Sunday Snippet: Lie to Me

Whew. It's been a week. I'm under the weather and not enjoying that at all. I'm behind on my two work projects and we're getting a buttload of snow at the moment. Also … I'm on cold medication and it's making me loopy. Fun times.

I made a video for Tip Jar and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. I'm excited about this new endeavor and hope it gets some traction.

Really slow week for viewing. Between being under the weather and everything else going on in the world, I didn't have the spoons to really dive into my shows.

I didn't end up finishing the episode of One Lane Bridge. I'm hoping to get to it this week.

I did watch the finale of London Kills and it ended up being pretty thrilling. I have a behind the scenes episode to watch and then I'll be starting the next season.

Caught an episode of Death in Paradise and enjoyed it. I'm liking Neville a lot more this season. Very interested in how things play out with Florance's under cover job.

Started an episode of Beyond Paradise and should finish it today. I ended up sleeping a lot over the weekend and just didn't have a chance to get the whole episode in. I did get a chuckle that Humph named his duck Selwyn because that's the commissioner's name from Death in Paradise. Not sure how I missed that before.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Lie to Me, an urban fantasy romance.

Here's the miniblurb:

Jana Ricks has a target on her back, and she wants Rhys McPherson to help her get rid of it. Rhys loves Jana, but may not be able to protect her, not if they want to stay alive, which he's determined to make happen … even if it means giving up the future he wants.

And a preview snippet…

Several hours later, Rhys ruled out hex cat and hell hound. "It doesn't make sense." Plus, dammit, nothing he'd tried revealed the animal.

And it had to be an animal.

Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair. "What other magickal being could it be?" Not many were controllable even by dark magick.

A dark steed? Too big. Cloven goat? Too small and focused. Cloven goats only created havoc. Jinx rats weren't particularly useful except as annoyances because of the bad luck they brought. The same with pox hares. Crossing paths with the mangy rabbits could induce insomnia and indigestion, but not much else.

Another thought hit. "Maybe a vex fox." Rhys shuffled some of the texts on the table to uncover the one he needed. "Ah, no. Too rare." No sightings in the last several decades.

Jana entered the living room, carrying a tray of bubbling concoctions. "Here's the next batch." She placed the mixtures at his elbow.

She'd proven to be extremely helpful. Spell casting and brewing potions were often tedious, but she plowed through with perseverance. She'd even labeled the containers to help him find the ones he wanted quickly.

He met her gaze. "Thank you. Let's see what these reveal." He waited until she sat across from him then selected the first pot and worked successively through the batch trying to bring forth the nasty predator dogging Jana.

The action took him back … to when they'd done this kind of thing a lot. He missed her—them. But they couldn't work as a couple.

He didn't blame her for Rand's death, but she did hold responsibility. He couldn't get past that. Not yet.

Maybe not ever. Especially with Lindi and the kids as a constant reminder. But he loved Jana. Always would.

When none of the new spell potions worked, ideas and thoughts started shuffling in his head. "Let's go over the info again. Your gut said hell hound or hex cat, right?" She rarely missed.

Jana nodded. "But the spells aren't revealing the beast."

Rhys scraped a hand over his head. "Why? Dammit. Why can't I figure it out?" This kind of situation shouldn't be beyond him.

Jana rocked back in her chair. "Maybe it's both." She shrugged one shoulder.

Bingo! She might have just hit the jackpot.

Profound inspiration smacked him in the forehead. "Holy shit." Rhys went to a new book—one he'd discounted earlier. "You might be onto something." He thumbed through the pages. "A blended link with a side of cloaking." He read through the details and whistled low between his teeth. "That's some powerful fucking magick." But the concept fit.

Her chair thumped forward. "Who's got the ability to pull that off?" Jana frowned.

Rhys slid his gaze sideways. "One brain teaser at a time. Let's see if we're right first."

He transcribed the pages for the necessary spells then helped gather the necessary ingredients.

While filling the vials, he explained the process. "We'll need to work together. Uncloak first, break the link, then banish the creatures." Excitement to be working with her thrummed in his veins when he filled the vials. "Are you ready?"

It took a while for me to figure out where this story wanted to go, but I'm so happy with where it's headed now.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Muddy Up the Waters

January kind of flew by for me and I'm not quite ready for February yet. That said, I did establish a few new habits or routines and I'm a little thrilled I kept them up for the entire month.

Had a very solid week of television viewing. I kind of let the housework slide to stay caught up on work projects and had a chance to cycle through a bunch of shows.

Ended up getting in three episodes of Chicago Med. I'm almost finished with the third season and I'm still thoroughly enjoying this show so much.

Watched three episodes of Snoopy in Space: The Search for Life. These little shorts are fun and quick to get through. Nice to have something that works as a timed break when it's needed.

Finished up The Madame Blanc bonus episodes and eagerly await another season of this super engaging mysteries series.

Ended up catching three episodes of Silent Witness. The "Fear" two-parter ended up being really terrific and I don't remember watching it before. Looking forward to the next two-part episode.

Enjoyed the final two episodes of the Classic Who arc with Two and Six. Kind of fun to revisit the former doctor, especially since many of Two's episodes are lost to time.

Got two more episodes of The Alaska Triangle in. One focused on a lost flight and the thunderbird legend and the other about Mount Hope and a possible secret base, which had remote viewing involved and that subject fascinates me.

Watched two more episodes of The Muppets. I'm still finding my way with this show. It's entertaining but really lacks the charm of the original.

Finished up Fosse Verdon. Even though I knew how things ended, I still felt like someone punched me in the gut when the final moments aired. Hat tip to the cast of this terrific limited series.

Caught the final episode of Peak Practice season six and started season seven. Sad to see Erica no longer with the practice but looking forward to some new interactions with whoever takes over for her.

Watched two more lessons of MasterClass with Bill Nye. I have a bonus episode to watch then I'll start a new class. No idea what I'll pick up next but look forward to diving in.

Enjoyed a couple of extras for The Witcher. Started out with the making of season two and then caught the characters of the continent special. This week I'll probably dive into the beasts and monsters they deal with.

Caught a couple episodes of Classic Rugrats. Season two ranks as probably my favorite overall. That might change as I get further along, but right now, I'm remembering how many of my faves are in the second season.

Watched another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I like the new guy even if he's not quite as quirky as Breen. As always, it's fun to see recurring characters pop up in the course of the investigations.

Star Trek: Discovery continues to amaze me. I'm enjoying the red angel saga and how intertwined everything is. Nice to have Hugh back even if he's not quite himself. Should be fun to see how that plays out.

Started the second season of Queens of Mystery. I'm rather disappointed that Matilda and Daniel aren't anywhere close to being together. Miscommunication can be a blessing or a curse and I'm hoping it ends up being a blessing. We'll see how the season goes.

That's pretty much it for the television update this week. Tonight's post is from Muddy Up the Waters, a novella that stacks the odd against the characters even though they want to be together.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Fiona and Warrick can't quite get their timing together long enough to be on the same page when it comes to making a commitment. Instead they expend their energy on playing a game of who can hurt who the most … until one decides enough is enough.

And a preview snippet…

Warrick Lawton led Brigitt—no, Byrony—into his apartment above the fae council chambers. The old brick building had three fours and he lived on the top two. Perks of being the head of council.

Byrony's gaze darted around, taking in the living area and library. "Wow, nice space." A calculating gleam entered the flashing brown depths of her eyes.

No doubt she had some ideas on where she might put her stuff. He'd put a stop to any thoughts like that right away. He always did.

Warrick stepped in front of her, bringing her focus solely on him. "Don't do that. Don't plan ahead. This is a one-time thing." His hands grasped her shoulders. "I'm always honest about what I'm looking for and forever isn't it." He waited until she met his gaze. "If you want something more, I'm not game. The choice is yours." His hands dropped and he stepped back to give her room to make a decision.

Byrony gave him a slow, sultry smile. "I get it, Warrick. I'm sure I'm not the first or only woman who entertained a brief but bright wish she'd be the one to tame you." Her fingers went to the hem of her shirt. "I'll take what you're offering and walk away happy." She tugged the tee up and over her head.

If only another certain woman had taken what I offered and didn't walk away.  But, no, Fiona Freeman full-on rejected having a place at his side then fled the glade without a backward glance. Served him right … for thinking she'd want forever with him. Fiona didn't do forever.

And now, neither did he.

Dropping her shorts, Byrony arched a brow. "Planning to join me?" She grabbed his shirt and tugged him close.

He braced his hands on the wall behind her and lowered his head to snag her lips in a heated kiss. She moaned against his mouth and worked the button open and the zipper of his pants down then shoved them past his hips. Pressing her back against the paneled surface of the wall, she grasped his shoulders and wrapped her legs around his waist. He didn't hesitate, thrusting forward, going deep and grinding against her. Keeping one palm against the wall and the other cupping her ass, he nuzzled her throat.

She nipped at his ear, rocking her hips. "Not gonna last long, Warrick. I've wanted you too long." Her head lolled to one side and her breath came out in short, gasping pants.

Warrick gave a grunt of acknowledgment, focusing on getting her off. The least I can do considering she'll never have an opportunity for another round. And he'd take care of a basic need so he could convene the council without wanting to do bodily harm to the members.

Not exactly win-win, but he'd left that mindset behind the day Fiona left.

Warrick isn't really in a good space at the moment and he's going to get a big blast from the past in the near future.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Fancy Meeting You Here

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. We're having some unseasonably chilly and rainy weather but it's nice to have my youngest home for the weekend.

Had a weird mix of editing work and a bunch of stuff I needed to catch up on this week. I did manage to get some solid writing time in also, which makes me very happy. I finished up a manuscript I've been working on for a long time and got it ready for some beta readers! I also finished a sexy short and have it ready for some critique as well.

Not a bad week for television. I started a new to me show on Hulu with The Hardy Boys. The first episode had a lot going on but I enjoyed it. My brother highly recommended the series because he liked it a lot. We remember the original Hardy Boys from way back in the day so I'll go with his recommendation.

I started a Master Class series on graphic design. I'm not going to win any awards, but I have an interest in the topic and I like to know what goes into making things like book covers and media for marketing purposes. I have several more classes to watch and I'm looking forward to them.

Caught the second episode of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. So far, I'm still in. I like looking at the world through Sabrina's eyes and watching how everyone reacts with her. I'm split down the middle with the aunts and I love her cousin. Harvey and Sabrina's friends are fun also. The jury is out on the teacher. I have a bit of a hang up about the actress because she played a character I really didn't like on Doctor Who. That's not her fault, it's part of the Moffet era that I didn't enjoy.

Watched another episode of Peak Practice and it was a tough one, but I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to seeing the next one even though Beth and Jack are kind of going through the wringer right now.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers. It's interesting to see how witness protection works in another country. I also love to see how the small-town heelers have a better grasp on how things work than the big city guys.

I finished the first season of Picard and, wow, I did not expect to be a sobbing mess. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the show. It took me some time to really get into the series, but I ended up getting pretty invested in the core group. I am left with a couple of questions, which isn't a bad thing. I'll look forward to seeing if those get answered in the second season.

Caught another episode of Chicago Med and it's part of a crossover event I remember watching. I'm ready for the next episode, hopefully this week.

Last but not least, I caught another Passionflix holiday Quickie with Just Say When. It was on the shorter side but didn't suffer for it. A nice little bit of angsty merriment.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Fancy Meeting You Here, a novella that features two characters on opposing sides trying to navigate a relationship.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jonni Mars and Val Janison are enforcers for two opposing mage families and have a friendly rivalry. When Val, a member of the ruling house, shows up at Jonni's favorite underground dive, she's both infuriated and intrigued, and more than a little surprised to meet him under almost normal circumstances.

And a preview snippet…

Val crouched against the warehouse wall, listening carefully to the man inside. Philan belched orders into the phone. So far, he'd arranged a meet-up with the human trafficking arm of his empire and scheduled a shipment of drugs to move out in two days.

"He won't see the rewards from either venture."

Val's senses kicked in and he skimmed the side of the building, instincts on high alert. Someone else is here. Reaching the end of bricks, he stayed back, merged with the shadows. He's used a cloaking spell to remain out of sight, but he didn't add a noise dampening cue.

He waited until the person emerged from the darkness of the alley. Female, well-versed in fighting techniques based on her confident stride and wary countenance. She looks familiar.

She paused, her gaze scanning side to side then quietly ordered. "You might as well show yourself. I don't care how many of you assholes I have to go through to get inside." Her arms crossed in front of her waist and readied to withdraw weapons.

Val let go of his shadow mantle and appeared before her. No use hiding, especially if he didn't want to draw undue attention out here. And, dammit, where did he know her from.

She snorted. "Nice trick." Then she got a look at him. "Great balls. Fucking Janis clan royalty." She tilted her head. "No way you went black. Why are you here?" Her arms relaxed but her shoulders remained tense and rigid.

Ah, Jonni Mars. A Marsoni enforcer. Interesting.

But he didn't like her snotty tone, like he'd ruined her day. Then he remembered. Rochelle. Best friend. Shit.

Had they come for the same thing then?

He lifted his chin. "Probably the same reason you are." His mind spun with potential pros and cons.

She rocked back on her heels. "I doubt that." Her gaze landed anywhere but on him.

Liar. She'd come for the same purpose.

Val got up close and in her face. "You shouldn't. I'm calling bullshit here. You're here for the same reason I am … and I think we're going to help each other." A bold statement, but not a huge leap of logic.

She arched a brow. "Is that right? And what is it we're going to do?"

He held her gaze. "Put Philan down."

Her gaze went flat and she shook her head. "Screw that. There's no way."

I'm excited about this story, which has ended up being morphing into another book, and possibly a third.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Not Gonna Happen

April 21, 2019

To all who celebrate Easter, I hope it's a good holiday. Another weird weather week in Ohio. I know, big shock, right? Actually turned on the AC one day because the house was stuffy and humid. The next day, I turned it off because the temperature dropped thirty degrees again. Needless to say, it's a combination of AC and furnace for the next few weeks.

Decent television week. I did get to finish Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries and it was… soooo good. I'll finish up the other three episodes, but I'm pretty sure I'd like to see more. Here's hoping they'll do another season.

Caught another episode of Painkiller Jane and it's one I remembered from the original run. I'll admit I was disappointed there weren't more episodes even though fandom in general thought the show fared poorly against the source material.

Watched another episode of Underbelly: Razor and, yeah, the women are starting to feel the burn from the law. I wanted to empathize with Tillie but couldn't quite get there. She's just not drawing my sympathy and I can't really explain why. Kate, though, I kind of sympathize with. Nellie… is Nellie. Not quite sure what I feel for her plight.

Finished up Midsomer Murders and enjoyed the rest of the episode. I'm almost through the fourteenth series and I'm still liking the show. There's never a shortage of interesting little bits worked into the stories.

Roswell, New Mexico… the penultimate episode. Holy crap. So much happened. Questions were answered but a ton of new ones popped up from those answers. I really need another season because there's no way it can have a satisfying end with only one more episode to go. I need to know how Maria's mom fits into the situation at Caufield, if she even does, or at the very least, I need to know why she's so scrambled. And, dammit, I need Maria to know what's going on and put her two cents in. I dipped my toe into the fandom waters and, yeah, I'll probably steer clear. I love the potential interactions with everyone, including Alex, Michael, and Maria. While I'm not a full-on fan of triangles, I do like messy and awkward feelings that have to be resolved somehow. I also love how many different definitions of family there is to wade through on the show. The kind of big thing I'm dreading is a possible death in the last episode. I've got a gut feeling of who it might be and I’m not ready for it.

Also, I'm sad to see Jenna go, if she really does. Here's hoping she might make her way back in the future. The interactions between Jenna and Liz were so damn good, as in there was awkwardness but none of the bitchy-girl, fur-flying stuff that's so lame. Kudos for that!

Caught two more episodes of Peter Gunn and both were ones I hadn't seen. Pete and Edie remind me of Nick and Nora. Weird, I know. I think it's a vibe thing. Nora totally had Nick's number and I think Edie is the same way with Peter.

Watched episode four of Blade. Nice to come back to this after a long hiatus. I'm looking forward to more one season wonders on the CW Seed app.

Caught Strike Back and loved so much about this episode. Nice to have Zarkova back among the group. So cool to see Chetri pretty much rescue herself. And Alexander ending up in Moscow was better than expected. Wyatt and Novin are never boring and Mac needs to keep his choose better times to get sexed up. That's a lot of information to pack into a one-hour nutshell.

Watched the beginning of the next arc of Classic Who. This one is about the time meddler and I'm interested to see where it goes. Got a surprise when the guy from the Dalek episodes showed up. Didn't see that coming.

Caught a majorly great episode of Chicago Fire. Watching the women deal with the terrible accident in Indiana while the guys held a chili cook-off worked really well. The fact that the doom and gloom crew won—and one of the members is the dude from the Sonic commercials—kind of made my day.

Also started an episode of Iron Fist and it's full of Misty right now so I'm loving the hell out of it. Just saying.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Not Gonna Happen, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of "slasher film; in the woods". I put a slightly different spin on the concept and like where it's going.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Gina Ames and Tuck Danvers sign up for a weekend of hunting for an urban legend. When their other team members start dropping, one by one, they take off for the safety of the city. Too bad the concrete and steel can't protect them from what follows them home.

And a preview snippet…

Gina's stomach churned. "What do you think we stumbled on in Haverswood?" Nothing human if she had to guess.

Tuck lifted a shoulder. "I'm thinking more along the lines it's something we unleashed instead of stumbled on." He swung his gaze toward the window, keeping a close watch on its location.

Gina didn't see his logic. "How? We weren't summoning or chanting incantations in Latin or anything like that." They'd been scoping out a site, checking the stories from the newspapers.

Tuck leveled his gaze on her. "We weren't." His meaning came through in his tone.

Gina closed her eyes. "Why would Jake and Marley take a risk like that?" She couldn't believe the couple would push the envelope without the proper safety nets in place.

Tuck snorted. "Didn't say it was them." He gave her another pointed look.

Gina slumped in the booth. "Fuck. You think it was Del and Suz?" The duo basically came along for the ride, visiting from Marley's hometown.

Tuck didn't respond right away. Shirl approached with their food and coffee, placing the plates on the table and filling the mugs.

She stood back, narrowing her eyes. "You two had a rough night, didn't you?" She held up a hand. "Nope. Don't need to know the details. I'll keep the caffeine coming while you guys iron out whatever's going on." Turning, she headed back to the counter and started a new pot of coffee.

Gina huffed out a breath. "She's a sweetheart." After Tuck nodded in agreement, she got back on topic. "Del and Suz. Spill." Picking up her fork, she sliced into a waffle and dunked it in the syrup.

Tuck leaned in, keeping his voice low. "I think they had an agenda, one they didn't share with the rest of the class." He shoveled a forkful of hash browns into his mouth.

Gina chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "So… they wanted to what? Have an experience? Make life a living hell for everyone? What kind of agenda gets them killed along with two of our best friends?" He had to be wrong.

Right?

Tuck didn't say anything for a while, clearing half his plate and keeping an eye on the specter outside. Gina gave him some space, keeping her questions at bay. Tuck liked to mull things over even though it drove her mad sometimes.

Finally, he set his fork aside. "I could be wrong, but we didn't know them. We didn't have time to vet them before they insisted we let them tag along for the night." He picked up his mug and swallowed several mouthfuls of coffee. "Marley grew up with both, but she said it'd been almost ten years since she'd seen either one." He paused, letting the information sink in.

Gina finished off her bacon and slowly nodded. "And you're wondering why they show up now?" Actually, a good question.

Tuck jerked his chin upward. "Yeah, I guess." He paused a moment. "They were staying with Jake and Marley, right? Maybe there's something at their place to give us a lead on what's going on."

Gina nodded then glanced out the window. "Should we try to make a run for their condo? Or wait to see if Mr. Creepy goes away when the sun rises?" She hovered between wanting answers now and dreading the thought of going back out there.

A new one for her.

Tuck shrugged. "We've got about an hour until it starts getting light outside. Let's see what happens." He waved to Shirl who grabbed the coffee pot.

Gina settled back against the booth cushions. In an hour, they'd be wired on caffeine and probably still be bone-dead tired.

But they needed to find some kind of clue as to what they were dealing with and hopefully get some justice for their friends.

I'm not quite sure how this one is going to be resolved but I do like the dynamic between Gina and Tuck and how they're not sure what they're dealing with but unafraid to find out.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Mr and Mrs Black

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all who celebrate. I'm not big on drinking green beer, but I do have Irish—apparently from County Cork and County Down—on both sides of my family so I love to visit some of the traditions around this time.

Once again, we've had crazy back and forth weather. A lovely high in the upper seventies on Thursday with a thirty degree drop to the mid-forties on Friday. Lots of wind and rain Thursday night. Everyone who just got over the nasty upper respiratory ick that went around is probably going to end up with it again. Bleh.

Had a decent week for television. Caught another episode of Chicago Fire. Gotta say I'm a little "meh" about the whole Stella and Severied breakup. Honestly, and I don't say this lightly, her accusation of Kelly being jealous kind of put me off. First… because she's the one who went a little crazy when Kelly's former flame came back to town and second, because Kelly never really tried to keep her from hanging out with creepy friend dude. The distant thing, I definitely feel. But if she knows Kelly… and she does… his go-to coping mechanism is to be kind of aloof and alone, not to mention he's been giving her some space because of creepy friend dude. So, yeah, the whole breakup thing? Not thrilled with it. Too forced, in my opinion. Casey's situation, though, really played out well. I enjoyed the whole storyline of the reporter getting her story with his help.

Caught an episode of Iron Fist. Actually loved Ward and Joy's interactions with everyone. Ward is such a dickhole but I love how it's played. Kudos to the actor because he's perfect for the part. Danny and Colleen make me happy even when they're not really communicating well. The whole Mary or whatever her name is better start making sense soon. I'm a little lost with that arc.

Watched another Passionflix movie, The Protector, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm truly thrilled to be a founding member of this group. If you haven't checked out a subscription, please do. And if you're not big on streaming subscriptions, maybe think about getting a DVD. Their original movies and programs are excellent.

Also caught another episode of Classic Roswell. The one where Liz's journal goes missing and I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed that episode. Michael started growing on me after this one.

Watched an episode of Murdoch Mysteries and I'm getting into the story of William and Julia's endeavor to write a book. The case this week also intrigued me. I love having some backstory with William.

Caught another episode of Arrow and it's one I've been waiting to see. "Slabside Redemption" didn't disappoint. I've been excited to see how the prison storyline would end and I'm quite happy with how it played out. My one and only "meh" moment? Stanley's escape. That means we'll be seeing him again, right?

Watched another episode of Roswell, New Mexico. This show is starting to eat my brain in the best way. It's messy and I love it. There's nothing uncomplicated about any of the relationships. I'd love to see a better and stronger Maria and Liz vibe because I loved that friendship in the original. The Rosa storyline is starting to grow on me and I'm hoping the whole illegal alien thing smooths out soon. On one hand, I like the topical aspect to making Liz's dad illegal. On the other, I struggle a little because it's so very different from the classic version. We'll see if that one starts growing on me.

Caught another Painkiller Jane episode I either missed or forgot about the first time around. "Breakdown" ended up being a terrific episode. I loved how it ended.

Started another episode of Underbelly: Razor. This show goes to some interesting places and I'm kind of interested in where this episode will end and who will be left standing. Hopefully will have time to finish it soon.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Mr and Mrs Black, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of putting original characters into a scene from a movie.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Ember Frost and Winter Smoak, assassins for opposing factions, are ordered by their respective employers to kill each other, which would be so much easier if they weren't happily married, but hiding some big secrets—like their occupations—from each other.

And a preview snippet…

"Do you understand your orders, Ms. Frost?"

Oh, yes. I understand perfectly.

Ember glanced at the screen on her phone once again. "I do. End of night." She drew in a long breath, trying to keep a lid on the red-hot rage coursing through her veins about the image staring back at her. "Report by midnight." She ended the call and barely refrained from throwing her device across the room.

Son of a bitch.

Her work as a "fixer"—a more palatable word than assassin—for the House of Thorn just took a very personal turn.

She paced, back and forth, cursing softly under her breath. "How could he do this to me?" For that matter, how could she not know? "Stupid. I'm so, so stupid." Only anger kept mortification at bay.

A person with her intelligence and skill set shouldn't have missed the now obvious signs. And, okay, he had a solid cover. Bigwig consultant to several fae corporations with ties to House of Bellark. His spellwork and in-depth knowledge of history made him very in demand.

And, hell, her cover-story rivaled his. Troubleshooter for hire, problem solver extraordinaire. Mainly for House of Thorn industries, of course.

But the similarities didn't quell her rage. Nope. Not one tiny bit. Her gullibility didn't trump the betrayal.

She stopped walking, raking a hand through her hair. "All those business trips? Hit jobs. Just like me." Argh! How dare he keep something so important from her?

Because now she'd really hit the shit jackpot. Fuck! She didn't have a single damn option to get out of the work she had to do.

Her orders were to take Winter Smoak out of action by any means necessary. Which totally sucked balls.

Because Winter Smoak?

Happened to be Ember's husband. And she loved him more than anything.

I'm having such a good time with this story. Ember and Winter are going to have to get past the issue of keeping their professions secret from each other then they'll turn the tables on the employers. It's so much fun to write.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Mendacium

Ugh. Another week of crazy back and forth weather. We went from sixty-two degrees on Thursday to twenty-five on Friday. Every time I took the dog out starting on Thursday evening, I added a layer of clothes. And… I now have a raging upper respiratory ick thing. LOL Never fails.

Not a bad week for television. I caught the premiere of Strike Back and loved it. One of my favorite actors is starring this season and I'm very excited to see what he does on the show. I'm also kind of caught between the old style with Stonebridge and Scott and the new style with Wyatt, Mac, and Gracie. The former cast had more time to build the relationship between the leads and I liked how that spread over the four seasons they helmed the series. The new cast feels like they had to skip a lot of the nuance and I kind of miss that. And none of this is to say they don't gel together, because they do.

Also caught an episode of Chicago Fire and ended up being an ugly-crying mess by the end. Benny's sendoff didn't disappoint. I tend to get very emotional over signing off a fallen firefighter. With a retired fire chief dad who's still active with a volunteer department, those things hit home for me.

I'm almost finished with Luke Cage's second and final season. I'm pretty sure I'll be satisfied if Mariah goes down hard. I'd like Luke to have a resolution with his anger issues too and I think he's come a long way. Misty is just awesome no matter what so there's that.

Also caught Classic Roswell on a different app where I can watch single episodes. I'm looking forward to comparing the new reboot with the classic series.

Caught a few episodes of Classic Who this week and the Daleks are back, creating trouble as usual. I love how long this Whovian villain has been around.

Watched Murdoch Mysteries and Midsomer Murders. I love both of these series and how long they've been running.

Penny Dreadful had an interesting episode with Vanessa meeting the cut wife. The icky witch woman annoys me in ways I can't begin to describe. I do love Ethan and Vanessa's interactions so watching the creepy woman be evil is a small price to pay I guess.

Finally finishing up season four of Killjoys and, man, the "It Takes a Pillage" episode rocked on so many levels. Great character development and growth, a family reunion, betrayal, and Zeph being awesome. Can't ask for more than that.

Worked in another episode of Painkiller Jane, one I don't remember watching during the original run of the series. The show makes me nostalgic for La Femme Nikita and Mutant X. I miss the crazy creative style of that era of television.

Also started another episode of Underbelly: Razor. I'm about halfway through the series and continue to enjoy watching life in Australia during the twenties and thirties.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Mendacium, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of write a story that involves a lie.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Kelby Svet and Reave Systevich work for Mendacium, a covert organization that monitors magical ability among the human population. When powers go out of control or get abused, Kelby and Reave deal with the fallout—until a betrayal puts them on different sides.

And a preview snippet…

Reave heaved a sigh. "You know what? I was so pissed when I woke up and you were gone. Then I found out you hooked up with Adkins and being pissed turned to silent rage." He got up, crossed the room, and sat next to her.

Kelby didn't hold out much hope. After learning the how much and for how long Pope betrayed her, she didn't really deserve anything from Reave. Gah! If only she'd stuck around that night.

Reave nudged her shoulder. "Stop it. Nobody had a clue Pope was working both sides and profiting from the jobs he sent his teams out on." His arm wrapped around her, hauling her close to his side.

She burrowed in, basking in the comfort of him. "He was a goddamn puppet master." Anger filled her again. "I can't believe how brilliantly he manipulated me." All the blood on her hands belonged to Pope.

She finally had a chance for normal now.

Her head angled upward and she met Reave's gaze. "I've learned a lot since I left you that morning. About myself and what I really need to survive." She needed him even if the idea still made her uneasy.

But why wouldn't it? For so long she'd lived on the edge of everything. Reason, sanity, disaster… no wonder anything resembling quiet and calm freaked her out.

Reave grasped her hand, lacing their fingers together. "I wasn't honest that night when I talked about making a plan to get out." His thumb made circles on her skin.

She looked up again. "Meaning you didn't want to leave?" Surprise warred with disbelief.

He'd been pretty set on getting out while they still had a chance to make a life.

Reave shook his head. "No, I wanted to start planning something, but I didn't want to do it alone. The part I wasn't honest about was how much I needed you. You were the catalyst that made me want a future." His lips curved in a half-smile. "But, I don't know, the gut-punch of actually owning the feeling of wanting a life with you kept my mouth shut." His gaze met hers. "Maybe if I admitted how much and how long I needed you, you wouldn't have left, but I couldn't… okay, more like wouldn't…" His voice trailed off and he glanced away.

She sat up. "Wait, why not?" Her gut screamed he hadn't told her everything that night, especially when his brain wouldn't shut down.

Reave lifted a shoulder. "Kelb, you carry guilt around like a mantle. Eventually you would've resented me saddling you with something you weren't ready for yet." His eyebrow arched, almost daring her to deny his words.

She couldn't. Obviously. One little conversation about the future weighed on her conscience and she'd all but jumped at the chance to take a tumble with Adkins along with bringing in a group of rogue mages.

Would she have been swayed if Reave shared the depth of his feelings? She searched deep, yeah, maybe. And, yeah, she'd have let the guilt eat her alive. After Enri. Before discovering Pope's role in Enri's death… yeah, she wouldn't have been ready for anything bright and shiny with Reave no matter how much she wanted it.

She brought his hand to her lips, brushing them over his knuckles. "You're not wrong. I'm sorry for it, especially for cutting out the way I did." The sting of leaving him still pricked her sometimes.

Reave flashed a smile. "It worked out for the best. With hindsight, I recognize I didn't say anything because I wanted you on better terms. Not because I painted a pretty picture of the future and not because we suffered a big loss and needed to grieve." He angled her toward him and cupped her face. "You weren't ready, and honestly, I wasn't either. I needed perspective to really see we faced a bigger threat than out of control mages or asshats that abuse their magic." He leaned in and pressed a kiss against her forehead.

Her eyes closed and she all but purred with satisfaction. Tilting her chin up, she meshed her lips with his, pouring everything—love, passion, hope—into the embrace. Her fingers tugged at the hem of his t-shirt, dragging the material up his torso.

Sex. Him. Forever.

She needed all of it.

Now.

This story is finally taking shape. I need to outline and brainstorm some additional ideas but I like where it's going.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Nothing Special

July 31, 2016

The Last Ship might be the death of me. Last week's episode had my heart pounding. I forgot to breathe during the escape from the minefield, which happened toward the end of the episode. Then, I live tweeted that I'd be drinking like five shots of alcohol for fortitude because there was still time for something else crazy to happen—with only three minutes left in the show! And, of course, something else CRAZY did happen. LOL What a way to end.

Killjoys is seriously becoming one of my very favorite shows. I'm completely sucked into what's going on and in love with the subtle nuances and shifts in relationships. I have a sneaky suspicion there's going to be a big payoff for some of the dynamics being set into motion. Can't wait to see what happens next.

Dark Matter has a terrific cadre of women characters. I'm interested in the newest addition to the crew and hope she sticks around for a while. Not to take away anything from the men. They hold their own, too. Nice to see a familiar face acting alongside the android in this episode. Okay, maybe not alongside, but in the same vicinity. LOL

Still no Strike Back this week due to a crazy schedule again. But… with the sad news of Jerry Doyle's passing, I'm very happy to be in the middle of a Babylon 5 rewatch. Almost finished with season two and looking forward to starting the third.

Tonight's post is from Nothing Special, a sexy short that got a start with a prompt asking to write a story around the solstice having come and gone but one character has something for the other.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Masha Tuck and Ryce Reynoldson work tirelessly around the winter solstice to help provide a meaningful celebration to their fae and non-fae neighbors. Masha uncovers the perfect gift for Ryce—just a book, nothing special—but if she gives it to him, it'll add depth to their weird relationship and she's not sure she's ready for them to be a 'thing'.

And a preview snippet…

Ryce stepped back, inviting Masha into his cottage. "Hey. I didn't expect you until tomorrow." When she entered, he closed the door then turned and grasped her shoulders. "But I'm glad you're here." His hands slid up to cup her face.

Leaning in, his mouth closed over hers. She responded with a low moan, which always turned him on. Ryce didn't know why she'd stopped by, but he welcomed having her. The crazy schedule they'd kept from samhain to solstice didn't allow for much more than insanely hot sex and dodging the weather fronts when they moved through.

Never enough time to really sit down, relax, have a discussion. Not that Masha did the whole conversation thing to a great extent. She'd squirm in her seat then get up and pace the room when talk turned to anything personal or deeper than fae council business.

He deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue past her lips. Masha's hands grabbed moved up to his chest and one fisted in his t-shirt. He angled his head to one side and moved her further into the living room. She grasped his bicep to keep her balance and a muffled thunk followed.

Ryce eased away from her and glance down. Masha stooped and scooped up a large book, tucking it under her arm again. The bulk of her coat hid it from his view.

Curious.

He blinked and shook his head. "Sorry, Masha. Didn't realize you were carrying around heavy book." He nodded toward the sofa, fighting back a sheepish grin. "Then again, didn't give you time to say anything when you walked in either."

Masha's lips curved but a pink flush stained her cheeks. "Er, well… I rather liked the warm welcome." She eased away and placed the book on his ottoman before shrugging out of her outerwear. "The book's for you." Turning away, she draped her jacket over the arm of a chair, not meeting his gaze.

Ryce tilted his head to one side, eyeing her. Interesting. Hedging her bets? Not her style at all. What kind of book did she bring him?

The answer could wait for a moment. Ryce strolled over to his antique hutch and opened the top doors. He had a little something for her, too.

Masha finally settled on the sofa and lifted a shoulder when he turned around. "The book is nothing special. Just something I thought you'd like." She folded her hands in her lap.

Ryce paused mid-step. "How about I judge the significance?" He crossed the small distance and dropped down beside her on the couch. "I have a something small for you, too." He set an ornate box on the ottoman next to the book.

This one is fun. I love to write an internal conflict being overcome by love.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Mirror of the Mist

Holy cheez-its! Ohio is back to chilly, where-did-spring-go weather again. We haven't even hit fifty degrees for the day. LOL

But, the brisk temperature makes for great television viewing. This week didn't turn out too badly either.

Gotham's episode moved the story along and I'm excited to see what this week holds.

The Flash had a great showing. I loved all the interactions with the characters. Quite a complicated mix but somehow the relationships all work. Agents of SHIELD ended a character I've grown fond of, but I thoroughly enjoyed the inside movie references and how they tied into the small screen story.

Arrow pulled off a great episode, at least the part I saw. I had an unavoidable meeting on Wednesday and haven't had a moment to really catch up on the beginning yet.

Legends of Tomorrow. Wow. I hope the whole time travel thing lets the sacrificed character return. If not, I'm going to be very disappointed. Truly great stuff, though. And Orphan Black continues to blow my mind each and every week. I LOVE this show.

All caught up on Banshee and Wynonna Earp, with the exception of this week's episodes. That will be rectified later today. Caught the trailer for season three of The Last Ship and I'm now eagerly awaiting June so I can dive back into this one.

And that's it for television this week.

Tonight's post is from Mirror of the Mist, a novella prompted on a modern day, urban riff of Snow White.

Here's the mini-blurb:

An urban riff on Snow White, Cecelia Dumond, a black arts priestess, tasks Dys Hunter to assassinate her counterpart, a mystic oracle named Lyric Song. Dys goes undercover in a fight club to gain access to the powerful beauty. Little does he know, she's the one to lead him home, back to his rightful place as heir to his father's empire.

And a preview snippet…

"Tea?" Dys pulled a skeptical face.

Her lips curved. "I'm in a very uncivilized business, Mr. Hunter. High tea is my way of keeping balance in my life." She nodded towards Nardo and Beltane who took their cue and quietly left the office.

Dys lifted a brow. "You've got quite a set-up here, Ms. Song. And your fighters are extremely well-trained. You don't even have to utter a word."

She smirked. "And you're thinking I lead them all around by their dicks, right?" She snorted. "I have a full roster, Mr. Hunter, minus one combatant. I train seven men daily, schedule their fights, get promotional spots set up, and personally check the venues to make sure they're up to my standards. I don't have the time to touch any of them… and neither do they during the fight season." She paused, tilting her head to the side. "It's insulting to think I spend my days, flat on my back with my legs spread, catering to their sexual needs. How could I possibly manage to get anything else done?"

Dys gave her a slow once over, head to toe. "Sure would be one hell of an incentive." A corner of his mouth twisted upward. "And no one said you had to be flat on your back. Up against a wall would be my first choice." He drained the mug of tea she'd given him.

Lyric fought a shudder. The man had a wicked way with words and her vivid imagination had no trouble envisioning a steamy encounter with Dys Hunter. Blinking the imagery away, she sipped her brew and resisted grabbing his cup and reading the leaves.

Instead she gave him a long, level look. "Let's be clear, Mr. Hunter. Your first choice is duly noted and filed away under not happening anytime soon. If you want to be part of this outfit, rule number one is understanding I'm not here to satisfy your sex drive." She pinned him with her gaze. "I'm your boss, which means if you can't deal, you should walk out the way you came in." Folding her hands in front of her, she waited for a response.

Dys quirked an eyebrow. "Do I get the goon squad as my escort again?" His words lacked heat, but his displeasure came through loud and clear.

Lyric shook her head. "Considering you'll end up working with the goon squad as part of the team, this might not be the best fit for you." She scooted back and rose from her chair. "You have an impressive record, Mr. Hunter, but your physical prowess is only one aspect of being part of this group. You have to respect process, the fighters, and me." Moving around the desk, she perched on the edge. "I have doubts on all three counts."

Her position forced Dys to look up in order to meet her gaze.

He crossed his arms over his chest, which emphasized his bulging biceps. "Look, Ms. Song, you might have doubts about me, but you're going to hire me anyway." He kicked his legs out, his booted feet landing against her black stiletto-clad heels.

Lyric arched an eyebrow. "Please, tell me why I should." Dammit, her voice sounded much raspier than she wanted it to.

Something tells me Lyric's voice will get reactive whenever Dys is in her vicinity. LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Lie to Me

March 27, 2016

Happy Easter to those who observe and celebrate. We're having some lovely weather in Ohio, which might only last twenty-four hours because—hello!—it's Ohio. LOL I'm still battling the flu… apparently I got the full two-week version. Yay, me.

That said, I did enjoy my week of new shows on television. The Walking Dead followed up the Carol / Maggie excellence with another terrific episode. I'm still not all that excited for Negan to show up, but eh, we'll see what happens when he does.

Gotham took a turn I didn't expect and I'm definitely interested in where things go from here. Nygma is one crafty, creepy dude. The Magicians continues to keep me intrigued. I truly love the dynamic between Penny and Quentin. The Lost Girl finale had me sobbing… again. I'm going to miss that show so much. Bitten twisted the spikes in a little deeper, but I loved the spin with making Rachel the one with powers instead of Rocco. Awesome to see Paige again.

The Flash made a reveal I didn't expect until the end of the season, so kudos for keeping me on my toes. Arrow took a turn I didn't exactly like, but I'm in for the long haul with Oliver and company. Looking forward to a new Legends episode this week.

Agents of SHIELD keeps getting better and better. I'm excited for the Most Wanted spin off. I love those characters.

The finale for Murdoch Mysteries proved excellent. I can't believe they keep coming up with great stuff after almost ten years. Here's to another terrific season whenever it premieres.

And that's the television update for this week.

Tonight's post is from Lie to Me, an urban fantasy / contemporary paranormal novella where my main characters have to deal with a malevolent force before they get their lives on track.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jana Ricks has a target on her back and she wants Rhys McPherson to help her get rid of it. Rhys loves Jana, but can't protect her, not if they want to stay alive, which he's determined to make happen… even if it means giving up the future he wants.

And a preview snippet…

Jana Ricks thrashed through the woods behind her house. "What the flaming hell is on my ass?" She'd pushed her daily run to late evening, hoping for cooler temperatures.

The summer humidity, worse than it had been for five years, sucked the will to exercise out of Jana during the day.

Thudding footfalls and snapping brush spurred Jana forward. She had no idea who she'd pissed off, but her gut screamed "otherworldly" pursuit. And that meant even if she made the safety of her cottage, she might not lose whatever creature nipped at her heels.

Spying the back patio, she used a burst of energy and rocketed the last few hundred feet to reach the neatly laid brick pavers. Spinning around, her breath heaving in and out, she crossed her arms in an 'X' then spread them out into a 'T'. She muttered an intricate series of words then punched both hands toward the inky black sky. Drawing power from her surroundings, she brought her arms downward in a sharp motion and sent the incantation out in all directions.

A moment later, a piercing yelp followed by a low, menacing growl met her ears.

Anger kicked hard in her chest. "Dammit. A hell hound or a hex cat." Her thighs screamed with agony because of the hard run, but she walked the perimeter of her patio, touching her foot to a series of runes on the bordering bricks. "Let's see you get past my wards, you mangy cur." Shaky legs carried her to the French doors, leading into her humble abode.

She entered and made a beeline for her phone, sitting on the kitchen table. Swiping through her contacts, her thumb hovered over the screen a moment before she hit the call icon. Lifting the device to her ear, she tamped down the fear and anger, ignored the thundering reluctance pumping along with her pulse, and waited for the recipient to respond.

On the third ring, they did.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Hey, it's Jana. I need help."

I'm really liking the way this one is coming together. I do need to take a day and really plot out the rest of the story, mainly to make sure I don't spin off in too many directions.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Left Unsaid

Well, it's the first day of spring and we're getting snow in Ohio. LOL I'm also down with the flu, so not a fun week.

Another light week in television. The Walking Dead had a terrific Carol / Maggie episode that ended up being one of the best ever.

Gotham's episode took an interesting turn. I'm excited to see what happens with Cobblepot back on the loose. Nygma is sliding into total crazytown and I'm loving it. I have a feeling Hugo is lining up a bunch of pieces and I'm very interesting in where all that goes. My other Monday night shows provided excellent viewing. The Magicians went in a direction I didn't really see coming. Lost Girl amped everything up for the finale and Bitten made me cry. LOL

Agents of SHIELD surprised me and that makes me happy. Looking forward to more and seeing where things go. Murdoch Mysteries had a great episode and the finale looks terrific. Fingers crossed there's not a huge cliffhanger.

My shows should be back this week and I'm ready and waiting.

That's it for TV this week.

Tonight's post is from Left Unsaid, a novella based around the prompt of "a relationship sparks because the main characters almost die, for real this time."

Here's the mini-blurb:

Haven and Pryce are involved in a covert war between humanity and the fae. When the battle takes a nasty turn for the worse and their lives are in danger multiple times, the couple realizes it's sometimes better to communicate without words.

And a preview snippet…

Pryce stared at the ceiling of Haven's quarters. Haven had taken the raw sting of betrayal churning through his veins and turned it into satisfied bliss. Sated and spent, his brain finally settled into some semblance of normal.

With her tucked up against his side, he finally confessed his drama. "Maya was one of the combatants." He forced the image of her pulling the trigger from his mind.

Haven sat up, the sheet falling to reveal her torso. "She's human, Pryce. I don't get this deep connection you seem to have toward her, or your concern." She got up, crossing over to her dresser. "Why does it matter? Maya had clearly made her hatred of the fae known just by being on our enemy's side." Rifling through a drawer, she pulled out a tank top and yanked it over her head.

Pryce closed his eyes. "She's my sister. Haven." He didn't want to have this argument, but he needed to put a voice to his suspicions.

Haven paused, her hipster panties halfway up her thighs. "No, she's not. She's a girl you spent time in a foster home with. There's no blood between you." She shot him a disgusted look. "You're not family. Pryce." She came back over to the bed and settled on the edge, holding his gaze.

Price grasped her hand. "You're wrong, Haven. There's a connection, a bond. She's the only person who ever tried to have my back growing up." And the only one before Haven who gave a damn if he lived or died.

Haven blew out a long breath. "And now she's gunning for you." She moved closer, tucking her legs up under her thighs. "I don't get it, Pryce. You should be thanking your lucky balls she didn't take you out." She shook her head. "Instead, you're mourning the loss of what? A childhood memory? Because that's all she can ever be now." The conviction in her voice didn't brook argument.

Pryce sat up, swinging his legs over his side of the mattress, turning his back to Haven. "I disagree. You didn't see her." He angled his head around and gave Haven a pointed look. "You weren't there. She's not on Biedmeyer's side." But his faction grew stronger every day.

Sooner or later, humans would take sides and draw more lines in the sand.

This poor story is coming in bit, pieces, snips, and snatches. Even with that being the case, I'm actually pretty thrilled with how it's coming together. LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye