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