Sunday Snippet: Rapier's Edge

I should not have made a joke about having snow before Halloween in my last post. Apparently, there's a chance we might have some in the early part of the week. If it happens, it'll probably be a dusting and won't last long, but, geez, I'm not quite ready to drag out my cold-weather clothes yet.

Had a good week with my work projects and made a tiny bit of progress on my future endeavor. I also got some writing time in, which makes me happy. I have some home projects that need attention this week so I might not have as much time to write as I'd like.

Had a decent viewing week and made a full circuit through my usual programs. Caught the first season finale of Ted Lasso and I'm excited to start season two this week.

Watched the second episode of Suspects and enjoyed the twists this one took. I like the cast and characters and the pacing is excellent. Definitely going to continue watching this one.

Finished up series five of Endeavor and loved where things ended up. I'm looking forward to starting series six this week.

Caught the second part of Silent Witness and, whew, what a ride. I loved how twisted up everything got before the final act. Considering I'm in season twenty, it's nice to still love this show.

Watched the final part of Classic Who's arc with Leftbridge-Stewart. Thoroughly enjoyed for the most part. Should be starting a new multi-part arc this week.

Started Sci-Fi Science and liked the first episode. I've seen bits and pieces of this show and I'm excited to watch it through from start to finish.

Loved the second episode of Ms. Marvel. I have a feeling this will end up being one of my favorite Marvel shows. The characters are a lot of fun.

Caught the penultimate episode of Only Murders in the Building and, wow, it blew my mind in the best possible way. I can't wait to see the finale this week.

The Umbrella Academy had a great episode. Things are coming together and I'm looking forward to seeing how things play out in the next episode. I did not think Klaus would end up being one of my favorite characters but he totally is. I love him in all his screwed up glory.

Watched the second episode of Star Trek: Discovery in season three. I'm glad to have everyone back together, but it's always nice to see the crew shine under Saru's leadership.

Also caught another episode of Batman: The Animated Series. This one featured the Joker again and it might be sacrilegious but he's my favorite Mark Hamill character of all time.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Rapier's Edge, a novella that starts with the main characters thinking the other one killed their mentor.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Wen Buxton, a fae agent, finds Jacob Franklin standing over a dead body. He resists her siren call and refuses to answer questions during her interrogation. Wen has a sneaking suspicion all isn't what it seems with the covert mercenary.

And a preview snippet…

Bury my friend…

Jacob barely contained his anger and disbelief. She had to be playing him. Havish would never support her method of striking first. He always taught to seek and understand both sides of a conflict before taking action.

His captor tried a different tactic. "Dammit, I don't want to play hardball with you." She straightened and ran a hand through her stick-straight hair. "I don't like using my call to cause harm. But it's that or I take you in and let the docs do their thing." Her shoulders twitched with a shudder.

A piece of the mystery clicked into place.

She either worked for the Council of Fae Affairs or some kind of sinister organization that liked to exploit the fae. He'd have to push to find out which.

Moving his gaze back to the wall, he snorted. "Do your worst, sweetheart." He hoped his brain and body could handle it.

She growled low in her throat then let loose with a wailing cry. Her pull carried strength but Jacob doubled down—just as his grandmother taught him—and managed to suffer through the sound waves.

She finally ended the song and almost collapsed, sinking to her knees on the concrete floor.

Dragging in air, she glanced up. "Who the hell are you?" Her eyes were narrowed in frustration and maybe a little awe.

Jacob smirked. "No one you want to know." To keep her off guard, he began a shift, choosing the form of a bird.

Free from her restraints—and his clothes—he soared up into the rafters of the warehouse. Her startled gasp rose up to join him and a perverse pleasure filled his mind. He flew back down to land in front of her and changed back, reaching for his fatigues.

She didn't look away from him when he jammed his feet into the pants and tugged them up.

Her gaze drifted upward when she stood. "Are you zeta or gamma?" Referring to his status as a shifter.

Zetas had packs. Gammas didn't.

Not inclined to answer, he yanked his shirt over his head. "I've had enough of this. I suggest you take me to whoever you work for." The faster he discovered who wrote her paychecks the sooner he could mourn his friend.

 She tilted her head to one side. "And if I don't?" Her brow rose in a challenge.

Jacob shrugged. "I tie you up and leave you here. Doesn't matter to me." It did, but she didn't need to know how much. "I'm going to find out who killed Havish and you better hope it's not you." He didn't see the uppercut coming when it landed under his chin to snap his head back.

Damn. His teeth gnashed together.

She set her jaw and snarled. "I didn't kill him, asshole. That man raised me from the age of four." Pain laced her voice and she whirled past him, stalking to the metal door leading outside. "You coming or what?" She exited the building without waiting for a reply.

Jacob learned two more things.

She loved Havish as much as he did … and she packed a hell of a punch.

I have a lot of love for this story and I'm so close to having it complete! I'm hoping to have it ready to release early next year.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Rapier's Edge

Whew! Welcome to December. I had a crazy week of trying to find a working stove… okay, a stove with a working oven. It's funny. We get a new furnace and literally two days later, our oven takes a flying leap. The good news is, I didn't have to cook for the US Thanksgiving and we found a new stove.

Television took a back seat to both work and shopping for kitchen appliances. I did get the Murdoch Mysteries episode finished up and enjoyed it a lot.

I also caught a binge-watch of the Green Hornet. I love the vibe of that show. The movie vibe? Not so much.

Then… I fell down the Gilmore Girls rabbit hole and got sucked into a marathon that's still going on. I'd forgotten how much I really liked this show… even when the characters sometimes drove me bonkers.

I will say it's a great show to watch when insomnia strikes. And, man, the insomnia has been a right pain in my ass this past week. Actually, it's been longer than the week, but it really kicked in on Monday and hasn't backed off yet.

That's pretty much it for the mundane real-life stuff this week. Tonight's post is from Rapier's Edge, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Wen Buxton, an undercover fae agent, finds Jacob Franklin standing over a dead body. He resists her siren call and refuses to answer questions during her interrogation. Wren has a sneaking suspicion all isn't what it seems with the covert mercenary.

And a preview snippet…

Wen rolled to a stop outside the warehouse, cut the engine, and rolled her window down. Whistling the entry code for the warehouse, she got out, went around back, and opened the hatch. She grabbed her quarry by the shoulders and rolled him out of the truck.

He landed in a heap.

She resisted the urge to kick him in the ribs. "Havish taught me better." But she hoped the guy would have some nasty bruises when he regained consciousness.

Struggling with the dead weight—probably two hundred pounds, easy—her adrenaline kicked in when she pictured Havish's corpse. The surge of angry energy helped her get him inside and strapped into a chair. After testing the restraints, she retrieved a bucket of water and doused him with it.

He sputtered and snapped his head upward, glaring with rage and fire in his eyes.

Wen smiled. "Hello again." She tossed the bucket aside. "It's time for you to answer a few questions." And she only cared about the answer to one.

His gaze moved away from her and stared straight ahead. "I don't think so." He dropped his chin to his shoulder to sop of some of the dripping water.

Wen quirked a brow. He'd soon learn he didn't have a choice. Starting slowly, she walked around him, sinking into the ambiance of the location to find the tonal match.

Sending a whisper out first, she voiced a question. "Who are you?" The tone would compel him to answer.

He continued staring at the wall in front of him.

Wen dug a little deeper and altered her pitch a little. "Why did you kill Havish?" She barely kept from ending on a wobble.

He didn't respond but his gaze darkened and pain flickered across his face.

Or maybe guilt.

She needed to know. His resistance to her siren call frustrated and confounded her. Very few humans or fae had the ability to ignore her. Every minute she wasted on interrogation delayed getting justice for Havish's death.

She tried a new approach. "Look, it only gets worse from here. When I amplify my tone and pitch, the pressure in your head will increase to the more you resist." She walked in front of him and put her face close to his. "Just tell me what I need to know so I can bury my friend." She didn't manage to keep the grief from her voice this time.

His gaze finally snapped to hers and she poised to strike but his rage-filled eyes—narrowed to slits—stopped her. Damn. She didn't have a good handle on the situation… yet she couldn't figure out why.

Something definitely didn't feel right with this guy.

I love this story! Wen and Jacob are complicated but fun to write.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Rapier's Edge

Hello February! Where the weather in Ohio is like a frigid tundra one day and a balmy spring on the next. Ha! Sometimes we get both in the same day. Yeesh.

Well… Riverdale kept my attention and fulfilled my wishes in its second episode. I don't have shows reach and grab me like they used to so this is terrific! I'm completely interested in what happens next.

Gotham just keeps getting better and better. I'm dying to find out what happens to Penguin and can't wait to see the Riddler come into emergence. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow had great episodes. Even the Legion of Doom didn't suck. Looking forward to seeing new episodes this week.

Arrow also had a great episode. I like where they're going with the new Black Canary. I'm also kind of holding my breath to see whether the DA is going to end up being a good guy or a bad guy. I'm also waiting for the other shoe to drop with a seed planted quite a while ago with Oliver being in Russia.

Got all caught up on Teen Wolf and enjoyed the midseason finale. Not sure where they can go with the final ten episodes, but I'll be there to see them.

Started the new season of X Company and it's terrific. I really love this show and the cast. I have three more episodes on tap and can't wait to watch.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Rapier's Edge, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of thriller with a bloody knife.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Wren Buxton, an undercover fae agent, finds Jacob Franklin standing over a dead body. He resists her siren call and refuses to answer questions during her interrogation. Wren has a sneaking suspicion all isn't what it seems with the covert mercenary.

And a preview snippet…

Consciousness returned to Jacob by degrees. First, his eyelids and extremities twitched, regaining use. Then his brain slowly lost the gray haze clouding his senses. His shifter genes kicked in and he almost changed form. He fought the transition and got it stopped before more than his hands and feet sprouted claws.

His mind cleared and he remembered what happened. Damn. Been a long time I've been caught in a siren call. A juvenile mistake on his part, especially since her learned the strains of the ancient melodies at his grandmother's knee.

Good, I can resist the next time she tries to put me under.

The woman had tremendous pull. If he hadn't been distracted by the loss of Havish, she wouldn't have been able to shock and awe him into submission. A sharp pain lanced through his chest. His oldest friend on the planet.

I should have returned sooner. When Havish originally contacted Jacob.

But he'd been too close to the shifters to lose the trail. And he'd been paid in advance to handle the quiet takedown of the gang. Hyenas always got into trouble when they banded together.

A lyrical tune drifted into Jacob's consciousness. Serenity ballad. Smart move.

His captor wouldn't be happy when she discovered his ability to remain unaffected. Too damned bad. Jacob didn't like the type that disabled first and asked questions later. Or one who trussed him up like a fresh kill in her SUV.

For all he knew, she had offed Havish. Maybe she returned to the scene to get rid of the body. Whatever her reason for being there, Jacob raged at the fact she didn't give him the chance to explain how he'd come to see his friend and found him dead instead.

He needed to find Havish's killer and bring them to justice.

Even if he had to go through the woman to do it.

Especially if she committed the crime.

I love writing a little suspense. Looking forward to seeing how things go with Wren and Jacob.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Rapier's Edge

September 14, 2014

Hello,

Argh. Super busy week so I missed the premiere of Haven and will hopefully be catching up tonight. But… I did NOT miss the opening episode of Sons of Anarchy. Holy hell. Without giving too much away, I wanted Gemma to die a slow painful death in the final frame of the series, but yeah, that's all changed. If died in the next episode it wouldn't be too soon for me. Take that as a challenge to change my mind, Mr. Sutter. Seriously.

Since I talked DC last week, I'll throw in my excitement for Marvel's Agents of SHEILD and Agent Carter. I think I'll like having Peggy take up the downtime between the two halves of AOS.

Tonight's post is from Rapier's Edge, a novella where my main characters start out on opposite sides, but quickly end up working together.

Here's the tagline:

Wren Buxton, an undercover fae agent, finds Jacob Franklin standing over a dead body. He resists her siren call and refuses to answer questions during her interrogation. Wren has a sneaking suspicion all isn't what it seems with the covert mercenary.

And the preview snippet…

Wren entered the dingy apartment, ready for action. Crouching low, her gaze swept the dim interior, landing on the prone form of Havish Smithreen then slid sideways to find a tall figure holding a bloodied knife just to the left. Wren let out a piercing pitch and the man dropped to his knees before keeling over to his side.

Working quickly, Wren grabbed her phone and called in a cleanup crew for Havish. The shaman didn't deserve to die by the blade and Wren planned to exact justice on his behalf and to make it happen, she'd have to interrogate the fallen assailant.

But not in Havish's home. Nope, she had just the spot in mind for her task. A nice abandoned warehouse with minimal power she jacked from a neighboring distribution center.

Moving forward, she lifted a booted foot in each hand and dragged the solidly built man the short distance to the front door. She didn't feel a single twinge of guilt when his head thumped against the wooden chair pushed up close to the café table. She'd shared many a morning coffee with Havish sitting in the very location. When she reached the heavy oak slab, blessed by an ancient ancestor, she cast a cover spell and resumed hauling her quarry out to her SUV. Getting him inside proved a huge challenge, but she got him trussed up in the back, using jumper cables to make sure he stayed put. The cleanup crew arrived directly after she slammed the back doors closed.

Wren jerked her head towards the apartment. "Take care with his body. He's a shaman."

The unit leader hustled over and tried to get a look inside Wren's vehicle. "Need any help?"

Thank the fae for blackout windows.

Wren waved the guy back. "No. This one's mine." She headed for the driver's side. "But tell the council I won't be reporting in until morning. I'll be holed up at location two."

The man frowned. "You really should take back up. Why not give me the address and I'll swing by when we're done here."

Wren exhaled slowly, keeping a tight rein on her temper. "Because I'm calling the shots here and the location is none of your business. I code them for a reason and the elders know where to find me if I don't call in."

He held up his hands. "Okay, okay. Have it your way." He shrugged a shoulder. "Just trying to help out." He started for the entrance of the building.

Wren fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Yeah, whatever. If I want help, I'll ask." She yanked the door open and swung up inside. "Don't forget. You're dealing with a holy man. Give him the utmost respect."

The unit leader nodded and ducked into the apartment. Wren sat for a moment then shut the world out and started the engine. She hummed a serenity ballad, hoping to keep her prisoner out cold until they reached her destination.

And to keep the desire to carve him into pieces at bay until she got the answers she needed.

Wren is calling the shots in this scene, but the tables get turned and she won't like it one little bit. *rubs hands gleefully*

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye