Sunday Snippet: Underbelly

Happy Father's Day to the dads out there, including fur dads and mentors. We've got beautiful weather after a very soggy week.

My work projects are bringing me so much joy right now. The books are so amazing! Also heard from one of my authors on two new stories he's got percolating right now. And I got a text message from one of my current authors that completely made my weekend. So … work is awesome right now.

Had a very good viewing week. I ended up doubling up on a couple of shows because the mood struck.

Ended up catching two episodes of the Brokenwood Mysteries. Both were pretty great. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting another one of Mike's ex-wives. And my heart kind of broke for him by the end of that episode. I'll probably finish out season nine this week.

Finished the complete run of available Classic Who episodes. Have to say in retrospect, it's weird how there have been seven doctors and only one master. That said, I'm actually kind of happy with how Seven's tenure ended. Not sure if I'll watch the movie with Eight or just skip over to New Who. It might be a few weeks before I start that.

Caught the second part of Silent Witness. This two-parter ended up being very twisty and I liked it. Looking forward to starting a new one this week.

Watched two episodes of Death in Paradise. I'm enjoying watching from the beginning in chronological order. It's nice to see how the original group came together.

Enjoyed the penultimate episode of Only Murders in the Building. What a cool twist or three. Can't wait to watch the finale this week.

Caught another episode of Classic Rugrats. This is my nostalgia show. I have so many great memories of watching this when my kiddos were little.

Watched an episode of Peak Practice. Joanna breaks my heart sometimes. And we're nearing the end of season nine when things don't go so well for her.

Continued my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica with a double-header of "Home Part I and II." These are two of my favorite episodes of season two. The fleet is brought back together, and the acting is stellar.

Enjoyed another episode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. Very interesting development at the end. I have a feeling I'll either love or hate the twist.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Underbelly, a novella with an urban noir vibe and characters who get to pull off a heist.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jarrod Steele is a private investigator who deals with the weird and the unknown and can find anything his clients want. His super-efficient assistant, Maylin Rose, along with her unique skill set, makes sure of it.

And a preview snippet…

Jarrod reached out through a looking glass spell. As predicted, his harpy of a grandmother ignored his call attempts for a full hour.

When he finally got through, Sopharella Whetstone snapped and sniped. "You know I don't appreciate being summoned via a spell. If you want to speak to me, you can come to the estate." Her tone oozed censure.

Jarrod bit back. "Considering I don't know where you are twenty-four hours a day, which estate should I try first?" It could take him days to figure out which home she happened to be staying in.

She snarked. "If you bothered keeping in touch, you'd know where I am."

Jarrod shot back. "Yet, you don't answer calls or spell-casts until it suits you. Kind of makes it hard to find out where you are." He arched his brows. "See the problem?" He bit his tongue to avoid saying more.

She harrumphed. "Touché. What do you want?" Her image wavered a little then grew stronger.

She'd added her considerable power to the spell.

Jarrod got to the point. "What do you know about Aston Pemburke?"

Her lips puckered. "Bah! Nouveaux magick. Bought and paid for by the Pemburkes. Not worth my time." She sent a piercing stare his way. "Why are you wasting yours with him?" Her tone had curiosity laced through it.

Jarrod didn't answer, instead he replied. "He almost got me killed tonight. And I know there's something not showing in his background."

Her visage softened a little. "Are you hurt? Did he cause harm to you?" She couldn't quite keep the concern from her voice.

Jarrod grunted. "I'm fine. But if he didn't set me up, I want to know who did."

Grandma Sophie demanded a full account. "Start at the beginning and tell me everything."

Jarrod shook his head. "I'm bound by my contract to keep the details under wraps." His reluctance to share went deep with her.

She snapped. "If I don't have all the details, I can't provide the right information."

Jarrod snorted. "Meaning you can't give out the crumbs you choose to like ammunition if I don't provide a big enough target." No way would he give her cannon fodder to use against another family.

She waved her hand. "Not this time. Whatever you say goes to my grave. I won't have your life threatened."

Unless she did the threatening.

Jarrod gave her the rundown. She listened without interrupting—for once—and nodded several times.

Leaning forward, she asked one question. "Did the Pemburkes purchase this cube or steal it?"

Jarrod lifted his chin. "According to my research, they bought it. There's a transfer of ownership in the archives."

She settled back in her chair. "The short answer is Aston has a sister whose relationship has been expunged from the family records. She married an up-and-coming magick monger named Jayson Barrowman." Her face twisted in distaste. "The cube works on a blood imprint, meaning anyone with the family DNA can wield the power." She paused a moment. "And the power could be astronomical. Barrowman will, no doubt, want to use it for nefarious purposes."

Jarrod growled. "Son of a bitch." He wanted to smash Aston Pemburke in the mouth.

His grandmother huffed out an exasperated sigh. "What on earth are you doing with a group of lowlifes like them?"

Jarrod matched her biting tone. "Getting paid. Thanks for the help, Grandmother." He cut the conference off with a wave of his hand.

He'd pay later. The next time he needed help.

Rising from the table, he hissed out his frustration. "Stupid class wars." But, damn, the hierarchy aspect explained a thing or two.

I love this couple! There might be a possibility of more adventures if the sages cooperate.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Underbelly

I seriously can't believe I'll be moving my daughter into her dorm in three weeks. It's coming up fast! She's very excited and I think I have almost everything she needs to be prepared for the daily masking, temperature taking, and hand sanitizing she's going to have to do.

On a super-positive note, I found an app that will let me not only brainstorm but will translate the long-form handwritten brainstorming I've done into text! This is true game changer for me. I'm so, so, so excited.

Had a semi-slow week for watching shows. I made some serious progress on getting my office cleared and organized. I'm almost ready to add a bookcase or two. I've been a little light on work projects so this is a terrific time to get the tedious sort, sort, sorting accomplished.

I did get to watch another episode of Peak Practice. I'm about midway through the second season and I have a sneaking suspicion someone will be leaving at the end of this one.

Also rewatched the second episode of Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries. I truly love this spinoff.

Caught "The Sontaren Experiment" episodes of Classic Who. It's a lot of fun to visit Sarah Jane way back when. I miss Elisabeth a lot.

Watched episode four of Picard. I'm trying to figure out what the captain's deal is. All of his holographs are versions of himself? I kind of love it but also really wonder about it.

Got a few more episodes of Danger Man in, both ones I didn't remember. I thoroughly enjoyed each.

Also watched another compilation of Cirque du Soleil shows. I honestly can't fathom how the performers do what they do. I'm always, always amazed at their ability. And the costumers and makeup artists along with the musicians pull everything together. It's mind-blowing.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Underbelly, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jarrod Steele is a private investigator who deals with the weird and the unknown and can find anything his clients want. His super-efficient assistant, Maylin Rose, along with her unique skill set, makes sure of it.

And a preview snippet…

Jarrod straightened his clothes and grinned. Maylin started typing—something she could actually do but not accurately at her current speed—just before their prospective client entered the office.

She rose to offer a standard greeting. "Mr. Pemburke? Mr. Steele will see you right away." Ushering the man into Jarrod's office, she made the introductions. "Jarrod Steele, this is Mr. Aston Pemburke."

Jarrod stood and offered his hand. "Pemburke, what can I do for you?"

Maylin ducked out, no doubt going back to her desk to resume typing, but not before she turned the intercom record button on. She'd have an earphone in so she could listen to the entire meeting.

Aston didn't waste time, getting directly to the point. "Steele, I'd like to hire you to retrieve an object stolen from my family's estate." He sat down and reached inside his interior jacket pocket. "This is what was taken." He handed Jarrod a photograph of a cube with carved runes embedded on all sides.

Jarrod's curiosity piqued and he met Aston's gaze. "I'll need to know what I'm getting into here. The runes imply magick. Is there a protective spell or backlash to deal with?" He'd run into some nasty scenarios and now charged his client's accordingly.

Aston's eyes widened. "Uh, I'm not certain. The object is my father's and he doesn't know it's missing yet." He leaned forward. "I'd like to keep it that way. I know who has it but I can't get close to him."

Interesting. Jarrod mentally added another line item to the bottom line, as would Maylin when she gave Pemburke the contract.

Jarrod pulled out a notepad. "I guarantee confidentiality. You're the client. The rest of your family can be none the wiser." He glanced up. "Tell me who has it and anything else you can think of regarding the artifact."

Aston snarled. "Jayson Barrowman is the cretin who stole the cube from our home. He'll have it secured in his compound, which is a gated, guarded, and gilded monstrosity located in the foothills of Quark Mountain." His hands fisted in his lap. "You're not going to have an easy time of getting the cube back. I attended a party last month and it's nowhere on the main levels of the house. But I know it's there."

Jarrod narrowed his gaze. "How, exactly, do you know?" A red flag went up.

Aston shrugged. "I scried for the object. It's there but nowhere on the upper levels." He shifted his position on the chair. "Barrowman has to have a sublevel. There's no other explanation."

Jarrod jotted the information down but Maylin would already be researching the architect and builder details. "I'll look into whether or not he has one. It's not a problem if he does." Jarrod paused and met Aston's gaze. "Do you have proof of ownership? If you don't, things could get sticky." He'd had his share of off the books item-retrieval, which always got dangerous.

Aston withdrew another document. "This is a copy of the decree that gave my family control of the cube. My grandfather purchased the artifact from the Manchurins three decades ago."

Jarrod had a working knowledge of the Manchurins. Old family, old magick, old money that ran dry. But he now had a thread he could pull to find out more about the cube. Especially if Pemburke didn't give Jarrod more to go on.

Jarrod prodded Aston a little. "Okay, you've got ownership. Why did Barrowman steal the item?" A dispute between buyers couldn't be ruled out.

Aston glanced away. "I'm not completely certain. The cube has immense power if the wielder understands the runes and how they work. Barrowman fancies himself a dark arts master." Pemburke met Jarrod's gaze again. "Which means he could turn the power against whomever he wants to."

Well, hell. The stakes just anted up. And Pemburke knew more than he wanted to share with Jarrod. Another dollar sign to add to the contract.

Jarrod stood. "Pemburke, the terms for this case will be fluid, dependent upon what I'll need to get in and out of Barrowman's estate and how much trouble I have doing so." He wrote an amount down. "This is the amount to put me on retainer." Sliding the paper toward Aston, he waited until the man nodded to continue. "If I don't have the job finished within a week, I'll provide an update to you and only you. Since you want this to stay confidential, I'll contact you via a messenger service under the name Atlas Limited." He moved around the desk and directed Pemburke to Maylin's desk. "Maylin, please provide a standard contract with this amount as a retainer. We're leaving the expenses open-ended for now."

Maylin turned and opened a file cabinet to retrieve a contract.

Jarrod thrust his hand forward. "Thanks for coming in, Pemburke. I'll leave you in Maylin's capable hands." After a firm handshake, Jarrod reentered his office and strode over to the windows.

He didn't like the potential for mishap the cube represented. He'd be doing some careful research on any side effects handling the item might generate. Neither he nor Maylin needed another curse to be unleashed on them.

They almost hadn't survived the last one.

This story took on a life of its own and I'm completely okay with that. The sages knew exactly what little twist to add to make this ten times better.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Underbelly

Wow. I so look forward to my Sunday posts, mainly because the crazy that is the real world makes discussing fictional television shows and books a nice, lovely interlude.

Teen Wolf followed up with a terrific episode. I literally laughed for a good, long while during Stiles's FBI scene. The return of Old Man Crazypants didn't disappoint either. Just saying.

Had a seriously busy week playing taxi driver for the kids. Didn't get to catch up on anymore Killjoys or Dark Matter. I have to throw Wynonna Earp in there, too.

Now that the end of Orphan Black happened, I'll be adding that show to my queue to binge watch the entire final season. Can't wait!

The Last Ship premieres next week!! Really looking forward to having my favorites back on the screen. And crossing my fingers that I don't lose my super-secret top few this season. Won't be holding my breath on that one. LOL

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Underbelly, a novella that got a writing community prompt to write a noir detective story. I love the feel of a good noir and couldn't wait to get started with my own little twist on the genre.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jarrod Steele is a private investigator who deals with the weird and the unknown and can find anything his clients want. His super-efficient assistant, Maylin Rose, along with her unique skill set, makes sure of it.

And a preview snippet…

Maylin Rose straddled her partner's lap, doing her best to distract him from work. "Come on, Jarrod. We've been here half the day already." She worked the top two buttons of his shirt loose.

Jarrod Steele had a fantastic chest and she enjoyed ogling the broad expanse whenever she could.

Jarrod did his best impression of a stern glare. "Maylin, I need to finish this report so we can bill our very satisfied client." He leaned around her, writing another quick sentence.

Maylin tsked. "Considering they're happy because of me, I think I deserve a pre-lunch break in the form of a satisfying romp." She'd managed to reacquire a stack of very revealing photos showing a young starlet in the throes of passion with her costar.

Maylin's ability to get in and out of secure locations barely warranted mention. But the profuse thanks and promise of a quick payday definitely kept their two-person firm in demand. Of course, everyone thought Jarrod ran the show, which suited Maylin just fine. She preferred to stay in the background, acting as a somewhat secret weapon in Jarrod's arsenal. He'd made her a full partner before they got personally involved, leaving no doubt about his confidence in bringing her on board.

She'd finally found a man who didn't hold her past against her and appreciated the unique skill set she brought with her. Jarrod's exceptional connections and various underbelly contacts also gave them an edge. He kept tabs on anything and everything paranormal and supernatural related. Their combined resources got them through doors no one else could enter. Maylin planned to make sure they stayed on top of the private investigations heap.

But she also liked to keep Jarrod from taking life too seriously. Hence the desire for some sexy fun in the office. She leaned forward, ready to flick her tongue against his ear when the phone rang.

She reached behind her and grabbed the handset. "Jarrod Steele Enterprises. We'll find whatever you're looking for." She used her super sultry secretary voice—the one Jarrod said oozed sex and sin and sensual promise.

And never failed to make his cock spring to life… sort of like now.

Maylin continued the conversation with a prospective new client, her lips curving into a smile when Jarrod finished the report with a flourish. By the time she hung up the phone, he'd closed the file and set it aside.

Maylin shifted backwards and made a move to slide off Jarrod's lap.

He snagged her hips. "Oh, no. Where do you think you're going?" His hands skimmed along her sides.

She gave him a saucy smirk and stood up. "New client coming in. Thought I'd get everything ready for him." Which usually meant sitting at the desk while she faked typing up files.

Jarrod stood up, crowding into her personal space. "Where's he coming from?" He flicked the first two buttons of her blouse open.

Maylin suppressed a shudder of hot desire. "Murphy Towers over on Larchmont." She didn't object when Jarrod finished undoing her shirt and tugged the fabric from her skirt.

He grabbed her hips and spun her around to face the desk. "It'll take him at least thirty minutes to get across town." His warm breath fanned against her ear. "Plenty of time to make you scream my name before he gets here." He inched her skirt up over her ass and eased her panties down before slipping his hand between her thighs.

Maylin moaned low in her throat. "Mmm. You really kike my sex kitten voice, don't you?" The sound of his pants dropping provided a definitely clue.

Jarrod grasped her hips, pulling her flush against his groin. "You know I do." He maneuvered his thick erection lower, the tip nudging up to her wet and ready core. "And someone mentioned a need for a satisfying romp not too long ago." His hands palmed her breasts over the lacy fabric of her bra.

Maylin braced her forearms on the desk and pushed back, enveloping the first few inches of his hard shaft. "Yes, someone did. But I don't recall anything about screaming your name."

Jarrod thrust forward, going balls deep. "Oh, it'll happen. You can trust me on that one."

True to his word, fifteen minutes later, Maylin shouted him name with her head thrown back in ecstasy.

I'm thoroughly enjoying the chemistry between Maylin and Jarrod. This will be a treat to finish.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Underbelly

I'm so happy The Flash and Arrow are back! Also, Gotham and Sleepy Hollow had great returns. As always, Banshee threw me for a sideways spin, bringing something random in from last season to kick the story and plot forward in a totally new way. Gotta say I'm pretty thrilled the topic of who Hood is or is not is being raised. I'm so damned curious about his past, which I rather hope ties into the military heist plot thread. We'll know if I'm right in about seven more episodes. J

Caught up with The Librarians and would not be disappointed if that one gets another season. It's such a fun show! Also loving the news of an X-Files revival. I'm almost through season six of my rewatch so the information comes at a timely moment. J

Tonight's post is from Underbelly, an urban noir novella with main characters who work and play together.

Here's the tagline:

Jarrod Steele is a private investigator who deals with the weird and the unknown and can find anything his clients want. His super-efficient assistant, Maylin Rose, along with her unique skill set, makes sure of it.

And a preview snippet…

Maylin entered Jarrod's office and placed a file on his desk. "Schematics of the Barrowman's sublevel. It's gonna be a two man job, Jarrod." She propped a hip on the edge of the oak surface. "How's your black wardrobe? All clean and ready for the thieving?"

Jarrod opened the folder and reviewed her notes before answering. "I'm always ready for retrieval, Maylin. You know that." He leaned forward, sliding the file in her direction then pointed to her egress point. "This is five miles from the nearest road. We'll have Barrowman's security team, including the hounds, on our ass within two minutes of removing the hex cube." He glanced up. "How're we getting out?"

A slow smile spread across Maylin's face. "Got that covered already. Stashed a dirt bike in this little copse of trees." She pointed to the area. "And if that fails, I've got an ATV waiting across the river, here." Her finger landed on the spot where she'd hidden the other vehicle.

Jarrod settled back. "Got our asses covered, as usual." He closed the file. "Have I mentioned how terrific you are lately?"

Maylin smirked. "No, but you may wanna hold that thought." She nodded toward the folder. "I couldn't figure out a way to safely transport the damned cube out of the sublevel." She met his gaze. "Don't know about you, but I don't want any nasty side effects from handling that thing."

Jarrod held up a finger. "Ah… I have just the thing." He opened the bottom drawer of the desk. "Did I forget to mention I acquired a shaman's medicine bag?" He laid the leather pouch on the surface. "The contents will nullify the bad juju from the cube long enough for us to return it to its rightful owner."

Maylin put two fingers under his chin and raised his face. "Yes, you did forget to mention that very important fact." She leaned in close, her mouth hovering over his. "I'll let it slide this time." She gave him a quick, hard kiss. "But you get to carry it while I get us off the property."

Jarrod opened his mouth to argue, but stopped. "Fine. Have it your way." He stashed the bag back inside the drawer.

Maylin straightened, her lips curving upward. "I think I will, but since you're being a good sport, you can call the shots when we have our post retrieval romp at my place." She started for the door. "I'm heading out. Pick me up at ten." She glanced back over her shoulder. "I'll be the one dressed head to toe in black." Twisting the knob, she exited Jarrod's office to the sound of his hearty chuckle.

Jarrod and Maylin are my favorite kind of partners, true equals, even if their society doesn't recognize it.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye