Sunday Snippet: Nowhere Good

Another month end is almost in sight. August is gearing up to be a busy month for me and I'm excited and exhausted at the same time. I love being busy and having projects on my calendar but also have to remember to take time to decompress.

Cleanout project stalled again. I had deadlines to meet and also got a new office chair that needed assembly. Have to admit it's comfy.

Had a solid work week with several projects ongoing and two that needed to be finished. I got those out of the way and started a new one that's a long procedural.

Pretty good week of viewing. Made it through a full round of shows and started both of my back-burner ones.

Started with Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed the backstory of Janie and Phryne. Almost through the first season.

Started the new season of Madame Blanc Mysteries and a holiday episode. Looking forward to more of this show.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise. Kind of sad to see Marlon go. He ended up growing on me. Thrilled to see JP back for a brief appearance. The mystery also gave Marlon time to shine, which is nice for his final ep.

Watched another episode of Poirot, which is the first of two parts. Looking forward to seeing how this one ends. A super-young Polly Walker is a guest star!

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. I haven't quite decided how I feel about Moreland sticking around for a while, but I did like his interaction with Sherlock. The case also proved to be interesting.

Caught another episode of Batman Beyond and have vague memories of this one the first time around. Always fun to have Shriek back.

Watched another episode of Lower Decks. This show annoys and charms me in equal measure. I did quite like the interaction between mom and daughter even when I rolled my eyes several times.

Started an episode of Peak Practice. I didn't quite manage to finish it but will get it done this week. I hope!

Also started and got most of the way through another episode of Reacher. I only stopped because I couldn't keep my eyes open. That's what watching a show at four a.m. will do.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Nowhere Good, a novella that explores how a couple resolves an age-old conflict.

Here's the miniblurb:

After wiping out a rival fae faction's hell spawn, Adrian Stock plants a hot kiss on Shaun Henrickton, a fellow enforcer, and their world tilts sideways. They've got custom and ritual, protocol, and baggage between them and if they cave to their baser feelings, the outcome can't go anywhere good.

And a preview snippet…

Adrian sat through Matilda's examination. "You don't have to check the sirens. We got them to the safe house without incident." They'd be a little crowded for a couple of days.

Matilda smoothed a cool salve over Adrian's burns. "Good to know. You and Shaun make a hell of a team." After recapping the jar, she held her palm over the injury and closed her eyes, muttering an incantation over and over.

The brief respite gave Adrian time to unpack her thoughts. Shaun did make a great partner. But would he still? The silence coming back to the estate after seeing to the sirens put her out of sorts. Because of the kiss. She and Shaun usually had a million things to talk about. But neither spoke a word on the journey back. Because of the kiss.

She chastised herself. Such a stupid thing to do. Ruling families did not mix with the lower classes. And she definitely didn't qualify for ruling status. Her family would be disappointed she'd initiated something with Shaun.

She mumbled under her breath. "Not that his family is any better." Even if Shaun didn't think like them.

His family wanted to keep the old ways. Seven families ruled over the rest of the population and made sure everyone stayed in their own lane. The regular folk like the Stocks pushed back, trying to form a council that would better represent all beings in the glade.

Matilda gently squeezed her fingers around Adrian's. "There. Are you still feeling any pain?"

Adrian made a slow fist. "No. None. Thank you." She started to get up.

Matilda nudged her back down. "Uh-uh. I want you to stay here tonight. Consider it a favor to me. But I want to be here if you have any aftereffects." Her steady gaze bored into Adrian's.

Adrian slumped. "You think I'll have nightmares." She might … even if it had been years since her last one after Bent's death.

Matilda nodded. "It's possible. And if you have one, I'd rather it be here where I can help."

What she didn't say? If she had one, being here wouldn't pull her mom and dad into the fray. They still struggled with the loss of their only son.

Adrian sighed. "Okay. But if I don't have any, I'm heading to the cottage in the morning." She lived behind her parent's house in the old gatekeeper's residence.

Matilda smiled. "As you wish." She got up and put her supplies away. "For now, I have to make my rounds. Help yourself to anything you need. The spare room is already made up for you." She bustled around, grabbing her satchel and a jacket then heading out of the suite.

Adrian settled back into the cushion of the chair. "Leaving me alone with my thoughts can't go wrong, right?" She snorted.

Why worry? She had no chance with Shaun. He'd reached the age where he had to find a mate. Someone the seven houses approved of.

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. "Definitely don't want to be around for that." But … the reason she kissed him had everything to do with the ticking clock.

Because she had to know what it would be like. Just once. To kiss Shaun and have that memory.

But, yeah, dumbest move she'd ever made. Because now she wanted more. So much more.

And now her primary goal would be to minimize what happened. Because the kiss meant nothing.

Nothing at all…

This one is coming together in fits and starts but it's shaping up nicely. Shaun has his work cut out for him to convince Adrian the kiss is not nothing.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye