Sunday Snippet: Trip the Light Fantastic

Happy Mother's Day to all who celebrate. For me, this includes those who mentor others because being a mom isn't always about giving birth to a person or have fur babies.

Had another busy work week and I'm thrilled to have multiple projects to dig into. I love what I do and being freelance means being happy when the work is rolling in.

Had a limited viewing week with so many other things going on. I sadly lost one of my aunts I've been particularly close to and needed some quiet reflection time.

I did get the double-header of the last two episodes for the first season of Battlestar Galactica in, and they held up as being one of the most perfect season finales of all time.

I also finished up the episode of Only Murders in the Building. Gotta say I had a feeling the artist would do something creepy and she totally did.

Other than that, I watched my classic standby of Perry Mason and also caught some early seasons of Midsomer Murders.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Trip the Light Fantastic, a Chaos series novella.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Esme Von Staunton and Ashton Sylvester think they might be going insane. Ashton's weird attunement with Esme draws her into his bizarre nightmare of hallucinations and doing things neither remember. Esme's brother Eric stumbles onto a plot by Baron Mobride and races to save his source and his favorite couple, but Mobride has other ideas and doesn't plan to let Eric thwart him.

And a preview snippet…

Eric Von Staunton quietly entered the seductively lit room, his gaze drinking in the sight of Bonnie Lancaster while she lightly powdered the apples of her cheeks. "My gorgeous woman, you don't need facial enhancement. You're perfect as is." For six months he'd been visiting her and paying for her services.

But only to keep up appearances.

Bonnie swiveled around and leapt to her feet. "Eric! I'm happy to see you." She dropped the brush to her vanity and launched herself toward him.

He caught her in his arms and slanted his mouth over hers. He welcomed her enthusiastic response of a low moan in her throat. Long ago, he'd hoped to have a shot with her, but circumstances drove a wedge into that plan. He took up the fight against the horrific conditions most of the populace had to work under and Bonnie fell on hard times and took a position in the privacy rooms at the Emporium of Entertainment. By chance, Eric bumped into her when Ash sent Eric to ferret out some information. Their renewed acquaintance brought old feelings to the surface and Eric tumbled headlong into love with her again. Bonnie returned the sentiment but remained as a top draw at the emporium.

Bonnie eased away from him. "How long can you stay? Do we have the night?" She loosened the sash of her robe, easing it from her shoulders.

Eric nudged her toward the bed. "You're most definitely spoken for until dawn breaks over the horizon." He shrugged out of his jacket but stopped when she shook her head.

Her hands smoothed over his shirt. "Let me. I love undressing you." She made short work of undoing the buttons and sliding her palms against his skin. "It's like unwrapping a lovely present and revealing a longed-for gift." Pushing the garment from his body, she started on his pants.

Eric gave her free rein. He'd like her to leave the emporium, but he wouldn't press the issue. He couldn't offer her a home ... yet. He shared the carriage house on Ashton Sylvester's estate with Delphinius Dieter and they had a standing agreement to keep their romantic entanglements elsewhere. Eric didn't like accepting charity from Ash, and Esme argued with Eric about how Ash didn't consider Eric a burden. Ash appreciated Eric's brilliant ideas and liked to invest in sure bets, which Eric would happily accept. But he also wanted to make his own way. So … Eric had meetings about his inventions with manufacturers scheduled.

Bonnie cupped Eric's erection. "Time to turn your brain off, my love, and enjoy our precious time together." Her fingers circled his length then glided along his shaft.

Eric nodded. "You're right." He swept an arm under her thighs and scooped her up. "Starting right now." Depositing her on the bed, he pulled the laces of her camisole loose and helped her shrug out of the garment. "I hope you're ready for a long night…" His head dipped and he captured a taut nipple between his lips.

I'm so happy Eric is finally coming together. The sages weren't telling me what he wanted, and Bonnie ended up being exactly right for him.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Trip the Light Fantastic (a Chaos novella)

So far, June is shaping up to be a weird month. Work has slowed way down, which isn't an all bad thing. I've been very fortunate to have a steady flow when so many others have been furloughed or, worse, completely lost their job. That said, it's weird to have time on my hands so I'm hitting projects I've been putting off for ages. It's kind of wonderful and scary all at the same time.

Hit or miss week with television viewing. I haven't been watching as much as I normally do, mainly because I've been doing a good bit of writing. I did catch another episode of Danger Man. Almost finished with the second season.

I caught the penultimate episode of Arrow. Green Arrow and the Canaries ended up being more entertaining than I thought it would be. I'd watch the new version if it comes around.

Also started another episode of Riverdale. I'll be honest, I'm probably done after this season. Alice came such a long way and now she's back to being her obnoxiously overbearing self. I had so hoped she'd maintain her character growth. Bleh.

That's pretty much it for this week. Tonight's post is from Trip the Light Fantastic, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt and is part of the Chaos series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Esme Von Staunton and Ashton Sylvester think they might be going insane. Ashton's weird attunement with Esme draws her into his bizarre nightmare of hallucinations and doing things neither remember. Esme's brother Eric stumbles onto a plot by Baron Mobride and races to save his source and his favorite couple, but Mobride has other ideas and doesn't plan to let Eric thwart him.

And a preview snippet…

Baron Franz Mobride pressed his seal against the wax on the envelope. "This goes to the usual location." The mixture of olympus and opium in the paraffin might be his most ingenious idea ever.

The lackey, Johnston, maybe, carefully took the stack of correspondence and tucked it into his case. "I'll see they're delivered in due course." He turned on his heel and exited Franz's office.

Franz leaned back in his chair. "Soon … very soon now, I'll know who has an affinity with the olympus and the advantage that knowledge will afford me." He needed something to give him an edge with his silent benefactor.

All because of Ashton Sylvester.

Franz poured a healthy amount of amber liquor into a tumbler. "The earl of Cranford won't a thorn in my side much longer." Not if Franz's intuition didn't fail him.

His gut squirmed, indicating the correct nature of his guess. Olympus gave Sylvester added insight and who knew what other abilities. Now Franz had to prove his theory and find a way to exploit the fact to benefit himself. If he got his hands on Sylvester's fortune more the better.

Draining the glass, he cracked a smile. "Then I'll be on equal footing with my American counterpart." And he wouldn't have to keep excruciatingly accurate account of his expenses.

The very thought chafed against Franz's sense of value. Why did it matter what he spent the flow of funds coming from the American on? Franz had an image to uphold and a network of people to control. The loss of his personal wealth left a bitter taste in the back of his throat.

Twirling the tumbler in his hand, he gnashed his teeth. "Sylvester will pay for ruining me financially. I've still got some friends in the consortium that'll back my every move." Sometimes extortion didn't pay in gold.

Setting the glass aside, Mobride rose from his chair and took a moment to doff his hat and coat. He had a long-standing appointment at the Tildaswail Brothel.

Flashing a grin, he hailed his carriage. "Can't be late. I want to use every minute I have working out my frustration on a willing woman." Stepping up into the plush interior of his enclosed vehicle, he waved his driver onward.

This series is going to some unexpected places. It started with two books then quickly morphed into four. I'm excited to see how everything plays out.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Trip the Light Fantastic (A Chaos Novella)

Bleh. I'm feeling under the weather today. Allergy season is in full swing and my sinuses hate me right now. LOL

Got caught up on the premiere of Killjoys but haven't been able to watch the other two episodes yet. I hate it when On Demand makes me wait. Might have to see if they're available on SyFy. One of my favorite things about Dark Matter is how trippy they get with episodes sometimes. I love it when I have to keep up or get lost. Wynonna Earp… wow. Seriously, just wow. This show gets better with each passing episode. It's crazy, batshit, and over the top and I love every single moment.

Hoping to get into Orphan Black later this week. With five or so episodes ready, I'll have a good amount to binge watch.

I'm excited to see they've started filming season six of Arrow! Can't wait for the new season to start.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Trip the Light Fantastic, a novella in the Chaos series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Esme Von Staunton and Ashton Sylvester think they might be going insane. Ashton's weird attunement with Esme draws her into his bizarre nightmare of hallucinations and doing things neither remember. Esme's brother Eric stumbles onto a plot by Baron Mobride and races to save his source and his favorite couple, but Mobride has other ideas and doesn't plan to let Eric thwart him.

And a preview snippet…

Esme fought back a wave of nausea. How did Ash deal with the vivid imagery of his nightmares? She wanted to heave the contents of her stomach in the nearest bin. No wonder he didn't want to fall asleep.

"Es? Hey, can you hear me?" Ash cupped her face, his warm fingers stroking her cheek.

She blinked and met his gaze. "What? Yes, of course I can hear you." Unless… "Wait, why? Were you talking to me?" Lethargy and confusion battled with her need to understand what just happened.

Ash gave her a small smile. "Yes. I asked if you were all right." He scooted back, patting the bed beside him.

She crawled up next to him and burrowed close. No idea of how to answer came to mind. With only a brief glimpse into what Ash experienced on a regular basis lately, Esme's admiration for her lover grew. How did he manage to function? No wonder he—

"Esme, please. Are you okay?" His voice filled with concern.

She snuggled against him, willing the tension from her shoulders. "I'm…" She angled her chin upward and met his gaze. "Going to be. Just need a few moments to process being in your dream while I was wide awake." Laying her head on his chest, she wrapped an arm around his waist. "That nightmare was intense." And he'd been having similar dreams for over a month.

Ash blew out a long exhalation. "It was worse than most. You died. That's a first." His fingers worked over her scalp, massaging lightly. "I don't want to envision your death ever again." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

Esme shifted around, moving to straddle his thighs. "I'd rather not repeat the experience either. There's something truly unsettling about watching yourself die." Loosening the sash of her robe, she shrugged out of the garment giving Ash something else to focus on.

His gaze landed on her breasts and his irises darkened with desire. Mission accomplished, she trailed her fingers along the edges of his robe, working her way down to his belt. Tugging it loose, she spread the material apart, ghosting her palms along his skin.

Settling her hand over his heart, she splayed her fingers wide. "I want to chase that image out of my mind, Ash. And I want you to help." She rocked her hips, pleased to find him hard and ready.

Ash shook his arms free of his sleeves and leaned forward. "Be happy to, Es." He captured a taut nipple between his lips, flicking his tongue back and forth before sucking the tip.

Esme groaned, loving the kick of heat shooting straight to her core. What better way to cancel the storm of uncertainty surrounding Ash's nightmares than creating a maelstrom of passion? Esme couldn't think of anything else when Ash took her to dizzying heights of pleasure.

Esme and Ash are always fun to write and this series is a joy to work with. If all goes well, I'll have the whole four-book run ready before publishing. I love the characters in this one.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Trip the Light Fantastic

Whew. It's been a whirlwind week, getting ready for the upcoming holiday. I think I have almost every task completed off my check list. Still doing some baking and I always wait until the last moment to wrap presents. LOL Actually, if all goes well, that will be finished up over the next three days. J

Looking forward to some TV marathons over the next week or two, with a Xmas Eve X-Files event and Five Days of the Doctor, too. I kind of wish more of my favorite shows created specific holiday shows to air on Christmas Day. That's a trend I could definitely get behind.

Just got the word that Bitten returns in February. I cannot wait!! Banshee starts in a few weeks, so that should keep me going during the brief lag time.

Tonight's post is from Trip the Light Fantastic, a novella in the Chaos series, featuring more of Ashton and Esme's adventures.

Here's the tagline:

Esme Von Staunton and Ashton Sylvester think they might be going insane. Ashton's weird attunement with Esme draws her into his bizarre nightmare of hallucinations and doing things neither remember. Esme's brother Eric stumbles onto a plot by Baron Morbride and races to save his source and his favorite couple, but Mobride has other plans and doesn't plan to let Eric thwart him.

And a preview snippet…

Ash tossed and turned. He feared falling asleep, but couldn't deny Esme when she insisted he try to at least rest. She'd be up soon, after she got Eric and Del settled in the carriage house. Smithers picked a fine time to high off to an old mate's rescue.

Good God, Ash needed to get his head back on straight. He didn't begrudge the manservant's loyalty to his oldest friend. Not at all… he respected the bone-deep sense of duty Smithers possessed. Rolling over to his side, Ash tucked his palm under his cheek, hoping Esme wouldn't be much longer.

His eyelids drooped and an overwhelming sense of drowsiness sucked him into the ether of slumber.

Ash rode a raven black stallion, Esme at his side on a silver gray, galloping across the estate, headed for town. He turned, catching a glimpse of Esme's cape flowing behind her. She glanced in his direction, a smile on her lips. She pulled ahead and Ash gazed at the curve of her ass, her black jodhpurs stark against the light-colored saddle. He blinked, a grin curving his lips then his eyes went wide when he observed Esme's horse pull up short, rearing on its hind legs, throwing Esme off to land a good distance away.

Ash halted his animal and slid from the saddle, running toward Esme, keeping a careful watch on the stallions. When he reached her side, he found her head twisted at a grotesque angle, her eyes staring lifelessly. He cried out, burying his face in her hair, gasping for breath.

A hand roughly shook him. "Ash! Wake up. I'm fine. I'm fine."

Esme's voice cut through the fog of his nightmare and Ash jolted awake, sitting upright with his eyes wide open. Esme cupped his face with a cool palm, stroking his cheek with her thumb.

Ash blinked, clearing the remnants of dream away before meeting her gaze. "Did I call out? Is that how you knew?" He dragged in air, willing his heart rate to slow down.

Esme shook her head. "No, you didn't call out, Ash." She glanced away, an odd look on her face.

Ash placed his hand over hers. "What happened, Es? If I didn't say anything, how did you know about the nightmare?" A slow churning began in his stomach, his every instinct on alert.

Esme slowly met his gaze again. "I know because I was there with you, Ash, in the dream." She turned her hand, grasping his and lacing their fingers together before letting go. "I saw everything, experienced it right along with you, all while being fully awake."

I can't wait to dive back into this series and get another book or two written. I love Ash and Esme.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye