Sunday Snippet: Protect the Target

Well, the first week of December is in the books, and it ended up being super busy for me. I had a follow-up appointment with my primary care doctor, and we went over the results from the colonoscopy. While everything looks okay, I have to go back for another scan in six months. Um … yay? Bleh. I also have several moles we're going to remove in January and my blood pressure is still a little high so I'm starting meds for that. All in all, a productive appointment.

I'm not juggling as many work projects, but I have a tricky copyedit that I need to do some research on and a proofread that's due next week. I also have reading to do for the developmental edit of the memoir. I also have two more projects waiting in the wings. I like the idea of having a strong end to the year.

I did not get much viewed this week. I've been in a bit of a slump and just needed a break. I did do some binge watching of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, My Life Is Murder, and I got a bit more the of Foyle's War episode watched.

Other than that, I had adulting to do like check insurance coverage for the procedures I need to have and paying bills. I hate how much time that stuff eats up.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Protect the Target, a novella that puts the main characters is harm's way and they use subterfuge to outsmart their opponent.

Here's the miniblurb:

Noya Vix is a walking target with a lot of magical factions coming after her, the most persistent being Lenj Gottman, who wants to exploit her precognitive ability. Booth Wanderlux is her number one protector, but he's got issues with keeping Noya out of harm's way because she refuses to lay low until Lenj is caught.

And a preview snippet…

Noya Vix focused on the series of runes and oghams just inside the veil of a shadow glade. "This could be the one." Closing her eyes, she calmed her breathing and opened her mind.

Images shuffled in her head and thoughts tried to intrude, but she shut the door on them and only allowed the visual array prominence. Three pieces clicked into place, but the others didn't.

Exhaling on a sigh, she silently cursed the lack of progress. "Dammit." She started to uncross her legs but a hand on her shoulder kept her sitting down.

Booth Wanderlux crouched beside her. "We've got company again." He motioned for her to follow him, staying low to the ground.

She got to her knees and crawled behind his retreated form. "How the fuck did they find us this time?" She hadn't told anyone which shadow glade they would be checking.

Booth grunted but said nothing. He used his preternatural ability to lead them through the veil and into safety. No doubt he'd have plenty to say once they cleared the danger zone.

Noya would give up her precognitive skill if it meant making Lenj Gottman lose his major hard-on for her. The man made life more of a hell for her than trying to find a new glade for her mage brethren. He figured if he could control her, he'd be able to become the de facto leader of the society.

She huffed out a breath. "Over my dead body." Which, yeah, could become her reality if Booth didn't have her back.

Gottman represented everything terrible happening in their current home. Depleted resources, unbalanced representation, and a forceful consolidation of power against everything she held dear. Their entire system teetered on the brink of disaster … all because of one man.

Booth shifted carefully through the veil, leading Noya out into the dim light of dusk in their current glade. Clasping her hand, he stuck close to the tree line until they cleared the boundary of the property and entered the relative safety of their estate grounds. She trudged beside him, taking the stone path up to the house.

Outside the door, she tugged him to a stop. "Do you know how they found us?" Keeping her voice low, she angled her head toward the entrance. "Starkey's gonna have questions." He always did.

Booth lifted a shoulder. "I can only guess, and that's not going to go over well with him." He paused a moment. "The attempts to get to you are weighing on him. He's gonna be ready to take action after this one." Twisting the knob, he pushed the door open.

Noya sighed. "Which means he's going to be in total Grandpa-mode. Great." Not.

Because not only did she have to deliver bad news she'd also have to fight Starkey to keep trying to find a new glade.

Fun times.

I'm having fun with this story even if it's coming together in weird out of sequence bursts.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye