Sunday Snippet: An Enticing Yule (Holiday Spirit short)

April is starting off with a bang. We've had seven days of volatile weather. Thunderstorms, tornadoes, flooding, and another big drop in temperature with snow flurries. I thought for a while we might end up with a blizzardnado—complete with sharks. If you know you know. It's that time of year where keeping warm-weather clothes beside arctic gear isn't a bad idea.

Due to the crazy weather, I didn't get a lot of viewing in this week. I also had a full plate plus dessert of work projects. I'm very happy to have multiple things to occupy my time!

I did get another episode of My Life Is Murder in and loved getting to see Madison strut her stuff undercover. I'm going to miss this show when I'm finished watching.

Caught Midsomer Murder's final episode for this season. Enjoyed the mystery. I'm a little disappointed that it feels like the characters don't know much about each other. Winter has been with Barnaby for quite some time now and it seems like the interactions they've had in the past are quickly forgotten. Really the only thing that kind of irritates me about British mystery shows.

Finished up the second half of Silent Witness. I think I'm going to like the new guys. I really enjoy Jack and Nikki together. The case was very confusing, but I ended up liking how things turned out.

Watched another episode of Death in Paradise. It's almost the end of Humphrey's run and I'm kind of excited to finish up and start Jack's journey. And also pick up with Humphrey and Martha back in England.

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. Kind of fun to see some of Joan's old life collide with her new one. Not super thrilled that her friends thought she needed an intervention, but at least they came around by the end.

That's it for the life update this week. I'm hoping to get back on track this week, barring any weird and wild weather.

Tonight's post is from An Enticing Yule, a holiday spirit short featuring a shifter and a watcher.

Here's the miniblurb:

A shifter and a watcher have to find their Yule cheer … with a little help from holiday spirit, Cinnamon Mistleberry. She's got her work cut out for her. Pandora Prewitt is a multi-shifter struggling to find her true form or risk banishment from her tribe. Dexter Diamond is a watcher, the group of preternatural humans who document the shifter chronicles, questioning his life's work. Cinnamon brings the duo together at Yule to show them the enticing value of love.

And a preview snippet…

Dexter didn't need the confirming nod from the other invitee.

And the moment he got within two feet of her, his senses kicked in. Shifter. Well, damn. Nothing like being on the spot. She didn't look all that happy to see him either.

He grabbed his bag. "Look, I'll leave. You got here first." He'd find somewhere else to figure out his future.

She reached out, placing a hand on his bicep. "You don't have to do that." She flung an arm out. "Look at this place. There's more than enough room for two." She removed her palm from his sleeve and stepped back. "I just thought…" Her words trailed off, leaving an awkward vibe.

He picked up on her thought. "That you'd be alone, right?" Yeah, he kind of thought the same.

She lifted a shoulder. "Well, yeah." She shook her head "No matter." Her hand shot forward. "Pandora Prewitt."

Familiar with the name, a piece fell into place.

He clasped her palm. "Dexter Diamond. I have a feeling we're here by design." He let go and pointed toward the sitting room. "Let's maybe get a little comfortable." He headed through the arched entryway.

Someone definitely put a little thought into the décor. A fire burned in the hearth. Greenery draped … everywhere. Muted gold complemented the earthy tones of the garlands. Welcome comfort almost anyone would feel … but he could be the exception.

Pandora followed him inside. "What do you mean, we're here by design?" Her gaze swept the area, and she gave a slight nod.

He settled in a wingback chair. "You're a shifter. One, I'm assuming, facing a dilemma." He didn't need to be a genius to sense she had trouble on her mind.

Her eyes widened and she perched on the edge of the sofa. "How do you know that?" A note of wariness entered her gaze.

Dexter rolled a shoulder. "It's my job. I'm a watcher."

She opened her mouth then closed it.

He gave her a minute to digest the information. "We don't normally interact with pack members. It's easier if we don't." At least he'd learned that much.

Pandora's chin lifted. "Helps with objectivity, right?"

He smiled. "Something like that." Not that he ever stayed objective.

Pandora leaned against the armrest. "You think someone brought us together on purpose?" Her tone betrayed the interest she had in the topic.

Dexter gave a nod. "More like something, but, yeah, that's what my gut is telling me." Not that he trusted his internal barometer much right now.

She went quiet again, gazing into the fire. Dexter let the silence stretch out, testing his rusty instincts. Pandora would open up if she wanted to. If not, well, still more than enough room for two in the house.

She finally turned her attention to him again. "I want to be angry at being manipulated, but, honestly, I've hit the lowest place I can be in. Having someone else here might save my life."

As far as reactions went … totally not what he expected.

I love writing the holiday spirit shorts. It's so much fun coming up with the conflict and names for the spirits.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: An Enticing Yule

A lovely week with warmer temperatures and some rain. Excited to see some spring weather rolling in. It's supposed to be in the high fifties and sixties this week and I'm totally down with that, even if it gets chilly at night.

Not a bad week for writing either. I played catch-up on a few more manuscripts and fleshed out some plot bunnies. The sages are on a roll right now and I'm not sure what prompted their creativity. I won't complain though.

Good week of television also. I watched a couple of movies starting with Enola Holmes, which I ended up really enjoying. Glad to hear there will be another one at some point. I also watched a total favorite of mine, Grease 2. This is one of those cases where I loved the sequel more than the original. Seriously.

I restarted my watch of Picard, picking up with episode six. Wow, a lot to unpack in that episode. I'm excited to see what happens next.

I finally started Chicago Med. I've been waiting to see the first season and ended up getting access. Enjoyed the first episode.

Caught two episodes of Peak Practice. I ended the second season and started the third. Both were good episodes.

Watched another episode of No Offence. I like the overarching storyline for the new season and the wrap-up of the previous season's fallout. I'll be honest and admit I'm not keen on the new supervisor but I'll reserve judgment for now.

Finished up the second part of Silent Witness and it was as twisty as I thought it would be. Enjoyed the two-parter.

Started season fifteen of Classic Who. Pretty decent opening arc the lighthouse setting. Interestingly, it ties into one of those unsolved mysteries of the unexplained and I love it when the show does that kind of thing.

Caught another episode of UFOs: The Lost Evidence. This one focused on Area 52 and what might or might not be going on there.

Two more episodes of The Muppet Show are complete. I'd forgotten about Harry the mad bomber. He made an appearance and blew some stuff up.

That's about it for television and this week's wrap-up. Tonight's post is from An Enticing Yule, a Holiday Spirit sexy short.

Here's the mini-blurb:

A shifter and a watcher have to find their Yule cheer … with a little help from holiday spirit, Cinnamon Mistleberry. She's got her work cut out for her. Pandora Prewitt is a multi-shifter struggling to find her true form or risk banishment from her tribe. Dexter Diamond is a watcher, the group of preternatural humans who document the shifter chronicles, questioning his life's work. Cinnamon brings the duo together at Yule to show them the enticing value of love.

And a preview snippet…

Pandora entered her small cottage and slammed the door. "Dammit. I know what I have to do. Riding my ass won't make it happen any sooner." She paced back and forth, giving her anger full rein.

Fear crept in, hovering on the fringe.

She stopped. "No, I won't be swayed by scare-mongering." If the pack pushed her out, so be it.

No. On her own, she'd surely lose her mind. Already, the symptoms of feral psychosis nudged at her. She struggled to focus during her shifts and each time she tried a new form and failed to connect, she died a little more.

"Why can't I find the right fit?" The thought of being banished or locked away in a psychiatric ward almost choked her.

She wouldn't survive. She wanted to soar with freedom, live the way her pack members did—in harmony with their animal side. Frustrated, she flung her jacket off and tossed it on the table.

When a loud knock sounded, she stomped to the door. "By all that rules the universe, leave me alone." Yanking the heavy oak toward her, she stared at empty space. "What the hell?" She'd fully expected to find her pack alpha frothing at the mouth.

Instead, a burst of smoke delivered a sealed envelope that landed on her small porch. Glancing around, Pandora bent down to retrieve the parcel. No one hid in the bushes or along the tree line.

Closing the door, she flipped the letter over and back. "No address or name. Huh."

An ornate seal gave an official-looking flair.

A thread of worry wound its way through her. "I hope this isn't bad news."

She had until after the Yule holiday—through the first of the year, in fact—to find her true form.

A horrible thought occurred. "Unless the pack decided to cut their losses." She blinkdly walked into the living room.

They wouldn't push her out before the holiday, would they? Why wouldn't her alpha deliver the news himself if they did? The envelope trembled along with her hands. Should she open it or not?

"Gah. Only one way to find out what's inside." She slipped her finger under the seal and lifted the flap.

Pulling out an embossed card, she breathed a sigh of relief.

 

The search for your form needs a key for the lock

A place to lay low without pressure from a ticking clock.

Come to Goodacre for nurturing care.

The discovery of your nature might be found there.

 

Instructions to confirm the reservation and how to arrive in the nether realm via the mists followed the invitation, along with a seasonal Yule message.

Pandora didn't hesitate. "Yes, definitely yes." The parchment etched her reply on the page then winked out of sight.

Pandora dashed into her bedroom and packed for an extended stay. "If nothing else, I won't have to walk on eggshells around everyone who's waiting for me to sink or shift."

As if she enjoyed the constant scrutiny.

I'm super thrilled with how this story came together. I have so much fun with the holiday spirit shorts.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: An Enticing Yule

April 22, 2018

Whew. What a week. We had prom catastrophes averted and a halfway decent Saturday for the big event. My daughter's dress needed some alterations and my wonderful aunt and my next door neighbor came through like the awesome women they are and got the dress in prom-worthy shape. I'm biased, but my girl looked lovely.

Even with all the crazypants running around, I got a lot of television watched. Finished the second "season" of Vixen and enjoyed the episode. Finished up the first season and started the second of Blindspot. I like the introduction of Jane's family and having more of her background in the mix. Not sure about the addition of the NSA character, but I'll hold off on judgment. Definitely interested in who the new mole in the FBI is. I have a feeling I know who it'll end up being and not sure I like it. LOL

Got an episode of Gotham in and, seriously, season four is kicking so much ass. It's twisty and turny and I love how many levels of crazy there are. I truly hope there's another season of the insanity.

I still have so many mixed feeling about this season of The Flash. I want to love it, I really do, but I'm just not there. We'll see if how things play out in the finale. Maybe it'll have the elusive element I'm looking for to turn things around.

Missed both Black Lightning and Riverdale this week so I'll have to play catch up. I'm looking forward to both.

Arrow rocked. It's nice to get the full backstory of a villain. That said, Felicity and Diggle could use some of that love. We know a few of the things that shaped both characters and that's terrific, but each could use some additional rounding out. Just saying.

Started a new for me series called Ghost Squad. The premiere episode hooked me and I'm definitely interested in catching the full first series. Also started Endeavor and I like it. Nothing beats a good BBC crime drama.

Last but not least, I started Syfy's Krypton. Loved the first episode. Here's hoping the momentum continues and I fall in love with this series!

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from An Enticing Yule, a Holiday Spirit Short featuring a multi-shifter and a watcher.

Here's the mini-blurb:

A shifter and a watcher have to find their Yule cheer… with a little help from holiday spirit, Cinnamon Mistleberry. She's got her work cut out for her. Pandora Prewitt is a multi-shifter struggling to find her true form or risk banishment from her tribe. Dexter Diamond is a watcher, the group of preternatural humans who document the shifter chronicles, questioning his life's work. Cinnamon brings the duo together at Yule to show them the enticing value of love.

And a preview snippet…

Cinnamon Mistleberry appreciated the finer things in her spiritual existence. Crisp, bubbly champagne, a glorious soaking tub by a roaring fire, and a full week of downtime during the Yule holiday. The afterlife couldn't get much better.

Lifting her glass, she sipped the golden liquid. "Here's to a nice, quiet solstice." She wiggled her toes, sending ripples of scented water fluttering around her.

Her head dropped back to the curved edge of the porcelain and she twirled the fluted stem in her hand. Peace, love, harmony. Yuletide at its best.

She sat up with a sputter when a pulse of energy zipped along her nerve endings. "No… no, no, no." A tinkling bell sound followed. "Argh. I'm supposed to be off this week." Exiting the tub, she grabbed her robe and slipped it on over her shoulders, keeping her goblet in hand.

The trilling peals grew louder in intensity when Cinnamon strolled into her room.

A parchment shook and shimmered on her bedside table. "I'm coming, I'm coming. Geez." Heaving a sigh, Cinnamon snatched the document and skimmed over the last-minute assignment.

Setting her glass on the nightstand, she reread the information. Oh, no way. The powers that be had to be out of their minds. A shifter and a watcher? At the same time? Argh!

Picking up the fluted goblet, she drained the contents and shrugged. "Well, Cinn. You've been known to pull off the impossible before." But this?

Whew. Tasked with helping the duo find their true happiness, she'd have to think outside the norm.

Carrying her glass into her living area, Cinnamon settled onto the slipper chair by the hearth and tucked her legs under her thighs. She called forth the Book of Everything and started with the female, Pandora Prewitt. Twenty-seven. Biracial on her human side and a rare multi-shifter. Hard case and on the brink of banishment because she struggled to find her true form.

Cinnamon tsked. "Oh, dearie, it's so hard to pick one thing when variety is the spice of life." And sometimes dangerous.

Pandora had to find her inner beast, the one that would soothe her soul. If she didn't, she ran the risk of her personality fragmenting and completely losing her identity, which would put her pack in danger. However… if Pandora chose wrong, she'd constantly be at war with her spirit and live a life unfulfilled.

While she refilled her glass, several ideas swirled in Cinnamon's mind, but she shelved them to review her second subject's issue. Dexter Diamond, a senior watcher—the group that observed the shifters during their lifespan.

Cinnamon sipped more of the bubbly liquid. "Hmm… I see what you're doing here." Oh, those tricky powers that be.

At thirty, Dexter's third-generation status gave him a full slate of preternatural abilities. Heightened senses topped the list. Easy on the eyes, if one liked the rugby brawler type—and, oh, how Cinnamon did—Dexter stood out in the watcher community. But he'd had a bad run lately.

The group chronicled the lives of the shifters, keeping track of bloodlines and animal forms. They also kept tabs on the human-animal interactions. For all of Dexter's skill and ability, he'd been unable to stop a rogue shifter from taking lives. The man went on a shooting spree then ate his gun. Dexter arrived too late to halt the carnage.

And now he questioned his life's work.

Cinnamon shook her head. "We can't have that, sweetie. Sometimes a situation escalates out of control." And opened up a perfect opportunity for redemption.

She thumbed through the Book of Everything, skimming for a perfect location to send her two wounded charges. She discounted the penthouse in the heart of the city, hand-waved the perennial favorite river cruise, and nixed a guided tour of Paris.

Flipping through more pages, she sighed. "I need something secluded, with no outside influence." Somewhere in the netherworld.

Cinnamon scrolled to the needed section and finally settled on the Goodacre Bed and Breakfast. The charming manor house and pristine location suited the scenario she had in mind. Pandora and Dexter were positioned to help each other out. Dex needed a reminder of his purpose and Pandora required guidance. Who better than the other to show the way?

To be safe, Cinnamon glanced around, searching for a sign or signal of disapproval from the powers. Nothing came. Satisfied, she called forth another bottle of champagne.

Pouring a fresh glass, she rubbed her hands together. "Can't work on carefully crafted invitations without the proper motivation, can I?"

I'm excited to see how this one turns out. The sages are brimming with ideas!

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye