Sunday Snippet: Seeing Red

Happy holidays to those who celebrate. We had a lovely day, even if the temperatures were in the mid-teens. It's way better than the minus ten degrees we had earlier in the week.

I had some catching up to do with a work project and didn't get much watched, but I did catch a couple more episodes of Batman: The Animated Series. I guess I'll be watching all next month also because it's going to be removed from HBOMax.

I got to catch a couple of good episodes, featuring The Joker and Harley. Bane made his first appearance and the Clock King showed up again. Harvey and Two Face along with the Riddler both had episodes. And the episode with Baby Doll ended up being better than I remembered.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Seeing Red, a novella featuring metahumans and how they navigate working and living together.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Vesta Crock can't stand tension and a major meta-human uprising puts everyone on edge. Jones Blaylock becomes her target for a series of supposedly fun pranks, but when a fellow member of their team gets injured, Jones sees red and that's not a good thing for the firestarter.

And a preview snippet…

Whoa. Vesta never failed to shock him. From full-on struggling female to responsive woman in less than a heartbeat.

Crossed the line. Mistake. Big mistake. The red haze of lust gripped him hard and his blood pumped, surging through his veins. Her lips opened and his tongue sought hers. He wanted to kiss her forever. But, no, he couldn't … getting tangled up with a team member screamed bad idea.

He eased away from her. "Ves? You with me now?" Her mouth called to him, but he resisted the urge to lock lips with her again.

She nodded then blinked. "Wow. That was … intense." Her thumb brushed over her lower lip.

He backpedaled and downplayed the reaction they had to each other. "You gave me a scare. How bad was the dream?" Let her think he didn't know what she referred to.

Vesta cocked her head to one side. "We're obviously not talking about the same thing, Jones." Her eyes slid shut and her shoulders drooped.

I'm a dick. Guilt sank its sharp teeth into his gut. But he needed time to wrap his head around what happened. He had to get a handle on the way he'd been acting with her lately.

Letting out slow breath, Vesta gave him the bullet points. "Nightmare level dream, vortex intensity." She shrugged. "Sorry you got sucked in." Her tone oozed irritation.

Jones shook his head. "Don't be. I'm glad I got here when I did." He waited a beat. "How often does a nightmare hit so hard?" He didn't have a clue she even had terrible dreams.

Vesta shut down. "That's none of your business, Jones." She scrambled to the edge of her bed, fished around for a shirt and yanked it over her head. "I'm fine. You can go now." She settled on the edge of the opposite side facing away from him.

Dammit. He'd misstepped with her. Again. The sizzling reaction had him off balance.

"Yeah, okay." He started for the door. "Ah, almost forgot, Mixed-team skills training starts tomorrow. Wanted to let you know." Lame. So lame.

But he had to try to smooth things over.

She lifted a hand in acknowledgment but didn't speak or turn his way.

He backed out of her quarters, reluctant to leave on a bad note. "Sucks to be the team leader sometimes." Mixing the personal and professional … definitely not in his wheelhouse.

I have a lot of love for this story. Vesta is going to push Jones's buttons and his struggle to keep his cool will be tested in big ways.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Same Time Next Year

Think I'm finally over the hump with the ear infection and tooth issues. Feeling much more clear-headed and able to function. Low-grade discomfort is such a distraction.

Had an okay week watching more Batman: The Animated Series. I finished up season one and got started on season two, which is much, much shorter than the first one.

Enjoyed the opening of season two with "House and Garden." Ivy can be very intriguing and watching her playing normal family ended up being fun.

Also enjoyed Ra's Agul's return. I like the fact he isn't part of the usual rogue's gallery and doesn't haunt Gotham like the rest of the villains do.

I'm hoping to finish out the year with the rest of season two and three, then maybe dive into some of my favorite Justice League episodes with Batman.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Same Time Next Year, a novella where the main characters make a date for a year in advance then keep bumping into each other.

Here's the mini-blurb:

After commiserating over failed hook-ups, Tessa Gem and Hart Cantley make a date for the following year at the same time, but they have no idea their fae collective will be at war when they meet again.

And a preview snippet…

Tessa flattened against the brick building then poked her head around the corner. "Damn, it's been a wild three months." Why the hell are so many factions rising up and creating unrest?

She got sent out for a simple job and ended up stuck in the middle of a fire fight.

Taking a quick head count, she had six demons on one side and eight shifters on the other. The group picked a narrow alley for a mega brawl. Heaving a sigh, she darted around the edge of the wall to throw some binding spells.

Stupid move. A demon went wide and the shifter—a Wynan if her information held true—launched a volley of arrows. Tessa ducked to get out of the way, but collided with the demon.

"Shit." A sharp, jarring pain shot through her shoulder. "Tagged with a barbed arrow. Dammit."

At least the shifter had been aiming for the demon. It didn't even register her presence, making a wide arc before facing the shifter and belching out a trail of fire. Tessa quickly got out of the way and barely cleared the perimeter to stumble to her knees. Her vision swam and she flung a hand against the rough brick to get upright.

Unable to stay and quell the violence, she painfully made her way to a darkened enclosure. Her healing ability wouldn't kick in until she got the projectile removed. And she couldn't do that if she stuck around, not without reinforcements.

Sucking in air, she made her way across the street to a different alley. She hated the thought of getting the arrow out.

"Gonna hurt like a bitch."

She headed toward a dumpster for some cover when a hand clamped over her mouth and an arm banded around her torso. She tried to turn but agony shot down her left side making her shoulder and arm go numb. Poison!

A raspy voice confirmed her suspicion. "The Wynans use curare-laced arrows. We don't have much time."

Hart. He sounded far away, but the corded muscle of his forearm remained around her waist. The toxin had started affecting her brain, but she relaxed and welcomed his aid.

He swept an arm under her legs and cradled her to his chest. "Hang on, Tessa." He carried her to the end of the alley and made a quick left. "Let's get you somewhere safe and I'll take care of that arrow."

She didn't respond. Her mouth couldn't seem to form words. Placing her head on his shoulder, she hovered on the brink of unconsciousness. She roused when Hart paused to briefly open the door. The snick of the deadbolt sliding reached her ears. He hadn't let go of her. How did he get the door open?

Full-blood mage. Of course.

A jarring trip up a set of stairs almost sent her into the blackness of the ether. A low moan escaped from her lips.

Hart's arms tightened around her. "Sorry, darlin'. Almost there. Stay with me." He jostled her about to make a turn up to the next floor.

She clung to the sound of his voice, so soothing and warm. But the darkness called, a strong siren song. Her head lolled to the side.

Hart's voice penetrated the fog. "Tessa, don't leave me, babe. A few more moments, okay?" He got a better grip on her.

She gave a nod and tried to reply. Her okay sounded more like a croak than affirmation.

He paused outside another door. "Cead isteach." Ducking through the opening, he deposited her on a bed. "Here we go, darlin'."

She winced when he shifted her position.

He tsked. "Yeah, it hurts, doesn't it?" He moved away and removed his coat.

The toxin made her vision blurry but she focused on his hands. He emptied his pockets, pulling out three small packages. He set them on the bed beside her. Reaching into his shirt, he withdrew a medicine bag—surprising—and quickly opened the pouch.

Moving forward, he sprinkled something onto his palm then formed a cup with his fist, holding it close to her face. "Bungi herb and Spanish moss. The blend will counter the effect of the poison."

She opened her mouth and he poured the dried mixture in.

"Fair warning. It tastes like ass but it works fast."

She had no idea what ass tasted like, but the bitter, pungent flavor probably came damn close. Fighting the urge to gag, she swallowed, her throat working to get the contents down. Hart nodded and produced a glass of water to act as a chaser. Holding the tumbler to her lips, he helped her get a good drink before setting the cup aside.

Closing her eyes, she grimaced, unable to get the nasty taste out of her mouth.

Hart stroked a finger along her cheek. "Yeah, it's disgustingly vile, but it should be easier to breathe and the numbness should be going away." He smoothed the hair away from her forehead.

Tessa opened her eyes, her vision almost clear. When she swallowed, her throat muscles eased. Air filled her lungs and it didn't hurt to breathe anymore. But her taste buds rebelled against the horrible injustice they were suffering.

She shuddered. "I kind of hate you for the ick going on in my mouth right now, but thanks for getting me out of there." She had no doubt she'd have died if he hadn't come along.

He met her gaze, but only for a moment. "You'll hate me even more in a few minutes. We've gotta get this arrow out." He gestured to her shoulder.

Shit. She didn't relish the removal. But, yeah, she didn't want the poison in her system any longer than necessary. Giving him a nod, she struggled to sit up.

He grabbed her biceps, halting her progress. "Don't move too much, you'll make a clean removal harder."

Damn. A rookie mistake.

Heaving a sigh, she eased back down. "Right. You're right." Being helpless made her edgy. And stupid.

Hart reached over and opened the packets he'd set down. "I know. It sucks to be you right now, but why don't you let me do the heavy lifting until we get this bad boy out, okay?"

Not like I have a choice. "Yeah, okay." Tessa grit her teeth.

He got the stuff ready and unbuttoned her shirt. "Have any feeling back in your arm and left side yet?"

She grunted. "Hurts like a bitch. So, yeah, definitely feeling everything."

Hart winced. "Not gonna lie. You know it's gonna get worse."

She growled. "Yeah, yeah. Better out than in. Let's do this." She exhaled slowly, trying to prepare.

Hart leaned forward and cupped her chin. She opened her mouth to question why but he slanted his lips over hers. Her heart rate jumped, especially when his tongue moved past her teeth to tangle with hers. Hart took his time, thoroughly exploring until she all but melted into the mattress before easing back and brushing his thumb over her lower lip.

She blinked. "Wh-what was that for?" Not that she minded or anything—she'd love more.

One side of his mouth curved. "To get your adrenaline flowing to kick start the healing process."

Tessa grinned. "Nice. Remind me to thank you for that later … after I get over the urge to kill you for what comes next."

Hart gave a nod. "Will do." He sobered and got serious.

After clasping the arrow, he put a hand on her collarbone. "Grab hold of me and when I push, haul yourself up."

Ugh. This is gonna suck big hairy balls.

Tessa grasped his shoulders in a firm grip and exhaled slowly.

Hart met her gaze. "Ready?"

She lifted her chin.

He started to push. "Now, Tessa."

She dug her fingers into his skin and raised up, sucking in a harsh breath. Agony tore through her when the barbed tip pressed outward through her skin. Hart dragged her forward with his free hand, helping to keep her upright. "It's through and…" He grabbed the end and gave a hard yank. "Out." His arms wrapped around her. "You're good now." He gently lowered her back down. "Gonna clean up the blood and let you start healing."

Tessa barely registered the words. The room spun and everything went gray and fuzzy. "That's good. Because I think I'm gonna pass out now..." Blessed darkness claimed her.

A little longer than usual for a snippet, but I'm very happy with how this scene came together.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Rule of the Son

Had a rough week with an ear infection and a cracked tooth. The antibiotic is definitely helping but functioning with a fuzzy brain from discomfort is not fun.

I did get a lot of Batman: The Animated Series episodes in. I started with season one number forty-eight and ended with sixty-four. I'm not all the way through "Paging the Crime Doctor" yet but should finish it up today.

Again, there were a few forgotten but so good episodes. "The Mechanic" and "The Man Who Killed Batman" are two that were excellent. Interestingly, Sid the Squid is mentioned later but it's not the same character from "The Man Who Killed Batman."

Two of my favorite two-parters were in this bunch, "Robin's Reckoning" and "Shadow of the Bat." I loved both. The first because it dives into Dick's backstory and shows how much Bruce and Batman care for Dick / Robin. The second because it introduces Batgirl. Another two-part arc with Ra's and Talia, "The Demon's Quest," is also pretty solid.

I also forgot about the second concluding (I think) episode "Day of the Samurai" that wrapped up Bruce's history with his instructor and rival.

"Zatanna" is another one I always enjoy. I love seeing the journey Bruce took to become Batman. I also enjoyed "Read My Lips" that introduced the ventriloquist. One I forgot about is "Fire From Olympus," which feels a little out of place in the Batman realm but I kind of like it because of that.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Rule of the Son, book three of the tentatively titled Chronicles of Pythia series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

With help from the Book of Pythia, Aleina Foyle and Alston Saddington establish a new colony and end their journey to find a new home. Now that their goal is achieved, they have to return the essences of Aurora and Apollo to the dieties, which creates a dilemma—the couple is called to create the new government and both are exhausted … until Pythia comes up with a solution to help them out.

And a preview snippet…

The oracle Pythia greeted the couple entering through the mists. "Hello. Welcome back." She clasped their hands and helped them cross the threshold into the non-mortal realm.

Aleina Foyle and Alston Saddington wouldn't be able to stay long, but Pythia needed to speak with them face-to-face. She only hoped they understood why she'd brought them to her under false pretenses.

Aleina gave Pythia a tight smile. "You didn't mention how wild and bumpy it would be to get here." She paused a moment. "Is that because we're losing the essence of Aurora and Apollo?"

Alston stayed silent, as he usually did. He roamed the perimeter of the stone grotto, his gaze sweeping from left to right then up and down. The man would always try to get his bearing before he did anything else.

Pythia returned Aleina's smile. "I apologize for the journey. Although, it shouldn't be anything you're not already used to." She waved Aleina toward the small table surrounded by comfortable chairs. "I have to commend you and Alston for a job well done. You've accomplished what no one thought you could." And they had one more task ahead…

If they agreed to help one more time.

Alston made his way over and settled back into one of the chairs. "Where are the deities? Aren't they supposed to be here so we can transfer the life-force back?"

Pythia gave an inward sigh. Leave it to Alston to jump ahead several steps. And cut her timeframe short.

Aleina reached out and placed her hand on his forearm. "Patience, Alston. We just got here." She slid her gaze to Pythia. "But our time will be short, won't it?"

Pythia lifted her chin. "Yes, mortals can't remain in the grotto for extended periods." They shouldn't be able to exist on the immortal coil at all.

Rising, she paced back and forth, knowing what needed to be said but not quite how to say it. Something of a conundrum for an oracle. And, well, she didn't have a lot of time to get the couple on board before Apollo and Aurora came to retrieve their essences.

Returning to the chair, she seated herself on the edge. "I haven't thanked you yet, so please accept my gratitude for tireless effort in getting humanity to its new home."

Aleina tilted her head to one side after exchanging a sideways glance with Alston. "There's more, isn't there." She made it a statement instead of a question.

Pythia hesitated… "Well … yes."

Alston spoke, his words a low growl. "What else do you want us to do?"

This is a fun series. I'm taking some creative license and mixing genres, which I love to do.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: A Rockin' Yule (a holiday spirit novella)

December is off to a roaring start. We got some interesting and good family news and I think I'm very close to being finished with my holiday shopping. I might have one or two last-minute things to figure out but that's it.

As noted in my last post, I continued with my Batman: The Animated Series rewatch and started with episode thirty-one and ended with episode forty-seven. I had forgotten a couple of those episodes, in particular "His Silicone Soul" and "Off Balance," which introduced Talia and Ra's Al Ghul.

There were also several of my favorite episodes in this bunch. "Beware the Gray Ghost," "Christmas with the Joker," "Almost Got 'Im," and "Harley and Ivy." Christmas with the Joker is one of my all-time faves and I usually watch it on a yearly basis.

I'm enjoying the rewatch so much, I'm probably going to continue through the end of the year. I have a lot of love for this show.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from A Rockin' Yule, a holiday spirit novella featuring a hellhound and a nymph.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Saffron Sapienza is in trouble with her hellhound pack for being wild and overindulgent. She's looking for an escape in the hopes of letting her latest scandal die down. Gabriel Gabor has a big decision to make—become nobleman of the nymphs or give the job to his arch rival, a man who tries to take everything Gabriel has. A holiday spirit, Jolly Jingleman, brings the duo together at a secluded bed and breakfast over Yule and works his magick to help the couple find their holiday cheer along with some direction for their future.

And a preview snippet…

Saffron Sapienza's mouth dropped open. "Are you serious?" She paced back and forth in front of Calvin Cates, the alpha ruler of her shifter pack.

Her ire rose to epic proportions. Calvin could not have picked a worse time to spring his decision on her. Why did she have to be punished? Why couldn't the hex cat and shapeshifter get the lecture?

Saffron turned to face the window, dragging in a deep breath. "You're banning me from the Yule celebration?" She whirled to face Calvin. "I'm being penalized because two pack members think with their dicks instead of their brains?" She planted her hands on her hips. "How is that fair?"

Calvin shrugged. "Didn't say it was.'' He leaned forward. "But I can't have a fight during the festivities and they're bound to have a blood battle if they're around you."

She threw a hand up. "Bah! I warned both we'd only be short-term but neither listened. I'm not ready to settle down and you know why."

Calvin nodded. "True. But if you didn't stumble from scandal to scandal, you might have more supporters."

Saffron closed her eyes, frustration licking along her spine. "Dammit, Calvin, it's not my fault my mating cycle hasn't kicked in yet. I'll know when it's time and when I've found my match. I always tell anyone I get involved with I'm not in it for the long haul yet." She wouldn't be until she found the one she'd spend her life with.

Calvin sighed. "That's part of the problem, Saffron, you've got a stockpile of former lovers who've been on the merry-go-round you call your love life."

Saffron snarled, her hellhound blood heating up with anger. "Are you seriously slut-shaming me right now?" She barely managed to keep her inner hound at bay.

Calvin blew out a long, slow breath. "No. That's not what I'm trying to do, Saffron." He got up and came around his desk. "You know me better than that."

She shot back. "Do I? Because right now all I'm hearing is how two fragile males can't deal with the big bad female so the woman has to suffer."

Calvin quirked an eyebrow. "Now who's not being fair? I get what you're going through and I know you don't go out of your way to create problems. But you're one member in a pack of hundreds. You have to face that reality. I know it sucks but what other solution would you suggest?"

As much as she hated it, Calvin had a valid point. Only two of the pack species had true mate cycles. The hellhounds and the lupine wolf shifters, of which Calvin belonged to. So he did understand the difficulty she endured when she had an itch that needed to be scratched but commitment didn't enter the equation.

Saffron's shoulders sagged. "Fine. I'll spend the solstice on my own."

Alone … and probably miserable.

I love the holiday spirit stories! It's fun to weave a little whimsy into the lives of the characters when they're facing big dilemmas.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye