Sunday Snippet: Hell Is in the Details

Washing machine update. The new washer got here and I'm happy to say the mountain of clothes is now a manageable pile. It's amazing!

Coffeemaker update. The new one arrived and it's a combo single cup or full pot. I love it. Here's hoping my caffeine habit doesn't trash this one in under a year.

Another crazy-busy work week. I finished up the mystery and the romance copy edits and started a cozy mystery. Also continued with novella edits. Had a couple of calls about two or three new projects. I'm excited! I also managed to get some good writing in for myself. A good week!

I didn't get much of anything watched on my viewing schedule. I did a LOT of social media scrolling, especially after Biden stepped aside and endorsed Kamala Harris for the democratic nomination. That's unexpected and exciting. Also spent a lot of time shaking my head over the GOP nomination for vice president. It's going to be an interesting couple of months.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Hell Is in the Details, a novella that explores what happens to a couple when one of them takes the other for granted.

Here's the miniblurb:

Macyn has a one-night stand with an immortal creature and suffers the consequences when he traps her in a maze of deception. Once free, she withdraws from her clan and it's up to Vig to bring her back from the brink of madness.

And a preview snippet…

Macyn ignored the stab of pain from his statement. Emphasis on her. Right.

She inhaled deeply. "Why the hell not?" The reason better be good because his lack of faith in her pissed her off.

Vig sighed. "Because you have to have your heart and mind so full of someone else the immortal can't draw from your life force." He paused a moment. "That means you have to be open and trust someone enough to give them power over both." He kept his features schooled with the exception of an arched brow.

And, okay, this time she deserved his doubt. Giving control over to someone else had never been her bailiwick. She met people as equals or nothing. And she handled sex the same way.

But … if Vig's idea worked, she couldn't not try. "Let's say I can. How does that kill the immortal?" Because if that fucker came back again, she'd end her life to be finished with him.

Vig lifted a shoulder. "It might not kill Bartlett, but it should weaken him enough to take his life force or drain it." He met and held her gaze. "The more you trust and love, the stronger your bond with someone else, the faster his chi will be drained."

She struggled to wrap her head around the concept. Once upon a time, she'd have said Vig fit the role of person she trusted most and loved the deepest. And yet … she'd never told him. Then she went totally off the rails and landed in Barnett's clutches.

Not her best moment.

And now … she had to get free. Obviously, shooting, stabbing—twice, strangulation, poison, fire … none of the other options she'd used worked to get rid of the horrific nightmare she'd unleased. But this—if she could expose herself completely to someone else—sounded too good to be possible.

Vig would be the only person she'd consider. But could she really give him dominion? Hadn't she had that once? With him? Yeah, maybe not so much. Tearing down walls and opening her heart didn't come easy … if either came at all.

But she had to try to get out of her own way.

She closed her eyes for a moment, then focused on Vig again. "Explain how this would work."

This story is full of twisty turns, and I love how it's coming together. Vig and Macyn have some big hurdles to get through.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye