Sunday Snippet: Various Reasons

Hello, September. The great office reorganization is coming along. If all goes well, I might have the bulk of the work complete by the end of the year. I'm very happy with how everything is going so far.

Not a bad week for television. I finished up the Danger Man episodes that were available. Not sure what I'll start on to replace this one yet.

Caught an episode of Picard and enjoyed it. I'm not quite sure what to make of the guy who's captaining the ship yet. I rather liked getting a little more Ravi backstory.

Watched two more episodes of Peak Practice. I'm getting to the end of the second season and, so far, still enjoying the episodes.

Finished Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries. I'd really love to have another season of this show. I feel like the final episode had everyone coming into their own as characters. Maybe we'll get lucky.

Caught another arc of Classic Who. I think I might be ready to start the next season or I'm getting close.

That's it for this week. Tonight's post is from Various Reasons, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Paloma and Cedric keep putting off thinking or talking about the future—they've got a fae war on their hands, but after a particularly ugly skirmish, Paloma decides it's time to open the topic for discussion. Cedric is so shocked, he's not quite sure he believes her, but once Paloma gets through the list of various reasons, he's close to getting on board.

And a preview snippet…

What the hell is going on with Paloma?

Keeping a watchful eye on the next advancing hound, he flicked a quick look over his shoulder. Her stun batons at the ready, she moved warily and less fluidly than normal. The blades at the end of her stunners gleamed in the filtered light from the moon and street lamps.

He focused back on the riled dogs. "Sure you're good?" Did he miss something?

She'd tell him if she got injured. Wouldn't she? Yeah, they were a team. Injuries caused a disadvantage and they needed a razor-sharp edge to fell the final five.

She huffed out a response. "I'm good, yeah. Incoming, right and high." She jabbed the underbelly of a mottled white and black hound.

Cedric slashed with his blade and the beast dropped. In a frenzy now, two more came with snapping teeth and menacing growls. Saliva flew and a line of droplets landed on Cedric's glove, sizzling through the heavy material and opening up a pattern of holes. The protective layer did its job, keeping his skin from being burned.

Cedric flung the whip, snaking the end around the neck of the attacking fawn-colored animal then made a wide arc before releasing it against the building behind them. The second mutt darted around and faced Paloma. Her stun wand jabbed into its snout and the second baton, blade-end forward, finished the job.

A single duo remained and both snarled and frothed at the mouth and each crouched low to the ground. Paloma angled around, facing the beasts at his side. Her weapons charged and waiting, she gave a nod.

Cedric readied his whip. "I'll bring them forward. Let's finish this." He cracked the flayed tail above the heads of the dogs.

They leapt forward, teeth bared. Paloma jabbed her batons into the flanks of the shaggy, red animal a moment before it reached her. The dog got its paws on her shoulders and dug its nails into her vest, all feeling lost in its legs from the jolt of electricity. The weight of the hound dragged her to her knees. Cedric slashed out with his knife and caught his opponent on the underbelly, but only with a glancing slice. The dog spun in the air and countered, landing behind Cedric. He snapped out with his whip, coiling it around the beast's neck and jerked hard, twisting his wrist to end the threat. Paloma struggled with the red mutt, its dead weight keeping her down and its snarling snout in her face. She finally managed to get a hand free and spun her wand around to jab the demon dog in the throat.

Shoving the animal away from her, she rocked back on her haunches. "Geez, tell me the civilians got clear. I'm gagging from the stench here." Slowing getting to her feet, she heaved a sigh and grimaced.

Cedric shot a look toward the now-vacant bar the dogs had attacked. "We're clear." Threat averted, the adrenaline rush dissipated quickly leaving him drained and spent.

Paloma huffed out a laugh. "Thank whatever rules the universe." Her eyes closed and she staggered backward, her shoulders slumping forward.

Cedric swayed where he stood, ready to drop. The wind changed direction and he caught a whiff of something foul. His eyes watered and he broke out in a choking cough. Man … what a rank smell.

I like this couple. They're very casual until bam! One of them gets smacked with something other than the smelly creatures they're dealing with.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye