semester for their use. Merrit will stay, in residence, so make sure you consider that when choosing a training area." Dean focused on Vaughn when speaking.

Which meant he needed to make sure the suite they chose had a partitioned area with a shower and bath combo along with a kitchenette. Only four were available and Vaughn wanted the largest one so the trio could work and spread out during training.

Merrit shook her head. "Oh, no. I can't accept." Hargrove bore the brunt of her gaze. "We didn't discuss that as being part of getting in to Atherton's."

Kirby jumped in this time. "Merrit—can I call you Merrit—we'll save Mistress Rhodes for the classroom…" His voice trailed off a moment and his gaze drifted far away before he shook his head and continued. "Unless that's a problem for you?" His eyebrow quirked.

Vaughn had a solid idea where his friend's mind went during the brief lull in conversation. The shithead no doubt pictured Merrit in black leather or latex with shiny red boots and a matching riding crop. An adept master, Kirby should be beyond the juvenile wet-dream response to the mistress title. For that matter, Vaughn should be too. Yet the heavy length of his cock growing bigger by the second proved he couldn't claim maturity either.

Merrit blinked in response to Kirby's verbal onslaught.

Vaughn cracked a genuine smile and took the opening. "What my motor-mouth friend is trying to say is it's common practice for a raw recruit to live on the premises while they're training." She directed her attention to him and Vaughn fought the kick of attraction again. "You'll be teaching at least six hours a day and learning craft and control can be exhausting. You'll probably find it convenient to avoid a commute back and forth into the city."

Merrit flashed a smile and glance toward the dean. "Is there a fee for living expenses?"

Hargrove shook his head. "No, dear. Master Gregorvich left out the part where you'll be using the phases of the moon while training. It's much easier to have you onsite to take advantage of your time." He nudged her toward the door again. "We don't charge you for rooming here. It's part of your salary for teaching. You'll be responsible for meals and uniforms."

Kirby hopped back into the conversation. "We'll show you where you can purchase everything you need." He deferred to Hargrove. "May we get started, Dean?"

Hargrove waved a hand to dismiss them but gave Vaughn a barely perceptible nod. Vaughn dropped his mental shield to allow the dean to speak telepathically.

Hargrove didn't mince words. "Mind this one carefully. She's got a very bright future if all goes well."

Vaughn responded. "I'll personally monitor her progress and report directly to you."

Hargrove lifted his chin. "I'll count on you to help her find her path."

He didn't mean the statement as a warning, but Vaughn took it as one. He definitely needed to quell the raging lust he had for her.

No way would he survive a repeat of Nina.

I had no idea exactly where I wanted this one to go but everything finally fell into place along with the idea for a continuation. I can't wait to see where else this universe takes me.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Kill Switch

I hope everyone who observes Thanksgiving had a terrific one. The fam and I went to my dad's for a very low-key dinner and quality time together. It's been a few years since we've been able to do that, which is weird because he only lives two miles away from me. LOL

I can honestly say this year I'm so thankful that my family and work life is on an even keel and I some majorly great ideas popping for both my writing and a business venture I hope to pursue in the new year. My editing work keeps me busy and I get to read new books all the time. For a book nerd, there's nothing better.

Television took a back seat to some work commitments and the holiday. I caught a bunch of Classic Who episodes. I'm in season two during the Rome arc. Thoroughly enjoy watching the first doctor.

I’m almost finished with season one of Penny Dreadful. There are times when the show seems to plod along a little. I hope that smooths out with the next season.

Legends of Tomorrow had a great Thanksgiving episode. I kind of like Nate being with the time bureau. Of course a huge showdown with his dad is inevitable. Sadly. I also kind of love Ray getting a little tarnished and being so uncertain about some of his decisions. Makes him a lot more interesting.

Wow. Wynonna Earp keeps getting better. They never quite do what I expect them to do and I love it. Messy relationships playing out on screen is highly entertaining.

Got in another episode of The Dresden Files and I remember watching this one. I hope the new incarnation stays with some of the interesting details of how Harry became a wizard. Also got the last episode of Underbelly's first season. Gotta say it started out pretty slow but ended up being pretty decent.

I watched Midsomer Murders while getting caught up on folding laundry. The entire episode… so yeah, I had a crap ton of clean clothes to fold. Also got an episode of Babylon 5 in on the same day.

To round out the week, I caught episode seven of Birds of Prey on CW Seed and then followed up with The Flash's All Doll'd Up. While I like Nora, she can be a little whiny sometimes. Hope that changes soon.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Kill Switch, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of write a scene where the characters are beaten up and jealous and suddenly have a need to let that jealousy out.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Karsen Hill and Theo Gordon live in a modern world full of magic and mayhem. Torn apart by their circumstances, they still share a powerful attraction and it will take a kill switch to keep their feelings at bay. When a bar of the same name opens, the duo can't resist meeting to explore their options.

And a preview snippet…

Karsen Hill sank down over the thick length of Theo Gordon's rigid erection. "Ahhh, Theo, I never get tired of riding you." She rocked her hips, drawing him deeper inside.

Theo's eyes slid closed and he groaned. "Karse, I could die a happy man right now." His fingers gripped her thighs, digging into her muscles.

She leaned down and captured his mouth in a lingering kiss. Theo's tongue dueled with hers and his palms moved to cup her ass.

Increasing the pace, she upped the friction by grinding hard against his groin. After being together almost two years, they had unlocking pleasure down to a fine art. Tonight, she craved a hard and fast release and Theo obliged, grabbing her hips and using his thumbs to circle her clit. The motion sent tingles of awareness along her nerve endings.

The past month… had been crazy. Her work as a bounty hunter took her to some dark places infested with demons, vampires, and other dodgy preternatural creatures. The never-ending power plays between the ruling houses kept her busy.

Theo lifted his chin. "Focus on now, Karsen. You're with me, right?" His tongue flicked over her nipple then his lips trapped the bud and sucked hard.

She gasped and nodded. "Yeah, yeah. And I'm close, Theo."

His phone rang and she groaned, grabbing the offending device to check the caller ID. "It's your mom." As usual, the woman's timing sucked balls.

She'd been dragging Theo into the family drama more and more. The shifters ruled in Shadow City, setting the laws the lesser houses adhered to. Teller Stewart, Theo's grandpapa, fought hard to become the alpha laird and, to date, he ruled with just fairness.

Theo's mom, Teller's daughter… not so much.

Theo made a growling sound. "I'll call her back." He focused on her other breast.

Karsen dropped the phone and rolled her pelvic bone, grinding against Theo again. The pressure started blooming low in her spine. His hard cock throbbed deep inside her.

Her phone buzzed with her handler's notification tone. "Argh… not now." She picked up the device and read the brief text.

"Urgent. Respond ASAP"

Not now, Seamus.

Theo barked out a question. "Seamus?"

She nodded. "Says it's urgent. Everything's urgent with him." And too many times they defined the word differently.

Seamus could wait.

Dropping the phone, she planted her hands on Theo's chest. "I'm so close… I'll get him—ah, god, yes—later." She loved the way Theo hit every single sweet spot she had.

Theo brushed his thumbs over her clit and she shuddered, toppling over the edge into an orgasm that took her breath away. Theo clamped his hands on her hips and thrust upward, bucking against her before going tense and gasping her name. His release sent little shockwaves of pleasure through her, robbing her ability to stay upright. She collapsed on his chest then slowly eased sideways, spent and sated.

God, she loved him.

I'm pretty excited about this story. Finding the time to sit and write in long stretches is my biggest challenge. Someone needs to invent a way to imagine the words and have them transfer directly to the screen without typing. LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Kidnapped

Geez… what a week. I can honestly say I've never worked harder on a copy edit than I have for the past twelve days. I've actually never taken twelve days to complete a copy edit before. TLDR… it's a long manuscript and there were a crap ton of glitchy little things that needed review. My brain kind of hurts right now. LOL

To top the long work week off, my daughter had three nights of after-school events.  National honor society inductions on Tuesday, golf awards banquet on Thursday, and the holiday parade on Friday, which we made five gallons of hot chocolate for the choir kids to drink and keep warm while riding the float. Seriously… it's not as easy to make five gallons of a hot drink as one might think. And… my daughter's also in band so she doesn't even ride the float with the choir. She marches and misses all the chocolaty goodness.

Needless to say, I'm now behind on my television viewing. I actually couldn't watch the finale of The Last Ship. I'm not ready to say goodbye to this show yet. I'm going to miss that damn ship and its sailors so much.

I do have a brief rundown of what I did get to see. Caught another episode of Strike Back's fifth season. I'm starting to like this group a lot. I do miss the instant chemistry the previous cast had, especially the leads. That said, the dynamic is different enough with this group that I'm interested in where things go. And they're completely pared down, carrying on with how the previous incarnation ended. The commander is rebuilding and restoring the reputation of Section Twenty. So… they get lots of wiggle room.

Caught the Chicago crossover event with Fire, Med, and PD. Thoroughly enjoyed all three shows. I've lost some love for Chicago PD. The fifth season kind of lost me with all the sneaky snitchy bullshit. I really want to watch Chicago Med from the beginning. Here's hoping that happens in the near future.

I'm almost finished with Luke Cage. Disappointed there won't be a third season but maybe we'll see the character is something else. Who knows.

Got an episode of Murdoch Mysteries in. I like how this show weaves current topical events into the storyline, showing how often history tends to repeat. Not necessarily a great thing, but it's fun to see how they work it all out.

Watched a couple episodes of Classic Who. I'm behind on the new season but should get caught up soon. Started a new episode of Penny Dreadful and should finish the first season by the end of the month.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Kidnapped, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of "think French Revolution, a commoner and a noble". I like the commoner and the noble aspect but, eh, didn't really want to dive into the French Revolution. Instead, I'm hoping to get that kind of feel with an urban fantasy vibe.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jaina Wraith discovers Seb Morrison is a member of the nobility and she kidnaps him, fully intent on having him executed. When Seb reminds her how many times he's come to her aid, she has to decide whether to help him escape or leave him to a tragic fate.

And a preview snippet…

Seb Morrison cut through the park on his break from working in the plotters' gardens. At ten, his duties only included watering the many rows of vegetables and keeping the plots free of weeds and critters. When he got time off, he went to his favorite spot, under the huge oak in the square, to read, write, or draw.

"Give me that back. It's mine."

He glanced toward the voice. Jaina Wraith struggled with two tough nuts, the name given to youths who lived in the dregs and earned their living by brute force. They were trying to take her novice healer's kit. Jaina cherished the small box because her father made it, giving his blessing for her to follow in his footsteps as the prime healer.

Just last week, she'd shared the good news and showed Seb the contents of her case.

She doubled up her fist and punched one in the shoulder. "Let go. There's nothing of worth in here. It's a novice kit." She kicked the other one in the shin.

The taller of the two, Rash Markey, countered her statement. "Yeah, what if your dad decided to stash some good stuff in there? We wanna see for ourselves." He finally got the kit away from Jaina.

But not for long. She snatched it back when he tried to pry it open.

She tucked the case under her arm. "I've got bindings, a needle, thread, and some poultices. That's it."

The shorter, bulkier tough nut, Dav Warder, grabbed her arm. "Then let's see. Those herbs and stuff might be worth something." He made a move to take the box.

Jaina ducked and dodged, trying to get around the duo.

Seb made a quick move and stepped in between Jaina and the toughs. "Leave her alone." The two guys had at least two years on Seb, but he'd hit a growth spurt and topped both by a couple of inches.

Rash narrowed his eyes. "Why? What's it to you?" He made a move to get in Seb's face.

Seb planted his hands on his hips. "It's belongs to her and you should respect her property."

Dav snorted. "If I get hold of it, it'll become mine. Your logic is stupid."

Seb gave Dav a hard look. "You're not going to take it from her."

The duo exchanged a glance.

Rash tried a different tactic. "Who are you to say so? Some hoity-toity noble bum?"

Ugh. Calling him a wharf rat would be less insulting. No one who lived on the fringes wanted to be lumped in with the nobility.

Seb shook his head. "I'm no noble. But I paid attention when they handed out manners, which means you don't take something that doesn't belong to you." He jabbed Rash in the shoulder. "Good manners aren't exclusive to nobles, you moron."

Dav tsked. "Maybe not, but possession is almost exclusive to ownership and if you can't keep what you have, you don't own it." He knocked the box out from under Jaina's arm and made a dash for it.

Rash tried to give aid but Seb stopped him with a hard uppercut to his chin. Jaina chose that moment to use both fists and boxed Dav's ears. The two toughs yowled in pain and scampered off muttering curses twelve-year-olds shouldn't even know.

Jaina retrieved her kit and dusted off the dirt. "I didn't need you to save me, you know." She sent him a sideways glance.

Seb admired her fierce independence. She showed no fear when dealing with the tough nuts. He wouldn't take that away from her.

He nodded. "Of course you didn't." He started toward the oak where he'd stashed a book earlier.

Jaina fell into step beside him. "Then why did you butt in?" She skipped ahead and turned to look back in his direction.

Seb shrugged. "Because two against one isn't fair no matter how well you can defend yourself." His mother taught him to always stand up when someone needed help.

Jaina stopped for a moment, her head tilted to one side. "Oh." She paused a moment then added, "Well… thank you, I guess." Her cheeks went pink.

Seb gave her a wide smile. "You're welcome." He stopped at the tree, reaching inside the hollowed out spot to grab his book. "Wanna stick around for a while?"

Jaina shook her head. "Can't. Gotta meet my dad at the old man's estate. Anwar has been beating the stable hands again. I'm learning how to apply the poultices to stave off infection from the crop marks." She waved farewell and started back toward the city gates.

Seb sighed. "Anwar is such an ass." Not even Seb's mother would get angry at his use of foul language.

Because she knew exactly how much havoc the Grafton heir could cause. After all, Anwar happened to be her nephew. Not that her brother Hanson claimed his sister. He banished Seb's mother to live on the fringe when she married Cantor Morrison, Hanson's chief courier.

Anwar, at the tender age of five, caused Seb's dad's death by planting a splitter in the axel of the car he drove for work. Anwar meant it as a prank, but the splitter didn't do its job until Cantor went around a precarious curve in the drive leading away from the estate. When the device popped the wheel, the car swerved into traffic and Seb's dad had been killed in the resulting crash.

Born three days later, Seb never got to meet his dad.

I'm really hoping the world-building comes through without having to do a lot of detailed descriptions. I like to experiment with minimalism. Thankfully my beta babes always let me know when I fall short.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Juvenile Behavior

As someone with family and friends who have served or are serving in the military, I'd like to thank all of our service members for their courage, sacrifices, and efforts. Thank you.

It's been a rough week with two difficult manuscripts and the end of daylight savings. Seriously, I've been all out of sorts and my internal clock hasn't caught up yet. LOL

I didn't get a lot of television in this week—see above for why—but I did stay current on usual shows. The Last Ship killed off another of my faves, which means I'm trying to prepare for a high body count in the finale. A box of tissues and alcohol might be involved. Just saying.

Arrow kicked some butt. I'm kind of liking the flash forward stuff, especially because the flashbacks are a thing of the past for the most part. I'll give kudos to Stephen, Emily, and Katie because I think they're doing some stellar work. The rest of the cast is on point also. Riverdale's Midnight Club episode rocked. The more batshit this show gets the more I seem to enjoy it. And it's definitely over the top.

Legends of Tomorrow keeps delivering great episodes. I'm always excited to see who's going to interact with whom. The constantly changing dynamic of the cast is so much fun.

I did catch an episode of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency and, honestly, I love this show. It's going to go down as one of my favorite viewing experiences. I also caught an episode of Classic Who and finished up an episode of Midsomer Murders.

That's it on the television front. Tonight's post is from Juvenile Behavior, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of using a magical setting with two top mages.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Freddie and Owen, top adepts putting cadets through their paces at the Mage Academy, are very much in love but refuse to act on their attraction. But when the Mage Principal has enough of their antics, he strips them of their rank and tenure and pushes them to act like grown-ups instead of juvenile delinquents.

And a preview snippet…

Freddie Radd burst through the doors of the Mage Academy and stopped to drag air into her lungs after the hard run from the lower dormitory bathing suite.

Owen Parker followed hot on her heels. "That… was so much fun!" He caught her hand in his and dragged her toward the gardens east of the quad.

Freddie breathed a sigh of relief. Sometimes Owen let regret bite him on the ass before they even finished one of their practical jokes on the cadets. Their latest—exploding confetti bombs in the shower heads—had been a stroke of genius. The squeals and cursing worth hiding in a cramped laundry bin to view their handiwork.

Confetti almost topped glitter for being difficult to get rid of.

Sharing her brainstorm with Owen and pulling it off made her entire day and Freddie danced on the edge of being happy, almost forgetting she and Owen would never be. The euphoria never lasted long. She always crashed back down when the hard truth smacked her in the face. Owen Parker could be her best friend and fellow instructor but never her lover. No matter how attracted they were to each other.

Stupid family feuds.

Owen snapped his fingers. "Hey, come on. Come back to me." He gave her a long, questioning look.

Freddie smiled and shoved the melancholy aside. "Sorry, what's next?" Owen got to choose their final adventure for the day.

His lips curved in a triumphant smirk. "We're going to do something no one has done in over two decades." Reaching into his pack, he retrieved a bottle of Amberlane, a potent alcohol distilled with magick.

Freddie's eyes went wide. "Where did you get that?" The golden elixir topped the list of contraband adepts always sought.

Oh… they could have some fun with that liquor.

Owen waggled his eyebrows. "Sometimes it pays to have an inside connection."

Yeah, it did. Owen's great-grandfather cofounded the Mage Academy and his family still held authority. Unlike hers—who got shoved aside in a power play.

Which made her acceptance to the academy at age twelve and her subsequent position as an instructor something to shock the board… and set the rumor mill to overload.

Freddie didn't care about the drama. She'd proven herself on merit by working harder than anyone else. Except maybe Owen. He walked a fine line between upholding the family name and making one for himself.

A brilliant idea flashed in her mind. "Let's go to the maze." The constant changing layout never failed to entertain.

Owen stared in her direction. "You know the side effects to Amberlane, don't you?"

Oh, yes. She did. Maybe she'd have lucid waking dreams of really hot sex with him.

Giving him a nod, she grabbed his hand. "Of course. What's the worst that can happen?" She started for the entrance of the maze, dragging him along. "Let's go."

I'm having fun with this story. Friends to lovers is a favorite trope and I love the family drama on top of everything.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye