Sunday Snippet: Blondie and the Three Wizards

July 12, 2015

Well… not a bad week, with the exception of a nasty case of poison ivy. Bleh. I'm not fond of being itchy in any way, shape, or form. *scratch, scratch*

SDCC happened this week and I'm so excited for a couple of new shows and movies. I also love seeing the actors from my favorite shows do their panels. Looking forward to taking some time to dive into everything.

Teen Wolf is getting really creepy, which I love. I'm sort of long on theories and not much else, but something tells me Peter Hale is behind everything. LOL He's so easy to blame.

The Last Ship is so good at drawing out and ramping up tension. Another show where I have theories about who's behind the scenes trying to manipulate everything. I can't wait for tonight's episode.

My Friday night lineup of Defiance, Killjoys, and Dark Matter keeps getting better and better. One of the things I love about Defiance is how quickly they move the plot along. And a major brawl between Amanda and Stahma never hurts anything. Pushing the envelope where family relationships are concerned is also an interesting choice. And speaking of family relationships, the Jaqobi brothers are quickly turning into one of my favorite sibling duos. I'm holding back on forming strong opinions with Dark Matter at the moment. I can't quite figure why Two is going for Three yet. I have a few ideas, but none have formed into anything solid yet.

Tonight's post is from Blondie and the Three Wizards, a sexy short take on Goldilocks with a twist.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Xandra Blue, a mage adept, has to pick a new mentor from three extremely sexy wizards. All three have the skills and could make great partners, but the guys don't make it easy for her to choose.

And a preview snippet…

"Xandra, you'll need to choose a new mentor." The Wizard Master, John Silo, slid three files in her direction. "I took the liberty of narrowing down the options to the top three."

Xandra shrank back. She didn't want to think about finding a tutor yet. Her grief resided heavily in her heart and mind.

She frowned. "We laid Makepeace to rest this morning. Do I have to make a choice right this moment?" Did Silo have no idea how much Chris's death affected her?

The sage studied her for several long moments. "Xandra, you can't fall behind. I'm aware the difficult position you're facing, but it's because of your circumstances that I'm asking you to put your sadness aside and meet with the three wizards as soon as possible." His eyes held sympathy, but also resolve.

Xandra sighed. "May I at least have the rest of the day to mourn Makepeace?" Twenty-four hours shouldn't be too much to ask.

Silo nodded. "You may, my dear. But no longer. You'll need one on one time with each candidate and I need your decision by week's end." He moved the files to the edge of his desk. "Go ahead and take these with you. Review the information when you have time." He eased away from the desk and stood up.

Xandra rose and reluctantly took the files. "Yes, Master Silo." Turning, she made her way slowly to the door.

Silo gave her one final piece of advice. "Give each one a fair chance, Xandra. You'll discover the correct mentor if you carefully weigh their skills and personalities."

Xandra made a noncommittal grunt and exited the Wizard Master's office.

Carefully weigh the options. No big deal, right? Except her decision could determine whether she got to stay in the apprentice program to develop into a fully qualified wizard, or get shipped off campus and relegated to performing simple tasks in the regular workforce.

So, yes, her decision would prove to be a very big deal.

Xandra is going to have her hands full trying to figure out which wizard will be her best bet.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Blending In

July 5, 2015

Happy Fireworks Day to my US readers. Happy weekend to my non-US readers.

So… Teen Wolf premiere, two nights of great viewing. The bad part? Now I have to wait for the next episode. I can't just hit 'next' anymore. Totally sucks. LOL

Another great episode of The Last Ship. I'm kind of intrigued with where they're going to take the story. The Irish-sounding guy grated, which I'm assuming he was supposed to, but yeah, what's all his blather about?

Defiance, as usual, rocks. I'm glad to visit the Nolan / Irisa origins a little more. With the potential for another war looming, their crap needs to be in order, right? Something tells me it won't be so easy. I'm also happy Killjoys and Dark Matter still have me interested. I'm a sucker for sibling rivalry, so the Jaqobis brothers are my catnip right now. Can't wait to see them go head to head and work out their issues. I'm rather enjoying the small, little breadcrumbs being dropped in Dark Matter. Makes me want to pay super close attention so I don't miss something crucial. J

I only have one more episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries to be caught up with the current season. Then it's off to find out if I can stream eps from Australia, because I love, love, love this show. :D

Tonight's post is from Blending In, a novella with undercover shenanigans, which is always a treat to write.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Wren and Ethan go undercover in the seedy District. Ethan's by the book style clashes with Wren's off the cuff attitude, but when a powerful Mage makes a threat, they'll have to forge an unbreakable bond or go down in flames.

And a preview snippet…

Ethan Scott glanced sideways when the passenger side door opened and a woman slid inside the vehicle. His orders stated to wait in the parking garage and he figured out why. Wren Bingman refused to be seen inside the precinct building.

She stuck out her hand. "Ethan Scott?" She shook firmly when he clasped her palm. "Wren Bingman. Let's roll." Facing forward, she tapped her fingertips on the dashboard.

Ethan started the engine and eased around to the alley entrance the undercover operatives used to covertly enter and exit the area. He merged into traffic and started toward the fringe neighborhood where an apartment had been rented for their use during the op. His gaze shifted to his new partner, taking in the long, dark hair worn straight as a pin, brushing just past her shoulders. She slid her gaze his way, her leaf green eyes taking on a sly glint.

Her lips twisted, a cross between a smirk and a grin. "You've been briefed, right? UC work in the District tends to leave a foul stench and a bitter aftertaste." Her slow once over and resulting head shake didn't scream confidence. "You don't exactly look like you belong. You have worked undercover before, haven't you?" She angled sideways, her brow lifted in question.

Ethan tried not to bristle at her lack of faith. Not her fault she didn't have a clue about his work. He'd rather keep his success under wraps, but he'd have to share with her per orders.

His hands gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. "Yes, I've done covert ops before." He kept his eyes on the road ahead. "The Princeton job was my last detail." Bracing for her reaction, he changed lanes.

He'd infiltrated a fae faction of the mob and freed two banshees they'd held hostage. The Princeton family used the death predictors in tandem with oracles and picked off a third of a rival clan's manpower then swooped in and took over the shakedown business.

She let out a low whistle. "Holy shit. No wonder I've never heard of you." She snorted. "You're only known by your code name on all the files." Shifting again, she turned, practically sitting sideways.

Ethan shot her a quick glance. "Helps keep me fluid and available. Any possible leaks from the inside can only give a general description and the code name, Raven." He shrugged. "I'm rarely around the precinct anyway."

Wren huffed out a hard breath. "Well, no. Not when you're on a job for six months or more." She shook her head. "Guess you've got me beat there. My busts usually happen within thirty days or less."

Ethan nodded. "You have an impressive number of collars." She also tended to fly by the seat of her pants, which they couldn't do on this case.

The big problem? Trying to get her to see the facts on the ground and work with him to plan a takedown on a massive scale and get everyone involved in the brutal attacks taking place across the city. He'd have his work cut out.

Wren's lips curved upward. "I do tend to get fast results." She angled back around, facing forward again.

Ethan made a left, heading down the alley to the rear entrance of their walk-up flat situated over a thrift shop. He pulled into the single parking spot and cut the engine, but didn't make a move to exit the car.

Wren snapped her fingers close to his ear. "Hey, Mr. Gloomy, we're home. Let's get up there and settle in." She popped her door open and shot him another look. "We could start canvassing the District tonight."

His hand shot out, halting her progress. "I think we need to have a conversation about that first. We can't just go off half-cocked here."

Wren narrowed her gaze. "I didn't say anything about going full tilt with balls and tits hanging out. What's your problem?" She jerked her arm away from him

Ethan opened his mouth, ready to provide a detailed list of his concerns.

Wren's eyes went wide. "Oh, my God. You don't think I can handle this operation." A garbled choking sound escaped from her lips. "There I was, worrying you'd be a hindrance because you've got no game and instead, you're the one who's got a stick up his ass about me." She flung him a nasty look. "Go to hell, jack ass." Sliding from the car, she slammed the door and stomped up the steps to their four room efficiency apartment.

Ethan heaved a sigh. "Yeah, that went well." He pocketed the keys and got out of the vehicle. "Way to go, Mr. Cool."

Honestly? Ethan and Wren are a hoot to write. They just need to establish a little trust, right? LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Celebrate Your Freedom to Live, Love, & Read—Freedom Hop

LET FREEDOM RING!

Welcome to the Freedom Hop, a great sampling of authors sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

~*~

How wonderful is it to have the independence to choose how we live our lives, who we love, and what we read?

I'm lucky enough to have always had the choice and I've used my liberty to do what I love… write about hot romances between men and women, edit for authors who write about all kinds of love—from best friends who become lovers to same sex couples and relationships that include multiple partners, and read all of the above with voracious abandon.

When writing as Skye Ritchey, I tend to focus on magic, fantasy, and paranormal or supernatural settings, characters, and stories. Exploring things not of our realm is whimsical and freeing. Being able to imagine what a character can do or how they react to the world around them is exciting and challenging.

For this year's Freedom Hop, I'm sharing short samplings of all my current titles and a longer excerpt of my most recent release, Cupid's Curse, which I'm giving away for the blog hop. I had the best time writing Bree and Archer. Both characters had very strong voices and wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote their story.

~*~

Cupid's Curse

Available on Amazon ~ $2.99

Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, suffers the wrath of Eros when he nips the wrong woman with an arrow. Cursed by the god of love, Arch spends his days making perfect matches or he had to deal with some unpleasant consequences.

Bree Daniels is indirectly responsible for Arch's predicament and seeks advice from Aphrodite, hoping to find a way to make amends. After almost two years apart, Bree finally realizes Arch is the man she wants and she's willing to risk her immortality to set him free.

Excerpt:

The push-pull-whoosh feeling weighed on Bree and she shoved everything else aside and readied herself to pop in on Arch.

She blipped, shimmered, and landed with a flourish—something she'd perfected by lots of practice—to find Arch comfortably sprawled on the overstuffed couch, chatting it up with Merry Deerfield.

Stupid cow.

And Arch didn't seem the least bit uncomfortable having Miss Merry practically sitting in his lap.

Stupid man.

But worse, neither one paid her any attention.

Not part of the plan. But she could adjust.

Tilting her head sideways, she cleared her throat. "I'm so sorry… I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

Arch flicked a glance toward the hour glass by the viewing pool. "Would it matter if you were?" His tone clearly indicated it wouldn't have bothered him.

Bree didn't like to be on the defensive as soon as she arrived. It made her off kilter. Her bravado saved her.

She tossed her head and sent a bored look in Arch's direction. "Not to me, but I imagine it would to you." Her gazed shifted to Merry. "And your friend, of course." Bree waited a beat. "No one likes to be caught with their pants down."

Arch snorted. "Except you."

Okay, totally not fair. And it only happened one time, dammit.

Bree hid her embarrassment behind an audacious front. "Well, yes…" She flicked her gaze toward Merry again. "But I'm not standard fare around here."

To Merry's credit, she only rolled her eyes in response to the insult.

Arch didn't hold back. "Bree, you're not standard fare anywhere." He got up and gave Merry a hand. "You're more like an overused trend… not worth the price."

Bree flinched. That one hurt. But she couldn't blame him for lashing out.

Arch's voice went flat. "You're also late."

Bree recovered quickly. "For which I'll happily apologize." She remembered her conversation with Aphrodite and grinned. "It really couldn't be helped."

Arch shook his head. "Let me guess… you were tied to a bedpost and lost track of time?"

Book Tagline: Cursed by the god of love, Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, knows exactly who to blame—his fellow cupid, Bree Daniels.

Brand Tagline: When gods and mortals play together… the result is often unexpected.

~*~

AUTHOR GIVEAWAY

To celebrate our freedom to live, love, and read, I'm giving away Cupid's Curse, which is the introductory book in the Meddlesome Gods branded series. More titles are coming this fall.

To enter, please leave a comment and let me know how you like to spend the 4^th of July. Non-US readers, let me know what would celebrate with fireworks.

~*~

More books by Skye Ritchey

A Magical Affair

Available on Amazon ~ $3.99

A mansion atop a wellspring of magic lets Romy, Heath, and Stacie live out their fantasies.

A Little Yule Magick

Available on Amazon ~ $1.49

Boyd and Sygin use a Little Yule Magick to get their holiday off on the right start.

An Idyllic Affair

(With ML Skye)

Available on Amazon ~ $3.99

On the run from their enemies, an island sanctuary gives Geoff and Linnea time for An Idyllic Affair.

~*~

Please stop by my website

Celebrate with more fireworks! Visit the other participating authors.

Sunday Snippet: Believe

Wow, what a great week of television and binge watching!

The Last Ship rocked! I can't wait for tonight's episode. So far, I love how they're not dragging stuff out and moving the plot and characters forward. Keep that up, show. I can say the same about Defiance. Moving everything along, but keeping the focus tight is awesome. I'm pretty thrilled there was a dose of closure for Amanda this week and I'm so intrigued about what's really going on with Nolan and Irisa.

Killjoys and Dark Matter continue to have me hooked. I love the dynamic between Dutch and the brothers on Killjoys and Lucy rocks. Ships with personality make me happy. With Dark Matter, I'm interested to see what our loosely group crew gets into. Keep dishing out the clues, show. I like getting them.

Strike Back broke my heart… again. At this point, I'm pretty much prepped to loose everyone by the final episode. Seriously. LOL I figure if I assume they'll all be dead by the finale, I can't be disappointed. Just saying.

All caught up on Teen Wolf and ready for season five. Looking forward to seeing how this season goes. And my binge watch of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries continues. I'm so in love with this show. Glad I've got a few seasons to sink into.

That's it on the TV front. Tonight's post is from Believe, a novella where my main characters have some issues to work out.

Here's the tagline:

Shaelyn Hardwick is a talented mage, but lacks control. When she inadvertently causes another's death, she flees under the cover of darkness. Innis Talmadge goes to the mat for Shaelyn and gets dismissed for his efforts. He tracks her down and a battle ensues. Shaelyn doesn't trust her ability, but she trusts Innis and he has to show her how to believe in herself again.

And a preview snippet…

"Shaelyn Hardwick scores again with a move bordering on illegal. Madwyn Bronte can take a free strike, but Shaelyn is allowed to counter in defense." The announcer's voice boomed in the arena.

Shaelyn readied for Madwyn's maneuver, going on gut instinct and flexing her fingers. Madwyn used the same two techniques over and over. Shae drew on her element, absorbing heat to deflect the ice or singe the objects Madwyn would hurtle in Shae's direction. Madwyn flung her arms wide and pulled off a surprise attack, using a blast of ice to form a wall then conjuring a line of cinder blocks and boards to act as shrapnel when Shae threw flames at the ice. Not bad for a timid, little mage of Madwyn's skill.

But Shae had a trick or two up her sleeve, a few new moves she hadn't perfected yet, but didn't mind using. She let a slow smile spread across her face and brought her hands together, letting the fire flow freely from her fingertips for a ten count. The ice cracked and shattered and when the blocks and wood pieces started their forward momentum, Shae spread her arms wide and tipped her head back then brought it forward. The counter measure should have dispersed the flying objects off to either side, but instead, the maneuver reversed the trajectory and everything hurtling back towards Madwyn.

Too late, Shae realized her mistake. She attempted an aggressive intervention, but didn't have the energy reserves to pull the move off. Shae expended too much when she'd tried for flash and flair instead of solid magicking.

Horrified, her eyes opened wide. "Madwyn, get out of the way!" Her warning did little good.

Madwyn tried to duck out of the way, but couldn't clear the destructive path in time. Two blocks and several pieces of wood scored direct hits. Madwyn went down, the sound of crunching bones echoing in the suddenly quiet arena. The shrapnel littered the field, dropping to the ground when Madwyn struck her head on the surface. Without a tether, the pieces had no force to keep them aloft.

Which meant Madwyn either got knocked out or…

Worse.

Shae dropped to her knees, her head slumped forward. Innis's warning before the match ringing in her ears. Don't show off. Keep control and don't attempt anything new during a match until you master control. Why the hell hadn't she listened?

Two strong hands gripped her shoulders. Innis. He would have to be right here, right now.

Shae glanced up and met his gaze. His eyes hooded, she couldn't read him at all. Probably didn't want to at the moment.

He held out a hand. "Come on, let's get you up and out of here."

Medical healers surrounded Madwyn, working on her injuries. Shaelyn couldn't do anything to help. Causing harm seemed to be her forte.

She accepted the help up. "I want to go to the infirmary. I owe her that." Dusting off her clothes, she started toward the exit.

Innis caught up. "Fine, but we'll need to discuss what happened here. Soon, Shae."

She nodded, but didn't speak. Everything she wanted to say clogged in her throat. But she'd take the reprieve. Innis would no doubt tear her a new one as soon as Madwyn got the all clear.

If she got one.

Shae's in something of a bind here, no? Here's a clue… it gets worse. LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Beast in the Belfry

Happy Father's Day to all the terrific dads out there.

This week in TV? Gotta talk about the Orphan Black finale. Holy crap. I swear, every time I think I've got everything figured out the curve ball smacks me in the face again. I LOVE this show.

Killjoys ended up being better than I thought. Definitely happy to add it to my Friday night lineup. Defiance is dark this season and I like it, a lot. Dark Matter followed its premiere with another great episode so I'm in. So happy to have good TV on Friday nights again.

Strike Back's episode provided the high octane adventure I crave. I will say I sincerely hope Mei gets her richly deserved reward in the very near future. Please and thank you.

Finished a few more episodes of Teen Wolf. Should be caught up in time for the premiere in the next week or so. Also started Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. What a kick ass show! Very much along the lines of The Murdoch Mysteries, which is one of my favorites. Looking forward to binge watching more soon.

The Last Ship premieres tonight! Can't wait to see what the crew gets into this season. Bring on the action.

Tonight's post is from Beast in the Belfry, a novella with a Beauty and the Beast vibe, featuring a hex that needs to be broken.

Here's the tagline:

A curse leaves artist Vittoria Blahm disfigured and marred for life. But Cal Gilligan sees the true woman under the scars and he falls hard for her when she saves him from plunging to his death. Vittoria can't quite believe anyone wants her and fears risking her heart to the possibility.

And a preview snippet…

Jejune cursed her brother for his over the top obsessions. She understood Hessler's unquenchable desire to call someone his, but his methodical madness would drive even the sanest woman away. Jejune spent an inordinate amount of time cleaning up her brother's messes. Vittoria would be the hardest of all, because even though Jejune grasped her brother's need to lash out, his cruelty never failed to surprise her. Jejune's softer heart required she at least try to set her brother's vindictive hex aright.

But it wouldn't prevent Vittoria from suffering in the near future.

Jejune rolled to a stop on the north side of the quad. She didn't have a lot of time; the first rays of dawn broke over the horizon. Expending more energy than she wanted, she removed Vittoria from the car using magic. After creating the vortex that swept Hessler from the sitting area, she didn't have much left. She levitated Hess's student to the edge of the grassy courtyard and arranged her face down on the ground. Leaning over Vittoria's prone form, Jejune whispered a charmed counter to her brother's hex.

Vittoria would not have an easy time getting her life back. If she ever did.

I'm enjoying trying my hand at gender swapping Beauty and the Beast. So much fun to write.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: A Valentine Caper

So… some good TV this week. Strike Back continues to be excellent viewing. Awesome to see Martinez and Richmond kick ass as they're trained to do. I did call the wife, which is all I'll say for now. Can't wait for the next installment!

Orphan Black, once again, totally blew everything out of the water. Seriously, every time I think I'm cool to settle back and watch, another twist has me sitting on the edge of my seat with my mouth hanging open. I love it!

Defiance returned and, geez, cleaned freaking house. Not only is the E-rep gone, with the exception of Berlin—thankfully—but three regular characters are no more. I love having Nolan and Amanda working in tandem. We'll see how long that lasts.

The premiere of Dark Matter has me intrigued enough to keep watching. I like the blend of characters so far. Hopefully, as the show unfolds, that'll stay the case. Who knows? Killjoys opens next week and I'm very much looking forward to adding it to my Friday night viewing.

More on new shows next week…

Tonight's post is from A Valentine Caper, a novella set around Valentine's Day, featuring a workaholic cupid who needs some downtime.

Here's the tagline:

A cupid, Lorna Heartshorn, is a workaholic who wants to spend Valentine's Day—the one day her magic doesn't work—with a mortal man who needs a hot woman. When Gus Shepler pops up on her radar, she thinks she's found the perfect guy and sets out to seduce him. No easy feat, since he's sworn off women after a string of bad luck and nasty break-ups.

And a preview snippet…

Lorna Heartshorn dropped down beside her fellow cupids, Marie and Katie. "I'm finally taking some time off. What should I do?" She waved to the waiter and signaled for her usual, a slinging arrow—cranberry juice, green apple schnapps, and vodka.

Marie snorted. "Since when do you ever take time off?" She idly toyed with her stir stick, spearing a cherry from her love struck martini.

Katie chimed in. "Wait a minute. Valentine's Day doesn't count, Lorna. We all get that day off." She rolled her eyes. "The one day our magic doesn't work shouldn't count." She brought her cupid's bow, a frothy pink concoction, up to her lips.

Lorna shrugged. "Yeah, yeah. But I'm thinking about taking an extra day or two. I need to have a fling and I want a mortal man." Her drink arrived and Lorna fought the urge to down the entire glass.

Marie blinked. "Did you say mortal? Since when do you traipse around with birthday set?" She took a sip of her martini. "I've known you seventy years and you've never had a burning desire to go off the celestial plane."

Marie spoke the truth. Lorna used to visit the mortal coil at least twice a year when she'd first become a cupid almost a century ago. But she'd had decades of staying in the ether, the mists separating the celestial from the humans inhabiting the earth.

Katie tilted her head to one side. "What's going on with you? You're not like having a midlife crisis or anything, are you?" She leaned closer, peering over the top of her tall tumbler.

Lorna laughed. "No. I'm not having a meltdown or anything crazy." She swirled the liquid in her glass. "I'm just… I don't know… out of touch." She didn't have a clue how to explain the weird disconnect she'd had with everyone lately.

Marie smirked. "You're suffering burn out, Lorna." She slid her gaze toward Katie. "Told you."

Katie nodded. "Yep. You did." She settled back in her seat. "Marie has a theory, Lorna."

Lorna rolled her eyes. "Well, do share. I know you can't wait." She took another sip of her cocktail.

Marie squared her shoulders, getting into mother hen mode. "How much vacation time do you have saved up?" She quirked an eyebrow.

Lorna smirked. "I don't know. Seven years?" She sobered. "Maybe more." What would she do with time off?

Hike through a mountain range. Relax on a beach. Sail around the world. Bah! She'd be bored within forty-eight hours. She loved her work.

Marie threw up her hands. "Seriously? Come on, Lorna, how can you not realize you're completely tapped out?" She calmed down and schooled her features. "Sweetie, you're so good at matching and extremely dedicated, but yes, you're also out of touch. Very."

When Marie dragged out the adverbs, it meant shit just got very real.

Marie and Katie are a hoot and they're going to give Lorna what she wants along with what she needs in the form of Gus Shepler. Let the matching begin…

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Still of the Night

How did half the year slip by already? Seriously, I think I'm still stuck back in January. LOL

Then again, I know it's summer when Strike Back returns! It's not on in the US yet, but I'll be happy to do a rewatch when it hits Cinemax. I'm totally bracing to not have a full team by the end of the ten episode run. Something tells me Stonebridge and Scott have been way too lucky to date. Just saying.

Orphan Black continues to bring it's A game. I love, love, love the dynamic of putting Helena with Allison. I will say I'm not at all surprised Rachel pulled a magic rabbit out of her ass. I'm actually a little thrilled I can still hate her. I totally want to see her and Rudy in a room together and honestly don't care if neither comes out. LOL

Bitten had its US finale on Friday and I knew what would happen but the losses still smacked me in the gut. Season three can't get here fast enough for me.

On the Teen Wolf front, I'm about halfway through season four and I'm slowing down a little so I don't have so long to wait for new episodes. Although, I guess I could totally do a complete rewatch from start to finish if I get through the last handful of episodes too quickly. :D

That's it for TV this week. Tonight's post is from Still of the Night, a novella where my characters start a partnership then becomes a couple.

Here's the tagline:

Salem Rhys has the perfect recipe for brewing dark lager, a potent alcohol that will go over huge at the mage academy… but doesn’t have the know-how or equipment to create the concoction. Jared Meyer, a tech genius, can definitely help her out. Salem falls hard for her business partner, but considers him out of her league until Jared proposes more than a money-making venture.

And a preview snippet…

Jared quirked a brow. "One of us has to drink first."

Salem pursed her lips. "Please, go ahead." Her confidence with the first try bordered on nonexistent.

Jared shook his head. "You know, I've got seniority and I'm not afraid to use it." He waved his arm toward the still with a flourish. "I insist you have the honor."

Salem snorted. "Which basically means you're afraid to drink first." She couldn't actually blame him.

He laughed. "Hell, yes. We're using your recipe for this stuff. Your culinary skills aren't known to be the best." Being wise beyond his years, he took several steps back.

But Salem only rolled her eyes. "Oh, Jared. You should know I wouldn't steer you wrong when it comes to drinking. My knowledge there is legendary."

He inclined his head in acknowledgment. "Then drink up, Salem." He folded his arms across his chest. "Show me how it's done."

Putting on a brave face, she grabbed a jar and turned the valve on the barrel, letting a trickle splash into the container. Taking a deep breath, she drained the contents, swallowing in one gulp. God, what horrible, horrible swill. The taste so foul, she concentrated to keep a grimace off her face.

Wiping her hand across her mouth, she nodded toward the still.

Jared flashed a quick smile and dispensed about a shot's worth into a clean glass. He downed the liquid only to spew it everywhere once it hit the back of his tongue.

Coughing and choking, he sputtered. "Holy shit, Salem. This stuff could eat through metal." He spit several more times. "Or maybe run a vehicle. I think gasoline might taste better." He shuddered with distaste.

The gas comment clicked with Salem. "Oh damn. I'm pretty sure you just hit the nail on the head." She turned and went through the ingredients she'd used. "My mom was notorious for mixing things up." She should've used the recipe for biofuel her mother had given her for the alcohol.

Jared's eyes widened. "Tell me you've got the right mix written down somewhere, or all the hard work we've put in so far is moot."

Salem grinned. "Oh, I've got it written down. And it's actually brilliant. No one will ever be able to steal the recipe." Crossing the room, she dragged out the covered binder, flipped to the correct page, and motioned Jared over. "Check this out."

He glanced down and let out a bark of laughter. "You're right. They'd look at this and skip right over it." Holding a hand up, his lips curved. "We're in business."

She high-fived him. "Let's clean the still and do another trial run." Salem sent a quick thank you out to her mother.

The woman might have been disorganized and a little whacky, but she had the best recipe for potent alcohol.

I'm honestly not completely sure where these two are going to take me, but I'm along for the ride. LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye