Sunday Snippet: Variation on Violence (First Breed Nation)

Had a busy week with a new work project landing in my inbox. It's a holiday novel and I'm so excited because I love editing holiday stories! I'm also working on a proofread, which is a nice complement to a copy edit.

Had a slow week of viewing due to another loss of a relative. 2023 has been a rough year for the older generation in my family. I hope the final months are loss free.

I did watch the premiere episode of Cannes Confidential and thoroughly enjoyed it! It's got intrigue and charm and the cast is stellar. Looking forward to the next episode.

Also caught another episode of the Madame Blanc Mysteries. I'm slightly disappointed in the angst factor between the main characters but I'll roll through and see what happens. Very excited Gloria has a new guy even if he's competition for Dom.

Watched an episode of Peak Practice and found it kind of interesting. I liked getting some additional screen time for the deaf characters introduced earlier. Also kind of liked Andrew figuring out what he doesn't want.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness and, wow, this one had some twists and a heartbreaking scene that I almost couldn't watch. Kind of looking forward to seeing where it goes.

Caught another Death in Paradise. Enjoyed the guys trying to avoid bringing Richard in on the case while he was down with a tropical fever but loved that they ended up doing it anyway.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Variations on Violence, a First Breed Nation novella.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Nichol Gothe and Brewster Walters, two detectives in the major crimes unit, go undercover to bust up a rebel alliance in the undercity. But when Nichol has to use her meta-human ability, Brewster can't decide whether to trust she's working for justice or turn her in to the task force commander. Nichol sends him reeling when she reveals how deeply the secret society of freaks and geeks has infiltrated the regular human world.

And a preview snippet…

Hitching his pants up with one hand, Brewster dashed to the door and yanked it open. Grabbing their voyeur before he could flee, Brewster dragged him inside and kicked the door shut. Their audience of one growled a curse at Brewster.

"Who the fuck are you?" Brewster tucked his spent cock back into his pants and glared at the guy. "I don't put on a show for anyone, not even paying customers. If I catch you watching again, I'll serve your dick to the rats. Are we clear?"

The guy tried to front with some heavy bravado. "Like to see you try." He sneered in Brewster's direction.

Brewster stalked closer, standing toe-to-toe with the man. He caught and held the man's gaze and planted an image of his threat.

Five seconds later, the guy let out a strangled cry, his hands going to his groin. "W-wh-what did you do to me?" He pulled the front of his pants and checked to make sure his manly bits were still intact.

Brewster gave him a nasty smirk. "Showed you a small try. Pretty sure you don't want the actual act, right?" He turned and walked back in Nichol's direction. "Get the hell out of my sight. I'll be in the chapel at the designated time." The old church acted as a neutral meeting place to conduct business. "Tell Cardinal not to be late." Brewster glanced over his shoulder. "And remind him this one isn't on the menu."

The guy's head bobbed up and down. "Right. Chapel. I'll tell him." His hand inched toward the door.

Brewster added a parting shot. "And don't even think about telling him how close you came to losing your dick."

The guy stuttered out an unintelligible response and scurried out of the building.

Nichol choked out a flabbergasted sound. "What. The hell. Was that?" She planted her hands on her hips.

Brewster lifted one shoulder. "Playing a role. If I'm supposed to be a badass dealer of human flesh, I should play the part, right?" Confidence rolled through him after getting the result he hoped for with the scrawny man.

Nichol fanned her face. "Geez, it's kind of a turn-on." She met his gaze. "But … a word of warning … I didn't miss the draw of energy from the air around us. If I caught it, you can bet someone less dense would clock it also." She put a hand on his chest. "You might need to exercise a little caution."

Brewster leaned in close. "Exercise caution? You mean like this?" His mouth covered hers again.

Nichol melted against him, and the kiss spun out of control. He wanted nothing more than a bed and her—preferably naked—for the foreseeable future. But … they didn't have that kind of time. He still had a meeting to get to.

Then again … they had a couple of hours before that happened.

Brewster pulled back. "Ground rules…" He could very easily get distracted.

Nichol blinked then focused on him. "Ground rules?" Her hands skimmed along his torso.

He nodded. "We're undercover. Whatever happens between us can't affect the job."

Nichol huffed out a breath. "Pretty sure it'll only lend credibility to the work."

Brewster arched his brows. "And when you can't call the shots? What happens then?"

She snorted. "I get pissed and you put me in my place."

He narrowed his eyes. "With no retaliation?"

Nichol smirked. "Oh, Brewster. Where's the fun in that? Of course, I'll retaliate." She smoothed her hand down his chest. "But never where it'll put us in jeopardy."

He lifted his chin. "Fair enough." He caught her hands in his. "Any objection to getting the hell out of here?" His head jerked toward the door. "And continuing this somewhere more comfortable?"

Nichol gave him a slow, sexy smile. "Not a single one…"

This story is coming together in a way I didn't expect, which is terrific. Brewster's ability went in a completely different direction than the one originally planned and I love it.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Utter Not a Word

Well, it's been a week. I hit a slump even though I got a lot accomplished. Not sure why I ended up being so distracted, but I struggled to stay focused on anything.

Had a very slow viewing week, probably due to being randomly distracted by everything.

I watched another episode of Strangest Things and enjoyed the artifacts featured. This show makes interesting connections when they're trying to figure out what something is.

Caught a Death in Paradise marathon, which ended up being fun to watch. I'm still doing a full watch in chronological order, but fun to have a whole day of great episodes.

Enjoyed another episode of Battlestar Galactica. We finished up the first half of season two and during our discussion we remembered how long we had to wait for the next half, especially because the episode kind of ends on something of a cliffhanger. And there were so many great moments in this episode!

I planned to start Cannes Confidential this week but ended up being too distracted. I'll be watching it in the very near future and will post my reaction next week.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Utter Not a Word, a novella that brings a couple together after the murder of a dear friend and the death of a mentor.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Maren Roth is reeling over the loss of her oldest friend after a skirmish with an opposing faction goes horribly wrong. Wayne Edelman, a superior adept with the responsibility of their sect resting in his hands, offers comfort and support in a very unexpected way and Maren realizes the man has become an expert on reading her moods. With a huge battle brewing, she takes solace in the concept that together with Wayne, they might have a fighting chance at winning.

And a preview snippet…

"Jessie, no! Don't send the—"

Maren woke up with a scream, her head pounding and her eyes filling with tears.

The dark room cast gray and black shadows and didn't resemble the warehouse.

A hand reached for her. Wayne's here.

Right here.

"Hey, careful now." Wayne eased up from the chair and settled beside her. "You're back at the manor." He grasped her shoulders and turned her to face him. "You've got a nasty bump on your head, and you're banged up."

Yep. Physically and emotionally. Banged up. Wrecked. Ravaged.

Maren bit the inside of her cheek but couldn't stop the flow of liquid streaming down her cheeks. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out but a garbled whimper that ended on a sob.

Wayne carefully scooped her up onto his lap. "Yeah, it's hitting hard. I know." He smoothed a hand over her hair.

Maren tucked her head under his chin. "She's gone. My oldest friend in the world." She took the tissues Wayne grabbed for her. "I can't deal."

How did she go on without Jessie?

Wayne hugged her closer. "I know. I know." His fingers carefully pressed around her nape. "How's the head?"

She grimaced. "Hurts. The tears aren't helping." But damned if she could stop them.

He nodded. "Yeah, I get it. But you'll feel better letting all that out." He reached over and turned on the lamp then carefully checked her cuts and scrapes. "Any pain from these?"

Maren shook her head. "I can't feel them. I'm too numb." She shivered a little and wondered if feeling like drowning underwater would ever stop.

Wayne dragged the blanket up and over her shoulders. "Do you remember what happened after Jessie went down?" His voice held no censure but something wrong must have happened.

Maren shook her head. "I remember giving her the rites and burning her. You bringing me here. Vaguely remember the shower." She eased back to meet his gaze. "Why?"

Concern creased the corners of his eyes. "Do you remember using hellfire at all?"

I unleashed hellfire? Geez. That explained the concern. Not in a chastising way, because he also stayed with her because of her head injury. But if she used the forbidden deterrent, he'd have some serious explaining to do.

Maren shook her head again. "I don't. Not really. Did I hurt anyone?" She had no recollection of what happened to the wizards and their team of mages.

Wayne shrugged. "Somewhat, but no one died." He didn't elaborate or say how bad any injuries were.

Maren wanted to care but couldn't. "I'm not at a place where she can give a shit about hurting the wizards who killed Jessie." Her shoulders squared and an ache went through her.

Wayne grunted then gently prodded for answers. "Did you intend to kill them?" Again, his tone lacked any heat or anger—he only needed to ask.

She rolled her good shoulder. "Honest answer? I don't know. I can't be sure one way or the other." Rage and fear fueled her after Jessie went down. "But I can say if I wanted them dead not even you could've stopped me." Her eyes filled again. "So … I guess that's the answer we'll have to live with." Her throat clogged and swallowed another sob.

Wayne cupped her face. "It'll do, because I agree. If you'd wanted them dead, they would be." He shifted his position and settled a little further into the pillows on her bed.

Maren put her head on his shoulder, letting the tears fall and the muffled sobs escape. Wayne whispered soothing words, creating a safe zone to express her grief. She didn't know how long she cried before she drifted off again.

But she appreciated having him with her … because, right there in Wayne's arms, she finally found a moment of solace.

I'm taking a bit of a dive into the grieving process with this story and I'm pretty happy with how it's coming together right now.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Urban Grit

Welcome July! The month that my doggos hate with the intensity of a thousand suns. And we actually got an early start on the fireworks this year … about mid-June or at least the last two weekends. Personally, I love a good fireworks show. The dogs really don't. They get antsy and want to go outside but hate it outside because of the loud crackle and booms. It's exhausting.

Had a good week with work. Finished up two projects and made way to get started on a new one. I'm hoping to slide in some extra freelance work this month because I'm in between two developmental edits at the moment and could use something to keep my busy.

Also had a bit of a scare with my dad. He ended up in the hospital for a few days but he's doing well.

Not a bad week for television. I'm really angry I didn't get to watch Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies before Paramount yanked it. It angers me that studios can pull whatever they want to write off for tax purposes. I'd love to be able to do that on a personal level.

I finished up the ninth season of Brokenwood Mysteries. Actually loved the episode. This is such a comfort watch for me. Looking forward to starting Cannes Confidential this week, especially since one of my favorite actors is involved.

Caught another episode of Madame Blanc Mysteries and enjoyed the mystery. Not sure I'm excited about having the creepy woman back but I'll reserve judgment on that one. I love the cast of characters in this show.

Finished up the second part of Silent Witness and the episode definitely took a turn I didn't expect. I like it when that happens!

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. I'd seen most of this one before and I'm glad I got to watch the whole episode. I'm loving this show.

Continued my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica with "Flight of the Phoenix." This one had so much going on and it was all spectacular. The pilot interaction ended up being my favorite thing, as usual. But lots of good stuff overall.

Started the second season of Fantasy Island. I'm about halfway through the episode and enjoying it so far. I'm definitely here for Raphael and Elena interactions!

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Urban Grit, a novella about a couple that drags their friends into a dangerous situation then have to solve the problem.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Keeley Fitz and Holt Matterworth produce and star in the reality docu-style web drama, Urban Grit. They shamelessly drag their friends along on their adventures where they try to bust and debunk urban myths … except they quickly learn most legends all have a basis in truth.

And a preview snippet…

Holt stopped the SUV by the main gate and waited for Dean to get inside before pulling up the property assessments for the house and acreage. "This covers everything listed on the deed." He made the map go full screen on the tablet.

Keeley leaned closer. "So, the house is pretty much centrally located on the plotted area. What's this section behind the summer kitchen?" The small structure sat directly behind the house.

Holt glanced at the key in the lower portion of the monitor. "Looks like a cemetery, according to the symbols here." He pointed to a square going around the bordered off area. "It's surrounded by shrubbery and has an iron gate if this picture is accurate." The image had a date about ten years old on it.

Dean frowned. "There are two more outbuildings on the east side of the property and three in the northwest corner. That's a lot of ground to cover."

Holt gave a nod. "We should maybe start here." He pointed to the far side of the grounds that butted up against the neighbor's boundary line.

Dean cocked his head. "Why not go through the main gate?" He fidgeted, his impatience rolling off him in waves.

Holt countered. "The hound might be guarding the entrance. And we can't see it, so I'd rather start from the back and work through those areas first." He didn't like not having a clue about where to begin.

Dean grunted. "Good point. Rear of the property we go." He started to pop the door open.

Keeley put up a hand. "Hold up. Let's start with the cemetery. It's out in the open and we'll have more room to maneuver." She dug through the duffel bag at her feet and brought out three bags of salt. "If we get trapped or chased, the salt should neutralize the hellhound and keep him from coming after us." She handed two of the bags over and kept one for herself.

Holt didn't roll his eyes, but he doubted the salt would offer much in the way of protection. "Look, there's a lane that goes along the east side of the property. Let's drive as far as we can then cut through the trees toward the cemetery on foot."

Keeley and Dean settled back, and Holt started the engine again. He carefully maneuvered the SUV over the jutted track and finally came to a stop about two-thirds of the way down the trail. A fallen tree blocked the rest of the path.

Dean scrambled out of the vehicle. "This might be good. According to the assessor's marks, if we cut through here, the cemetery should be in our sights." He started toward the tree line.

Keeley met Holt's gaze. "Let him take the lead. We'll back him up." She started forward, hefting the bag of salt under one arm.

"Hey! I see someone. It's gotta be Joanie." Dean started off a run.

Keeley quickly caught him. "Slow down. I know you want to find out if it's her, but if you run and the hound isn't at the front gate, it'll give chase." She sent Holt a pleading glance.

Holt lifted his chin. "She's right. Let's take our time and listen for anything prowling around on the way. If it's Joanie, she needs us to get there in one piece."

Dean huffed out a breath. "Fine. You're right. Let's go." He started forward again at a slower pace.

Holt kept his ears tuned to any odd sounds. When they approached the hedge line, the gnarled branches were so overgrown he didn't think they'd get through. But Keeley found a small opening and motioned for them.

She held some branches back. "We should fit through here. You guys go first and I'll hold the branches back." She made a bigger hole.

Dean ducked through and Holt quickly followed. Keeley turned and backed through then let go of the swath she held. Turning, her eyes went wide, and she nodded toward the figure waving their hands up and down.

Dean's lips curved. "It's her! I'd recognize that monstrosity of a coat anywhere." He started forward but paused. "Go slow. Don't run."

Keeley nudged Holt with her shoulder. "He's getting it." She followed behind.

Holt brought up the rear still listening for the sounds of growling or running footsteps … or paws as the case might be.

Joanie called out when they got closer. "You're okay. The hound is prowling outside the gate over there." She pointed to the rusted barrier.

Dean swept her up. "Are you okay? Did it hurt you?" He set her down and started checking her over.

Joanie shook her head. "No, once it tore the door off the freezer, I kind of held my ground while it circled me. It came toward me, snarling and snapping but stopped when I put my hands down." She shuddered a little. "Then it got behind me and nudged me out of the freezer and kept pushing me until we got here. I started for the house, but it growled and started butting its head against me again until I finally figured out where it wanted me to go." She held up her phone. "There's a lot of information about hellhounds on the web. I'm pretty sure it won't let me leave the property. But I do think we might be able to get to the house."

Holt shook his head. "That's a terrible idea. We should get the hell out of Dodge and as far away from her as we can." He raked a hand over his head. "There has to be something better than going back to the house."

Dean whirled around. "Tough shit. We're going there. I won't put Joanie in any more danger." He wrapped an arm around her.

Holt frowned. "Look, there's a cabin about ten miles away that's secluded and should be safe." He didn't think sticking around with a ravaging beast would be a good plan.

Joanie gave a quick shake of her head. "I'd rather not chance having the hellhound follow us there and hurt innocent people." She tucked her injured hand in her pocket.

Keeley agreed. "They're right, Holt. We can at least poke around in the house and set up for a few days to figure things out. We've got our gear and we can take turns making runs for supplies if we need them."

Holt made a low growl. "Fine. But this is a shit plan." He tore the bag of salt open. "Get your bags open, put Joanie between you two, and let's make a break for it." He led the group, pouring a trail of the white crystals on the way.

Longer than usual peek but I'm happy with how this turned out.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Unforeseen Consequences

Can't believe June is almost over. This year is flying by so quickly. Or maybe it's just so much is out of control it seems that way.

Great week of work. I'm finishing up two big projects and hopefully setting up the groundwork for more. I'd love to find some balance between big jobs and smaller ones.

Had a decent week for viewing. We had some weather roll through, and I took the precaution of not starting anything when we might lose power.

I started a new two-parter of Silent Witness. Kind of an interesting premise and I'm not completely sure where this one is going. I like that.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise, and it's one I hadn't seen yet. I do love watching the series in chronological order.

Continued my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica with "Final Cut," which is one of my very favorite episodes. There's a lot going on in this one and it's all amazing.

Finished the second season of Only Murders in the Building and, holy hell, I loved how it ended! Can't wait for season three!

Also managed to catch another episode of Classic Rugrats. It brought back some memories because my kiddos wanted to try flan because of this one.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Unforeseen Consequences, a novella about a couple whose past comes back to visit.

Here's the mini-blurb:

In the School for the Extraordinarily Gifted, Stella Stubbs and Dak Satterfield hold the record for the most challenges won. As instructors, they no longer join in on the fun, but both enjoy watching their students try to break their top scores—until a dangerous element is introduced and they discover their last wager won had unforeseen consequences.

And a preview snippet…

After playing voyeur while Stella and Dak had sex, Wilson Phelps slipped two fingers inside his student's wet and warm sheath. "Ah, my pet. You enjoyed that, didn't you. You're taking my fingers with ease." He brushed his thumb over her clit.

Erin Zephyr squirmed and nodded. "Yes, Master Phelps. They're beautiful together."

Her ass cheeks nudged against his hard dick, taking a bit of the sting out of the compliment. Wilson didn't want to hear about them being beautiful together. Or have Erin fall into a romantic trap with hearts in her eyes. He wanted her to pay attention to Stella's technique.

Because one day he'd have the dream of Stella writhing under him, but until then, Erin would serve as a conduit.

He added pressure to Erin's nub of nerves. "Did you see how Stella worked his cock?" She's got all the right moves. Brought both tremendous pleasure." More silky essences covered his fingers.

Erin reached back and cupped his erection. "When can I try that with you?" Her fingers wrapped around his girth.

Wilson's lips twisted. "Are you in a rush then? Do my fingers and tongue not bring you pleasure?" The student had a lot to learn before he'd take things further.

Erin slid her palm up and down his length. "Yes, Master Phelps." She brushed her thumb over the head of his cock. "But I want to feel this hard dick deep inside me." Her fingers added pressure and firmness before stroking again.

The crudely expressed desire would eventually be tempered when Erin learned how to truly please him. Right now, he wanted to finish this session and find his own release, which would be soon. If he visualized Stella holding his hard shaft between her fingers, it wouldn't take long.

He nuzzled Erin's throat, picturing Stella in his mind. "I'm close, my pet. Come for me first." He found the exact spot to send her over the edge and fluttered his fingers over it.

Erin gasped and shuddered, her hand gripping his cock, milking it in long, fast strokes. In his mind's eye, Stella smiled and urged him to join her in orgasmic bliss. In reality, Erin finished him off, her head lolling to one side, her legs trembling against his thighs.

Wilson swallowed a bit of distaste when he set Erin aside and reached for his pants. "Go ahead and get a shower if you'd like. I have some work to finish up." He picked up the pen Stella used to sign the wager book and turned it over in his hands.

Erin tilted her head to one side. "Would you like to join me?" She padded across his room to the attached bath.

Wilson shook his head. "Not tonight, my pet." He had some incantations to perform. "But I might tomorrow. If you arrive at the usual time."

She flashed a quick smile. "I'll be here. Good night, sir." Ducking into the bath, she quietly closed the door.

Wilson got up and crossed to the back of room and entered his office. He retrieved his robe, blood red in color, and slipped it on. Loosening the latch in the back of his closet, he pushed the door open to a secret space dedicated to his master plan.

Placing the pen in a place of prominence, Wilson settled down to his knees and began to chant.

This story went a little darker than I expected, but it's coming together in a way I love. I don't usually do the antagonist's point of view, but Phelps wanted to show his side of things.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

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: Uncommonly Good

Getting a later than usual start on my blog post today. We lost power for about four hours. Finally got some rain after about ten days and the power blips. It's not even storming. Go figure.

Still moving along on my work projects. I'm so excited about the two manuscripts I'm editing. Both are part of a series with two different authors. Can't wait for the rest of the world to see them!

Had a pretty good week of viewing television. I'm still in the midst of the great clean out so not a huge amount, but a few extra hours.

Started the premiere episode of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies. So far, I'm loving it. I paused mid-episode mainly because I want to be able to watch uninterrupted.

Caught another episode of Brokenwood Mysteries. Quite a good mystery for this one. Thoroughly enjoyed the episode.

Watched another episode of Peak Practice and enjoyed it. This one had some action, which doesn't happen often.

Enjoyed the penultimate episode of Classic Who's season twenty-six and I'm looking forward to the finale. Then I have to decide if I'm jumping into New Who or taking a break.

Caught the first half of a Silent Witness two-parter. Intriguing episode with some odd little twists. Looking forward to seeing how it ends.

Continued my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica with "The Farm". I have mixed feelings about this episode. Loved the creeptastic look into what the cylons are up to on Caprica. Hated the deeper dive into my most disliked character in the entire series. So, enjoyed watching with my co-watcher but tempered that with knowing what will come later with the most disliked character. Should be doing a double-header next week!

Watched another episode of Death in Paradise. I'm very happy to be starting this series from the beginning and working my way through in the established order. This is such a fun watch.

Enjoyed another episode of Only Murders in the Building. Such a great episode! Things are moving into place, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Caught the first episode of Madam Blanc Mysteries' second season. It's a holiday themed episode and actually quite terrific. I'm kind of wondering if Dom and Caron will be vying for Jean's affections, which I hope won't be the case.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Uncommonly Good, a novella that brings two mages from different sides together under unusual circumstances.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Shelby Fewes and Creed Campanalla have a very friendly rivalry vying for top name in their respective dark and light organizations. When Creed is ordered to eliminate Shelby for retaliation, he makes a different call and the duo have an uncommonly good time proving the two sides can live and love together.

And a preview snippet…

Creed didn't pull his punches. "You've made a huge impression on the light master." And not a good one.

Shelby snorted. "Let me guess. You're supposed to make me go away." She did a slow walk around his living area, fingering the tapestries hanging on the wall.

Creed grunted. "Yeah, but I'm making a different call." Everything in his gut screamed to dig deeper.

Shelby arched her brows. "What? Out of the goodness of your heart?" Her gaze dropped to his groin. "Or maybe you're thinking with some other muscle?" Her lips twisted in a smirk, and she took a seat on the sofa.

Creed frowned. "My attraction for you has nothing to do with my decision. The way you fought in the cage and the conversation I overheard after the shower does." She'd been dealt a terrible hand.

Shelby's mouth thinned. "You eavesdropped?" She leaned back and folded her arms over her chest.

Creed lifted a shoulder. "I planned to duck in and compliment your sense of fair play but saw the dark overling looming over you. And, yes, I stuck around to hear what he had to say."

Shelby shook her head. "And that alone made you change your mind?" Her tone called bullshit.

Creed flung a hand out. "You know what? I was already questioning my orders after the fight. And, okay, more so after the free show you gave, but the clincher is your ten years of servitude. You're what? Twenty-five?" He took up the other end of the couch.

She nodded.

Creed fought the bile rising in his throat. "So, you started serving at fifteen?" Way too young to do the stuff she did.

She narrowed her eyes. "Is there a point to this math lesson?" She cocked her head to one side. "Where are you going with this?"

Creed bit back a sigh. "Yes, there's a point. You started serving before the age of consent. I'm betting ol' Evil Dark didn't give you a choice, did he?" And the dark overling probably didn't share the age limit with Shelby.

Shelby frowned. "Why would he? My mom ODed and owed him a crap ton of money. Someone had to pay her debt."

Creed gnashed his teeth. "Okay, but, by law, you couldn't be held responsible because you were under seventeen. You should've been placed in a neutral haven until you picked a side." He paused. "Have you ever declared fealty to the dark? Or gone through the ceremony?"

Shelby tilted her head to one side pondering. "No. But I signed a contract to pay back my mother's debt."

Creed all but snarled. "A contract you can't be bound to because it breaks about a dozen laws. The dark overling will be lucky if he's not removed from power."

Shelby's eyes widened. "You mean—" She broke off, the full realization of what had been done to her hitting hard. "Oh, hell no." She got up and paced back and forth. "I've been running around maiming and killing at his whim for no damned reason?" Her hands balled into fists. "Fuck that."

Creed got to his feet. "Cut yourself a break. You didn't know, right?" He crossed to a cart and picked up a bottle of alcohol.

Shelby shook her head. "No, no I didn't." She ran a hand through her hair. "I barely had time to process finding my mom before he swooped in and had the contract in my face." She put her hands on her hips and tilted her head back, her eyes shut and her face twisted in pain.

A need to protect her rose unbidden in his mind. He couldn't shake how horribly she'd been wronged.

He poured her a drink and pressed it into her hands then nodded toward the couch. "Why don't we settle in and start at the beginning?"

I love, love, love this story. Creed and Shelby are very well matched even if they're supposed to be on opposite sides.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Twilight Kingdom

The first week of June is in the books and I got a big chunk of my garage cleaned out, which makes me very happy.

Work projects are moving along and I'm hoping to line up another project or two in the near future. I love a full calendar!

I had a decent week of television even with the great garage cleanout. I'm not up to my regular schedule yet and I'm actually okay with that.

I finished up the second half of Silent Witness and actually liked the kind of twisty ending it had. Lots of red herrings in this episode.

Started a watch of Death in Paradise. I've never seen this series from the actual beginning and I'm excited to dive in.

Caught another episode of Only Murders in the Building and I loved having some Mabel backstory. The fact she loved The X-Files as a kid makes me so happy.

Continued my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica. "Resistance" is such a great episode … with the exception of introducing a character I absolutely disliked with intense passion.

Watched an episode of Classic Rugrats. The two segments were ones I had forgotten and I'm always happy to watch those.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Twilight Kingdom, a reimagining of Sleeping Beauty.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jess Gillian heads to the outer rim planets to get away from his overbearing parents—the royal consorts of their home planet. When the heir is away, the evil Maniforti will play, luring Nareen Rhom, a palace ward, into a relationship so he can get close to the rulers. When Nareen gets wise, Maniforti casts a spell holding the entire kingdom in his thrall—until Jess returns and sets things straight.

And a preview snippet…

Jess woke up with a groan. "What the hell happened?" His last clear memory had the no-name bounty hunter saying something about making it worse.

A cool hand pressed against his forehead. "Damn. Glad you finally came to."

Jess blinked to clear his blurry vision and found the bounty hunter's face hovering over his. Shit. Not good.

He snagged her wrist and jerked her forward. "You bitch. Why are you trying to kill me?" The accusation flew past his lips before he could stop it.

She snatched her arm away. "I'm not—stupid man—if I made an attempt on your life, you'd be dead." She snorted. "I've been protecting you but trying not to interfere." She rolled her eyes. "That didn't work out well." Sarcasm came naturally to her.

Jess's eyes widened. "Protecting me? What the hell for?" He'd been fine until she showed up in that backwater bar.

The bounty hunter shrugged. "The prince consort hired me to keep tabs on you. But … I can't reach him. And that's concerning." A note of worry crept into her tone.

Jess grunted. "Because something's wrong. Nari reached out. Probably saved my life, actually … right before you got here." He paused, recalling the desperation in Nari's plea. "Dammit. How long have I been out?"

The bounty hunter lifted a shoulder. "Two days, but—"

Jess winced. "Shit!" He sat up and gasped in pain.

She shoved him back down. "Hold on. You're not gonna be worth anything if you undo everything I just did." She gathered up some nasty smelling herbs and packed them against his skin. "You need at least two more days—preferably three—before you're back in top form." Scooping the concoction into a leather pouch, she tucked it into her bag.

Jess grimaced, but very carefully sat up again. "Get me some clothes." He didn't have two or three days to waste.

She frowned. "Did you hear what I said?"

He lifted his chin. "Yeah. It'll take at least that long to get back home. I'll recuperate on the way." His gaze scanned the room, much cleaner than he'd remembered leaving it.

She made her displeasure known but did as he asked, going to the chest of drawers and retrieving a pair of pants and a shirt.

A thought crept into his head. Old magick. He blinked. Didn't feel telepathic but it did make an odd kind of sense.

The bounty hunter tossed the clothes to him. "I still think it's a good idea to wait." But she gathered her jacket and slid the messenger bag over her shoulder.

While he dressed, he questioned the bounty hunter. "What do you know about the ancient rites?" He only knew as much as Nari shared with him.

No-name's brows drew together. "Why?"

He shook his head. "Just a feeling, but it's like one that's not mine."

The bounty hunter blew out a harsh breath. "Geez, if we're dealing with the old guard shit, we need to go now."

Jess snorted. "Which is what I suggested in the first place."

I love this story! It has a few twists that are so much fun to write.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye