Sunday Snippet: Hush

Another crazy week with record low temperatures for August. I'm talking wear a jacket because it dipped into the low forties at night. This week we're supposed to be back up in the mid to high nineties. Weather is wild.

 

Seriously jammed with work projects right now and I love being busy. I'm at the point where I'd love to have another four hours added to each day, so I don't feel like there aren't enough hours in the day. Also had to figure out a few things for my daughter's grad school, like how to drop a class and add a new one before the semester starts, which is Monday. As mentioned last week, she was in Ontario Canada for a theater festival and didn't have a lot of downtime. The good news is, she's set to go. Yay!

 

I didn't have a lot of viewing time this week. The verdict on my car is still out and that's been hovering in the back of my mind and distracting me. My work projects also need my full attention.

 

I did get to watch an episode of Elementary and ended up enjoying it. I skipped the one that I struggled to get through. I'd rather have forward momentum than get stuck and drop the show.

 

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Hush, a novella where a hex makes it impossible for a couple to speak without wanting to inflict harm on each other.

 

Here's the miniblurb:

 

Kia Bleu and Chip Strachey have a powerful connection and finally give in to their attraction. When Chip's former flame hexes the couple, they have to learn to communicate without words.

 

And a preview snippet…

Kia reviewed Chip's written scrawl and paced the floor in her apartment. Chip's plan bordered on genius. They would be using Sadie's hex in the upper room sports arena at The Cave. If Mario agreed—and he would—he'd put the word out she and Chip had entered into a blood match, their sudden intense and rabid dislike of each other spurring them to invoke a battle of wills and first blood won the pot.

Kia's lips curved. "Sadie won't be able to resist coming, even though she loathes The Cave." And she would suffer for the effort.

Kia and Chip would build up a good dose of rage then create a feedback loop with an incantation that sent the hex back to its maker, strengthening the bond and increasing the outcome.

Kia rocked back on her heels. "And it'll be a bitch when it hits." A karma spell intensified by not having a specific object or person to bind the hex with.

Any man Sadie decided she wanted would automatically despise her and seek to get away from her presence as quickly as possible.

Kia snorted. "Karma sucks, babe." But it would be a fitting result for her treachery.

Sadie would suffer the consequences of her brazen disregard for the ban on using magick against fellow students. Kia and Chip would sidestep any repercussions. They'd done their due diligence. The law of the mage allowed the injured party or parties to seek retribution. And the focus of their spell would go directly to the source, offering the burden of proof.

Kia's phone pinged. "Mario put the word out. Tonight at seven." She smiled.

The past week had brought them closer than ever. Learning to communicate—and have sex—without words somehow gave her a deeper understanding of Chip. She'd bet Sadie didn't factor that little side effect into the grand scheme of things when she'd placed her hex. Kia could almost feel sorry for the sultry beauty—if Kia hadn't been on the receiving end of the spell.

Then again, she could see how Chip's reputation as a great guy and general attractiveness might inspire a desperate measure. No, actually, Kia didn't really get it. Sadie should think better of herself. Maybe Kia would get a chance to share that idea once the big blood match did its work.

If nothing else, she wanted Sadie to realize mages should work to build each other up instead of trying to trash their lives.

I'm having a lot of fun with this story. Kia and Chip are an amazing couple to write.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye