Sunday Snippet: Beastly Shadows (a Lantern Jack tale)

I hope everyone who celebrates US Thanksgiving had a lovely holiday. Mine was low-key, which is how I enjoy the holiday the most. As usual, my husband cooked for ninety-seven people instead of the three that were here, but that means leftovers and readily available meals for a few days!

Kind of a light week for work projects in varying stages. I ended up getting a decent amount of writing completed. I finished up two manuscript drafts and I'm in the fine-tuning stage for those. I'm excited to start revising! I also did some additional planning for the other ventures I'm trying to launch soon. Should be an exciting December!

Had a great week of television viewing. I got an extra show in this go around but still didn't get to pick back up with my Battlestar Galactica rewatch. Hopefully this week.

I ended up watching two episodes of Silent Witness. I'm sad that Clarissa is leaving but look forward to new faces. Can't wait to pick up with the second half of the current two-parter. It ended on a cliffhanger.

Also got two episodes of Death in Paradise in this week. Started season four, which I'm enjoying. Humph is a lot of fun and Dwayne has been very entertaining so far.

Ended up watching two episodes of Only Murders in the Building also. Finished the penultimate episode last night and, wow, I love this show. And … I'm pretty sure I guessed correctly with a slight twist on the murderer. Can't wait to watch the final episode.

Enjoyed two episodes of The Batman. One I remembered and the other one I didn't so really enjoyed that one. Not sure how many episodes are left in the first season but looking forward to more.

Caught two more episodes of Classic Rugrats. I did remember both. An interesting bit was the theme changed for one episode then went back to the original. Weird what I notice when I'm streaming shows.

Watched another episode of VIP. The over-the-top storylines are so much fun. I really miss some of the shows from the late nineties and early aughts.

Enjoyed a behind-the-scenes episode of My Life Is Murder. I'll be starting season two this week, unless there's another bonus episode.

Also watched a behind-the-scenes episode of Agatha Raisin. A lot of fun to see and hear the actors talk about their characters. There might be one more BTS for season two then I'll be moving on to season three.

Picked back up with Peak Practice. I skipped ahead a little because I honestly don't care about Andrew and Kate's torrid relationship. Might try to work another episode in this week.

That's pretty much it for this week's life update. Tonight's post is from Beastly Shadows, a Lantern Jack tale.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lantern Jack is back. To end a centuries old feud between werewolves and the hunters, Lantern Jack has to right another wrong. He sets out to bring childhood friends Bebe Beasley and Mannix Mortimer together on Halloween night, but to do so he has to put Mannix in the path of a bullet.

And a preview snippet…

Bebe pulled her gloves off when her phone chirped.

After reading the caller ID, she sighed. "What is it, Bastian? I'm busy right now." Okay, dead heading her garden could be done anytime but the less she had to deal with family drama the better.

And two calls in a day crossed her tolerance threshold.

Bastain got to his point. "Be on the lookout for Mannix Mortimer. He might be headed up to your area." He paused a moment. "And you know what to do if you see him."

Bebe really, really hated her cousin sometimes. "Fine, Bastian. I'll be watchful. I always am." She cut the call and ignored the dread balling in her stomach.

Getting up, she entered the cabin and dumped her gloves in the bin and washed her hands. "I don't want to chase Mannix around." She actually liked him.

She could not say the same about overbearing Bastian.

To be fair, she enjoyed the Mannix she played with as a child whenever Bastian and his equally annoying brother weren't around. Images of climbing trees, swimming in the pond, and running through the woods crystallized in her mind. Those were good memories.

As a grown up, she appreciated the attractive man he'd become. Hard planes, chiseled muscles, a face made to stop traffic, and haunting silver eyes. If not for the stupid family vendetta, she could easily fall for him. But … she'd be foolish to do so. She didn't really know the adult Mannix—only his reputation. Which, rumor had it, featured a lot of women crawling in and out of his bed. Not that she blamed any of them.

Bebe stepped out onto the porch and yelped when she found a carved jack-o-lantern sitting beside the door. "Where did you come from?" Probably one of the high school clubs making the rounds.

They often did surprise drop-offs, even out in wood country where Bebe lived. Geraniums in the spring and mums in the fall. A nice neighborly gesture.

Bebe bent down. "Someone did a terrible job on your face." She turned the pumpkin around.

When her fingers touched the rind, a series of images and sounds flashed through her mind. A rifle, a shot ringing in the air, rolling fog and dancing shadows, and a loud, long howl.

A shiver went down her spine at the weird premonitory glimpse. Something wicked this way comes.

This one is finished and almost ready to release. I love writing the Lantern Jack tales and can't wait for everyone to see this one.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye