Sunday Snippet: Still of the Night

March entered the room with some wild weather, which isn't a big surprise. Still having the back and forth chilly then warm and lots of rain and wind. I expect nothing less from my birth month.

 

Got a lot accomplished on my work projects. I have a new one coming in sometime in the next week or two and I'm looking forward to jumping into another new one this week.

 

Didn't get a lot of television watched this week, but I got a few episodes in.

 

Finished up The Mandalorian episode I started and thoroughly enjoyed it. My brother used to be obsessed with the sand people so it's fun to see them in action in this episode.

 

My Battlestar Galactica rewatch continued with "Act of Contrition." So many great moments in this episode and the acting is stellar. For a show that came out twenty years ago, I have vivid memories of watching this for the first time.

 

I also caught another episode of Only Murders in the Building. I kind of love where they're taking things at the moment. It'll be hard to top the first season for me, but I'm excited to see how this plays out. I'm really hoping it holds up.

 

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Still of the Night, a novella that brings an uptown guy and a downtown girl together for a money-making venture.

 

Here's the mini-blurb:

 

Salem Rhys has the perfect recipe for brewing dark lager, a potent alcohol that will go over huge at the mage academy … but doesn’t have the know-how or equipment to create the concoction. Jared Meyer, a tech genius, can definitely help her out. Salem falls hard for her business partner but considers him out of her league until Jared proposes more than a money-making venture.

 

And a preview snippet…

 

Salem pulled into the small parking lot a bit wistful about stopping the hot and sexy action yesterday. But she also kind of appreciated Jared's pull back. Jumping into something intimate when this whole idea could go belly up would be a stupid thing to do.

Grabbing her supplies, she popped her door. "Not that stupid can't be fun."

She entered the warehouse only to be met by a man who paced around muttering under his breath.

He caught sight of her and tossed up a hand. "Bah. A piece of ass. I should've known." The look he gave her condemned her on the spot.

Her temper lit, she dropped her bags on the counter. "Excuse me? I'm no one's piece of ass." Although she could have been if Jared hadn't stopped yesterday.

The gentleman gave a rude snort. "You will be soon enough. Jared's got Meyer blood running through his veins."

And yet, Jared didn't act like a raging asshole, unlike crankypants old guy. Angry beyond rational thought, she conjured a fireball, but the old man easily deflected it. He sent her a scathing look.

Salem snarled. "Who the hell are you?" He had about half a second to confirm her worst suspicion.

The man straightened his jacket. "Jarvis Meyer. Jared's grandfather. I came down to see what he was so all fired up about." He rolled his eyes. "I'm disappointed to see he's still thinking with his dick."

Salem almost laughed. "You're so wrong about that." Growing angrier by the moment, she threw down the gauntlet. "And you know what? Get out. You're not welcome here." At this rate, he never would be.

Jarvis looked down his nose. "You can't order me out of a building I paid for."

Salem arched her brows. "Really? Okay then." She built up several fireballs, adding a hex to all four. "Since money is all that matters to you … I'll hit you where it hurts." She launched the flaming orbs, hurtling them to the four corners of the building.

Grabbing her precious book of magick, she spun and started for the door. Mr. Jarvis the asshat could suck donkey balls for all she cared. And Jared could wait in line behind him.

Except … he probably deserved better from her.

Halfway to the exit, she stopped. "You know, if Jared was only thinking with his dick, he could've fucked me and taken my only possession." She held the book up. "Instead, he offered a partnership and put in as much time as I have. If you ask me ... he's the one with brains and foresight." Turning back, she made her way to the door and crashed into Jared on the way out.

He grasped her arms. "What's going on? What happened?"

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she pulled away from him. "If you want to salvage anything, the release spell word is hierarchy." Head high, she sailed past him and didn't look back.

I love Salem and her take-no-prisoners attitude. Thankfully, Jared does also!

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Six Degrees of Separation

Had a fairly decent week with work projects coming together and the upper respiratory yuck staying solidly in the background. I continued improving and the cough is down to a manageable level with over-the-counter meds. Whew.

I'm almost finished with Batman: The Animated Series and then I'll get back to a wider variety of shows again. This week's episodes were "Love is a Croc," "The Ultimate Thrill," "Cult of the Cat," which I go back and forth on whether I like it or not. "Critters" is not one of my favorites. I do love "Animal Act" because Dick gets to revisit his circus family and it's followed by my favorite season three episode of "Old Wounds," which shows the messy breakup of Batman and Robin and how Batgirl played a role. I have a few issues with season three and one of them is the way Bruce / Batman became a complete hardass and, quite frankly, a giant dick a lot of the time.

"Legends of the Dark Knight" is fun because it's a complete departure from the norm and explores a couple of alternate versions of the dynamic duo.

Almost forgot about "Girls' Night Out," with Live Wire and Supergirl guest starring. That's a fun episode.

I finished up with "Chemistry," which is kind of a meh episode for me. I think I have three more episodes and I'll have the rewatch completed.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Six Degrees of Separation, a novella that explores the changing dynamic between two characters.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Melick Traynor and Ramona Peartry, two Academy of Light magicians, have a single passionate encounter after Ramona nearly loses her life to a dragon. But when they navigate their new relationship status, Melick has to step down as Ramona's precept, but neglects to tell her why.

And a preview snippet…

Melick entered Ramona's alcove and found her shuffling through the ever present cards.

He stopped and announced. "You're getting up today." He lifted a brow, daring her to argue.

Ramona flicked her gaze up and back down. "Really? You got a trick up your sleeve to make that happen?" Her fingers nimbly flipped the cards over, setting up a solitary game.

Melick smirked. "As a matter of fact? I do." He moved further into the alcove but stayed close to the open door.

Ramona grunted. "It's gonna take more than a flashy spell to make me move." Her fingers flexed over the deck. "And I'm not in the mood to chat, so shove off." The monotone barely changed.

Melick sighed. "Is this about the precept change?"

She shrugged. "You can't have any faith in me if you wanna make me someone else's burden." She still refused to meet his gaze.

Melick made a garbled choking sound. "Ramona. Do you trust me?" Why did she have to be difficult?

She snorted. "I used to."

He'd take the tiny opening. "Good enough." He moved closer and all but compelled her to look at him. "I can't, right this very moment, get into why I'm asking for the change. But it's not because you're a burden. Far from it. Can you just go with that for now?"

Pursing her lips, she studied him. "Fine." She rolled her shoulders again. "Whatever."

He bit back a grin. He'd gotten to her. She battled with herself, but she'd give him some room and lay off the snide, snippy attitude for a while.

She scooped the cards up again. "Still waiting."

Her voice drew him from his thoughts. "You haven't checked in with the mechno mancers have you?" Time to get her motivated.

She frowned. "Why would I?" She waved an arm over her injured leg. "I've been a little laid up."

Melick nodded. "Right." He eased a bit closer and leaned in a little. "See … the problem with being cut off and out of the loop is that you miss all the good information."

She narrowed her eyes. "What am I missing?" She shook her head. "I've got everything I need. Three squares. A comfy bed." She waved the deck back and forth. "Entertainment."

Melick gave an exaggerated lift of his chin. "Sure. Sure. All true." He propped a hip on the side of her bed. "But you don’t know the latest details about the dragon you felled. I'd think you'd be interested in that."

Shot him a curious look. "Why?"

He dropped a crumb. "They got the beast torn apart." He stopped there.

She made a frustrated sound. "And?"

He added another small clue. "It's not at all what they expected." He stopped again.

Ramona smacked the cards on the table. "Meaning what? If you don’t spit it out, I'm gonna have to hurt you."

And there he had her. Finally.

Melick snorted. "You'd have to actually get up to do that."

"Melick…" Underlying menace filled her tone.

He held up a hand. "Fine. The beast isn't all gears and motherboards, Ramona. It's biomechanical." He paused a moment. "A living, breathing, organic being."

Her mouth dropped open. "What did you just say?"

He leaned in. "You heard me. And it's giving the mechno mancers fits. They can't figure out how the thing functioned."

Ramona growled. "But that's my deal. Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Melick could see the burning itch to take a look fill her. To dive into a new project and figure out what made the dragon tick.

He grunted. "Well, maybe because you're all laid up and can't help out." He shrugged. "Too bad, also. They're getting cranky and that usually means they'll bring out the blow torches soon…"

I love this series so much. Melick and Ramona are a joy to write and watching them try to get their acts together is fun.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Man Up

Hope everyone had a terrific US holiday and a terrific week if not in the US. I got to spend time with my oldest and youngest kiddos and enjoyed being able to do so. I think I have two more gifts and maybe some odds and ends to pick up and I'm done with holiday shopping. Fairly pleased to be a little ahead of my usual last-minute rush.

Had a good week of television viewing. I watched another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. This show continues to make me so happy.

Got a two-part Silent Witness watched. This is one I didn't remember and I'm glad I got to watch it.

Got a full arc of Classic Who in and started a new one. I've discovered a couple of episodes were almost an hour in this season, which is actually kind of cool.

Started a new series with Mysteries of Apollo and the first episode focused on the Apollo 13 mission and some of the in-depth history of that experience.

Began season five of The Muppet Show and watched four episodes. Gene Kelly, Loretta Swit, Joan Baez, and Shirley Bassey were the guest hosts. Final season of the original.

Caught two episodes of Fantasy Island and I'm still thoroughly enjoying the show. I think I have one left in this first season and I'll look forward to the holiday episode.

Started season six of Peak Practice. Great episode that moved the timeline ahead a little. Being at the halfway mark of the entire run is a nice accomplishment.

Enjoyed another lesson of MasterClass with Brandon McMillan. Some great tips on housebreaking that I hope to put into effect after I get my downstairs area organized.

Season two of Glitch started out with an interesting twist. This show is very twisty and turny and I like that. Looking forward to getting more information on how everything works and finding out if Sarah is another one of the risen. If so, poor James. Two women in his life? That's a lot.

Remember when I thought I finished the first season of Star Trek: Discovery? Yeah, not the case. I had two more episodes. Watched the penultimate this week and, wow, what a mix of highs and lows. This show. Just saying.

Started season three of Chicago Med. I like how they moved the timeline ahead and seeing where everyone ended up. Conor breaks my heart. April breaks my heart. Wil and Nat make me happy. The horrible new surgical resident irritates the life out of me. So far, so good. LOL

Watched another episode of The Madame Blanc Mysteries. I really love the dynamic of this show and the mystery this week ended up being terrific. Also love the overarching mystery of who killed Jean's husband. Interesting show.

That's pretty much it for this week. Tonight's post is from Man Up, a fun tale of a game going too far in exactly the right way.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Hattie Hale and Nero Palmer, instructors at the Academy of Light, are supposed to set the example, but can't quite get past their competitive natures. A drunken game of one-ups-manship goes all the way to the sleeping chamber because neither will admit to being outdone.

And a preview snippet…

Around noon on Saturday, Nero stood outside Hattie's door. "I'm crazy to do this." But he wouldn't welsh on a bet.

He knocked and when no one answered he rapped on the wood again. Moments later, a thud sounded from inside and a scrape of metal against wood followed by a string of curses echoed behind the window.

Hattie pulled the door open, looking worse for the wear. "What the hell, Nero. Why are you here?" She squinted against the sunlight streaming through the trees.

He gave harsh exhale. "Did we really agree to having a one-upsmanship contest last night?" Maybe she'd forgotten.

Hattie winced. "Ugh. You're here at the asscrack of dawn to ask me that?" She ran a hand through her tangled hair.

Nero quirked a brow. "It's after noon, Hats. If we're doing this, we've got until Tuesday since we're on school holiday Monday." Seventy-two hours or so to figure out who really ruled.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine." She stepped back and swept her arm out, inviting him in. "But don't say another word until I get caffeinated." Shuffling across the floor, she headed for her kitchen.

He followed her inside and scoped out her living space. Surprisingly tidy and orderly, except for a chair bumped up against the coffee table. No doubt the source for the earlier commotion and swearing.

Why he thought her home would be mass chaos he couldn't honestly say. Okay, he'd admit having preconceived notions because she rarely if ever invited anyone into her personal space. And the way she ran her classes, with unbridled enthusiasm and raucous abandon fed into his perception.

He huffed out a breath. "Might have to alter the perspective a little."

She strolled back into the living room, carrying a huge mug of coffee in each hand. "Didn't know if you'd want some…" Reaching out, she lifted one of the cups.

Nero accepted the java. "Thank you. I probably don't need it, but I love a good cup of coffee." He took a sip and blinked in surprise. "Wow … this is excellent."

She toasted him. "Thanks." Settling on the couch, she tucked her feet under her thighs. "You might as well sit. I don't plan to move from this spot until the pot is empty." A flick of her wrist conjured a carafe onto the ottoman between the couch and two chairs.

Nero chose a chair and leaned against the cushion. "Okay, you don't have to move until the coffee is gone, but you only have until your first cup is empty for quiet time." He arched a brow, daring her to argue.

She narrowed her eyes but inclined her head.

Nero considered he'd won the first round and added a point to his win column.

I love the dynamic between Nero and Hattie. This is such a fun story to write.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: It's Always the Same Show

Wow. September snuck up on me even though I've been talking about how close August was to ending. 2021 is a weird year, just saying.

Had a solid week of working with a potential new project coming in and several more lurking in the wings. I finished up a great manuscript and can't wait for the book to release. It featured a tornado!

Not a bad week of television. I started with Master Class with LeVar Burton and lesson eight with focused on performative storytelling. I love watching LeVar break down how he approaches telling and sharing stories.

Watched two episodes of Inside the Episodes: The Witcher. The shows broke down episodes two and three. It's very interesting to go back and see where the production side of things is coming from after seeing the entire first season. I'm really looking forward to season two.

Caught two episodes of Berlin Live. The first featured Blondie and I thoroughly enjoyed the string of hits minus one of my very faves. Boy George and Culture Club also put on a great show and I'm love diving back into some music from my formative years.

Enjoyed another episode of Star Trek: Discovery. I'm slowly getting to know the characters and I'm starting to like how everything is coming together. Really interesting to see a character from Star Trek: TOS. Looking forward to seeing if anything comes from that.

Watched another episode of Chicago Med and ended up really liking it. I'm once again really happy to finally be able to watch this show from the beginning and fill in so many blanks.

Caught another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I love this quirky and fun show even though there's always a murder to solve. As I've mentioned before, having characters that pop up with frequency makes me happy.

Finished out the second episode of Silent Witness. I'm getting toward the end of season twelve. I think I've got four more episodes to go. I'm also remembering why I really liked this show when I watched it the first time.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers. This one feature country music, which I always find interesting when it's in another country.

Finished out season eighteen of Classic Who and Four's tenure. Five is taking over the controls of the Tardis and I'm looking forward to seeing his take on the Doctor.

Started UFO Conspiracies and it's not bad. I'm always interested in digging into what other countries experience with UFO sightings and this series seems to include those takes.

Watched two more episodes of The Muppet Show. Lesley Ann Warren and Danny Kaye were the guest stars. Very fun episodes.

Caught another episode of Prime Suspect and finished out the first season. I'll start season two this week.

Peak Practice had an interesting episode and I enjoyed it. Andrew definitely has some issues and I like how the show is exploring them.

That finishes up this week's television update. Tonight's post is from It's Always the Same Show, a novella set in the Academy of Light universe.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lanie Beck and Titus Berkley are tasked with whipping a new class of cadet mages into shape for the Academy of Light. The biggest problem they face is never agreeing on how to make it happen. The cadets quickly learn to tune in and enjoy the show.

And a preview snippet…

Okay he'd overreacted. He had to admit the suppression spell did its job, protecting the cadets, the classroom, and the building. Lanie thought of everything.

He chuckled. "Bonus points for her." Maybe his misgivings weren't necessary.

Not that he'd admit it out loud. No way. He had too much fun pushing her buttons.

Lanie approached and poked her head in. "Got a minute?"

Titus nodded. "Sure, come on in." He noticed she left the door open when she entered.

Lanie heaved a sigh. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have brought the class into the discussion." Titus opened his mouth but she raised a hand. "Look, I don't tell you how to teach or burst into your classroom and offer my opinion on your methods. When you do it to me, it lessens the respect the cadets have for me."

As much as he didn't like it, she made a valid point. "You're right. And you had the bases covered. Consider me duly impressed." He propped his butt on the edge of his desk. "Can't say it's going to be easy, but I'll do my best to keep the freak-outs to a minimum." His lips twitched. "I'd rather not be on the receiving end of hellfire."

Lanie's face colored up to a nice shade of pink, but she didn't take the bait. "Well, it's a start. Can't really ask for more." She turned to exit.

Titus straightened. "Have dinner with me." He needed to mend fences with her.

Lanie hesitated. "Uh … probably not a good idea." But she shuffled a little, lingering in the doorway.

Titus cocked his head. "There's nothing wrong with two friends sharing a meal."

Lanie slid her gaze his way. "Emphasis on friends." Her eyebrow arched.

Titus rolled his eyes. "If you insist."

Lanie nodded. "I do. For now. This semester is important to me."

So she kept saying. Why couldn't more than one thing matter to her?

He lifted his chin. "Takeout from Matterhorn? I'll bring it to your place?"

She gave a nod and left the room.

Titus sighed. "Time to play a waiting game." Slowly but surely, he'd win her back over.

This story is so much fun. I love writing opposites finding their way to each other.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Six Degrees of Separation (an Academy of Light novella)

Well … the beginning of my birthday week is off to a chilly start. The good news is the temps are supposed to warm up this week, which is kind of nice. I could use a little mild weather to improve my mood. The other good news is our new roof did indeed fix the leak situation. We had several days of icy rain and no drips!

Busy week on the work front again. I like having multiple projects but a particularly brutal edit made for a long seven days. I'm looking forward to the new week.

Light viewing schedule for television. I needed to focus on work in a big way. I finished up the premiere episode of Strike Back and, okay, Coltrane's attitude improved. Hmm. Maybe not improved, but at least I get why he's kind of off the rails. A terrific episode overall.

Watched two more episodes of Gargoyles and I think I missed both in the original run. I enjoyed viewing the new-to-me ones.

Caught another episode of Arrow and thoroughly enjoyed the somewhat insane mix of past and present in the aptly titled "Present Tense" episode. I'm looking forward to a return to Russia in the next one.

Watched an episode of Murdoch Mysteries and quite liked revisiting an old nemesis of William's, especially since he's been somewhat converted into an ally. I also loved the intrigue of having Brackenreid's daughter meet his wife.

Started an episode of Riverdale and got sidetracked with work. I'm hoping to finish up soon and maybe see the end of the farmies once and for all. Fingers crossed.

Other than the above, I caught an airing of Grease 2, which is actually one of my all-time favorite movies. I even like it better than the original. I also did a marathon of mystery movies on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries.

That's pretty much it for television. Tonight's post is from Six Degrees of Separation, book two in the Academy of Light series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Melick Traynor and Ramona Peartry, two Academy of Light magicians, have a single passionate encounter after Ramona nearly loses her life to a dragon. But when they navigate their new relationship status, Melick has to step down as Ramona's precept, but neglects to tell her why.

And a preview snippet…

Sawitch saved the day. Melick continued to mull over possibilities to get Ramona engaged in a project a week later. She remained immobile, doing the barest of bare minimum therapy. Melick dropped by daily, but Ramona acted bored and disinterested. Frustrated and frazzled, he'd leave within half an hour.

Master Sawitch stopped him after a particularly brutal silent treatment from Ramona. He had the request for precept change in hand.

"Why should I sign this?" His voice had the growly quality it got when Sawitch didn't like something.

Melick sighed. The guy always made things more difficult than necessary. Melick considered making an excuse, but opted for the truth instead.

"Because I have feelings for Ramona and need to be free to pursue them."

The old man narrowed his eyes. "She feel the same?" He frowned his displeasure.

An image of her face in the throes of passion flashed in his mind. "I don't know. But I can't find out while I'm still bound." He didn't volunteer additional details.

Sawitch pondered for a moment. "You can't find out while she's still in the healing chambers either." The chastising tone grated on Melick.

But the man had a point. "Look. I've tried everything I can think of … short of casting a spell to light a fire under her ass. She won't budge."

Sawitch grew thoughtful. "You know, that dragon is giving the technos a bunch of trouble."

Melick blinked and shook his head. "And why the hell would I care about th—" It hit him. "It's biomechanical." Not his field of expertise, but…

The master's lips twitched. "Your Ramona has an interest, yes?" He quirked a brow.

Melick nodded, chagrined he hadn't thought to check the progress with the dragon. "She certainly does." Finally … a simple solution, one he could make work.

Sawitch lifted the clipboard and signed the transfer request. "I'll start interviewing candidates tomorrow." He started down the corridor.

Melick called him back. "Master Sawitch." The older man stopped. "Why the help? You don't like either one of us."

Sawitch shook his head. "Ramona can be a pain in the ass, but she felled the beast. That took balls." His eyes got a crafty look in them. "And smarts. Always thought she had it in her to be more than flash and flair." Pride crept into his gaze. "She finally proved it."

Melick inclined his head, acknowledging Sawitch's change of heart. "And me?" He almost couldn't wait to hear what altered the master's perception of him.

Sawitch gave Melick a long considering look. "The Mage Superior asked me to think about something the other day."

Melick lifted a brow. "And it involved me?"

Sawitch shook his head. "Not directly, no. It concerned the future of the Academy of Light." He waited a moment, and then continued. "He wondered who I thought would serve it best … once he's gone."

Melick frowned. "I don't understand. He's not going anywhere. Is he?" He couldn't. Not anytime soon.

Sawitch got it. "Not yet. But he will one day and I don't like to admit that fact." He sighed. "The thing is, it made me face the possibility … whether I wanted to or not."

Melick had to give him credit for the admission. "And?"

Sawitch sighed. "I don't like change. But Afton thinks you're the best man for the job." His nose wrinkled, but he didn't dispel the old man's belief. "He also said you'll need someone like Ramona by your side. To keep you in check and to give you a shove when necessary." Sawitch shrugged. "The old man isn't wrong."

Closest thing to admitting Afton had it right and Melick wouldn't get anything better than that. Sawitch, for all intent and purpose, had just given Melick his seal of approval, something he figured he'd have to fight tooth and nail to receive.

Stunned, Melick went with his gut. "I'm not sure how to respond." Once given, Sawitch made sure his support didn't waver. The man held loyalty at the top of his list.

Sawitch snorted. "Yeah, well … don't let it go to your head. You've got a long wait to wear the sage's robes."

Melick didn't argue. He didn't say anything, still shocked by Sawitch's actions.

The master gave him a nudge. "You've also got a prickly female to get motivated. What're you waiting for?"

Melick blinked. "Right. Right. On my way." He turned, resisting the urge to look back, pretty certain the exchange hadn't been an optical illusion.

He wondered if his luck would hold when he visited Ramona.

I'm excited about the Academy of Light series of books I have planned. There will be several others featuring different types of characters and possibly different schools within the academy.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Ramona for the Win

Hard to believe November is almost over. I think the whole furnace fiasco made the month seem a lot shorter than it actually was. That and my workload hasn't decreased… not that I'm complaining.

Had a somewhat slower week with television. I stuck mainly to marathons during the day. I did get some old-school Midsomer Murders watched along with several episodes of JAG.

I watched another episode of Riverdale and, man, Edgar is super creepy. Also, I still dislike Hiram with the passion of a thousand suns. I actually loved the whole shakedown of the gargoyles. The filming of that scene had me glued to the screen.

Other than that, I'm halfway through an episode of Murdoch Mysteries and really hoping they're not going to have Julia and William break up over the doctor who has the hots for her. I'd be very disappointed.

I also had a run of Classic Who episodes on Pluto TV. Nice to have that on in the background when I'm getting the dishes done or folding clothes.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Ramona for the Win, a novella set in the Academy of Light universe. It's book three of a four-book series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Ramona and Melick finally have their personal relationship on solid ground, but the timing couldn't be worse. The academy is under attack and it falls to Ramona to save the day by infiltrating the rival's headquarters by using the downed dragon. She's confident she can get inside and stop the assaults—if Melick will get out of her way.

And a preview snippet…

Ramona flung an arm out in frustration. "You know I have to go, Melick. No one else can control that dragon." Why couldn't he support her?

Melick heaved a sigh. "I'm not suggesting you can't or shouldn't be the one to infiltrate the enemy compound. I'm trying to cover all the angles, including your ass, by pointing out the potential flaws in your plan." He gave her long, level look.

She glanced away first… because, damn, if he didn't have a point.

She always jumped directly into the fire. Okay… more like she flew headfirst after taking a flying leap and three somersaults, but someone in this place had a have a little flair.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she met his gaze again. "Your point is valid. Doesn't mean I have to like it." But she kind of loved him even more for always, always having her back.

Melick snorted. "Didn't think you would. Doesn't mean I'll back off." He planted his hands on his hips, a clear challenge for her to counter.

She didn't disappoint. "Didn't think you would." She relaxed her stance and moved forward, stopping when she reached his space. "Not that I'd ever want you to." She gave him her best flirty smile.

Melick narrowed his eyes. "What do you want, Ramona?" His gaze darkened to the sexy shade she loved.

Ramona trailed a finger from his sternum to his waistband. "If I have to explain, you're hopeless." She raised her eyebrows and tilted her head to one side.

Melick moved quickly, grabbing her hips to pull her flush against him. "You don't have to explain… but you do have to ask nicely." His hands cupped her ass and he pressed his hard length against her.

Ramona suppressed a shudder, loving the raspy sound of his voice. "Melick, can we please get very naked and have scorching hot sex?" Her hips grinded against his groin. "Right now."

Melick's lips curved in a wolfish smile. "Oh, absolutely." He scooped her up and slanted his mouth over hers then marched her into the bedroom.

Sometimes nothing else mattered but the moment at hand. And, right now, everything else faded but Melick's body covering hers.

Ramona and Melick are so much fun to write. This is their third planned story and I love diving into an established relationship to see how the characters react after they've been together for a while.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: The Souvenir

Had a terrific weekend with great weather for my middle kid's graduation party. My boys were super easy. They're pretty much no muss, no fuss guys. My daughter, on the other hand, will be a sophomore and I think I'm going to start planning her party next week. LOL She's very much a social whirl and gets involved in tons of activities. I might need to rent a venue for hers. LOL

Gotham's finale rocked. I'm so glad the show seemed to find its footing in the third season. I'm pretty much thrilled with all the storylines and where they're leading into for the next season.

Friday brought some much-needed excitement back to my television screen. The double premiere of Dark Matter kept me glued to the screen. Then the follow-up with the Wynonna Earp premiere had me staying put. I'm so happy to have the shows back and can't wait to see where everything goes. Killjoys is up this week and I'm impatiently awaiting its return.

As mentioned last week, I'm just not into this season of Doctor Who. I wish I could sink into the storylines like I've been able to in the past, but I'm struggling. A lot. Very disappointing.

Orphan Black, by comparison, had a kickass return. The clones kicked Saturday night into high gear and I don't anticipate anything less than a wild and reckless ride. My one and only hope is I don't lose any of my favorites. But I'm not holding my breath on that one.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from The Souvenir, a novella that sets up and opens the events for Six Degrees of Separation.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Melick Traynor and Ramona Peartry, childhood friends and top students in the Academy of Light, compete for prominence in their respective classes. But when Melick throws out a challenge, Ramona takes an insane risk to prove him wrong and winds up tangling with the dragon plaguing campus grounds.

And a preview snippet…

Ramona sat soaking in the carved stone tub that had been filled for the third time. She finally felt clean, but she could still smell the stench of the dragon. She thought the scent might be permanently imbedded in her nose.

She shuddered and winced at the movement. Criminy, she ached in places she didn’t think it was possible to ache in. But she was blessedly alone, at least for a while.

She'd had to threaten to do bodily harm to the medical staff, once she was back on her feet, to get them to just go away already. She gingerly sank down in the tub, watching to make sure her knee didn’t get bumped. A huge sigh escaped her lips and she closed her eyes only to have them snap back open.

Someone was in the room with her.

“I thought I told you to leave me in peace for the next thirty minutes.” She sat back up again, moving slower than she would have liked. “Don’t make me get out of this tub and hurt you.”

She almost laughed at that. Odds weren't in her favor to be injuring anybody for a while.

“Is that any way to speak to a higher level mage, Threes?” Melick stepped out of the shadows dressed in casual workout clothes. He had a towel draped around his neck, a bottle of soap in one hand and the biggest, fluffiest sponge Ramona had seen since her last holiday home in the other hand.

She sat there stupefied. “What the flaming hell are you doing here?”

A floating sensation engulfed her when he walked closer. Maybe the painkillers the medic had given her right before she left had finally kicked in. Oh hell, could Ramona be hallucinating? It should have taken at least half an hour for the meds to take effect. The only reason the med staff allowed her that amount of time alone.

Melick ambled his way over to her. “Wow. Nice greeting from someone who asked me if I wanted to give them a bath.” He stooped down alongside the tub and ran his finger through the water. “Change your mind?” He was almost giddy with the excitement of finally getting his hands on her.

Ramona was sitting in a tub, naked, and her nightly fantasy was right next to her. It couldn’t possibly be real.

“Is this really happening?” She cocked her head to the side to see if Melick was still there. “You’re really here, aren’t you?”

She shook her head. If he wasn’t, she was going to find a way to keep a supply of whatever the hell it was they gave her on hand.

Melick chuckled. “I’m really here, Ramona.” He slid his hand over her shoulder, relishing the feel of her flesh against his fingers. “See. Real skin against skin.” He sat back to look at her. “What did they give you for the pain, anyway?” He was hoping to keep her off-guard, but he didn’t want her incoherent.

Overcome with modesty she hadn't known she possessed, Ramona sank down in the tub a little further, being careful with her knee. “Um… I’m not sure, but since you are actually here, it doesn’t matter.” Her brow wrinkled. “Do you really think you’re going to give me a bath?”

Was he insane?

Was she, for wanting said bath?

Melick dropped the sponge in the water with her. “That’s my plan.” He found an examination stool, wheeled it over to the edge of the tub and sat down on it. “Any objections?”

I need to work on some revisions to avoid head-hopping in this scene but I'm pleased with the interactions.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye