Sunday Snippet: Feeding the Fury

The school year is officially over and now the summer fun begins. My daughter leaves for Disney next week to perform with the band and choir at the theme park. She's been organized and semi-packed for almost a full week already. I have no idea where she got that gene… it definitely didn't come from me.

Not a bad week for television. I caught another episode of Endeavor, which I thoroughly enjoy. Ended up with two episodes of Midsomer Murders. I'm winding down the last series or so of John Nettles's tenure.

Caught two episodes of Constantine. Again, I'm enjoying the high levels of quality snark bandied about by John. And I like how his inner demons weigh even heavier than the actual demons he has to thwart. Truly excellent fare.

Getting closer to the season finale of Gotham. Jerome's brand of crazy reaching out beyond the grave to completely encompass Jeremiah is great entertainment. And I truly do love how the other evolving villains continue to percolate their plans behind the scenes.

Chicago Fire and Blindspot are still holding my interest. I am still a little iffy on the whole Roman plan, but I'm invested enough that I want to find out what his actual master plan is.

Caught a few more episodes of Classic Who and should finish up the Dalek storyline soon. Also caught the second episode of Sense 8 and I'm pretty much hooked. I definitely want to find out what the hell is going on with this group.

The Flash season finale ended up being better than I hoped. That said, there could have been about five fewer episodes in this season and the story would have unfolded better. Riverdale threw a blindside or two into their finale and I'm there for whatever happens next. Hopefully it'll be Hiram's head on a pike parading through town. Just saying.

Krypton continues to make me happy. I kind of enjoy the intrigue and seeing how the alliances are constantly shifting because the ground keeps fluctuating under everyone's feet. Very interested in seeing where next season goes… if there is a next season.

Part one of Ghost Squad's season finale ended up being pretty terrific. I do wish there was more information on how the big boss lady gets her cases. I'll honestly not be surprised if she isn't as dirty as the cops she's trying to bring down. We'll see how that plays out.

Started a new to me show on the Roku Channel app. Archangel, I think, originally aired as TV movie, but it's billed as a three episode season. The first show ended up being pretty terrific. I also caught another episode of The Sarah Conner Chronicles on Crackle.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Feeding the Fury, a novella that started with a prompt about writing a story featuring a new commanding officer. The sages decided it would be better to write how a new command structure came to be. They also wanted a paranormal story instead of a science fiction one.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Larue and Wade displease the Fury and she orders them to battle each other in the pyre. But the two top mages decide they won't kill each other for her pleasure, instead they'll invoke the Rite of Phoenix and if they survive, the Fury will have to abdicate her throne.

And a preview snippet…

Wade sensed her presence the moment he completed his punga praeparabit routine. His raging hard-on quickly dissipated and a burst of disappointment swept through him. Wade enjoyed releasing the sexual tension and friction that naturally occurred during the hour-long workout session. He usually stroked his rigid dick to a hard come within minutes of completing the arduous and controlled period of mental and physical training. His balls ached with the break in his daily program. And his mind wanted the enhanced visions that came with spewing his seed.

He'd discovered many important clues and hints regarding his future, including his perfect match—who had yet to recognize their future intimate connection.

But Helena's appearance left him cold. And his body responded by dispelling the magickal energy replacing the kinetic force with frustration. He slowly inhaled, smelling her arousal and put a scent blocker in place to avoid the cloying aroma. No doubt she wouldn't notice, her talent being manipulation, seduction, and subterfuge to get what she wanted. Using the brute force of her lesser mages—with the promise of a liaison or even a full night in her bed—kept her in power as the Fury.

Wade had leeway. Being her top mage saved him from most of the mundane bullshit she heaped upon the novices, adepts, and masters. Helena didn't encourage higher brain function in her acolytes. Their lack of intelligence suited her and she kept them happy with magickal battles on the pyre.

Helena slithered into the room, impatience oozing from her. "The day has finally arrived. I'll wait no more." She didn't verbalize the words and probably didn't realize she'd telegraphed her thoughts directly into Wade's mind.

Gliding to his side, she turned on the seduction, touching, feeling, trying to get a rise out of Wade. His self-control won the day. He showed no outward sign of reaction, which irritated Helena who expected him to fawn over her preening.

Sorry to disappoint. I won't be performing stud service today.

She stamped her foot when he remained impassive. "Why did you ignore my order? And why are you not responding to me?" Her pointblank questions indicated her level of frustration.

They also gave him cause to provide an honest answer. "My mind and heart are elsewhere." He stirred the pot a little more. "I've gone through the beginning of the binding rite."

The slap of her hand against his face resounded in the alcove. "I didn't give you permission to bind with anyone." She snarled, spitting each syllable out between clenched teeth.

Wade kept his anger in check, responding with cool aplomb. "As the Fury, you know the rite isn't always in your control." The Fates trumped all, answering to no one in the realm. "The mystical change overtook me unexpectedly and I'm now bound to the path." And he'd gladly walk wherever fate led him, especially if it led him far away from Helena.

Her chest heaved with rage. "Who? I demand to know who you're bound to." No doubt so she could immediately attempt to break the bond.

Fat chance he'd let her. And he had a layer of protection here, too. One that would buy some time to figure a way out from under her thumb.

He shook his head. "I have to refuse. The other person isn't aware yet." When Helena discovered who his life mate would be, she'd lose her collective shit.

Helena leveled a cold stare on him. She tried to take the information from his mind, but he blocked her, slamming a shield in place to keep her from extracting the name. She growled, pissed off he managed to cut her off. She didn't lack skill and he fought to maintain the protective veil when she redoubled her effort.

She gave up, lashing out with a hard kick to his groin. He managed to stay upright, barely.

She whirled and stalked to the exit. "We'll just see if you end up completing the rite. I'm not done with you yet. I want you in my bed and I'll make it happen."

Wade pushed the pain aside and delivered a parting salvo. "You can't control or force the Fates to do your bidding. You know this."

She sent a nasty, frigid glare over her shoulder. "We'll see about that, Wade. We'll see." Leaving the chamber, she snapped her fingers and grabbed the nearest two minions—one male and one female.

Wade limped to the doorway in time to witness how Helena planned to work through her rage.

She barked an order. "Strip." Dropping her robes, she waited for Mack and Dinah to remove their garments. "Get behind me, Mack. I want you in my ass." She grabbed Dinah's arm and pushed her to the floor. "And you will worship my pussy. Now." Cupping her breasts, she ordered the other acolytes to watch and observe only. "No one else receives pleasure until I'm satisfied."

Wade rolled his eyes and left through a conjured portal. A shower would wash away the stench of dealing with Helena and give him time to plan his next careful move.

In all honesty, this story intrigues me and the sages have a very specific idea of how they want the characters to interact. Here's hoping everything comes together!

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Fancy Meeting You Here

A great week with a busy schedule. The end of the school year is always jammed up with concerts, graduation parties, and last-minute final projects. Never boring.

Good week in television. Watched a little more Classic Who with The Daleks: The Dead Planet and The Survivors. Also caught another episode of Midsomer Murders. Watched the second episode of Constantine and, honestly, I'm enjoying the show. Definitely a good thing to get a better feel for the character since he'll be on Legends this fall.

Gotham continues to be a super-great pleasure to watch. I'm almost caught up and can't wait to see how this season ends. I'm a little on the fence about R'as, but we'll see what happens.

Watched Chicago Fire and Chicago PD. I'm still loving Chicago Fire. Chicago PD not so much. The whole Woods going after Hank thing is too contrived and using one of Hank's people as a mole has been done. Also, the never heard of before sister is too damned convenient. Right now… I'm done. I'll catch up on marathons later. Blindspot, however, is holding my interest. Even if I'm kind of "meh" on Roman being the new instigator, I love the team's new interactions.

The Flash is almost over for the season and I'm ready. DeVoe is becoming my least favorite villain of all time. I'm ready for them to move on and get someone new to be the bad guy. In contrast, Arrow's season finale ended up being one of my favorite episodes. I'm a little bummed Diaz got away. Seriously, I wanted him to either die in a fire or end up behind bars.

Started a new-to-me show on Netflix with Sense8. I'd started this a long time ago and finally finished watching the first episode. I'm now hooked and can't wait to follow the series. I also caught the next to last episode of Riverdale's second season. The reveal of the Black Hood was incredible. Cheryl and Betty teaming up made me happy. I'm ready for Hiram to get what's coming to him in a big way. I'm curious about who the hell attacked Archie and Fred and have a sneaking suspicion Hiram's dirty handprints will be all over that deal. FP carrying Jughead broke my heart. I'm so ready to watch the finale now!!

Caught another episode of Krypton and, holy hell, the maneuvering and shifting allegiances is kind of fun to watch. I'm excited to see how the rest of the season goes.

Started The Batman season three and thoroughly enjoyed the show. Also caught another episode of Ghost Squad and still enjoy how fine a line Amy has to walk to get to the truth of corruption. Her interaction with Pete is also a lot of fun to watch. On tap for today is another episode of Endeavor and probably some additional Classic Who.

Whew! That wraps up television for this week. Tonight's post is from Fancy Meeting You Here, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of write a scene or story where the main characters end up in the same bar looking for hookups and find each other instead.

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…

Jonni Mars balled her hands into fists. "Philan Vellas needs to die." She stood over her best friend's body, Rochelle's neck twisted at an odd angle. "I know that bastard killed her."

And Jonni shouldered the blame. Rochelle called and begged Jonni to meet her at the waterfront. Rochelle wanted to come home, return to the gray way of living.

Jonni almost refused. Rochelle chose to go and embrace the black. The Vellas clan practiced the dark ways and ruthlessly policed their members. They also recruited heavily from the gray, the fringe dwellers that didn't have a chosen preference for either the white or the black.

Jonni bent down, careful to avoid moving her friend. "I should've been here." Instead, Jonni decided to let Rochelle wait it out a little.

And it cost Rochelle her life.

So what if Rochelle let a guy come between their friendship? Yeah, but the guy in question leads the Vellas clan. Big deal. True friends watched out for each other, even when they made shitty decisions. Not that Rochelle stood much of a chance once Philan set his sights on her. Rochelle succumbing to the black had everything to do with Philan's seductive ability, both physically and mentally.

Jonni sighed. "Look where it got you." Sprawled on a dock, pale and lifeless.

Rochelle couldn't or refused to do the things Philan requested of her. I can't do what he asks me to do. And he's angry all the time. Jonnie had tried to tell Rochelle. Philan burned through companions on a regular basis. None lasted long and if they didn't prove useful, he cut ties.

Or throats.

Jonni made a quick call to her handler, Butch Nelson, and explained what happened. He reacted pretty much as expected, only slightly more violently because of who it involved. Rochelle had blood ties to the second son of the ruling Marsoni family, illegitimate though they might be. The Marsoni clan claimed relatives from both the black and white factions, but always maintained their powerbase on the fringe, firmly in the gray.

Butch growled. "I'll send a cleanup crew. Don't even think about leaving until they get there." As if.

Jonni snorted. "You know I won't." She had enough rage to keep anyone at bay.

Butch lowered his voice. "Keep your schedule clear. I'll find out where the bastard is and give you free rein."

Jonnie like the sound of Butch's plan. She didn't have a lot of use for dark arts practitioners. Hell, she didn't care for the do-no-harm crowd either. Jonni's healthy dislike for both sides made her popular as an enforcer for the gray's ruling family. Her loyalty stayed with them. But taking out a clan leader would need a sanctioned warrant from the Marsonis.

Considering the blood tie, Jonni didn't doubt Butch would get one.

Jonni shook her head. "Daddy's not going to be happy, Rochelle." Mario Marsoni would want someone's head on a pike for the death of his daughter.

Jonni intended to deliver Philan Vellas's to him.

I'm excited to see where this one goes. The sages have a fairly clear idea of what's going to happen, but they sometimes decide to veer off into the unknown. LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Fan the Flames (Cupid's Bow)

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. Whether you have offspring, fur babies, or play a surrogate parent role for someone, you're awesome!

My weekly television roundup is kind of jammed with goodness. I caught two episodes of Krypton and I'm completely sold on this show. I'm hoping it gets another season.

Also caught two episodes of Endeavor. Finished up the first series and started the second. I rather enjoy this show and really like the actor in the lead role of Endeavor Morse.

My DVDs this week were movies. Blackhat and Red Dawn. I didn't finish Red Dawn but I'll catch it at another time. For me, the original Red Dawn is going to be hard to top.

Finished up the first arc of Classic Who with "An Unearthly Child". I also started "The Daleks" and watched about half of the first episode. Over on CW Seed, I started the live action version of Constantine and enjoyed the first episode. I'm hoping to get through the whole season before new episodes of Legends of Tomorrow begin.

I still love Gotham. The totally batshit craziness brings me a ton of joy with each episode. I'm so happy this show truly found its footing and delivers great viewing with each new week.

Also caught some additional season six episodes of Chicago Fire and another from season five of Chicago PD. I'm a little miffed they're making a mole of one of my fave characters but I'll see how it all plays out. I truly hate Woods though. Just saying.

Arrow and The Flash both had great episodes. I like seeing the two couples work through their roadblocks. That said, I honestly can't wait to see both villains go down. I'm pretty much done with being patient.

Riverdale brought more crazy and I'm still an episode behind. I do like how much tension simmers below the surface and how quickly alliances have to be made and discarded. Kudos to Mark Consuelos. He makes me totally hate Hiram. I also have a small suspicion about who fired the shots at the mayoral debate but I'll refrain from saying… in case I'm completely off my guess. LOL

I got another episode of Blindspot in and, well, I'm trying to figure out Roman's goal. I really don't want him to be another Shepherd so here's hoping that's not the direction they're going in.

Quick mention for Ghost Squad. Caught two more episodes and seriously enjoy the hell out of this show. The emotional toll is interesting to watch and the slow erosion of trust in anything also packs a punch. Great stuff.

Brief shout out for The Sarah Conner Chronicles. Rewatched the pilot episode and, damn, I forgot how awesome that was.

Last but not least… some thoughts on Jessica Jones. I finished the second season and honestly hate Trish with the passion of a thousand burning suns. I have no idea where they'll take her if the show has a third season, but off a tall building in Manhattan wouldn't bother me one damn bit. If they can redeem her, I'd be on board, but I'm honestly not all that interested in seeing a redemption arc for her. I hate her that much right now. I do hope Malcolm and Jessica end up back on good terms and I was happy to see Jessica stop by to see Oscar and the kid. I'd welcome a third season if we get one.

And that's it for my jam-packed week in television. Tonight's post is from Fan the Flames, a Cupid's Bow tale.

Here's the mini-blurb:

A modern day cupid discovers a couple with matching auras and thinks he'll have an easy time matching them up. Right... not so much. While Jamie and Alix definitely have the hots for each other, one big obstacle stands in their way—Jamie's job.

And a preview snippet…

"Hey, Joe. I'm on my way. Got a slow start this morning."

Jamie O'Riley hated being late. And he loathed leaving voice mails when he really needed to talk to a live person. But at least he'd called in a head's up to one of his coworkers.

Known as Jammer to his friends, Jamie had a thing for punctuality. Given his profession, that sometimes seemed odd. Emergency calls ran long, shifts went into overtime, and buildings burned at no one's convenience.

Jamie gave up arguing the logic of being on time whenever possible a long time ago.

Another thing he hated? Getting roped into sitting on committees. Especially when it involved him losing a bet.

Just because he had an interest in architecture and design didn't mean he wanted to sit through endless meetings about the building and interior work of their new fire station.

And okay, Mojo owed Jamie the payback for letting it slip Mojo had started dating the monster truck rally girl… woman… whatever, for which the rest of the crew spent way too much time ribbing him over. But the guy didn't have to volunteer Jamie, did he?

Mojo's little prank stuck Jamie directly on the stupid approval committee. The one who decided today would be the day to finish up the presentations and make a choice for interior designer.

Of course, no one anticipated it would be the worst of the worst days for him. He hadn't been scheduled for a double shift. And he certainly hadn't expected to lose a victim—a kid, no less—to what appeared to be vehicular manslaughter.

Not the best circumstances to work with—zero sleep and not enough coffee in the world to get rid of the monster headache he had going on.

He should get a double espresso, but no, he didn't have time to duck into the coffee shop. Besides, he couldn't stomach the flirty barista today. Her double entendres usually amused him, but not after the forty-eight hours he'd just had.

And yeah, he'd considered taking her up on the blatant, in his face, wanna get busy innuendo more than once. He'd started relationships with less to go on. Not that any of them lasted long.

He'd have to be satisfied with the steaming mug he'd brewed while he showered to wash the stench of the last few days off this morning. Getting ten hours of sleep first would have been nice. Hell, five hours would've been great.

Coffee would be served at the presentation. At least he hoped so. He might have to maim or kill someone if there wasn't any available.

Pulling into the parking lot, he cursed at the time. Ten minutes late. He rolled to a stop and cut the engine. Glancing in the rearview mirror, he hastily ran his fingers through his hair, trying to tame the too long length. His plan had been to get it cut yesterday, but that didn't work out at all. Later today, if he had to do it himself.

Popping open the door, he grabbed his coffee and slid out of his truck and locked the vehicle. Pocketing his keys, he strode toward the station. With any luck, the three designers would get their ideas out of the way in short order.

If not… there might have a good chance of being treated to the sound of his snoring.

Jamie's going to wish he'd been able to catch some sleep once he gets into the meeting. He won't know which way is up when he meets Alix.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Events in Motion

Hello, May! I'm having a momentary freak-out because we're a month away from June, which means half the year is almost gone. Seriously, time goes fast sometimes. Jeez.

Busy week for television. I caught the third episode of Krypton and, yeah, I'm hooked. I love this show. Also caught another episode of Ghost Squad and enjoyed it more than the second one. Started watching episodes of Classic Who too. My Roku is working overtime right now. LOL

Tuesday's viewing included Endeavor, more Classic Who, Midsomer Murders, and the CW Seed original Freedom Fighters: The Ray, A Hero Rises. I also caught up on an episode of Gotham and seriously… I've said it before but season four is kicking so much ass. This show is rising on my list of favorites and entering the top tier. It's awesome.

Wednesday ended up being a little light on viewing. I caught The Flash a little late because I missed it Tuesday. Not a bad episode. That said, I kind of don't care at all about how DeVoe arrived at his batshit crazy decision to "enlighten" the rest of the world. Thankfully there aren't many more episodes to get through. Just saying. Also caught an episode of Chicago Fire and Jessica Jones. At this point, I'm totally done with Trish. Season three will have a long way to go if they want me to ever like that character again.

On Thursday, I caught Arrow in real time and ended up loving the episode. The twisty turns were terrific and I'm truly thrilled Oliver and Rene arrived at a better place. Watched two episodes of Blindspot and almost finished the second season.

Friday included the last episode of Blindspot's second season and an episode of Chicago PD. I'm so excited to start season three of Blindspot and can't wait to see what happened to get Jane in Nepal and covered in bioluminescent tattoos.

Saturday's viewing included the first episode of Blindspot's season three. Getting the team back together with a completely new dynamic is great. I'm very interested in what the hell Roman is doing. I also caught episode twelve of Jessica Jones. No, I haven't changed my mind about Trish. I'm still really pissed off at her. I did rather like the intimate takedown Jeri pulled. That was actually kind of brilliant. Finally, I started to get caught up on Riverdale.

Whew. What a week! Tonight's post is from Events in Motion, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of creating a scene with whispering, a temple, and a totem. I liked the challenge.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Fate has a plan for Drury, one she's not all that certain she wants to follow. Porter doesn't believe in destiny, but when Drury sets a chain of events in motion, he has to change his perspective or risk losing her to chance.

And a preview snippet…

We're not a couple anymore… why am I here?

Because Drury proved hard to quit. And I'm a sucker for lost causes. Obviously.

Didn't help she'd ended their relationship. If he'd had a choice, he would've tried to work out their differences. Yeah, she had a heavy burden. Had been through a life-altering experience—one he didn't believe in or understand. But she didn't even try to explain, choosing to cut him out of her life instead.

Love wore many layers and he hadn't been able to shed more than maybe the top tier. The one that acknowledged they weren't together anymore. Didn't stop him from wanting her or keep her from taking up space in his head or his heart.

Dammit. What an idiot.

Dru put her hand on his chest. "Porter, you're overthinking things again." She sat up and maneuvered around to straddle his lap.

His body reacted, same as always whenever her succulent ass got within contact range. His dick went hard and nudged up against the apex of her thighs. Exactly what she wanted.

Her mouth twitched into a sexy smirk. "Mmm. See what happens when your brain shuts down?" She leaned in, meshing her lips with his, her tongue seeking entrance.

Porter groaned and gave her access, which she took full advantage of. Her hands grabbed the hem of his shirt, lifting the fabric up and over his head, barely breaking the kiss to do so.

This is not a good idea.

Dude, as if you're putting up a fight.

Seriously? Have you met Dru? She won't let anything keep her from what she wants.

She wants your dick, man.  

Yeah, she did. She had his pants undone and her palm wrapped around the heavy length. Her thumb worked over the sensitive tip and Porter swallowed down a moan. Ground rules. They needed some ground rules before this went further.

He eased away, cupping her face. "Dru… we should probably—"

She cut him off. "Please, Port. Please." A wobble of desperate need quivered in her plea.

And… Boom! Screw the rules. He dropped right into giving Dru whatever she needed mode.

Gotta say the challenge of writing Dru and Porter is an enjoyable one. Making sure the conflict doesn't overshadow their connection is fun.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: An Eternal Yule

I'm amazed we're at the end of April. I think because the weather has been so winter-like in Ohio, it doesn't feel like we should be four weeks away from summer vacation. Even yesterday, the chilly weather felt more like a warm winter day than spring. LOL

At least the ramp up to season-enders on television seems to be worth staying inside for. That said, I have to play catch-up. The lead up to the school musical took a lot of time this week along with several editing projects.

I'm almost finished with Blindspot's second season. I have one more DVD to watch. My only complaint would be how slippery Shepherd continues to be. I truly hope the takedown is worth watching and, you know, actually happens.

I'm catching some new to me episodes of Midsomer Murders and I'm excited to see what else Acorn TV has to offer. Also caught an episode of Chicago Fire and Chicago PD and enjoyed both. Nice to Casey move up the rank chain. Also great to have Antonio back at District 21.

I'm up to episode nine of Jessica Jones. So far, the second season has been a little slower than the first, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's given me time to really, really want to bitchslap Trish. I haven't decided how I feel about that yet. Usually it's Geri I want to smack really hard. LOL

Finally got to watch the musical episode of Riverdale. Watching Cheryl get her groove back? Excellent. I'm kind of on the fence about Hal and Alice. I had some investment in FP maybe finding some happy moments, you know? Archie and Fred being kind of on the same page made me happy, along with Betty and Veronica burying the hatchet. The ending though? Wow. Definitely some twisty shit.

I like Krypton. Seriously, the pacing is terrific so far with backstory being woven in with current plots moving forward. So far, so good. Also caught another episode of Ghost Squad and I'm a little on the fence with this one. The end of the episode threw me a little.

Endeavor is keeping my interest. I rather like seeing how Frost grew into his big shoes. Also started a subscription to BritBox and watched The Coroner. Really terrific first episode.

Today, I'm catching up on The Flash and hopefully Arrow. Also started Constantine: City of Demons. I'm gearing up for the character to be a regular on Legends next season.

That's it for television. Tonight's post is from An Eternal Yule, a Holiday Spirit sexy short.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Tortured vampire Haddon Hobbs can't seem to fight his bloodlust anymore and it's going to be the end of him if he can't. Psychic Tabitha Tarheel is tired of seeing the worst the world has to offer in her visions. Holiday spirit Joy Garland brings the two together over the Yule season to help them find renewed hope for the future.

And a preview snippet…

Joy Garland entered her spacious apartment and dumped half a dozen bags on the floor. "Whew! It's been years since I've actually had the time to shop for everyone on my list." As a holiday spirit, time had become relative, but she normally had some kind of job to do in the lead up to the festive season.

Dancing around in a circle, she closed the door, excited to get started on the wrapping and baking. She grabbed her bags and sashayed over to her kitchen counter, dropping two on the pristine surface. Doing a hip shake, she envisioned what it would look like in an hour.

She laughed. "Won't stay clean long. Honey cakes are messy sometimes." Crossing into the living room, she put the package with her wrapping paper on the carpeted floor and the remaining parcels on the oversized sofa. "Lots of pretty presents to organize and sort." Most of her friends and colleagues pulled what they needed from the human realm, but Joy missed doing normal human tasks sometimes.

Shopping in the quaint town she and her fellow spirits resided in gave her opportunities to catch up with folks she hadn't seen in a while. She'd managed to have a lovely lunch with two brand new spirits and enjoyed sharing her somewhat limited experience. Joy had been crossed over for less than a century.

Pulling items from one of her bags, she chuckled. "They need to chat with Hollis Goldstar if they really want to hear what being a spirit is like. The man's a grizzled veteran when it comes to what we do." Plus… Joy loved his somewhat snarky attitude and colorful commentary on his subjects.

Halfway through getting her purchases organized, a telltale buzz of energy pulsed under Joy's skin. She paused and, sure enough, a tinkling bell followed. Only taking a moment, she finished putting the gifts on the floor by the coffee table then made a beeline for her antique desk. Don't want the pulse to become a stinging buzz. A new assignment fluttered on the calendar blotter and Joy picked it up, reading through the pertinent details.

She glanced toward her living room. "Well, I might be shadow-wrapping the gifts, but I should still have time to make the honey cakes." She hoped.

Walking into the kitchen, she put the perishables away and made a cup of strong coffee. "I have a feeling this one isn't going to be a simple arranging for two people to meet in a crowded place situation." Entering the living room, she settled into a chair by the rustic hearth then called forth the files for Tabitha Tarheel and Haddon Hobbs.

Joy started with Tabitha. A psychic in the human realm, Tabitha owned a new-age shop filled with crystals and divination tools. Tabitha offered tarot readings and tended to hit spot on with her predictions for her clients. But… Tabitha also truly had the gift of second sight. She came from a long line of clairvoyants.

Joy shook her head. "Oh, sweetie, the things you've seen." Tabitha's ability usually showed her events as they occurred or just after the fact, which meant she could do little to prevent the terrible things she envisioned. "No wonder you're having trouble pushing your anger aside." Something Tabitha needed to do if she wanted to continue with her trade.

Picking up the next file, much thicker than Tabitha's, Joy read through Haddon Hobbs's life story. A true vampire, not one that had been turned, the man's storied past clashed with his current state of being. Haddon's existence remained neutral, but he'd been fighting bloodlust lately.

Joy frowned. "Not a good thing for a vampire." Especially one born like Haddon.

Then again, when a being lived for centuries and witnessed humanity's pros and cons on a daily basis, Haddon had probably lasted longer than most of his brethren before hitting the saturation level for stupidity. He'd come close to crossing a boundary and taking a life though.

Joy snuggled further into the chair. "Bloodlust is a tricky one to overcome. Once he gives in, he won't be able to just turn off the instinct. He'll start killing every time he feeds." And what a waste that would end up being.

Sipping her coffee, Joy considered her best course of action. "I need to get these two off the grid, maybe somewhere in the netherworld." She called up several locations, quickly discarding anything that had people. "Hmm… the Goodacre bed and breakfast. Secluded, charming, just right for Tabitha and Haddon." But they weren't exactly in a friendly state of mind. "Maybe if I throw in some bad weather, they'll be forced to rely on each other." The scenario had potential.

Getting up, she glanced at the pile of presents waiting to be wrapped. Later. She had a few hurdles to jump through if she wanted to conjure a blizzard in the netherworld.

I so enjoy writing the holiday spirit shorts. From coming up with cheeky names for the ghosts to deciding how to get the troubled couples together.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: An Enticing Yule

April 22, 2018

Whew. What a week. We had prom catastrophes averted and a halfway decent Saturday for the big event. My daughter's dress needed some alterations and my wonderful aunt and my next door neighbor came through like the awesome women they are and got the dress in prom-worthy shape. I'm biased, but my girl looked lovely.

Even with all the crazypants running around, I got a lot of television watched. Finished the second "season" of Vixen and enjoyed the episode. Finished up the first season and started the second of Blindspot. I like the introduction of Jane's family and having more of her background in the mix. Not sure about the addition of the NSA character, but I'll hold off on judgment. Definitely interested in who the new mole in the FBI is. I have a feeling I know who it'll end up being and not sure I like it. LOL

Got an episode of Gotham in and, seriously, season four is kicking so much ass. It's twisty and turny and I love how many levels of crazy there are. I truly hope there's another season of the insanity.

I still have so many mixed feeling about this season of The Flash. I want to love it, I really do, but I'm just not there. We'll see if how things play out in the finale. Maybe it'll have the elusive element I'm looking for to turn things around.

Missed both Black Lightning and Riverdale this week so I'll have to play catch up. I'm looking forward to both.

Arrow rocked. It's nice to get the full backstory of a villain. That said, Felicity and Diggle could use some of that love. We know a few of the things that shaped both characters and that's terrific, but each could use some additional rounding out. Just saying.

Started a new for me series called Ghost Squad. The premiere episode hooked me and I'm definitely interested in catching the full first series. Also started Endeavor and I like it. Nothing beats a good BBC crime drama.

Last but not least, I started Syfy's Krypton. Loved the first episode. Here's hoping the momentum continues and I fall in love with this series!

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from An Enticing Yule, a Holiday Spirit Short featuring a multi-shifter and a watcher.

Here's the mini-blurb:

A shifter and a watcher have to find their Yule cheer… with a little help from holiday spirit, Cinnamon Mistleberry. She's got her work cut out for her. Pandora Prewitt is a multi-shifter struggling to find her true form or risk banishment from her tribe. Dexter Diamond is a watcher, the group of preternatural humans who document the shifter chronicles, questioning his life's work. Cinnamon brings the duo together at Yule to show them the enticing value of love.

And a preview snippet…

Cinnamon Mistleberry appreciated the finer things in her spiritual existence. Crisp, bubbly champagne, a glorious soaking tub by a roaring fire, and a full week of downtime during the Yule holiday. The afterlife couldn't get much better.

Lifting her glass, she sipped the golden liquid. "Here's to a nice, quiet solstice." She wiggled her toes, sending ripples of scented water fluttering around her.

Her head dropped back to the curved edge of the porcelain and she twirled the fluted stem in her hand. Peace, love, harmony. Yuletide at its best.

She sat up with a sputter when a pulse of energy zipped along her nerve endings. "No… no, no, no." A tinkling bell sound followed. "Argh. I'm supposed to be off this week." Exiting the tub, she grabbed her robe and slipped it on over her shoulders, keeping her goblet in hand.

The trilling peals grew louder in intensity when Cinnamon strolled into her room.

A parchment shook and shimmered on her bedside table. "I'm coming, I'm coming. Geez." Heaving a sigh, Cinnamon snatched the document and skimmed over the last-minute assignment.

Setting her glass on the nightstand, she reread the information. Oh, no way. The powers that be had to be out of their minds. A shifter and a watcher? At the same time? Argh!

Picking up the fluted goblet, she drained the contents and shrugged. "Well, Cinn. You've been known to pull off the impossible before." But this?

Whew. Tasked with helping the duo find their true happiness, she'd have to think outside the norm.

Carrying her glass into her living area, Cinnamon settled onto the slipper chair by the hearth and tucked her legs under her thighs. She called forth the Book of Everything and started with the female, Pandora Prewitt. Twenty-seven. Biracial on her human side and a rare multi-shifter. Hard case and on the brink of banishment because she struggled to find her true form.

Cinnamon tsked. "Oh, dearie, it's so hard to pick one thing when variety is the spice of life." And sometimes dangerous.

Pandora had to find her inner beast, the one that would soothe her soul. If she didn't, she ran the risk of her personality fragmenting and completely losing her identity, which would put her pack in danger. However… if Pandora chose wrong, she'd constantly be at war with her spirit and live a life unfulfilled.

While she refilled her glass, several ideas swirled in Cinnamon's mind, but she shelved them to review her second subject's issue. Dexter Diamond, a senior watcher—the group that observed the shifters during their lifespan.

Cinnamon sipped more of the bubbly liquid. "Hmm… I see what you're doing here." Oh, those tricky powers that be.

At thirty, Dexter's third-generation status gave him a full slate of preternatural abilities. Heightened senses topped the list. Easy on the eyes, if one liked the rugby brawler type—and, oh, how Cinnamon did—Dexter stood out in the watcher community. But he'd had a bad run lately.

The group chronicled the lives of the shifters, keeping track of bloodlines and animal forms. They also kept tabs on the human-animal interactions. For all of Dexter's skill and ability, he'd been unable to stop a rogue shifter from taking lives. The man went on a shooting spree then ate his gun. Dexter arrived too late to halt the carnage.

And now he questioned his life's work.

Cinnamon shook her head. "We can't have that, sweetie. Sometimes a situation escalates out of control." And opened up a perfect opportunity for redemption.

She thumbed through the Book of Everything, skimming for a perfect location to send her two wounded charges. She discounted the penthouse in the heart of the city, hand-waved the perennial favorite river cruise, and nixed a guided tour of Paris.

Flipping through more pages, she sighed. "I need something secluded, with no outside influence." Somewhere in the netherworld.

Cinnamon scrolled to the needed section and finally settled on the Goodacre Bed and Breakfast. The charming manor house and pristine location suited the scenario she had in mind. Pandora and Dexter were positioned to help each other out. Dex needed a reminder of his purpose and Pandora required guidance. Who better than the other to show the way?

To be safe, Cinnamon glanced around, searching for a sign or signal of disapproval from the powers. Nothing came. Satisfied, she called forth another bottle of champagne.

Pouring a fresh glass, she rubbed her hands together. "Can't work on carefully crafted invitations without the proper motivation, can I?"

I'm excited to see how this one turns out. The sages are brimming with ideas!

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Elemental Healing - A Lantern Jack Tale

Well, we had a semi-nice weekend. Today is rainy and chilly but Friday and most of Saturday was sunny and beautiful.

I got a lot of television watched this week. Dipped into CW Seed's Vixen and thoroughly enjoyed the first "season". I'm almost finished with Blindspot's first season and I'm looking forward to starting season two. Watched another episode of Chicago Fire and Chicago PD this week. Not sure how much I like seeing Hank defanged on Chicago PD but I'm in for the ride either way.

Legends of Tomorrow delivered an awesome season finale. I'm thrilled with where the characters ended up and having Constatine and Gary drop their little gift on the team made me laugh.

The Flash had a decent episode. I'm actually ready for the season to be over and Devoe to be defeated. Still need to catch up on Black Lightning. I'm hoping to find time this week to watch the episodes I've missed.

I did catch an episode of Riverdale and, yeah, talk about uncomfortable. No one is having an easy time of it right now. Definitely concerned about Cheryl. Her mother is a piece of work. Fred running for mayor… that's gonna be interesting. Just saying.

I got another episode of Gotham out of the way and things did not go where I thought they would. Sofia is a piece of work. I did love the overall theme of getting people back together. "Reunion" is a perfect title for the episode.

Arrow truly continues to amaze me. I'm saddened Oliver seems to be breaking ties with everyone so he can focus on the mission, but I'm also pretty interested in how the rest of the season plays out. I'll go out on a limb and say the councilman is on Diaz's payroll, too.

I'm almost finished with season two of Jessica Jones and I'm truly thrilled we'll have a season three. That said, I hope it's a little more cohesive. It's nice to have Jessica's backstory but I'd like to see her truly throw down with a villain. Just saying.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Elemental Healing, a Lantern Jack Tale.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. Erica Ellis is a fire demon whose powers are going out of control. She needs intervention and an ancient ritual could save her from harming others. Perth Pettigrew is a shaman knight and knows the old rites. Too bad he's no longer using his gift. It's up to Lantern Jack to bring the two together for some elemental healing.

And a preview snippet…

Erica Ellis needed to find her mentor, Blenden Matchick.

When she couldn't find him in any of the haunts the fire demon liked to hit, she freaked out. A wave of energy buzzed under her skin and Erica couldn't get it under control.

She took a deep breath. "Please don't let me black out again." The surge receded, but just a bit.

Cutting through an alley, she ducked through the back entrance to Lucky's bar. A wave of dizziness hit her and she hugged the wall. Fear simmered in her mind.

"I won't black out. I won't." The cinderblock surface heated under her hands and she jerked away from the blocks. "Dammit, I've gotta find Blenden." The small release of her power cleared her vision enough for her to walk up to the scarred bar.

"What can I get ya, babe?" The bartender had beefy forearms and a big belly.

Erica shoved her hands in her pockets and ordered. "Whiskey. Strongest you've got." The alcohol would help numb her mind and dull her powers.

The bartender eyed her up and down. "You sure about that? There ain't much to ya."

She curled her fingers into her palms. "I'm sure." Dragging a ten out of her pocket, she slapped it on the bar.

I can't get angry. Gotta stay calm.

The bartender snorted. "Yeah, okay." Turning, he grabbed a bottle off the shelf and poured a shot, then slid it in front of her.

Erica picked the glass up and slugged the contents back. "Again. How many will the ten buy me?" The liquid burn landed in her stomach and she welcomed the almost giddy rush that followed.

The guy behind the counter held up four fingers.

Erica nodded. "Keep 'em coming." Sliding up onto a stool, she waited for her next round.

The bartender shook his head. "Okay. Hope you're not driving." He poured.

Erica grunted in response. None of his business if she planned to drive or not, but she gave him props for giving the illusion of concern.

The guy next to Erica shot her a sideways glance, but she stared ahead. Picking up the glass, she drained the second drink. She didn't want the man to start a conversation. Not enough alcohol yet… she couldn't guarantee what she'd do.

The whiskey settled in her gut, coursing through her system and the tempest in her mind receded again. The bartender poured her third drink.

She ran her finger around the rim of the glass. "Has Blenden Matchick been in here tonight?" Her heart beat a staccato rhythm of hope.

The bartender's eyebrows rose. "Why's a sweet thing like you looking for that old goat?" He crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a speculative glance.

Erica willed her frustration down. "Has. He. Been. Here. Tonight?" Her voice growled the words.

The man held up his hands. "No. Been two weeks since old Matchstick has been in."

Matchstick. Blenden's dual-meaning nickname. A play on his last name and his ability as a fire demon.

Erica frowned, the hope dying in her chest. "Thanks."

Two weeks. Damn. The night her powers had gone batshit and nearly burned the old warehouse they used for training down.

The last time anyone had seen her mentor.

She drank the rest of the booze in silence, trying to think of any other place she could look for Blenden. Nothing came to her and the whiskey finally did the trick of dulling her senses. She should be able to make it back to her small apartment without incident.

She hoped.

Signaling the bartender, she nodded toward the remaining whiskey. "Can I get the rest of that bottle? To take home." Digging a twenty out of her pocket, she placed it on the counter, thankfully without singe marks.

The guy handed the liquor over after capping the bottle. He swiped the money and tucked it into his cash drawer. Erica slid off the stool, only slightly unsteady, and started for the front of the bar.

A hand landed on her shoulder. "Hold up." A slight squeeze stopped her progress.

She angled her head around, ready to blast the other patron with a verbal bitchslap. The tattoo on his hand distracted her. Sun, moon, and stars were depicted on a coat of arms inked in the fleshy space between his thumb and forefinger. She'd something like it before… but where?

Her gaze met his. Dark brown with flecks of amber held steady, conveying no sinister intent.

The man nodded toward the bartender. "He owes you change. There's only ten bucks worth of whiskey in that bottle." He removed his palm from her shoulder.

Erica blinked, the experience of loss too strong to ignore. And she kept trying to place why the tattoo seemed so familiar.

The bartender gave the man a nasty look. "What're you stickin' your nose in for?" He planted his hands on his hips.

The guy's brown eyes flared with contempt. "Cheating people tends to bring bad shit to your door." His gruff voice carried a hint of a threat.

The bartender smirked. "Been in business for over twenty years. Think I'm doing okay." He hand-waved the warning.

The patron's lips twisted in a wry curve. "Dusmek." A bottle from the top shelf crashed to the floor.

The bartender's eyes went wide and he shuffled to one side. "Bah! Should've known. An 'other'. You're one of them netherworlders, aren't ya?" He turned and snatched the twenty out of his cash drawer then handed it to Erica. "Take the damned bottle and get out." He glared at the other patron. "Both of you." Reaching behind a partition, he grabbed a broom and started cleaning up.

The man finished his drink in a quick gulp and got up. Erica's brain caught up with the moment. Netherworlder. That's where I've seen the tattoo. Erica quickly followed the guy out the door, her brain spinning with possibilities.

Once outside, the guy made a left and Erica trotted to catch up. "Hey. Dude, wait a minute." He didn't stop but she fell into step beside him. "Uh, thanks for that back there." At a loss, she didn't know how to approach asking him about the ink on his hand.

The guy nodded and quickened his pace, pulling ahead of her again.

A little hopeless, Erica called out. "You're a knight, right?" Maybe he could help her find Blenden. "A shaman? I could really—"

He stopped, turned, and came back. "Keep your voice down. It doesn't matter what I am, I can't help you." He bit out the last sentence.

Erica barely kept a grip on her frustration. "You just did. Why stop now?" He could at least hear her out.

The guy shook his head. "Look, even if I wanted to—and I don't—it's forbidden. Shaman knights don't offer aid or comfort to demons." The words spat from his mouth. "Your best bet is to forget you even saw me." He whirled away and jogged across the street.

Kind of like he couldn't get away from her fast enough.

Erica gripped the whiskey bottle and cradled it close to her chest. "Yeah, thanks for nothing, asshole."

I love writing Lantern Jack tales. This one is especially fun to write.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye