Sunday Snippet: Only When They Blink

September is starting off with a bang. And crazy busy. Also a full blood moon, which is always fun to see.

Spent all day Saturday in Hocking Hills with a group of cousins on my mom's side of the family. We have so much fun when we get together. We're already planning the third annual gathering for next year.

I finished up two work projects this week and made progress on two more. I have a new one starting this week also. Possibly two. I'm hoping the due dates are a little more staggered.

Had an okay viewing week. I made it almost all the way through my usual slate of shows with the exception of Lower Decks. I started it but need to finish it up. It's the first season finale so there seems to be a lot going on.

Started with Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and it's one I really enjoyed on my original run through. Always fun to see Dot stand up for not only herself but others.

Finished up season four of Madame Blanc Mysteries. Very happy to see Jean and Dom work through their issues. Loved how Dom proposed and how everyone knew they were meant to be together.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise. I'm interested in where things will go with Selwyn. The new officer is going to be fun. I love the vibe he has. DI Wilson might or might not grow on me.

Enjoyed another episode of Poirot. The entire trip to the coast just to hear good things instead of bad from Japp is such a Poirot thing to do. And the side plot with Lemon was fun.

Elementary had an interesting case along with an interesting side case. I like how Moreland reached out to Joan, and she figured things out with what's going on with him. And I love that she told Sherlock. Also really thrilled Sherlock met the character on the autism spectrum at her level, seemingly with care and patience.

Watched another episode of Batman Beyond and I didn't remember much of this one. Ended up quite enjoying it.

Started the Lower Decks episode. I do enjoy how many easter eggs are in this show. Mentions of other characters and episodes from all the various series are so much fun.

I didn't get to start season two of Reacher. I'm hoping I have the time this week, but I'm not going to rush in. I like to be able to focus on this show.

Also didn't get to finish up the Peak Practice episode I started, but I'll get back to it soon.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Only When They Blink, a twist on the Princess and the Pea story.

Here's the miniblurb:

Hale Easterson has fae blood running in his veins, but he won't follow the family old school traditions and mate by the designated age. He escapes to his private lake house to find an unconscious Winter Sorn, a beautiful woman, sprawled on his doorstep and realizes he may not be able to avoid what destiny has in store.

And a preview snippet…

Winter tossed and turned, agitating aching muscles. Swirling images floated in her mind. Curled up on the floor, booted feet kicking at her. A harrowing escape after being thrown from a moving car. Cold ground under her hands and knees. Collapsing on wooden steps … so close to a beckoning light.

Her eyes snapped open, and a strangled gasp struggled up from her chest. "No!" She tried to sit up, but agony tore through her body.

A warm hand nudged her back down. "Hey. Stay still. You're hurt." The voice filled the quiet room.

She angled her head toward the sound. "Where am I?" Her throat hurt and she remembered Butchie's palm wrapped around her neck right before he shoved her out the door.

And swallowing dirt when she landed. She coughed, still tasting the earthy remnants.

A cup of water appeared in front of her and a hand clasped her shoulder helping her to sit up. "You're in a safe place. No one knows you're here." The glass touched her lips.

She swallowed the cool liquid in several gulps then cleared her throat. "Thank you." She finally looked up and blinked at the visage before her.

A man with dark hair that brushed his shoulders sat beside the bed. A red T-shirt fit snugly across his chest, and his jeans were well worn and hugged his thighs. His green eyes were directly assessing her, narrowed in their perusal.

His chin lifted. "Huh. They are blue." He set the cup aside on a nightstand.

She frowned. What did the color of her eyes have to do with anything? And why could she not get comfortable in this bed?

The man spoke again. "You have a large bump on the back of your head. You're bruised and banged up." His lips flattened to a thin line. "And someone kicked the shit out of you to the point they drew blood. I cleaned and dressed the wound for now." He held her gaze for a long moment. "I don't know who the hell you pissed off or if they're looking for you, but for the moment, you've got some breathing room." He leaned back in the chair. "Wanna tell me how you ended up on my doorstep?" His brows arched.

She really didn't. But she owed him a debt of gratitude for taking her in. Even if the bed he put her in added to her discomfort.

Smoothing her hands over the blanket covering her, she gave him the short version. "I ended up here because I got thrown out of a moving car by the two men who did this to me. They're not the ones I pissed off. That would be … actually, I don't know who it is, but he owns the Black Stiletto." Her eyes closed when a dull throb started in her temples. "The good news is I'm pretty sure he thinks I'm dead." No doubt Martin and Butchie would tell him that anyway.

The man frowned again. "That's the good news?"

Winter's lips twisted. "It is if it means they're not going to be looking for me." She still wanted to find out who held the reins of power.

The tilted his head to one side. "Fair point." He got to his feet. "You should get some rest. I'll check on you in four hours. I'd like the swelling to go down a little more before you take anything for the pain." He started for the door.

Winter didn't think she'd be able to rest, but she'd try. "Thank you, again … uh … I don't even know your name…" Or anything else about him for that matter.

Her rescuer flashed a smile. "Name's Hale. Call out if you need anything."

Winter turned his name over in her mind then nodded. "Hale. I'm Winter." She pulled the blanket up over her and snuggled into the bed.

And still couldn't get comfortable.

I'm adding a few small twists to the original tale and having so much fun while doing it.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Only When They Blink

What a crazy week of weather. We had rain, rain, rain, which is probably great for the gardens—as long as the plants are hardy. We also had some close to freezing temps in the wee hours of the morning.

Another super-busy work week. Started a few new projects and I'm humming along on some others. I like having a variety of work and I definitely have that right now.

Another slower week for television. I got started again on doing some clearing out and sorting of stuff I've put off way too long. The good news is I've discovered a ton of missing socks, which makes me very happy.

I watched the second episode of Harrow's third season. So far, I really, really dislike the new boss. But … I kind of love the dynamic between Harrow and Fairley. Discovering Grace is married is something I'm on the fence with, but we'll see what happens there.

Caught another episode of Blue Heelers. I'm a little disappointed to find out I won't be able to watch the bulk of the series now. It seems to have been removed from the streaming service I've been watching it on. Maybe it'll pop back up again. I still have the season to finish then I'll see what happens.

Enjoyed another lesson of MasterClass with Neil deGrasse Tyson. This one talked about systems of beliefs.

Finished up Young Wallander: Killer's Shadow and it did not disappoint. I hope there's another season of this show.

Watched two episodes of Classic Rugrats. I enjoy having this show on in the background when I'm reading emails.

Caught an episode of Chicago Med and, wow, I'm starting to wonder a little if this is Conor's last season. Things seem to be ramping up quickly.

Enjoyed another episode of The Snoopy Show. This one had a bunch of spring-like vignettes.

Watched another episode of Loch Ness and there didn't seem to be a lot of forward momentum on the case, but little revelations popped up and into the storyline. I'm excited for the next episode.

Finished up the second part of Silent Witness. I'm kind of happy Thomas didn't do something sketchy with the information he had on the ex's new boyfriend. Even though she pretty much deserves anything he hands out. She's a piece of work.

Managed to finish an arc of Classic Who. I'll be starting a new one this week. I'm still on the fence with Mel as a companion. She does a lot of screaming.

Also watched the last episode of The Laundry Guy. I actually hope he does another round of episodes. I thoroughly enjoyed the six available.

Watched the Marvel Assembled: The Making of Hawkeye. Honestly, I really loved the first season and I'm kind of hoping there will be another, even if it's primarily Clint-free. Some great groundwork is out there if they continue this.

Started a new episode of The Hardy Boys. I love the mystery of this season and I can't wait to finish this episode.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Only When They Blink, a novella that puts a bit of a spin on The Princess and the Pea.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Hale Easterson has fae blood running in his veins, but he won't follow the family old school traditions and mate by the designated age. He escapes to his private lake house to find an unconscious Winter Sorn, a beautiful woman, sprawled on his doorstep and realizes he may not be able to avoid what destiny has in store.

And a preview snippet…

Winter Sorn lifted her chin in defiance. "I told you if you wanted me to continue reading people, I needed to speak with your boss." She glanced around the nearly empty room, strewn with bar stools, a battered old counter, and empty liquor bottles—her prison for the last ninety days. "Since he's not here, you can forget about any more help from me." She'd been cooperative for three months … that ended now.

Even confined, she'd heard her keepers talking about the elimination of disloyal subjects and the bodily harm to numerous others. Because of her unwillingly provided information. The knowledge rested heavy in her heart.

One of her captors—the semi-intelligent one named Martin—shook his head. "You'll regret that. Boss Man calls the shots … not you." He got up and edged his way in her direction. "No need to keep you around if you're not gonna play by the rules."

The second captor, Butchie, smirked. "She'll fall in. Haven't met a female yet who didn't cave when her beauty is threatened." His fist hit the palm of his hand. "I'm real good at bringing on the ugly."

Winter didn't flinch even though Butchie spoke the truth. He liked to damage things, especially people. Winter wouldn't contribute to helping him harm anyone else.

Martin reached her side. "You're going out to the bar floor in five minutes and you will point out anyone who isn't being loyal to the boss. That's how this works. When he's ready to meet you, we'll let you know." His fingers grabbed her hair and yanked hard, pulling her head back. "You don't wanna push your luck."

Winter winced when he tugged harder. "Too bad. I'm pushing." She struggled to get free. "I'm not going out there."

Martin's gaze flicked to Butchie. A sneer spread across the beefy man's face. Martin let go of her hair but the relief didn't last long.

Butchie's meaty fist came flying toward her from the right and connected with her chin. Her head snapped back and hit the edge of the bar. Stars exploded behind her eyes and she crumpled to the floor.

She blinked from the pain but also welcomed the discomfort. At least she wouldn't have to use her ability for being able to read a person's intentions to help a nameless, faceless figure anymore. After three months of being held against her will, any momentum in a different direction counted as progress—even if it hurt like hell.

When two sets of booted feet started kicking at her back and torso, she curled inward, trying to protect herself from the onslaught. She'd already decided to make this her last stand. If she ended up dead, so be it.

She would absolutely give her life to never have another death on her head. Or blood on her hands.

Struggling to stay conscious, she repeated the mantra that spurred her resolve to go down this path.

"Seven lives lost, not one more. Unless it's me knocking on death's door."

Losing the battle to protect herself, she succumbed to the blessed darkness pulling her into the ether.

Winter isn't going to like what comes next, but it does get her out of the back room she's been in.

That's it for this week.

 

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Only When They Blink

June kind of flew by in a rainy, chilly, dreary kind of way. I'm kind of looking forward to July. Not the heat so much, because it did finally get hot, but mainly in a new month clean slate deal.

Not a bad week for television. I'm staying somewhat caught up on everything. Started out with an episode of In the Dark and I'm happy Murphy and Dean are on speaking terms again. I also love how much Max messes up with her.

Watched another episode of Classic Roswell and enjoyed it a lot. I'd forgotten Michael became an emancipated minor in the first season. For some reason, I thought that happened later.

Caught Frankie Drake Mysteries and loved this one. I thoroughly enjoy seeing historical characters woven into the storyline. I also still want the detective and Mary to hookup but have a feeling Frankie is in his sights. Bummer.

Man… Riverdale truly embraces the batshit crazy. And I love it. I still want Hiram to go down hard. And Alice… oh, Alice. What the hell happened to you? I guess I better keep watching to find out.

Watched an episode of Arrow and it's one I've been looking forward to. I enjoy the future flashes almost as much as I loved the flashbacks. How awesome is having Nyssa train Mia? Seriously.

Caught the next episode of Krypton and didn't really see Brainiac possessing Seb coming. A cool twist though. I'm also quite enjoying having the multiple storylines unfold. So glad to see Lyta's mom back on the screen.

Painkiller Jane had a solid episode even for a clip show. Series television doesn't do those much anymore, which isn't a bad thing, but when they're done well, it's fun to watch.

Watched another episode of Durham County, the first season finale, and wow. Kudos to the actor who portrays Ray Prager, Sr. Watching him unravel was seriously compelling. I'm so curious about the actual… original… serial killer though. Maybe that line will be picked up again?

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers and I'm still enjoying this one.

Also watched the next episode of Midsomer Murders, which ended up being terrific. The mix of themes with Romeo and Juliet and Sleeping Beauty worked out better than expected.

Got two more episodes of Peter Gunn in and also two more of Classic Who. Not a bad way to round out the week.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Only When They Blink, a novella that started with a writing community prompt to put a new twist on a fairy tale story.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Hale Easterson has fae blood running in his veins, but he won't follow the family old school traditions and mate by the designated age. He escapes to his private lake house to find an unconscious Winter Sorn, a beautiful woman, sprawled on his doorstep and realizes he may not be able to avoid what destiny has in store.

And a preview snippet…

Hale Easterson stood at the huge windows overlooking the gardens at the rear of the estate house. He didn't turn when the double arched doors opened and soft footfalls whished along the carpet. He continued facing the crystal clear glass with his arms behind his back.

His father stopped halfway into the room. "Why aren't you dressed? The cocktail hour starts in fifteen minutes."

Hale waited a heartbeat before answering. "I'm not staying tonight, Dad." He'd had more than enough of the hints, the females being parading in and out of the house, and the never-ending must-find-a-mate discussions.

Henrick Easterson reacted accordingly. "Tradition demands you settle on a female and start the next generation of the family. No Easterson waits until they're over thirty. You're not going to be the first." He made his way to Hale's spot by the windows, anger seething under the surface of his demeanor.

Hale rolled his eyes. "First of all, settle on a female is beyond insulting—to me and the potential woman I'd be spending the rest of my life with." He turned, facing his dad. "Second, the concept is barbaric and antiquated. Old school traditions aren't necessary anymore and I won't feed into the idea that a man has to be tied down to a singular future before he reaches his third decade." He glanced down at this jeans and battered boots, each well-worn and comfortable, fitting like a second skin. "I'm done with the whole thing. The invasion of my privacy, the wrecking of my solitude." He met his dad's gaze. "All of it." Including the stupid cocktail hours three nights a week.

Henrick's mouth thinned to a slash across his face. "You're being rash and untenable." He turned and strode to his desk.

Hale snorted. "No, I'm being me, Dad. I'm not a chip off the old block. I don't care how old the fae blood is in our lineage. I'll get mated on my own terms, thanks." And to someone of his choosing… not whomever his father found suitable.

His dad's head snapped up and an angry grunt escaped. "Bah! Your own terms. You don't know enough about yourself to dictate terms, Hale." He whipped a drawer open and pulled out three files. "Since you won't be participating in actively seeking a mate, I've taken the liberty of culling the prospects down to this trio." He tapped the top folder. "You can choose all three, but only one will carry the Easterson name and bear your children." Glancing up, he met Hale's gaze squarely.

Hale made a garbled choking sound. "I. Am. Not. You." He charged forward, sweeping the files off the desk. "I'm not marrying anyone you pick or parade in front of me. And I'm definitely not setting up for multiple mistresses… unlike you." Planting his hands on his hips, Hale all but dared his dad to keep the conversation going.

Henrick's shoulders slumped. "There's a lot you don't know, son. And you aren't interested in listening, but you need to. You can't outrun fate, Hale." He straightened and met Hale's gaze.

Hale shook his head. "I'm not running, Dad. I'm calmly walking away. Whatever fate has in store for me can find me at the lake house… where it's quiet and not filled with people I have nothing in common with." He made his way to the large French doors, placing his hand on the knob. "Do not send anyone over. I don't need a servant or a caretaker and I don't want your loyal minions snooping around in the one place I call a sanctuary. It doesn't belong to you and never will." He opened the door and stepped outside.

Henrick didn't follow but his words did. "No matter where you hide, fate will still find you."

Hale didn't break his stride. "Let it try."

This is a loosely based Princess and the Pea concept story. I love writing Hale and Winter and how neither wants to settle for fate ruling their destiny.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Only When They Blink

Whew. The Last Ship had one of the best finales I've seen in a while. I'm so thrilled season four and five are already on tap and we'll get more of this terrific show. I'm honestly excited to see where things go with Tom, who's so broken right now, the Greens and their new family, and the rest of the crew of the Nathan James. Gonna be a very loooonnng wait for 2017.

Still need to catch up on Dark Matter so I haven't seen the finale yet. Hopefully next week I'll have some final thoughts on this season.

I think Gotham starts this week and I'm interested in where things will end up. With so many disturbed and unbalanced people on the loose, Gordon and company will have their hands full.

Fall television will be in full swing soon so there might be more shows added to the roundup.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Only When They Blink, a novella written as an updated and modern spin on The Princess and the Pea.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Hale Easterson has fae blood running in his veins, but he won't follow the family old school traditions and mate by the designated age. He escapes to his private lake house to find an unconscious Winter Sorn, a beautiful woman, sprawled on his doorstep and realizes he may not be able to avoid what destiny has in store.

And a preview snippet…

A slap of cold air pushed Winter back into consciousness. She opened her mouth to scream, wildly trying to figure out what happened. The air whooshed from her lungs when her gaze caught sight of rolling pavement, the sound of wind screaming around her ears. The door of a speeding car hung open.

What the hell?

Pain rushed to her nerve endings and the memory crashed through her brain. A fist to the side of her face. Her head snapping back to meet the end of the bar. Hitting the floor in a crumbling heap. Then kicking. Over and over again.

The stupid assholes beat her.

Fight or flight instinct kicked in and Winter struggled against the restraining arms holding her captive. "Let me go!" She reared back, the fast-moving pavement outside sending a wave of dizziness through her.

The bands of steel holding her tightened more. "Hey, boss. The bitch woke up." Fetid breath fanned her face.

Butchie.

Fighting the urge to gag, Winter growled. "Let. Me. Go." She fought against him, needles of agony prickling everywhere.

Her entire body ached, like a huge, throbbing wound.

Martin craned his head around. "The plan doesn't change. Toss her out, Butchie. We don't need her anymore." He hit the accelerator, increasing their speed. "Stupid bitch can't possibly survive. Not when we're doing ninety."

Winter went limp. No way would she make it easy to throw her out of a moving car. Butchie cursed up a storm, pushing and jockeying her closer to edge. The wind whipped her hair around her face and the roar of the speeding vehicle whistled along her ears. The rolling pavement got blurrier when Butchie manhandled her toward the open door. He gave a hard shove and Winter hurtled out of the vehicle.

With no other option, she tucked her head and rolled when she hit the ground. Jarring pain ripped through her and she swallowed dirt, but landed in a sprawled heap, rolling over and over until her shoulders and head met something hard and solid. Stars burst behind her eyelids and she moaned. Everything ached—even her teeth. She tasted blood and spit a mixture of reddened mud and saliva out of her mouth.

Gasping for air, she couldn't drag much in. Punctured lung or just winded? She didn't know. Too much agony to focus on a single injury. She tried to move but the stars got brighter and the thumping in her head turned into a massive bass line. Shutting everything out, she concentrated on getting her bearings. Butchie and Martin didn't have more than a dozen brain cells between them. They couldn't have gone that far.

Moving very slowly, she rolled to her stomach and carefully raised her head, glancing quickly around. Nothing but waning light, trees, and rocks surrounded her, including the craggy one directly beside her. The call of a seagull pierced the air. Okay, and water. But where? Crawling forward, she winced with the effort it took. Yeah, maybe not a good idea.

Tears filled her vision. She had to find shelter. Good idea or not, she would suck it up and proceed. The temperature already hovered chilly and cold.

With twilight turning to dusk, nocturnal sounds floated on the windy air. Easing forward, she weighed the option of turning around and making her way to the road or the better plan to try for the treeline, at least to get out of the wind and maybe find a house. Her vision swimming, she opted for the trees. She struggled hard, slowly getting her feet under her. She stayed low, fighting dizziness and slowly moved in the direction she needed to go, gritting her teeth against the searing agony.

Dusk headed toward full-on darkness by the time she reached the trees, a blanket of pine needles and leaves greeting her arrival. Collapsing, she sprawled forward, unable to stay upright. She cradled her head on her arms.

Dragging in a haggard breath, she exhaled slowly. "No more. Can't go any further."

A tinkling chime drew her attention. Angling toward the musical sound, she spotted a welcoming light through the trees. Please, please let that be a house.

Digging deep, she got to her knees and headed toward the warm, golden beacon. The journey took a lot longer than she expected, but she finally emerged from the woods onto a stone patio. To her right, moonlight shimmered off a lake. To the left, a set of six wide steps shaped in a semi-circle led up to a house with weathered cedar siding. The steps looked daunting, each one about ten feet across.

With no other option, Winter started forward on her hands and knees. Her head pounded, her throat hurt, and she needed help. Praying someone would be home, she hit the first riser, wincing when the splintered wood dug into her hands. What's one more injury, right?

Halfway to the house, her waning strength gave out. Her vision swimming again, Winter closed her eyes, fully intending to rest a while then continue the rest of the way to the top.

Fate had another idea and, a few moments later, Winter succumbed to the inky blackness of unconsciousness.

I'm having a terrific time putting a modern spin on this classic fairy tale. I'm also loving the paranormal element.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Only When They Blink

Whoa. Awesome week of television. Defiance is back on Syfy and what a great opening episode for season two. I won't get into spoilers, but I'm excited about where things are going. Dominion also premiered and I enjoyed watching. I'm hoping we get less exposition as the season progresses, but I'm always down for a good set-up in the first episode. J

Orphan Black. Finale didn't disappoint and once again, twists and turns I totally didn't expect. One of the biggest reasons I love this show so much is it never quite goes where I think it will. I was thrilled to have some additional information and background for Paul—even if it makes him even more mysterious. Putting my Cosima hat on for a moment, this show is like a fractal pattern, every layer that's revealed turns around on itself and spawns into something else. I'm sure I butchered the science angle, but… just watch the show to see what I mean. :D

Tonight's post is from, Only When They Blink, an erotic fantasy novella and a loose retelling of The Princess and the Pea. J

Here's the tagline:

Hale Easterson has fae blood running in his veins, but he won't follow the family old school traditions and mate by the designated age. He escapes to his private lake house to find an unconscious Winter Sorn, a beautiful woman, sprawled on his doorstep and realizes he may not be able to avoid what destiny has in store.

And a preview snippet…

Hale trudged along the shore, taking the back way to his lake house. The argument with his dad still fresh in his mind, he almost missed the sprawled lump laying halfway up the steps to the rear entrance. He paused, instincts on full alert. Darting a quick glance in either direction, he found nothing out of the ordinary and no one around. His extra sensory ability did pick up the fae blood in the person prone on the ground.

He approached cautiously, keeping an ear tuned for a surprise attack. Bending down, he felt for and found a pulse thrumming under soft, feminine skin, and her back rose and fell with shallow breaths. He carefully rolled the female over and gasped when he got a look at her face.

Impossibly beautiful, the woman's eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks, but she remained unconscious. High cheekbones, a delicately pointed chin, and straight patrician nose indicated a pure bloodline. The fullness of her bottom lip kept her from appearing too austere and haughty.

Blue.

The word popped into his mind and he fought an urge to see if her eyes matched the strong suggestion. Dark hair, almost black, framed her face and her brushed several strands away to check for injuries along her hairline. Finding a large goose egg near the nape of her neck, he followed with a cursory exam of her arms, legs, and torso. His fingers found a wound on her lower back and came away sticky with blood.

Sweeping an arm under her legs, her lifted her and curled her against his chest. "Okay, mystery lady, let's get the bleeding under control and find out why you landed on my doorstep." His father's final words—you can't outrun fate, Hale—echoed in his head and his steps faltered, but only for a moment.

Hale shook off the crazy notion his father had a hand in the woman's mysterious arrival at his secluded sanctuary.

So far, I really love the way this one is coming together. Hopefully the sages will continue cooperating. J

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye